Sunday, June 18, 2017

125-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from June 1892

Grave of Mrs. Susan Hixon.
The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Ala., under the direction of editor Q. Salter, published five editions 125 years ago during the month of June 1892. Four of those issues, which were dated June 2, June 9, June 16 and June 30, can be found on microfilm at the Monroe County Library in Monroeville, Ala. The June 23 issue is listed as missing on the roll of microfilm there. What follows are a few news highlights from the editions that are available on microfilm. Enjoy.


JUNE 2, 1892

Miss Imie Russell closed her school near town last Friday.

Tax Collector Robison was in town Tuesday to make his regular monthly settlement. He reports an unusually large insolvent list.

Prof. D.J. McWilliams and his sister Miss Ellinor left for their home in Wilcox last week.

DIED – Mrs. Susan Hixon died at her home near Claiborne on Wednesday, May 25, aged 70 years. Mrs. Hixon suffered from mitral insufficiency for several weeks and while her death was sudden it was not entirely unexpected though a great shock to her relatives and the community. She was the mother of Messrs. A.C. and L.A. Hixon living near Claiborne and of Mrs. W.S. Wiggins of this place.

A severe wind and hail storm visited this section last Sunday evening. The rain and wind was general but the fall of hailstones was confined principally to the south and southwestern portions of the county, playing sad havoc with corn, cotton and vegetables and beating fruit from the trees. Much timber was felled and damage done to fencing.

HAIL STORM: Jones Mill, May 30 – Our community was visited yesterday by a noted hail storm which did great damage to crops and will set our farmers back considerably. Corn is riddled to strings and stems and it is hard to tell which way cotton rows run. The storm lasted about one hour and was accompanied by strong wind. Many of the hailstones were as large as guinea eggs and piled up in some places to the depth of three or four inches. Just such a storm was never witnessed by any one in this community.

PERDUE HILL: The closing exercises of the High School will take place on the night of June 3.

JUNE 9, 1892

A Kolb mass meeting was held at Camden, Wilcox County, last Wednesday and was attended by something like 50 men, although Kolb claimed 75. The meeting was held behind closed doors and only ultra Kolb men admitted. It is given out that 15 delegates were instructed for Kolb to be elected to the state convention and the same number to the congressional convention instructed for Wiley.

Mr. Geo. Salter Jr. of The Evergreen Star is at home on a visit.

Capt. Thomas S. Wiggins and W.G. McCorvey, Esq., are attending the Democratic state convention this week.

COTTON BLOOMS – Mr. Jno. Thames of Perdue Hill, one of Monroe’s most successful farmers, last Tuesday sent us a cotton bloom grown on his place, accompanied by a note stating that he has six acres of as fine cotton as he has ever seen at this season of the year.
On Wednesday, Mr. E.D. Hixon also sent us a cotton bloom grown on his place near Claiborne. The first bloom was reported about the same date last year.

PINEVILLE: Prof. Bassett’s vocal class has disbanded.

PERDUE HILL: The closing exercises of the High School took place Friday night and were quite creditable to Prof. George and his accomplished assistant, Miss Penick. The medal for the best declamation was deservedly won by William Marshall. Miss Irene Robison was awarded the medal for scholarship, and Master Andrew Savage the medal for attendance and deportment.

Mr. W.J. Robison went to Montgomery Sunday per Steamer Quill to transact official business and to attend the state convention.

JUNE 16, 1892

Dr. J.T. Russell was nominated by the State convention for Presidential Elector for the First District.

Mrs. W.B. Jones left last week to take charge of the large new hotel recently erected at Bear Creek Mill, this county, which has been leased by Mr. Jones.

A REMARKABLE STORM: A gentleman just returned from Carlisle, this county, informs us that one of the most violent hailstorms known to the oldest inhabitant visited that section on Tuesday of last week. A cloud of inky blackness came rolling and thundering from the east and as it hovered over the plantation of Mr. A.B. McCorvey, burst in all its fury, flooding the earth with a deluge of rain and hailstones as large as goose eggs, which were collected by the water into drifts in places to the depth of two feet, which formed into mammoth blocks of ice and remained until the next day. On breaking one of the blocks, a large black snake was found imbedded therein. Crops in the path of the storm are entirely destroyed; many chickens, turkeys and other fowls were killed by the hailstones. As improbable as is the story may seem in some particulars, it is vouched for by many reliable residents of the neighborhood.

MONROE CHAPTER NO. 4 – The following were elected officers of Monroe Chapter for the ensuing Masonic year: John A. Savage, H.P.; Noah A. Agee, K.; William C. Sowell, S.; William A. Locke, Chaplain; Charles L. Slaughter, Treasurer; William J. McCants, Secretary; Isaac D. Roberts, C of H; John F. Gaillard, P.S.; John L. Ballard, R.A.C.; John B. Williams, M. 3rd V.; Charles R. McNeil, M. 2nd V.; Isaac B. Slaughter, M. 1st V.; William Tomlinson, Sentinel.

PERDUE HILL: We learn that the residence of Mr. H.J. Savage was burned at Walker Springs last Friday. Particulars have not been ascertained.

MONROE LODGE NO. 485 – The following were elected officers of Monroe Lodge for the ensuing Masonic year: William J. McCants, worshipful master; Thomas G. Reynolds, senior warden; Henry L. Whisenhunt, junior warden; John G. Johnson, treasurer; Calvin C. Nettles, secretary; Andrew J. McKinley, senior deacon; Charles T. Simmons, junior deacon; William A. Locke, chaplain; Jameis F. Rowell, Daniel B. Stabler, stewards; Jackson McKinley, tyler.
There will be a public installation of officers at River Ridge on June 24, 1892. Rev. W.A. Locke will deliver a Masonic address. We hope to have Hon. J.W. Leslie with us to install the officers – W.J. McCANTS, Worshipful Master.

JUNE 23, 1892 – ISSUE MISSING.

JUNE 30, 1892

Capt. J.H. McCreary was in town Tuesday attending the meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee. Capt. McCreary has just returned from Chicago where he went to attend the National Democratic Convention. During his stay in the “Windy City,” the captain met many prominent New York Democrats as well as those from other sections whom he says, although disappointed at Senator Hill’s defeat, will support Mr. Cleveland loyally and are confident of his ability to carry New York in November.

The soldier boys will leave for encampment at Mobile Sunday.

Hon. N.J. Stallworth, Monroe’s Probate Judge-elect, was in the city Tuesday.

The County Treasurer’s office has recently been supplied with a very large fireproof and burglar-proof safe.

Capt. John Burns, Monroe’s popular ex-Sheriff, of Pineville, was in town Saturday.

Sheriff Harrengton and Mr. H.E. Hudson left Sunday for Chilton, Texas, whither they went after an escaped prisoner who was apprehended and placed in jail there.

Messrs. Thompson and Yarbrough are putting up a brick kiln near town. Work was begun last Monday and is being rapidly pushed forward. The first kiln burned will contain 200,000.


Capt. F.M. Jones is engaged in making out his book of tax assessments for this year.

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