100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the Nov. 8, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

The Wilcox County Bar: During the session of the Wilcox County Circuit Court appropriate memorial services were held on the deaths of two of its oldest and most respected members, to wit, Col. Edward N. Jones and Capt. John Y. Kilpatrick Sr. The members of the bar and Judge Miller expressed their sorrow and grief at the death of these two distinguished gentlemen and practitioners.

Work has commenced on the new two-story brick store and office building to be erected at the corner of Broad and Planter streets. The building is to be finished by Jan. 1. Mr. Eugene Powell is the competent contractor.

Deputy Sheriff McLean and Mrs. McLean spent Sunday at her old home in Caledonia.

Miss Maggie Nettles of McWilliams is teaching at Perdue Hill and Miss Alma Parker has a school at Excel.

While in Camden, Capt. Ed. Cothran of Selma received the sad news that his brother-in-law, Mr. Whitby, had been killed in an automobile accident near that city. Captain Cothran has many friends here, who regret his misfortune.

Death of Mr. J. Mc Jones: Our community was saddened last Friday by the announcement of the sudden death of Mr. J. Mc Jones, who died at his home that morning.

Mr. Jones was born at Oak Hill, May 15, 1849, and at his death was 68 years of age. A large number of sorrowing friends attended his funeral at the Camden cemetery Friday afternoon.

Mr. Jones was a good and faithful citizen, husband and father. In 1880, a time that tried men’s souls, he was one of the trusted Democratic leaders.

Every Friday morning there are exercises at the Camden Grammar School, to which parents and friends are cordially invited to attend. Last Friday the play of Mrs. Jarvis’ wax figures was rendered, which was very creditable to the pupils of Mrs. Jennie Foster’s Grammar School. Mr. Bloch, by invitation, addressed the school.

Mr. R.A. Smith Sr. of Mobile was a welcome visitor to Camden last week.

Mr. A.V. McMillan, who has been summering at Knoxville, Tenn., has returned to Camden.

Mrs. W.A. Shultz of Brundidge is visiting her mother, Mrs. W.A. Dexter, who has been quite sick. Mrs. Dexter’s friends regret her illness.

Mr. E.D. Baker of the Mobile cotton firm of Baker, Lyons & Co. was among his numerous business friends in the county last week.

The acorn mast is producing well. Walnuts, hickory nuts and scalybark nuts, pecans and persimmons are plentiful and of good quality.

There were 5,334 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Wilcox County, from the crop of 1917, prior to Oct. 18, 1917 as compared with 2,986 bales ginned to Oct. 18, 1916.

The County Board of Education has designated Nov. 1 as the date from which compulsory attendance shall be enforced. Superintendent O.C. Weaver was appointed attendance officer for the county, with authority to appoint officers in each district, probably trustees, to report failure of any parent or guardian to comply with this law.