Today in History for Feb. 2, 2019

Feb. 2, 1833 - Lewis Sewall became postmaster at Burnt Corn, Ala.

Feb. 2, 1834 - Itinerant Methodist minister and author Lorenzo Dow passed away in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. at the age of 56. Passing down the Old Federal Road through Conecuh and Monroe Counties, he is believed to have delivered the first Methodist sermon in what is now Alabama in 1803.

Feb. 2, 1836 – At the ill-fated Alamo, Col. Jim Bowie and Col. James C. Neill vowed “…we will rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy.” Lt. Col. William B. Travis arrived at the Alamo on this day with 30 men.

Feb. 2, 1839 – Linden, Ala. was officially incorporated as a municipality.

Feb. 2, 1863 – Pvt. James T. Peacock, who was Lewis Lavon Peacock’s older brother, passed away from pneumonia around the age of 21 at General Hospital No. 2 in Richmond, Va. A member of Co. A of the Third Alabama Infantry, he took part in the defense of Richmond and the Battles of Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill. He was buried in the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Va. (According to his headstone, he died on Feb. 3, 1863.)

Feb. 2, 1864 – During the Civil War, Federal operations began in the vicinity of Whitesburg, Ala., and the Federal steamer, Mill Boy, was wrecked nine miles above Jacksonport, Ark. Skirmishes were also fought on Halcolm Island, Mo.; at Bogue Sound Blockhouse and Gale's Creek in North Carolina; at La Grange, Tenn.; near Aldie and Strasburg in Virginia; and at Patterson's Creek, West Va.

Feb. 2, 1886 - F.A. Seymour “was stricken very suddenly and severely with apoplexy” on this Tuesday about 11 a.m., while sitting near the fire in the post office. Sheriff Burns chanced to be near and ran to his assistance. Dr. Russell was called in and immediately began treatment. As of the night of Feb. 4, Seymour was “doing as well as could be reasonably expected,” according to The Monroe Journal.

Feb. 2, 1901 – Andalusia, Ala. was officially incorporated as a municipality.

Feb. 2, 1905 - Judge J.M. Hobson, father of Capt. R.P. Hobson, was buried in Greensboro on this Thursday.

Feb. 2, 1908 – The sanctuary at Evergreen Baptist Church in Evergreen, Ala. was dedicated.

Feb. 2, 1910 – The Evergreen Courant reported, under the headline “Genuine Small Pox in Monroe,” the following news story from The Monroe Journal – “Dr. W.H. Sanders, State Health Officer, came down from Montgomery Saturday to investigate the contagious disease, which has been prevailing in this and other communities of the county. Dr. Sanders unhesitatingly pronounced the disease small pox and directed that stringent regulations be enforced for the suppression of the disease.”

Feb. 2, 1910 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Evergreen was soon to have a soda water bottling plant. It was to be conducted by Messrs. Dunn and Dees of Greenville. They had leased the corner store of the Sewell Hotel building and were expected to be ready for business in a few days.

Feb. 2, 1910 – The Evergreen Courant reported that work on the First National Bank building was progressing satisfactorily. The brick work was to be completed that week. The plumbing and steam heating apparatus was also being put in. The finishing work was expected to be necessarily slow and tedious. It was hoped that it would be ready to move into early in March. The building was expected to “be a very handsome one and is already the object of admiration of everybody.” Work had been suspended on the Peoples Bank on account of the failure of material to arrive.

Feb. 2, 1910 – The Evergreen Courant reported that W.W. Pridgen was in St. Louis that week buying more mules and horses. The firm had sold more stock that season than ever before.

Feb. 2, 1910 - John McDuffie, Esq., returned on this Wednesday from a business trip through the northern section of Monroe County.

Feb. 2, 1915 – W.M. Robinson, who lived near Paul, Ala., shot and killed John Holmes. Sheriff A.A. Williams arrested Robinson and transported him to Evergreen, Ala.

Feb. 2, 1916 – A “second breath of winter” struck Monroeville, Ala.  on this Wednesday and was “more severe than that of January. The ground was frozen to a greater depth than on the former occasion and the freeze will doubtless be effective in destroying a greater number of hibernating boll weevils.”

Feb. 2, 1916 – A “cold wave struck” Evergreen, Ala. on this Wednesday morning, and thermometers registered 18 degrees on the following Thursday morning, according to The Conecuh Record.

Feb. 2, 1916 – The “negro school building, located opposite the cemetery… burned to the ground” on this Wednesday night in Evergreen, Ala. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Feb. 2, 1917 - Mr. W.C. Dillard of Pensacola, division freight agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad company, was a business visitor to Monroeville on this Friday.

Feb. 2, 1920 – According to The Evergreen Courant, on this day the “groundhog surely failed to see his shadow,” and “we shall now see if this portends an early spring or the end of winter, whichever it means, if it means anything.”

Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Yarbrough and family had returned to Evergreen, Ala. to live and planned to occupy the old Feagin home on Belleville Street.

Feb. 2, 1933 - The local post of the American Legion was scheduled to meet at the Conecuh County (Ala.) Courthouse to discuss veteran affairs. Similar meetings were being held all over the state at this time. All members and eligible veterans were urged to attend.

Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Esko Dunn of the Wilcox community was in St. Margaret’s Hospital due to “serious injuries” caused by the train.

Feb. 2, 1933 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the Bank of Evergreen was showing “substantial and steady growth” as evidenced by a comparison of a statement of the bank’s condition at the close of business on Jan. 30 compared with earlier statements. The bank opened for business on Sept. 1, 1932, “just a little over a month after Evergreen’s old bank was closed for liquidation. In opening so quickly after the other institution closed it is believed that the city has made a record. So far as has been observed, no other city in this section of the country has been able to open a new bank as quickly as this. In fact, so far as has been observed few have been able to get one opened at all.”

Feb. 2, 1934 - Alabama author Wade H. Hall was born in Union Springs, in Bullock County, Ala.

  

Feb. 2, 1939 – Red Level High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Evergreen High School, 39-24, on this Thursday night in Red Level.

Feb. 2, 1940 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Georgiana, 11-9.

Feb. 2, 1940 – E.B. Aycock of Evergreen, Ala. was seriously injured when he became pinned beneath the trunk of a falling tree while working near Brewton. He was operating a skidder when the accident occurred, and it was reported that the tree to which the machine was anchored broke in two and caught him in falling. He suffered severe internal injuries, including fractures of the pelvis bones, and was carried to the hospital in Atmore.

Feb. 2, 1954 – McKenzie High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Conecuh County High School, 46-38, in McKenzie. Bobby Daw led CCHS with 12 points, and Wilbur Heaton followed with 11 points. Other top CCHS players in that game included Charles Hart, Lamon Reaves, Lewis Heaton and Leon Raines.

Feb. 2, 1955 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball beat Lyeffion, 86-24, at Memorial Gym in Evergreen, Ala. Center Randy White led Evergreen with 35 total points.

Feb. 2, 1960 – Conecuh County Training School’s basketball team was scheduled to play Atmore on this Tuesday in Evergreen.

Feb. 2, 1968 – Marine PFC Allen Twiggs Merritt IV, age 18, of Atmore, Ala. was killed in action in Thua Thien-Hue, Vietnam. Born on March 7, 1949, he is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore.

Feb. 2, 1968 - Army Warrant Officer Horace Gilbert Giddens Jr., age 22, of Andalusia, Ala. was killed in action at Hai Phong Municipality in Vietnam. Born on Nov. 13, 1945 in Andalusia, he was a member of Unit C/1/9 CAV 1 and was killed when a round came up through his Huey helicopter, deflected off his kevlar chest protector, entered his neck and severed his jugular vein. He was dead on arrival at base Dong Ha, Quang Tri Province. He was buried in Andalusia Memorial Cemetery in Andalusia.

Feb. 2, 1978 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Lyeffion High School’s Yellow Jackets basketball team was “knocking off opponents right and left and working toward competing for the state championship in Class A.” Players on the team included Charles Watts, Ricky Hall, Kenny Nevlous, Ricky Johnson, Joe Salter, James Riley, Willie Hunter, Adrian Woods, Harold Kyser and Erick Finklea. Ronnie Williams was head coach, Jim McKinnon was assistant coach and Steve Searcy was manager.

Feb. 2, 1980 - The Murder Creek Historical Society was scheduled to hold a “flea market” at the historic L&N Depot in Evergreen, Ala. on this Saturday. The Murder Creek Historical Society was making final plans to “really fix up the old depot.”

Feb. 2, 1982 - Alabama author Annie Vaughan Weaver died in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Feb. 2, 1988 - Alabama author Richard Chase died in Claremont, Calif.

Feb. 2, 1993 – During a meeting on this Tuesday night at Evergreen City Hall, the Evergreen City Council recognized the accomplishments and the dedication of a former city council member who died recently. A special resolution was signed and presented to the widow of former councilman, businessman and civic leader, T.L. Sims. After a moment of silence in memory of the late councilman, who had perished in a recent automobile accident, Councilman Jerry Caylor praised Mr. Sims’ work for the city, and the business community and the people of Evergreen and Conecuh County.

Feb. 2, 2000 – Jason Watkins, a senior at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, Ala., signed a full football scholarship with the University of West Alabama in Livingston. Watkins was recruited to play fullback at UWA. Watkins was the son of James and Hazel Watkins.

Feb. 2, 2001 - Local historian and Monroe Journal columnist George Singleton of Monroeville spoke to Brownie Troop 225 about Monroe County’s early history at Old Scotland Church and Cemetery at Tunnel Springs. With Singleton were Allie Martin, Lindsey Gearhart, Mary Rebecca Barfield, Abbie Tucker, Mary Carter English, Mary Caylor Menefee, Jenna Menefee, Nikki Whatley and Lauren Lambert. Dr. Lori Gearhart and Lori Menefee were the troop’s leaders.

Feb. 2, 2002 - The Southwest Alabama Tri-County Steer & Heifer Show was held on this Saturday at the Conecuh Stockyards in Evergreen. Jena Smith of Monroe County exhibited the Grand Champion Heifer. Bill Partain of Conecuh County presented Jena with her blue ribbon.

Feb. 2, 2003 - Alabama author Mildred Lee died in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Feb. 2, 2010 - Evergreen city officials presented Scott and Joan Davis of Evergreen with a resolution on this Tuesday night in honor of their son Drew Davis, who was the starting right tackle on the University of Alabama’s national championship football team that season. Evergreen Mayor’s mayor at that time was Larry Fluker, and city council members were Vivian Fountain, Maxine Harris, Luther Upton and John Skinner.

Feb. 2, 2014 – Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away at the age of 46 in Manhattan, N.Y. He portrayed Truman Capote in 2005’s “Capote” and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for role.

Feb. 2, 2015 – Burnt Corn, Alabama native Marcus Lee, age 30, videoed what he claimed to be an encounter with a Bigfoot-type creature in the woods across from his grandmother’s home on Conecuh County Road 15, between Lett Hope Road and New Hope AME Zion Church, about three miles southeast of Burnt Corn. The incident took place on that cold, rainy Monday around 9 a.m. after Lee entered the woods alone with a .22-rifle to rabbit hunt.