Today in History for Feb. 3, 2019

William Barrett Travis

Feb. 3, 1836 – William Barrett Travis, who’d lived at Sparta and Claiborne in Alabama, arrived at the Alamo with 18 men.

Feb. 3, 1837 - A skirmish was fought between the Alabama militia and Creek warriors near Cowikee Creek in southeast Alabama.

Feb. 3, 1842 - Alabama author Sidney Lanier was born in Macon, Ga.

Feb. 3, 1857 – Early Conecuh County teacher, lawyer and judge Henry Franklin Stearns died at Claiborne.

Feb. 3, 1865 – During the Civil War, the first of what would be two days of skirmishing began at Ladd’s House, Jog Jaw Valley, in Alabama.

Feb. 3, 1870 - The Clay County community known as County Line changed its name to Lineville. The area became known as County Line in 1856, when the federal government established a post office there. The name reflected the town's location on the Randolph County side of the border with Talladega County. In 1866, the Alabama state government formed Clay County from portions of Talladega and Randolph Counties, and as a result County Line was no longer located on a county line.

Feb. 3, 1872 – Georgiana, Ala. was officially incorporated as a municipality, according to the Alabama League of Municipalities.

  

Feb. 3, 1886 - Editor Robbins of The Pineapple Enterprise was in Monroeville, Ala. on this Wednesday and visited The Monroe Journal’s office.

Feb. 3, 1896 – The second term of the Monroeville Academy began and was under the management of Prof. Powers. The building was located “on a beautiful eminence just south of town, in full view of the public square.”

Feb. 3, 1896 – The Hon. E.R. Morrisette of Mobile, U.S. marshal for the Southern District of Alabama, was in Monroeville on this Monday.

  

Feb. 3, 1906 – Manistee was “quite crowded” on this night as people flocked to see the “Clarke combined show, which was acknowledged to be about as good as has ever been through this part of the country,” according to the Manistee correspondent’s report in the Feb. 8, 1906 Monroe Journal.

Feb. 3, 1910 – The Monroe Journal reported that “merchants complain of unusual dullness in business since small pox scare struck the county. No one comes to town unless upon urgent business and when this is transacted does not tarry.”

Feb. 3, 1910 – The Monroe Journal reported, in news from the Burnt Corn community, that “our Sunday schools are not attended as they should be now on account of small pox prevailing in this community.”

Feb. 3, 1915 – Wade Brownlow, a convict on the Conecuh County (Ala.) road crew, attempted suicide on this morning by stabbing himself on the left side of his chest with a table fork. “The wound was not as serious as was at first thought and after a few days he was able to go to work again,” according to The Evergreen Courant.

Feb. 3, 1915 – The Evergreen Courant, under the headline “Baby Abandoned in Hotel,” reported that “a baby found in a room at the Sewell Hotel on Saturday morning has created more talk in Evergreen than the war across the water. On Friday night a man and a woman went to the hotel at a late hour and sought lodging, which they obtained. They came on train No. 3 and asked to be called for train No. 2, which was done. They were known to have a baby when they arrived and it was naturally supposed they took it away with them. But they did not, for some time during the morning, Mrs. Stephens went into the room which the couple had occupied and to her surprise and astonishment she beheld the form of a pretty little girl baby apparently about four weeks old. The news of the strange find spread over town and it was not long before everybody in town knew about the little stranger and many were curious enough to go up into the hotel to see it. It was on her hands and it must not be neglected, so Mrs. Stephens in a motherly way prepared and gave it nourishment and made it comfortable. On a slip of paper pinned to its clothing was instructions to deliver the child to the Baptist Orphans Home, but the institution could not accept it. This was no hindrance to get someone to care for it, however, as applications came thick and fast from the best of families for the custody of the little one. But Mr. Stephens got a clue as to the identity of the persons who left it on his hands and went to work to locate them. They were soon located in Butler County and Sheriff (A.A.) Williams went up on Sunday afternoon to Greenville and out in the country where they lived and caused the couple to return here yesterday to answer the charge of abandonment. They gave their names as Wm. Steen and wife. The child was given by them to the custody of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Skinner of Belleville and the unnatural parents left on the afternoon train for their home. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner are very proud of their new possession.”

Feb. 3, 1916 – Clarence Moore Dannelly Jr. was born in Evergreen, Ala., the son of Conecuh County Superintendent of Education C.M. Dannelly. He grew up in Montgomery and on Dec. 17, 1940, Navy Ensign Dannelly would be killed in an airplane crash during a training accident in Pensacola. Dannelly is considered to be the first casualty of World War II from Montgomery, and Dannelly Field (now Montgomery Regional Airport) was named in his honor in July 1943.

Feb. 3, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that W.R. James was “engaged in taking a census of the town of Evergreen. The work is being done under a recent act of the legislature, and Mr. James was appointed by the municipal authorities to do the work. It is an actual or general census and serves the two-fold purpose of determining the present population and the number of children within the school age.”

Feb. 3, 1916 – The Conecuh Record reported that J.T. Williams had been appointed to serve as a trustee of the Second District Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala.

Feb. 3, 1918 - Mrs. W.C. Farish, 78, died on this Sunday, according to The Wilcox Progressive Era. Rev. H.T. Strout, “with most beautiful and impressive words, pronounced the last sad rites. She was laid to rest in the Camden cemetery. Mrs. Farish, before her marriage, was Miss Virginia Thrash. She was born in Choctaw County and later moved to Orrville. She was married to Dr. W.C. Farish in April 1863.”

Feb. 3, 1919 – Alabama became the first state to enact legislation calling for a memorial to commemorate its citizens who had served in World War I, also known as the Great War.

Feb. 3, 1920 – Robert Long of Evergreen, Ala. left for his semi-annual trip to New York and other eastern markets to purchase the spring and summer stock for his firm, I. Long & Sons. He was accompanied by Althea Burke and Miss Diaz, who were to help Long select ladies goods for his store.

Feb. 3, 1933 – Conecuh County High School’s boys and girls basketball teams were scheduled to play Lyeffion in Lyeffion, Ala. on this Friday.

Feb. 3, 1935 - Miss Jennie Faulk left Monroeville on this Sunday for Atlanta, Ga. to “do her Spring marketing,” according to The Monroe Journal.

Feb. 3, 1939 – Greenville High School’s varsity boys basketball team beat Evergreen, 34-17, in Greenville on this Friday night.

Feb. 3, 1942 – Monroe County High School’s boys and girls basketball teams traveled to Excel, Ala. to take on Excel High School. MCHS’s boys won, 26-20, but Excel’s girls beat MCHS’s girls by one point.

Feb. 3, 1948 - Two men were killed and one injured in a head-on collision between a car and log truck nine miles north of Brewton, Ala. on this Tuesday. The dead were W.A. Griggers, 60, of Brooklyn, who was driving the car, and truck driver Anderson Smith, 41, of East Brewton. Reuben E. Blackwell of Brewton was riding in the cab of the truck but was thrown clear and escaped with injuries. According to information received from Highway Patrol Sgt. T.P. Melton, both vehicles were completely demolished and burned. Smith was pinned beneath the truck. It was believed that Griggers had suffered a heart attack and was unconscious at the time of the accident.

Feb. 3, 1955 – Around noon, Fred Edward Mills, 65, a “well known and highly esteemed merchant and business leader of Evergreen,” Ala., died unexpectedly from a heart attack. Mills died at his store, Mills Ready to Wear, as he was preparing to go to the weekly meeting of the Evergreen Rotary Club. Born on Oct. 3, 1889, he was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Conecuh County, Ala.

Feb. 3, 1957 - Joe F. Nettles, Monroeville, Ala. student at University Military School in Mobile, was promoted to the rank of sergeant in the University Military Band on this Sunday. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nettles.

Feb. 3, 1967 - Sujane King of Georgiana, a freshman at Patrick Henry Junior College, was named the top beauty at PJHC in the first annual Beauty Pageant on this Friday night. Runners-up were Christine Payne of Jackson, second runner-up; and Patricia Justice of Melbourne Beach, Fla., first runner-up. The pageant was sponsored by the Student Government Association of the college.

Feb. 3, 1972 – The Monroe Journal reported that Gene T. Mixon of Old Texas had killed a 247-pound buck with an “unbelievable 39-point rack.” Mixon shot the deer in north Monroe County on Jan. 11, 1972.

Feb. 3, 1972 - Funeral rites for the Rev. Enoch Johnson, 88, were to be conducted on this Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Excel Nazarene Church. Johnson, a resident of Monroe County for 57 years, had been a minister in Monroe County churches during all those years. He was active in establishing the Beulah Camp, a religious retreat in Monroe County, near Excel, and other religious and civic projects.

Feb. 3, 1978 - Fire from an apparent explosion leveled two buildings at American Forest Products in Vredenburgh on this Friday, claiming the jobs of nearly 30 workers and threatening to close the plant. The blaze was beyond control when Vredenburgh firemen arrived at the plant five minutes after receiving a call from a night watchman at 9 p.m., Vredenburgh volunteer fireman J.Y. McIntosh Jr. said. The cause of the fire and the cost of damages were undisclosed as of Feb. 9, although firemen speculated that an electrical short-circuit may have triggered the fire.

Feb. 3, 1978 - Monroe Academy’s varsity boys basketball team thoroughly thrashed Greenville Academy on this Friday night, winning 64-30 in Monroeville, Ala. O’Neal Jordan led Monroe with 14 points. Other standout Monroe players in that game included Tommy Bowden, Frank Carter, Sammy Carter, Mitch Jones, Kevin Norris, Doug Smith, Mike Stanton, Hines Steele and Jeff Tatum.

Feb. 3, 1984 – The Old Federal Road Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was formed in Monroe County, Ala.

Feb. 3, 1984 – Sparta Academy’s varsity boys and girls basketball teams wrapped up their regular season schedules with wins over Greenville Academy on this Friday night in Evergreen. Sparta’s boys won, 91-46, and Sparta’s girls won, 43-35. Russ Brown led Sparta’s boys with 21 points, and other top players in that game included Connery Salter, Vince Watts, Britt McNeill, Al Etheridge, Jim Wagstaff, Danny Reed, Thad Ellis, Jim Marino and Mark Rigsby. Jan Coker led Sparta’s girls with 13 points, and other top players in that game included Tammy Booker, Carol Kendrick, Tina Bybee and Raye Ann Gall. Both teams finished the regular season with 18-5 records. Over the previous two years, the girls had won 35 games and lost 11 for a winning percentage of 76.1 percent. The boys had a two-year record of 36 wins and 13 losses, a winning percentage of 73.7 percent.

Feb. 3, 1984 - Over 100 people attended the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce’s annual promotion banquet on this Friday night at the Holiday Inn in Evergreen, Ala. Representatives from 35 businesses and industries, 10 professionals and nearly all county and city elected officials were among those present. Mrs. Ouida Salter introduced the speaker, Dr. Joe M. Elrod of Montgomery, who was associated with New York Like Insurance Co. He entertained with a chain of “Cajun” jokes drawn from his experiences while serving as an educator in Southern Louisiana before finishing up with a few serious remarks and challenges. Willene Whatley assumed the presidency and made concluding remarks.

Feb. 3, 1993 – A “landmark in Gosport,” the Gosport Cash Store, on U.S. Highway 84, just inside Clarke County, Ala., was destroyed by fire early on this Wednesday morning. According to co-owner Pauline Matthews, she and her husband, Bill, learned of the fire about 4:15 a.m. Firefighters arrived about 4:30 a.m. to find the store fully engulfed in flames. Mrs. Matthews said the store belonged to her husband’s grandfather and was about 100 years old. In past years, it was known as the old Bush Store, but it had been closed for around 50 years before the Matthewses reopened it in 1985.

Feb. 3, 1993 - LaDerrick Odom, a senior at J.F. Shields High School in Beatrice, Ala. was added to Auburn University’s list of football recruits on this Wednesday when he signed a grant-in-aid with the Tigers. Odom was 6-foot-2 and weighed 220 pounds. Odom led the Panthers in tackles in the fall of 1992, collecting a total of 121 stops from his outside linebacker position. He was projected to play either linebacker or defensive end at Auburn. Odom’s grant-in-aid with Auburn marked the first time that any Shields graduate had signed a football scholarship with a major college.

Feb. 3, 2000 – Sparta Academy’s varsity boys basketball team saw their season come to an end with a 73-47 loss to Calvary School in the opening round of the AISA Class AA, East Area II Regional Tournament in Evergreen, Ala. Lee Booker, who was named to the all-tournament team, led Sparta in that game with 23 points. Sparta’s varsity girls beat Calvary School, 64-41, to advance to the tourney finals.

Feb. 3, 2000 – Paul Deason, 52, of Evergreen, Ala. allegedly murdered his son, Scott Deason. Conecuh County Sheriff’s deputies found Scott Deason with a shotgun wound to his “stomach area” at Paul Deason’s residence. Scott Deason was transported to Evergreen Medical Center and then to D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton, where he died during emergency surgery.

Feb. 3, 2005 – Sparta Academy’s varsity girls basketball team beat Clarke Prep in the opening round of the AISA Class AA East Area 1 tournament at Escambia Academy. Sparta’s players included Erin Brock, Preethi Covin, Ashton Garner, Cody Godwin, Ava Pate and Samantha Seaman.

Feb. 3, 2005 – Sparta Academy’s varsity boys basketball team beat Jackson Academy in the opening round of the AISA Class AA East Area 1 tournament at Escambia Academy. Players on Sparta’s boys team included Chase Brown, Michael Campbell, Will Ivey, Chad Morris, Tony Raines and Eric Talbot.

Feb. 3, 2005 - Judge Robert Edward Lee Key, age 88, of Evergreen passed away on this Thursday at Westminster Village in Spanish Fort. Key was born Feb. 2, 1917 in Conecuh County. He served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the JAG Corps during World War II and served as a judge in the 35^th Judicial Circuit Court District for a number of years. Graveside services were held Sat., Feb. 5, 2005 at 9 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with Dr. Thomas Butts officiating and Cope Funeral Home directing. A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. at the Evergreen Baptist Church. Survivors included his wife, Marjorie Virginia Key, Spanish Fort; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Scott, Mobile; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.