Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

36 YEARS AGO
FEB. 14, 1985

Cofield joins Journal staff: Larry Cofield, a native and lifelong resident of the Repton area, has been named a reporter for The Monroe Journal. He began working part-time in December and has been full-time since the first of January.
He served five years in the U.S. Army, including 19 months in the Vietnam War as a signal corps clerk and courier.

In state playoffs Tigers finish second: Monroe County High School’s girls basketball team’s outstanding season came to an end Saturday when it lost 72-42 to Hartselle in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 5A state championship game in Birmingham.
The game, which saw sophomore Stephanie Richardson score 20 points to lead MCHS, was well out of the Tigers’ reach by halftime.
(Other top MCHS players in that game included Bridget Brown, Becky Hairelson, Barbara Lang, Carla McKenzie, Brenda Stallworth and Jennifer Stallworth.)

Library donation: Evergreen Mayor Pat Poole donates a copy of a book he recently published entitled “Sparta: 1821-1866” to Monroe County librarian Ann Pridgen. The book, which includes some Monroe County history, is a history of Sparta, the former Conecuh County seat until Evergreen was designated county seat in 1866. Poole, vice president of Poole Trucklines, said 96-year-old Lizzie Stallworth, who lives on Murder Creek in Conecuh County, inspired him to write the book. The book contains an interview with Mrs. Stallworth, as well as historical data and Civil War military history.

61 YEARS AGO
FEB. 11, 1960

Rescue Team Is Aim Of Meeting Tonight: A countywide “rescue team” will be organized at a meeting tonight (Thursday) in Frisco City. Formation of the voluntary organization is being backed by a number of Frisco City businesses and the State Highway Patrol in Monroe County. Its purpose will be to offer assistance in disasters, location of bodies in drownings, fires and other tragedies. Anyone interested in the proposed organization should contact George Burns or Claud Wilkerson, both of Frisco City.

Uriah, Seeded First In District, Will Seek Title For Second Year: The J.U. Blacksher High School basketball quintet of Uriah, last year’s First District Class A winner, was seeded first for this meet scheduled Feb. 24-27 at Frisco City High School, Frisco City.
Coaches in the district, meeting Saturday in Chatom, seeded Thomasville second, T.R. Miller High of Brewton third and Flomaton fourth.
(Other high school teams in the district tournament that year included Alba, Beatrice, Castleberry, Chatom, Coffeeville, Excel, Fairhope Organic, Fruitdale, Grand Bay, Leroy, Lyeffion, Millry and Monroe County High.)

Approximately 20 persons gathered at the Hi Ho Restaurant Wednesday at noon to make plans for the annual Boy Scout fund drive in Monroe County. E.G. Michaels of Monroeville, general chairman of the campaign, said this year’s effort will include the raising of funds for both the construction of a new 940-acre Boy Scout camp near DeFuniak Springs, Fla. and the regular operating budget of the Gulf Coast Council. Community chairmen in the campaign include the Rev. Q.T. Curtis, Monroeville; Wiley Long, Frisco City; and Rufus Garrett, Uriah.

86 YEARS AGO
FEB. 14, 1935

The home of Mr. J.R. Carter Sr. on the Drewry Road was damaged by fire on Monday night about 10:30 o’clock. The flames were under control before the fire had time to spread and the damage was confined to a small part of the house. The fire is thought to have started from a hot chimney.

Plans are being made to open baseball practice at Blacksher during the first or second week in February, if the weather permits. Twenty boys are expected to report for the first practice. Among those will be: Cardwell, Elihu Donald, Murphy, Milstead, Leon Lane, Van Durant, Black, Cecil Lane and Norman Durant, all of whom were regulars during the past season. Harris, Rabon, House, Mason, Emfinger and Leonard Donald are expected to give the regulars of the 1934 season a nip and tuck battle for the positions.

Carrie Belle Lambert is held in the local jail following an attempt to poison Mrs. Herman Eddins of Frisco City. The Lambert woman was cook in the Eddins home. Mrs. Eddins, whose occupation kept her from home during the early part of the day, was in the habit of returning shortly before noon and often drank a cup of coffee upon her arrival.
On Tuesday of last week, Mrs. Eddins returned at her usual hour and found that the cook had already made coffee. Lambert then served her a cup of that drink which contained a dose of poison. Mrs. Eddins is recovering from the effects of the illness brought on by the poison.

111 YEARS AGO
FEB. 10, 1910

Manistee Mill to Resume: A Pensacola special under date of Feb. 5 says that W.B. Runyan and C.R. Burgoyne of Pensacola have purchased the holdings of the Manistee Mill Co. of Manistee, this county, which was recently forced into bankruptcy.
The consideration was not named, but is said to amount to several hundred thousand dollars. The plant includes a large tract of timber land, large saw and planing mills and railroad property, including the Manistee & Repton Railroad. It is the intention of the new owners to spend considerable money in putting the plant in condition to begin operation within the next 40 days.

Dr. W.T. Bayles gives the cheering information that small pox has been practically stamped out in Monroeville and vicinity. All patients that have been under treatment have been discharged and the premises where they were confined thoroughly disinfected. More than 20 days have elapsed since the development of the last case and no further danger of an outbreak is apprehended unless the disease should be contracted elsewhere.

Prof. M.J. Watters and Miss Mary Lena Webb were married in the parlor at the Wiggins House, Monroeville, on Sat., Feb. 5, Rev. J.M. Gilmore officiating. Prof. Watters is the principal of the Jones Mill High School and Miss Webb a teacher in the institution.

Superintendent J.A. Barnes reports the Teachers Institute near Jones Mill on Friday and Saturday last one of the most successful held in many years, there being nearly 60 percent of the teachers present, which is far above the average.

136 YEARS AGO
FEB. 9, 1885

Claiborne – Mr. A.J. Grace, proprietor of the Upper Warehouse at Claiborne, we regret to learn had the serious misfortune a few days ago of losing two carloads of freight by the breaking of the rope which drew the car from the wharf to the warehouse. Mr. J.A. Fore of this place, together with several others, had some of their goods badly damaged.

The Jail – Mr. Hillary Hudson is progressing finely with the repairs on the jail and will shortly have it in a condition to insure the safekeeping of all prisoners who may be lodged therein, notwithstanding the vast amount of work to be done.

Improvements – We are pleased to see continued efforts made in the way of improvements at Monroeville. Nice plank fences are taking the place of old ones and our town will soon present a changed appearance.
The work done by Mr. E.M. Cousson on the Watson House, the church and other buildings in this place show him to be a master of his art. We expect he will continue to find employment in Monroeville.

To the Heirs of Ichabod Bell – If any of the heirs of Ichabod Bell, who was a non compos, will write to me at Camden, Ala., enclosing stamp, they may hear something to their advantage. – S.J. Cumming.

Mr. William Smith, Bells Landing’s popular young doctor, spent last Sabbath in Monroeville.

Rev. P.C. Morton, Presbyterian evangelist, left for Claiborne Saturday evening, to hold a meeting at that place.