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

Old Billy, the World's Oldest Horse

16 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 1, 2005

Repton gets historic house: Movers ease the historic Ransom English house to its new location at the corner of U.S. Highway 84 and Taylor Street in Repton last Thursday. The house will be restored and converted into a visitors center and community resource center, according to Repton Mayor Terri Carter.

Excel wins: In the closest football game between Excel and Frisco City in 12 years, the player wearing the golden shoes proved to be the difference in the game.
Excel senior Justin Whatley, who entered last Thursday night’s game in Excel wearing golden-colored shoe covers over his cleats, kicked an extra point with 7:24 left in the third quarter to give Excel a one-point lead and a 7-6 win over in-county rival Frisco City.
Whatley’s extra-point kick was only a small portion of his golden performance against Frisco City. He also led Excel’s offense, carrying the ball 17 times for a team-best 53 yards. He caught two passes for 22 yards and returned three punts for 61 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, he led the Panthers with eight solo tackles, three assists and a quarterback sack. Whatley, The Journal’s 2004 All-County Team punter, also boomed six punts for an average of 33 yards each.

Moody Maness of Excel is the proud owner of Robin, a 38-year-old horse that has collected over 200 timing event competition wins. The horse, which was born on July 1, 1967, collected wins in barrel and flag races as well as pole bending contests and the 50-yard dash. The average life span of a horse or pony is about 20 to 30 years. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Old Billy was a horse born in 1760 and lived to the age of 62.

41 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 4, 1980

Members of the downtown Monroeville revitalization steering committee elected officers for the newly formed Downtown Merchants Association of Monroeville in a morning meeting Wednesday of last week.
Bob Burns of Tri-Motor Co., committee chairman, was elected to serve as president. Other officers are vice president Nick Black of Williamson’s Home and Auto and secretary-treasurer Jim Davis of Lazenby’s Department Store. Also attending last week’s meeting were committee members Norman Barnett, Glen Gladwell, Raymond Owens and Brent Metts.

Panthers win fight to the finish: It was a fight to the finish Friday night in Beatrice, but the J.F. Shields Panthers survived a late field goal attempt that went wide and edged Francis Marion, 9-8, at Shields Stadium in a high school football game.
John Davison led Shields with 41 yards rushing on five carries, and (Larry) Nettles picked up 38 yards on eight attempts. Defensively, Shields was paced by Alphonso Stallworth with six tackles.
(Other top Shields players in that game included James Prevo, George Preyer, Mark Rodgers, Calvin Stallworth and Lloyd Tucker. John Wiley was head coach.)

The second annual Monroe County Fair, featuring rides and games, exhibits and concessions, will be held Sept. 22-27 at the Monroe County Coliseum. The event is put on by the Monroe County Fair Association and sponsored by the Monroeville Jaycees. The Jaycees’ Fair Committee includes Tim McPhaul, Tom Lomenick, Tony Rollins, Jimmy Holmes, John Grider and Charlie Black.

66 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 1, 1955

Lumber Is Destroyed In Frisco City Fire On Monday Night: Flames of undetermined origin destroyed some 23,000 feet of ash lumber Monday shortly before midnight at the B.F. Chambers Hardwood Lumber Co. in Frisco City.
Both the Frisco City and Monroeville fire departments answered the alarm and succeeded in keeping the fire away from a large amount of other lumber stored on the yard. The fire was brought under control about one o’clock.

15 Out For Practice For Uriah Football: Fifteen candidates reported at Uriah’s football practice drills throughout last week. Coach Allen stated that many of the football probables were busy picking cotton but that he would continue the drills if the 15 boys remained.
Only four lettermen were lost from the 1954 Uriah squad. Those who were lost were tackle Joe Ed Hayles, guards Murray Tyson and Labon Smith, and halfback Gordon Corely. Nine lettermen will return to the Uriah eleven, seven of whom were starters last year. Only one boy on the Uriah team is a two-year letterman.

Father of Journal News Editor Suffers Attack: Mrs. Leon Nettles, news editor of The Journal, is in Stigler, Okla. this week at the bedside of her father, who suffered a heart attack Monday.
In her absence, The Journal expresses its thanks to Mrs. Dolly Sowell, Miss Alice Lee and others for their assistance in obtaining this week’s social news.

91 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 4, 1930

Early Ginnings In Monroe Are Heavy: According to figures received from the Department of Commerce, Washington, there were 1,012 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1930 prior to Aug. 16, 1930 as compared with 410 bales ginned to Aug. 16, 1929.

MONROE COUNTIAN GIVEN DEGREE AT PEABODY: Degrees were awarded at George Peabody Teachers College at Nashville to a number of Alabama teachers. Among them was Miss Ernestine Kelly of Excel, who received the Master of Arts degree.

Prof. and Mrs. G.A. Harris left last week for Thomasville where they will make their home, Prof. Harris being principal of the Thomasville school.

Rev. T.C. Delaney of Mobile was in Monroeville Sunday. Rev. Delaney preached the homecoming sermon at Scotland Church.

Miss Margaret Fountain has gone to Camden where she will be a teacher of English in the local high school.

Mrs. L.J. Thomas and daughter, Miss Jessamine, returned to their home in Houston, Texas, Sunday after spending a week with relatives here, guests of Mesdames Q. and E.M. Salter. Miss Thomas is a talented pianist and soprano singer whose voice has been frequently heard with delight by those who have listened to radio broadcasts from Houston stations. She was shown pleasant social attentions during her stay in Monroeville.

116 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 7, 1905

COUNTY MASONIC CONFERENCE: The Monroe County Masonic Conference was organized at Monroeville on Thurs., Aug. 31, holding a most harmonious and profitable three-day session.
Representatives of each of the seven Masonic lodges in the county and a number of visiting brethren were present and participated in the proceedings.
The following officers were elected for the ensuing year, viz: S.H. Dailey, Worshipful Master; D.D. Cole, Senior Warden; N.A. McNeil, Junior Warden; R.E. Barnes, Secretary and Treasurer; Q. Salter, Assistant Secretary and Senior Deacon; J.D. McKinley, Junior Deacon; J.R. Montgomery, Senior Steward; R. Perry, Junior Steward; J.C. Falkenberry, Tyler; W.N. Huckabee, Chaplain; O.O. Bayles, Orator.

Mr. Henry Hudson has returned to his post of duty with the Western Union Telegraph Co. at Castleberry.

McCreary Brothers are installed in their new quarters in the Russell building, where they will be pleased to have their friends and customers call.

The offices of Dr. McMillan and Smith are now located in the old courthouse in the suite of rooms formerly occupied by the late H.W. Jones.

J.W. Fore has purchased the stock, fixtures and good will of the People’s Drug Co. and will continue the business under the same name.

JEDDO: We hear that Mr. J.C. Kyle will soon assume the duties and responsibilities of new postmaster here and we feel sure that John will make a very efficient postmaster.