Wilcox County, Alabama News Flashback for Jan. 5, 2022

64 YEARS AGO
JAN. 2, 1958

Area Featured In Ford Magazine: The scenic charm of Alabama’s Bigbee County, in the area where Wilcox, Clarke and Monroe counties join boundaries, is described in an inviting travel feature in the current issue of Ford Times, monthly pocket-size magazine published by Ford Motor Co.
Described by Warren T. Musgrove and illustrated with watercolor paintings by Richard Brough, who have collaborated on other Alabama articles in Ford Times, “The Spell of the Bigbee” begins with directions of the route from Pine Hill south on U.S. 43.
The traveler who seeks fish or game, whether rod and reel, gun or camera, may easily become interested in vacation plans to the Bigbee County after reading Musgrove’s article, which adds that visitors “get out in a hurry” before being stricken with “notion to wire your boss that you won’t be back.”
Ford Times is distributed each month by Ford dealers to 1,250,000 customers and friends throughout the nation.

Camden Tigers Cage Schedule Starts: Camden’s WCHS basketball teams, both varsity and B cagers, will start their games on Jan. 7 at Beatrice against the teams of the high school there.
The Tiger cage squad is a member of the Black Belt Conference, consisting of eight schools in this region. The Tigers will be hosts to the Black Belt Tournament, Jan. 23-25.

Schools in Wilcox County closed Friday morning, Dec. 20, for the Christmas holidays, it was announced by W.J. Jones, County Superintendent of Education. Classes were to resume on Thurs., Jan. 2.

77 YEARS AGO
JAN.4, 1945

PINE HILL: Harold Swearingen left Saturday for Pensacola, Fla. to accompany his sister, Mrs. Helms, to the Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans on New Year’s. After which, he will report to Keesler Field, Biloxi, Miss. to be inducted into the army.

PINE APPLE: Capt. and Mrs. Wm. H. Ledbetter, Mr. and Mrs. Erskine Donald and Mrs. Ann Donald attended the “Blue and Gray” game in Montgomery Saturday.

Ladies Night Observed By Camden Exchange Club: On Friday night, Dec. 29, the Camden Exchange Club observed their annual Ladies night.
The guest speaker of the evening was Dr. E.B. Norton, State Superintendent of Education. Dr. Norton is an outstanding after-dinner speaker. His address discussed the implications that this war held for education. His remarks proved very interesting and informative. He was accompanied by Mrs. Norton who was introduced to the club.
During the program, President Burford expressed appreciation to the club for their fine spirit of cooperation during the year. He introduced the new officers of the club for next year, who were as follows: President – Mr. Roland Cooper; Vice President – Mr. Roy Liddell; Secretary – Mr. John Gates;
and Treasurer – Mr. Bill Agee.

Major James S. Dickinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Dickinson of Coy and stationed at Maxwell Field, recently left for overseas duty.

88 YEARS AGO
JAN. 4, 1934

Mr. Hiram A. Holt: The subject of this sketch was a son of Mr. and Mrs. America Hurst Holt and his parents came here from Waltrace, Tenn. and first settled at Prairie Bluff on the Alabama River when it was a thriving town of about 5,000 inhabitants.
Later they moved to Camden where they resided until their deaths.
Mr. Hiram Holt had worked on a number of newspapers in South Alabama and Florida and at one time was on the staff of the Wilcox Progress. He had made quite a name for himself in writing articles for newspapers and magazines.
He died Sunday afternoon, Dec. 31, and was buried Monday afternoon at two o’clock. Interment in Camden cemetery.

FOUND: One hat box. Owner must identify contents and pay for advertisement. – Wilcox Chevrolet Co., Camden, Ala.

Edgar H. Pritchett Appointed Bank Director: Edgar H. Pritchett of Camden, Ala. was recently appointed a director of the Producers Credit Bank of Montgomery, Ala.
All farmers who are interested in securing crop production loans should discuss the matter with Mr. Pritchett.
Wilcox County is fortunate in having a man like Mr. Pritchett as a director of this new bank.

LOST, STRAYED or STOLEN: One white and brown shepherd dog, answers to name of FRITZ. Liberal reward for information leading to recovery of same. – Mrs. Clint Felts, Camden, Ala.

102 YEARS AGO
JAN. 1, 1920

MASONIC MEETING: The initiation of the Chapter and Council Lodge of Masons was continued on Saturday when Messrs. Reese and Parker of Selma initiated another contingent of 15 into the mysteries of the Higher Masonic order. Quite an interest is being shown by Masons in the establishment of the Chapter and Council Lodge. The work so far has been entirely in the Chapter degrees but in January the Council work will be initiated.

BIG GAME BAGGED: Two deer during the past week rewarded the efforts of a hunting party that had braved the cold and mud following the recent high waters. Messrs. McCowin Cook and F.K. Beck each brought down a large buck near the river about nine miles from Camden.

Mr. G.T. Dannelly, warden of the Aldrich mines, joined Mrs. Dannelly in Camden, where they spent the holidays with relatives and friends.

An alarm of fire was sounded Tuesday afternoon, fortunately it was only a small trash pile that ignited at Mr. Joe O’Neal’s home. No damage done, but the volunteer fire brigade responded nobly.

Lt. Sam Albritton, who is attending the Vanderbilt University, is spending the holidays with Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Albritton.

Capt. Lewis R. Morgan, now with the Adjutant General’s office in Montgomery, has been in Camden for the past several days, enrolling applicants, who desire to form a Cavalry Troop here.

115 YEARS AGO
JAN. 3, 1907

Prince Miller Dead, Age 109 Years: Uncle Prince, as he was generally called, was ferryman for over 50 years. He commenced when his old Master, Dr. Miller owned Millers ferry, and not only regarded as the safest ferryman on the Alabama river, but a most polite and obliging one. He had many friends… and in his declining days many who had pleasant memories of his days of usefulness left little tokens of good will with Judge Henderson, “on whose place he lived,” for him. The old man was uneducated and had some secret way of recording the amounts charged and the cash taken in, and when he retired from active work, was extremely happy when told that his book balanced correctly. All patrons of the ferry had great confidence in him and always felt safe for Uncle Prince to put their families across at any stage of the water. From a record kept by some of Squire Sam Chapman’s family, he was 109 years old on Christmas day, on which day he died. He was polite, courteous, obliging and scrupulously honest, and we feel certain that he has safely made the landing on the other shore.

Mr. P.C. Jenkins, our efficient Town Marshal, has been quite sick for several days at the home of Dr. T.W. Jones. His many friends hope to see him out soon entirely recovered.

A box has been prepared for the old soldiers at Mountain Creek, which went forward Tuesday. We have five in number from Wilcox and always send a reminder from their home county that they are remembered every year.