Century-old news highlights from April 1923 editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era in Camden, Ala.

Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

Today marks the first Thursday of the month, so it’s time to take another trip back down memory lane for a look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in April 1923.

In the April 5, 1923 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that the “Confederate Pensions are being delivered this week, and several of the out-of-town vets are calling in person for their vouchers, among their number being Col. Julius E. Barnes, Major Bill Reaves, Capt. Joseph Wright and Sgt. Kindred Partin.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Mrs. Desmond Cain has an up-to-date single comb white leghorn poultry farm at St. Martin’s Plantation, Catherine. She has already over 500 chicks and several electrical incubators in operation. Mr. Cain raises all the food for them on the place.”

In the April 12, 1923 edition of The Progressive Era, under the headline “BREWERIES DESTROYED,” it was reported that “Deputy Sheriff Tait captured two shinny stills near Arlington on April 11. Jesse Houston had a complete outfit, set up, full of beer and ready to run. Also a quart of the finished product. Arlilian Drawhorn seemed to be in the business in a wholesale way, as five cans were found at her house that showed to have been used in making ‘nose paint’ together with a 50-gallon barrel of beer, which was found buried in her garden.”

Also that week, it was reported that “R.H. Bussey, Sam D. Moore, R.E. Maughon and son of veteran R.L. Hawthorne are attending the Confederate Reunion at New Orleans.”

In the April 19, 1923 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that “Mr. D. Gaston Wilkinson, one of the State Highway Engineers, passed through Camden Monday enroute to Escambia County, where he has charge of the road building project from Brewton to Flomaton. Mr. Wilkinson is a resident of Gastonburg and well known to the people of Wilcox County.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Mrs. S.J. Ervin and son, S.J., and Mrs. M.E. Curtis motored to Selma Monday and met Hugh, who is taking a Ph.D. degree at Harvard this year. He is one of Wilcox County’s finest young men, and we are all proud of the excellent record he has made. He will be at home with his family for a week.”

In the April 26, 1923 edition of the paper, it was reported that “a good-sized civil docket was disposed of during the week. The case Monday of McDuke Stallworth v. Usrey Lumber Co. for $20,000, in which a great deal of interest has been manifested, went off the docket for failure to get a proper service on defendant.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Mr. R.E. Lambert of Darlington had on exhibition at the courthouse Monday one of his fine and large Hereford Poll Bulls, also specimens of the various clovers he raises on his up-to-date stock and seed farm.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Thursday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of May 1923 in Wilcox County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. Their friendly staff will be more than happy to get you started.