The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for May 9, 2023

USS Midway

41 YEARS AGO

MAY 13, 1982

Local weather observer Earl Windham reported 1.28 inches of rain on May 8. He reported a high of 88 on May 6 and a low of 49 on May 9.

Wayne Stafford is the new owner of Evergreen radio station WBLO, having assumed ownership Monday morning. He and Marv Heffington, the station’s new manager, are congratulated by Ernie Ashworth, noted country music and Grand Ole Opry entertainer, who is also Mrs. Stafford’s (Wanda) brother. Ashworth will become a familiar figure around Evergreen as he assists Marv and Wayne as they make improvements at the station.

Tommy Shipp of Castleberry showed the Grand Champion of the 17^th Annual Conecuh County FFA and 4-H Market Hog Show held here Monday morning at the Evergreen Cooperative Stockyard Show Arena. Jeff Little, owner of Little’s Super Market in Castleberry, paid a premium $1 per pound for this fine home.

Dr. Sergeant’s death is shock: This community and county were shocked by the unexpected death of Dr. Charles Kendall Sergeant of an apparent massive heart attack suffered at his office Saturday afternoon, May 8.

Private memorial services were held Wednesday at his home at 307 Perryman St., conducted by Dr. Lamar Jackson.

Dr. Sergeant was a board surgeon of extremely high qualifications and greatly respected in his profession. He had practiced as a surgeon and as a family physician here for over four years and had earned the love and respect of the people of this area.

56 YEARS AGO

MAY 11, 1967

The 4^th annual Conecuh County Market Hog Show will be held Mon., May 15, at the Conecuh Stockyards. Registration begins at 5:30 a.m., the show at 8:30 a.m. and the sale of the show hogs at 1 p.m. Over 100 head of top quality market hogs are to be shown.

C.L. Kamplain is show chairman and D.C. Fleming is advisory chairman.

Open house will be observed at the Conecuh County Hospital this Sunday afternoon from 2 until 4:30 o’clock, according to Milston Sullivan, administrator.

The board of trustees and the entire staff of Conecuh County Hospital invite the public to come and inspect the hospital during this time. Of special interest will be the recently completed new seven private rooms.

LTJG Freddie J. Patten, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene E. Patten of 401 Belleville St., Evergreen, Ala., is presently serving with Attack Squadron Twenty-Three, a light jet attack squadron temporarily based at U.S. Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.

LTJG Patten is a three-time veteran of the Vietnam Campaign. He has served with the U.S. Advisory Group to the Vietnam Air Force and served as Weapons Officer, Attack Squadron Twenty-Three, about USS Midway (CVA-41) and USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), during their deployment in the defense against communist aggression in Southeast Asia.

71 YEARS AGO

MAY 8, 1952

Conecuh County voters went to the polls Tuesday to select nominees for state, district and county offices, climaxing one of the quietest campaigns this county has seen in many years. As a consequence, only some 2,668 ballots were cast out of a possible more than 4,000 qualified list. Ideal weather prevailed throughout the day.

Bill Robinson and Pace Bozeman of the Junior Class have been named to represent Evergreen High School at the annual Boys State in Tuscaloosa this June.

Cpl. Robert Johnston, son of Mr. and Mrs. Newton E. Johnston, Bruner Avenue, returned to the U.S. recently after serving eight months overseas. Cpl. Johnston’s overseas service included combat duty in Korea.

He entered active service with Battery “C,” 117^th Field Artillery Battalion, local National Guard Unit, in January 1951. He went overseas as a replacement after a period of training at Fort Jackson, S.C.

Cpl. Johnston, known familiarly here as “Sleepy,” is a graduate of Evergreen High School.

Miss Wilma Maurice Golson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otis Benjamin Golson, will marry Robert Gaston Bozeman Jr. on Sun., June 8, it is announced today by her parents.

Miss Golson is a popular member of the graduating class of the Evergreen High School.

Mr. Bozeman is the son of Robert Gaston Bozeman Sr. and the late Mrs. Susan Dickey Bozeman. He is a veteran of World War II, serving overseas with the 1^st Marine Division.

79 YEARS AGO

MAY 13, 1937

Exhumed Body Was Not That Of Missing Man: The remains of an unidentified man who was buried here on New Year’s Day was exhumed Wednesday at the request of relatives of W.I. Bozeman of near Chapman in the hopes that the body might prove to be that of Bozeman, who has been missing from home since Dec. 16. Relatives, including his wife and several children, viewed the body, examined the clothing and were convinced that it was not that of the husband and father of whom they have been searching.

The body exhumed was found on the L&N Railroad track near Wilcox by a train crew. It was brought here and every effort made to identify. Failing in this, officers ordered it interred in the old cemetery. The man apparently had been killed by a train several hours before he was found.

Bozeman’s relatives hearing about the occurrence and knowing that it happened shortly after he had disappeared from home, began an investigation. As a result, they secured permission to exhume the body for examination.

The missing man is said to have left home to hunt work and told his people that he was going to Evergreen to see if he might not secure a job with the crew engaged in building the overhead bridge. He has not been heard from since he left home.

Announcement is made elsewhere in this issue of The Courant of the purchase by J.C. (Cary) Murphy of the City Café, popular restaurant, formerly operated by J. Arthur Lewis.

101 YEARS AGO

MAY 10, 1922

The following is the commencement schedule of the State Secondary Agricultural School at Evergreen… Wednesday, May 31^st, 8 p.m., Graduating Exercises; Address by Dr. Spright Dowell, President Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn.

The senior class is the largest in the history of the institution, numbering 17 boys and 15 girls. The class roll is as follows: Ruby Allen, Annie D. Brooks, Ira Mae Bryant, Julius Edward Chapman, Harry Edwin Dickinson, Reginald Rex Golson, Eva Myrtle Hurst, Daisy Leigh Harvell, Helen Lucille Hagood, Charles Thaddeus Ivey, Aline Marie Johnson, Battie Drucilla Johnson, Mary Allen Johnson, Martha Jennings Lundy, Carl Henry Middleton, Algia French Miller, Benjamin Franklin Miller, Carlos Holgrove Mills, Samuel Robert Morris, Claudia Oswald, Ollie Phares, John Carey Pritchett, James Edward Ridgeway, Joseph Pickett Rutland, Lucy Clare Shannon, Johnnie Mae Shoemaker, Henry James Smith, Lemuel Robert Stallworth, Robert Lee Stallworth, John Deming Stearns, Charles Robert Taliaferro Jr. and Sara Elsie Williamson.

The board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce has chosen the following officers: Dr. W.F. Betts, President; W.B. Ivey, Vice President; Byron Tisdale, Treasurer; R.A. Winston, Secretary.

Edward C. Barnes was reappointed on Monday by President Harding to be Postmaster at Evergreen. This makes the third successive term for which Mr. Barnes has received appointment. He has been a most acceptable postmaster and the appointment will meet with general satisfaction.