100-year-old Wilcox County, Ala. news highlights from March 1924

Ty Cobb

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 March 1924.

On the front page of the March 6, 1924 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reprinted a news item from The Pensacola Journal newspaper that said, “Willie Crumb, wanted in Wilcox County, Ala., was arrested Tuesday afternoon by deputies Coleman and McArthur at Molino at the Bronson-Beaumaster brick yards. Crum was charged with slaying his aged father last June at Furman, Ala., and made his escape. Sheriff J.M. Watson arrived from Camden yesterday to take Crumb into custody. Crumb had been formally indicted last fall by a grand jury for first-degree murder.”

Readers that week also learned that “the store of J.R. Liddell & Son caught on fire near the flu on Saturday morning, but was extinguished without much damage.”

In the March 13, 1924 edition of The Progressive Era, it was reported that the “Camden Juniors lost a hard fought game of baseball to the Coy youngsters last Friday by a score of 15 to 9. A return game will be played here on Friday, March 21. Come out and give the kids your support. The Ty Cobbs of tomorrow are sandlot stars today.”

Also that week, in news from the Lower Peach Tree community, it was reported that “another barge was loaded with lumber by the Williams Lumber Co. at the river landing this week and shipped to Mobile.”

In the March 20, 1924 edition of the newspaper, readers learned that “Mr. Pinckney Giddens, formerly of Pine Apple, Ala., died in Montgomery Sunday at 8 o’clock p.m., after an extended illness. Mr. Giddens was born on Oct. 20, 1836 in Conecuh County, and he entered the Confederate army on Feb. 8, 1863 at Mobile, Ala., as a member of Co. H, 17^th Alabama Regiment and continued until Aug. 5, 1863 when he was transferred to Confederate Engineers, was captured on April 9, 1865, paroled at Vicksburg on May 10, 1865.

“Mr. Giddens was a veteran member of Robert E. Lee Lodge of Pine Apple, Ala., since 1856. Mr. Giddens was a bridge builder for Wilcox County for a number of years and was well known over the county.”

It was also reported that week that “Messrs. Paul Everette Jones and H. Marcus attended the funeral of Hon. Sol D. Bloch in Mobile Tuesday. Mr. Jones, as mayor, represented the many friends of Mr. Bloch from the town, and Mr. Marcus was sent as a representative of the Masons.”

In the March 27, 1924 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Mr. W.S. Irby and sons of Lower Peach Tree have met with much success with the well which they have had driven, and the supply of water is ample for the three homes, store and gin. They are going to install a light system for the three houses, store, gin and warehouses at an early date.”

Readers that week also learned that “on last Friday the Camden Juniors won the second game of a series from Coy by the score of 8 to 2. Both teams played stellar ball for youngsters, the Coy infield going to pieces in the second when the Camden team pushed over five runs, after this inning the game was close and interesting. For Camden, Earl McNeil, Lucian McLeod and Edwin Riggs played the leading role, the Lambrecht brothers hit two baggers for Coy and Bill Dannelly made a nice catch of a long fly to left field.”

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 April 1924 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.