Wilcox County, Alabama poet passed away in California in 1938

The Wilcox Progressive Era has some of the best and smartest readers of any newspaper in Alabama. If you want to know the answer to a question, just ask, and chances are someone in the reading audience will know the answer.

Back in early October in this space, I asked about the ultimate fate of Wilcox County poet, Sara Elizabeth King. A couple of readers were able to shed some light on the subject, but I’ll get to that a little farther down the page.

For those of you who missed the story in October, I began pondering King and her poetic exploits after reading a front-page story about her in the Oct. 8, 1936 edition of The Progressive Ear. Under the headline, “Recognition For Poetry Of Sara King,” the newspaper reported that she was the author of several poems that had been “complimented” by the Alabama Poetry Society. Another of her poems had been selected for inclusion in an anthology called “1936 Contemporary Women Poets of America.”

The newspaper printed two of her poems. The first was titled “Ubiguity” and read as follows:

God walks in forests where pine needles grew,
And in the tumult and motor cars meet.
He breathes thru a still world that’s wrapt in snow;
Then brings spring with its white blossoming sloe.
In the midst of the waving tall grass sweet,
In laughing curves of the ripe golden wheat,
The heart alone attuned to God can know.
Perhaps in starlit lonely mountain ways,
Or in the friendly city near a mart
In a cathedral’s light of candle rays;
Or where fantastic shadowy waves start
To break on grim shores, can the same soul praise Jehovah.
He walks in the human heart.

The other poem of King’s printed by The Progressive Era was called “Spiritual Old Age” and read as follows:

I saw you once
In the face of
An old preacher.
He needed to
Say no word.
He was a sermon.
Thru him you speak
Of turning death
Into morning.

The newspaper article also noted that King graduated from Judson College in 1911 and in October 1936 was living at 347 Magnolia Ave. in Auburn. She was a relative of one of the Judson College’s founders, General Edwin D. King.

She was also the daughter of Paul and Clementine DeLoach King and was the granddaughter of William Douglas and Rebecca Singleton King. She was also the great-granddaughter of James Asbury and Elizabeth Caroline Goode Tait and the great-great-granddaughter of Judge Charles Tait, who was the first federal judge of Alabama.

Despite my best efforts, I was unable to find out what became of Sara King, but a couple of newspaper readers came to my rescue. According to their information, King passed away at the age of 46 on May 17, 1938 in Sawtelle, California. Her obituary said that she had been ill for several years.

Her obituary noted that she was a native of Lower Peach Tree and after graduating from Judson, she went on to graduate from Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. During World War I, she served as a Red Cross nurse at Camp Beauregarde, La. and overseas. She had also taught school at Rock West, Canton Bend and near Vredenburgh. She was buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery, and her headstone denotes that she was an Army nurse.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 26, 2024

16 YEARS AGO
NOV. 27, 2008

Joe Faulk, the Chairman of the Elmore County Commission and the President of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, visited the Conecuh County Commission Monday morning. Faulk succeeded Conecuh County Commissioner Jerold Dean as the ACCA’s president in August.

Evergreen Mayor Larry Fluker signed a proclamation last Thursday morning making the month of November “American Music Month” in the City of Evergreen.”

Conecuh County firefighters from departments across the county spent much of the last week dealing with a rash of brush and woods fires in a variety of locations.

Conecuh County’s E911 dispatchers are set to receive additional training after the first of the year, according to a report given by County E911 Director Johnny Brock on Monday.

Five motorists were injured in three separate automobile accidents during the past week on area roadways.

The Conecuh County Board of Education recognized three individuals and two media outlets for their contributions to local schools during a meeting last week.
During a school board meeting last Thursday in Evergreen, the board recognized long-time school supporter Willie Crutchfield, WPPG 101.1 FM station manager Gary Downs and Evergreen Courant reporter Lee Peacock.

31 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 1993

Brigadier General John Watkins was honored for his accomplishments last Saturday night during the NAACP’s 17th Annual Freedom Awards dinner at Hillcrest High School. Gen. Watkins, a native of Conecuh County, is pictured with Bill Bundy of the Alabama National Guard and Freddie Stallworth, Conecuh County Commissioner.

A decision was made by the Conecuh County Board of Education, which along with the juvenile court, hopes to seek assistance for a 14-year-old local youth who admitted making false reports for bombs at two area schools.

Annie Jo Baggett, custodian of school funds for the Conecuh County Public School System for 24 years, was recently honored by fellow workers and school administrators with a reception.

The “anti-business” climate of California has economic developers watering at the mouth over the possibility of a mass exodus of industries to other parts of the nation and world, bringing more jobs to starving work forces. Rosalyn Skipper, economic development director for Conecuh County, recently returned from a trip to the west coast in an attempt to lure these companies to Alabama. She said her trip may prove successful.

Workers at Poole Truck Line stand by as Mike McKenzie ties a ribbon on a company truck in support of Poole’s joining the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) campaign for a safer holiday season on the nation’s roads and highways.

46 YEARS AGO
NOV. 23, 1978

Earl Windham, bent-but-not-broke by earlier predictions of rain, reports no rainfall during the week and his weak comment was: “Sorry, Old Bob, we did not have any rain. Maybe next time.”

Staff Sgt. Frank Murphy was promoted to his present rank on Oct. 14. He is stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., but is being reassigned to the Panama Canal Zone.

State Representative James E. “Jimmy” Warren was administered the oath of office for another term by Judge of Probate Frank T. Salter recently. Looking on were Rep. Warren’s wife, Betty, and children, Sharon and Keith. The Castleberry legislator was re-elected to a third term of office on Nov. 7. He won the Democratic nomination in September and in so doing also received the highest number of votes ever given an Alabama State Representative since the Legislature was re-districted.

Cathy Johnston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne E. Johnston, was named Miss Congeniality at Sparta Academy’s Miss Alpha Contest held Thursday night in the school gymnatorium.

Mayor O.B. “Bert” Tuggle was among those paying tribute to Evergreen native Joe Louis Reed at the Joe Louis Reed Jubilee Day Celebration held here Saturday under sponsorship of the Conecuh County Branch NAACP.

61 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1963

Thousands jam city for Christmas parade: Queen Joy Margaret Hagood of Evergreen High School reigned over the 1963 Conecuh County Christmas Carnival here Wednesday. Already the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce production is being hailed as the biggest and best in history.
A tremendous crowd estimated to be several thousand strong thronged the downtown streets. The parade was long, beautiful and entertaining.
A brief program at the bandstand emceed by Chamber of Commerce President Blake Campbell featured the introduction of the queen, princess and honor court, presentation of the key to the city to Santa Claus by Mayor Pro Tem Henry Sessions and Santa’s proclamation that the holiday season was now open in Conecuh County to last through Jan. 1.
Immediately after the program, the city’s decorative lights were turned on to burn through the season.

From one truck to major industry: When Walter Poole drove off with his first flatbed trailer-load of cotton, hauling for Kendall & Kendall, in 1946 neither he nor anyone else even dreamed that one of Evergreen and Conecuh County’s major industries had been born.
Poole had just that trailer and just the truck pulling it, no money and a lot of courage and faith.
Today, he owns and operates Poole Truck Line, employer of 65 persons with an annual payroll of over $300,000.

76 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 1948

Conecuh Reports No Polio During 1948: During approximately the first 10 and one-half months of this year (through Nov. 13) 193 Alabama cases of Poliomylitis (infantile paralysis) were reported to the State Health Department’s Bureau of Preventable Diseases. This total included none occurring in Conecuh County, the department announced today.

On Tuesday afternoon from four to six the Evergreen Study Club entertained at a tea. The occasion was a double celebration, this being the 25th anniversary of the club and the opening of the library.

From “The Week’s Wash” by Bob Bozeman – The boss and I attended what Dr. W.R. Carter called a “shindig” at Repton High School last Thursday night. The “shindig,” and I believe that’s a good name, was held in Repton High’s beautiful auditorium-gymnasium, and the purpose was to raise funds so that a new curtain might be placed on the stage of the auditorium.

W.E. Brooks Jr., Editor of the Brewton Standard, was the guest speaker at the regular meeting of the Evergreen Junior Chamber of Commerce Monday night. Mr. Brooks spoke on “Two Party Politics In The South.”

The Maggie Dunn Sewing Circle will meet Friday afternoon at three o’clock with Mrs. Percy Brantley with Mrs. B.A. Herbert co-hostess.

Eli McMorn and the Mystery of the Lone Letter: Part One

In my dream there is a big black goat standing on a rotten cypress stump. The goat's giant rough horns curl around the side of its head, and its black eyes stare deep into my face. It belches a long, deep bleat that causes me to jump awake with the memory of a fading riddle, from a place between ever and never.

I'd fallen asleep in my old office chair with my fingers laced across my chest. The lights were off and my worn boots were propped on the corner of my antique wooden desk. All was silent as a church on the third floor of The Claiborne Herald.

As the newspaper's lone nightshift reporter, I was tasked with holding down the fort. As long as I churned out three decent stories a week and kept one ear on the police scanner, nothing else was required. Fact was, I loved the job that no one else wanted.

Not moving a muscle, I listened intently, but heard nothing out of the ordinary. My desk clock said in red numbers that it was 3:19 in the morning. The newsroom's morning shift wouldn't trickle in until eight o'clock.

Not for the first time, I wondered if the office was haunted. Much of the building was antebellum old and no doubt housed an apparition or two. I sat up, and the chair's mainspring creaked loudly.

I opened the top drawer of my desk, reached inside and pulled out a small plastic bottle of caffeine pills. I screwed off the childproof cap and shook the last two pills into the palm of my shadowed hand. Without water, I popped the pills into my mouth and sat in the darkness, letting them dissolve bitterly under my tongue.

This was a habit I'd picked up in the Army. Late night sentry duty led many soldiers to procure caffeine pills from the well-stocked supply at the post exchange. It was quicker than drinking black coffee.

I snapped on my green-shaded desk lamp, and it cast its yellow light on a map of Arkham, a city in Massachusetts about 1,400 road miles from Old Claiborne. The map had been mailed to me in a sealed envelope that included a dog-eared paperback copy of "Nameless Cults" by Von Juntz. One of The Herald's readers - who went by the moniker of Indrid Cold - included a short note saying that he'd found coded references in the book. 

I get weird stuff like this in the mail all the time, and you never know what to take seriously. Mr. Cold said that the paperback contained hidden references to Claiborne residents who fled the river city during the witch trials of the 1840s. These ciphered names matched the names of old Arkham streets that converge on the city's central cemetery.

As I pondered the meaning of this, I heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. A few seconds later, a low moan sounded from overhead as the wind blew across the open mouth of an iron rain spout. Another peal of thunder, closer this time, let loose as raindrops began to tap against the window, soft at first before erupting into an outright downpour.

I rose from my chair, stood at the window and watched it rain. Long tendrils of Spanish moss, hanging from the large oaks across Legrasse Street, swayed in the wind. For what seemed like a long time, I watched a rain-drenched homeless man push a metal grocery buggy down the sidewalk, changing his tack only once when a stray black cat darted across his path.

The cat disappeared into a shadowed alley, and the man paused under a street lamp to watch. The man's hooded jacket hid most of his face, all except for what looked like a long grey beard. Rain poured down on the man, and I watched for many long seconds until I realized the man was staring up at me.

Suddenly and without warning, white blinding light cast everything into negative as a bolt of lightning hit one of the massive live oaks in the square across the street. An instant later, sparks showered from an electrical transformer sitting atop a utility pole a short distance away. I recovered my senses a few seconds later only to realize that the homeless man had disappeared.

I froze, locked in place, as the sound of something in the darkness behind me reached my ears. It was the sound of loud breathing coming from the brown leather chair in an opposite corner of the room. In one smooth motion, I spun, grabbed for the holstered Beretta on top of my desk and raised my arm to fire when I froze in place, stunned by the shocking sight that met my eyes.

There in the darkness, perched on the leather chair and illuminated by the faint light of my desk lamp, was a large, black goat. The beast sat perfectly still except for its flaring nostrils, its only challenge to the raised gun. The creature's black eyes, shiny like those of a spider, flashed as my finger tightened on the handgun's trigger.

In the next instant, the animal's barnyard smell reached my nostrils, damp hay with a hint of warm manure. And there was a faint hint of something else, a mix of brimstone and rancid ash that conjured up thoughts of a pot-bellied stove tended by the devil. I sensed that I was in the same room with the Lord of the Flies.

In the light of the desk lamp, I saw leaves and bits of straw tangled in the goat's thick black coat. I imagined running my fingers through that matted mess of hair, my hand coming away damp and slick as if I'd picked up a dead rat from a fast-food grease trap. I eased off the trigger when I realized that this skull-faced goat was the black goat from my nightmare.

The goat shifted its weight in the chair, causing the Victorian leather to squawk under its nasty cloven hooves. One of the beast's horns snagged on a framed picture of my father and grandfather hanging on the wall behind the chair. I heard glass crack a moment before the picture came crashing to the hardwood floor with a bang. The goat let loose with an unnerving bleat that sent a chill raking down my spine like skeletal fingers on a chalkboard.

The rain fell harder outside, hitting the window behind me with the force of a hurricane. Another flash of lightning filled the room with white light, blinding me for a second as my eyes adjusted to the painful glare. Reflexively I raise the handgun in the direction of the goat and when I sighted down along the length of the barrel, I realized the goat was gone.

Motion to my left caught my eye, and I spun to see the office door swing open slowly. I dashed around the desk, bumping my left hip hard as I rounded the corner. I raised my gun and looked out into the empty newsroom. Not a creature was stirring, not sign of the spectral goat.

Something at my feet caught my eye. I stepped back and saw an old yellowed envelope. I stooped to pick it up. In cragged script, scrawled across the front, were the words "For Eli McMorn."

(All rights reserved. This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.)

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Nov. 25, 2024

15 YEARS AGO
NOV. 26, 2009

Cemetery books: Faron and Sharon McKinley of Franklin presented the Monroe County Public Library with a copy of their recently completed book on the history of the Corinth-Deer Cemetery on Alabama Highway 41 at Franklin. The book – which has been placed in the library’s genealogy room – contains obituaries for all of those buried in the cemetery as well as photos of many of them.

Volunteers would not be denied: TROY – “This one is for the seniors, come and get it!” shouted Monroe Academy head coach Mitchell Turberville, holding the state championship trophy high above his head.
In what should be remembered as one of the most dramatic finishes to an MA football game in recent history, the Volunteers engineered a game-winning drive in the last 98 seconds to defeat Edgewood Academy 30-29 at Troy University’s Movie Gallery Stadium Friday night.
In a game filled with as many twists and turns as a TV soap opera, freshman Craig Bryan kicked the game-winning 39-yard field goal with three seconds left.
It was the second state title for the Vols since 2001 and the school’s seventh overall in the 39-year history of the Alabama Independent School Association. The Vols won the Class AA title Friday night and in 2001 they defeated Bessemer Academy to win the Class AAA crown.
(Other top MA players in that game included Gabe Dees, Keeland Dees, Dustin Ellison, Grant Norris, Graham Smith, Logan Smith, Tanner Smith, Sam Vermilyea, Buchannan Watson and Willis Webb.)

40 YEARS AGO
NOV. 22, 1984

Surgeon participates in conference: Dr. Grayson Simmons, a local surgeon, recently attended the annual American College of Surgeons meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
In addition to attending several lectures concerning updates on various surgical topics, he attended a continuing education course on diseases of the colon and rectum.
Simmons is a board-certified general surgeon and has been in practice here since completing his surgical training at Carraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham in 1970.

Repton wins first game 74-67: Repton’s varsity basketball team launched its 1984-85 season Friday when it dumped visiting 3A Wilcox County High 74-67.
The Bulldogs were paced by 6-foot-4 senior James North’s 24 points. Junior Tommy Dukes, at six-foot-seven, added 22 points to the Bulldogs’ offense and pulled 17 rebounds off the backboard.
(Other top Repton players in that game included Tim Berry, Carlos Grace, Kevin Mixon, Chester Rudolph and Tony Taylor. Hugh Wilson was head coach.)

Dwight Harrigan, Alabama forest products executive and member of a family of lumbermen, was elected vice chairman of the Southern Forest Products Association at its 70^th annual meeting held recently in Orlando, Fla.
Harrigan is president and owner of Harrigan Lumber Co. in Monroeville and executive vice president and owner of Scotch Lumber Co. in Fulton.
Harrigan, whose father, W.D. Harrigan, served as president of the Southern Pine Association (now SFPA) in 1964-65, is active in industry, youth and civic affairs.

65 YEARS AGO
NOV. 26, 1959

Chairmen Re-Elected To Education Board: Walter C. Nicholas of Excel was re-elected chairman of the Monroe County Board of Education at a recent meeting.
Mr. Nicholas will enter his sixth year in the position. Tom W. Weatherford of Uriah was re-elected as vice-chairman of the group.
Other board members are Dr. John L. Abbott of Monroeville, James C. Brooks of Megargel and S. Miller Fore of Beatrice.

MCHS, Frisco City Fight To 20-20 Tie: In a tightly-fought grid contest, traditional rivals, the Monroe County High School Tigers and the Frisco City High School Whippets, battled to a 20-20 tie in Frisco City Friday night. Both teams were undefeated in county and conference games.
A recovery paid off for Monroeville in the final few minutes of the game. Fullback Eddie Sosebee grabbed the ball on the FCHS 35 and ran all the way to paydirt. Jim Lazenby made the extra point.
(Other FCHS players in that game included Johnny Dorough and Vance McCrory. Other MCHS players were Jimmy Andress and Branchard Tucker.)

Bobby Grissett Named Band, Music Director At Two County Schools: Bobby Grissett, 26, native of Uriah, has been elected as band and music director for the schools at Uriah and Excel.
Mr. Grissett replaces Mrs. Dubose Harris, who resigns effective Nov. 30.
Mr. Grissett is a senior at Troy State College, Troy, where he is a music major. He is a graduate of J.U. Blacksher High School, Uriah.
His wife is the former Marlene Brantley of Excel. They have a son, Butch, 2, and a daughter, Susan, 4.

90 YEARS AGO
NOV. 22, 1934

Remainder Of Square To Be Paved: The east and north sides of the Monroeville square will be paved if the plans of the local town council and the County Board of Revenue materialize. Plans have been furnished for this project by the State Highway Department. The paving of the remainder of the square will greatly add to the appearance of the town.

Veteran Dies At Mexia Home: D.L. Friddle, 93-year-old veteran of the War Between the States, died at his home at Mexia on Fri., Nov. 9, following a lengthy illness. For four years, Mr. Friddle served in the armies of the South, taking part in more than one hundred battles. He was wounded several times in service. He was a Mason and a member of the Baptist church.

NOTICE: Notice is hereby given that an application for the parole of Alton Bell, convicted and sentenced by the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Ala. on the 12^th day of October 1922 for murder in the first degree to hard labor for life in the penitentiary of said State from Monroe County, will be made to the Governor and Board of Pardons of Alabama.

EXCEL-MONROEVILLE PLAY 0-0 GAME: The Monroe County High School Tigers went to Excel last Friday to play the strong Excel high school eleven. The game, hard fought throughout the entire four quarters, resulted in a scoreless tie.

CAR STOLEN HERE SUNDAY AFTERNOON: An automobile owned by Mr. J.R. Griffin of Excel was stolen here late Sunday afternoon from the R.L. Jones house. It was recovered Monday morning near Excel, apparently where the thief had run out of gas.

115 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 1909

The dwelling of Mr. J.L. Dees was destroyed by fire near Peterman on Tuesday evening together with all his household goods. His neighbors are rallying nobly to his relief. Contributions aggregating considerable value were donated by citizens of Monroeville yesterday.

The Sowell Mercantile company have moved their stock of goods into their new brick store on east side where they will be glad to welcome their many friends and customers.

NOTICE: We have received notice from the High Prince of Pleasure (Santa Claus) that he has carefully looked into the qualifications of the mercantile world in this section and has decided to make the Lone Star Store his headquarters for X-mas and New Year goods, and in obedience to his Majesty’s call we will take pleasure in supplying anything you want in eating, wearing and pleasure line. We must hold the confidence imposed in us by his Majesty. – A.E. PETERMAN & CO., The Lone Star Store, Repton, Ala.

One of the prettiest home weddings that has occurred in Monroeville in many years took place at the home on Hon. N.J. Stallworth on Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock when Miss Mary Stallworth became the bride of Mr. Francis W. Hare. The parlor was beautifully decorated for the occasion and a large number of friends of the young couple were present to wish them joy. The impressive ceremony was pronounced by Rev. W.R. Bickerstaff and the bridal party left immediately for New Orleans and other points.

Long rows of white cotton bring back memories for George Singleton

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Long rows bring back memories,” was originally published in the Sept. 2, 2004 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As the autumn season slowly begins to make its way across the land, memories of many wonderful times begin to fill my mind. Thinking back to the times that I experienced as a young boy, growing up in the country, I almost feel sorry for our youth of today because of the many happenings and good times they have missed.

This past Friday, my wife and I made our way down through the southern part of our county. As we passed the vast cotton fields, slowly becoming snow white in color, with the opening cotton blowing in afternoon air, it was almost like going back in time. The long rows of opening cotton brought back many memories of gathering the fluffy cotton by hand while dragging a long cotton sack along the row.

Our youth of today know absolutely nothing about a long, hot day in the cotton fields. They could not in any way describe a day of bending over and picking cotton from dawn to dust.

In looking back, I remember how I used to hate that long cotton sack and that 12-hour work day in the cotton field. But, as I traveled through the opening cotton fields near Uriah, I almost wished that I had the chance to pick some more cotton the old-fashioned way. Remember, I said that I almost wished.

As we rode along down Highway 59, I asked my wife if she had anything that I could cover up my head with. I related to her that I had a severe pain in my back. Believing that I was having back pains, she couldn’t understand why I needed to cover my head if my back was hurting. I told her that seeing that open cotton, and the memories of having to pick the white stuff caused the pains in my back. Needless to say, she didn’t think that very funny.

If I had to select the one of the fondest memories of cotton-picking time, one would be when the cotton pickers would stop their work for the lunch meal. Lunch would be sent from the house, packed in several large dish pans.

Near the large field that we called the “Lewis field,” there was a large creek nearby. Under the shade of several large oak trees that grew on the high bank of the creek, this was where dinner would be served. After the blessing was said by Uncle Tony, an old black man that my family cared for, the fun time got under way.

Words can hardly describe the excitement experienced by a small country boy there under the large oaks. Tall tales told by the older workers of the group were almost breathtaking. And, when the work day was done, this tired small boy would lay awake for some time and re-live the stories that he had heard earlier.

Almost every farmer in the area had a “cotton house.” This was where the freshly picked cotton was stored until enough had been picked to carry to the cotton gin. Some of my fondest memories were being allowed by my darling mother to spend Friday and Saturday nights sleeping on the fluffy cotton, there in the cotton house.

I don’t believe that a bed exists today that would be as comfortable as that large fluffy pile of cotton was to this small country boy. My bed partner was always a very large cur dog that we owned named “Jack.”

Jack would curl up against my back and sleep there the entire night, unless something moved or made a noise of some kind and disturbed his sleep. Jack was a good-natured dog, but everyone knew that when he growled, Jack meant business.

Always after I had gone to sleep, my guardian angel, “Uncle Tony,” would come over to the cotton house and lay down nearby. If the air was chilly, he would cover me with an old quilt or put cotton over me to keep me warm.

But cotton picking was not the only thing going on around the farm at this time of year. This was also the time for cooking lye hominy by the home folks. Fresh shelled corn would be placed in a large wash pot and this would be cooked over an open fire for several hours. The good times were getting to be around the cooking fire as the hominy was cooking. There was always a chance of being given a tea cake or a large piece of peanut candy by my dear friend, Aunt Lellia.

This wonderful old black lady looked to my family for her well-being and all her needs. She had no family to care for her, so she depended on my family for her, so she depended on my family for her survival. Since Aunt Lellia had delivered me when I was born, I was very special to this dear and wonderful old lady. She always saw to it that I got the special pieces of candy or any of the samples of pie or cake that might need to be tasted.

Aunt Lellia was the absolute authority in the community on cooking lye hominy. She was always sought out by various families when there was hominy to be cooked. No one dared to question this dear old lady about her cooking knowledge. But everyone knew for sure that when she said that it was ready, the hominy was ready to eat.

A hominy supper would most times be held on a Friday or Saturday night. Several families would get together for a wonderful time of fellowship and hominy eating. Other food, such as cakes, pies and many other goodies, would be brought along by those attending the supper.

Those of my readers that has not ever attended a lye hominy supper in a country community has missed a great event in life. The fun and games and the fellowship among those present was something to be remembered.

If you have never tried to eat two or three half rip persimmons and they try to whistle, they you wouldn’t have been a good contestant in the around the fire games. Always someone would show up with a small paper sack full of half ripe persimmons. After the meal, then it was time for the persimmon and whistle contest. Take it from me, it’s not an easy thing to do, to try and whistle after eating three or four half ripe persimmons. Nevertheless, the fun and good times was worth the drawn-up mouth.

These good times that some of us experienced as a child, growing up on the farm played a very part in the molding of our lives. I will be the first to admit that times have changed since those days of the middle and late 30s.

But as I see the carelessness and “don’t care” attitude of some of our youth of today, we might need to go back to the long cotton rows and the heavy cotton sacs. As for now, we can only hope. Only time will tell what awaits on the horizon.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)

Where exactly was the William Weatherford Road in Monroe County, Alabama?

William Weatherford, aka, 'Red Eagle'

On the front page of the Nov. 21, 1957 edition of The Monroe Journal, the newspaper carried a story that bore the headline, “Newly-Surfaced Road In County To Bear Name Of Indian Chief.” That story went on to say that 15 miles of highway in Monroe County being hard surfaced was to be named for the famous Creek Indian chief, William Weatherford.

Probate Judge E.T. Millsap told the Journal on Nov. 20 of that year that Alabama Governor James “Big Jim” Folsom suggested that the road from Jeddo to Eliska to Chrysler be designated as the “William Weatherford Road.” The Journal noted that the construction of the road was being jointly financed by the state and county.

“Many of the descendants of the Creek Indian chief, also known as ‘Red Eagle,’ lived in the vicinity where the road is being asphalted,” according to that week’s Journal.

On the surface, this story appears to be straight forward, but a deep look into the facts leads to some interesting questions. First off, when you check the county’s present-day highway map, you’ll see that there is no William Weatherford Road. However, there is a Weatherford Road in that part of the county, but it’s only about 3-1/2 miles long, not 15 miles long as described in the story above.

A little over a year after the first “William Weatherford Road” story was published, The Journal ran another front-page story about it in the Jan. 15, 1959 edition of the paper, under the headline “State Lets Contract For County Bridges.” That story told readers that the state had let a contract on bridges on Shomo Creek and Waller’s Creek on the Chief William Weatherford Road near Eliska.

Maps show that there are no bridges on modern-day Weatherford Road, and while this road crosses over a branch stemming from Shomo Creek, the road definitely does not travel over Waller’s Creek. With that said, there are bridges over Shomo Creek on County Road 8 and over Waller’s Creek on County Road 1.

The only other mention of the “William Weatherford Road” that I could find was on the front page of the Oct. 27, 1960 edition of The Journal. That week’s paper reported that 14 miles on the William Weatherford Road at Eliska was among seven recently-completed highway projects that resulted in “extensive hard-surfacing” of 40-1/2 miles of roads in Monroe County.

In the end, if I had to make an educated guess, I would say that the old William Weatherford Road began at what is now the intersection of the Jeddo Road and the Tower Road, east of Poplar Springs Baptist Church at Jeddo. The old William Weatherford Road then ran west along modern-day Tower Road to County Road 1 at Eliska, where it crossed the bridge over Waller’s Creek before turning into what we now call County Road 8. The old William Weatherford Road then followed County Road 8 generally south, where it crossed the bridge over Shomo Creek and then ended at modern-day State Highway 59 at Chrysler. This route is about 14 to 15 miles long, travels from Jeddo to Chrysler, and crosses both bridges mentioned in the newspaper.

In the end, one is left to wonder why the William Weatherford Road name didn’t stick. At what point did the road’s name fade from use, only to be replaced by modern names like Tower Road, County Road 1 and County Road 8? Perhaps someone in the reading audience will be able to shed more light on the subject. If so, please email me at news@monroejournal.com.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 19, 2024

Luman W. Savage

68 YEARS AGO
NOV. 15, 1956

The Evergreen Garment Co. will go back into operation on Monday or Tuesday of next week,” Vernon "Millsap, vice president and manager, said today.
Fire raged through the company’s building on Pecan Street Saturday night, Nov. 3, causing a loss of about $300,000.
“We are actually already in production,” he said, “with cutting operations being performed at the Steven-Robert Corporation. Sewing operations will begin on a partial basis at the new location in the Recreation Center early next week, and by the following week we hope to be in full operation, with everyone back on the job.”

At a recent meeting of the Evergreen Kiwanis Club, T.O. Langham, popular local businessman, was elected president, and will take office in January. Other officers chosen were Dr. John Crook, vice president; Ivey Booker, secretary; and John Gibson, treasurer.

Jay Villa Plantation of Evergreen has placed one horned Hereford bull and one polled Hereford bull on performance test at the North Auburn Beef Cattle Research Unit of the API Agricultural Experiment Station.
The animals are included among 55 bulls on a 140-day test to determine weight-gaining abilities. The performance program will be climaxed next spring with a field day and sale of bulls calved between Sept. 1, 1955 and Feb. 29, 1956.

83 YEARS AGO
NOV. 20, 1941

31^st Division Moves To ‘Battle’ Position: WITH THE 31^ST (DIXIE) DIVISION ON CAROLINE MANEUVERS: Men from Evergreen with Battery C, 117^th Field Artillery, members of the 31^st Dixie Division enter the last and major phase of Carolina mock warfare early this week when their outfits began pulling out of base camp Sunday night and moving toward their “battle” positions.
Dixie troops are getting their “college course” in modern warfare. Troops will be back in Blanding early in December.

Wilkerson Gets Two-Year Sentence: After about one hour deliberation Tuesday night, the jury which tried Alvin Wilkerson charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Mrs. Josephine Zellers, found him guilty of manslaughter in the first degree and sentenced him to two years. Judge Hare pronounced the sentence on Wilkerson early Wednesday morning and suspended same for a period of six months or until spring term of court next May.
Wilkerson’s trial consumed all of Tuesday and was not concluded until about eight o’clock Tuesday night. This being the last case on docket, court adjourned following the sentencing of Wilkerson Wednesday morning.

C.D. Mixon, 87, well known and respected citizen of Burnt Corn, was found dead in bed Saturday morning by members of his family. During his active years, he was one of that section’s most successful and substantial farmers. He was married three times.

98 YEARS AGO
NOV. 18, 1926

R. Gaston Bozeman was called to his old home near Gantt Tuesday to attend the funeral of his maternal grandmother, Mrs. L.T. Wells.

CONECUH GIN REPORT: There were 10,713 bales of cotton ginned in Conecuh County from the crop of 1926 prior to Nov. 1 as compared with 14,162 bales ginned to Nov. 1, 1925. This report was furnished by the Bureau of Census through W.T. Hagood, reporter for the county.

ARMISTICE DAY QUIETLY OBSERVED: Armistice Day was observed in a very quiet manner by the citizens of Evergreen. No formal services were held during the day, but the holiday was observed in whole-hearted manner by practically all business and professional people, in closing their offices and places of business for the day. This was done in spite of the fact that an unusually large crowd of people was in town to attend the Presley trial, and no doubt it would have been a profitable day with the stores had they remained open, but patriotism came first with Evergreen business houses.

Conecuh County Circuit Court, which was in session during the past two weeks, came to close Saturday night when the jury selected to sit in the case of Dan Presley, rendered a verdict which found the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree and fixed his sentence at 10 years. Curt Coleman, who is indicted under the same charges as Presley, was not arraigned at this term of court, and he was released under bond until the next term.

113 YEARS AGO
NOV. 15, 1911

Luman W. Savage, for 40 years a prominent citizen and businessman of Evergreen, died on Saturday night, Nov. 11, after a brief illness.
Mr. Savage was born at Camden about 64 years ago. From there he removed to Scotland and later to Claiborne, coming to Evergreen about 1872. He spent most of life in the mercantile business and was widely known in the commercial world.
The funeral occurred on Sunday afternoon from the Episcopal church of which he had long been a communicant, the service being conducted by the rector, Rev. Mr. Zachary. The body was laid to rest with the beautiful and impressive rites of the Masonic order of which deceased had long been a faithful member.

The veterans from this county who attended the State reunion in Montgomery last week say that it was one of the best they have ever attended barring the rain and disagreeable weather on Wednesday which interfered greatly with the program. They are lavish in their praise of the entertainment and attentions shown them by the citizens of Montgomery, especially the ladies. The keys of the city were turned over to them.

E. Garvin, residing 11 miles east of Evergreen, says he produced seven 500-pound bales of cotton off of six acres. He says at one time he thought he would get nine bales but drought and worms cut it off.

128 YEARS AGO
NOV. 19, 1896
THE CONECUH RECORD

Just before the close of the late war, two southerners were captured and taken as prisoners to Fort Delaware near the city of Philadelphia. They were strangers then, but both from Alabama – one Mr. D.T. Slay from Demopolis and the other Mr. W.H. Betts of Burnt Corn. In a long confinement of almost two years, they became fast friends. Since those stormy days, these old comrades have renewed their friendship, now extending over 30 years, and correspond regularly. Mr. Slay resides in Texas and on Monday Mr. Betts came in to renew the subscription to The Record which has been sent to “Tom” for the past several years. In their friendship, one is “Tom” and the other “Bill.” They are now old men and both await the summons to retire from a conflict almost reaching the three score years and ten.

Miss Lovelace, the music teacher at the Southwest Alabama Agricultural School was called on Thursday to Atlanta on account of the serious illness on one of her sister’s family.

A letter received by Mr. Joseph Comb, one of the best additions to the citizens of Evergreen, announces that his kinsman Messrs. J.W. Clarke and W.B. Clarke of Hamilton, Ohio with their families, will arrive in Evergreen about the middle of December to reside here in the future.

That wave of prosperity hasn’t reached Evergreen yet. Farmers are now regretting that they didn’t sell their cotton before the election.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Nov. 18, 2024

SEVEN YEARS AGO
NOV. 16, 2017

Veterans Day: The 2017 Veterans Day program held at Veterans Memorial Park in Monroeville Saturday featured a patriotic medley sung by Terry Galbraith and the Coastal Alabama Expose, the laying of the wreath by Boy Scout Troop 24, the playing of Taps and a rifle salute from members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion Honor Guard and remarks from event organizer Bob Steward, United States Marine Corps adjutant.

Vols to play for title: Monroe Academy pounded Morgan Academy 34-7 Friday night to secure a spot in the AISA’s Class 3A state championship game for a third consecutive year against a very familiar foe – defending state champion Bessemer Academy of Bessemer.
Once again, the offensive key for the Vols (against Morgan) was a double dose of the McKenzies, as in twins Dalton and Griffin McKenzie. Between the pair, they accounted for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Dalton rushed seven times for 137 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Griffin followed with 108 yards passing and a touchdown, completing nine of 11 passes, and 10 rushes for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Dalton McKenzie had one of his better games at cornerback, collecting two solos and six assists with 1.5 tackles for loss.
(Other top MA players in that game included Corey Barnes, Max Carter, Colt Daniels, Noah Goodman, John Walker Horton, J.T. Lolley, Seth Simecak, Christopher Stacey and Grayson Stacey. Mitchell Turberville was head coach.)

32 YEARS AGO
NOV. 19, 1992

Murder story scheduled on ’60 Minutes’ Sunday: A story about the Ronda Morrison murder case will be aired on national television this Sunday night.
The CBS network’s news-magazine show “60 Minutes” will start at 6 p.m. local time (or a few minutes later if delayed by sports) on Channel 5 of Mobile.
CBS producer David Gelber said yesterday from New York that the second and longest of the three main segments on Sunday’s program will be “Johnny D.” – an examination of the 1986 murder case in which Walter “Johnny D” McMillian was sentenced to death after being convicted of killing Ronda Morrison, 18.

Frisco City High School upended Millry High School 20-7 Friday in Frisco City to advance to the second round of the 1A state football playoffs.
Shannon Richardson posted one of his better performances Friday, piling up 94 yards on nine rushes. He also led the defense with 14 tackles.
(Other FCHS players in that game included Roy Bonner, Adrian Bullard, Chris Davison, Tony Gibbs, Derrick Harris, Jermaine Hetherington, Bryne Malone, Artis McGinnis, Clayton Minchew, William Sheets, Shannon Smith, Carlin Snell, A.J. White and Eric Williams. Scott Fountain was FCHS’s head coach.)

The Masons of Alabama Lodge No. 3 in Monroeville honored 25-year members in a ceremony Nov. 7. Dayton Russell was honored as a 50-year member. Those honored included John Turberville, John Kennedy, Woodrow Ikner, Robert Miller, Glen Gladwell, Algee Brown, Charlie Deer, Claude Green Sr., Kenneth Green, Samuel Aiken, Little Andress, John Mackie (worshipful master), Marion Craft, Floyd Harper, Louis Green, Charles Jernigan and Thomas Lemons.

57 YEARS AGO
NOV. 16, 1967

School Observes Veterans Day: George Thomas Jones, speaking in a Veterans Day assembly Friday at Monroe County High School in Monroeville, urged students to appreciate their American heritage and “see that our flag continues to fly high.”
The Monroeville businessman, who related his talk to experiences in World War II, was the featured speaker on the program. It was planned and directed by the school social studies teachers and was attended by all members of the student body.
Mr. Jones said that American troops in Europe during the second World War had home uppermost in their minds: “We knew, regardless of anything, that America was the greatest country in all the world. I wouldn’t have traded all six of the foreign countries where I served for America.”

The J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs ended the ’67 season with a victory and a 6-4 record. The Bulldogs closed out with a 33-0 victory over the Black Cats of Century last Friday night at Uriah.
Senior fullback Keith Cardwell led the Blacksher offense with 87 yards. Senior guard Gary Hilburn made his debut at end and chalked up 63 yards. Danny McGee added 56 yards.
The Blacksher defense was at the peak of perfection, limiting the Black Cats to two first downs and 71 yards total offense.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included James Bohannon, Jessie Bohannon, Larry Brooks, Robert Colbert, Flo Cole, Joe Harris, Mitchell Harrison, Joe Mims, James Porterfield and Carl “Old Faithful” Williams.)

82 YEARS AGO
NOV. 19, 1942

Samuel D. Jackson Injured In Action: Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Jackson of Tunnel Springs received a telegram Monday conveying the information that their son, Samuel Dubose Jackson, Aviation Metalsmith, U.S. Navy, had been wounded in action in the performance of his duty and in the service of his country. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were assured that further information regarding the condition of their son would be forthcoming as soon as received.

FRISCO CITY PLAYS McCULLOUGH THURSDAY: The Frisco City Whippets will match their speed and skill against a supposedly stronger McCullough team at Frisco City, Thursday afternoon, Nov. 19, at 3 o’clock.
The Frisco City team, although very light and inexperienced, is expected to rely mostly on a strong defense. At any rate, this will probably be the attraction of the week. It will be Frisco City’s first game of the season, and the first game in the county. There will be no admission to the game.

Fat Hog Show On Dec. 7: The Fat Hog Show to be held in Monroeville on Mon., Dec. 7, will be a close second to the Hog Festival which attracted the largest crowd ever seen in this town.
4-H Club boys from six adjoining counties of Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia and Wilcox will display their hogs with the Club boys of Monroe County at the Stockyard here, and it is estimated that about 150 fine hogs will be in the show.
Sears Roebuck & Co. will give valuable prizes to the winners and each prize is well worth working for.

108 YEARS AGO
NOV. 16, 1916

Capt. T.M. Riley of Riley was here yesterday.

Mr. Riley Kelly of Excel was at the county capital Monday.

Dr. and Mrs. D.D. Cole of Eliska were visitors to the city this week.

Dr. J.W. Rutherford of Franklin was in attendance on the circuit court the first of the week.

Capt. J.H. McCreary of Turnbull was transacting business at the county capital the first of the week.

Hon. Oscar L. Gray, representative in Congress from this district, was a visitor to the city this week. His many friends were delighted to see him in the enjoyment of robust health.
Congressman Oscar L. Gray took advantage of the opportunity to deliver a brief address to his friends and constituents just before the convening of the circuit court on Monday. Mr. Gray brought a message of good cheer, reviewing the record of constructive legislation enacted by the last congress and predicting great prosperity to the country and individual benefits that will result from its operation.

Mr. T.T. Ivey of Beatrice was in town transacting business Tuesday.

Our Heavenly Father Knows Best: Mr. A.P. Norwood was born Nov. 1, 1860; died Oct. 24, 1916. A wife, three children, five sisters and four brothers mourn his death. Bro. I.S. Ridgeway paid a beautiful tribute to his memory in his talk at Red Hill cemetery.

1946 plane crash in Monroe County resulted in death of Chicago man

North American T-6 Texan

Mr. Larry Robbins paid The Journal a nice visit the other day, and he shared many interesting tales from his boyhood days growing up in Beatrice. Mr. Robbins graduated from Marion Military Institute in 1955, enlisted in the Army in 1956 and then went on to live for many decades in Kansas City, Missouri. He is now retired in Baldwin County.

Robbins, who is now 88 years old, said that one of his most vivid memories from his boyhood days involves a military plane crash that occurred in the late 1940s. He said that his father heard the plane’s engine struggling and knew that a crash was imminent. His memory is that the crash happened near Nadawah.

Robbins couldn’t remember the exact date that the plane crash occurred, but he was pretty sure that it happened after the end of World War II, probably in either 1947 or 1948. I told him I’d do some digging to see what I could find out. A few days later, I dove into the back issues of The Journal, between 1944 and 1949, and found only one story about a plane crash in Monroe County.

According to the Nov. 21, 1946 edition of The Journal, an Army BT-6 single-motor plane enroute from Biloxi to Craig Field in Selma on Nov. 17 crashed 3-1/2 miles northeast of Franklin. The crash killed a ground operations officer from Craig Field named Lt. A. Kramarinko, who was from Chicago.

The pilot, an unnamed captain from Craig Field, survived after parachuting out of the plane from a height of 300 feet. Once on the ground, the pilot made his way to the home of Lee Davidson, who lived about 1-1/2 miles from the crash site. The pilot said that the plane’s motor went dead about 1-1/2 hours from Biloxi and that he instructed Kramarinko to bail out of the plane. For some reason, Kramarinko remained inside, dying in the crash.

The following day, men from Craig Field searched the area with the help of “numerous people living in the vicinity.” They found the wreck and carried Kramarinko’s remains to “a high place in the woods.” Around 3 p.m. that day, the Army men from Craig Field returned to Selma, leaving the body in the woods. Before leaving, Leslie J. Rutherford and John Rutherford secured permission to recruit men to bring the body out of the woods, so that it wouldn’t have to lay there overnight.

The Journal noted that the place where the plane crashed was in a “densely wooded area and the ridges and hollows are steep and hard to get over.” It required around an hour to traverse the 1-1/2 miles from the nearest point on the road to the scene of the crash.

In the end, I am not 100-percent sure that this is the same plane crash that Robbins remembers from his boyhood, but it’s the only one from that period of time that I could find in old newspapers. If anyone in the reading audience knows of any other planes crashes in northern Monroe County during that time period, please let me know.

Scariest roads in Alabama include State Highway 5 in Pine Hill

Downtown Pine Hill.

I read the results of an interesting survey the other day about the scariest roads in Alabama. In the spirit of Halloween, which came to pass a couple of weeks ago, the survey-takers asked 3,000 drivers which “roads they mostly would avoid after dark - those infamous for supernatural encounters, spine-tingling tales and eerie sightings that make the bravest souls’ hair stand on end.” The survey resulted in a list of the 140 scariest roads in American and three in Alabama, including one road in Wilcox County.

The scariest road in Alabama is said to be the stretch of State Highway 169 that runs from the Seale community in Russell County to Opelika in Lee County. This highway lies atop a much older road that’s steeped in spooky history. Travelers on this road report seeing the ghost of a man on horseback, thought to be the spirit of a 19th-century highwayman, who charges toward terrified drivers before vanishing into thin air.

The second scariest road in Alabama is Jack Cole Road in the town of Hayden in Blount County. Travelers on this road report seeing eerie figures, unexplained lights, and hearing mysterious sounds in the surrounding woods. Many who drive through after dark describe a spine-chilling atmosphere that intensifies as the night deepens, leaving them with an overwhelming sense of being watched.

The third scariest road in Alabama is said to be State Highway 5 in the town of Pine Hill in western Wilcox County. This rural highway is known for sightings of a spectral man walking along the road at night, believed to be the ghost of a traveler who died in a car crash. There are also other stories of strange occurrences experienced by drivers, which only add to the road's eerie atmosphere, especially after dark.

All of the above got me to thinking about other spooky roads in Wilcox County. The first that came to mind is the stretch of County Road 59 where it intersects with County Road 24, north of Pine Apple. A number of years ago, Alabama Front Porches put out a tri-fold pamphlet called “The Ghosts of Alabama’s Black Belt,” and this pamphlet listed this supposedly haunted intersection as one of the spookiest places in Wilcox County.

According to the pamphlet, “at the intersection of County roads 59 and 24, the sounds of the rattling of chains can clearly be heard at night. Many local residents have heard them. Visitors should pull to the side of the road and not stop in the road if they wish to listen.” The pamphlet also provides the GPS coordinates of this location: N315522.0 W0870019.7.

In the end, I’d like to hear from any readers who know more about the “spectral man” seen walking along Highway 5 in Pine Hill or from anyone who has experienced anything out of the unusual there. Also, let me hear from you if you’ve had a spooky experience at the intersection of County Road 59 and 24. Don’t be surprised if you aren’t the only one who has seen something out of the ordinary in those locations.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 12, 2024

22 YEARS AGO
NOV. 14, 2002

Local weather reporter Harry Ellis reported .18 inches of rain on Nov. 4, .72 inches on Nov. 5, .01 inches on Nov. 9 and .82 inches on Nov. 10. He reported a high temperature of 81 degrees on Nov. 10 and lows of 39 degrees on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8.

There were several Veterans Day programs held throughout the area last Friday. Pictured at top is Richard Brown, who was the guest speaker at the Sparta Academy program. Brown served in the United States Navy in World War II and in the Army in the Korean War. Pictured at bottom is the program at Evergreen Junior High. Hillcrest Band Director LaFrancis Davis, who is also a Major in the Army National Guard, was the guest speaker for their program.

Terry Jackson was the guest of honor at the Marine Corps birthday party held last Thursday at the David L. Burt Agricultural Center. Pictured with Jackson are Lee F. Smith, oldest Marine present; Maurice Bozeman, who cut the cake; Jackson; and Myles Anthony, youngest Marine present.

The Castleberry Town Council is going to consider purchasing a garbage truck to begin their own garbage pickup in the near future. Mayor Douglas Graham brought up the possibility at their regular meeting Tues., Nov. 5.

The Conecuh County Commission and Sheriff Tracy Hawsey discussed the hiring of a full-time nurse for the Conecuh County Detention Facility at the commission meeting Tues., Nov. 12.

30 YEARS AGO
NOV. 10, 1994

The Evergreen Post Office is currently being renovated to make the building handicap accessible. West Tumbleson of Kentucky is the contractor for the job. He is shown working on the ramp last Tuesday afternoon. He has done 60 post offices, and Evergreen makes his 61. The job will take several weeks to complete.

Conecuh County voters elected their first new sheriff in over 20 years Tuesday night. Former State Trooper Thomas W. Hall received 2,943 votes while Republican Donnis Barnes received 412 votes. Sheriff Edwin L. Booker received 1,334 write-in votes according to the complete, but unofficial, results in Tuesday night’s general election.
Conecuh County native Judge Sue Bell Cobb won election to the State Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2, by defeating Greg Griffin in the statewide election. It has been many years since a Conecuh County native has been elected to a statewide office.

A new Conecuh County Junior Miss will be chosen this Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Ed Reid State Technical College’s Wiley Salter Auditorium.
Eight senior girls from Conecuh County will be competing for the title, scholarships and the right to represent Conecuh County in the state competition in January.
(Contestants that year included Rachel Bohannon, Kelly Booker, Amanda Chavers, Kristie Ivey, Ruby Lett, Carmon Salter, Heather Watson and Monica Williams.)

38 YEARS AGO
NOV. 13, 1986

Evergreen weather reporter Earl Windham reported .64 inches of rain on Nov. 5. He reported a high of 85 on Nov. 9 and a low of 54 on Nov. 4.

David Lamar Burt, 61, of Route 1, Peterman, died Friday night, Nov. 7, in a local hospital after a long illness. He was chairman of the Conecuh County Commission and a member of a prominent pioneer family.
Mr. Burt was elected chairman in 1976 and re-elected in 1980 and 1984. A popular and well known man, he lived all of his life in the Fairnelson community. He was a successful cattle farmer prior to being elected chairman. He had devoted his full time to the duties of that office.
He was an active member of the Purnell Methodist Church, a graduate of Lyeffion High School and a veteran of service in the U.S. Navy in World War II.

Mrs. Katie Sue Burt, widow of the late Chairman David L. Burt, took the oath of office as Chairman of the Conecuh County Commission shortly after nine o’clock Wednesday morning in the commission meeting room. The oath of office was administered by Circuit Judge Robert E.L. Key in the presence of the members of the commission, members of the Burt family and friends.
Mrs. Burt was appointed to fill her late husband’s unexpired term at a meeting of the Commission on Monday. The resolution appointing her was introduced by Commissioner Freddie Stallworth and seconded by Commission Woodrow Windham and unanimously adopted.

74 YEARS AGO
NOV. 9, 1950

All offices at the Court House will be closed Sat., Nov. 11, in observance of Armistice Day. All persons having business to transact at the courthouse should bear this in mind. The post office and all other business houses will be open, according to the best information available.

The First Baptist Church of Evergreen will have a homecoming and dedication program Sun., Nov. 19, according to an announcement made this week by Rev. Sam Granade, pastor.
The church has just about completed a modern educational building and on this date a dedication service will be held. Dr. A. Hamilton Reid, executive secretary of the Alabama Baptist Convention, will preach at the morning service and also deliver the dedicatory address.

A grand cooking school will be held at the Pix Theatre tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10 o’clock. Admission to the school is absolutely free, courtesy Canterbury Hardware, Inc., local Philco dealer.
Miss Eliza Clark, Philco’s nationally known home economist, will conduct the school.

County Finals Of Jaycee Speech Contest Friday: Conecuh County finals of the “Voice of Democracy” contest sponsored by the Evergreen Junior Chamber of Commerce will be held at Evergreen High School tomorrow (Friday) morning at 10 o’clock. Winners of the contest will have his speech transcribed for entry in the state finals.

93 YEARS AGO
NOV. 12, 1931

Clarence Crenshaw On Trial Today: Clarence Crenshaw, young man charged with first-degree murder for fatally stabbing John D. Barnes, farmer living near Castleberry last spring, goes on trial for his life today (Thursday) for the second time. Crenshaw was convicted and sentenced to the electric chair at a special session of court immediately after the murder was committed but due to the late introduction of certain evidence by the State, Judge Hare set aside the verdict and granted a new trial. Since that time, Crenshaw has been held in the county jail.
He is represented by attorneys B.E. Jones and Edwin C. Page Jr., who were appointed by the court to handle the case. Besides the regular jurors serving this week, a special venire has been summoned here for the case. The case has attracted a large crowd of people from over the county to the courthouse today to hear the trial.

The case of Cap Edson, who was indicted by the grand jury last week for second-degree murder, charged with the murder of Jim Merritt, was set for Tuesday morning. Due to absence of certain defendant witnesses the case was carried over to Friday morning at which time it will be tried. Edson is represented by attorneys G.O. Dickey of Evergreen and Marcus Fletcher of Andalusia.

Officers Capture Big Moonshine Outfit: Sheriff J.G. Moore and a corps of deputies captured a 125-gallon still and 60 gallons of beer Tuesday morning about five miles south of Repton. The still was a homemade outfit of copper and wood. When found, it was not in operation, but gave evidence of having been run recently.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Nov. 12, 2024

Grave of Herbert A. Brooks

16 YEARS AGO
NOV. 13, 2008

Top veteran honored: A Monroeville man who was taken prisoner by the Germans during World War II was honored Tuesday in Monroeville as the rest of the country remembered its veterans and celebrated the freedom they fought for.
Charles Ray Skinner was named Monroe County’s Veteran of the Year at a service Tuesday following the annual Veterans Day Parade in downtown Monroeville.
Dr. Thomas L. Butts introduced Skinner and presented him with the golden eagle award for his distinct service to America.
Skinner was a bombardier in WWII and his plane was shot down Aug. 24, 1944. He was taken prisoner by the Nazis and held in a prison camp until April of 1945 when Allied forces freed him and other prisoners.
He then returned home and became a “dedicated citizen and Christian of Monroe County.”

Dogs win 22-21: For the second straight week, J.U. Blacksher’s “Cardiac” Bulldogs pulled out a victory in overtime. The latest came Friday night at Uriah in the first round of the AHSAA 1A state playoffs when they edged Ariton 22-21.
With the score knotted at 15-15 at the end of regulation play, the Bulldogs blocked Ariton’s extra point kick in overtime and then got a 10-yard touchdown run from Isaac Nichols and an extra-point kick from Cameron Cobb to advance to the second round.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Seth Baggett, Josh Chavis, Wykein Dean, Chase Godwin, Tevin McClain and Austin Silcox. Mark Heaton was Blacksher’s head coach.)

41 YEARS AGO
NOV. 10, 1983

John Barnett III joins law firm: John B. Barnett III has joined the Monroeville law firm of Barnett, Bugg & Lee.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Barnett Jr. of Monroeville, he graduated from Monroe County High School and Birmingham-Southern College.
A recent graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Barnett was admitted to the Alabama State Bar last month.

Tigers beat Frisco in aerial show: Monroe County High School’s passing game proved too much for the Frisco City Whippets to handle Friday as 207 yards passing netted a 21-0 decision in Tiger Stadium.
MCHS senior quarterback Edgar Lee McCarthy finished his high school career in style Friday, completing 11 of 24 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. The Tiger defense was led by senior noseguard Derek Hale, who had 14 solo tackles and three assists, caused two fumbles and sacked the Whippet quarterback once.
(Other top MCHS players were Jerry Betts, Jay Dyess, Woodrow McCarthy, Cliff McPherson and Troy Wearren. Howard Busby was MCHS’s head coach, and Vance McCrory was Frisco’s head coach.)

Moving in: Businesses are moving in and shoppers have started coming to Monroeville’s newest shopping center, Monroe Square, located on Highway 21 South at Whetstone Street. Two downtown businesses, Danice’s (formerly Ernestine’s) and The Music Center, are moving to the shopping center, and Winn Dixie is moving from its smaller supermarket at Southtown Plaza. Other occupants will include three new stores: Harco Super Drug; Cato, which sells women’s apparel; and a laundromat.

66 YEARS AGO
NOV. 13, 1958

Final Rites Held For Newly Elected Education Member: Final rites for Herbert A. Brooks, 28-year-old Megargel farmer and cattleman, victim in a drowning accident Friday, were held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. from the Megargel Assembly of God Church.
Mr. Brooks, recently elected member of the Monroe County Board of Education, was reported drowned when he fell from a boat during a hunting trip at the mouth of Bailey’s Creek on the Alabama River. The location is approximately 12 miles south of the Claiborne landing, near where the body of a Frisco City fisherman, L.B. Brewton, was discovered following his drowning Aug. 14.

Satsuma Is Rapped By Excel, 21 To 14: With scoring tied up 14-14 at halftime, the Excel High School Panthers racked up a winning TD in the fourth period in a defensive second half, defeating Satsuma, 21-14, in Satsuma Friday night.
Action was primarily defensive in the second half, until Excel took the ball at the beginning of the final period on their own 40 and drove to the Satsuma 10. Fullback Leroy Jordan went up the middle to score and followed up with the PAT on an off-tackle play.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Sonny Burkett, Shelton Casey, Braddock Dawson, Kenneth Johnson, Julian Lambert, Levon Ledkins, Bud Linam, Doug Murphy and Harry Sawyer. W.C. Majors was Excel’s head coach.)

Dr. John L. Abbott, 32, Monroeville chiropractor, will attend his first meeting of the Monroe County Board of Education as a new member Friday. He was recently elected to the office with another member, the late Herbert Brooks of Megargel, who died in a drowning accident Friday.

91 YEARS AGO
NOV. 9, 1933

Man Held For Attacking Woman: Walter Lett, alias Walter Brown, is being held for assault on Mrs. Naomi Lowery. The attack is alleged to have occurred on Thursday afternoon near the brick factory south of Monroeville. The attack was not reported until Friday and an investigation followed immediately by the sheriff’s office. Lett was captured on Saturday afternoon and taken into custody. Fearing that an attempt would be made to lynch the man by a mob following the news of the attack, Sheriff Sawyer took the man to jail in Greenville for safekeeping.

Excel: In the best football game played here in many years the Bay Minette Tigers outlasted the Bulldogs and pulled the game out of the fire in the last quarter. The local team played over its head and for three quarters had the bay boys completely routed.
Do not forget the big game Sat., Nov. 11. Uriah, claiming a county championship, is coming to take on the Bulldogs. The game will be called at 2:30.

Man Injured In Fall From A Pecan Tree: A.B. Cannon of Evergreen, brother-in-law of Fred Sheffield, received serious injuries about the head when he fell from the top of a tall pecan tree near the Sheffield home Sunday afternoon. Had not the lower limbs of the tree caught him and slacked his fall somewhat, Mr. Cannon’s injuries might have been even more serious.

Vredenburgh and Hybart Leagues had a moonlight picnic on the creek Friday night. The weather was fine for such an outing and everyone had a good time.

116 YEARS AGO
NOV. 12, 1908

The members of the George W. Foster Camp, United Confederate Veterans, are requested to meet at the court house at three o’clock p.m. on Sat., Nov. 14, for the election of delegates to the annual reunion of the Alabama Division, which will be held in Mobile on Nov. 25-26.

Dr. S.B. McMillan and Mr. T.J. Nicholas were up from Jones Mill the first of the week. They report considerable drinking and disorder in their town on Saturday which the good citizens of the place have taken the necessary steps to punish and correct.

Mr. C.C. Yarbrough was painfully injured Tuesday afternoon. He was assisting to break a wild horse to the saddle and while holding the animal by the bridle the horse made a break for liberty, striking Mr. Yarbrough with his feet on the shoulder.

The Journal has received a fine specimen of Lemon Ponderosa grown by the Misses Russell. The lemon weighs one and one-half pounds and measures 14-1/2 inches in circumference. The shrub from which this specimen was plucked grew seven others of approximately the same size.

MANISTEE: The mills at this place are now running on full time and everything moving with new energy. The farmers are about through gathering crops having turned out fairly well.
Mr. J.F. Grimes is erecting a nice new dwelling that will add materially to the value of his place.
The Pleasant Hill Baptist Church has secured the services of Rev. L.C. DeWitt for the ensuring pastoral year. May God bless his labors here in the future as in the past.

Singleton shares fond memories of his Monroe County friends

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “The years have come and gone, but the fond memories remain,” was originally published in the July 18, 2002 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Friday, the 28^th day of this past June marked my 38^th anniversary in the county of Monroe. As I entered into this past date, I recalled many events and happenings that I have experienced during my stay here. I also remember several dear friends who have made my stay in the area much more enjoyable and interesting. Shortly after my arrival in the county, I was most fortunate to become friends with people like Mr. Milford Champion, Mr. Raymond Fountain, Mr. Tom Snyder, Mr. Oscar Wiggins and Mrs. Louise (Lou) Cooper. These dear friends are all now deceased. Lou Cooper lived to be over 107 years old. Although she had lost her eyesight, she was very alert and had an excellent memory.

Mrs. Cooper was hidden in a trunk when she and her parents returned to the town of Claiborne in 1863. Her parents had orders to leave her in Mobile because of the smallpox epidemic. So, not wanting to leave their only child, they hid her in a trunk and managed to come ashore at Claiborne Landing without the child being discovered. Fearing that their child might not be alive when they opened the trunk, the story goes that she was lying quietly, sucking her thumb after the trip upriver without any food. Many hours was spent talking to this dear lady and re-living her memories of the bygone days. These stories will live within my mind and hopefully I will be able to pass them on to others in times to come.

Much of the Indian history was passed on to me by my dear friend Uncle Tom Snyder. He knew all the locations of the discarded and forgotten burial grounds around the area. I asked my friend if he would go with me and spend one night in the Indian holy ground so we might witness the strange goings on that had been reported seen and heard there. His answer was: “Heck no, Mr. Singleton. I’m getting too darn old to get scared out of my wits and run against a tree and hurt myself.” But, he showed me many historic places in the area that are unknown to most, and I will always remember the locations.

My authority for the area around Burnt Corn and the Pine Orchard area was Mr. Milford Champion. He knew every inch of that area and all that had taken place there since the area was settled. He also knew the locations of all the old burial grounds and the forgotten home places. He knew the stories that took place there in the grown up timbers and thickets where the old homes of the past once were located. He also had an excellent memory of early Indian history of that area. He proved to me beyond a shadow of doubt that the famed Indian town of Maubila was located in the area of Pine Orchard. All the evidence needed to prove this fact was later destroyed by a logging firm a few years back. Milford Champion was a great local historian; too bad his knowledge of local history wasn’t recorded.

Mr. Oscar Wiggins knew every rock and stump around the old Red Hills community. We spent many hours wandering here and there in the area, hearing each story, time and again of the old families and their ways of earning a living. Never did we go into the Red Hills area without a visit to the old cemetery where Mr. Oscar’s ancestors now sleep. Always, the story came to mind of his ancestor who first settled there in the area. He took great pride of his ancestor who wore the uniform of the Confederacy. I never grew tired of his stories and of him showing me locations of the old home sites of the past settlers. We would always try to go by the old Wiggins home place and sit and talk for a while. I remember one day we found an old handmade brick that had been a part of the ancient chimney of the family house. He wanted to break it in half and give me one half of it. I told him that I had rather he keep it all because of his ancestors. He wouldn’t have been any happier if he had found a nugget of gold. Each time I return to the Red Hills area, I think of my friend, Oscar Wiggins, and if time permits, I visit the old homesite and the graves of his ancestors.

My friend, Mr. Raymond Fountain, more than likely had a greater knowledge of the whole county and surrounding area than anyone I have known since my stay in the area. Countless hours we would spend, roaming the area both day and night and visiting the locations where ghostly sightings and other happenings are said to have been witnessed there. We walked the road and crossed the bridge where the ghost of the Rebel soldier is said to have camped under. The story of Nancy Mountain was first told to me by my dear friend. He also helped me investigate the mystery light in the Franklin area. The areas of Bradley Ridge and the old cemeteries (now destroyed) was shown to me by my dear friend. He never seemed to grow tired of visiting again these old locations and re-telling the stories of the ghostly happenings that took place there. Next to fox-hunting, I believe this was his second greatest pastime. He knew the country; he, like myself, couldn’t wait to return again to the old forgotten place; forgotten except for a very few who are fast departing this life. And, somewhere beyond the sunset, I’m sure Mr. Raymon is sitting on a hill, listening to his favorite fox hounds with names like Old Blue or Yellow Boy or the many others that he has known.

Yes, my stay in the area of Monroe County has been a very interesting and exciting one. I have come to know many good people of the area. I have gained many good friends here. So, I end this article saying that I hope that the next 38 years will be as good as the last.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)

 

Rikard name can be found way back in Monroe County history

Crystal and I rode up to Rikard’s Mill on Saturday morning to see all the doings at Cane Syrup Making Day. We made the loop around the park, bought some syrup and visited with all the nice folks we encountered there. We even watched a man and his young son milk a cow, which as far as I know is a new addition to the annual festivities at the mill.

On the way home, my thoughts wandered to the history of Rikard’s Mill, which sits on Flat Creek between Beatrice and Chestnut. The mill is said to have been originally built in 1845 by a blacksmith named Jacob Rikard. At some point, the mill ceased operations, long before it became an historical site.

Later, I took some time to search through old newspapers for more information on Jacob Rikard, and the earliest reference that I could find to a man by that name was in the June 4, 1870 edition of The Monroe Journal. In that paper, it was reported that the County Commissioners Court (now the County Commission) had paid Rikard $25 for some type of work. That same week, commissioners paid L.S. Rikard $5 for “repairs on the jail.”

Another interesting reference to Jacob Rikard appeared in the June 5, 1882 edition of The Journal. In that paper, in news from the Buena Vista community, the editor relayed a story from The Evergreen News about a man and wife being found dead near Rikard’s home. The News reported that Rikard had “heard a child crying and going out, found the mother and father dead.”

The problem with all this, as the editor pointed out, was that there was “no Mr. Jacob Rikard living near Buena Vista or anywhere else in the county” because “as Mr. Rikard has been dead himself over a year, he could hardly have done any such thing.” The editor summarily labeled the story about the dead couple as a hoax.

It is a fact that Jacob Rikard died on May 6, 1880 and was buried at Chestnut. If you go there today, you’ll see a distinctive headstone over his grave that resembles a mill stone from a grist mill.

News of Jacob “Jake” Rikard’s death was published in the May 17, 1880 edition of The Journal, which called him “one of the old landmarks of the county.” He was born in South Carolina in 1805 and with his father moved to Alabama at an early age. They first settled on Limestone Creek near Monroeville, where his boyhood days were spent. He later moved to Flat Creek, where he established his mill.

“A good citizen, a devout Christian, an honest man has gone,” The Journal said. “Let us greatly draw the mantle of charity over his frailties and strive to emulate with all possible zeal, his honor, his integrity and his uprightness.”

I believe the L.S. Rikard mentioned above to be Lawrence S. “Limestone Lawrence” Rikard, who died at the age of 71 in August 1879. He is buried in the Old Methodist Cemetery, off Sumter Avenue in Monroeville, not far from Monroe Manor nursing home. His grave marker indicates that he served as a private in Captain Broughton’s Monroe County Reserves during the War Between the States.

100-year-old news headlines from The Wilcox Progressive Era in Wilcox County, Alabama

Kodak Folding Brownie No. 3

Today marks the first Wednesday 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 November 1924.

In the Nov. 6, 1924 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that, “a fire occurred in Camden about daylight on Friday of last week, burning the town calaboose, 500 feet of the town’s new water hose and a large dwelling, known as the Burrell house, and owned by Mrs. D.H. Turner. It was the birthplace of Dr. W.B. Crumpton of Montgomery and was one of the landmarks of Camden. It was with difficulty that the nearby buildings were saved, owing to the exceeding dry weather. The fire was caused from a burning trash pile.”

Also that week, readers learned that “John H. Watts of Caledonia has been appointed marshal for the Town of Camden. He is well known here, having served as marshal and deputy sheriff during the term of P.C. Jenkins.”

In the Nov. 13, 1924 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that “Mr. Clarence Smith, Miss Addie Lee Farish, Mr. Ernest Lambert and Miss Mamie Finklea motored to Montgomery Friday to attend the State Fair and remained over to see the football game between Auburn and Tulane Saturday.”

Readers that week also learned that “the ‘Birth of Nation,’ a picture that is ever new and ever thrilling, will be shown at the Camden Theatre next Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 19-20.”

In the Nov. 20, 1924 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Mr. Jack Tepper is slowly improving after his serious accident during the past week. A cow which had a young calf gored him upon the leg, which would have been more serious except for the aid of a servant.”

Readers that week also learned that “Senator Tom Carlton of Thomaston accompanied the football team to our town last Friday when Wilcox County High played Thomaston High and was the guest of Mr. J.M. Bonner.”

In the Nov. 27, 1924 edition of the newspaper, it was announced that “Mrs. Nettie Grier, a returned missionary from China, will speak at the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Sunday morning at 11 o’clock and all denominations are cordially invited to come out and hear her.”

Also that week, readers saw the following advertisement – “LOST: Between Hollys Landing and Mosses mill, Kodak, folding Brownie No. 3. Finder please return to L.P. Andrews and receive reward.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Wednesday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of December 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.