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.