100-year-old news highlights from December 1924 editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era

Capt. Emmett Kilpatrick

Today marks not only the last Friday in December, but it also marks the last edition of the newspaper for this calendar year. With that said, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in December 1924.

In the Dec. 4, 1924 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported, under the headline “Capt. Emmett Kilpatrick Honored By French,” that “one of the highest honors in the French literary world was yesterday conferred on an American, Mr. Emmett Kilpatrick of Camden, when he was awarded by the Sorbonne the degree of Doctorates Lettres. Mr. Kilpatrick’s success in winning his degree, which few foreigners have ever obtained, is the result of eight years of intensive study the subject chosen for his thesis dealing with the history of the Southern Confederacy during the American Civil War period.”

Also that week, in news from the Lower Peachtree community, it was reported that the “recent forest fires around here have done serious damage to valuable tracts of timber, also loss to property owners has amounted to many dollars. Six houses in the country from here in different directions have been burned to the ground.”

In the Dec. 11, 1924 edition of The Progressive Era, it was reported that a “very heavy rain all over Wilcox County Monday broke the long continued drought, which has caused so much damage to forest, pastures and loss by fires of homes. The branches and creeks are full to overflowing.”

Readers that week also learned that Camden was “full of visitors from all over the county, who are attending court. The criminal docket being much larger than usual. The docket will not be cleared before Friday.”

In the Dec. 18, 1924 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that the “pecan crop in Wilcox County was very short this fall, and all the large Stuart pecans have been sold. There are only a very few of the smaller nuts unsold.”

Readers that week also learned that “Alabama Day exercises were held at the Camden Grammar School Friday morning when Mrs. D.H. Turner, in a most pleasing manner, presented an Alabama Flag from the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter.”

In the Dec. 24, 1924 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Major Frank Boykin passed away at his beautiful antebellum home in Tilden on Dec. 17 at a ripe old age. He had the misfortune to break his hip several weeks ago and this with the infirmities of old age were more than his frail body could stand. He was laid to rest in the cemetery at Tilden, the last rites being conducted by Rev. Paul Engle.”

Readers that week also saw under the headline “DOUBLE WEDDING AT LIDDELLS” that “Judge Pat M. Dannelly issued legal papers last Saturday for the weddings of Mr. Claude Tart and Miss Kate Gilmore and Mr. John B. Guy and Miss Gladys Westbrook, which were solemnized on the upper floor of J.R. Liddell’s store. Furniture and merchandise had been removed and shelving covered with white muslin, holly and Spanish moss. After the impressive ceremony by Rev. J.W. Rosberough Jr., the two couples were congratulated by crowds of friends assembled and showered with rice.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. Next week we’ll be into a new year and we’ll take a look at the events of January 1925 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.