The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for March 31, 2025

19 YEARS AGO
MARCH 23, 2006

Excel has state’s ‘best-tasting’ water: People in Monroe County won’t have to look far for a glass of Alabama’s best-tasting water. According to the Alabama Rural Water Association, Alabama’s best-tasting drinking water comes out of the kitchen faucets in Excel.
Water from the Excel Water System is the best-tasting water in the state, according to a panel of taste testers, who drank samples of water from systems throughout the state during the association’s 28^th Annual Technical Training Conference March 12-15 at the Mobile Convention Center in Mobile.

Perfect game: Gorum throws no-hit, shut-out: Senior right-hander Ryan Gorum became the first high-school pitcher in Monroe County this season to toss a perfect game.
On Monday of last week, Gorum and the Blacksher defense did not allow McIntosh to have a base runner in the five-inning game.
Gorum struck out 12 of the 15 batters he faced, and his defense got the remaining three outs.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Stephen Akins, Brandon Blanton, Joey Blanton, Colton Bowen, Cameron Cobb, Kenneth Foxall, Heath Ikner, Rowdy Manning, Thunder McGhee, Austin Owens, Hunter Saucer and John Russell Smith.)

Our Place to show ‘Capote’ movie starting March 31: Area moviegoers will get a new look at two of Monroeville’s most famous residents, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, during an exclusive local showing of the movie, “Capote,” at Our Place Teen Center in Monroeville. “Capote,” one of the most acclaimed films of the year, will be shown to local audiences beginning Fri., March 31, at 7 p.m., Teen Center Director Scott Allen said.

44 YEARS AGO
MARCH 26, 1981

Seven apply for school post: The Monroe County Board of Education had seven applicants for the job of county schools superintendent Wednesday, and tomorrow (Friday) is the cutoff date for applications.
Applications and resumes from five persons – Bobby G. Grissette, Clayton C. Hale, J. Charles McNeil, Cornelia W. Sawyer and Terry Wilkerson – had been received by the time of Friday’s called school board meeting. Two more persons, James A. Anners and Richard O. Tatum, have since applied to board chairman Edgar Melton of Excel.
At Friday’s meeting, the board accepted the resignation of James R. Allen, who will leave the post of county schools superintendent Tuesday to become president of Patrick Henry Junior College.

Area tournament champions: The Repton Bulldogs recently won the area basketball tournament championship, finishing with an outstanding 21-8 overall record. Players and coaches are Willie McMillian, Keith Gissendaner, Greg Simpson, Bruce Rudolph, Tommy Watson, Assistant Coach Ronnie Williams, Trey Wilson, Elmore Rudolph, Joe Watkins, Daryl Nettles, Robert McMillian and head coach Hugh Wilson.

Superintendent bill introduced: State Rep. Jimmy Warren of Castleberry Tuesday introduced a local bill in the Alabama Legislature which would allow Monroe countians to decide whether or not to elect the county superintendent of education. The bill, House Bill 764, will first be submitted to the Local Legislation Committee Wednesday and probably be reported out Thursday, Warren said. The county school superintendent is currently appointed by the five members of the Board of Education, who are elected.

69 YEARS AGO
MARCH 22, 1956

Heart Attack Fatal To Monroe Native: Funeral services for Peter Vredenburgh III of Birmingham, prominent Monroe County native, were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. from the Johnson-Rideout Funeral Home in Birmingham.
Mr. Vredenburgh, 52, wealthy businessman, died in Miami Beach, Fla. Monday of a heart attack.
His wife, Dorothy, has been secretary of the Democratic National Committee for the past 12 years.
The couple arrived in Miami Beach Friday after a trip to Cuba. Mr. Vredenburgh was stricken at 1:30 a.m. Monday in his hotel room, and when taken to a local hospital was pronounced dead on arrival.

Finlayson To Replace Hanks As Coach Here: Hubert Finlayson, assistant coach at Monroe County High School for the past four years, will be advanced to head coach and athletic director at the local school for the 1956-57 term.
He will replace W. LeVaughn Hanks, who resigned effective at the end of the current school year to accept a position with University Military School, Mobile.
Mr. Finlayson was coach at Beatrice High School for three years prior to his coming to Monroeville.

Gail Brown, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Brown of Excel, has been named valedictorian of the graduating class of the Excel High School.

94 YEARS AGO
MARCH 26, 1931

Mr. Katz Building Two New Stores: Mr. M. Katz, one of our enterprising merchants, is now building two one-story brick buildings just south of his store on the square. These new buildings will face west. He informs us that one will be used by himself along with his large store, and the other will be for rent.

Great improvements are being made on and around the campus of the Excel High School under the supervision of Mr. S.T. Williamson. The Vocational Agriculture boys have worked faithfully to carry out their plans. The campus has been ploughed with a tractor and the walk and driveway leading up to the school have been completed. Grass will soon be planted and the new fence put up.

1930 COTTON CROP EXCEEDS THAT OF ’29: Tabulation of card reports by the Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce, Washington, shows that there were 30,270 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned and to be ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1930, as compared with 22,244 bales from the crop of 1929.

WALL-STALLWORTH: Announcements are being received by friends of Mr. and Mrs. Stonewall Jackson Stallworth of the marriage on March 8 at Greenville, Ala. of their daughter, Miss Maysie Stallworth of Beatrice, and Mr. Conrad Wall of Forest Home, Ala.

The Hotel Giddens is not closed as some have understood and has not been closed since Mrs. Floyd left. It is under the management of Mrs. C.H. Blackwell until a project takes it over.

119 YEARS AGO
MARCH 22, 1906

Mr. Lonnie Sims began his duties on the Rural Free Delivery mail route with Jones Mill as distributing point, March 15, much to the satisfaction and convenience of the citizens.

Oyster Supper: The ladies of the Methodist church will serve oysters at the home of Mr. J.D. Rawls on Friday evening, April 6. Everybody invited.

The Jones Mill school closed with a well rendered program Friday night and Prof. L. B. Austin and assistant Miss Alice Deakins spared no efforts in drilling the pupils. They were well repaid for their efforts for praise was heard on all sides. The school house was crowded as the weather was charming for such an occasion. The program was short, also the pieces, some very comical, but all well spoken and entertaining.

The cool weather punctuated with frost and ice during the present week occasions much apprehension as to the safety of the fruit crop.

Hon. J.N. Miller was down from Camden last week. Col. Miller is being favorably mentioned in connection with congressional honors in the second district two years hence.

Capt. T.B. Nettles and family bade adieu to their hosts of Monroeville friends last week and departed for Portland where Capt. Nettles has embarked in the timber and lumber business.

Another rural free delivery mail route has been established in this county, designated as RFD No. 2. It runs from Snider on the Manistee & Repton Railroad and serves an extensive territory around Jones Mill. Several post offices in the neighborhood have been discontinued.

Whatever became of William Weatherford’s knife?

William Weatherford

Yesterday – March 27 – marked the 211^th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which took place on this date in 1814. Considered part of the War of 1812, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend involved a force of Americans, Creeks and Cherokees led by Andrew Jackson against Red Stick Creeks led by Chief Menawa.

During the battle, Jackson’s forces attacked the Red Stick stronghold of Tohopeka on the banks of the Tallapoosa River, and Jackson’s men killed more than 900 people. Jackson’s victory soon led to the end of the Creek War and the cession of 23 million acres of Creek territory to the United States.

While researching ties between Monroe County residents and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, I ran across an interesting story that was published on the front page of the May 2, 1907 edition of The Monroe Journal. Published under the headline, “RELIC OF AN EARLY CHIEF: Knife Presented to State Archives,” the article tells of how the knife carried by famous Creek Indian leader William Weatherford had been presented to the State Department of Archives & History in Montgomery. “It is the first relic of the great Alabama Indian, who played such a prominent part in pioneer history of the state to be secured by the department,” the article said.

The story went on to say that the knife was presented to the department by Will T. Sheehan, who was a staff correspondent of The Montgomery Advertiser. The knife was given to Sheehan by Sidney Weatherford while Sheehan was in Monroe County gathering information for a series of articles on the Creek Indians who were living on Little River in Baldwin and Monroe counties on land they obtained from the government in the early 1800s. Sidney Weatherford was William Weatherford’s grandson.

“The knife was part of the effects of his distinguished kinsman which was awarded Sidney Weatherford,” the article said. “From a number of relics of the war leader, he gave the knife to the newspaperman when he learned that he was writing of the achievements of the famous leader. None of these relics had ever passed out of the possession of the Weatherford family.”

I believe the Sidney Weatherford mentioned in the article to be Sidney Clay Weatherford, who was born in July 1864. Sidney, who was married to Phenie Weatherford, had at least nine children and no doubt has many descendants still living in Monroe County today. Sidney passed away in June 1933 and is buried in the Weatherford Cemetery at Mineola.

One is left to wonder what became of William Weatherford’s knife. A search for the knife’s whereabouts in the Alabama Department of Archives & History’s extensive online catalog results in “No Results Found.” The only knife that I found in their catalog was a pen knife that belonged to William T. King, a wealthy planter from Dallas County.

In the end, perhaps someone reading this column will be able to shed more light on the whereabouts of William Weatherford’s knife. It would be interesting to know where this knife is today. If anyone reading this column can provide additional details, please pass them along, and I’ll update everyone at a later date.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for March 10, 2025

21 YEARS AGO
MARCH 11, 2004

The Evergreen Rotary Club, administrators of the Wendell Hart Scholarship Fund, announces that applications for the $2,500 scholarship are now being accepted. This scholarship is dedicated to the memory of the late Coach Wendell Hart, who deeply cared for his students and desired that all deserving young men and women be able to advance their education.
To qualify, students must meet the following:
1. Must be a graduate of a Conecuh County high school (not solely for 2004 graduates).
2. Must have a sincere desire to further their education.
3. Must have a financial need to maintain or continue higher education (two year or four year).
4. Must attach a copy of report of score on SAT or ACT or a copy of acceptance to college.
Applications are available at Hillcrest High School (see Mrs. Dean), Sparta Academy (see Mrs. Robinson), or the Law Office of Todd B. Watson.

Evergreen Little League try-outs will be held Saturday March 13 at 1 p.m. for Little League and 3 p.m. for Minor League. Please be at Little League field at Evergreen Municipal Park 30 minutes prior to tryout time.

The final Evergreen Babe Ruth sign-up will be held this Sat., March 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Babe Ruth Field at the Evergreen Municipal Park. Babe Ruth season will not begin until Sparta Academy’s baseball season has ended.

37 YEARS AGO
MARCH 9, 1989

SPRING BREAK BASKETBALL: The Class of 1970 of Thurgood Marshall High School will sponsor a Spring Break Basketball Game Sat., March 11, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Evergreen High School gym. Games will feature the Andalusia All Stars vs. Johnsonville All Stars and the Evergreen All Stars vs. Big Surprise. Admission is $2.

Sparta Academy, Wilcox Academy, Greenville Academy and Fort Dale Academy will take part in a Spring Jamboree Friday night at Fort Dale. The game will start at 7:00 and will consist of four nine-minute quarters. This will end Spring Training for Sparta.

Final registration for Babe Ruth League will be held this Sat., March 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Babe Ruth League field at the Evergreen Municipal Park. Registration is $15 per child and everyone must bring a birth certificate.
Tryouts will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. You must register by 1 p.m. Saturday to be eligible to play this season.
All children age 13 to 15 are eligible to participate. All parents are asked to please encourage your child to play.

52 YEARS AGO
MARCH 14, 1974

Sparta Academy football players Tubby McInvale and Walt Lee Ward will participate in the North-South All-Star Game sponsored by the Alabama Private School Association. Headmaster Richard Brown will be assistant coach of the South team. The game will be held Fri., March 15, at the Troy State University Stadium and will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students. The Sparta Quarterback Club has the tickets and all proceeds from the sale will go to the club. Persons wanting to buy tickets may contact Bill Johnson or Mae Gladwell before noon at the school.

Aggies end play at State tourney: The Evergreen Aggies ended their season by losing in a 72-61 game to Russellville in the first round of the State Class 3A Tournament held at the Coliseum at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Cleveland Fields and David Thomas combined for 39 points, but their efforts were not enough to stop the Tigers who caught the Aggies on one of their off games.
The Aggies have the potential of being state champ contenders for the third straight year next year with 6-5 center Ronald Fantroy and 5-8 guard Chuck Jones returning to the lineup. Both boys are sophomores this year. Gene Stallworth, Alphonza Holder and Percy Jones all juniors, should make the Aggies awesome again.

The Conecuh County High School Quarterback Club will have a barbecue and fried chicken supper on Saturday night, March 1, from 5:00-9:00 in the school cafeteria.
A gospel singing will follow in the school auditorium. The singing will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature the Gospel Melodies of Brewton, the Morris Family of Lenox and the McDonald Trio of Range. Politicians will be introduced to the public.
All proceeds will go to the football team.

Boy Scout Troop No. 68 of Belleville took part in the Masonic Drill on Sunday at the Belleville Baptist Church, Dr. Sidney Tucker, pastor. Pictured from left are Ralph Taylor, William Wallace, Glenn Dailey, Gerald Dukes, Herbert Dukes, Warren Davison, Gilbert Grace, Robert Grace and Assistant Scoutmaster William Stallworth.

81 YEARS AGO
MARCH 9, 1944

State Has Openings For Game Wardens: Residents of Conecuh County who are interested in a position with the State as Game Warden should file application before March 31, 1944. Application forms may be obtained by writing the State Personnel Department, Montgomery, Ala.
Though applicants may not be interested in employment before the opening of the hunting season this fall, application should be made now. Eligible lists will be established and appointments made as the need occurs.

BOY SCOUT NEWS: We held our regular meeting last Tuesday night at 7:30. After having several relay races, we opened the meeting by discussing the 11th and 12 Scout Laws – Clean and Reverent.
Our paper drive is getting underway now with everybody responding wonderfully. We are sure of having a carload (about 16 tons) ready for shipment by the first of April.
A Court of Review will be held next Tuesday night at our regular meeting. Each scout is urged to pass tests this week so that they can be brought before the Board of Review. Our annual banquet, which was postponed at its regular time during Boy Scout Week, will take place sometime in April.