1997 storytelling event in Demopolis featuring Singleton was cancelled

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The news story below, which was titled “Storytelling canceled: George Singleton told his stories not welcomed,” was written by Monroe Journal Staff Writer Greg Walker and was originally published in the Nov. 6, 1997 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

A local storyteller and frequent columnist for The Monroe Journal was taken off a Halloween fundraiser event scheduled last week in Demopolis after a ministerial association complained his stories were not consistent with the teachings of Christianity.

George Singleton was scheduled to speak at Gaineswood Mansion Oct. 29 during the mansion’s Halloween festival. Singleton and two other men were slated to speak different nights on topics ranging from reincarnation to actual ghosts.

But a group of pastors in Demopolis approached mansion curator Matt Hartzell and indicated they were not happy with the proposed speaker’s topics. Only one man was scheduled for Halloween night.

“They didn’t single me out or anything,” Singleton said. “I think there were two or three preachers who started talking like it was devil worshiping or something.”

“I was just trying to help them out,” he said.

Hartzell said the whole situation has been blown out of proportion and, as far as he is concerned, it has been resolved.

In a prepared statement, Hartzell tried to explain the reason for Singleton’s cancellation.

“The presentations of Paul Housel on Oct. 27 and George ‘Buster’ Singleton Oct. 29 were canceled in response to legitimate concerns voiced by the local religious community regarding the content of the presentations,” the release said.

“Clergymen and members of their congregations indicated to Gaineswood curator Matt Hartzell that they considered the proposed events inappropriate and contrary to the beliefs of Christianity.”

Hartzell said he thought the weekend’s activities would be fun, educational and entertaining, but the religious community saw things a different way.

Hartzell said, however, he was not pressured or threatened in any way by the association.

“When the religious community approached me with their concerns, I realized it was necessary to address them,” Hartzell said.

Hartzell said he and Singleton had not discussed exactly what he would be talking about at the fundraiser and were planning to discuss the agenda further.

“It was my impression he was going to tell ghost stories,” Hartzell said.

Hartzell said the event was planned to raise some funds for the historic mansion, but mostly to promote activities and perhaps attract volunteers to the Southern home.

(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.)