Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Mon., March 4, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.95 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.95 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  1.75 inches.

Winter to Date Rainfall: 15.90 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 12.30 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

William Rufus King

33 YEARS AGO

MARCH 6, 1986

Byrd’s steer county 4-H grand champ: A steer belonging to Brian Byrd of Frisco City was named the grand champion of the annual Monroe County 4-H Steer Show & Sale, held Monday at the county coliseum.

The reserve champion (runner-up) steer was owned by Dallas Gamble of Mexia.

Both Byrd and Gamble will be among the seven local 4-H’ers participating in state 4-H steer competition in Montgomery next week. Others planning to travel to state are Jeff Griffin, Daniel Stokes, Bonner Lee, James Lee and Payton Casey.

Monroe County High School’s chances of taking the 5A Area 2 baseball championship this season will ride on the shoulders of six returning starters, coming back from last season’s team that finished 8-10.

Back for their finale this season as seniors are Bryan Jones, Michael Malone, Bill Lazenby, Jeff Dyess and William Mosely. Junior Mark Williams, the catcher last year, rounds off the list of starters back.

The Tigers will open their season Monday at Andalusia High.

(Other players on MCHS’s team that year included Sidney Carmichael, George Coker, Scott Daniels, Cedric Hollinger, Randall Johnson, Torey Kimberl, Derrick Knight, Cale Lindsey, Art Owens, Michael Rankins, Greg Tucker and Andy Wilkerson. Mike Kimberl was head coach.)

Monroeville hires first full-time fireman: Monroeville will soon have its first official full-time fireman.

The City Council voted Tuesday night to hire one, with a particular man in mind. He was not named in the council’s regular meeting but was identified yesterday as George Nettles, who plans to retire soon from Alabama River Pulp Co.

58 YEARS AGO

MARCH 2, 1961

RIVER IS RISING: T.L. Haskew of Claiborne reported the Alabama River to be at 50.2 level there at noon Tuesday. He said the river is rising at the average of around one foot per day and should break previous records when it crests around Sunday at a predicted 55 feet.

The J.U. Blacksher High School basketball quintet of Uriah captured the First District Class A championship for the third straight year when they downed T.R. Miller High School, 81-63, in the finals of the four-day tournament in Brewton Saturday night.

Jerry Thomas, towering center on the Uriah team, was chosen the tournament’s most valuable player and was named to the all-tournament team. All-tournament selections also include four other Monroe County players. They are Doug Norris of Uriah, Doug Stacey of Excel, Bill Austin of Monroeville and Paul Lowery of Excel.

City Police Using 2-Way Radio Units: Installation of a new two-way radio for use by the City Police Department was formally approved the Monroeville City Council at a meeting Tuesday night.

The radio now provides direct communications between the City Hall and the City police car during the day in a schedule which will soon be in effect both day and night. Plans call for a unit to be installed at Byrd’s Service Station south of the city where night contact may be made.

City Police Chief Jessie Crutchfield said the night unit will probably be ready for use within a week’s time.

83 YEARS AGO

MARCH 5, 1936

Yeggmen Rob Frisco City Bank Thursday Night Of Currency: The Peoples Bank of Frisco City was robbed some time during the night Thursday and the yeggs escaped with a quantity of silver and an undetermined amount of currency.

The robbery was discovered Friday morning by bank employees when they opened the building for the day’s business. The burglars had entered the bank through a window, blasted their way into the vault and after looting it managed to make their escape without attracting the attention of the citizens of the town.

Lower Peach Tree Man Dies Of Pneumonia: Henry Hunter Lett of Lower Peach Tree died at his home Wednesday evening, Feb. 19, after an illness of five days during which time pneumonia developed.

He was an outstanding citizen of the northwest section of Monroe County and was prominent among the agricultural leaders. He was one of the seven children of Henry Hunter Lett Sr. and Carolyn Goode King Lett; a great-grandson of General Edward D. King and a descendant of William Rufus King.

Funeral services were conducted from the home on Thursday afternoon with the Rev. Barnett of Mobile officiating. Interment was made in Lower Peach Tree cemetery.

Work on the new Methodist parsonage at Uriah continues to progress. The foundation and framing will be laid within the next few days.

This parsonage is of interest to the people of Uriah and neighboring towns not only from a spiritual point of view, but from the stand point of business as well. The building will enhance the beauty of all Uriah, and those owning real estate in and around Uriah will realize an increase in the value of such real estate.

108 YEARS AGO

MARCH 2, 1911

Dr. G.H. Harper of Manistee was a pleasant caller at The Journal office while in the city Monday. Dr. Harper reports his town quite dull since the mill closed down.

Mr. Joseph Dunn, one of the best known citizens of the county, died at his home at Scotland on Sunday night, Feb. 26, at an advanced age.

Confederate Monument Fund: The movement inaugurated by the local camp of Confederate Veterans some time ago for the erection on the public square in Monroeville of monument to the memory of those who fell in battle or died during service, is assuming more definite shape. Lists are being circulated throughout the county for subscriptions to the fund.

The Camp will hold a meeting in Monroeville next Saturday, March 4, when further plans will be formulated.

JONES MILL: We have had some real cold weather recently which we fear has seriously damaged the fruit crop. J.C. Etheridge was up from Jeddo Thursday. He says the recent cold did considerable damage to gardens, but thinks they were not completely killed.

The Monroe County Law and Equity Court bill passed the house on Friday but a vote of 43 to 40 after a spirited debate. Its fate now rests with the senate and should it pass that body must run the gauntlet of the Governor’s veto. The bill encountered unexpected opposition in the house due in large measure to the Governor’s expressed opposition to the creation of more courts. His probably action in the matter should the bill reach his desk, the friends of the bill do not care to forecast.

133 YEARS AGO

MARCH 5, 1886

Dr. W.A. Patrick, recently graduated from the dental department of the Vanderbilt University, has returned home.

Insane – Travis Harrison, a young man living near Hatter’s Mill on Limestone, who has been insane for several weeks, a monomaniac on the subject of religion came to town last Monday and while suffering from an attack of the disorder, he became very boisterous and disagreeable, if not dangerous, to the citizens, it was deemed best by his friends to confine him in jail until the necessary arrangements could be made to send him to the asylum, and it was only by force that he was at last taken to prison.

Simpkinsville – Particulars of a shocking affair, in which a little girl was burned to death and an old lady probably fatally injured, come to us from Simpkinsville, Monroe County, eight miles south of Pineapple. Mrs. Mary Byrd and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Jessie, a daughter of Mr. Allen Byrd, were burning brush, when by some means the child’s clothing caught fire. Mrs. Byrd attempted to extinguish the flames and her own clothing caught. The little girl broke loose, ran a short distance and crouched down, where her father, who had been attracted by the screams, found her with her clothing burned off and her flesh literally baked. She lingered in until agony until nine o’clock that night, Friday, 19^th, when death released her from her horrible sufferings. Mrs. Byrd is terrible burned about the body and arms and her finger nails scorched off. There is a possibility, however, of her recovering, though she will be permanently crippled.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Sun., March 3, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.00 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.90 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  0.80 inches.

Winter to Date Rainfall: 14.95 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 11.35 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

Singleton recounts the bygone days of old-timey community wood cuttings

Old timey loggers using a crosscut saw and ax.

(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 “Woodcutting memories told” was originally published in the Dec. 11, 1997 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As the chilly days of winter gathers on the horizon, many memories come to mind about growing up in a rural farm community. As the last of the crops were brought out of the fields, there were other things that had to be looked at also. One of these was the gathering and cutting of firewood for the coming winters months.

During this time when living in the country, one didn’t just go over and turn up the thermostat and within a few minutes the whole house was comfortable and warm. Getting the house warm was an ongoing affair; the fires had to be built in the large stone fireplace and periodically fresh wood had to be added to the glowing coals to keep the temperature up there in the room where the fireplace was located. If there should be a second fireplace in the house, keeping a fire in it was much less important than the large one located in the big room.

Cutting and splitting the wood for the coming cold weather was most times a community affair. The men and boys of the farm community would get together and “swap time” with the wood cutting. Six or eight men and boys could cut a considerable amount of firewood in a day’s time if they put their mind to it. And, it was good community relationship to have a country wood cutting, and was also quite helpful for the elderly in the area and the less fortunate.

The wood cutting period would last about 10 or 12 days there in the local farm community. The trees that were to be cut for wood had been selected some time before. These were selected because of their straightness and belief that they would split easy. Oak and pine were the choice for most of the wood, although some hickory would be cut that would be used in making fires for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas night when a glowing fire would be needed there in the fireplace for a long period of time.

The day for cutting wood would start quite early in the morning. Axes and crosscut saws would be brought to the location in the early hours. Before any cutting was done, my father, who was one of the best saw and ax sharpeners in the county, would inspect all the tools for the wood cutting. After he decided that the crosscut saws were aligned right and the axes were sharp enough, the work would begin.

Always, once the tree had been cut down, contests of various sorts would take place. There were those who were better than others with an ax. These would do the splitting while the others would do the cutting with the crosscut saw. Always, there would be a contest as to who could last the longest on the handle of the crosscut. And, as each took their turn and they were relieved on the saw, the glowing bed of coals nearby would always be the next stop for that tin cup of strong hot coffee that sizzled in the large tin coffee pot nestled on the glowing hot coals. And always, from out of nowhere would appear a couple of flat tin pans of thin baked crackling bread. It seemed that my darling mother had baked the delicious crackling bread the night before the wood cutting. All that had to be done was to place the pan on the hot bed of coals for just a few minutes and the delicious crackling bread was already to be tasted.

Most times, if all was going well, the wood cutting would be discontinued for the lunch hour. Most everyone would hasten home for the noon meal except my father, who would quickly file the saw and sharpen the axes for the afternoon sawing and wood splitting. His lunch would be sent down from the house in the homemade basket. Most times, this small boy would choose to stay with his father and share the wonderful meal that my darling mother had prepared for the two of us. Always, there would be three or four delicious tea cakes or apple tarts to finish the meal on. And usually another pan of the wonderful crackling bread would accompany the lunch basket sent from the house.

After lunch, the serious work would really get underway. All knew that as much as could be done had to be finished before sundown. Usually, two or three large oaks would be sawed up and split before the day was finished. Freshly cut oak wood would be piled neatly around the area where the large oak trees had once stood. All that was needed now was for the fresh cut firewood to be hauled to the house; this could be done almost any time.

As the wood cutting began to wind down, wood was added to the fire nearby. Fresh coffee had begun to brew and someone had come from the house with a basket filled with fresh teacakes along with several pieces of peanut candy. The tin cups were passed around and each selected whatever goodies they wanted with their coffee. Each would select a piece of wood to sit on and they would gather around the fire for an hour or so of tale telling and catching up on the latest news.

As the sun slowly began to settle behind the timber line, plans had already been made as to where the next wood cutting would be and the day on which it would take place. Any leftovers of the crackling bread or the teacakes were offered to any that could eat them.

Finally, the fire was put out, and the wood cutting was over. Goodbyes were said and a tired group of men and boys went their separate ways for an evening by the fire place and some time with the family. And, a tired and worn out young boy followed behind eating what was left of the teacakes and peanut candy and looking forward to another day of cutting wood and swapping work.

Where many were, but few remain

Of old familiar things,

But seeing them to mind again

The lost and absent brings.

(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, 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 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.)

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Sat., March 2, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): Trace amount.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.90 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  0.80 inches.

Winter to Date Rainfall: 14.95 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 11.35 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for March 1, 2019

EIGHT YEARS AGO
MARCH 3, 2011

Weather observer Harry Ellis reported .35 inches of rain on Feb. 24. He reported a high of 80 degrees on Feb. 26 and a low of 45 on Feb. 25.

Kelly Goneke of Skinnerton and Ali Congdon of Bermuda took home top honors at the 66^th Annual Conecuh County Steer and Heifer Show.

The show was held Monday at Breaking Ridge Farms in Evergreen.

Members of the Conecuh County Forestry Planning Council helped the Alabama Forestry Commission distribute free trees in recognition of Arbor Week Wednesday of last week in Evergreen. During the event, an apple tree was planted at T.L. Sims Memorial Park, which is on the grounds of the Old Evergreen City School, the future home of the Conecuh County Cultural Center (CCCC). Pictured at the tree planting are Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolff; Conecuh County Soil and Water Conservation District representative and Evergreen Garden Club President, Bridget Cain; CCCC representative Harriet Hyde; Alabama Cooperative Extension System representative Emily Brogden; and Ryan Holland with the Alabama Forestry Commission.

Harriett Hyde was named the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year at the annual membership Thursday night. New Chamber President Bob Humphrey presented Hyde with her award. 

33 YEARS AGO

MARCH 6, 1986

Weather observer Earl Windham reported no rain between Feb. 23 and March 1. He reported a high of 75 degrees on Feb. 27 and a low of 25 on March 1.

Meredith Matthews was named Miss Alpha 1986 at Sparta Academy’s annual Miss Alpha Pageant held Friday night in the school gymnatorium. Abigail Maddox was chosen first alternate and Angelia Sellers second alternate. (Other finalists included Lynn Williams, Jill Jeffcoat, Tracy Holmes and Baby Girl Floyd.)

In recognition of Arbor Week, Feb. 17-21, 1986, Mayor Pat Poole planted a tree for the City of Evergreen. Observing this are Stan Franklin and Victor Howell, members of the Conecuh County Forestry Committee.

Mack Williams and son Marc are now partners. Mack began his career with State Farm Insurance Companies over 25 years ago, when Marc was a first grader at Evergreen City School. Marc was appointed an agent by State Farm effective Jan. 1, 1978 and served in Andalusia for eight years. About a year ago, Mack and Marc decided that by joining together, they could provide better service for their clients in Evergreen and the surrounding area. They have remodeled the office located at 302 Perryman St. and have added a computer system to improve the efficiency of the operation. Marc joined his dad in the Evergreen office in January.  

58 YEARS AGO

MARCH 2, 1961

Bowles Chapter UDC Reactivates: After a lapse of some years (no one seems to know just how many), the P.D. Bowles Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is active again. Re-activation coincides with the observance of the War Between the States Centennial in Conecuh.

The last known chapter officers presided as the chapter was reactivated on Feb. 24.

The Bowles Chapter was named in honor of Capt. P.D. Bowles who commanded the Conecuh Guard when it left April 24, 1861 for the Virginia front. Before the war’s end, it was General Bowles, but he always preferred the title “Colonel,” which was in keeping with the time-honored title accorded his profession as an attorney at law.

The history of the Bowles Chapter is incomplete, but records at the courthouse indicate that it was in existence as early as 1903 and probably earlier.

Estimates made this week by the Conecuh County Board of Directors and County Engineer Marion Wilkins showed damages amounting to $61,000 on county roads and bridges in the county resulting from reaching higher than the 1929 flood level.

The damages consisted of 20 bridges washed out, road surfaces washed off, washouts in the roads and some sections that will have to be completely reconstructed.

Wilkins said the damages were primarily within the Murder Creek water shed area. He said flood levels have moved higher than the big flood of 1929. Murder Creek went two feet over the bridge on the Loree Road, 18 inches over the Burnt Corn Bridge and it covered the highway in low areas at Castleberry.

83 YEARS AGO

MARCH 5, 1936

MASONS CHANGE MEET DAYS: Announcement is made by J.R. Simmons, clerk, that the regular meeting dates of Greening Lodge No. 53, A.F.&A.M., have been changed from the second and fourth Thursday nights to the second and fourth Friday nights of each month.

Gaston Durham and Curt DuBose are in the county jail, charged with petty larceny, in connection with the theft of an axe, truck binders and other county property from the bridge being constructed across Bull Slough, near Paul. Other arrests in connection with thefts at the bridge are contemplated.

Local Man Killed When Truck Crashes: Arthur T. Brantley Sr. was killed instantly and his son, Arthur Jr., was critically injured about 9:30 o’clock Tuesday night when the truck they were driving, for a load of fertilizer, overturned on the highway about 20 miles north of Pensacola.

According to best information obtainable, Mr. Brantley was driving south and in swerving his truck to pass a car parked on the highway without lights, sideswiped a third car, the truck overturning.

The victims were carried to the Pensacola Hospital, where Mr. Brantley was pronounced dead.

David Fair will probably lose the sight of one eye, and two others are suffering from acid burns, suffered when Novella Davis is alleged to have thrown lye water at Aline Peterson Saturday afternoon. The fracas is understood to be the result of a feud of long standing between the two women.

108 YEARS AGO

MARCH 1, 1911

Capt. Bruner Elected Major: An order was issued by Adjutant General J.B. Scully Friday declaring that Capt. P.M. Bruner of Evergreen, Co. K, 1^st Infantry, was elected Major in the recent election held in that regiment. Capt. Bruner was ordered before the board of examiners of the 1^st Regiment, and upon the recommendation of the board, his commission will be issued.

An election will be held in Co. K to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Capt. Bruner.

In accordance with requirements of the Dick law, physical examinations are now required of every applicant for a commission, and enlistment in the Alabama National Guard, and every enlisted man must be examined and passed upon by a surgeon as to his physical qualifications.

Mrs. I.M. Sanders of Brooklyn last week sent us a freak hen egg. On it were the distinct outlines of a hand with index finger pointing to the tip. The egg is perfect in shape.

The many friends of Hon. S.P. Dunn sincerely sympathize with him in the death of his venerable father, which occurred on Monday morning last at his home, Scotland. Deceased was about 82 years of age.

Ralph McCreary left on Sunday for Troy to accept a position in a mercantile house in that city.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Fri., March 1, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.80 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.90 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  0.80 inches.

Winter to Date Rainfall: 14.95 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 11.35 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.