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| Congressman George W. Taylor |
Monroe County has changed a lot in the past century and
you’ll really notice the big changes if you ever review the pages of old
editions of The Monroe Journal newspaper. Earlier today, I took advantage of
the archives at the Monroe County Library in Monroeville and looked closely at
the four editions of The Journal printed 100 years ago this month, way back in
January 1914. Here are some of the news highlights from those papers.
JAN. 8, 1914
“Congressman George W. Taylor was a distinguished visitor to
Monroeville the first of the week.”
“Postmaster S.M. Roberts is recovering the use of his arm
which was painfully injured by a recent accident.”
“The annual meeting of stockholders of the Monroe County
bank was held in Monroeville on Monday and the former officers and directors
reelected for the ensuing year.”
“Mr. J.W. Urquhart and family are occupying the home at the
corner of Belleville Street and Highland Avenue.”
“Prof. G.A. Harris has purchased the cozy dwelling of Mr.
R.J. Hendrix, in which he is comfortably domiciled with his family.”
“Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee were guests of the family of their
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Finch, Finchburg, during the holidays.”
“The county convicts are now being temporarily employed on
the public roads adjacent to town.”
JAN. 15, 1914
“Ranny Johnson Killed: Ranny Johnson, a young man well known
in the Jones Mill neighborhood was shot and killed on the night of Jan. 7 at
the McPhaul turpentine camps, four miles south of Jones Mill. Four young men of
the neighborhood, Jim Hall, Willie Hall, --- Moody and Cleve Cobb, were
arrested, charged with homicide. All the young men except Jim Hall were
discharged on the preliminary hearing before Judge Slaughter. The last named
was admitted to bail in the sum of $750 to wait the action of the grand jury.”
“Died at the Masonic Home, Montgomery, on Jan. 5, 1914, Mr.
Boykin Brantley, aged about 80 years. The remains were interred at the Rumbley
graveyard near Peterman on Tuesday with Masonic honors.”
“Will Organize Easter Star: An enthusiastic meeting of
ladies interested in the movement was held on Wednesday afternoon and
preliminary steps taken for the organization of a Chapter of the Order of the
Eastern Star, an institution auxiliary to the Masonic fraternity.”
JAN. 22, 1914
“An extension of the Manistee and Repton railroad from
Conoly to Excel has been under construction for a week or two and will be ready
for the steel within a short time. Excel is one of the liveliest business
points in the county, and the facilities that will be thus afforded will add
greatly to its importance and prosperity.”
“Miss Jennie Faulk is on her periodical trip to the centers
of fashion, making selection of spring millinery.”
“Local physicians report the prevalence of pneumonia to an
unusual degree within the scope of their practice. Several deaths have occurred
within the last few weeks.”
“Mr. Willie Johnson of Repton entered our school (Monroe
County High School) this week, bringing the enrollment up to 99.”
“We are requested to state that the Eastern Star organizer
will visit Monroeville on Fri., the 23rd inst., for the purpose of instituting
the chapter and all charter members are urged to attend promptly.”
JAN. 29, 1914
“Our sprightly neighboring town of Roy is soon to have a
bank, as appears from the formal notice of incorporation appearing elsewhere in
this issue. The list of stockholders included both local citizens and Evergreen
and Repton parties.”
“We learn through Mr. R.G. Scott that Tom Bradley of Tensaw
had the misfortune to lose his barn containing 2,500 bushels of corn, his gin
house and an unoccupied dwelling by fire a few nights ago. The fires were evidently
of incendiary origin as the buildings were too widely separated for exposure of
one to the other.”
“In the list of political announcements this week will be
found the card of Mr. A.M. English of Eliska, as a candidate for the office of
sheriff. No man perhaps is better known throughout the county then Mr. English
and his good qualities recognized by all. He served four years as Deputy United
States Marshall for the Southern District of Alabama under Mr. E.R. Morrissette
and is familiar with the duties of the office and fully qualified to discharge
them in an efficient manner.”
Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for today.
Next month, I’ll take a look at the events of February 1914 in Monroe County.
Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s history yourself, take
advantage of the Monroe County Library’s excellent selection of old newspapers
on microfilm and other resources. The library’s friendly and courteous staff
will be more than happy to get your started.
Lee, The Conoly turpentine camp was owned by M.L. Conoly. His wife, Bettie King, was a sister of my g-g grandmother, Jane King, wife of Edward Stacey and sister-in-law of your Thomas Stacey. The site of his camp is along the Excel/Ollie rd and the sawmill site is on Clifford Manning's property.
ReplyDeleteGood information. Any idea where the McPhaul turpentine camp was located? Newspaper said four miles south of Jones Mill.
ReplyDelete