75-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from October 1939

Monroe Journal Editor A.C. Lee.

The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville published four editions 75 years ago during the month of October 1939. Those papers came out on Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26. A.C. Lee was the newspaper’s editor, and E.M. Salter was the business manager. What follows are a few new highlights from each of those papers. Enjoy.

OCT. 5, 1939

Plans for the Hog Festival and show to be held in Monroeville on Tues., Nov. 14, were discussed at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce held Monday night.

Mr. A.H. Johnson, prominent Monroeville merchant, died at his home here about nine o’clock last Thursday night, following a heart attack.

Mr. Johnson was born and reared at Franklin, and in early life held responsible positions on steamboats on the Alabama River, as long as they made regular runs. After that time, he went into the mercantile business at Franklin. With the exception of a couple of years spent at Foley in Baldwin County, Mr. Johnson had been a resident of Monroeville for the past 16 years, and about two years ago, he opened a dry goods store here.

The Monroe County High School and Atmore High School football teams will play at the Monroeville Athletic field on Friday night, Oct. 13, at eight o’clock. These are two strong teams and football fans will have an opportunity to see a real game. Come out and give both teams your support.

Manager Bill Hendrix of the Monroe Theatre announces that the motion picture, “Inside the Maginot Line,” has been secured from The March of Time for showing here Sunday and Monday, Oct. 8 and 9.

According to figures made public Monday by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, there were 3,734 bales of cotton ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1939, prior to Sept. 16, as compared with 13,047 bales ginned from the crop of 1938 to the same date.

OCT. 12, 1939

Dr. W.W. Eddins To Open Office Here: Dr. W.W. Eddins was in Monroeville Tuesday and announced that he would open an office here for the practice of medicine. His office will be located in the Hudson Building across the street, in front of the Monroeville Bus Station.

Dr. Eddins is the son of Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Eddins of Peterman. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and of the University of Chicago. He served his internship in Mobile and Birmingham.

Dr. Eddins will open his office the later part of this week.

The Fall Term of Circuit Court convened Monday morning with Judge F.W. Hare presiding.

Keen interest is being manifested in the Grove Hill-Monroeville football game, to be played at Grove Hill on Friday night, Oct. 20. This promises to be the outstanding game of the season in South Alabama. Football fans will remember the exciting games between Monroeville and Grove Hill in past years, and this game promises to be just as exciting as those of former years.

A special meeting of the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce was held Monday night. Dr. J.S. Whisenhunt, E.V. Chapman, W.C. Brady, A.L. Hanson, Paul S. Jones, G.A. Carleton, H.C. Gilmore and Ocie Newton of Grove Hill were present and plans for the game were discussed. The president of the Chamber of Commerce appointed committees to handle all details in connection with the game.

OCT. 19, 1939

MCHS Team Loses To Atmore 32-7: The Atmore eleven rolled over the Monroe County High School football team at the athletic field here last Friday night, winning by a score of 32-7.

Harvey, Owens and Vickey led the brilliant passing and running attack of the Atmore team.

Monroeville’s only touchdown was scored by Yarbrough.

The Monroeville team will play Grove Hill on the Grove Hill field Friday night. A large crowd from Monroeville is expected to attend. Those who go will see a big game, probably the biggest of the season.

Several large rattlesnakes have been killed in the Monroeville area within the past few weeks. One large snake was killed by game warden C.V. Hines last week while out in the woods trying to locate some hunters. Warning is given to all who go in the woods to look out for these dangerous snakes. A large rattler was killed on the S.W. Westbrook place Monday after the snake had just swallowed a rabbit.

Mr. J.M. Minish died suddenly last Wednesday night in a hospital in Johnson City, Tenn. Mr. Minish was owner of the furniture factory here and had gone home a few days prior to his death to visit his family, when stricken. Funeral services were held at Butler, Tenn. last Thursday afternoon. Surviving him are his widow of Butler, Tenn. and one son, Mr. J.L. Minish of Monroeville.

OCT. 26, 1939

Lee Motor Co. Erecting New Building: Dirt was broken last Friday morning for a new brick garage and sales room to be occupied by Lee Motor Co. The building will be erected on the lot south of the Sinclair Service Station and will contain 8,000 feet of floor space.

Grove Hill Defeats Monroeville, 34 to 6: Grove Hill High defeated the Monroeville High football team in Grove Hill last Friday night by the score of 34 to 6.

The game started out like Monroeville would be able to score at will as they ran across a touchdown early in the game, but Grove Hill soon rallied and played a magnificent game the rest of the way.

Stevens, Pullen and Yarbrough were outstanding for Monroeville while Moss, Downey and Shipworth played well for Grove Hill.

One of the largest crowds ever seen in this section witnessed the game. It being estimated that more than 1,500 people were present. A large delegation of Monroeville fans went over for the game.

J.B. Henderson Dies In Hospital Sunday: Mr. J.B. Henderson, 65, of Fountain died in the Repton Hospital Sunday about noon as a result of injuries said to have been inflicted by J.G. Noble last Friday morning.

The difficulty followed an argument over a debt said to have been owed Mr. Henderson’s son for labor performed for Noble. Mr. Henderson was struck on the head with an automobile clutch hub. He died of a fractured skull on Sunday afternoon.

Henderson had lived at Fountain for a number of years. Noble moved to Fountain from Evergreen two or three years ago and was operating a saw mill. Both men have families.

Mr. Noble is in the county jail. No date has been set for a preliminary hearing.