100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

Joseph Lambrecht's grave at Enon Baptist Church Cemetery.

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the Sept. 13, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

DEATH OF MR. JOE LAMBRECHT: It is with regret that his friends learned that Mr. Joseph Lambrecht Sr. was found dead in his bed at Blacks Bluff last Sunday night. He was about 68 years of age and his death was sudden and unexpected. He was a farmer and mill operator and had been a resident of this county most of his life, having come from Germany in early life.

Mr. R.O. Simpson, an esteemed citizen of Snow Hill, had a cerebral hemorrhage and a resulting total paralysis of his left side while in the Methodist church Aug. 29. He is now in a critical condition.

The fall term of the Wilcox County Circuit Court, Judge Miller presiding, will begin on Mon., Oct. 29.

Capt. J.Y. Kilpatrick Sr. continues ill at his home, to the regret of his many friends.

Miss Louise Jones of Camden, an accomplished art teacher, has accepted a position for next session at Conway, Ark.

Mr. George E. Crawford of Mobile has been elected a city commissioner of Mobile. Mr. Crawford is a native of our county, having been born at Lower Peach Tree, and is now 31 years of age. He is a son of the late Mr. Geo. E. Crawford and his widow Mrs. Crawford, of that town.

The oil mill is busy ginning cotton, which is opening rapidly.

The Schools Opening: The spacious auditorium of the Camden Grammar School was well-filled last Tuesday morning, when the opening exercises were held by the Wilcox County High School and the Camden Grammar School.

There was nice music and a prayer by Rev. H.W. Wallace. The exercises were presided over by Prof. Claude Hardy, principal of the Wilcox County High School, after which Prof. Berry, the first principal of the County High School, addressed the large audience.

Prof. O.C. Weaver, for a number of years principal of the Grammar School, was next introduced. Mr. Weaver will assume his new duties as County Superintendent of Education about Oct. 1 and it is his intention to visit all of the schools, including the numerically small country schools as well as the large ones.

Mrs. T.W. Jones, who is superintendent of the County Red Cross Society, announced that the membership fee for children in that society would be only 25 cents instead of $1 for adults, and urged the children to join the society.

Last Tuesday was a beautiful, sunshiny day, and the many present enjoyed the interesting exercises.

Mrs. J.A. Bell and children are visiting relatives at Chattanooga, Tenn.

MARRIED – At the Neville Hotel, on the morning of Sept. 5, Mr. W.W.B. Reynolds and Miss Elizabeth Bonner Neville, Rev. B.H. Grier officiating.

The annual meeting of the WMU will meet at the Camden Baptist Church Thurs., Sept. 20.

Miss Amelia Newsom of Camden is visiting relatives and friends at Bells Landing and Vredenburgh.

FOR RENT – For 1918, The Beck House, corner of Canton Bend Road and Bridgeport Avenue. For terms, apply to Mrs. Joseph N. Miller.