January 1918 was an eventful month in Wilcox County, Alabama

Homer Norris of New York.

The week’s edition of The Progressive Era marks the first issue of the newspaper for the new calendar year, and this time of year it’s fun to look back and reflect on the years that have come and gone.

If you ever get a chance to visit the State Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, you’ll find that they have microfilmed copies of The Progressive Era and other Wilcox County newspapers on file going way, way back, and they’re fun to look through to see how much has changed – and how much remains the same.

The other day, with the start of the new year in mind, I looked through the five issues of The Progressive Ear that were published a century ago – in January 1918 – and found a number of interesting news items that took place 100 years ago this month.

In the Jan. 3, 1918 edition of the newspaper, editor S.C. Godbold reported that “the annual Christmas ball, given by the young men complimentary to the many visiting and home young ladies, at the Masonic Hall ball room last Friday night was an enjoyable affair. A Selma string band discoursed sweet music to the large number who attended.”

Also that week, readers learned that veterinarian “Dr. W.E. Eatman, a resident of Camden, died in a Selma infirmary, aged about 40 years. The deceased came to Camden some seven or eight years ago from Uniontown, Ala. and while here practiced his profession, and later as a veterinary surgeon. He was a member of Dale Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons. The interment was in the Camden cemetery.”

In the Jan. 10, 1918 edition of the paper, Godbold reported that “Mr. W.A. Dale has moved into the new building erected by Dr. E. Bonner and Hon. J.M. Bonner at the old post office site. Mr. Dale carries a full, fresh line of groceries and general merchandise. He has put on a delivery wagon and will deliver your orders promptly. His phone is No. 102.”

Also that week, under the headline “Death of A.J. Campbell,” readers saw the following obituary - “Andrew Jackson Campbell was born (in) December 1845 and died Dec. 26, 1917. He volunteered early in the Civil War in Co. D, 3^rd Alabama Cavalry and served loyally until the end. Not long after the war, he married Miss Sallie Stevenson, who preceded him to the grave by only a year or two and with whom he reared five children, all of whom survive him.”

In the Jan. 17, 1918 edition of the newspaper, Godbold reported that the “Street Fair has come and gone, and many Camden citizens are wiser and poorer.”

Also that week, under the headline “Lightning Strikes Barn,” readers learned that “a barn belonging to Mr. R.J. Goode Jr. of Gastonburg was struck by lightning and set on fire last week. About 50 tons of beans and 40 tons of hay were lost with the barn, which was practically new. This is rather an unusual occurrence for this time of year.”

World War I was in full swing during 1918, and in the Jan. 24, 1918 edition of the paper, under the headline “John Paul Jones – Wilcox Boy Selected For Special Service In France,” it was reported that “Lt. John Paul Jones of the Medical Reserve Corps, located at Camp Greenlief, is one of the 15 officers selected from the training camp for extended field service in France. The nature of the work, of course, is not given out, but the importance of the same is attested to by the fact that a competitive examination was held to determine the qualifications of the applicants and of the 15 selected all the others were from Princeton, Harvard and Yale, and who had two or more years of hospital training.”

In the Jan. 31, 1918 edition of the newspaper, Godbold wrapped up the month by letting readers know, under the headline “Wilcox County Boy To Appear in a Piano Recital In Selma Feb. 6,” that “Mr. Thomas Hood Simpson has been engaged by the Music Study Club of Selma to appear in a piano recital in that city on the evening of Feb. 6. Mr. Simpson is a native of Wilcox County, having been born in Furman. Mr. Simpson has studied extensively. He was, for several years, a pupil of Genevieve Bisbee, the well known Leschetizky exponent, and Homer Norris, composer, author and teacher of composition, both of New York. Later, he was a pupil of Wagner Swayne of Paris and New York; and more recently has been studying for two years with Sigismund Stojowski, pupil of Paderewski, and well-known teacher of Paris and New York.”

As you can tell from the news excerpts above, January 1918 was a lively time in Wilcox County, and there is little doubt that 2018 will prove to be the same. If you ever get the urge to look through old Wilcox County newspapers for yourself, I encourage you to make the trip to the state archives building in Montgomery. The friendly, helpful staff there will be more than happy to point you in the right direction and get you started.