George Singleton encouraged his readers to 'cherish our early history'

(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 “Education needed: County rich in history” was originally published in the Feb. 15, 1979 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

On the last Sunday in January, I had the opportunity to be present at the monthly meeting of the Clarke County Historical Society. To my surprise, there were seven people from Monroe County at the meeting.

The program, on the early inhabitants of this area, was outstanding and very educational. I regretted only that the Monroe Countians had to travel all the way to another county for a historical meeting.

As I have stated many, many times, Monroe County is rich in early history. There are very few events in early history that originated in the South and in the Westward Movement that are not directly associated with what is now Monroe County.

The old town of Claiborne was the focal point for many families who chose to face the danger and hardships on the Westward Movement. Claiborne was the stopping place either for a brief rest and to replenish supplies, or to linger awhile and possibly settle down. Some stopped only long enough to bury their loved ones who fell along the way.

During this time, when so much emphasis is being placed on early family ties, when many are seeking out their roots (I am contacted several times each month by someone who wants to learn more about this area), always the statement is “Well, all I know is my great-grandpa stopped at Claiborne before moving on west.” Or “Grandpa or Great-grandma got sick and died, and it was passed on through the family that they were buried at Claiborne.”

I believe that we as a people cannot know where we are going if we don’t know where we’ve been. Many of the youth of today do not know the names of their great-grandparents, and none know where their heritage ties are.

Our society is at the crossroads of history. The old history teachers of this area who knew firsthand about their subjects have either retired or passed on. And many of the facts are being omitted or overlooked because of circumstances and-or events.

If the family tree is not in bloom with lovely blossoms or lovely fruit, most times we will tend to ignore those facts that are not quite so colorful.

It is not a disgrace that your or my ancestors were dirt farmers, lived from hand to mouth, or didn’t or weren’t able to get education. We must remember that in those times, it was wonderful just to live to be 40.

During this time of so-called progress and change in our area, we must cherish our early history and learn more about it. We must guard the past, that which is ours, with all our ability.

And we must educate our children as our parents and grandparents did, with fireside stories about the old places, back in time, among fond memories.

The lyrics of an old poem might explain it better:

Sing to me a song, my love,

At the closing of the day.

Sing to me of battles fought

Along life’s weary way.

Sing to me a son.

Sing to me of ages past,

Of paths where the noble tread.

Sing to me of heroes true

As I bid thee farewell…

(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 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. 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.)