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| Wilhelm II, German Kaiser during World War I |
It’s that time of the month again, time to take a trip
down memory lane and review all of the interesting things that took place in
Conecuh County 100 years ago, way back in November 1918.
In the Oct. 6, 1918 edition of The Evergreen Courant, editor
and owner George W. Salter Jr. reported that the “exhaustion of the supply of
asafetida in Evergreen drug stores cannot be taken as proof that our people are
in the least superstitious, but that they have faith in an old remedy as a
preventative of infection: Folks disdain superstition, but it was a curious, if
not significant fact, that we’re ‘out’ of asafetida pretty soon after the
influenza epidemic started. But some folks cannot get out of the habit of
wearing a little bag of asafetida and camphor around their necks especially
when contagions are about – and some even wear steel rings on their forefinger
to cure rheumatism. Superstitious! Certainly not. An ounce of prevention, etc.”
Elsewhere in that week’s paper, readers saw the following
“Notice To The Public” from Evergreen Mayor W.B. Ivey – “The proclamation
heretofore issued prohibiting the holding of public meetings and schools, and
the dispensing of soft drinks in the town of Evergreen during the prevailing
epidemic of influenza is revoked, effective on Sun., Nov. 10, as to public
meetings and Monday following as to soft drinks and schools, the danger of
infection apparently having passed.”
Also that week, it was reported that “Manning Tatum of
Skinnerton and Earnest Frazier of Castleberry are reported in recent casualty
lists as wounded in action on the European battle fronts.”
In the Nov. 13, 918 edition of The Courant, Salter
reported, under the headline “Evergreen People Celebrate Great War Victory,”
that “Evergreen people celebrated the great war victory Monday afternoon and
night with such a demonstration as was never before witnessed in our community.
The lid was off and everybody yelled themselves hoarse, discharged fireworks
and firearms and made noise in every conceivable manner.
“The people heard the glad news during the early hours of
the morning, but having been fooled once before by a false report, they waited
to see it in black and white in the Advertiser, and the Advertiser carried the
story in flaming headlines. This satisfied them and everybody was happy.
“Business houses and offices were closed in the afternoon
and the first starting of the celebration began at the City School grounds,
patriotic songs, the raising of Old Glory and short speeches by Rev. D.W.
Haskew and Attorney E.C. Page, every utterance being received with cheering,
and concluding with the burning of the ‘Kaiser’s Coffin’ in a huge bonfire on
the campus.
“But this was not all. In the early part of the night the
revelry began in earnest. The blowing of whistles, the yelling and whooping,
the rapid discharge of firearms and fireworks kept up till a late hour. Tuesday
morning found the streets littered with empty shells and other evidences of the
previous night’s fun and frolic. The people of Evergreen, young and old, will
long remember Monday night’s demonstration. Everybody laughed and everybody was
happy and the happy look and hearty laugh will not wear off.”
Also that week, The Courant suggested “that a monument or
shaft to commemorate the gallantry of Conecuh boys who gave up their lives
during the war should be erected on Court Square. We believe the people of our
county would gladly subscribe a sufficient amount to put a creditable memorial
for our dead heroes. At the proper time, we hope the good ladies will take the
matter in charge.”
In the Nov. 20, 1918 edition of The Courant, it was
reported that there “were 5,619 bales of cotton counting round as half bales,
ginned in Conecuh County from the crop of 1918, prior to Nov. 1, 1918 as
compared with 3,618 bales ginned to Nov. 1, 1917.”
Also that week, readers learned that the “war came to a
close just one year, lacking seven days, from the date of the landing in
England of the Alabama boys of Rainbow Division. They landed on Nov. 18, 1917.
It now looks as if these boys will take their Christmas dinner at home.”
It was also reported that week that the “many friends of
Prof. Copeland, who was a member of the Agricultural School faculty last year,
will be pained to learn of his death, which occurred at Camp Pike several days
ago from pneumonia.”
Readers that week also learned that “Judge Dunn and
members of the board of County Commissioners today went over the route of the
proposed extension of the State aid road from the Travis bridge to McKenzie. We
are pleased to learn that work on this gap will be commenced at an early date.
When completed it will connect with the Butler County highway, thus insuring a
graded road to Montgomery.”
Also that week, under the headline “Mrs. Lucy C. Newton
Passes Away,” readers learned that “on Thursday night last, the sweet, gentle
spirit of Mrs. Lucy C. Newton passed to the heavenly reward after many weeks of
patient suffering. Mrs. Newton was the widow of the late Prof. Chas. A. Newton
and was 78 years of age. The funeral occurred on Friday afternoon, conducted by
Rev. D.W. Haskew. Interment was in the cemetery at Belleville.”
In the Nov. 27, 1918 edition of The Courant, under the
headline “County High Defeats Repton,” it was reported that the “basketball
team of Conecuh County High School at Castleberry met and defeated Repton High
School by a score of 12 to 2 Fri., Nov. 23. The game was slow and featureless
on account of the bad weather prevailing during the game. The Conecuh County
High School would like to arrange games with the high schools of this
vicinity.”
Also that week, readers learned that the “Conecuh County
Baptist Association, which was postponed last month on account of the health
condition of our county, will convene at Jones Chapel, four miles east of
Owassa, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the 10th day of December. All
churches are urged to send their full quota of messengers.”
It was also reported that week that “C.H. Moorer left
Tuesday for St. Louis to purchase a large shipment of mules and horses for his
firm, F.D. Moorer & Son, to meet the growing demands of their trade.”
Also that week, it was reported that the “Rev. Bob Jones
will preach at the Methodist church here on Mon., Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. Mr. Jones
conducted a series of revival meetings here several years ago and is pleasantly
remembered by all Evergreen citizens who had the pleasure of hearing him at
that time. He will no doubt be greeted by a large audience when he comes.”
Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month.
Next month, I plan to take a look at the events of December 1918 in Conecuh
County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself,
take advantage of the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public 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 you started.
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