Saturday, November 3, 2018

Century-old Conecuh County news highlights from November 1918

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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