The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Jan. 11, 2019

USS Princeton

11 YEARS AGO

JAN. 10, 2008

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported no rainfall between Dec. 31, 2007 and Jan. 6, 2008. He reported a high of 73 degrees on Jan. 6 and lows of 18 degrees on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3. Total rainfall for the month of December 2007 was 7.83 inches. Total rainfall for 2007 was 56.11 inches.

Travelers moving through Evergreen saw a rare sight on Wednesday of last week and last Thursday when the fountains in downtown Evergreen froze as temperatures dipped into the teens in Conecuh County. According to longtime local weather watcher Harry Ellis of Evergreen, lows on both days reached 18 degrees. On Tuesday of last week, temperatures got down to 26 degrees, and the low on Friday was 23 degrees, Ellis said.

In just 26 days, Conecuh County voters will have the opportunity to vote in the 2008 presidential preference primary elections for the Republican and Democratic parties.

In the past, presidential primary elections in Alabama were held on the first Tuesday in June, but they were moved to the first Tuesday in February by the legislature in March 2007.

Conecuh County Commissioner D.K. Bodiford, standing with microphone, addresses the crowd at the Citizens for a Clean Southwest Alabama (CCSA) one-year anniversary celebration. The event was held Saturday at the Lenox Community Center to mark the group’s first year of work against a proposed landfill in Conecuh County. During the event, CCSA sold 600 dinner plates and raised about $9,000.

36 YEARS AGO

JAN. 13, 1983

Evergreen weather observer Earl Windham reported 0.7 inches of rain on Jan. 2 and 0.39 inches on Jan. 3. He reported a high of 66 degrees on Jan. 8 and lows of 30 on Jan. 4, Jan. 5 and Jan. 6.

Harper’s flag is flying now over library: The U.S. flag of Tommy Harper is being flown over the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library in honor of him and all other deceased veterans of Conecuh County.

The Pilot Club of Evergreen collected the flags of honored veterans and stored them in the county courthouse for many years. Now, the flags are being kept at the library.

The late Tommy Harper served as a private with Co. F, 8^th Battalion, Replacement Center. He entered service on Sept. 6, 1918 at Evergreen, and was honorably discharged Dec. 30, 1918 at Camp Pike, Ark.

His flag is being flown this month of January over the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library.

The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce announces today that its annual Promotion Banquet will be held Friday night, Jan. 21, at seven o’clock at the historic old L&N Railroad Depot, owned by the Murder Creek Historical Society.

Dr. Stanley Wilson, Vice President for Agriculture, Home Economics and Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University, will be the guest speaker for the evening.

61 YEARS AGO

JAN. 9, 1958

Anthony Joins In Ceylon Mercy Trip: CEYLON – Weldon L. Anthony, electrician’s mate third class, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Anthony of Rt. 1, Box 188, Evergreen, Ala., arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon, Jan. 1, aboard the support aircraft carrier USS Princeton on a mission of mercy with the Ceylonese Relief Force.

The Ceylon emergency followed continual rains for many weeks, and torrential downpours, described as cyclones, during the past few days. Reports indicate 100,000 homes destroyed by floods, leaving approximately 300,000 homeless flood victims.

Small Plane Lands In Front Of Store: Claude Murphy is probably wondering what kind of customer he’ll get next since one came flying in Monday.

Yes, actually flying in.

A Memphis businessman and two companions, en route to Florida in a private plane, made an emergency landing on Highway 84 in front of Claude Murphy’s Store Monday. The plane ran out of gas, so the man brought it down in the highway. He made the landing okay, the plane suffering slight damage to the wings.

The man and his companions caught a bus back to Memphis and left the plane moored at the station to be picked up in a few days.

The City of Evergreen has purchased a new car for the police department. The purchase was approved at the city council meeting Tuesday night.

The car is a 1958 Ford and (Bradley Motor Company’s) bid was $1,793.20.

86 YEARS AGO

JAN. 12, 1933

Dean Man Is Found Near Wilcox: The dead body of an unidentified negro man was found early Wednesday morning near the railroad two miles north of Wilcox in this county by J.C. Barron, L&N Supervisor. Mr. Barron reported the matter to Sheriff J.G. Moore, who formed a coroner’s jury to investigate.

The jury reported that the man came to his death from causes unknown. According to reports, the body was so badly decomposed that it was beyond identification. Apparently the man was a large man wearing about No. 12 shoe. He had on a practically brand new pair of overalls and a brown coat. Those who went to the scene and saw the body are of the opinion that the man was knocked off by a southbound train. While the jury could not render a verdict to that effect with the evidence at hand, it is said.

Following a period of declining health covering the past two or three years, Alexander Hezekiah Donald, age 78, died at the home of his son, Elmer B. Donald at an early hour Thursday morning.

Mr. Donald was born and reared at Belleville and lived there most of his life.

Deceased was direct descendant of the famous Donald family of Scotland, who were rulers of that country during its early history in the period from 230 A.D. to 800 A.D. In the early history of this country, one of his ancestors moved to Virginia and some descendants of the family still reside there. The family of which deceased descended moved to Belleville in the early part of the 19^th century.

110 YEARS AGO

JAN. 8, 1908

Attention, Company K: You are hereby commanded to meet at your armory next Monday night, Jan. 13, at 7:30 o’clock promptly. Business of importance to be transacted. Bring new members. By order of P.M. Bruner, Captain; J.A. Rumbley, First Sergeant.

KNIGHT DISCHARGED: The preliminary trial of Jas. Knight, the young man accused of the murder of Henry Burgess, which was commenced yesterday was concluded at 11 o’clock this morning and the defendant was discharged by Judge Atkinson at the conclusion of the examination of witnesses for the prosecution. The defense offered no evidence of rebuttal.

Young Knight was congratulated by his friends at the conclusion of the trial, he having been exonerated.

Barn Burned: On Sunday night last the barn of Wm. Kyser, a well known and prosperous farmer residing near Loree, was destroyed by fire together with its contents, including a quantity of corn and other feed stuff. Mr. Kyser thinks the fire originated from matches which he lost from his pocket in the barn and which were ignited probably by rats. Mr. Kyser is the father of our townsman, J.H. Kyser.

Lt. W.H. Pritchett of the U.S. Marine Corps, stationed in Atlanta, and his sister, Miss Ree Pritchett, are here visiting the family of their uncle, F.A. Pritchett, on Magnolia Street.