Today in History for Jan. 25, 2019

Jan. 25, 1759 – Poet and prominent Freemason Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Scotland. He went on to write “Epistle to William Simson,” which was supposedly about Belleville, Ala. school trustee William Simson in May 1785.

Jan. 25, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes occurred at Bainbridge Ferry and another near the Sweet Water in North Alabama. This day also marked the beginning of a 12-day Federal expedition from Scottsborough, Ala. toward Rome, Ga.

Jan. 25, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Bayou Grand, Florida, where Federals were preparing to move on Mobile, Ala.

Jan. 25, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported that several parties in the Shibboleth community of Monroe County, Ala. had seen a “buzzard with a small bell a few days ago.” They wrote The Journal to see if the editor would put something about it in the paper in order to maybe learn who put the bell around the buzzard’s neck.

Jan. 25, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported that Editor John S. Hunter of The Camden Progressive Era and Pat M. Dannelly of Camden, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Wilcox County, had visited Monroeville during the past week.

Jan. 25, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported that Braxton Hobdy of Manistee, Ala., “who had the misfortune to lose one of his legs some time ago,” would “soon be circulating among his friends on his wooden horse.”

Jan. 25, 1905 - A.F. Howington of Excel visited The Monroe Journal office on this Thursday. Howington was engaged in the mercantile business at Excel which was “rapidly forging to the front as an important business point,” according to The Journal.

Jan. 25, 1910 – On this Tuesday while Mr. W.H. Byrd was killing hogs a little negro child about four years old was burned to death near Old Texas. The child was left by its parents at home while they helped with the hog killing and when they returned they found their child burned to death.

Jan. 25, 1915 – For a short while on this Monday, a “light flurry of snow fell” in Evergreen, Ala.

Jan. 25, 1916 – A special train bearing the “Southeastern Kansas Boosters” stopped in Evergreen, Ala. around 2:32 p.m. and were met by a delegation of businessmen. In the Jan. 27, 1916 edition of The Conecuh Record, it was reported that a “large crowd met the booster train.”

Jan. 25, 1918 – Wilcox County native Rosa Cook Marks, born on Feb. 8, 1879, died in San Antonio, Texas. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Cook, formerly of Canton Bend. She was happily married to Mr. G.M. Marks of San Antonio, Texas in April 1905 and had lived there since her marriage. Her early life was spent in Canton Bend, having left there about 20 years before her death.

Jan. 25, 1920 – Grady Gaston was born in Frisco City, Ala. He would go on to serve in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II and would become famous for surviving the “Little Eva” crash incident in Australia. Many people would learn of his ordeal because it was featured in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!”

Jan. 25, 1920 - A movie version of Alabama author Amelie Rives's play “The Fear Market” was released.

Jan. 25, 1931 - Evergreen Lions Club was scheduled to present a radio program from Station WSFA in Montgomery on this Sunday from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The courtesy was extended the club through a letter from Mr. M.L. Black of Black Decorating Co. to Mr. W.W. Kingsbery of Evergreen. Plans were already under way to arrange a program for the occasion. Lion President J.L. Kelly, W.W. Kingsbery and R.G. Bozeman from the committee were to arrange the program.

Jan. 25, 1940 – The home of the Faulk sisters (and Truman Capote), located next door to Mel’s Dairy Dream in Monroeville, Ala., burned.

Jan. 25, 1944 – Evergreen High School’s boys basketball team, led by head coach E.L. McInnis, improved to 7-0 on the season by beating T.R. Miller, 21-17, in Brewton, Ala. Huey led Evergreen with 12 total points. Miller had won nine straight games prior to the Evergreen game.

Jan. 25, 1949 – Evergreen High School’s varsity boys basketball team, led by head coach Wendell Hart, beat Frisco City, 51-35, in Frisco City, Ala. John Greel Ralls led Evergreen with 16 points.

Jan. 25, 1950 – Evergreen High School’s boys basketball team, coached by Wendell Hart, won its third game in a row by beating Robertsdale, 39-32, in Evergreen, Ala. Guerry Moorer led Evergreen with 15 points.

Jan. 25, 1951 – The Monroe Journal reported that the Rev. A.C. Lee and Mrs. Lee had as their guests that week, Mrs. Spencer of Greensboro.

  

Jan. 25, 1966 - Monroe County voters, by almost a three to one margin, defeated the referendum seeking to legalize the sale of alcoholic beverages in the county during this Tuesday’s election. Unofficial returns showed 3,652 voters sought to keep the county “dry,” or from having the sale of alcoholic beverages legalized, while 1,476 voted to change the law here. The 5,128 persons who voted in this Tuesday’s election were more than voted in the May primaries in 1964 and one of the highest vote counts ever recorded in Monroe County, despite inclement weather which prevailed all day on this Tuesday.

Jan. 25, 1968 – Army Warrant Officer Johnson Marcus Milligan, 23, of East Brewton, Ala. was killed in a helicopter crash in Vietnam. Born on Sept. 16, 1944, Milligan was buried in the Weavers Cemetery in Brewton, Ala. Milligan, who began his tour of duty on Oct. 10, 1967, was a pilot killed in a UH-1C helicopter crash at Camp Enari, Pleiku Province, Republic of Vietnam. Primary cause of the crash was engine failure. On takeoff, the aircraft began a descent, and investigators suspected it was grossly overweight. The tail stinger hit the ground and a wire, and the aircraft slid down into a gully until it struck the other side of the gully and caught fire. Three others were injured in the accident.

Jan. 25-26, 1968 – The Conecuh County Basketball Tournament was held at Evergreen High School’s gym in Evergreen, Ala. Coach Wayne Pope’s Conecuh County High School Blue Devils entered the tourney as the defending champions. On Thurs., Jan. 25, Lyeffion High School played Conecuh County High School at 6 p.m., and Repton High School played Evergreen High School at 8 p.m. The two winners met in the tournament championship game at 8 p.m. on Fri., Jan. 26.

Jan. 25, 1977 – The Milner-Speir-Moody Home in Greenville, Ala. was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

Jan. 25, 1978 – Weather observer Earl Windham reported 3.60 inches of rain on this day in Evergreen, and 4.30 inches the day before, for a two-day total of 7.90 inches.

Jan. 25, 1979 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Joe Patten of Conecuh County, Ala. had been promoted to the rank of commander during a promotion ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway, where he was serving as the Air Wing Maintenance Officer. Patten entered the Navy shortly after graduating from Evergreen High School in 1954.

Jan. 25, 1979 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Lyeffion High School’s varsity boys basketball team improved to 9-1 on the season thanks to a 56-55 win over J.U. Blacksher. Adrian Woods led Lyeffion with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

Jan. 25, 1991 - Hillcrest High School’s basketball teams were scheduled to host Calhoun High School on this Friday night. The first of three games was scheduled to start at 5 p.m.

Jan. 25, 1991 - United States Senator Richard Shelby was to be the featured speaker at the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce’s annual promotion membership banquet on this Friday night at seven o’clock at the Quality Inn.

Jan. 25, 1996 – The Monroe Journal reported that a book about Truman Capote’s childhood in Monroeville was being re-released under a new title. “Truman Capote’s Southern Years: Stories from a Monroeville Cousin” was the new title given to Marianne M. Moates’ 1989 book, “A Bridge of Childhood.” Moates, who lived in Monroeville from 1961-69, based her book on material provided by Capote’s first cousin and childhood friend, Jennings Faulk Carter of Monroeville.

Jan. 25, 2001 – The Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, Ala. Dr. David Himelrick was the guest speaker.

Jan. 25, 2001 – The Evergreen Courant reported that while most Conecuh County residents caught glimpses of the events leading up to, and including, the 54^th Presidential Inauguration, one local business had a backstage pass for the whole show. Brent and Gerald Salter of Salter’s Evergreen Supply in Evergreen joined more than 100 florists and industry professionals selected by the Society of American Florists to prepare the inaugural floral decorations. The volunteers worked some 5,000 hours in a warehouse in downtown Washington, D.C., during the inaugural week creating classic, sophisticated works of floral art for eight balls, three dinners and various other receptions.

Jan. 25, 2007 – The Monroe Journal reported that it was going to be “business as usual” at VF Intimates, according to Corky Fountain, vice president of manufacturing in Monroeville, after the announcement that VF Corp. had agreed to sell its intimates division, which included the Monroeville operation that employed about 950, to Fruit of the Loom, Inc. for $350 million. “I’m very optimistic and very positive about the planned sale,” Fountain said. “I see a bright future. Vanity Fair is celebrating its 70^th year in Monroeville and I see many more years for us here.”

Jan. 25, 2007 – The Monroe Journal reported that a new book on Monroe County cemeteries was then available. A five-year long project by an Eliska woman had come to fruition in the form of a new book cataloguing cemeteries in Monroe County. Kathryn Weatherford had recently finished the book, “Burial Grounds of Monroe County,” which covered 63 cemeteries north of U.S. Highway 84. The book was dedicated to Alene Brooks and Dorothy Parker, who Weatherford said came up with the idea for the project and helped with the cataloging process.