Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

Alabama Lodge No. 3 at Perdue Hill.

23 YEARS AGO

JUNE 27, 1996

Jessica Stuckey, a Monroe Academy junior, has been named 1997 Monroe County Junior Miss.

Twelve Monroe County high school juniors rocked, bopped, limboed and twisted their way through competition at Nettles Auditorium Saturday night in a “Cruisin’ to the Fifties” program sponsored by the Hub CityEttes.

(Other top, award-winning contestants included Summer Harrison, Amanda Morgan, Jessica Nixon and Lori Wasden.)

Beatrice all-stars: Beatrice’s all-stars will compete in the Little League Baseball District 3 tournament for 11- and 12-year-olds Saturday when the team meets South Monroe at 3:30 p.m. in Jackson. (Members of the team included DeAundra Jones, Marlin Carstopheny, Michael Davis, Joseph Manuel, Dante Leffall, Richard Lett Jr., Charles Moody Jr., Cedric Marshall, Harold Stallworth, Cedric Young, Gary McCreary and Ikebia Salter. Coaches included Michael Stallworth and Rhodie Ruffin.)

First cotton bloom: Kayla Byrd, six, and Emily Byrd, two, daughters of Ritchie and Melanie Byrd and granddaughters of Rennie and Ella Wayne Byrd of Frisco City, display the first cotton bloom of 1996. Their grandfather and father found the bloom in their field outside Frisco City on June 17.

To celebrate 50^th: The children of Mr. and Mrs. D.W. Baas of Frisco City will honor them with a reception celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary Sun., July 7, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church of Frisco City. The couple was married June 29, 1946.

48 YEARS AGO

JUNE 24, 1971

First cotton bloom: The first cotton bloom reported to The Journal is this one from the Mims Brothers’ Farm in Uriah. The bloom, which was reported Wed., June 16, is considered late.

River travelers: Members of the senior MYF class of the First United Methodist Church of Monroeville left last Friday morning from Davis Ferry and traveled down the Alabama River to Mobile and on to Pensacola. Jim Lazenby, who led the group and returned them all safely, said the trip was nice, but they had trouble finding a good restaurant to stop at for dinner.

Park construction underway: Construction has begun on the parks at the Claiborne Lock & Dam. Shown above is construction on the administration building. Plans call for a fishing ramp below the dam, and a boat launch and boat house above the dam. Parking areas will be constructed at both sites.

The interdenominational Beulah Camp meeting will get underway today (Thursday), June 24, and will continue through July 4.

The camp grounds are located midway between Excel and Repton, one and one-fourth miles south of Highway 84.

The Rev. Mack Hamby of Florence, Ala. is president of the camp organization.

Sam Scott is awarded letter at LU: LIVINGSTON – Sam Scott of Uriah is among 15 members of the Livingston University track team who have been awarded letters, track coach Jerry Smith announced. Scott, a junior, was the District 27 three-mile champion this spring.

73 YEARS AGO

JUNE 27, 1946

Miss Nelle Lee, student at the University, and Miss Margaret Ellen Davis of Scottsboro, also a student at the University, attended the Parnell-McDaniel wedding at the Presbyterian Church in Monroeville, Sunday afternoon.

THREE BALL GAMES SCHEDULED HERE: Three baseball games are scheduled for Monroeville to be played on the local diamond. The first game will be played Thursday afternoon, June 27, second game on June 30 and the third is set for July 7.

Alabama Lodge Elects Officers: At a regular communication of Alabama Lodge No. 3 held on June 18, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: J.T. McArthur, Worshipful Master; L.M. Moore, Senior Warden; Kermit Branum, Junior Warden; W.N. Wiggins, Treasurer; W.S. Nash, Secretary; L.R. Gulsby, Senior Deacon; J.L. Crutchfield, Junior Deacon; and F.M. Harper, Tyler.

Mills Celebration At State Park Saturday Afternoon: The annual Monroe Mills celebration was held Saturday afternoon at Little River State Park and attracted a larger gathering than at any time since 1937, when the industry was organized in Monroeville.

The annual affair is sponsored by the owners of Monroe Mills as a compliment to their employees and their friends and plans for the big party on Saturday were more elaborate than in any previous year.

Activities for the afternoon included swimming, dancing and various games. At six o’clock a barbecue supper was served, after which the fun and frolic continued until a late hour.

98 YEARS AGO

JUNE 23, 1921

Coffins and Caskets – When in need of anything in this line remember that we have a complete stock of Coffins, Caskets and Undertakers’ Supplies – Our prices are reasonable and prompt service is our motto – BROWN HARDWARE CO., Excel, Ala. – J.W. Brown, C.L. Roberts.

Monroe Lodge at Franklin celebrated a Lodge of Sorrow in the Methodist church at that place on June 12, as a memorial to recently deceased members of the Lodge. A number of visiting Masons assisted in the ceremonial which was beautiful and impressive and witnessed by a large congregation. Rev. A.E. Shafer delivered an appropriate address on the occasion. Visitors were given royal entertainment by the good people of the community.

LONE STAR TRAIL A NATIONAL HIGHWAY: The Monroe County branch of the Lone Star Trail was organized here this week with J.B. Barnett, chairman; H.J. Coxwell, vice-chairman; J.K. Kyser, secretary-treasurer.

The Lone Star Trail is being organized to run from St. Augustine, Fla. to Los Angeles, Calif. The work of organization is complete from the Alabama River at Claiborne to the Texas line. In each county along the line, as organized, there is a live bunch of good roads boosters organized for the purpose of promoting, marking, logging and advertising this proposed great national highway.

It is proposed to route the road from Claiborne by Perdue Hill, Mexia, Monroeville, Monroe Station and Burnt Corn to Evergreen. The work of organization is being conducted by H.L. Brain and J.M. Hughes of Winfield, La.

123 YEARS AGO

JUNE 25, 1896

Hon. Chas. L. Scott of Mount Pleasant came up Wednesday to attend the senatorial convention.

At a regular communication of Monroeville Lodge No. 153, the following officers were elected for the ensuing Masonic year: S.H. Daily, Worshipful Master; Jno. DeLoach, Senior Warden; S.W. Yarbrough, Junior Warden; D.J. Hatter, Treasurer; Q. Salter, Secretary; L.G. Steele, Senior Deacon; J.M. Sowell, Junior Deacon; S.F. Daniel, Tyler; and W.G. McCorvey, J.F. Fore, Stewards.

A note from “J.J.K.” requests us to announce that there will be an old-fashioned basket picnic at the bridge across Little Escambia on the road leading from Repton to Perdue Hill, but fails to advise us of the date. We presume however that all who enjoy occasions of the kind will be on the qui vive.

Accidental Shooting: One day last week little Charlie, the 12-year-old son of Capt. Charlie Johnson of River Ridge, accidentally shot his sister, Miss Willie, aged 18, inflicting painful though fortunately not serious injuries. We are gratified to learn that Miss Johnson’s injuries will not prove serious.

PERDUE HILL: M.J. Roberts is erecting another story on the old Roberts, Locklin & Co. building on Broad Street.

JONES MILL: Miss Maggie Busey is teaching school at the Escambia Creek, she has a very large number of pupils.

There is to be a basket picnic at the bridge on Escambia Creek near this place on the third Saturday in July, lets everybody go and carry our dinner.