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

21 YEARS AGO
MARCH 25, 1999

Community mourns lost leader: Monroe County lost a friend during the weekend with the death of Col. Armistead R. Harper.
Harper, 82, died at Mobile Infirmary Sunday night from problems with his pancreas, according to his daughter, Pat Booker.
The Monroe County native retired in 1969 after 30 years in the regular Army and returned home five years later following a brief banking career in Yuma, Ariz.
It didn’t take him long to get involved in the community as he joined the Monroeville Presbyterian Church, Monroeville Kiwanis Club, was appointed to the Monroeville Planning Commission in 1975 and served in several other civic organizations.

Excel upends UMS in 3A Area 1 battle: Excel stunned UMS-Wright 2-0 to open its area baseball schedule Friday, then dropped an 8-4 decision to area rival Flomaton Monday.
Excel got the best of UMS-Wright’s Bulldogs at Murphy Park in Excel to open play in the 3A Area 1 race. Josh Deese scored what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning in Excel’s 2-0 win over UMS-Wright.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Al Black, Jamie Duke, Jacob Ledkins, Keith McKinley, Jason McLelland, Jared McPhaul, Justin Mixon and Nathan Mixon.)

The Second Annual Writers Symposium May 6-8 will continue its celebration of Alabama writers and scholars. The focus for this year’s symposium will be “Alabama – the Place.” Participants will also attend a production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in the old courthouse Friday night.

46 YEARS AGO
MARCH 28, 1974

Newspaperman E.M. Salter dies: Edward Motley (Ed) Salter of Monroeville, former part-owner and business manager of The Monroe Journal, whose family ties to the newspaper stretched back to the early 1880s, died Saturday in a Pensacola hospital. He was 87.
Mr. Salter was a partner in The Journal from 1929 to 1947, but he first worked for the paper in 1907 as a printer for his uncle, Q. Salter.

Twenty-six men have been practicing three weeks for the Frisco City Whippets (during spring football drills), with nine returning starters on the squad.
Returning to the squad will be Larry Watts, a 155-pound strong side guard; Johnny Ridgeway, a 185-pound strong side tackle; Wayne McGinnis, a 165-pound tight end; Pat Banks, a 153-pound running back; Floyd Williams, a 140-pound end; Johnny Alread, a 160-pound running back; Mitchel Evans, a 140-pound fullback converted to quarterback; Ronnie McGinnis, a 150-pound end converted to center; and Willie Earl Lee, a 135-pound fullback.
(Other players going through spring drills included Lester Banks, Scot Brown, Jerry Browning, Barry Childs, Kenneth Dudley, Robert Finklea, Julius Lambert, Raymond Lett, Bobby McGinnis, David Peavy, Craig Sawyer, Albert Sims, Christopher Williams, Jerry Williams and Kevin Williams.)

Ziebach joins local firm: Elmo Douglas Ziebach, a native of Theodore, has joined Prouty Forestry Service in Peterman and Monroeville. He will serve as a buyer for Prouty Forestry Service.

71 YEARS AGO
MARCH 31, 1949

Journal Gets New Assistant Editor: John E. Hill, 23-year-old native of Boaz, has joined the staff of The Journal as an assistant editor, assuming his duties Monday.
A former student at Snead Junior College in Boaz, Mr. Hill has been a student for the past two years at the University of Alabama.
He will serve primarily as news editor and reporter for The Journal.

Baseball Training Begins At MCHS: Seventeen players reported to Coach LaVaughn Hanks Monday afternoon to begin workouts for the baseball season. Monroe County High will be fielding its first baseball team in a number of years. The first game will be played with W.S. Neal High on April 8. Games will be played at the new recreation center.
(Players reporting for that first practice included Felix Nicholas, Curtis Tomlinson, Havard Jaye, Bill Jaye, Karl Mims Lazenby, Kenneth Hundley, Bobby Moore, Alvin Ryland, George Klepac, Rusty Smith, John Calvin White, Bill Dailey, John Arthur Sirmon, John Arthur Morgan, Pink Jackson, Douglas Hendrix and William Fowler.)

Monroeville Soldier Assigned To Famous 2nd Armored Division: Camp Hood, Texas, March 31 – Sgt. Clarence W. Rawls, Monroeville, recently arrived at Camp Hood and has been assigned to the famous “Hell on Wheels” 2nd Armored Division.
A veteran of eight years military service, Sgt. Rawls served 52 months in the European Theater of Operations. He participated in the invasion of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland and the Central European campaigns. For his services, he was awarded the European Theater ribbon and the Victory medal.

96 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1924

The Monroe County High School will close its annual session in about two weeks. The graduating class this year will consist of forty-odd members, the largest in its history.

Mr. J.F. Davis has opened a new barber shop in the old courthouse annex. The place has been neatly fitted up and furnished with modern equipment.

Jacob Rikard, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Rikard, died at the family home on Thursday morning, March 20, after an illness of several weeks, aged 16 years. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. W.C. Tenney. Interment was made in the Baptist cemetery.

Judge I.B. Slaughter has been appointed trustee of creditors of the Moore Hardware company which recently closed its doors.

Mr. A.B. Tucker, traveling representative of the Montgomery Advertiser, spent a few days in Monroeville last week in the interest of that paper.

Hon. I.T. Quinn of Montgomery was a visitor to Monroeville Tuesday. Mr. Quinn has made a good record as State Commissioner of the Department of Game and Fisheries and is a candidate to succeed himself in that position.

BOY SCOUT MEETING: A meeting of local Boy Scouts will be held in the courthouse at three o’clock next Saturday afternoon for the purpose of electing a patrol leader and other officers. All boys throughout the county interesting in the organization of a troop are invited to be present at the meeting.

131 YEARS AGO
MARCH 29, 1889

Mr. J.T. Stevens is at work repairing the breaks made by the prisoners who recently escaped from the county jail.

The attractive new belfry to the Baptist Church has been completed, and the bell, which we learn is a gift to the church from Col. B.L. Hibbard of Birmingham, placed in position.

Distemper is prevailing among horses to a limited extent in this vicinity.

Tax Assessor Jones completed his second and last round of sittings for this year. He will start out soon to look up delinquents.

Mr. A.L. Boyd of Buena Vista has accepted a position as clerk in Capt. Wiggins’ store.

Judge Leslie has replaced the ancient rail fence opposite his residence with a nice plank fence.

Honor Roll of Bells Landing Academy for February 1889: Katie Stallworth, Minnie Hunt, Sarah Nettles, Minnie Chunn, Mattie Abernathy, Maria Pattison, Nannie Abernathy, Corinne Dunn, Katie Abernathy, Hellen Davis, Willie Davis, Ollie Grace, Harry Davis, Judson Chunn, Walton Hybart, Urn McCants and Willie Holloman. – M. Dannelly, Teacher.

Hon. Nick Stallworth of Evergreen was in town Monday on professional business.

Mr. Ryland, wife of Thos. Ryland of Burnt Corn, was stricken with paralysis last Thursday, 21st.