The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Nov. 30, 2020

Ralph 'Shug' Jordan

21 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 1999

Escaped convicts Kathy R. Jenkins of Mobile and Leslie M. Fillingim of Eight Mile pled guilty to the murder of former Evergreen resident Charles Kermit Branum Sr., Thursday, Nov. 18.
Branum was a former basketball and football coach of Evergreen High School during 1968-1980. From there, he spent several years coaching the University of South Alabama Lady Jaguars. Branum was found dead in his home in Tillman’s Corner on Jan. 19, 1999.

Sparta Academy plays host to Cottage Hill: The Sparta Lady Warriors were the only team to come out on top when Cottage Hill came to Sparta Thurs., Nov. 18.
Lady Warriors 41, Cottage Hill 29: Leading scorer for the Lady Warriors was Ashley Hammonds with 15 points. Also putting points on the board were Katie Etheridge with nine points and Mary Robinson with six points. Rounding out the scoring were Sally Hartley and Jessica Bennett with four points each. Jessica Armuelles two points and Laura Wiggins one point.
Cottage Hill 72, Warriors 45: Scoring in double figures for the Warriors were Jake Adams and Lee Booker with 11 points each and Kyle Johnston with 10 points. Rounding out the scoring were Justin Tranum with four points, Tyler Petrey three points, Derek Faulkner, Derrick Williams and Jimmy Hyde with two points each.
Cottage Hill 51, JV Warriors 20: Leading scorer for the JV Warriors was Chris Garner with 10 points. Also scoring for the JV Warriors were Wiley Cobb with seven points, Thomas Nielsen two points and Cole Commander one point.

36 YEARS AGO
NOV. 29, 1984

Mike Kline killed this fine turkey on Nov. 20. The turkey weighed 16-1/4 pounds and had a 10-3/4 inch beard and 1-1/2 inch spurs. Mike said it was his first turkey, and he killed the big bird while hunting deer.

Quarterback to honor ’84 Aggies: The Evergreen High School Quarterback Club will honor the 1984 Aggie Football Team at a football banquet. It will be held in the school cafeteria at 7:00 o’clock Saturday night, Dec. 8.
Tickets are $2.50 per person and may be obtained at the EHS office or from any member of the Quarterback Club.

From “The Colyum” by Bob Bozeman – It’s “Iron Bowl” time. Auburn and Alabama meet Saturday in Birmingham’s Legion Field. The late Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan is credited with labeling this season ending game as “The Iron Bowl.”
It will be Alabama’s only “bowl game” as a losing season doesn’t earn bowl bids.
Auburn, favored Saturday, could play in the Sugar Bowl with a win Saturday. Even if they should be upset by Alabama, the Tigers will still go bowling.
Alabama set a national record that will probably stand for a long time by appearing in post-season bowls for 25 straight years. Further, the Tide had not had a losing season since 1957.

51 YEARS AGO
NOV. 27, 1969

These Evergreen High Varsity cagers will play their first home game of the 69-70 season Friday night, Dec. 5, against Red Level. They are John Earl Skipper, Larry Tranum, John Law Robinson, Charles Strong, Warren Stallworth and Larry Peacock, Jimmy Lee Perryman, Sammy Brown, Bob Jones, Ronald Halford, Richard Wilson and Coach Charles Branum.

Atmore bounces Aggies 60-50 in season opener: The Atmore Blue Devils combined strong rebounding and a ‘multitude’ of trips to the free throw line to hand the Evergreen Aggies of Coach Charles Branum their first basketball loss of the 1969-70 season. The game originally scheduled to be played in Evergreen was played in Atmore due to an inoperative clock at the EHS gym.
Senior John Earl Skipper led the Aggie scorers with 16 points. He was followed closely by play-making guard John Law Robinson and senior center Bob Jones with 13 and 10 points respectively. Senior forward Jimmy Lee Perryman hit for seven and Ronald Halford and Larry Tranum added two each to round out the Aggie scoring.
Coach Branum stated that ‘the team hustled and played well and with a little more game experience will be a winning ball club.’ Other Aggies not in the scoring column were junior center Sammy Brown, sophomore forward Richard Wilson, senior forward Charles Strong, junior guard Larry Peacock and junior guard Warren Stallworth.
In the preliminary game, the Atmore Bees stung the Aggie Bees with a 41-26 defeat. Freshman Johnny Andrews led the Aggies scorers with 13 points and Ronald Kervin pulled in 14 rebounds to shine a little light on the otherwise dismal evening for the Aggies.

66 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 1954

(Conecuh County Training School) Principal O.F. Frazier, along with the faculty, acknowledge with grateful appreciation the many services rendered by the alumni and interested persons toward making the homecoming parade an overwhelming success.
The parade seemed to have served as a stimulant to the many Eagles fans. Crowds of eager persons filled Brooks Stadium to its capacity to witness the struggle between the Eagles and the Booker Washington eleven of Pensacola, Fla. However, the powerful Booker Washington eleven defeated the Eagles by a score of 27-12.

A fired up Georgiana football team took the Evergreen Aggies by complete surprise with an upset 14-13 victory to end the season for both teams in Georgiana last Friday night.
Evergreen moved 79 yards for their first score in the initial quarter to go in front, 7-0. Ronnie Edson carried the final 10 yards for the score, and Frazier sneaked the extra point.
(Shortly after a Georgiana touchdown in the third quarter) Evergreen came right back to score on a touchdown by Alexander from two yards out. The play was set up on a pass from Alexander to Eugene Hyde who was downed at the Georgiana two after the play covered 49 yards. Frazier failed to make the point and that was the end of the scoring for the night.

81 YEARS AGO
NOV. 30, 1939

(Repton) practice basketball game in Excel on Wednesday night between Repton and Excel teams resulted in victory for Repton.

1917 silent movie based on book by Wilcox County native Mary Fenollosa

Tomorrow – Nov. 26 – marks 103 years since the 1917 release of the silent film, “The Eternal Mother,” which was based on a book by Wilcox County native, Mary M. Fenollosa.

“The Eternal Mother” was directed by Frank Reicher and was produced by Metro Pictures. The movie starred Ethel Barrymore, Frank Mills, J.W. Johnston, Charles Sutton, Louis Wolheim and Maxine Elliott. One of the most famous actresses of her day, Barrymore was regarded as the “First Lady of the American Theatre,” and she is notably the great-aunt of modern-day actress, Drew Barrymore.

“The Eternal Mother” is 50 minutes long and centers on Maris, portrayed by Ethel Barrymore, a woman who marries the owner of a mill after learning that her first husband and daughter have died. Maris tries to convince her new husband to do away with the use of child labor in his mill, only to find out later that her first husband is still alive and that her daughter is a worker at the mill. When it’s all said and done, her mill-owning husband removes the child workers from his mill, and all of their twisted family matters get sorted out.

The movie was based on Fenollosa’s 1909 book, “Red Horse Hill,” which was published under her penname, Sidney McCall. Fenollosa was born Mary McNeill in March 1865 to Confederate officer William Stoddard McNeill and Laura Sibley McNeill. Sources say that Mary was born on a Wilcox County plantation that belonged to her grandparents, Origen and Elizabeth Sibley, after her mother took refuge in Wilcox County when Yankee soldiers burned their family home in Baldwin County during the War Between the States.

After the war, Fenollosa went on to write a number of books and more than a few of them were set in her home state of Alabama. Some of her most famous books include “Truth Dexter” (1901), “The Breath of the Gods” (1905), “The Dragon Painter” (1906), “The Strange Woman” (1914), “Ariadne of Allan Water” (1914), “The Stirrup Latch” (1915), “Sunshine Beggars” (1918) and “Christopher Laird” (1919). In addition to “The Eternal Mother,” two of her other books – “The Breath of the Gods” and “The Dragon Painter” – were also made into movies.

Fenollosa went on to live to the ripe old age of 88, passing away in 1954, more than three decades after the publication of her last book. Today, if you go to the Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile, you’ll find her grave there, not far from the graves of her parents. Her headstone bears the simple inscription of “Author, Poet, Beloved Mother.”

In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience with more information about Fenollosa’s family ties to Wilcox County. It would also be interesting to know where the Sibley plantation was located in Wilcox County and if the old family home still stands today. I would not be surprised to learn that Fenollosa still has a number of distant relatives living within the confines of present-day Wilcox County.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 24, 2020

Charles Graddick

10 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 2010

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported 2.31 inches of rain on Nov. 15. He also reported a high of 77 degrees on Nov. 21 and lows of 38 on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17.

Gideons International presented the Evergreen Police Department with complimentary copies of the New Testament Wednesday of last week at the Evergreen Fire Station. Individuals at the presentation included local Gideons, Mike Lanier and Tom Hall, and Evergreen Police Chief James Simpson, Detective Sean Klaetsch, Sgt. Shawn Sullivan, Lt. Wayne Stewart, Sgt. Tristan Robinson and Patrolman Adam Hawsey. Gideons International provides the department with Bibles, which also includes the Psalms and Proverbs, every other year, Lanier said. The organization plans to provide copies of the Bible to all local fire departments later this year, he said.

The smell of smoking pork filled the streets of downtown Evergreen Tuesday morning as members of the Evergreen Kiwanis Club prepared Boston butts for one of the club’s two semi-annual fundraisers. Kiwanis Club members who were manning the smokers on Tuesday morning included Charles King, Mike Lanier and David Cook. In all, the club planned to smoke around 180 Boston butts and all of the net proceeds from the fundraiser would remain in Conecuh County, Lanier said. The club’s next fundraiser is scheduled for the week of July the Fourth next year.

35 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1985

Evergreen weather observer Earl Windham reported 0.07 of rain on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21. He reported a high of 81 degrees on Nov. 19 and a low of 48 on Nov. 23.

Christmas Parade is huge success: The Evergreen Chamber of Commerce’s 1985 Christmas Parade Saturday afternoon was a tremendous success. When the parade began at 3 p.m., a huge crowd had gathered and the weather, in spite of Hurricane Kate in the Gulf, was fine.
Santa Claus arrived in grand fashion in a helicopter flown by Mayor Pat Poole, and the largest crowd ever was on hand to witness his arrival. The parade was “also the largest we’ve ever had in Evergreen. We hope this is the beginning of a trend. There were horses, floats, cars and marchers and bands… 38 entries in all, and we are proud of each one of them,” a Chamber of Commerce spokesperson said.

Attorney General Charles Graddick visited Evergreen on Tuesday of last week addressing the noon meeting of the Evergreen Kiwanis Club. Here Graddick is shown with some of the “regulars” at Sleepy’s (Johnston’s Big T): Moye Windham and weatherman Ole Earl Windham and Tal Stuart III and Billy Hamilton. Graddick is expected to be a candidate for governor next year and made many contact during his visit here, and was also interviewed on Radio WEGN.

Florine Bolton is presented an award as “Pilot of the Year 1985” for the Pilot Club of Evergreen by President Judy Johnson. Pilot of the Year is chosen by fellow Pilots for outstanding leadership and contributions to the club.

60 YEARS AGO
NOV. 24, 1960

Christmas Carnival grabs local spotlight Nov. 30: The traditional holiday season will be ushered into Conecuh County Wednesday with the annual Conecuh County Christmas Carnival in Evergreen.
At three o’clock, all parade entries will meet at the Evergreen City School to form the parade. Entries must be cleared with Bill Murner, Elmore’s manager, by 5 p.m. Monday.

Mrs. C.H. Moorer Dies At Home Here Friday: Mrs. Bessie Straughn Moorer, 83, died at her home on Bruner Avenue early Friday morning after a long illness. Funeral services were held Saturday at 3 p.m. at the First Methodist Church with the Rev. Robert Moore officiating. Burial was in Magnolia Cemetery with Cope Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Moorer was a member of a prominent, pioneer family of this county and was widely known throughout this area. Although closely confined in recent years due to declining health, she had been a devoted member of the Methodist Church and active in many church and civic endeavors. Throughout her long illness, she continued to keep in close touch with the community, the county and her many friends.
Her husband, C.H. Moorer, is a partner in Conecuh Quick Freeze, Inc., and is a widely known South Alabama businessman.

85 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1935

Charles Ivey, 88, Dies Tuesday Night: Funeral services were held at 3:00 Wednesday afternoon for Charles Ivey, 88, prominent planter and businessman of the Loree community, whose death occurred Tuesday night. Death resulted from a combination of infirmities, complicated by a broken hip, suffered in a fall several weeks ago.
A lifelong resident of Conecuh County, having been born in 1847 less than a quarter of a mile from the scene of his demise, Mr. Ivey was widely known as a plantation owner and gin operator, having operated one of the first cotton gins established in Conecuh County.
Although having been a sufferer from a heart complication for a number of years, Mr. Ivey had been active in his affairs until recently, when he suffered a broken hip. He directed the operation of his gin during the pasts ginning season, and actively superintended farming operations on his plantation during the past crop year.

Judson Shoemaker, who is stationed at Maxwell Field, spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.P. Shoemaker. He made the trip home by plane with Lt. Hale piloting.

Mrs. E.E. Newton, Mrs. W.K. Horton and Miss Augusta Farnham attended the appearance of “La Argentiana,” dancers in the Montgomery concert course series Monday night.

WOW Meeting To Elect Officers: Members of Magnolia Camp No. 153 of the W.O.W. are notified to be present at a meeting to be held at Newton Hall Tuesday night, Dec. 3, beginning at 7:30 o’clock. This is an important meeting as officers for the ensuing year are to be elected. – J.T. Peak, C.C.

110 YEARS AGO
NOV. 23, 1910

C.P. and J.D. Deming and Dr. G.G. Newton spent several days in Mobile last week taking the higher degrees in Masonry.

Although the skies were cloudy, a few persons viewed for a few moments the total eclipse of the moon on last Wednesday evening about six o’clock.

Man Cut to Death at Castleberry: Henry Smith was cut to death by Charles Marcus at Castleberry Sunday morning.
It seems that Marcus approached Smith on Sunday morning, after a night of drinking and revelry, and asked for a dollar that he claimed Smith owed him and before he could reply he was slashed about the head and abdomen.
Smith lived until Monday afternoon, when he succumbed. Marcus fled to the swamps and has not yet been captured, although Sheriff Irwin was on the scene shortly after the tragedy and pursed the man for some time without success.

Capt. J.C. Travis received a message a few days ago, announcing the death of his nephew, Major P.M. Travis while en route to visit his sister in Kansas. Major Travis was born at Sparta about 58 years ago. He had been connected with the regular army until a few months ago when he resigned.

Several Evergreen citizens will be down to Mobile this week to see the flying machines which are making flights daily during the week.

135 YEARS AGO
NOV. 26, 1885

THE CONECUH-ESCAMBIA STAR

One day this week, as Mr. M.R. Reed, who lives about three miles east of Castleberry, was felling a tree, it lodged on a limb, breaking it off, and when it fell, it struck the unfortunate man on the head, fracturing his skull. Dr. Jay was called, but his patient died before he could reach him.

Hon. John D. Burnett now spends most of his time in Mobile in the discharge of his duties as district attorney. Mr. Burnett is more than meeting the expectations of his friends and admirers in this capacity.

“Yorick,” the well-known setter of Mr. Burnett’s, is a very intelligent dog. He knows the schedule of the up-train on the L&N road, and when his master is absent in Mobile, “Yorick” is always at the train when it arrives in the afternoon, and passes from one car to the other searching, and if Mr. Burnett fails to come, one can almost see a look of disappointment on the face of his faithful dog.

Messrs. H.C. King and J.M. Merrill, first and second clerks of the steamer Mary of the Alabama River, spent several days in town last Friday and called in to see us, such genial gentlemen are always welcomed at our office. Messrs. King and Merrill with Capt. John Quill are officers of one of the most elegant steamers on southern waters. The Mary and her crew are popular. The comfort of passengers is all their study. Capt. Quill is an ideal steamboat captain.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Nov. 23, 2020

10 YEARS AGO
NOV. 25, 2010

Drew Davis ‘tribute’ set for Dec. 3: Sparta Academy will host a “Tribute to Drew Davis” on Dec. 3, according to organizers of the event last week.
“Sparta Academy will honor this Sparta alumnus for his many accomplishments while at the University of Alabama and the resulting recognition that it has brought to Sparta and Conecuh County,” organizer James Ansley said.
The tribute ceremony will take place on Fri., Dec. 3, between Sparta’s varsity girls and varsity boys basketball games against Fort Dale at Richard Brown Gymnasium in Evergreen.
Davis, a 2004 graduate of Sparta Academy, is arguably one of the best football players Conecuh County has ever produced. He started at right offensive tackle for the past two seasons at the University of Alabama and closed out his college football career on Jan. 7 when Alabama claimed its 13^th national championship with a 37-21 win over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, Calif. Davis, 24, is the 6-foot-7, 305-pound son of Scott and Joan Davis of Evergreen.

Hines sets career high for blocks: Evergreen’s Chris Hines blocked a career high four shots against Seton Hall Friday in the opening round of the Paradise Jam Tournament in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Alabama lost, 83-78.
Hines was in the starting lineup against Seton Hall and logged 34 minutes of playing time. He finished the game with four blocks, a team-high 11 rebounds, four points, three assists and two steals.

35 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1985

Warrior cagers open with win: The Sparta Academy basketball team opened its 1985-86 season with a 69-55 win over Fort Deposit Academy in Fort Deposit on Nov. 19. Sparta’s girls also raced to a 49-34 win and the Sparta JVs racked up a 36-15 victory.
Sparta’s varsity boys were led by Scott Salter with 13 points and Jason West with 10 as 11 Warriors got in on the scoring. Tim Brantley had eight points; Danny Reed and Mark Rigsby, seven each; Brian Bybee, Brandon Salter and Glynn Ralls, six each; and John Weaver, Bradd Watts and Lynn Ralls, two each, according to Sparta Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.
Kim Searcy led the Sparta ladies with 14 points. Julie Johnson had 11 points, six rebounds and one steal. Carl Kendrick had eight points, four rebounds and seven steals; Tracy Holmes, seven points, five rebounds and six steals; Susan Ward, six points, 12 rebounds and four steals; and Leah Carrier, two points, three rebounds and two steals.
Craig Blackburn led the Warrior JVs with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Ted Robbins had six points and 14 rebounds; Baxter Stinson six points and two rebounds; Chris Weaver, four points and 12 rebounds; Richard Melton, two points and five rebounds; and Jerry Cotten, two points and one rebound.

Shannon Sims and Stephen Ellenburg caught these two big catfish on Nov. 14. One weighed seven pounds and the other five pounds. Asked where they caught the fish, the boys replied, “In the mouth.”

60 YEARS AGO
NOV. 24, 1960

Eagles Win 20-7 Over Camden: The Eagles of CCTS wrote “finis” to a winning grid campaign with a thrilling 20-7 victory over the Camden Academy Bulldogs. The first half of play was a lackluster affair on the part of the Eagles who had earlier trounced the Bulldogs, 31-7.
A severe tongue lashing at the half-time period by Coach Mike Cheatham put the Eagles on the right track and they came roaring back like an angry hurricane to topple Camden on this their homecoming.
The Eagles were led by a glue-fingered, rampaging end named John “Crazylegs” Grace. Crazylegs did everything but hang the scores on the scoreboard. He made four solo key tackles, recovered a fumble, intercepted an enemy pass, and, to cap success with glory, was on the receiving end of two touchdown passes.
(Other top CCTS players in that game included Billy Armstrong, Doug Evans and Andrew J. Hawkins.)

Lyeffion High Plans Homecoming Saturday: Saturday will be “Homecoming” for all alumni, former teachers and friends of Lyeffion High School, according to Mrs. W.C. Trawick, program chairman of the PTA, sponsors of the event.
The second annual homecoming program gets underway at 4 p.m. with a basketball game. A barbecue dinner will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. in the lunchroom. A program will be held in the school auditorium following the dinner.
Joe Weaver, now teaching at Excel, and a former student at Lyeffion, will be master of ceremonies.

85 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1935

Aggies Won From Monroeville, 53-0: Evergreen’s fighting Aggies defeated Monroeville by a score of 53-0 Wednesday afternoon on Gantt Field, Coach Ripper Williams’ aggregation suddenly finding a scoring punch and punching across seven touchdowns and making good on four conversions.
The heavy Evergreen line kept the Monroeville team rocking on its heels, and the Aggie backs tore through the visitors’ line for long gains almost at will. The locals were forced to punt only one time during the game, and then only after a 15-yard holding penalty had nullified “Tarzan” Brassell’s line bucking for practically the necessary yardage, the penalty coming on fourth down.
Brassell and Cargill rammed the line and ran Monroeville’s ends for long gains, with Cargill brining the crowd a grand thrill when he took a punt on his own 35-yard line and scored standing up for a 65-yard jaunt through the entire Monroeville team.
The line plunging of Tarzan Brassell and Jim Lane stood out.

110 YEARS AGO
NOV. 23, 1910

James Fortner Meets Tragic Death: The sad news of the tragic death of James Fortner, near Mt. Union on Monday night, was learned here with deep regret.
In company with his three little boys and two men, Mr. Fortner was in the woods hunting possums. He cut a dead gum tree down and as it fell, the top struck another tree, breaking off and the top falling back, the heavy piece striking Mr. Fortner, crushing his head and breaking his back. He died instantly.
Mr. Fortner was a son of M.M. Fortner, one of the best known and most prominent farmers of that section. He was about 35 years of age and is survived by his devoted wife and eight small children, to whom the sympathy of everybody goes in their great and distressing bereavement.

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

A.C. Lee

35 YEARS AGO
NOV. 21, 1985

Ceremony set today for outlets: Groundbreaking ceremonies for Monroeville Outlet Center, a $10-million manufacturers’ retail outlet complex, are scheduled today (Thursday) at 2 p.m.
Eighty-three-year-old Fred Sheffield, original owner of the 20-acre site on Drewry Road where the complex will be built, is scheduled to turn the first shovel of dirt. The ceremony is planned for the Bud Lathram Little League ball field just off Drewry Road, but if rain predictions hold true, the speeches will be given at the Monroeville Community House in Vanity Fair Park.

Late gamble pays off for Repton: Senior Kevin Bradley scored a touchdown and added a two-point conversion with 1:44 left to propel Repton High School’s Bulldogs to an 8-7 football victory over Frisco City Friday in a jam-packed Repton stadium.
Frisco had defeated Repton earlier in the season, but Repton turned the tables in this second-round game of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 1A playoffs.
(Other top Repton players in that game included Keith Baggett, Tommy Dukes, Mitchell Rankins, Leon Rudolph and Mark Taylor. Top Frisco players in that game included Robert Byrd, Rodney Coleman, Harvey Gaston, Charlie Matthews, Paul Maye, Ben Smith, David Sullivan and Chris Tucker. Hugh Wilson was Repton’s head coach, and Vance McCrory was Frisco’s head coach.)

The Peterman Historical Society and the town of Peterman will host the second annual Peterman Station Arts & Crafts Festival Saturday featuring entertainment, crafts and children’s activities.

60 YEARS AGO
NOV. 24, 1960

Christmas Lights Will Go On Soon: Downtown Monroeville will take on the festive air of the holiday season around Dec. 1 when Christmas lights will be illuminated.
J.P. Williamson, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce merchants and trade committee, said the lighting program will be considerably more extensive than in past years.
A giant lighted Christmas tree will also be erected on the north side of Court House Square, Mr. Williamson reported, near the location used last year.

Beatrice Topples Coffeeville, 32-14: Ending the season with a 6-3-1 record and grabbing second-place notch in the Pine Belt Conference, the Beatrice High Eagles topped Coffeeville, 32-14, in their final game of the year.
Beatrice began the scoring parade in the first quarter when Dennis Stallworth reached pay dirt from two yards out.
(Other top Beatrice players in that game included Paul Luker, Franklin McLaurin and Mickey Tatum.)

Miss Alice Lee and her father, A.C. Lee, and Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Nash are visiting today in Atmore with Mrs. Alice McKinley and other relatives and friends.

Census Bureau Lists Figures For Monroe: Final population counts in advance reports of the 1960 census for Monroe County have been released by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. The following figures were given for the county: Total population – 22,372; Beatrice division – 2,664; Beatrice town – 506; Frisco City division – 4,704; Frisco City town – 1,177; Excel town – 313; Monroeville division – 6,713; Monroeville city – 3,632; Uriah division – 2,115; Vredenburgh division – 3,648; Vredenburgh town (partial) – 533.

85 YEARS AGO
NOV. 28, 1935

Small Blaze On Roof of Hixon House: The fire truck answered a call about three o’clock Monday afternoon to the L.A. Hixon home. A small place was burned on the west side of the roof, the blaze evidently catching in some manner from the chimney on that side. The fire was extinguished before much damage had been done. A large amount of furniture had been removed from the inside of the house to prevent damage from smoke and water.

Championship Won By Beatrice Team: The Monroeville football team was downed 40 to 7 last Friday afternoon on the home field by a fast Beatrice outfit. With this victory over Monroeville, the Beatrice lads now lay claim to the county championship. They have victories over every team in the county except Frisco City, whom they have not played. However, Beatrice defeated Uriah after the J.U. Blacksher boys had defeated Frisco City by two touchdowns in one of the early games of the season.
The Beatrice team, which is undoubtedly the best which that school has put out in many years, has been directed this year by Tom Huckabee, who starred for Southwestern on the gridiron. This is his first year in Monroe County and he has made a splendid showing with his team.

Work Is Seen For 150 County Men Before Dec. 1: At least 150 and possibly 200 men will be put to work in Monroe County by Dec. 1, states I.B. McAdams, county director of work, when group two becomes employed. The work director states that these men will be employed principally on road projects, such as road construction, grading, building of bridges and the like.

110 YEARS AGO
NOV. 24, 1910

CORN IS KING IN MONROE – The above is a picture of a Prize Acre of Corn grown by Mr. Thos. P. Buffington at Excel, Monroe County, producing 90 bushels per acre. – Courtesy of The Montgomery Advertiser.

BRIDGE LETTING: I will attend at the following time and place for the purpose of letting the contract for the building of a bridge: On Saturday, the 26^th day of November, 10 a.m. on Gardner Road, near Gardner’s Mill. Specifications will be furnished on the ground. – W.R. Blackwell, Commissioner.

FOR SALE: One four-year-old Jersey Bull. Apply to M. Hatter, Wait, Ala.

For Sale – A few Thoroughbred S.C. Brown Leghorn and R.I. Red cockerels. Mrs. H.C. Fountain, Burnt Corn, Ala.

FRANK HIBARD – Painter – I paint houses, furniture, etc. I solicit the patronage of the people, Post Office Monroeville, Ala.

MONEY TO LOAN: On Improved Farm Property in Amounts of $300 and up, according to security. NO COMMISSIONS will be charged on these loans. See or write us if interested. – Barnett & Bugg, Monroeville, Ala.

135 YEARS AGO
NOV. 27, 1885

The alleged murderer of Stewart Charlie Tatum was arrested by Sheriff Burns Monday and safely lodged in jail.

A CARD: In response to what appears to me to be a very general and unanimous desire on the part of my many friends in different portions of the county for me to again permit the use of my name for the office of Probate Judge, I feel that it would be ungenerous to ignore the kindly feeling thus manifested, and that it would be wrong to myself and those who have honored me in the past, to deny them the right to use my name in this connection. I therefore yield to their wishes and consent to become a candidate for reelection. – W.C. Sowell.

The Entertainment given at the Monroeville Institute recently by the Perdue Hill Dramatic Club for the benefit of the Confederate soldiers’ monument, was one of the happiest and most pleasant events of the season, and the performance richly deserves all the kind things said of it by the audience who were profuse in their praises.
The house was crowded with an intelligent and appreciative audience, and the performance throughout reflected credit upon the histrionic talent of the several members of the Club, and more especially the ladies who understood and acted their parts almost perfectly.
Jno. M. Morton’s celebrated serio-comic drama, “A Husband to Order, with the following cast was presented: Baron DeBeaupre (a returned emigrant nobleman) – J.M. Agee; Pierre Marceau (an officer in the imperial army) – J.F. Gaillard; Anatole Latour (a young lawyer) – A.P. Agee; Phillipeau (a wealthy farmer, cousin to Pierre Marceau) – R.F. Lowery; Josephine (the baron’s niece) – Miss H. Gibbons; Elise (the baron’s ward) – Miss M.A. Savage; Madame Phillipeau, Miss L.G. Strode.

George Singleton writes of Monroe County's many breathtaking views

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Many breathtaking views are right here in county” was originally published in the June 19, 1975 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Many of us spend a great deal of time running here and there searching for places to go and beautiful scenery to look at. We spend many hundreds of dollars of our money and countless hours of our time in this quest for picturesque surroundings.

Few of us have stopped to realize that at our own doorsteps is some of the most breathtaking scenery in the whole Southland.

As one leaves Monroeville traveling north on Alabama Highway 41, within a few short miles this beautiful phenomenon of nature begins to unfurl.

As you cross Flat Creek, you will begin to climb into the cool air that flows across these pine-studded hills. As you continue to climb, take a look to the southwest and see for yourself the colorful display that nature has provided for our eyes to look upon.

Continue northward and you will find that the highway clings to the high ridges as it winds its way onward through hills and valleys and across the small streams that hurriedly rush to join the waters of the mother river to the west.

Many times when I have become restless and tired of the problems of our society, I seek my favorite spot on the highest hill in the area, and I sit and watch the shadows creep across the glowing sky and listen while nature’s children prepare themselves for the hours of darkness that are soon to come.

If you have never witnessed the coming of night across the dark hills and having not heard the sighing winds through the swaying pines, you have missed one of life’s great moments.

Each time I pass through the hills of Franklin, and I see the majestic beauty before me, I’m reminded of a time not long ago when I stood beside a grave in a small cemetery nestled atop one of the highest hills in the area.

The father of this large family, who had lived in these hills all their lives, had passed away.

As the graveside services was brought to a close, I heard the oldest son of the deceased say: “This is where he would want to be. He loved these hills. He would not have traded these hills for all the oil in Texas.”

As I turned and looked to the west, it seemed that from the distance, the words “Amen, Amen” reached my ears.

[The column above came one week after the June 12, 1975 edition of The Journal, which carried a front-page story about the return of Singleton’s column after an absence of about two years. That story, which carried the headline “Singleton back next week,” read as follows.]

George B. Singleton’s historical column “Did You Know?” will resume next week in The Monroe Journal.

The column, which appeared in The Journal from 1971 to 1973, concerns historical events, legends and places in Monroe County. Singleton writes it and takes accompanying photographs.

Resumed because of interest expressed in the current “Reader Reaction” survey, the column will appear weekly.

Singleton, a chief warrant officer in the Army National Guard who is full-time technician for the Guard’s 778^th Maintenance Co. in Monroeville, is a history and archaeology buff.

Originally from Sweet Water, he has lived in Monroeville for 11 years. He is a member and former president of the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society, which he helped organize.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)

Wilcox bungalow named after longtime train dispatcher, telegraph operator, agent-operator

Railroad crossing in Wilcox community.

I always enjoy hearing from readers of The Courant, and subscriber Curtis Walker of Pensacola recently contacted the office to fill me in on some matters of local history. Walker grew up in Evergreen and has many fond memories of his early years in Conecuh County. He eventually entered the military and enjoyed a long career in the railroad industry.

Some of you may remember that back in September I wrote about the old Wilcox community, an old community that’s located near Owassa. This community, which also went by the names of Gregville and Peachbloom, was centered around a railroad crossing. If you go there today, you’ll find an up-to-date railroad crossing complete with modern drop arms and flashing lights.

A couple of weeks ago, Walker called me to ask if I paid any attention to the silver bungalow near the crossing when I visited it back in September. I vaguely recalled seeing the small building, but I had to admit that I hadn’t taken a very close look. I grew up in the railroad town of Frisco City and from a young age was instilled with a healthy respect of train tracks, so I tend to avoid railroad property that could be potentially dangerous.

Walker said that if I’d looked at the bungalow closely, I would have seen “S.E. LACHAUSSEE” stenciled on one side of it. The “S.E.” stands for “South End,” and the “LACHAUSSEE” is the last name of J.G. Lachaussee. Walker noted that Lachaussee was a longtime train dispatcher, who worked for many years on the Louisville & Nashville-Family Lines-Seaboard System-CSXT railroad.

Lachaussee began his career as a telegraph operator, was eventually promoted to agent-operator and later became a train dispatcher in 1965. He served on the New Orleans & Mobile Sub-Division for many years and retired in 2002 from the CSX Centralized Dispatching Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Three months later, CSXT Mobile Division officials held at ribbon-cutting at the sound end of the then-new 11,000-foot rail siding at Wilcox, where you’ll find the “S.E. LACHAUSSEE” bungalow today.

On Monday of last week, I received a nice packet of additional information sent to me by Walker. This packet included a wide variety of historical information about railroads in our area, including documents prepared by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society. Not only did this information concern old railroads in Conecuh County, but also railroads in Monroe, Wilcox, Butler, Covington and Escambia counties.

During our talks on the phone, I told Walker that I remember railroad employees coming to our elementary school about once a year to talk with us about railroad safety. Walker said that he doesn’t think the railroads do this anymore, but that it would probably be a good idea. He said he was also pleased to hear that safety measures had been improved at King’s Crossing in Evergreen, which at one time was one of the deadliest crossings in America.

He noted that at most crossings now, you’ll find a small metal box that contains a telephone. If something goes wrong at one of these crossings – like a stalled vehicle or other emergency – all you have to do is pick up that phone and you’ll be directly connected with a dispatcher in Jacksonville. With a push of a few buttons, they can stop all trains headed towards that crossing.

In the end, I appreciate Mr. Walker taking the time to share this information with me and for going to the trouble of send me additional information by mail. He noted that he plans to donate some of his historical material to the library in Evergreen someday soon, and I look forward to meeting him in person. If anyone else in the reading audience has any additional information about railroads in Conecuh County they’d like to share, please let me know.

Wilcox County's Mathews Rangers served as special cavalry escorts during the Civil War

Major General Thomas C. Hindman

Tomorrow – Nov. 19 – marks 159 years since one of the most storied military units in Wilcox County history left home to take part in the War Between the States.

According to “Men of Wilcox: They Wore the Gray” by Ouida Starr Woodson, it was on Nov. 19 in 1861 that the Mathews Rangers departed by steamboat from Providence Landing in Wilcox County to enter military service in Mobile. The unit was formed earlier that month and had elected James Boykin to serve as the unit’s captain. After about three months of service at Mobile, Boykin resigned and was replaced by Capt. Augustine Tomlinson.

According to the unit’s official muster roll, other members of the unit included First Sgt. Fred Cooper, Second Sgt. G.R. Mason, Third Sgt. Wash Nettles and Fourth Sgt. John Finnegan. Privates on the roll included A.J. Bigger, Junious Cook, J.T. Dale, I.A. Felts, Josh Grace, Thorn Hickey, William Kennedy, Robert Longmire, Watson Miller, Ervin Newell, Pat O’Marrow, David Packer, A.E. Rivers, Josiah J. Stuart, William West, J.A. Young and others. No doubt many of their descendants still live in Wilcox County today.

As the war ramped up in February 1862, the unit was sent from Mobile to fight at Corinth, Mississippi. After squaring off against future U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant at the Battle of Shiloh two months later, the Mathew Rangers became Co. I of the 3^rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment. In addition to Wilcox County, other men in this regiment came from Monroe, Dallas, Autauga, Calhoun, Choctaw, Mobile and Perry counties.

As evidence of their prowess in the saddle, the men of Wilcox County in Co. I were assigned to serve as special escort for Major General Jones Mitchell Withers, who was later replaced by Major General Thomas C. Hindman after the Battle of Perryville in October 1862. For the next year and a half of the war, these cavalrymen from Wilcox County served as Hindman’s special escort, that is, until May 1864 when they requested to rejoin their old regiment, the war-ravaged 3^rd Alabama Cavalry.

As part of the Army of Tennessee, they took part in the Atlanta campaigns, the unsuccessful defense of Savannah, Georgia against Union General William T. Sherman and fighting at Aiken, Bentonville, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville and Raleigh in North Carolina. When the Army of Tennessee surrendered in April 1865, only a few members of the original Mathews Rangers remained alive. Among the dead was Capt. Augustine Tomlinson.

Like so many men during the Civil War, the 36-year-old Tomlinson was brought down not by bullets or cannonballs, but by sickness. Tomlinson became ill not long after the Mathews Rangers arrived in Corinth. He eventually died on June 2, 1862, and records reflect that he was buried in the historic Camden Cemetery.

Henry R. Gordon, who is also buried in the Camden Cemetery, was captain of Co. I when the unit officially surrendered in 1865. Gordon lived to the age of 48 before passing away in 1881. His grave bares the simple inscription of “God Is Love.”

In the end, if you’d like to read more about the Mathews Rangers and other Civil War units from Wilcox County, I highly recommend that you find a copy of Woodson’s “Men of Wilcox: They Wore the Gray.” Also let me hear from you if you have any additional information about the Mathews Rangers and their exploits. No doubt I have only scratched the surface of their wartime experiences, and it would be of value to fill in the gaps of the unit’s unique history.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 17, 2020

Dr. Barry Booth, left, speaks at monument.

EIGHT YEARS AGO
NOV. 15, 2012

Weather reporter Betty Ellis reported 0.12 inches of rain on Nov. 5. She reported a high of 77 degrees on Nov. 11 and a low of 35 on Nov. 8.

Veterans memorial true monument to Conecuh veterans: An estimated crowd of between 300 and 350 people were on hand Wednesday of last week for a special ceremony to dedicate the new Evergreen-Conecuh County Veterans Memorial in Evergreen.
The new memorial, which is located at the corner of Perryman Street and North Shipp Street, was built in memory of the county’s war dead and in honor of county veterans from all branches of the armed forces. Members of the Andrew G. Faulk Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 72, which serves Conecuh, Monroe and Escambia counties, spearheaded the memorial’s construction.
A host of local veterans and public officials participated in the dedication ceremony, including Dr. Barry Booth, a Vietnam veteran and the organizer of Honor Flight South Alabama.

A sizeable crowd was on hand Monday morning for an open house event at the newly opened Conecuh County Animal Shelter on Wild Avenue in Evergreen. Pictured at the open house, which marked the official opening of the facility, are County Commissioner Wendell Byrd, County Administrator Judy Covan, County Commissioner Leonard Millender, county animal control officers Terry Thomas Gray and Tess Windham and County Commissioner Jerold Dean.

33 YEARS AGO
NOV. 19, 1987

Weather reporter Earl Windham reported no rain between Nov. 10 and Nov. 16, 1987. He reported a high of 78 on Nov. 16 and a low of 29 on Nov. 13.

Groundbreaking new central high Tuesday morning: On Tues., Nov. 24, an official groundbreaking ceremony will be held for the New Central High School for Conecuh County.
On hand for the program will be State School Superintendent Dr. Wayne Teague and this district’s State School Board Member, Col. Willie Paul. Other state and local representatives will be present also. The program will start at 11 a.m. and begin at the Area Vocational Center and will culminate on the construction site.

Christmas Parade Saturday 2 p.m. – Evergreen’s Christmas parade will be held this Sat., Nov. 21, at 2 p.m.
This year’s parade promises to be one of the best yet with great prize money.
Spectators might want to be in town a little earlier than usual for the parade as there will be a special treat for the children. Mayor Pat Poole has kindly volunteered to fly to the North Pole and pick up Santa Claus and bring him to Evergreen by helicopter for the parade. They should fly over the downtown area around 1:30 p.m. Mayor Poole will land near City Hall for Santa to get off. The City police will drive him to the City School for the start of the parade.
The parade will once again take what has become known as the “Church’s Fried Chicken” route.

58 YEARS AGO
NOV. 22, 1962

In a surprise ceremony, John Jones of Troop 31 (St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Jersey City) has his Eagle Scout badge pinned on by his father while mother looks. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Jones, formerly of Evergreen and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Jones of Evergreen.

Panhandling Dog Collects $40: Conecuh County’s “panhandling dog” has been at it again. “Bobbie,” who picks up her tin cup and begs from customers at Claud Murphy’s Store, made her first report on collections for the United Fund this week. She turned in $40.
Last year, the cute little dog beggar collected over $60 for the UF, TB drive and cancer drive, giving her a total of over $100 collected for charity.
Mr. and Mrs. Murphy trained the pet to do her trick and she is so persuasive that hardly ever can a customer turn her down. She picks the cup up in her mouth and offers it to you, waiting patiently. When you drop in a coin or two, she will turn it over to Mrs. Murphy. If Mrs. Murphy is not there, she will let Claud handle the money.

Ryals To Greenland: Army Spec. Four Aubrey H. Ryals, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse T. Ryals, who live on Rt. 1, Repton, Ala., recently was assigned to the 5^th Artillery in Thule, Greenland.
The 21-year-old soldier is a 1959 graduate of Repton High School and attended Auburn University.
Spec. Ryals, a missileman in Battery D of the artillery’s 4^th Missile Battalion, entered the Army in August 1960, completed basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. and arrived overseas in October 1962.

83 YEARS AGO
NOV. 18, 1937

FULLY MATURED BANANAS GROWN IN CONECUH: A bunch of fully matured bananas was displayed here last week by Isaac Bradley, farmer living about five miles east of Evergreen. Isaac says that he has 14 trees at his place and that he had seven bunches of fruit to mature on these trees. He protected the trees from cold by wrapping them in sacks last winter and will do the same thing this winter.

Mr. and Mrs. R.G. Bozeman were weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Holt in Birmingham, where the former attended an executive meeting of the Alabama Press Association.

Boy Scout Bulletin: Our scout meeting last week opened with a tug of war, Emory Brassell and Raiford Key leading opposite sides. The former team emerged victorious.
The troop then got down to business, and the Patrol leveling off process took place. Ten Scouts were assigned to each of four patrols, totaling 40 scouts. James Tate was elected treasurer to succeed Knud Nielsen, who assumed the post of assistant. The meeting time was changed from 7:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. All Scouts please take note.
In the Troop Efficiency contest, the Golden Eagles strengthened their lead by 38 points, with a grand total of 4540 to lead the Beavers with 4293. The Silver Foxes with 3280 led the Pioneers with 3170. Deming Jones is Patrol leader of the Golden Eagles. The meeting was closed with the Scoutmaster’s benediction.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Nov. 17, 2020

EIGHT YEARS AGO
NOV. 15, 2012

Seven-year-old Jackson Sullivan, the son of Jeff and Rebekah Sullivan, bagged his first buck on the opening afternoon of the Alabama Youth Deer Season. Guided by his dad, Jackson brought down the eight-point buck with a New England youth model single shot .243 with a 3-9 variable scope. Jackson took his first doe on the opening day of the youth season last year.

Nared leads TU to SIAC title: Evergreen’s Justin Nared led the Tuskegee Golden Tigers in a 55-24 rout over Fort Valley State Saturday night in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title game in Atlanta.
Nared, a 6-1, 200-pound sophomore quarterback, scored two touchdowns in Saturday’s win as the Golden Tigers improved to 9-1 on the season. Nared scored Tuskegee’s first touchdown of the day on a 12-yard run.

Hillcrest High School’s varsity boys and girls basketball teams opened the 2012-2013 season with a pair of losses as they dropped games against Clarke County High School in the Clarke County Classic Tournament in Grove Hill.
(Players on Hillcrest’s boys team that season included Michael Bradley, Corey Cunningham, LaBarron Dees, Brandon Fair, Kyantrae Lewis, Matthew Likely, Kyante Maxwell, Will Nettles, Quentin North, Laquiention Prince, Keyshawn Roache, Christopher Salter, Raja Savage and Jaquan Straughn. Players on Hillcrest’s girls team included Deja Baker, Dezman Bradley, Rae’Jean Hammond, Jamika Holley, Briana Rudolph, Sierra Salter, Sequoya Stallworth and Shamiriam Thomas.)

33 YEARS AGO
NOV. 19, 1987

Katie Archer and Mandy Hutto, cheerleaders at Conecuh County High School in Castleberry, were among the over 4,000 girls who participated this past summer in the ICF Cheerleader Camp at Livingston University. They were two of the six girls selected to represent Alabama as National All Star Cheerleaders at the Hula Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii in January.

Marion beats Sparta 69-48: Marion Military Institute beat the Sparta Academy Warriors 69-48 in a varsity basketball game here Thursday night.
Brad Watts, Lee Wild and Ebb Hagen had 10 points each to pace Sparta. Kenny Bledsoe and Jeff Carrier had four points each; Chris Davis, three; and Bobby Johnson, Craig Blackburn and Toby Baggett, two each.
Marion’s junior varsity downed Sparta, 39-25. Steven Gall had 15 points to lead Sparta. Wayne Cook had four points, and Mark Watts, Neil Sanford and Jeff Brundage, two each, according to Sparta Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.

Repton High School’s Bulldogs outscored G.W. Long, 40-28, at Skipperville Friday night to continue their march toward a Class 1A championship. The Bulldogs, now 9-3, host New Site, 10-2, Friday night in the quarterfinals. The kickoff at Repton will probably be at 7 p.m. and an overflow crowd is expected to be on hand.

58 YEARS AGO
NOV. 22, 1962

Barbara Stinson, Miss Homecoming, and Brenda Ellis, Miss Football, were the reigning royalty at Evergreen High School during the annual homecoming held recently. Barbara was chosen by the student body and Brenda by the football team. Both are members of the senior class and both are cheerleaders.

Miss Gayle Ryland was crowned queen at homecoming festivities recently at Repton High School. She and her attendants were featured in a parade during the afternoon when the high school band also participated.

Kindig Is Chosen “Back of Week” – Butch Kindig of Graceville was recently chosen as “Back of the Week” by the Pensacola News Journal. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Kindig of Graceville and his father is a native of Evergreen.
Here is what the Pensacola newspaper had to say about young Kindig: “Kindig was picked for his work in leading the Graceville Tigers to a 19-6 triumph over Donalsonville, Ga.
“Though slight of build (5-10, 145 pounds), Kindig’s influence on the game was anything but slight.
“He ran the ball 15 times from scrimmage for 102 yards, scored one touchdown from four yards out after setting up with a 40-yard run and set up another on a 51-yard punt return.
“In nominating Kindig, Graceville Coach Homer Underwood wrote, ‘He sparked both touchdown drives in the last quarter after Donalsonville had tied the score, 6-6, in the third period.’
“Kindig contributed to the victory defensively, too, intercepting two passes. He returned one of them 26 yards.”

83 YEARS AGO
NOV. 18, 1937

Mr. and Mrs. William McGehee were weekend visitors to Birmingham, where they attended the Alabama-Georgia Tech game.

Miss Dorothy Kelly, student at the University of Alabama, was here during the weekend, accompanying her parents, Sen. and Mrs. J.L. Kelly home from Birmingham, where they attended the Alabama-Tech game.

Eleanor Jones and Frances Scott Key were weekend visitors to Birmingham, where they were among the spectators at the Alabama-Tech game.

GAME COMING BACK: Several species of wildlife that were on the downgrade in Alabama a few years ago are coming back satisfactorily, according to records of the Conservation Department. Outstanding are the wild turkey and white-tail deer, both of which are now more numerous than 25 years ago. Wild turkeys appear in 66 out of the 67 counties; in more than 20 counties the deer population is heavy. A deer survey in 1934 indicated this fine animal was in 42 counties. The beaver, on the decrease up until a few years ago, is now found in 23 counties, with some of the counties having one to a dozen colonies. A survey of Bob White quail, now being conducted, shows encouraging results. Out of 34 counties reporting, quail have been observed in 31 counties; and in 156 coveys seen in a 10-day period, the average covey had 14 birds. A preliminary survey of Alabama’s wild ducks also indicates an increase this year, both as to migratory flocks stopping off, and the nesting flocks.

Two UFO reports filed in Alabama during the month of October 2020

It’s the second Thursday of the month, so this week I’m giving you an update on UFO reports in Alabama from the previous month, courtesy of the Mutual UFO Network. A search for UFO reports in Alabama between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31 on MUFON’s website, www.mufon.com, resulted in two reports from within our state during that time.

The first incident occurred on Tues., Oct. 6, at 7:30 a.m. in Florence, which is in Lauderdale County in the northwest corner of the state near Alabama’s borders with Tennessee and Mississippi. The witness in this case runs the YouTube channel, Terry’s Theories UFO Sightings (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPEOm9TEq05rnECm78fhMg), and used a Nikon P1000 camera to record a suspected UFO. This witness had a 3,000-mm zoom lens attached to his camera and was focused on the sun, looking for UFOs to put on his YouTube channel.

When he reviewed the footage, he saw that he recorded what looked like a diamond-shaped craft near the sun. “You can see when you view this object that the flow of the asteroids are going one way, and this object is traveling at a different speed and direction,” the witness said. “I was amazed when I saw this.”

If you’d like to see this video for yourself, just go to YouTube and look up Terry’s Theories UFO Sightings.

The second incident occurred on Sat., Oct. 17, at 7:25 p.m. in Troy, which is in Pike County, northeast of Conecuh County. The witness in this case reported seeing a tightly-packed cluster of 50 to 100 dimly lit objects flying southeast on a steady course and speed in a V-shaped formation. The witness said that the objects may have been illuminated by the rays of the setting sun.

The witness went on to say that this cluster of unknown objects crossed the entire sky in about two minutes. The witness said that this cluster was about twice as wide as the moon and appeared to be at a very high altitude. He noted that the cluster was too dim to record video of it on his cell phone.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, except for Mercury in the predawn east, all of the planets will fade a bit during the month of November. Venus will sink lower each morning, but is still visible before dawn. The crescent moon will be visible between Mercury and Venus tomorrow (Friday) night and below those two planets on Saturday night.

For those of you with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon, Venus will be visible above Mercury through next Wednesday, about 40 minutes before sunrise. When evening dusk fades, Jupiter continues its steady march towards Saturn, with the pair now visible only in the first few hours of each night. The moon floats new Jupiter and Saturn this coming Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 18-19.

Before closing out this week, I just want to put it out there again that I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has witnessed a UFO, especially in Conecuh County. I think a lot of other people would be interested in hearing your story too, and I’m willing to accept your report anonymously. You can contact me by e-mail at courantnewsdesk@gmail.com.

Casey Grant remains in first place in local ESPN football pick 'em contest

Sparta Academy’s varsity football team will compete in the semifinal round of the Class A state playoffs tomorrow (Friday) night when they travel to Cougar Stadium in Luverne to face Crenshaw Christian. The Warriors advanced to the semifinals by beating Lowndes Academy last Friday night in Evergreen. Both of these games are historically significant.

Friday night’s win over Lowndes marked the first time that the Warriors have won a first-round playoff game since 1997. The 1997 season was the last time that the Warriors appeared in the semifinals. Interestingly, in 1997, Sparta also won in the semifinals and went on to face Crenshaw in the state championship game. Crenshaw beat Sparta, 45-15, in the state title game in 1997, so in my book it’s time for a little payback.

In addition to the 1997 season, Sparta has appeared in the semifinals on three other occasions: 1988, 1991 and 1996. Sparta advanced to the state title game in 1991 and 1998. In other words, Sparta is 3-1 all-time in semifinal round games, that is to say that when Sparta makes it to the semifinals, they usually win, which is what I look for them to do this coming Friday night.

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The seventh week of our local ESPN College Football Pick ‘Em contest closed out on Saturday and when the last game wrapped up on Saturday night we had another shake-up in the local standings.

Casey Grant remained in first place, and Justin Mixon moved into sole possession of second place. Steve Stacey, John Johnston, Robert Bozeman and I were tied for third place. Austin Weaver and Arthur Ingram III were tied for seventh place. Tristan McPhaul and Clint Hyde were tied for ninth place, and Brett Loftin was in 11^th place.

If you’re taking part in this local contest and didn’t do so well this past weekend, don’t sweat it. We have four more weeks left to go and much will change during the course of the next month. Like I always say, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

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The seventh weekend of the SEC football season also closed out on Saturday, and college football fans enjoyed four conference games, even though Alabama and Auburn had the weekend off. This week, we’ve only got seven SEC games lined up for this Saturday: Alabama at LSU, Auburn at Mississippi State, Vanderbilt at Kentucky, Georgia at Missouri, Texas A&M at Tennessee, Arkansas at Florida and South Carolina at Ole Miss.

For what it’s worth, here are my predictions for that slate of games. I like Alabama over LSU, Auburn over MSU, Kentucky over Vandy, Georgia over Missouri, Texas A&M over Tennessee, Florida over Arkansas and Ole Miss over South Carolina. (Last week: 2-2. So far this season: 25-12)

The Alabama-LSU game is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast by CBS. The Auburn-Mississippi State game is set for 3 p.m. and will be shown on the SEC Network. There were rumblings late Monday afternoon, when this column was written, that both of these games could possibly be postponed due to the Coronavirus. Let’s hope not.

Wilcox County's Arlington community grew up around old Mobile & B'ham Railroad station

The old Arlington Mercantile store.

Last Friday afternoon, I found myself out riding around in western Wilcox County, doing a little exploring and enjoying the sunny weather. My travels took me north up State Highway 5 through Pine Hill and points beyond. Between Kimbrough and Lamison, I came to the County Road 32 crossroads, where I turned west towards the Arlington community.

Those of you familiar with Arlington will know that it’s one of the most unique communities in all of Wilcox County. According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, the community grew up around a Mobile & Birmingham Railroad station. A post office was established there in 1887, and the community was named for the Virginia home of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate army during the War Between the States.

Some of you may remember that back in September I wrote about an old Masonic lodge that was once located at Arlington. That lodge was originally located in the Clifton community but was moved to Arlington in 1893, when it changed its name to Arlington Lodge No. 272. That lodge closed in 1903 and on Friday I wanted to see if anything remained of the old lodge building.

On my way down County Road 32, I pulled over at the Arlington United Methodist Church, a church that I’ve heard much about over the years but had never seen in person. Sources say that this beautiful old church was built in 1887 by George Lynch, who owned a lumber mill at Kimbrough. The church’s belfry, Sunday school rooms, fellowship hall and stained-glass windows were added at various different times over the years.

While there, I spent a few minutes exploring the cemetery located adjacent to the church. Just eye-balling it, I’d say this cemetery contains between 150 and 200 graves. The oldest grave that I saw belonged to Mary Ellen Rikard Nettles, who died at the age of 29 in 1879.

I eventually got back in my truck and continued deeper into Arlington. Not far down the road, I pulled into the parking lot of the community’s post office, which traces its roots to 1887. I actually had a bill to mail, so I killed two birds with one stone by going inside and dropping it down the outgoing mail shoot.

A little farther down the road, I came to the T-junction where County Road 11 runs into County Road 32. Most maps show this as being “downtown” Arlington, so I pulled over for a closer look at the old buildings in this area. One building in particular stood out – the old Arlington Mercantile store – which still bears a rusty, old sign advertising “Cold Beverages-Snacks-Groceries.” This old store appears to have been closed for some time, so one is left to wonder just how long it’s been out of operation.

My map showed that if I continued west on County Road 32, I would enter Marengo County just a few miles down the road. With that in mind, I turned around and headed east back towards State Highway 5. On my way out of Arlington, I took my time and tried to imagine what this bustling railroad town must have looked like in its heyday.

In the end, I was unable to find the old Masonic lodge building, so chances are it was torn down years ago. If anyone in the reading audience knows where it was located, please let me know. Someone in the reading audience may even have a photo of the old lodge.

Also, let me hear from you if you know anything more about the history of the Arlington community. I’m especially interested in any old ghost stories, local legends and Indian lore from this area. Please pass along what you know, so that we can document this information for the generations to come.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Nov. 10, 2020

Sparta students lay wreath at Veterans monument.

SIX YEARS AGO
NOV. 14, 2014

Weather reporter Betty Ellis reported 0.01 inches of rain on Nov. 6. She reported a high of 76 on Nov. 5 and a low of 37 on Nov. 9.

The Conecuh County Board of Education approved the retirement of one of the school system’s longest tenured employees last week when they voted to accept the retirement of Repton Junior High School principal, John Ward.
During a board meeting last Thursday afternoon at the Conecuh County Resource Center in Evergreen, Ward described his 44 years in public education as a “long ride, a good ride.”
Ward’s retirement will officially begin on Dec. 1.

Sparta Academy’s Ambassadors placed a memorial wreath at the Conecuh County Veterans Monument Tuesday afternoon in honor of Veterans Day. Pictured at the wreath laying are Ambassadors Sponsor Alicia Williams, Brooke House, Emily Rodgers, Charlie Conway, Taylor Chavers, Noah Pettis, Liz Skipper, Jayden McKeough, Sparta Headmaster Wayne Hammonds and Alex Etheridge. Not pictured is Stone Riley. The wreath was donated by Cherrie’s Blossoms & Blooms in Evergreen.

The Conecuh County Branch NAACP will host its 38^th Annual Freedom Fund dinner on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, according to NAACP President Adam J. Boykin.

31 YEARS AGO
NOV. 9, 1989

Weather reporter Harris Ellis reported highs of 76 on Oct. 30 and Nov. 5 and lows of 34 on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4. Total rainfall for the month of October 1989 was 1.49 inches.

Sgt. Hall retires from State Troopers: Sgt. Thomas W. (Tom) Hall of Skinnerton Road, Evergreen, ended a long career with the Alabama State Troopers when he retired Oct. 1. Sgt. Hall, who was Post Commander at Grove Hill when he retired, had over 25 years service with the Troopers.
A native of Atmore, Sgt. Hall joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1957 after graduating from Escambia County High School in Atmore and served until 1960.
Sgt. Hall joined the State Troopers in July 1964 and his first assignment was in Demopolis. He was assigned to the Evergreen Post in 1965 and served here until 1970 when he was promoted to corporal and transferred to Abbeville.
Sgt. Hall returned to Evergreen in 1971 and served as assistant post commander until 1979 when he was promoted to sergeant and transferred to Grove Hill as post commander. He served as commander of the Grove Hill Post for 10 years until his retirement, but maintained his home in Evergreen.

Gov. Guy Hunt spoke briefly here Friday morning at the historic L&N Depot. Gov. Hunt came to a announce a grant of $32,253 to the Conecuh-Monroe Community Action Agency to weatherize 12 homes in Conecuh and 13 in Monroe to prepare for severe weather. The governor also presented a grant of $1,000 to the Conecuh Heritage Festival Committee of the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce to help fund Heritage Day.

56 YEARS AGO
NOV. 12, 1964

Hyde is named platoon leader: Cadet 2^nd Lt. David Hyde Jr., son of Mr. D.T. Hyde of 101 South Main St., Evergreen, was appointed Platoon Leader in Co. A by Col. John W. Paddock, Professor of Military Science at the University of Alabama’s Army ROTC Cadet Brigade. The Brigade has a strength of over 1,000 cadets.
Cadet Hyde is a major in Law.
In addition to his activities in the Cadet Brigade, Cadet Hyde was a member of the ROTC Rifle Team 1962-64.
Cadet Hyde is a graduate of Evergreen High School, Evergreen. Upon graduation, he will receive a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army.

Final rites held for Shelton Dunn: James Shelton Dunn, age 61, prominent Evergreen businessman, died unexpectedly at his home on Bruner Avenue Sunday afternoon, Nov. 8. He was widely known throughout this area.
Mr. Dunn was a native of Grove Hill, but had resided in this city for many years. He was a pharmacist and had owned and operated the Conecuh Drug Co. for many years. He also had other business interests and was a director of The Conecuh County Bank.

John Emmett Worlund, former teacher and postal employee in Conecuh County, died at his home near Huntsville on Nov. 6. He was born at Pollard and was a graduate of Graceland College, a veteran of World War I and retired as manager of Alabama Employment Service in Madison County after 20 years service.

81 YEARS AGO
NOV. 9, 1939

Wilkerson Billed 1^st Degree Murder: Alvin Wilkerson, young white man of Lenox community, was indicted by the grand jury this week on a charge of first-degree murder. Wilkerson is accused of killing his mother-in-law, Mrs. Josephine Zellers, the killing having taken place several months ago. The case has been set for trial Friday of next week.

The Boy Scouts of Troop 40 met Monday night for their regular weekly meeting. After playing games, all boys gave the “Scout Oath.” A period for passing tests was given in order that scouts could try to advance in rank. All boys are urged to pay their monthly dues on time. The “Court of Review” was postponed until our next meeting. The meeting was closed with “Taps.”

Store Entered By Burglar Sat. Night: An unknown burglar or burglars broke into the store of Cannon Clothing Co. late Saturday night or early Sunday morning and stole a quantity of merchandise and cash estimated at from eight to 10 dollars. The burglar entered by prying off the lock of the front door. The cash register was broken open and damaged badly.
A portion of the merchandise was recovered late Sunday afternoon. Limus Stallworth, operator of a café, discovered the clothing under the porch floor at his café and reported it to the officers. It is thought by officers that the burglar hid the clothing there, expecting to return and get it later after things quieted down.

Arkadelphia community traces its roots to before the Civil War

Arkadelphia Baptist Church in Conecuh County.

Last Thursday morning on a wild hair, I struck off west down Rural Street with an eye towards seeing what kind of damage had been left behind by Hurricane Zeta. I went through the Wild Avenue intersection and eventually crossed Murder Creek on my way out of town. Somewhere in this area – I’m not exactly sure where – Rural Street turns into the Loree Road.

A little over seven miles from downtown Evergreen, I found myself in the old Arkadelphia community, where I pulled over in front of the Arkadelphia Baptist Church. It was cloudy and threatening rain, but I got out anyway for a closer look at this stately old church. I’d passed by this church on the Loree Road many times, but as far as I can remember, I’d never set foot on the ground here before.

I spent a minute or two looking for an old cornerstone that might say more about the building’s history, but finding none, I eventually headed back to my truck. In passing, I noticed the modern sign out by the road. “Do You Spend Your Time With God’s Book Or Facebook?” it asked in big black plastic letters.

The sign also noted that the church was established in 1845, which likely makes this church one of the oldest in the county. It says a lot about the people of this small community that they have kept this small church going since before the Civil War. In 25 years, this church will turn 100 years old. I wonder if I will be around to see it?

I eventually left the church and drove the short distance back down the Loree Road to the old Arkadelphia Cemetery. I got out on this day after the hurricane and could hear the sound of a generator running at a house somewhere nearby. A few seconds later, I stepped inside the chain-link gate and spent a few minutes walking among the headstones.

Just eyeballing it, I’d say this spacious cemetery contains between 250 and 300 graves. This cemetery contains many old graves, but the oldest that I saw belonged to Luvicey Kyser, who died at the age of 26 in 1863. According to her headstone, she was born in 1836 and was the wife of W.M. Kyser.

I could not help but wonder if Luvicey was the wife of the William Kyser, who is buried at the Belleville Baptist Church. He was born in 1831 and was somewhat of a famous solider. During the Civil War, he served as First Sergeant of Co. F, 23^rd Battery, of the Alabama Sharpshooters. He died an old man in 1911.

After a while, I left the cemetery, shut the gate behind me and climbed back in my truck. The old Arkadelphia community seemed to have weathered Hurricane Zeta fairly well, no doubt much like she has weathered many storms in the past. Thankfully, the old church there suffered no apparent damage, almost as if a hand of protection had watched over it during the storm.

In the end, as I made my way back to Evergreen, I could not help but wonder about all of the people who once called Arkadelphia home. No doubt many of their descendants still live in Conecuh County today. If you happen to know more about the history of this area, please let me hear from you. I’m especially interested in any old ghost stories, local legends or Indian lore about this area, so if you know of anything along these lines, please let me know.

Family believes something strange lives near their home at Millers Ferry

Tina Young and her family believe that something strange lives in the woods near their home at Millers Ferry.

Tina and her husband, Steve, have lived near the end of Beach Road, northeast of the Millers Ferry Campground, for the past eight years. Their home is located a stone’s throw from the Alabama River, in “a quaint area surrounded by woods and at the back end of a slough,” Tina said. Over the years, they’ve had encounters with all sorts of wildlife, including deer, alligators and wildcats.

They’ve also heard sounds that they cannot explain. “We have something strange here in our woods,” Tina said. “We hear lots of animal sounds from gators to wildcats. We also hear some sounds from something else.”

Starting about six years ago, they began hearing a wide variety of screams, growls, whoops, loud moans, groans and “wood knocks,” she said. On one occasion, late one evening about six years ago, they heard something knocking on a tree in the woods across the slough. When Tina’s nine-year-old niece knocked in response, whatever it was in the woods amazingly replied with more knocks, Tina said.

Over time, this strange activity has increased. Earlier this year, in March, Tina’s 31-year-old son, who works out of town, was home on a break. Late that night, he was awoken by the sound of something hitting the side of their home. The son woke his parents and told them what happened, and they decided at the time that it was probably not a good idea to go outside to investigate.

About two months ago, Tina’s mother was spending the night at their residence and reported hearing a loud sound outside her bedroom window. The family’s truck was parked outside the mother’s bedroom window, and she said the noise sounded like a heavy piece of metal being thrown into the back of the truck and making a screeching sound as if being dragged across the truck bed.

About a month ago, Tina and Steve arrived home around 8:30 p.m. and as they stepped out of their truck, they heard a strange scream. “We both just looked at each other like ‘Wow! Did you hear that?’,” Tina said. On two other occasions, something inexplicably slapped the side of their house while they were inside watching television at night, she said.

Over time, they have also found “tree breaks” in the woods that line their driveway. Are these “tree breaks” the sign of something strange living in the area, possibly marking its territory? Is something out there breaking tree limbs as a sign of aggression?

Tina’s husband and son are both hunters, and the family believes that, while they have never actually seen what’s out there, they feel that more than one lives in the woods near their home. Tina noted that they have cats and a small dog named “Lulu,” and when all of this unusual activity takes place, their pets will hide and remain silent.

Tina also noted that they’ve never found any unusual tracks or clumps of hair on their property. She also said that they don’t have any game cameras around their house, so they’ve never caught anything strange on camera. However, during these periods of unusual activity, they have detected a “nasty smell that comes and goes,” and that the strange odor reminds her of garbage or something similar.

With all of that said, Tina said that she and her family have never felt threatened by the unknown creature or creatures. She said that she has never felt like she was in any danger, but that she does get the creeps sometimes when she walks outside to her car in the dark.

In the end, I’d like to hear from any readers, especially experienced outdoorsmen, who might know what type of animal could be causing this strange activity near Millers Ferry. Also, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience who has seen or heard anything unusual around their homes or in the woods of Wilcox County. More than likely, the Youngs aren’t the only people who have seen or heard something they can’t explain.