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

USS Mazama (AE-9)

31 YEARS AGO
JUNE 20, 1991

Board rehires school principals: Several personnel decisions were made when the Monroe County Board of Education met last Thursday, and all principals were rehired for the 1991-92 school year.
Principals rehired are Leon Stallworth, Beatrice Elementary School; William Andrews, J.F. Shields High School; W.B. Williams, Monroe Senior High School; Clayton Hale, Monroeville Elementary School; Darnell Payne, Monroeville Middle School; Jimmy Dale Lambert, Monroeville Junior High School; John Burton, Monroe County High School; John Ross, Excel School; William Royster, Frisco City Elementary School; Vance McCrory, Frisco City High School; Bennie Rhodes, J.U. Blacksher School; and Al Brown, who heads the Area Vocational Center.

Melvin Pete Jr. to coach football at J.F. Shields: Melvin Pete Jr. has been hired by the Monroe County Board of Education to coach football and teach physical education at J.F. Shields High School this fall.
Pete, who is replacing Herbert Blackmon as the Panthers’ head football coach, spent last year as an assistant football coach and B-team basketball coach at Georgiana High School in Georgiana.
Pete was selected after several applicants had been screened by Shields’ principal W.F. Andrews.

A grand opening for The Old Courthouse Gift Shoppe in the Old Monroe County Courthouse will be held June 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to Kathy Painter, Heritage Museum director. The shop is located next door to the Heritage Museum. Monroe County Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs will cut the ribbon at 9:15 a.m.

56 YEARS AGO
JUNE 16, 1966

First Cotton Bloom Is Found Thursday: T.L. Brown of Mexia had the first cotton bloom in the county with Clyde Blanton of Frisco City Route a close second.
Mr. Brown found the bloom last Thursday in his 10-acre field and said it should be ready for picking about the last of July or the first of August.
The blooms found by Mr. Brown and Mr. Blanton were beautiful blooms to the farmers’ delight.

UC Coach Praises Joe Cardwell’s Play: Coach A.C. “Scrappy” Moore, head coach of the University of Chattanooga Moccasins, has tagged Joe Cardwell of Uriah as one of the best young running backs to come to UC in many years.
Cardwell, a 1965 graduate of J.U. Blacksher, is a fullback with the Moccasins and is expected to see plenty of action with the Tennessee school this fall. The Uriah lad was one of the leading rushers in the University’s annual intra-squad game following the close of spring training.

Uriah Man Heads Ammunition Ship: Capt. Glenn E. Lambert, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Lambert of Uriah, is serving as commanding officer of the USS Mazama, which is a unit of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
The Mazama is an ammunition ship and is responsible for replenishing depleted supplies of ammunition for the other units of the Seventh Fleet, which are participating in the Vietnam War. The Mazama is operating in the South China Sea.

81 YEARS AGO
JUNE 19, 1941

Frisco Bank Robber Caught in Texas: Federal agents arrested Orby Truman Cannon, 45-year-old ex-convict, who served time in Alabama and Texas, on Monday, according to reports received by Federal agents in Mobile on Tuesday. He has been identified by J.A. Hayles, cashier of the Frisco City Bank, who held him up at the point of a gun on May 12 and made his escape with $13,239 in cash. Cannon was arrested in Austin, Texas and is now held in custody of Texas State Police at San Antonio.

George T. Jones Wins Tournament: George Thomas Jones was winner of the top flight in the invitation tournament held by the Monroeville Club last Thursday.
The first rain in about two months started falling early in the morning and held the number qualifying down to three flights. All players were served a delicious plate lunch at the Home Café.

FINE HOGS KILLED BY EATING COCKLEBURS: Mr. Tom Perry, who is farming on the J.F. Dusenbury place, west of Frisco City, reported Tuesday that out of a herd of 50 hogs he had lost 18 fine ones on Monday afternoon and after examining some of the carcasses it was found that the hogs died from eating cockleburs.
Many farmers have never heard of such a thing, and it is said to be rare for the reason that hogs are kept out of cultivated areas at this season of the year.
Mr. Perry allowed his hogs to run in the fields, which he planned to plant a late crop and after the showers last week, cockleburs started sprouting. The hogs ate these sprouts and the old bur with them, and the bur was the things that caused all the trouble. Examination showed that the intestines in these hogs were badly lacerated and hard mats of burs were also found.

131 YEARS AGO
JUNE 11, 1891

COTTON BLOOM – The first cotton bloom of the season was sent to The Journal on the 8^th inst. by Mr. Wesley Ballard, living near Monroeville. Mr. Ballard is one of our most energetic and successful farmers and if this is an index to his entire crop, he stands a good chance to enjoy the distinction of marketing the first bale.

OFF TO THE ENCAMPMENT: The Monroeville detachment of the Monroe County Corps left Tuesday for Claiborne, where it was met by the other members of the company to take the boat for the Encampment at Mobile. The company was accompanied by its Sponsor, Maids of Honor, and a number of young lady friends, whose sunny presence will lend encouragement and inspiration to the boys.

The cornerstone of Monroe Lodge No. 485 will be laid June 24 with usual ceremonies, also public installation of officers. Sister lodges invited. – W.J. McCants, Worshipful Master; C.C. Nettles, Secretary.

DIED – At the home of his father near Monroeville, on Sat., June 6, Willie, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Faulk, after a brief illness. He was buried at the Baptist church Sunday afternoon with Alliance honors.

STRAY HORSE: There is at my place near Kempville, Ala., a stray small iron grey mustang horse. The owner can get same by proving property. – R.B. Dennis.

ICE CREAM SUPPER – We are requested to announce that the Ladies’ Aid Society of the Baptist church will give an ice cream supper at the courthouse on Friday evening, July 3, 1891 at 8 p.m. Everybody should attend.

157 YEARS AGO
JUNE 15, 1867

CLOSE OF VOLUME FIRST: The readers of The Journal will note the important epoch in the history of Journalism, the end of the first volume.
To the editor, it is matter of interesting reflection. He is thus enabled to sum up both the income and the expenses, and his balance sheet shows how the profit and loss compare.
But this is not all. He is enabled to review the past and profit by his experience. He remembers what subject matter, both original and selected, he has for 52 weeks laid before his readers, and it is a source of some satisfaction that they too are equally acquainted with the same.

Our subscribers who find the cross mark (x) on the margin opposite their names will understand by it that their term of subscription has expired.

TIN SHOP – J.M. MERRY has opened a Tin Shop at his old stand (next door above Agee & Co.’s store) where he is now prepared to do everything in that line of business, better and cheaper, than it can be bought elsewhere, for cash.

UPPER LANDING – I have completed my warehouse and am now receiving and shipping cotton at 50 cents per bale. – T.J. Stephens.

BEEF AND MUTTON! I am now prepared to furnish the citizens of Claiborne and vicinity with fresh beef and mutton on short notice. POSITIVELY no beef or mutton delivered without the CASH. – J. Goldsmith.