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

1949 Ford Custom Four Door Sedan

EIGHT YEARS AGO
SEPT. 25, 2014

Locals honored in Tuscaloosa: Monroeville residents and University of Alabama graduates George Thomas Jones, K.J. Lazenby and Barbara McMillan were all featured during the Alabama-Southern Miss game Sept. 13 in Tuscaloosa. Jones, 91, a WWII veteran, was honored for his service in the Armed Forces. Lazenby and fellow members of the 1964 NCAA national championship football team were recognized for the team’s 50^th anniversary and McMillan, a former member of UA’s Million Dollar Band, participated in the band’s performance.

BHS BULLDOGS 4-0! In J.U. Blacksher’s 26-24 win Friday night in Chickasaw, the Bulldogs and Chieftains combined for 772 total yards, 122 plays, 50 points and 33 first downs.
(Blacksher head coach Wes) Sims noted that quarterback Andrew Redditt had one of his better games and running backs Hunter Turberville and James Smith both played well as did the offensive line.
Redditt completed eight of 12 passes for 163 yards with Travouris Hill catching four balls for 96 yards.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Colton Allen, Desmond Dean, Tyler Dean, Tristan Lett, Colton Smith, Justin Smith and Dalton Tolbert.)

Miller crowned MCHS queen: Monroe County High School senior Kylaria Miller was crowned 2014 Homecoming Queen during halftime ceremonies Friday night in Monroeville. She is the daughter of Kathy Crimpton and was escorted by her stepfather De’Ron Watkins.

34 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 28, 1989

McKinley Grocery sold to McKissick: Joe McKissick of Frisco City is the new owner of McKinley’s Grocery on County Road 17 near Claiborne Lock & Dam.
Wayne McKinley of Finchburg owned the 1,700-square-foot store five years. Before building this larger store, McKinley ran a smaller on in the area 15 years.
McKissick was the longtime owner of the former McKissick’s Grocery Store in Frisco City.

Fourth quarter safety brings Excel 8-6 victory: Senior defensive end Brady Johnson tackled McKenzie punter Robert Shufford in the end zone to record a safety, propelling second-ranked Excel High School to an 8-6 victory over third-ranked McKenzie High Friday in McKenzie.
The score was knotted at 6-6 and 7:50 was left in the fourth quarter when McKenzie’s center snapped the ball over the head of Shufford, standing near the 20-yard line.
“Our kids never quit,” said Excel head coach Bo Bishop. “That was the difference in winning and losing.”
(Other top Excel players in that game included Tracey Kelley, Brian Manning, Tony Maye, Heath Nall, Mack Ross and Kevin White.)

Co-op mill destroyed in blaze: The Frisco City Farmer’s Cooperative Market feed mill was destroyed by fire early Friday morning, according to Frisco City Fire Chief Larry Pugh. Eleven Frisco City firemen and two trucks along with six Mexia firemen and a truck fought the fire for a total of seven hours, said Pugh. Night watchman Amos Cross spotted the first about 4:30 a.m., but the cause is unknown. When firemen arrived, the building was engulfed in flames, said Pugh.

58 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 24, 1964

New Lime Plant Operations Announced: Corporation papers for the forming of a lime chalk mining company were filed in probate court last Friday.
Formed as the Claiborne Lime Co., Inc., the $70,000 corporation will produce agricultural lime.
Officers are William L. Wells of Prattville, president; Ernest T. Lance, Prattville, vice president; W.P. Loftin of Claiborne, secretary-treasurer; and W.E. Deer, Claiborne, and W.H. Hagler Jr., Montgomery, directors.

Whippets Even Record With Win Over Excel: The Frisco City Whippets evened its record at 1 and 1 Friday night with an 18-6 win over the Excel Panthers, whose record stands at 1-1.
(Top Frisco City players in that game included Hubert Broughton, Larry Eddins, Mike Johns, Larry Jones, Jack Kelly, Jim Kelly, Johnny King, Bill Wiggins. Top Excel players included Charles Godwin, John Stokes and Wayne Wright.)

VOLUNTEER POLICE FORCE: Monroeville’s volunteer police force, which was organized about the first of June for emergencies and other police duty, will assist the local police force with traffic at all Monroeville High School’s home football games, according to Police Chief O.D. Godwin. Some of the members of the force are A.B. Brown, John Shannon, Luther Napp, Raymond Matchett, Alvin Kilpatrick, L.G. Wiggins, Jim Brown (member of the regular force), Charles Cox, Jesse York, David Salter, Glenn Gladwell, Ivan Wiggins, Jim Andrews, Robert Lee and John B. Carter, another member of the regular force.

83 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 28, 1939

Mr. B.H. Bailey Bitten By Snake: Mr. Brutus H. Bailey of Franklin is suffering from a snake bite, inflicted last Thursday just before noon. Mr. Bailey, in the company of several other men, was surveying a piece of land near Franklin when the snake struck him. It is not known exactly what kind of snake bit him, as none of the men saw it, but it is supposed to have been a rattlesnake or a rattlesnake’s pilot. He was rushed to Monroeville to a doctor, where he was given treatment.

Mrs. Eugene Lazenby recently underwent an appendicitis operation at Carter’s Hospital in Repton. Her friends are glad to know she is recovering nicely.

W.M. Mullins New Water Service Manager: Mr. W.M. Mullins, formerly of Wetumpka, recently came to Monroeville to accept the position of manager of the local Alabama Water Service Co. This position was made vacant by the resignation of Frank Sheffield, who had served as manager for almost a year. The citizens of Monroeville are glad to welcome Mr. Mullins and his family as residents of the town.

New Ford To Be Shown Here Oct. 6: B.L. Chambers, K.J. Lazenby, Dayton Russell and Charles Cole returned from Atlanta yesterday, where they attended a meeting of Ford Dealers and Salesmen in the Atlanta territory. At this meeting, the new Ford, Mercury and other 1940 models produced by the Ford Motor Co. were show. The Chambers-Lazenby Motor Co. will have the 1949 Ford on display at their show room on Friday, Oct. 6.

108 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 24, 1914

To Confederate Veterans: If you were in the army with my husband, John A. Simmons or know anyone who was in the same company or regiment that he was in, please write to me. Mrs. Amanda Simmons, Valley Mills, Texas.

WILCOX MINERAL SPRINGS, Schuster, Alabama: Opened for the Summer Season May 19: The hotel will be supplied with the best food the market will afford. The waters of the springs are splendid and healthful, and are especially adapted for stomach, bladder and kidney troubles. There is fine bathing and boating on the lake. Rates very moderate for families or parties. Any baseball team desiring to play will be furnished with a competing team by proprietor. For further information, address JOHN H. McWILLIAMS, Proprietor of Wilcox Mineral Springs and Hotel, P.O. McWILLIAMS, ALA.

Judge I.B. Slaughter, Judge W.G. McCorvey, Mr. F.W. Hare and perhaps others attended the cotton conference in Montgomery Tuesday.

The electric light plant is making excellent progress, according to the manager. The poles are being raised for lines enclosing the public square and the electrical machinery has been shipped and will arrive this week. This plant was formerly used at the Marion Institute and is of 400 light capacity, sufficient to supply the needs of Monroeville until water power can be developed in this vicinity.

There were 1,094 bales of cotton ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1914 prior to Sept. 1, 1914, compared with 1,532 bales ginned prior to Sept. 1, 1913. S.D. Nettles, Special Agent.