100-year-old news headlines from 1922 editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era in Camden, Alabama

Today marks the first Thursday of the month, so it’s time to take another trip back down memory lane for a look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in October 1922.

In the Oct. 5, 1922 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that the “Camden friends of Matthews Hardware Co. all turned out at their formal opening Tuesday. The store is a beauty and the town is justly proud of it. Misses Louise Matthews and Banks were seated at the door and presented each visitor with a card, which they were to sign and deposit in a sealed box. After the visitors viewed the up-to-date store, well stocked, Mr. Matthews had his daughter, Bessie, open the box and take out a card, the name on it being Miss Maida Smith, who was presented with an oil stove.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was reported that “Spencer Springer was called to Tuscaloosa Thursday to see his youngest brother who was badly hurt in his saw mill at Gordo. A log in some way rolled over him, causing paralysis in the lower part of the body.”

On the front page of the Oct. 12, 1922 edition, readers saw the following item reprinted out of The Mobile Register – “Albert Daniel Bloch, native of Alabama and prominent in fraternal circles, died Tuesday afternoon at the family residence, 725 Government St., following a short illness. Mr. Bloch was a native of Camden, Wilcox County, and was educated in the public schools of Camden. He moved to Selma in 1884 and engaged in the furniture business and in 1895 he moved his business to Mobile. He was in active management of his business until his illness about one week before his death.”

Readers that week also learned that “Mr. C.A. Skinner, Camden agent for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, says there has been shipped from this depot in September over 1,000 bales of cotton. There is now ready for shipment from this location 1,000 cars of lumber. Incoming freights are very good and passenger traffic is improving.”

In the Oct. 19, 1922 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that the “football team is feeling elated over their victory Friday. They played the team of Excel, Monroe County. The only touchdowns made were by two of the Camden team, Robert Riggs and Sam Jones. The score was 13-0.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Congressman John McDuffie addressed the citizens of Camden last Thursday night at the Court House in favor of the Port Amendment. He convinced many of the benefits to be gained by voting this amendment and that passing it would not increase the taxes.”

In the Oct. 26, 1922 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Miss Lou Cochran killed a large owl in her chicken house on Wednesday morning. The bird measured more than three feet from tip to tip of its wings.”

Also that week it was reported that “there will be a dedication service at the Carstarphen Memorial M.E. Church, South, at Coy, Alabama on next Sabbath, Oct. 29, to which the public is cordially invited and urged to attend. Rev. F.L. Aldridge of the Methodist Orphanage at Selma will deliver the sermon.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Thursday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of November 1922 in Wilcox County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. Their friendly staff will be more than happy to get you started.