Where exactly was Rose's Trail from Old Cahaba to Old Fort Claiborne?

Where exactly was Rose’s Trail?

This was the question I asked myself the other day when I ran across an interesting historical article in the Feb. 26, 1953 edition of The Monroe Journal. Under the headline “Oak Hill Resident Is Seeking Location of Old Rose’s Trail,” readers learned that the “location of Rose’s Trail, in use in 1818 as a travel way from Cahaba to Claiborne, is being sought by S.P. Dale of Oak Hill.”

Samuel Pressly Dale was an amateur historian, who by 1953 had apparently already discovered a great deal of information about this old trail between two of the most important cities in early Alabama history.

The article noted that Dale “wants to learn more about (the trail) though and asks that anyone who has any scrap of information regarding the trail to write him.”

Dale was seeking information on Rose’s Trail because he planned to commemorate the old path by erecting a historical marker just west of Oak Hill on State Highway 10, near the point where the old trail crossed the modern highway from Camden to Greenville. The article went on to say that Dale also planned to record a written instrument at the Wilcox County Courthouse that contained information about the trail as it ran through Wilcox and portions of Dallas and Monroe counties. This instrument was to serve as a legal deed for the site of the historical marker.

“While he has assembled considerable information about Rose’s Trail, Dale says that he wants to find out more about it, particularly as to its exact location all the way from Cahaba to Claiborne, who lived on the trail, who ‘Rose’ was and the like,” the article said. “The trail is reported to have run from Cahaba to or near Pleasant Hill, possibly crossing the Alabama River at ‘Rose’s Ford’ near Sardis, thence to Swinks’, Carlowville, Ackerville, Oak Hill, Neenah, Chestnut Corner, Buena Vista, River Ridge and on to Claiborne.”

The trail was said to have been in use in the days before steamboats appeared on the Alabama River, but Dale didn’t know when it originated or when the trail fell out of use. Dale did uncover that a Judge Thomas of Georgia had made a trip through Alabama and traveled along Rose’s Trail from Claiborne to Cahaba and kept a journal of his trip.

“Believing that some people in this section may very likely have some knowledge of the trail, passed on from earlier generations, Dale asks that they get in touch with him at his Oak Hill address so that the information may be put together.”

One is left to wonder if Dale had any luck learning any more about Rose’s Trail. As best that I could determine no additional information about the trail was ever published in The Monroe Journal or the newspaper in Camden. Unfortunately, Dale didn’t live many years after this article appeared in the paper. Born in September 1886, he died in May 1959 and was laid to rest in Oak Hill.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about Rose’s Trail. In the years between 1953 and today, perhaps someone has done more research on the subject and can enlighten us on exactly where it passed through Monroe County. Some readers may come to learn that they live along one of the earliest paths between two of the state’s early prominent cities.

Prolific novelist Lawrence Earl Gulley has deep roots in Wilcox County

Lawrence Gulley with his new book.

Prolific Alabama writer Lawrence Earl Gulley recently published his 16^th novel, and I know it will be of interest to many readers in Wilcox County, especially in the Furman area.

Gulley’s latest novel, “The Pioneers,” hit the streets earlier this month and tells the story of “Henry Smith and his brother, James, who made the arduous journey from Duplin County, North Carolina, to South Alabama in 1823. They faced numerous hardships including crossing Goshen Swamp, the threat of Indian attacks, the difficulty of building a homestead from scratch, including planting crops and building their cabins by hand, and much more. With hard work, faith and determination, they managed to carve out a life in spite of all obstacles. Their many descendants continue their traditions in their own lives and homes, all over the American South. The same core values exhibited by these dynamic pioneers continue to fuel the hopes and dreams of Americans everywhere.”

“The Pioneers” is 295 pages long and specifically mentions places like Wilcox County and Camden as well as the Alabama River, Monroeville, Fort Claiborne and other locations in Southwest Alabama. Mentions of Wilcox County and Camden in the book should come as no surprise because Gulley has deep ancestral roots in Wilcox County. Lawrence is a direct descendant of the Gulley family who constructed the antebellum home known as “Wakefield” at Furman in the 1840s.

Sources say that Lawrence’s pioneer ancestor John Gulley began construction of this unique “Steamboat Gothic” style house in 1840, and it took seven years to complete. John Gulley, who suffered financial reverses in the 1840s, eventually sold the house to his brother, Henry, who later passed it on to his daughter, Laura. This beautiful home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, contains 12 rooms, 12 fireplaces, porches on all sides and 6,000-square feet of living space.

Lawrence lives in the small town of Excel in Monroe County, and he is considered one of Monroe County’s most prolific writers. His previous books include “Cora Jean (2016),” “Peanut House (2017),” “Buffington (2017),” “Bessie’s Story (2018),” “Redtown (2018),” “Bayou County (2018),” “Brothers (2018),” “Green Briar (2018),” “The Tangled Road Home (2019),” “Layton (2019),” “The Killing of Lois Hardee (2019),” “Sweet Liberty (2020),” “Alyssa Madison (2021),” “Wisteria (2022)” and “Skeeter (2022).” If you’ve never read any of these books, I recommend that you start with “Cora Jean,” which is getting attention from movie producers in New York and Hollywood.

Longtime fans of Lawrence’s novels have most likely read all of the books above, but have no fear. Lawrence is already hard at work on his next novel. If it’s as good as his previous books, then his loyal fans have a lot to look forward to. All of Lawrence’s books are available for purchase on Amazon, but you can also pick them up at the gift shop at the Old Monroe County Courthouse in downtown Monroeville.

George Singleton tells of a trip through history's faded pages

Gen. John F. Reynolds

(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 “From history’s faded pages,” was originally published in the February 27, 2003 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

The only desire that I have to be wealthy would be that I  could go anywhere I desired in the study and investigations of certain times within our history. I could spend 24 hours a day wandering and looking through the old and abandoned cemeteries throughout the South. Some of my readers might think it weird when I say that I enjoy visiting the old burial grounds of our Southland. But, walking through many of these old cemeteries is like walking through the pages of a history book, only in most instances the history books have been changed and are fast disappearing.

As I have stated many times in these writings, my favorite period in our history is during the dreadful days of our Civil War. No other time in the history of the world did so many people fight for so many different causes and beliefs. Even the information that one can gather from off the tombstones of those that died or were killed during this terrible conflict is even more different than the other periods of our country’s history. As one searches around the old abandoned home places, its not uncommon to find a lone tomb of a Confederate soldier nestled away in the corner of the old grown up yard or in a not too noticeable thicket somewhere nearby. In most instances, the information on the small markers are always brief.

This past week, I had some time to myself. I decided to wander around and revisit some of the old burial grounds in the area and do some research on some of the graves of the Confederate dead that I knew were buried there. I had no plans or a map as to where I was going. As many times before, I knew I would decide my route when I reached the first crossroad.

I did, however, receive a telephone call a few days back, asking me to try and locate the graves of two Confederate soldiers that were in Suggsville area over in Clarke County.

My first stop would be an old abandoned cemetery near the community of Suggsville. Here, as I wandered around in this old burial ground, I would visit three graves of Confederate soldiers. Up the road aways, I would read the names of four more. All these burials were grown up and unkept. As I expected, they, like most of the others scattered throughout the area, had been neglected for many years.

In searching and reading the brief messages carved on the plain lonely tombstones, I was to find that one of these Rebels had ridden with the famed “Quantrill’s Raiders.” This fearsome group of the Rebel army struck terror in the hearts of many of the people who supported the Union. Riding with this guerilla band were man with such names as the Young Brothers, who were later known throughout the West as outlaws. The youngest of the band, not yet 16, was a young lad named “Jessie James.”

My next stop was to be a large cemetery at Coffeeville. Here, I counted seven or eight graves of men from this area who had gone off to war and had fought for the Rebel cause. I had been told years before that one of these had been a distant cousin to Confederate General John C. Breckenridge. This cemetery is well taken care of, probably due to the fact that it is still in use today.

Turning to the east up Highway 69, I knew that I was getting into some very familiar territory. I could never travel this way without visiting the old cemetery that  rests atop the high hill known as the mountain. Standing there in the old cemetery and looking northeast across the vast valley before me, I knew that down there in the distance lay the burial ground where my great-grandfather slept. He, too, had worn the uniform of the Confederates, and in the same small cemetery one could find the graves of his two brothers who also had joined the cause of the Confederacy. And, I knew if all went well, I would arrive at this special place within the hour.

As I stood there in the cemetery atop the high hill, many thoughts passed through my mind about many of the strange and unusual events of the Civil War. I thought of a Rebel soldier named Henderson Viden who fought with the 2^nd Arkansas. In March 1862, he found himself marching through familiar territory and was soon fighting across the fields of his own farm, in the battle of Pea Ridge, Tenn. During a lull in the fighting, he went over to his house and had lunch with his wife and children. After lunch, he returned to his position at the battle line. During the bloody fighting that afternoon, trooper Viden was seriously wounded. He was taken to his home nearby, where he later recovered under the watchful care and love of his wife and family.

Another Rebel soldier during this battle slipped away for a short while, also to visit his home place that was nearby. In searching for his family, he would find his mother and father hidden in the storm cellar to escape the dreadful noise of the cannon fire. Find that they both had fallen asleep there in the deep storm cellar, the Rebel wrote a message and left it in the shirt pocket of his sleeping father. Leaving as quietly as possible, he returned to his assigned unit. This soldier would live to return home after the war, to tease his family about his visit home that they had not been aware of, that day in March 1862.

Gen. John F. Reynolds of the Union army was killed during the battle of Gettysburg. Some years after the war, when the state of Pennsylvania was building a large monument to her dead that were killed in the dreadful war, a worker who was carving Gen. Reynold’s statue out of granite, was the Rebel sniper who had killed him by a bullet through the neck. This workman was Frank Wood, a native from the hill country of North Carolina.

Making my way down the narrow dirt road toward the Wood’s Bluff area, I was soon dismounting my iron horse at the old cemetery of my mother’s people. Making my way over to the grave site of my maternal great-grandfather. I knew that here too was a story that few others excelled about the hardships he suffered during and after the dreadful war. But then, that is another story.

Time was fast approaching for me to begin my return trip home. The hours of riding and searching had been worth it. I had found the information that I was seeking. As always, I was glad that I had come this way once again.

This is the place, stand still my steed,
And let me review the scene.
And summoned from the shadowy past,
The forms that once had been…

(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.)

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Feb. 22, 2023

George Bush

19 YEARS AGO
FEB. 26, 2004

Dr. James Lamar Jackson, a minister who worked with the Alabama Baptist State Convention, passed away Sun., Feb. 22, 2004 at his home in Evergreen. He was 86.

Barnes Family Medical Associates is pleased to announce that beginning March 1, Dr. Drew G. Freeman will begin seeing patients.
Dr. Freeman moved to Evergreen from Georgia where he completed his medical education.

Frankie Gibson, daughter of Robert and Lisa Gibson, won the AISA state spelling bee at Huntingdon College in Montgomery on Tues., Feb. 10, 2004. She is in the seventh grade at Sparta Academy.

Weatherman Harry Ellis reported that Evergreen received .02 inches of rain on Feb. 16.

Air Force Airman Justin D. Pemberton has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

The Conecuh County Chapter of the Alabama Treasure Forest Association planted a tree in front of Evergreen Elementary School on Tues., Feb. 24, in celebration of Arbor Day. Evergreen Mayor Lomax Cassady, as well as members of Mrs. Kit Moss’s second grade class, were on hand for the tree planting ceremony. Don Stinson and Victor Howell represented the Conecuh chapter of the ATFA.

43 YEARS AGO
FEB. 28, 1980

Local weather reporter Earl Windham reported no rainfall in Evergreen between Feb. 18-24. He reported a high temperature of 81 degrees on Feb. 24 and a low of 24 on Feb. 18.

Chairman David L. Burt Jr. of the Conecuh County Commission recently conferred with U.S. Senator Howell Heflin and other Alabama congressional leaders in Washington concerning matters of importance to county residents, particularly pending water projects.

Jack Wainwright, president and chief executive of the First Alabama Bank of Conecuh County, has been appointed as the chairman in Conecuh County for presidential candidate George Bush.
A Reagan supporter in 1976, Wainwright will be coordinating Bush support in the county with the assistance of co-chairman David Hyde.

Cpl. Robert Grace, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hilary Grace Jr., Route 1, Castleberry, Ala., is participating with the 1st Infantry Division in Desert Warrior 80, a training exercise at Fort Irwin, Calif.

Heart Volunteers who were present at the recent reception held for them in Montgomery at the Governor’s Mansion are from left to right: Mrs. Nelda Bates, Mrs. Fob James, Mrs. Mary Tate, Vice President Conecuh Division, Mrs. Barbara Watson, President, Conecuh Division, and Ms. Mary Packard, Alabama Affiliate Field Director.

56 YEARS AGO
FEB. 23, 1967

Cope Funeral Home will be forced to cease operating its ambulance service effective March 1, Sam Cope said today. He said that impossibly high costs brought on by coverage under the wage and hour which started Feb. 1 made this move necessary.

The Spring Term of Circuit Court will be concluded here the week of March 13 with the trial of criminal cases. Circuit Judge Robert E.L. Key will preside. District Attorney Ralph L. Jones of Monroeville and County Solicitor Henry J. Kinzer of Evergreen will prosecute for the state.
Twelve cases are set for trial on the docket, which runs through Thurs., March 16, according to Circuit Clerk Leon A. Salter.

The annual Miss Evergreen Pageant will be held on March 31, it is announced today by the Evergreen Band Boosters. The pageant is the one big money-raising project for the boosters each year with all funds realized being used in support of the Evergreen High Band.
The Conecuh County CowBelles and the Cattlemen held their annual banquet meeting on Jan. 31, 1967, at the Evergreen High School lunch room.
The following CowBelle officers were elected for 1967: Katie Sue Burt, President; Myrtle Robison, vice president; Louise Ptomey, treasurer; Marjorie Stacey, secretary.

72 YEARS AGO
FEB. 22, 1951

Chances are good that construction of the proposed Conecuh County hospital under the Hill-Burton Act may get underway this year or early in 1952. This statement was made this week by Clay H. Dean, Director of the hospital planning division of the State Department of Public Health in a letter to the Conecuh County Hospital Association.

Alma Martin Post No. 50 of the American Legion is being reorganized following a meeting at the courthouse Tuesday night. A number of interested veterans were at the meeting Tuesday night. Wallace Ward and Ed James were appointed as a membership committee and are now accepting dues and issuing membership cards.

The spring term of Conecuh County Circuit Court convened here Monday morning with Judge F.W. Hare presiding. The grand jury was organized with Hugh M. Brown as foreman and after an able charge by Judge Hare promptly began its investigations with the assistance of Circuit Solicitor A.H. Elliott and County Solicitor E.C. Page Jr.

Effective Mon., Feb. 19, J.R. Daughtry became local manager of the Piggly Wiggly, succeeding Mack Everage who had been here since this store was purchased by Euclid Cook of Andalusia last year. Mr. Everage has been transferred back to Andalusia as manager of the Piggly Wiggly store there.

93 YEARS AGO
FEB. 27, 1930

R.G. Bozeman, editor of The Evergreen Courant, announces that he has filed qualification papers with Secretary of State John W. Brandon and with the Chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee to become a candidate for the office of Representative in the legislature from Conecuh County. If his qualification papers are rejected by the Executive Committee, he states that he expects to be a candidate just the same. Bozeman was opposed to the Democratic Presidential nominee in the election of 1928.

Excavation began today on the site of the proposed telephone building located on Rural Street, just west of the Ellis Filling Station. The construction is being done by the Upchurch Construction Co. of Montgomery. The structure will be approximately 56 feet by 53 feet and will have a basement and one floor. It will be of concrete and brick with a select face brick front.

Mr. and Mrs. E.B. James spent Saturday and Sunday in Montgomery, where Mr. James attended the reunion of the famous Rainbow Division.

According to a telegram received Wednesday afternoon from Mayor J.L. Kelly, who with A.A. Williams is in Washington this week to present Evergreen’s bid for the location of the Veterans Hospital, this city’s chances are good. While nothing definite has occurred, it would seem from the tone of the telegram that the committee has reason for encouragement.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 20, 2023

15 YEARS AGO
FEB. 21, 2008

Sparta comes up short in OT: Four points.
That’s all that separated Sparta Academy’s varsity girls basketball team from a shot at the AISA Class AA state title after a heart-wrenching 48-44 overtime loss to Lowndes Academy last Thursday.
The loss to Lowndes came in the Final Four round of the state tournament, which was played at the Catherine Dixon Roland Arena at Huntingdon College in Montgomery.
Mallory Kendrick, a five-foot-nine junior, led Sparta with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. BreAnna Pate followed with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Morgan Harden recorded eight points, four rebounds, an assist and seven steals.
Erica Palmer finished the game with seven points, nine rebounds, an assist and a steal. Christin Booker collected three points and a rebound. Susan Ann Cook posted six rebounds and a steal.
(Other top Sparta players in that game included Hayden Armuelles, Camarena Godwin, Erica Palmer and Ashton Talbot.)

Jags close season against Aggies: Hillcrest High School’s varsity boys basketball team closed out its 2007-2008 season with a 61-59 loss against Jackson High School.
The loss came during the sub-regional round of the Class 4A state playoffs Friday night in Evergreen.
Freshman DeAndre Lyons and Taft Lark, a junior, led Hillcrest with 18 points each. Sophomore Lawrence Bennett followed with 11 points for the Jags.
(Other top Hillcrest players in that game included Aaron Dees, Clarence Jackson, Cleveland Knight and Antonio Lewis.)

41 YEARS AGO
FEB. 18, 1982

Sparta teams eliminated at district meet: The Sparta Academy girls won their opening game, but were defeated in the second round in the Alabama Private Schools District III Basketball Tournament played at Fort Dale Academy in Greenville, Feb. 9-11. The boys varsity was eliminated in the first round by Fort Dale, 90-78.
Lynn Hyde was named to the all-tournament team and she and Cheri Johnson were named all-district. Chris Blatz was on the all-district team and Russ Brown on the all-tournament team, according to Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.
Sparta’s girls beat Monroe Academy, 41-28, in the opening round. Cheri Johnson and Lynn Hyde scored 10 points each; Tammy Booker, eight; Angie Stuckey, two; Jerolyn Dean, Sara Cope and Jan Coker, two each; and Tina Bybee, one.
Wilcox Academy, the ultimate district champions, beat Sparta’s girls, 58-21. Lynn Hyde had nine points; Angie Stuckey, four; Lisa Brown and Cheri Johnson, three each; and Tina Bybee, two.
Sparta’s boys varsity lost to Fort Dale in spite of having four players shoot inn double digits: Vance Watts, 20, Russ Brown, 16, Chris Blatz, 14, and Russ Raines, 12. Wes Brown had six, Scotty Grace and Britt McNeill, four each, and Joe McInvale, two.

Homecoming was observed Sat., Jan. 30, at Patrick Henry State Junior College as the Patriots defeated Enterprise State Junior College by a score of 63-57. Maids and the Queen were selected by the student body. The homecoming court are Regenia Henry of Jackson and Arthur Sharp of Peterman, Cheryl England and Linzey Coston of Thomasville, Queen Natholie Bentley of Monroeville and Desak Hicks of Grove Hill, Renee Martin and Dale Jones of Sweet Water, Gwyn Brown of Repton and Rusty Middleton of Monroeville, Deborah Horton of Monroeville and Ron Cumlander of Grove Hill.

65 YEARS AGO
FEB. 20, 1958

Hi-Lites of E.H.S. – Girls Basketball Tournament: After triple overtime, the fourth period girls’ physical education class, the Black Eagles, defeated the White Sox, fifth period class, 24-22.
The high scorer for the Black Eagles was Jean Brooks with 11 points. She was followed up by Nancy Watson with nine and Vivian Anderson with four.
Laurice Adams was high scorer for the White Sox with 11 points. Georgiana White had six, Jane Johnson had three and Carolyn Wilson had two.
At the half, the Black Eagles had 12 points, and the White Sox had nine points. The score was tied at 18 points at the end of the fourth quarter.
The $20.80 received from admission will be used to purchase new equipment for the physical education classes.

China Wins Invitation Tourney: China received the scare of its life Saturday night, Feb. 15, but retained enough composure to eke a 35-30 overtime victory over the Lime Hill Hawks, to climax a wild and wooly day and night of basketball.
The Lime Hill Hawks, coached by Leon Randolph, had been spoilers in the tournament before. They had to eliminate a tough CCTS Jr. High team to meet the China aggregation. Most of the players and coaches were of the opinion that the championship game would be played between CCTS and China. Lime Hill had something positive to say about this and promptly eliminated a favored CCTS team in the second round.

90 YEARS AGO
FEB. 16, 1933

Grove Hill To Play S.S.A.S. Loopers: Grove Hill High School will meet the S.S.A.S. basketball team at the local gym Friday night in a schedule game bearing on the conference standing of the two teams. The visitors have an enviable reputation on the basketball court and the local team is looking for a hard fight from the down-staters.
The Aggies lost an impromptu tussle to Miller High of Brewton last Saturday night, the game having been arranged after Springhill of Mobile had cancelled the game scheduled with that outfit. Springhill’s cancellation was made necessary because of the bad weather prevailing prior to game time, road conditions making the trip impractical for the Gulf City boys.

Local Baseball Team Is Being Organized: Plans for entering a club in one of the baseball leagues operating in contiguous territory are being considered by local enthusiasts, it has been learned. According to present plans, a club will be organized from strictly amateur local talent. An application has been filed for entry of the local club in the South Alabama League, but definite action on this application cannot be taken until it is established whether that league will operate with the same clubs as were members last season.
Local fans have been approached by representatives of other independent teams with a view to organization of a league embracing other towns in the territory adjacent to Evergreen.
While no promises have as yet been made, it is a certainty that the local club will be able to enter one of the leagues, if organization plans go through as proposed.
Loyce Hyde, at the L.D. King Store Co., is in charge of the local club’s affairs. Those interested in baseball for Evergreen this season should see Mr. Hyde.

Whatever became of the rifle fired by fictional hero Atticus Finch?

Atticus Finch and Heck Tate in 1962 'TKAM' movie.

With February on my mind the other day, I was reminded that one of the most famous scenes in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” happen in February 1935. It was on a Saturday in February in fictional Maycomb that Atticus Finch shot and killed a rabid dog in the street in front of Boo Radley’s house.

The scene in Chapter 10 of the novel begins with Scout and her brother, Jem, out with their air rifles, looking for a rabbit or squirrel to shoot. They were about 500 yards from the Radley House when Jem sees a dog in the distance. The dog was walking “erratically, as if his right legs were shorter than his left legs,” reminding Scout of a car that’s stuck in a sand bed.

The children recognize the dog as Tim Johnson, the “pet of Maycomb.” Tim, a liver-colored bird dog, belonged to Harry Johnson, who lived on the southern edge of Maycomb. For a living, Harry Johnson drove a bus back and forth to Mobile each day.

Jem runs to tell Calpurnia, who then gets the local telephone operator, Miss Eula May, to call everyone on the street to warn them about the dog. Cal then runs onto the Radley porch to warn Boo and his father, Nathan, of the approaching dog. Not long after that, Atticus and Sheriff Heck Tate arrive in a black Ford.

At this point in his life, Atticus is nearly 50 years old, and he lives with the “tribal curse of the Finches,” that is, he’s nearly blind in his left eye. When he wants to see something well, he turns his head and looks from his right eye. When Tate hands Atticus the rifle to kill the dog, Atticus informs the sheriff that he hasn’t shot a gun in 30 years.

Atticus takes the rifle anyway and when Tim Johnson stops in front of the gate to the Radley House, Atticus shoots him above his left eye, putting the dog out of its misery. It’s here that Jem and Scout learn that Atticus was once known as the “deadest shot in Maycomb County.” Neighbors Maudie Atkinson and Stephanie Crawford tell the children that Atticus was at one time known by the nicknames of “One Shot Finch” and “Ol’ One-Shot.”

During all of this, several characters mention the once commonly held belief that dogs couldn’t get rabies during a cold weather month like February. Scout says that she thought dogs got rabies in August. Cal also has to tell Eula May, the phone operator, that she knows “it’s February… but I know a mad dog when I see one.” Miss Stephanie also remarks, “Uh, uh, uh, who’da thought of a mad dog in February?”

On a side note, those who know a lot about firearms tell me that the rifle used by Atticus Finch in the 1962 motion picture version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” was a full-length American Krag-Jorgensen Model 1898 rifle in a 30-40 caliber with a cut down stock. It would be interesting to know where the rifle used in the movie is today. Perhaps it would make for an interesting item to display in the Monroe County Museum.

Was the first basketball gym in Wilcox County history located at the Wilcox Female Institute?

Wilcox Female Institute

Last week in this space, I wrote about the early history of basketball in Wilcox County. High school basketball in the county dates back to at least October 1909 and probably further. A look back at all of this left me wondering about when the first basketball gym was constructed in the county.

Not long after last week’s paper hit the streets, Wilcox County native Scott Mitchell reached out to me with information about what is believed to be the county’s first gym. Mitchell directed me to the Dec. 8, 1938 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, which contained an article about how the old back wing of the Wilcox Female Institute was converted into a gym for Wilcox County High School. The story doesn’t come right out and say that this was the first gym in the county’s history, but several clues in the story indicate that this was the case.

The article explains that the Female Institute became the Wilcox County High School in 1909 and remained so until September 1937. That year, the high school moved into a new Public Works Administration building on the same campus. At that time, the old Female Institute building was converted into an activities building for the high school.

The old Female Institute’s back wing was converted into a gym, possibly the first in the county, by removing room partitions and the wing’s second floor. It was then wired for electric lights and an extra roof truss was added for structural support. Remarkably, all of this work was done by male students under the supervision of F.M. Barnett, who was the Vocational Agriculture teacher at WCHS.

Once completed, the gym had a seating capacity of 250 people with standing room for 125 more. The gym was 76 feet long, 36 feet wide and 23 feet from floor to ceiling. The gym also contained a balcony that went all the way around the room. It was four feet wide, 12 feet off the floor and could be reached by using the main stairway in the building’s front hall.

Interestingly, the total cost for the project was $1,595.78. That may not sound like a lot, but in today’s dollars that would amount to around $33,120.92. Obviously, the project was done as inexpensively as possible, and no doubt the student labor saved the school a lot of money.

From the article, it appears that one of the major costs was the opening and repairing of old fire places and the construction of iron grates to cover the fire place openings. Work on the balcony was also a big part of the project as was the construction of an electric scoreboard. The placement and finishing of the gym floor made up another big part of the project.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information on this subject. If you know of an older gym in the county or if you know the history of the gym at another school, please let me know. Perhaps there was a gym somewhere in the county that dates back further than 1938.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 15, 2023

16 YEARS AGO
FEB. 8, 2007

The Sparta Academy Warriors were named the 2A Region 1 Area 1 basketball champions at the area tournament held last weekend at Sparta Academy. Members of the team named to the All Tournament team are Michael Campbell, Chris Cinereski and J.R. Williams. The Warriors will play Marengo Academy in the AISA Regional Basketball Tournament this Thursday at 6 p.m. at Faulkner University. The winner of that game will compete in the AISA 2007 Final Four Basketball Tournament at Huntingdon College next week. Members of the team are D.J. Buckhault, Nicholas Hardin, Justin Webb, Drayton Rodgers, Ethan Johnson, Mason Black, Coach Russ Brown, Myles Wiggins, Chris Cinereski, Michael Campbell, Chase Brown, Michael Morris and J.R. Williams.

Hillcrest High School’s varsity boys concluded the regular season last Friday in a big way with a 60-44 win on the road against Class 4A, Area 1 rival Jackson High School in Jackson.
Hillcrest used a balanced attack to key the win over Jackson, getting double-figure scoring from Cleveland Knight, Justin Holder, Clarence Jackson and Blake Bryant.
Knight led the foursome with 18 points, converting eight of 10 free throws. Holder followed with 14 points, a team-high 11 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Jackson had 12 points, four assists and three steals and converted three of four free throws. Bryant put 10 points in the scorebook and grabbed eight rebounds.

32 YEARS AGO
FEB. 14, 1991

Warriors get three recent wins: The Sparta Academy Warriors out-shot the Catherine Colts, 70-65, in Catherine in a varsity game Feb. 7th. Tim Salter led Sparta with 26 points. Wayne Cook hit 19 points; Steven Gall, 12; Mark Watts, nine; and Scott Brown, four.
Four Warriors had double figures as Sparta rippled Escambia Academy, 79-61, in Evergreen on Feb. 1st. Salter had 22 points; Watts, 18; Gall, 16; Cook, 12; Brown, eight; and Sandy Salo, three.
Sparta Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr. announced that the Sparta Warriors hit the century mark to defeat Hooper Academy, 100-80, in Hope Hull on Jan. 26. Salter had the hot hand with 39 points. Cook hit 21 points; Watts, 12; Richard Weaver, 11; Gall, eight; Brown, six; and McPherson Cook, three.

The Sparta Academy basketball team will host the 1A West Region AISA basketball tournament on Mon., Feb. 18th, and Tues., Feb. 19th. The Warrior final regular season game will be Friday night at Sparta. The Warriors will host Wilcox Academy. The Warriors record so far this year is 17-3.

48 YEARS AGO
FEB. 13, 1975

The Sparta Academy Warriors pulled a major upset here Friday night when they took a 72-67 decision over the Wilcox Academy Wildcats in overtime. Wilcox was ranked No. 1 among state’s private schools. The win ran Sparta’s season record to 9 and 5.
Eddie Hooks led all scorers as he burned the nets for 34 points. Ronnie Pugh netted 13 points; Bobby Johnson, 11; Jerry Peacock, eight; Walker Scott, four; and Danny Joyner, two.
Johnson sent the game into overtime as he hit two crucial free throws to tie the score after time had run out in the regulation game. Hooks tossed in eight points, Peacock, two, and Pugh, one, in the overtime period to bring in the big win.

Ronnie Kent of Atmore won first place in the last Jackpot Rodeo at B&S Arena. Don Widdon of Greenville and Eddie Reeves of Evergreen tied for second place.
The rodeos are held each first and third Sunday of the month, rain or shine, starting at 2 p.m. The arena is located on Stacey’s Farm, 18 miles north of Evergreen on Highway 83. The public is invited to the next rodeo which will be held on Feb. 16.

63 YEARS AGO
FEB. 11, 1960

Robert H. Moorer is shown holding a 40-pound Bobcat that he trapped Friday morning behind the Jay-Villa Plantation, near Evergreen. Moorer, a local beautician, told The Courant that the ‘cat’ had been killing chickens and turkeys.

From “Sports Roundup” by Oscar D. Tucker – Eagles Dump Atmore, 63-53: The Eagles accomplished what might be termed the supreme feat Thursday night when they dealt Escambia County Training School a 63-53 licking. The supreme feat? Well, when you beat Atmore more once, that’s something, but two times in one season, that’s colossal.
The Eagles simply out-hustled a fine Atmore quintet. The two teams were equally talented, equal in height, and both squads had been well drilled in the fundamentals of basketball. The big difference was desire, it boiled down to which one of the two squads was hungriest. CCTS proved even more than hungry. They were simply starved and went on to prove it.
CCTS broke the game wide open from the beginning by out-scoring Atmore, 16-4, in the first quarter. This assault was led by Marvin Jones, who gained six of the first quarter’s points. Marvin Jones went on to capture scoring honors with 24 points. The Eagles continued to pour it on and led halftime, 32-19.
At one point, Atmore (Eagles incidentally) came within points, but that was as close as they came to overhauling the scrappy Eagles. The final score, 63-53.
Douglas Evans and Marvin Jones were tremendous on the boards, both offensively and defensively. Leon Jones played his usual consistent game, thrilling fans with his famed high arching one-handed push shot.
The backcourt combination of Randerson and Martin was terrific. Randerson didn’t take a shot either from the field or the free throw line, but his playmaking and ball handling was something to behold. He and Martin collaborated on eight steals that resulted in 12 points.

Eagles Smother Southern Normal: Two scoring records were broken Friday night as the CCTS Eagles slaughtered Southern Normal, 110-49. No accurate record has been kept, but according to reliable old timers, 110 points is the highest point total ever gathered by a basketball team in the history of the CCTS gym. Douglas Evans shattered the individual scoring records by scoring 59 points, however without the feeding from his teammates, especially playmakers Randerson and Martin and forward Leon Jones, his point total wouldn’t have even remotely approached the record.
Strangely it was a small crowd that witnessed the Eagles’ greatest moment – thus far. I say thus far because these boys have not yet reached their fullest potential.

72 YEARS AGO
FEB. 8, 1951

Aggies Rip Greenville by 38 to 18: Led by Gwyn Daniels and Jeff Moorer, a fast-moving Aggie quint completely outclassed Greenville’s Tigers in Memorial Gym Tuesday night. Daniels dropped 12 markers while Moorer rammed home nine in the low scoring conflict.

Andalusia And Monroeville Are On Week’s Cage Slate: The Evergreen Aggies will meet two of their old foes during the coming week as they move into the final games of their cage slate. Tomorrow (Friday) night, the Evergreens encounter the Andalusia Bulldogs in Andalusia. This is the first time that the Aggies have played the Bulldogs this season, but a good hard-fought game is always typical of Evergreen and Andalusia rivalry. The Aggies edged the Bulldogs in a 13-12 thriller on the gridiron the past football season and doubtless the Bulldogs will have revenge in their hearts when they take the floor against the Aggies Friday night.
On Tuesday night the Aggies will attempt to do what only one team this season has done and that’s defeat the Monroeville Tigers. The lone mar on an otherwise perfect season was a three-point loss handed the Tigers in Mobile by UMS. Monroeville ranks high in state cage circles having defeated such formidable foes as Selma and T.R. Miller, the latter’s only loss of the season. The game promises to be a crowd pleaser because of the keen rivalry that has always existed between Evergreen and Monroeville. This is the first time that Monroeville has played in Evergreen since the football game played here in the fall of 1947.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Feb. 14, 2023

Richmond Pearson Hobson of Greensboro

18 YEARS AGO

FEB. 10, 2005

 

Weather observer Harry Ellis reported .47 inches of rain on Jan. 31, 1.43 inches on Feb. 1 and .27 inches on Feb. 2. He reported a high of 68 degrees on Feb. 6 and a low of 33 on Feb. 4.

 

At the 1997 Conecuh County Volunteer Fire Control Association’s Awards Banquet Jeppie Dees was awarded the Lois E. Reeves Award. At the time, Dees felt that he was not deserving of this award and in turn gave the award to Sid Lambert. At the 2005 Awards Banquet on Jan. 15, Dees was presented the award again by Clayton Cobb, 2004 President. Cobb stated that Dees was very deserving of the award and the Association wanted him to have it.

 

Judge Key passes at age of 88: Judge Robert Edward Lee Key, age 88, of Evergreen passed away Thurs., Feb. 3, 2005 at Westminster Village in Spanish Fort. Judge Key was born Feb. 2, 1917 in Conecuh County. He served as Lt. Col. JAG Corps during World War II and served as a judge in the 35^th Judicial Circuit Court District for a number of years.

Graveside services were held Sat., Feb. 5, 2005 at 9 a.m. at Magnolia Cemetery with Dr. Thomas Butts officiating and Cope Funeral Home directing. A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. at the Evergreen Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Virginia Key, Spanish Fort; a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Scott, Mobile; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

 

43 YEARS AGO

FEB. 14, 1980

 

John Law Robinson of Evergreen has been named to lead the Reagan for President Committee in Conecuh County. Robinson’s appointment was announced Monday by Martin Darity in Montgomery, state co-chairman of the Reagan campaign.

Robinson will be responsible for organizing Reagan supporters for the March 11 primary and the November general election.

 

Hugh M. Brown, director of Southern Pine Electric Cooperative in Brewton, was elected to the Alabama Rural Electric Association (AREA) board of directors at the association’s 33^rd annual meeting in Montgomery Jan. 11. Brown will serve on AREA’s General Affairs Committee.

Brown became a board member of Southern Pine Co-op in 1958 and has served as president, secretary-treasurer and vice-president of the board, and was also president of AREA in 1970-71. He is a member of the Olive Branch Baptist Church and has served as president of the Conecuh County Farm Bureau in the past and president of the Conecuh County Exchange for the past three years.

 

Mrs. Daisy Hart Lee, 90, beloved, longtime resident of Evergreen, died in a Camden hospital on Sat., Feb. 9. Mrs. Lee and her husband, James J. Lee, who served as Tax Assessor of this county for over 30 years, had been living in Camden for the past several years due to their advanced years and declining health, making their home with a daughter. Mrs. Lee lived for many years on North Main Street here.

 

68 YEARS AGO

FEB. 10, 1955

 

Wayne Thames is Alabama’s “Future Farmer of the Year.” His selection has just been announced by T.L. Faulkner, executive secretary of the Alabama FFA. Wayne will receive the Turner E. Smith Educational Award of $300 and be presented with an engraved cup at the State FFA Convention in June.

Young Thames is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam L. Thames, Route 2, Evergreen.

Wayne, who is a member of the Lyeffion Chapter in Conecuh County, was selected on a basis of his leadership in FFA, school and community in addition to his outstanding farming program.

 

Maury Thames Jr. of Laurel, Miss. sailed Tues., Feb. 1, for Tokyo, Japan where he has been assigned for a three months tour of duty with the Department of Internal Revenue. Mr. Thames will lecture to United States citizens who are residing in Japan on certain changes that have been made in the income tax laws.

Mr. Thames is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Maury Thames of Evergreen, and he has been with the Department of Internal Revenue since July 1948. He graduated from the University of Alabama in June 1948. For the past several years he has resided in Laurel, Miss.

 

The Boy Scouts of America, now 3-1/2 million strong, and the nation are celebrating Boy Scout Week Feb. 6-13. The national organization is 45 years old, and the local troop is entering its 29^th year, this week. The first troop in Evergreen was formed by Scout Master Paul McMillan in 1927.

 

93 YEARS AGO

FEB. 13, 1930

 

Conecuh Schools To Close Next Friday: At a meeting of the County Board of Education held in the Superintendent’s office on Tuesday it was decided to close down the schools of this county due to a lack of funds. This will give the schools a term of only five and one-half months this year. All schools are affected by the decision and only those which are able to raise local funds will be able to run any longer.

 

Owassa Man Killed By Train Monday: W.L. Wilson, farmer living near Owassa, was struck and instantly killed by Train No. 38 at an early hour Monday morning at Owassa. According to reports reaching here it seems that Wilson had gone to Owassa with a view of boarding Train No. 2, a local which passes Owassa a short time later than does the fast train No. 38. It is necessary to flag No. 2 there when one wishes to get on and Wilson mistook No. 38 for No. 2 and was endeavoring to flag it down. It is thought that he also got mixed up as to which was the main line and which was the siding, it being dark and the only light he was using was struck matches. The strain struck him and knocked him off the track, breaking his neck and otherwise mangling his body.

 

Major Everett Jackson of Montgomery spent Tuesday in Evergreen. Major Jackson is well known here having been in charge of the military company here during the World War.

 

118 YEARS AGO

FEB. 8, 1905

 

Confederate Veterans: The U.D.C. Chapter, located at Evergreen, will award to all eligible Confederate veterans Crosses of Honor on June 3, 1905. Those veterans desiring such will please notify the chapter at once. – Mrs. E.B. Donald, Cor. Secretary.

 

Judge J.M. Hobson, father of Capt. R.P. Hobson, was buried in Greensboro last Thursday.

 

The ladies of the Burnt Corn Baptist Church wish to announce that there will be an oyster supper at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Shirley on Friday night, Feb. 10. Proceeds benefit of Baptist church.

 

Master Leslie Autrey Riley is a new arrival at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Riley. He is a fine boy and, so far, proves to be very entertaining.

 

Truck farmers are busy when the weather is favorable preparing their ground preparatory to planting out early truck. Many have already planted radishes and peas, and some have put potatoes in the ground. Tomatoes will shortly be transformed from hot beds to cold frames. Later beans, melons, squashes, sweet corn, etc. will be planted. There will be a greater variety of vegetables raised here this coming season than has ever been known.

 

We notice that an electric railroad from Nashville to Pensacola is in contemplation; in fact, the company has been organized to build the same and that ample capital is behind the enterprise. It is the purpose of the promoters to carry the road through Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery. What about Evergreen?

Jewish merchant killed by 'half-drunk frontiersman' at Claiborne in 1811

Israel Jacobson’s tombstone.

(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 “Young Jewish merchant lives short life at Claiborne,” was originally published in the April 8, 1976 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Israel Jacobson came to Claiborne, along with many other Jewish immigrants, during the time when there was much conflict and doubt for new settlers.

He was born in Kornick, Posen, Prussia and along with his family reached the shores of this young nation when it was suffering from the aftermath of the Revolutionary War.

To make things worse, the war drums of the Creek Nation sounded their beat of death on the distant horizon.

The town of Claiborne was the center of activity along the big Alabama River. It was a trade center and the fort that was located nearby offered protection from the many bands of marauding Indians that preyed on the local citizens. And the growing town offered promise to a young merchant such as Jacobson.

But fate was to play the trump card in this young man’s life. The future of this man was to end in the dust of Claiborne’s streets from a gunshot wound in the chest from an assassin.

The town had just finished celebrating Thanksgiving. The streets were still a gathering place for the rough settlers from the outer areas who had come to Claiborne to see and witness the holiday events.

It was on the Saturday following the holiday that Israel Jacobson left his home for the last time to make his way downtown to his thriving business.

On the morning of Nov. 30, 1811, a half-drunk frontiersman stepped from behind the corner of a building and ended for all time Jacobson’s career.

There in the dust of the streets in the town by the river, this man died, never knowing his assassin or the reason. To this day, no one else does either.

(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.)

Excel author Lawrence Earl Gulley publishes 16th novel, ‘The Pioneers’

Lawrence Earl Gulley

The 16^th novel by Excel’s most prolific author hit the streets earlier week, less than eight months after the publication of his previous novel.

Lawrence Earl Gulley of Excel, who is known far and wide as one of Monroe County’s top storytellers, recently published his 16^th novel, “The Pioneers.” Officially released on Jan. 25, Lawrence began his publicity campaign for his new book during Tuesday’s morning show on WPPG 101.1 FM in Evergreen. While an e-book version of the book had been available since Dec. 28, print copies of the new 295-page book only became available this week.

Lawrence said that “The Pioneers” is the story of “Henry Smith and his brother, James, who made the arduous journey from Duplin County, North Carolina, to South Alabama in 1823. They faced numerous hardships including crossing Goshen Swamp, the threat of Indian attacks, the difficulty of building a homestead from scratch, including planting crops and building their cabins by hand, and much more. With hard work, faith and determination, they managed to carve out a life in spite of all obstacles. Their many descendants continue their traditions in their own lives and homes, all over the American South. The same core values exhibited by these dynamic pioneers continue to fuel the hopes and dreams of Americans everywhere.”

For those of you who have read Lawrence’s previous books, you’ll know that he does a lot of name-dropping. Between the pages of his latest book, you’ll find a number of names that will be familiar to many readers.

While reading Lawrence’s stories, it’s also fun to piece together the clues he drops about where his fictional tales take place. Familiar locales in “The Pioneers” include Monroe County, Monroeville, Bermuda, Fort Claiborne, Wilcox County, Camden, Conecuh County, Burnt Corn Creek, Sparta, Belleville, the Alabama River, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and many others. Again, other fictionalized locations in the book will probably also sound familiar to longtime residents of the area.

“The Pioneers” is Lawrence’s 16^th published novel. His previous books include “Cora Jean (2016),” “Peanut House (2017),” “Buffington (2017),” “Bessie’s Story (2018),” “Redtown (2018),” “Bayou County (2018),” “Brothers (2018),” “Green Briar (2018),” “The Tangled Road Home (2019),” “Layton (2019),” “The Killing of Lois Hardee (2019),” “Sweet Liberty (2020),” “Alyssa Madison (2021),” “Wisteria (2022)” and “Skeeter (2022).” If you’ve never read any of these books, I recommend that you start with “Cora Jean,” which is getting attention from movie producers in New York and Hollywood.

Longtime fans of Lawrence’s novels have most likely read all of the books above, but have no fear. Lawrence is already hard at work on his next novel. If it’s as good as his previous books, then his loyal fans have a lot to look forward to. All of Lawrence’s books are available for purchase on Amazon, but you can also pick them up in a variety of other places nearby, including the Town Market in Excel and at the gift shop at the Old Monroe County Courthouse.

Basketball roots in Wilcox County, Alabama go back more than a century

Basketball inventor James Naismith.

High school basketball is in full swing in Wilcox County, and I know a lot of readers enjoy the sport of basketball, myself included. James Naismith invented basketball during the winter of 1891 as a game to be played between the football and baseball seasons. Eventually, the game caught on and spread in popularity around the world, including in Wilcox County.

Looking back through old editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era, the first reference to the sport of basketball that I could find was in the July 17, 1895 edition in an advertisement for the North Carolina Normal & Industrial School. This women’s college featured a gymnastics department that offered a wide variety of activities, “all tending to strengthen and to the physical development of young women,” including basketball. Today, we know this college as the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

The earliest reference to basketball being played locally was in the Oct. 7, 1909 edition of The Progressive Era. That paper included a community news column from Lower Peach Tree, written by a correspondent named Mary Jane. She reported that “basketball is all the rage now. The High School girls played quite an interesting game Saturday morning.”

This two-sentence sports report leaves us with several unanswered questions. What high school was she referring to? Who did they play and where? Who played in that game, who won and what was the final score?

Another early reference to basketball that I found was in a Dec. 8, 1910 article about Southern University, which was located in Greensboro in Hale County. The writer of that article noted that “the prospect for a good basketball team is very high, fine varsity players having returned this year, and we hope to continue our record, made for the last two years, that is, win everything.”

Southern University was founded in 1856 and remained in Greensboro until 1918. In 1918, Southern University and Birmingham College merged into what we now call Birmingham-Southern College. Southern Academy, which is located in Greensboro today, takes its name from the old college that was once located there.

The earliest reference to basketball that specifically names two Wilcox County high schools was in the Dec. 31, 1914 edition of the newspaper. That edition included a community column from Pine Hill that said, the “boys of Pine Hill High School, accompanied by the faculty and a number of students, went to Peach Tree last Saturday for a game of basketball. The score was 8 to 4 in favor of Pine Hill.” This is also the earliest reference that I could find to boys basketball being played in the county.

The earliest reference to basketball being played at Wilcox County High School was in the Jan. 28, 1915 edition of the paper. In that week’s paper, it was reported that the junior and senior girls were scheduled to play on Fri., Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. More than likely, this intramural game was played on an outdoor court.

Later editions of the paper noted that the juniors won, 25-4. Players in that game included Margaret Miller, Mittie Harris, Margaret Tait, Kathleen Pharr, Reba Hart, Mary Tait, Marcella Moore, Myrtle Fail, Kittie Burford, Mildred McDowell, Bonnie Cook and Ellie McSills. Mary McMillian was the referee.

In the end, let me hear from you if you can shed any additional light on the history of basketball in Wilcox County. It would be especially interesting to know when the first gym was built in the county and where.

Wilcox County, Alabama News Flashback for Feb. 8, 2023

General Joseph E. Johnston

88 YEARS AGO
FEB. 14, 1935

THE PASSING OF JOHN T. DALE: On last Monday evening, Jan. 28, our community was saddened as the death angel visited and took from our midst this greatly loved and respected man of God.
Mr. Dale lived an interesting and eventful life. He was born near Oak Hill in the year 1842. With the exception of four years, he lived in Wilcox County all his life. He was a sophomore at Erskine College when he enlisted in the cause of the Confederacy. During the bloody days of that struggle, he was present at such famous battles as Shiloh, Chickamauga and Chattanooga. He surrendered under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in 1865.
He returned to his home to engage in farming, to become a success in that as he was in everything he undertook. Until he took his bed in September, he was very active, riding over his broad acres daily. He was a typical gentleman of the Old South. At the time of his death, he possessed many acres of land, much cattle and a most beautiful home, besides many other possession. In the early part of this century he served the people of this state in the Alabama legislature.

Camden Girls Win From Selma Hi: Miss Reynolds’ Wilcohi lasses won from the Selma Hi team last Friday on the local court by a score of 32-13. Lambrecht and Harris, Camden forwards, were hitting the basket consistently and the other members of the team were playing outstanding games. Lambrecht led in scoring with 21 points and Harris made 11. Roberts played an outstanding game at guard in holding Berry, Selma’s star forward, to five points.

98 YEARS AGO
FEB. 12, 1925

VREDENBURGH GIRLS DEFEAT CAMDEN MISSES: On last Friday afternoon, the Vredenburgh girls defeated Camden in a game of basketball to the tune of 10 to 5. The game was fast and interesting all the way for Vredenburgh. Miss Kelly at guard and Miss McCants at center played consistent basketball being in every play in their territory for Camden. The entire team played a good passing game, but could not locate the baskets. Miss Myrtle Odom at guard showed the best defensive work.

FOR SALE:  A carload of Tennessee mules, both farm and log mules, at McCowan Cooks, Rock West. – F.M. Phillippi.

Mrs. Maggie McArthur and her daughter, Miss Olivia McArthur, who are teaching school at McWilliams, spent the weekend in Camden with the family of her brother, Judge P.M. Dannelly.

The Camden Motor Co. invites you to come down to their place of business and enjoy a radio concert program every night 8 to 11. Special program tonight.

Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Harper of Chicago are spending several months at the Wilcox Hotel while Mr. Harper is engaged in buying hardwood timber.

Mr. and Mrs. James Dale of Oak Hill are receiving the congratulations of their friends upon the arrival of a beautiful little daughter, who arrived on Feb. 5.

LOST: One pair of tortoise shell spectacles in a grey leather case. – Mrs. Felix Tait.

108 YEARS AGO
FEB. 11, 1915

Rock West: On the Sunday before last, Masters R.C. and Monette Curtis gave a possum dinner to their friends, who enjoyed it very much indeed. The guests were Masters James and Tom Fairley, S.J. Ervin and R. Edward McWilliams Jr.

Messrs. A.L. Slaughter, J.W. Brewer, J.W. Gibson, W.S. Irby Jr. and Dr. K.A. Mayer, a committee representing Lower Peach Tree beat, were in Camden last Monday and appeared before the commissioners court and asked that body for a free ferry at Lower Peach Tree. The Gulf, Florida & Alabama Railroad is soon to be completed and by having this free ferry, the good people of that beat can carry to the railroad, which is only five miles distant from Lower Peach Tree, their produce for railroad shipment.
Later, the county commissioners court in session this week has granted the petition of the Lower Peach Tree people for a free ferry at Lower Peach Tree. It was granted as an experiment for one year, under conditions that will be printed with the proceedings of the court next week.

Next Monday and Tuesday will be Mardi Gras in Mobile. The L&N Railroad will sell round trip tickets from Camden and all intermediate points beginning the 9^th and continuing until the 26^th at a rate of $4.50 for a round trip. A good many of our county people will attend.

It is said the sun shone last Sunday for the first time on Sunday in two months.

Mrs. Pittman, the wife of Mr. Pittman, a timberman of Mt. Hope, died last week.

119 YEARS AGO
FEB. 11, 1904

Great Improvements In Camden: The Camden Bank Building is nearing completion, the plasters and painters are putting the finishing touches on, and when the new finishing, railing and furniture is put in, and the paving done in front, it will be a beauty and one that would ornament a much larger town. There will be an up to date pavement laid on Broad Street, commencing at W.F. Spurlin’s corner and extending along in front of Camden Bank, building beyond Spurlin Brothers’ store. It will give that part of the town a city like appearance and others seeing this good work are bound to follow.

The addition to the Boltz Stables make a decided improvement in that end of town, besides making his place more attractive in appearance. It makes it commodious and convenient.

The Jones & Godbold office recently finished is another addition to Claiborne Street and an ornament that our town is justly proud of.

Mr. Henry Miller’s new residence looms up on Clifton Street and in a few days work will begin on a two-story parsonage for the ARP Church.

David P. Hicks Sr. of Lower Peach Tree died last week. He was an old and well known citizen of Wilcox and Clarke counties. He was buried with Masonic honors.

To the Public: I have settled in your midst to practice medicine and solicit a share of your patronage. I can be found at the offices of Drs. Jones & Jones. At night, I can be found at the home of Dr. T.W. Jones. – Henry N. Stilphen, M.D.

128 YEARS AGO
FEB. 13, 1895

The thermometer reached nine degrees in our town last Thursday morning.

During the recent freeze, milk, ink, vinegar and in some cases whiskey froze solid.

A train load of emigrants from Pennsylvania passed Gastonburg on the M&B Railroad last Saturday morning on their way to Citronelle, where they will locate.

The big ox passed down on the M&B Railroad last week. He was a Devon and from Greene County, Illinois and is said to have weighed 4,700 pounds. He was about 16 feet long and measured 11-feet, six inches around the girth.

The Wilcox County Masonic Conference met in Pine Apple last week. We are informed by Col. Pinkney Giddens, who was in town, that there was a good attendance of the brethren from this county and Monroe County. The next conference will be held in Camden in August next.

Mr. West Dunn of Camden Beat was in our city Saturday. He has killed five more hogs and has enough to make his crop. He says he will have homemade sausage and lard on his table as late as September. Farmers are all waiting on the lands to dry so they can go to work.

Hon. K.A. Mayer of Lower Peach Tree is in our city this week attending the regular session of the Commissioners court.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Feb. 7, 2023

Alabama Gov. Bibb Graves

58 YEARS AGO
FEB. 4, 1965

Car-train wreck kills Isaiah Mims: Isaiah Mims, age 31 of Owassa, was killed instantly when his auto was hit by an L&N train Saturday afternoon on the main crossing in Owassa. Trooper Pitchford investigated the accident. Pitchford said that Mims evidently heard the train approaching too late to bring his 1957 Ford to a stop and skidded to rest on the tracks in the path of the oncoming train. Mims’ car was a total loss and the engine of the train received $3,000 damage.

Baptists begin new building: Construction will begin right away on the new addition to the educational building of the Evergreen Baptist Church, according to John Nielsen, chairman of the building committee.
The new building will join the present building at the rear end and will be approximately the same size, 6,000 square feet in two stories. Approximate cost of the building will be $47,000 including heating, air conditioning and lights. The contract has already been let.
The new building will be the latest in a major building program carried out by the local church in the past 15 years. The present educational building was completed in 1950. Since then the church has also remodeled and air conditioned the main building, built a parsonage and built the first unit of Bower Memorial Baptist Church.
All of these programs were carried out under the leadership of the Rev. Sam Granade, who is complete his 17th year as pastor.

73 YEARS AGO
FEB. 2, 1950

Attendance Record Broken By Death: GEORGIANA, Ala. – Death Monday broke a veteran teacher’s 44-year record of never having missed a day of school.
Mrs. Lola B. Harwell, fifth and sixth grade instructor at Georgiana Elementary School, died unexpectedly Monday morning in her classroom. She had just returned from a religious motion picture which was being shown to her students.
Mrs. Harwell entered the teaching profession in September 1906 at Ebeneza in Butler County. She had never been absent or tardy since taking her first job.
She also taught in Conecuh County and was principal at Avant in Butler County before coming to Georgiana.
Mrs. Harwell was a graduate of Troy State Teachers College and attended the University of Alabama. She is survived by her husband, Grady Harwell of Georgiana.

Strawberry Shipments Move From Castleberry: CASTLEBERRY, Ala., Jan. 30 – For the second year in succession, the strawberry season has begun several weeks ahead of schedule.
Several growers brought in crates today and many more patches will begin producing within a week or two – if the mild weather continues.
Normally, the season begins between March 15 and April 1.
Lonnie Beasley of the Hamden Ridge community got here with 1950’s first crate. They were Klonmores and were sold to R.T. Holland, local buyer.

88 YEARS AGO
FEB. 7, 1935

Former Conecuh Citizen Appointed Prison Warden: Gov. Bibb Graves the past week announced the appointment of Mr. Chas. S. Kelly of Atmore as Warden of Atmore Prison, otherwise known as Moffat Farm.
The appointment of Mr. Kelly to this post is a source of delight to his numerous friends in Conecuh County. He is a native of Repton and made his home there until a few years ago, when he moved to Atmore to accept a position at the prison farm.
Mr. Kelly is the brother of Dr. E.L. Kelly, County Health Officer. Mr. J.E. Kelly, former representative from Conecuh and president of Union Bank of Repton, and the father of Senator J.L. Kelly of this city.

SCOUT NEWS: Troop 80, Evergreen Scouts, had an outdoor meeting on Monday afternoon at Stevens Pond.
Monday night, we shall have our regular meeting at seven o’clock and next Wednesday p.m., we plan a trip to old historic Beulah cemetery.

MR. JACK ROBINSON ACCEPTS POSITION WITH I. LONG & SONS: Mr. Jack Robinson of Baltimore, Md. arrived Monday to assume a position with the firm of I. Long and Sons. Mr. Robinson is a nephew of Messrs. Robert and Haiman Long, his mother being a twin sister of Mr. Robert Long.
Mr. Robinson was born and reared in Baltimore and this is his first trip south. He is making his home with the Longs on Belleville Street.

103 YEARS AGO
FEB. 4, 1920

Hon. and Mrs. J.M. Thomas are greatly distressed over the receipt of a message from the army hospital in San Antonio, Texas, announcing the serious illness of their son, Mabry Thomas, who is suffering with pneumonia. Latest advices stated that there was slight improvement in the young man’s condition.

Robert Long left yesterday afternoon for his semi-annual visit to New York and other eastern markets to purchase the spring and summer stock for his firm, I. Long & Sons. Miss Althea Burke accompanied him on the trip to assist in the selections. Miss Burke has long been identified with this store and will be of material aid to him in purchasing one of the most varied lines of ladies goods ever carried by this popular store. Miss Diaz, the trimmer, will also be with them to look after the selection of stock for the millinery department. They will be in the markets not less than three weeks.

The groundhog surely failed to see his shadow Monday, and we shall now see if this portends an early spring or the end of winter, whichever it means, if it means anything.

The first to break the ice in the local campaign is H.S. Hagood, who will stand for re-election to the office of tax assessor.

A.R. Peavey and D.W. Presley, two of the salt of the earth from Jamestown beat, were appreciated callers at the editorial sanctum a few days ago.

118 YEARS AGO
FEB. 1, 1905

O.L. Peckham was found dead on Friday afternoon near the place where he was building a home in front of D.G. Rutland’s. Mr. Peckham had recently removed here from Missouri and purchased land from Mr. Rutland and had contracted for the erection of a home, and was arranging for truck farming. About 12 o’clock Mr. Rutland happened to find the dead body of Mr. Peckham leaning against a tree and he had the body removed to his house. Investigation revealed the fact that the man had taken carbolic acid with suicide intent. An empty bottle was found at his side and a dipper out of which he had drank the deadly poison. The drug was bought on Saturday before from a drug store here. No cause could be assigned for the rash act. The only member of his family with him was his wife, who came here and has been with him. His remains were interred in Evergreen cemetery on Saturday morning at 10 o’clock. Mr. Peckham appeared to be an industrious farmer and seemed delighted with his new location and so expressed himself to man. The coroner was notified of the death, but after investigation decided it was unnecessary to hold an inquest.

FOUND: Purse containing large amount of money, picked up on the counter at the Racket Store; owner will identify and get same by proper claim.

Earthquake Felt at Gadsden: Gadsden, Ala. – The people of Gadsden were rudely awakened about 10:20 o’clock Saturday night with a distinct earthquake shock which shook houses, rattled windows and doors, broke up glassware and frightened the superstitious. The shock was also felt in Attalla. 

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Feb. 6, 2023

12 YEARS AGO
FEB. 3, 2011

Evergreen’s Chris Hines blocked a team-best three shots as the University of Alabama’s men’s basketball team demolished SEC rival, LSU, Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama won, 70-46, in front of a sellout crowd at Coleman Coliseum, improving to 13-7 overall and to 5-1 in conference play.
In addition to three blocked shots, Hines also grabbed seven rebounds and scored seven points. He also had two assists and a steal.

Sparta Academy’s varsity girls basketball team, ranked No. 6 in the AISA, improved to 15-4 overall and to 5-1 in area play last week after wins over Escambia Academy and South Choctaw Academy.
On Tuesday of last week, the Lady Warriors beat Escambia, 59-42, in Evergreen. On Friday, Sparta downed South Choctaw, 48-32, in Toxey.
(Top players for Sparta in those games included Madelyn Black, Emily Booker, Savannah Brown, Jessica Coleman, Drew Ann Lambert, Stephanie Martin, Grace Matlock, April Palmer and Ashton Raines.)

Three local high school football players were honored by the Mobile Press-Register earlier this week when the newspaper named the trio to its All-Region Football Team.
Sports writers and editors at the state’s oldest daily newspaper selected Davin Dixon, John Perry Johnson and Justin Nared to its annual All-Region Football Team, which was announced Sunday and Monday.
Dixon and Nared, who both started at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, were named as honorable mention members of the Press-Register’s 4A-6A All-Region team. Johnson, a standout player at Sparta Academy, was named an honorable mention member of the AISA-3A All-Region Team.

37 YEARS AGO
FEB. 6, 1986

Evergreen High hosts area meets: The Evergreen High School basketball teams, boys and girls, are preparing for the area tournament to be played in the local gymnasium Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13-14.
T.R. Miller and Alba will play in the first round of the girls tournament on Feb. 13, with Evergreen automatically advancing to the finals on Friday night.
T.R. Miller will play Alba and Evergreen will play UMS in the first round of the boys tournament on Feb. 13. The winners will meet in the finals Friday night.
The admission for the tournament will be $2 per session with a session each night. The coaches and players of the Aggie teams appreciate the support the community shown during the season.

Lady Warriors finish second: The Sparta Academy Lady Warriors finished second in the APSA District Basketball Tournament played Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 1 at Monroe Academy in Monroeville. The Warrior boys were eliminated in the opening round. Leah Carrier and Tracy Holmes and Thad Ellis and Scott Salter were named to the All-Tournament teams, according to Byron Warren Jr., Sparta Sports Information Director.
Wilcox edged the Sparta girls, 44-41, in the tournament finals. Escambia Academy beat the Warrior boys, 69-59.
(Other Sparta players in those games included Brian Bybee, Shawn Hammonds, Julie Johnson, Carol Kendrick, Mark Rigsby, Brandon Salter, Susan Ward and Jason West.)

63 YEARS AGO
FEB. 4, 1960

New Baseball Loop To Be Organized At Meeting Monday: A meeting has been called for Monday night at 7:30 in the auditorium of the new addition to the courthouse to organize a Pony Baseball League.
This league is for boys from the ages of 13 to 16. It provides wholesome recreation for the boys after they graduate from Junior League play.
All parents of boys in this age group are asked to attend the meeting Monday night and help organize this new league.

Eagles Claw Camden: Last Tuesday evening, the Conecuh County Training School Eagles turned back Camden Academy to the tune of 70-60. The Eagles used a combination of shooting and rebounding by Marvin Jones and Douglas Evans, and the playmaking of Eley Randerson and Robert Martin. Randerson and Martin were particularly effective with their passing and general ball handling skills. Marvin Jones gained the scoring honors with 22 points. Evans was second with 19 valuable points, but an even more important contribution of Evans and Jones was their rebounding on the offensive and defensive backboards.

Eagles Trounce Georgiana: Eley Randerson scored only six points Friday evening, but his passing and ball-handling led to many other scores as he led his Eagle teammates to a 58-36 victory over Georgiana.
The game was a toss-up for the first two periods with each team matching each other point for point. The half ended with the score even, 25-25.
The Eagles broke the game wide open in the third quarter as they scored 24 points to Georgiana’s five with Randerson getting more than half the assists, his favorite target being center Douglas Evans who collected 12 points in that quarter.

87 YEARS AGO
FEB. 6, 1936

The boys and girls teams of the Conecuh County Training School journeyed to Monroe County Training School at Beatrice, Ala., Sat., Feb. 1, to engage in the first of a series of basketball games between the schools.
The girls team proved that recent victory over Southern Normal was not accidental when they refused to accept a defeat by the undefeated Monroe County Training School girls. The game went an extra five minutes and remained in a 6-6 deadlock.
The boys inspired by the coordination and precision displayed by the girls started with plenty of action and grabbed a lead that they commanded through the game. The defensive work of Aaron and Simpson at guard and the brilliant shooting of Welch and Matthews enabled the CCTS five to trim the MCTS basketeers by a score of 25-17.

An increasing interest is being manifested in the weekly Tuesday night boxing matches, held at the City School in Evergreen. About a score of fighters of all weights are being trained daily for the weekly matches.
The feature match last Tuesday was a four-round bout between two heavyweights, Quates of Evergreen and McNeil of Fairview. McNeil, having an advantage of weight and strength, was not able to stand up under the punches and hooks of his more skillful opponent.
The fights are held every Tuesday night and the public is cordially invited.

A recreation project for Evergreen City School children is underway. This project is put on by the Works Progress Administration and is sponsored by the Department of Public Welfare.