Old, historic Drewry community has deep roots in Monroe County history

Old Masonic Hall in the Drewry community.

If you drive southwest out of Monroeville for about six and three-tenths miles on the Drewry Road, you’ll soon find yourself in “downtown” Drewry, a community with deep roots in Monroe County history.

According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, Drewry, sometimes spelled “Drewery,” was first known as Wait, a name that probably referenced an early local family. Later, in 1898, a post office called Hatter’s Mill, named after a sawmill operated by D.J. Hatter, was established in the area with Hatter serving as postmaster.

The community was renamed Drewry a few years later in honor of John Drew McMillan, a pioneer born in 1807. McMillan built the first store in this community, where the Drewry post office was first established in 1901. Other records reflect that the Drewry post office was in operation from 1911 to 1974.

I rode out to the Drewry community a few days ago and noticed that the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad tracks there are in the process of being taken up. A trip north on the tracks would take you to Peterman and Beatrice and points behind. A southbound train would take you across the Conecuh County line to Repton, Range and on down into Escambia County.

Old maps of the Drewry area show that it was once a thriving community with a significant population. In addition to its own post office, Drewry also once had its own school, church, a blacksmith, several stores and was also the home of the Commercial Hotel. Prominent families who lived in that area included families with familiar names like McMillan, Curry, Dees, Henderson, Hatter and Hornady.

Old maps also show that the creek that runs under Drewry Road (also known as County Road 20) is predictably called Drewry Creek, which branches off of Brushy Creek. As they go north, the railroad tracks closely follow Drewry Creek and eventually pass close to the confluence of Brushy Creek and Limestone Creek. All of this fresh water would have made this attractive real estate for early settlers in the area.

The oldest reference to “Drewry” that I could find in old issues of The Monroe Journal was in the July 28, 1879 edition of the paper. In that paper, readers learned that 74-year-old Drewry McMillan had died four days before at his residence in Monroeville. He was an “honest man, a good citizen and his death is generally regretted,” the paper said.

The oldest reference to the Drewry community that I found was in the Jan. 30, 1901 edition of The Journal. That paper let readers know that “several changes in star mail routes will go into effect Feb. 4. The line from Perdue Hill to Bermuda will be discontinued, also the line from Monroeville to Kempville. A daily mail from this place to Manistee via Perdue Hill, will be established. Tincie and Axle will be served from Kempville; Wait will be served from Drewry by special messenger.” I think it’s interesting that this short paragraph makes a distinction between the Wait and Drewry communities, which seems to contradict the information in Foscue’s book.

Aside from a handful of old homes and modern residences at Drewry today, about the most prominent landmark you will encounter there is the Limestone Faulk AME Zion Church. Located about half a mile east of the railroad tracks, many people will be familiar with this church because it sits adjacent to an old, distinctive-looking Masonic Hall. Appearances suggest that this lodge has been out of use for some time.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about the history of the Drewry community. I’m especially interested in any local legends, ghost stories or local legends associated with this part of the county. If you know of anything along these lines, please let me know so that it can be documented for the generations yet to come.

(Got a comment or question? E-mail Lee Peacock at leepeacock2002@hotmail.com.)

Gee's Bend Farms Community School added to National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 1989

Gee's Bend Farms Community School

Today – March 30 – marks 34 years since the Gee’s Bend Farms Community School was placed on the Alabama Register of Historic Places.

Also known as the Old Boykin High School, the Gee’s Bend Farms Community School was placed on the state’s historic register on March 30, 1989. For those of you unfamiliar with this old school, it was located near “downtown” Boykin, off Wilcox County Road 79. Sources reflect that this historic school building, which sits on about 11 acres, belongs to the Wilcox County Board of Education, but is leased to the Boykin Historical Association.

The one-story school was a wood frame building built on concrete block piers with clapboard walls. The building featured a gable roof, trimmed with cornices, with asphalt shingles. The building also featured a small cupola in its center and the floors were constructed of wide pine boards. In its early days, water for the school was provided by a windmill and pumphouse behind the school.

Alabama Historical Commission records reflect that the school was built in 1937 by the U.S. Government as part of an “innovative social program that was designed to make a group of destitute black tenant families into independent farm owners. To do this, the Rural Resettlement Administration purchased what had once been the 10,000-acre Pettway plantation from its three absentee landowners.

“With the help of the local residents, government workers set up a planned community that consisted of individual farmsteads, as well as a series of community buildings and cooperative enterprises that included a cooperative store, cotton gin, grist mill, plowing and haying operation, stock breeding program, medical clinic and school. Although Wilcox County was approximately 80-percent black during the Great Depression era, the participating families constituted a virtual majority of black land owners until after World War II.”

Historical Commission records go on to say that “supervision of the new community was provided by a Community Manager, an employee of the Farm Security Administration. The Gee’s Bend Community School was staffed by black teachers, who were college educated and drawn from outside the area. It can safely be said that the residents of Gee’s Bend were among the best educated in the Black Belt.”

After World War II, the school fell under the control of the Wilcox County Board of Education, which added buildings to the school campus in the 1950s. The school eventually became a high school and served as such until its closure in the 1970s.

“The entire cooperative effort, including the community school, became well known through documentary and social science research in the community,” Historical Commission sources say. “Much has been written about the Gee’s Bend community, past and present, and the importance of the social experiment which sought to enfranchise a group of black farmers made destitute by the Great Depression.”

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about the history of the Gee’s Bend Farms Community School. It would be interesting to know who the school’s first students and graduates were and if any of them are still with us. No doubt they have many fond memories of the school’s heyday between the Great Depression and World War II.

Wilcox County, Alabama News Flashback for March 29, 2023

Grave of Virginia E. Sills

89 YEARS AGO
MARCH 29, 1934

GINNERS REPORT: There were 5,714 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned and to be ginned in Wilcox County from the crop of 1933, as compared with 9,200 bales from the crop of 1932. – Anne Laurie Purefoy, Special Agent.

BARBECUE – There will be a barbecue for former students of Erskine College and their friends at Oak Hill on Sat., April 14, at 12 o’clock noon.

PAROLE NOTICE: Notice is hereby given that Albert Moten, who was convicted in the Circuit Court of Wilcox County on the 17^th of September 1934 for murder and given a term of 25 years, will make application for pardon or parole.

On last Thursday evening the spacious and beautiful antebellum home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Starr at Rock West was thrown open to the elite of Camden, Canton and Rock West, honoring their lovely daughter, Miss Evelyn, who in her gracious manner received her young guests. Dancing was indulged in until a late hour. Fruit punch, sandwiches and later and ice course was enjoyed. About 20 couples enjoyed this beautiful affair and were reluctant to bid adieu to this genial host and hostess and honoree.

L.P. Stuart, who announced for Tax Collector of Wilcox County, unfortunately had to come out of the race on account of ill health – he was rushed to hospital and operated on the 24^th and is doing nicely. He wishes to express his deep appreciation to any who may have intended to vote for him, or who has spoken a good word for him.

99 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1924

Drug Store Purchased At Pine Hill: Messrs. Edgar Sheffield, Oscar Sheffield and Fred Vaughn of Pine Hill recently purchased the drug store of that place owned by Mr. Rush, the business will be under the management of Mr. Vaughn, who has had some experience in this line of business, the many friends of the above parties wish them much success in this business.

LOST, Strayed or Stolen – one mare mule, age about three years, strayed from my place March 7. Color light red, a little cross eyed, weight 700 pounds. Also has line halter with end very short. Finder please return to or notify FELIX TAIT and receive reward.

Mr. W.S. Irby and sons of Lower Peach Tree have met with much success with the well which they have had driven, and the supply of water is ample for the three homes, store and gin. They are going to install a light system for the three houses, store, gin and warehouse at an early date.

CAMDEN JUNIORS EVEN COUNT WITH COY: On last Friday the Camden Juniors won the second game of a series from Coy by the score of 8 to 2.
Both teams played stellar ball for youngsters, the Coy infield going to pieces in the second when the Camden team pushed over five runs, after this inning the game was close an interesting. For Camden, Earl McNeil, Lucian McLeod and Edwin Riggs played the leading role, the Lambrecht brothers hit two baggers for Coy and Bill Dannelly made a nice catch of a long fly to left field.

109 YEARS AGO
MARCH. 26, 1914

DEATH OF HON. J. ROBT. PHARR: Hon. J.R. Pharr, one of our county’s present representatives in the legislature, died at his home in Catherine last week. He was a successful merchant and planter, was a devoted father and good citizen, and in his death, his bereaved daughters and relatives have the sympathies of their father’s many friends.

Mrs. Chas. C. Washburn of Nashville is here with home folks. Her father, Mr. A.L. Morgan, celebrated his 80^th birthday on Saturday.

Lower Peach Tree: The ladies of the Presbyterian church served a luncheon at the Masonic Hall Friday night, the 13^th.

Judge B.M. Miller and Court stenographer Howell Turner are at Marion this week. Mrs. Howell Turner accompanied Mr. Turner.

“The Boston Lyrics” of the Alkahest Lyceum Course will give an entertainment at the auditorium tonight at 7:30 o’clock.

The ladies of the St. Mary’s Guild will have an Easter Egg hunt on the Mesdames Beck’s lawn Saturday afternoon from three until six April 11.

Rev. Jas. G. Dale, missionary to Mexico, will lecture in the ARP Church next Sabbath at 11 a.m. on the Mexican Revolution. Come out to hear him.

As we go to press, news has been received of the death of Mrs. V.E. Sills, which took place at the home of her son, Mr. John Sills, last night.

120 YEARS AGO
MARCH 26, 1903

FOR SALE: Two collie puppies – bred in Ohio, from the best strains, price ten dollars each. For particulars, call or write to this office.

Spring has opened up in fine shape. Vegetation is showing itself in all the beautiful colors belonging to that season, but nowhere will you find spring so pronounced in its glory, than in Miss Bettie McCaskey’s Emporium for the ladies. Her complete line of hats for the fair sex, in all the various colors, shapes, trimmings, etc. are simply grand and we are told that visitors from a distance, who are in position to know, say that her assortment does credit to the town and her prices are reasonable.

FOR RENT: The Bell place on Bridgeport Road, two miles from Camden, a most desirable home. Good dwelling, four large rooms, two small ones, and dining room, a good well of water and land enough for small farm. Anyone wishing a healthy home like place to live, cannot do better. See or write at once to W.W. Moore, Camden, Ala.

Hon. Sol. D. Bloch has returned from a trip to North Alabama, where he has been in the interest of the School lands of the Industrial School for Girls at Montevallo. From the way he talks, looks and reports himself generally, we are sure that he has at last met his fate in the form of a dainty package, wrapped in calico, with dreamy brown eyes and several dimples.

FOR SALE – One good saddle horse, has all the gaits, and goes them well and easy, works anywhere, not over eight years old. Anyone needing such a horse can get him cheap.

129 YEARS AGO
MARCH 28, 1894

Thermometer down to 25 Sunday night. Peaches nearly all killed, so close observers tell us.

Turkey hunting is the order of the day among the local nimrods. Messrs. Pat Dannelly and Ernie Gordon has each killed one during the past week.

Mr. M. Thompson of New Mexico is at the Wilcox Hotel. Mr. Thompson talks very entertainingly of the scenes and incidents that go to make up the lives of the miners in the silver mines of New Mexico, and of the peons in old Mexico. He says that the recent silver legislation in Congress has killed the silver mining industry in New Mexico, that men owning rich silver mines actually have not enough ready money to buy a dinner with and are the recipients of the bread (or the soup) of charity in soup houses.

The Tanyard will buy hides on Wednesdays and Saturdays only until further notice.

The farmers are working manfully when they have a chance, but the weather is interfering sadly with their plans, and they are very much behind, especially in the Prairies.

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard L. Godbold of Bethel were made happy on the 20^th inst. by the arrival of a fine boy. Our best wishes are extended to the young Democrat, and our congratulations to the young parents on his advent.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for March 28, 2023

11 YEARS AGO

MARCH 29, 2012

Local weather reporter Betty Ellis reported .20 of an inch of rain in Evergreen on March 22 and .21 of an inch on March 23.

Unusual tracks found at Loree: When Buddy Raines set off for Evergreen from his home in the Loree community last Thursday morning, the sharp-eyed 62-year-old spotted something unusual in a cornfield near his home.
At first, he thought that someone had driven a motorcycle across the corn that he’d planted the previous Sunday, but upon closer inspection, he could tell that it was no motorcycle.
“Whatever it was wasn’t so heavy that it mashed into the soft dirt or messed up the rows very much,” Raines said. “Whatever it was, the track wasn’t there during the day on Wednesday. This was done sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.”
Raines wondered if the track may have been left behind by a large snake like the exotic anacondas and pythons that have begun to plague Florida in recent years.
The track stretched all the way across the field and was 12 to 13 inches wide. The track was just deep enough to flatten the tops of the furrows in the field. There also appeared to be a line in the tracks that indicated that it may have been caused by an animal with a tail.
Individuals who examined photos of the unusual track offered up a number of theories about what could be responsible. Animals mentioned included various snakes, alligators, snapping turtles, gopher tortoises, beavers, peacocks and otters.

26 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1997

Harry Ellis of Evergreen was honored recently by WSFA-TV for his continuing contribution as a Storm Team Weather Watcher. Harry attended an appreciation dinner for the 31 Weather Watchers who call the WSFA Storm Center regularly, reporting weather data from their respective hometowns. WSFA’s Chief Weathercaster Rich Thomas commended him for ‘the part he plays in helping the Storm Team report accurate weather information from all around WSFA’s coverage area… especially during severe weather.’ Beginning in May, WSFA will recognize the Weather Watchers on the air for the work they do.

Crack in County Rd. remains a mystery: As the Conecuh County crack widens, the plot thickens over what is causing this unusual geological condition.
A thick, slippery layer of clay is getting the blame for the condition that has been drawing attention to the Repton area.
Emergency Management Agency coordinator Billy Mims said the apparent fault line appeared sometime between 5 and 6:30 a.m. March 18 and it has been spreading ever since. The crack in the ground is located on County Road 73, 4.8 miles east of Repton in the Springhill community.
As of last week, it was 300 yards long and as much as 60 feet wide in some places with varying depths of five to 23 feet.

41 YEARS AGO
MARCH 25, 1982

Earl Windham reports no rain last week and says: “No rain this time. I think ole Bob had better do the rain dance.”

Winners of the Conecuh County Spelling Bee are: first place, Rita Grace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Feiro Grace; second place, Marsha Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Kennedy; and third place, Chris Wallace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Wallace. Rita will compete in the state contest in Birmingham in June.

The Evergreen Courant will begin in the near future a series entitled “Our Future Citizens” which will feature pictures of Conecuh County children. The Courant needs your cooperation to make this coming feature successful.

Twenty-six senior citizens were injured and their church bus destroyed Monday when it flipped and landed in a 12-foot-deep median south of Evergreen, State Troopers said.
The group from the First Baptist Church of Boaz was en route to Bellingrath Gardens south of Mobile about 2 p.m. when the driver lost control of the 1972 Chevrolet bus about 10 miles south of Evergreen on rain-slick Interstate 65, said Trooper Cpl. J.C. Fowler.
All passengers of the bus were injured, including 62-year-old driver Crawford S. Perry, said Fowler, adding that no charges were filed. Six passengers were admitted to D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton, and five others were admitted to Evergreen Hospital. One woman was transferred from Evergreen to St. Margaret’s Hospital in Montgomery.

56 YEARS AGO

MARCH 30, 1967

Wolfe Ambulance Service will begin offering ambulance service to all of Conecuh County this Sat., April 1. Cope Funeral Home will end this service Friday. Frank Wolfe of Monroeville, owner of the new service, is already operating an ambulance service in Monroe County.

Warrant Officer One R.B. Griffin has started a 12-months tour of duty with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He is the son of Mrs. Bertha Griffin of Rt. 1, Evergreen.

Service station operators were warned this week by Evergreen Police Chief John Andrews not to sell gasoline or other combustible fluids in glass containers. He pointed out that to do so is a violation of a city ordinance.
Andrews said that each year about this time when lawn-mowing is resumed there are violations of the ordinance reported. He said that it is very dangerous for gasoline to be carried in glass containers and enforcement of the law is necessary for public safety.

Marine Private First Class James C. Salter Jr., grandson of Mrs. Emmie Tatum of Rt. 1, Evergreen, is in Da Nang, Vietnam serving as a member of ‘A’ Battery, First Battalion, 13th Marine Regiment.

Lyeffion Principal Roy M. Davis crowns Ollie Mae Ward as Miss Lyeffion at the annual pageant Saturday night, sponsored by the Lyeffion FHA.

71 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1952

Record Rainfall Here During Past Weekend: According to officials at the local Airways Communication and Weather reporting station at Evergreen Airport, the past weekend was the wettest since the opening of the station Nov. 19, 1949. Weather records beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday afternoon until 6 a.m. Monday morning show a total of 3.44 inches of rainfall for those 36 hours.

The station located at Middleton Field, Evergreen, is manned 24 hours daily by one or more of the following personnel: Walter L. Chambers, Chief, William S. Andrews Jr., Wiley H. Sanders Jr., Sparkman Long, Jack L. Broome.

With the Eighth Army in Korea – Cpl. Alton E. Cook, Belleville St., Evergreen, Ala., is now serving on the island of Kojedo, 40 miles off the coast of southern Korea, with the 121st Transportation Truck Co.

After serving for the past 10 months in Japanese and Korean waters, the landing ship tank USS 772 has arrived in San Diego, Calif. Serving aboard her is William E. Henderson, seaman apprentice, USN of Evergreen, Ala.

George W. Estes, age 44, popular and well known teacher of Vocational Agriculture at Lyeffion High School, died at a Greenville hospital March 19, following an illness of many months. He was a devoted member of the Church of Christ and a Mason.

Fort Riley, Kansas – Second Lt. William E. Dantzler, son of Samuel A. Dantzler, McKenzie, Rt. 2, Ala., received his gold bars at commissioning exercises for Army Officer Candidate Class 42 at Fort Riley, March 22. Lt. Dantzler graduated from the Evergreen High School in 1948 and entered the Army in October of that year.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for March 27, 2023

18 YEARS AGO

MARCH 24, 2005

County mourns loss of ‘Coach’ Keith Nettles: William Keith Nettles Sr., age 41, of Evergreen died Sun., March 20, 2005 when he apparently lost control of the sport utility vehicle he was driving.
Nettles started his career with the Conecuh County Board of Education teaching at Lyeffion Junior High School, then he moved to Hillcrest where he was head basketball coach and assistant football coach and an English teacher.

28 YEARS AGO
MARCH 23, 1995

Coach Richard Brown of Evergreen was recently inducted into the Florida Community College Basketball Hall of Fame.

Coach Brown served seven years at North Florida Junior College as Athletic Director and Men’s Basketball Coach.

His team averaged over 100 points per game for seven consecutive years (before three-point play). His team was No. 1 in the nation offensively, averaging 114.9 points per game. His 1972 team set a national all-time scoring record, averaging 115.3 points per game, which still stands. Offensively, his team was nationally ranked No. 2 for two seasons, No. 3 for one season and No. 4 and No. 5 for one season.

Brown was named Florida Junior College Coach of the Year (Men) in 1966. He later took his expertise to the Alabama Southern Community College women’s program in Monroeville, where he earned state Coach of the Year honors in 1990, Southern Division.

His women’s team was third in the nation offensively, averaging 96.3 points per game in 1990. Ninety-six percent of his college players graduated, 53 of his high school and junior college players went to 33 four-year colleges on scholarship, and 29 former players went into coaching in seven different states.

Brown has also coached on the high school level at Madison, Lee and Sparta Academy. He was Coach of the Year in three sports in Alabama and Florida at the Conference-Division level (football, basketball and track in high school). He has had two state championships in track, in 1976 and 1977, while coaching the Sparta Academy girls track team.

41 YEARS AGO

MARCH 25, 1982

David Gorum celebrated the opening of the spring turkey season by killing this gobbler Saturday. The Tom weighed 17-1/2 pounds, had a 7-3/4 inch beard and 3/4-inch spurs.

Gregg Baggett of Baggetts Chapel brought in this turkey Monday. It weighed 16-3/4 pounds, had a 10-inch beard and 3/4-inch spurs.

Long distance runner Tarak Kauff passed through Evergreen last Thursday morning on his 50-state solo run which began Jan. 31 in New York City. He is accompanied by his friend and handler, Sahisnu, and will cover over 9,000 miles and pass through every state in the union before he completes his record-setting run. Tarak says: “I love America deeply and this run expresses that love. For me, the run stands as a symbol of self-transcendence, and that’s why I’m dedicating it to the individual who has been my teacher, in everything, for the past 11 years, Sri Chinmoy.” Tarak, who earns his living as a waiter, is financing the run through savings and assistance from family and friends.

47 YEARS AGO

MARCH 25, 1976

Ronald Fantroy ends super cage career at EHS: Ronald Fantroy closed out a superb basketball career at Evergreen High School by representing the 3A schools of Region One in the 3A and 4A All-Star Game at the University of Alabama Memorial Coliseum on March 12.

Ronald, one of eight 3A players chosen for the game, scored eight points and pulled down 12 rebounds, according to Evergreen High Coach Charles Branum, in the contest even though his South team lost to the North Squad.

Fantroy, a 6-foot-6 senior, averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds a game this season. He made the All State Team, 3A, for two straight years, and also earned All Region and All County honors. He was selected the Most Valuable Player in the Southwest Conference this season.

Coach Branum says that Ronald is not only an outstanding athlete, but also a fine student and Christian youth. He is the son of Mrs. Matilda Fantroy of the Fairview community and an active member of the Evergreen Church of Christ. He is a member of the Beta Club and will graduate with honors in May.

Mrs. Matilda Fantroy looks on as her son, Ronald, signs a grant-in-aid scholarship with Alabama Christian College, Montgomery. Ronald was an outstanding basketball player at Evergreen High School under Coach Charles Branum and the Montgomery college feels fortunate that it will have him on the court in coming years.

Warriors host ‘Jamboree’ Saturday 7:30: The Sparta Academy Warriors will host a spring football practice game here Saturday night at Stuart-McGehee Field. Only two teams will be involved, Sparta and Escambia Academy, with the kickoff set at 7:30.

Sparta headmaster and coach Richard Brown listed the following young men who will compete for the Warriors: Bobby Johnson, Andy Skipper, John Cook, Kent Cook, Jerry Peacock, Hugh Bradford, Steve Debose, Joey Rayfield, David Sabino, Gray Stevens, Harry Crabtree, Jamie McKenzie, Tony Baggett, Tony Raines, Tommy Hutcheson, Bill Cope, Jimmy Ellis, Ronny Taylor, John McKenzie, Ronny McKenzie and Terry Peacock.

63 YEARS AGO

APRIL 14, 1960

Aggie Nine Battles For Conference Title: The Evergreen ‘Aggies’ Baseball Club will play in the Conference Championship game this afternoon in Atmore at 3:30. Evergreen has won the first four games of this playing season and defeated W.S. Neal and Flomaton in order to reach championship play.

The starting lineup for today will be Billy Bateman, pitcher; Billy Melton, catcher; Leon Stinson, first base; Jacob Coleman, second base; Shannon Griggers, third base; James Reeves, shortstop; Jerry Windham, left field; Johnny Ivey, center field; and Jimmy Eddins, right field. Coach Jeff Moorer said: “My boys are rar’in to go.”

Billy Bateman has been the winning pitcher in the first three games played, and James Pugh, the winner of the fourth game. Lead hitters of the team so far this season are Leon Stinson, James Reeves and Shannon Griggers.

Mrs. Greeley Moorer says that these men folks do a lot of bragging about their big catches, but she has proof here that she knows how to pull in a fine string of bream. These 20 beauties were pulled in in just a short time at the Country Club.

70 YEARS AGO

MARCH 26, 1953

County Schools Plan ‘Play Day’ On April 10 – “All work and no play, makes Jill a dull girl,” will not be true of the students of Conecuh County during the month of April. For the first time in the history of the local schools, every child will have the opportunity to participate in some form of activity during Play Day.

On Fri., April 10, 1953, at nine o’clock, all high school students in the county will meet at Brooks Stadium in Evergreen to actively engage in at least one activity which they have learned in the physical education classes in their local school. Every grade will perform beginning with the seventh grade girls who will have the Stride Ball Relay, through the 12-grade boys who will have tug-of-war. There will be no competition between schools as all children will be divided into color groups and play in their groups of the same color regardless of their individual school.

In addition to this program of all children playing, the healthiest boy and girl from each school will be presented at an honor court. Four boys and four girls in the county will be selected, one couple from each school, and this will indeed be one of the highest honors any student could receive in the county.

The Repton PTA will sponsor a barbecue Thursday night, April 2, on the high school football field.

The T.R. Miller High School Band will play and parade on the field. T.R. Miller has one of the better bands in the State of Alabama. Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Game, string band from Texas, will play when the high school band is not playing.

The Orange Bowl football game will be shown in the high school auditorium.

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

Old Monroe County Courthouse

SEVEN YEARS AGO
MARCH 24, 2016

National landmark plans for museum: During the Monroe County Commission meeting Tuesday morning in Monroeville, the commission was asked to support an effort to have the old courthouse declared a national historic landmark.
Pete Black, business development manager at Parsons & Whittemore, said he and Sandy Smith, executive director of the Monroeville-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, are the lead people on the project.
“The old courthouse has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973, which is symbolic locally, but we’re not on the National Historic Landmarks list, which is symbolic nationally,” said Black.

Sanders is new Hall of Fame coach: In making his acceptance speech into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame, Coach Jerome Sanders described Monday night as the “greatest moment in my life.”
The former basketball coach at J.F. Shields High School in Beatrice was one of 11 inductees at the 26^th annual ceremony and banquet at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery.
In 18 years at Shields, he compiled a record of 360 wins while losing 160 for a winning percentage of almost 70 percent. His 2004, 2005 and 2007 boys teams won state championships and his 2003 and 2010 teams finished runners-up.

New court clerk sworn in: Lucy Moorer receives the oath of office for Municipal Court Clerk from Monroeville Mayor Mike Kennedy as Councilmen Anthony Thomas and Tom Lomenick watch during a recent council meeting at City Hall.

32 YEARS AGO
MARCH 28, 1991

County Oks next phase of restoration: Plans for the next phase of restoration work on the Old Courthouse were approved by the Monroe County Commission at its Tuesday meeting.
Bill Chance, chairman of the restoration committee, updated the commission on the clock and dome repair that is nearly complete and described the work to be done next: scraping and painting of exteriors, entranceways, halls, stairwells and rotundas, restoration or replacement of doors, and installation of balustrades over stoops.
The $80,000 work on the clock and dome is not quite complete, Chance said, mentioning that the dome will be painted again and recalked, balustrades around the dome are ready to be installed, and a new motor has been purchased for the clock.

MCHS baseball team posts four straight wins: Monroe County High School recorded its fourth straight victory, since a 6-5 loss to W.S. Neal High School March 16, when the Tigers pounded Greenville High School 13-2 Monday in Monroeville.
MCHS began the string Tuesday of last week in Walnut Hill, Fla., with a 14-3 blasting of the Ernest Ward High School Golden Eagles. The Tigers avenged the loss to Neal Thursday when they pounded the Blue Eagles 10-2 in Monroeville. The third straight win came Friday when the Tigers stunned Jackson High School 9-6 in Jackson.
(Top MCHS players in those games included Chris Ard, Tony Bayles, Carlos Booker, Mitch Dees, Joey Downs, Jeff Howard, Ronnie Kidd, Todd Watson, Chris Williams, Hudson Williams and Lorenzo Williams. Randy Allison was MCHS’s head coach.)

57 YEARS AGO
MARCH 24, 1966

Rescue Squad Organizers: Malvin Porter and Claude Wilkerson were given special recognition by the Monroe County Rescue Squad at the annual banquet of the rescue squad last Thursday night for their efforts in organizing the squad and for their work in the unit. Mr. Porter, who is now assigned to the finance responsibility unit with the state troopers, was with the enforcement division assigned to Monroe County when he helped organize the rescue squad seven years ago. Mr. Wilkerson was installed as president Thursday night and has served in that capacity all but one year since the squad was organized.

The Frisco City High Whippets will wrap up its spring football drills with a game type scrimmage Thursday beginning at 1:30, according to Coach Lowell James.
(Players taking part in spring drills included Johnny Bailey, Warren Barlow, Donnie Blanton, Doug Bowen, Darrell Browning, Tommy Burkett, Tim Calloway, Wayne Cross, Don Gardner, Wayne Godwin, Bill Gran, Charles Gran, Claude Hanks, Andy Harrison, Jim Kelly, Mike Lancaster, David Lawrence, Randy Manning, Mickey McNeil, Jamie McWilliams, Larry Norris, Ronnie Ray, Rex Ryder, Eddie Russell Sawyer, Kenneth Till, Jimmy Tucker and Don Wiggins.)

Monroeville Boy Scout Troop 224 received a plaque for having the best campsite and seven Monroe County Scouts were tapped as candidates for the Order of the Arrow in a campfire ceremony Friday night at Little River State Park.
(Richard Tatum was Troop 224’s Scoutmaster at the time, and Order of the Arrow Scouts included Steve Tomlinson, David Titterud, Judson Skinner, Mike Kimberl, Al Bentley, Mike Lancaster and Donnie Evans.)

82 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1941

Mr. Theodore Kilpatrick was drowned in the Warrior River near Birmingham Port last Sunday morning while boat riding with a couple of Birmingham friends. They were trying out a new motor when the craft overturned. Kilpatrick started swimming for shore and was only about 15 feet from the bank when he went under. His body was brought to Monroeville on Monday and burial was in the New Home Cemetery on Tuesday at four o’clock.

Mr. George Thomas Jones, student at Emory University, Atlanta, spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Jones.

Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee and Miss Nelle Lee spent last Sunday in Atmore with Dr. and Mrs. McKinley.

Beatrice Chamber of Commerce Entertains FFA Boys: The Beatrice Chamber of Commerce entertained the local Chapter of Future Farmers of America with a banquet in the Vocational Building, March 11, at 7:30 p.m.
The meeting was opened with the regular opening ceremony of the FFA and followed by the introduction of members of both organizations and visitors.
The FFA speakers were Clarence Curry, chapter reporter, and Earl Sheppard, who gave short speeches on the objectives of the FFA and the history of the FFA, respectively.

A recent visitor to Monroe County was Dr. L.N. Duncan, president of Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn. The occasion for his visit was a district meeting in Monroeville of Home Demonstration Agents from 17 counties.

107 YEARS AGO
MARCH 23, 1916

LOST: Duroc boar, 18 months old, light red, tail clipped short. Left home about Christmas. Will pay $2 for information as to whereabouts. – J.L. Blackburn, Roy, Ala.

Circuit court convened on Monday with Judge Ben D. Turner presiding and Solicitor McDuffie representing the state.

Mr. L.W. Locklin was made foreman of the grand jury. Only one week of court will be held this term in consequence of a light docket.

Mr. J.L. Wiggins has returned from Montgomery where he spent several weeks under treatment in a sanitarium. His friends are glad to know that his condition is improved.

There will be given at the Jones Mill school auditorium Friday evening at 8 p.m. March 30, a recital by the music and expression pupils of Miss Shell. Everybody invited. No admission fee.

Miss Julia Smiga has arrived from La Salle, Ill. on a visit to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Smiga at Perdue Hill, and is astonished and delighted at the wonders accomplished by her father on his farm in so short a time. Like her parents and others of our new settlers from the west, Miss Smiga is in raptures over a country where roses bloom uninterruptedly throughout the winter months when snow and ice cover the landscape of their former home.

George Singleton tells of visiting old home places in the Red Hills of Monroe County, Alabama

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

(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 “Coming of spring brings thoughts of yesterday,” was originally published in the March 30, 1995 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

This is the place, stand still my steed,
And, let me review the scene,
And summon from the shadowy past
The forms that once have been.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As I travel around the countryside and visit many old, abandoned homesteads, the words of Longfellow’s poem take on a greater meaning. The coming of spring with its blossoming of the many beautiful flowers that grow throughout the area should not be a time of sadness. But as I visit these old places that once rang with laughter and merriment, a feeling of depression comes over me.

You cannot travel anywhere within this area without seeing first hand the many old homesteads that now lay abandoned and neglected. I know that we, as a society, cannot keep up and repair these many old places of yesterday. But when I stop and view the little things that have survived the passage of time and yet continue to grace these forgotten areas with their primitive beauty, a feeling of sadness is always present.

Picture yourself alone at the edge of an old, abandoned homestead in the Red Hills area. The day is Fri., the 17^th of March. Many years have passed since this old homeplace has heard the laughter of children playing in the front yard among the blooming jonquils and wild violets. Nothing remains of the old house but an ancient stone chimney that leans crazily there on the hillside. No smoke comes from this old chimney where once the smell of burning wood floated on the evening air.

The front yard is covered with brush where once planted flowers and hedges grew along the picket fence. And, along the edge of the yard, an old, broken rock wall still clings to the hillside in a desperate effort to try and hold together the remains of what once was a place of happiness.

Standing in the corner of the old, abandoned yard, you can yet see a few struggling jonquils that dot the few open spaces that remain free of brush and debris. Near the stone chimney, an aged magnolia tree stands as a silent sentinel, waiting for the return of the family from long ago.

There are no sounds around the old homestead. Only the rustle of fallen magnolia leaves that cover the ground beneath the ancient tree give evidence of any movement. While across the abandoned field, in the woods nearby, a crow calls out to its mate. Over and beyond the remains of the decayed and crumbled barn, the call is answered. Here, where once with the coming of the morning, activity abounded, now the passage of time has no meaning.

What was it like here around this old homestead on a spring Sunday morning – when the family gathered out in the front yard to load up in the wagon for the trip to the church not too far down the road? Standing there by the crumbled, old rock wall, I can imagine young children waiting there in the yard in their gingham dresses and starched homemade clothing, as the wagon was brought up from the barn.

I can visualize the slow wagon ride across the scenic red-clay hills to the community church for a morning of worship and fellowship. And, as they slowly made their way across the red clay hills, the blooming mountain laurels graced the ridges with their wild and primitive beauty.

Standing there alone, I remembered the telephone call that I received last April from an old lady, requesting that I bring her to this place. As a child, she had been reared here at this old homestead. Over 65 years had passed since she last visited this place where she was born. I remembered her not recognizing where she was until I pointed out the remains of the low rock wall there at the edge of the yard.

Seeing the old wall, she sat down and wept, knowing that this was the place where her life began. During the next few hours, I was to hear many stories of her life and that of her family here among the red-clay hills when she was a young girl.

I was to hear of the good times and the many wagon rides to the country church down the road. She told of the many hellfire-and-brimstone sermons preached by this country preacher and how frightened she became as a small child after hearing these sermons. I was told also of the country get-togethers among the young folks here in the hill country.

I remembered this dear old lady wandering across the front yard of the old homestead and pointing out the patches of jonquils and violets that she had planted as a child. I was to hear the stories of chilly evenings around the old stone fireplace where the family gathered for warmth and comfort. She also relayed to me how her dear mother had planted the magnolia tree there in the yard after bringing the small plant by wagon all the way from Butler County.

As we visited the old well there in the yard, I was to hear the stories of how she played as a small child in the watering trough there by the well. She also told me of the stories of how the milk that was used by her family was lowered in the well to be kept cool and fresh until time for the supper meal at the close of the day.

Hearing all this, the memories of my childhood blossomed forth and the subjects of fresh milk and milk coolers in the well grew in magnitude. The old lady’s nephew that was present didn’t seem to understand why the milk was placed in the well to keep from spoiling. He couldn’t understand why it wasn’t placed in the refrigerator for storage.

After a lengthy lecture from the dear old lady, he was to understand that there was no such thing as a refrigerator back in those days in the Red Hills community. He was reminded time and again that times were hard there trying to dig a living out of the red clay of these rolling hills.

After securing a small rock from the crumbled, old stone wall, she weepingly bid farewell to the old homestead. She stated that she knew this would be her last trip to the place of her birth here, deep in the hill country. When I assured her that I would bring her back anytime she desired, she reminded me that I didn’t know what it was like to be 87 years old. I had to promise her that I would return here from time to time and check on her jonquils and the large old magnolia tree. I promised that I would, and this promise I have kept. The visit here this day is a part of that promise.

We visited the Red Hills cemetery where this dear old lady lingered for a while at the final resting place of her ancestors. While placing a small jonquil at the grave of a great uncle, she reminded me that he had fought in the dreaded Civil War and had been wounded. Turning at the gate of the old cemetery, this dear woman bid farewell to those of her family who slept here on the red-clay hill.

Her journey into the memories of her early childhood had ended for now. I was glad that I had helped make it possible.

(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.)

Indian Head pennies said to contain ‘real strong magic' and 'good luck'

I was piddling around in the yard on Sunday afternoon and saw a small bird fly into the knothole of an old oak tree out by the road. The bird disappeared inside the dark hole for a few seconds, then flew right back out on his way to important business elsewhere. I watched the tree for another minute or so more, but the bird never returned.

As I went on about my business, I got to thinking about the somewhat famous knothole in Harper Lee’s novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Many readers will remember that this fictional knothole was in one of the two live oak trees on the edge of the Radley lot, not far from the home of Atticus Finch and his two children, Jem and Scout. As young Scout walks home alone on her last day of the first grade, she finds two pieces of Wrigley’s Double-Mint gum in the knothole, which was “just above (her) eye level.”

As the novel progresses, Scout and her slightly-older brother, Jem, find a number of other “gifts” in the knothole. Presumably left by reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, these items included a pocket watch, two figures carved from soap, a spelling medal and a ball of twine. The children also go on to find a small box containing coins, which I’ve always found particularly interesting.

This small box was “patchworked with bits of tinfoil collected from chewing-gum wrappers. It was the kind of box wedding rings came in, purple velvet with a minute catch. Inside were two scrubbed and polished pennies, one on top of the other.”

The coins were described as Indian Head pennies, one of them dated 1900 and the other dated 1906. These distinctive pennies were minted between the years 1859 and 1909, when it was replaced by the Abraham Lincoln penny. Even though Jem and Scout find the pennies in the late spring or early summer of 1934, Jem describes the pennies as being “real old.”

The children initially discuss what to do with the pennies and then launch into a discussion of the supernatural aspects of Indian Head pennies. Jem, who is about 10 years old, tells his younger sister that Indian Head pennies “come from the Indians. They’re real strong magic, they make you have good luck. Not like fried chicken when you’re not lookin’ for it, but things like long life ‘n good health, ‘n passin’ six-week tests… these are real valuable to somebody.”

Apparently, at one time, people commonly carried Indian Head pennies as lucky charms. Today, you can find Indian Head pennies in pawn shops, antique stores and coin shops. Many of these will have holes punched in them, and this harkens back to the days when they were worn on necklaces or bracelets as good luck charms.

Many readers today will probably be more familiar with the superstition about pennies found on the ground. Many people won’t pick up a penny if it’s face down, but they’ll pick it up if they see Honest Abe. I’ve even heard tell of folks who will bend down and turn over a tails-up penny, so that the next person who comes along will find it heads-up.

In the end, let me hear from you if have any additional information about superstitions surrounding Indian Head pennies. It would also be interesting to know who has the oldest Indian Head penny in Monroe County today. Who knows, maybe someone has some “real old” Indian Head pennies that date all the way back to 1900 and 1909.

Rose's Trail through Wilcox County was named after John Rose, early settler of Dallas County, Alabama

Crocheron Columns at Old Cahaba

For the past couple of weeks in this space, I’ve written about the old Rose’s Trail, which passed through Wilcox County more than 200 years ago. This historic trail ran from Old Cahaba to Fort Claiborne way back in the days before steamboats began to travel up and down the Alabama River. As the years went by, this old trail faded from popular memory, and only a few clues remain today as to its exact route through Wilcox County.

In the 1950s, amateur historian Samuel Pressly Dale of Oak Hill set out to uncover more information about Rose’s Trail, especially concerning its exact route through Wilcox County. Dale planned to erect a historical marker about the trail in Oak Hill, but he apparently never did so.

Last week, noted historian and Alabama history expert Steve Stacey provided information that said that Rose’s Trail entered what is now Wilcox County, from Dallas County, along the route of State Highway 89, a few miles from the intersection of modern-day State Highway 41. From there, the trail went to the Neenah community, which is located on Pursley Creek, almost due west of Oak Hill.

Stacey’s research reflects that the trail probably continued southwest from Neenah to where the Fatama community is located today. From here, it followed the road that eventually became State Highway 265, which connected Camden with communities in Monroe County, like Chestnut, Beatrice and Buena Vista. More than likely, the mail route from Burnt Corn (on the Monroe-Conecuh County line) followed the Rose Trail from Oak Hill, north to Cahaba.

Not long after last week’s paper hit the streets, I heard from Scott Mitchell, a native of Rosebud who now lives in Montgomery. Mitchell directed me the Sept. 13, 1925 edition of The Selma Times-Journal, which carried a feature called “Echoes of Alabama History” by Julia Frances Clark and R.D. Sturdivant, who were with the Cahaba Memorial Association. Much of this column was about early Dallas County history, including the origins of Rose’s Trail.

According to their research, Rose’s Trail took its name from John Rose, who was one of the earliest settlers of Dallas County. Born in North Carolina, he moved to Alabama in 1810, when Alabama was a “wild region, with few roads through the dark forests, where the Indians still roamed in savage freedom.” Eventually, he settled in Dallas County’s Pleasant Hill community.

From this place, Rose “made a path in a southwesterly direction to Claiborne, a town of some importance, lying on the Alabama River. This path lay through Rose’s Ford and was called Rose’s Trail.” Rose’s Ford was a “spot of wild beauty” located on Cedar Creek in Dallas County, according to Clark and Sturdivant.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about Rose’s Trail, especially regarding its path through Wilcox County. With each passing week, someone has come forward with more details, so let’s hear from you if you have anything to contribute to the subject. Who knows, perhaps someone out there has Samuel Pressly Dale’s original notes on the trail and would be willing to share them with the reading audience.

Singleton recalls the bygone days of tomato gravy and candy-pullings

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Country boy remembers tomato gravy, candy-pulling,” was originally published in the March 9, 2000 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As long as I live, I will always continue to believe that those who didn’t live through some of the Great Depression in their youth missed some of life’s finer moments.

This is not to say that I would like our country to go through another period of hard times like this period in our history, but this time in our past was quite unique.

In talking to some of the older members of our society about this time in our history, the things that are remembered are always about hard work, lack of money and hard-to-come-by things that were needed for the families to survive. But if one listens long enough, always a story is told of the good times that were had.

Our modern society and the so-called progress we have made since the time of the Great Depression have produced a generation or two that don’t know one thing about the finer things in life.

Take, for example, tomato gravy. Very few of today’s youth don’t even know what tomato gravy is. No more do we know what it is like to sit down to a breakfast of hot biscuits, homemade butter, tomato gravy and good ribbon cane syrup.

No more do we hear words like buttermilk pie, candy-pulling, pecan roastings or watermelon-rind preserves.

The womenfolk of today know nothing about a quilting party or a knitting get-together. Who among us knows how to set up a quilting frame?

If someone should by chance, organize a lye hominy cooking on a cool Saturday afternoon, everyone would think the organizer had gone off the deep end. What if someone were to serve a slice of baked pumpkin pie with brown sugar sprinkled over the top with a cup of hot coffee made over an open fire in the fireplace?

Is it true that tomato gravy,
Is to be savored and eaten slow?
With buttered biscuits light and fluffy,
Only a country boy would know.

How about some of our youth of today having a candy-pulling? A group of teenagers would get together under the supervision of an older couple or two. They would cook fresh ribbon cane syrup until it became like soft candy. Then, each would apply butter to their hands and take the soft candy-like syrup and pull and work it until it became almost white in color. As the candy cooled, it was twisted and cut into short pieces and sticks.

Games were played by the country youth while waiting for the candy to cool enough so that it could be eaten.

My, oh my, that sounds delicious,
Pumpkin pie so sweet and brown.
Spring-cooled milk or hot black coffee.
Would make a jack rabbit slap a hound.

Who of us today knows how to organize a party to hunt possum grapes?

As the hot months of the summer began to creep across the countryside, the time of hunting wild possum grapes would be at hand.

A group of 10 or 12 young people would get together on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, always escorted by a couple of parents, and go into the deep woods in search of those tasty, wild grapes and sweet persimmons. The season for the beginning of the good times was fast approaching.

Always, in each party, there would be an expert tree climber. The success or failure of the afternoon lay on the shoulders of the expert climber.

This young man would be the one to climb the tall trees and shake down the ripe, juicy persimmons. Or he was the one to climb the wild grapevines and pull the wild, tasty bunches of grapes.

Most times, he would pluck the nicest bunches and drop them ever so carefully to that special young lady who smiled so beautifully from the ground below. She always got the finest bunches, while the others in the party had to scramble for those thrown less carefully among the jumping and laughing group at the base of the tree.

Tell me more of all those good times,
While we rest in the deep cool shade.
Life was good and forever beautiful,
Little did we know that we had it made.

True, the things that were important during those days are only fond memories now. Gone are the Sunday afternoon horseback rides and the fun times of getting together and boiling fresh corn on the cob.

Always then, would come the contest of seeing who could eat an ear of fresh-boiled corn in the shortest length of time. Always, the contestants put forth great effort to stay in favor with a certain beautiful young lady dressed neatly in a beautiful gingham dress who smiled ever so approvingly from the sidelines.

Let’s walk again those paths of yesterday,
And live again those memories old.
For soon the shadows of coming darkness,
Will forever gather within the soul.

Due to the passing of these many good times, I think that we are poorer for it. We tend to measure our so-called success on the fantasies and the make-believe world around us. We sit with our faces and minds glued to the television and never really know the meaning of a good time or a good frolic.

We make heroes out of freaks and deadbeats while we push from our minds the true guidance that could put us on the path to success and happiness with our society.

Few of us today bother to journey into the deep woods or seek out a high hill for a moment of peace to be alone with Nature.

We know nothing about meditation and the joys of life while being there. When I mention or write about being alone on a high hilltop and raising my arms to the heavens for a moment with my God, I get strange looks from some.

But the time is at hand when we should turn to yesterday’s guidelines if true peace and happiness is to come in this world.

But, as for now, I will again remember,
All the good times and dear memories flow.
Sweet, sweet life forever onward,
Only a country boy would know…

(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.)

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

Cpl. Sidney Manning

FOUR YEARS AGO
MARCH 21, 2019

Banks is named top teacher: Shanaveia Banks of Monroeville has been named the Monroe County Public School System’s Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school term. Banks, who is the daughter of Sharon Banks and granddaughter of Minnie Banks, teaches reading and science to fifth graders at Monroeville Middle School. Before joining the MMS staff, she taught fifth grade for the Conecuh County Public School System for four years.

Mura gets 18 strikeouts: J.U. Blacksher’s Landon Mura set a new strikeout record at the school Friday evening when he fanned 18 batters in the Bulldogs’ 4-1 victory over visiting Excel.
According to JUB head coach Justin Mixon, Mura’s 18 strikeouts are the most ever recorded by one pitcher in a seven-inning contest at the school.
(Other top JUB players in that game included Will Brown, Talon Daughtry, Dawson Hollinger, Michael Redditt, Damon Rolin and Peyton Wilkins.)

100^th anniversary: Mt. Gillead Baptist Church No. 2 in Freemanville will celebrate its 100-year anniversary at 4 p.m. Sun., March 24. The church was organized in 1919 under the leadership of Rev. W.O. Alexander and was named after Mt. Gillead Baptist Church in Perdue Hill, since most of the families moved to the Freemanville community from Perdue Hill.

Monroeville Mayor Sandy Smith gave the oath of office to the city’s two newest policemen Tuesday evening during the council meeting. Randy McKinley and Peyton Andrews recently completed the required state training for law enforcement personnel.

29 YEARS AGO
MARCH 17, 1994

Marine Pvt. Juble J. Burgess, son of Andy J. and Linda S. Burgess of Route 2, Frisco City, recently completed recruit training. During the training cycle at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., recruits are taught the basics of battlefield survival, introduced to typical military daily routine and personal and professional standards.

Monroe Academy defeated Jackson Academy 11-4 Saturday to win the Grove Hill Academy tournament and record its sixth straight baseball victory since opening the season with a loss to Meadowview Christian School.
Johnny Pickens struck out eight batters, walked three and gave up two hits Saturday in four innings to pitch the Vols past Jackson. Luke McKinley got two hits and three RBI.
(Other top MA players in that game included Shenandoah McLaurin, Bill Rice, Landry Sawyer and Brian Walker. Joey Cameron was MA’s head coach.)

25^th anniversary: James and Edna Maughon celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary Feb. 15. They were honored with a reception given by their children Feb. 13. About 50 friends and relatives attended.

Visitors to downtown Excel on Saturday may think they’ve stepped into the past during the first “Pioneer Days in Excel” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Carol Casey, co-chairwoman of the event. Proceeds will benefit the Excel Senior Citizens Center. Town hall will be transformed into a museum for the day with exhibits of old pictures, vintage clothing and church histories.

54 YEARS AGO
MARCH 20, 1969

Power Company Worker Injured: Sidney White, 55, foreman of an Alabama Power Co. transmission line crew received a serious leg injury Thursday afternoon, March 13, at 2 p.m. The crew was at work on a new power transmission line south of Monroeville when the accident occurred. Mr. White was taken to the Monroe County Hospital and later transferred to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham.

Lee Wins Turkey Calling Award: Ben Rodgers Lee, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Lee of Monroeville, placed second in the annual world championship turkey calling contest sponsored by the Mobile County Wildlife and Conservation Association. Cobb Scarbrough of Grove Hill won the first-place trophy, and Ralph Loftin of Sweet Water won third place.

Maughon-Reed Vows Are Pledged Recently: Miss Edna Earle Reed and James William Maughon were united in marriage recently at the home of the bride in Frisco City. The double-ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. W.Q. Howe, pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Frisco City. Miss Yvonne Chancey of Frisco City served as maid of honor. Henry Levon Maughon of Mobile was best man.

A car belonging to Alvin Sawyer of Mexia was destroyed by fire about 8:30 a.m. Thurs., March 13, on South Alabama Avenue. Mrs. Sawyer was driving the car when it caught fire. She managed to get out before the inside was completely enveloped in flames.

79 YEARS AGO
MARCH 16, 1944

Sergeant Bradley Killed In Action: Staff Sergeant Ulmer E. Bradley Jr., 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ulmer E. Bradley of Blacksher, Ala., was killed over Germany on Jan. 5, according to news transmitted to the parents last week. Sgt. Bradley, a nephew of Major Charles Scott, now serving in the United States Army, was a tail gunner on a Liberator.

Franklin Boy Killed In Action: William McKinley of Franklin, who was serving with the Armed Forces somewhere in Italy, has been reported killed in action. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert McKinley of Franklin, received a message Monday, conveying the news of his death, which occurred Feb. 28.

Cpl. R.E. Lambert of Frisco City, who is stationed somewhere in Italy, has recently been awarded the merit badge for heroic service, according to news received by his family.

Sgt. J.H. Booker, son of Mr. A.N. Booker of Tunnel Springs, who is a tail gunner on a heavy bombardment crew, is completing his last phase of combat training at the Alamogordo, New Mexico Army Air Base. Sgt. Booker was graduated at Tyndall Gunnery School, Panama City, Fla.

WINNERS IN KITE FLYING CONTEST: The following winners have been announced in the kite flying contest sponsored by the Boy Scouts: Kenneth Hundley, Bobby Lindsey, Bennett Pearson, Bob Ryland, A.B. Blass Jr., J.T. Hughes, Neal Terry, Sanders Lambert and W.O. Thompson. Monroeville merchants gave prizes to all winners.

104 YEARS AGO
MARCH 20, 1919

William H. Frye, who sailed for France with the Rainbow Division, has returned home. He was severely gassed on July 26 last, but has fully recovered.

The Alabama Public Service Commission has ordered the Gulf, Florida & Alabama Railroad Co. to erect a depot at Megargel. The citizens of Megargel filed a petition with the commission asking for better service of the railroad company. The building will be erected inside of 90 days.

MANNING OF ALABAMA: In the age of chivalry, it was the practice to confer knighthood for gallantry upon the field of battle, the ceremony being performed in the field. Something like the ancient form took place Monday in the great field near Remagenon, on the west bank of the Rhine, when, in the presence of 20,000 American troops, mostly from our state, General Pershing, the commander of our armies in France, called Corporal Sidney Manning of the 167th Infantry to the front and conferred upon him the congressional medal of honor, the highest recognition of the young soldier’s extraordinary gallantry. Cpl. Manning is a son of Mr. Barney Manning, who was born and reared in Monroe County.
Cpl. Manning, before the war, was a farmer’s boy, living near Brewton, Escambia County, Ala. As a soldier, he performed all his duties conscientiously and well. In the forward movement on the Ourcq River in France, he was platoon leader and he and his men gained and held an important position under heavy fire. All but seven in his platoon were killed or wounded and he himself was wounded in nine places, but continued to fight and to inspire his comrades. He well deserved to be distinguished by his general. In honoring him, the whole command was honored – and also his state. His great service will not be forgotten. 

George Singleton shares memories of times long past

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Memories of times long past,” was originally published in the March 7, 2002 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As long as I live I will always continue to believe that those who didn’t live through some of the Great Depression in their youth missed some of life’s finer moments.

This is not to say that I would like to see our country go through another period of hard times like that period in our history, but this time in our past was quite unique.

In talking to some of the older members of our society about this time in our history, the things that are remembered are always about hard work, lack of money, hard-to-come-by things that were needed for the families to survive. But always, if one listens long enough, always a story or two of the good times that were had will always burst forth.

Our modern society and our so-called progress that we have made since the time of the Great Depression has produced a generation or two that don’t know one thing about the finer things in life. Take for example, tomato gravy. Very few of our youth of today even know what tomato gravy is. No more do we know what it is like to sit down to a breakfast of hot biscuits, homemade butter, tomato gravy and good ribbon cane syrup. No more do we hear words like buttermilk pie, candy-pulling, pecan roastings or watermelon rind preserves. The womenfolk of today know nothing about a quilting party or a knitting get-together. Who among us knows how to set up a quilting frame? If someone should, by chance, organize a lye hominy cooking on a cool Saturday afternoon, everyone would think the organizer had gone off the deep end. What if someone were to serve a slice of baked pumpkin pie with brown sugar sprinkled over the top with a cup of hot coffee made over an open fire in the fireplace?

Is it true that tomato gravy,
Is to be savored and eaten slow?
With buttered biscuits light and fluffy,
Only a country boy would know.

How about some of our youth of today having a candy pulling? A group of teenagers would get together under the supervision of an older couple or two. They would cook fresh ribbon cane syrup until it became soft like candy. Then, each would apply butter to their hands and take the soft candy-like syrup and pull and work it until it became almost white in color. Then, as the candy cooled it was twisted and cut into short pieces or sticks. Games were played by the country youth while waiting for the candy to cool enough so that it could be eaten.

My, oh my, that sounds delicious,
Pumpkin pie so sweet and brown.
Spring cooled milk or hot black coffee,
Would make a jack rabbit slap a hound.

Who of us today knows how to organize a party to hunt possum grapes? As the hot months of the summer began to turn a bit cooler and the autumn season began to creep across the countryside, the time of hunting wild possum grapes would be at hand. A group of 10 or 12 young people would get together on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, always escorted by a couple of parents, and go into the deep woods in search of those tasty wild grapes and sweet persimmons. The season for the beginning of the good times was fast approaching.

Always, in each party, there would be an expert tree climber. The success or failure of the afternoon lay on the shoulders of the expert climber. This young man would be the one to climb the tall trees and shade down the ripe, juicy persimmons. Or, he was the one to climb the wild grape vines and pull the wild tasty bunches of grapes. Most times, he would pluck the nicest bunches and drop them ever so carefully to that special young lady who smiled so beautifully from the ground below. She always got the finest bunches, while the others in the party had to scramble for those thrown less carefully among the jumping and laughing group at the base of the tree.

Tell me more of all those good times,
While we rest in the deep cool shade.
Life was good and forever beautiful,
Little did we know, that we had it made.

Tree, the things that were important during those days are only fond memories now. Gone are the Sunday afternoon horseback rides and the fun times of getting together and boiling fresh corn on the cob. Always then would come the contest of seeing who could eat an ear of fresh boiled corn in the shortest length of time. Always, the contestants put forth great effort so as to stay in favor with a certain beautiful young lady that was dressed neatly in a beautiful gingham dress, who smiled ever so approvingly from the sidelines.

Let’s walk again those paths of yesterday,
And live again these memories old.
For soon the shadows of coming darkness,
Will forever gather within the soul.

Due to the passing of these many good times, I think that we are a little poorer for it. We tend to measure our so-called success on the fantasies and the make-believe world around us. We sit with our faces and minds glued to the televisions and never really know the meaning of a good time or a good frolic. We make heroes out of freaks and deadbeats while we push from our minds the true guidance that could put us on the path of success and happiness with our society.

Few of us today bother to journey into the deep woods or on a high hill for a moment of peace and to be alone with Nature. We know nothing about meditation and the joys of life while being there. When I mention or write about being alone on a high hilltop and raising my arms to the heavens for a moment with my God, I get strange looks from some. But the time is at hand when we should turn to our yesterday’s guidelines if true peace and happiness is to come in this world.

But, as for now, I will again remember.
All the good times and dear memories flow.
Sweet, sweet life forever onward,
Only a country boy would know…

(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.)

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher buried near Flomaton, Alabama

Walter 'Big Ed' Morris

My 14-year-old son, James, and I were riding to Flomaton last Thursday afternoon to watch a high school softball game. We got off the interstate at Exit 69 and as we traveled down Alabama Highway 113, I began to think about former Boston Red Sox pitcher, Walter Edward “Big Ed” Morris. As it turns out, our drive to the softball game was going to take us right by the church where he is buried.

Six miles from Exit 69, we pulled over at Halls Creek Baptist Church, got out and spent a few minutes looking for Morris’ grave. Those of you who have been to this cemetery before will know that it’s not very large and contains only about 50 graves. With that said, it didn’t take us long to find the former Major Leaguer’s grave.

Morris was a 32-year-old, right-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, who grew up in the Foshee community between Brewton and Pollard in Escambia County. Morris broke into the Major Leagues in 1922 with the Chicago Cubs and eventually ended up with the Boston Red Sox. Morris, an American League MVP candidate in 1928, pitched in his final Major League game on Sept. 21, 1931, just six months before his life was unexpectedly cut short in March 1932.

News of the incident that would end Morris’ life appeared in many area newspapers under the headline “Red Sox Pitcher Stabbed At Brewton.” According to those stories, Morris “was in a Century, Fla. hospital in a serious condition from knife wounds received during an altercation at a fish fry near (Brewton), given in his honor by a group of friends on the eve of his departure for the Red Sox training camp. Hospital attendants said he had only slight chance to recover.”

That story went on to say that Morris had been stabbed twice near the heart by a man named Joe White during an argument at the fish fry, which was held about five miles from Brewton.

“Witnesses said Morris slapped White down and himself tripped and fell,” the article said. “While lying on his back, they said White drew his knife and stabbed Morris after slashing at him.”

White was arrested after the incident and wasn’t initially charged as authorities waited to see if Morris would live. That all changed though when Morris died on March 3.

Despite my best efforts, the only other information about this incident that I could find appeared in an Evergreen newspaper, in a story under the headline, “White Indicted In Death of Pitcher.” According to that story, the Escambia County grand jury indicted White, a resident of Brewton, with second-degree murder on March 11, and White was being held in jail without bond.

Morris, who lived in Brewton during the offseason, had planned to leave on March 1 for Red Sox training camp, which was held that year in Savannah, Ga. In addition to playing for the Cubs and the Red Sox, Morris had also played for the Nashville and Mobile teams in the minor league Southern Association.