Nadawah scene of horrible train accident in September 1923

I look through old newspapers all the time, and one thing that often strikes me is how much safer things seem to be nowadays. That’s not to say that we still don’t have accidents from time to time, but they were frequent occurrences in the old days when safety standards were basically non-existent.

By way of example, I was reading the Sept. 27, 1923 edition of The Monroe Journal the other day and on the front page of that century-old newspaper, I saw the headline, “Train Wreck Is Fatal To Engineer Parnell: Burned When Pinned Beneath Engine, Dies In Selma.” Aside from the gruesome details of this story, it also contains much of interest to local history enthusiasts.

According to the story, 28-year-old B.H. Parnell was pinned under his overturned train engine for four hours when his train was wrecked at the junction of the Nadawah logging track and the Louisville & Nashville track. Parnell was finally extricated from beneath the “heavily laden” logging train “by being cut out with axes.” Parnell was pinned horribly with his legs about the boiler of the “superheated engine and was terribly burned.” His lower right leg was also completely crushed from knee to ankle.

The accident happened on a Friday – probably Sept. 21 – and Parnell was taken to a Selma hospital that night around 9 p.m. He died from his wounds the following day at 11 a.m. His wife was at his side when he passed away, and he left behind two small children, both under the age of five.

The story noted that Parnell had moved from Andalusia to Nadawah about four years before the accident. The story indicated that he was buried at Nadawah on Sun., Sept. 23, but I could find no record of his burial site among local burial records.

Many modern readers may be unfamiliar with the old Nadawah community, which faded from prominence with the decline of small sawmills and logging railroads. Most maps show that “downtown” Nadawah was located northeast of Beatrice, less than a mile from the Monroe-Wilcox County line. Through the woods, Nadawah is also close to Chestnut and McWilliams.

According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, Nadawah was founded as a sawmill town and was named for the Nadawah Lumber Co. According to “Alabama Logging Railroads” by W. George Cook, the Nadawah Lumber Co. operated 15 miles of standard-gauge railway from 1912 to 1928. It was at the junction of this railway and the larger L&N Railroad that Parnell’s fatal accident occurred.

I have to admit that, as best that I can remember, I have never been through Nadawah before. Modern maps show that Nadawah Road runs from State Highway 21 North and on up into Wilcox County. This road will take you over Flat Creek as well as the old railbed that ran between McWilliams and Corduroy. Maybe one day soon, I will take a field trip up there to see the place for myself.

Olympic sprinter from Wilcox County passes away in Forsyth, Ga.

Thornton, third from right, competes in 1948.

I was sad to learn on Friday that former Olympic sprinter Mabel Walker Thornton had passed away on Sept. 10 in Forsyth, Georgia. A graveside service for Thornton was held last Thursday at the Walker Estate in Camden.

Thornton is arguably the greatest female athlete that Wilcox County has ever produced. Born Mabel Elizabeth Walker on Dec. 11, 1928, she grew up in Camden and attended Camden Academy, where she was a standout member of the track team. At some point, her coach at Camden Academy, Nora Francis Smith, took the team to a meet at Tuskegee Institute. Thanks in large part to the speedy Thornton, Camden Academy won the meet, and Thornton grabbed the attention of college coaches.

After high school, Thornton went on to run for Tuskegee Institute, and she was later invited to Olympic qualifier Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meets in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During those meets, Thornton finished third in the Women’s 50-meter race in 1947 and captured top honors in the 50-meter race in 1948, the same year that she finished third in the AAU Indoor Championships. During AAU competition, Thornton earned a reputation as one of the nation’s top runners, especially in short distance races.

Her AAU success took her to the Olympic Trials in Providence, Rhode Island, where she made the 1948 U.S. Olympic team after finishing first in the Women’s 100-meter race. The 1948 Olympics were held in London, England and, due to World War II, these games were the first Olympics since the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

At the 1948 Olympics, the 18-year-old Thornton ran in the 100-meter race and in the first leg of the 4x100-meter relay race at Wembley Stadium in London, becoming the first black woman from Alabama to ever compete in the Olympics. During the Olympics, Thornton ran her fastest ever 100-meter race, finishing the event in a blistering 12.3 seconds.

After the Olympics, Thornton returned to Tuskegee Institute, where she continued to compete on the track team. Her grandparents lived in Mobile and she later moved to the Port City after college. She got married in 1950, taking the last name Thornton, and later had two children.

Thornton managed Widemire’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe on Old Shell Road in Mobile during the 1970s and 1980s. Years later, in 2010, Thornton was inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame along with Major League Baseball player Randy McGilberry, former college and professional football coach Phil Savage Jr. and William Earle Smith, who starred in football, baseball and golf at the U.S. Naval Academy.

In the end, condolences go out to Thornton’s family. If anyone in the reading audience has any additional information about Thornton’s athletic career and ties to Wilcox County, please let me hear from you. There is no better time than right now to document this outstanding woman’s many achievements so that they will be remembered for years to come.

Singleton writes of man's small place in the universe, the environment

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 “No control: Man small minority in universe,” was originally published in the July 15, 1976 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As we celebrated the 200^th birthday of our country last week, few of us realized just how important it was – and will be in the days ahead.

July 4 reminded us that we have survived 200 years of trying times, struggling from a few miserable colonies to the world’s greatest and wealthiest nation.

Throughout our nation, we re-enacted the highlights of past accomplishments. We celebrated to the fullest each event that history has recorded, and we looked back across the stained pages saying to ourselves that we have come a long way.

True, we have gained great fame and have accomplished many things. But what about the years ahead?

What about the problems that face our nation today? Will we look the other way as we have in the past on many of the important issues, or will we face the problems head-on and strive with all the ability that we can muster to correct the damage that must be corrected if we are to survive?

Man must realize that he must live in harmony with nature if he wishes to continue to stay on this planet. He cannot destroy all that he has, and not replace some of the essentials that we must have to continue life.

Man forgets that he is nothing more than a small minority when he’s measured against the universe. Even with great knowledge and ability to build and create, there are some things he has no control over whatsoever.

Clean up mess

So unless he starts immediately to clean up the mess that he has made of the waters of our land, the air that we breathe, in the pollution of Mother Earth, only echoes that ride the winds of oblivion will bear traces that he has ever come this way.

How pathetic it will be when the beauty of our environment has all gone and the fresh air and clean water cease to be. The folks who survive will scatter here and there, digging and trying to hide from the wrath of a dying universe that had promised so much.

(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, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, 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 Sept. 26, 2023

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley

SIX YEARS AGO
SEPT. 27, 2012

Evergreen weather observer Betty Ellis reported 1.22 inches of rain on Sept. 17 and 0.09 inches on Sept. 18. She reported a high of 86 degrees on Sept. 22 and lows of 55 degrees on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20.

Six local high school seniors will compete for top honors during Conecuh County’s Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program later this week in Evergreen.
This year’s program will be held Saturday, starting at 3 p.m. at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen.
Competitors this year will include Alexandria Evans, Grace Matlock, Jassmine Riley, Sequoya Stallworth, Amanda Thompson and Victoria Walden.

District Attorney Tommy Chapman announced on Tuesday afternoon that, effective Oct. 1, Gov. Robert Bentley has appointed him Supernumerary District Attorney.
Bentley also appointed Chapman’s Chief Assistant Steve Wadlington as District Attorney to serve out the remainder of Chapman’s term in office, which ends in January 2017.
Chapman was first appointed as District Attorney for the 35^th Judicial Circuit on May 3, 1990 by Gov. Guy Hunt. Chapman was re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004 and 2010. As a Supernumerary District Attorney, Chapman can be called on to represent the State of Alabama at any time by the Governor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the Attorney General.

31 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 24, 1987

$4,330,000 is low bid on central high: A Mobile firm was the apparent low bidder on the proposed new countywide central high school with a base bid of $4,330,000, according to Conecuh County Superintendent of Education Steve Coker. The seven bids opened recently ranged up to a high of $5,078,000.
The base bid is on a contract that calls for a 92,000-square foot building, designed for 900 students, to be completed in 16 months. Coker said he expects to have all county students, ninth through twelfth grades, to begin attending classes there in the 1989-1990 school year.

Johnston will retire Oct. 1; Castleberry named: Tax Collector J. Marvin Johnston formerly announced this week that he would retire Oct. 1 after 20 years of service in that office.
Gov. Guy Hunt’s office notified The Courant on Tuesday that the governor has appointed Mrs. Carolyn Pate Castleberry to fill Johnston’s unexpired term of office, which ends Sept. 30, 1991. She will take the oath of office at 11 o’clock Friday morning in the old courtroom of the County Courthouse.
Johnston, a lifetime resident of Owassa, was first elected Tax Collector in 1966, succeeding the late Henry Wiggins. A popular official, he was re-elected without opposition in 1972, 1978 and 1984.
He graduated from Evergreen High School and Auburn University with a degree in accounting. After meritorious service in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Europe in World War II, he was associated with Ivey Chevrolet Co. in Evergreen for 20 years as accountant and business manager.

56 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 27, 1962

Castleberry Bank Opening Is Today: It will be open house at the Castleberry branch of the Union Bank of Repton this afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. The new bank opened Monday.
The bank is inviting the public to come inspect its facility and the completely remodeled building. It is located in the former bank and post office building and is air conditioned.
Jerry Kelly of Brewton is manager and is being assisted right now by Carl Ryals, cashier of the main bank.

Wet-dry vote is set in county Nov. 6: Conecuh County voters will determine on Nov. 6, whether or not the legal sale of alcoholic beverages shall be allowed in the county.
Judge of Probate Lloyd G. Hart said today that over 600 county electors have petitioned for a “wet-dry” referendum and he has set the date for the election as Nov. 6.
This means that county voters will vote on three ballots when they go to the polls. Nov. 6 is general election and already there is the regular ballot for offices at stake as well as a vote on five constitutional amendments.

James D. “Jim” Martin, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, will be in Conecuh County and Evergreen today. He is scheduled to make a public address at 1:15 this afternoon.
John Nielsen, County GOP chairman, said that Martin will speak from an improvised bandstand in “No Man’s Land.”

76 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 24, 1942

A steel lookout tower has recently been completed near Belleville in this county, and a telephone line is being constructed to connect this tower with other towers in this forest fire protection unit.
This tower is No. 11 in the system of towers constructed by the Division of Forestry cooperating with local land owners. A towerman will be located in this tower at an early date for the purpose of detecting and reporting forest fires to the suppression crews. From this tower fires can be detected for a distance of from 12 to 20 miles, and before fires have reached any considerable size immediate action by the suppression crews brings such fires under control before they can do a great deal of damage.

IN SOLOMON ISLANDS: Sgt. Alton T. McIntyre, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. McIntyre, Herbert, Ala., enlisted in the Marines Aug. 18, 1940. He spent several months in Cuba, Virginia and North Carolina. Last May he sailed from Norfolk, Va. for overseas and his family didn’t know until the last few days where he was. They received a letter a few days ago saying he was on the Solomon Islands, was safe and fine and could tell plenty if he were allowed to.

Knud Nielsen, chairman of Conecuh County Salvage Committee, announced this week that arrangements had been worked out with the city to collect scrap metals at regular intervals when the garbage truck makes its rounds. Housewives and others are requested to collect and place all scrap metals near the can, box or other receptacle used for garbage and the city force will pick such scrap metals up and turn over to the committee. Proceeds from the sale of such metals will be used for the Crippled Children’s Fund.

81 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 23, 1937

Lloyd G. Hart Opens Law Offices This Week: Lloyd G. Hart, who completed the law course at the University of Alabama this spring, has opened offices in the Jones-Deming building on court square.
Mr. Hart is a native of this county, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Hart of the Centreville community. He received his early education in the rural schools near his home and graduated from the local high school in 1928. Since that time, he has been at the University of Alabama, having spent seven and one half years at that institution.

Truman Hyde Takes Over “Mack’s Café” – The eating establishment known as “Mack’s Café” has been taken over by Truman Hyde and will be opened to the public for business next Saturday. Mr. Hyde states that he will operate the café under the same name and at the same location. His wife will assist him.

Strange Ailment Afflicts Child of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce: Stricken with an unusual and strange ailment last June was one year ago, Little Hermione Pierce, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.F. Pierce, still hangs on to life. When first stricken, her parents took her to a number of specialists and were told that her ailment was sleeping sickness or softening of the brain. She has not spoken since the first of August 1936 and has been confined to bed constantly since becoming ill. She has virtually no use of her limbs or muscles, but during the summer months has gained some weight. She takes her food very well, her mother says.
Before this illness came upon her, Hermione was a bright child and learned well in school. Physicians almost from the first have held little if any hope for her recovery.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Sept. 25, 2023

President Jimmy Carter

19 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 23, 2004

Just minutes before boarding a Blackhawk helicopter at the Monroe County Airport Saturday at noon to view the destruction created by Hurricane Ivan in the county, Gov. Bob Riley said he was “amazed” at how communities have come together to start the recovery process.
“People in the communities are really coming together at every place we’ve been today,” he said. “We’ve seen people out with chain saws. They’re burning trash and cleaning. We’re concentrating on making sure everyone has water and ice, and if they need generators, we want to get them to them.”

High-school schedule blown away: Hurricane Ivan blew away the high school football schedule last weekend, but as of Tuesday morning our high school teams were preparing to resume their schedules this week.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) has decided that those game will be played Oct. 28-30. In the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA), the games that were blown away last week will be played Nov. 5, and the AISA playoffs will start a week later than originally scheduled on Nov. 12.

Former Frisco City Police Chief Jim Cave will be sworn in as the town’s new mayor Oct. 4 in a special organizational meeting at Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. Cave said he’s ready to go to work, and he plans to fulfill a campaign promise to get the community involved in the town’s government. Cave said another priority will be economic development. Cave said he’s confident that he’ll have a good group of council members to work with.

44 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 27, 1979

U.S. offers storm help in Monroe: Monroe County has been declared a disaster area by President Carter as a result of damage done by Hurricane Frederic two weeks ago. The declaration makes countians who suffered damage eligible for government assistance.
Eleven Alabama counties were declared major disaster areas: Monroe, Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia, Geneva, Marengo, Mobile and Washington.

‘Flat’ Excel Panthers defeat Lyeffion Jackets 15-8: Coach Lee Holladay’s Excel Panthers, though described by the Coach as being “flat,” mustered enough force to edge the Lyeffion Yellow Jackets 15-8 in Excel Friday night.
Defensively for the Panthers, Willie Bonner had eight tackles and one assist. Willie Bonner also rushed for 61 yards on seven carries and his brother Jimmy had 60 yards on 15 carries. Jimmy caught three passes for 24 yards.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Chuck Black, Phil Bowen, John Brewer, Mark Crutchfield, Jay Warn and Rickey Wright.)

Col. Albert A. Nettles Jr. of Peterman has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal for service in the U.S. Army Reserves. Nettles, assistant chief of staff, economics and commerce section of the 361^st Civil Affairs Brigade, was cited for “exceptional meritorious service.” The commendation said “Col. Nettles demonstrated impeccable leadership, professionalism and sound judgement.”

69 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 23, 1954

R.A. “Dick” Wible was named new president of the Monroeville Kiwanis Club for 1955 at the regular weekly luncheon meeting of the club at the Hi-Ho Restaurant last Friday. Other officers elected included Dayton Russell, first vice-president; Joe Tucker, second vice-president; and Sloan Fountain, treasurer. Directors chosen are J.T. Lee Jr., Lee Duvall, J.R. Harper, A.B. Blass Jr., L.L. Dees, John Finklea and Charles Harper.

Prospects for a successful gridiron season at Monroe County High seemed bright Friday night as the Tigers of Coaches LeVaughn Hanks and Hubert Finlayson unleashed a powerful offense to defeat the W.S. Neal Eagles, 14-6, in the season’s opener at Brewton.
The outstanding ball-carrying of left half Jimmy McNorton and fullback Robert Wiggins paved the way to both Tiger touchdowns as quarterback Harry Ikner scored from the one in the first quarter and right half Hildred Wiggins tallied from the 10 in the fourth.
(Other top MCHS players in that game included John Fowler, Hubert Lester, Boone McNorton, William Nettles, Grayson Simmons, Hick Wiggins and Robert Wiggins.)

Sentencing of George Dean, 52-year-old crippled farm hand of Claiborne, convicted of slaying a veteran treasury department agent, has been set for Oct. 4. Federal Judge Daniel H. Thomas in Mobile last Thursday postponed the levying of the sentence from Sept. 27 until Oct. 4. Dean was tried for the shotgun slaying of William H. Stuart, 64, federal alcohol tax agent from Staunton, Ala., during a raid at Dean’s home in search of a moonshine still.

94 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 26, 1929

LANDING FIELD FOR MONROEVILLE: A tract of 50 acres land in town of Monroeville has been selected by Monroe County Post 61, American Legion, and approved by United States Army officers as suitable for an airplane landing field. An option has been procured on this tract and the Legion boys have launched a program by which they hope to secure sufficient funds to make the purchase and improvement of the property at an early date. It is apparent to everyone that aviation is developing rapidly, and the time is already here when facilities for utilizing this character of service should be provided.

STANDARD OIL COMPANY PLACES MARKER: The Standard Oil Co. has just painted in large letters on the top of one of its buildings in town the word MONROEVILLE in such position as to serve as an identification marker for aerial navigators. So far as we know this is the first marker of this character to be displayed in our city and is very much appreciated by the public.

FRISCO CITY SCHOOL OPENING: The Frisco City School opened Sept. 16 with an enrollment of over 400 pupils. It is believed that late entrants will bring the number to 500. The opening exercises were open to the public and a large crowd of patrons attended.

Leonard Sawyer of Monroeville received a very painful, though not necessarily fatal, wound from a gun in the hands of a 13-year-old boy by the name of Lem Tom Nichols last Tuesday a few miles south of Perdue Hill. It is reported that Sawyer was in the sugar cane patch at the home of the boy when the shot was fired.

119 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 22, 1904

The Monroeville Waterworks have been leased by Mr. J.W. Fore who will make extensive improvements in the plant and furnish an efficient service to consumers.
The old hydraulic engine will be replaced by a large pumping outfit which will provide an abundant supply of pure water for domestic use. The same source of supply will be used as heretofore with the addition of another never-failing spring, if required.
Mr. Fore never does things by halves, hence patrons may rest assured that they will receive a constant and satisfactory service.

Mr. M.M. Fountain left a few days ago on his annual trip to the west to buy a carload of horses.

Miss Jennie Faulk has returned from Atlanta where she went to select her fall stock of millinery.

Mr. Ed. L. Rikard, formerly with The Journal, has a position with the Camden Hardware company.

Mr. H.W. Jones’ law office is now located in the old courthouse on the ground floor where he has fitted up handsome apartments.

Mr. L.W. Locklin passed through town Saturday on his return from a two week’s sojourn at Asheville, N.C., where his family has been spending the summer. Mr. Locklin and Master A.J. stopped over for a brief visit with relatives at Talladega.

Mr. W.L. Lazenby, the popular prescription clerk at the People’s Drug Store, spent a few days in Selma this week.

Did star-crossed lovers leap from bluff at Claiborne, Alabama?

I was flipping through a copy of The Journal’s 1966 Centennial Edition on Monday afternoon and ran across an interesting tale that harkens back to the early days of Old Fort Claiborne. Under the headline “Claiborne Also Has Lover’s Leap Legend,” the newspaper reprinted the romantic tale of frontier soldier Leopold Lanier and Indian princess, Winona.

This tale begins at Fort Claiborne, a military outpost used by the U.S. Army during the Creek Indian War of 1813-1814. This walled fort enclosed about two acres and was surrounded by a ditch. It was located about one mile south of the present-day Claiborne-Murphy Bridge on the highpoint of a bluff overlooking the river.

Miles and miles down river from the fort, where the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers flow together, was Nannahubba Island. It was from this island that Josiah Francis, a “charismatic religious leader” among the Indians, waged an independent war against settlers between the two rivers. Many readers will remember from Alabama History class that Francis, who was also known as the Prophet Francis, played a huge role in the Creek Indian War.

The story goes that Francis held a prisoner named Leopold Lanier at his stronghold on Nannahubba. Francis, surrounded by his warriors, declared that Lanier was to be put to death at dawn. Lanier, who was said to have been from Burnt Corn, was bound securely to a tree outside and was placed under heavy guard.

Lanier was also being watched by Josiah’s “beautiful” daughter, Winona, who felt toward Lanier “a sympathy and in her heart, resolved to set him free.” In the stillness of the morning, she approached the tree and cut Lanier free with a stone knife. Lanier followed her quickly to a canoe, where he lingered and “gazed on his lovely savior, while in his heart arose the flame of love.” Exchanging vows of fidelity, Lanier slipped into the canoe and made his escape.

Sometime later, in the autumn of that year, Lanier found himself pulling sentry duty outside Fort Claiborne. By this time, Winona had made her way to the outskirts of the fort, where she often met with Lanier. She being an Indian, Lanier was afraid to disclose her presence to his friends, and she was afraid of her angry father.

One night, as they talked outside the fort, they thought they heard the sound of paddles in the river. When they took a closer look, they saw Francis with “12 grim warriors.” Francis ordered his warriors to seize Lanier, but not to harm his daughter.

Lanier, being a tough woodland soldier, shot Francis with his rifle. At this point, the warriors rushed Lanier and “on the rim of the yawning precipice” they fought until the warriors managed to take Lanier’s rifle. In that instant, Lanier took Winona in his arms and with a wild bound, leaped into the river. “There in the watery grave, side by side, sleep Leopold and Winona, the ever-faithful lovers.”

Who can say if this story is true, but one thing that is certain is that Josiah Francis was a real historical Indian leader. Born in 1770 near Montgomery, he fought at the Battle of Holy Ground and led the attack on Fort Sinquefield in present-day Clarke County in 1813. However, he did not die from a rifle wound at Fort Claiborne but was instead executed by hanging by General Andrew Jackson at St. Marks, Florida in 1818.

Wilcox County soldier was buried in unmarked grave in November 1864

James Toliver Powell

I always enjoy hearing from readers of the newspaper, and this week I received a nice email from Oak Hill native, Howard Williamson, who now lives in Cullman.

In this space about a month ago, I wrote about the organization of the South Alabama Rebels in Wilcox County on Aug. 24, 1861. Shortly thereafter, the South Alabama Rebels were mustered into the Confederate Army as Co. A of the 23^rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. In all, companies from 10 South Alabama counties, including Wilcox County, made up the 23^rd Alabama Infantry.

As chance would have it, Williamson’s great-great-grandfather was Wilcox County soldier James Toliver “Tol” Powell, who served in the 23^rd Alabama. A few years ago, Williamson wrote a family history book and that book featured a chapter on Powell’s exploits during the War Between the States. Williamson was kind enough to send me a copy of this chapter, which sheds much light on the regiment’s history.

Powell, who was 28 years old with one daughter and another baby on the way, enlisted in the South Alabama Rebels on Sept. 12, 1861. Around the first of October, Powell left Camden with the rest of the company for Montgomery, and in February 1862 they found themselves in Knoxville, Tennessee, defending the eastern flank of a defensive line that ran from Columbus, Kentucky to Knoxville. In August 1862, the 23^rd helped drive Union forces from the Cumberland Gap.

The unit was later transferred to General John C. Pemberton’s army, where they helped defend Vicksburg and other points in Mississippi. At the Battle of Port Gibson, they attacked and captured a battery of Union artillery. They were also present at the Battle of Champion Hill and at Big Black Bayou.

It was at Big Black Bayou that the unit had perhaps its finest hour. They were in the rear guard and after the rest of the army had crossed, an order was given to withdraw across the bayou. Due to an error, the 23^rd didn’t receive the order and ended up holding off the entire Union army for 13 bloody hours.

They eventually withdrew around 11 p.m. after receiving the order to withdraw from General S.D. Lee. From there, they entered Vicksburg as one of the most historic sieges in U.S. military history began. Rebel forces at Vicksburg, largely due to starvation, surrendered on July 4, 1863, and members of the 23^rd were taken prisoner.

About two months later, they were exchanged for Yankee prisoners and ended up in the army of General Braxton Bragg. Later, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, they were posted on Lookout Mountain. They eventually pulled back to Missionary Ridge, where heavy fighting ensued.

The army eventually retreated to Dalton, Georgia, where it went into winter quarters. After fighting in the Battle of Atlanta, General John Bell Hood led the army in a disastrous campaign in Tennessee in October 1864. As the army approached Columbia, Tenn., Hood ordered the 23^rd to make a show of force and skirmish across the Duck River. It was here that Powell was mortally wounded, and he died on Nov. 28, 1864, after having survived three years of deadly combat.

Like so many of his fallen comrades, Powell was buried in an unmarked grave, and he remained so for 136 years. Fast-forward to the year 2000 when noted Civil War historian Tom Burgess determined where Powell and his comrades had been buried in Columbia’s Rose Hill Cemetery. After an appropriate marker was placed over the previously unmarked mass grave, members of the Williamson and Powell families held a memorial ceremony there in the fall of 2000.

Singleton: Man feels within him a calling to the high hills

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 “Calling hills are place for renewal,” was originally published in the Sept. 7, 1989 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Throughout history, there has been evidence that for some unknown reason, man has felt within himself a calling to go into the high hills or mountains for a reassurance of his well-being or spiritual needs.

If one turns to the Holy Scriptures and reads the Old and New Testaments, one will again find reference where many of the men of the Bible journeyed to the high mountains or hills for conversation with the Creator or meditation with themselves.

In the early history of our country, back when the west was in its infancy, always there were men of the mountains. Men who in many instances left fortunes or lives of plenty to wander aimlessly within the high areas for the rest of their lives. And with most of these mountain wanderers, never was there a desire to return to the good life that they had known earlier.

Feeling of freedom

If we should research and try to find out why the high places have drawn certain individuals, we would be greatly surprised at our findings. We probably would find a great feeling of freedom when one chooses the high places.

We know that the air is always cooler and cleaner among the hilltops. We would experience a certain feeling of security, even though, many times, we are alone. And, as man rests among the lofty peaks, a feeling of being a part of the universe comes over him.

For those who wish to reach to the heavens and feel the closeness of our Creator, the high hills or the mountains are the place to go. I am not saying that one cannot experience closeness with the Almighty down in the flat lands. I do know, however, that it seems so much easier to communicate when you stand on the high ground and lift your arms to the heavens.

If you have never witnessed the freedom of the high hills or mountains, you should do so at your earliest possible convenience.

Pause for a moment and listen to the lullaby of the gentle winds as they sway the tall pine trees to and fro. Be quiet; listen to the sounds around you. Listen to nature as it speaks to everything that you hear. Absorb the peace that will come upon you. Clear your mind of all thoughts except those that are in harmony with the moment.

A conversation

Remember: you are a part of the universe. You have a place here, just as all other beings. And, as the feeling of total peace comes over you, raise your arms and look to the heavens, and He will be there. He will talk to you and you to Him.

Our history often refers to the early Indian as a savage. But over the years, we have become much poorer because we did not heed many of the teachings of the Red Man. He knew where peace was to be found. He also knew where to go to talk to the Great Spirit about events that he knew were above and beyond the reasoning of his fellow earth dwellers.

The Red Man would go to the hills and cleanse himself when his spiritual life needed nourishment. He knew when the time was ripe for an awakening. He knew that he must journey to the highest hilltop or the highest mountain, even though it might mean long journeys and harsh undertakings. He always knew when the time was at hand to go and make peace with the Great Spirit.

I believe that man has not changed in his basic needs over the many years. Our concepts have changed, and we have lost much of the desire to search for the high places. I believe that the feeling is still there, but only a few of us retain the ever-strong desire to reach for the heavens and obey the callings.

Leave it there

I do know this beyond a shadow of a doubt: that my life has retained much of its richness because when troubles are upon me, I continue to seek out the high places and leave that which bothers me in the hands of the One who knows all.

Today in our modern world, one might joke about what I have just said. A person would be crazy to leave the comfort of an air-conditioned house and pull himself away from that beloved television and go to some way-off hill and stand and listen. Perhaps this is true, but if searching for the high places and reaching toward the heavens is being crazy, I’m awfully glad that I’m touched in the head

(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, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, 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 Sept. 19, 2023

Dr. Eugene A. Smith

29 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 1994

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported 0.28 inches of rain on Sept. 8. He reported a high of 87 degrees on Sept. 6 and a low of 61 on Sept. 5.

Heritage Day set Oct. 15; various activities planned: Conecuh County’s 14^th Annual Heritage Day will be held Sat., Oct. 15, in downtown Evergreen. Heritage Day is sponsored by the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce with cooperation of citizens from all over Conecuh County.
Activities for the day include a mini-fair, arts and crafts, live entertainment throughout the day, displays and exhibits, children’s activities and food booths, according to Veronica Lambert, Chairperson of the Conecuh Heritage Committee.

Commission accepts contract for new roof on courthouse: The Conecuh County Commission voted in their regular meeting Monday to award the contract to replace the roof on the Conecuh County Courthouse.
The contract was awarded to Lambert Roofing Company. The contract will cost approximately $105,500.

Commissioner Frank Pate then informed the other commission members the Cripple Bridge in his district had become impassable. The commissioner stated that the bridge is used by many of the community members and should be replaced as soon as possible. The cost to replace the bridge will be approximately $9,600. The commissioners voted to go ahead with the replacement.

54 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 18, 1969

First wedding ever for Baptist Church at Burnt Corn: When Miss Margaret Catherine Salter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Salter of Burnt Corn, became the bride of Elliott DeWitt Sadler Jr. of Beatrice on Sept. 6 this was the first wedding ever to take place in the Burnt Corn Baptist Church, although the church was first organized in the year 1821.
The church had stood idle for a number of years until it was reactivated and reorganized on Easter Sunday 1967 and renamed Burnt Corn Baptist Church. The Rev. D.F. Hickman is the pastor and the church is very active in the community with 20 members on roll.

Arson is suspected in the fire which created this havoc at Conecuh Printing Co. early Friday morning. The fire was discovered just as it started by City Policemen Salter and Daw who were “shaking doors” about 3:15 a.m. and they turned in the alarm immediately. Thanks to prompt and efficient work by the Evergreen Fire Department with an assist from the Andalusia firemen, the fire was contained when it might easily have burned out the south end of East Front Street. French Dry Cleaners had some smoke and water damage as did Harper Furniture Company’s warehouse. The second story of the building, unoccupied, was damaged heavily. Salter, who was behind the building, saw a man run from the area, jump in a car parked across from Evergreen Methodist Church and drive away at high speed. A state fire marshal investigated the fire and state toxicologist is also working on it. Herbert Harpe, owner of the printing firm, said he had partial insurance coverage. The building is owned by Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Holley.

66 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 19, 1957

Balloon Number Four Found Near Wilcox By W.R. Diamond: A part of Conecuh’s fourth balloon to fall was found last Tuesday by W.R. Diamond of Owassa, Rt. 1, about one mile east of Wilcox (or Greggville).
Alvin Diamond, his son, brought the radiosonde gear, similar to that found by J.L. Fields, by The Courant office Saturday morning. According to the data on the box, the balloon was released from the Montgomery Weather Station on Aug. 23, 1957.
Also brought in by Diamond was the parachute which let the gear float to earth gently. This parachute is on display in the window of The Evergreen Courant.
Very little else of the balloon was found except for some plaited nylon lines, and some of the fabric of the balloon.
The radio sonde gear was returned to the Radiosonde Reconditioning Center at Joliet, Ill. by Alvin Diamond.

The County Agent, Mabry Huggins, issued a warning this week for farmers and residents to be on the alert for Army Worms, reported to be making a comeback in this section.

Martin Is Appointed As Night Policeman: A new policeman was appointed to the Evergreen City Police Department. He is Chester Martin, a resident of this city for two years before accepting a position of manager of the B.C. Moore and Sons store at Adel, Ga. While Martin lived here before, he worked at Evergreen Heading Co., Evergreen Hardware and was assistant manager for a year of the Evergreen store of B.C. Moore and Sons. He is presently working on the night shift.

79 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 21, 1944

PFC Burley C. Wallace Killed In Action Aug. 8: Friends and relatives were made sad when news came in a telegram Sun., Sept. 17, that Pfc. Burley C. Wallace, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Wallace of Garland, Ala., Rt. 1, Asbury community, was killed in action in France Aug. 8, 1944.
Pfc. Wallace was drafted into service Oct. 23, 1941. He was sent to Camp Croft, S.C.., later to Fort Custer, Michigan. Then April 1, 1942, he was sent to Iceland, at which place he served 18 months. He was then transferred to England, then to North Ireland. From Ireland, he was assigned duties in France. It was during the last assignment that he gave his life Aug. 8, 1944.
Special memorial services will be held Sun., Sept. 24, 1944 at 11 o’clock a.m. at Asbury Church.

102 Year Old Woman Passes At Nichburg: Madora Nicholson of the Nichburg community died at her home last Tuesday night at the age of 102, following a short illness. Her husband, George Nicholson, preceded her in death some eight years ago at the age of 96, soon after they had celebrated the 72^nd anniversary of their marriage. The authenticity of her age was undisputed by the oldest residents of the county as she was a slave in the Cunningham family and reputedly nursed Mr. John Cunningham, who has attained considerable age himself.
“Aunt Madora,” as she was known, enjoyed unusual good health until the past few months. She was the mother of 17 children, several of whom preceded her in death.

96 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 1927

Wednesday marked the official opening of the Evergreen Cotton Exchange, upstairs in the Newton building.

Conecuh County teachers over 100 strong took peaceful possession of this town early this morning, where they will hold a two days Annual Institute. The meetings are being held in the beautiful City School building, where there is ample room for the joint sessions and departmental sessions too. Miss Norma Smith of the State Department of Education at Montgomery, is assisting Supt. M.A. Hanks and County Supervisor, Mrs. Jeretta Newton in conducting the institute.

BODY OF DR. SMITH IS LAID TO REST: Tuscaloosa, Ala., Sept. 8 – With scores of friends gathered from all parts of the state to pay him homage, last rites for Dr. Eugene A. Smith, state geologist, who died Wednesday, were held at the residence yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock. Ben Harrison, lay leader of the Episcopal church, officiated.
Following the simple but beautiful ceremony, interment took place at Evergreen cemetery. The grave was bedecked with many floral designs, sent by friends and admirers of the distinguished scientist, professor and businessman.
Dr. Smith held the position of state geologist since 1873 being appointed by the legislature to that office upon its revision of the state geological and agricultural survey. During his lifetime, he was a professor at the University of Alabama, and held many and various important offices.
The pallbearers were: Dr. George Denny, president, University of Alabama; Walter B. Jones, assistant geologist; Robert Hodges, chemist of geological survey; H.E. Wheeler, head of natural history department, University of Alabama; Prof. S.J. Lloyd, professor of chemistry, University of Alabama; and Roland Harper, geological survey department.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Sept. 18, 2023

Senator Howell Heflin

18 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 2005

Civitan celebrates 50 years: Monroeville’s Civitan Club celebrated “50 Years of Helping People” Saturday in Monroeville.
To mark the club’s 50^th anniversary, club members and guests celebrated with a lunch party Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vanity Fair Golf and Tennis Club in Monroeville.
Featured guests and speakers at the event included Monroeville Mayor Anne Farish, Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Smith, Glenda Donaldson of Opp, Randy Eckhoff of Mobile and Gordon Durham of Mobile.

Excel senior Justin Whatley accounted for all of Excel’s points in a 26-14 win over region rival Bayside Academy Friday in Excel, which was the Panthers’ first-ever win over Bayside in football.
Whatley, a 5-11, 180-pound tailback, collected 125 yards on 30 carries, caught two passes for 18 yards, rushed for four touchdowns and kicked two extra points in the win.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Johnny Flores, Toby Hilton, Josh House, Neil Hudson and Justin Ridgeway. Jodie Jones was Excel’s head coach.)

Mineola Water plans expansion: Mineola Water Co. of Chrysler plans to break ground on a 40,000-foot expansion project soon, according to the company’s founders.
David Forbes, the company’s chief financial officer and operations manager, and Allan Shelton, the company’s marketing and distribution director, made the announcement Tuesday to the Monroeville Kiwanis Club. Mineola Water is located in the Chrysler community, south of Uriah.

43 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 18, 1980

Two hired as sheriff’s deputies: Two men recently began work as deputy sheriffs with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. John R. Farrow of Monroeville began working in April, and William Gibson of Mexia began last month.

Frisco beats Excel: The Frisco City Whippets held on for dear life in the second half to defeat the Excel Panthers 30-19 in Frisco City Friday night, the second straight year the Whippets have beaten Excel.
The first half shocked everyone as the Whippets ran away to a 24-0 lead at halftime. But a lot of character and pride on the part of Excel made it a contest in the latter half.
(Top Frisco City players in that game included Thomas Agee, Bryan Baggett, Curtis Childs, Kenny Cross, Rodney Darby, Bill King, Daryl Lambert, Curtis Lee, Cedric Logan, Percy Riley, Marc Stevens and Rance Wiggins. Top Excel players included Phil Bowen, Robert “Too Tall” Costic, Mark Crutchfield, Michael Stallworth and Jay Warn. Ronnie Propst was Frisco’s head coach, and Lee Holladay was Excel’s head coach.)

Reagan-Bush team chairman named: Robert B. Frese has been named chairman of the Reagan-Bush Campaign ’80 effort in Monroe County. Reagan-Bush headquarters have been established in Monroeville next door to the downtown post office. The new chairman will also be responsible for coordinating the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program which began Sept. 13 and other programs, including voter identification, ballot security and fundraising.

68 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 15, 1955

Thirty-Four Members Initiated Into New Civitan Club At Charter Night Saturday: Some 34 members were initiated into the newly-organized Monroeville Civitan Club in Charter Night ceremonies held at the Community House here Saturday night.
John D. Miller, governor-elect of the Alabama-West Florida district of Civitan Clubs, conducted the initiation ceremonies at a banquet attended by approximately 175 persons, including wives of members, visiting Civitans from 17 out-of-town clubs and several local guests.
Installation of the officers was conducted by J.W. Graham, Maplesville, international sergeant-at-arms of Civitan Clubs, while presentation of the charter was made by W.J. Bailey, Birmingham, governor of the Alabama-West Florida district.

Local Physician Victim Saturday Of Auto Accident: Dr. Thomas Earl Nettles, 37, prominent Monroeville physician, was killed almost instantly Saturday in a head-on, two-car collision at nine a.m. approximately two miles north of Peterman on Alabama Highway 47.
He had been a practicing physician in Monroeville for the past eight years and owned and operated the Monroeville Hospital for the past five years.
During World War II, Dr. Nettles served as an Army Captain with overseas duty on Okinawa and in Japan.

Tigers Open Season Defeating Bulldogs Of Uriah, 7-2: The Monroeville Tigers opened their 1955 football campaign Friday night by closely defeating the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs of Uriah at the Monroe County High football field by a score of 7 to 2. The game was close all the way as both teams showed well in defense, the only touchdown of the winners coming in the third quarter as Hick Wiggins ran around left guard and scampered 11 yards for the tally.

93 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 18, 1930

Goodway Man Is Murdered: Goodway was the scene of a killing last week when a man by the name of Stinson shot and killed Davis. Stinson and Davis were neighbors and there was apparently no reason for the murder. Stinson was brought to Monroeville to jail where he still remains as there has been no preliminary trial as yet.

Eddins’ Store At Peterman is Robbed: The store of Mr. J.R. Eddins at Peterman was robbed one night last week. So far the guilty party has not been apprehended. Soon after the robbery was discovered blood hounds were brought from the prison farm near Atmore, but the track was cold and the robber could not be tracked. Nothing of great value was taken.

Mr. T.A. Black, prominent Uriah merchant, is erecting a new store building in front of the Blacksher Hotel. The building will be ready for occupancy in about three weeks.

Heflin Speaks To Large Crowd Here Last Friday: Senator Heflin spoke to a large and fairly responsive crowd at the courthouse last Friday night. The auditorium of the courthouse was crowded, and a large overflow crowd on the outside heard the speech through the three horns the Senator had rigged up for the occasion. The people came from several counties around, consisting largely of those who go regularly to hear him when his appointments are in reach. The speech was characteristic of the speaker, consisting mainly of the so-called issues of 1928, plus his usual abuse of all those who do not follow his leadership without question.

118 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 21, 1905

Dr. R.A. Smith and family are domiciled in the dwelling formerly occupied by the late H.W. Jones.

Mr. W.R. Manning of Excel was in to see us yesterday. He has launched out in the mercantile business and reports trade good and his town growing.

Lumber and other building material is being placed on the ground for Mr. C.L. Hybart’s new dwelling. A handsome design has been selected and when completed the building will be an ornament to the portion of town in which it will be located. Mr. T.J. Stevens of Brewton is the supervising architect.

Mr. Luke Coley was up from Hadley the first of the week. Luke says the possums are getting ripe down in his neighborhood and the young men of his age enjoy rare sport in hunting the marsupials.

The many friends of Mr. J. Alex. Grace were pained to learn of his death which occurred at his home at Claiborne Monday afternoon, Sept. 18, after an illness of several days. Mr. Grace had been the proprietor of the upper warehouse at Claiborne for more than 20 years and in all his dealings with his numerous patrons throughout that long period he proved himself honorable and trustworthy.

Miss Lucile Bizzelle left Tuesday for Boston to complete her studies in elocution at the Emerson College of Oratory.

JONES MILL: There was a racing contest held here recently on a one hour’s race of cotton picking between Messrs. L.N. Parson and J. Driscoll, the former picking 53 pounds and the latter 48 in one hour.

Little remains of the old Hixon community in Monroe County

Old Hixon Cemetery in Monroe County, Alabama.

I got caught up enough at the newspaper office last Thursday afternoon that I decided to get out of the office for a little exploring. I struck off north of Monroeville on State Highway 41 and eventually rode down into Fountain. Taking the left-hand fork at the Fountain Church and crossing the railroad tracks, I continued on until I found myself in the old Hixon community.

Most historic maps of this area show “downtown” Hixon as being located near the modern-day intersection of Hixon Road and Wiggins Road. About 13 road miles from Monroeville’s courthouse square, there is little to see in this community today aside from a scattering of comfortable homes. Little remains from the time when this community was large enough to support its own post office and country schoolhouse.

Today the most significant landmark from the community’s heyday is the Hixon Cemetery, a small roadside cemetery that’s about three-tenths of a mile from the Wiggins Road intersection. Just eyeballing it, I would say this cemetery contains about 30 graves, many of which date back to the 1800s. As you would imagine, many of the headstones carry the Irish family name of Hixon, but other names you’ll find include Bivin, Boley, Gardner, Moore and Wiggins.

The oldest marked grave there that I could find was that of Allen Hixon, who passed away at the age of 54 three days before Christmas in 1868. The inscription on his headstone reads as follows: As a husband and father, he was gentle and devoted; true and confiding as a friend; and as a Christian, humble and submissive. Family and friends mourn their loss and fondly cherish his loved memory.

Just up the road from this cemetery sits the Carry Mount Missionary Baptist Church, where, according to the sign out front, “Everybody Is Somebody & Jesus Is Lord.” A sizeable cemetery can be found behind the church, and I would say that it contains about 100 graves, including a score or more that are unmarked. The oldest grave that could find there belonged to an infant named Charlie Banks, who was born and died on April 10, 1897.

Back at the office, I delved into old issues of The Monroe Journal, which contain hundreds of references to the Hixon family and individuals with the Hixon last name. However, the earliest reference that I could find to the Hixon community was in a Nov. 22, 1900 legal notice in which “settler” James A. Wiggins made a homestead claim. As witnesses to his claim, he named Solomon Bivin, Alex Roberts Nick Busey and Daniel McConnell, “all of Hixon, Ala.”

In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience who has more information about the old Hixon community. I’m especially interested in any old ghost stories, local legends or Indian lore from that part of the county. If you’d like to share anything along those lines, please let me know.

Wilcox County county seat traces its roots back to Dunn family land donation in September of 1832

Philip P. Barbour of Virginia

September 14 is an important date in the history of Camden for it was on that day in 1832 that Thomas and Martha Hobbs Dunn donated the land where downtown Camden is now located to the Wilcox County Commission for a new county seat.

At the time of this donation, what would become Camden didn’t even really have a name, and the county seat was located in Canton. Sources say that the Dunns donated 12 acres of land to the commission on the condition that they would build a courthouse there. Commissioners took them up on their offer and moved the county seat to present-day Camden in 1833.

The original name for what would become Camden was Wilcox Courthouse, but the name would later be changed to Barboursville in honor of Virginia Senator Philip P. Barbour. The town was officially incorporated in 1841 and was renamed Camden in honor of Camden, South Carolina, the hometown of prominent Camden resident, Dr. John D. Caldwell.

There were two main reasons why the land donated by the Dunns made for an attractive location for the county seat. First and foremost, Camden was more centrally located within the county than Canton, which was in the western half of the county close to the Alabama River. (The geographic center of the county in 1832 was about one mile west of Camden on what was known as the Sellers Place.)

The other reason had to do with a plentiful freshwater source that was known by at least four different names. Sources called this spring the Public Spring, the Town Spring and the Courthouse Spring. In later years it was known as the Jail Spring.

According to information published in the July 17, 1889 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, this location was a “beautiful place. The hill came down with a gradual slope, not a wash or break in it, covered with trees, shrubbery and grass at the bottom of which flowed out, in one solid stream, all the water that now comes out at different places. All that country where the branch runs now was covered with a beautiful forest growth.”

At that time, most of the land where Camden is located was enclosed and was in cultivation by various farmers. When the commission accepted the Dunn donation, with the exception of the lots where the courthouse was built and the spring, commissioners had the land laid out in lots and sold. The proceeds from these land sales were used to pay for the construction of a new courthouse. Construction of the courthouse was completed in a relatively short amount of time, and court was first held there in 1834.

At this time, the town spring supplied all of the water used by residents of the growing town as there were no water wells dug in the town at that time. Water from the spring was typically collected and carried throughout the town by women and boys in cedar pails. Later, as people began digging wells throughout town, the spring was abandoned as a water source, but it remained a popular swimming hole.

Based on a handful of clues, I believe this old spring to have been located behind Camden’s present-day city hall on Water Street. It was known to have supplied water to the old jail in that area, so it makes sense for it to have been located close by. In the end, if anyone has any more information to share about this old spring and its place in Camden history, please let me hear from you.

The Monroe Journal News Flashback for Sept. 11, 2023

Former DEW Line station in Alaska. 

17 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 14, 2006

Uriah native Mark Burgess, 38, has been named to replace Gerald Borden as South Alabama Gas District’s chief executive officer (CEO) effective Jan. 1, 2007.
Gerald Borden, the district’s present CEO, will retire Dec. 31. The board is considering retaining Borden’s services as a consultant, according to Billy Ghee, a board member.

J.U. Blacksher’s new spread offense found its niche last Friday night in Beatrice when the Bulldogs pounded 1A Region 1 rival J.F. Shields 42-7.
Darius Parker stepped up to pace the offense for the second straight week. The 6-2, 175-pound senior quarterback piled up 142 yards rushing and scored a pair of touchdowns on a team that only allowed 26 points in a 26-0 loss to 4A Monroe County High School two weeks ago in the season opener in Monroeville.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Colton Bowen, Cameron Cobb, Brad Goldman, Jessie Harrison, Justin Lee, Tevin McClain, Isaac Nichols and Hunter Saucer. Top Shields players included Jeffrey Austin, Rashad Howard and Jalen Stallworth. Greg Shehan was Blacksher’s head coach, and William Randolph was Shields’ head coach.)

Sales Ford is celebrating its 40^th anniversary today (Thursday) with a party at its Monroeville dealership on South Alabama Avenue. Many Ford dignitaries are expected to be present including Jack Bennett, general manager of the Orlando Region for Ford Motor Co., and several representatives from Ford Motor Credit including Regional Manager Mary Cinder; John Freeman, branch manager in Jacksonville; Brad Jones, sales manager; and Wayne Waters, dealer account manager.

42 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 10, 1981

Ex-probate judge dies in Birmingham: Former Monroe County Probate Judge David Miller Nettles, 51, of Birmingham died last Thursday in a Birmingham hospital following an extended illness.
Mr. Nettles, a Monroe County native who lived in Monroeville for 40 years, was a graduate of Monroe County High School and received his bachelor of science and law degrees from the University of Alabama.
He practiced law in Monroeville until then-Gov. George C. Wallace appointed him probate judge in November 1963 to fill the unexpired term of E.T. “Short” Millsap, who had died a few weeks earlier.

Monroe County High junior linebacker Joe Rodgers is this week’s Monroe Journal Headhunter of the Week. Rodgers, a 175-pounder, accounted for nine individual tackles and was in on four more. He also was responsible for stopping the fourth-quarter drive of the Shields Panthers with a key pass interception at the Tigers’ five-yard line. Rodgers also managed to bat down two other Lloyd Tucker passes in his team’s winning effort Friday night.

Dixie Bearings to open: Dixie Bearings Inc., a woods products industrial supplier in bearings and power transmission components, will open an office in Monroeville Oct. 1. The company will employ four persons in Monroeville, which is Dixie Bearings’ 12^th Alabama location and one of over 200 branches in the United States. Shown in front of the new branch are district manager John Langford of Montgomery and local branch manager Jim Martin.

67 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 13, 1956

Pvt. Newell Hendrix In Eastern Arctic: Army Pvt. Newell L. Hendrix, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.P. Hendrix, Route 2, Frisco City, is participating in the resupply of isolated radar stations of the “DEW line” in the Eastern Arctic.
The DEW (Distant Early Warning) line is designed to provide warning against the possibility of a transpolar air attack. Hendrix is helping discharge cargo from ships to stations extending across the Arctic rim.
A 1955 graduate of Frisco City High School, Hendrix entered the Army in October 1955.

VF Park Field Said Ready For Football: The new football field at Vanity Fair ball park will be in “excellent” condition for use in the first home game of the Monroe County High School Tiger football team, officials of the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday.
The Tigers initial action in Monroeville will be against Greenville on Thursday night, Sept. 20.
Conversion of the Vanity Fair park for football during the past year has been a project of the Chamber of Commerce, which when completed, will cost an estimated $15,000.

Five County Towns To Choose Mayor, Five Councilmen: Voters in Monroe County’s five municipalities will choose town officials in the general election next Monday from ballots bearing a total of 36 names of candidates.
A mayor and five councilmen will be elected for Monroeville, Frisco City, Excel, Beatrice and Vredenburgh. In most cases, polling places will be located at city halls in respective towns with voting hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

92 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 10, 1931

The M. Katz Dry Goods Store will be closed all day Sat., Sept. 12, for the purpose of celebrating Rosha Shana of Jewish New Year.

TILLMAN-GAILLARD: A twilight wedding of unusual interest was that of Miss Caroline Gordon Gaillard and William Archibald Tillman, which was solemnized at St. James Episcopal Church at Perdue Hill. The bride entered on the arm of her father, John Frye Gailliard. She was radiant in duchess satin, which was made along princess lines and encrusted with pearls.

The J.U. Blacksher High School and Grammar School will open at 8 o’clock Monday morning, Sept. 21. Patrons and friends of the school are cordially invited to attend the opening exercises.
The Grammar School will remain in session seven full months, and the High School either eight or nine. Any rumors to the contrary are utterly without foundation. Under no circumstances will the accreditment of the High School be endangered. – Bert Murphree, Principal, J.U. Blacksher High School.

Miss Lois Williams of Lowndesboro visited here the first of the week, the guest of Miss Alice Lee.

Mr. Seaborn Faulk is the guest of relatives here.

James Wallace Johnson, Charles Crook and Charles Hudson left Monday for Sweetwater, Tenn., where they will enter the Tennessee Military Institute.

117 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 13, 1906

Opening of the School: The Monroe Male and Female Institute opened on Monday last under favorable auspices. An unusual degree of interest has been manifested by our people lately in education generally, and in the Monroe Institute particularly, and the session bids fair to prove especially prosperous. Forty-two pupils matriculated the first day, and the number is increasing steadily.

Live Wild Foxes Wanted: Will give $1.50 each for old or young foxes. Write to me and I will tell you how to catch them. – T.W. Russell, Monroeville, Ala.

Miss Lucy Rankin is spending a few days at Wilcox Mineral Springs, Schuster.

Dr. Willard Bayles reached town last week and has entered upon the practice of his profession. Dr. Bayles’ family will remain with relatives for a few days before joining him here.

Mr. Harwell G. Davis, a promising young attorney of Thomasville, Ala., has located at Monroeville for the practice of his profession. He is associated with Mr. W. Locklin Moore.

Mr. H.C. DuBose, who has been cashier of the Monroe County Bank since its organization more than two years ago, tendered his resignation to the directors on Friday last. Capt. W.S. Wiggins Sr. was elected to fill the vacancy.

Mr. James W. Carter of Repton, for many years a citizen of Monroe, but who has resided in Conecuh for 15 or more years past, was a visitor to our town last week and favored The Journal with a pleasant call.

Century-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era in Camden, Alabama

Tom 'Sut' Jenkins

Today marks the first Thursday of the month, so it’s time to take another trip back down memory lane for a look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in September 1923.

In the Sept. 6, 1923 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported, that the “L&N agent at Camden depot reports 115 cars of lumber shipped from Camden last month, and the passenger traffic amounted to over one thousand dollars.”

Also that week, it was reported that the “Camden Grammar School opened Tuesday morning with an attendance of 150 and others to come in. Miss Annie Brice Miller has an able faculty to assist her, and they hope to make this the best session the school has ever had.”

In the Sept. 13, 1923 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that the “Wilcox County High School had an unusually fine opening Monday morning. The enrollment was 88, which was 14 more than last year, and others to come yet.”

Also that week, it was reported that the “new County Superintendent of Education, Prof. W.J. Jones, entered upon the duties of his office Sat., Sept. 1.”

In the Sept. 20, 1923 edition of the paper, under the headline “FOOT BALL GAME,” readers were invited on “Friday afternoon, to come and see Sam Jones, Robert Riggs & Co. battle the Lads from Pine Apple. The Pine Apple team is being coached by the famous Sheep Lamb, a player of National Fame.”

Readers that week also learned that “Culver Calhoun has returned to his home at Grove Hill after having a successful season as a member of the Dyersburg, Tenn. baseball team of the Kitty League. Dyersburg won the first half of the season and defeated the Maysfield, Ky. team, the winner of the second half, in a series of seven games. Calhoun states that the work of Sut Jenkins, a member of the Paris, Tenn. team was sensational throughout the entire season. He was recently purchased by the Boston Americans.”

On the front page of the Sept. 27, 1923 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Robert E. Dunn, 76 years of age, died at a Selma hospital last Thursday afternoon, after a long and lingering illness. ‘Uncle Bob,’ as he was known to a majority of the people in this section, was a Confederate soldier and a democrat of the Old School, and a member of the Methodist church.”

Readers that week also learned that “there are 164 pupils enrolled in the Camden Grammar School and 95 enrolled in the Wilcox County High School and a large vocal and music class this session.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Thursday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of October 1923 in Wilcox County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. Their friendly staff will be more than happy to get you started.

Tallahatta Springs near Thomasville, Alabama was once a 'celebrated watering place' in Clarke County

Historical marker at Tallahatta Springs.

My wife and I rode over to Thomasville on Saturday morning to visit an antique store that she’d been wanting to check out. After we left, we struck off down Tallahatta Springs Road, and six miles outside of town we found ourselves at the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church. As I attempted to turn around in the church’s driveway, something caught my eye.

At first, I thought it was a grave marker, but upon closer inspection, I realized that it was a historical marker. I hopped out of the truck for a closer look and saw that the marker was about the old Tallahatta Springs community between Thomasville and the Campbell community.

According to the marker, which was erected in 1982 by the Clarke County Historical Society, the natural springs that this community was named after was once called a “celebrated watering place.” Believed at one time to have numbered 17 in all, these springs were tightly packed into an area smaller than a baseball diamond. These springs were located about a quarter of a mile from the church at the headwaters of Tallahatta Creek.

These mineral waters contained sulphur, iron and lime and made this location into a health resort in the 1800s. One of the earliest settlers of the area was George Lowder, who was reportedly brutally murdered in 1857. Other prominent names associated with this property and its development were Col. B.C. Foster, Travis L. Bedsole, Harry Wilkerson, Jesse U. Harrison Sr. and S.M. Harrison.

The marker went on to say that the name “Tallahatta” is a Muscogee Creek Indian word meaning “a town has been taken with many springs.”

Back at the newspaper office on Monday, I pulled out my trusty copy of “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue to see what it had to say about Tallahatta Springs. Foscue wrote that the location was originally known as Lowder Springs for George Lowder, who owned the land around 1830. Foscue also noted that the placed was renamed Tallahatta Springs by Benjamin C. Foster, who opened a health resort there in the 1840s.

Foscue also had a differing opinion as to the origin of the word “Tallahatta.” She wrote that the word comes from the Choctaw Indian word “tali,” which means “rock” or “metal” and the word “hata,” which means “white.” Some sources say that rock formations can be found in the creek farther to the west, near Campbell, and suggest that perhaps they are the source of its name.

Foscue also noted that the Tallahatta Springs post office was established in 1876, but at some point, that post office was discontinued. In 1880, Tallahatta Springs had a population of 560, but today only a scattering of homes remain. This community also once had a school, but it eventually consolidated with Thomasville years ago.

In the end, if you’re ever in Thomasville with a few minutes to spare, you might want to ride out to see Tallahatta Springs for yourself. It’s a short ride from Thomasville and easy to find. All you need to remember is that if you’ve passed the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, you’ve gone too far.

George Singleton tells of his encounter with two Mobile treasure hunters in August 1993

Old Scotland Presbyterian Church

(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 “Some folks will do anything for buried treasure,” was originally published in the Aug. 26, 1993 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

There is nothing that I enjoy any better than to visit some of the old home places and the forgotten historical spots throughout the area.

I also enjoy showing some of these places to those who are interested in history and want to visit some of these places that have faded with the changing times.

I have spent many hours and have driven many miles trying to help a distant relative of some early family return to where they were told the old home place once was located.

Not too long ago, I received a long-distance telephone call from Mobile, asking me if I would accompany this gentleman into an area where his ancestors were supposed to have lived. Trying to be of help in seeking out the location, I agreed to do what I could in helping to find this old home place.

The date was set for us to journey into the Old Scotland area in search of clues that might be of use to the gentleman that had called. I won’t mention any names, but after the telephone conversation, I began to try and remember if I knew of an early family by this name that lived in that area.

Checking the records on my computer, I failed to come up with any evidence that such a family had once lived in the area. I decided to wait and see if my caller might have some information that he didn’t mention in our conversation as to the location or whereabouts of the old place.

The day arrived for our meeting. Into my driveway came a Lincoln automobile, as large as any that I had ever seen. In our conversation, nothing was mentioned about anyone but the two of us going on this venture. From behind the tinted windows of the large Lincoln stepped another man.

Strapped on his shoulder was a large, strange-looking instrument of some sort. I didn’t say anything because I thought that perhaps it was a camera of some sort. Then, to my surprise, out of the large auto came a folding shovel; one like I had used many many times in the military. I thought this strange. Why would one need a shovel to find an old houseplace? I decided to keep my mouth shut and see what was going to happen.

Due to the size of the large automobile, I decided it was best that we used my transportation, since I had a four-wheel drive, and at this time, I wasn’t sure just where we were going. Asking the two if they knew anything about the area in which we were to seek out the old homestead, they stated that they knew nothing.

They just wanted to visit some of the old homeplaces and look around. My suspicions began to grow when one asked the other if he had installed new batters in the large instrument they referred to as a money needle.

About now, I began to read between the lines and realized I was being used. I knew, too, that I wasn’t born yesterday, and three could play this game.

Pulling up to an old homestead, both jumped out of my vehicle and began to use the money needle. I was told to just stay near the truck and they would let me know if anything was found. After about 30 minutes of this, I decided that it was time for me to play my hand.

Going over to the searching two, I asked them if they were searching for buried money. “Not really,” one stated. “Just checking everything out,” stated the larger of the two.

Lying through my teeth, I stated that I knew an area where a strongbox filled with gold had been thrown off a stagecoach and buried. To sweeten the pie, I stated that it had never been found. Before I could reach my vehicle, both men had gotten in and were ready to go.

Traveling down into the swampy area of Flat Creek, I assured them that I knew the general area where the gold shipment had been buried. As we departed our vehicle, both of the treasure hunters were acting as though they were standing in a bed of ants.

A faint road turned eastward in the wet bottom lands along the creek, and I knew that the wet soil would not support a vehicle. I told the two that up this old road aways, the gold had been buried.

Pretending to occupy myself with checking over my vehicle, I noticed the two drawing a rough map on a piece of paper and at the same time they were speaking to each other in a very low tone. Suddenly, I was told that something had come up and the two had to return to Mobile. I informed them that I was in no hurry. It was only 11 a.m. Again, I was informed that they had to get back to their automobile and be on their way back to the Port City.

As we made our way back toward Old Scotland Church, I noticed the one that was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle continued to work on the rough map that he had drawn. I wanted to laugh out loud but decided against it.

Without so much as to thank me for my time, the long Lincoln backed hurriedly out of my drive. A few days later, I decided that I would ride over that way, just for the fun of it and see if there was any evidence that the two treasure seekers had returned to hunt for the lied-about stagecoach strongbox full of gold.

Turning my trail bike up the faint muddy road where I told the gold seekers the strong box had been thrown off the stage, I almost fell off my bike with laughter. There in the mud, were signs where a large automobile had bogged down to the axles and had had to be dug out. Pieces of broken wood and grass had been used to help in gaining traction in trying to back the large Lincoln out of the soft mud.

Two very muddy pairs of socks and two filthy handkerchiefs were thrown in the tall weeds by the place where the large auto had gone down in the mud. And over in the weeds I found the remains of a broken, much used, folding shovel.

I told myself that I should be ashamed for what I had done.

But then, when one searches for gold, there are certain risks involved. The gain of riches has its price – sometimes good, sometimes not so good.

(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, was bitten at least twice by venomous snakes, 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.)