The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Jan. 2, 2024

The Nettie Quill.

23 YEARS AGO
JAN. 4, 2001

Local weather observer Harry Ellis reported 1.05 inches of rain in Evergreen on Dec. 27 and 1.10 inches on Dec. 28. He reported a high of 60 degrees on Dec. 16 and a low of 17 on Dec. 31. Total rainfall in December was 5.24 inches, and Ellis recorded 40.91 inches during the year 2000.

Funeral services held for Rev. A.L. Shehan: Rev. A.L. Shehan, 92, of Evergreen died Sat., Dec. 23, 2000 at his residence.
Rev. Shehan was saved at an early age and spent seven years preparing for the ministry. He was a minister for 72 years and 52 of those years he served in Evergreen. For 41 years, he had a radio ministry on the local, national and international levels, and it was the longest running radio ministry in the world.
Funeral services were held Tues., Dec. 26, 2000 at 2 p.m. from the Chapel of Cope Funeral Home with Rev. Harold Tyus, Rev. Jackie Davis and Rev. C.L. Dyess officiating. Burial was in Union Cemetery in Frisco City.

Evergreen-Conecuh Chamber of Commerce President Alesia Stuart announced that the Board of Directors elected new officers for the year 2001 at its meeting in December. John Raines was elected president; Brent Salter, vice-president; and Terry Jackson, treasurer.
The newly elected officers and directors will be installed at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Banquet to be held Thurs., Jan. 25, at the Hillcrest High School Cafetorium.

48 YEARS AGO
JAN. 1, 1976

Local weather observer Earl Windham reported 1.6 inches of rain on Dec. 25. He reported a high of 65 degrees on Dec. 28 and a low of 23 on Dec. 22.

Rites held for Mr. Pate, former Supt. of Education: Harvey Godwin Pate, 69, of Evergreen died on Tues., Dec. 23, in a Greenville hospital. Mr. Pate served a total of five terms as Conecuh County Superintendent of Education. He did not seek re-election, but retired when he completed his fifth term of office in 1973.
Mr. Pate was first elected superintendent in 1944 and then was re-elected in 1948 and 1952. He was associated with education in various capacities until he again sought the office in 1964 and won election and was re-elected in 1968.
A native of Paul, he received his early education in the school of this county. He earned his BS degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, and did graduate studies at Auburn and Columbia University, New York City.
Prior to being elected to his first term as superintendent, Mr. Pate served as principal of Annex School for six years and Conecuh County High School for three years and taught at Evergreen High School for two years. In all, he was associated with the county school system for nearly 40 years.

A fire in the rear of Harper’s Furniture Co. on West Front Street did little damage Monday night, thanks to its discovery by city police and prompt and efficient work by the Evergreen Fire Department.

73 YEARS AGO
JAN. 4, 1951

Harper’s Furniture Co. will hold its grand opening next Friday morning, Jan. 12, at nine o’clock, according to an announcement made this week by Coy L. Harper, owner of the new home furnishing establishment. The store succeeds Travis Furniture Co. and will be at the same location in the Moorer Building.
It is also announced this week that J.O. (Joe) Brooks will be with this new firm as manager and outside contact man.

Battery ‘C’ Guardsmen Getting Ready For Active Federal Duty: Men of Battery “C,” 117^th Field Artillery Battalion, 31^st (Dixie) Division, Conecuh County unit of the Alabama National Guard, are now getting ready to go on active federal duty Jan. 16. The 31^st Division has been called back into national service and is to be sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The local battery expects to move out sometime between Jan. 16 and Jan. 26.
Battery “C” guardsmen are now drilling on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights at the armory in Evergreen readying themselves for fulltime service. Battery strength as of Mon., Jan. 1, was 79 officers and enlisted men.
The battery is commanded by Capt. John C. Holman, who was executive officer when “C” was mobilized just prior to World War II.
The battery is well supplied with experienced and capable officers and non-coms. All of the officers are World War II vets as well as most of the top-ranking NCO’s. In all, there are 21 World War II veterans on the battery roster.

98 YEARS AGO
JAN. 6, 1926

Attorney General Harwell G. Davis was a visitor at The Courant office Tuesday. Mr. Davis stated that he was enroute to Castleberry to attend a K. of P. meeting.

The fire siren called the Evergreen firemen to the residence of Mr. A.A. Williams on Bruner Avenue on New Year morning. Within a short while after the fire was extinguished at his residence, fire was discovered in the cotton office of Mr. Williams over the Binion Grocery & Feed Co. on West Front Street. Mr. Williams was out of town at the time.

MIXON: Rev. U.G. Hicks, our new pastor, preached his first sermon at Asbury Sunday and those who heard him said he preached a fine sermon.

Captain John Quill, 87, of Mobile, died recently in Boston. Captain Quill for many years owned a number of river boats running out of Mobile. The two best known are the John Quill and the Nettie Quill.

Daniel Cook Sr. of Camden has announced his candidacy for the state senate from the 22^nd district.

The death of Mr. W.D. Bailey on last Saturday afternoon about two o’clock at the Simmons House brought sadness to the hearts of many citizens of Evergreen.
Deceased had been confined to the fresh air camp at Montgomery for some time and had been discharged just a short while before Christmas and it was the pleasure of his family and friends to have him with them during the holidays.

123 YEARS AGO

JAN. 2, 1901

CHINA: China is the name of a new post office recently established here with J.E. Witherington, postmaster.

The People’s Bank of Conecuh County is now open and ready for business with C.P. Deming as president, W.B. Ivey as vice president and Arthur Cunningham as cashier. Heretofore, Conecuh County has had but one bank, which has been known as the Bank of Evergreen, and this institution has changed hands.

The residence of J.T. Amos was destroyed by fire last Sunday night. The fire originated in the kitchen and was discovered at seven o’clock by Mr. Amos, who gave the alarm. In a short space of time, a large crowd had gathered to fight the mad flames, but it had gained such headway that it was soon evident that the house could not be saved, and the people set about to save the furniture and adjoining buildings.

During the holidays, little Waddy McCreary was painfully wounded by the discharge of a 22-calibre flobert rifle. The ball took effect in his foot, producing a very painful wound. The physicians were unable to remove the ball.

Sheriff W.W. Pridgen returned Sunday from Hot Springs, where he has been for several weeks past for the benefit of his health.

The Arends Hotel at Brewton was destroyed by fire on Christmas night. A guest of the house lost $400 in gold. It is announced that the building will be replaced with a large, two-story brick structure with modern conveniences.