Monday, September 30, 2024

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Sept. 30, 2024

22 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 26, 2002

Going up? – Donnie Evans of Creel Construction Co. and George Thomas Jones of Monroeville prepare to take the first ride in the new elevator at the Old Monroe County Courthouse last Thursday. The elevator was installed as part of the final phase of a project to restore the courthouse that also serves as the home for the Monroe County Heritage Museums.

No. 1 was still No. 1 and still unbeaten Friday after top-ranked Monroe Academy posted a 21-0 victory over Clarke Prep School at MA.
MA’s defense, which has not yielded a touchdown since opening the season with a 41-14 win over Sparta Academy Aug. 30 at MA, pitched a third straight shutout Friday.
Senior linebacker Joah Norris collected 17 tackles to key the Vols’ defensive effort. Senior linebacker Tyler Dawson followed with 13. Dawson also led the Vols’ offense with 102 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 15 carries from his fullback position.
(Other top MA players in that game included Anthony Brantley, Bryson Crutchfield, Taylor Dobson, Colby Mixon, Hunter Moye, Sage Smith and Bonner Williams.)

Jordan P. Elbrecht has graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) National Advanced Leadership Camp at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash.
He is the son of George K. and Greta C. Elbrecht of Monroeville. Elbrecht graduated in 1998 from Monroe County High School.

47 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 29, 1977

Monroeville man attends law academy: Charles Edward Andrews of Monroeville, who is employed with the state Board of Corrections, is attending the Law Enforcement Academy at the University of Alabama. Law enforcement officers attend courses for six weeks through this program at the university. A 1971 Alabama law requires all new officers to attend a recognized law enforcement school within nine months of employment.

Whippets edge Lyeffion: The Frisco City High School Whippets ran their season record to 4-1 Friday night in Frisco City by defeating Lyeffion 13-12.
Kenneth Dudley was the game’s leading rusher with 78 yards on 12 carries. The Whippet defense was led by Kenneth Dudley, who had 16 individual tackles and seven assists.
(Other top FCHS players in that game included Tim Bailey, Jerry Browning, Julius Lambert and Ben Wiggins.)

85-year-old twins: Mrs. Emma Shiver and Thompson Chunn, twin brother and sister, celebrated their 85th birthdays Sept. 8. Residents of Rocky Hill, the two are active at Rocky Hill Baptist Church, where Mr. Chunn has been the song director for 30 years. Each twin had seven children, including a set of twins each. Their brother, Monroe Chunn, celebrated his 89th birthday Sept. 18. They also have two sisters, Lizzie Dunn, 83, and Viola Smith, 80.

West Point Cadet George B. Singleton, son of Mr. and Mrs. George B. Singleton Sr. of Monroeville, recently completed the Ranger course at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Ga. Cadet Singleton is a student at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York.

72 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 25, 1952

Walter C. Nicholas, Excel merchant, was chosen to the town’s top office in the municipal election held there Tuesday. Mr. Nicholas was elected mayor with a total of 44 votes over his single opponent, C.W. Austin, who received 24 votes. Mr. Nicholas replaced B.B. Feaster as Excel’s mayor.

Uriah Squad Downs Flomaton 24-0: The J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs unleashed power for their first win of the season by defeating the Flomaton Greenies, 24-0, in Flomaton Friday night.
The three Smith brothers on the Uriah team were largely accountable for the Uriah victory. Left half O’Neil Smith racked up three TD’s while substitute back Vernon Smith was responsible for another. Nelson Smith was also instrumental in assisting the win.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Raymond Chunn, Aubrey Grant, Frank Hadley, Al Gene Hines, J.B. House, Jack Madison, Lavon Smith, William Weatherford and Mason Wood.)

Monroe Schools Presented With Car For Instruction In Driver Training: Monroe County schools have received this year the use of a 1952 model Ford automobile for driver training instruction through the cooperation of the Chambers-Lazenby Motor Co. of Monroeville and the American Automobile Association.
The automobile was formally presented to H.G. Greer, county superintendent of education, and Hubert Finlayson, assistant coach at Monroe County High School and county driver training instructor, on Thurs., Sept. 11, by B.L. Chambers, co-owner of the local motor company.
The course in driver training is being offered to tenth grade students at four Monroe County schools this year.

97 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 29, 1927

M. Katz store will be closed on Thurs., Oct. 6, in observance of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. The store will be reopened on Friday, Oct. 7.

MARINE KILLED IN ACTION KNOWN IN THIS COUNTY: Lenton Clyde Russell, 22, of the U.S. Marine Corps, who was killed in a skirmish between Marines and native troops in Nicaragua Sept. 21, was widely known in Monroe County, having been a student at the Monroeville high school before he enlisted in the Marine Corps.
The son of A.S. Russell of Tinela, Ala., young Russell moved to Monroe County in 1917, where he was educated in the public school.
Report from his commanding officer revealed that the youth met death gallantly, having received his mortal wound while on active duty, guarding property in Nicaragua, where a detachment of Marines has been stationed since the recent uprising in that country.

The work of grading the Monroeville-Franklin highway is practically completed, attention now being given to dressing up and placing culverts within the corporate limits of Monroeville. Surfacing with gravel has reached a point within a few miles of town and is progressing at the rate of about one mile per week. It is expected that the work will be entirely finished and ready for acceptance by the Highway Department by or before Dec. 1.

122 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 25, 1902

A new Masonic Lodge, Blacksher No. 593, was instituted at Maros, this county, a few days since by N.A. McNiel, Worshipful Master of Enon Lodge, under the authority of a dispensation granted by Grand Master R.R. Cunningham. The following officers were duly installed: D.C. Mims, Worshipful Master; L.B. Farish, Senior Warden; J.F. Lambert, Junior Warden; W.H. Pearce, Treasurer; W.T. Dees, Secretary; J.A. Brown, Senior Deacon; H.R. White, Junior Deacon; and C.S. Dees, Tyler.

Sheriff Fountain is spending a few days with his family at Tunnel Springs this week.

Reports from various portions of the county are to the effect that the dry weather of past few weeks has seriously affected all such crops as sugar cane, potatoes, peas, etc. and while the cotton crop will turn out better than was promised at one time, the top crop will not produce as much as was indicated a few weeks ago.

The new school house at Drewry is about finished and will be filled with pupils at an early date.

Miss Susie Wiggins left Tuesday for Marion, where she will enter the Judson Female College.

Mineola: Our church is now in a fair way of being completed by the next appointment, which will be on the fourth Sabbath in October, when we hope for the building to be dedicated.

Awin: Rev. H.N. Huckabee filled his regular appointment – the second Sunday – at Mt. Pleasant. He preached an interesting sermon.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

'Old Purefoy House' described in 'Haunted Places: The National Directory'

I was flipping through a book the other day called “Haunted Places: The National Directory” by Dennis William Hauck. Published in 2002, this 486-page book describes hundreds of supposedly “haunted” places in America, including 41 such “supernatural locations” in Alabama. Of these, only one is located within the borders of Wilcox County – the “Old Purefoy House” at Furman.

According to Hauck, “a buried well in the back yard here is said to be haunted by the spirit of a black man who died digging it. In the early 1800s, Dr. John H. Purefoy was having a new well dug when the wooden rigging collapsed and buried a worker under tons of sandy soil. Although rescuers could hear the man screaming for help, they were unable to save him, and his body was never recovered. Today, grass will not grow over the sunken depression where the well collapsed, and people see the form of a man sitting hunched over the top of the well. His sobbing cries for help still fill the night air.”

A longer version of this old ghost story can be found within the pages of Kathryn Tucker Windham’s classic 1969 book, “13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.” Also, while I’ve never personally investigated the site of this ghostly tale, I have included Furman’s Purifoy-Lipscomb House in my annual list of “Spookiest Places in Wilcox County.” These annual lists were first published in The Progressive Era in late October 2016.

With that said, next week’s edition of the newspaper will mark the first in the month of October and, if nothing changes, I plan to release my annual list of “Spookiest Places in Wilcox County” in the Halloween edition of the newspaper on Oct. 31. This year, I’d like to include a few spooky locations that haven’t made the previous lists, and I’m encouraging readers to send me their nominations.

For those of you who missed previous lists of “Spookiest Places,” here are some of the places that received mention: the Camden Cemetery, the Castro Tree in Camden, Coy Cemetery, the Coy Railroad Crossing, Dale Masonic Lodge in Camden, Gaines Ridge in Camden, Gee’s Bend Ferry Landing near Camden, the “House of the Dancing Skulls” near Rosebud, the intersection of County Roads 59 and 24 near Pine Apple, the Liddell-Burford House in Camden, Moore Academy in Pine Apple, the “Millie Hole” on Pine Barren Creek, Prairie Bluff Cemetery, Reaves Chapel Cemetery, Snow Hill Institute, the “Unfilled Hole” in Camden and the Wilcox Female Institute in Camden.

This year, I’m looking for new “spooky” places to add to the list, so if you know of any such places within the confines of Wilcox County that aren’t mentioned above, please let me hear from you. Not only will I add them to my list, but I will also make it a point to visit the location myself, if possible, investigate the claims of “supernatural” activity there and write about it for the newspaper in the months to come. Feel free to supply me with as much detail as possible as it will make telling others about it that much easier.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Sept. 24, 2024

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley
12 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 35th 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.

37 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.

62 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.”

82 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.

87 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.

129 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 19, 1895

The Evergreen Courant made its appearance last week with the announcement of its regular publication after Oct. 1. 

Monday, September 23, 2024

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Sept. 23, 2024

Congressman Jack Edwards
17 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 27, 2007

Firefighters honored: The Monroe County Fire Association held their annual banquet last Thursday night at the Frisco City United Methodist Church. President Eddie James presented the awards to Excel Chief Tim Casey, Chief of the Year; Monroeville firefighter Jerry Knight, Firefighter of the Year; Rathan Owens, EMT of the Year; J.J. Burgess, Rookie of the Year; and Sue Starr, Female Firefighter of the Year.

Excel rolls over Tigers 44-0: Excel rolled over Red Level Friday night with a 44-0 romp to move to 3-1 on the year and 2-1 in the region.
Marcus Anderson was 9-for-12 for 161 yards on the night and ran five times for 12 yards. Defensively Johnny Flores had six stops and six assists, and Brett Harris had three tackles and five assists.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Kiara Betts, Nick Booker, Britt Bowen, Steven Brown, Korey Hall, Greg Hollinger, Nathan Hooks, Shelby Jordan, Josh Mack, Drew Pierce and Michael Watson. Andy Lambert was Excel’s head coach.)

Crowds of well-wishers, local dignitaries, customers and friends shared in celebrating the 100th birthday of People Exchange Bank of Monroe County. Amid an atmosphere of jubilation, they feasted on lunch prepared by Cherry Street BBQ, and were entertained by Crossroads Band.
Headed by S.D. Andress, Peoples Exchange Bank opened its doors for business in Beatrice on Sept. 18, 1907 and on that opening day, it recorded deposits of $77 and a 10-percent profit. The bank’s total capital was $15,077, and on the second week of business, the bank’s first loan was for $183.

42 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 30, 1982

Replacement of Claiborne-Murphy Bridge is one of five projects given priority in an $11.2-billion transportation appropriations bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Congressman Jack Edwards said the bill, passed by the House last week, designates the bridge on U.S. Highway 84 over the Alabama River as a priority project.
The cost of a new bridge was once estimated to be $21 million, but that figure has been readjusted to $14 million.

FC Whippets defeat Blacksher 20-10: A patient Frisco City High School football team took advantage of three errors by J.U. Blacksher Friday night in Uriah to take a 20-10 win.
Blacksher fumbled a punt and a pitchout and failed to cover a Whippet pass receiver to set up the Whippets’ three touchdown.
(Top Frisco City players in that game included Foster Agee, Kenneth Agee, Walter Banks, Al Bowen, Kenny Cross, Frank Files, Russell Gulley, Rusty Hultz, Chris King, Sterling Lee and Jesse Stanley. Top Blacksher players included Terry Dailey, Alan Gunn, Craig Gregson, Richard Morris, David Peavy, Clifton Shoemo, Nick Tatum, Curtis Williams and Jimmy Woods. Vance McCrory was Frisco City’s head coach, and Keith Cardwell was Blacksher’s head coach.)

An open house for Frisco City First Baptist Church’s new recreation center will be held Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m. The dedication service for the new facility will be held on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. with Jim Bethea, consultant to the state Brotherhood Department of the Alabama Baptist Association, speaking.

67 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 26, 1957

Personnel Needed By Monroe Mills: To support an expanded program, Monroe Mills in Monroeville is in need of 50 or more women sewing machine operators.
Lee R. Duvall, personnel manager, said operations at the local mill have almost doubled in size during the last three years.
The new operators are needed between now and the end of the year, Mr. Duvall stated, and they need not have had any previous sewing experience.

Flu Cases Cancel Uriah Football Game: The Uriah-Walnut Hill, Fla. football game, originally scheduled for tonight (Thursday) in Walnut Hill, has been definitely postponed because of illness. Coach Jack Akins said the Uriah squad would be unable to play since nine of his players are out of school with the flu. He stated the future date for the game has not yet been decided.

Kiwanians To Hear Forest Ranger Speak: John Adams of Vredenburgh, forest ranger, will be guest speaker at the Friday luncheon meeting of the Monroeville Kiwanis Club at the Hi-Ho Restaurant.
Mr. Adams is scheduled to present a program on the progress of forest fire prevention in Monroe County and discuss the outstanding accomplishments of the “Keep Monroe County Green” program.
C.H. Harper, county Soil Conservation agent, is in charge of the program.

Miss Barbara Binion, 19, of Monroeville, Monroe County’s attractive “Maid of Cotton,” will be among representatives from over the state competing for the state “Maid of Cotton” title in Birmingham next week.

92 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 29, 1932

The M. Katz Dry Goods Store will be closed all day Sat., Oct. 1, on account of Jewish holiday. The store will be open for business on the following Monday morning.

Monroeville Team Defeats Uriah 12-0: The Monroe County High School opened its football season Friday afternoon by defeating Uriah High on the local athletic field by a score of 12 to 0. The first score came early in the game as a result of a high pass from the Uriah center which went over the head of the man attempting to punt and rolled behind the goal line where Monroeville recovered for a touchdown. Monroeville scored again in the last half on line plays. Both teams showed lack of teamwork due to the short period of training before the first game, but each team showed good material and promised plenty of opposition for their opponents before the season closes.

COTTON GINNINGS SHOW BIG DECREASE: According to the report of the census directors, there were 4,769 bales of cotton ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1932, prior to Sept. 16, 1932, as compared with 5,914 bales to the same date last year.

Misses Mary Urquhart and Elon Kendall and Messrs. W.H. Simmons and Merrill Barrineau went to Pensacola to see the Ringling Circus Tuesday night.

Miss Etta Murphy of Peterman has accepted a position as elementary supervisor in Clarke County. – Clarke County Democrat.

117 YEARS AGO
SEPT. 26, 1907

Elsewhere in this issue appears the announcement of the Peoples Exchange Bank of Beatrice, which institution opened its doors for business on the 18th inst., with a strong board of local directors and a corps of officers composed of some of the best and most substantial businessmen in that section of the county. The bank is capitalized at $25,000 and is situated in one of the richest and most prosperous agricultural sections of North Monroe. There is no good reason why the new bank should not meet every requirement of the commercial and business community. The Journal wishes the new enterprise a prosperous and useful career.

In two hotly contested games of amateur baseball, the Scotland-Franklin boys defeated the strong Nellie team (in Franklin) today. The feature of the game was the magnificent work of Capell Smith, Scotland-Franklin’s star player, who had the heavy Nellie batters at his mercy. Also the catching and batting of Simmons Kearley, who led the team in hitting the ball. Reeves, the mighty Nellie pitcher, was hit regular and hard especially at the important time.

Miss Ida McNiel returned to her home at Axle last Sunday after spending some time with Monroeville friends, the guest of Misses Jennie and Callie Faulk.

The Fall term of the Monroe Circuit Court will convene in Monroeville on Mon., Oct. 7. The dockets are, we learn, about the average size.

E.R. Green, the photographer, of Peterman, will be in Monroeville during court prepared to do all kinds of photographic work, especially postcard photos, which are now so popular. He invites all desiring work of this character to call on him.

Friday, September 13, 2024

Is Latin phrase in TKAM a hidden reference to Capote's 'In Cold Blood'?

An in-depth reading of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” often results in hidden surprises and sometimes leads down deep rabbit holes.

My favorite part of the book is the section that details the climactic events on Halloween 1935. Many readers will remember that Jem and Scout have to walk to the school that night because Scout had to be in a school play. We come to learn that the name of that play is “Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera.”

We learn the name of the play that night when the play’s author, Mrs. Grace Merriweather, announces this from a lectern, situated beside the Maycomb County High School band. After she announces the play’s title, a bass drum is struck, prompting her to continue. “That means,” said Mrs. Merriweather, translating for the rustic elements, “from the mud to the stars.”

Merriweather may have been a little off because various sources give different translations of the Latin phrase “Ad Astra per Aspera.” Most translate it as meaning “Through hardships to the stars.” Other sources say it means “To the stars through difficulties” or “A rough road leads to the stars.”

Here’s where it gets really interesting. “Ad Astra per Aspera” is the official state motto of Kansas. Many Harper Lee fans will remember that Lee traveled to Kansas with Truman Capote to help him research his famous nonfiction novel, “In Cold Blood,” which was about the 1959 Clutter family murders in Holcombe, Kansas.

Was the addition of “Ad Astra per Aspera” in “To Kill a Mockingbird” a nod to Capote and “In Cold Blood”? A close look at the time line of the publication of both books may give us a clue.

Sources say that Lee delivered the original, unpolished manuscript for what would become “To Kill a Mockingbird” to literary agent Maurice Crain in the spring of 1957. The now-defunct publishing house of J.B. Lippincott Co. eventually bought the manuscript, which was not suitable for publication at that point. Over the course of the next two years, Lee worked with editor Tay Hohoff, producing multiple drafts of the novel until they arrived at the version that was published on July 11, 1960.

About seven months prior to that, two ex-cons named Perry Smith and Richard Hickock murdered four members of the wealthy Clutter family on Nov. 15, 1959. When Lee’s childhood friend Truman Capote learned of the killings, he developed a morbid fascination for the case and decided to write about it. Before the final version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” was produced, Lee accompanied Capote to Kansas in late 1959 and helped Capote interview a wide variety of people associated with the crime, producing thousands of pages of notes that would form the basis for Capote’s book.

Even though Capote’s book wouldn’t be published until Jan. 17, 1966 (nine months after Smith and Hickock were executed), it is possible that Lee took note of the Kansas state motto during her time there and decided to insert it into the final draft of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The only way to be sure would be to examine the early drafts of “To Kill a Mockingbird” to see if she included the Latin phrase before her trip to Kansas. Whether or not these early drafts of “To Kill a Mockingbird” still exist out there in the world somewhere is a question that remains to be answered.

Friday, September 6, 2024

A mystery lingering at Uriah: What rests in the Devil's Soup Bowl?

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The story below, which was titled “A mystery lingering at Uriah: What rests in the Devil’s Soup Bowl?,” was written by Anna Thibodeaux and was originally published in the May 23, 1991 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Historian George Singleton inspects mysterious Devil's Soup Bowl near Uriah.

Resting atop a hill in a sedate, wooded area near Uriah, a mystery lingers, hidden in the landscape and minds of those who have chanced upon the “Devil’s Soup Bowl.”

The tale behind it is extraordinary, like so many other scary tales that have been told by campfires. Many who knew about the soup bowl have died, but this haunting story returns again and again in area folklore. The pool’s calm surface has kept area historian and ghost hunter George Singleton delving in the mystery for nearly 25 years.

“There are legends about certain lights that have been seen in the vicinity,” Singleton says. “Located on a plateau, supporting wildlife and fish living in it, there is something there that leaves the ordinary.”

Dusting off a tale

Is this an actual phenomenon or a dusty tale?

Singleton offers down-to-earth facts to support a heavenly theory. He suggests the mysterious pool is what remains of a crater left by a meteorite that landed, possibly before settlers knew of Uriah or Monroe County. If this is a meteorite crater, it hardly compares with those that scorched miles of trees in Siberia, or another that left a mile-wide crater and petrified forest in Arizona. Still, the Devil’s Soup Bowl continues to captivate a curious community.

Visiting the site both day and night turned up little for Singleton, while area residents have told him they’ve seen a halo hovering over the pool at times. He believes low-level radiation still remaining in the crater may be behind compass needles spinning wildly and interference with video equipment (the interference stopped when these objects were away from the site).

More of what Singleton calls his “amateur research” has revealed there may be a large metal deposit beneath the water (typically, the molten remains of a meteor). As he drew his metal detector nearer the pool, it released “ear-piercing sounds,” he said.

Questions about the pool’s water source may provide clues as to how the pool earned its name.

Singleton believes those who have seen the location named it the Devil’s Soup Bowl because it has no visible inlet or outlet. The fresh water sustains fish, turtles and other assorted wildlife. The pool, which is shaped like a bowl or can, is another telltale sign of a meteorite crater.

A northeasterly path

The pool measures 125 feet across and is estimated at 75 feet deep, according to Singleton. The pool is on private property, and a Journal reporter had to obtain permission to visit the site. Judging by the pool’s dimensions and a large pile of dirt, the shooting star took a fiery northeasterly path when it landed.

“My thoughts are that possible the meteor burned or near burned out when it hit the earth,” he said. “The bottom is hard, as though it was a concrete bottom.”

Foliage grows up to the water’s edge and stops, Singleton observed, adding that it is peculiar that the pool is on top of a hill, not in a swampy area as one might expect.

“The water level fluctuates somewhat due to rainfall, but I do not know of anyone who has seen it go dry,” said Singleton. “To my knowledge, no one knows of the Devil’s Soup Bowl going dry.”

Singleton once took a small aluminum boat into the pond and dropped a brass weight tied to nylon cord into the water.

“We could hear the brass hitting the rocklike bottom,” he said. “which in my opinion is the meteorite that made the hole.”

The bottom appears to be smooth and solid, unbroken, he says. There are no rocks nearby to indicate that the hard top layer may be stone. The pool walls seem to give way to a vertical 75-foot drop.

Many unknowns

“The people who knew the story are now deceased, and a lot of the folklore from the early settlers has been forgotten,” he said. The area is still sparsely populated, and few people are left who know about it. He doesn’t believe there is a monster hiding in the dark depths of the pool, but he cautions there are many unknowns.

Aside from the obvious dangers of snakes and a possible undertow in the pool, Singleton warns that little is known about the location. He speculates that the radiation is too little to interfere with aircraft flying overhead or to endanger those who visit the site, but he emphasizes that nothing has been determined about what substance makes up the pool bottom.

Without hard proof such as seismographic readings to determine the pool’s actual depth or a sample of the substance on the bottom, the Devil’s Soup Bowl may keep its mystery and intrigue. Until then, Singleton will continue his research, driven by a desire to wade in mysterious waters.

“Strangely enough, I would like to know what it’s all about. But we might have become too factual in our desire to solve everything, and maybe we should leave a few things to wonder about,” he says. “There are things that man will never know, and that were not intended for man to solve. It creates a desire to know more.”

(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.)

 

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

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

Today marks the first Wednesday 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 1924.

In the Sept. 4, 1924 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “Oak Hill defeated Camden last Thursday by a score of 10 to 3. Dunnam pitched the first five innings for Camden, allowing two runs in the first and eight in the fifth, the Camden infield made several errors in the fifth and this, combined with several hits, accounted for the eight runs. Joe Bonner pitched the last four innings and his fast ball was too much for the visitors, not allowing a safe hit.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was reported that the “Franklin K. Beck Camp of Confederate Veterans met at the courthouse in Camden Aug. 30, 1924. Col. John S. Hunter was elected commander of the camp and delegates named to attend the reunion in Mobile Oct. 22-23.”

In the Sept. 11, 1924 edition of The Progressive Era, it was reported that “the 15th annual session of the Wilcox County High School, and the 75th session of the school conducted in this historic building, opened Monday, Sept. 8, with interesting exercises attended by a large number of patrons and friends of the school. Talks were made by W.J. Jones, County Superintendent of Education, E.W. Berry, S.C. Godbold and Prof. W.V. Luckie, principal of the school. The devotional was led by Rev. J.O. Wilson of the Methodist church.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Prof. W.V. Luckie gave an instructive talk to the teachers of Wilcox County at the high school on Saturday. He explained the course of study as mapped out by the state board of education, explaining the work of the junior high school and other important educational matters.”

In the Sept. 18, 1924 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that “Mr. Hunter Farish will spend the winter at Harvard, taking a post-graduate course.”

Readers that week also learned that “Miss Armantine Pritchett, youngest daughter of Mr. D.S. Pritchett, and Mr. Wilbur Zinnaman Ellis will be married at the residence of her father on Sat., Sept. 27. The wedding will be very quiet, owing to the recent sad bereavement in the brides’ family, only relatives and a few close friends being present. Miss Armantine is a lovely young woman, of the blonde type and has endeared herself to a large circle of friends, who regret that her marriage will take her to Andalusia to live.”

In the Sept. 25, 1924 edition of the newspaper, under the headline, “PLACING OF 1812 MARKER,” that “Mrs. Wells Thompson, nee Carrie Tait, of Houston, Texas, a member of Capt. James Asbury Tait Chapter, National Society of Daughters of 1812, has requested Mrs. Samford C. McMurphy, a former state historian of all Daughters of 1812, to place a marker at the grave of her grandfather, Capt. James Asbury Tait. This interesting event will take place at the Tait family burying ground near Coy, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m. The relatives and public are cordially invited to attend.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Wednesday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of October 1924 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.