Singleton shares lesser-known facts from the War Between the States

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 “Civil War facts that history forgot to mention,” was originally published in the Dec. 20, 2001 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Our history teachings of today give little or no thought to the tragic and bloody sacrifices of that period in our history known as the Civil War.

This period from 1861 to 1865 was unlike any other event that has taken place anywhere else in the world, because of the circumstances and happenings which caused this war to be different and unlike any war known to mankind.

As for myself, I think the history of our dreaded Civil War should be taught in greater detail, due to the fact that with this knowledge our youth would have a greater knowledge of this period of our history. Many unanswered questions that we face today could be answered, and many mysteries of this time would be solved.

This article is dedicated to those of my readers who car about our history and those who search for many answers. Here are some oddities of this bloody war that might open some eyes.

In 1861, Wilmer McLean, distressed that a cannon ball had crashed through his home during the battle of Bull Run, moved to a farm where “the sound of battle would never again reach him and his family.” Almost four years later, McLean’s Appomattox Courthouse home was used for Gen. Lee’s surrender to Gen. Grant. There wasn’t any damage from cannon balls, but souvenir-hunting Union officers stripped his house of almost all its furniture.

When Sam and Keith Blalock joined the 26^th North Carolina regiment, they claimed to be old friends who were distantly related. It was months before anyone discovered “Sam’s” real name was Malinda. When Keith signed up to fight the Yankees, his wife put on a man’s attire and went to war with him.

After the Confederacy was defeated, Jefferson Davis was stripped of his citizenship. He died as a man without a country. His citizenship was restored by Congress during the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

Maj. Gen. George A. Custer, only wounded one time during the bloody conflict, had 11 horses shot from under him. Confederate Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler continued to fight after having 16 horses killed under him. Still, the all-time record seems to have been set by Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. After a thorough study of the matter, Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers reported that Forrest was under fire more than 100 times during which 36 horses were shot from under him. A later analysis, now widely accepted, led to the conclusion that Gen. Forrest actually had a total of 39 horses killed under him while he was in the saddle.

Unlike the Confederates, the Union cavalrymen were usually provided with a government-owned horse. There were a few exceptions. By October 1861, virtually all units of the Union army were furnished animals owned by the government. By October 1862, the federal government owned approximately 150,000 horses and 100,000 mules.

During the first two years of the fighting, Union cavalry units, which never had more than 60,000 men in the field, were supplied with about 240,000 horses. Before Gen. Lee surrendered, federal funds had paid for an estimated 840,000 horses and at least 430,000 mules.

Even then, politics played an important role in the decisions as to who went to war and those who were exempt from the draft. Shielded from battle because he was the son of the president, college student Robert Todd Lincoln was at a New Jersey railroad station waiting to board a train. Forced by the mass of many passengers to lean from the waiting platform against the side of the train, he suddenly felt it begin to move.

The motion of the train spun young Lincoln off his feet and caused him to slide downward into the open space between the car and the platform. Suspended helplessly, he suddenly felt a hand grab his coat and lift him to safety.

Turning around to thank the bystander who had rescued him, he recognized the famous actor Edwin Boothe, the brother of the man who a few months later would take the life of his father.

After Union General William T. Sherman burned and destroyed the city of Atlanta, Ga., he began his famous March to the Sea. He decided that he and his army would burn a path 100 miles wide across the South and destroy all farm houses and mules and horses in his path. During his march he destroyed many homes, along with many crops in the fields. His army killed over 15,000 farm horses and over 18,000 mules that were used to cultivate the farm land along his march route.

Following his army were between 600 or 700 freed slaves. Sherman’s army and the freed slaves pillaged the farms and destroyed an estimated 60 tons of cured meat that they took from the destroyed farms’ families.

By the time the army reached Ebenezer Creek just outside Savanah, Ga. there was no food for the followers of Sherman’s army. The followers were eating spilled rice swept from the wagon beds that had been taken from the farms along the way.

The stream named Ebenezer Creek was really a wide stream of water as wide as a river. No one to this day knows why the stream was called a creek. Sherman ordered flatboats to be constructed for his army to cross the steam. After all the army and its equipment and animals had been ferried across, the flatboats were sent back to bring across the 600 or so freed slaves. As the flatboats reached mid-stream, Sherman ordered his cannons to open fire on the loaded flatboats. None of those aboard the boats lived to reach the shore.

History describes Sherman as a gentle and kind soldier. Our history fails to mention also that upon an occasion when some of Sherman’s riflemen killed three Confederate soldiers in a small skirmish, Sherman ordered the three bodies to be placed in a large hog pen nearby, to be eaten by the hungry hogs rather than take the time to bury them. Truly indeed, Sherman was a kind and gentle man.

If our teaching of history continues on the path that we follow today, within a very short time the stories of the dreadful years of our Civil War will have faded into oblivion. And the many who lie sleeping in the thousands of unknown graves throughout our nation will forever be forgotten.

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

(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 April 11, 2025

35 YEARS AGO
APRIL 12, 1990

Evergreen weather reporter Harry Ellis reported .53 inches of rain on April 2 and .19 inches on April 9. He reported a high of 79 degrees on April 5 and lows of 37 degrees on April 6 and April 7.

Mrs. Susie Pittman, a resident of Evergreen Nursing Home, celebrated her 106th birthday on Sun., April 1. Mrs. Pittman received a telegram from President and Mrs. George Bush wishing her a Happy Birthday and Willard Scott of The Today Show on NBC wished her a Happy Birthday during his segment of the show Monday morning.

Annie Pearl Oliver, 57, of Evergreen was killed when her vehicle collided with another car, driven by Edward P. Reeves of Brewton. Ernestine Roach, also of Evergreen, a passenger in Ms. Oliver’s vehicle, was injured and taken to Andalusia Hospital. The accident occurred at 3:45 p.m. Monday on U.S. 84, about four miles west of River Falls, troopers said.

Two men who escaped from the Conecuh County Jail early Wednesday morning of last week were apprehended later that same day on the Old Sparta Road, according to Conecuh County Sheriff Edwin L. Booker. William James Furger of Wisconsin and Terry Johnson, aka Terry Smith, of Virginia City, Ala. were caught late Wednesday afternoon after a citizen called the sheriff’s office and reported seeing two men fitting the description of the escapees walking down the Old Sparta Road.

50 YEARS AGO
APRIL 10, 1975

Weather reporter Earl Windham reported 0.1 inches of rain on April 1 and 0.2 inches of rain on April 2. He reported a high of 76 on April 2 and a low of 35 on March 31.

The newly organized Evergreen Lions Club will meet at noon today at the Evergreen Jaycees’ Hut. The club has 20 members and is still accepting charter members. Evergreen has not had a Lions Club since the 1930s.

Don McInnis is new Trooper: Don L. McInnis was accepted as a recruit by the Alabama State Troopers on March 26. He is now attending recruit school.

Formal dedication of Evergreen’s new ‘Avenue of Flags’ will be held downtown Sunday afternoon at two o’clock. A representative of the State Commander of the American Legion will be the featured speaker. The Evergreen High School Band will play. It is also anticipated that there will be a flyover by U.S. Navy jets.
The ‘Avenue of Flags’ is in the park area on the West Front Street side of the L&N. Funds for the flags were raised by the Pilot Club of Evergreen and many of the flags were donated as memorials.
The City maintains the flags at City Hall and the Evergreen Police Department displays them on holidays and other special occasions.
A special invitation to all veterans of all wars to attend and take part in the dedication is extended by Alma Martin Post 50, the American Legion and by the Pilots.

65 YEARS AGO
APRIL 14, 1960

Annual Fat Calf Show begins at nine Monday: One of the biggest and best of a long line of successful Conecuh County Fat Calf Shows is to be staged here Monday. Events get underway in the annual show at nine o’clock Monday morning at the Conecuh Cooperative Stockyard on North Main Street.
Kenneth Copeland, general chairman of the show, said today that 46 calves will be entered by county 4-H and FFA members. A large crowd is expected to be on hand to witness the show and give encouragement to the youngsters taking part in it.

Armed Escapee Is Nabbed Here Tues.: An escaped prisoner from the Georgia State Prison at Leesburg was captured in front of Olen’s Department Store in downtown Evergreen Tuesday morning at 11 o’clock by Conecuh County Sheriff James (Shorty) Brock, Evergreen Police Chief Johnny Andrews, Deputy Sheriff Mancel Pearce and Highway Patrol Sgt. Tom Melton.
The escapee was identified as Russell Lee Harris, 32, a former resident of Brewton. Harris has been using the alias of Harold L. Robinson. He was driving a 1957 Cadillac hardtop, which he parked and entered Wild Brothers Hardware store, West Front Street, Evergreen. He asked the clerk to sell him a box of shells for a .25-caliber automatic that he had on his person and shells for a .32-caliber pistol, which was found by arresting officers hidden in the stolen automobile. Also found in the Cadillac was a 1959 Georgia license plate with the numerals, 34-A-25.
Harris was serving a sentence in Georgia for murder.

80 YEARS AGO
APRIL 12, 1945

An early morning fire last Thurs., April 5, virtually destroyed the new home and contents of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Gilmore on Magnolia Street. The fire originated in the kitchen from an oil stove while the cook was preparing breakfast. The flames spread quickly to all parts of the house and the entire building was in flames when the fire department arrived.

A telegram from the War Department received by Mrs. Louise Pierce Crawford April 8 announced the sad news that her husband, Pfc. Neadie Crawford, was killed in action in Germany on March 24. Pfc. Crawford was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Crawford.
General Marshall paid this tribute to Pfc. Crawford: ‘Pfc. Crawford served valiantly in a supreme hour of his country’s need. His memory will live in the grateful heart of our nation.’

Top Sgt. James Freeman, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.T. Freeman of Nashville, Tenn., formerly of this county, was killed in action in Germany on March 30, according to a report which reached relatives here this week. Sgt. Freeman was a paratrooper and had only been overseas about one month when he was killed. He had been in the regular army for about 10 years or since he graduated from Evergreen High School. He was a nephew of Clarence Miller, well known local citizen.

95 YEARS AGO
APRIL 10, 1930

16-Year-Old Girl Hangs Self To Rafter: The body of Emma Lizzie Bolden, age 16, was found suspended from a rafter by a short piece of rope at the home of her brother, Will Bolden, Friday, April 4, at noon by her sister-in-law, Mrs. Will Bolden. When found the girl was not dead, but she lived only about 20 minutes and never regained consciousness. Her neck was not broken. The physician stated that death resulted from strangulation.
The Bolden family with whom she made her home, as well as the young woman, had been at work in the field earlier in the day. The girl went to the house at 11 o’clock to prepare dinner for the family. It seems that she tied herself securely around the neck after having tied the rope to the rafter, and it is supposed that she kicked the chair upon which she was standing away in order to hang herself.
Reports coming to this paper say that the girl was to have been married on April 13 to McRay Cotten of Evergreen and it is said that her brother was opposed to the marriage. Some advance opinion that this caused her to commit the unfortunate act.
Funeral services were held at Mt. Zion Sat., April 5, and interment made in the cemetery at that church.
She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Albert Joiner, one sister and two brothers.

Harvesting and marketing of the 1930 strawberry crop is fast getting underway in this county. Express shipments have been going out for over a week but no carlot shipments were made until the latter part of last week at which time several cars were shipped from Castleberry. Evergreen shippers loaded their first cars Monday of this week.

Weatherford’s Ferry played important role in Lafayette’s 1825 visit to Claiborne, Alabama

Last weekend’s “Farewell to Lafayette” event at Claiborne had a little something for everyone, especially for folks who wanted to learn more about the famous French general’s visit to Monroe County in April 1825. More than a few historians – amateur and professional alike – were on hand for the event, including Lawrence Krumenaker, the author of “Nine Days Traveling: Lafayette’s 1825 Alabama Tour, Today’s Historical Road Trip.”

Krumenaker’s book details the stops that the Marquis de Lafayette made in Alabama during his famous tour of the state and provides readers with information on how to follow his route using modern-day roadways. His book also includes nine pages that detail Lafayette’s visit to Claiborne and describes Lafayette-related sites that still exist today. Those already well-versed in local history might be surprised by the additional details that Krumenaker’s book provides about Lafayette’s visit to Monroe County.

Lafayette arrived in Claiborne via the Alabama River on April 6, 1825, and before reading “Nine Days Traveling,” I’d always pictured him stepping off the boat at a landing somewhere in the vicinity of the modern-day U.S. Highway 84 bridge. According to Krumenaker, Lafayette actually got off the boat about two miles downriver from Claiborne at John Weatherford’s Ferry. This ferry landing was apparently located near the mouth of Gailliard Creek, which is about 1,000 feet downstream of the grain elevator.

While the site isn’t open to the public, Krumenaker describes “unnatural depressions in the soil, likely from long-gone buildings built above flood levels, and the clear signs of a woods road leading away from the landing.” This old road goes from the river almost all the way to the grain elevator in a curve that parallels the river, Krumenaker wrote. More than likely, Lafayette traveled this road in a carriage, a distance of about two miles to where he was formally received at Claiborne.

Krumenaker notes that what we now call the Grain Elevator Road is part of the old road that Lafayette took to Claiborne. He also indicates that part of the Mt. Zion Church’s driveway may generally follow the path of the old road to Claiborne.

As a sidenote, it should be mentioned that John Weatherford was the brother of the famous Indian leader, William Weatherford, known as “Red Eagle.” John Weatherford would have been around 41 or 42 years old when Lafayette arrived in Claiborne, and one is left to wonder if Lafayette got to meet the ferry’s namesake. John Weatherford died in 1831, six years after Lafayette’s visit.

Sources say that John Weatherford is buried with his mother on what was once David Tate’s brickyard plantation in northern Baldwin County. When Andrew Jackson became president in March 1829, the new president awarded John Weatherford 640 acres of land. I presume that the ferry that bore his name was located on this 640-acre site.

In the end, if you are interested in local history and especially Lafayette’s visit to Claiborne, I highly recommend that you read Krumenaker’s book. I’ve only briefly touched on the wealth of information that you’ll find between its covers. No local history library is complete without a copy of this book.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for April 7, 2025

Richmond Pearson Hobson

20 YEARS AGO
APRIL 7, 2005

Group plans bicycle ride to Montgomery for cancer: Local radio personality Fred Kelley and at least 21 other cyclists will be “Peddlin’ for a Cure” next Wednesday to raise money for the American Cancer Society and the Monroe County Relay for Life.
Kelley’s group will depart from the Lee Motor Co. parking lot in downtown Monroeville Wednesday night at 9 p.m. and attempt to bike over 100 miles to the State House in Montgomery.
As of press time, the group has raised over $8,000 in donations and sponsorships to help in the fight against cancer.
Last year, in the first-ever “Peddlin’ for a Cure” event, Kelley and eight other riders biked 92 miles from downtown Monroeville to the deck of the USS Alabama battleship in Mobile.

Excel holds on to No. 1: Excel, ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A poll, completed Thomasville’s tournament last weekend with a 2-2 record, leaving its overall record at 14-3 as of Monday.
Excel opened the tournament Friday evening with a 7-0 win over Sweet Water, a Class 1A team, and followed it with a 14-7 loss to Andalusia Saturday, a Class 4A team. On Saturday, the Panthers pounded Monroe County, a Class 5A team, 17-8, and followed it with a 3-0 loss to the Thomasville team, which was ranked No. 7 in Class 4A with a 12-4 record.
(Top Excel players that season included Brian Barlow, Patrick Bowen, Toby Hilton, Josh House, Neil Hudson, Josh Morgan, Justin Ridgeway, Justin Whatley and Blake White. Robbie Carpenter was Excel’s head coach.)

45 YEARS AGO
APRIL 3, 1980

Rain swells river to 54.4: With the Alabama River level already at 54.4 feet and more rain expected in the county Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, a Claiborne Lock and Dam official is keeping a close eye on the water level, but stops short of issuing a flood warning.
Lock and dam assistant resource manager Larry Reaves said the river’s flood stage is 42 feet, and with the river at 12.4 higher, it has already flooded some cabins in the Maiben Lake area, but he’s not planning on issuing an evacuation notice.
Reaves said last year the river rose to a high of 55.4 feet, flooding many Maiben Lake area cabins.

Two more MA seniors sign football grants: Two more members of the 1979 Monroe Academy state championship football team have signed scholarships to play football in Mississippi.
Larry Gaston and Davison Carter signed last week with Holmes Junior College of Goodman, Miss., becoming the fourth and fifth Volunteers to sign scholarships since the season ended.
Earlier, Jeff Tatum, Randall Norris and Tommy Owens signed scholarships with the Mississippi Delta Junior College Trojans.

Chamber leaders: Officers and new directors of the Monroeville Area Chamber of Commerce were installed by Monroe County Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs March 24 at a banquet at Vanity Fair community house. They are John Rice, director; Tom Tippy, second vice president and director; Kenny Johnson, director; Bill Chance, director; Ed Smith Jr., director; Louie Hayles, president; and Dick Deas, first vice president and director.

70 YEARS AGO
APRIL 7, 1955

New Eating Place Will Open Here: Monroeville will soon have another eating establishment under the ownership and operation of Frank Meigs, Monroeville businessman.
The establishment, to be known as “The Wee Diner,” will be located in downtown Monroeville and will have a “Teen-Age Room,” where the younger people will be able to meet, eat and have their regular get-togethers. The opening date will be announced later.

David Nettles Opens Law Offices Here: David Miller Nettles, a native of Monroeville, began the practice of law here this week. His office is located next to Snowden’s Barber Shop.
Mr. Nettles, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Lee Nettles of Monroeville, was graduated from the Law School of the University of Alabama in August 1952. He has been in military service for the past two years.

RECEIVES PROMOTION: Richard G. Ivey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Ivey of Beatrice, was recently appointed assistant treasurer of the University of Rochester, N.Y., it was learned here this week. A graduate of Columbia University and U.S. Military Academy, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross before his capture by the Japanese at the fall of Corregidor. He was held a prisoner 39 months. He began his duties with the University March 1.

Murlen L. Ledkins, fireman, U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Z.L. Ledkins of Frisco City, Ala., is serving aboard the radar picket destroyer, USS Vesole, in the Mediterranean.

95 YEARS AGO
APRIL 3, 1930

JUDGE B.M. MILLER OPENS CAMPAIGN HERE: Judge B.M. Miller of Camden opened his active campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor of Alabama at the court house here on Wednesday of last week.
The judge was among his friends, both personally and politically, as was evidenced by the throngs that greeted him and the attention and applause that was his throughout his speech.
In years gone by, Judge Miller was frequently in the courts of this county in the practice of his profession, later serving a number of years as Circuit Judge and a term of six years as associate justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama.

FOR REPRESENTATIVE: I hereby announce myself a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Representative in the state legislature from Monroe County, subject to the action of the primary election of August 1930. – A.C. LEE

DEATH AGAIN VISITS OUR CITY: Our community was saddened Tuesday morning by the news of the death of F.H. Melton, prominent citizen and Treasurer of Monroe County.
He had been sick one week with pneumonia, and while it was known his trouble was serious, yet as late as Monday afternoon the news from his bedside seemed to offer hope of his recovery. But about three o’clock Tuesday morning the final summons that eventually comes to all mankind came to him and he was with us no more.

Brantley’s Cash & Carry Store of Frisco City offers special prices on groceries and almost everything needed in the way of eats. Mr. S.S. Brantley, manager of the store, is well known in this section.

120 YEARS AGO
APRIL 6, 1905

NOTICE: $350 Reward will be paid for the arrest and delivery in any jail for Will and Ed. Ptomey for attempting to murder Prof. Claude Hardy on his plantation March 13, 1905. – L.W. HARDY.

HOBSON TO LECTURE: A number of his local admirers have induced Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson of “Merrimac” fame to deliver one of his noted lectures in Monroeville, and his managers have designated Wednesday evening, April 12, as the date. The lecture will take place in the courthouse and seats are now on sale. Although a native Alabamian, few of our readers have had the opportunity of meeting and listening to Captain Hobson, hence no one who can possibly do so should fail to attend.

LOST CHILD: Great excitement prevailed in the vicinity of Tekoa last Sunday on account of a little boy who became lost in the woods and much uneasiness was felt for several hours until the little wanderer was found.
A little son of Mr. Evan Manning, age about five years, went into the woods with several boys older than himself, when their dog jumped a rabbit. The boys followed in pursuit, but the little fellow being unable to keep up, was lost off from his companions and wandered about in the woods for several hours.
The older boys returning from the chase discovered that their companion was missing and reported the fact. The neighborhood was soon alarmed and searching parties went in all directions. After several hours the little boy was finally overtaken several miles from home and restored to the arms of his half-distracted parents.

What role did Tootsie Rolls play in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'?

Have you ever stopped to think about the role that Tootsie Rolls played in Harper Lee’s novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

I hadn’t either until the other day while I was re-reading Chapter 23. This is the chapter that begins with Miss Stephanie Crawford describing to Jem, Scout and Dill the encounter between Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell in front of Maycomb’s post office. This took place in the summer of 1935, shortly after the conviction of Tom Robinson for the rape of Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. Scout would have been eight years old at the time.

Later in that chapter, Atticus’s sister, Alexandra, is sitting in the living room “hooking a rug” and listening to Jem and Scout talk about the Cunninghams of the Old Sarum community. Scout and Alexandra get into a back-and-forth in which Alexandra calls Scout’s schoolmate Walter Cunningham “trash.” Alexandra tells Scout in no uncertain terms that she will not be playing with Walter or inviting him to their house.

At that point, Jem, who is 12 years old, takes Scout by the shoulders, puts his arm around her and leads her “sobbing in fury” to his bedroom. Atticus stuck his head in the door only to have Jem tell him that everything was okay, at which point Atticus leaves. It’s then that Jem did something unexpected to help calm his crying sister.

“Have a chew, Scout,” Jem said as he dug into his pocket an extracted a Tootsie Roll. Scout took the candy, popped it in her mouth and began to chew. She noted in the next line that “it took a few minutes to work the candy into a comfortable wad inside my jaw.”

This short paragraph caused me to wonder if it was historically accurate. Today, you can walk into any gas station or grocery store in town and buy Tootsie Rolls by the bagful, but did they exist in 1935? This question launched me down a rabbit hole that resulted in me learning more about Tootsie Rolls than I ever imagined.

Research reveals that Tootsie Rolls are a lot older than I thought. In fact, they have been made in the United States since 1907 and were the first penny candy in America to be individually wrapped. The candy was developed by an Austrian-Jewish immigrant named Leo Hirschfeld, who named the candy after his daughter, Clara “Tootsie” Hirschfeld.

The candy that Jem likely gave Scout was one of the small, bite-sized Tootsie Rolls, which are called “Midgees.” The other type of Tootsie Rolls that readers have no doubt seen are the larger, longer Tootsie Roll “logs.” Sources say that about 65 million Tootsie Rolls are made every day.

As things go, Tootsie Rolls aren’t the only candy specifically mentioned in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In Chapter 4, Scout finds two pieces of Wrigley’s Double-Mint gum in the knothole of a live oak on the edge of the Radley lot, and rather than share the gum with Jem, she crams both pieces in her mouth. Perhaps the Double-Mint gum and Tootsie Rolls were both purchased from the same candy rack at Maycomb’s Jitney Jungle?

100-year-old Wilcox Progressive Era news highlights from April 1925

Marquis de LaFayette

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 April 1925.

In the April 2, 1925 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “Mr. Thomas Franklin Hale had the misfortune of being hit on the nose while playing baseball last Wednesday. It bled so profusely and continuously that he was carried to the Baptist Hospital in Selma. The latest report from him was that his condition was slightly improved.”

Also that week, readers learned that the “Lt. Joseph M. Wilcox Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, meeting will be postponed until April 16, 1925. Next week, the state is celebrating LaFayette’s visit here and this chapter has been invited to join the Selma Chapter at Cahaba for the celebration. Claiborne also near here is planning a large celebration with airplanes, etc.”

In the April 9, 1925 edition of The Progressive Era, under the headline “OPERETTA,” it was reported that “Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs is to be presented by the pupils of Miss Ione Nunnally and Mrs. Ruby McLeod at the school auditorium on Wednesday night, April 22. Admission 25 cents and 50 cents, proceeds for benefit of school.”

Also that week, it was reported that it “will be interesting news to the many friends of Capt. Emmett Kilpatrick to know that he has accepted a position at the Jacksonville Agricultural School and will have the chair of modern languages.”

In the April 16, 1925 edition of the newspaper is was reported that the “students of the Wilcox County High School are indebted to Matthews Hardware Co. for a splendid sanitary drinking fountain which was installed last week, in the hall near the main entrance.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, readers learned that the “Hon. R.H. Mangum of Selma will make the Memorial address on Decoration Day, Sun., April 26, at 3 o’clock. The public is cordially invited to the exercises which will take place in the Grammar school auditorium.”

In the April 23, 1925 edition of the paper, it was reported that the “Camden Bakery, owned by Mr. Julian Bonner and Mr. W.F. McWilliams, has moved from the store on the Jones block to the store formerly occupied by G.L. Wilkinson. We wish for the continued success at their new location.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was announced that the “women of Camden and vicinity are earnestly requested to meet at the Masonic Hall on Friday and Saturday afternoon to make wreaths for the graves of our Confederate dead.”

In the April 30, 1925 edition of the paper, it was reported that a “boy, about 15 years old, was killed at Oak Hill Tuesday by attempting to swing on to a truck loaded with lumber, when he missed his holt and fell under the truck. The truck crushing his head as it passed over. The driver did not see the boy and no blame can be attached to him. This should be a warning to all boys, who are accustomed to swing on moving cars and trucks.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was announced that the “picture fans had the pleasure this week of seeing the ‘Sea Hawk’ by Raphael Sabatini. This picture was the prize picture of 1924 and the author won the $10,000 prize offered by Pulitzer for the best story written in 1924. Mr. T.M. Baggett, manager of the picture show, is to be congratulated upon securing this wonderful picture for his screen.”

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 May 1925 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.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for April 1, 2025

24 YEARS AGO
MARCH 29, 2001

Work is underway to repair buildings that were damaged by a recent storm. Local construction crews have more than their fair share of work and are trying to get everyone ‘dry’ before the next big rains. Covin Roofing and Construction is shown in the above photo replacing the roof on the Village Plaza building and in the photo at right Skipper’s General Contractors are shown hanging steel to replace the wall that had to be torn down at The Evergreen Courant.

Stanley Guy Busby, 75, of Repton died Tues., March 27, 2001 in a Monroeville hospital. Mr. Busby ran a dairy for many years. He was a driver for Poole Truck Line and retired CDL instructor from Reid State Technical College. He was a member of the Annunciation Catholic Church of Monroeville. He was a veteran and served in the Marines during World War II and the Korean War.

The Conecuh County Children’s Foundation, Thurgood Marshall Middle School, Lyeffion Junior High School and the Evergreen-Conecuh Chamber of Commerce invites everyone out to the airport at Middleton Field for the annual children’s carnival. Carnival rides will provide fun and excitement for the whole family. Also on Saturday, the Collard Green Festival, Extension Petting Zoo, Firemen’s Contest and Chili Cookoff will be featured as well as vendors, country music and many other interesting activities. Citizens are encouraged to attend and support the Conecuh County Children’s Foundation. Pictured at the recent ribbon cutting on Mon., March 28, are Eric Basinger, Nell Stuart, Kim George, Geneva Lyons, Joey Varner, Homer Lyons and Emily Brogden.

39 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1986

Ole Earl Windham reports .10 of an inch of rain on March 16, 2.41 inches on March 19 and .46 on March 20.

Johnny Grace of Lyeffion High School exhibited the Grand Champion of the 41st Annual Conecuh County 4-H and FFA Steer Show held Monday at the Evergreen Livestock Arena. The 1,250-pound steer brought 95 cents per pound with Southern Pine Electric Cooperative, represented by Manager Tom Perry, paying the premium price.

John Shepherd Salter, 89, of 318 Perryman St., Evergreen, died Sat., March 22, in the Veterans Administration Hospital, Montgomery, after a long illness. He was a member of a pioneer county family and a veteran of World War I and a retired employee of the City of Evergreen.

415 marijuana plants were confiscated near Travis Bridge on March 14 by Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Lambert. Plants were found by alert citizens who immediately called the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office.

State Representative J.E. (Jimmy) Warren of Castleberry has qualified to seek re-election to the Alabama House of Representatives. The veteran legislator, first elected in 1970, is asking for a fifth term of office. He represented District 64, composed of Conecuh and Monroe counties.

54 YEARS AGO
MARCH 25, 1971

Ewing Baxter McRady, 80, of Evergreen died Sat., March 20, in Montgomery hospital after a long illness. He was a retired hardwareman who was well known throughout this area.
A native of Tennessee, Mr. McRady was associated with Luttrell Hardware in Brewton for a short time before becoming associated with Wild Bros. Hardware Co. here some 55 years ago. He worked with Wild Bros. for 40 years until retiring 15 years ago and was generally recognized as one of the most knowledgeable men in his field in this area.

A Civitan Club may be organized in Evergreen. A breakfast meeting is set for 6:30 o’clock Tuesday morning at Jimmie’s Restaurant to put organizational procedures in motion.
Civitan International is a service club for men and has been in existence for 51 years. They are ‘Builders of Good Citizenship.
Any man interested is invited to attend the breakfast Tuesday morning as a guest of the Andalusia Civitan Club which is sponsoring the new club here.

Dean Masonic Lodge No. 112 will sponsor a special program on Drug Abuse at the Brooklyn Baptist Church March 27 at 7 p.m.
Rev. H.C. Botts from Milton, Fla. will be guest speaker. Films from Whiting Field on Drug Abuse will be shown.
The public is invited to attend this special program.

59 YEARS AGO
MARCH 29, 1956

Tuesday morning, the U.S. Navy began using Middleton Field, Evergreen’s airport, as a training field again.

James Richard Merritt, 23, Cincinnati, Ohio, who was a prisoner in the Conecuh County Jail made a unique escape here last Thursday night. It was the first escape made from the Conecuh County Jail in about six years and one of the few in its history.
According to Sheriff James Brock, Merritt gained his escape by tearing apart a small radio and obtaining a magnet from inside. He attached the magnet to a long strip of molding torn from the window and reached a file which was laying a short distance from the window. The file had been used to clean some stove parts on the outside of the building. Merritt filed out one bar on the window and made his way out through the small opening, approximately six inches in width. Merritt is of a very small build being about five-foot, six-inches tall and weighing only about 120 pounds.
Three other prisoners who were in the cell with Merritt refused to attempt to escape along with him. The escape was made sometime between 12 midnight and early Friday morning. Merritt was being held in jail on charges of robbing the London Store, Castleberry, Rte. 2 on Jan. 2 of this year. The robbery netted approximately $200 for him and three companions. Two others are still in the Conecuh County Jail for the crime and one other has not yet been apprehended.

84 YEARS AGO
MARCH 27, 1941

An advance trainer, piloted by J.D. Eiland Jr., Flying Cadet of Maxwell Field, was damaged to such an extent about 10:30 Wednesday night in a forced landing at the local airport it was found necessary to send a maintenance crew from Maxwell Field to dismantle the plane and truck it to Montgomery for repairs. The left wheel was broken off, propeller bent and the left wing slightly damaged. As soon as the employee on duty at the station saw what had happened, he summoned an ambulance but the pilot was found to be uninjured.
According to the information given The Courant, Cadet Eiland had made only one cross-country night flight before his flight Wednesday, and had become lost some time before reaching Evergreen. Upon discovering he was over Evergreen, it is said he found that his gas was low and headed for the airport to land.
It is not known how the accident occurred but it is surmised the pilot misjudged his altitude, being lower than he thought and sat the ship down hard enough to break off the left wheel. Due to the fact the ship finally came to rest several yards from where the wheel was found it is believed he then gunned the motor to right the ship and then made a perfect three-point landing – right wheel, left wing and tail skid – which, according to those who know how to fly, is quite an achievement for a cadet.

Robert James McCreary, prominent lumberman of Montgomery, died at his home on Lexington Road early Saturday morning after a brief illness. A native of Evergreen, Mr. McCreary had engaged in the wholesale lumber business for many years. He had made his home in Montgomery since 1927, operating the R.J. McCreary Lumber Co.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for March 31, 2025

19 YEARS AGO
MARCH 23, 2006

Excel has state’s ‘best-tasting’ water: People in Monroe County won’t have to look far for a glass of Alabama’s best-tasting water. According to the Alabama Rural Water Association, Alabama’s best-tasting drinking water comes out of the kitchen faucets in Excel.
Water from the Excel Water System is the best-tasting water in the state, according to a panel of taste testers, who drank samples of water from systems throughout the state during the association’s 28^th Annual Technical Training Conference March 12-15 at the Mobile Convention Center in Mobile.

Perfect game: Gorum throws no-hit, shut-out: Senior right-hander Ryan Gorum became the first high-school pitcher in Monroe County this season to toss a perfect game.
On Monday of last week, Gorum and the Blacksher defense did not allow McIntosh to have a base runner in the five-inning game.
Gorum struck out 12 of the 15 batters he faced, and his defense got the remaining three outs.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Stephen Akins, Brandon Blanton, Joey Blanton, Colton Bowen, Cameron Cobb, Kenneth Foxall, Heath Ikner, Rowdy Manning, Thunder McGhee, Austin Owens, Hunter Saucer and John Russell Smith.)

Our Place to show ‘Capote’ movie starting March 31: Area moviegoers will get a new look at two of Monroeville’s most famous residents, Truman Capote and Harper Lee, during an exclusive local showing of the movie, “Capote,” at Our Place Teen Center in Monroeville. “Capote,” one of the most acclaimed films of the year, will be shown to local audiences beginning Fri., March 31, at 7 p.m., Teen Center Director Scott Allen said.

44 YEARS AGO
MARCH 26, 1981

Seven apply for school post: The Monroe County Board of Education had seven applicants for the job of county schools superintendent Wednesday, and tomorrow (Friday) is the cutoff date for applications.
Applications and resumes from five persons – Bobby G. Grissette, Clayton C. Hale, J. Charles McNeil, Cornelia W. Sawyer and Terry Wilkerson – had been received by the time of Friday’s called school board meeting. Two more persons, James A. Anners and Richard O. Tatum, have since applied to board chairman Edgar Melton of Excel.
At Friday’s meeting, the board accepted the resignation of James R. Allen, who will leave the post of county schools superintendent Tuesday to become president of Patrick Henry Junior College.

Area tournament champions: The Repton Bulldogs recently won the area basketball tournament championship, finishing with an outstanding 21-8 overall record. Players and coaches are Willie McMillian, Keith Gissendaner, Greg Simpson, Bruce Rudolph, Tommy Watson, Assistant Coach Ronnie Williams, Trey Wilson, Elmore Rudolph, Joe Watkins, Daryl Nettles, Robert McMillian and head coach Hugh Wilson.

Superintendent bill introduced: State Rep. Jimmy Warren of Castleberry Tuesday introduced a local bill in the Alabama Legislature which would allow Monroe countians to decide whether or not to elect the county superintendent of education. The bill, House Bill 764, will first be submitted to the Local Legislation Committee Wednesday and probably be reported out Thursday, Warren said. The county school superintendent is currently appointed by the five members of the Board of Education, who are elected.

69 YEARS AGO
MARCH 22, 1956

Heart Attack Fatal To Monroe Native: Funeral services for Peter Vredenburgh III of Birmingham, prominent Monroe County native, were held Wednesday at 2 p.m. from the Johnson-Rideout Funeral Home in Birmingham.
Mr. Vredenburgh, 52, wealthy businessman, died in Miami Beach, Fla. Monday of a heart attack.
His wife, Dorothy, has been secretary of the Democratic National Committee for the past 12 years.
The couple arrived in Miami Beach Friday after a trip to Cuba. Mr. Vredenburgh was stricken at 1:30 a.m. Monday in his hotel room, and when taken to a local hospital was pronounced dead on arrival.

Finlayson To Replace Hanks As Coach Here: Hubert Finlayson, assistant coach at Monroe County High School for the past four years, will be advanced to head coach and athletic director at the local school for the 1956-57 term.
He will replace W. LeVaughn Hanks, who resigned effective at the end of the current school year to accept a position with University Military School, Mobile.
Mr. Finlayson was coach at Beatrice High School for three years prior to his coming to Monroeville.

Gail Brown, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Brown of Excel, has been named valedictorian of the graduating class of the Excel High School.

94 YEARS AGO
MARCH 26, 1931

Mr. Katz Building Two New Stores: Mr. M. Katz, one of our enterprising merchants, is now building two one-story brick buildings just south of his store on the square. These new buildings will face west. He informs us that one will be used by himself along with his large store, and the other will be for rent.

Great improvements are being made on and around the campus of the Excel High School under the supervision of Mr. S.T. Williamson. The Vocational Agriculture boys have worked faithfully to carry out their plans. The campus has been ploughed with a tractor and the walk and driveway leading up to the school have been completed. Grass will soon be planted and the new fence put up.

1930 COTTON CROP EXCEEDS THAT OF ’29: Tabulation of card reports by the Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce, Washington, shows that there were 30,270 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned and to be ginned in Monroe County from the crop of 1930, as compared with 22,244 bales from the crop of 1929.

WALL-STALLWORTH: Announcements are being received by friends of Mr. and Mrs. Stonewall Jackson Stallworth of the marriage on March 8 at Greenville, Ala. of their daughter, Miss Maysie Stallworth of Beatrice, and Mr. Conrad Wall of Forest Home, Ala.

The Hotel Giddens is not closed as some have understood and has not been closed since Mrs. Floyd left. It is under the management of Mrs. C.H. Blackwell until a project takes it over.

119 YEARS AGO
MARCH 22, 1906

Mr. Lonnie Sims began his duties on the Rural Free Delivery mail route with Jones Mill as distributing point, March 15, much to the satisfaction and convenience of the citizens.

Oyster Supper: The ladies of the Methodist church will serve oysters at the home of Mr. J.D. Rawls on Friday evening, April 6. Everybody invited.

The Jones Mill school closed with a well rendered program Friday night and Prof. L. B. Austin and assistant Miss Alice Deakins spared no efforts in drilling the pupils. They were well repaid for their efforts for praise was heard on all sides. The school house was crowded as the weather was charming for such an occasion. The program was short, also the pieces, some very comical, but all well spoken and entertaining.

The cool weather punctuated with frost and ice during the present week occasions much apprehension as to the safety of the fruit crop.

Hon. J.N. Miller was down from Camden last week. Col. Miller is being favorably mentioned in connection with congressional honors in the second district two years hence.

Capt. T.B. Nettles and family bade adieu to their hosts of Monroeville friends last week and departed for Portland where Capt. Nettles has embarked in the timber and lumber business.

Another rural free delivery mail route has been established in this county, designated as RFD No. 2. It runs from Snider on the Manistee & Repton Railroad and serves an extensive territory around Jones Mill. Several post offices in the neighborhood have been discontinued.

Whatever became of William Weatherford’s knife?

William Weatherford

Yesterday – March 27 – marked the 211^th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which took place on this date in 1814. Considered part of the War of 1812, the Battle of Horseshoe Bend involved a force of Americans, Creeks and Cherokees led by Andrew Jackson against Red Stick Creeks led by Chief Menawa.

During the battle, Jackson’s forces attacked the Red Stick stronghold of Tohopeka on the banks of the Tallapoosa River, and Jackson’s men killed more than 900 people. Jackson’s victory soon led to the end of the Creek War and the cession of 23 million acres of Creek territory to the United States.

While researching ties between Monroe County residents and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, I ran across an interesting story that was published on the front page of the May 2, 1907 edition of The Monroe Journal. Published under the headline, “RELIC OF AN EARLY CHIEF: Knife Presented to State Archives,” the article tells of how the knife carried by famous Creek Indian leader William Weatherford had been presented to the State Department of Archives & History in Montgomery. “It is the first relic of the great Alabama Indian, who played such a prominent part in pioneer history of the state to be secured by the department,” the article said.

The story went on to say that the knife was presented to the department by Will T. Sheehan, who was a staff correspondent of The Montgomery Advertiser. The knife was given to Sheehan by Sidney Weatherford while Sheehan was in Monroe County gathering information for a series of articles on the Creek Indians who were living on Little River in Baldwin and Monroe counties on land they obtained from the government in the early 1800s. Sidney Weatherford was William Weatherford’s grandson.

“The knife was part of the effects of his distinguished kinsman which was awarded Sidney Weatherford,” the article said. “From a number of relics of the war leader, he gave the knife to the newspaperman when he learned that he was writing of the achievements of the famous leader. None of these relics had ever passed out of the possession of the Weatherford family.”

I believe the Sidney Weatherford mentioned in the article to be Sidney Clay Weatherford, who was born in July 1864. Sidney, who was married to Phenie Weatherford, had at least nine children and no doubt has many descendants still living in Monroe County today. Sidney passed away in June 1933 and is buried in the Weatherford Cemetery at Mineola.

One is left to wonder what became of William Weatherford’s knife. A search for the knife’s whereabouts in the Alabama Department of Archives & History’s extensive online catalog results in “No Results Found.” The only knife that I found in their catalog was a pen knife that belonged to William T. King, a wealthy planter from Dallas County.

In the end, perhaps someone reading this column will be able to shed more light on the whereabouts of William Weatherford’s knife. It would be interesting to know where this knife is today. If anyone reading this column can provide additional details, please pass them along, and I’ll update everyone at a later date.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for March 10, 2025

21 YEARS AGO
MARCH 11, 2004

The Evergreen Rotary Club, administrators of the Wendell Hart Scholarship Fund, announces that applications for the $2,500 scholarship are now being accepted. This scholarship is dedicated to the memory of the late Coach Wendell Hart, who deeply cared for his students and desired that all deserving young men and women be able to advance their education.
To qualify, students must meet the following:
1. Must be a graduate of a Conecuh County high school (not solely for 2004 graduates).
2. Must have a sincere desire to further their education.
3. Must have a financial need to maintain or continue higher education (two year or four year).
4. Must attach a copy of report of score on SAT or ACT or a copy of acceptance to college.
Applications are available at Hillcrest High School (see Mrs. Dean), Sparta Academy (see Mrs. Robinson), or the Law Office of Todd B. Watson.

Evergreen Little League try-outs will be held Saturday March 13 at 1 p.m. for Little League and 3 p.m. for Minor League. Please be at Little League field at Evergreen Municipal Park 30 minutes prior to tryout time.

The final Evergreen Babe Ruth sign-up will be held this Sat., March 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Babe Ruth Field at the Evergreen Municipal Park. Babe Ruth season will not begin until Sparta Academy’s baseball season has ended.

37 YEARS AGO
MARCH 9, 1989

SPRING BREAK BASKETBALL: The Class of 1970 of Thurgood Marshall High School will sponsor a Spring Break Basketball Game Sat., March 11, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Evergreen High School gym. Games will feature the Andalusia All Stars vs. Johnsonville All Stars and the Evergreen All Stars vs. Big Surprise. Admission is $2.

Sparta Academy, Wilcox Academy, Greenville Academy and Fort Dale Academy will take part in a Spring Jamboree Friday night at Fort Dale. The game will start at 7:00 and will consist of four nine-minute quarters. This will end Spring Training for Sparta.

Final registration for Babe Ruth League will be held this Sat., March 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Babe Ruth League field at the Evergreen Municipal Park. Registration is $15 per child and everyone must bring a birth certificate.
Tryouts will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. You must register by 1 p.m. Saturday to be eligible to play this season.
All children age 13 to 15 are eligible to participate. All parents are asked to please encourage your child to play.

52 YEARS AGO
MARCH 14, 1974

Sparta Academy football players Tubby McInvale and Walt Lee Ward will participate in the North-South All-Star Game sponsored by the Alabama Private School Association. Headmaster Richard Brown will be assistant coach of the South team. The game will be held Fri., March 15, at the Troy State University Stadium and will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students. The Sparta Quarterback Club has the tickets and all proceeds from the sale will go to the club. Persons wanting to buy tickets may contact Bill Johnson or Mae Gladwell before noon at the school.

Aggies end play at State tourney: The Evergreen Aggies ended their season by losing in a 72-61 game to Russellville in the first round of the State Class 3A Tournament held at the Coliseum at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Cleveland Fields and David Thomas combined for 39 points, but their efforts were not enough to stop the Tigers who caught the Aggies on one of their off games.
The Aggies have the potential of being state champ contenders for the third straight year next year with 6-5 center Ronald Fantroy and 5-8 guard Chuck Jones returning to the lineup. Both boys are sophomores this year. Gene Stallworth, Alphonza Holder and Percy Jones all juniors, should make the Aggies awesome again.

The Conecuh County High School Quarterback Club will have a barbecue and fried chicken supper on Saturday night, March 1, from 5:00-9:00 in the school cafeteria.
A gospel singing will follow in the school auditorium. The singing will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature the Gospel Melodies of Brewton, the Morris Family of Lenox and the McDonald Trio of Range. Politicians will be introduced to the public.
All proceeds will go to the football team.

Boy Scout Troop No. 68 of Belleville took part in the Masonic Drill on Sunday at the Belleville Baptist Church, Dr. Sidney Tucker, pastor. Pictured from left are Ralph Taylor, William Wallace, Glenn Dailey, Gerald Dukes, Herbert Dukes, Warren Davison, Gilbert Grace, Robert Grace and Assistant Scoutmaster William Stallworth.

81 YEARS AGO
MARCH 9, 1944

State Has Openings For Game Wardens: Residents of Conecuh County who are interested in a position with the State as Game Warden should file application before March 31, 1944. Application forms may be obtained by writing the State Personnel Department, Montgomery, Ala.
Though applicants may not be interested in employment before the opening of the hunting season this fall, application should be made now. Eligible lists will be established and appointments made as the need occurs.

BOY SCOUT NEWS: We held our regular meeting last Tuesday night at 7:30. After having several relay races, we opened the meeting by discussing the 11th and 12 Scout Laws – Clean and Reverent.
Our paper drive is getting underway now with everybody responding wonderfully. We are sure of having a carload (about 16 tons) ready for shipment by the first of April.
A Court of Review will be held next Tuesday night at our regular meeting. Each scout is urged to pass tests this week so that they can be brought before the Board of Review. Our annual banquet, which was postponed at its regular time during Boy Scout Week, will take place sometime in April.

‘Broken-hearted stranger’ died 187 years ago in Claiborne, Alabama

I was looking through some local history notes earlier this week and saw where today – Feb. 27 – marks 187 years since the death of the “broken-hearted stranger” at Claiborne.

The first I ever heard of this unfortunate young man was in George Buster Singleton’s 1995 book, “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers.” Between the covers of this book, Singleton devoted an entire chapter to “The Tomb of the Brokenhearted Stranger.” Singleton noted that the man’s proper name was William Coombs, a young man from Portland, Maine who was search of “his one love, who came with her family south into the wilderness.”

Coombs is said to have stopped to rest in Claiborne, where he contracted yellow fever. While laying on his deathbed, Coombs wrote what would be his final epitaph:

Alone and in sorrow
Dark hours roll by;
Forsaken and friendless
Why should I not die?

The turf will lie lightly
Above this lone spot
Where the brokenhearted stranger
Lies alone and forgot.

Singleton may have garnered some of this information from an article published in the July 5, 1920 edition of The Montgomery Advertiser. That newspaper featured an article titled “Reminiscences, Then and Now, of the Quaint Little City of Claiborne; Once a Cosmopolitan City of State,” written by David Holt.

Based on clues in Holt’s article, he had apparently walked through the old Claiborne cemetery that contained Coombs’ grave.

“Inscriptions show that the majority of those that sleep upon that picturesque bank, high above the yellow waters of the Alabama – that is, those who were provided with monuments were from Virginia and the Carolinas, though nearly all of the New England and Eastern states are represented there,” Holt wrote. “New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts have colonies among the dead and one very lonely man from Maine is resting there. His name was William Coombs, he came from Portland and he died in 1838.”

Holt noted that who ever caused Coombs’ grave to be engraved was only slightly acquainted with Coombs because the space where his age should have been was blank: Aged – Years.

“Good intentions are recorded in that blank space,” Holt wrote. “Somebody evidently intended to fill out what the stranger’s age was, and cause it to be recorded later, but somehow never did get to it.”

What’s interesting is that Singleton and Holt’s transcription of the headstone are slightly different. Holt gives it as saying:

Alone and in sorrow dark days roll by.
Forsaken and friendless, why should I not die?
The turf will lie lightly above the lone spot
Where the heart-broken stranger is laid and forgot.

It has been years since I last visited the graveyard where Coombs is buried. On one such visit, I actively looked for his headstone, but I could not find it. Using an old survey of the graveyard, I had a good idea of where the grave was located, but I found no sign of the headstone during my search. It has either been destroyed, removed or perhaps it fell over and became buried over time.

Does the ghost lady of Locke Hill still wander the Red Hills community?

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 “The ghost lady of Locke Hill still wanders the area,” was originally published in the Oct. 26, 2000 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As Halloween approaches Tuesday, all thoughts turn to stories about the spirits of the past and the ghosts of the area who wander aimlessly around the old abandoned house places and cemeteries that dot the landscape.

I have investigated several stories of the supernatural throughout our area that have been told to me by three good friends (now deceased) who were born and reared here.

When I first arrived in Monroeville, I was most fortunate to become friends with these people. They were all well-versed in the county’s history, and after finding out that I was truly interested in the ghostly happenings around the area, they related many stories I investigated in the later years I have been here.

Let us go back in time when the hill country east of the Franklin area was a thriving farm community. This place was, and still is, known as the Red Hills community.

Nothing remains there today that can be seen but a few old abandoned house places and the Red Hills cemetery. If one looks closely, one may find an old crumbled rock chimney or a few rotted timbers where once an old farm home stood. Red Hills once boasted a school, two churches and a post office. I have been told that a small store was also located there.

East of the Red Hills cemetery is a very high hill known as Locke Hill. Several old home places dot the landscape around and atop this high and scenic hilltop.

Off the old and little-used dirt road, there was once a family who lived and farmed the fields beside the old road. It is said that the lady of the house and mother of the family was a tall and slender woman.

Most always, so the story goes, this lady wore a long sack-type dress. On her head she wore a bonnet common during this time in our South’s history.

From under her bonnet one could see her long snow-white hair hanging down her back. Since the well where the family got their water supply was located about 80 yards from the house, it is said this lady could be seen at all times of the day going to and from the well, carrying a large water bucket.

In the early morning hours and during the hours of the late evening, she would be seen going to or coming from the well with the large bucket in hand.

This went on for a number of years until many families of the area began to move to other locations and vanish from the high country around Locke Hill.

It wasn’t long until only a family or two remained in the area to work a few of the hilly fields of which most now lay abandoned.

The story relates that the only son of this tall lady chose to join the cause of the Confederacy and went off to war. It wasn’t too long after that the father of the family fell ill with fever and died. All that remained on the small farm was the tall lady and her small baby girl.

But tragedy was yet to strike again within a short time of the death of her husband. Word had it that the baby also fell ill with a dreaded fever and died a short time later.

The small farm began to fall into decay. The crops in the fields fell prey to wild animals and vandals since there was no one to harvest them. The house and family barn began to lean and sway due to the lack of repairs on them.

Tall weeds grew up in and around the small yard of the old place. Only a small path led from the back of the kitchen out to the old well, located out at the edge of the grownup field.

Those who passed along the narrow dirt road continued to see the tall white-haired lady, dressed in her long sack dress, with a large bucket in hand going to and from the well, traveling the narrow pathway through the tall weeds and grass of the grownup field.

Those who saw the tall lady wondered just how she survived there on the abandoned and unkept farm. No more did smoke twirl from the old rock chimney on the chilly mornings and late hours of the winter evenings. No one was ever seen around the decaying log house except when the tall lady went to the well at the edge of the nearby field.

No one ever knew the whereabouts of the son who chose to join the cause of the Confederacy. As far as anyone knows, he never returned to the small farm located on the high ground, known as Locke Hill.

Did he fall in battle or did he choose to settle elsewhere when the bloody war was over? What happened to this young man remains a mystery to this day.

No one knows either just what happened to the tall lady with the snow-white hair. Some said that she just vanished. Others said that she continued to stay in the old fallen-down house there in the grown up field, leaving the old house only for her daily trip to the well at the old field’s edge.

There are those today who hunt wild game in the area who say that the ghost of the tall lady with the snow-white hair has been seen walking along a narrow pathway, out to the old abandoned well site.

Walking with a large bucket in hand, she walks up to the well and proceeds to draw water from the old caved in and abandoned well. There are others who say that they have seen a tall slender lady dressed in a long sack dress kneeling beside the tomb of an unknown Rebel soldier back up in the thick woods aways, quite some distance across the grownup fields from the ruins of the abandoned log cabin.

I have been to the grave of this unknown Rebel soldier many times. Each time I visit, I feel that I am not alone. A strange feeling comes over me. I feel that I am being watched.

What is the mystery of this unknown Rebel and the ghost of this woman? Did the only son of the tall white-haired lady return from the war wounded or sick, only to die and be buried by her atop the hill there in the woods?

Does the spirit of this mother return at times to her only son’s grave for a time of meditation and togetherness? Does she still walk the faint path to the old abandoned well with her bucket for her daily supply of water? Perhaps one day we will know the answer.

As for now, we can only speculate as the ghost lady continues to walk the path that leads into the deep and dark shadows of the unknown.

(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.)

 

Rabies in February questioned by characters in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

McWilliams was taken prisoner three times during War Between the States

Richard Ervin McWilliams

I was looking through some old newspapers the other day and ran across an interesting item about a Wilcox County veteran who was taken prisoner three different times during the War Between the States.

In the Feb. 12, 1903 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, it was announced that the Alabama Charter Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy planned to meet at the home of Chapter President Sallie Jones on Feb. 19. During their meeting, they planned to discuss the “Prison Life of Southern Soldiers.” Richard Ervin McWilliams Sr. was to be the guest speaker with plans to talk about “his experience of 14 months in Northern prisons.”

McWilliams passed away in August 1921, and he is buried in the Camden Cemetery. His obituary was published in the Sept. 1, 1921 edition of The Progressive Era and provides many details about his military service.

“The ranks of the old Confederate veterans are rapidly thinning,” his obituary began. “In the passing of Hon. R.E. McWilliams, Wilcox loses one of her most gallant veterans whose career through the Civil War furnishes interesting reading.”

According to the newspaper, McWilliams enlisted in Co. B, a Wilcox County troop, in early 1862 “as a boy of 16.”

“He was soon in the midst of the conflict, being stationed at Island No. 10, which was captured early in the war by the Northern troops. The loss of this point was the first serious blow struck at the south. Mr. McWilliams was among the prisoners and was carried to Camp Butler, near Springfield, Illinois.”

The newspaper goes on to say that McWilliams was eventually released during a prisoner exchange at Vicksburg, Mississippi. From there, he was stationed at Port Hudson, Louisiana, which was soon besieged by Union forces. This fort was an important link between the eastern and western halves of the Confederacy, and when it fell to the Union, the vital Mississippi River fell completely under Northern control.

McWilliams became a POW again at Port Hudson, but he was soon paroled. From there, he went home to Wilcox County for a short while, but like many parolees, he made his way back to the front lines, where he joined the forces of Confederate generals John Bell Hood and Joseph E. Johnston.

He survived the bloody meatgrinder known as the Battle of Franklin in Tennessee, but again fell into enemy hands as a POW. He was sent back to Camp Butler, where he remained until the end of the war. His obituary notes that he was slightly wounded only once during the war.

“Nothing gave Mr. McWilliams more pleasure than to recount the thrilling scenes and events of his soldier days,” the newspaper said. “His old comrades all honored him and he in turn was always interested in their welfare.”

In the end, it sounds like McWilliams had a remarkable wartime experience and that he was also extremely lucky. Few soldiers can say they were made a POW three times during a single conflict and live to tell the tale. If anyone in the reading audience has any additional information they would like to share about McWilliams, please let me hear from you.

100-year-old news highlights from February 1925 editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era in Camden, Ala.

Masonic Hall in Camden.

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 February 1925.

In the Feb. 5, 1925 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “John Ratto, impersonator and humorist, will not appear at the Camden Theatre on Feb. 10^th on account of illness. The Gorilla Company, composed of high-class players, will substitute for this attraction sometime during the week of Feb. 23^rd. The exact date will be announced next week. Make your plans to attend this play.”

Readers that week also learned that “on last Friday afternoon McWilliams girls defeated Camden in a closely contested game of basketball by the score of 5 to 3. The guarding on both sides being good, and this held down the score. The lineup: McWilliams, forwards, Willie Higden, Belma Melton; centers, Ruby Jones, Margaret Brantley; guards, Eliza Till, Daisy Melton; substitutes, Edith Pettie, Evelyn Brantley, Cynthia McKenzie; Camden, forwards, Elise Cobb, Camilla Jones; centers, Sara Matthews, Gussie Marcus; guards, Myrtie Odom, Laura Dale McNeil; substitutes, Barbara Solomon, Annie Lou Ray, Fraces Moss.”

In the Feb. 12, 1925 edition of The Progressive Era, readers saw the following notice: The Camden Motor Co. invites you to come down to their place of business and enjoy a radio concert program every night 8 to 11. Special program tonight.

It was also reported that week that “Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Harper of Chicago are spending several months at the Wilcox Hotel while Mr. Harper is engaged in buying hardwood timber.”

In the Feb. 19, 1925 edition of the newspaper, under the headline “Coy Girls Defeat Camden,” readers learned that the “Coy Consolidated School defeated Camden Friday afternoon, score 14 to 7. The score stood 7-7 at the beginning of the last period. The Coy team started a drive that the locals could not stop and resulted in the seven-point advantage. Misses Powe and Fairly played the leading role for Coy while Miss Barbara Solomon and Laura Farish played well for Camden.”

Readers that week also saw the following notice: FOR SALE – Eleven first-class young Plymouth Rock hens and one young rooster for $18, delivered at my house. – J.G. Holt, Camden, Alabama.”

In the Feb. 26, 1925 edition of the paper, it was reported that the “Hi Y of the Wilcox County High School had a father-son banquet on Friday night Feb. 20^th at the Masonic Hall. Prof. Tom Borom made an excellent and witty toastmaster. The meeting was opened with sentence prayers and Rev. L.A. Nall, Rev. Meigs, Mr. E.W. Berry, S.C. Godbold, Mr. J.M. Bonner, Mr. P.E. Jones and many others made short talks full of good advice and loving counsel to these boys, our future citizens.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, readers learned that the “Gorilla Players of the Redpath Bureau played to a large audience at the Camden Theatre on Wednesday night, their acting was of the highest order and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. A group of pretty high school girls added much to the program by rendering several instrumental and vocal selections between acts. This group was composed of Misses Elise Cobb, Mary Edwards, Laura Farish, Ava Jordan, Ellen Vernon Jones, Frances Moss, Sarah Matthews, Barbara Solomon, Eleanor Stuckey and Wenonah Pritchett.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. Around the first of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of March 1925 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.