George Singleton tells of the days of old-time watermelon patch raids

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 “Raiding watermelon patches has become lost art,” was originally published in the July 29, 1993 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

When I speak of the youth of today not having fun and not being able to entertain themselves, I mean no disrespect whatsoever.

I will be the first to admit that times have changed during the past years since the Great Depression. Today our youth have money to spend and nice automobiles to travel around in. Many have part-time jobs in nice, clean air-conditioned places and the living is good. But, it hasn’t always been like this.

In writing these articles about my youth, and some of the things that we were involved in, I have no intentions in suggesting to our youth of today that they should also do such things as we did on occasions when boredom crept across the farm country.

In the area where I grew up, it was expected of the local youth to raid watermelon patches and swipe ripe peaches and apples from the orchards of the local farmers. On these fun raids, no property was destroyed or abused.

You swiped only that which the raiding party could eat. Most times, younger members of the very family who owned the orchard or melon patches were right in the middle of the fun group. The older members of these families took great pride in setting traps for the youthful fun seekers.

These traps were not intended to hurt or injure anyone but to scare the living daylights out of those involved. These fun stories of scares would be told and retold many times around the fireplaces during the cold winter nights when the families gathered for fun and entertainment and community fellowship.

Always, when a visitor would come into the community for a stay with relatives or just to visit, this was the opportune time for the local youth, with the help of the older members of the community, to pull some kind of prank or joke on the city slicker.

A family in the local community had relatives that lived in New Orleans. From these relatives in New Orleans, a young man about the age of 16 came up for a few days visit. He was well-dressed and seemed to think that he was above the local youth of the community, because he was from the city and he didn’t have to labor on the farm as his cousins did.

In short notice, these cousins notified their neighbors of a plan to get this smart aleck in line with reality.

The young visitor, not knowing anything about the area, was invited on a watermelon-patch raid; readily he accepted. Little did he know that the family he was visiting owned the melon patch that was to be raided. This was one tale that would be remembered for many years around the firesides of the local folks.

Top-secret plan

The top-secret plan was molded to perfection. An older man from the community was instructed by the melon patch owner to enter the patch on a given night and sit down and cover himself with a dark poncho. He was also instructed to carry his shotgun with him. The plans were, as the youth group entered the patch, he would jump and scream and shoot his shotgun twice up in the air.

Across the watermelon patch, several of the older menfolk of the community lay in hiding to witness the fun and excitement. All the members of the raiding party knew what was going to take place except the young visitor from New Orleans.

The night was cloudy and overcast. The moonlight was breaking through the clouds from time to time, giving off just enough light that one could find their way along the rows of ripe watermelons there in the field. As the group slowly entered the melon patch from the nearby wooded area, the leaders began to bend over the melons and thump them, seeking out a few good ripe melons to eat.

When all the group was well within the melon patch, without warning, the farmer under the poncho jumped up and screamed, “What the h*** are you guys doing in my watermelon patch?”

Shotgun fired

Twice he fired his shotgun in the air. Young boys scrambled in every direction. I won’t call any names, but a youth in the raiding party grabbed his side and fell to the ground and yelled: “Oh my goodness, I’m shot.”

The visiting cousin, thinking that this prankster was wounded, raced over and picked him up, throwing the supposedly wounded boy over his shoulder and raced across the large field nearby.

Totally exhausted from carrying the large youth across the large field, the visiting cousin fell to the ground. As the groups gathered, the sightseers came from their hiding places along with the members of the raiding party, and loud laughter and sounds of merriment echoed across the large field while the visiting cousin lay gasping for breath on the ground.

Slowly, the exhausted cousin got to his feet. Having realized that he had been the victim of the prank, he became fighting mad. He began to swing his fists in all directions at those who had been part of the staged raid. The older members of the group stepped  in and made the distressed young man sit down until he cooled off and regained his self-control.

In short notice, a couple of lanterns appeared out of the brush as if by magi and several cool, sweet watermelons were sliced for the party of fun seekers to enjoy.

The gathering lasted until after the hour of midnight. All knew who were present that night in the watermelon patch that this night would be remembered for years to come.

And, as the years passed, the visiting cousin from New Orleans seemed to enjoy it the most, when hearing it told over and over again.

(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 Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Aug. 24, 2026

18 YEARS AGO
AUG. 28, 2008

Mayor’s runoff pairing up in air: Who will face off against Rodie Ruffin in the Sept. 9 runoff election in the Monroeville mayor’s race was still up in the air yesterday (Wednesday) morning, according to City Clerk Toni McKelvey.
As of yesterday morning, Ruffin had 717 votes in the Monroeville mayor’s race, while Mike Kennedy had 614 and James Holley had 598. Both Ruffin and Kennedy are members of the city council with Ruffin representing District 4 and Kennedy representing District 1. Holley is a newcomer to the political scene.

Excel defeats Frisco City 24-14 in preseason game: Because a ninth team was added to Frisco City’s 1A Region 1 this season, it left the Whippets and rival Excel without an open regular-season date to play. The coaches worked it out, and played a preseason matchup Thursday night in Frisco.
The Panthers came into Frisco City Thursday night with nearly three times as many players as the Whippets’ 16-strong squad and came away with a 10-point win, 24-14.
(Top Excel players in that game included Brit Bowen, Ryan Holder, Greg Hollinger, Josh Mack, Morgan Murphy, Cedric Stevens and Ak’Keem Williams. Top FCHS players included Roderick Chapman and Jeterrius Ellis.)

New doctor welcomed: Monroe County Hospital and Monroeville Primary Care medical doctors Angela Powell and Alex Nettles hosted an open house Wednesday of last week at their clinic for their newest associate, Dr. Emily Williams.

43 YEARS AGO
AUG. 25, 1983

2 Monroe County bridges to be replaced next year: Two Monroe County bridges located on State Highway 41 are scheduled to be replaced next year, according to Gene Phillips, district engineer at the state Highway Department office in Camden.
Phillips said bridges at Tallahatchee Creek near Hybart and Beaver Creek three miles north of Franklin are among four bridges in Wilcox and Monroe counties to be replaced, possibly next spring.
“Things look real good for bridge replacements in Monroe County,” Phillips said, adding that contracts also will be awarded next spring for bridges at Limestone Creek leading into Peterman and Flat Creek in Fountain.

Kelly team wins golf tourney: Vanity Fair Golf and Tennis Club’s annual Lucian Jones Golf Tournament during the weekend was won by Monroeville’s Jim Kelly and his partner, Pete Kelly of Mobile.
Ted Pearson of Monroeville and his partner, Joe Mack Thaxton of Tampa, Fla., were given a trophy Saturday night at the awards banquet for having the tournament’s low gross score.
The golfers also recognized James L. McAlarney Sr., formerly of Monroeville who now lives in Spanish Fort. McAlarney has been associated with the Lucian Jones tournament since the first tournament and was invited back this year as a special guest.

Lemons is honored by Masons: Tom Lemons of Monroeville, a member of Monroeville Masonic Lodge No. 3 and the Tri-Counties Shrine Club, was honored at a special ceremony Saturday in Brewton. He has been an active Mason for 30 years and is past president of his lodge, served as high priest of the Monroeville Royal Arch Chapter No. 170, was past illustrious master of Monroeville Council No. 95 and was past eminent commander of Monroeville Commandery No. 47.

68 YEARS AGO
AUG. 28, 1958

KKK Makes Recent Visits To Churches In Area: Twelve hood Ku Klux Klansmen visited the Philadelphia Baptist Church at Tunnel Springs last Friday night, sitting through the final services of a weeklong revival.
The Rev. Ralph Lee, church pastor, said the visit was completely unannounced and that it came as a surprise to both ministers and congregation.
It marked the second time in recent weeks that Klansmen visits to church in the area have been verified though other reports of such visits have circulated in the county. An even dozen Klansmen marched into the Repton Methodist Church Tuesday night, July 8, at the beginning of the Devotion and seated themselves. Revival services were in progress at the Repton Church at the time just as they were in Tunnel Springs last week.

Official Opening, Registration Set Sept. 11 For Monroe County Schools: Official opening date for Monroe County schools is Thurs., Sept. 11, H.G. Greer, Superintendent of Education, reminded parents Wednesday.
He said Sept. 11 has been declared registration day beginning at 8 a.m. and dismissing at 11 a.m. School will operate on a half-day schedule for Friday, Sept. 12.
The first full day of operation will be Monday, Sept. 15.

93 YEARS AGO
AUG. 24, 1933

Man Held In County Jail On Murder Charge: Lem Perkins, who was shot last week by his son-in-law, Robert Morgan, near Old Manistee, died Monday, thus bringing the case against Morgan to that of murder. Morgan is being held in the county jail pending meeting of the grand jury.

Man Is Murdered At Franklin Saturday Night: As the result of a dispute arising among several men at a church near Franklin Saturday night, John Powell cut Elliott Rankin to death. Powell was said to be drunk and was knocked down by one of the men standing near. When he rose, he grabbed Rankin and inflicted such deep cuts on him that he died before medical assistance could be obtained from him. Powell was brought to the county jail Saturday night where he will wait the action of the grand jury. This is the second murder in the county during the past week.

“Miss Monroe County” Named At Fashion Show: Mrs. George Williams of Frisco City, modeling for the Frisco City Style Shoppe, was presented the loving cup at the close of the Fashion Show staged at the Monroe Theatre last Monday night by the merchants of Frisco City and Monroeville. The award carried with it the title “Miss Monroe County.” A number of girls from both towns served as models for the business houses and exhibited new Fall styles.

MISCELLANEOUS SHOWER GIVEN AUGUST BRIDE: Miss Velma Dees delightfully entertained for Miss Rosalie Kelly of Excel at a miscellaneous shower Saturday afternoon.
Little Truman Persons of New York gave a charming exhibition of tap dancing with his miniature dress suit and walking cane added to his attractiveness.
An interesting contest was carried out using the abbreviations of states as answers. As this contest was completed, a miniature Curtis plane landed in front of the bride with little Mr. Persons as its pilot, bearing a large mail sack of lovely gifts that were opened and passed around for all to see.

118 YEARS AGO
AUG. 27, 1908

Misses Jennie and Callie Faulk have returned from St. Louis where they purchased a handsome stock of fall millinery.

The Louisville & Nashville railroad depot at Repton was destroyed by fire last Friday night, together with its contents. Several long cars loaded with lumber and naval stores consigned to foreign points were also consumed by the flames which raged for several hours. Several empties and a dead engine standing on a side track were saved by the quick action on the part of the citizens who used crow bars and other instruments in moving the cars and engine out of reach of the fire. The loss is estimated at $15,000 to $20,000. The origin of the fire is not known, but it is thought probably that it started from sparks from an engine which passed the station just previous to the fire.

Mrs. Q. Salter returned home Friday after a fortnight’s sojourn at the Wilcox Mineral Springs, Schuster.

Dr. Wm. A. Parker Dead: Dr. William Asa Parker, for 43 years a professor at the University of Alabama, died at Asheville, N.C. on Wed., Aug. 19. Dr. Parker was a native of Monroe County, having been born near Monroeville, and was the eldest son of the late Asa Parker, for many years a leading citizen and business man of this place. Dr. Parker had a wide acquaintance and reared a large family. Several of his sons are prominent men.

Singleton writes of the legends surrounding Sirius, the Dog Star

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 “Look to the heavens for Sirius, the Dog Star,” was originally published in the July 28, 1994edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Today, July 28, Sirius, the Dog Star, makes its debut once again into the heavens. With its appearance between the earth and the sun, many strange and unusual happenings begin to take form.

There are those who do not believe that this little-known star has any effect within out solar system and our earth or on the lives of those who live here. But history records many unusual events during the months of July, August and early September.

The 40 days of Sirius’s reign had much to do in the lives of the early Indian. This was a time of change in their living habits, as the hot summer months began to give way for the coming season of fall and winter. The time was now at hand when their carefree lives had to be abandoned and plans formulated for movement into winter quarters.

Their nomadic wanderings would cease along the rivers and streams and work would begin on the brush and mud huts that would protect them from the cold, icy winds that howled down from the north. And once again the ancient tales of the mystery devil star would once again be heard around the evening camp fires.

According to legends that have been told and retold for many hundreds of years, the fish in the rivers and streams are slow about biting during this time of year. The ears of the yellow corn, or maize, are becoming too hard to boil in the pots for eating. And, the deadly rattlesnakes are said to become blind during this period of the reign of the Dog Star. A think skin is said to form over their eyes for about 40 or so days. This blindness makes them to grow thin from hunger and causes them to strike out at any movement or sound.

These legends go on to tell that dogs, wolves and foxes tend to go mad during this period when the star Sirius appears in the heavens. Truly, it is a time of uncertainty and a time of change. Great care has to be taken to keep from getting hurt. Wounds are slow about healing during this time, and infection is most likely to appear in a wound during the months of the reign of Sirius.

The lightning that dance across the heavens seems more severe and does more damage during this time. While the thunder, as it rolls across the heavens, seems louder and more heavier in the hours of the afternoon. The belief of the early Indian was that the gods had not obeyed. This was a time, too, when sickness among the tribes was at its worst. Fever and disease took its toll among the elderly and the very young.

Much care had to be taken in the selection of water that was used by the tribes. All drinking water had to be taken from only the purest of the springs. Water from the mineral springs at this time of the year was highly sought after. Water carriers were known to travel many miles to gather drinking water for the sick and feverish members of the tribes.

Many time, those who were able would travel great distances and camp around the few mineral springs that were to be found in the area. These people would continue to camp and drink the healing waters until the mysterious devil star disappeared from the heavens. Then they would return to their villages to be part of the celebration, when the gathering of crops and hunting and fishing would begin once again. The foods would be stored and dried for the coming chills of winter, approaching on the distant horizons.

Sirius, the Dog Star, has done much to influence the lives or early man. From the time of the Egyptians and the Romans, and even before that, much heed was paid to those days when this star of mystery made its way across the heavens and took its position between our earth and the sun.

Many thought that this was the ideal time for war, if a war was inevitable. Many of the war lords of long ago believed that man became more like a savage animal and would fight harder and endure more pain during the passage of Sirius, the devil star. And, there were those who believed that the spirits of those who had been slain during the time of battle would follow the trail of the dog star into the land of no return. And, their spirits would never return from this land beyond the stars to stalk their camp fires and haunt their nights of sleep and rest.

Today, in our world of make-believe and fantasy, we give little or no thought to the legends of yesterday and those from beyond the past. Many of us will go through these dog days, when Sirius roams at will across the heavens, and never realize the importance this 40 days has had on history.

We may never know how much man has been influenced by the passing of this star across our universe. And, there are many among us who will never give the passing of Sirius a second thought, even though their lives are affected by it.

I will be the first to realize that we live in a space-age society. We profess to be smart. But there are certain things that we should tell our children and pass on to their children’s children. We must become more enlightened about our surroundings and the happenings of our universe. If we are not careful, we, too, will go the ways of the Egyptians and the Romans. And, sometimes in the future years, when Sirius, the Dog Star, returns, our beloved land as we know it will have faded into oblivion.

40-day journey

So, today with the break of dawn, the mockingbirds will sing until that time around Sept. 5 when the devil star gives up its place between our earth and the sun.

And the tempers we humans tend to be a mite short during the 40-day journey of Sirius across the heavens. Our patience grows thin with our neighbors and our friends as this strange and unknown force affects our lives. Our hospitals will become more crowded with the sick and injured.

Let’s not forget, man occupies only a very small part in this place we call the universe. However smart we think we are, our knowledge ceases to exist just a short distance above this planet we call Earth. This is not a scratch in the sand when compared to the nine light years that it takes for the light of Sirius just to reach our earth.

We should always remember that a good knowledge of the past will much better enable us to solve the problems that will ride the winds of the future yet to come.

(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.)