Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Tues., June 4, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.00 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.00 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  Trace.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 8.80 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 22.30 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for June 3, 2019

Sparta Academy's Stone Riley

TWO YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 2017

Jaguars beat W.S. Neal, 24-22: Hillcrest High School’s varsity football team wrapped up spring football practice on Fri., May 19, by beating W.S. Neal High School, 24-22, at Buddy Taylor Field in East Brewton.

Hillcrest head coach Clinton Smith said on Monday of last week that he and the rest of the Hillcrest coaching staff were impressed by what they saw during the game. Smith noted that returning quarterback Ryan Nettles had an especially good game. He threw for over 200 yards with two touchdown passes and added a rushing touchdown that proved to be the game-winner.

Cardinals end season 10-0: The Cardinals wrapped up a perfect 10-0 season recently with a pair of Cal Ripken Youth Baseball League wins at Evergreen Municipal Park.

On Thurs., May 18, the Cardinals beat the Marlins, 10-7, and on Fri., May 19, the Cardinals posted a 9-7 win over the Nationals.

(Top players for the Cardinals included Jontavious Lett, Kevin Johnson, Christian Locke, Monte Stallworth, Zander Jones, K.J. Joseph, Jacob Bradley, Tankie Lett, M.J. Lee and Conner Miller.)

Sparta Academy senior baseball standout Stone Riley was recently selected as a member of the Alabama Independent School Association All-Star Senior Baseball Team. He will play in the AISA All-Star Senior Baseball Game on June 5 at Paterson Field in Montgomery. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

27 YEARS AGO

JUNE 4, 1992

Steven Gall of Sparta Academy was the recipient of a baseball scholarship and academic scholarship in Huntingdon College. Beth Dean presented the award during Honors Day at the school on May 18. Steven is the son of Kenneth and Delores Gall.

52 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1967

Junior League to honor late Ward Alexander: The Evergreen Junior Baseball League will formally dedicate the ballpark to the memory of the late Ward C. Alexander and rename it the Ward Alexander Memorial Park at ceremonies Monday afternoon at 5:30 o’clock.

Officials of the league have planned an impressive program for the dedication ceremony and invite and urge the public to attend. Circuit Judge Robert E.L. Key will be speaker. Governor Lurleen B. Wallace has been invited and hopes to be able to attend.

Mr. Alexander made the land available for the Junior League park and was an enthusiastic supporter of the program as well as an ardent fan. He seldom missed a game. Members of his family are to be honored guests at the occasion.

Following the dedication ceremony, the first game of the season will be played.

John Ed Biggs holds the trophy which he was awarded as the most valuable player on the baseball team at Alabama College, Montevallo. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Biggs of Monroeville and formerly of Evergreen. Ed started his baseball career in the Evergreen Junior League here playing with the Dodger team that set an all time record for consecutive wins. The others in the picture were chosen most valuable in their respective sports and are Don Andrews, tennis; Henry Ezell, basketball; and Ron Minson, golf.

77 YEARS AGO

JUNE 6, 1942

NOTICE FISHERMEN! Better Stock Up Now On all kinds of Tackle while our stock is complete. There’ll be no more available for the duration. We have a very select stock of good tackle and supplies now on hand. Come in and get your supply at once. – Wild Bros. Hardware Co.

101 YEARS AGO

JUNE 5, 1918

H.N. Webster, wife and little son, Harry, are spending a fortnight with relatives near Brewton. Incidentally, Mr. Webster will spend his vacation chasing the finny tribe for diversion.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Mon., June 3, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.00 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.00 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  Trace.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 8.80 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 22.30 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

Mergenthaler Linotype Machine.

TWO YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 2017

The 2018 Monroe County Distinguished Young Women Program will be held Saturday at Coastal Alabama Community College in Monroeville. This year will mark the 57^th annual program in Monroe County. Seventeen high school juniors are participating this year in “Girls of Summer.”

(Those participants included Ali Daniels, Lundy Davis, Erin George, Ashleigh Green, Nakima Gudiroz, Brianna Marie Jackson, Keyonnia Jackson, Brittany Harrison, Anna Ikner, Mimi Jones, Emma Grace McCrory, Helen Ann McInnish, Mary Kathryn Morgan, Sarah Puchner, Natalie Faith Sawyer, Kaylee Weatherford and Katie Wiggins.)

Tigers capture first place: The Tigers captured first place in the Monroe County Cal Ripken Machine Pitch league this season. Team members are Mason McKinley, Caiden Chandler, Holden Brabner, Phisher Casey, Silas McCombs, Eli Waters, Kayven McMillian, Greyson Nettles, Tristan Bradley, Braxton Sewell, Alex McPhaul, Andrew McLaurin and coaches Clint Kilgore, Keith McKinley, Brian Waters and Jerry Chandler.

Journal wins nine in state contest: The Monroe Journal won nine awards as the Alabama Press Association released a partial list of award winners in its Better Newspaper Contest.

Winners of the 25 remaining categories will be announced on Sat., July 8, at its summer convention at the Perdido Beach Resort.

The Georgia Press Association judged the 2,753 entries submitted by 74 newspapers. The Journal won two first place awards, three second place awards and four for third place.

27 YEARS AGO

JUNE 4, 1992

Monroe County’s River Road Band won first place in the performance category while in New Orleans Friday to compete in the finals of the June Jam Talent Search, but they did not win the contest.

Cleveland Browning, the group’s manager, said that even though they did not win the entire contest and will not be going to Fort Payne on June 13 as performers, it was a valuable experience none of them would have missed.

(Members of the band included Paul Bell, Wayne Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Randy Manning and Kent Stewart.)

Local standouts on Legion team: Three Monroe County High School baseball players have been selected to play for the American Legion Post 85 baseball team in Jackson.

Junior pitchers Joey Downs and Jeff Howard and sophomore catcher-outfielder Tony Bayles will begin play with the American Legion team Saturday when it takes on a team from Mobile at 1 p.m. at Springhill College in Mobile.

Jackson’s team consists of 22 players selected from Monroe, Washington and Clarke counties.

The Excel High School Future Farmers of America land-judging team won first place in the countywide competition held recently on the Earl Silcox Farm near Uriah. From left are FFA instructor Herman Waters; team members Jason Booth, Jerry Pharr, Jamison Ledkins and Shane Moorer; and Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation district supervisor Gary House.

52 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1967

Patrick Henry Junior College’s first commencement exercises will be held Fri., June 2, beginning at 6 p.m. in front of the science building.

A total of 40 students will be awarded degrees with 36 of these from the original class which enrolled in the fall of 1965.

Dr. Ernest Snow, state superintendent of education, will be guest speaker for the services.

MCHS Players Picked For All-Star Game: Two members of the Monroe County High School Tigers baseball team were selected to play in the annual East-West All-Star game at Andalusia last week.

Gary Downs pitched two scoreless innings for the winning West squad, striking out five of the six batters he faced. Batterymate Roger Brown caught three innings during the contest including the two innings which Downs pitched.

The game, sponsored by the Lions Club with proceeds going to sight conservation, was won by the West All-Stars, 8-3.

Fourteen members of a new Shrine class were initiated in Monroeville Saturday following a ceremonial parade and fish fry. Members of the new class and the Shrine officials are W.H. Hines, Monroeville, Noble; Billy Sims, Excel, director’s staff; Frank Johnson, Putman; Robert E.L. Key, Evergreen; Roy Robinson, Panama City, Fla.; Ray Jackson, Brewton; Marshall Campbell, Chickasaw; Charlie Deer, Monroeville, Bill Bayley, Mobile, potentate of the Abba Temple; Milton Thames, Monroeville; A.W. Bertagnolli, Arlington; Cecil White, Monroeville; Haywood Croley, Monroeville; Rod Hanks of Mobile, former potentate in whose honor the ceremonial was held; and W.L. Agee, Monroeville, Noble.

77 YEARS AGO

JUNE 4, 1942

Ed Lee, student at A.P.I., Auburn, is at home with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee.

The friends in Monroe County of A.L. Shell Jr. of Excel will be interested to learn that he has arrived safely in Australia with the U.S. Expeditionary forces. His father received a cablegram from him last week stating he arrived there March 9 and was safe and well, although a little homesick.

The U.S. Navy Recruiting officer will be in Monroeville on June 4 (today) to take applications of those desiring to make application.

Pvt. Pershing Harris, son of B.W. Harris, and Pvt. William Blanchard Marriott, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.C. Marriott, of Uriah, were enrolled recently at Keesler Field, Biloxi, in the Air Corps Technical School.

Pvt. John F. Sigler of Frisco City was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps at Fort McPherson, Ga. on March 14. From Fort McPherson he went to Jefferson Barracks, Mo., where he received five weeks basic training and then to Daniel Field, Augusta, Ga., where he completed his basic training. At present, he is at Herbert Smart Airport, Macon, Ga., on maneuvers. Pvt. Sigler says that this is a job that we all at home must do our part as the soldiers. He wants to give thanks to everyone who wrote him letters. After maneuvers, he will be assigned Clerk at headquarters of the 154^th Observation Squad and will be stationed at Daniel Field, Augusta, Ga.

102 YEARS AGO

JUNE 8, 1917

REGISTRATION OF MILITARY SUBJECTS: Registration under the military selective draft act on Tuesday was effected throughout the county without friction or noteworthy incident. Reports coming to the county board indicate that the total for the county will probably be 2,000 or more. In the Monroeville precinct 245 were registered; 172 at Tunnel Springs, 189 at Jeddo and 69 at Beat 6. No instances of evasion of the registration requirement have been reported.

J.A. Hurry brought to The Journal office Monday the first cotton bloom of the season found in his field Sun., June 3. This is some eight or 10 days earlier than dates on which first blooms have been reported for the last few years.

The concrete pavement extending entirely across the roadway built for Lazenby Mercantile Co. will enable patrons of that enterprising firm to reach the store dry-shod on occasions of the most sloppy weather.

The Lazenby Mercantile Co. is now comfortably domiciled in their commodious and conveniently appointed new brick store on North side where their friends and customers are always assured of a cordial welcome and courteous attention.

The Journal sanctum was favored Friday with the fraternal visit of Editor Higdon of The Atmore Record, accompanied by a representative of the Mergenthaler Linotype company. The Record has just placed an order for a Linotype to meet the demands of expanding business.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Sun., June 2, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): Trace.

Week to Date Rainfall: Trace.

Month to Date Rainfall:  Trace.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 8.80 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 22.30 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.

Singleton believed study of 'mystery stones' would lead to lost Maubila

Hernando de Soto

(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 “Places in our historical past are almost forgotten” was originally published in the May 11, 2000 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

A few days back, a friend and I ventured into the area of the Midway community. Our aim was to visit some of the old cemeteries and other places of interest in the area and look for some names of the early settlers buried there.

The old, forgotten cemeteries are all in a rough state of repair due to fallen timbers and grown up brush that cover the grave sites of those who departed this life after many years of hard work there on the rough rolling hills of the old settlement.

Three or four of the abandoned headstones recorded dates of death that dated back to the early 1800s. One that I recall went as far back as 1816. In viewing the old cemeteries, I assumed that the area of Midway was at one time a sizeable community. I was disappointed to see however that the old burial grounds had been neglected over the years and the passing of time had taken its toll in the cemeteries that rested atop the high hilltops of the area.

Only a few of the headstones had markers that bore the names of those buried there. Many had nothing more than a sizeable rock as a grave marker. Some had nothing more than a large piece of fat lightwood driven in the ground: these leaned crazily to one side or the other. Others were broken by fallen limbs and blown over timber. Some has nothing more than a small indenture in the ground where the soil had settled over the many years there on the hillsides.

As if by some miracle, three small cast-iron fences that each surrounded a family plot or a single grave had survived the many years of weather and time. Each needed some repair, but they continued to guard and protect those who slept there in the small fenced area.

The largest of the old cemeteries had adjoining it what seemed to be slave burials. It, too, was in great need of cleaning and cutting the large brush and removing the fallen and rotten timbers.

Many of the rocks that had served as headstones had been moved or crushed by the rotted timbers that crisscrossed the old burial grounds. Such a tragedy that these old historic landmarks had fallen in such decay.

Atop what appeared to be the highest hill in the area was located one of the cemeteries. As we stood there discussing the condition of the burials, I thought of the hard times experienced by many of those who slept there.

Many had come this way, looking for a better way of life only to find a life of hard work and sacrifice here on the high ridges. But I’m sure that there were some good times, also. Inspecting some of the tombstones, there was evidence of several sizeable families who lived in the surrounding area.

As we journeyed through the old burial grounds, I remembered from past investigations that this area had been occupied for many hundreds of years by the early Indians. Not too far from where we were was the ancient cave known as the Midway cave. Evidence inside the ancient cave showed that it had been occupied long before the time of DeSoto’s visit into this area and perhaps many hundreds of years before.

There are many places and various ancient items within this area and the nearby area of Pine Orchard that need to be investigated.

The mystery stones of Pine Orchard need to be studied and researched. I believe that a thorough investigation into these stones and the location where they were found would prove beyond any doubt that the famed Indian village of Maubila was located in what is now the Pine Orchard area.

If one studies and researches the route that DeSoto and his army took through what is now Monroe, Wilcox and Conecuh counties, it will prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the famed Indian village was in what is now the corner of Conecuh and Monroe counties, near where the counties join.

Realizing that the time was speeding onward toward the evening hours, we departed the Midway area and started back toward Pine Orchard.

There was one more stop that I wanted to make since I was up in this area. Down the road aways and out in the woods was located the Wolf Pit. I had been to this location several times, but for some unknown reason, I wanted to see again this strange hole in the ground.

When I first came to this area, I became friends with two men who knew this part of the country like the backs of their hand. In viewing the Wolf Pit, I was told the stories about these strange holes in the ground and what they were used for. But this is another story.

Making my way back to the Hub City, I realized again the abundance of early history that waited around almost every turn of the road and the importance of researching and investigating it.

We need to know first hand the background and lives of those who came here before us. And I’m sure that almost none would believe the many important events that took place around the area many years before our time.

As the trend continues, unless we change our ways, many of the old historical places within our area will fast fade into oblivion. The history of our past will have disappeared from view and the places thereof will know it no more.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, 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 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.)

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Sat., June 1, 2019

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.00 inches.

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.00 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  0.00 inches.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 8.80 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 22.30 inches.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily in Monroe County, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.405783N Lon -87.479861W. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-6, Station Name: Frisco City 5.0 WSW.