Wilcox County, Alabama News Flashback for Oct. 12, 2022

Perkins Hall at Harvard University

79 YEARS AGO
OCT. 14, 1943

Edgar H. Pritchett, large landowner, successful planter, cattle-grower and business man died in a Selma hospital on Oct. 10, and his remains were laid to rest in the Camden Cemetery on Sunday afternoon at five o’clock.

Sgt. Ralph Alford of the U.S. Air Corps has been reported missing in action in the Atlantic theatre of the war. Ralph is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lynch Alford, formerly of Camden, and was a general favorites in Camden where he spent his early boyhood days. There is hope that he is still alive and will return after the war.

“Spookey” Powe of Coy spent the weekend with Mrs. Lula Henson and family.

WILCOX GINNERS REPORT: The tabulation of the card reports shows there were 7,584 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Wilcox County, from the crop of 1943 prior to Oct. 1, 1943, as compared with 6,845 bales ginned to Oct. 1, 1943.

To friends who may be interested in the address of Rev. E.W. Roark is hereby given. This will be his address until Nov. 4. Chaplain (1^st Lt.) E.W. Roark, Chaplain School, Harvard University, Perkins Hall, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He sends greetings to all his friends in Wilcox County.

Dr. W.W. Horner, a retired minister from Texas, now living in Selma with his daughter, will fill the pulpit at the Camden Baptist Church Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and Sunday night 8 p.m.

89 YEARS AGO
OCT. 12, 1933

The football boys and Coach Alexander went to Haynesville last Friday, played hard but lost 39 to 0. We are all very sorry that our captain, Geo. Barnes, got his eye and leg hurt. Next Friday, no game is scheduled.

Mrs. Lounette Steed and Miss Ruth Miller of Thomasville attended the Alabama-Mississippi game in Birmingham this weekend.

PAROLE NOTICE: Notice is hereby given that Willie Burton, who was convicted in the Circuit Court of Wilcox County on April 20, 1922 for murder, second, and was given a term of 25 years, will make application for pardon or parole.

Mr. A.M. Pearson, who is a member of Pine Apple high school faculty, spent the weekend here.

Mr. and Mrs. Peyton D. Burford are attending the Century of Progress Fair at Chicago.

The many friends of Mr. Reese Hays will be glad to know he is recuperating from an appendix operation at the Vaughn Memorial Hospital Sunday morning.

Miss Charlotte Tait has accepted a position in the high school at Hartselle, Ala.

Rev. R.C. Kennedy filled his regular appointment at Marion Junction last Sunday.

98 YEARS AGO
OCT. 9, 1924

Strayed or Stolen from my pasture at Snow Hill, one mouse colored mare mule about five years old. Weight about 800 pounds. Liberal reward offered for her return or any information as to her whereabouts. – W.G. Simpson, Snow Hill, Ala.

Miss Jean Stanford left Monday for Blocton, where she has a nice position in high school there.

The football team of the Wilcox County High School will meet Dinkins team on the local field Friday afternoon, Oct. 10.

Mr. and Mrs. Fleetwood Hollinger entertained the Rock West card club on Tuesday night. There were several tables of guests besides the regular members.

The ball fans of Camden have been enjoying the ball news received over the radio of Mr. Wiley Springers this week. A large crowd gathers at his house every afternoon and numbers come from 10 to 20 miles.

A HISTORICAL EVENT: On Sunday afternoon long before the appointed hour a large concourse of relatives and friends of the Tait family had gathered at the Tait burying ground near Coy to witness the placing of a marker at the tomb of one of Wilcox County’s successful men, Capt. James Asbury Tait for his military service in the War of 1812. The interesting program was followed with keen interest throughout. The reading of “Your Flag and My Flag” by little Amelia Beck, a great-great-granddaughter, was well given.

108 YEARS AGO
OCT. 8, 1914

VREDENBURGH: Mr. Peter Vredenburgh Jr., manager of Vredenburgh Saw Mill Co., states that an unintentional error occurred in our correspondent, saying there were several cases of small pox in that town. Mr. Vredenburgh says there was one many who wandered in several weeks since who was promptly quarantined and those exposed vaccinated. There have been no other cases.

The Stewartsville school will open Monday under the able supervision of Miss Katie Belle Tait.

Dr. Jenkins and B.F. Farrar of Piper came down last week and established a Commandery Lodge of Masons in Centreville. Some 10 or 12 candidates were present for initiation.

An otter was caught in the Grampian Hills by Ephraim last Saturday. It is supposed the otter waded up a branch and then strayed up the hills.

Tax Collector Vandevoort and Tax Assessor McClurkin are on their annual rounds for the collection of the taxes for 1914 and assessment of taxes for 1915. They are this week in East Wilcox.

Another burglary on the Gerhardt Dry Goods Co. store was perpetrated last Saturday or Sunday night. The entrance was effected the same way, by removing the outer gauze wire, and then the larger window screen and breaking the glass window. Not much damage was done.

Mr. W.E. Ervin of Rehoboth was in Camden this week. He is the father of Emmet Ervin, who was killed at Alberta by a man who has thus far escaped.

118 YEARS AGO
OCT. 13, 1904

Camden Royal Arch Reorganizes: Camden Chapter No. 40, Royal Arch Masons, was reorganized by special dispensation last Thursday night. Grand Secretary George A. Beauchamp of Montgomery presided and in this work he was assisted by the local members, and by Companions John W. Fore and Dr. J.E. Bizzelle of Monroeville and Louis Benish of Selma. Camden Chapter was first organized about 1847 and has uninterruptedly kept alive its charter, during all these years until in 1898, death had so repleted its ranks, that the requisite number could not be had to hold the regular convocations; so for six years, Camden Chapter slept, the sleep of the righteous, but not of the dead.

The Masonic Lodge in Camden, Dale Lodge No. 25, was organized in 1827, which puts it among the oldest lodges in the state. The list of members in a copy of the by-laws of 1845 shows over a hundred in number, and of these there is today only four of them living, viz: W.F. Spurlin, G.F. Spurlin, H.F. Cook and Capt. Bob Tait.

Mr. Harry Vass of Canton was a visitor to Camden on Monday. He gives a glowing account of his visit to the World’s Fair some days since.

R.D. Jones, the Grocer of our growing town, carries everything to be found in any first class grocery store, at reasonable prices, give him a call and be convinced. Red Rock Ginger Ale is kept by him exclusively in Camden.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for Oct. 11, 2022

Major General Morris B. Payne

SIX YEARS AGO
OCT. 13, 2016

Evergreen weather observer Betty Ellis reported no rain between Oct. 3 and Oct. 9. She reported a high of 88 on Oct. 4 and a low of 54 on Oct. 9.

The Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce is calling this past Saturday’s Conecuh Sausage Festival one of the most successful Sausage Festivals in recent memory.
Evergreen Economic Development Director Bobby Skipper announced on Tuesday that an estimated crowd of over 2,500 people attended Saturday’s festival, which was held in downtown Evergreen from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A total of 65 different vendors helped draw the crowd to the festival, which also included 14 teams in this year’s BBQ Cook Off Contest.

Employees with the City of Evergreen participated in Alabama Operation Lifesaver’s 40-City Anniversary Tour last Thursday by attending a train safety program at the Old L&N Depot in downtown Evergreen. Speakers at the event included Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolff, Allison Green with the Alabama Department of Transportation, Operation Lifesaver Alabama Executive Director Nancy Hudson and Stephen M. Curlee with CSX Railroad.

The Conecuh County 4-H Chick Chain Show was held Sat., Oct. 8, in downtown Evergreen during the Conecuh Sausage Festival. Connor Davis won first place in showmanship, Grand Champion Pen, Reserve Champion Bird and first place in the Buff Orpington class.

31 YEARS AGO
OCT. 10, 1991

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported a trace of rain on Oct. 5. He reported a high of 87 on Oct. 4 and a low of 44 on Oct. 6.

Going… going… gone! Work crews attached a cable to the final section of the roof of the old Pix Theatre last week. With a hard “tug,” the roof and walls came tumbling down. The theatre building and adjacent buildings are being torn down to make room for the new Bank of Evergreen complex.

Kimberli Griffin was named Conecuh County Young Woman of the Year last week. She is pictured with Alana Brown, who was named first runner-up during the competition. Miss Griffin, a senior at Sparta Academy, is the daughter of Sawyer and Debra Griffin. Miss Brown, a senior at Hillcrest High School, is the daughter of Cleveland and Sheila Brown.

Evergreen Mayor Lee Smith cuts the ribbon to the new B.C. Moore & Sons building on McGehee Street. The grand opening of the building was held last Thursday. The store’s manager, Ronald Poindexter, and his wife, Jennifer, are also pictured.

Last week’s edition of The Evergreen Courant marked the beginning of the 97^th year of publication of the Conecuh County-based operation as a weekly newspaper. The first edition of The Courant hit the streets of Evergreen on Sept. 10, 1895.

56 YEARS AGO
OCT. 13, 1966

Ed E. Reid Trade School opens Monday: Wiley Salter, Director, Ed E. Reid State Trade School, Evergreen, announced today that the school will open Mon., Oct. 17. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. After registration, there will be a period of orientation for the students.
Classes will begin Tuesday. Persons who are interested in attending the trade school and have not previously made application may do so anytime before classes begin.
Courses to be offered at the school are: Auto Body Repair, Auto Mechanics, Business Education, Cosmetology, Mechanical Drafting, Electricity, Electronics, Practical Nursing, Radio and Television Repair, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and Welding.

County receives 28 of 30 vote machines: Voting machines will be in use in Conecuh County at most voting places in the Nov. 8 general election. This was assured when 28 of the machines were received Tuesday. Two more are on the way and are to be here in plenty of time for the election.
This means that machines will be in use on Nov. 8 at all county boxes but seven, and if you include the absentee box, eight. Paper ballots will be used at these seven boxes, but the Board of Directors has ordered another six machines so that in elections after this, machines will be in use at all boxes except the absentee.
The Directors are now making plans to have the machines set up at various places in the county for demonstration purposes. County voters will be given an opportunity to try a “sample” vote prior to the election.

81 YEARS AGO
OCT. 9, 1941

Yankee Division Passes Through Here: Thousands of Yankees from New England’s 43^rd Infantry Division passed through Evergreen early this week as the division’s huge motorized convoy headed back to Camp Blanding, Fla. at the completion of the Louisiana maneuvers.
The New Englanders traveled back to Florida in a four-day convoy which came to this community on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as the men headed for Andalusia where the third night of their five-day trip was spent at a bivouac area.
A total of 17,137 men drove through Evergreen during the week and exchanged greetings with the residents as the Northern soldiers saw a section of the South most of them have never seen before.
The 43^rd Division is commanded by Major General Morris B. Payne and consists of National Guardsmen and draftees from Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

WALTER C. WELLS: Walter C. Wells, 24, formerly of Evergreen and now a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, recently graduated from the platoon commander’s school at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Va., and has been assigned to active duty with the regular troops of the Marine Corps.
Lt. Wells enlisted in the Corps as candidate for Reserve Commission in November 1940 and was sent to Quantico to attend a special four-month course designed to qualify candidates for commission upon successfully passing the course.
Wells is the nephew of Mrs. E.E. Newton of this city.

131 YEARS AGO
OCT. 8, 1891

Information Wanted: The following letter addressed to me as coroner of Conecuh County has been received.

STILLWATER, MINN. Sept. 28, 1891
DEAR SIR: We have just been informed of the death of our uncle, Benjamin Morgan of Alabama, who died in 1885. If he died in your county, please let us know the manner of his death, as business of importance is to be settled at once.
Yours truly,
CHARLES H. MORGAN

The name of Benjamin Morgan is not on the register of deaths for Conecuh County, therefore I am sure he did not die in Conecuh County.
Inquiry has also been made through a German consul about the death of Louis Rudolph Goldbeck by a railroad accident near Evergreen. A transcript from the register has been forwarded, showing a man aged about 25 years was killed by a railroad accident near Evergreen on Dec. 4, 1884. He was considered a tramp. His death was reported by Mr. J.T. Amos, the railroad section master, who said it was impossible to ascertain a name from anything on his person or otherwise. This is the only instance that a death is recorded in the register with name and other data unknown.
A.A. McKITTRICK, M.D., Coroner, Conecuh County.

Mr. James A. Stallworth has returned to the state university to pursue his law studies. He will also set as private secretary to the president of the university. This is a distinction awarded and a confidence reposed of which any young man may be proud.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for Oct. 10, 2022

41 YEARS AGO
OCT. 8, 1981

Jackets sting Whippets 29-9: “What? How? I don’t believe it. Are you sure?” These were some of the comments that were heard as the score of Saturday night’s football game between Lyeffion and Frisco City began to circulate. When the dust had settled at the Frisco City field, the Yellow Jackets had thoroughly defeated the Whippets 29-9.
Defensively, the Yellow Jackets held the high scoring Whippets to just 64 yards rushing and 40 passing. The defense was led by (Donald) Lee with five solo tackles and two interceptions.
(Other top Lyeffion players in that game included Jeff Baggett, Bobby Blount, Michael Grace, Lee Hamrac, John Johnson, Andrew Maxwell, Leodus Mims, Jimmy Mixon, Joe Mixon, Roosevelt Mixon, Robert Riley, Eddie Ray Taylor and Freddie Taylor. Michael Bledsoe was Lyeffion’s head coach.)

The Wilcox Academy Wildcats finally overcame a scrappy bunch of Sparta Academy Warriors and scored twice in the third period to win a private school football game 22-6 here Friday night at Stuart-McGehee Field.
Joey Johnson scored Sparta’s only touchdown on a four-yard run.
(Other outstanding Sparta players in that game included West Brown, Ed Carrier, Thad Ellis, Al Etheridge, Charles Floyd, Scotty Grace, Scott Lawrence, Joe McInvale, Britt McNeill, Mike Mixon, Russ Raines, Dewan Salter, Lewis Shipp and Mike Wilson.)

The Evergreen High School Aggies lost their fifth game in a row last Friday night at the Monroeville Tigers defeated the Aggies 18-0.
(Evergreen players in that game included Mark Bell, Frank Likely, Henry Savage, Max Cassady, Barry Padgett, James Lee and Deatrich Wise.)

56 YEARS AGO
OCT. 12, 1966

Was Rainey night, Tigers win 34-6: Undaunted by a game-opening kickoff return by the Evergreen Aggies’ Homer Faulkner for a 90-yard touchdown, the Greenville Tigers ground out a 34-6 decision over Evergreen here Friday night.
The Tigers used a scrambling quarterback, powerful ground game and good passing to rack up the victory. They kept the Aggie attack grounded most of the night with a strong pass rush and good coverage in the secondary.
The Aggies started off like a house afire with Faulkner gathering in the opening kickoff on his own 10, striking out up the middle and breaking into the clear behind good blocking and out-running the Tigers for a touchdown.
(Other top Evergreen players in that game included Elliott Quarles and Jack White. Top players for Greenville include Lionel Ed Rainey, Reese Rainey, Donald Coker, Maury Stead and Billy Taylor.)

Lyeffion Jackson notch second win, hit Ft. Deposit 26-6: Coach Buck Powell’s improving Lyeffion High Yellow Jackets turned up for this week’s game with Evergreen by blasting the Ft. Deposit Red Devils at Lyeffion Friday night. The 26-6 victory was the second win for Lyeffion in five starts.
Bo O’Gwynn hammered over from four yards out early in the first quarter to put the Jackets ahead.
Later in the opening period, O’Gwynn went nine yards for the second Jacket score. Stanley Wilson got loose on a beautiful 72-yard run for the third Lyeffion score, and Ronnie Booker bucked over from the one for the final tally.

71 YEARS AGO
OCT. 11, 1951

Evergreen Aggies Beat Monroeville 20 To 7: The Evergreen High Aggies scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, another in the third and then threw back a rugged Monroeville running attack to win their second victory of the season 20 to 7 here Friday night. A crowd of some 2,000 enjoyed a game with its share of thrills.
(Players on Evergreen’s team in that game included Ward Alexander Jr., Pace Bozeman, Lurton Chambers, Same Cope, Gwyn Daniels, Wayne “Dog” Douglas, Donahue Edson, Eddie Evers, Jimmy Frazier, Shirley Frazier, Paul Hanks, Gillis “Red” Morgan, Bill Robinson and Joe Stowers. Wendell Hart was Evergreen’s head coach, and Spencer Davis was assistant coach.)

Lyeffion Jackets Lose To Beatrice Eagles: A light and inexperienced Lyeffion Yellow Jacket team blew sky-high early in the first period and were plowed under 33-6 by a big Beatrice Eagle eleven here last Thursday night. The Jackets, making their second start of the season under Coach Mack English, started off well.
The victory was Beatrice’s first in football history at the Monroe County school.
Outstanding for Lyeffion was the running of Big David Eddins, but his fumbles were costly. (Other outstanding Lyeffion players in that game included Wayne Thames, Van Hawsey and Ben Hawsey.)

The Evergreen High Aggies will close out a four-game home stand here Friday night meeting W.S. Neal of East Brewton in Brooks Stadium at eight o’clock.
The Aggies have held the upper hand over Neal in recent years. The last win for the East Brewton school was in 1946. In ’47 they managed to tie the Aggies 6-6 and since then they haven’t been able to score, losing three straight.

Lyeffion And Repton Meet Here Tonight In First Battle For County Grid Title: The Lyeffion Yellow Jackets will be entertained by a host Repton Bulldog eleven tonight at 7:30 in Evergreen’s Brooks Stadium. The battle is the first of the season between two county teams. The unofficial county title goes on the line. It’ll have to be unofficial as Lyeffion does not play Evergreen. Should the Bulldogs cop tonight’s tilt, and they are favored, and beat Evergreen, they’d be county champions.

86 YEARS AGO
OCT. 8, 1936

Evergreen Loses To Andalusia 12 to 0: The Evergreen Bulldogs dropped their second game of the football season to the Andalusia Bulldogs by the score of 12 to 0. Evergreen outplayed the boys with the pretty uniforms for three quarters and then lost in the last quarter on two long passes which were good for touchdowns. All of the Evergreen Bulldogs played a great game.
Come out and see us win the remaining seven games. The following teams will be played: Jackson (there) Friday night, Georgiana (there), Bay Minette (there), Repton (here) Oct. 30, Dozier (here) Nov. 6, Greenville (there), night game, Elba (here) Nov. 20.
Anyone who will carry a few players to any of these games, please notify Coach L.A. Clements.

Castleberry To Play Jay Team This Week: Castleberry, Ala., Oct. 6 – The Castleberry high school football team went through long and hard workouts this week in an effort to reach top form for its game with Jay, Fla., to be played here Friday.
The local team played a scoreless tie with Brooklyn last week in a game played in midfield. Brooklyn came no nearer the Castleberry goal than the 40-yard line while Castleberry seriously threatened only once. In the third quarter, a pass from Weaver to James was good for 20 yards and Weaver cut through left tackle for 15 more to place the ball on the Brooklyn 15-yard line but a mix-up in signals caused the pass from center to go wild and a 20-yard loss was sustained.
The line-ups:
Castleberry – Carr, left end; Sullivan, right end; Oliver, left tackle; Holland, right tackle; McGaha, left guard; McDonald, right guard; Riggs, center; Weaver, quarterback; Green, right half; James, left half; Warren, fullback.
Brooklyn – S. Walter, left end; Mancil, right end; King, left tackle; Blair, right tackle; E. Nalls, left guard; Cary, right guard; Matthews, center; A. Findley, quarterback; M. Nalls, right half; Thames, left half; R. Findley, quarterback. Sub, Griggers for E. Nalls.

101 YEARS AGO
OCT. 12, 1921

LENOX NEWS: Prof. Williams of Belleville came down and played our boys a game of baseball Friday p.m., Oct. 7^th, the victory going to the Belleville boys.

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

USS Boxer (CV-21)

18 YEARS AGO
OCT. 14, 2004

Beatrice Town Council fills two vacant seats: The Beatrice Town Council filled two empty council seats and approved the nominations of seven individuals to the town’s new industrial development board during a meeting Monday of last week at Beatrice Town Hall.
Elizabeth Moseman and Annie Shelton will replace councilmen Lee Philen and Joe Black, respectively. The council also approved the nominations of the following individuals to the town’s newly formed industrial development board: Jess Martin, Johnny Moseman, Lee Philen, Jimmie Spann, David Steele, Sonny Stuckey and Jocelyn Thames.

Vols hold off Warriors: MOBILE – After being picked on for most of the season, Monroe Academy’s defense showed up big here Friday to spark a 14-7 win over Cottage Hill. Senior linebacker Maxwell Jones paced MA’s defense with 12 tackles, including eight solos. MA, getting 175 yards rushing from senior Bonner Williams and 155 yards rushing from senior Sage Smith, more than doubled Cottage Hill’s ground game total of 149 yards to key the win.
(Other top MA players in that game included Trent Dawson, Justin Harris, Stephen Jaye and Josh Lowery. Joe Nettles was head coach.)

Excel to get senior center: Excel senior citizens will soon have a place to call their own, thanks to a $200,000 grant from the state that will allow the town to build a new senior citizen activity center. State Rep. Greg Albritton and Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission Assistant Executive Director Frank Dobson presented the grant to the town during a meeting of the Town Council Monday night in Excel.

43 YEARS AGO
OCT. 11, 1979

Police chief, clerk hired: The Excel Town Council Monday hired a new police chief and a new town clerk. Dick Roynon was hired during the council’s regular meeting as the town’s only policeman, succeeding Billy Gene Harrison, and Pat Robinson was hired to succeed Carolyn Melton as clerk.
Roynon resigned as Frisco City police lieutenant to accept the Excel job. Mrs. Robinson, who had been working as clerk since mid-September, was officially hired at $250 per month for the half-time job.

Frisco crushes Lyeffion 37-0: Homecoming at Frisco City High School proved to be successful as the Whippets, playing in front of one of the largest home crowds of the year, crushed Lyeffion 37-0 in a big area win.
On offense, Jerome Dudley rushed 14 times for 73 yards, and Charles McGinnis had eight rushes for 44 yards. Defensively, Jeff Kilpatrick led the way with six tackles and four assists.
(Other top Frisco City players in that game included Thomas Agee, Bryan Baggett, Mike Blanton, Steve Calhoun, Bill King, Darrell Lambert, Curtis Lee and Timmy McKinley. Ronnie Propst was head coach.)

Frisco council appoints Mrs. Starr to vacant seat: Two months after the seat became vacant, Frisco City has a new Town Council member – a woman.
Mrs. Albert Starr was sworn in Monday night to fill Place 4 on the council, replacing Claude Wilkerson, who resigned Aug. 15 because of his health.
Mrs. Starr and her family have lived in Frisco City for 12 years. She drives a county school bus and her husband, Albert, drives a truck for Frisco Manufacturing Co.

68 YEARS AGO
OCT. 14, 1954

Monroe Is Included In State Drought Disaster Counties: Monroe is one of three more Alabama counties added Tuesday to those to receive federal aid as a drought disaster area.
News of the inclusion of Monroe County was received by The Journal Tuesday night via telephone from the Mobile office of Congressman Frank W. Boykin.
Congressman Boykin had just been advised by Department of Agriculture officials that Monroe, along with Clarke and Choctaw counties, was added to the list of 41 Alabama counties to receive aid.

Excel, Baker Tie Friday Tussle, 7-7: In a closely-played tussle on the Excel High gridiron last Friday night, the Excel Panthers battled to a 7-7 decision with a visiting Baker High eleven from Mobile.
Excel’s initial marker came in the early minutes of the second frame, following a sustained drive of around 60 yards. An end-around maneuver by end Gerald Stacey took the pigskin to the three from where quarterback Sonny Baas plunged to pay dirt on a sneak play. Right half Charles Lowery racked up the extra point on a “quickie play.”

Mitchell B. Jay, seaman, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Jay of Route 1, Box 123A, Frisco City, is scheduled to return here Oct. 11 aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Boxer, which is completing an eight-month cruise to the Far East. The Boxer was one of the Navy’s most active carriers during the Korean conflict. She completed four combat tours besides one record breaking run to the Far East with men and material.

93 YEARS AGO
OCT. 10, 1929

MCHS Tigers Win The First Game Of Season: The Monroe County High Tigers began the football season with a decisive victory over Castleberry last Friday afternoon, the score being 21-13. Castleberry put up a good fight, and it looked as if they might gain the advantage with their pass work, but the Tigers fought back and remembered the thorough training to which Coach Brown is subjecting them, and victory was theirs.

Leo Taylor of Mexia recently captured a large rattlesnake. It was about 4-1/2 feet long, five inches in diameter and had 19 rattles and a button.

M. Katz Dry Goods Store will be closed Mon., Oct. 14, on account of the Jewish holiday, but will be open for business Tuesday morning.

Mr. C.H. Mason, a prosperous farmer of Uriah, was a visitor to Monroeville the first of the week.

Miss Tiny Faulk has returned after a two-week visit to Jacksonville, Fla.

Messrs. House and Lambert of Uriah were confined to the infirmary here last week but have now returned to their homes.

The Mattress Factory is now located in the building formerly occupied by the Happy Feed Company.

Dr. Frye Gaillard of Perdue Hill; Dr. John Dailey of Tunnel Springs and Mr. B.S. Stallworth of Beatrice attended the meeting of the Board of Revenue Tuesday.

118 YEARS AGO
OCT. 12, 1904

R.E. Barnes, Esq., of Eliska is rendering efficient assistance to the clerk of the circuit court during this term.

Col. Nick Stallworth came over from Evergreen Monday on professional business. Col. Stallworth has but recently returned from several months sojourn at Las Vegas, New Mexico. His hosts of friends will be glad to learn that his health is greatly improved.

Dr. T.M. McMillan returned Sunday from St. Louis where he completed a special course in Electro-Theraputics. Dr. McMillan will shortly open an office equipped with up-to-date electrical appliance for the treatment of chronic disorders.

Dr. C.E. Bizzelle and Mr. Jno. W. Fore went to Camden Thursday to be present at the reorganization of the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons at that place.

Mr. G.B. Barnett returned home Thursday from a visit to Birmingham and other points, accompanied by his charming bride. Mr. Barnett was united in marriage with Miss Annie Lee Moore at Wetumpka on the morning of Oct. 5. A cordial welcome is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Barnett by all our people who wish for them a long, prosperous and happy wedded life.

Messrs. J.T. Hall and A.T. Adison, two of Excel’s industrious and prosperous farmers, favored The Journal with a call Monday and enrolled their names among our expanding band of readers. They report the bulk of the cotton crop picked in their neighborhood. Sugar cane and potatoes promise better yields than for the last two years.

Singleton describes deserted homesteads he encounters during travels around Monroe County

Abandoned homestead northeast of Peterman on AL Hwy 21

(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 “Viewing county scenes: Deserted homes spark emotion” was originally published in the Sept. 29, 1977 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As I have traveled the roads in our beautiful county, many places and scenes have caught my eye.

Of the many different places I’ve seen, the ones that stand out are the old, abandoned houses that sit quietly by the road as though waiting for the return of the families long since gone.

To stop and walk around these old homes and see the vacant rooms, to view the old fireplaces that have grown cold from the passing years, brings a certain feeling of sadness.

Pages of time

I have wondered if those homes would be empty now if the pages of time could be turned back. Back to the days when these homes range with laughter or maybe were stilled with heartache.

I have seen an old chair or a table that is wobbly on its legs because of time and weather and neglect, and wondered about the hours spent around it and the topics of conversation of that day in the past.

I have looked into an old fireplace and seen a small boy somewhere back in time on a cold winter’s night standing in front of a hot, roaring fire. I have remembered the same small boy standing there until his legs and backside could no longer stand the heat, making a mad dash for the cold bed waiting in the next room.

There may be a small kitchen sitting quietly a short distance from the house, with a small, once-covered walkway connecting the two. As I stand there, I can call to mind a tall, dark-haired, beautiful woman turning a coffee mil that was fastened to the wall.

Proud and beautiful

I know this woman. I remember that this is the way my grandmother looked. I remember that although stooped in years, she stood proud and beautiful despite her age.

I remember the food that to a young boy was out of this world.

I remember the mystery of why the kitchen was not joined to the house being explained to me by my grandfather. I remember being told that should the kitchen catch fire, it could be dragged away from the vicinity of the house with a team of oxen or mules (no one ever bothered to explain what would happen if the house itself caught fire).

I think the poet Longfellow felt as I do when he wrote the following phrase: “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, 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.)

Allene was once an important stop for rail passengers on the Manistee & Repton Railroad in Monroe County

In the long ago heyday of Monroe County’s railroads, Allene was once an important stop for rail passengers on the old Manistee & Repton Railroad. Today, Allene is all but forgotten, and there is almost no trace left of this once bustling railroad stop.

Allene can be found on local maps published between 1914 and 1929 and if you lay those maps over modern maps, you’ll see that this old railroad stop was located very near the south end of the present-day runway at the Monroe County Aeroplex at Ollie. About as close as you can get to this old railroad stop today, without going onto private property, is to travel the dirt portion of Adrian Avenue at Sugar Hill.

On Friday morning, I spent a few minutes on Adrian Avenue to see if I could see any remnants of the old Allene community. About the only thing that I really expected to find was maybe an earthen berm that would indicate where the old railbed once ran. At a bend on Adrian Avenue that gives you a view of the runway’s south end, there is nothing of note to see except a large planted field of about 30 acres.

One thing that made Allene an important rail stop was that it was where passengers took the “Excel Branch” of the Manistee & Repton Railroad to go to Excel. From Allene to Excel by train was a distance of about three miles. Sources indicate that the Excel Branch shut down in the late 1930s.

A close look at old maps of the railroad and timetables for local trains reveals that Allene was the rail stop between the depots at Conoly and Tekoa. Other stops along the line included Snider and Lufkin, which were between Allene and the terminus at Manistee. Manistee was once a bustling sawmill town of around 50 houses, but today it is nothing more than a ghost town.

One is left to wonder how Allene got its name. Allene was once a somewhat popular name for girls, and my guess is that the railroad stop was named after a woman associated with the railroad, perhaps the depot agent’s wife or daughter. The Town of Beatrice is a good example of this in that it was named after Beatrice Seymour, the granddaughter of the general superintendent of construction for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

The earliest reference to a woman named Allene that I could find in the archives of The Monroe Journal was in the Oct. 9, 1930 edition of the newspaper. In that week’s paper, Allene Bailey of Frisco City was listed among seven students from Monroe County who were enrolled in the State Teachers College at Troy. In the years that followed, innumerable other Allenes were mentioned in the pages of The Journal.

In the end, if anyone in the reading audience knows anything more about the old Allene community, please let me know. It would be especially interesting to know how the community got its name.

100-year-old news headlines from 1922 editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era in Camden, Alabama

Today marks the first Thursday 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 October 1922.

In the Oct. 5, 1922 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that the “Camden friends of Matthews Hardware Co. all turned out at their formal opening Tuesday. The store is a beauty and the town is justly proud of it. Misses Louise Matthews and Banks were seated at the door and presented each visitor with a card, which they were to sign and deposit in a sealed box. After the visitors viewed the up-to-date store, well stocked, Mr. Matthews had his daughter, Bessie, open the box and take out a card, the name on it being Miss Maida Smith, who was presented with an oil stove.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was reported that “Spencer Springer was called to Tuscaloosa Thursday to see his youngest brother who was badly hurt in his saw mill at Gordo. A log in some way rolled over him, causing paralysis in the lower part of the body.”

On the front page of the Oct. 12, 1922 edition, readers saw the following item reprinted out of The Mobile Register – “Albert Daniel Bloch, native of Alabama and prominent in fraternal circles, died Tuesday afternoon at the family residence, 725 Government St., following a short illness. Mr. Bloch was a native of Camden, Wilcox County, and was educated in the public schools of Camden. He moved to Selma in 1884 and engaged in the furniture business and in 1895 he moved his business to Mobile. He was in active management of his business until his illness about one week before his death.”

Readers that week also learned that “Mr. C.A. Skinner, Camden agent for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, says there has been shipped from this depot in September over 1,000 bales of cotton. There is now ready for shipment from this location 1,000 cars of lumber. Incoming freights are very good and passenger traffic is improving.”

In the Oct. 19, 1922 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that the “football team is feeling elated over their victory Friday. They played the team of Excel, Monroe County. The only touchdowns made were by two of the Camden team, Robert Riggs and Sam Jones. The score was 13-0.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Congressman John McDuffie addressed the citizens of Camden last Thursday night at the Court House in favor of the Port Amendment. He convinced many of the benefits to be gained by voting this amendment and that passing it would not increase the taxes.”

In the Oct. 26, 1922 edition of the paper, it was reported that “Miss Lou Cochran killed a large owl in her chicken house on Wednesday morning. The bird measured more than three feet from tip to tip of its wings.”

Also that week it was reported that “there will be a dedication service at the Carstarphen Memorial M.E. Church, South, at Coy, Alabama on next Sabbath, Oct. 29, to which the public is cordially invited and urged to attend. Rev. F.L. Aldridge of the Methodist Orphanage at Selma will deliver the sermon.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Thursday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of November 1922 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.