Century-old news highlights from October 1923 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 1923.

In the Oct. 4, 1923 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “relatives in Camden received a cablegram from Honolulu with the sad news of the sudden death of our former townsman, Mr. Will Alford, age 68, who passed away Thursday of last week. Mr. Alford left here several years ago with his wife and only child, Mrs. Norman Godbold, when Mr. Godbold was appointed as U.S. Assistant District Attorney at Honolulu.”

Also that week it was reported that “Miss Sallie Hall Neville has returned from Pensacola, and will again take over the management of the Neville Hotel. She will be assisted by Mrs. Madeline McDowell.”

In the Oct. 11, 1923 edition of The Progressive Era, under the headline “Camden High Defeats Demopolis 20 to 6,” it was reported that “Coach Melton’s High School warriors defeated Demopolis High on the local field last Friday, 20 to 6. The entire Camden team played a good game, the line holding at all times, the touchdown made by the Demopolians resulting from a pretty forward pass. The work of Sam Jones, Powe and Miller captured from a Camden standpoint, Powe going through the entire Demopolis team for 90 yards and touchdown, the other two touchdowns being credited to Sam Jones.”

Also that week, it was reported that “the ginners report for the month of September has been gotten out by Mr. Will Liddell, and he states that there were ginned in Wilcox County during September up to the 25^th day last year 5,275 bales of cotton, and this year up to the same date, 932 bales.”

In the Oct. 18, 1923 edition of the newspaper, it was reported that the “baseball fans of Camden wish to thank Dr. J. Paul Jones for keeping them posted on the recent world series games. Dr. Jones received the returns by radio and would phone the results downtown.”

It was also reported that week that the “high wind Tuesday made all the pecan growers get busy, for the ground was covered with fine nuts. Very fortunately the hogs have not been turned out for the winter, and the nuts can be picked up.”

In the Oct. 25, 1923 edition of the paper, under the headline “Death of Lumberman,” it was reported that Jackson C. Mills, a well-known lumberman of Camden, Wilcox County, died at a Selma hospital today after a short illness. He leaves a wife and six children. The body was shipped to Elrod, his former home, where the funeral will take place on Tuesday.”

Also that week, under the headline “New Pastor For Camden Baptist Church,” readers learned that the “Rev. L.A. Nall, formerly of Bay Minette, has accepted a call to the Camden Baptist Church, he comes highly recommended. He will preach every second and fourth Sundays. The Era extends him a hearty welcome.”

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 1923 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.

Singleton has unusual encounter with 'large turkey gobbler' in 1976

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 “Bradley’s Ridge: Turkey trouble on motor bike trail,” was originally published in the July 29, 1976 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

A few days back, I was riding my bike along a narrow trail near what is known as Bradley’s Ridge.

The air was cool, and everything was pleasant as I sped along through the morning sunlight, turning this way and that, following the faint trail that wound through the timber.

Just ahead, the trail turned sharply to the left, so I geared my bike down. As I turned deep left, there before me dusting himself in the morning sun was a large turkey gobbler. I was within a few feet of the large bird before he decided he had better move over for me to pass.

As I bore down on him with my bike, he flew straight toward me. I was as surprised as he was as he tried desperately to gain altitude so as not to collide with the white helmet I was wearing.

As he passed within inches of my head, I reached up with my left hand, not realizing what I was doing. Just as I raised my hand, I felt the old gobbler’s leg hit the palm of my hand. My reaction, at the spur of the moment, was to close my hand around the leg that was there. This was my biggest mistake of the day.

As I released the left handle bar of the motorcycle to reach for the turkey, I realized that I had done the wrong thing. My right hand was grasping the right handle bar, which was the throttle for the machine. The harder I pulled on the throttle with my right hand, the faster the bike went – round and round in a wide circle, tearing up bushes and what seemed to be several small trees.

Since the clutch for the machine is operated with the left hand, I was unable to disengage the clutch because my left hand was very much occupied with one of the meanest, fightenest wild turkeys it has ever been my misfortune to run into.

Faster and faster the trail bike went, with each circle getting wider and wider. Dirt and grass were flying from the spinning rear wheel as I tried desperately to keep my balance.

Quite a sight

I really must have been quite a sight, charging madly around through the bushes and tall grass with a very large wild turkey struggling and flapping just above my head while trying to maneuver a run-away trail bike between the stumps and larger bushes.

Never once did I think to just open my left hand and end my troubles. I suppose I must have thought I was holding the left handlebar, because the more I pulled, the wilder the large gobbler became.

Business was really picking up about now. My circle were covering almost half an acre as I continued to charge round and round. And I could see that something had to be done, and very soon. On my last circle, I missed a huge stump by mere inches, and I wasn’t sure that I would be that lucky the next time around.

Captive released

The severe blows from the huge turkey’s wings on my helmet brought me to realize what I had to do. I opened my left hand, releasing my captive, and in the same motion grabbed the handlebar and clutch, thus regaining my balance and bringing my wild, dirt-throwing mount to a standstill.

After wiping perspiration for several minutes and surveying the damage to my left arm and helmet, I mustered up enough strength to start my bike and head toward home.

As I looked back over the area that was almost swept clean of brush and grass, I vowed that if I ever came up on another turkey dusting himself in the trail, I would gladly pull aside and wait whatever time necessary for him to finish, regardless of how long it took.

(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 Oct. 3, 2023

USS Independence in 1971.

27 YEARS AGO
OCT. 3, 1996

Evergreen weather observer Harry Ellis reported 0.01 inches of rain on Sept. 26, 1.43 inches on Sept. 27 and 0.90 on Sept. 28. He reported highs of 86 degrees on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 and lows of 56 on Sept. 23, Sept. 28 and Sept. 29.

Brooklyn Baptist Church will celebrate their 175^th anniversary on Sun., Oct. 13, 1996. Services will begin at 10:30 a.m. with lunch following. Rev. Bryan Abel, former pastor, will bring the morning message. Dr. Henry Lyons will present a certificate to the church on behalf of the Alabama Baptist State Convention and Mrs. Frances Hamilton will present a certificate on behalf of the Alabama Baptist Historical Society. Rev. and Mrs. Tommy White, Director of Missions, Conecuh County Association, will lead the music. Rev. E. Harold Steele Jr. is the pastor.

The 16^th Annual Conecuh Heritage Day, sponsored by the Conecuh Heritage Day Committee and the Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce, will be held Sat., Oct. 19, in downtown Evergreen from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Opening ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m. The winners of the 1996 Miss Heritage Pageant will be presented at this time.

Lynn Taylor has been named as the acting Chief of Police for the City of Evergreen. Taylor served as acting chief once before. He will have been with the Evergreen Police Department for 20 years this coming November.

52 YEARS AGO
OCT. 7, 1971

Brooklyn Baptist Sesquicentennial program on Sunday: The 150-year-old Brooklyn Baptist Church will have its Sesquicentennial Celebration on Sun., Oct. 10. The day’s services will begin at 10:30 a.m. The morning message will be brought by Rev. Gene Wilson, a former pastor of the church, who is now pastor of the First Baptist Church of Brantley.
A highlight of the service will be a brief history of the church presented by Mrs. Hattie A. Lindsey. Dinner will be served at the noon hour.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Leon C. Edwards, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin F. Edwards of Rt. 2, Castleberry, is aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Independence, which is in the Eastern Atlantic participating in the NATO Strike Fleet Exercise Royal Knight.
The seven-day exercise, which started Mon., Sept. 27, includes 35 warships and 200 aircraft under the flags of Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands and the United States.

City executes Cable TV pact: The Evergreen City Council authorized Mayor Henry Sessions to execute a franchise with Calvin Sutliff of Brewton for Cable TV. Under terms of the agreement, construction of the system is to begin within nine months.

Hugh Brown, Owassa, President of the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives, congratulates William Aday of Hillsboro, Ala. on his being elected to serve on the 40-member board of the association.

77 YEARS AGO
OCT. 3, 1946

COTTON REPORT: There were 1,480 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Conecuh County, from the crop of 1946 prior to Sept. 16, 1946 as compared with 2,478 bales ginned to Sept. 16, 1945.

Funeral services for Corry W. Cowart, age 48, who was accidentally killed near Evergreen city limits on Lyeffion Road early Thursday morning where the state truck that he was riding in overturned were held Friday at 2:30 at Castleberry Baptist Church with Rev. Monk of Brewton, officiating and Cope Funeral Home directing. Interment following in Buffington Cemetery.

Change of Managers At Pix Theatre: Announcement was made this week by Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga., of the resignation of Roy Riley as manager of the Pix Theatre, effective Tues., Oct. 1. Simultaneously it was announced that he would be succeeded by Bob Sims, who has been an employee of Martin Theatres for nine years, most of which time has been with the local theatre.

There will be a special meeting of the Helen Keller Club at the Pix Theatre Tues., Oct. 8, at 2:20, where Caesar and Cleopatra will be shown. A short business session will be held immediately after the show.

The regular meeting of the O.E.S. will be Mon., Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. (Please notice change of time.) Initiation, members night and social.

102 YEARS AGO
OCT. 5, 1921

Attention Confederate Veterans: The 31^st annual reunion will be held in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Oct. 24, 25, 26 and 27. A most attractive program consisting of music, oratory, parades, receptions, banquets, boat rides on the Tennessee River, old fashion barbecues. Nothing will be omitted to make the occasion enjoyable to veterans and the visitors. The railroad has given a rate of one cent per mile. Tickets will be on sale at Evergreen in time to reach Chattanooga the first day.

William Grace died Sept. 26, age 89 years. He was the father of 28 children, 16 boys, 12 girls and 196 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was born near Midway at his master’s home, Sam Grace.

Armistice Day Celebration: For the first time all Conecuh County will celebrate the closing of the World War when a big, public barbecue will be held at Evergreen on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, of this year. Everybody in the county is invited, and expected to attend this celebration and a large committee of prominent citizens is busy perfecting plans to make the day a joyous event for all who come.
There will be some of the best speakers of the state present and talks particularly of interest to the farmers will be made. There will also be a big brass band for the occasion and many other attractions.
More about this barbecue will be told you in these columns from week to week between now and Nov. 11, but make your plans now to spend that day in Evergreen and you will never regret it.

127 YEARS AGO
OCT. 2, 1896

Man Found Dead: At an early hour Monday morning an unknown man, apparently about 25 to 30 years of age, was found dead near the north switch with a number of cuts and bruises on his person. It was supposed he undertook to board a freight train and fell. He had a number of bundles of merchandise, but nothing could be found on his person to lead to his identity.
The man had evidently been out foraging as it was discovered on Monday morning after opening up that the store of Mr. J.H. Thompson had been broken into and several articles missing and the goods found with the man were identified as the goods of Mr. Thompson. He was trying to board the train to get away when he was killed.

There will be an ice cream supper at Rural Hill Academy on Friday night, Oct. 9, for the benefit of Arkadelphia Baptist church. There will also be an entertainment. Everybody cordially invited to attend.

The enrollment at the Southwest Alabama Agricultural School has run up to 264 and increasing every day. Taking into consideration the large number of pupils now actually in attendance, the interest already manifested in their work, the unusually large number of pupils from a distance and their almost uniform good deportment, this is the most promising session we have yet had. The four literary societies have been fully organized, and the Jefferson Davis and Athenean have held one meeting each.

Mr. John L. Betts, a popular young man of Burnt Corn, was in town Thursday. He was accompanied by the charming Miss Ida Patrick, who was en route to Atmore, where she will take charge of a school.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for Oct. 2, 2023

Hank Williams

26 YEARS AGO
OCT. 2, 1997

Clements, Walker join Journal staff: This week The Monroe Journal welcomes a former staff member in a new role and a new member to its news staff.
Michael Clements, former Journal reporter, is returning as managing editor. Clements is returning to Monroe County after 10 months as a county reporter for The Panama City (Fla.) News Herald.
Greg Walker starts work this week as The Journal’s newest staff writer. Walker comes to Monroe County from Demopolis, where he began his newspaper career while still a student at Demopolis High School.

Excel’s Panthers pound Marengo: In the scheduled heavyweight battle at Panther Stadium in Excel Friday, it quickly became a one-round affair as Excel High School made short work of Marengo High School, winning, 43-14.
Trevor Ledkins paced Excel’s running backs, collecting 139 yards on 28 rushes. Ledkins and Alvin Brown led the Excel defense from their linebacker positions. Both seniors had 12 tackles each.
(Other top Excel players in that game included Shannon Brooks, Alvin Brown, Chris Champion, Torey Houston, Jason McLelland, Jonathan McMillian, Tyrone Preyear, Joe Simmons and Kervin Thomas. Al Bowen was Excel’s head coach.)

Lee named hospital’s Employee of the Year: Angela Lee, supervisor for the Nutrition Services Department at Monroe County Hospital, was recently named Employee of the Year for the Circle of Excellence program at a reception in her honor at the hospital. She received the MCH logo etched pyramid award, a check for $100, a lapel pin and a reserved parking space for one year.

51 YEARS AGO
OCT. 5, 1972

New city officials take over duties: Newly elected officials in the five incorporated municipalities of the county took over their duties officially Monday. They will serve for four years.
The new officials include the following:
Monroeville: Dr. W.H. “Jack” Hines, mayor; B.C. Hornady, Johnny Johnson, Robbins Williams, Johnny Snyder and Kenneth Fairly, councilmen.
Frisco City: Jeffie Jones, mayor; W.P. Albritton, James E. Wilson, James McKinley, Gilbert Norris and Miss Susan B. Phillips, councilmen.
Excel: Coy Stacey, mayor; Fred Kinsey, Quinton Mixon, Lemuel Hancock, George Melton and Robert Lee, councilmen.
Beatrice: Tommy Black, mayor; Francis Stallworth, Conrad Wall, Billy Martin, R.C. Philen and James Black, councilmen.
Vredenburgh: Lee Thomas, mayor; Frank Stewart, C.O. Letcher, Grady Dunn, Clarence Duckworth and Rufus Dees.

Whippets upset Blacksher: The J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs saw their four-game winning streak and state rating go down the drain last Friday night, Sept. 29, as the Frisco City Whippets traveled to Uriah with upset on their minds. The Whippets scored six points in the first half and added 20 in the final half to down the Bulldogs, 26-0.
(Top FCHS players in that game included Tommy Bailey, Ronnie Browning, Elbert Coleman, Jerry Kilpatrick, Al Lambert, Eddie Martin, Dale Stacey and Ronald Watts. Top Blacksher players in that game included Sylvester Cox and Mitchell Norris. Wilfred Hultz was Frisco’s head coach.)

76 YEARS AGO
OCT. 2, 1947

Frisco Theatre – Frisco City – Thurs., Oct. 2 – On Our Stage HANK WILLIAMS and His Radio Gang – One hour of music and fun. Hank Williams has written several songs which are on Radio and Records, among them being “Move It Over” which was fourth on Hill Billy Hit Parade.

The Monroeville football team showed its superiority over W.S. Neal of East Brewton last Friday night to emerge victorious to the tune of 18 to 0. The game was played under the new lights and the new grandstand was in use. But even with the new seats available, a standing crowd was present to see their favorites score three touchdowns on passes.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Wiggins announce the birth of a daughter, Wanda Dianne, on Thurs., Sept. 25, at Carter’s Hospital in Repton.

Two Local Concerns Burglarized Wednesday: Thieves broke into the local Jitney-Jungle Store and the Monroeville Bus Station Wednesday night, obtaining between $70 and $80 in cash from the two concerns.
E.S. Gardner, proprietor of the Jitney-Jungle, said a preliminary checkup indicated only $6 or $7 was missing from his cash register, while representatives of the bus concern reported the burglars obtained about $70 cash from their station. No merchandise was discovered missing at either place.
Entrance to the Jitney-Jungle was gained by breaking the front window glass, while the bus station was entered through a side window.

101 YEARS AGO
OCT. 5, 1922

Mr. A.C. Lee’s dwelling is being remodeled and enlarged.

Miss Ferrol Mae Baggett has charge of the music class of the Excel High School for this session.

M. Katz store was closed throughout the day Monday in observance of Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement.

Mr. J.S. Burns and family are comfortably domiciled in their handsome new home in Monvil Park residence section.

Mr. R.B. Brown of Lower Peachtree was a business visitor to Monroeville Saturday. Mr. Brown is a veteran steamboat pilot who guided watercraft on the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers for many years.

Mr. R.G. Scott of Eliska was a business visitor to the county capital Tuesday. Mr. Scott is an old newspaper man, having served his apprenticeship in the “art preservative” in the office of The Wilcox Vindicator, published by his father at Camden in the stormy days of Reconstruction.

Among the noteworthy improvements in prospect for Monroeville in the near future is an electric lighting plant of sufficient capacity to supply lights for the entire town and power for numerous industrial enterprises. It is understood that negotiations are practically complete for the installation of the plant at an early date.

The Monroe County Teachers Institute was held in the auditorium of the Monroe County High School on Monday with approximately 115 teachers in attendance. An interesting program was carried out and the session proved a profitable occasion.

139 YEARS AGO
OCT. 2, 1884

A dastardly attempt was made last Friday night to assassinate Mr. Warren Broughton, foreman of The Journal composing room. Mr. Broughton was returning home from a young lady’s house, whom he had accompanied from church, when two shots were fired at him and so close to his face as to almost blind him with the smoke of the explosion. He happened to have his kerchief out at the time, wiping the perspiration from his face, it being a warm evening, when the first shot was fired, and it was so close and so unexpected, he threw up his hands and hollered, when the second shot was fired, the ball penetrating and burning the kerchief he held in his hand. The man that could be so fiendish and hell-born as to waylay and attempt the life of a human being in such a manner ought to meet with a severer fate that is provided for by law. We never dreamed that this community contained a man so mean and infamous. Suspicions rest upon certain parties but no arrests have yet been made.

Prof. G.L. Graham of Lowndes County has come to Monroeville, we are pleased to state, to locate. He has been made principal of the Monroeville Academy and opened Tuesday with a good number of pupils. Prof. G. comes to our community highly recommended as a gentleman and a scholar, and we hope to see the Monroeville Academy flourish under his charge.

Miss Bessie O. Willison of Mobile, who has been the guest of C.L. Scott for several weeks, returned to Claiborne Saturday, where she will be the guest of Mrs. M.G. Strode, Mrs. Judge Gibbons and other friends, before returning to her home in the Gulf City.

Nadawah scene of horrible train accident in September 1923

I look through old newspapers all the time, and one thing that often strikes me is how much safer things seem to be nowadays. That’s not to say that we still don’t have accidents from time to time, but they were frequent occurrences in the old days when safety standards were basically non-existent.

By way of example, I was reading the Sept. 27, 1923 edition of The Monroe Journal the other day and on the front page of that century-old newspaper, I saw the headline, “Train Wreck Is Fatal To Engineer Parnell: Burned When Pinned Beneath Engine, Dies In Selma.” Aside from the gruesome details of this story, it also contains much of interest to local history enthusiasts.

According to the story, 28-year-old B.H. Parnell was pinned under his overturned train engine for four hours when his train was wrecked at the junction of the Nadawah logging track and the Louisville & Nashville track. Parnell was finally extricated from beneath the “heavily laden” logging train “by being cut out with axes.” Parnell was pinned horribly with his legs about the boiler of the “superheated engine and was terribly burned.” His lower right leg was also completely crushed from knee to ankle.

The accident happened on a Friday – probably Sept. 21 – and Parnell was taken to a Selma hospital that night around 9 p.m. He died from his wounds the following day at 11 a.m. His wife was at his side when he passed away, and he left behind two small children, both under the age of five.

The story noted that Parnell had moved from Andalusia to Nadawah about four years before the accident. The story indicated that he was buried at Nadawah on Sun., Sept. 23, but I could find no record of his burial site among local burial records.

Many modern readers may be unfamiliar with the old Nadawah community, which faded from prominence with the decline of small sawmills and logging railroads. Most maps show that “downtown” Nadawah was located northeast of Beatrice, less than a mile from the Monroe-Wilcox County line. Through the woods, Nadawah is also close to Chestnut and McWilliams.

According to “Place Names in Alabama” by Virginia O. Foscue, Nadawah was founded as a sawmill town and was named for the Nadawah Lumber Co. According to “Alabama Logging Railroads” by W. George Cook, the Nadawah Lumber Co. operated 15 miles of standard-gauge railway from 1912 to 1928. It was at the junction of this railway and the larger L&N Railroad that Parnell’s fatal accident occurred.

I have to admit that, as best that I can remember, I have never been through Nadawah before. Modern maps show that Nadawah Road runs from State Highway 21 North and on up into Wilcox County. This road will take you over Flat Creek as well as the old railbed that ran between McWilliams and Corduroy. Maybe one day soon, I will take a field trip up there to see the place for myself.

Olympic sprinter from Wilcox County passes away in Forsyth, Ga.

Thornton, third from right, competes in 1948.

I was sad to learn on Friday that former Olympic sprinter Mabel Walker Thornton had passed away on Sept. 10 in Forsyth, Georgia. A graveside service for Thornton was held last Thursday at the Walker Estate in Camden.

Thornton is arguably the greatest female athlete that Wilcox County has ever produced. Born Mabel Elizabeth Walker on Dec. 11, 1928, she grew up in Camden and attended Camden Academy, where she was a standout member of the track team. At some point, her coach at Camden Academy, Nora Francis Smith, took the team to a meet at Tuskegee Institute. Thanks in large part to the speedy Thornton, Camden Academy won the meet, and Thornton grabbed the attention of college coaches.

After high school, Thornton went on to run for Tuskegee Institute, and she was later invited to Olympic qualifier Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meets in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During those meets, Thornton finished third in the Women’s 50-meter race in 1947 and captured top honors in the 50-meter race in 1948, the same year that she finished third in the AAU Indoor Championships. During AAU competition, Thornton earned a reputation as one of the nation’s top runners, especially in short distance races.

Her AAU success took her to the Olympic Trials in Providence, Rhode Island, where she made the 1948 U.S. Olympic team after finishing first in the Women’s 100-meter race. The 1948 Olympics were held in London, England and, due to World War II, these games were the first Olympics since the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

At the 1948 Olympics, the 18-year-old Thornton ran in the 100-meter race and in the first leg of the 4x100-meter relay race at Wembley Stadium in London, becoming the first black woman from Alabama to ever compete in the Olympics. During the Olympics, Thornton ran her fastest ever 100-meter race, finishing the event in a blistering 12.3 seconds.

After the Olympics, Thornton returned to Tuskegee Institute, where she continued to compete on the track team. Her grandparents lived in Mobile and she later moved to the Port City after college. She got married in 1950, taking the last name Thornton, and later had two children.

Thornton managed Widemire’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe on Old Shell Road in Mobile during the 1970s and 1980s. Years later, in 2010, Thornton was inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame along with Major League Baseball player Randy McGilberry, former college and professional football coach Phil Savage Jr. and William Earle Smith, who starred in football, baseball and golf at the U.S. Naval Academy.

In the end, condolences go out to Thornton’s family. If anyone in the reading audience has any additional information about Thornton’s athletic career and ties to Wilcox County, please let me hear from you. There is no better time than right now to document this outstanding woman’s many achievements so that they will be remembered for years to come.

Singleton writes of man's small place in the universe, the environment

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 “No control: Man small minority in universe,” was originally published in the July 15, 1976 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As we celebrated the 200^th birthday of our country last week, few of us realized just how important it was – and will be in the days ahead.

July 4 reminded us that we have survived 200 years of trying times, struggling from a few miserable colonies to the world’s greatest and wealthiest nation.

Throughout our nation, we re-enacted the highlights of past accomplishments. We celebrated to the fullest each event that history has recorded, and we looked back across the stained pages saying to ourselves that we have come a long way.

True, we have gained great fame and have accomplished many things. But what about the years ahead?

What about the problems that face our nation today? Will we look the other way as we have in the past on many of the important issues, or will we face the problems head-on and strive with all the ability that we can muster to correct the damage that must be corrected if we are to survive?

Man must realize that he must live in harmony with nature if he wishes to continue to stay on this planet. He cannot destroy all that he has, and not replace some of the essentials that we must have to continue life.

Man forgets that he is nothing more than a small minority when he’s measured against the universe. Even with great knowledge and ability to build and create, there are some things he has no control over whatsoever.

Clean up mess

So unless he starts immediately to clean up the mess that he has made of the waters of our land, the air that we breathe, in the pollution of Mother Earth, only echoes that ride the winds of oblivion will bear traces that he has ever come this way.

How pathetic it will be when the beauty of our environment has all gone and the fresh air and clean water cease to be. The folks who survive will scatter here and there, digging and trying to hide from the wrath of a dying universe that had promised so much.

(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.)