The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for July 15, 2024

A.C. Lee

19 YEARS AGO
JULY 21, 2005

Jail nears completion: Work on the new Monroe County Jail on Winston Street in Monroeville is coming to an end with a projected opening date set for mid-August.
Monroe County Chief Deputy Randal Jernigan said yesterday (Wednesday) that the project superintendent said it would probably be around mid-August before the construction is completed.
The county’s $8.2-million jail will replace the present jail that was constructed around 1950.

Excel senior named all-star: Josh House, a rising senior at Excel School, was one of just 50 Alabama high school baseball players to be selected for a statewide all-star team during the Underclassmen Showcase held June 30 through July 2 at Troy University in Troy. The Underclassmen Showcase, sponsored by the Alabama High School Coaches Association, featured the top 150 high school baseball prospects from across the state. Players for the showcase were selected during six regional tryouts held throughout the state.

Cave is new head of ICU: Registered Nurse Kathy Cave has been named clinical coordinator for Monroe County Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, according to hospital CEO Chris Johns.
Cave is a 1980 graduate of Frisco City High School and a 1981 LPN graduate of Ed Reid Technical College. It was also in 1981 that she began her nursing career at Monroe County Hospital.
Cave continued her education and received her RN degree from Alabama Southern Community College in 2003.

44 YEARS AGO
JULY 17, 1980

Carters note 105^th birthday: A Monroeville woman celebrating her 105^th birthday has received congratulations from President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter.
Masialonia Randall, formerly of Belleville, was born in Buena Vista and taught school in Belleville. She now lives in Monroeville.

Dixie Youth all-stars: Members of the Monroeville Dixie Youth League’s all-star team, which will compete July 25 in the district tournament here, are Joel Nettles, Wayne Cahall, Allen Tippy, Tim Waters, J.P. Sawyer, Keith Greene, Jim Campbell, Lee Ackerman, Chris Smith, Patrick Brown, Jeff Murphy, Jody Brannon, Troy Wilson, Shaine Powell, Andy Booker and Matthew Ackerman. Frank Peavey is the all-stars’ manager. Coaches are Leroy Ackerman, Ronnie Trotter and Dick Sawyer.

Bucket burns: Monroeville volunteer firemen battled a blaze at Bill’s Bait Bucket on Highway 84 Monday morning for about two hours. Fire Chief Wilbert Pickens said he had no idea how much damage was caused or how the fire began, but it could have been an electrical fire started near the switchbox. Pickens said the department took two pumpers and 11 men to the fire, which was fully involved when they arrived about 6:30 a.m.

Receives medal: John J. Kearley, a native of Monroeville recently received a Navy Commendation Medal based on leadership, managerial ability and resourcefulness. The 33-year-old lieutenant is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Kearley of Monroeville. He and his wife, June, have two daughters, Emily and Leslie. Kearley is stationed in Norfolk, Va.

69 YEARS AGO
JULY 21, 1955

Lambert Elected Post Commander: Oscar C. Lambert was named post commander at a meeting of the Monroe County Post 61 of the American Legion Wednesday evening.
Other officers elected were John L. Wiggins, first vice-commander; Jack Smith, second vice-commander; Alfred M. Thompson, adjutant; Lucian Jones, historian; T. Glenn Stacey, post chaplain; and Buck Marshall, sergeant at arms. Officers will be installed at a session in August.

Monroeville Scouts Receive Eagle Badges At Court Of Honor: Dave Katz and Bill Owens were awarded the Eagle Scout badges at a Court of Honor conducted in the Presbyterian Church Sunday evening.
Albert Nettles served as moderator at the court of honor, and A.B. Blass Sr. presented the badges to the Scouts. The awards were pinned by mothers of the honored Scouts.

Observer Training Starts Thursday: Vernon Burns, Post Superintendent of the Monroeville Ground Observation Post, issued a reminder this week that the first training meeting will be held Thursday evening, July 21.
Army representatives from Mobile will be present and will show a film on the Civil Defense program.
More volunteers were being sought for the Monroeville unit, Mr. Burns stated. The post was organized for the purpose of “spotting” and reporting aircraft to the U.S. Air Force.

Mr. and Mrs. Seabon Faulk and sons, Seabon Jr., Joseph, Arthur and John Raymond, of Long Island, N.Y. are guests this week of Miss Jennie Faulk, Mrs. Lucille Ingram and Mr. and Mrs. Jennings Carter in Monroeville.

94 YEARS AGO
JULY 17, 1930

Judge F.W. Hare spent last week in Mobile.

Mrs. Dovie Watson has been called to Camden to nurse her sister, Mrs. L.P. Stuart. She expects to be gone about two weeks.

David Katz has returned after spending a month at Fort Barrancas.

Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Hall, Mrs. Lucian Jones and George Thomas Jones have returned after spending a few days on the coast.

Mr. L.B. Green left the first of the week for the Epworth League Assembly in Montgomery. Mr. Green will teach one of the classes there.

Miss Kitty Williams spent last week in Finchburg.

Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Fleming and Nancy spent the weekend on the coast.

Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Fleming and Miss Nancy Fleming motored to Mobile last week to attend the wedding of Mrs. Fleming’s sister. Mrs. Fleming served as matron of honor.

Miss Mabel Claire Sheffield of Pine Hill is the guest of her sister, Mrs. George Lee Nettles.

Miss Kathleen Watson has returned after a visit to friends and relatives in Beatrice.

Miss Cornelia Morrissette is visiting her sister, Mrs. T.M. McMillan at Thomasville, Ga.

119 YEARS AGO
JULY 20, 1905

To The Public: The Steamer Ouachita is now being thoroughly repaired from keel to roof and will resume her place in Alabama trade when finished. The Ouachita only stopped running to repair. She is still the only independent packet on the Alabama River. – Alabama Packet Co., Pr. P.R. Tunstall, V.P.

Dr. G.H. Harper and Mr. A.C. Lee were up from Manistee last week attending the Masonic lodge.

Tax Assessor J.D. Rawls will begin work on his new dwelling in the southern part of town in a few days.

J.W. Urquhart is having material placed on the ground for the erection of a new dwelling on the lot just south of Mr. J.I. Watson’s place.

STRAYED FROM MY PLACE AT Claiborne, Ala. on Wed., July 12, one long legged slim black mare, about seven years old, indistinct brand on left hind leg about middle of thigh. All feet black. Will be thankful for any information as to whereabouts and will also pay liberal reward for return of same to me. – KING COLE, Claiborne, Ala.

New Hack Line: I am now operating a hack line from Monroeville to Monroe Station, meeting all trains daily. A liberal share of public patronage respectfully solicited. – W.B. Jones.

Open Cotton: The first open bolls of cotton reported this season were left at The Journal office on Monday by Messrs. E. Talbert and Russell Broughton of Monroeville, and J.M. Dees of Peterman. The bolls were pulled in each instance on Saturday, the 15^th inst. This is several days earlier than the first reported last season and indicates that conditions have been more favorable for growth and maturity than last year.

Monroeville police investigated panther reports in June 1982

I was looking through some old newspapers the other day and ran across an unusual story that appeared on the front page of the July 1, 1982 edition of The Monroe Journal. The headline read, “Officers hunt panther in Pineville Road area,” and the article was written by Peggy Hoomes, who many of us now know as Peggy Jaye.

According to that story, Monroeville police and state conservation officers were investigating reports that a panther had been seen on Pineville Road, near the north end of the Highway 21 Bypass. Those familiar with Monroeville will know that Pineville Road runs from the downtown square, past the library, north towards Beatrice (which used to be called Pineville). The Highway 21 Bypass intersects Pineville Road about seven-tenths of a mile from the downtown square.

In the article, Monroeville Police Chief Charles Colbert said that W.H. Harris, who lived on Pineville Road, contacted the police on Mon., June 28, to report that he’d found the remains of several dogs over the previous few weeks in his yard. Harris had also found scratches and places where bark had been bitten off nearby trees.

Harris told The Journal on Wed., June 30, that he first thought the animal was a bear, so he and his neighbor, Scott Dees, had placed bait in a tree in hopes of catching the creature. They sat up late on the night of June 28, but they were unable to catch the animal.

On Tues., June 29, State Conservation Officers Bill Boone and Alan Andress arrived on the scene to investigate. They told Harris that the animal seemed to be a cougar or panther. Later that afternoon, several witnesses in the area reported seeing a panther, describing it as a large black cat, weighing 40 to 50 pounds.

Police were called out to investigate and as of the morning of June 30, the animal was still being hunted. Officers also continued to patrol the area, particularly at night, Colbert said. Colbert noted that there had been no reports of the panther bothering humans, but he advised persons in the area to be cautious.

Stories of this type from our neck of the woods are not unheard of. The oldest panther story that I’ve been able to find in old Monroe Journals was in the June 16, 1879 edition. Published under the headline, “Panther Story,” that article said that Mr. Jno. Randalson was hunting on Limestone Creek on June 13 when he suddenly encountered a “strange looking wild animal which he supposed to be a panther.”

Randalson and his dog gave chase and eventually treed the large cat. “When almost immediately under a large tree near his dog, he heard a terrible and startling noise above him, and looking in the direction from which it came, he saw the animal jumping from the tree to the ground in the opposite direction from him, and it disappeared into the swamp. This is supposed to be a panther, or wild animal of some other kind, which was seen and heard near Claiborne some time ago.”

While I have never personally seen or heard a panther, over the years I’ve talked with many people who have. State officials nowadays generally deny that there are any large cats in the state, but many trustworthy people say that they have seen them. In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience who has a “Panther Story” they would like to share.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for July 1, 2024

34 YEARS AGO
JULY 5, 1990

Alabama River Newsprint mill is cranking up: Alabama River Newsprint Co. is expected to start producing paper this week. Next week, The Monroe Journal will print a special edition on some of that first paper.
ARN’s 150 employees have been working 12-hour days almost seven days a week for the last four to six week, Charles “Russ” Sirmon, ARN’s employee-relations manager, said.

South Monroe all-stars: South Monroe’s Babe Ruth all-star team for 14- and 15-year-olds will begin play in the District 1 tournament Tuesday in Bay Minette. Members of the 1990 team are Wontwyn Montgomery, Shane Qualls, Jackie Ray Brown, Patrick Redditt, John Jay, Jason Sanders, Eric Williams, Gene Ryals, Tony Gibbs, Rusty Lilley, David Jones, Marcus Kemp, Bart McCrory, Brian Johnson, Adrian Bullard, Derrick Crayton, LaDerek Odom and coaches Paul Akins, George Gibbs and Mike Qualls.

Hollingsworth takes over: Sam B. Hollingsworth was sworn in as Monroe County’s Superintendent of Education at 10 a.m. Monday and immediately went to work with school board members.
Hollingsworth was principal of Monroe County High School until a year ago, when he was selected to replace Bobby Grissette on his retirement as superintendent June 30. Hollingsworth served as Grissette’s assistant during the past year.
About 40 people lined the commissioner’s room and hallway to watch as Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs administered the oath of office in the Monroe County Courthouse Monday at a special meeting of the Board of Education.

59 YEARS AGO
JULY 1, 1965

Chipper Hare Tours Spain; Studies Spanish At Santander: Nicholas S. “Chipper” Hare Jr. will study at the Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo. Santander is the famous summer academic and cultural center on the Costa Verde. Mr. Hare is the son of N.S. Hare Sr., Monroeville and Mobile, and the grandson of Mrs. F.W. Hare.

William Finkley Goes To Germany: Army Specialist Four William C. Finkley Jr., whose wife, Ann, lives in Franklin, was assigned to the 3^rd Infantry Division in Germany, June 19. Specialist Finkley, whose parents live in Monroeville, entered the Army in January 1964, received basic training at Fort Polk, La. and was last stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. Finkley attended Monroe County High School before entering the Army.

Frisco City Masons Name Officers: New officers of the Frisco City Masonic Lodge were elected at a meeting recently.
Names to serve for the coming year are: M.F. Carpenter, worshipful master; John Youngblood, senior warden; W. Brooks, junior warden; C.P. Wilkerson, treasurer; Elliott Hendrix, secretary; C. Barnes, senior deacon; Sam Brooks, junior deacon; Bill Cobb, tyler; G. Barnes, chaplain; W.C. Majors, senior steward; Buddy Matchett, junior steward; Charles Ikner, marshal; John Sigler and W.C. Majors, auditing committee; M. Carpenter and Clayton Barnes, refreshment committee.
The members also voted to change the meeting date to the third Saturday of each month.

84 YEARS AGO
JULY 4, 1940

V.J. Elmore Store To Open Here Soon: Preparations are being made this week for the opening of the V.J. Elmore 5-cent, 10-cent and $1 Store in Monroeville. Several carpenters are employed in the assembling of counters and cases and as soon as this work is completed, arrangement of the stock will begin. Mr. C.J. Boothe, formerly of Atmore, is manager of the Monroeville store.

While at work in the swamps northwest of Fountain Wednesday of last week, Mr. T.A. Rumbley killed a rattlesnake with 17 rattles and the usual button. Mr. Rumbley states that rattlers are numerous this year.

Miss Alice Lee of Birmingham is spending her vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee.

New School Trustees Are Appointed: At the last meeting of the Monroe County Board of Education, the following trustees were appointed: Weatherford, J.M. Williams; Perdue Hill, A.A. Jernigan; Eliska, J.R. Cole; and Mexia, Carvin Snider and Gillaird Jaye.

Mrs. H.R. Orchard has returned from New York, where she spent three weeks with her daughter and seeing the sights of the World’s Fair.

Messrs. Bowan, Spears and Scarborough were painfully injured Saturday when a pick-up truck in which they were riding overturned near Limestone Bridge on the Peterman-Monroeville highway. The cause of the wreck is unknown.

109 YEARS AGO
JULY 1, 1915

Monroe County Masonic Conference: The Monroe County Masonic Conference will be held with Blacksher Lodge No. 593 on July 19, 1915 at 10 a.m. Let every lodge in the county be represented. The above date was fixed by Grand Master Miller. – W.S. Nash, Secretary.

Local physicians report numerous cases of typhoid fever in the vicinity of Monroeville. No cases have developed within the corporate limits but many of our citizens are taking the inoculation treatment as a preventive.

The new Methodist church at Burnt Corn will be formally dedicated on the second Sunday in July. Bishop McCoy will deliver the dedicatory sermon and officiate in the ceremonies. A cordial invitation is extended to every one to attend this service.

LOST – In the grove in front of Judge McCorvey’s residence, a gold ring set with two opals, surrounded by chipped diamonds. Finder will be suitably rewarded by leaving same at The Journal office.

JEDDO: The many friends of Mr. J.C. Kyle were indeed sorry to learn that while at a ball game here last Saturday afternoon, he had the misfortune to be hit on the side of the face by a pitched ball, resulting in a fractured jawbone. He was hurriedly conveyed to Uriah where Dr. G.H. Harper deftly bound up the fracture.

Prof. E.B. Kay of Tuscaloosa was a visitor to Monroeville this week. Prof. Kay is a well known civil engineer who has been connected with some of the largest water power enterprises in the state. While here, he took occasion to inspect some of the fine streams in the vicinity of Monroeville.

135 YEARS AGO
JULY 5, 1889

Mrs. M.C. McLean, Monroeville’s new postmistress, entered upon the discharge of her official duties last Monday, July 1. Her first week’s administration has proven her to be a model postmistress. Mr. Seymour retires with the best wishes of our people, whom he has served faithfully in that capacity for nearly seven years, for his success in whatever business he may in the future engage.

Caterpillars have made their appearance in some portions of the county. Messrs. McCreary & Co. at Turnbull sent us a genuine specimen last week with the timely suggestion that the judicious use of a little Paris Green by the farmers would not be amiss.

Miss Joe Tucker opened a school near town last Monday with several pupils in attendance.

Mr. Hiram Smith died at his home a few miles west of Monroeville last Saturday, June 29, after a protracted and painful illness. He was about 70 years old.

BEUNA VISTA: Mr. J.J. Finklea, our enterprising merchant, is building a new store house, which will add greatly to his already attractive business location.

BURNT CORN: Capt. W.B. Amos and his charming daughter, Miss Mollie, who are temporarily residing in our town, attended the commencement exercises of the Buena Vista Academy and returned last Friday. They report a most enjoyable occasion.

‘Capt. Smith’s Bear Story’ is hard to top

I’ve driven by the bear-crossing sign at the hospital countless times since it was put up about a year ago, but the other day on my way home, I saw the sign and it got me to thinking about bears. As far as I know, no one’s reported seeing any bears in Monroeville lately, but who’s to say how many bears cross South Alabama Avenue in the middle of the night when no one’s watching. There may be more bears in our area than we think.

As I continued on to the house, I remembered the funniest bear story I’ve ever heard from our corner of the world. In 1846, several newspapers across Alabama published a tale called “Capt. Smith’s Bear Story,” and two men from Lower Peach Tree figured prominently in this supposedly-true story. The best available version of this story appeared in the Sept. 19, 1846 edition of The Alabama Beacon newspaper in Greensboro, in a column they called “The Humorist.”

The tale begins about the year 1830 when a man known as “Capt. Smith” settled in the Lower Peach Tree community. There, he planted a few acres of corn, cotton, potatoes and a small family garden. As the story goes, he lived a short distance from a man named John Champion, who was in his early 40s.

“My nearest neighbor (John Champion), being better off than the rest of us, had a nice gang of hogs,” Capt. Smith said. “And, feeling a little above his neighbors on account of his wealth, and being a rather overbearing man, too, was not particular whether his stock broke into other people’s fields or not.”

Capt. Smith said that his crop was too small to feed his family and Champion’s hogs too, so he complained to Champion about the hog situation several times, but Champion would never do anything about it. Not long after that, Smith paid a visit to an old neighbor named Erasmus Culpepper, who knew an old-timey trick to fix the hog problem.

Culpepper told him that “if a foot, or even a piece of bearskin was thrown down in a place where hogs (trespass) that they would never show their snouts there again. I went home and got the skin of a bear which I had killed some time before, and having supplied myself with some corn, I went out and saw about 20 fine year-old (hogs) munching away in my field. I ‘tolled them up,’ and catching a good runner, sewed him up in the bear skin, and then turned him loose, when he ran after the rest, who flew from the supposed bear.”

The last that was seen of those hogs was at Bassett’s Creek, which was nearly 40 miles from Smith’s house, “only two being alive, one running from the one sewed up in the skin, and he trying to catch the other – the rest were found dead in the road, having literally run themselves to death. It is needless to add that John Champion’s hogs stayed at home after that.”

In the end, when it comes to bear stories from our neck of the woods, it’s hard to top “Capt. Smith’s Bear Story.” I enjoy hearing these old tales as well as local legends, ghost stories and old folk tales. If anyone in the reading audience has anything along those lines that they would like to share, please don’t hesitate to get up with me.

WBTS veteran was one of Wilcox County, Alabama's 'best citizens'

Benjamin D. Portis

I was looking through some old editions of The Wilcox Progressive Era earlier the other day and ran across an interesting item about one of the county’s old Confederate veterans.

On the front page of the June 24, 1937 edition of the paper, under the headline “CONFEDERATE VETERAN PASSES,” the newspaper reported that “friends over the county will regret to learn of the death of Mr. Ben D. Portis of Lower Peach Tree. Mr. Portis was a Confederate veteran, one of our best citizens and was beloved by all who knew him.”

That week’s edition of The Monroe Journal had even more to say about the death of Portis. On their front page that week, under the headline “B.D. Portis, 94, Is Dead in Wilcox,” it was reported that “B.D. Portis, 94, a Confederate veteran, more than 50 years justice of the peace, died at his home at Lower Peach Tree last Wednesday after a short illness. Funeral services were held at the Portis graveyard.”

The Journal reported that he spent his entire life, except for four years during the war, in the Lower Peach Tree community and that he was one of Wilcox County’s best-known citizens. The Journal noted that Portis served in Co. C and Co. I of the 6^th Alabama Infantry during the war and that he was severely wounded a Boonsboro Gap. Portis eventually recovered from his wounds, rejoined his regiment and was present at Appomattox when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered in April 1865.

According to his tombstone, Portis was born on Feb. 22, 1843 and died on June 21, 1937. Sources say that there were 1,400 men in the 6^th Alabama when it was organized in Montgomery in May 1861. From there, the regiment traveled to Virginia and was assigned to the storied Army of Northern Virginia.

The regiment fought at Williamsburg, Cold Harbor, Seven Pines, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and other engagements. The regiment was hit hard at Seven Pines, losing 59-percent of the men involved in the fight. When the regiment surrendered in 1865, only 80 enlisted men and four officers were left in the unit.

The Battle of Boonsboro Gap, where Portis was wounded, is more popularly known as the Battle of South Mountain. That battle took place on Sept. 14, 1862 near Boonsboro, Maryland. That battle involved 28,000 Union soldiers under the command of George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside and William B. Franklin. On the other side were 18,000 Confederates under the command of General Lee and D.H. Hill.

The battle, which is considered a Union victory, resulted in heavy losses on each side. Union forces suffered 443 killed, 1,807 wounded and 75 missing. On the Confederate side, 325 were killed, 1,560 were wounded and 800 were declared missing.

In the end, Portis and his wife, Lucy, had at least eight children. Their last surviving child was Maria Portis Curtis, who died in 1963 and was buried at Lower Peach Tree. With that many children to their credit, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Portis has numerous descendants still living in and around Wilcox County today.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for June 25, 2024

32 YEARS AGO
JUNE 27, 1991

Smith’s Ambulance Service, which will celebrate 24 years of serving Conecuh County on July 1, has moved its base of operations to the building which once housed Owens Truck and Tractor.

Mabry and Marty Cook announce the birth of a son, Mabry Allen Cook Jr., born at 7:23 p.m. on June 15, 1991 at Baptist Hospital in Montgomery. He weighed eight pounds, 10 ounces and was 20-3/4 inches long.

The Evergreen High School Class of 1946 met May 18, 1991 for their 45th class reunion. Class members met at the home of Jerry Hart for a picnic lunch and later at the Quality Inn for dinner and a little reminiscing. A former teacher, Mrs. Emma Dunn, was a special guest at the picnic. Pictured left to right are Daisy Lee Crawford, Walter Watson, Ann Burnett Hobson, Evelyn Eddins Barron, Katherine Rutland Burnet, Betty M. Grass Tranum, Matthew Cross, Mary Lucia Carter Carrigan, Cornelia Wiggins Andrews, R.N.V. Wiggins Philyaw, Geraldine Donovan Birkhead, Bill Brown, Faye Prescott McKenzie, Morris Brown, Hazel Padgett Cone, Ruth Huey Moorer, Madeline Potts Nared, Edwina Lewis Sullivan, Mary C. McGraw Durden, Lillian Barlett McGraw, Geraldine Godwin Hart, Mary Lillian Morgan Cross, Bernadine McGraw Williams, Juanita Stinson Worlund, Elois Williams Stinson, Jimmy Murphy, Vivian Laster McCrory, Jesse King and Jodie Pugh Garrett.

48 YEARS AGO
JUNE 24, 1976

Local weather reporter Earl Windham reported .07 of an inch of rain in Evergreen on June 9. He reported highs of 92 on June 11 and June 12 and a low of 52 on June 8.

Miss Karla Ptomey has been named director of the Evergreen High School Band, succeeding Miss Virginia Mullican.

James K. (Jimmy) Cook, chairman of the Conecuh County Hospital Association Executive Board of Trustees, resigned from that post and as a member of the Association Board of Directors effective June 14. His resignation was submitted in a letter to the Conecuh County Commission, the appointing authority, dated June 9.

Jerry Booker, trustee at the Conecuh County Jail, holds a rattler killed by deputy Leroy Ferrell. The rattler was killed inside the city limits. It had four rattles and two buttons.

The Evergreen Rotary Club’s 17th annual Fish & Wildlife Camp held at Tal Stuart’s Pond, original and permanent site, near Belleville last week was a huge success with 64 campers, 13 junior counselors and a number of adults participating. These boys won prizes in various competitions: Gary Weaver, best senior camper; Ed Carrier, spin casting; Melton Bozeman, bait casting; and Rob Stuart, camp doctor, who treated some 30 or 40 ‘patients’ and received a Boy Scout knife as a special award; and Jimmy Ansley, best junior camper; Mike Raines, fly casting; Destry Watson, archery; Al Hendricks, rifle; and Jeff Johnson, shotgun.

78 YEARS AGO
JUNE 27, 1946

Former Negro Slave Dies At Ripe Old Age Of 99: Christana Stokes, age 99 years, six months and 18 days, died at her home near Owassa June 17. She was born as a slave in 1847 and was owned by the Ray Family.

Elmer E. Erb Dies Of Accident Injuries: Friends and relatives of Mrs. Elmer E. Erb (formerly Bertha Dewberry of Conecuh County) will regret to learn of the death of her husband, Elmer E. Erb which occurred June 7, when he accidentally fell from a cherry tree and was killed instantly. It is presumed that he had climbed the tree for cherries and lost his footing when he fell. However, he was alone at the time and was found by passing motorist.

March Planted Cotton Has Fine Crop Bolls: James Jordon and Will Lowe of McKenzie, Rt. 2, were exhibiting some fine specimens of grown cotton bolls here last Saturday. Mr. Jordan stated that they had 14 acres of this cotton which was planted in March and that it had already had a very fine crop of virtually mature bolls. He expects a yield of about a bale to the acre or over, he said.

Friends of E.A. White will be glad to know he is convalescing from a leg injury he suffered last week when a counter in his store became dislodged and fell on him, causing severe injury to both legs.

93 YEARS AGO
JUNE 25, 1931

BURNT CORN MASONS ELECT NEW OFFICERS: Burnt Corn Lodge No. 489, A.F.&A.M., meeting in annual communication on June 10, 1931, elected the following officers to serve the ensuing Masonic year:
James K. Kyser, W.M.; Herbert E. Ellis, S.W.; William W. Thompson, J.W.; Henry H. Brantley, Treas.; Ajax O. Brantley, Sec’y.; Samuel H. Ridgway, S.D.; Felin T. Thames, J.D.; Isaac S. Ridgway, Chap.; Amous P. Waters and Hamp Grace, Stewards; Alma O. Salter, Marshal; James F. Roberson, Tyler.

SEPULGA LODGE ELECTS OFFICERS FOR YEAR: At a regular meeting of Sepulga Lodge, No. 233, held June 20, 1931, the following officers were elected for the ensuing Masonic year:
S.S. Kendrick, W.M.; C.J. Henderson, S.W.; W.L. Sims, J.W.; S.H. Mixon, Treas.; M.A. Lanes, Sec’y; W.M. Anderson, S.D.; S.H. Owens, J.D.; J.D. Pitts, Tyler.

The Baptist Church shown above has recently undergone extensive repairs and improvements made necessary because of fire damage, which occurred several months ago. Among the improvements made was the installation of a $4,000 pipe organ. The instrument will be dedicated Sunday in connection with a Homecoming Day program.

The City Café, formerly located in a building on East Front Street opposite the L&N Depot, has moved to the Ivey Building three doors north on the same street. The move was made Friday night with everything in readiness for business as usual Saturday morning.

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for June 24, 2024

26 YEARS AGO
JUNE 25, 1998

Receives degree: Albert Raymond Boroughs IV of Perdue Hill was among 63 University of Alabama students to receive degrees during commencement exercises Sunday in Mobile. Boroughs received a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and will continue his medical training at the University of Alabama School of Medicine at Huntsville. He is the son of Bert and Nancy Boroughs of Perdue Hill.

Excel wins BR title: Excel Blue wrapped up the regular season schedule in the South Monroe Babe Ruth Baseball League with a pair of wins last week in Frisco City.
Excel dealt Excel White a 23-10 spanking Tuesday of last week and defeated Excel Black 16-9 Friday to complete the season with a 9-1 record and win the league championship.
(Players for Excel Blue were Scott Bell, Chad Maness, Adam Conway, Derrick Wiggins, Kevin Stewart, Josh Deese, Kyle Thomas, Wesley Qualls, Keith McKinley and Nathan Mixon. Michael Mixon and Levon McKinley were the team’s coaches, and Justin Deese was batboy.)

Board talks about building project: Discussion continued into the $4.8 million renovation project planned for Monroe County Hospital Tuesday night at the hospital board’s regular meeting.
Dr. Woodrow Eddins asked board members questions concerning the architect and plans for the two-story brick structure. Marilyn Culpepper, board chairperson, informed the board of the phase approach to building the new structure.
“We are using the phase approach because we do not want to adversely affect the financial stability of the hospital,” Culpepper said.

51 YEARS AGO
JUNE 28, 1973

Red Eagle’s mother honored: A marker honoring Sehoy Tait Weatherford, mother of William Weatherford (Red Eagle), was dedicated June 3 by the Baldwin County Historical Society.
The site of the David Tait Plantation and the burial place of William Weatherford and his mother, Sehoy, is in Little River, a short distance from the banks of the Alabama River.
The descendants of the Weatherfords, Mims and Tait families were present for the dedication.
Mrs. Hope N. Bokos, from Mobile, working out of The University of South Alabama with the archaeology survey at Fort Mims, gave a talk on “Sehoy Tait Weatherford, third and last princess of the Wind Clan.”

Reds win South Monroe title: The Reds of Uriah won the South Monroe Little League title by placing a 13-3 record. They were also last year’s champs and are the only team to have ever won the two-year-old league title. Members of the team are Mark Mack, Mike Johnson, Chris Harrison, Burt Brantley, Allen Nipper, Allen Mack, Dicky Smith, Mike Turberville, Tracy Qualls, Kevin Barnes, George Colbert, manager Lawrence Brantley and coach Robert Cumbie.

County farm agent to retire Saturday: A.V. “Shorty” Culpepper will officially retire Saturday from his job as Monroe County extension chairman, a post he has held for the past 45 years. The 69-year-old Culpepper announced earlier this month that he would relinquish the post he has held since 1928 on that date. His successor has not been announced.

76 YEARS AGO
JUNE 24, 1948

Last Rites Today For James Lynam: Funeral services for Pfc. James C. Lynam will be held from the Baptist Church in Frisco City this afternoon (Thursday) at 4 o’clock with the Rev. J.F. Bilbro and the Rev. C.C. Pruette officiating.
The body of Pfc. Lynam, who was killed in action in the Pacific area in March 1944, arrived in Frisco City Wednesday accompanied by a military escort from the Memphis General Depot’s American Graves Registration Division.
Lynam was born April 20, 1922 at Huxford, Ala., and moved to Frisco City with his family when he was six months old. He was called into service in November 1942 and went overseas in 1943 with the Americal Infantry Division.

Miss Nelle Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee, sailed June 17 from New York on the Queen Elizabeth for Southhampton, England. She will travel over the United Kingdom for two weeks before attending summer school at Oxford University.

Local Nine Plays Jay Here Today: Monroeville’s baseball team will play Jay here this afternoon with the tilt scheduled to get underway at three o’clock at Legion Field.
Manager R.C. Snowden announced that either Mike Lennix or William Bayles would take the mound for the Monroeville nine.
Monroeville will play here again Sunday with Frisco City furnishing the opposition. The game will start at 3 p.m. Last Sunday’s game, scheduled with Jay there, was rained out.

101 YEARS AGO
JUNE 28, 1923

Mrs. A.C. Lee and children have returned home after spending some time with relatives at Finchburg.

Eight cases of persons charged with illicit distilling and offenses connected therewith will be called in the county court at its next term. The sheriff’s department has been unusually successful in capturing offenders lately.

FOR SALE: First class milk cow. Will give four gallons milk daily. A.R. Boroughs, Perdue Hill, Ala.

MASONIC CONFERENCE: The next annual session of the Monroe County Masonic Conference will be held with Monroe Lodge No. 485, Franklin, Ala., on July 11-12, 1923. A full delegation from each lodge in the county is requested. Bro. J.W. Thurmond of Castleberry is to be the lecturer. Bro. A.E. Shafer will make a public address July 12 at 11 o’clock. – W.S. Nash, Secretary.

SIX O’CLOCK CLOSING: The following merchants of Monroeville have entered into mutual agreement to close their places of business at 6:30 p.m., Saturdays excepted, during the summer season. The agreement became effective June 11 and will continue until Aug. 31: Sowell Mercantile Co., Barnett & Jackson, Lazenby Mercantile Co., Monroeville Cash Store, Moore Hardware Co., J.S. Burns Jewelry Co., S.W. Hixon, Baggett Fancy Grocery, M. Katz Dry Goods Store, D.M. Ratcliffe and Wiggins Brothers.

Dr. W.H. Hines, Veterinary Surgeon, offers his services to the citizens of Monroe County, day or night. Office in old courthouse. Office phone 67, Residence 50.

139 YEARS AGO
JUNE 26, 1885

A number of persons from this place attended the anniversary picnic and installation of officers of the Claiborne lodge last Wednesday.

A basket picnic will be given at the Henderson bridge tomorrow. Everybody is invited to attend and carry baskets. A pleasant time is anticipated.

Mr. S.B. Cobb, traveling in the interest of the well known hardware house of Jas. Cunningham & Co. of Mobile, was in town this week.

Dr. W.A. and Miss Annie Patrick of near this place attended the closing exercises of the Pine Apple Academy recently.

Mr. Ed Fountain, who lives near this place, had the misfortune to be kicked by a horse on last Sunday evening. He sustained serious, though not fatal injuries from the too close contact with the horse’s heels. He is improving.

Mr. W.B. Jones has again opened his beef market at this place where he will be pleased to furnish his customers with choice beef at lowest market price. Market will be open every Saturday morning at 6:30, northeast corner public square.

Mr. Charlie Yarbrough is having a well bored on his lot in the eastern portion of town by Messrs. Busey & Busey.

Mr. Jacob Dailey of near Buena Vista had a severe attack of cramp colic while plowing in his field, on the 9^th inst., of which he died the next morning at five o’clock.