Cleburne County AlArchives News.....Newspaper abstracts for NOV. 1936 November 1936 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: C Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net February 5, 2007, 5:38 pm The Cleburne News November 1936 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama for NOVEMBER 1936 NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, NOVEMBER 5, 1936 MRS. NUCY TURNER, AGE 67, OF NEW HOPEWELL IS BURIED MONDAY Funeral services for Mrs. Nucy Turner, age 67, who died at her home at New Hopewell on Saturday night, were held Monday morning att 11 o'clock at Concord, Rev. R.L. Skinner officiating, assisted by Rev. C.T. Morton of Hightower. Burial was in the church cemetery, Owens of Heflin directing. Surviving Mrs. Turner are her husband J.T. Turner, three daughters, Mrs. Mary Chandler of Cedartown; Mrs. Pearl Norwell of Hopewell and Mrs. Beatrice Monroe also of Hopewell; two sons, John R. and Lloyd of Hopewell and a number of grandchildren. She is also survived by three brothers and three sisters; Messrs. Spillman, Lawrence and T.P. Harris of Lecta, Mrs. Lillie Scott of Hopewell, Mrs. Minnie Arnold of Phil Campbell and Mrs. Ethel McCord of Newell. ------- ROBERT WHITE BURIED AT ROCK SPRINGS ON TUESDAY Funeral services for Mr. Robert White, age 65 years, who passed away Sunday night about 9 o'clock near Hightower were held Tuesday at Rock Springs church. Interment was in the church cemetery. ----- IN MEMORY OF JOHN A. ROGERS John A. Rogers was born Aug. 21, 1857 in Douglas county, Georgia. At the age of seven, his father came home from the Civil war sick with measles and died, leaving him, his mother and four sisters. He moved to Cleburne county, Alabama when he was 12 years old, where he took his place as head of the family in regard to making a living. He was converted and united with the Southern Methodist church at Oak Level when he was 17. He was an active member and served as steward for 25 years. He was happily married to Julia Allen Parker, Oct. 30, 1879, being 22 years of age. To them were born seven boys and nine girls, one girl dying in infancy. Fifteen are living and have families. Surviving are his widow Mrs. Julia A. Rogers of Crossville, Ala., C.B. Rogers of Dawson, Ala., J.B. Rogers of Jacksonville, Ala., Mrs. T.A. Young of Centre, Ala., H.A. Rogers of Crossville, Ala., Mrs. J.P. Sutton of Crossville, Ala., Mrs. B.R. Roberts of Tenn.; Mrs. W.C. Sutton of Albertville, Ala., J.W. Rogers of Crossville, Ala., G.K. Rogers of Albertville, Ala., Mrs. J.W. Lewis of Crossville, Ala., W.A. Rogers of Crossville, Ala., Mrs. Amby Campbell of Crossville, Ala., Mrs. H.F. McWhorter of Ensley, Ala., H.L. Rogers of Mancehster, Tenn., and Mrs. C.J. Tidwell of Alexandria, Ala. In addition to the immediate family there are 81 grandchildren, 17 of whom are married and 10 great grandchildren. He departed this life Oct. 18, 1936 at his home. He was 79 years, one month and 28 days old. Services were held at Lathanville church, Oct. 20, 1936 at 11 o'clock. Interment was at the Lathanville cemetery in Crossville, Ala. Rev. B.M. Bowen was in charge of the services with Rev. Wm. B. Gilbreath assisting. Bartlett of Collinsville was in charge. The eight pallbearers included seven grandsons and one grand son-in-law, namely, Alex Young, Conley Rogers, Clyde Rogers, Hollis Sutton, Clark Roberts, Howard Young, Alex Rogers and Gene Tolbert. Father had suffered much from high blood pressure for the last few years, falling in his room Feb. 16, 1936. He broke a hip which caused him much pain and suffering. We, the family have this testimony: "We grieve for our loved one, yet we feel sure of his destination. Numbers of times he had spoken of his assurance of a home beyond the sky and expressing it, he said " I'm all right." Only God knows what life means to us. Truly he ran a faithful race and we honor and cherish his sweet memory." -------- LETTER TO EDITOR OF THE NEWS (from W.H.L. Carruth in Sumrall, Mississippi) To Editor of the Cleburne News, Last year in an article in your paper, which was written about the late Fred H. Osborn, the statement was made that his father was the first buried in the Heflin Cemetery with Masonic honors. This statement is not correct, and I thought the time, for sake of historical accuracy, I would write and correct it, but posponed it from time to time. Today being the anniversary of my father's death, I am again reminded of the statement and I am sending you this article which I trust may be interesting to at least some of your readers. As said above, I do this so that history may be kept correct. Please let the writer of the article referred to above be assumed that neither my brothers no myself felt any resentment at the statement, but I just want to keep the record correct. I find that with most people when you ask them about someone they have known in the past, it is much easier to get them to remember the person if you call them by their "given name" rather by their initials, so in this article in most names which I mention I will follow this plan. My father, the late A.P. Carruth, better known to many of his day as "Splash" died Oct. 22, 1882 and was buried Tuesday, Oct. 24, 1882. He was the first person to be buried in the Heflin Cemetery and was buried with Masonic honors. Hence he was the first person to be buried in the Heflin Cemetery with Masonic honors. The funeral services were in charge of Heaton Lodge of Arbacoochee. The best of my memory the following Masons participated; there may have been others who I have forgotton. I was only about nine years old then: Andrews Wright, known as Anders Wright acted as Worshipful Master; Rev. Trimble, a Methodist minister acted as Chaplain. I do not recall the others who acted in an official capacity. In addition to the above named Masons, the following were in the procession: Mark Pinson, Howard Bell, Judge W.R. Hunnicutt, Joe Taylor, Crawford McDaniel, Fayette Snow, Jack Bedwell, Bob McCaughren, Bill McMahan, David Creamer and Elijah Black, all of Cleburne county. Also John Davis, Lawrence Davis, Henry Davis, Joe Murphy and Wes Wright of what was then known as Davisville in Choccolocco Valley. Certainly I cannot remember the names of all who were present but I do recall some of them and give their names here: Jesse Ellis, Lige Henry, John Thrower, Frank Stovall, James Glasgow, Jack Reed, Bob Norred, Julius O'Harrow, Doctor Bell of Bell Mills, Alex Riddle, Frank Riddle, John Ross and Wesley Hunnnicutt. I presume that all of the above named persons are dead, and to most of the younger generation in and around Heflin, these names may be altogether strange. I am not sure, but it is possible that Uncle Jeff Henry of your city and Walter Bell of Atlanta and Oscar Bell of Texas, the late John Dodson and John Walker of near Bell Mills were also present. Of the younger men who can recall this instance, I cannot recall at this time any except the following: Elza Strickland of Texas and Tom Black and Judge Glasgow of Heflin. Just as a matter of comparison between now and fifty-four years ago, I call attention to the following facts: When my father died, my mother had to send for a man named Tom Williamson who lived near Chulafinnee some six or seven miles from us to make a coffin. When we went to the cemetery, those who attended traveled in wagons, buggies and horseback. It was six miles to our home in Heflin and it required almost the entire day to make the trip and conduct the services. Now, a homemade coffin is very, very rare. People who attend funerals now usually do so in autos and the corpse is hauled in a hearse and the time required, except for long distances, is only a few hours. It may be of interest to some of your readers to know that if my father had not died at the time he did, the first general mercantile firm in Heflin would have been Hunnicutt and Carruth, the partership being W.R. Hunnicutt and A. Carruth. I trust that I may be pardoned for recalling another incident in connection with my father. In think that it was in 1870 that the Democrats of Cleburne county decided to select a list of men for the various county officers which were to be elected that year, without a convention or a primary, but by with only one object in view, that of winning with good men. This was done by personal solicitation of Democrats from all parts of the county after they had held conferences. My father was persuaded to run for Sheriff. He was elected. At that time, Edwardsville was a rather rough place. After the election and after a great deal of worry and earnest thinking, my father decided that he would not serve. My older brothers Gus and Tom were children then and he told my mother that Edwardsville was not a suitable place in which to try to bring up boys. So he decided to forego the office rather than risk the chance of losing the boys. Of course my mother heartily agreed with him. As the law was then, if a county office became vacant, the Governor filled it by appointment, so in order that the Decmocats could retain the office of Sheriff, my father was sworn in and served for a few days. He then resigned and William A. Alexander, who I think lived near Oak Level, was appointed to fill out the unexpired term. I just wonder if there are any of the older citizens in and around Edwardsville who remember Sidney and Tully Carruth, who lived just north of Edwardsville. Mr. Editor, thanking you for the kindness of space for this article and with every good wish for my friends in dear old Cleburne, I am respectfully, W.H.L. Carruth, Sumrall, Mississippi, October 22, 1936. --------- LOCAL News Mrs. Mollie T. Burgess, formerly of Edwardsville and Heflin, is now living with her son Hugh O. Burgess at 1159 St. Charles Place N.E., Atlanta, Georgia. ----- MRS. HUNNICUTT'S BIRTHDAY The Birmingham News, Oct. 26 An orchid to Mrs. Phoebe Hunnicutt of Heflin, Ala., on her ninety-fifth birthday and many happy returns of the day from The Birmingham News. The widow of Judge W.R. Hunnicutt, Mrs. Hunnicutt has for more than 80 years dispensed hospitality in the community that has made her honored and revered by hundreds of persons who have enjoyed the graciousness of her home or have been given a lift when their way was rough. Scores of friends visited her today to congratulate her on her birthday. A native of Cleburne county for more than 80 years, she has been an active and interested member of the Methodist church and her home has ever been open to the ministers of the church from the circuit rider to bishops. It has been said of her that no one who sought charity from her ever left empty handed while her devotion to the sick and infirm of the community has become legend. The mother of nine children, five of whom survive, Mrs. Hunnicutt is renowned for her "way" with babies and on many occasion she has been called to minister to an ailing child at the suggestion of physicians. Mrs. Hunnicutt attends church regularly, participates in voting in local and general elections and maintains an active interest in civic and church affairs. The Birmingham News, Oct. 26th, Monday. -------- NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, NOVEMBER 19, 1936 MOVES BACK TO FARM Mr. and Mrs. F.R. Thrower have moved back to their farm at Chulafinnee. They had resided in Heflin since 1931, Forney having been deputy sheriff and Jailer under former Sheriff W.I. Owen. ----- DWELLING, CONTENTS BURNS AT PULLTIGHT ON SUNDAY Word was received here Monday that the farm dwelling and contents of Mr. and Mrs. Grady Rollins of near Pulltight were destroyed by fire of undetermined origin at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Sadly, no insurance was on the house or contents. ----- PARRISH RITES HELD THURSDAY Funeral services for J.A. (Andy) Parrish, 78, who died Wednesday of last week at the home of W.S. Brown of Micaville, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday of last week at Micaville Baptist church, Rev. R.L. Skinner of Bell Mills officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery, directed by Owens of Heflin. Uncle Andy was a native Cleburne countain and will be missed in the community. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. W.S. Brown, Mrs. Cama Key, Mrs. Alma Triplett of Micaville and Mrs. Maggie Ford of Valley Park, Mo.; two sons, Marion and Jesse Parrish of Micaville and a number of grandchildren. ------ IN MEMORY OF T.F. MILLS On Nov. 2, 1936, the Death Angel visited the home of Mrs. Mills and claimed as its victim the beloved husband and father, T.F. Mills. Mr. Mills was born in Franklin County, Ga., June 17, 1865, moving to Bartow County, Ga. at the age of 16, later moving to Cleburne county where he resided until his death near Vigo, Ala. He met and married Miss Mattie Porter in the year 1898 at Tecumseh, Ala. To this union were born ten children, seven girls and three boys. Mr. Mills was a member of the Baptist church for 40 years, but had been disabled to walk for the last five years. He will be greatly missed in his home and by the children. Surviving are the blind widow, daughters Mrs. Oscar Palmer, Mrs. M.F. McWhorter of Fruithurst; Mrs. Isaac Tanner of Esom Hill, Ga., Miss Isabell and Eula Mills; one son, Tommie Mills and ten grandchildren. Interment was in Cherry Grove Cemetery with Rev. Smith of Piedmont conducting the funeral services. CARD OF THANKS We wish to thank the friends and neighbors and everyone for their deeds of kindness shown us during the sudden death of our beloved husband and father; also for the beautiful floral offerings and the courteous undertakers and Rev. Smith for their kind words of condolence. May every deed be returned and God's richest blessings be bestowed on everyone. Mrs. M.F. Mills, children and grandchildren -------- DR. BURGESS IS LAID TO REST Dr. J.E. Burgess, 60, native of Edwardsville, died at the residence at 1 p.m. Tuesday, after an illness of several months. Funeral services were conducted from Edwardsville Baptist church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the Rev. H.R. Carter of Heflin officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery, directed by Owens of Heflin. Surviving are the widow, Mrs. Lula Burgess, two sons, Leman and Howard Burgess of Edwardsville; two daughters, Mrs. L.L.McKinney of Heflin and Miss Ruth Burgess of Edwardsville; and a brother R.L. (Bob Lee) Burgess of Edwardsville; three sisters, Mrs. W.A. Brown of Heflin, Mrs. Alta Brown of Muscadine and Mrs. Jack Norton of Heflin. Dr. Burgess was born and raised in Edwardsville where he spent nearly all of his life. ----- HERE'S ONE FOR RIPLEY; A Marriage Mix-Up By W.C. McMahan Some time ago on the streets of Heflin I met Mat, Nellie, Dave and Hettie and a girl and a boy. Mat was Nellie's father-in-law and Nellie was Mat's mother-in-law. The boy was the girl's half uncle and the girl was the boy's half aunt. Mat was Dave's father and Dave was Mat's step father-in-law. Nellie was Hettie's mother and Hettie was Nellie's step mother-in-law. Mat was the boy's father and the girl's grandfather. Hettie was the boy's mother and the girl's step grandmother and half sister. Dave was the girl's father and the boy's step grandfather and half brother. Dave was Hettie's stepfather and Hettie was Dave's stepmother. Nellie was the girl's mother and the boy's grandmother. Mat was Hettie's husband and Dave was Nellie's husband. I will give $1. to the first person who brings or sends me a correct solution of the riddle. These people are well known in Heflin. It is a true story. W.C. McMahan -------- NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, NOVEMBER 26, 1936 EIGHTY-SECOND MILEPOST CELEBRATED G.W. Williams of Thomaston, Ga., attended the 82nd birthday anniversary dinner of his aged mother Mrs. Lucinda Williams at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Preston of Macedonia. Present were seven children, 47 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren and a score or more friends. ----- EARLY DAYS IN CLEBURNE, by Mrs. M. Fowler of Fruithurst, Ala. For much of this data relating to Cleburne county, then Benton county, in its earliest stages of settlement, I am indebted to Mr. and Mrs. B.V. Owens and Jack Bennett, whose grandfather Charles Marcus Bennett was one of the earliest pioneer settlers, coming into Cleburne (then Benton) county in 1832. When I came into Cleburne county to teach in 1900, I taught at Harmony Grove church, in Cane Creek settlement. I met a Miss Bennett who later when I came to this town to teach in 1913, was a Mrs. Owens who had children of her own in school to me. I knew that both families were prominent in the politics of the county, but did not know how entirely they were connected with the growth of the county until a few days ago. I went out and spent a day with Mrs. Owens and found that her Grandfather Bennett had come into Cleburne county from Virginia, with his family in 1832. That they were looking for a likely place to settle and when they reached Cleburne county, which at that time was Benton county ( a combination of what is now Cleburne and Calhoun ) when the pioneers reached this county, which stretched out before them so smiling and lovely with such bounteous gifts on every hand, they did not search further. The climate was delightfully warm and sunny, the atmosphere was clear and fragrant with the pungent odor of the pine trrees; the soil was fertile; the gently sloping hills were covered with forests of soft and hard work and white oaks, stretching up sixty feet tall and "so large around that a solid board of white oak could have been cut out a foot wide." There were red oak, chesnut, maple, sweet and black gum trees and the woods were filled with flowers everywhere and birds of brilliant hue. Wild turkeys were as thick as chickens in a barn yard; and went around as many as seventy five or more at once; squirrels scurried in droves; quail darkened the air; some bears were in the hills but not many; but the deer could be seen at their "licking logs" numbering from twenty-five to fifty; the forest was full of wild pigs; wolves hung around like dogs and were such a pest carrying off sheep and the domesticated pigs, that traps were set for them. Panthers and wild cats infested the hills and at two or three different times, it was heard that a panther had carried off a little child. The Indians were here in small numbers, but they were invariably friendly. They liked to come and "walk the fence" with the white man which must have been a feat, since the fences were all the snake-like fences; they liked too, to get bright things that attracted them, but always insisted on paying for them, bringing deer to trade. The hills were full of chestnuts or "chinquapins" and hickory nuts and wild grapes. They named the creek that ran through this section Cane Creek because the ground was so rich that canes grew along the bank to a height of 12 feet. This land produced marvelous corn which was the main crop then. Cotton only brought three and four cents per pound and only enough was raised for home use. But they raised enough to spin and weave and make ticks for the wheat straw mattresses, for feather beds which they made from the pickings of their own ducks and geese, and for towels, spreads and their own garments. Blankets they made from the wool sheared from their own sheep; they spun the yarn for mittens, caps with good warm ear flaps, coats and warm underwear. They made their own shoes and tanned the leather with red and white oak bark. The fruits of this county they took in covered wagons, sometimes pulled by long horned steers, to trade at Savannah, Charleston or Augusta. Sometimes, too, they traded at Oxford City, which was an Indian trading post, near where Anniston is now, which was not in existence then. Many families of Cleburne county prospered and bought slaves and farmed on a large scale. Then the War came. This section remote and thinly settled, did not suffer as much as many sections of the South did. But even then, houses were pillaged, cattle and horses, mules and oxen were driven away, under the very eyes of the owners. It was customary to hide the food and any valuables out in thickets and hollow logs or bury them in the ground, anywhere they would not be found. In houses where there were no men, old or young to help, women tilled the soil harnessed to the plow, taking the place of the stock that had been driven away, but in houses where there had been slaves, there was someone to protect the women of the "big house" for in this section of plenty and of rich soil, the slaves had been comfortable and contented and even after they were freed, preferred to stay on and rent from the old masters and be on the place until under changing conditions, the old places were sold and changed hands. After the War, the men came home to find cupboards and barns bare, little furniture and were even lucky to find the house standing, compared with other sections so despoiled. How could they start again with nothing to start with? Whatever of value they had left, they sold. Beautiful high spool beds with canopied tops and rope springs, were sold, and cherished hand-woven spreads, blankets and patchwork quilts were sold for money to buy seed to start new crops and food to last until the crops were grown. Nests were filled with settings of eggs of ducks and geese so they might have feather beds for themselves and for their children. Flocks of sheep were gathered together again. Turkey eggs were set for turkeys would bring a fair price in the market. The price of cotton went high that year, so many cotton growing states were laid to waste, that comparatively little cotton was grown that year. So business started up again for these people. Every year they raised a little more, sold a little more of stock, of products of the rich soil, which even yet did not need fertilizer, so fresh and unspoiled it was. They took cotton, corn, syrup, peas, sweet potatoes to market; they brought back sugar, coffee, spices, and steel for the implements that they needed. They had so little machinery. What they had, even the cotton gin, was first run by horses and then by water. When they began to saw lumber and to build frame houses, they used a sash saw which moved straight up and down under water pressure. Now the women were spinning and weaving again; blankets, towels, cloth to be made into garments which were made by hand. Every house had stacks of beautifully pieced and quilted quilts. Now they were braiding intricate designs on pillow shams, table runners and dresser scarfs; counterpanes were tufted in circles laid off with plates or saucers, in diamonds or flower designs. The tulip was a favorite flower and the rose. They had no glass jars in which to can fruit but canned in earthen jars, apples and peaches that kept the flavor of fresh fruit and remained sweet and sound all through winter and spring. The peaches or apples were pared and sliced and placed in an open slit basket, like a market basket, which however they had woven themselves. This was suspended over a bed of glowing coals, over which a sufficient amount of sulphur had been spread to make a dense heavy smoke around through the fruit. This sterilized it and formed a thin film on the fruit and after a sufficient sterlization, it was packed in the jars, covered with a thick cloth around the mouth of the jar and was ready for the winter. When it was taken out, it was allowed to remain in fresh water for a few hours and all the flavor of the sulphur was gone and it has the appearance and taste of fresh fruit in pies and sauce. Grapes were sunk in jars of sorghum molasses and preserved; if they ran short of sugar, many people used "long sweetening" as they called molasses to sweeten coffee and for cooking. Imagine the rich Southern Yam, cooked until tender and mashed to a creamy consistency with plenty of eggs, well beaten and rich yellow cream and spices, then sweetened with the golden sorghum. They had no stoves, just a big fireplace white- washed a brilliant white; the andirons (fire dogs) which held the great logs for heating and for cooking; the iron bakers, sustained by three or four iron supports; a tight cover to the baker then after the food was placed within, the coals heaped below and on top of the cover; and the boilers or pots hanging from the cranes or sitting on coals on the wide hearth. The cupboards were strong and well built by hand; the floors were bare, but scrubbed with white sand and sometimes ashes and lye soap and were of a whiteness hard to imagine, now that floors are stained and waxed at once after being laid; but in those days, housekeepers prided themselves on the whiteness of their floors as they did the whiteness of their clothes and the intricate designs of patchwork quilts and the beauty and design of home woven spreads and the beauty and variety of the colors they wove into their looms. They used walnuts and red oak bark and and produced beautiful shades of brown. They used copperas or alum to set the dyes, which not only gave a permanent color, but different tints to the dye. They used the roots of poison ivy to get a rich purple. The lye from ashes and copperas made orange. Hickory bark and alum made a greenish yellow; sassafras and alum a pale yellow. The yard were swept with great care and with brush brooms, made of bushes. Grassy yards were not admired. The yards were swept clear of every vestige of green and then sanded, and graveled with white pebbles around the walks, and around the edges of the yard. The trees and plants most favored were the English dogwood, a white blossom of transparent texture, having a vivid yellow center; the althea or bridal wreath, snow balls and roses. Too, nearly every yard had hedges of "winter pinks", small chrysanthemums, dozens on one bush, in gold, lavender, white and a rich velvety red. Every or most vegetable gardens had lavender, sage, thyme, catnip, horseradish, the herbs they needed all the time and all around the fences and borders were sunflowers, not only for the large and colorful bloom, but the seeds were so good also. In the barnyard, and on the hills around and in the brooks or grassy meadows, were flocks of chickens, ducks, geese, guineas with their plaintive calls and of turkeys; out in the pastures were sheep, cows and perhaps long horned oxen that were so strong and reliable, if slow. That meant barns must be overflowing with corn and fodder. In the houses were bins of fresh flour, ground from the wheat they raised, bins of fresh corn meal; bushels of beans, dried; corn field and lima beans for boiling; there were jars and crocks of fruits and grapes put down in syrup; long strings of red pepper made bright splashes of color on the walls. There were great golden pumpkins, piles of hickory nuts, of chestnuts and heaps of popcorn. There were barrels of golden sorghum, barrels of cider, which would be apple vineager. The sweet potatoes and turnips were hilled and Irish potatoes and onion were in bins in the cellar; the collards and cabbage were covered over top and sides with bark and earth and fresh greens all winter. In the smokehouse hung the hams, shoulders, middlings and strings of stuffed sausage, seasoned with sage and red pepper and just waiting to be fried on a cold morning and eaten with plenty of pancakes. Things were plentiful around them, but there were so many things outside they needed. Then in 1882, when the first railroad was cut through this county, the Southern, to run from Birmingham to Atlanta, with headquarters in Richmond, Va. The men in charge were sent from headquarters and brought an army of negro workmen, but they hired every man they could along the line. They paid one dollar and ten cents to one dollar fifty cents per day and the water boys were paid fifty cents per day. The road bed was cut through this county by hand. Only picks, shovels, a wheel barrow and a dump cart were used. The work started the first of January and was completed in October. In June of the following year, 1883, the first train came through. A passenger train having an engine and a cab and three small cars. But all along the people cheerred, waved, threw their hats in the air and shouted. In 1884, a flood, the only one in history, came. It washed away the tracks and all the work had to be done all over again. The water was so high and violent, a heavy mill wheel was found in the fork of a tree. In 1883, the first school house in this section, possibly the first in the county was built. It was a log house with wooden shutters for windows. They had for seats long wooden benches with no backs. But they had a small black- board. They started from home early and walked a long way, getting home just before night. They studied the Blue- back Speller. They used slate and pencil. The school term was three months, July, August and September. The teacher was paid ten and fifteen cents per day, according to the number sent from the house. It amounted to nearly twenty dollars per month. The patrons boarded the teacher. He stayed a week at a time at each house. In 1886, came the deepest snow ever known in that section. It was seventeen inches deep and in drifts came to the shoulders of a man. It came just before Christmas and lay in hollows and sheltered places until nearly April. That in the Sunny South, "way down South in Dixie." --------- IN MEMORY OF M.S. FREEMAN M.S. Freeman of the Abel community departed this life Sept. 19, 1936. Just why God called this good man from our community, we can't understand, but we know that "He doeth all things well." Mr. Freeman is missed in the community and church affairs as he was an active member. We can truly say that this community is better with his having lived in it. He was always ready and willing to help one and all, financially or otherwise. He has gone to share in that Home God promised to all that believed in Him. It was hard for the family to give up the father, but children, he is not here any more to guide you, so look up and live so as to honor his memory. He leaves to mourn his death his widow Mrs. Minnie Freeman; five sons, J.A., Larkus and Daile of Delta, C.B. of Anniston and Scott of Arkansas; three daughters, Mrs. Vinnie Haywood, Misses Sarah and Mertha Freeman of Delta. One daughter Annie Mae, preceded him to the grave four months. A Friend. ------ IN MEMORY OF MRS. M.J. LOVVORN The Death Angel came in our midst Thursday morning, Nov. 12 and took our dear grandmother. She was 77 years, 16 days old. She joined the Baptist church at the age of 14 and lived a christian life until death. She was married to John N. Lovvorn at the age of 16 and was a faithful companion and mother. There were fifteen children born to this union, eleven girls and four boys. She was the mother of five stepchildren, four girls and one boy. Oh, how we loved Grandmother, her deeds were love and her words true. There will be a vacant place no one can fill. If she could look back over the banks of Glory, she would say, "weep not, children". We know she is basking in the sunlight of God's pure love and no sorrow or pain can enter. She was in declining health for several years. Her companion and five children preceded her to the grave some time ago. She said that she had to go but wan't afraid to go. She put her trust in the Lord. Those who knew grandmother loved her. There were many dear friends to mourn her death. Let us all live better and meet her in the Glory World. Surviving are Mrs. Dessie Knight, Mrs. Ider Rice, Mrs. Anzil Blair, Mrs. Dona Sutton, Mrs. Lilar Davis, Mrs. Martha Smith, Mrs. Ellar Landers, Mrs. Lelor Knott and J.B. Will Gaines; Tom and Ed Gaines; the stepchildren, Mrs. Mollie Butler, Mrs. Nettie East, Mrs. Beckine Norton, and a host of grandchildren and friends. Funeral services were held at Providence Baptist church on Friday, Nov. 13. Directed by Revs. Homer Willoughby, Elbert Daniel and Mr. Henry. Grandsons were pallbearers and granddaughters were flower girls. Two granddaughters, Ruth and Jewell Sutton. ------ BIRTHDAY DINNER On Sunday, November 15, the children, grandchildren and neighbors gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Lesueur of Trickem to celebrate his 83rd birthday anniversary and it was a great surprise to grandfather when everyone began to gather with baskets of dinner at 12 o'clock. The table was spread with cakes, pies, chicken pie, chicken dressing and many other things too numerous to mention. In the center was the big birthday cake which was covered with 83 candles. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Lesueur and son O'Neal Mrs. W.M. McElroy and two sons Grady and Clyde Mr. and Mrs. I.M. Woodard and daughters Essie, Mary, Myrtle and son J.B. Mr. and Mrs. Artis Fordham and son Edward Mr. and Mrs. Ray Woodard and daughters Odett and Nell Mr. and Mrs. Joe Watson and children Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hays and son Grady Miss Sally Wise Mr. and Mrs. Hubert McElroy and sons Don and Prince Mrs. J.R. McElroy Earl Latt Johnny Tomeo Grady Jones Music was furnished in the afternoon by Grady Jones and Clyde McElroy. We wish grandfather many more happy birthdays. Written by his granddaughters Mary and Myrtle Woodard. ------- MRS. McCORMACK PASSES Mrs. Emma McCormack, 77 passed away last Saturday at the home of a son. Funeral services were conducted Sunday at Pine Grove Baptist church, burial following in the church cemetery. Surviving are several sons, daughters and other relatives, to whom The Cleburne News extends sympathy. ----- File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspapers/newspape1342gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 34.4 Kb