Cleburne County AlArchives News.....Newspaper abstracts for SEPT 1918 September 1918 ************************************************ 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: Candace Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net April 25, 2005, 7:27 pm The Cleburne News September 1918 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama for SEPTEMBER 1918 NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, September 5, 1918 FRUITHURST News J.B. Daniels left Friday morning with his sister, Mrs. Johnson, going to her home in Louisiana. He has been sick for some time but his friends hope the change will do him good. __ Mrs. Fowler has moved here from Tallapoosa, having been appointed agent at the depot, suceeding C.A. Hooper, who has joined the Navy and expects to leave soon. __ Morris Morrison and Roy Holder returned to this place on Friday after spending some time in North Carolina helping Mr. Morrison's brother save his fruit crop. __ 48 MEN LEFT FOR CAMP ON THE 4th The following men left on the train at Heflin on Thursday morning to go into military training at Camp Pike, Little Rock, Arkansas for training for overseas: Fred Steve Parmley Jack Dothard Cheatwood James A. Wellborn Eddie M. Meeks Cluster Herrage Henry B. Upchurch Lewis Nelson Ezra Thomas Woodard Millard Skinner Charlie Trentham Virgil Lumpkin Robert Boyd Albert Butler Jesse Robinson Everett J. Laminack John Lee McCain Charlie Rhudy Smith John Corbit Wilkerson Isaac Harvel Rollins Henry Fordham Homer R. Holland James Colquitt Phillips Mark Young Charlie Davis Lowell Johnson John Nowland Walter Batson Andrew Cain Oliver Bentley ____ LOCAL News Mr. J.R. Edwards, a good farmer living near Edwardsville, was in town Tuesday and renewed his subscription to The News, and ordered the paper sent to his son, Bennie, who is with the 22nd Construction Army Balloon School at Lee Hall, Virginia. ___ Mr. and Mrs. M.F. McWhorter attended the burial of Mr. W.S. Sparks, near Oak Level on Monday. Mr. Sparks was a brother of Mrs. McWhorter and was 56 years old. ___ Rev. D.J. Dodd of Aberline, Texas, after a pleasant stay with his brother, Mr. M.W. Dodd, and other relatives and friends, has returned home. __ Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Reese of Cedartown were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Stephens last week. __ Mrs. Ethel Lindsey of Hightower has paid for The Cleburne News to be sent to her son, Pvt. James H. Lindsey, Medical Detachment, 60th Regiment, American Expeditionary Forces. __ Mr. D.W. Gray has ordered The Cleburne News to be sent to his son Leonard who recently arrived in France. __ POPULAR YOUNG MAN DEAD News has been received in Heflin of the death of Marcus Milligan who was killed in an airplane accident at a Texas training camp a day or two ago. Marcus was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Milligan of Pensacola, Florida, formerly of this place, and a popular young man. His body was brought to Anniston for interment. ___ NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, September 12, 1918 IN MEMORY OF MRS. WILLIAM CRUMPTON On the 4th day of September there went from us one of the oldest pioneer women of Cleburne county, sister Mrs. William Crumpton, passing away after a long and useful life. Sister Crumpton was born about the year 1840 in the community where she died and was therefore near 78 years old at the time of her death. Mrs. Crumpton joined the Methodist Episcopal church in early life and lived a good christian til the time of her death, thereby winning the crown of righteousness promised in the bible, "be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." A good woman has passed away and gone to her reward. Sister Crumpton was the mother of eleven children. A family reunion was held at her home about two years ago and the fact was develoepd there that she had 64 grandchildren and great grandchildren along with three or four great great grand children. Of this number 32 were boys and 32 girls. This is unusual, she lived to bless the world. Her funeral took place at Wise Chapel in Trickem Valley near her home, the services being conducted by her pastor Rev. Newt Boman. To show how well she was remembered by her many friends and neighbors, it is said there were 500 people at the funeral. This is what counts, to lives so that when you pass away you will live in the grateful appreciation of friends and neighbors. Farewell, sister and mother, till the resurrection morn. G.B. Boman ____ LOCAL News Messrs. Frank Owens and Duval Lyles left Tuesday for Birmingham where they will go to military school. __ Miss Zeffie Geiter has returned to her home in Lineville after a visit of several days here with her sister, Mrs. Harmond Ray. __ Mr. Jim Norton called in last week and ordered The News sent to his son Cecil who is stationed at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia. __ A.L. Crumpton, son of Mr. J.H. Crumpton, has given up his law practice at Ashland and is now at Camp Gordon in the officers training school. __ Pvt. Jim J. Reese, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.B. Reese of Fruithurst, stationed at Ft. Screvens, Georgia, will have the pleasure of reading his home paper hereafter, his father ordering The News sent to him last week. __ News has been received of the recent death of Mrs. M.E. Otwell, of Arlie, Alabama, age 62 years. She was the mother of Mrs. J.H. Crumpton of this place. Mrs. Otwell was living with her son, Mr. A.S. Otwell at the time of her death. She will be greatly missed by her many beloved friends. ___ Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Atkins and son Frank, attended the funeral of Mr. Marcus Milligan in Anniston on Sunday. __ James Thomas Fields, whose parents live on route one from Bell Mills, who has been over in France for some time, will receive The News in the future. His father ordered the paper sent to him last week. ___ CARD OF THANKS We wish to thank the people of our community who so kindly aided and assisted us in the sickness and death of our brother, W.S. Sparks, who departed this life September 2, 1918. His remains were laid to rest in the Mt. Paran cemetery. He leaves mother, two brothers, five sisters, five sons and one daughter. We hope our loss is his eternal gain. Mrs. Mary E. King Mrs. Martha Jane McWhorter Mrs. Nancy Darris Mrs. Frances Payne Mrs. Josie Pruitt, His Sisters ____ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, September 19, 1918 LOCAL News Just before going to press, news reached Heflin of the death of Mr. W.A. Hubbard of Tallapoosa, formerly of this place. The deceased had a host of friends in Heflin and this community who will regret to learn of "Uncle Bill"'s death. The burial occurred in Heflin today, Thursday afternoon. ____ LETTER FROM GRADY BOYD FROM THE FRONT Somewhere in France Sunday, Aug. 12th Dear Mother, I know you are and have been wondering why you can't hear from me but this is the first letter I have written since about July 15th. I am just back from the front. Went through as hard fighting as has been and didn't get hit. We stayed at the front for nine days and I had many narrow escapes. I faced all kinds of bullets from a common rifle to 10 inch shells. I am with the Iowa boys, 168th Infantry. 167th infantry is the Alabama boys. I had rather be with the Alabama boys but the Iowa lads are fine fellows and I think alot of them. Iowa boys speak of us as "The Fighting Alabamians" and we speak of them as "Over the Top Iowa". Alabama is always next to Iowa and the boys would lay down their lives for each other. Well I know so much to tell you I hardly know where to begin, and I could not write you as often as I like but I have been moved from place to place that is has been so I could not write until now. There is no rule about writing, only as to what you can write. I reckon I will tell you about the country first, then some of my experiences at war. This is the best country I have been through, the land is fertile; wheat and other grain grow shoulder high but no corn or cotton or grown here. The land is not level but rolling just enough to be beautiful. The people don't live on the farms as we do back in the states, but in small villages anywhere from 2 to 5 miles apart and the farm lands lie in between the villages and towns. The streets are narrow and instead of being paved like our streets they are laid with round top stones about six inches square. You never seen a wooden building; they are all built of stone. Families and horses all stay under the same roof, dwelling and barn being built together. Now, listen, if you see a bad crook in my letter don't think it strange, for maybe a "cootie"has bitten me while writing, ha ha! I reckon you know what we boys call "cooties"? As I was speaking of the French villages and in this land where we boys took from the Dutch. The Huns ran like hounds. The towns are completely wrecked by shell fire. We have driven the Dutch back 30 or 40 miles through open warfare and yet we don't lose so many men, though there are a great many wounded, but we left the Dutch lying thick in the battlefield. I saw the Alabama boys take a village, I was on a high hill in the front line. Big shells would light up in their lines but they didn't halt, marched straight on through the town. I saw many Huns taken as prisoners, but I didn't capture any personally, but was right in the line that did. The most pitiful sight was the french women and children that we rescued from a town we captured, they were so glad and the french soldiers were proud when they saw our boys coming for them. One women had both legs broken by our shells, for she had stolen away from the Dutch and hidden in a dugout. Any boy will want to fight when he sees how badly he is needed, yet there is no good time while you are at the front. But we are on our way back for a rest. I know so much to tell you all this time, but stationary is hard to get just now. When we get back to camp I will tell you all I know. Tell Dad that I know he is reading of this battle and we are winning it just like he reads it. I would like to tell you where I was in battle but can't, though it was were the hardest fighting took place. I saw seven air battles, saw the planes come down in flame; didn't see but one Allied plane that we wrecked by the Dutch. Then the American plane ran into the Hun and both went down together. I am going to send Dad a Dutch helmet some time soon. Grady Boyd, Co. I 168th Inf., A.E.F. ____ LETTER FROM CLAUD SOX IN FRANCE Somewhere in France, Aug. 13, 1918 Dear Homefolks, How are you by this time? I am well and enjoying good health. I received a letter from James and Papa on Sunday and was glad to hear from home. Be sure and write me everything you want to. I can't write but certain things. I can write more in this kind of an evelope than the other. This is very fine country, everything is pretty. France is a prettier country than England. I wrote you a card while I was in England, don't know if you received it or not. There are "old timey" things over there. I don't know whether I ever told you how long I was on the water, I was 11 days crossing. I hardly know what to write but I will say this much, that is is not half so bad here as one might think; get plenty of good things to eat. There are some pretty milk cows in this county but not many hogs. Dad, I wish you could see these pretty French horses. Be sure to write me who are running for sheriff and who will be nominated; wish I could cast a vote for our side. What part of the county did Spencer go to? Send me his address. Bushes of love to you, your son, Pvt. Claud C. Sox, H.D.E., Co. 113, F.A., A.E.F. ___ LETTER FROM AMOS VAUGHAN IN FRANCE Somewhere in France Amos Vaughan, son of Rev. and Mrs. Geo. W. Vaughan, who is scraping the Huns somewhere in France, writes to his parents: Dear Mother, Forgive me for waiting so long to write to you. I have been on the front and haven't had an opportunity to write much but I hope you haven't become worried waiting so long for a letter from me. I have been to the front twice and over the top twice and I've been lucky so far. Am getting along fine at present and hope you all are. Guess you had a delightful time July 4th, did you not? Did they have the regular annual singing at Heflin? Hope I'll be able to spend xmas at home, that is if we are successful in our undertakings by that time. I haven't been able to get a letter from you yet, expect I'll get one in a few days. The reason I haven't heard from you is because I've made several changes since I've been over here. I will close as I think I have told you most everything you wish to know. Tell the rest of my people to write to me. Hoping to hear from you real soon, your devoted son, Amos Vaughan, Co. D 103 U.S. Inft., 26th Div., A.E.F. ___ LOCAL News Mrs. L.R. Wright is very sick at her home with typhoid fever and her many friends hope for her speedy recovery. __ Mrs. Mary Poarch has returned to her home in Jackson City, Tennessee after a visit of several days here with her son, Mr. J.A. Poarch and wife. __ Hugh Porter left Sunday for Birmingham where he will go for military training. __ Mac Cook left Wednesday for Birmingham where he will go in military training at Howard College. __ The following negroes from Cleburne will be sent to the training camp at Camp McClellan between the 25th and 28th of this month: Mel Pinson William Stephens Will Pickard Luther Stephens Normon O'Harrow Lee Heflin Harvey Springer ___ NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, September 26, 1918 LOCAL News We learn with sorrow of the death of our boyhood friend, Will Norton, near Lecta. He was a splendid boy; he grew up to be a man whose place will not easily be filled in the world; and impossible to fill it in the home. ___ LETTER FROM OCO HILL, IN FRANCE Oco Hill, son of Mr. G.F. Hill of this place, who is in France, writes an interesting letter to his father telling of his experiences. The letter is dated Sunday, August 10th and is as follows: Dear Dad, Am going to try and write you a few lines this evening in answer to yours just received. You can't imagine how proud I was to hear from home. Was glad to hear the crops are good for we may need some of them over here before we get back to the dear old U.S.A. Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. The boys up at the front say it is "home, heaven or hell by xmas". We are some distance from the front yet but will leave here soon; of course I do not know where we are going. We have been having lots of rain here but itis so hot it is dry and dusty, the next day another big rain. When are the boys that they put in class one going to camp and when is Hamp coming across? We get a lot of news every day from the New York Herald; it is being printed in Paris, France and believe me the soldiers run over one another to get them; they cost us 4 cents or sometimes 20 cents. Well, I haven't run across anybody I know over here yet and I want you to see W.A. Stephens, Jeff Henry and J. T. Lovejoy and get Newt, Guy and Lem's address and send them to me and maybe I can find where they are; also send me Hamp's address. Say, you know I didn't go to church much at home but now I go every time I can over here; we have services every Sunday by Chaplain Lieutenant Lacy at the Y.M.C.A. Services will start in a few minutes. I will close. God be with you til we meet again. Your soldier boy, Pvt. H.O. Hill, Bat'y F, 113 F.A., A.E.F. __ LETTER FROM SPENCER SOX, On Board Ship August 2, 1918 Dear Mama, Am still ok, safe and sound. Guess you are kinder in suspense as you have not heard from me after arriving at camp. Our trip from Tuscaloosa to the camp was a delightful one. there was two Pullman cars full of us, and we were well cared for. Stopped off 3 hours in Washington, also 4 hours in New York and had a few minutes on Broadway. We stayed in camp two days and we were on the go all the time, and I did not have an opportunity to write you before I left there. There is lots of things I would like to tell you about but as our letters are censored guess I will have to wait til my return which I hope will be someday. Mama, please don't worry about me, because I am going through all right. Just be brave and think about it in the right way. You are only giving up what thousands of other mothers are doing and their boys are just as dear to them as yours, so please do not worry too much about Claud and myself; say, be sure and send me his address. Write me a long letter and tell me all the news. Love to all, Spencer Sox, Detachment 3, American Expeditionary Forces ________ LOCAL News Misses Alberta and Elizabeth Carruth have returned to their home in Columbus, Mississippi after an extended visit here to their grandmother, Mrs. W.R. Hunnicutt. __ Mrs. Bessie Brown of Birmingham was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Kitchens last week. __ Mr. H.W. Davis and children of Denton, Texas are visiting Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Boyd. __ Word has been received of the recent death of Mrs. W.F. Wordlaw of Anniston. Mrs. Wordlaw was the sister of Mrs. J.T. Boyd of this place and was highly admired by her many friends. The funeral occurred at Anniston last Friday afternoon. __ The editor of The News has as his guest, his brother Mr. W.A. Dodson of Monroe, Oklahoma who arrived in Heflin Wednesday night. This is his second visit back to Alabama in about 35 years and says he notes many changes in this section during these years. Editor A.R. Dodson was down from Bremen to meet his brother. ___ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspapers/newspape432gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 18.0 Kb