Randolph County AlArchives News.....Newspaper Abstracts for SEPT 1903 September 1903 ************************************************ 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 June 24, 2005, 10:06 pm The Roanoke Leader September 1903 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE ROANOKE LEADER", Roanoke, Randolph County, Alabama for SEPTEMBER 1903 NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, September 5, 1903 ROCK MILL News Mrs. W.W. Bonner and her daughter Miss Blanche Loyd Sims, returned yesterday from Atlanta where they have been spending several days with relatives. __ Clarke Harper from Clanton, Ala., visited relatives here Saturday and Sunday last. __ WEHADKEE News Col. James Aiken of Gadsden visited relatives here a few days ago. __ Sanders Benefield and family left last Wednesday for Marion County where they will make their future home. __ HAPPY LAND News While pulling fodder yesterday morning, Bud Fincher was bitten by a highland moccasin. __ John Hardy united with the Christian church last Sunday. He is over eighty years old and had made no profession for religion previously. He was not able to go to the church, consequently the services were held at Geo. Halsey's where he is making his home. Mr. Hardy is almost blind and otherwise very infirm. __ Hillie Blackston is engaging in carpentering in the vicinity of Buffalo. __ NAPOLEON News Last Tuesday evening at Rush Gay's there was an affray between Dock Benefield and a man named Humphrey from Georgia. The latter was severely slashed with a knife. __ Marcellus Laney has a new boy to raise. __ Miss Katie Barton, one of our best young ladies, has become demented and will probably have to be sent to the asylum. __ Mrs. Cumi Kirby and her mother Mrs. McGaha are visiting in north Alabama. __ LOCAL News R.Y. Ponder has asked us to change his address for his paper to Ruthville, Tennessee. __ Jim Lane and sister Mary of LaGrange are visiting the family of councilman Jones. __ Mrs. G.H. Harrison and her children of Florala are visiting relatives in Roanoke. __ Henry Jackson has come home from Columbus and will be engaged with his father in the tombstone business. __ Wyatt Edwards of Ofelia was brought home from Montgomery on Sunday and is still critically ill. __ Miss Bettie Young, a niece of T.C. Goodwin, died near Wedowee last Thursday. Her condition became such that she could not retain anything in her stomach and it is said that for 63 days prior to her death she took no nourishment more than water. __ Rev. Harrison Jones came last week from Louisiana. He is closer kin than that, being a Georgian. Twenty years ago Mr. Jones was pastor of the Lebanon church and he had not visited Roanoke in 16 years. His coming was mutually pleasant. __ Miss Mollie McDonald died at Conyers, Ga., on Sunday after a long illness. She was a sister of Mrs. J.D. Weathers who had just returned from visiting her, and also a sister of Mrs. J.F. Turner who went Monday to attend the funeral. __ Al Carlisle moved his family to Atlanta. __ Miss Estelle Daniel of Franklin, Georgia is visiting her cousins the Misses Wood. __ Lon Stewart has secured a position in Atlanta and with his family will move there this week. __ Oscar Shelnutt has moved to Langdale. __ Will Noles went to Atlanta on Monday. His mother and the other children will go later in the Fall to make Atlanta their home. __ Tom Abbott, the man who was thought to be fatally wounded by the negro desperado Aaron Sledge, is reported to be getting well. __ H.F. Hays of Anderson, South Carolina has rented the store east of Griffin & Satterwhite and will open a stock of general merchandise therein. His family will come later in the season. __ Mrs. Eugene Thompson of Georgia came Monday to spend a few days with her sister Mrs. W.Z. East. __ The 12 year old son of Monk West, living a few miles southwest of town, was reported to be to the point of death yesterday afternoon. __ NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, September 9, 1903 NAPOLEON News A goodly number of us will carry dinner and worship with "Uncle" Burrell Nail at his home Sunday. He will be 101 years old that day. He is becoming quite feeble now, though he still enjoys company and likes to talk. His implicit faith and confidence in his saviour is remarkable. What can be more joyous than to stand on the very threshold of eternity and know Jesus is there to give us a happy admittance into a long sought rest. __ LOCAL News Miss Nannie Hutchinson of Hackneyville is boarding with her aunt, Mrs. R. Hooten and attending school. __ Two negro boys, sons of Tom Heath, wre drowned in the creek at Rock Mills Sunday morning. Their father sent them to ring the church bell but instead they went to the creek with the result above stated. __ Sunday's Constitution contained a picture of Marvin Mooty and Miss Jennie Arnold of Hogansville, Ga., with the interesting announcement that on Oct. 29th these popular young people will be wed. __ C.J. Ussery arrived in Roanoke from Temple, Texas and proceeded to Wedowee to visit his father, Tax Collector Ussery. __ Mrs. C.C. Biggerstaff and three children of Talboro, N.C. are visiting the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Oldham. __ Mason Wilder of Houston, Ga., will move his family to Roaoke by the 15th and he will clerk for W.H. Brittain. __ John Floyd returned from Sewanee, Tennessee last week and will be here until October. __ Mrs. Sarah Radney returned Saturday from a visit to her daughter Mrs. J.M. Thompson. __ Early Peek, the son of J.O. Peek in Beat 7, shot himself accidentally on Sunday a week ago and died a few days later. __ Mrs. H.R. Oldson and children arrived Monday accompanied by the former's aunt, Mrs. Hattie Bishop of Hustonville, Kentucky. __ "Uncle" Bob Harris and wife are visiting relatives across the river. __ The three weeks old child of Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Reid died yesterday evening of whooping cough. Their little daughter is dangerously ill of the same disease. The funeral will occur from the residence at 11 o'clock this morning conducted by Rev. W.W. Turner. __ John Denny was acquitted on the charge of murder in LaFayette yesterday. __ HAPPY LAND News Lon Burdett is recovering from an attack of fever. __ NEWSPAPER Issue of Wednesday, September 16, 1903 WEHADKEE News Mrs. J.M. Fincher was taken with hemorrhage of the gums last Wednesday and is in a critical condition. __ Dock Benefield and his son Needham have been absent days prospecting in northwest Alabama. __ NAPOLEON News A large congregation met in the grove of oaks in front of the home of "Uncle" Burrell Nail last Sunday morning. That day was the beginning of his one hundred and first year. After a good long service, prayer was offered by your correspondent and brother Milligan Earnest. Brother Joiner preached a very interesting sermon; and was then followed by Bro. J.C. Grant in one of his characteristic and entertaining talks. Uncle Burrell was comfortably situated near the speakers in the shade. He certainly did enjoy the services. After preaching the contribution of several dollars was placed in the hands of Sister Washington, his daughter with whom he lives. The dining table from the house was placed in a cool place and loaded with good things, around which was comfortably seated the old man, four of the oldest ladies and one of the preachers. An improvised spread was made of the lumber used for seats and covered with snowy white cloths upon which was laid only such toothsome edibles as farmers raise. When all was ready Bro. Grant offered appropriate thanks for those provisions of God's bounty and then all with a keen, hearty good will, ate to his fill. After dinner, many with their children, sought Uncle Burrell and wished to take the hand of a man over one hundred years old. He ate as heartily as any one at the table but it was with some trouble to get him a piece of corn bread for which he lustily called. In the evening we left him cheerful and highly elated. ___ Mr. Eph Price was married to MIss Maude Colwell on Sunday morning. Milligan Earnest officiated. ____ LOCAL News Mason Wilder has moved with his family into a part of the Zach Gunn residence. __ Curtis, the son of J.A. Daviston and Belle, the daughter of Rev. C.M. Dollar, left here yesterday for Talladega to continue their course in the school for the Deaf. __ Mrs. Pattie Liles returned last Thursday from a visit ot her sick brother Charles Morris in Tennessee. We are glad to learn that he is improving. __ Bill Phillips who was tried in LaFayette last week for killing a man was acquitted. __ Mr.and Mrs. Mal Crabtree, an aged couple, are ill with fever near Welch community. __ RESIDENCE BURNED At 1 o'clock Thursday morning an alarm of fire brought forth an anxious crowd who were not long in discovering that the residence of Hon. W.A. Handley, which was one of the old land marks, was being consumed. Willing hands recued nearly everything from the front wing of the building and the fire company saved this part of the building from total destruction. But the old part of the house and the kitchen, with their contents, were soon destroyed. The loss we learn was pretty well covered by insurance, except for the letters and papers of Capt. Handley that were burned with his trunk and desk. We all hope to see the Capt. erect a fine new house on is beautiful lot at an early day. __ A BEAUTIFUL HOME MARRIAGE At the residence of the bride's father W.L. Hill, in Dadeville at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 6th, Mr. Albert Spencer of Wylam, Ala., and Miss Lois Hill of Dadeville, Ala., were united in marriage. Dr. Jno.P. Shaffer officiated. Mr. Spencer belongs to a family of much respectability and is a young man of good morals and fine business habits, and is worthy of the hand and heart of the beautiful woman whom he has won to be his wife. ___ NEWSPAPER Issue of Wednesday, September 23, 1903 HAPPY LAND News Because of the feebleness of "Aunt" Martha Brown, there was preaching at her home by her pastor, Rev. T.H. Elder, last Saturday night. Arrangements were made for a family reunion on Tuesday following but the inclemency of the weather prevented it. __ Rev. F.M. Burditt is on the sick list but is improving. __ ROCK MILLS News Homer Sharman and Wiley Farrer boarded the train at Roanoke several days ago for Texas where they intend to make their future home. __ B. Jones has been very ill with the fever for the last three weeks but is improving. __ NAPOLEON News (by G.O. Hill, correspondent) Mr. Aubrey Kirby of White's Chapel and Miss Hattie Willingham of Haywood, eloped to Georgia Sunday a week ago and were married. This couple is quite young. The bride's parents are very indignant. __ Mrs. Luella Fincher gave birth to a son last week. This makes the seventh grandchild of your correspondent. __ CORBIN News Weldon Hester of north Alabama is visiting relatives in this section. __ Rev. C.T. Culpepper filled his appointment at Rocky Branch today and was unanimously re-elected to serve the church a pastor another year. __ Mr. and Mrs. Bud Suddeth have both been on the sick list for several days. __ LOCAL News W.T. Daniel came home Sunday from Ensley. He will move his family over there the last of this week. __ J.D. Hooper will move to Albertville were he has a position in a bank. J.D. is a bright young man and we are confident of his success. __ On Monday, Deputy Sheriff Fuller arrested in this place and carried to Wedowee a young negro named Ed Shanks who shot another boy named George Harrison in this place some months ago. Ed had been spending most of the intervening time in North Alabama and Tennessee. __ R.M. Patton, the young colored man who has been doing some of our press work since his graduation at Booker Washington's school last May, has gone to accept a position as the head man in the printing department of the Snow Hill Industrial Institute for negroes near Selma. He is an exceptionally exemplary representative of his race. __ Mrs. Ed Bass and little children came down Friday to spend a week with the former's mother, Mrs. Mary Sharp. Sunday night the infant Elmo Bass, six months of age, was taken sick and died at one o'clock the following afternoon. The remains were carried Tuesday to Wildcat cemetery for interment. All the family were very fond of the little one and their bereavement is sore. __ Mrs. Caroline Wilder, a resident of Troup County, Georgia, ninety-five years old, is on a visit to her sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Cobb near Paran, Ala., who is eighty-eight years old. Mrs. Wilder is a remarkable woman in many particulars. Her health is very good, her memory excellent and eye sight good. Grandma Wilder bids fair to reach the one hundredth mile post. __ At 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the home of the bride's parents, Miss Lera, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Kent, was married to Robt. M. Swann, youngest son of Capt. W.A.J. Swann. Judge Blake officiated. The Leader extends congratulations. __ Miss Clara Brittain returned Friday from a lengthy visit to her brother at Palmetto, Ga. __ Tom Gay returned from Louisiana on Monday and will make his home at the old place for awhile. __ Sheriff Walton of Chambers county was in town Monday. He will be back tomorrow to witness the hanging of Sharman Stevens. _____ Bill Kent, son of the Sheriff, boarded the train yesterday for Texas. __ DEATH OF SEABORN GAUNTT On the night of the 20th of September, 1903, at his residence near Welsh, surrounded by family and friends, Bro. Gauntt breathed his last on earth and passed up to his reward. He was born in Chambers County, Ala., sixty years ago. He was a brave Confederate soldier, losing one of his arms in the second battle of Manassas. Long years ago he confessed Christ as his personal saviour and joined the Bethel Baptist church of which he remained a faithful member to the day of his death. Bro. Gauntt was a kind husband and father, a large hearted and accomodating neighbor and a good citizen. He was buried in the Bethel cemetery on the evening of the 21st in the presence of a large congregation. The writer conducted the services in the meeting house of the Bethel Church. He leaves a wife and one daughter and two sons to mourn their loss. May the Lord comfort them and heal their broken hearts for only He is able. Affectionately, Jno. P. Shaffer _____ NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, September 30, 1903 THE SECOND HANGING; The Hanging of Sherman Stevens Wedowee, Ala., Sept. 25th The people began to arrive here as early as 7 o'clock and by 10 o'clock, an immense crowd had gathered on the streets, which was variously estimated at from 4,000 to 6,00 people. At 10:30 o'clock we were admitted into the jail. A religious service was being held there for the benefit of the prisoner. He seemed to be moved by the service very little, expressed no hopes and evidenced no outward signs of fear or dread. This indifference on the part of the prisoner was from the fact that he is entirely destitute of the faculty or conscienceness. His mind was simply incapable of realizing the death he was about to meet. Sheriff Kent and Deputy Fuller on either side of the prisoner, with several deputies in front and rear, vacated the jail at 11:30 o'clock and started on their journey to the scaffold. It was no trouble for the Deputies in front to make way through the crowds with the prisoner. The people stood silently by as the procession moved on and seemed only too anxious for this negro to meet the punishment they knew he so justly deserved. The gallow was reached in a very short time after leaving the jail and if the vast number of people surrounding the scaffold had been a bit noisy previous to the arrival of this procession, they were perfectly quiet now. Sheriff Kent announced that the prisoner would make a statement. The negro stated in part that one year previous to this time he was a free as anyone and could go and come as he pleased, but that the use of strong drink and bad company had brought him to the gallows. He admitted to the killing of Lee Stephens, his father, but said that he believed himself justified in so doing. He further stated that some other accusations that had been brought against him were untrue. The prisoner talked only a short time and in a low tone without a tremor in his voice. When the prisoner had finished his talk a song was sung by the negroes and followed by prayer by a negro preacher. After the hanging the body was cut down, placed in the coffin and conveyed to the poor house cemetery and there interred. Written by J.Dee Bradley __ WEHADKEE News (by S.D. Lewis, correspondent) Last Tuesday morning, Mr. Freeman Walker died at his home near this place after a long illness. He was 67 years old and was one of our best citizens. He has been a consistent member of the Baptist church for a number of years and lived an exemplary life. Services were conducted by the writer at Big Spring on Wednesday evening. We extend sympathy to the bereaved ones. S.D. Lewis __ LOCAL News Will Pate arrived in Roanoke last Thursday to spend a week or two with homefolks and old friends. He had not been in Roanoke for thirteen years. __ Mrs. Jno. M. Davis was stricken by paralysis on the left side Friday and is in serious condition. __ Emmett Sharp came over from Carrollton and spend Sunday with relatives. He brought his aunt, Miss Vic Sharp back to her home in this place. __ J.P. Seroyer and wife will move to Camp Hill tomorrow. Their Roanoke friends regret their leaving but wish them every success. __ A SUDDEN DEATH This entire section was shocked and grieved to learn that early Sunday morning, Mrs. Cora Bonner had died suddenly at her home at Hickory Flat. Naturally frail, the strain upon her physical and mental frame since the lamentable death of her husband Dr. T.H. Bonner some weeks ago, proved too much for her natural strength to bear; the cords of life were snapped, and the weary spirit followed the loved and lost into the mystical beyond. Mrs. Bonner was one of the best women in all this country. She was a useful member of the Methodist church at Standing Rock, where the interment occurred Monday morning after funeral services. She was a cousin of The Messrs. Baker of Standing Rock and Mrs. John Moon of this place. By her decease, five small children are left doubly orphaned and this is unspeakably sad. ___ Rev. Belt White is expected to arrive from Anniston today to conduct the funeral services for Mrs. Jenie Smith. __ DIED LAST NIGHT At half past twelve this morning, after a long illness, Mrs. Jennie Smith died at the home of her sister, Mrs. S.C. Pittman in this place. She was a daughter of the lamented Elder Moses Park and a sister of Mr. A.C. Park and Mesdames Mary Mickle, A.D. Taylor, S.C. Pittman and J.M. Pittman. She was a humble christian. Mrs. Smith was a widow during the past twenty years, making her home with relatives here. She has been the object of their constant love and care and her gentle presence will be missed and mourned. At the time we go to press it is thought the funeral services will occur in the morning. They will held at Lebanon. ___ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/newspape623gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 19.9 Kb