From Days Gone By August 13,1914

August 13, 1914.

    The exercises of laying the corner stone of Brown Memorial Baptist Church on Tuesday afternoon was very interesting and drew quite a large crowd including some from near-by towns. All the ministers of the city and those from a distance occupied the platform built for the occasion.

    Dr. J. G. Harrison of Mercer University made the opening speech making a tribute to the memory of the generous Mr. & Mrs. Brown, to whom the church is built as a memorial. He also commented on the great progress made in Wrightsville in the past few years. Then the choir sang some fine selections by the piano.

    Rev. L. P. Glass, the pastor, then gave a talk and deposited many souvenirs in the vault of the corner stone, among which was a Bible of Mr. Brown's, given him by his mother, also a copy of the bequest of Mr. & Mrs. Brown for the erection of the church.

    In compliance with the Governor's proclamation, all businesses throughout the State was suspended five minutes at 2 pm Tuesday, before the body of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson was laid to rest next to her parents at Rome, Georgia and by order of Mayor Cook, the bell on the city clock of Wrightsville was tolled and its solomn dirge mingled with the different church bells in the city paying homage to Georgia's distinguished daughter, Mrs. Ellen Axson Wilson, wife of the President of the United States.

    Mr. E. L. Smith of No. 4 is the first to furnish a new crop bale of cotton for Johnson County, delivered the 11th: weight 453 pounds bought by E. A. Lovett at 11 cents ginned at the Wrightsville Gin Company and stored at the City Warehouse. W. H. Lovett ginned the second bale for M. D. Mayo which brought 10 cent per pound. The new gin is now in full operation, the stentorian blast of its big steamboat whistle evidences this fact.

    The new catalouges for Warthen College for 1914-15 are being delivered. Mr. Henry Tharpe, of the People's Hardware Company has gone to Dublin to work with the Stevens Hardware Company. Mr. Emmett Butterly who has been in the drug business at Louisville has returned to Wrightsville to be the prescription clerk at Flanders Drug Store. He is a graduate from the State University.

    Mrs. Etta Dent Hall, wife of Mr. Baxton Hall of Alamo died after a brief illness at Dr. Leon Moye's sanitarium at Vidalia. Mrs. Hall was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C. M. Dent of Johnson County. She was a member of Arline's Chapel where her funeral was held after being transported via the W. & T. Railroad from Vidalia. She was buried at the Dent Burying Ground. She was only 28 years old and survived by her husband, three little sons and her parents. She was a sister of Mrs. T. L. Martin of Wrightsville. 

From Days Gone By August 6,1914

August 6, 1914.

    The various politicians are now making their final pitches, platforms and promises to get those much needed votes for the Democratic White Primary to be held in a couple of weeks.

    For state senator for the 16th District, N. L. Gillis respectfully asks the support of all the district while Mr. L. L. Deal of Emanuel County simply states, "If elected I promise to serve you to the very best of my ability."

    In the race for Judge of the Dublin Circuit to fill the seat of the late Judge Hawkins will be Mr. John Luther Kent and W. W. Larsen with Larson considered to have the edge by being appointed to fill that seat until the election. Both were considered very capable men for the office.

    It is a somewhat crowed field for state representative of the 12th District. Mr. Walter M. Clements of Eastman ask for support as does Mr. W. C. Brinson who says if elected "I shall refer all local matters to the people to be ratified or rejected at the polls. I shall not introduce any local bill unless petitioned by the voters of the county." Mr. Dudley M. Hughes was also a candidate quietly in the race.

    The most two vocal candidates in the congressional race was Mr. S. M. Norris and Mr. S. A. Scott. Norris has only one plank in his platform, and that is, he is for creating county commissioners for Johnson County.

    Mr. Scott has by far the biggest agenda if elected. He is in  favor of the abolishment of the City Court. He will oppose the creation of a new county at Adrian. Favors a constitutional amendment permitting county lines to be changed so that the county line can be straightened below Adrian, annexing that into Johnson County, and also above Wrightsville on the Washington County line so as to take that into Johnson County which would put Harrison in the county.

    Scott also favors the state furnishing free text books in all public schools. He opposes the present fish and game laws as presently written and wants to improve the public roads wherever most needed.

    We will see if those elected can keep their promises  to their constituents as well as those today can.

From Days Gone By July 30, 1914

July 30, 1914.

    Mr. Shade Carter, the young son of Mr. Thomas Carter, living on route 4 brought to town a large, open boll of cotton which was taken from his 3 acre patch on the 18th. It is the first open cotton of the season brought to town. Mr. J. Tom Flanders brought in some fine Elberta peaches and also a 52 pound watermelon. Mr. G. F. Sumner came with some very fine peaches of the Chinese Cling variety, each measuring 10 inches in circumference. There is more money in such fruit than in so much cotton and it was suggested the people cultivate orchards instead of planting cotton.

    Mr. W. H. Chivers is offering his plantation for sale. This place is near in, good farming land. He is also offering his stock of fine hogs, all purebred Berkshires, and everyone in this section knows Chivers reputation as breeder of and dealer in fine hogs. This includes service boars, bred and open gilts, pigs ready to ship sired by Prize Winner, one of the best boars in the south.

    Sometime during Saturday night A. F. Flanders' drug store was entered from the rear and robbed of between $300 and $400 worth of jewelry. Entrance was effected by an inch auger hole being bored just under the heavy wooden bar which confines the back door, and through this hole the bar was gradually worked from its position. The loss falls heavy on Mr. Flanders who with his drug stock carries a handsome line of jewelry. Nothing else in the store was disturbed.

    Mr. Hobbs, the new agent at the W. & T. Railroad office has settled into the Stewart house on Marcus Street. Judge W. W. Larson announced his candidacy for judge of the Dublin circuit, a position he was just appointed to to fill the unexpired term of the late Judge Hawkins. Dr. W. J. Flanders is a candidate for Prison Commissioner. He was a former Prison Inspector which he resigned to run for that position.

    Mr. Walter S. Bryan is in the hospital at New Haven, Conneticut being operated on for varicose veines in one of his legs. Ida, the little daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Brinson, Jr. was taken ill with a violent sore throat while visiting her aunt, Mrs. C. H. Kitrell in Dublin. Dr. J. W. Brinson pronounced it a full developed case of diphtheria and she is under the strickest quarantine. It is not expected to be other cases.

    Mrs. Hettie Tapley died at the home of Mr. O. O. Snell, 8 miles east of town on the 17th and was buried at the Hall graveyard. She was survived by 3 children, 4 brothers and 2 sisters. After an extended illness of tuberculosis Mrs. Jerusha Johnson, wife of W. F. Johnson died at her home in the city on the 22nd. She was buried at Westview. She was a faithful Christian, a member of Moores Chapel. Besides her husband she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. C. S. Meeks, and 2 sons, Messers. L. D. and A. F. Johnson.

    The sudden death of Mrs. Clarice Fields Hicks, wife of Mr. Talmage M. Hicks which occurred Friday night at her home in Dublin, was a shock to everyone. Mrs. Hicks died from heart failure, superinduced by an ulcerated throat, and had been ill for only 2 days. She was a beautiful Christian character, and in her death everyone was reminded that "The good die first, and those whose hearts are dry as summer's dust burn to the socket." She was survived by her husband, an infant daughter, and her parents. She was buried at Northview in Dublin.