From Days Gone By Feb. 4, 1915

Febuary 4, 1915.

    On last Sunday morning between 2 and 3 am the fire alarm was sounded and it was discovered that an unoccupied dwelling house near the jail was burning and was soon consumed. The fire was no doubt arson or carelessness by someone who had been in the house for some purpose.

    Then just two hours later the big bell again gave the alarm of fire, which this time was to be the Farmers Union Gin, located in the northeastern part of town near the W. & T. Railroad. All the machinery of the gin was destroyed except the boiler, and but for the heroic efforts of the city fire department, the loss to the gin and other property nearby would have been greater. The gin had been at work until late Saturday night, and the fire, no doubt, resulted from a spark igniting the gin house.

    Two fires in one night, two hours apart, is a rapid record for any town, large or small. Still these blazes don't have much show, and are short lived, under the pressure and influence of the diligent, wide-awake fire ladies. At the first note of alarm is given, not withstanding the hour or weather, they are, to a man, promptly on the scene, with their apparatus, and by rapid and expert manipulation the conflagration, however stubborn, is soon extinguished. The fire department is one of Wrightsville's strongest and most important organizations, and for each and every member has the highest regard and esteem from its citizens.

    With the depression of the times, the burdensome cotton crop and scarcity of money, Wrightsville has continued to progress. Just one year ago the Baptist parsonage at corner of Valley and East Elm was destroyed by fire. The debris was immediately removed and work began on the erection of Brown Memorial which is now completed at a cost of $15,000. The new pastorium, a pretty bungalow has been built on Valley and Court at a cost of $1500. There have also been many residential improvements in town in the past few months, among which is that of Mr. W. A. Sinquefield, Col. Russell Daley, Mr. Leon Lovett. Improvements are underway on the Brantley house on West College and a pretty bungalow on South Marcus by Mrs. E. M. Lovett.

    On the sick list this week is Miss Dola Claxton, Mr. W. A. Mixon, Mr. T. Logue. Also the infant child of Mr. & Mrs. Hinton Smith was buried at Piney Mt.

    After more than a half dozen years spent at Adrian and Scott, Mr. J. P. D. Oliver and family have returned to their old home in Wrightsville. The Meeks school is planning an Old Fiddler's Convention and Basket Supper at the schoolhouse. All Johnson County farmers are asked to meet at the court house at 10am on the second Wednesday of this month says W. H. Raley, president Farmers Union.

From Days Gone By January 28,1915

January 28, 1915.

    On last Sunday night, about 9pm, Mr. A. A. Walker who lives near Spann, killed his wife by shooting her in the back with a double-barreled shotgun. No one was present at the time of the killing. Mr. Thos. Carter, Walker's son-in-law, who lived nearby, heard the shooting and went to the home of Walker where he found Mrs. Walker prostrate on the floor dead and Walker lying by her.

    As soon as possible Coroner Wes Meadows was notified, and accompanied by Dr. Erle Brinson, went to the scene of the killing where an inquest was held with Dr. Brinson as foreman. The coroner's verdict was, death from a gunshot wounds fired by Alec A. Walker. A warrant for murder was taken out and Walker was promptly arrested and brought to Wrightsville and placed in jail. It is said that Walker is of unsound mind, and at once was an inmate of the lunatic asylum, from which he was released some time ago. Mrs. Walker was buried at Piney Mt. the following day.

    Mr. T. M. Hicks who is having a dwelling house erected on his plantation on Buckeye, while walking through the house fell into an opening left for a chimney, and cut his face to such an extent that it required several strips of plaster to heal the wounds which were quite painful. Mrs. Elizabeth Lovett has purchased the old Mixon lot on South Marcus street and is having a handsome modern bungalow built where she will reside. Leon Chester is the contractor. Mrs. Annie Tompkins of Milledgeville, have returned home and are in the Brantley cottage on West Court street.

    The Davis school is progressing nucely. Average attendance is 62. Mr. Lester Prince is the new principal with Miss Annie Lou Hartley assistant. Mr. W. I. Martin, after spending over a year farming near Kite, has returned to his Wrightsville home.

    The Central Quartette will be at the Vivola for three days only starting tonight. Also three reels pictures will be exhibited. Miss Lizzie Culpepper of Tennille and Dr. James Dent were married on the 27th. The bride is the chief operator of the Bell Telephone exchange at Tennille. The groom is a practicing physician.

    Miss Mollie Scott has grippe. Mr. Herschel Bray has appendicitis. Mr. W. L. Thompson, assistant cashier at Bank of Wrightsville also has grippe. Louis, the little son of Mr. & Mrs. Frost has an abcess in his head which produces very high fever. The five week old infant son of Dr. & Mrs. R. R. Douglas died at their home on the 24th after a brief illness of laryngitis, superinduced by bronchial pneumonia. The funeral was held at the residence. Internment was in Westview.

    Mr. Ellis Johnson, living three miles from town, slaughtered seven fine porkers the first of last week, ranging from 250 to 500 pounds. Mr. B. B. Tanner wants to buy six or eight good young mules.

From Days Gone By Jan 21,1915

January 21, 1915.

    Tuesday, January 19th, was the birthday of General Robert Edward Lee, and was observed as a holiday throughout the south. The day was observed in Wrightsville by the Banks, and also by Warthen College.

    Rev. L. P. Glass, who has been pastor of the Baptist church, his time expired, was not recalled. He left Sunday morning for Atlanta to join his family at some relatives. He was held in high esteem by all the denominations here. He organized the Boy Scouts here and was its master. He also did great upbuilding of the Sunday School and had much interest in the building of the new church.

    The General Meeting of the Mount Vernon Baptist Association met at Bay Springs. H. C. Tompkins, local merchant left for New York and Baltimore to purchase his spring and summer stock. Hon. and Mrs. A. J. M. Robinson had a family reunion at their residence on West Elm street.

    Eli Smith who last year moved to Adrian but is now a resident of Scott. Mr. Jno. A. Douglas left for their country home. Mr. J. A. J. Walker formally of here but now in Uvalda was here shaking hands. Henry S. Wilson lost his large white setter dog, with a few blue spots about his body, and he is rather hard of hearing.

    The school at Spann has enrolled 56 pupils. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Reese have moved to Maple Springs. Buster Sumner is convelesent after a serious illness of typhoid fever. Others on the sick list are Mrs. A. L. Hatcher, Judge B. B. Blount, Miss Alma Blount. Mr. G. W. Gordy of Barnesville is now a clerk at A. F. Flanders drug store.

    Mr. H. G. Hatcher with the Farmers Union Gin Company here, while working on machinery in the gin, while removing lint from the saws, had his right hand and arm badly cut. He had to have his little finger amputated. On December 26th Pink Fulford died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Fields.

    L. A. Kennedy, the Swainsboro man who is in jail at Savannah charged with the murder of his wife was visited by Wrightsville attorney William Faircloth. He is his brother-in-law of the accused and will represent him. His defense will be accidental shooting. Kennedy is to be tried in March at Sandersville being granted a change of venue.

    Ordinary J. C. Wiggins informs all persons owning automobiles and motorcycles, can call his office and get the necessary application blanks for registration of motor vehicles.

From Days Gone By January 14,1915

January 14, 1915.

    The little hurricane which came up so suddenly and past over the greater portion of Wrightsville on the 5th, did more damage than first thought. Besides blowing down several trees and razing one or two small houses used for storage purposes, it unroofed a good portion of Mr. H. C. Moore's warehouse in the southern part of town and blew down the chimneys and otherwise damaged the house owned by Mr. B. H. Lord on Belmont Avenue, occupied by Jon Meeks and family. It also blew out all the large window glass in the west side of Warthen College, besides blowing down many panels of fence, and other minor damages all of which will amount to no little expense to repair.

    In the last ginners report of the year there were 24,733 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Johnson County from the 1914 crop. This is compared to 19,474 bales ginned in 1913.

    Mrs. J. W. Vanlandingham is appointed 3rd and 4th grades of the public school being taught at Warthen College. Dr. J. H. Moore, the eye, ear, nose and throat specialist of St. Louis, MO. has permanently located in Dublin in the Brantley building.

    Mr. R. B. Chapman and family and Mrs. R. H. Hines and family are occupying the house jointly, recently being vacated by Mrs. Hightower and family. Mr. W. L. Thompson and family is located in the Hooks house on West Elm. Mr. & Mrs. Lofton Burns have moved to the Douglas house on Court Street. Mr. & Mrs. Mac Shurling announced the birth of a son, born January 8th. Miss Elsie Hammock of Cedar Grove is spending the week with her sister, Mrs. William Riley Smith at Harrison.

    President Woodrow Wilson has appointed Mr. R. P. Hicks as Postmaster at Wrightsville. The Hall School is progressing under the management of Miss Cleo McGlasson. The school yard fence is completed and they hope to plant a flower garden in the spring. Also a new well has been dug.

    The farmers of Piney Mt. say if the weather don't get better than present, they will be picking cotton when the March wind blows in. In Arline Chapel news we learn of Mrs. John McAfee being very ill. Also Mr. Tom Page while out riding with four attractive girls, happened to the bad accident of getting one of his buggy wheels crushed. Say Uncle, you better take one at a time here after and stop being so greedy, he was told.

    The tragic death of Mr. Jim Vickers, which occurred Friday morning at his fathers home was sad news to the community. Mr. Vickers had not been well for several days, and had brooded over his financial losses and the depression of the times to such an extent, while in a despondent mood he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun, dying instantly. The deceased was a prominent farmer of Johnson County and was a genial, pleasant man, about 50 years old and unmarried. He was buried at Bethany Church in the presence of a large number of friends.

From Days Gone By Jan 7, 1915

January 7, 1915.

    Judge J. C. Wiggins has recently had some changes made in the interior of the court house building adding two more apartments. The former Ordinary's court room on the northside of the building has been partitioned the entire length converting the original court room into two rooms. The first of which, on the west side is now occupied by the law firm of Faircloth & Claxton. The adjoining room is the new sheriffs office. Sheriff Willis Rowland finds it more pleasant and comfortable in every way than was the case in his former congested, isolated quarters.

    At the new year meeting of the Wrightsville mayor and council, the following officers were elected: Marshal, J. W. Ausbun; night watchman, J. M. Bryan; city collector, J. J. L. Outlaw; electritans, Ross and Vanlandingham.

    Mrs. Will Dent while standing with her back to the fireplace, had her clothing to catch fire. Her little daughter Audrey, who was in front of a mirror, saw the flames reflected in the mirror and rushed to her mother who was not aware that er clothing was burning and elped her to extinguish the flames and thereby prevented what might have been a serious or fatal accident. Mrs. Dent and Audrey  escaped with their hands painfully burned.

    Mr. W. A. Mixon recently purchased a farm in the T. J. Brantley settlement and has moved there where he will till the soil and try diversified farming. Messrs Otho and Bernard Tanner and families have moved to the Tanner cottage, corner of Elm street and Myrtle avenue. J. W. Downs visited his old home here. He now lives at Ochlochnee as a book-keeper at a big mill.

    Mrs. J. E. Page of Orianna is a patient at Rawlings sanitarium. The stork visited the home of Mr. & Mrs. A. S. Norris on the first day of the new year and left a 9 pound boy. Gus was in town wearing an 8 x 10 smile.

    Mrs. J. L. Kent entertained the "Friday Afternoon Club" at her home on Court street. Tanner Grocery is now carrying a complete line of automobile supplies. Wrightsville Grain Co. wants 5,000 bushels of nice, dry slip=shuck corn and paying .68 cents. They also want 1,500 bushels peas at market price. There is now a corn market in Wrightsville for the farmer.

    Mr. Ivey R. Tanner of Wrightsville and Messrs.  Joseph B. Claxton and William W. Claxton of Kite filed for bankruptcy.

    The serenade given the town as the old year was passing out, by some of our local colored vocalists was very much appreciated, the singing was very good indeed.

From Days Gone By Dec. 31,1914

December 31, 1914.

    On last Sunday morning, services were held for the first time in the new Brown Memorial Baptist Church. While the interior of the church is not yet finished, and the pews and other furniture has not been placed, the use of a large number of chairs made the seating capacity ample for the large crowd. Rev. Buckholts from the State Board of Missions preached the sermon from Matthew 10, verse 32. A unique feature of the morning service was in reference to a chair formerly belonging to the late Mrs. Brown, was placed in the pulpit for the Reverend to occupy. In his preliminary remarks he referred beautifully to "The Vacant Chair" and the departed owner.

    Mrs. Susie Hightower will move to the Mrs. G. H. Rhiner house on Elm Street. Mr. T.A. Elton will move to the Cobb house on North Marcus. Mr. & Mrs. R. L. Stephens will occupy apartments at Mrs. J. F. Norris' on East Elm. Mr. G. B. Dunlap will move to the Mr. Smith Williams home. Rev. & Mrs. E. L. Wainwright have moved to the Pease cottage on College Heights. Mrs. W. A. Sinquefield is having her Marcus Street home remodeled.

    Little Janette Bryan, while walking in front of Tanner & Kent's store, had the misfortune to fall and bend the bone in her right arm. Mr. William Amason has been in feeble health and has left for Atlanta to the sanitarium. Mr. J. M. Mason was called to Ailey by the death of his sister Mrs. Raiford Mason. Mrs. W. J. Dent, Sr. is suffering from sciatica.

    Dr. S. M. Johnson was called to Talledaga, Alabama to see his brother-in-law Richard Moore, who, while out shooting crows that were destroying his grain field, accidentally shot himself in his right foot. The wound was serious enough to require amputation.

    A small fire occurred in the store used by Mr. W. C. Tompkins Saturday just before dark. Several hundred pounds of seed-cotton is stored there and a small boy lighted a cigarette and ignited the cotton. The firemen promptly put out the blaze before much damage was done.

    Tonight when the clock strikes 12, the death knell of the old year 1914, will be sounded and its events of good and bad will be rolled up in the scroll of time, and placed in the archives of the past, and there are many who were here at the beginning that are not now here at the ending. Tomorrow begins a new year, but the date on the calendar does not matter. The earth starts every morning on its yearlong journey round the sun as truly as on the first day of January, and each dawn is therefore a fresh opportunity to begin right.