From Days Gone By Jan. 20, 1916

January 20, 1916.

 In 1916 this week, Dr. A. I. Haines, a prominent citizen died at the sanitarium in Macon after a brief illness. He was buried in the John B. Wright cemetery on Buckeye. He was survived by one son, John B. Haines, and two daughters, Mrs. O. A. Kennedy and Mrs. Maggie Hayes.

    Mr. Alvin I. Haines and Miss Lula Carter married on January 9th at the home of Mr. & Mrs. O. A. Kennedy on East Court street. Miss Carter is a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. E. Carter near Lovett. Alvin is the oldest son of Mr. & Mrs. W. A. Haines, a well known Laurens County farmer.

    Mr. Herschell Smith has moved into the house formerly occupied by Mr. J. D. Hutcheson. Mr. John Meeks and family have moved to their new home on Myrtle Avenue. Assistant postmaster J. H. McWhorter has been appointed carrier on Route No. 5, going out from Wrightsville. This route has been satisfactorly handled for the past year by Mr. L. J. Claxton, and Ped will doubtless keep up the good record.

    A few citizens have announced candidacy for various offices in this years elections. For Tax Collector, H. T. Downs; For Tax Receiver, J. A. Lindsey; County School Superintendent, A. J. M. Robinson; For Clerk of Superior Court, B. J. Moye, Preston Norris, John A. Douglas, Jr., R. B. Bryan, Gus Norris, and Geo. A. Smith. U. R. Jenkins who was bear out four years ago for Ordinary, is a candidate for that office again.

    At the Union Prayer Meeting at Kite, the citizens turned it into a prohibition and law enforcement rally. Dr. J. W. Flanders was asked to give the address. Rev. T. Murray was requested to act as chairman, and J. S. Stephenson, secretary. While the meeting notice was short, the house was full. They resolved in writing letters to the judges and law officers to put fines on violators of prohibition laws instead of sending them to jail or work the roads for it does not deter the violators.

    This was written for the booze fighter, for the married man who cannot get along without drink, the following is suggested as a means of freedom from the bondage to the saloons:

    "Start a saloon in your own house. Be the only customer, you'll have no license to pay, go to your wife and give her two dollars to buy a gallon of whiskey, and remember there are sixty-nine drinks in a gallon. Buy your drinks from no one but your wife, and by the time the first gallon is gone she will have eight dollars to put into the bank, and two dollars to start business again. Should you live ten years and continue to buy booze from her, and then die with sakes in your boots, she will have enough money to bury you decently, educate your children, buy a house and lot, marry a decent man, and quit thinking about you entirely."

From Days Gone By Jan. 13, 1917

January 13, 1917.

    Due to the fact there are very few 1916 newspapers I will be skipping to 1917 this year. However on the weeks that there is a 1916 paper I will note that and include the important happenings of that week in 1916 as well. Thanks for your continued reading.

    The President of the Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad, Mr. Pollard has signified the intention of the road to re-build and re-model the old depot. It has become quite dilapidated and not sufficient for business. Mr. M. V. Mahoney of the W. & T. was in town shaking hands and making plans. What is needed is a new up-to-date depot with an Express office that will be a credit to the town.

    Tuesday night about 1am the home of policeman Clayton Dent, on East College street was destroyed by fire. The fire ladies kept it from spreading to other structures. Mrs. Dent was in Macon visiting her mother and  officer Dent was uptown on duty. The cause of the fire was unknown.

    Math Poole, a white man, was brought from Swainsboro and put in Johnson County jail charged with forging checks. He was found at his father's home in Emanuel County and was escorted here by ex-sheriff Rufus Coursey and Sheriff Coleman and turned over to Sheriff Willis D. Rowland. Sheriff Coleman gave the paper high regards for the job Sheriff Rowland is doing.

    Hon. C. T. Bray is seriously sick at home seven miles from town. He almost recovered from typhoid fever when he relapsed, developing into other complaints. His prognosis is not good. Mrs. G. N. Ivey of Kite is slowly improving from typhoid fever. Mrs. D. A. J. Price died at her home after a brief illness and was buried at the Parker burying grounds.

    J. T. Blankenship has moved his City Market to the east side fronting the court house. In Kite, the M. J. Claxton Hardware Company has purchased the entire stock of goods of the Riner Merchantile Company of Meeks and is operating the store at that place. Mr. Ernest Claxton has put up a dry good store at Meeks also.

    Mr. N. D. Snider has moved to Kite as has Mr. L. L. Claxton who will operate Johnson Garage. J. B. Davis of Bartow is now a Kite resident. J. E. Shephard had stolen a set of buggy harness, with extra heavy lines off his buggy right at his front gate. He is offering a reward.

    There have been upwards of 20 car loads of mules and horses sold in Wrightsville this winter. Evidently there is going to be a great deal of farming going on somewhere this year.

From Days Gone By Jan. 6, 1916

January 6, 1916.

    The spring term of Warthen College had a very auspicious opening. One new teacher has been added to faculty since last term and quite a few new faces have been seen in the student body. This bids fair to be one of the most prosperous the school has ever had.

    The Bank of Wrightsville and Exchange Bank will hold their annual stock-holders meeting next week. It is expected that a good dividend will be declared as they have had a prosperous year, and are among the strongest in this section of the state.

    Mrs. J. M. Huff, wife of the editor of the Headlight, died Tuesday at noon, after being ill only a few days with pneumonia. She had been in failing health for more than a year. She was greatly loved and respected by the people of all classes in this section.

    Mrs. Rosa Kennedy, daughter of the late Captain John L. Martin, was married on December 30th to Mr. Furman Barker of Allendale, South Carolina.

    W. G. Burns and Mrs. Dolly Kent, both of Wrightsville were married yesterday at the home of Judge Z. T. Prescott with Mr. Prescott officiating. Mrs. Burns is a daughter of the late Mr. J. D. Martin of Johnson County. The groom is one of Wrightsville's finest merchants.

    William Jackson of Donovan has two good milk cows with calves for sale, and J. H. Palmer has high-class registered Duroc-Jersey hogs, all sizes. He also has a young pointer dog, well-trained natural retriever. Satisfaction guaranteed.

    All down the ages girls have been eager to find out their future destiny, whether they will be old maids, or as they are now called, bachelor girls, or wives and mothers. Christmas as well as all the other festivals, has been allotted its customs and superstitions through which the secret of the future may be learned.

    To find the answer to the important question, wife or old maid, a girl had to go alone on Christmas eve and knock on the henhouse door. If a cock answered her knock by crowing, she would be married, but if no cock crowed in answer, then she would be an old maid. This undertaking would require a good deal of courage in the old days of superstition, as on Christmas eve evil spirits were supposed to have increased power and ghosts were supposed to prowl around.

    If a girl wished to know the name of her future husband she took four onions and named each one after a boy friend. She then placed one in each corner of a room and the one that sprouted before January 6th bore the name of the man she would marry.

    In some districts this was carried out rather differently. Several onions were selected and named and placed close together, and the one that sprouted first gave the name that was to be hers. We can imagine how carefully the warmest place would be chosen for some special onion.