From Days Gone By April 21, 1917

April 21, 1917.

    Friday afternoon throughout the county fell one of the heaviest rains seldom seen in these parts and in some places a terrific and destructive hail storm raged. The hail fell the heaviest between Wrightsville and Adrian around Mr. E. J. Sumner's place and community. It piled in fence jams knee deep according to many people who came to town Saturday. Young corn and gardens suffered severely and lands were washed badly. Mr. Will Walker about noon on Saturday picked out from a pile in the jam of a fence a lump as large as a water bucket. It was a sight the older people had never seen before.

    A wholesale raid was made Saturday night on a crowd of gamblers behind Sheriff Rowland's barn on Kent's Lane. Ten of them had assembled for an evening's drag, but their pleasure was too soon to be interrupted by the appearance of policeman Jackson and Dent, along with Deputy Sheriff Tapley who marched the squad, along with two women to the guard house. The women had been arrested for disorderly conduct.

    Trade and visitors to the city were brisk Saturday. Wrightsville has attractions in the commercial and social world equal to most towns of twice the population. In fact, Wrightsville is on the map more than ever before.

    Cromwell Jackson, convicted in the U. S. Court in Augusta last week for white slavery, was sentenced to 3 years in the penitentiary at Atlanta and was immediately sent there to serve his sentence. Jackson lived in Washington County between here and Harrison. Along last fall he ran away with Maude Page, a 15 year old girl of the community, and was carried to Bridgeport, Conn. where he was arrested and returned to Georgia. The girl has come back to her home.

    Johnson County is furnishing a number of boys for all departments of the military organizations. These gone so far are: Emmett Martin, Neil B. Blount, Carson Kemp, Geo. W. Cobb, Carl Holt, J. B. Martin, Johnnie Outlaw, Ferris Blankenship, Will Grice. The Honorable John M. Outler of Dublin is coming to speak to the coloreds, "On Our Duty, As Americans In Time of War." Postmaster R. P. Hicks has placed a flag and pole atop the post office as has the Exchange Bank. "Old Glory" is popping up everywhere.

    Those who have entered the W. & T. Railroads corn and velvet bean contest are: George Porter, Inman Walker, James Claxton, Osborne Williams, Harris Moye, Clyde Vanlandingham, John Henry Beasley, Alvin Price, Zenus West, and M. Hammock.

    Little Isabell Leaptrot died at her home near Green Hill. She was the only child of Mr. & Mrs. A. D. Leaptrot, her little sister, Alberta, died 4 months earlier. Mrs. Lizzie Underwood near Meeks was buried at the family cemetery near Mr. Isham Stephens place. Mrs. Nancy Seals of Liberty Grove died also.

    Babies arrived for Mr. & Mrs. L. G. Bridges, Mr. & Mrs. G. N. Thompson, and Dr. & Mrs. Jas A. Fort. Miss Lucile Butterly became the wife of Mr. Herbert B. Sanders on the 18th, and Miss Mary Frances Salter married Mr. John Willie Glover.

    Fire destroyed a tenant house belonging to Mr. U. R. Jenkins in the quarters. It was occupied by a colored family with a loss of about $250. Automobile tire thieves are working in some of the neighborhoods. Look out for yours.

From Days Gone By April 14, 1916, 17

April 14, 1916, 17.

   1916- R. P. Hicks submitted his resignation to Judge Kent for his membership of the Board of Jury Commissioners for Johnson County. R. E. Smith was appointed to finish Hicks' term.

    The firm of W. S. Burns & Son in the merchantile business is dissolved by mutual consent on account of Mr. W. S. Burns retiring. Mr. W. G. Burns will continue the business. The Wrightsville Civic League has been busy cleaning up the vacant lots and streets. The fixing up of a park is also being contemplated.

    Miss Mat Snell, an aged and respected citizen suffered a stroke of paralysis early Friday morning and was speechless when found. Word reached Wrightsville of the very serious illness of Miss Lillian Burns, the second daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. J. Burns, at her home about 6 miles northeast of town. She had been sick about 10 days with lagrippe but was able to be up and about when it relapsed into pneumonia. Her sister, Mrs. R. H. Smith of Keller, Ga. was notified and is now at her bedside.

1917- The new brick buildings under erection by the Lovett's on College Street are going up fast. Brick have been placed on the ground and the work of putting them in place has started. Contractor T. L. Chester is working as rapidly as possible. Johnson will start on his new buildings shortly.

    Chief M. L. Jackson of the city police is on the job with so much happening over the country that calls for close inspection and attentive duty. A number of suspicious characters have been hanging around the city recently and in a very quiet manner the chief has made an investigation of each but so far he has not secured enough evidence to warrant an arrest even on suspicion.

    Warthen College was represented at McRae Friday and Saturday in the 12th district high school meet by Miss Doris Johnson who partook in the girls essay contest. The Wrightsville Odd Fellows will celebrate their anniversary with a big picnic at Downs Mill pond on April 26th. Speakers will be Hon. William Faircloth and Judge Frank Saffold of Swainsboro.

    Gethsemene Church will hold an enlistment meeting. Those already joining the service are Messrs. John Spivey and Linton Mason enlisted in the aviation corps from Adrian. Others left Sunday were John Luther Kent, Eddie Henderson, B. J. Martin. Mark Carter and Eric Moorman left and were sent to Ft. Thomas, Ky for army training.

    Mr. James Mason and Miss Maude Drake were married from Adrian. Mrs. Bee Snell of Scott had a bad fall breaking the bone in her lower limb and made quite helpless on account of her age. Mr. & Mrs. H. P. Hicks have a new baby girl. Mr. J. E. Linder has purchased a new Cadillac.

    Rev. J. A. Stephens, a landmark in the Baptist ministry died at his home in Ohoopee. He was badly burned about 3 months ago. He was 74 years old and been preaching since the Civil War, and organized a number of churches. He was buried at Ohoopee. Besides his wife he leaves 5 children, Willie and Luther, Mrs. Sarah Lane, Mrs. Mary Webb, Mrs. Ruthie Webb and brothers Henry and Isham Stephens.

    Mr. C. H. Cook, farmer and saw mill operator is dead from a wound by a limb striking him across his head Tuesday afternoon. It happened near Mr. O. A. Kennedy's saw mill. It seems Mr. Cook and his son Wallace were out in the forest sawing down logs for the mill when a large tree fell off against another smaller tree felling it and strewing limbs all around and one large forked limb struck Mr. Cook squarely across the head, the fork coming down on both sides of his head severing one ear. When Wallace moved the limb his father was lifeless. He came from Washington County about 5 years ago. He leaves a wife and 6 children. He was buried in the New Cemetery in Washington County.

Fom Days Gone By April 7, 1916, 1917

April 7, 1916, 1917.

    1916- One of the most disastrous fires in the history of Wrightsville broke out about 2 am Tuesday morning, in the Vivola building which was completely destroyed. For awhile the nearby buildings were in danger but hard work by te firemen they were saved. The Vivola building was the best in town and built only a few years before by Mr. E . A. W. Johnson at a cost of $20,000.

    On the ground floor was the following firms: The Wrightsville Furniture Company; Tanner & Sheppard milliners, and the Idle Hour Ice Cream Parlor. On the second floor were the offices of Dr. I. H. Archer, dentist; W. P. Norris, lawyer; office of the Mayor and Council, The Georgia Medicine Company, and the Vivola Theatre. Linders Stables was badly damaged by falling walls but no stock was injured.

    Warthen College defeated Wadley Friday afternoon at Idylwild in a very slow and interesting baseball game. Warthen had 12 runs and Wadley had 8. Warthen has some very promising material in Kent, Martin, Blount, Cato, and Jones.

    Robert, the 3 year old son of Judge J. E. Page died from pneumonia. He was buried at Westview.

    1917- Mayor T. L. Harris announced the city would observe "Clean-Up-Week" which has been set in motion by a proclaimation by Gov. Nat. E. Harris to be held the first week in April.

    J. E. Tompkins, manager of the Wrightsville Furniture Company has opened up a branch store in Dublin, next door to Robinson Hardware Company on Jackson Street. Mr. T. M. Jordan will be in charge of the Dublin store. T. L. Martin & Son are now prepared to deliver your ice. All orders will be quickly filled. J. J. L. Outlaw, City Inspector, says all parties whose premises are found in an uncleanly condition will have cases made against them.

    A number of nearby towns are organizing ball teams for the coming season. Dublin met in mass meeting and organized a stock company and appointed a committee to see about arranging for a league of six towns in this section. Mr. S. R. "Red" Martin left for Hamlet, North Carolina where he will play ball this season with the Portsmouth, Virginia team.

    Messrs. Carlton Holt and Ferris Blankenship left Sunday morning to join the army. Their destination will not be known until they pass the entrance examination and be assigned to a training station.

    Two little baby girls arrived at the home of Mr. & Mrs. W. C. Chester April 2nd. Mr. & Mrs. C. M. Schwalls of Kite announce the birth of a boy.

    You can now ride easily over the streets of the city after the work by authorities. It now looks like a first class country town. Farmers are getting along very well with their farming but many are behind owing to all the rain. Many had not planted corn until this week. Capt. Kemp is now engaged with the work on the road from Wrightsville to Kite, via Moores Chapel. This road needed the work of the convicts as much as any road in the county.

    The musically inclined boys of Kite have organized a new band and are taking lessons from Mr. George Taylor of Davisboro. They are itching to play in public. Mr. J. Samps Johnson and Miss Eilene Midyett were married March 31st. She is the daughter of Rev. & Mrs. J. C. Midyett. Mr. Johnson holds a lucrative position on the road with the American Tobacco Company.

    Mrs. Roxey Ann Outlaw was born in Emanuel County August 17, 1830 and died March 22nd at 86 years of age. Her husband, M. A. Outlaw died 24 years ago. She is survived by three sons and three daughters, J. M., Andrew M., James, Mrs. A. T. Linder, Mrs. A. L. Hester, and Mrs. J. W. Linder. She was a daughter of John & Nancy Snell. Her father, John, represented Johnson County at Milledgeville when the county was first established.

From Days Gone By March 31, 1916, 1917

March 31, 1916, 1917.

    1916- John Martin Huff, for 30 years, was owner and editor of The Wrightsville Headlight. He was born in Griffin, G.A. and died at his home here March 15th at age 72. He received a literary and musical education at Marshall College and entered the journalism field at a young age. Before the Headlight he worked at the Griffin Star and Daily News, was founder of Pike County News, also The Gazette and Messenger at Sandersville. He was then editor of the Southern-Appeal at Irwinton then came to Wrightsville in 1886 and bought the Headlight from J. M. Mason, then known as the Wrightsville Recorder. He changed the name to Wrightsville Headlight. For over 50 years he was in the newspaper business. He was always on the right side of all moral questions. He was, in the highest and best sense of the word, a gentleman, quiet, modest, retiring, unobtrusive.

    The new editor and proprietor of the Headlight is Charles D. Roundtree from Emanuel County where he had been in the paper business for 7 years. He was editor of the Graymont Hustler and then the Forest-Blade. He attended Nannie Lou Warthen College, he is 33 years old, married and has a son and a daughter.

1917- Dirt was broken this week for the 4 new stores across from Lovett's Garage with T. L. Chester contractor. Mr. Johnson will soon tearout the Linder Stables that have been there for 20 years. A driveway will extend clear around circling these stores.

    The Linder Mule & Horse Company purchased from J. Ed Tompkins the vacant lot between Lovett Hotel and the two-story brick building now occupied by Tompkins (Classy Cuts). Mr. J. E. Linder will begin erection of a one-story brick store house (Matthew Waters building) which he will sell buggies, wagons and hardware. The building will be 40 x 120. Wrightsville is definitely on a building boom.

    The banks released their statement of condition. Exchange Bank, $194,053.04; Bank of Wrightsville, $270,806.77; Citizens Bank of Kite, $81,125.87; Bank of Adrian, $79,304.21; Scott Banking Company, $60,249.58.

    The Grand Jury recommendations include a bridge across Smith Branch from Wrightsville to Bartow on the west side of Polly Price's. The road at Cheney's bridge be straightened, hills cut so loaded teams can travel without danger. A. G. Powell be re-appointed Notary Public for 1396 district. That sign boards put at each crossroad directing where they lead to and distance of miles. They also are to petition the legislature to change the county line between Johnson and Laurens from corner on Dublin road near the Lake place straight to mouth of Ford Creek, thence down the run of Buckeye Creek to the Oconee River.

    On March 16th the death angel took Mr. Verdie Tapley's little baby, then on the 17th called away his wife. Mrs. Tapley was the daughter of C. W. Claxton of Mississippi, but was raised by her uncle, Bennett Claxton, her mother dying when she was only 2 weeks old. She was a Baptist at the Kite church. She was buried at Sardis.

    Mr. W. R. Amason died Sunday night without warning in the Busy Bee Resturant here. He was born in Washington County but been living here the last 15 years. He was a member of the Christian church and buried in Westview.

    This morning Mrs. J. E. Page of Orianna died at  Hodges Sanitarium following an operation for appendicitis. She was the wife of Judge J. E. Page and survived by him, one child, her parents, and several brothers and sisters. She was 26 years old and the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. R. Jordan of Jefferson County. She was a Methodist and her remains were entombed in the mausoleum at Northview Cemetery in Dublin.