Sunday, September 20, 2015

From Days Gone By Sept. 15, 1917

September 15, 1917.
    Acting under a call from the War Department six young Johnson men left Wednesday morning for Camp Gordon at Atlanta to go into training. They were Hershel Bray, L. K. Stephens, Tom Tharpe, J. Wesley Brantley, G. T. Lee and Claude Deal. A large crowd went down to the depot to see them off, shake hands and give them their best wishes. It was a sad departure. As soon as thoroughly trained they will be sent to France to fight. Each one responded to the call of duty nobly. These were the first to go away under the conscription act.
    Dr. I. H. Archer, Wrightsville's dentist, received notice of being drafted and has to report to Camp Wheeler on Monday. He took the exam for the dental corps in Ohio, passing he was commissioned 1st LT. He promises to come back to Wrightsville when released from the service. A 1st Lt. gets $166.66 per month, but dentists have to furnish their own clothes.
    There were 2546 bales of cotton ginned in Johnson County up to August 31st. Mr. J. D. Johnson is now with Dixie Grocery Co., Mr. Henry Heath left Dixie Grocery to work for  M. S. Duggan. Mr. Jimmie Spell left Hayes Cash Store for Rowland Grain & Seed. Mr. J. I. Singletary no longer cuts whiskers at Gannon's barbershop.  Carl Roundtree is with the City Market. Marcs Stephens left Rowland Grain & Seed to go back to driving Fords for Lovett Garage. The Busy Bee Café is paying 35 cents a dozen for fresh eggs.
    About 200 children attended the opening day of the Wrightsville District School. More are expected once things get caught up on the farms. Wrightsville is now entering a new day educationally. Her school has passed from the hands of part of her people to the care and support and custody of all her people. For many years the Methodist have supported education through Warthen College and have done a great job. But now a necessary change has been made for the future of education in Johnson County. Now everyone has to share in the burden of supporting  school.
    At a colored meeting at a church near Mr. C. T. Bray's home Sunday afternoon two colored men and one colored woman ran amuck and scared the whole congregation from their seats with a big row right by the corner of the building. Pig Linder, a man named Martin and this woman had gone out of the church and in an argument the fuss started. It is said that there was plenty of "white lightning" on hand and Pig and his pals had been imbibing quite freely.
    The report is trouble arose over the woman. One of the men said he had just paid $7 for her dress and "she was his 'oman." From this the row began right and both pistols and knives figured very conspicuously in it. No one was hurt except Pig who got an ugly cut on his cranium, which he said was too high for serious injury.
    Sheriff W. D. Rowland and Deputy Jim Tapley were reached over the telephone by interested church members and they went to the scene at once. Pig, Marti and the woman was landed in jail.
    Mrs. I. J. Hitchcock was laid to rest at Westview Monday morning. She had been ill for some time. This family a lived here for 20 years. She had three children with the eldest and youngest are dead. The only child left is Mr. E. N. Hitchcock, manager of the Union Grocery Company. They had adopted a young girl, Marie, who is still with them.

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