FROM DAYS GONE BY Jan. 10, 1919

January 10, 1919.

Saturday night last while moving from one place to another with a mule and wagon one Mr. Gaston drove into Battleground Creek, commonly known in that community as Mill Creek, some piece below Fortner's grist mill, and before anything could be done the animal drowned and the wagon and its contents were submerged by the heavy current. Travelers that way Sunday morning discovered the animal dead in the water and the belongings scattered through the swamp and the wagon turned over in the depths of the swift stream. A bridge was there but a washout on that side prevented the loaded wagon from reaching it. A search was made for the owner, the accident happening in the night and the community around not being notified of it, the owner getting out before he made his loss known.
Coroner J. Frank Jackson was summoned to the scene to hold an inquest over the remains of a man, but upon going and making an investigation no body, except that of a dead mule could be found. In a day or two afterwards it was found that a man named Gaston had driven into the stream with the above results. At last accounts the mule was still lying near where it drowned and the wagon and contents were about the same as when first discovered.
Although the war is over the U. S. Navy's work is incomplete and are asking for more men from Johnson County. Men discharged from the army are especially wanted. A memorial service will be held at Nails Creek Baptist church on January 12th in honor of Pvt. Arlie F. Claxton who fell in action October 15th, 1918, near San Quentin, France, and was buried there with military honors.
There has been continual moving and real estate transfers since the first of the year. J. V. Snell has moved to a new farm in Hazelhurst. B. Vickers bought the W. J. Dent home. J. A. J. Walker bought the Morel home and will come here from Uvalda. D. A. Phillips went to a farm near Bartow. Dewitte and W. C. Brinson occupy the house on College Hill recently purchased by Dr. J. W. Brinson and vacated by J. M. Bryan who is now in the Phillips house in south Wrightsville.
Rev. E. R. Cowart has moved into the new parsonage on Tribly Street west. J. H. McWhorter moved on west College Street. C. E. Price bought the old Linder house, G. H. Prescott bought the place of Mrs. Ida Mae Barfield and J. A. Hall occupies the Prescott home. J. B. Paul lives where J. H. McWhorter lived, B. I. Walden moved to the Paul house and Mr. Smith from the country moved to the Walden house. Charles Fulford lived by the Bank of Wrightsville. Photographer Braddy lives in the Kent house on Bradford, Mrs. R. B. Bryan, Sr. bought the Smith property. T. O. Martin moved to the Braddy house, H. C. Kitchens into the J. A. Hall house, T. C. Brantley has the Tanner house. F. M. Cox bought a house on Hilda St. and Bill Tucker to the house near the Union Warehouse on E. College.
S. M. Price got the J. V. Snell home, Mrs. R. C. Adams moved to her father's, Ellis Johnson. J. O. Tanner vacated the Kennedy house and moved to W. Elm. Mrs. Hightower, Angus and wife are at the Kennedy house. Frank Jackson and Ira Blankenship moved in Mrs. Hightower's home. Earl J. Harris resides in Mrs. Mabel Blount's home, J. F. Elton got the Mrs. J. P. Williams home. The W. B. Ivey place went to C. D. Thompson, the Samps L. Powell place to J. E. Beasley and the Butterly place out near Mayo Hill was purchased by W. H. Harrison.
New auto tags will be white and black. Claude Thompson opens a store on Marcus St. next to Johnson's corner across from the post office. The city purchased a Ford tractor with a leveling machine to work the city roads. Jeweler John J. Duff's new location is just above the Vivola Theatre. J. H. McWhorter is now in charge of the post office. Charlie Smith and Roger Davis were discharged from the army. Star Supply Co. in Wrightsville now has the celebrated John Deere wagon. The Wrightsville Headlight offers a life time subscription to the parents of the first white baby born in the county in 1919 providing the parents allow the editor to give the child a name. On the first day of the year Mr. John Smith was fixing fence down on the swamp when the dog bayed. Going to investigate found a large rattlesnake four and one half feet long and fourteen rattles. He killed him with a large stick.