From Days Gone By May 4, 1923

 May 4, 1923.

    During the early hours of Sunday morning this section was visited by a heavy downpour of rain with wind. A heavy gale blew in many places and the weatherman was dishing out some "rough stuff" here and there. 

    The worst damage was the awful destruction of the tenant home in which John M. Brantley and his five motherless children 7 miles east of Wrightsville. John is a tenant on the farm of Mr. J. T. Fulford. It was raining when they awoke, then in the twinkling of an eye a heavy gale, drawn hard into a cyclone bore down upon the premises sweeping the home from its resting place and tearing it to smithereens scattering everything to the four winds.

    John crawled from the brick pile injured internally and bruised badly. Adel the eldest daughter was rescued by siblings Charlie and Beatrice from beneath a heavy sill with her left thigh and ankle broken. Beatrice was badly bruised and battered. Charlie was only slightly bruised. Guy had nail punches and marks all over his head and face and Annie Myrtle, the baby, escaped unhurt.

    The mule was left standing while the stable was blown to fragments and chickens lay dead all around the place. Frank Attaway opened his home to the family until other arangements could be made.

    The storm struck down hard also on the G. C. Raines place about the same time but the dwelling was unhurt. A storeroom in the yard was destroyed with alot of implements, oils, and farm materials swept away. All his shade trees were blown down but one. Mr. Raines said it was a fearful time.

    The storm swooped down on fields and cleaned up whole patches of cotton. Another farm house of Fulford's the storm took off a chimney flue.

    Going on down east the cyclone hit a tenant house on the Berry Price place taking the roof off. It also took Price school house off its blocks. At Pringle Lonnie Garnto, James Price, W. W. Frost and others suffered losses to the storm's fury. It went on down into Emanuel County and wreaked much havoc around Blundale.

    Judge Moye postpones City Court until June on account of farmer's getting behind on crops. Next Sunday is the last day autos will be allowed to run here without a 1923 tag. Mr. Goerge H. Brantley left for training at Ft. Benning. Wrightsville gets 1924 accredited high school meet of the 12th district.

    Several coloreds had gathered on the corner across from Union Warehouse late Sunday when a row ensued. It looked like a general fight until one pulled his gun and fired at another when the thing died down. The officers chased the shooter with track dogs but he got away.

    Twenty-one Civil War veterans were guests at the Memorial Day services. They were D. C. Blankenship, A. T. Linder, W. S. Burns, T. J. Brantley, J. R. Wilson, L. Moseley, J. T. Dickens, H. C. Mason, Isham Stephens, C. Snider, M. N. Killebrew, T. H. Walden, J. L. Miller, J. H. Hardaway, Drew Loyd, H. G. and B. Y. Wheeler, O. S. Fortner, W. S. Corbin, W. D. Smith and S. P. Barfield.

    A fire broke out next to the Headlight building. The wood structure owned by W. E. Blankenship caught fire in the center where David Lavine had a shop repair shop. Dr. S. M. Johnson's office was in the front. The fire dept. got it out but the building was destroyed and the Headlight building saved. Blankenship had no insurance but will rebuild a brick building.

    Little Trenton Soles, the 6 month old son of Henry L. Soles died April 23rd. Mrs. Martha Jane Mixon died April 25th at 78. She was widow of T. T. Mixon and was buried at New Home.

    The horse fund for Rev. Sumner is now up to $71. Agent Crow assisted in Jackson Farms of Donovan in selling a carload of hogs shipped to Havana, Cuba.

From Days Gone By April 27, 1923

 April 27, 1923.

    Tom Pug Wright and Seaborn Hilson, two colored men were brought to town from a stilling apparatus which was in operation up near Buckeye by county policeman W. T. Kitchens, Willie Mae Kitchens, his son, and bailiff N. D. Whitaker, who made the raid.

    The 35 gallon copper outfit was in full bloom down in a thick, bushy swamp where timber had been cut and tops and bushes spread everywhere but the officers pushed on into it where the small blaze was snickering through the clusters and every step they took gave rise to screeching cracks of twigs and rattling of dead leaves.

    Five people is said to have been around the still when it was being approached. Only two have been arrested, the others still at large. Both are out on bond. The officers tore out the big still and brought it to town along with the big vessel containing the evidence. The glittering, strong scented liquid was running out of the spout into the jug when the officers arrived.

    The case of Frank Foskey, carried to the Court of Appeals on a writ of error by Judge B. B. Blount, was reviewed and a new trial will be granted.

    A pretty bad cutting affray is reported to have taken place near Kite when two women on the farm of Chief J. C. Claxton got into a difficulty out near the home of one of the parties. The names of the women is said to be Mrs. Egie Lindsey and Mrs. John Mann Cain. Jealousy seems to have figured in the affray from all accounts. Mrs. Lindsey slashed Mrs. Cain on the hand and arm pretty badly with a razor.

    Friday a mad dog ran amuck in the Meeks community and on to Providence school and before it could be prevented the mad animal had bitten two of the school children, a child of Mr. Brice Anderson and one of Mr. Johnnie Stephens. The dog then ran on into the convict gang, striking at several of the men but doing no injury. As soon as the guard got a safe shot he took him out. The head was sent to Atlanta and came back rabid. The children are being treated.

    Mr. James T. Drake, farmer citizen of Adrian, and for years a policeman, bailiff and now J P is now a sheriff prospect. Grand Secretary Frank F. Baker of the Masonic organization of this state, came last week and spoke at the court house to a large crowd.

    Its bad for any fellow to lose a valuable buggy animal especially if its all he has and no funds to buy another. We can't buy everyone who loses theirs but we have a preacher who needs it to do his church work. The fund to buy Rev. Sumner another horse is growing. Up to last week $53.50 was collected. This week $15.50 more was collected from 20 more charitable beings.

    Miss Ida Mae Fortner and Jas. Powell were married at New Home. Mr. Richmond Sammons celebrated his 71st birthday. Ferming has taken on a big move this week with the advent of such pretty sunshiny weather.

    Nearly all the schools of the county closed Friday. Schools have been largely attended this year. RFD carrier E. J. McAfee brought in from Mrs. C. H. Martin a curious chicken egg, all streaked and quarted up like a watermelon, one of the most peculiar eggs you ever saw.

    Having disposed of his planning mill and property at Lovett, Mr. Joe H. Hardison and family left for their new home in Raleigh, N. C. Postmaster J. H. McWhorter request that all owners of boxes on rural routes from this office are asked to paint their boxes, the flag and the post white, presenting a neatly kept mail receptacle. This comes direct from the post office department and to be undertaken country wide.

    More than 1,500,000 new car buyers joined the Ford family last year. Ford turned out their 7,000,000 auto on January 17th of this year. Nearly 6,000,000 Ford cars and trucks are in use in the U. S. at the present time.

From Days Gone By April 20, 1923

 April 20, 1923.

    Mr. W. R. Smith made his formal announcement for Johnson County sheriff. His announcement opens up a campaign that is to be on until next year's primary. "Bill" Smith, as he is known is one of the county's most solid and reliable citizens, a man of worth and standing and bears the characteristics necessary to fill this office. He is a member of one of the largest family connections in the county and resides on his plantation in the southern section of the county. This breaks the ice and more candidates are sure to follow.

    The Women's Improvement Club will furnish a fine program on April 26, Memorial Day, for every old soldier that served in the 60s. The public is invited to the speaking and memorial services at the court house. Donations to buy Rev. G. F. Sumner a new horse is still growing. L. L. Lord, E. W. Tanner, W. T. Johnson, J. B. Williams, C. S. Claxton and J. N. Hall have contributed with a total of $53.50 accumalated so far.

    Continued rains are seriously interfering with crops in the county, the farmers already being somewhat behind with their work. April 15th Mr. Leaston Powell celebrated his 78th birthday. Nancy Anthony warns the public not to hire, shelter, employ or detain one Jesse Anthony, colored, about 16 years old, now away from home without her consent or wishes.

    Mr. Tal M. Hicks was chosen as the principal of the Dublin High School. The county school census taken for 1923 was completed and turned over to Supt. Lillard. The total white and colored school census for 1918 in school age was 4,765. The 1923 figures are 4,425 or 340 short. Children are on the decrease according to this or else folks have left the county to this per cent. Of the 340 short 84 are white and 256 colored.

    There are 1334 boys and 1325 girls, 2659 white with 883 boys and 883 girls of the 1766 colored children. The census cost the school board $237.64. Seventy children over ten are unable to read, ten white boys and five white girls. Twenty-nine colored boys and twenty-six colored girls can't read. There are no blind children. One deaf and dumb, a white child. Five whites and six colored are cripple. Four whites and four blacks have feeble minds.

    The Field Day Excercises at the high school was a success and was attended by hundreds. In the Junior Athletic contests winners were William Bedingfield, 100 yard dash; Annos Martin 220 yard dash; Bluford Brantley 440 yard dash and 880 yard dash. Standing Broad Jump Archer Moye; Running High Jump Eugene Mercer; Three legged race Lottie Meeks and Juanita Henly; sack race Henretta Glisson.

    In 1st grade reading Pauline Claxton; 2nd grade Sadie Culver; 3rd grade Mary Price; 4th & 5th grade Frances Conners; 6th & 7th grade Dorothy Dunlap.

    In 2nd & 3rd grade arithmetic Woodrow Spell; 4th & 5th grades Wm Bedingfield; 6th & 7th grade Annie Myrtle Gilliam.

    Second & third grade spelling Wilson Marshall; 4th & 5th grade Billie Shurling; 6th & 7th grade Sara Lovett; high school Ovid Stephenson.

    Boy's Declamation J. W. Claxton; Girls reading Lois Cox; Music Roy Johnson; ready writing Lila Lovett.