From Days Gone By Feb. 21,1924

 February 21,1924.

    Judge Ben Hill Moye, Judge of the City Court of Wrightsville, a board trustee of the high school, a former representative from Johnson in the General Assembly and an attorney has been critically ill at his home since last week and his recovery looks dark. Dr. Lamar Harris of Augusta has been at his bedside since Friday. A specialist from Atlanta arrived yesterday morning consulting with local physicians. Judge Moye's last visit uptown was last Tuesday when he tried to summon enough strength to finish up City Court but could not and was deluged with requests not to try.

    The Twelfth District Accredited High School Literary and Athletic Field Contests will be held in Wrightsville at the high school building and campus the latter part of April.

    A second co-op hog sale for the county will be Feb. 28th. Agent Crow says prices are expected to be higher than the first sale. A large number of buyers are expected to be on hand.

    Mr. H. P. Claxton files for bankruptcy. Advalorum taxes for the city of Wrightsville for 1923 must be paid by March 1st or a levy will be made. Sewerage is all in and the streets will be worked up in the next 10 days it is hoped. Mr. & Mrs. N. D. Whitaker had a boy on the 12th.

    The devil came to the Methodist Church steps Sunday night just after services had begun, he taking possession of several dogs, causing them to bark, howl and sneeze. This canine disturbance caused Evangelist Harry Allen to request some one go out and drive the brutes away, or invite them into church; provided they would be quiet. A gentleman arouse and said he would disperse them as he believed the devil had entered the dogs for the purpose of interrupting services. The devil has not only the power to get into dogs, hogs, tomcats, etc. but into people attending church; for you occasionally see some man asleep, or some youth whispering or giggling, or some fair maiden looking at herself in a small mirror and powdering her face. This is a subtle way his satanic majesty has of causing people to become uninterested in the sermon, so says the preacher 

    For a long time the movement to build a highway bridge over the Oconee River has been contemplated by Johnson, Washington and Wilkinson counties. This would open up a whole new territory and shorten the distance from Macon to Savannah. There is no denying the fact that the bridge is needed and essential. This is a proposition which should appeal to the businessmen of Macon, because  it is a fact that the motor travel from Johnson, Wilkinson and lower Washington County is not what it should be. It's an opportunity to open up a rich trade territory which is now to a large extent isolated. 

    The people of Johnson and Wilkinson made the first real attempt at the matter of bridging the Oconee somewhere about Ball's Ferry or Oconee two years ago and in that had no response from Washington until now. Johnson and Wilkinson told Washington of the benefits of organizing the Bee Line Association from Macon to Swainsboro via Irwinton and Wrightsville. Johnson County is ready to put whatever power it has behind the matter and assist in the construction of this great public necessity.

From Days Gone By Feb. 15,1924

 February 15,1924.

    Mr. Charlie F. Oliver of the Western part of the county shot himself in the right temple about noon Thursday last at his home while most of the children were away from the house at school. Only two of them were on the premises, the two eldest. He has 8 children. His wife had been dead for some time.

    Despondency had pursued him for some time and the reason for his rash act is not known other than this. He took a 32 S & W pistol, placed himself in a standing position in front of a bureau. The children had left him standing in front of the glass before they went to the potato Hill. After they left he took the pistol from its place and jabbed it up against his head just above the right ear, pulled the trigger and fell to the floor, dying in cold blood.

    The children hearing the gun hastened into the house to find him dying on the floor. Neighbors and Dr. H. B. Bray were hastened to the scene but death had laid it's cold hand upon him. Coroner- Loring Clayton, summoned a jury with the result that he took his own life. Charlie was born in 1879 and was married to Mattie Meeks who died in 1917. He was buried in the Williams Cemetery in the Bray district of the county.

    Judge Ben Hill Moye was too sick to hold court this week so Judge Kent would try a few minor criminal cases until noon Tuesday, when against the wishes of family and physician, Moye left his sick bed. The attorneys and jury urged him to go back home for he had a fever and very much under the weather. He went back home where he was sick for several more days. He announced that likely there would be no City Court until August, the court has always adjourned for the May term.

    The annual "Go To Church Day" in Wrightsville will be Easter Sunday, April 20th. Mr. T. E. Hayes has a grocery store in operation fronting the court house on the west side. Mr. R. R. Doke files for bankruptcy.

    Mr. & Mrs. M. E. Woods have a daughter born Feb. 1st. The infant daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Barnes Cary died on the 9th and buried at Piney Mount. The infant son of Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Bush of Eastman was buried here this week.

    Wrightsville took the measure of Sandersville, Bartow and Cochran High schools in the last games played here on the new court. Thursday night the Redjackets beat Sandersville 24 to 9. The Redjackets beat Cochran 32 to 26. The girls defeated Bartow 8 to 7. Preparations are underway to enter the tourney at Cochran and Wrightsville expects to capture the honors.

    Mr. J. N. Daniel from the southern part of the county died at home after an illness of several days. He was about 75. He was buried at Bay Springs. Mr. Gordon Wilson, invalid for most of his 35 years died on the 4th. He was buried in the Wilson cemetery near Donovan. His parents were Mr. & Mrs. Jack Wilson.

    Did you know that the new law requires you to get a burial certificate and permit before you can legally bury your dead? Then, too, did you know the law requires you to have the doctor fill out a certificate for every child born? Well, they are after this thing now and some folks will get in bad with the law if they don't start complying with this new law.

From Days Gone By Feb. 8,1924

 February 8,1924.

    The Wrightsville School District released it's financial statement as officially reported as of December 31,1923. Receipts $17,052.41 disbersments $17,052.41. B. H. Moye, secretary & Treasurer. Board members are B. B. Blount, E. E. Sanders, W. C. Brinson, I. R. Tanner and B. H. Moye. Mr. R. L. Kent is clerk.

    There are pending in City Court some long suits if they are tried next week at the February term. Many smaller cases are on the civil docket for disposal also. The jail is empty for this term. The only three in it are there for murder and will be tried at the March term.

    A big rally of Farmers will be at the court house February 19th to listen to experts on farming. They will be discussing boy's club work, boll weevil specialists will also be there.

    County Agent Crow will hold a chicken sale Feb. 14th. Mr. Crow also wants to ship a carload of sweet potatoes if any farmers want to sell there's. Mr. I. T. Jackson and Mr. J. T. Harrison were here discussing the shortness of farm labor in the county this year, each saying they had farms idle on account of not having sufficient croppers. This condition prevails on many farms in this county.

    Mr. Lewis Leonidas Lovett has invented an accessory to a baby carriage. This mechanical device, when attached to a carriage and put in operation, will fan the baby, tickle it's chin or nose or toes, as well as produce a soothing sound that will amuse the little one.

    Mr. Newton G. Smith and Mr. John D. Wheeler have filed for bankruptcy. Mr. & Mrs. J. N. J. Garnto had a son on Feb. 3rd weighing eight and a half pounds. Miss Lucyle Nelson and Mr. William Bedingfield were married in Sandersville. She is daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C. W. Nelson of Wrightsville. William is a son of Mr. Henry Bedingfield of Harrison.

    Mr. J. G. Layton, 73, died at home near Lovett having been in feeble health for many years. His wife and several children survive him. He was buried at New Bethel near Condor. Morgan and Tom Layton of this city are his sons.

    The mild and sunny days of the past week brought a number of habitues to "sleepy corner" the genial sun seeming to give the loiters an air of contentment. The "Solomon of Wrightsville", or the wisest man here, informed the gathering that the "backbone of winter" was broken and that we have had the coldest weather of the winter in this section. This prediction was gladly received, causing one  individual to eject his quid of tobacco, which was large as a hen egg, and cheerfully recite "When the dogwood blooms again", a poem of two stanzas, composed by that kind and courteous gentleman, Dr. J. W. Brinson, whose amiable disposition endears him to all with whom he comes in contact.

From Days Gone By Feb 1,1924

 February 1,1924.

    Charles Moloney, President of the Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad, along with L. A. Downs, newly elected President of the Central of Georgia Railway, made an inspection of the railroad in this section. They went from here to Tennille to a W. & T. meeting where Mr. Downs was elected as a board member. Mr. Downs is one of the best known and most efficient railroad men in the country. He began his railroad career after graduating Purdue University as a civil engineer. Has been with the Central from 1896 until 1920 rapidly moving up positions to President. Much of Mr. Downs life has been spent in the South. He declares the Central of Georgia's territory is now in the best condition in it's history.

    Warden C. T. Wright has moved the chaingang to winter quarters down by the jail and working roads out from the city. They will remain here about two months. The Ordinary is considering buying some new machinery for the roads. Heavy and continued hauling big logs over newly made roads have hurt the County's roads materially while on the other hand the people have reaped a big harvest from the sale of the timber in a time of great need.

    Last Friday evening the local girls went to Soperton and played the high school girls in a fast game of basketball but we're defeated 39 to 10. The Wrightsville Bearcats defeated the Right way Athletic Club of Macon 26 to 30. The Bearcats go to Macon Feb. 12th for a return game.

    Mr. J. W. Frank's while out cutting wood near his home in the Western part of the county ran across a large rattlesnake which he killed having 13 rattles. It was one of the largest ever seen in this section.

    All day long Farmers brought in two-horse and one-horse wagon loads of well-fattened hogs for the sale at the Johnson County Livestock barns. Three carloads were sold. There were a total of 49,875 pounds in three cars sold to the Hall Commission of Moultrie. There were 93 no. 1s weighing 17,687. There were 81 no. 2s weighing 13,520 and 73 no. 3s weighing 8,619. There were 36 no. 4s weighing 2,992 and 28 roughs at 7,037 lbs. The price paid for no. 1s as a basis was $6.76.

    Many hogs have been killed and the meat saved by the Farmers at their homes this winter owing to the cold spells that have come along and this will help to offset some of the loss sustained by the cold damaging the grain crops. The grain crops in Johnson is off. Freezing weather did it up and has caused widespread loss among our Farmers. This will bring about a short food crop.

    Both churches in the basement had been deluged and the Baptist and Methodist congregations hovered in close quarters in the annex of each around small stoves, the furnaces being out of commission Sunday and Sunday night.

    The sewerage works are coming along well, the company working between rainy spells as best they can. Good weather will see it completed in a few weeks.

    Mr. Thomas Garten Holt, age 49, died January 25th at his home in Augusta after a short bout with pneumonia. His wife, Mrs. Maude Strange Holt survives. They had a child buried here where they once lived and he was brought back here to Westview. He was a member of the Wrightsville Christian Church. At time of death he was a successful agent for the New York Life Insurance Co. At one time he was a leading merchant of Wrightsville, afterwards going to Dublin entering business there. He also had a business in Waycross for some time.

From Days Gone By Jan. 25,1924

 January 25,1924.

    The State Treasurer mailed out checks to Georgia counties totaling $231,178.48, representing one-third of the amount collected under the new gasoline tax of three cents per gallon on the first quarter of the law's operation. One third of the tax goes to the counties to be used on road construction, one third to the State highway department and the other third for the retirement of the L. & N. rental warrants. Johnson County's check was $605.52. Emanuel drew the largest check of any, $4,081.66. That county having 109.2 state highway road milage. This puts Johnson not on the bottom but among the 11 lowest ones. Johnson is 11th from the smallest road milage counties in Georgia.                At Hazelhurst last week Warren Waters was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to hang for killing Tom J. Kersey, Chief of Hazelhurst police on Dec. 9th. Kersey went to arrest Waters and was shot down in the yard. March 14th was set by Judge J. P. Highsmith as the day of execution. A motion for a new trial was filed by W. B. Kent of Alamo, Lovett Harrell of McRae and Russell Ross of Eastman, his attorneys. The hearing will take place March 8th.                                                             The local basketball fans have obtained a good and convenient place to play their games and this week they have been busy fixing it up. The new court is in the Union Warehouse and will be one of the best in this territory anywhere. Seats will be put in and it will be made quite sufficient for a tournament which Prof. Anthony states they will likely have this season. A game will be played in the new court this evening.               School has been running one day and stopping one day on account of water and heat being scarce. It is hoped to have it all arranged within a short period.                                                     Sheriff elect Lovett J. Claxton became grandfather again on the same day he was elected, the 16th. Chief & Mrs. J. Carl Claxton had a baby son born that day. The infant daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Andrew's died on the 14th and was buried at Piney Mount.                   Farming here is getting underway and the prospects look mighty good although the inclement and tremendous cold weather of this week and of two weeks ago have set things back a little. Breaking land has started. Much grain was sown and much suffered severely from cold and some killed entirely. It has not been concluded yet if the freeze has swept the boll weevil away but they are preparing to fight him again this summer.                                                 Mr. J. T. Fulford gives the data of the 5 acre patch of cotton from last year. "I broke my land deep with a 2-horse plow. I used 700 lbs fertilizer per acre, 400 lbs of 9-2-2 guano and 300 lbs of nitrate soda. I put 300 lbs of guano in furrow and bedded on it, and when I planted I put 200 lbs guano with the seed; after I chopped it I put 100 lbs soda per acre. In the middle of July I put 100 lbs soda in the middle of the row making 700 lbs per acre. I plowed it once to twice a week until I went to picking. I had it looked over for 3 weeks when it began to bunch and had 2000 weevils caught. Then I put syrup and arsenate on the top, and in 10 days I put more on it. The first of August I put the dry arsenate on it and the 10th of August I put my last poison on it. I made 2983 lbs of lint cotton and sold it at 30 cents. It brought $894.60, my expense was $201.00 ($138.72 per acre). I have my seed to pay for picking."