From Days Gone By Feb. 21,1925

 February 21, 1925.

    The Board of Education met to discuss the New Home and adjacent school district in locating a place for a new and modern building.

    The Bell Telephone Co. are telling the Farmers to repair their own phone lines damaged from the recent flooding. The phone company say they do not own the Farmers lines.

    Mr. & Mrs. C. L. Pritchard of Kite had a 5 lb boy born February 8th named Buford.

    Leston Powell, 79, died at his home in the Eastern part of the county Sunday from a variation of troubles. He was a large real estate owner and a member of Oaky Grove. Besides his aged wife he was survived by his children Silas L., Leston, Jr., Mrs. T. Pullen, Mrs. Chas. Colston and Mrs. Wiley Cheaves.

    Was Gus Tarbutton killed in cold blood by accident or wanton murder? This is the question on most minds of the people of 3 counties since his tragic death Tuesday right on the brink of the Oconee River in Johnson Co., on a high bluff that is separated from the highest bluff on the river in that section by a gentle stream that echoes of the gun that fired the fatal shot. Thirty feet further west his body would have fallen into the river.

    In company with C. G. Rawlings and J. J. Tanner and the colored driver of Rawlings, Hal Hooks, Tarbutton went to the back of the large farm of the Rawlings estate on a business mission hunting bauxite deposits. Mr. Tanner carried a double barrelled shot gun to shoot snakes and such.

    On this high cliff Tarbutton was in the lead and the steep precipice was about to be descended when the gun fired and Tarbutton fell headlong down the slope. Tanner said the gun fired as he (Tanner) slipped and fell to the ground. Rawlings was some distance back according to Tanner.

    Coroner Loring R. Clayton summons a jury at the family's request believing foul play involved. They made the verdict charging Tanner with murder; Rawlings as accessory, the driver and another colored man as material witnesses. Tanner and the Stephens negro were jailed by Sheriff Claxton. Warrants being sworn out by the Coroner.

    It has been many a day since the county was stirred as it has been since this tragedy occured. Many reports are going the rounds about it and the details of Mr. Tarbutton's death is the subject of conversation in 3 counties. Mr. Tarbutton was buried in Sandersville.

From Days Gone By Feb. 14,1925

 February 14,1925.

    Circulars have been widely distributed announcing the coming to Wrightville Friday, the Rev. Sam H. Campbell, a speaker of national repute. It is said that he is coming here under the auspices of the local Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. His address will be on Americanism, the needs of education, public schools, religion, etc. It will take place at the courthouse with everyone welcome. The Rev. Campbell is known as a speaker and his address is to be highly interesting to hear.

    The Johnson County Club Fair stockholders met and elected the same board of directors for 1925. They are R. R. Martin, J. M. Cook, W. P. Bedingfield, M. T. Riner, Wm. Jackson, J. T. Fulford, C. T. Bray, I. R. Tanner, E. J. Claxton and Z. T. Houser.

    A total now of $10,733.79 has been distributed to farmers in this county on sweet potatoes, hogs and chickens. Mr. J. J. Brown, Commissioner of Agriculture is coming to speak in Wrightsville on Feb. 20th.

    In Dublin on Friday night the Wrightville boys easily won over the Dublin High team by the score of 20 to 13 in basketball. The Dublin girls beat Wrightville girls 19 to 11.

    Mrs. Williams who shot herself last week with a pistol is probably going to recover according to Dr. H. B. Bray.

    Mr. & Mrs. J. G. Tyson had a son. Mr. & Mrs. D. N. Moseley had a son on Feb. 6th. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Crawford had a daughter Feb. 1st. Miss Ioian Gardner wed Mr. James T. Miller on Jan. 26th.

    Mr. William Parker now has a position with a bank in Atlanta. Mr. Green B. Harrison, Jr. of Harrison has purchased an interest in the J. B. Williams Furniture Co. here.

    Webb Baker, colored, got furious at the Rowland Saw Mill and proceeded to wield a wicked hand, using a long crowbar as his weapon, landed a dangerous wound on the forehead of Mr. George Smith who had come up to quench a row between Webb and another colored. The bar passed on after hitting Smith and struck the other man beside the head making an ugly wound. Webb was jailed under a warrant by Sheriff Claxton. Afterwards it was learned the mill was in Washington Co. and he was transferred there.

    Mrs. Susan Price died Feb. 9th at Alamo from apoplexy and brought here and buried at Parker's cemetery. She was 61 and a daughter of the late John Parker of this county.

    Mr. John A. Wilson of Osierfield died at Mr. & Mrs. W. B. Jenkins, his brother-in-law here from heart trouble. He was born and reared here. His wife is a daughter of Mr. J. D. Hutchinson. She and their six young children survived him. He was a son of Mr. Jackson Wilson and was 47. He was a member of Cedar Grove Methodist and was buried in the Wilson cemetery near Donovan.

From Days Gone By Feb. 7,1925

 February 7,1925.

    A 250 gallon copper still all set to the music of the wind as it whistled through the gall Berry bushes of Battleground Creek a mile or so off the Gumlog road was captured and the big league outfit was wrecked from the stem to the last drop of the 3 big vats of mobby, said to be about 4,000 gallons.

    Officers Willie Rowland, Willie Crawford, Carl Claxton, L. C. Ross and T. Logue made the raid. No one was around and no arrests were made. Ten gallons of low wine and the big quantity of mobby along with some sweet potatoes, mash and other "shine" doings went up under the wrecking crew. The big still was brought in along with two large barrels, a lot of fruit jars and other stilling apparatus. This was the largest capture here in 10 years. The still was on the land of Jim Fortner.

    Mr. W. H. Lovett of the Lovett Lumber Co. made a deal with Mr. J. Gould Williamson of Eastman for a large tract of timber in Dodge County. This is the largest timber deal in South Georgia. The timber is a very choice lot and will saw fine lumber. The deal amounts to about $50,000.

    The Farmers of the county sold two cars of hogs this week. There were 193 head weighing 31,308 lbs which amounted to $2,609.40. Mr. Will F. Mayo of Kite kills the largest porker of the year dressing 943 lbs.

    Nath Cason, colored farmer, while pranking with a pistol shot himself in the knee causing a painful wound. Nath says he didn't know it was loaded. It was an old gun but it did the injury just the same.

    On Jan. 27th Mrs. Louise Williams, 16, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. W. H. Smith, who reside 4 miles east of town, shot herself with a 38 pistol as she arose on her bed after the family had retired. The ball entered the breast and ranging to the right plunged through her body and escaped through the back, lodging in the bedding.

    Since that time her life is hanging on a thread. Family trouble is said to be the cause of this rash act. Her father said she had been down hearted for many months and the morning before told her mother she intended to kill herself. She dismissed the seriousness of her troubled condition.

    Mr. Smith states that on Christmas day a year ago she was married to Horace Williams, a son of Mr. & Mrs. John W. Williams but they had not lived together the past few days. She grew despondent and he believes is the reason she tried to take her own life.

    Mr. Virgil Hatcher, son of Mr. & Mrs. J. L. Hatcher, 47, died at his home in Kite from a head trouble which bothered him for some time. Services were at Kite Baptist and burial in the Harrison cemetery. His wife, a Miss Harrison before marriage, 4 children and other relatives survive him.

From Days Gone By, Jan. 31,1925

 January 31,1925.

    The worst flood in Georgia causes more than $100,000 damage to roads, bridges and property owners. Some deaths we're reported and the town of Newton was completely desserted with the exception of the sheriff and post-mistress. Johnson's loss is probably around $10,000. Six bridges were washed away, four of them on main streams. Capt. Wright's gang is rebuilding them as fast as he can.

    Aunt Kizia Thomas, one of the few colored servants of the civil War days, died early Sunday. She was 75 and lived in or near Wrightsville all her life. For 47 years she was the servant of Mrs. J. W. Brinson, Sr. and also a servant for the Headlight. She was considered one of the most faithful colored servants known around here.

    Cold blood oozed out of two fresh wounds on the streets of Wrightville about 5 pm Saturday when two white men opened up fire on each other from not more than 30 steps apart. The deadly pistols, twin sisters, played the game of duel to a close shave on both sides and it was miraculous that with 9 shots fired that only 2 took flesh. The guns were silver 32 Specials.

    Ernest Rich got a pistol ball in the right leg near the hip and was carried to Sandersville hospital. This was the only wound he received. Deotis Heath got a ball hole through the left hand near the little finger, although a bullet went through his overcoat collar and one into his overall jacket, glancing off when it struck a brass button on the jacket.

    Rich is the Sawyer for the Rowland Lumber Co. Heath also works there and they had not been on good terms for weeks. No words had been spoken between them till the shooting began. They met, somebody pulled his pistol first and fired. The other retailated. When hit Rich says he fell in the ditch on his head and emptied his pistol at Heath. Heath says he shot 3 times but not until Rich shot at him 2 or 3 times.

    Rich denies this and says when Heath came up the street from the Rowland Co. office that Heath pulled his gun and fired first. Heath denies this and says Rich shot first. There were eye witnesses if it goes to trial but that is unlikely to happen.

    This all happened across the street from the Crawford blacksmith shops. Rich is a married man. Heath is single. So far no warrants have been issued and the facts are hard to obtain.

From Days Gone By Jan. 24,1925

 January 24, 1925.

    All of Georgia has suffered greatly from the rains the first of this week. Rivers have run higher than ever recorded delaying traffic and stopping trains. It's the first time in years the mail could not even run.

    In Johnson much damage resulted. The Wadley Southern was put out of commission and RFD carriers tried part of their routes. Fortner Mill owned by W. L. Bailey lost its bearings and fifty feet of the main part of the dam washed away. The Downs Mill owned by J. H. Rowland suffered likewise. Auto travel in and out of Wrightsville and other local towns were inaccessible with most bridges out. Farming was brought to a standstill and the planing Mill, sawmills have been shut down.

    Euly and Linton Curry were found engaged in the city barn in selling whiskey. The two colored men were jailed. Officers in the raid were Sheriff Claxton, deputy Carl Claxton, L. C. Ross and W. T. Rowland.

    Mr. Homer Moore will put in a large planing Mill, dry kiln and lumber plant where the Rowland Lumber Co. was destroyed by fire. The Lovett Lumber Co. is completing new editions to double it's capacity. A large dry kiln has been built. It will make it one of the largest Mills in the state. Mrs. J. F. Renfroe has opened the Ice Cream Parlor in front of the Dixie Theatre.

    Former Mayor E. E. Sanders was named head of the Wrightville Commercial Club which serves about 50 businessmen in the county. Mr. J. M. Brantley (my great-grandfather), near Beulah, killed a large porker that weighed 710 lbs when dressed. From the cuttings he made 190 lbs of lard. He killed another which weighed 400 lbs dressed. He lays the first one down as a champion for the county. Agent Crow sold another carload of sweet potatoes from Kite farms for $629. That makes a total of $6,082.06 worth of county products sold this year.

    Mr. & Mrs. R. G. Hutcheson of Adrian had a 9 lb boy January 8th named Thomas Aron. Miss Ethylene Harrison, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jim Lewis Harrison, married Mr. Cordie Powell, son of Mr. & Mrs. Walter N. Powell.

    Rev. Rufus D. Hodges was called to go to Oak Chapel cemetery in Emanuel Co. to conduct the funeral of Mr. Cicero Peeples. He served one term as county treasurer of that county and one of his sons, Mallie, is now tax collector of Emanuel. A family of 13 children survive him.

From Days Gone By Jan. 17,1925

 January 17, 1925.

    Mayor James M. Cook took the oath of office as administered by former Mayor T. V. Kent. Messrs. Raymond H. Rowland, Beverly B. Hayes and Herbert T. Johnson, the 3 new Councilmen were sworn in by Judge T. L. Harris. The other council members are R. R. Martin, Ivey R. Tanner and M. S. Duggan.

    The body elected W. H. Spell Chief of Police and City Collector and L. C. Ross night policeman. J. B. Harrison is electrian and Judge A. L. Hatcher is City Clerk and City Attorney. Martin is Mayor Pro Tem.

    The council voted to enact the Blue Laws effective immediately that nothing may be illegally or legally sold in the city on the Sabbath except in cases of emergency. This includes barber shops and you have to buy your gas on Saturday for all stations will be closed. The only exceptions will be for ice, the opening of drug stores for medicine only and hotels and restaurants for the sale of eats only.

    The ordinance prohibiting running autos at night in city without lights, with cutout open, without muffler as well as speeding will be strictly enforced.

    County Agent M. E. Crow distributed $5,459.06 among the Farmers of the county who participated in the 3 sales in Wrightsville. Also brought in were 16,914 lbs of chickens, turkeys, guinea and geese totalling $3,884.63. A carload of sweet potatoes brought $731. A car of 152 shoats weighed 11,097 lbs at eight and a half cents per pound. The official cotton record for Johnson in 1924 was 8,384 bales, twice as much as 1923.

    Judge John Luther Kent has opened up his law office in the room next to the Bank of Wrightville. Brown Memorial and Beulah have been without a pastor since the departure of Rev. A. F. Smith. The new pastor is Rufus D. Hodges of Baxley. 

    Mr. S. M. Johnson, Jr. left for Bradenton where he played ball a couple of seasons. Mr. Duren Harrison left for Miami to work in the store of N. D. Paul. Dr. H. B. Bray moved to town from his mother's home in the country. He has opened his practice in the Farmers Bank.

    Miss Mae Jessie Colson, daughter of Bill Colson, and Cleon Veal, son of Mr. & Mrs. H. H. Veal were married. Miss Gertha Johnson, daughter of Mr.  & Mrs. Charlie Johnson married Jan. 8th to James Lawton Hilson, son of Mr. & Mrs. L. B. Hilson. Miss Ola Jenkins, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. W. B. Jenkins, wed Willie M. Braswell, son of Mr. & Mrs  George V. Braswell. Their wedding took place in the groom's auto near Mason's bridge.

    Mr. John L. Willis died at Milledgeville from pneumonia. He was brought to his wife's sister, Mrs. B. G. Dunlap. Services were at the Christian Church with burial at Westview. His wife, the former Bessie Martin, and 5 brothers survived him.