From Days Gone By May 13, 1929

 May 13, 1929.

    Idylwild, the popular summer resort is now in full swing. Mr. W. W. Delph has assumed management with his son, Harley. The resort includes swimming, skating, dancing, bathing and picnics. Season passes for swimming can be had for $2 per person. Script dances will be given about every two weeks.

    Rep. Larson has appealed to Pres. Hoover to secure a reduction in freight rates on fruits, vegetables and watermelons from the south to eastern markets. He has already reduced rates on exports of wheat and flour. A rather small amount of poultry was brought to the sale last week on account the car came about half loaded from Dublin and there was not enough to finish loading it. The sale netted $883.92 from 2,319 pounds. A free moving picture on poultry will be shown at the theatre this week sponsored by the Johnson County Poultry Breeders Assoc.

    The state gas tax is fast repaying counties. Johnson would get hers all back in 2 years, and there has been $9,000 contributions to highways by the county up to January 1, 1929. They figure the county as receiving $5,000 annually based on 1928 figures.

    The night train of the W. & T. Railroad, enroute from Dublin to Tennille had a bad derailment near Spann about dark Monday. The two passenger coaches and three boxcars went off the tracks. The passengers and train crew escaped injury but the track was a mass wreckage for 100 yards or more. It happened near an embankment with the coaches falling against them. The track was cleared and repaired by Tuesday afternoon.

    Mr. W. H. Black catches rattle snakes but dosen't pen them like some do, he kills them. He just killed two monsters one with 14 rattles just outside town. Mr. & Mrs. Grady Keel had a fine daughter on May 10th.

    Sheriff Rowland, after some good detective work apprehended Lee Wright, the colored man who shot George Wynn near Mitchell Grove on Easter Sunday. The sheriff of Bibb County picked him up and Sheriff Rowland picked him up in Macon and brought him back to jail to await trial in September.

    Dr. W. J. Flanders received the bill of lading for the government headstone for Elisha Walker, Revolutionary soldier. It will be placed on his grave at the Stokes Cemetery about seven miles west of town. Plans are having excersies on the 4th of July.

    Dr. John Walker died at his home in Waycross. He was a former resident here and brother to Mrs. Dr. W. J. Flanders, Joe M. and W. A. Walker. On May 5th Mr. Charlie Powell died at the Dublin sanitarium after a seige of illnesses. He had cared for his mother, brothers and sisters since the death of his father in 1921. He was 23 and a member of Gumlog where he was buried.

    Mrs. Annie Garner died April 1st and had turned 77 on March 17th. She was the widow of the late George Garner who has been dead 7 years. She left 4 sons and 1 daughter, Archie, Lonnie, Lawton, Lee and Mrs. Bertha Garnto. She had 10 grandchildren.

    Another valuable citizen passed with the death of Mr. William Oliver. His death came at his residence in the western part of the county. He was sick only a short time and was 62 years old. He had a reputation of thriftness, hard work and honesty his whole life. He married Miss Carrie Williams, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Shade Williams.  To them were born 14 children, 9 girls and 5 boys. He was a member of Bethsadia Christian Church but was buried at Westview. Surviving children are F. C., W. T., Grady, Marcus, Stacey Oliver, Mrs. Nathan D. whitiker, Mrs. T. E. Burns, Mrs. Lotus McAfee, Mrs. John A. McAfee, Mrs. Wannie Price, Miss Sadie Mae and Miss Vennie Oliver.

From Days Gone By May 6, 1929

 May 6, 1929.

    The Kite Consolidated High School will graduate ten this term. They are: Lula Harrison, Grace Harrison, Annie Mae Hatcher, Ellen Hatcher, Sallie Ree Beasley, Navada Beasley, Dora Pollett, Gladys Hill, Julian Minton and Carl Lawson.

    Wrightsville High School will graduate 26. They are: Lillian Brantley, Carolyn Blount, Florence Brinson, Frances Crawford, Gertrude Delph, Annette Downs, Paralynn Harrison, Maybell Hall, Grace Hattaway, Mary Hattaway, Nannie Clair Hicks, Melrose Jordan, Elizabeth Kent, Martha Martin, Virginia McWhorter, Beulah Moseley, Emily Moye, Rosemond Prescott, Mamie Riner, Nancy Rowland, Geraldine Smith, Nannie Smith, William Bedingfield, Brown Davis, Herbert Jackson and Elmer Peddy.

    John J. Burns, Jack Burns and Mellie Brantley were elected as trustees for Sunshine School. Wrightsville chose two trustees in its recent election. The votes were E. L. Rowland 164, C. S. Claxton 82, W. C. Brinson 80. On the board with Rowland and Claxton are W. M. Shurling, T. L. and R. R. Martin.

    In a survey of storm damage to the county from the recent storms shows a huge loss. Corn was damaged to some extent but the largest loss was cotton. Probably 60 to 75 percent of the cotton south and east of Wrightsville is dead. Farmers are busy trying to replant.

    The first grade has an outbreak of the chicken pox including the teacher, Miss Louise Perkins. The Georgia Power Company air plane passed over Wrightsville giving the township a sight to see. It circled once and distributed batches of advertising matter, then headed north. 

    Col. & Mrs. J. Eugene Cook had a fine baby boy, Julian Eugene Cook, Jr. Miss Ruth Allen and Mr. Claude Hicks were married.

    Two trucks hit head on near the city. One was Mr. R. N. Stanley who was loaded. The other a Keel Lumber Company truck, the driver, Luther Manning had cuts and brusies but no one else was injured. A heavy wind blowing sand across the road as they approched each other prevented one of them from seeing the road.

    It is affirmed that the route from Wrightsville to Dublin will take the upper route by Mason's Springs because on January 1, 1922, it was the existing route No. 15. The Ordinary of Johnson County should at once complete the survey and procure the right-of-way as by law this work falls on the counties.

From Days Gone By April 29, 1929

 April 29, 1929.

    Late last week cyclones were raging in near-by counties and Johnson sustained heavy losses also. The entire southern section, from Spann to Meeks was hard hit by heavy rains. Fields were flooded and small crops inundated. On one 9-horse farm not an acre remained that will not have to be replanted. Farm after farm suffered. This was costly but the county was fortunate to not be in the path of the big tornado that killed and destroyed in Bleckley, Laurens, Treutlen, Bulloch, Emanuel and Candler counties. Here little communities and larger towns buried their dead, and provide food and shelters to the hundreds of families left bare. Cochran, Chester, Rentz, Metter and Statesboro were hit and the community of McLeod was wiped out. All this damage from three seperate cyclones.

    The first funeral held in the new Westview Cemetery Chapel was held for Mr. W. S. Burns. The city says the chapel was well worth the small amount expended to erect it. A new ice house was opened in the Georgia Filling Station and will sell wholesale and retail. This is run by Mr. Lotis McAfee and W. L. Price. Col. J. Eugene Cook was the orator at Monticello paying homage to the Confederate dead and honored the living veterans.

    The 12th District held a stock judging contest at Mr. William Jackson's dairy at Donovan. Twelve teams competed. Wrens High School won a close decision over Waynesboro. County Surveyor E. A. Douglas is trying his hand again at growing tobacco. Miss Inez Rowland is teaching school at Wray, Ga. Delores Del Rio stars in Ramona, now playing at the Wrightsville Theatre.

    Sunday morning at Gethsemane, Miss Hattie Bell Rowland and Mr. Archie Sumner were wed in a surprising wedding to the community. John Britt, colored laborer for Bob Boatright at Kite, died suddenly as he was cutting oats out in the field.

    Mr. Gordon Kent died at Brunswick when a piece of lumber fell on him. He was a carpenter there. He thought it wasn't that bad and worked on till dark. When he got to his boarding house, he fell, unconcious, on the floor. He was rushed to the sanitarium but it was too late to save him. Mr. R. L. Kent, a brother, and Mr. T. V. Kent, a nephew, went and got his body and he was buried in the Kent Family cemetery. His wife and six children reside at Palma Sola, Fla. Judge John Luther Kent is also a brother, and sisters are Mrs. B. H. Lord and Mrs. H. W. Snell. His wife was the former Miss Leila Dent. He was a son of Capt. Thomas W. Kent.

    Mr. W. S. Burns died at the home of one of his sons, Jack. For almost 20 months he lay feeble in his bed. He was 86 and a Confederate veteran and a member of Anderson Lodge which held a service for him at Westview. He served as Sheriff from 1885-1886. He married in 1866 to Miss Elizabeth Page who died in 1925. Surviving him is brother Minter Burns, children John J., Tyler, twins Lofton and Dawson, Jack. Two other twins Bernard and Bunion and W. G. preceded him in death. One daughter living, Mrs. J. R. Cherry, 4 deceased, Mrs. William Bales, Mrs. J. M. Walker, Mrs. J. F. Flanders and Miss Sudie Burns.

From Days Gone By April 22, 1929

 April 22, 1929.

    More has been said since last week about Route 15 since its original location from Wrightsville to Adrian. Dr. J. W. Brinson feels under this ruling should settle the matter leaving the original route from Wrightsville to Adrian. Route 15 did first go from here to Adrian. It was then changed to go from here to Dublin by the upper route. Another decision put it by Lovett and Brewton which is claimed to be the legal route. Dr. Brinson contends it benefits the county to leave Route 15 from here to Adrian giving the county more miles for the gas tax distribution. He feels that the county has lost heavily on this account.

    County Agent Crow states in Johnson County this year its sold 73,589 pounds of poultry for $16,917.96, and the year is not half gone. In 1928 the county sold 96,944 pounds for $20,654.59. He figures the county will sell no less than 125,000 pounds by the end of the year. Johnson is the 13th smallest county in the state but ranks very high in poultry production. In a test done at Valdosta, out of 400 baby chicks they realized a net profit of $104 at the end of 8 weeks and Agent Crow thinks Johnson can do it too.

    It is reported that farmers of the county have not secured a stand of cotton on first planting and this week are ploughing it up and will re-plant. Also reports are that seed is short and much trouble and expenses in re-planting. The acreage in the county is short this year. Farmers sold three carloads of hogs this week to the White Provision Company of Atlanta. This brought in $4,638.23.

    Judge Flanders states the county's garden has more vegetables than the county forces can utilize and he plans to keep it going to feed the prisoners of the county.

    The Educational Association of Georgia wants to change the law that elects county school superintendent's and replace it with the old law where school boards select them.

    President McKinley previous to his assassination visited Georgia and said its time for the United States government recognize Confederate soldiers the same as Federal soldiers and provide them headstones also. The law has now passed authorizing the War Department to furnish headstones to mark Confederate veterans who have unmarked graves.

    Mr. John W. Stewart has died. He was 65 years old and twice married. He was a member of Piney Mount where he was buried. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Scott. Floy, the six month old son of Mr. & Mrs. Luther Rowland died at their home. He was sick about four days. He was buried at Piney Mount.

    Rev. W. E. Arnold of Dublin, a Methodist preacher died. He was a native of Washington County and was 67. He is survived by his wife, daughters Mrs. B. H. Askew, Mrs. J. M. Bryan, Mrs. H. T. Hicks, Miss Ruth Arnold, and son, Capt. C. H. Arnold. He was buried in Westview.

    Miss Audie Betty Crow, daughter of County Agent Crow will wed Rev. William Winston Parkinson of Warrenton, Virginia on May 26th. At the home of Mr. Ben L. Hadden, his daughter, Miss Beulah L. Hadden was married to Mr. J. F. Cooper. He is a young businessman in Washington County near Tennille.

    Johnson County lost two colored men when Sheriff Rowland executed a Writ of Lunacy on John Mewman and Charlie Davis, taking them to the asylum in Milledgeville for safe keeping.

    

From Days Gone By April 15,1929

 April 15, 1929.

    The differences existing as to which is the legal highway route from Wrightsville to Dublin is about to be cleared up and the upper route may be held as the legal highway. It is said the decision of Marks vs. State Highway Department settles the matter. A lawyer in the case states, "The upper route is the legal route, and the highway dept. is without authority to abandon it and take the lower route." The survey of the upper route will start soon. Laurens County is beginning their survey. Judge Flanders expects to begin the survey and right-of-way to Route 15, the upper way.

    Laurens County is working hard to get Route 80 paved from Dublin to Scott. This highway crosses Johnson from Scott to Adrian, then on into Emanuel where they are preparing to extend the paving, and on to Bulloch to Chatham. Captain Wright has been busy building bridges across the small streams in Johnson from the recent heavy rains.

    The county Board of Education has two new members appointed by Judge Camp. They are Tom J. Powell of Kite and M. A. Jackson of Wrightsville. Dr. Lee Wheeler recently moved from Kite to Swainsboro to practice medicine. The Buick Motor Company had a demonstration car here on display. Messrs. Brown and Gaston of the Buick Atlanta Branch came with it. The showing was held at the Wrightsville Chevrolet place. Ordinary Flanders distributed the second quarter Confederate pension money to the widows and veterans of the county. A check of $50 each was given to 15 vets and 19 widows.

    A car load of poultry left Wrightsville and about 200 poultry raisers put money in their pockets. The car load contained 11,204 pounds bought by the Tennessee Egg Company for $3,024.24. Besides that, the county farmers are selling one to three car loads of hogs each month at good prices. Donovan is flowing with milk. Mr. William Jackson has one of the best dairies in the state. The big turpentine still out on the Harrison place burned to the ground. It was a huge loss to owner, Judge U. R. Jenkins.

    Officers from the sheriff's force had a lively chase up on the Tarbutton place after a colored man named Seymore Hurst, for whom they had a warrant. Seymore and Earnest Waters, colored laborers for Mr. R. R. Doke had a bloody mix up Friday night which badly disturbed the colored community. Seymore is said to have thrown an old club axe at Waters hitting him in the back of the head making an ugly wound. Waters was able, afterwards to run Seymore down and gash him on the head once or twice with a knife. When deputies Smith and Tapley went to make the arrest Saturday they found a hot chase ahead of them. With the aid of Mr. Doke they took to capture Seymore who was at home but fled on the officers arrival. After an hour or more the man got away in the swamps of Buckeye and is still at large. Officer George Smith ran into a hidden wire fence while on the chase and has a bad scratch on his leg.

    News reached here of the death of Col. G. C. Clegg at his home in Trinity, Texas on April 11th. He was formally of Johnson, a son of Capt. W. O. Clegg, a soldier of the 60s. He practiced law at Trinity with his son, Col. J. B. Clegg.

    Mrs. Jim Smith died in a Dublin hospital where she was in ill health. She taught school at Red Hill and a daughter of Mr. Bud Beasley of near Dublin and a daughter in law of W. R. Smith. She was buried at Poplar Springs near Adrian.

From Days Gone By April 8, 1929

 April 8, 1929.

    Mr. Earnest Lee Harrison, a Johnson County son, lost his right hand in the operation of machinery in a machine shop in Elizabeth, New Jersey where he was employed in the shops of the Durant Motor Company. This according to his brother, Mr. Leonard W. Harrison.

    The 15th annual session of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia will be held in Augusta this month. Johnson County does not have a commission form of government but is run by the Ordinary W. J. Flanders, assisted by County Warden C. T. Wright. They will be attending for the county along with A. L. Hatcher and C. D. Roundtree.

    Groceryman L. E. Parker is bringing to the city by truck a lot of Florida vegetables which he retails out of his store. He makes two trips a week, requiring a day and a half each trip. He travels from 52 to 100 miles below Jacksonville.

    Ordinary W. J. Flanders is having some fine roads built around Donovan. Mr. Silas Price has gone to Gila Bend, Arizona, to work with the Southern Pacific Railroad. This is where his sister resides. They are children of Mr. & Mrs. D. C. Price. Mr. B. C. Weill says he will likely open Idylwild next week for the summer season. He has recently done a lot of work there.

    A meeting of Johnson County farmers interested in poultry will be held at the court house on the 13th to organize a county Poultry Breeders Association. Its asked that each participating farmer should have at lest one hundred laying hens. In order to reach this goal, it is necessary to have an organization that will secure a paying egg market, good quality feed at a reasonable price and last and greatest benefit derived there from will be the systematic study of breeding, feeding and management in general of the flocks.

   Much interest is being taken this year in farming and if the seasons strike our section right there is going to be a good crop made, all of which is encouraging. Farming is about all we hope to depend on in this territory now and their success brings prosperity to the people.

From Days Gone By April 1, 1929

 April 1, 1929.

    Several of the ex-servicemen of Johnson County, after a long delay, are now considering organizing a post of the American Legion in Wrightsville. Mr. Beverly B. Hayes received word from Col. Guy Alford of Swainsboro that he would help establish one here. It will take 15 to 20 ex-servicemen interested, hold a brief meeting, elect a temporary commander and adjutant, agree they want a post here, select a name and petition for a charter to the state commandery. The cost is $2 per man, $1 for state dues and $1 for national dues including a subscription to the Legion monthly. Local post dues are fixed by each post. Alford advises the state convention will be in Brunswick in June.

    Adrian, the smallest town of the eleven that contested with a program over WMAZ won a silver cup and a banquet to the town for the best musical program over WMAZ radio. Each town was given an hour air time. Adrian won with 3,431 votes cast by listeners. The Adrian entertainers were Mrs. L. D. Bailey, Mrs. E. A. Taylor, Mrs. M. C. Flanders, Mrs. J. R. Rogers, Mrs. F. L. Kea, Miss Flora Jones, Mr. G. W. Bailey, Mr. G. A. Fountain and Mr. J. B. Hutchinson.

    The local banks released their statements of condition. The Exchange Bank $280,324.87; Bank of Wrightsville $241,678.12; Farmers & Merchants of Kite $31,716.14; Bank of Adrian $76,776.36.

    Mr. Carl Roundtree, a Wrightsville boy and reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser in Alabama, does heroic work in that flooded area. He delayed his story to the paper to save two women and a baby near Elba, Alabama.

    The State Prison Commission reviewed eleven cases at the State Farm in Milledgeville and denied clemency to all. Mr. Charlie G. Rawlings was one of the eleven who is serving a life sentence for complicity in the killing of Gus A. Tarbutton. His plea was denied.

    On Easter Sunday Miss Bessie Wynn Powell and Mr. Roy Frost were wed at the home of Rev. J. E. Hall. She is a daughter of Mr. Silas L. Powell and he is the youngest son of Mr. & Mrs. E. R. Frost, owners of the Frost Hotel in Wrightsville.

    Lewis H. Holt, Jr., 21 and a student at the University of Georgia died in a Dublin hospital from many injuries when his car overturned several times on the Dublin-Milledgeville road. Holt would have graduated in June with a law degree. He was buried in Sandersville.

    Two colored men mixed it up in an Easter brawl near Mitchell Grove colored church on the Dublin highway. George Wynn died from a breech-loading shotgun to the pit of the stomach fired by Lee Wright. They lived about 200 yards apart on the plantation of Mr. W. H. Raley. The fatal shooting took place at Coon Walker's house. A large number of coloreds were there at the time. When Wynn was shot he ran for home falling dead in his yard. Sheriff Rowland was called but Wright had fled for parts unknown.