From Days Gone By Feb. 24, 1932

 February 24, 1932.

    Johnson Lodge No. 110 I. O. O. F., Odd Fellows, is flourishing and Noble Grand James A. Hall is pushing its work with the aid of District Deputy Grandmaster, W. F. Outlaw. Miss Pearl Jordan, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. E. Jordan, will give a radio program over WRUF, Gainesville, Florida on March 4th. She is the Home Demonstration Agent in Starke, Florida.

    The planters are hard at work again and much land is already broken and in fine condition. Over five tons of poultry sold here for $1,200 by Agent Blackwell at his recent sale here. Mr. George Dewey Downs and family are moving here from Rentz. Mr. & Mrs. Louie Frost had a son on February 21st. Southern Bell patrons enjoy their local service which is handled by Miss Lena Robinson and Miss Ora Lee Barnes as regular operators along with Mrs. Talmadge Holmes as relief operator.

    The annual basketball tournament of the new 6th District will be held in Dublin at the new shell. Teams competing are Eatonton, Bartow, Gray, Stapleton, Sandersville, Wrightsville, Avera, Wadley, Dublin, Cochran, Wrens, Tennille, Roberta, Gordon, Jeffersonville and Sparta.

    Col. Russell M. Daley has declared to run for Judge of the Dublin Circuit. Mr. S. J. Jenkins is moving the Sims Store from its past location to the store fronting the public square between Stephens and Duggans formerly occupied by Flanders Drug Store.

    In her Georgia Day talk to the J. D. Franklin Chapter U. D. C. in Tennille, Mrs. J. L. Beeson of Milledgeville, State Historian of the D. A. R. described the old Uchee Indian Trail from Bartow to Wrightsville which may be marked by the Tennille D. A. R.

    A pagent, "Ethioia At The Bar of Justice" will be presented at the courthouse. They did the play in January at the colored school auditorium and were so good they were asked to do it again. Prof. J. D. Gaither is the principal. Texas Ted Lewis Real Wild West Shows will be in town for three days. No admission will be charged they will just take up a collection.

    Mrs. Ola Henderson Veal died in a sanitarium in New Jersey on February 18th. She was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon.

    Mr. George A. Smith died at his home on West College Street after a long suffering illness. Born February 26 he would have been 60 years old. He was one of nine children of the late Daniel S. Smith from the south part of the county. He married twice, his last wife surviving. He was a Wrightsville Methodist and buried in Westview. Surviving daughter Mrs. Lewis Reese, two sons, George, a soldier in Panama and Tillman. One step-daughter Mrs. Herbert Hicks, four brothers J. Marvin, W. R., James W., Clint. Sisters, Mrs. Ruth Mooreman, Mrs. Ellen Haywood and Mrs. Mary Haywood.

    A very peculiar accident happened on Mr. Samps L. Powell's plantation 8 miles northwest Wrightsville. His colored tenant farmer, Josh Knight lost his 9 month old child by drowning in a big bucket of slops. It set on back side of kitchen and was filled with dishwater and table scraps for the hogs. The child was just beginning to walk. They heard no outcry but later found the child in the bucket drowned.

    Freedom came to Mr. J. T. Mcbride as Governor R. B. Russell, Jr. signed his papers making him a free man. He had over 9 years service to the county gang. He had been sentenced to life for murder in Columbus, Georgia in 1919 killing Joe Bailey. He has a wife and family in Columbus and will move them here to live.

    The richest man in the world now is said to be Henry Ford, it is told he is a simple minded, and unconcious of either his power or his cash. That bestows a high tribute to this great genuis.

From Days Gone By Feb. 17, 1932

 February 17, 1932.

    Orders were given by the National Commander of the American Legion at a meeting in Macon. He gave the order to the entire organization of 10,000 Posts with their state commanders to mobilize every ex-serviceman from the World War to take up this fight and whip the worst enemy this country ever known, the depression, causing 8 million men to be without jobs with families depending on them to live. The Legions goal is to put 1 million back to work in 30 days. They called on industries, civic organizations, cities, counties and all organizations of all kinds to help the Legion win in this fight, "War Against Depression". Attending this meeting from the Wrightsville Legion was B. B. Hayes, H. B. Bray, and R. E. Fulford.

    There is a personal call for help to aid the unemployed people of our county who are now getting provisions and sustenance from the charitable barns and corn cribs of those who have it and the guidance of Rev. Pete Holloway of the local Associated Charities. He says there is about fifty families who are hungry. He asked for donations of corn, meal, syrup, meat, grits, coffee, flour, etc.

    The agricultural department of the Kite Consolidated School sponsored a common sense program known as the "Live-At-Home" program as a result of studying the jobs on procuring fertilizer on cotton, the farmers of the Kite community came together last year and bought $28,600 worth with a savings of around $8,000. They feel its the only way to solve the farmers problem is buying together in bulk. They are also making sweet potatoes one of their best cash crops.

    Congressman W. W. Larson sticks to his decision to run for Judge Superior Court Dublin Circuit. He says he's done with Congress. Col. J. Frank Jackson won his race for Solicitor of City Court of Sandersville with 1388 votes to Godfrey's 1011 and Mayo 1182. Smith beat English for Sheriff and Duggan was re-elected Clerk.

    The Wrightsville City Council is moving their headquarters into a new home. It will be the store room between Mr. J. E. Vanlandingham's store and the West Beauty Parlor, moving from the upstairs of the Post Office building. Rev. Bascom Anthony bought a home in Savannah and will move there along will his son, B. G. Anthony and family.

    Miss Marion Price, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Price of near Pringle, won first prize in the suit contest conducted by the R. L. Stephens store, the Butterick Pattern Company & Manufacturers of materials with a handsome suit of Pique which exhibited clever originality and talent. Her sister, Miss Iris Price, won second prize of $1 and Miss Sarah Frances Harrison, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. G. B. Harrison won third, a prize of material.

    James Campbell and Nathan Fulton, both colored, mixed up in an ugly affray Saturday night and as a result both are jailed with bandages on their head, eyes, forehead and ears. The fight about went too far. Theives broke through and stole all of the meat in the smokehouse of Dr. L. G. Moye, Mayor of Adrian. The gas in their car gave out, so they emptied the Mayor's car. No arrests have been made yet.

    Fire destroyed the residence of Mr. Lovett J. Claxton on East Elm Street. His family was at home at the time, about 10 a. m. The city firemen put it out but it was a great loss. He thinks it started in a closet. He did carry insurance.

From Days Gone By Feb. 10, 1932

 February 10, 1932.

    Mr. W. D. Smith, son of Mr. & Mrs. S. H. Smith who lived on the Stewart place last year, died by drowning in the Chattahooche River near Atlanta. His father died January 16th and left his mother to live with her daughter, Mrs. Lester Wilson, who now lives on the Kennedy place south of Wrightsville. The drowned man left his home Saturday and took his nine month old son, W. D., Jr. with him telling his wife that he was going to the store to buy the child some shoes. When they crossed the river bridge at Bolton, Smith stopped, threw off his overcoat, and leaped over the railing into the river. Standing close were several men who went to rescue him. Pulling up his lifeless body, they found the babe tied to his neck. They took the child to the hospital and it was saved. The men said they must have been in the water no more than five minutes before they retrieved him. Smith had been married twice, as was his present wife. By former marriages they had two daughters each. His wife said he had been unemployed for several months after losing his job as a news agent on a train. She assigned despondency for the act. She said she never dreamed of his committing suicide.

    There are yet many families without a home and farm to work in the county this year and there is a lot of need in this county just like there are in every other county around here, but, there are fewer people on starvation in Johnson County than in some others it could mention. A lot of families are being helped willingly and gladly where the need demands it.

    The Washington and adjoining counties Masonic Convention met with the Harrison Lodge for its regular visitation meeting. Mr. Leon Chester and workmen are remodeling a store room vacated by Flanders Drug Store. It is reported that Sims will occupy this store shortly. Mr. R. T. V. Schwalls filed for bankruptcy. The Bank of Wrightsville's statement of condition was $204,141.25.

    Charley Dent discovered a lot of spoiled meat in his supply. He had kept about 900 pounds under ice coverings but somehow it did not do well and was ruined. Other farmers have reported the same problem. Miss Bronnie Nell Cheaves, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Wyly Cheaves is improving from severe burns sustained at Middle Georgia College. She was standing before the fireplace and her clothing caught fire and burned a leg badly. Miss Florence Brinson returned to her school at Pleasent Plains in Washington County. Wrightsville took two more basketball games in Dublin. The girls won 53 to 12 and the boys 25 to 22. Harrison and Powell were the stars.

    Julian Andrews, young son of Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Andrews of Spann District is recovering from a badly cut foot while playing on a stalk cutter. They live on the J. T. Miller place. Miss Lucile Smith wed Mr. Delma Webb February 7th. She is the fifth daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Smith near Kite. He is a son of Mr. & Mrs. R. F. Webb of Wrightsville.

    Wrightsville has several young ladies employed here. Miss Louise Moore is with the Georgia Power Co., Miss Estelle Clarke is with Prof. Linton Hutcheson at the Board of Education, Miss Paralyn Harrison works with her brother, Clerk C. B. Harrison, Miss Ruth Moye is at the law firm of Claxton & Claxton while Miss Virginia McWhorter is with attorney J. Eugene Cook.

    Clarence Smith, six year old son of Mr. & Mrs. V. M. Smith of near Meeks, died from a ten day illness. He was grandson of Mr. & Mrs. C. J. Smith of Meeks, the only son. He was buried at Corinth.

FROM DAYS GONE BY Feb. 3, 1932

 February 3, 1932.

     The striking of soft coal, as the engineer predicted, has added more encouragement in the search of oil by the Georgia Oil Company at Graymont. The strata of soft coal was tapped at a depth of 1,200 feet. The engineer, Elder Nance who believes he will strike oil, was jubilant over the discovery. Mr. Nance stated he did not expect to strike oil before 1,700 feet. The Georgia Oil Company is a subsidiary of the Seaboard Terminals of Baltimore.

    Captain Stanley has the road gang working on the Bee Line highway, Emanuel County is building bridges on her end and Wilkinson and Washington have their milage all built up. Mr. E. E. Sanders won the special election to city council to fill Clayton Lord's unexpired term. He got 66 votes to J. W. Vanlandingham's 46. Col. J. Frank Jackson of Sandersville is a candidate in Washington County for the office of Solicitor of City Court there.

    Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Hicks had a daughter on January 16th. Miss Sara Frances Flanders, daughter of Dr. & Mrs. A. F. Flanders, graduated Wesleyan College. Mrs. R. L. Stephens left for Baltimore and New York to order her spring line for the R. L. Stephens Quality Store. Wrightsville AC defeated the Dublin AC 27 to 26 in basketball. Mr. B. B. Tanner is the head of the new bulk station of the Atlantic Gas Company in Dublin. Johnson County made 14,513 bales of cotton against 16,081 for 1930.

    Judge A. L. Hatcher, company representative of the Prudential Life Insurance Company is proud of the work done here. Carpenters and workmen are making full repairs on their houses and barns and fencing and also getting plantations in fine shape. The policy of Prudential is to make better farms of the property they have.

    Mrs. Henry T. Hammock who lives three and a half miles up the Tennille road celebrated her 75th birthday. She was a Miss Walker before marriage. They had sixteen children, fifteen who lived to be grown.

    A lot of hog meat was taken from three places in and near town and a chase of tracks with the county dogs with a number of officers worked most of the day. Sheriff Rowland is making a big effort to locate the meat and the parties that robbed the three smokehouses of Mr. E. L. Smith, Mrs. W. A. Sinquefield and Rev. John Ivey.

    Manning Foskey, 50, of Dublin lost his life. Policeman W. J. Crawford's son, Johnnie, was driving the truck which struck the man. It was considered unavoidable. Crawford carried Foskey to the hospital and reported the accident to the Dublin sheriff's office.

    Mr. Edd W. Tanner, 61, died at his home on South Marcus Street. He had been confined to his room for 8 months. A farmer for 43 years or more and was born here. His wife by a second marriage survives. Also one daughter by first marriage, Mrs. E. B. Gaines and one son, Eugene. He was buried in Westview.

    Jesse R. Morris, 77, native of Washington County died January 8th at his daughter's, Mrs. G. Q. Franks of the city. He had been living here three years. Besides her he has five sons living. He was buried at Oaky Grove.

    The valuable residence of Sidney F. Smith near Kite, owned by him formerly, now the property of John Hancock, was destroyed by fire. The cause is unknown. Smith had lived in the house up to the Saturday before the fire when he had moved to the Jasper Smith homeplace. The home was vacant at the time of the fire.