From Days Gone By May 18, 1923

 May 18, 1923.

    Allen Wilson, a white man about 35 or 40 years old was given a peliminary hearing Sunday afternoon for marrying his niece, Annie Lou Wilson, a girl of about 14, the daughter of Wilson's brother, John Wilson near Meeks. Allen was said to have assistance from Newton Bedgood and Eunice Meeks who drove away from John's home with the young woman meeting Allen a short distance from her home. The four drove to Emanuel County where Allen and Annie were married. They went back to Bedgood's home for the night.

    John Wilson was irrated at the girl swore out warrants for Wilson, Bedgood and Meeks. Officers Rowland and Tyson went to Bedgood's home Sunday afternoon and arrested all but Meeks who had left. Allen was given the hearing he demanded before Judge Z. A. Anderson at Providence and was bound over to Superior Court under bond of $300. Bedgood was bound over for conspiracy under a $100 bond. It was charged that Bedgood and Meeks aided in the elopement. The girl said they were along. The court told her to go back to her father's. The affair was greatly regretted in that community.

    Dr. S. N. Bradshaw is now a veternary at Linder's Stables. Mr. Walter N. Powell will run for county treasurer. Cashier Robert L. Kent is driving a new Buick around town and Mr. E. A. Lovett is the owner of a new Lincoln, the first of that make for the city.

    The city was in darkness Monday and Tuesday nights and Messers. L. C. Ross and W. H. Spell went to Macon to get damaged parts fixed. This is the first break in service in many months. Tuesday the city began whitewashing all the shade trees and light poles and fences adding much to the city's appearance.

    Last Wednesday a birthday celebration was held for Isham, 75 and his brother, Henry Stephens, 65. Judge Alfred Herrington of Swainsboro died. He was known all over Johnson having practiced law here and was Solicitor General when Johnson was in the Middle Circuit. Mrs. Georgia Durham Watson, widow of the late Thomas E. Watson died at Hickory Hill in Thomson from uremic poison from acute diabetes.

    Mr. Gordon Tapley, son of Mr. & Mrs. James L. Tapley of Wrightsville was badly injured in the left leg at his father's sawmill in the eastern part of the county. He was using an axe when the head left the handle striking Gordon a firm blow with lots of blood loss. Dr. Brantley examined it finding the little bone cut in two and the large one shattered. He was taken to Sandersville.

    Within less than 12 hours after the death early Sunday morning of Benjamin F. Parker, another of Lovett's oldest citizens, John H. Hardaway died. They were among the few left who followed General Lee and the rise and fall of the Confederacy.

    Mr. Parker was 75 and retired from his farm a few years ago. For the last 2 years he was mostly confined to his home. He was born in Houston Co. entering the Confederate army at age 14 and stayed till the close of the war. He lived in Lovett for 30 years. He was survived by his wife Mrs. Georgia Parker, three sons Niles Gordon, E. Holly and B. D. Four daughters, Mrs. Leo Kight, Maude Parker, Mrs. E. Scarborough and Mrs. E. A. Lovett. He was buried at Lovett cemetery.

    Mr. Hardaway died at his sons, he too had been sick the last 2 years. He went to the war from McDuffie Co. in the 48th Ga. Regt. in 1862, serving until Appomattox. His wife Sally Jackson died several years ago. He lived in Lovett for 22 years. He was survived by 4 sons Gordon H., T. D., R. L. and Washington. He was 77 and buried in Westview.

    In erecting the next church edifices it might be well to have in mind the length of the seats and make them uniform so that when the rear ones are dilapidated they may be moved in exchange for the front ones.

From Days Gone By May 11, 1923

 May 11, 1923.

    Wrightsville is very proud of four young ladies that graduate this term from the State College for women in Milledgeville. They are Miss Nannie Kennedy, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. A. O. Kennedy, Miss Annie L. Claxton, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. L. J. Claxton, Miss Alda Walker, daughter of Mr. Joe M. Walker and Miss Luella Stokes, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jordan Stokes.

    The matter of consolidation of the county's schools is now discussed widely with interest for the proposition. The only thing that could now stand in the way is the finacing of the new system. At Kite, Minton's Chapel, Meeks, Adrian which is now partly consolidated, Scott and at Wrightsville and New Home is bekng talked up alot. The last legislature under Act No. 563 authorized this: " Where the county authorities by combining smaller schools in whole or in part into a consolidated school with at least four teachers the state superintendent of schools shall be authorized to transmit $500 annually toward the support of this school."

    There will be a big chicken sale May 24th here sponsored by the local merchants called Golden Rule Co-Op Sale. The co-op hog sale was held yesterday which netted the farmers a lot of cash proving there is another money crop other than cotton. Nine two-horse wagon loads of hogs in a line through town going to the sale pens. These wagons came from the Bray farm. Others were C. H. Martin, William Jackson and Dr. R. E. Brinson. A number of buyers were on hand with one being from Cuba. This makes five carloads shipped out of here since May 1st.

    The matter of buying a real live buggy horse for Rev. Sumner is still going on and will till the money is raised. To date $84.75 has been raised. Mr. Mark Hammock, while doing some work in his barn in the loft, his foot slipped and he fell onto some boxes badly injuring his left leg. He lives 4 miles from town on the Tennille road. Cashier Robert B. Bryan now lives in the W. C. Tompkins house. Mr. Tompkins has moved out to the Haines place. Mr. Samps L. Powell is expected to run for county treasurer.

    Mr. A. O. Kennedy has just finished constructing a saw mill plant located across the W. & T. tracks south of the courthouse and is now sawing lumber. Mr. Tom Tarver suffered a fire loss at his sawmill of about $600, when he lost the belting, saw, and a lot of parts that almost cost him the whole mill. It is located in the western part of the county.

    Warden R. M. Stanley recently allowed Jim Johnson, colored convict, his freedom on a parole issued by the authorities. He is now with William Oliver on his farm. Jim shot his wife more than 12 years ago and serving a life sentence. Judged Ben Hill Moye petitioned for his parole.

    Mr. Alver McAfee, the soldier son of Mr. & Mrs. E. J. McAFee is at Camp Benning and is nearing the termination of his army service. Tuesday afternoon Mr. Loraine Douglas age 21, died at his parents home in the city, Mr. & Mrs. John A. Douglas, Jr. He had been sick going on 3 years. He was buried at Westview.

    It does continue to rain and the wet weather will injure the crops badly if it keeps on as it has been the past six weeks. William Duncan in Steelhearts is at the Dixie Theatre.

    You've heard of shifting the responsibility, haven't you? And of an equal lying down on an equal? That reminds us of Willie's composition on "Responsibility." Willie wrote:"Boys has got two buttons on their suspenders to keep their pants up and when one button comes off there's a lot of responsibility on the other button."

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.

From Days Gone By April 13, 1923

 April 13, 1923.

    Barrels of red liquor this day and time!  That's an exciting incident, especially when men, women, autos and officers figure so heavily in a capture as that was Friday morning when Oscar Smith was tipped off as to the location of a Hudson and a Studebaker car near Scott loaded to the last inch with Cedar Brook and old Lewis Hunter bottled-up red liquor.

    Sometime Wednesday afternoon its claimed these two cars left Savannah. A man and woman in each car. Upon reaching Johnson County the Hudson had a mishap to the rear end and it went out of commission 2 miles of Scott. Someone discovered the contents of the runners and reported it to Officer Smith who called Sheriff Lewis Davis who dispatched deputies W. T. Kitchens and Jimmie Davis to the scene.

    Late Friday Davis, Kitchens and Smith drove into Wrightsville with the Studebaker, the two women and the contents of the autos, the latter being transferred to a cell in the jail where under a court order it left early Saturday and was ditched until the red stuff filtered on down and the darkies around is said to have imbibed too freely of it, some of them sipping it up out of the ditch.

    The two women were held at the local hotel. The two men have not been caught. One named Lester Williams and known around Scott, they had left to get parts for the Hudson when the women were caught. Pearl Hendrix and Virgie Hanson as they called themselves plead guilty in City Court and fined $1000 each by Judge Ben Hill Moye. Two men and a woman, one being named Rose, was in town Saturday from Savannah, as soon as the fines were assessed they left by auto. They were seen talking to the women's attorney B. B. Blount.

    The Hudson was pulled into Scott for safe keeping. Of all the conceivable nooks, corners and hiding places that could ever be conceived in, around, back of and under an auto, slides, holes, seats and backs, welded copper cisterns, apertures, candestined and almost undiscoverable, the people had these cars fixed up in the regular runner type. In lieu of the fines the women had 12 months at the State Farm in Milledgeville.

    Three young men from Swainsboro Friday were arrested here on a charge of having whiskey in their car, they rode up and gave bonds. Chief Carl J. Claxton made the arrests. One of the men denied that he knew anything about the whiskey being in the car which he said was his wife's car.

    Mr. W. R. Smith made up his mind to run for sheriff. Dr. Herschel B. Bray of Grady Hospital spent several days with his mother, Mrs. C. T. Bray, Sr. Mr. John W. Williams had a family reunion at his home.

    Mr. E. A. W. Johnson, being sick sold all his store stock to Hall Brothers who sold them to a Brewton firm. Parker & Price bought the grocery stock. Col. W. M. Shurling left for New Orleans where the Johnson County Livestock & Produce Company shipped a carload of cattle. While there he will attend the Confederate Reunion.

    Mr. Johnnie Hall who works for Chas. S. Blankenship, while breaking up ice with an ice pick missed his mark and the pick went through his left hand. Rev. G. F. Sumner, a noted and devoted minister lost his only horse, being a man of limited means the Headlight started a fund to buy him another horse. $41.50 had been collected so far. Mr. D. L. Maddox has taken management of J. B. Paul's barber shop.

    Mann Warthen, colored laboror on the Duff farm was brought to doctors by Jim Duff, badly bruised and cut up, the results of a colored row. Mann had a bad lick on the head from a shotgun barrel by Elbert Fann. Fann and Mann were in a fight and knives were in play when another colored boy hit Mann with the gun. Mr. Duff said the row started over 25 cents.

    Mrs. J. F. Elton died at home after a several week sickness. Besides her husband she had a son, Tom Elton. Burial was at Westview.

    The edge of ignorance in Johnson Co. can be trimmed off a little yet. There are 15 white and 75 colored children in the county above the age of 10 who are unable to read and write. There's work for somebody to do.

From Days Gone By April 6, 1923

April 6, 1923.

    The Field Day Excercises in Wrightsville on the high school campus on the 13th was given official sanction by the county Board of Education. Dinner will be supplied from all points in the county because every school is suppose to participate. The board requests that all teachers lay aside their regular work for the day and bring their children and they will be paid for the day.

    Revival services conducted by Rev. George W. Hutchinson of the Methodist church organization has created an upstirring in the community. Rev. Hutchinson makes it snappy and throws a religious bomb into the churches camp Sunday night. Sinners were hit in every service as congregations go out in earnest. The services will likely go into next week. The Kite Methodist Church will hold the next Johnson-Washington Singing Convention on April 15th.

    Four big carloads of hogs were sold here Wednesday to the highest bidder. The largest lot of hogs in weight sold since the hog sales began. There were 50,247 pounds of mix-fed hogs which sold at $7.17 for tops. There were 18,541 pounds of corn-fed hogs which top price was $7.50. All told there were 516 head.

    The fire sale of the Dixie Dept. Store is still going on at the Tanner store next to Parker & Price grocery. The following stores have agreed to close their business at 6 pm each day from April 2nd to August 1st. City Tailoring Shop, People's Hardware, Hall Brothers, Moye Co., Hayes Cash Store, T. V. Kent, B. B. Hayes, J. Kaplan and Wrightsville Hardware.

    Mr. B. J. Wiggins boasts of having the largest hams and shoulders from hogs on his plantation. He had 20 hams which weighed 816 pounds, two weighing 78 pounds each. Johnnie Stewart living on the Hall place near Liberty Grove while feeding his mule got a severe blow on the under part of his chin from the heel of the mule. Stewart said his jaw felt like it was driven back into his head.

    County officers captured two outfits of stillers Saturday morning down below here landing the shinners in jail. One of the outfits was a wash pot with a very rough cover and ordinary pipe. The other was little better one, an old oil tank that looked like it would hold 15 or 20 gallons. The two outfits were supposed to belong to these colored men living on the plantation where the stills were found.

    The Scott Banking Company at Scott suspended operations last Friday and its affairs turned over to the State Banking Department for adjustments, the first bank closing in the county in years. The boll weevil hit the people hard as well as those who had obtained large loans from the bank and this is the cause of its closing up. This is a Benton bank. The stockholders and depositors include many wealthy and prominent people of Scott and the county.

    While transporting a sawmill from Augusta to Wrightsville the heavy truck of Mr. Luie Kent fell partially through Price's bridge but no one was badly hurt. To all the Corn Club boys Agent Crow says now is the time to plant corn.

    Mr. Oscar Smith of Scott is being sought to run for Sheriff. Some fellow bumped the drive-to-the-right flower pot at the post office street crossing knocking it to smithereens. Mr. R. E. Hayes returned from Oklahoma where he lost his large business to fire. The marriage of Mr. Cleo Johnson of here to Miss Maggie Gillis of Soperton was held last Thursday. The next Confederate Veterans Reunion will be held in New Orleans April 10th. Miss Julia Smith, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. W. H. Smith and Prof. Brannon J. Snell of Liberty Grove were wed.

    Mr. W. H. Lovett, entering the timber and lumber business several months ago. He has completed an $8,000 brick klin in the northern part of the city.

    The Easter was a cold one all over the country. In the city people hovered around the fire places with all the activity of a real winter day. But warm churches brought out large congregations.