From Days Gone By Jan. 12, 1923

 January 12, 1923.

    A bad and almost serious attack took place in the public road at the home of Mr. John Sheppard, 9 miles east of town around 11am Monday morning.. Ivey Miller, 52, was suddenly attacked by Marvin Jones of Alamo who is about 22 years old. Miller worked on the plantation of Mr. Byron Price near the Sheppard home, and had gone to the house for water. Mr. Sheppard was working in his field close to his house and came up for water at the same time. While the two were standing out in front of the gate a large auto was seen heaving into sight.

    Arriving near them Marvin Jones leaped out of the car grabbed Miller, said a few words to him then began punching him in the face, left eye, cheek and left ear, each place profusely bleeding. Where Miller limped away spots of blood poured out on the ground.

    Jones got in the car and sped away. Also in the car was Marvin's father, Elijah A. Jones, another son, E. A. Jr. and two other unknown men. Byron Price, John Sheppard and Horace Miller went to town and secured a warrant charging Jones with assault and attempted murder.

    Deputy Sheriff Oscar Smith of Scott return here with his prisoner, Dave Wilson, colored, who allegedly killed Chester Arthur Wright, a colored youth on November 5th. The prisoner had left for parts unknown but was captured out in Arkansas for a small crime he committed there and was jailed, they found he was wanted in Johnson for murder. There was a reward pending for his capture.

    A new trial was granted the Johnson County Fair Assoc. in the suit for damages brought by Mrs. A. Walden against it and Will J. Crawford. The appeal was heard at Warrenton, Judge Ben Hill Moye made the plea. Moye contended there was no evidence to support the verdict, that proof was insufficient and did not show that Crawford was employed by the Fair Assoc. at the time Mr. Walden was killed. The case will be transferred to Laurens County on account of so many in Johnson are stockholders of the Fair Assoc.

    Skipper Kemp, a white employee at the Kite sawmill had his left hand badly lacerated from the running saw. Judge Kent granted a new trial in the case of Geo. B. Davis vs G. Warren Carter, suit to recover some land that belonged to Davis' mother. A new trial was refused to a Negro named Lowe, convicted of murder some months back.

    The new gas filling station by Mr. J. H. Rowland is going up fast. Contractor Chester says he should be done in 3 weeks and will be made of brick. Messrs. John, Jim and Pat Duff, farmers, are now residing on the Johnson plantation. Flem Hall moved into the Dent home, Harvey Spell moved to J. W. A. Crawford's home with Ray Barnes and family. W. T. Johnson moved into the Hall home, J. R. Grice entered the Johnson house, Clayton Lord moved into the Grice house, Gordon Clark moved to the Lord house and H. T. Downs moved to Milledgeville.

    Ordinary Jenkins and Warden Stanley created a patch gang to work on bridges and bad holes. He wants to buy a tractor when county funds become available. Four carloads of cows and hogs were shipped out to Atlanta. Up to December 13, 1922 Johnson had ginned 4,484 bales of cotton up from 3,916 the previous year. Georgia's cotton crop for 1922 of 725,000 bales is the smallest since 1878, and the yield of 100 pounds per acre is the lowest on record.

    The local banks are required to release public statements of condition four times per year. The Farmers Bank $158,892.82; Citizens Bank of Kite $136,131.12; Bank of Adrian $142,786.65. Kite now has a funeral home. Neal & Stephenson.

    Married were Miss Linnie Pauline Claxton to Otis Monroe Denton. Miss Maude Mays wed Alver B. Claxton. Miss Obie Harrell wed R. Z. Sterling. Miss Velma Brown wed Wimp Rowland. Mr. Andrew Jackson Minton born June 1859 died. He was 68 years old leaving his wife and seven children. He was buried at Minton's Chapel.

    The political bee begins to hum as Johnson will have a big crop of candidates. For Ordinary Dr. J. W. Flanders, U. R. Jenkins, J. H. Rowland, M. T. Riner, J. C. Wiggins. For Sheriff L. J. Claxton, Lewis Davis, J. L. Drake, J. T. Drake, E. R. Frost, W. T.  Kitchens, C. M. Schwalls, O. L. Smith, Eugene Veal. School Supt. L. M. Blount, L. Lillard, A. J. M. Robinson. Clerk Mrs. J. L. Davis, Mrs. A. W. Hightower, G. B. Harrison, N. B. Miller, G. A. Smith, J. B. Williams. Tax Collector A. S. Norris, J. Nat. Riner. Tax Receiver George Brantley, J. A. Lindsey. Treasurer Z. A. Anderson, F. W. Hall, Milledge Meeks, W. N. Powell. Coroner L. R. Clayton. State Senator B. J. Wiggins.

From Days Gone By Jan 5, 1923

 January 5, 1923.

    Alvie Price, 25 years old, struck Mr. E. J. Sumner over the head with a carburetor off an auto on December 23rd at Mr. Summer's store and home. He made his getaway but was caught near Soperton at the vacant home of his sister. As the officers and citizens rode up Price was lying snugly on the front porch and surrounded unarmed save for a small pocket knife.                                                                                Jim A. Davis, Will J. Crawford and Oscar L. Smith of Sheriff Lewis Davis' office responded to a call from Marshal John Ausbon at Adrian and went down hunting the hot trail Price had made when he stayed all night with John Morrison who used to live near town. The officers had little trouble in locating and arresting him.                                                                  Price said when he got to Macon off the bus he rode in from Dublin, that he caught a train out for Lakeland, Florida. He took a quick haul out of Lakeland for Jacksonville, then on to Savannah, finally getting off the Seaboard train at a station west of Vidalia and made his way in a car to his sister's vacant home. Finding no one there he went to Morrison's home and spent the night which let the "cat out of the bag". That was Price's story to the officers. He was wanting to find out the condition of Sumner then return to Florida but was caught before he could.

    Two sad death's occured in the same home on December 27th in the western portion of the county which in some particulars is very remarkable. A sister and a brother, both lived to be aged and both highly respected. Mr. Josiah Stokes died at 2:30pm and Miss Margaret Stokes died at 7:30pm.

    Mr. Stokes in 1916 suffered a light stroke and the past two years unable to leave his home. His wife, one son, five daughters mourned his loss. In boyhood he joined Bethel Church and was still a member. He was buried there. He was 74 years old.

    His sister, Miss Margaret, 64, died about five hours later. She was a member of Buckeye Christian. She was a twin sister of Miss Martha Stokes who survived her. She suffered from cancer for 13 months.

    The members of Oaky Grove Church raised the money and bought a new Ford automobile for their pastor, W. A. Lamb, for a Christmas present. Col. Chas. S. Claxton was sworn in as new Solicitor of City Court. County Treasurer F. W. Hall bought the Will Dent home on Myrtle Avenue. Ordinary U. R. Jenkins appointed Judge A. Lee Hatcher as County Attorney. There will be another Co-Op hog sale here January 16th.

    The State Board of Education gave the county their apportionment of the State School Fund in the amount of $23,829.04. All the dairymen of the 12th district will meet in Dublin February 10th. Agent Crow sold a carload of feeder pigs from county farmers to Pinehurst, N. C. for nine cent per pound totalling $1,608.12. Johnson County now has 26 members in the Georgia Cotton Growers Co-Op Assoc.

    J. M. Woods, white, convicted in City Court for selling liquor is now on Capt. Stanley's road-building force. Capt. D. D. Brinson, warden of Emanuel County died as his sister's, Mrs. Outlaw, of typhoid fever. He was brother of the late Dr. J. W. Brinson. He had been warden 20 years and was 50 years old and twice married. He was buried in Bedingfield Cemetery near Wadley.

    Mr. & Mrs. R. L. Stephens moved into the home on South Marcus they bought from Mrs. Mabel Blount. Mr. L. A. Lovett just got a new carload of Fords in. The statements from two of the banks were released. Exchange Bank $301,346.09; Bank of Wrightsville $345,559.03. "The Blot" with Claire Windsor and Marie Walcamp is at the Dixie Theatre. The Wrightsville Red Jackets defeated Bartow in basketball 26 to 17.

    Cupid was busy over the holidays. Miss Addie Mae Smith wed Mr. J. C. Adkins. Miss Susie Peddy wed Mr. W. T. West. Miss Eva Scarborough wed Mr. Milo Smith.

    Mr. E. A. & W. H. Lovett announced plans for a big planning mill in the city. They have not revealed the location but will be on the railroad or where a spur can be located. The Rowland Lumber Co. has a big business but another new plant will be good for the city.

    There will be a second gas station built in Wrightsville shortly by Mr. J. H. Rowland. It will go up on the corner lot between the corner store and Mr. Rowland's grain store. Mr. T. L. Chester is contractor.

From Days Gone By Dec 29, 1922

 December 29, 1922.

 ADVICE TO THE MARRYING.

    About the most utterly useless, palpably unnecessary labor that can be performed is to give young people advice about marrying----and the utter uselessness and palpably unnecessity of it is more vividly emphasized when the advice is given in a specific case to a young woman about what sort of man the particular --- and what young woman about to marry is not "particular"? ---- young woman in question should not marry.

    A Brooklyn minister, well-meaning and evidentally given much to correct theorizing and as patently lacking in accurate experience with young human nature, has offered to the young women and older girls in his territory some advice as to what sort of man they should not marry.

He said: Don't marry a man -----

Whom you don't know thoroughly.

Whom you expect to reform.

Who doesn't respect womanhood.

Who is unpopular with children and other men.

Who can't support you.

Who hasn't a sense of humor.

Who has been wild.

Don't marry a man unless he is about the same age and has the same interests as yourself.

Don't marry a man unless there is intelligent love on both sides.

    One commentator pungently remarked that he might have saved the amplification and merely left it, "Don't marry a man" ---He might have condensed it still further and said, "Don't marry!" That's what it amounts to. The girl could hardly find a man, as sorry as most of them maybe, who was all the several things the preacher declares he should not be ---- if there were perfect men women would tire of them unspeakably.

    The last item on the list intimates that the reverend doctor has studied far away from his own warm-hearted days if he ever had them. "Intelligent love on both sides"----it is to grin broadly! There is no such thing as intelligent love on one side. There may be intelligence and there may be love and both may at proper times and occasionally almost simultaniously occupy the identical personality, but every intelligent person who has been in love knows that seat of the affections is in the heart and the alleged location of the center of the intellect is in the brain. Nor will the heart always be controlled by the head.

    The warning is not marry a man who has been wild --- it is better to turn him down cold and let him go wild again and prove that you shouldn't marry at all. Girls are warned not to marry men to reform them --- and that is one piece of sensible piece of advice, albeit it is vainly given in most cases. No man ever marries a girl to reform her and really the girls should not be asked to do what a husky, sure-handed man will not attempt. But the funniest item in the "don't" of the preacher is, "Don't marry a man you don't know thoroughly." Ask any precious old woman friend of yours who has just celebrated, say, her golden anniversary, confidentally to tell you if she has in fifty years of constant study ever come to half-understand her old man for even half the time and remember what she says!

    The Brooklyn minister wasted mighty good advice. He must have been honest, or else he was assured that his advice would never be followed --- for if the young women of his flock should heed his words his fees from wedding ceremonies would certainly show a slump from this time forward.

Savannah Morning News, as reprinted in the Wrightsville Headlight.

From Days Gone By Dec. 22, 1922

 December 22, 1922.

    You don't have to stay at Kite more than fifteen minutes to tell there's something doing in the air and a lot on the earth. It's going on down there.                                                                                 They've got optimism if nothing else. But they are hauling dirt and lumber and unloading brick and driving nails and cleaning away places for more stores than are there now and building a half dozen new residences to boot at the same time.                                                                                   C. M. Schwalls is building two new brick stores beside his present store which he has already rented to merchants.                                        W. W. Claxton & Company are to erect two more on the corner where the wooden building was burned recently and include a real swell bank building in the place into which it is said the Citizens Bank will move upon completion.          R. J. Boatright plans to build a large brick store just across the street on his lot adjoining the depot, and several more to the number of nine are in course of being built.                                  Sometime when you are in Kite you might take the time to ascertain just what all they aim to do down there in 1923.                                                        It looks like they are having a building boom and a good business along with it which sounds mighty good on paper even. They tell us to watch the Kite soar and it might be well to keep one eye on her anyway.                                                  Wrightsville needs more business co-operation, more of the real, genuine sort. We've had enough imaginary ailments already. It isn't so hard if we'll get right down after it in the right way. Our business people must do something or other places are going to take the trade left us now away from us. Join in some plan or start something among ourselves. We need to raise our business spirits.                                                      The election for two bailiffs in this district took place. Three men, W. J. Crawford, W. T. Rowland and T. E. W. Outlaw were candidates. Crawford received 145, Rowland 138 and Outlaw 79, the first two being elected. There were 186 votes polled. They will serve for the next two years. Three candidates run in the Spann District. They and their votes were C. B. Sanders 28, O. W. Hooks 15 and J. E. Glisson 12, there being 55 votes cast.                                                       Radio fans are quite numerous around town along now, many homes having recently installed a set and the evenings pass most pleasantly with those who have them.

From Days Gone By Dec. 15, 1922

 December 15, 1922.                                                       Mr. T. V. Kent was chosen by the voter's as Wrightsville's new mayor. He won over T. L. Harris and T. L. Martin. Messrs. H. P. Hicks, J. Tom Davis and James A. Hall were winners of the council races beating out L. J. Claxton, Beverly B. Hayes and F. F. Flanders. There was a total of 249 votes cast in the primary.                         The election for city officials of Kite was held. Only one ticket was voted during the day, there being no opposition to the agreed parties for the offices. Mr. W. W. Claxton is mayor and J. L. Hatcher, M. J. Claxton, D. C. Harrison, W. L. Mixon and M. B. Wheeler were elected councilmen.                                                                    By the regular rotation system in vogue in the 16th Senatorial District it is Johnson's time the next campaign to furnish the candidates for the office of State Senator. M. T. Riner of Johnson, Fred Kea of Laurens, James Leonard Roundtree of Emanuel and James Gillis of Treutlen, will have been through this office since Johnson has her turn and they came in this order: Col Fred Kea 1918, J. L. Roundtree 1920, and James L. Gillis has the next two years. That places Johnson again to name the candidates for this office.                                                                                Build now before materials go higher, says an informed contractor. The outlook is for higher prices on most everything that goes into a home, house, store or any sort of building. Land is going up too, along with everything else. Prices are high, but with the return of prosperity we are going to see higher prices in every line. Yes it might be wise to build now if you aim to build any time in the next five years. Hold to and improve your land. Watch real estate boom.              Mr. Augustus S. Norris and S. Carter have filed for bankruptcy as has Mr. J. C. Carter. Mr. George W. Gordy is with the firm of Parker & Price Drug Company. Mr. George Haywood of near Kite was here advertising his place. He is moving to Martin, Tennessee. Everybody around knows Mr. Seab Glover as he has lived around here a long time. Mr. Glover has decided to move back to his old home in Texas.                          Rev. Henry Heath left for the government hospital in western North Carolina where he is now stationed. He is doing well with his ministerial studies. Merchant T. E. Hayes not only specializes a fine brood of chickens, but he is producing an abundance of swine. This season so far he has laid up enough bacon, sausages and lard to do his family and then have a great deal to sell from the killings.                  The Johnson Lodge, No. 110 of the Wrightsville Odd Fellows elected their new officer team. They are J. A. Hall, N. G.; B. H. Moye, V. G.; Dr. T. L. Harris, sec.; M. E. Woods, treas.; L. J. Claxton, Rep.                                              Miss Bertha Lee Tucker and Mr. Harrison M. Robinson were married November 29th at the brides home. Mr. & Mrs. Jack J. Crawford had a baby boy born November 30th. The vital statistics law requires now that all births and deaths in the 1201st district be reported by the 10th of each month. The certificates to be made out by the physicians and midwives in attendance. Atlanta is pressing hard to comply with this law.                                                                     Kite, Johnson's second city in size, is on a building boom. Kite citizens are waking up to the happy realization of their town's capacity as a trade center and its commercial importance is being watched with considerable interest by a wide territory.                                                                  Planting a lot of grain, making feedstuffs, beating off the boll weevil by killing the stalks and other means, are things a farmer can do along now that is profitable and many of the county's farmers are hard at this sort of work.

From Days Gone By Dec. 8, 1922

 December 8, 1922.

    Jeffie Tanner, the son of Tom Tanner who was in jail for shooting his cousin, Jim Tanner, gave bond for his freedom until the next Grand Jury. Jim is getting along fine, but had a very close call of it. He has been in the Brigham-Claxton hospital in Dublin since the shooting occured and part of the time not expected to survive the wound. The boys are first cousins, brothers children, and the affair is deeply regretted on this account. The shooting with a pistol occured in the public road near the Mosley home at Donovan some time ago. The fight attracted considerable notice at the time.                                  Messrs. "Hap" Durden, Hugh Coleman and John T. Roberts, Jr. of Twin City, Summit-Graymont, were in Wrightsville advertising the Warrenton-Twin City football game which takes place at Louisville. E. C. I. has a good team under Dick Hartley and they are claiming the championship of 1922 of Middle Georgia as well as South Georgia. Warrenton also has a powerfull football team considering the size of the town.                                                                           In basketball Wrightsville won over Louisville 56 to 15. Playing for the locals were East, Moye, Frost, Pool and Lovett. Louisville had beat Tennille by one point and Tennille won over Wrightsville by one point. Wrightsville won again over Jeffersonville 37 to 2, a bad beating by the Red Jackets.                                                                   Miss Elsie Anthony, 16 year old daughter of Dr. Walter Anthony, recently appointed pastor of Mulberry Street Methodist church, was painfully injured in an auto wreck about 10 miles from Eatonton when the auto in which she, with Dr. Anthony and his family were riding, was struck by an auto driven by Eatonton banker, B. W. Hunt. Miss Anthony sustained severe lacerations and bruises about the face, and the auto was badly wrecked, but other members escaped with minor bruises.                                         In a passing auto Dr Anthony rushed his daughter to Eatonton where she was given medical attention. Dr. Anthony was former pastor at First Methodist in Athens and was on his way back to Wrightsville, his boyhood home when the wreck occured.                                               The family had eaten Thanksgiving dinner in Eatonton and left for Wrightsville when at a sharp curve in the road the Hunt car and the Anthony car hit head on, neither of the cars were traveling fast. Miss Anthony had 4 stitches on her cheek, a severe cut under the chin and one of her ears was badly mangled.                                   The County Board of Education by a vote of 3 to 2 to continue the work of the county home economics agent Miss Gertude Proctor. Dr. T. A. Powell and Mr. Z. T. Houser voted no while Dr. J. W. Brinson, W. C. Brantley and W. L. Mixon voted yes. The salary was agreed at $50 per month.          Mr. J. B. Paul has purchased the Knowles Barber Shop from the owner, Mr. B. F. Knowles. Mr. T. L. Drake entered the merchantile business and grocery trade in the Kennedy building which was occupied by Mr. J. B. Paul, the latter selling to Drake.                                                                           Mr. John Eason Durden died in Franklin's Sanitarium in Swainsboro. He was buried at Twin City Cemetery with an impressive Masonic ceremony. Mr. Durden's wife was a daughter of the late Joseph Brantley of near Harrison and has lots of relatives in Johnson County.                    Mr. John B. Poston died after a brief illness. He resided with his family in the eastern part of the county and was a good, hardworking citizen. He was buried in the family burying grounds at Davisboro.                                                                        Mrs. E. V. Powell, wife of the late James Bennett Powell, died at the Brigham-Claxton hospital in Dublin at 71 years of age. She was a member of Oaky Grove and was buried there. A sister, Mrs. Henry Wheeler, and three brothers, Cicero Perry, J. M. Perry survive her. Her living children are J. M., Samps L., Walter N., and Q. B. Powell and Mrs. C. L. Claxton, Mrs. M. J. Claxton and Mrs. Newton Meeks. Kent & Bush undertakers were in charge.

From Days Gone By Dec. 1, 1922

 December 1, 1922.

    It snowed in Wrightsville and Johnson County most all of last Sunday morning which was the earliest snow seen here in 23 years. In 1912 on the afternoon and night of November 26th and on the 27th snow fell in this county and that date held the record for the earliest up to Sunday which record was broken by a few hours. Incidentally this was the second snowfall in the county this year, the first one coming on February 16th.                                                                 It began sleeting before day and this lasted up to about 8 when the snow began to fall and it came down in pretty large flakes until about 11 when a misty rain and sleet was again recorded. Then in about another hour and for an hour snow fell again.                                                               The temperture was down to one degree of freezing point after the sun was up, the mean temp for the day resting around 42 degrees. Many people feared a severe freeze and a bursting of water pipes and the killing of flowers which had been left out. Snow fell in Dublin, Macon, Americus and many other places in the state.                                                                                 Dr. W. A. Brooks will preach his final serman at the Methodist church Sunday. He is going to Jesup at a higher salary and is well pleased with his new home. Rev. A. F. Smith of Brown Memorial as headed to Atlanta for the 101st Georgia Baptist Convention. Rev. N. M. Lovein of Scott has been recomended by the Board of Mission for an appointment by Bishop Ainsworth as an evangelist.                                         Mrs. R. L. Stephens sprained her ankle which has kept her confined to her room not able to walk at all. Rev. Shade W. Brown who was just returning for his third year to the pastorate of the Midville church, and upon reaching his home from conference, spoke to his wife, asking her how she felt, and fell to the floor unconscious and speechless. He died immediately.                        The Great Majestic Exposition shows are in Dublin this week playing for the negro fair. County agent M. E. Crow is leaving for Chicago to attend the Internationally Livestock Exposition. Most every teacher in the county came to the institute Saturday for a day's study. Mr. & Mrs.Frank Jordan announced the birth of a girl. Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Bray had a baby boy.               Mrs. Nita Kent Clary, the young wife of Mr. James Hunter Clary of Thomson, and daughter-in-law of Judge & Mrs. J. L. Kent died in a Jacksonville, Florida Sanitarium from a severe case of fever. She was buried at Waycross.                Dr. J. Leon Bell, a son of the late Dr. Green Bell, known to most everybody in this county, died at Allen's sanitarium in Milledgeville. He had been in ill health for years. He was buried at Swainsboro.                                                                     Mr. Joseph R. Flanders of Adrian died at his home there. He had been in failing health for over a year. He was a son of the late Rev. A. C. Flanders and leaves a wife, the second, and several sons and daughters, all of his brothers and sisters having precceded him in death. He was 67 years old on July 7th. He was buried at Poplar Springs.                                                               Mrs. Alexander past away at her daughters home here, Mrs. J. H. McWhorter. She had lived with her for two years but formally lived in Bolling Green, Kentucky. She was 76 and a member of the Christian church. She was carried back to her home in Kentucky for burial.       Mr. A. S. Norris, former Clerk of Superior Court has entered the turpentine business. He is selling a lot of the gum to different manufacturers of it, and like all the dealers along now, is making something out of it. The turpentine business in the county, as a rule, is a very small one on account of the scarcity of the timber, but all who are engaged in it are thriving. Mr. Green Harrison has been operating a new still the past year and several more stills have gone into business in the same time.