Sunday, September 21, 2014

75-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from September 1939

Truman Capote and 'Aunt Sook'
The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville published four editions 75 years ago during the month of September 1939. Those papers came out on Sept. 7, Sept. 14, Sept. 21 and Sept. 28. A.C. Lee was the newspaper’s editor, and E.M. Salter was the business manager. What follows are a few new highlights from each of those papers. Enjoy.

SEPT. 7, 1939

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Capote and Seaborn Faulk have returned to New York, after spending a week with Misses Nannie and Jennie Faulk. They were accompanied home by Truman Capote, who spent the summer in Monroeville.

Miss Alice Lee of Birmingham spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee. She was accompanied back to Birmingham Monday by Miss Nelle Lee, who is spending this week there.

More New Residences Are Being Built: For the past few months a number of new residences have been under construction in different sections of Monroeville.
New residences that are nearing completion are those of J.L. Reddoch, in the northern section of town, Fred Sheffield on the Drewry Road, south of McCall Lumber Co., and Dayton Russell, near the High School building.
Several new houses have just been started, within the past week or two. Mr. H.G. Brantley has a dwelling started between the homes of Mrs. Katz and R.H. McMillan.
Two residences are under construction by Mr. O.B. Finklea, north of the B.L. Hendrix home.
McCall Lumber Co. has started the construction of a residence, south of the J.W. Urquhart home, and plans to build two others on adjoining lots.
The Dennis home in the northern part of town is being repaired and rooms added.

At a meeting of Monroe County Post No. 61 American Legion held at the Club House last Friday, the following officers were elected to serve for the coming year: E.T. Millsap, Commander; E.S. Gardner, Adjutant; Jim Sawyer, Vice Commander; Sullivan Murphy, Chaplain; W.E. Deer, Historian; R.T. Daniels, Sergeant-At-Arms.

SEPT. 14, 1939

Truman Capote, who spent the summer here with Misses Nannie and Jennie Faulk and Mrs. W.J. Carter, returned to his home in New York last Friday. The first of the week, he entered a Connecticut school.

Signing of an agreement by the Highway Department with officials of Monroe County, for the paving of 12.5 miles of State Route No. 47, between Tunnel Springs and Midway, was announced Saturday by State Highway Director Chris J. Sherlock, who said this work with bituminous material would eliminate the last section of this highway between Greenville, county seat of Butler, and Monroeville, county seat of Monroe.

Landmark Razed By Fire Tuesday Morning: A dwelling in the western part of town, occupied by Mr. “Shorty” Johnson, was completely destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.
This was one of the oldest dwellings in Monroeville. It was built about 1850 by Mr. Harris Malden, and after the war it was owned and occupied by Dr. Flake. Several well known families either owned or occupied the house in years gone by, among them being the late F.M. Jones, George W. Salter, J.T. Salter and many others.

Cotton Crop 5,619 Bales Short Of 1938: According to the cotton ginning report for Monroe County given out Monday by the director of the census, 348 bales of cotton had been ginned in this county prior to Sept. 1 from the crop of 1939 as compared to 5,967 bales ginned prior to Sept. 1, 1938.

SEPT. 21, 1939

Prominent Merchant Dies Here Tuesday: Dr. G.C. Watson, prominent merchant and businessman, died at his home here Tuesday morning about six o’clock, following a heart attack.
He was a native of Wilcox County but had resided in this county for the past 40 years. For 34 years, he had been a resident of Monroeville, where he practiced dentistry until about 15 years ago, when his health made it necessary for him to give up his profession. Since that time, he has been engaged in the mercantile business here.

The Monroe County schools opened Monday for the 1939-40 session.

Mr. Edwin Lee, a student at Auburn, spent the past weekend at home with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee.

Masonic Officers Are Installed At Ceremonies Here Tuesday Night: Officers elected to serve Alabama Lodge No. 3 were installed on Tuesday evening. Mr. Joe Southall and Mr. George U. Potter of Mobile acted as installing officers.

Repairs Being Made On Methodist Church: Repair work on the Frisco City Methodist Church began last week. The Church is being covered, and several new Sunday School rooms are being added. Members of the Methodist Church will be proud of the building when this work is completed.

SEPT. 28, 1939

The Chambers-Lazenby Motor Co. will have the 1940 Ford on display at their show room on Fri., Oct. 6.

Mrs. Eugene Lazenby recently underwent an appendicitis operation at Carter’s Hospital in Repton.

Heavy Rains Send Many State Streams Out Of Banks: Rains which fell over Alabama the first three days of this week did considerable damage to crops, highways and bridges. Many streams were out of their banks. Burnt Corn and Murder Creeks, two of the most treacherous streams of this section, were rising at the rate of about 18 inches an hour Tuesday. During the day, the Conecuh River rose 11.5 feet and a rise of 20 feet by Wednesday night was forecast for that stream.
Traffic was held up on the Bay Bridge for several hours Tuesday. Traffic was also interrupted on the highway between Monroeville and Atmore on account of damage to the concrete bridge south of the State Prison Farm.

Mr. B.H. Bailey Bitten By Snake: Mr. Brutus H. Bailey of Franklin is suffering from a snake bite, inflicted last Thursday just before noon. Mr. Bailey, in the company of several other men, was surveying a piece of land near Franklin when the snake struck him. It is not known exactly what kind of snake bit him, as none of the men saw it, but it is supposed to have been a rattlesnake or a rattlesnake’s pilot. He was rushed to Monroeville to a doctor, where he was given treatment. His condition is now greatly improved, and he will be able to be out again within a week or two.

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