The Old Post Office

The old post office has been mentioned several times. This is the best picture I could find. One of the girls is my first cousin from Memphis, and the other is her friend, I think.

Our house was directly across from the post office, and as some of you remember, it had a large screened in front porch. My grandmother being a "shut in" loved to sit on the front porch and watch folks going in and out of the post office twice a day, Monday through Saturday.

One of my grandmother's great worries was that the post office would be moved, which, of course, it finally was.

George

Robert Rogers and the Car

Several years ago Robert Rogers and I began exchanging e-mails. At first, neither of us could remember the other though, of course, we knew each other's families; then Robert remembered I was the one with the car he liked. I don't remember the car, but there are few pictures of me at this age without the car viewable.

Note that Roy Partlow's store had not yet been built. That is George Perry Partlow's house in the distance and Monts's store on the left.

Girl's Basketball Team

"This picture was given to me to see if I could identify the last girl on the 1st line. James Fowler gave this to me. They are 1st row l to r: Laura Sue McCaskill(Bedford), Patricia Rogers, Patsy Partlow (Jackson), Shirley Kelly, don't know. 2nd row l to r: Norma (Pot) Ellis(Estes),Sue Ellis, Joyce McWhorter, Ann Ellis, Merlene Whitehead(Davis), Betty Sue Conlee, Jean West, Helen Presley, ____Raper, Jean Land and don't know."

Burma Ruff Schumpert


Sandra Monts: "the girl in the dress looks like Frances Ann Westmoreland, daughter of Coleen Wright Westmoreland"

Roger Moore

I received the following e-mail from Roger:

"I am Roger Moore, son of Mack Moore and Juanita Rogers Moore and grandson of Achilles Rogers and "Miss Willie" Rogers. I graduated from Plantersville High School in 1945. My first cousin, Robert Rogers, sent your Plantersville Connection blog site to his sister, Elizabeth Rogers Bilbo, who forwarded it to me. Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for including the story about your mother relating the message about the death of my brother, Mack Jr., to my folks in 1942. Thank you, also, for relating the story of the murder of my grandfather. My mother told me that a Mr. Jones was tried for the murder and acquitted but confessed to the murder on his death bed.

I am glad that you are recognizing Cecil Johnson and the many things he did for the children in Plantersville. You asked for additional stories regarding Cecil. Cecil loved baseball. He played center field on the local baseball team in the late 1930's that also included Ed Parker, Hulon "Shine" Parker, Joe Rogers, Jiggs Monts and the men in that age group. The ball field was located in the pasture behind Mr. Brown Parker's house. It was a beautiful ball park. Cecil would spend hours mowing the field and scraping the infield. When I was a youngster, Cecil would spend a great deal of time knocking fungoes (fly balls) to the kids my age. Finishing up the practice, he liked to run laps around the outside of the infield. It kept him in good condition, which helped him when he was drafted during World War II, although he was nearly 35 years old. Cecil was sent to the South Pacific. His letters home were censored, as were all letters from the soldiers; however, Cecil would add a letter from the alphabet to the bottom of each letter home. He started with the letter "G", followed with the letter "O" in his next letter, etc., until he spelled out the words "Good Enough." That was an island just off New Guinea, where he was stationed.

It was good to see the picture of Doris. I was no longer in the area, but didn't Doris wind up living in your Grandmother's house? I will forward your site to several "old timers" from Plantersville."

Questions about Thanksgiving picture

Is that a structure across from Monts's store; if so, what is it? Wasn't the Mabry house farther off the road than that?

Is the road paved? Does anyone know when it was first paved?

I remember coming home from Butch's one day barefooted (I always cut across Earl Kelly's yard), and having to sit by the post office and wait until they finished paving the road and the pavement cooled.

In response to Cathy's comments: If I remember correctly, the Mabry house was back off the road across from the store, and in my memory there was still furniture in the house and curtains on the windows. I don't recall any fields in front of the house. Charlie Monts sold Pure Oil; Raymon Stovall drove a truck for Pure Oil from ca. 1949 until his illness in the early 60s. In all my memories the road is paved.

Tom Thumb Wedding

A lot of us were in this production. Those I think I recognize are starting on the left: Jim Woods, June Harris, Linda Stovall, Jimmy Williams, Winnie Borden, and after that am not certain.

In the tenth grade, I was in a play on this stage. I remember the stage but can't picture what building it was in or anything about its location.

June Harris comments: "That was an operetta called "Wedding of the Flowers," or something similar. Winnie and I were the announcers and we introduced each of the acts in really sappy verse. Each grade had the kids come in and do a song. I think we were in fifth grade (could have been fourth) when that was presented, and we did it in the old auditorium that was part of the high school at the time. I can remember that the boys in our grade (I think) were sunflowers and they just hated doing that. The younger kids were okay with it, but the older boys just hated it. But we did an operetta just about every year. I remember when we were--maybe first grade--we were raindrops and we wore blue shorts and shirts. I made a misstep one time and Miss Maida swatted me on the rear, and I was so humiliated. I worried and worried about whether it counted as getting spanked in school, a practice in frequent use in those days, and one to be avoided by a person who deemed herself above that. Anyway, we wore those crepe paper costumes that itched like mad. The Gooches had come when we were in fourth grade, so it had to be either fourth or fifth grade.

Do you remember in fifth grade when we went to Shiloh and over to Sardis dam? I'd had measles and was so afraid they wouldn't let me go, but I got to. That was a highlight. I remember that my folks couldn't come in to school to pick me up after we got back, so I had to wait in Roy Partlow's store till they could come in and get me. That's the only time I've ever been to Shiloh; someday I'm going back to visit again."

Miss Willie's Sunbeams

Roger Moore, Miss Willie's grandson and Mr. Mac and Mrs. Juanita's son, sent this picture. As some of you may recall, I also have a copy that I published in one of our newsleters. Roger says Jane Price's niece is next to Miss Willie; that is yours truly third from the left; I think that is George Beane next to me and Jeff Wayne Parker on the end, and Jim Miller behind Jeff. Can anyone identify the others?

Clicking on a picture on the site should enlarge it.

Could that be Bobby Beane, second from the right and Bobby Parker behind next to Jim Miller?

Thanksgiving Day 1944

This picture was taken on Thanksgiving Day 1944; do you remember when cotton bales were lined up between the post office and Charlie Monts's store?

From left Ernest Kelly Jr., Charles Kelly, George Kelly, and Tom Stennis. Behind us is Dot Traylor, Doris' daughter.

Robert Rogers

Robert, Miss Willie's grandson, and his wife, Joyce, reside in Hattiesburg. Robert served as pastor for several years in Rota, Spain. Robert sent me the following e-mail which he is allowing me to post:

"Good to hear from you. No, we are not in Spain right now. You may be aware that we left there in August of 2005, but did not get home until over in September because Hurricane Katrina beat us here while we were still visiting our son in Rincon, GA. So we stayed with him about 10 days longer than planned. We joined Main Street Baptist Church in September and both started singing in the choir and Joyce started teaching a ladies Sunday School class pretty soon. Then about Christmas time, we learned that the church in Rota had stopped meeting after the pastor left amid controversy. We asked the few people left if we could help them find a pastor and come over for a couple of months to get them started meeting again. We left here the last part of January and got them (basically 2 families) meeting again. We left at the end of March when an interim pastor and his wife arrived. There were a few visitors while we were there, but no growth. However since we came home there has been some significant growth. Just last week however we learned that the pastor who was to come in June hopefully to be a permanent pastor will not be able to come. The current interim can not stay after June 20 because he is there as a tourist which can only be for 3 months at a time. We and they just found this out less than a week ago, so we don't know for sure what the next step will be. We would appreciate your prayers for the church.

I really enjoyed the Plantersville web site. I forwarded your e-mail and the link on to my sister, Elizabeth. I haven't heard from her, but I am sure she will be interested in it. You had told me once before about your mother being the one who delivered the message about Mack, Jr. We were living in Tippah county at the time, but I remember it although I was pretty young.

The article about my grandfather's murder reminded me of something. You mentioned that my grandmother was appointed Postmaster after his death. From the time my grandfather became Postmaster until I left the job of rural carrier there in 1985, at least one relative of mine worked in that Post Office in some capacity. After my grandmother retired, William Towery "Tack" Grant became postmaster. He was my grandmother's nephew. When he got the opportunity to do so, he took the job of rural mail carrier. He was in that job until I came to it in 1980. Incidentally during part of his tenure, the Postmaster was Carroll Mitchell who was my father's cousin on the Rogers side. So for the major portion of the 20th century I or one of my relatives worked in the Plantersville Post Office. That may not be of interest to anyone else, but it is to me.

I wish I knew when my grandfather became Postmaster. I remember my dad telling me that they were pretty sure who committed the murder, but there was insufficient evidence and as soon as the accused was released, he left the area for good. My dad told me that his father did not die immediately, but never woke up from the blow to his head. Apparently in his wounded condition he still managed to get the mail sack on the train that evening. After he was found, many people went up an down the railroad track trying to track down whoever had done it. My dad as a seventeen year old boy went one direction alone with the apparent murderer and told him what he would do if he ever found out who the guilty party was. He often thought later that at that moment he could have met a similar fate."

Who is She?

Can anyone identify this young lady?

Mike Collier Update

I talked to Mike this afternoon. He had treatments yesterday and today and is feeling much better than he usual does after his treatments. He sounded good and I hope we can get together for coffee soon.

Miss Dixie's Class

This picture is of Miss Dixie's first grade class in the early 50s. I can identify only three: Bobbie Gooch, Mike Collier and Bubba Rogers.

June Harris: The girl sitting next to Bobbie Gooch is, I think, Peggy Cook. And isn't the tall boy in the back one of the Wilson kids?

Saint John Dewey

John Dewey Birmingham stood about five feet four and weighed perhaps one hundred and thirty pounds. He was in the vernacular of the time, "bad to drink," and somehow managed on February 28, 1951, to shoot off his left arm.

John Dewey and Aunt Grace lived just south of the cemetery, across the street from Miss Dixie. Their marriage was often tumultuous, especially during his frequent binges.

John Dewey painted and in the summer of 1962 was working for his close friend, Leroy Belk, painting at a county school. He was working underneath an overhand; several college boys were painting on top when the overhand fell and broke John Dewey's leg. Since Aunt Grace worked at McGaughy's Department Store, my grandmother and Doris took care of him. He seemed to be recovering normally until one day he died suddenly from complications from his injury.

Aunt Grace lived five days past her one hundredth birthday. While her body became very frail and she lost much of her hearing, her mind remained sharp, and during her last years, I enjoyed spending hours with her talking about the past. One of her favorite subjects was her husband, and with each telling John Dewey became more and more noble so that had Aunt Grace lived another year or two, John Dewey would have had to have been canonized.

Note: This picture is reversed as John Dewey lost his left not his right arm.

Mr. Mac Introduces Me

After my father died in March of 1942, my mother, who grew up in the Auburn community and knew few people in Plantersville, and I moved in with my grandmother and Doris. My grandmother had one of the first telephones in Plantersville.

Andrew McNary Moore Jr., son of Mac and Juanita Moore, attended Mississippi State, and while hitchhiking was struck and killed by a car at Mayhew Junction.

Either Mac Jr. had put our number on his application at State or the Columbus funeral home chose our number randomly from those available in town.

My mother answered the funeral home’s call. Mother often wondered why she didn’t ask George Perry Partlow, our neighbor, who was outside as she left, to deliver the message. She, however, broke the news to Mrs. Juanita, and then returned to the house and called Mr. Mac, who was working at a defense plant somewhere up north, and told him the tragic news.

In the spring of either 1968 or 69, I attended the spring football game at State, and as I took my seat, someone called my name. Mr. Mac Moore was sitting among ten or fifteen of his former classmates. They may also have been former teammates, as I think Mr. Mac played football at State.

Mr. Mac introduced me to each of them the same way. “This is George, the son of the lady who called to tell me my boy had been killed.”

I wasn’t surprised as I don’t recall being around Mr. Mac many times that he didn’t refer to my mother’s role in what must have been the darkest day of his life.

Cathy Johnson Garrett on Cecil

I wanted my sons to grow up under his influence. Having his park across the street made their childhoods happy and full of fun. How closely they watched the clock every day until opening time, was it 12 or 1, I'm sure Benji could tell us. The games, the tournaments, the playmates, something to look forward to every day, something exciting to report every night when Mom came home from work, how lucky they were!

And their most serious injuries occurred there - Ricky ran smack into the maypole and knocked a front tooth loose; he and some more boys were doing chin-ups on the side of Cecil's garage, and he came down against a wire and cut a huge gash in his chest; then Benji rode his bicycle across some live coals and burned the soles of both feet. Benji, before he was old enough to be involved in the tournaments, spent hours in the sandbox, digging, making roads, building castles, he never tired of it. We never had to wonder where to find them, we left them there for hours unattended by parent or grandparent, confident they were safe, occupied, and learning important life lessons.

Oops There Goes Another Library

"Every time an old person dies, a library burns down." My experience with my mother recently and my observation of others in the home where she is prove that the passing of time can destroy many volumes in our internal library.

That is why I think it is important that we share our memories and stories of and about Plantersville.

This site will some day fade into ether land but before that happens perhaps some of the stories will have passed to other generations.

I would especially like to post your memories and stories about Cecil Johnson.

The easiest way to put your memories or stories on this site is to click on "View my complete profile" and under Contact click on E-Mail. I can copy and paste your e-mail and have it appear on the site in minutes.

Plantersville's Unsolved Murder

Late in the afternoon of November 4, 1921, Achilles Moorman Rogers, the post master, was struck and killed at or near the post office which was then located in the vicinity of the railroad. The motive was apparently robbery, and the murder was never solved.

His wife, Miss Willie, succeeded him as post master or post mistress and served a long tenure. Does anyone remember what year she retired? By the 40s, the post office had moved across the street from our house in that small white framed building once a drug store since the word DRUGS frequently bled through the paint at the top of the building. I know nothing about the history of the drug store in Plantersville.

Since the post office did not have running water, Miss Wille came across to our house several times a day for a drink of water and to use the bathroom.

The Ragamuffin Hitchhikers

Lucille Kelly Stennis and her son, Tom, who is five years older than I am, lived in Starkville where she worked with the Extension Service at Miss. State. Her husband, Lamar, was killed in an automobile accident when Tom was about six months old. Every summer they came to Plantersville so Aunt Cile could help Doris “put up” whatever vegetables and fruits available.

One day in either 1948 or 49, Tom, Butch, Eleanor Ann Partlow, Dorothy Ann Trayor and I ( and there may have been others I have forgotten) were playing in my grandmother’s front yard. Tom kept going in and asking his mother if she would take us to Tupelo to a movie. Tom finally asked if we could get a ride could we go, and my aunt just to keep him out of the kitchen said okay.

The group of us, all filthy and a couple barefooted started walking toward Tupelo until a nice man in a cattle truck stopped and picked us up. When we reached Tupelo, he would not release us until he marched us in Hardin’s Bakery where my mother worked to make sure we were not running away,. Hardins Bakery was then located on Main Street, west of Westbrooks.

We finally were allowed to go to the Lyric; I don’t know why I remember or if my memory is accurate, but the movie I believe we saw was The Paradine Case, one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lesser efforts and a rather talky and slow moving movie for kids.

The nice and concerned man who gave us a ride was Mr. Park, Mary Kathryn’s father.

Posting

I'm learning slowly about how to manage this site. You may have to register in order to post using the Blog This icon. If you prefer not to do that, go to view my profile and send me an e-mail which I will then post on the site.

Thanks Benji

Benji Borden, son of Cathy Garrett and grandson of Brother and Mrs. Silas Johnson, sent me suggestions which as you can see worked. I should be able now to post the newsletter with pictures on the web. This one is piece meal, but will better organize future newsletters.

I will mail newsletters probably on Monday; publishing ceased a few minutes ago as I ran dry on ink.

Over 60 Club

I found this picture of the Plantersville Over 60 Club in my files. Remember when over 60 used to sound old. The picture was taken in front of my grandmother's house in April of 1953. That's Sarchie Kelly, my grandmother, with the walker, and Miss Dixie and Johnnie Harris sitting in front and, of course, Doris. The others I don't recognize, but have the names on the back of the picture: Mrs Parker, Mrs Johnson, Mrs. Alma Rogers, Mrs. Alma Partlow, Mrs. Dora Grant, Mrs. Lillian Whitehead, Mrs. Ollie Edwards, Mrs. Harlan Rogers, and Mrs. Gussie Grant. One is missing; there's a Mrs. Herndon written on the side away from the other names. How many can you identify?

The gray-haired lady behind the lady in the dark dress at the end on the left is Miss Ollie, identified by June Harris.

Jane Price James identified Mrs. Dora Grant directly in front of Doris.

Information about site

After some searching discovered that my current browser doesn't allow pictures on the site, but a new version coming out in July should. I may explore using a different browser.

Also, to post to this site, click on the Blog This icon at the top.

Newsletter Vol.7 Number 1 May 2006

This newsletter takes a leap of faith and jumps or plunges into the electronic age. With the help and encouragement of Cathy Johnson Garrett (more on her later), Carole and I established a blog. The address is plantersvilleconnection.blogspot.com.

Despite the lengthy personal profile (I read recently that one of the signs of growing old is the irresistible urge to talk about one’s self), I envision this site as not our personal one but a place where those from Plantersville past and present can share stories and information.

I came across the Silas Johnson Family site hosted by Cathy Johnson Garrett on the Internet.

Cathy and I are exchanging e-mails. She has her own blog and has been interested in establishing one for the Plantersville community. Cathy and her family are going through tough times caring for their mother. Updates on Mrs. Johnson’s condition are posted on both blogs. Cathy’s:
http://www.pvillepost.blogspot.com

Larry Mims's letter to Judy Borden already posted comes next.

The back of the newsletter contains a picture of the Over 60 club taken in April 1953. There are fourteen ladies pictured; I can only identify four or five and hope you will be able to help match the names that I found on the back with the faces.

I may be able to post pictures on this site but have not mastered that procedure yet.

Time

For some reason the times being attached to the postings are two hours off; while I arise early, I assure you I am not up at four a.m. posting to the Internet.

Mike Collier

Mike was asleep when I went by yesterday morning to see him. I talked with his wife who told me that he developed a blood clot during his treatments, but that has been resolved, and he was going home either yesterday or today.

Report on Mrs. Johnson from Cathy

Mother sailed through surgery without any problems. She came back to her room complaining about the oxygen tube in her nose and the compression stockings. When I left her with Paul around 4 pm, she was still feeling no pain. She underwent a mastectomy on the right side, mainly to remove the tumors that erupted. Her cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and her spinal column, and that cannot be treated. She will be entering hospice care at Manhattan Nursing Home upon discharge from St. Dominic's Hospital. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Larry Mims Letter to Judy Borden

Larry shared this letter that he wrote Judy Borden on January 22, 1991, during Desert Storm:

Miss Judy:

Today is a special day for me; I managed to phone Terri on her 30th birthday. Time does fly. It seems like yesterday we were attending Sunday School parties with Winnie, Sandra, Tim, George and Cog, and all the others.

Since I have not told you lately how much you mean to me, let me express once again what "Living the example" you and JT were to Larry McGaughy during his critical "growing up years". I will always cherish your love and friendship.

Miss Judy, your letter was especially timely; we had just received news of our probable deployment to Iraq in late March.

We are all praying that this does not happen, but we, Larry, Kirk, Kelly and Kelly Monts are committed to getting the job done and returning home as soon as possible.

Please express to everyone from the "Plantersville Boys," our appreciation of your letters and prayers; God bless America.

Larry

June Harris

June retired recently and is packing as I write this, well maybe not since it is still early in Arizona, and will be moving to east Texas. She will be closer to Plantersville and perhaps we will see more of her.

Hospital Report

In the last issue of the newsletter, I mentioned that since his retirement a couple of years ago, Mike Collier and I have been having coffee several times a month. In February Mike and one of our friends and I had coffee and that day or the day after, Mike went to the doctor. He was diagnosed with cancer and is presently undergoing treatments which have been difficult; this week he was admitted to the hospital. I plan to visit Mike today and will report on his condition.

Cathy Johnson Garrett reports that her mother is the hospital and will be undergoing surgery today. Mrs. Johnson moved from Plantersville to the Jackson area in the late 90s. All three of her children live near Jackson.

My son-in-law's mother had a stroke Sunday morning. I plan to stay with her this afternoon.

That ends the hospital report.

Introduction

This past weekend while perusing Ancestery.Com, I found a site on Brother Silas Johnson's family hosted by his daughter Cathy. She and I have exchanged e-mails, and she suggested a Plantersville community blog. As some of you know, Carole and I have publshed a newsletter called The Plantersville Connection from time to time. Per Cathy's suggestion, I will experiment with this site and see if there is interest in an online version; I hope lots of Plantersville folks will join in the fun.