Less Than a Month

July 28 is now less than a month away. Please help spread the word; if you have the capabilities, print the handout and post it somewhere. I can send you a copy of the poster by e-mail if that would be easier. If you have any suggestions or comments please let me or Gloria or Sandra or Neicy or Charlotte or Jean or Burma know.

Poster

This is a copy of the poster advertising the homecoming.

Lunch

A local catering business will provide lunch on the 28th for who wish to eat. Rather than deal with collecting money, we will take money on the day of the event; so everyone will have a plate, we would like to have a count. If you think you will be coming and eating, let us know; we'd rather have too much food than too little. E-mail me at gkelly100@Comcast.net.

Dr. Barbara Powell

Sympathy to the family of Dr. Powell. Where in Plantersville did the Powells live?

George Morris

My cousin by marriage, Paul Sims, served as interim pastor at First Baptist in Plantersville after Sam Hamilton resigned. On the first Sunday there, he mentioned being related to George Kelly and received mostly blank looks. That night he called asking me didn't I grow up in that church and why didn't anyone there know me.

After our discussion, the next Sunday he mentioned George Morris, and most knew who he was talking about. I dropped the Morris as soon as I entered college only using it when I am in Plantersville.

10th Grade Class 1955-56

With the death of Doyle this week, I am now, sadly, the only boy left from this class; thank the good Lord all the girls are alive and as far as I know doing well. I saw Burma and Jean last week and they were looking wonderful, and I received e-mail from Ellen recently who is still working at Bancorpsouth. Notice all the good old Southern double names. I think all of us, with the possible exception of Mary Kathryn, have dropped the double names.

Doyle Loden

Sympathy to the family of Lonnie Doyle Loden who died on Wednesday. I missed his obituary in the Journal; Since we always called him Doyle, I didn't recognize Lonnie Loden. Thanks to Burma for calling his obituary to my attention.

In the 1955-56 school year, the last year Plantersvile was to have a high school, a number of students transferred to Tupelo leaving only three boys and six girls in our tenth grade class. The boys were Tim Harris, Doyle and me.

If I remember correctly, Doyle was a cousin of the singer, Sonny James.

Centerhill Cemetery

Centerhill Cemetery is located just outside Plantersville, just off Highway 6. Many members of the Betts and Ruff families are buried there.

The Homecoming

There seems to be some confusion over the event planned for July 28 with some folks. As I envision it, we welcome anyone who ever lived in Plantersville, or who ever wanted to live in Plantersville or any other words, anyone who would like to come and visit with the finest folks in the world.

I know a few years ago, an event was held for those who attended school in Plantersville, but the school just happened to be the best location available.

Father's Day

Hope all the fathers had a wonderful day yesterday; I certainly did.

Ready to play

This young lady, Betsy Johnson, I think, is dressed out and ready to play basketball.

Hulon Parker

Reading Mrs. Sarah Parker's obituary brought back a myriad of memories of her and of Hulon, who was one of Plantersville's true characters. I remember him driving around Plantersville in the car he had built, getting Miss Willie to give him Greg Ruff's letter to Santa so he could answer it, entertaining everyone at Roy Partlow's store with his stories. Mrs. Sarah was always fun to be around also.

Sarah's brother, Ben Ruff, married Raymon's neice, Bernice Morgan.

Homecoming

Burma Schumpert, Jean Willis, Neicy Grant and I met for a planning meeting Wednesday. I realize some of you had to work, but if you would like to help contact one of the above or Gloria Holland or Sandra Monts.

Cathy Garrett, who lives in Brandon and June Harris, who lives in Texas, have volunteered to help in any way they can.

Please spread the word and e-mail me those that say they will attend so we can reach an estimate for lunch.

As always we welcome and encourage suggestions.

Sarah Parker

Sympathy to the family and friends of Sarah Parker and especially to Susie. Neicy Grant had told me Wednesday that Sarah was in the hospital and doing well.

Plantersville Facts

Yesterday's Journal ran a special section with facts on all the towns in Lee County. The story on Plantersville quoted Neicy Grant who has lived in Plantersville 61 years though the paper made it 71. The story lists the charter date as 1896 and the population as 1,144. The mayor is Gloria Holland with alderman: Chick Freeman, Sedes Shannon, Charles Heard, Jack Wuichet and Vickie Rigby. Other officals are town clerk, Norma Chandler, police chief: Robert Davis and Volunteer Fire Chief: Tommy Monts. Would that be Tommy Monts Sr. or Jr.?

Meeting

Don't forget that we are meeting at eleven tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at Matt's Restaurant in Planterville to work on details for the July 28th homecoming. Please attend.

J. K. P. Stovall

I borrowed this picture from Marjorie Norris's web site. J. K. P. Stovall was her great-great-grandfather which would make him her mother's great-grandfather and her grandfather's grandfather which would also make him Raymon Stovall's grandfather. Am I correct?

Marjorie, for those that don't know, is the daughter of Dale Stovall and granddaughter of Henry Stovall and Eddie Jane Harris.

Keith Wadley Remembers

Keith Wadley is the son of Bob and Lisa Wadley and the grandson of Tommy and Sandra Monts.


My entire family, on my mom's side (the Monts/Temple folks), lived in Plantersville. We had been in Brewer since moving back from Arkansas and dad getting out of the Air Force. We would go to Cecil's park back in the 80's when we would visit Granny and Pappy (Tommy and Sandra Monts). The guys would be playing football, but I was always too little to play, but I sure did want to play. I mainly spent my time in the sandbox or waiting on the pole with the ball hanging off of it.

I remember getting angry with an older kid and wanting to fight him. Cecil came over and found out what was going on. He then proceeded to get the boxing gloves for us. I could not believe that I was going to get my chance at beating up this older kid. Well, I did not win the fight, needless to say when you stand 1 foot shorter and a couple of years younger than your opponent. Cecil let the bigger kid go and then pulled me aside. He told me that I was not always going to be able to beat up people to solve my problems. He said that I had to learn how to control my anger and to get along with others. I can't say that I did what he was telling me from that moment on but I certainly did remember it all these years and I did get a lot better about picking my fights, physical and mental. Cecil's park was just a great place to be a kid and to grow up. He was a great man with a lot of love to share. He and Uncle Ed were always fun to listen to.

Uncle Ed (Ed Parker) had gotten a keyboard one year. It was one of those that comes preprogrammed with certain tunes in it. Well, along came Cecil one day and Uncle Ed told him that he had gotten a keyboard. Cecil didn't know that Uncle Ed could play (neither did anyone else!). Uncle Ed hit one of the programmed songs and began playing away. Cecil was impressed. I don't know if he told him after he was finished or what but the story got passed on to me at some point and I got a nice chuckle out of it. Those two were always scaring my mother with a fake snake that had fishing line wrapped around it. Uncle Ed would hide it and ask mom to get something for him. She would go to reach for it and Uncle Ed would pull the string. Out came the snake and up jumped mom screaming and hollering like she had gotten ants in her pants. I felt bad for her but at the same time it was fun to watch.

I have so many memories of growing up in Plantersville, but mine are from a later generation, probably not the generation you guys are looking for. I remember Mr. Malone's barber shop, working at Quality Discount for a little while, getting large cherry snow cones at The Igloo when it was by Mr. Malone's, and working at Matt's Cafe for Larry and Wanda Matthews. Let me know if you want any other little bits of information or a story about any of those folks.

Sandra Monts comments:

Keith, Thanks for bringing to mind such fond memories.
Cecil is still touching lives today through those of us
who remember anything about him to relate to others.

Tommy and I are probably the only couple Cecil helped with
courting. When Tommy was playing ball at Brewer and later for the American Legion Team, my Mother and Daddy let me ride to away games with Cecil. Tommy would ride back with us. I REALLY DID like baseball, and still do. Thank you, Cecil, for wonderful memories, and for putting up with silly teenagers such as I.

The Gin

According to Judy Borden's history of Plantersville, the first cotton gin in Plantersville was located near the railroad and owned by W. S. P. Rose. Later, J. W. Repult took over the gin. Both Mr. Repult and his son, Herschel, lost part of an arm working at the gin.

In my memory the gin was located next to Mr. Mitchell's store. I can remember the line of wagons waiting to have their cotton ginned and the hum of the gin in the fall that went on late into the night.

Who owned the gin after Mr. Repult and what was the location or locations of a gin other than the one next to the store?

Planning Meeting

There will be a meeting at Matt's Restaurant in Plantersville on Wednesday, June 13, at 11:00 in the morning for those interested or able to help plan our homecoming on the 28th of July. I hope you will be able to join us; we need your support and suggestions.

High Kicking

Cecil's park provided all types of activities for exercising.

Gloria Holland's Knee

Gloria is having surgery on her knee this week.

Friday update:

Gloria had surgery on Monday and is doing well.

Willie Harper

Sympathy to the family of Willie Harper. I find it hard to believe that Willie was 86; I always knew Willie looked younger than he was.

More on the Grant Family

While surfing the internet this morning, I encountered this site compiled by Joe Grant on the Grant family; if you have not been there already, it is worth visit:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~joeandjerry/GEN/p3.htm#i184

Ricky Borden

This is another picture of Ricky's visit to Cecil's park. From the left: Cindy Partlow, not sure, Betsy Johnson, Cathy and Ricky and Jane Parker with Uncle Paul looking on.

The Fire

Several years ago while walking through Andrew's Chapel Cemetery searching for the tombstone of my great-grandfather, I read a stone which indicated that a young mother and her four or five year old son had died on the same day in the 1920's. After leaving the cemetery, I stopped by and visited with the coffee club, and mentioned the mother and son. Marlin Morgan told me the story. I think it was Gene Monts's mother who raced into a fire to save her son and both perished. Since I no longer trust my memory, can someone share the particulars of this incident?

Amy Bostick: "The mother and son were V.Mary McCarty Monts and Robert Lee Monts. The 1st wife and son of Chester Swep Monts. The notes I show were he was playing with matches in the barn and caught it on fire and she died trying to save him."