1930 Calhoun County Courier

Bruce, Miss.
Submitted by Rose Diamond

The Courier (Bruce, Miss)

January 13, 1930

Local and Personal

Mrs. M. B. Nisbet is visiting her mother at Prairie.
Don’t forget the Chamber of Commerce meeting Monday night.
 
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hardy recently disposed of their home in Bruce and are now residing on the Covington place east of town.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Earl Reed are now residents of Bruce, occupying rooms with Dr. and Mrs. C. A. Johnson. They are welcomed to our community.
 
Miss Edna Scrivner, of Derma, is spending the week with Miss Wynette Logan.

Last government report reduced the cotton estimate 48,000 bales under last estimate.
 
Dr. Philpot, surgeon at the Houston hospital, and Mr. Jim Abb Hardin, one of the directors of the hospital, were in Bruce last Saturday on business and were appreciated visitors to the Courier office while here.
 
Mr. Lenard Chrestman went to a Memphis hospital Monday for an operation for gall stone [sic]. He was accompanied by Mrs. Chrestman. His friends trust he may soon be able to return home.
 
Mr. G. W. Stepp, photographer, and wife are welcome back to Bruce. They have their studio in the Dill building.
 
Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Cole spent several days the latter part of last week in Holly Springs.
 
Mr. and Mrs. L. N. Cambpell, [sic] of Memphis, spent a few days in the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Barnett last week. Mrs. Campbell is a sister of Mrs. Barnett.
 
Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Wright and daughter, Fern, and Mrs. James, of Durant, spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Baker.
 
It is a boy; he weighs 6 pounds; he arrived on last Sunday night, and as might be expected Mr. and Mrs. Longino Bennett are all smiles that he stopped with them.
 
Mr. Alvin Phillips, of Pittsboro, has bought the Hardy home in Bruce and will move in this week. Mr. Phillips is engaged in buying cotton here and our town welcomes him and wife as citizens.
 
[One commentary about Illinois was left out on purpose.]
 
The following locals were received through the mail last Thursday after the Courier was mailed out,…..
 
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Robertson of Memphis spent the past Sunday in Bruce. Mrs. Robertson was formerly Miss Vergie Langston of Bruce.
 
Mrs. Martha Williams is visiting her daughter, Mrs. Frank Crutchfield.
 
City Drug Store
 
Quality and Service Day and nite
Telephone – Twenty-eight
 
City Drug Store
Bruce, Miss
“You Can’t Get Bit –We Have False Teeth.”

March 6, 1930 Vol. 1 No. 23 Calhoun Courier

Ex-Circuit Clerks of Calhoun County 
Rambler on Roads Taxes and Politics
 
Old Rambler has just learned that Beat 5 of Calhoun county carried the election last Friday for a bond issue to rock all the main and secondary roads of the beat. That sure is a progressive step, and the other beats of the county are bound to turn green with envy. I noticed the editors of the Courier in their write-up week before last said beats 1 and 4 did not need more rock roads, as these two beats already had enough to do them. Now if you will take a pencil and count it up by beat lines you will see that beats two and five already have just about as much rock road as beats 1 and 4. All have right about the same mileage, except beat 3. It has very little. But then, understand this is not meant as a call for an election on the question in beats 1 and 4, just wanted to mention the oversight.
 
Well, as you know, Rambler writes on three subjects, Roads, Taxes and Politics. The above is the allotment to roads. As to taxes next and then politics. It is true that taxes are ridiculously high, but the amount that the people of beat 5 have added in their recent bond issue is not going to make it very much higher. The man whose assessment is $1,000 will have to pay only about $10 more taxes than he is already paying, and it looks reasonable that it will be worth ten dollars a year extra to any man who lives as much as a mile out in the mud, to get to market with his crops, his hay, hogs, cream, milk, etc.
 
In Pontotoc county we have a lot of secondary country roads that are rocked with out much expense of grading. They are narrow and don’t dig out in holes like the wide, flat roads, therefore are very little expense to keep up after being graveled. They are cheaper to keep up than the dirt roads.
 
Well, well, Mr. Editors, in the language of the Radio, I want to say the Calhoun County Courier is still coming in fine. Your paper gets better every week in furnishing us something to think about and to ponder over, and the more one thinks the more active his mind becomes. One with a weak mind, like old Rambler, needs a lot of rubbing up.
 
Now for that reason I want to ask just a few questions about that mysterious Jimmie Cox that writes for your paper. He seems to condemn political factions and factionalism. Yet in his article in your paper last week he says that he congratulates the present legislature in its non-factionalism in the investigation of crookedness in office, and further says “About 80 percent of the legislature is anti-administration and did not hesitate to find guilty and denounce Knox and Inmon”.
 
Really we have not seen where they have been found guilty, or denounced either. Wonder where Mr. Cox got his information? It is true the legislature did make an investigation, but that is about all we readers have seen. We have seen quite often in R. L. Brown’s letters where they did denounce old Hilbun, but that is quite natural, as he is of the different faction from the legislature. So my conclusion is that the present legislature is mighty factional and Jimmie is evidently off the track about the people being more factional, than the present legislature. If you know anything that will convince us that the legislature is not factional tell it to us, Jimmie.
 
We don’t  mean to criticize you, but your statement to that effect has ___ in the dark. Old Rambler admits that he is factional to __ great extent, but don’t have _ swallow everything in either __ faction.
 
The free Clarion Ledgers coming into the county carries news only of it’s factional view, and so does R. L. Brown. Say, by the way, I noticed that old Brown had a statement in the Commercial Appeal last Sunday in which he boasted that – truth of his articles had never been questioned, and that the Editors of the state who carried them had never had to correct a statement he made.
 
My answer to that is, the editors who carry his stuff do not want them corrected, because he is saying the things they want. As to hearing his statements questioned I have heard them questioned quite a lot, and Brown has likely forgotten the editorial chastisement that the Commercial Appeal gave him for his ignominious ignorance and hard-down cussedness several months ago.
 
Well, bye, bye, ye editors, I go till a more convenient season when I will perhaps come again with my same old subject of Roads, Taxes and Politics, because it is an inexhaustible subject. “Rambler”
 
A Success
The Auction Sale put on by the Methodist Ladies Aid Society on Tuesday night at the Gem Theatre was a success. Fifty-Six dollars was taken in altogether: a quilt made by the ladies brought $10, a cake furnished by Mrs. J. J. Landreth $5 and a contribution by Mr. A. D. Jacks raised the total to $61.00.
The ladies greatly appreciate the splendid patronage accorded and in turn all present enjoyed the nice program given after the sale.
The proceeds of this sale and entertainment go to the building fund of the Methodist church which is now being erected.
 
Judge Lee Crum
 
We notice that Judge Crum of New Albany has announced as a candidate for Circuit Judge of this district.
Judge Crum served this district a part of one elective term and resigned to become a candidate for Congress.
The Judge is at present a member of the Mississippi Code Commission.
He is a good man and made the district a good Circuit Judge

March 13, 1930

Program for Calhoun Teachers

The Calhoun County Teacher’s Association will meet 9:30 A.M. at Big Creek on March 15.
9:30 9:45 --- Invocation and Devotional – Mrs. S. Dobbs
9:45 – 10:15 --- 10 minute talk --- Mrs. Jim Phillips
Band Music --- Mr. Fugitt
Reading --- Mrs. Kemp
 
10:15 – 10:45 --- Address --- Mr. John Rundle, Grenada, MS
10:45 – 11:45 --- Departmental meetings
(A) Primary Grades 1-3 --- Mrs. W. O. Lawrence
(B) Intermediate Grades 4-6 --- Mrs. G. W. Roberson
(C) Junior High Grades 7-8 ---Mr. Dale Cannon
(D) High School Grades 9-12 ---Mr. L. H. Jobe
Program---discussion “Should Citizenship have a more prominent place in our High Schools”, led by Mr. Strain, followed by Mr. Jobe, ending with a round table discussion.

June 26, 1930

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Lee, of Detroit, arrived last Saturday for an extended visit to their parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Lee, here.
 
Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Mccurley [sic] and children spent Sunday in the home of the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Long.
 
Amaretta Mccurley spent a few days wit her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Long.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Earlie Smallwood and children visited in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sim Smallwood Sunday.
 
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Hardy and niece, Herma Dell Hardy, spent Sunday night in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sim Smallwood.
 
Miss Jessie Ellenburg visited in the home of Mr. and Mrs. N. R. Lamar of Pittsboro last week.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Fondren of near Calhoun City, spent Saturday and Sunday in the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Ellenburg.
 
Mr. Felix Kea returned Tuesday from Canton where he spent a few weeks with his brother whose health has been poor for some time. We are sorry to learn that his brother’s condition is so serious that he had to be removed to the hospital in Jackson.
 
Misses Dorathy [sic] Smith and Mary Kateherine [sic] Shaw of Iuka and Miss Ford and Mr. Durell Martin of Burnsville came thru here last Friday morning on their way home from the Epworth League Conference at Grenada and stopped by to see W. W. Lamar and family for a …

June 26, 1930 Robbie Den (Intended for last week)

My, My, How the farmers are making use of this pretty weather killing Mr. Green.
 
Several from this community attended the singing at Old Town, Sunday afternoon. They reported good singing and a mighty nice time.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Ruble James and daughter, Jenette, were visitors in the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. James, Saturday night and Sunday.
 
Mrs. Joshie Pilkerton visited her sister, Mrs. R. W. James last Friday.
 
Robert Logan of Coffeeville, visited his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Goforth, Saturday night and Sunday.
 
Miss Drnnie [sic] Rue James visited Miss Edna Goforth Saturday night.
 
All, from this community had business in Bruce Saturday afternoon but Mr. R. W. James and Mr. H. W. Goforth and they had business in the field fighting Mr. Green.
 
Bye, Bye…… TWO CHUMS

August 14, 1930 Vol. 1 No. 46 Bruce, Miss

Primary Election Managers Names
 
The County Democratic Executive Committee met Tuesday at Pittsboro, and named the following to hold the primary election for the nomination of a Circuit Judge, the election to be held on Tuesday, August 26:
___
 
District No. 1
 
Pittsboro: R. T. Lowe, W. J. Ligon, R. B. McClung, L. C. Wooten, Bryan Flanagan, S. C. Cooner.
 
Big Creek: H. D. Parks, R. H. Pullen, M. f. Spears, C. L. Bates, J. H. Denley, C. C. Hicks.
 
Camp Ground: R. R. Patterson,, Shelby Foster, A. G. Bailey, G. E. Harrelson, r. C. Bryan, B. A. Wooten.
 
Calhoun City: E. A. Bingham, J. P. Cruthirds, Z. K. Hardin, L. L. Pryor, J. M. Chrestman, W. W. Evans.
 
 
Disttrict [sic] No. 2
 
East Bruce: H. K. Logan, T. A. Beckett, B. K. Thornton, Walter Hardy, John Patterson, H. S. Snelling.
 
Poplar Springs: J. A. Burt, Robt. Bray, L. E. McGregor, M. E. Davis, W. L. Morgan, Lonzo Vance.
 
Loyd: Howard Greene, O. O. Brown, John Landreth, Jim Bailey, Claude Spratlin, T. B. Murff.
 
Sarepta: H. E. Long, Hermon Burt, Howard Glenn, Howard Leachman, Willie Harris, Dock Yancy.
 
Pitts: Fred Burt, A. Box, DeWitt Long, Jim Newman, Carnt Brasher, Albert Collums.
 
Reynolds: R. E. Collums, J. H. Johnson, Henry Adams, Leon Blount, Ottis Adams, M. Mize.
 
District No. 3
 
Banner: John Henry, B. A. Da….
 [did not print the rest of this]
Mr. Fugitt, Wife Enjoying Outing
 
We are now two days out from the great state of Mississippi and enjoying the hospitality of the people in the middle of the U.S.A. Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma have been wonderful to us. Each place we stop the people try to do a little better than the people we have visited last. We usually begin our program by playing a few numbers with the Band, then some speaking, then the local people take us in automobiles to the most interesting places in their city. For instance, the people in Oklahoma City met us at the train this morning and carried us to the Chamber of Commerce Building, gave us breakfast, the Mayor, President of the C. of C., General Sneed of the Confederacy, all gave words of welcome. Then we were carried to the State Capitol, the oil fields where they have about one thousand wells almost in the city limits. We have just had a delightful visit at Gutherie, [sic] Oklahoma and will probably have many other pleasant visits with the people at all places we stop. Thousands of people have seen our exhibits already and have been favorably impressed with the resources in the great state of Mississippi.
 
We hate to be away from Bruce these days just before school opens but will be back ready for work before very long. Hope things are moving along nicely toward the opening of school. We will try to get some news to you as we go along.
 
Yours friends,
Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Fugitt.
 
Cleveland-Hardy
 
Mr. James Cleveland and Miss Myrtle Hardy surprised their many friends Saturday afternoon when they motored over to Mr. Oscar Brown’s and were married.
Mr. Cleveland is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Cleveland, of Pittsboro and Miss Hardy is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hardy, of near Calhoun City.
We wish them a long and happy life together. Contributed.

August 14, 1930 (con’t)

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Hardy visited the latter’s brother near Calhoun City, Saturday night and Sunday.
 
Mr. Nagle suffered a slight stroke of apoplexy Sunday but his friends will be glad to know that he is recovering, and trust he may soon be out again.
 
Little Arlie Ruth Hamblin is spending a few days with her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. B. V. Hamblin, of Rocky Mount.
 
Mr. Bob Woodward and son Robert of Louisville are in Bruce prospecting.
 
Rev. G. C. Lee is away this week holding revival services in Pontotoc county.
 
Saturday was Esquire Murphree’s court day and he had on his docket everything from water melon stealing to assault and battery. Most of the cases were continued.
 
[delete comment]
 
Mr. and Mrs. Barney Cole, of Meridian, spent the week-end with his father’s family here.
 
Mr. Charlie Parker and family, Vernon and James Lee, of Detroit and Ruble Parker and family, of Kentuckey [sic] are spending a few days in Calhoun visiting relatives and friends.
 
[comment about postage rates and Postmaster Going…politics, drouth…]

August 21, 1930 Vol.1 No. 47

Butter Named Land O’ Lespedeza
 
The name “Land O’ Lespedeza” has been selected as a brand for the butter to be made in the Calhoun County Co-operative Creamery. This name was submitted by two people, Mr. J. E. Blue, Vardaman and Mrs. M. D. Lantrip, Calhoun City, and the ten dollar prize will be split between them. The package will also carry the name of Calhoun county. Three county agents from other counties made the decision for us. We want to thank the folks for helping us name the butter, about two hundred suggestions were turned in. all of them good and the committee almost had a scrap before they could agree.
 
The Creamery building is complete and most of the machinery is already installed and we believe everything will be ready to go by Saturday, Aug. 30. At any rate we are taking a chance on setting a definite day to receive cream.
 
On Aug. 7 President Hoover broadcasted a request to county agents asking for information on the drouth [sic] situation. I answered his telegram and gave the information as I saw it, On Aug. 7, as follows:--“crop almost a total failure due to insects and drouth. Rain would help late corn some. Believe corn and hay reduced to 25 percent of usual. With half of the folks unable to buy feed.” I quote this because a story is being circulated that I reported a “big crop.”
 
There is another story going the rounds that I reported a big crop to the Commercial Appeal. The fact is I do not report crop conditions to either the Commercial Appeal or the Bureau of crop estimates. The government gets its data on the Calhoun county crop from about 100 Calhoun farmers. The Commercial Appeal……[rest of story not copied]

Vol 1 No. 23 - February 27, 1930

Ex-Sheriffs of Calhoun County
 
Editors and Readers of Courier: - - I am filling a much delayed promise to give a brief sketch of the Ex-Sheriffs of Calhoun county from a matter of personal recollection.
 
Pryor [sic] to the constitution of 1890 the term of sheriff was two years. Since that time it has been four years. The first sheriff of the county that I have a personal recollection of was T. J. Douglas of Bentley, who served from 1880 to 1882. The most notable thing during his administration was the collection of the railroad tax off the taxpayers of Calhoun county. Bonds were sold and the people paid for a railroad that they never got. It was a costly proposition for that day and age, and aroused a great deal of bitterness that took the county many years to get over and outlive. But notwithstanding the extreme high tax rate and it put on the people at that time, t was nothing to compare with the tax rate we have now. One old settler tells me that his taxes that year on the same amount of property amounted to only about one-third of what it is today. It was like robbery then to pay the Railroad tax one or two years, but now we walk up to the lick-log with three times the railroad tax, and then some.
 
The next sheriff of the county to succeed T. J. Douglas was D. C. Cooner, whom we are glad to say is still living, hale and active for one of his age.  Mr. Cooner served as sheriff for two terms, from 1882 to 1886. As the writer remembers him at that time he was a tall, medium, slender young man, unmarried, and was one of the best dancers at the many public dances that were had in the old court house at Pittsboro in those days. These dances were not the kind we have now, usually called the “Bunny Hug”. But they were the old square dance, “Swing corners, swing partners, promenade four hands across and back again,” danced to the tune of “Grub Springs”, “Old Molly Haire” and other break downs, and wound out the set with “ladies to their seats and gents to the jug”. Mr. Cooner went out of office a very popular man and had made the county a popular official.
 
In 1886, Scott Hardin became sheriff of the county and served one term or until 1888. He, too, was a very strong and popular official, and ran for a second term but this being the year that a new political party known as the “Farmers Alliance” had out a ticket all over the country, and Scott Hardin, being the regular Democratic candidate, was swept out by the new party tide. He has been dead for several years.
 
J. M. Williams assumed the office of sheriff in 1888 and served two terms, or until 1892. He soon afterward moved to the west and died in the state of Oklahoma a few years ago.  He was succeeded by Z. M. Pilgreen, who was sheriff from 1892 to 1896. He died soon after the close of his term. The next sheriff was Mike C. Hardin from 1896 to 1900. He, too, has been dead for several years.
 
He was succeeded in 1900 by W. T. Scott, who served from 1900 to 1904. Mr. Scott is still living, and is the first living successor in the office to D. C. Cooner during an interval of about 14 years. In 1904, C. R. Young became sheriff and served from 1904 to 1908. He also is one of our living Ex-sheriffs. He was succeeded in 1908 by M. P. Burke who served until 1912, and is now living over in the delta section of the state.
 
Following M. P. Burke, the next sheriff was W. T. Williams, whose term began in 1912 and continued until his removal before the expiration of his time, owning to bad management of the affairs of the office.*  
 
He was succeeded by J. W. Wright who was sheriff during the world war period from 1916 to 1920, and was succeeded by C. R. Young, who became sheriff the second time and served from 1920 to 1924. Then S. T. Hawkins, from 1924 to 1928 and S. H. Smith, at the present time.
 
From beginning of the period we are covering in this write-up, we have personally known and seen in office fourteen sheriffs of the county and six of them are among the living. It used to be a much smaller job to handle the office of sheriff, as tax collecting, which has always gone with it, was the biggest thing to it, but in the latter days at least dating back for about ten or twelve years the office of sheriff has carried the strenuous and grave responsible duty of keeping on trail of the liquor business, and enforcement of the prohibition laws.
 
In late years this has made the sheriff a woods and road officer about as much so as that of an office man.
 
Well, perhaps we will give your readers a few more dots along this line again in a week or so in order to help the editors fill space. Will take up circuit clerks next. Respectfully,  J. B. Going .
 
A note from the following paper “Ex-Circuit Clerks of Calhoun County”
** In our write up last week for the Ex-sheriffs we failed to include in the list of Sheriffs, Mr. Lon Shoemake. He was elected and filled out one year of the term of W. T. Williams who had been removed.

Calhoun County Courier
Bruce, Miss.

Vol 1 No. 23  March 6, 1930

Ex-Circuit Clerks of Calhoun County
 
Since I have been assigned the position of Historian of the Courier staff, and these balmy spring days are lengthening out to where one has more time to do his work and spare a little for imagination, I am coming back with my budge of county official history. Ex-Circuit Clerks of the county being the subject of my sketch, according to promise last week.
 
Well, we have not had so many of them, because some of them have apparently been such popular men that they held for long terms. The first Circuit Clerk of the county within the writer’s recollection was John T. McComic. Just when his tenure of office began dates back further than we can recollect, but we believe in 1880. He served from 1880 to 1884. Uncle John was a notable character. He was a typical pioneer. When quite a small “shaver” I can recollect him with a white sock on one foot and going on one crutch. What attracted my attention most as a boy was the Mr. McComic used his crutch on the side that his well foot was. I thought the crutch should be on the side of the crippled foot.
 
In 1884, T. M. Murphree became Circuit Clerk and served his first term ending in 1888. At that time the “Farmers Alliance” ticket was playing a sweeping part in elections. T. M. Murphree ran for a second term as the Democratic nominee, and John T. McComic was his opponent on the alliance ticket. Although the Alliance elected most of its ticket that year, T. M. Murphree was re-elected clerk for a second term by the narrow margin of 9 votes, if we remember correctly. Mr. Murphree served his second term from 1888 to 1892. He died in 1905 after having served two terms in the state legislature and about five years as editor of the Calhoun Monitor.
 
W. R. Creekmore assumed the office of Circuit clerk in 1892 and served one term until 1896. He died soon after the expiration of his term of office.
 
In 1896, James H. Ramsey became clerk and succeeded to the office for three consecutive terms or until 1908. Mr. Ramsey is the first living Circuit Clerk that we come to. He now resides in Union county, and we learn is engaged in farming and teaching. The county never had a stronger man, politically, in his day than Jas. H. Ramsey.
 
In 1908, Will H. Blaylock became clerk and served until 1912 for one term only and never sought reelection again. He died at Calhoun City only a few years ago. Sam H. Smith, the present sheriff of the county became Circuit Clerk in 1912 and held the position two terms until 1920, when he was succeeded by B. F. Bennett, who served from 1920 to 1924. Sam C. Cooner was next, from 1924 to 1928, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Mr. Earnest Lane.
 
Of the total number our county has only four living Ex-Circuit Clerks. These are Ramsey, Smith, Bennett  and Cooner. So that brings us down to the stepping off place. In our write up last week for the Ex-sheriffs we failed to include in the list of Sheriffs, Mr. Lon Shoemake. He was elected and filled out one year of the term of W. T. Williams who had been removed.
 
Well, we will get on to some of the other former officials in our next.
 
So bid you adieu for this time. J. B. Going

March 13, 1930

Ex-Treasurers of Calhoun County
 
The above subject might suggest something that has been lost to Calhoun county, but which we claim is still here, provided the editor spelled the word wrong and let it end with a Y, instead of ending with “ERS”. To say, or to write about a Treasury of Calhoun county, we would have to put it in the plural form, because we are possessed with many different treasurys in this good out county. We have a treasury in our good farm lands, a treasury in our fair liberty-loving and justice-loving people, a treasury in pretty women. Oh, Lordy, just look what a fine subject we would have to branch out on - Calhoun’s treasurys. But that was not the object of this sketch. The Ex-County Treasurers, the men who have constituted a part of the county’s officialdom in the past, and as far back as I can recollect.
 
The first County Treasurer within my individual recollection was Wiley C. Sugg. Just when his term began I do not recall, but he served until the year 1888. After this date Mr. Sugg moved to Webster county where he lived until a few years ago at a ripe old age.
 
The next Treasurer of the county was J. D. Therrel, a one-legged confederate soldier who served from 1888 to 1890, the term of the office of treasurer at that time being two years, He served only one term.
 
In 1890, and before the new state constitution had gone into effect making the office a four years term, Mr. W. J. Patterson became County treasurer for a two-years term until 1892, when he was reelected for a four years term and served until 1896, which was a longer term than any man had held the office. Mr. Patterson is the first we come to as living Ex-Treasurers of the county, and now resides at Calhoun City. He has since that time served one term in the state Legislature, from 1908-1912 and has acted as Mayor of this City several years. All of these positions he has filled with the highest of honor, efficiency and honesty.
 
The next sucessor [sic] of treasurer was J. C. Campbell, from 1896 to 1900. In those days this office was regarded as about the most important office of the county, and men of the very best character, stability and honesty were always chosen for the position but in later years the legislatures got to dabbling with the office and finally abolished it. Very little was saved financially by the act, and we have thought it was a grave error, for most any citizen could go talk to the treasurer and find in a few minute just how the county stood financially in all its funds, where as under the new system of depositories requires much figuring, auditing, etc. and as a result the financial status is never known to the citizen and a taxpayer.
 
Our next county treasurer was J. A. Killingsworth who held the office for one term from 1900 to 1904. He, too, made a good official. The next in succession was Malley C. Stoddard, who assumed the office in 1904 and served until 1908. He was succeeded by Mr. H. G. Anderson, who was treasurer from 1908 to 1912. The last three have been dead for several years.
 
In 1912, W. T. Ragland assumed the office and served for a four years term, until 1916, and is still living. In 1916, M. C. Stoddard became treasurer again, but died during his term, and in a special election for the unexpired term Uncle Jim Hitt, of Slate Springs, was elected and served until 1920. He was succeeded in 1920 by C. S. Crutchfield who served until 1924. At the expiration of this term Crutchfield had killed the office, or else it killed him, politically, it’s hard to tell which. At any rate, he ran for Circuit Clerk immediately afterward and didn’t get it. Well many of us have run one time and did not get there, including ye scribe.
 
We were just about to leave out the last Treasurer of the county, however, Foss W. Martin was the last of the county Treasurers. It will be recalled that after the legislature had submitted the question of killing the office to a vote of the people in a popular election about 1921 or 1922, and said election carried, the office was not entirely abolished until the legislature met in 1924 and inserted said amendment into the state constitution, and in the last election in the fall of 1923, the name of F. W. Martin was placed on the ticket and he was therefore elected and served for some two or three months before the final death-knell was given to the office of the county Treasurer, though it had been badly crippled and practically a non-entity for some three or four terms, or ever since the legislature had been hammering on it. We have five living Ex-Treasurers.
 
Well, so long, boys, we’ll try some of the others in our next. J. B. Going
 
Letter From Ex-Clerk Ramsey
 
Editors Courier: ---
I am just in receipt of the following interesting letter from my old fried, Mr. Jas. H. Ramsey, which I am sending you for publication in the Courier this week. The letter will no doubt be read with interest by a number of his friends in this county, and it touches a little on the matter of the official history that ye scribe has been writing you about for the past few weeks. J. B. G.
 
363 Garfield St.
New Albany, Miss.
Mar. 10, 1930
 
Hon. J. B. Going,
Calhoun City, Miss.
 
Dear John,
 
I received a copy a few days since of the Calhoun County Courier published at Bruce, Miss. And in it a “write-up” by you of all the ex-circuit clerks of the county, and I hasten to thank you sincerely for the “write up” you gave me as I am one of the Exs.
 
I want to congratulate you “boys” for the newspaper you are giving the people, and trust your efforts will be crowned with success. I see no reason why Calhoun county people can not subport [sic] two live papers.
 
I was deputy Circuit Clerk under Hon. T. M. Murphree during the noted campaign when the Farmers Relief nominated a ticket in opposition to the Democratic ticket.
 
When all precincts had been heard from except Bently, [sic] J. T. McComic was leading 23 votes but when Jim Lewis Croley [sic] was seen coming, in near where the P. L. Dye Hotel was later, quite a large number of us met him there, J. T. and Henry McComic in the crowd. I asked Mr. Crowley how the vote stood for Circuit Clerk, and he took out a ticket which showed Mr. Murphree was 31 votes in the lead at Bentley thus going in by eight votes majority.
 
I am thinking about visiting old Calhoun when Circuit Court starts and if I do I shall be glad to call on you.
 
I have quit teaching now. I am selling coal to the trade and also locally here and at Pontotoc.
 
With best wishes for your continued success and happiness, I am, Your friend, Jas H. Ramsey

August 14, 1930

Five Buildings Destroyed By Fire
 
The Bruce Recreation Hall, the Bruce Shoe Shop, Arnold’s Pressing shop and the Kimsey building, (the latter housed the Kimsey Barber Shop and Dr. J. J. Landreth’s office) was destroyed by fire which occurred Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
 
The fire originated in the ceiling of the pressing shop. Mr. Arnold, proprietor of the pressing shop, was out of town, and when the alarm was given some one ran in, and mistaking cleaning fluid for water threw it on the blaze, which made the fire harder to control.
 
The fixtures and furnishings of the Pool Hall, Pressing Shop, and Shoe Shop were all destroyed. Most of the fixtures in the Barber shop were saved. Everything in Dr. Landreth’s office was saved.
 
The loss is estimated to be around $9000.00 with some insurance on two of the buildings. The Kimsey building is standing but practically worthless.

March 27, 1930

Vol 1 No. 26  
 
To write a history of the legislators that have represented Calhoun county in the past and mention the many incidents that would be necessary to make it anything like complete would consume a great deal more than my allotted space. However to go on with the record already begun along this line, here is a brief shot at it.
 
In the olden days it did not seem that so much bitter factionalism existed and controlled the thoughts and actions of men as now-a-days. But such may have been the case. It is possible that partisan politics were as much the guiding influence back then as it is now. But the writer believes that the men who are to shape the legislation and policies that are to guide and govern future generations have a mighty responsibility resting on their shoulders and should let each question and issue rest solely on its merits, regardless of who the sponsor may be. This is certainly not the present day policy. It may have never been in the past. We leave that for the individual reader to decide for himself. But it does seem to me that alignment on one side or the other is now in order and you have got to either favor or oppose everything that is proposed by a faction.
 
But on with our subject. In the early 70s and 80s there were several men to represent Calhoun county in the legislature, the list of whom we cannot furnish in proper order or with dates given.  Ross, Blount, Horton, Provine and others were among the earlier lawmakers from this county.
 
But the writer recalls the campaign of 1888 as the first of real interest that we are able to recollect. It was when the “Farmers Relief” ticket had sponsored a cause and had out a ticket in the field in opposition to the Democratic organization. S. M. Roane was the Democratic nominee for Representative and was a vigorous scrapper, as ready to fight a fisticuff as an electric dynamo is to give off an electric shock. On the other side, Capt. E. R. Enochs was the nominee of the Farmers Relief party. He had been a Captain in the Civil War, was a well-read and thoroughly posted man, quick and flashy, and was as game as any cock that ever lit on the barnyard fence. The two men campaigned Calhoun county and scuffled it out without personal bitterness, or ill feelings, seemingly. Captain Enochs received the most votes, but a contest followed, owing to an illegal mark on the tickets. The contest was submitted to the next legislature. Both men went to Jackson. Capt. Enochs was seated as Representative. He served for one term.
 
The next Representative for Calhoun county in the state legislature was Joseph Griffin. He served one term and was succeeded by Hon. J. I. Ballenger, who is still living and resides at Gulfport, Miss.   J. I. Ballenger continued to represent the county in the legislature for several terms. He and Dr. T. J. Fox, of Slate Springs, were the first representatives after the county became entitled to two members. Then Ballenger and Jas. Revis served for one term, and Hon. J. M. Byars was State senator at the same time.
 
In the year 1900, T. M. Murphree and D. C. Cooner were elected to represent Calhoun county in the legislature until 1904.
 
Next was T. M. Murphree and J. L. Bates from 1904 until Mr. Murphree’s death in 1905, when Capt. T. L. Beadles was elected to fill out his unexpired term. No political issues of importance was in evidence during these years, and such harmony as is essential to wholesome lawmaking seemed to prevail. J. L. Bates and Capt. T. L. Beadles served as our lawmakers until the year 1908.
 
In 1908, W. J. Patterson and J. B. Going went as the Representatives for Calhoun county until 1912, and J. J. Adams as state senator. In 1912, Dennis Murphree and J. B. Going were chosen for a four years term and W. J. Evans as state senator, and both re-elected again in 1916 and served until 1920, taking in the entire period during the great world war. There were no special factional issues during this period of time.
 
In 1920 Dennis Murphree and R. T. Crocker represented the county until 1924, when the responsibilities fell to Hons. J. F. Smith and David Sanderson as representatives, and W. J. Evans again as state senator.  
 
This brings it down to the present time, when the position of representative is now occupied by W. J. Evans and Spencer Aycock. Of course, the facts and history of the present session is before every reader. Our present legislators, we suppose, are to be sympathized with for coming at so unfortunate a time when it appears that factional lines and not issues at stake is the dominating influence. There seems to be no middle ground to occupy, or anyone able to lead compromises.
 
J. B. Going