Historical Society Will Sell Old Headquarters In Coffeeville

The Yalobusha Historical Society held its regular monthly meeting Nov. 19 in the Presbyterian Church in Coffeeville. There were 355 members and guests present. The opening prayer was spoken by James Simpson. President Mike Worsham welcomed everyone, especially the guests. We are always happy to have visitors, and are grateful for the interest shown in our organization, and for the new members we are getting every month. One of our visitors was Catherine McAlpein, from Palestine, TX, who was doing research in the Chris Morgan Collection, in a room at the front of the building. She scheduled her visit to coincide with our meeting, and we appreciate that. She is researching several lines, including Morgan and Cole.

  Mike reported that the Board of Directors had met just prior to the meeting. The Board voted to proceed with plans to sell our old headquarters at the corner of Depot and Front Streets. Our Treasurer, Pat Brooks, is going to work with Realtor Sherry Fisher on this project.

  Mike had some sad news, also. One of our faithful members, Sidney Bolick, of Coffeeville, passed away last week. Sidney, a World War 2 veteran, did a program for the Society a couple years ago. We send sincere condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed. Mike spoke of another death, that of Janie Young Riddick, lifelong Coffeeville resident, and a member, along with her family, of the Presbyterian Church. She was one of only four surviving members when the Church was deeded to the Society in 2007, by the Presbytery of North Miss. Her funeral was held in the Church on Sunday, Nov. 15. Our sympathy is extended to all of the Riddick family.

  Program Chairman Opal Wright invited everyone to come to the Society’s annual Christmas gathering, Dec. 17. Our “Society Songbird,” Jackie Weibley, former professional singer, will present the program. Her accompanist will be “Sonny” Hubbard, also a retired professional musician.

Again, visitors are welcome. The January program will be “The Life of Davey Crockett” by Keith Spence of Grenada.

  The speaker for the day, Jimmie Pinnix, of Grenada, needed no introduction, as Program Chairman Opal Wright stated. Indeed, this was the fourth time Jimmie has done a program, and all of them have been outstanding. He and his wife, Francine,  seldom misses a meeting, and is what Opal calls her “stand-by speaker.” He has made himself available any time Opal has a cancellation, and she expressed her gratitude, and that of the Society, for his dedication.

  Jimmie retired from State Farm Insurance a few years ago, after 37 years of service. Prior to that, he was an engineer/announcer for radio station WNAG in Grenada. He was in the Marine Corps in the 1940s. He and his wife, Francine, have been married 60 years, and live in Grenada. They have traveled extensively during their years together,  Jimmie has written two books, and currently writes a column for the magazine “The Oxford So & So.” and Jimmie’s program was a delightful slide-show about one of those memorable vacations, “A Trip to Spain.” His personal comments during the show made it even more interesting. 

   Jimmie and Francine arrived in Madrid, Spain, at noon time, after an all-night flight from Birmingham. As soon as they were settled in their hotel room, Jimmie took his camera and went exploring. His first stop was the {ratp Art Museum,  one of the top three museums and art galleries in Europe. He was not allowed to make pictures there, but he captured much of the landscape on film – flowers, trees, buildings and people. He and Francine visited a beautiful palace, built in the 1700s. Jimmie said that since he grew up in the country (Choctaw County) he didn’t know what a hacienda was, but he and Francine were invited to one, a “party place,” he called in,  out in the countryside around Madrid.  They enjoyed all kinds of delectable food, and were entertained by several groups of entertainers, including Spanish dancers. Jimmie’s camera, of course, recorded much of this event, and the slides he showed were spectacular.

  Jimmie and Francine traveled on a tour bus part of the time, with other members of their tour group. Jimmie thought it would be nice to have a picture of the whole group. Many in the group were from Spain. Jimmie told the group “Y’all stop for a minute and let me make your picture.” Jimmy paused, then chuckled – “Those people are probably still trying to find the word ‘y’all’ in the English/Spanish dictionary!”

   The tour took them to a city once occupied by the Romans,  Segovia, a historic city with two memorable features: the Alcazar Castle,  and a huge  aqueduct. The latter is a magnificent stone structure, 680 feet long, bringing water to the city from a higher elevation. It was built by the Romans 2,000 years ago, and is truly an amazing piece of construction. It was one of the highlights of the whole trip, Jimmie said.

  The Alcazar Castle is where Queen Isabella was crowned, and it was from this palace that she financed Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to America. (1492)I  Like the aqueduct,  this sprawling ancient structureit is a sight to be remembered. Jimmie made many slides of the aqueduct and the castle, and they truly are memorable sights. 

  Jimmie said that they were awakened early one morning and told to get ready to take a train ride into the southern part of Spain, all the way to the Mediterranean  Sea. Jimmie said the train looked as if came from a third-world country, and he was pleased to learn that it was comfortable and FAST – it traveled at 160 mph!! Jimmie said that he couldn’t make pictures from the train, as everything was a blur as they sped along.  They again trawled by bus after the end of the train ride. Jimmie’s slides showed many interesting sights along the way, all the way down to the Rock of Gibraltar. We have all heard the term “solid as the Rock of Gibraltar” or “a get a piece of the Rock.” (Prudential Insurance Company)

  Gibraltar is a British colony, only 2 1/2 square miles in area. It guards the entrance to the Mediterranean. Jimmie showed slides he made as they traveled around “The Rock.”  There are mountains in the distance, and snow was visible at the higher elevations. Jimmie and Francine saw a highway sign indicating the route to GRANADA. The town of Grenada, MS, Coffeeville’s neighbor to the south, was named for this city, but the spelling and pronunciation are different. 

The last leg of their tour found them on a boat, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco, in North Africa. They spent an enjoyable time there, and the slides showed many of the interesting places and sights they saw. In conclusion, Jimmie had a few more slides to show, but not of this trip. They were made  in New York City when he and Francine were on a trip there a few years prior to NINE ELEVEN. They were standing on the opposite shore of the East River, and the pictures clearly shows THE TWIN TOWERS. That is a picture he will always treasure.

  Thank you Jimmie (and Francine) for another excellent program. We hope you have another program in reserve!!

NOTE: The Society  has been receiving memorial donation, the most recent, for Janie Riddick.  All donations are very much appreciated.  Also, members are reminded that the 2010 dues of $20.00 are payable now.  The address is: YHS, Box 258, Coffeeville, MS 38922.

ATTENDING: Jimmie and Francine Pinnix, Thelma Roberts, Betty R. Miller, Catherine McAppein, Martha Short, Bill Adams, James and Polly Simpson, R. O. “Red” Riddick, Dot Criss, Ed and Iris Stanford, Frances Cooper, Opal Wright, Richard and Betty LaMantia, Frances Stewart, Herb Hayward, Dick and Jackie Weibley, Robert and Nancy Barton, Pat Brooks, Mike Worsham, Tom Moorman, Dave Hovey, Hugh Bill McGuire, Julia Y. Fernandez, Martha Koonce, Sue Fly, Kathryn Tierce, Dessie Caulfield, Sarah H. Williams and Tammy Beshears.

Betty R. Miller
226-6975

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