Look Back In Yalobusha History
County Was Split Into Three School Districts In 1957
10 Years—June 21, 2007
High wind and rain blew through Water Valley’s Main Street on Friday, taking the roof off one building. The rain continued through the weekend and into the early week.
The rain was needed as the area had experienced three dry years, prompting changes in crappie fishing regulations.The changes included the slot size and a limit of three poles per angler.
Yalobusha County leaders met for the purpose of determining the viability of funding to hire an economic director for the county.
Julie Jones Wells received her Juris Doctor Degree from Ole Miss.
Ashley Ruth Wilbourn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy F. Wilbourn, gradated from Millsaps College.
With an attendance at Vacation Bible School of 120 (19 more than the previous year), First Christian’s Minister, David Freeman made good his promise to students to let them egg him if they exceeded last year’s high attendance.
20 Years—June 26, 1997 – Yalobusha County Sheriff Lloyd Defer presented a plaque to retiring deputy sheriff and dispatcher, J. D. Watson, in appreciation for his many years of service in law enforcement. Mr. Watson was Water Valley Police Chief until he retired in 1987. He then joined the sheriff’s department in 1988.
Shirley Berry, wife of Jimmy Berry, represented Mississippi in the “Mrs. Senior America” Pageant in September.
Mississippi Young Bankers elected new officers and Keith River of Mechanics Bank in Water Valley was elected secretary of the organization.
The children and grandchildren of Layt and Celesta Grey of Water Valley honored them on their 60th wedding anniversary with a dinner party.
Marine Sgt. Kevin Freeman, son of James E. and Catherine Brown of Water Valley, recently departed for a six month deployment with the 1st Expeditionary Unit, embarked aboard the ships of the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group.
Leigh Ann Black, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Black, and Angela Weeks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Barry Weeks, will attend Girls State.
Water Vallians Tangela Baker and Shonnette Morgan, students at Alcorn State, were listed on the Dean’s List.
30 Years—June 25, 1987 – Inspecting work on the new $2 million wastewater treatment facility, which was nearing completion, were Lowell Edwards, Water and Sewer Commissioner; Hubert Clark, Water and Sewer Supervisor; Mike Edwards and David Horn, Inspectors for Willis Engineering; and Mayor Hamric Henry.
Dene Allen, manager of Yalobusha County Nursing Home, Dollie Neely and Don Methvin, nursing home employees, were transferring the first load of food into the new walk-in cooler, donated to the Nursing Home by Mason Greenlee, owner of the Joy Supermarket Chain.
In the receiving line at a tea honoring Watermelon Queen Shelby Singleton and her court, held at the Paul Parker home, were Mr. and Mrs. Parker; the queen; Mrs. Bob Singleton, mother of the queen; and hostesses, Mrs. Oliver Wiley, president of The Garden Club of Water Valley; Mrs. Sam McCachren, president of the Town and Country Garden Club; and Mrs. Eddie Aune, president of Southern Living Garden Club.
Capt. Joe York, son of Dero and Wanda York of Water Valley, was awarded the Air Force Medal at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.
40 Years—June 23, 1977 – Ernie Aune, president of the Mechanics Savings Bank, accepted the Silver Clover Award, presented to the bank for its contribution to the 1976-77 4-H Bank Campaign. Presenting the award was Judy Goddard, 4-H Youth Agent. Others in the picture were bank employees, Charles Langford, vice-president; Cherrie Cotton, employee; and Fred Eakes, assistant cashier.
Eddie and Sandra Mitchell made baseball a family affair. They are pictured with Sandra helping William Pilcher don his gear, while Eddie urges his team on, and son, Edwin, is at bat. The Mitchells coached the Jaycee sponsored kiddie league team.
Water Valley Rotarians hosted an auction sale Saturday at the little league field, with Col. Toxey Fortinberry as auctioneer. Proceeds from the event will aid in the local club’s participation in the International Foundation and in helping with research in kidney diseases.
Community leaders including Rodney Childress, Water Valley Mayor Garlon Maynor, Henry Womble and Jack Watson, along with Yalobusha County Super-visors, Doke French, Fred Moorman, Richard Ross, Darell Koonce, and L. D. Jones, attended a carpenter class, sponsored by Northwest Mississippi Junior College.
50 Years—June 22, 1967 – A special section, honoring Water Valley’s first “Miss Hospitality” India Throop, daughter of Hon. and Mrs. John Throop, was included in this edition of the Herald.
Mary Alice Caulfield, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Barron Caulfield, and Jackie Hughes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jewel Hughes, are members of the Mississippi Lion’s All-State Band.
Water Valley Lions, Brooks Chittom, Bill White, and Charles Simpson, who are painting the aging fences at Magnolia Park as part of Clean-Up, Fix-Up, Paint-Up Month, urge others to help with the city-wide clean up project.
Seth Allen, employee at Lion Oil Service Station in Water Valley, was presented a plaque bearing two uncirculated silver dollars, two Kennedy half-dollar, and a special minted commemorative coin, set in an automotive engine design. It was presented for exceptional customer service by the Gates Rubber Company.
Lt. Col. William T. Kuykendall, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Kuykendall of Oakland, gradated from the Air War College, the U.S. Air Force Senior Professional School, at Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
William Callaway, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Callaway, Sr. of Oakland, was participating in the Cooperative Education Program at Mississippi State University.
60 Years—June 20, 1957 – W. G. “Red” Cotton and Henry Simmons were pictured with 24 bass caught from Grenada Lake. All were big fish.
James Gay, son of Mrs. Nellie Lantrip; James Wilson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Wilson; and James Tate, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Tate, have completed their basic military training at “Gateway to the Air Force,, Lakeland AFB, San Antonio, Texas.
Yalobusha County was divided into three school districts. In the plan the Oakland District would remain the same, the Coffeeville District would be enlarged to take in part of the present Jeff Davis District, and the Water Valley District would take in the portion of the Camp Ground District in Yalobusha County and the remainder of the Jeff Davis District.
70–Years—June 19, 1947
Yalobusha County cotton has heavy boll weevil infestation. Dr. Clay Lyle, entomologist of the State Plant Board, advises farmers not to poison at this time as it will be wasted.
In the annual Home Demonstration Vegetable and Flower Show, Home Agent Ester Kerr, announced the winners. In the club exhibit class, Jeff Davis Club placed first; Bethlehem, second; and O’Tuckolofa, third. In the flower exhibit, Sylva Rena was first, Hopewell was second, and Shady Lane was third. In 4-H garden exhibits, Ann Moorman of Jeff Davis, and Ouida Vick of Coffeeville, placed first .
P. M. Hendricks and James Brown of Hendricks Machine Shop attended the Ford Dealers Conference in Dallas, Texas.
Adelaide McLarty graduates with honors in history from the University of North Carolina.
Scout Master Roy Barbre stated that Boy Scouts are planning a camping trip at a new Boy Scout Camp, located a few miles southwest of Pontotoc.
At the half-way mark in the baseball season, Water Valley defeated Marks, 10-5. Anderson was the winning pitcher and “Red” Cotton got four hits, with Jack Craven and Paul Williams, each adding two.
