Look Back In Yalobusha History

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.

Email

Submit

← Back

• 15 years ago, July 3, 2008 –The community was mourning the loss of Anthony Barnes, 38, assistant superintendent of the school district. He died after heart surgery at the University Medical Center in Jackson.

Billy’s Creek Water Association customers were expected to see a boost in their water pressure after supervisors approved a plan to allow the water tank that supplies Windsor Foods in Oakland to supplement the Water Association.

The North Mississippi Herald brought home three awards from the Mississippi Press Association for stories written by reporter William Browning.

Keith Stevens, Minister of Worship and Administration for First Baptist Church, was leaving Water Valley after two decades of service to accept a position in Greenwood as Associate Pastor of Music and Senior Adults at North Greenwood Baptist Church.

Robert Watkins (Bobby) Turnage was pictured accepting the keys to Turnage Drug Store from his Dad, Binnie Turnage, as the fourth generation pharmacist in the family took over the 103-year-old business.

• 20 years ago, July 3, 2003 – The local VFW Post 4100 received five awards during the VFW Council Meeting in Jackson including recognition for outstanding participation in the hospital program, Buddy Poppy program, outstanding post safety program, outstanding post Americanism Program and outstanding Patriot’s Pen Program.

A groundbreaking ceremony was to be held at the site of two new community homes on the lot at 1401 North Main Street (the site of the old high school). The homes were to provide “community placement” for 20 North Mississippi Regional Center clients. Neither home materialized.

Local realtor Sherry Fischer received a Certificate of Appreciation from USDA Rural Development. The award was presented by Oxford District Rural Development Representative Margaret King and Rural Development Manager Johnny Shell of Batesville.

Lloyd Lee Caulfield was hiking the 2,167-mile Appalachian Trail that runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.

The Yalobusha 4-H Forestry team – Emily Rone, Kyle Jones and Tyler Jones, took second place at the Junior Achievement Day Forestry Competition at Mississippi Delta Community College.

Graduating senior Leigh Ann Black was honored for outstanding achievement during graduation from Mississippi State University’s College of Architecture.

• 30 years ago, July 1, 1993 – Mr. and Mrs. John Wingard and their son, Clifton, were honored at a reception at the First Presbyterian Church. Wingard was retiring as pastor of the church.

Allen Wallace was assuming the duties as principal of WVHS July 1. A native of Kosciusko, Wallace was replacing Jerry Holt.

Members of the WVHS Class of 1943 were pictured with a re-creation of their class composite picture made with new photographs for their upcoming 50th reunion.

Delegates at the 60th annual Mississippi FFA Convention were Brian Schmitz, Chad Moore, Angela McNatt and FFA Advisor Larry Carr.

• 40 years ago, July 7, 1983 – Robert Taliaferro brought the first cotton bloom to the Herald once again. He had the first bloom for a number of years and was awarded a lifetime subscription to the newspaper.

Water Valley civic clubs were announcing new officers. The Lions Club installed Joe Black, president; David Bell, first vice-president; Lawrence Perkins, second vice-president; Rev. Don Lewis, third vice-president and Wilbur Todd, secretary-treasurer. The Rotary Club installed Ersel King, president; Ron Browning, vice-president; Chuck Newell, secretary; Trent Howell, board member at large; and Irby Boyd, sergeant-at-arms.

Rev. Fred Eakes was installed as Grand Master of the state Odd Fellows and Linda Eakes was installed as president of the Rebekah Assembly.

The Water Valley Junior Auxiliary began the annual scholarship honoring Jessie Ostrander.

Finalists in the Tiny Miss Watermelon Queen contest were Many Holt, Tiny Miss Queen; Jennifer Whitehead, first alternate; Allison Pullen, second alternate; Margaret Keith, third alternate; and Jill Hyde, fourth alternate.
Attending basketball camp at Ole Miss under Lady Rebel Coach Van Chancellor were Julie Heimunn, Kristi Bost, Angela Gordon, Amy Fernandez, Bonnie Blackwood, Denise Clement and Allison Lewis.

• 50 years ago, July 5, 1973 – Tolbert Maddux took the oath of office as Mayor of the City of Water Valley administered by Chancery Court Judge Kermit R. Cofer. New aldermen were Bill Robinson, J. Carl Cox, Lawrence Hale, J. Watson Hunt and Richard Flowers. Lawrence Cox was “elected” City Clerk and Murray Williams, city attorney.

Newly elected officers of the Water Valley Junior Auxiliary were Vicki Bell, Patsy Elliott, Mim Carpenter, president, Janice Sharp, Cheryl Goodwin, Shirley Hall, Brenda Brown and Bettie Davis.

Bill White was new president of the Lions Club. Other officers included Brooks Chittom, Dr. Rayford Edgar, Carmon King, Ernest Aune and Dr. J. H. Howard.

• 60 years ago, July 4, 1963 – An early morning fire Tuesday damaged the north warehouse belonging to Peoples Wholesale Company to the rear of their store on Main Street. The damage is estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
Six candidates for Sheriff were pictured on the front page including Robert E. Chapman of Coffeeville, M. D. (Jug) Burns of Oakland, J. G. (Buster) Treloar, Garlon Maynor, Fred Earl Moorman and W. W. Frost.

Popular coach Charles Peets was headed for Northwest Junior College in Senatobia to take the position of head coach. Succeeding Peets was Coach Bobby Clark, who had been junior high coach.

M. B. (Snooky) Williams was new president of the Rotary Club. Other officers were Gerald Harris, vice-president and J. B. Massey, secretary.

A notice informed the public that the draft had been extended for four years, until July 1, 1967. All men were required to register within the five day period following their 18th birthday.

• 70 years ago, July 2, 1953 – A 3 a.m. fire destroyed Motor Service Company, owned by E. E. Spencer. The building, four new Studebaker pick-up trucks, a new Studebaker car, two Jeeps and a Dodge passenger car were burned. Spencer said the loss was partially covered by insurance and that he planned to rebuild.

Another fire destroyed the house belonging to Willie Hoskins at the corner of Thornton and South Court Streets.
Robert Williams of Water Valley was chosen as a “scout” in the state 4-H organization during their congress at Mississippi State College in Starkville.

Merle Cox wrote in the “Rambling” column that there had been an unusual occurrence at Nolen’s Grocery Store the past week. The store cat had a litter of five “Siamese quintuplet” kittens. They appeared in good health but only lived a short time.

• 80 years ago, July 1, 1943 – Yalobusha farmers were going to have to cheerlead their chickens if they were going to increase egg production from 45,500,000 dozen to 51,741,000 dozen as requested by the USDA.

The entertainment committee for the Water Valley Service Men’s Center “enumerated” a few rules that girls were expected to abide by when attending its various functions. The center was for the entertainment of officers and enlisted men and girls were only admitted if they had cards given to them by the committee. Resident soldiers’ wives were only admitted without cards if their husbands accompanied them.

The hospital news was much more detailed in 1943 and included such tidbits as: Mary Jane Appleton was operated upon for appendicitis Monday and was getting along nicely and little Billy Hughes become overbalanced and fell from the railroad bridge south of Water Valley. He was treated for a dislocated arm and fractured jaw and allowed to return home.

In the want ads Mrs. D. C. French was looking for a good set of bedsprings and Ed Harris had a like new electric fan for sale.