History

Lannon Franklin has written a book titled “It’s A Long Way From the Ant Bed” set in rural north Mississippi. The book is about the hard times and stagnant society experienced by a youngster who lived in very intensive farm labor conditions. It was a period when cross-cut saws were used to cut wood, mules…

The Yalobusha Historical Society held its monthly meeting July 17 in Coffeeville. There were 38 members and guests present, representing six counties.   Chaplain John Moorman spoke the opening prayer. President Mike Worsham welcomed everyone, especially the visitors and also members who are not able to attend regularly. They include: James W. “Bill” Adams, Martha Short,…

The Yalobusha Historical Society (our official name) held its monthly meeting June 19 in the Presbyterian Church in Coffeeville. There were 46 members and guests present, representing six counties. One couple, the Carsons, hail from Dallas, TX.  It was good to have our Dist. 24 Representative, Dr. Bondurant, with us again. There were several other…

By David Howell Editor WATER VALLEY – At 103 years-old, Water Vallian Lottie Mae Fox has worked hard all of her life, raised 11 children, and never had her picture in the newspaper.     A recent interview with Fox, while she was resting in a Yalobusha General Hospital, helped change one of those statistics.   …

    The Yalobusha County Historical Society, Inc., met in the Presbyterian Church in Coffeeville on May 15. There were almost 50 in attendance, representing six counties.  There were many guests present, many of them first-timers. Among them were: Yola Bailey, Nan Cottingham, Janet Kite Miller, Mary Alice Walker, Sandy Ebertowski, Bobbie Williams, “Red” Riddick, and the…

Everyone is invited  “to celebrate a century” with Mattie Shaw this Sunday, May 25 from 2 until 4 p.m. in the activity room of the Yalobusha General Hospital Nursing Home. Please bring any old photos and written childhood memories to share. Mattie Emma Dawkins Shaw was born May 27, 1908 to Thomas Hosea Henry Mayhew…

Editor’s Note: This history story was the winner of the Bruce Gurner Award – Local History Writing Contest. By Leah ByarsSpecial To The Herald      The dawn revealed the axe-battered body of a prominent citizen of Water Valley, Mississippi, and the mutilated body of his wife. Why had this peaceful couple been slain? Who…

By Jack GurnerReporter Water Valley is a sweet town according to Lynn Bearce who is known as Lady Sonshine in the hobo world where she reigns as Queen. “When we come here,” she said, “there’s a taste of coming home. I don’t know how to explain it.” Bearce and several other hoboes passed through town…

Charlie Dunn’s Chickens Produced 12,087 Eggs in 1937 By Jack GurnerReporter Which came first, the chicken or the egg? For Charlie Dunn retirement came first, then he bought the chickens, and then they laid the eggs. For those of you who don’t know Charlie, he was well know in Water Valley as “Whistle and Run”…

By Jack GurnerReporter Today’s cell phones have changed the way most of us communicate. No longer are we tied to a wire coming out of the wall as we were just a few years ago. In the Jan. 15, 1958, issue of the Herald, fifty years ago, Southern Bell Telephone Company announced that 52 telephones…