Looking Back

90 YEARS AGO March 30, 1934 At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Coffeeville Consolidated School last week, Prof. L. G. Wallace, of Charleston, was elected superintendent after the resignation of Prof. W. P. York had been accepted. On Thursday of last week, Mrs. A. P. Groves died at her home in the Hopewell Community. One among the most tragic deaths in this section was the death of Jesse Harbour at the J. H. West Sawmill, south of Torrance, Tuesday afternoon. 85 YEARS AGO March 24, 1939 Friday of last week Mrs. Cora Langham, wife of Mr. W. T. Langham, 49, died at her home. By his request, this week we are placing in our announcement column and presenting to the qualified electors the name of A.Y. Donaldson, of Oakland, as a candidate for the office of Chancery Clerk. Tuesday morning of this week, Mr. Ed Leonard, 86, died at his home, three miles west, after an illness of several weeks. 70 YEARS AGO March 25, 1954 From the news bureau of MSCW comes the report that Miss Betty Lou Pittman of Midnight is one of the five art students recently pledged to Kappa Pi, National Art Fraternity. The Coffeeville School trustees met Tuesday night and elected for another year four of the men teachers namely; E. L. Salley, Superintendent; E. L. Salley, Grammar School Principal; E. L. Lowe, Vocational Agriculture and Paul Pittman, Social Science Teacher and coach. 65 YEARS AGO March 26, 1959 Mr. Durrett Sayle, after an illness of more than five years, died at his home here in Coffeeville about noon Saturday, March 21. Barry Kieth Bell, a nine-pound-boy, was born Tuesday of this week in the Grenada Hospital. Parents are Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Bell of LaPorte, Indiana. Miss Elizabeth Keith Bryant, daughter of Col. and Mrs. A. A. Bryant, has been chosen to represent Las Lectora Book Club in the royal court of 1959 Memphis Cotton Carnival May 12-16. The seniors of Oakland High School will present the annual senior play, “The Perfect Idiot”, Friday night of this week, March 27. Those who have parts in the play are Donnie Crenshaw, Spencer Bailey, Patsy Ruth Tillman, Ben Toole, Melvin Toole, Charlie Gaines Hill, Vernon Herron, Bettye Harris, Kay Gabbert, Louise Tillman, Loyd Sivley and Martha Ruth McCullar. 60 YEARS AGO March 26, 1964 Miss Muff Franklin is Miss Coffeeville of 1964 and the two runners-up are Miss Debbie Salley, second alternate, and Miss Brenda Adams, first alternate. A genuine pall was cast over this entire community early Saturday, March 21, when word came from the Baptist Hospital that Mr. E. L. Salley had died there at 3:30 A. M. Mr. and Mrs. James Simmons of Tillatoba are the proud parents of a son born in the Yalobusha General Hospital March 13. He has been named James Edwards Simmons. Joe Willie Adams, a lifelong resident of Yalobusha County, died Thursday, March 19, in the Yalobusha General Hospital. 45 YEARS AGO March 29, 1979 After correctly spelling a total of 106 words at the County Spelling Bee held at Water Valley last Friday, Darryl Jenkins, 3rd grade student at Oakland Elementary School, was declared the first place winner. The Mississippi House of Representatives honored Representative George Payne Cossar of Charleston this week by voting unanimously to change the name of the Yocona Ridge State Park to George Payne Cossar State Park. 40 YEARS AGO March 15, 1984 Mrs. Odis Jean Jones received the Registered Nursing Degree from Itawamba Junior College last July and recently passed the Mississippi State Board Examination. She is employed at Yalobusha General Hospital where she has worked as a LPN for 13 years. Retired farmer and cattleman Thomas Albert Moorman, age 89, of near Water Valley died Monday night, March 26, after a long illness. Mrs. Katie J. Broome, age 88, of Birmingham passed away Wednesday March 21. One of the oldest buildings on our Front Street, corner of Front and Depot, has been torn down because the owner, George Armstrong, felt that the building was in such a bad shape that it would be more economical to tear it down and sell the vacant lot. Joe Bourne had his drug store in the building until 1977. Before that it had been J. H. Bates & Co. since early 1900. 20 YEARS AGO March 25, 2004 Mary Etoyle Tubbs Shelton Williamson, 92, retired from Bi Yank, died Sunday, March 21, 2004. Plans are underway for Yalobusha County American Society’s “Relay for Life”. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23, 2004, at Crawford’s Sport Complex. Kaitlin Caldwell, five-year-old daughter of Linda and Jerry Caldwell, is experiencing complications from a tonsillectomy. She had an appointment at LeBonher on Monday. 15 YEARS AGO March 26, 2009 Gatewood Church of God, located on County Road 211 in Coffeeville, MS, will be having revival services Sunday, March 29 through Wednesday April 1st at 6pm. Rev. Charlie Fewler from Orlando, Florida will be the evangelist. 10 YEARS AGO March 20, 2014 The Yalobusha Historical Meeting is Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. in it’s headquarters (the former Presbyterian Church). Spencer Keith is the speaker, and his topic is the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads June 1864. The Coffeeville Women’s Progressive Club will meet Thursday, March 20, 2014, at 4:00 P.M. in the home of Mrs. Richard Ross, Oakland. Mrs. Ellet Caulder will be serving as co-hostess. The review Native Guard by Natasha Tretheway will be given by Mrs. Dusty McKibben.