Alan Anderson: Historic tidbits 1889-1894

Alan Anderson

Jan. 4, 1893: "... Six hundred and thirty acres of land in the Sixteenth district, the property of J.M. Bass, was bid in at $200 ...," at sheriff's sale; "The fact that J.A. Cobb is a candidate for the office of justice of the peace ... should not lead the public into the erroneous idea that he is Capt. John A. Cobb ... Not so, the would-be justice is better known perhaps as Nap Cobb ..."

Jan. 17, 1893: pallbearers at Mrs. T. Wheatley's funeral were "E.J. Eldridge, S.H. Hawkins, U.B. Harrold, J.W. Sheffield, W.H.C. Dudley, Geo. Stapleton, John R. Shaw, M. Speer"

Feb. 11, 1893: "Judge A.C. Speer, of the court of ordinary, received a check from the pension department of the state yesterday for the snug little sum of $600, which is to be divided equally among eleven widows of Confederate soldiers residing in Sumter county. The ladies for whom this money is intended are Mrs. Martha Andrews, Elizabeth Bradley, R.S. Callaway, M.J. Chambless, Jane Clements, Eliza Ward, M.E. Darley, Nancy A. Fuller, N.S. Head, N.J. Mitchell and Nancy P. Smith. Each is entitled to the sum of $60, which can be had by calling upon Judge Speer at the court house [also, Mrs. Emily Carter, Winnie T. Tomlinson and R.J. Braswell] ..."

March 4, 1893: "The following gentlemen are requested to meet at the editorial rooms of The Times-Recorder promptly at 9 o'clock this morning: M. Callaway, E.J. Eldridge, C.C. Clay, W.M. Hitt, Bloom Brown, M. Speer, Geo. D. Wheatley, T. Wheatley, J.W. Sheffield, U.B. Harrold, Theron Hawkes, W.M. Hawkes, Lee Council, C.A. Fricker, A. Rylander, John Windsor [as a committee that wanted to invite Northern tourists in Thomasville to come to Americus] ..."

March 15, 1893: "A DWELLING BURNED YESTERDAY. The residence of Thomas Sullivan, on Lamar street, East Americus, was destroyed by fire early yesterday morning. Mr. Sullivan and family barely escaped with their lives and did not save an article of clothing or furniture. Shortly before 3 o'clock Mrs. Giddings, an aged lady living with Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, was awakened by the roar of the flames and ran from her room to find the entire house enveloped. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan were hastily aroused and the three had hardly left the house before the roof fell in. The house was owned by Mr. John E. Sullivan and was insured for $500, about one half its value ...”

April 27, 1893: "Major M. Speer and Capt. John A. Cobb, with several others, will leave this morning for Plains to attend district conference now in session there."

April 28, 1893: M. Speer and J.A. Ansley to make speeches for Sumter Bible Society at New Point, Salem and East Americus churches

May 11, 1893: local telephone numbers

May 14, 1893: "Yesterday, 13th inst., was the 64th anniversary of the birth of the first person ever born in [Sumter]. Sixty-four years ago Mr. Ben Wheeler saw the light of day ... "

June 6, 1893: Sumter Superior Court cases: "No. 511, Bank of Sumter vs. C.W. Bass, G.T. Bass and Patrick Bass. Appeal from justice of the peace court. Wheatley & Fitzgerald for plaintiff. L.J. Blalock for defendants."

June 14, 1893: Congressman William Jennings Bryan visited House Speaker Chas. F. Crisp and stayed at the Windsor

June 25, 1893: more telephone numbers

July 4, 1893: "County Treasurer Sullivan purchased a second hand Herring safe Saturday to be used in his office for storing books and papers, and upon a close examination of the strong box was not a little surprised at discovering that it was the same safe purchased by him in New York in 1853, just forty years ago. Mr. Sullivan was in the jewelry business here then, and bought the safe at a cost of $325 to be used in his store. Since that time the old safe has probably passed through many hands and on yesterday, by accident, came again into the possession of the original owner."

July 6, 1893: obit of David A. Mayo, of East Americus, for whom Mayo Street is named [memorial published by H.H. Speer, E.L. Hays and J.H. Winchester in Aug. 2nd T-R]

Sept. 14, 1893: "Leveled with the Ground. The old wooden depot, that for nearly forty years has stood at the foot of Wheeler street, is being torn down in the general march of progress in that part of the city. When the Southwestern railroad was built from Oglethorpe to Americus, away back in the fifties, this old depot was quite a pretentious building, and no doubt was regarded with much pride by our people. But its days of usefulness have passed, and now it is to be torn down to make room for the extension of the platform of Harrold & Johnson's big compress. Many changes have taken place since the erection of the old depot, and many there are who will regret to see it torn down."

Oct. 21, 1893: "Yesterday morning Bailiff Cobb went out in the country to serve a warrant upon a "kullud leddy" charging her with larceny from the house, but returned without his prisoner. Mr. Cobb is not a John Sullivan in strength or stature, and when he discovered that the negro woman tipped the scales at 365 pounds, and was besides opposed to coming to town, he told her to stay right there, as it would be easier to move the courthouse out to her home. At last accounts the fat woman was holding the fort while Tobe had taken to the woods."

Nov. 2, 1893: potential candidates for city aldermen included "Messrs. W.F. Clarke, J.F. Markett, T.N. Hawkes, A.T. Oliver, T. Wheatley, Dr. E.T. Mathis, C.A. Fricker, A.E. Sherlock, Capt. P.C. Clegg, J. Henry Freeman and J.W.L. Daniel"

Nov. 10, 1893: Australian newspapers received from Dr. W.H.H. Lane; "Both Dr. and Mrs. Lane have many friends and near relations in this city as it was here that the genial doctor won for his bride one of Americus' fairest daughters - Miss Mattie Tison."

Nov. 17, 1893: "Major M. Speer thought the party made a great mistake in having elected Grover Cleveland, whom he considers an enemy of the South. Democracy, he says, cannot combat Mugwumpery and republicanism combined, and therefore he looks for defeat in 1896. He thinks New York, Ohio and the other States that acted Tuesday voted simply as the persident wished."

Nov. 29, 1893: arson in East Americus where "... [t]he burned house belonged to the Cobb estate, and was the home of the late Robert Cobb. It was a large, six room house, one of the first built in Americus ..."

Dec. 12, 1893: mention of the Americus "Penny Press"

Dec. 13, 1893: visit by Maconite Dr. James G. McCrary recalled pioneer days of Americus, Dec. 24,1834

Dec. 19, 1893: “... Gen. [Clement A.] Evans spent last night as the guest of his niece, Mrs. Sam Cobb, in East Americus ..."

Jan. 3,1894: "Yesterday Judge Speer counted up the number of marriage licenses issued during the year just ended, and found that exactly 249 couples in Sumter county had been caught in the matrimonial dragnet during that time, three-fourths of whom were colored."

Jan. 23, 1894: jurors for the sensational murder trial of Drs. J.B. and A.B. Hinkle; their victim, Dr. J.J. Worsham: "B.H. Harris, farmer, 15th district; C.C. Alexander, farmer, Plains; G.W. Kinard, laundryman for Joe & Sing; D.W. Wingate, farmer, 28th district; J.M. Wimbish, mechanic, city; J.F. Frazer, farmer, Leslie; Q.W. Fuller, farmer, near Americus; T.L. Speer, salesman in Ansley's grocery; N.J. Nailor, railroad section boss, Andersonville; J.T. Ratliff, farmer, near Americus; D.R. Bradley, farmer, 15th district ..." [farmer Larkin Dupree chosen next day]

Jan. 24, 1894: "... Judge A.C. Speer, of the court of ordinary, mailed sixteen applications yesterday and will forward a dozen more this week. There are perhaps thirty widows of Confederate soldiers in this city and county."

Jan. 25, 1894: at the Hinkle murder trial, "... Major M. Speer testified that he passed Dr. Hinkle's office at 5 o'clock and said "good evening" to them as they stood on their veranda near the door. He passed on to his home a few doors below, and within ten minutes he heard pistol shots, and returning up the street, saw a man on Hinkle's veranda and the horse and buggy of Dr. Hinkle at the curbing, and a negro boy in the buggy. Miss Carrie Speer testified that she was in the back of the library reading and looked out of the south window and saw a flash from a pistol and heard several shots ..." [murder occurred Dec. 21, 1892]

Feb. 2, 1894: in two hours and three ballots, 6-6,10-2 and 12-0, the former for first degree murder and the latter two murder with life imprisonment, jury found Dr. J.B. Hinkle guilty, Larkin Dupree, foreman; last of street railway removed yesterday

Feb. 8, 1894: "Mr. Pat Bass, one of Sumter's oldest citizens, surprised his friends a day or two ago by announcing that he was wed on Tuesday [Feb. 6th], the bride expectant being an estimable widow residing in Worth county. The marriage took place at the home of the bride at the time mentioned, the happy pair arriving here by the noon train yesterday. Mr. Bass has many friends throughout the county who will congratulate him upon his good fortune."

Feb. 16, 1894: obit of William Hooks: "He was first connected with his brother-in-law, Major M. Speer, in the mercantile business in 1863, the firm occupying the Bank of Sumter building. Later he was connected with the firms of Adams, Speer & Co., Granberry, Speer & Co., and sometime thereafter was engaged with Major Speer in the banking business under the firm name of Speer & Hooks."

March 18, 1894: Sumter's CSA veterans and their pensions: "C.W. Small, $100; A.C. Speer, $100; James Roach, $100; Rice Bass, $100; James W. Harris, $100; N.W. Bass, $100; D.K. Brinson, $50; H.R. Dean, $50; Enoch Johnson, $50; W.R. Peel, $50; W.D. Haynes, $50; S.L. Heys, $30; J.W. Hodges, $10; total $890."

April 6, 1894: Major M. Speer re Crisp appointment to U.S. Senate: "... an eminently proper one and calculated to give general satisfaction ..."

April 7, 1894: workmen dismantled street railway bridge over SAM near Leeton Park, with lumber to be used to build houses

April 21, 1894: telephone line completed connecting Americus and Ellaville

May 2, 1894: "Eighteen miles from Americus is a branch of the Flint that is commonly known as "Dead river" [where] ... a [fishing] party consisting of Col. and Mrs. L.J. Blalock, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Cobb, Col. J.E. Sullivan, and others ...," [went] for a three day outing

May 19, 1894: "The "Macon County Citizen" contains the following: "Major M. Speer, of Americus, has been in town this week attending court. On being asked what he thought of keeping up the sentiment of honoring old soldiers, he drew a paper and pencil from his pocket and dashed off the following quotation from a well known and highly esteemed author: "If e'er to bless thy sons My voice or hands deny, These hands let skillful skill forsake, This voice in silence die.""

June 10, 1894: "ugly man contest" entries and votes: Rev. T.M. Christian 61, George W. Bacot 30, Gus Harris 31, DeLacy Law 27, J.W. Hightower 9, Callie Speer 13, Jim Semmes 1, Captain Cobb 1, John Daniel 1

June 30, 1894: "Americus and her sister city, Albany are to be linked together by yet another tie ... that most useful of modern inventions - the telephone, is to draw them closer still."

[Daily T-R, June 30-Aug. 10, 1894 missing]

Sept 2, 1894: "... removing the building of the Second Methodist church from its present location on Mayo street to the new site at the corner of Mayo and Jefferson, will begin shortly ... another name ... will be selected for it - probably that of St. Paul."

Oct. 7, 1894: telephone line to Albany completed Oct. 6th

Oct. 11, 1894: "While Mr. [W.H.] Speer, superintendent of city waterworks, was making an examination of the tower yesterday he was not a little surprised at seeing a school of fish swimming leisurely about in the big tank, 135 feet above the ground. How the fish ever got there or how long they have thus been "up in the world" is a mystery."

Oct. 12, 1894: Second Methodist Church building, in East Americus, moved "over a hundred yards" to new location at corner of Jefferson and Mayo

Oct. 16, 1894: First Methodist Church to be extensively remodeled with exterior painting, interior carpeting and papering, and renovation of the spire and bell tower

Oct. 17, 1894: "The work of moving the Second Methodist church to the new site at the corner of Mayo and Jefferson streets will be completed today. It is proposed to change the name of the church from Second Methodist to St. Paul."

Oct. 21, 1894: "... At Barlow's mill, two miles from town [now Lake Jennifer], Jack Tinsley and Gus Harris, jr., killed an immense [6-foot] rattler ..."

Nov. 6, 1894: accidental shooting of Miles Kennedy, the "last Confederate," by his brother-in-law, Melton Hart, "... happened in the new Sixteenth district on the place of Mr. Lawson Speer, and from later accounts it is learned Mr. Kennedy is dead."; "... Mr. J.J. Granberry, of this city, a veteran of the war with the Redskins, has prepared several most interesting articles thereupon which will be published in [C.W. Hancock's] forthcoming history [of Southwest Georgia and Americus] ..."

Nov. 9, 1894: "Miles Kennedy ... not only declined to die but is actually getting well ..."

Nov. 10, 1894: "Major M. Speer, president Bank of Southwest Georgia [on Cleveland's defeat]; "Five cent cotton in the South, fifty cent wheat in the West and pure cussedness in the North and East is what, in my opinion, caused the Republican upheaval."

Nov. 22, 1894: "While loading a pistol at his home on Forsyth street yesterday, Will Sullivan accidentally fired the weapon, the ball passing within a foot of Mrs. Sullivan, who was standing near. Mr. Sullivan was loading the revolver for his wife as a protection during his absence from the city."

Nov. 28, 1894: "When the good people living in the vicinity of Mayo and Forsyth streets, East Americus, awoke yesterday morning they were not a little surprised at seeing a storehouse in the middle of the street. The house belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Speer. The lot upon which it was built likewise belongs to them, but the Americus National Building & Loan Co., has a mortgage deed to the lot. The house was built after this was obtained, hence the supposed right of the owner to move it ... The store will be carried over to a vacant lot opposite its former location."

[Daily T-R, Dec. 12 & 13, 1894 missing]



Alan Anderson is archivist of the Sumter Historic Trust. He lives and works in Americus.

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