HEAVY RAINS FLOOD MARION COUNTY DURING MARCH OF
1973 WHEN 9.06 INCHES FELL
IN 16 1/2 HOURS

In March of 1973 heavy rains came to Marion County - some 9.06
inches in 16
1/2 hours.

According to reports from oldtimers, this was the most devastating of
any
they could recall.

Walter RITCH said that behind his home the Buttahatche River was four
feet
higher than he could ever recall.

Pride GANN's home next to Fulton Bridge was sealed off with water.
GANN
reported that the water was marked at 31 inches on his top floor, and
that
he suffered several thousand dollars damage to his new home.

Water creeped into all the basements of the homes on the north side of
the
Buttahatche just south of Hamilton and caused several thousand
dollar(sic)
worth of damage to furnishings and fixtures.

Homes on Ragsdale and Williams Creek were sealed off at the crest of
the
flash flood.

Many roads were closed in the county and a serious slide took place on
Lewis Hill on 78 South.

Fulton Bridge was buried in water. Colonel E. L. PEARCE County
Engineer
reported that Fulton Bridge was built four feet above the high water
mark
and the flood brought the mark two feet above the bridge.

According to PEARCE, Underwood Dam near Brilliant, which is County
Road No.
8 was designed to handle the water and a spillway was installed to take
the
water in flood stage and the facilities served this purpose, but due to the
excessive water in this flood the road was washed out for 20 to 30 feet.

Logan Dam near Brilliant had a spillway on each end, and each was
running
full, but the crest of the flood caused the water to go over the top of the
dam.

PEARCE also said that one bridge across Luxapalilla River near
Winfield was
washed out.

Extensive damage was done to all county roads and bridges and
according to
PEARCE, the damage was estimated to the $150,000 to bridges and
$50,000 to
$100,000 on the county roads.

Eddie PEARCE of the County Engineers(sic) Office has furnished the
following data:

MARCH, 1973
24 HR.
9.06 in March 16, 1963. This amount actually tell(sic) in approximately
16
1/2 hours from 1:30 p.m. March 15 to 6:00 a.m. March 16.
48 Hr. - 10.11 in.
72 hr. - 10.19 in.
Total for first 17 days - 13.37 in.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 10

TORNADO RAVAGES MARION COUNTY IN APRIL 1974

[Editor's Note: Below is a story that was printed the week after the
devastating storm of April 3rd 1974 struck Guin]

GUIN, ALA. - Funk and Wagnall's dictionary defines the word "disaster"
as a
crushing misfortune; a calamity. Even the word disaster cannot begin to
describe the scene of last Wednesday night in this town of some 2,000
inhabitants.

The cries of help from people who were caught inside of or under what
once
had been their homes. The anguished, heartbreaking sound of someone
who had
just found a loved one dead. The sounds of rescue trucks and men and
women
yelling into the night, "Help, over here. There's someone trapped," or
"Has
anyone seen my son, my daughter, my wife, my mother, my husband,
my
father?" All these sounds and many more were heard that night, but until
the morning came and the first gray light of dawn began to brighten the
sky, did the full realization of what the tornado had done to the city of
Guin become visible.

Where once there were homes, businesses and churches now could only
be seen
foundations or leaning walls or just a few concrete steps leading into
emptiness.

The tornado touched down a few miles southwest of Guin and before it
left
the ground again a few seconds later, the damage it did amounted into
the
millions of dollars.

The first warning of what was to come happened around 7:00 o'clock
when
hail the size of golfballs(sic) began to fall in Guin.

Guin was, for all practical reasons, wiped out that terrible night, but
material items such as clothing, furniture can be replaced. Businesses
can
rebuild. Cities can grow again. But death takes the heaviest toll, and
loved ones cannot be replaced. As the Journal goes to press, 22 persons
have lost their lives. Those killed in Marion County were: Trevor
THOMPSON,
Mrs. Mary Lou HARP THOMPSON, Mrs. Jimmie Sue BALLARD,
Mark TODD, Paul TODD,
Mrs. Lem BAIRD, Sr., Jimmy HERON, Billy Joe BROWN, Mrs.
Virginia BROWN,
Miss Janet BROWN, Joseph Emmet SHIREY, Mrs. Joseph Emmet
SHIREY, Preston
MARTIN, Mrs. Robert PENNINGTON, Mrs. Winnie Ellen GILMORE,
Howard CALVERT,
Mrs. Virginia CALVERT, Mrs. Orville J. HESS, Sr., Raymond Raiford
EDWARDS,
Mrs. Rosie Belee BURLESON, Maggie Lee FISHER, and Miss Suzette
BALLARD.

______________________________
 

 Subject:
            [ALFAYETT] Guin rebuilds article
     Date:
            Mon, 4 Dec 2000 21:41:16 -0500
    From:
            Monya Havekost <MonyaH@conterra.com>
       To:
            ALFAYETT-L@rootsweb.com
 
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 10

GUIN BEGINS TO REBUILD TOWN

Guin's Mayor Paul GUIN stated that "We started thinking about
rebuilding a
couple of hours after the tornado hit."

With several million dollars in damages, Guin will have to practically
start from scratch. But the determined citizens in this Marion County
town
can do it.

Already set up in downtown Guin is a mobile home unit to be used as
city
hall. The temporary one and the new one that was to be moved into in a
few
weeks were heavily damaged. By Friday a mobile postoffice(sic) unit
had
been set up and the mail was being sorted. Marion County Banking
Company
will have a portable unit set up by this weekend, if not sooner. Utility
and telephone services are being repaired. Army bulldozers are clearing
up
the debris and work crews from Camp Hamilton are picking up the
rubble.
Everywhere you can see Guin in the act of rebuilding. This small highly
energetic town in the southwest corner of Marion County will be back,
bigger and better.

______________________________
 

 Subject:
            [ALFAYETT] Town of Guin article
     Date:
            Mon, 4 Dec 2000 22:01:40 -0500
    From:
            Monya Havekost <MonyaH@conterra.com>
       To:
            ALFAYETT-L@rootsweb.com
 
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 10

TOWN OF GUIN NAMED AFTER DOCTOR JERRY GUIN WHO
DONATED THE LAND

B. HARRIS obtained the first land grant of this area from the United
States
Government on February 2, 1820. He sold it to his Uncle Allen HALEY.
HALEY
owned a stock farm and it became known as HALEY's Stand. HALEY
sold the
land to John T. MEADOR in 1870. MEADOR sold it to Dr. Jerry GUIN
in 1873,
who moved here on January 26 of that year. The town was named after
Dr.
Jerry GUIN. He donated much of the land for the town and cemetery,
and
right of way for the Frisco Railroad, which was completed in 1887.
After
this others began t buy land and move to this area. MEADOR, stepson
of
Judge TERRELL of Pikeville, operated one of the first stores here.

In 1887 when the Railroad was completed, a golden spike was driven in
the
ties near the tool house. The community had a big celebration and
Private
John ALLEN of Tupelo made the dedicatory speech. After 1888 settlers
began
to move in. J. F. COLLINS and Clark WHITE started a store.

Henry CLARK was representative from Marion County when Guin was
incorporated in 1888. The first newspaper was established in 1889 and
was
called the Guin Eagle. The second newspaper was called the Guin
News. In
1887 the SIDES Brothers (Chris, Doc and Lee) ran a saloon in Guin. In
1890
saloons became illegal because of the famous shooting that took place
there.

Dee JONES was the first policeman.

Tom KIRK was the first postmaster in 1891.

Bill WRIGHT was the first mayor.

The first bank in Marion County was established here in 1905.

The first Ford agency was established in 1913.

______________________________
 

 Subject:
            [ALFAYETT] Marion Robbery article
     Date:
            Mon, 4 Dec 2000 22:36:22 -0500
    From:
            Monya Havekost <MonyaH@conterra.com>
       To:
            ALFAYETT-L@rootsweb.com
 
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 10

MARION COUNTY BANKING ROBBED IN OCTOBER OF 1973

[Editor's Note: Below is an account of the robbery of Marion County
Banking
Company in Hamilton in October of 1973.]

In a statement from WOOD, the following is what occurred.

Mr. and Mrs. WOOD had attended church in Hamilton Methodist
Church Sunday
night and as they returned they noticed the door from the garage into the
house was unlocked. He thought he might have forgotten to lock it or
pull
it closed when they left.

As they entered the house, two hooded men took charge of he and his
wife
and carried them into the utility room where they were tied and their
eyes
taped.

According to WOOD, they were then taken into the living room and
their feet
were untied. This was about 8:30 p.m. Some time later, their son,
Freddie,
a Senior at Hamilton High School, came home and although WOOD
could not see
him, he entered the room and he told him to do whatever the men told
him to
do that this was "one of those situations we have talked about
happening."

A third man joined the two holding the family hostage and they stayed
the
night. WOOD said they were told by the armed men that if they
cooperated
they would not be hurt. He also said there was no harassment or threats.

At about 6 a.m. Monday, one of the men took Mrs. WOOD and Freddie
out of
the house. About 15 minutes later, WOOD was instructed to drive to the
bank, which he did with one of the armed men lying on the floorboard in
the
front of the automobile and the other in the rear seat.

At the bank, the robbers had to wait on the time vault to open shortly
before 8 a.m. Hightower MILLICAN, was the first employee to arrive
for work
that morning. As he and each of the other employees arrived, they were
placed in the bank's luncheon area and told to remain there.

At five minutes before 8, the vault was opened and the two armed men
forced
two bank employees to take the money in sacks and place it in the
waiting
car. When this was done, they left WOOD at the bank and set out for
their
rendezvous with the man holding the hostages.

Details are not clear as to how the meeting of the two robbers and their
accomplice with Mrs. WOOD and Freddie came about. However, it is
believed
they met at North Fork Creek, where Mrs. WOOD and Freddie were
taken in the
trunk of an automobile and later put out in the woods, still loosely tied
and with their eyes taped. They managed to free themselves and walk t
the
highway (43 North) where they were picked up by a State employee
traveling
into Hamilton and arrived home unharmed.

Officers said vehicles involved were a 1972 Chevrolet later found
abandoned
at North Fork, a 1973 Oldsmobile, and at last report the trio was
believed
traveling north on Highway 43 in a Pontiac.

WOOD, who has been in the banking business for 19 years, said this
was the
first time anything like this had happened. Like most bankers, he said he
had always lived with the knowledge that it could happen and had tried
to
"discipline himself for such a situation."

He also praised Birmingham Trust for immediately coming to the bank
rescue
with money to operate. The bank remained closed Monday while
investigators
and auditors worked there throughout the day.

Marion County Banking Co. is located on highway 278 west in
downtown
Hamilton, and is a member of the Alabama Financial Group.

HOSTAGES RETURNED
Gene EMERSON resident of Hamilton and an employee of the Alabama
State
Highway Department, was one of the state employees who had to report
to
work in Florence Columbus Day as luck would have it though, when he
arrived, he was given the remainder of the day off.

As he crossed North Fork Creek Bridge and started up the hill and
around
the curve, he noticed a woman and a teenage boy coming out of the
woods
near an old logging road.

They flagged the vehicle down and told him what had happened and
asked him
to take them back to their home. EMERSON said at the time young
WOOD still
had tape across the bridge of his nose where his eyes had been taped by
one
of the bank robbers and was in the process of trying to get it removed.

EMERSON said his first thought when he saw Mrs. WOOD and her son
was that
they had been in an automobile accident and needed help. He said he
was
just glad that he happened along that highway when he did and could
help
them.

Mrs. Emma McKENZIE, who's son owns the Hamilton Holiday Motel
across the
street from the bank, was on her way from her to the motel that morning
and
saw two bank employees bringing sacks of something and putting it in a
car
at the bank. She thought surely they most be taking money to the Guin
bank
for change. She said later when she learned the bank had been robbed,
she
realized she had actually seen it taking place.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 2

NEWEST CHURCH IN WINFIELD

The United Pentecostal Church of Winfield is probably the newest
church in
the Winfield area.

The church, founded three years ago by Rev. and Mrs. John YOUNG,
of
Huntsville, is located East of Winfield not far from East Side Baptist
Church. In the three years of ministry the church has grown
tremendously
and God has blessed richly, filling many with the wonderful baptism in
the
Holy Ghost.

The Church continues to grow and pastor YOUNG urges all people to
worship
with the people of Winfield's United Pentecostal Church.
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 2

QUESTION REMAINS ON WHO HAD FIRST AUTOMOBILE IN
WINFIELD

Who had the first car in Winfield? That one question will create more
differences of opinion than almost any other question of early history.
Many confronted with the question immediately said, "Marvin
PEARCE," but
Mrs. PEARCE said that her husband had the first car in Marion County
but
that they did not live in Winfield at that time. His first car was a
Cadillac, which he bought in 1910.

Mrs. R. E. MOORE, Sr. said that she had always understood that
Horace
ROBERTS had the first car in Winfield, and many others stated that
William
(Bill) PERRY had the first.

A card from Willard DODSON of Wyandotte, Michigan, former
columnist of
"With the Miners," stated that he had been told for years that Clarence
WHITEHEAD brought the first car to Winfield. It was said to be a Metz
or a
Stuts Bearcat but he believed a Metz was correct. He was a brother to
Paul
Cliff, and Ted WHITEHEAD, and was "Quite a man about town"
according to Mr.
DODSON.

Fulmer HILL of the HILL Drug Company said that he remembered
Clarence
WHITEHEAD as having the first (and a Metz) as he recalled that
periodically
the businesses of Winfield, would close for an entire day and all citizens
would go out and work on the roads leading into the town. He said that
he
and his brothers would always help on the road leading to Glen Allen
and to
his Grandfather LEE's and he remembered their working this special day
that
Clarence WHITEHEAD came along in his Metz for the first time. He
tried to
make it up the hill and the chain slipped off in the mechanism and the
car
began to roll backward near where the boys were pitching out rocks
from the
road. After several tries, the boys pushed the car up the hill.
 
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 2

DR. ROBERT LEROY HILL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DOCTORS
TO LOCATE IN WINFIELD

Dr. Robert Leroy Hill was born in Lamar County in the home of his
maternal
grandfather, Judge Leroy KENNEDY.

Finishing high school at the age of fifteen, Dr. HILL entered the
University of Tennessee Medical College at the age of eighteen and
located
in Winfield in the year of 1908 where he served the people of Winfield,
and
surrounding areas many years. In his earlier years, he told many
interesting stories of how he travelled by horseback, later by horse and
buggy, and then by car, and how he often made trips to Brilliant on the
little Railroad engine or "Dinky" to visit the ill people in that section.

After the days of those earlier methods of travel, Dr. HILL was able to
carry on his medical practice and still have time for other activities
which have been many and varied. He was a member of the official
Board of
the Methodist Church from 1901; Sunday School superintendent for
twenty-nine years; member of the Board of Education for sixteen years
and
member of the County Board of Education for four years; represented
Marion
County in the State Legislature for two administrations, eight years; and
during the period in the legislature, he was chairman of the Committee
of
Public Health, Public Welfare and a member of the committee of
Education
and Highways. He is credited with the introduction and passing of the
law
providing the aged in need and the physically handicapped. One of the
last
bills passed during his legislative service was the creation of the
Department of Public Welfare.

During his years as a general practitioner of Medicine, he also rendered
surgical services in the homes of citizens and had served as Surgeon for
the Frisco Railroad and Illinois Center(sic) since 1913, having also been
president of the Surgeons of Frisco Employees Hospital Association in
1953.

A shareholder in the citizens Bank of Winfield from the date of its
organizations and charter in 1922 and he was active vice president of the
bank from that time until 1937, when he was elected President of the
bank
and chairman of the Board of directors for the bank.

He organized the HILL Drug Company in 1919 and served in the
capacity of
president of the company.

He was elected president of the Winfield Quickfreeze, Inc. on
December 19,
1948, and he served as president of the Winfield Hospital, Inc. and for
several years, he served as president of the Marion County Medical
Society.
He was a Counselor of Alabama State Medical Association also.

In other civic service, he was first and second president of the Kiwanis
Club of Winfield and continued a member and chairman of the
committee for
Support of the Church and Kiwanis Education.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT FOUND DECLARING FIRST POST
MASTER OF WINFIELD TO BE
MARTIN BOWLING

Up until recently, the Journal Staff had established Joseph Lester
McGAHA
as being the first Postmaster of Winfield but when Geva
CANTERBURY, a
citizen of Winfield, was going through valuable papers of his late
ancestors, he ran across an official document written in June 1873,
complete with seal and everything that slightly changed the post office
story.

This original document in June 1873 was a disbursement report to the
Government from Martin C. BOWLING, Postmaster of Palo in Fayette
County. It
was written with a quail pen and with walnut-stain ink and was a report
of
the affairs of the Palo Post Office. All carriers from this office
travelled on horseback but a list of the carriers were not given on this
report. Then thee was a second document which was a letter appointing
Martin C. BOWLING Postmaster of the first Winfield Post Office on
January
26, 1888.

Newt WHITEHEAD, who later served twelve years as postmaster, said
that
Joseph Lester McGAHA, known as Mac, had the first post office in
connection
with his General Merchandise Store, the third store in Winfield in 1887,
and from the two different sources, evidently McGAHA took care of the
early
citizens mail before the postoffice(sic) was established or else he was
the
first Winfield citizen appointed as Postmaster after Mr. BOWLING. A
great-grandson of Mr. McGAHA, M. Reno McGAHA of Levelland,
Texas who
visited in Winfield a few hours last summer, knew of his
great-grandfather's store and post office and also said that he bought and
fattened opposums for sale in the back of his general store. He recalled
hearing his father tell about some boys breaking into the store and
freeing
the 'possums on one night in those earliest days of Winfield.

The exact number of years that Mac McGAHA served was not known
nor was the
definite period of time that Mr. BOWLING served known. Elizah
WADSWORTH and
Nathan MUSGROVE both served for a period of time as Postmaster of
Winfield
between its beginning and 1899.

In talking with Jim GREEN, retired mail carrier after serving in the
capacity for forty-four years, and also the son of Benjamin Franklin
GREEN,
said that his father, known to most friends as Frank GREEN, was
appointed
Postmaster in 1898, after Wadsworth served. He remembers Mr.
GREEN moving
the family from the river east of Boston, to the old Dr. WHITLEY place
in
East Winfield now Burgess Community, in September 1899, and he had
already
been serving for several months and boarding with Dr. J. F. EARNEST.
Mr.
GREEN served until 1903.

Newt WHITEHEAD, who helped build the railroad through Winfield, in
1887
when he was only eighteen years of age, said that he was appointed
Postmaster in 1903 and served twelve years, going out in 1915. During
Mr.
WHITEHEAD's term in the postoffice(sic), White McDONALD, T. C.
McCLESKY,
and Jeff CANTERBURY were the mail carriers as were shown on a
picture of
the group (courtesy of Mrs. Lula McCLESKEY HAYNES) before they
went out on
the route one morning. Citizens out toward Brilliant, remember Mr.
CANTERBURY walked and carried the mail for awhile and later Jimmy
SMITH
carried the mail all the way to Brilliant.

Following Mr. WHITEHEAD, Belton HODGES was appointed but few
people
remembered to mention his serving and Mr. jim(sic) GREEN explained
that Mr.
HODGES just didn't like the postal work and that Will WADE, the
assistant
postmaster, did most of the paper work until a new appointment was
made
appointing R. F. "Nander" WHEELER. Mr. WHEELER, now a resident
of
Raymondville, Texas, served as Postmaster until 1912.

>From 1921 to 1933, James McDONALD, who later served four terms
as Mayor of
Winfield, served for twelve years as Postmaster. Following Mr. Jim Mac,
as
many people called him, R. G. CARPENTER took over as Postmaster
and also
served a period of twelve years, going out in February 1945. Mrs. E. C.
HOLLIS received a temporary appointment and served in 1945-6. Mr.
Arthur
BURGESS was appointed in 1946. William FLOWERS is postmaster at
present.
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 11

GUIN AMERICAN LEGION ORGANIZED IN TWENTIES

In the middle twenties, post 116 of the American Legion was organized
in
Guin, with J. M. WESLEY, post commander; D. C. HOLLOWAY,
Adjutant; J. M.
SMITH, finance officer; and J. M. McGUIRE, service offlicer(sic).

During the years of organization, this post has participated in many
worthwhile activities. It was with great pride that the organization
administered aid to the crippled children served the disabled veterans,
brought Christmas packages to the underprivileged at Yuletide, and
many
other worthy causes. Especially did the members see that no veterans or
their families suffered from lack of material things, because at that time,
there was no Community Wlfare(sic) Program to aid such people.

In the early thirties, cash was scarce and the members of the Post paid
their dues at the rate of three hens per member. Forty-six hens were
sent
to the Grenwood(sic) cafe and turned over to Arthur GREENWOOD for
the Post
dues. At that time, Arthur was one of the Legion officials for the State of
Alabama. this(sic) activity made headlines throughout the state, and a
picture of the event was sent to the leading papers for publication and
also published in the National Legion Magazine.

During World War II, many of the Veterans were called back to active
duty
and others were called to defense plants throughout the nation. This
emergency rendered Post 116 inactive.

In 1945, when World War II Veterans began to return, a new American
Legion
Charter was issued December 17, 1945, as Post 147, and the officials
were
Birvel WHITEHEAD, Post Commander; O. F. ALEXANDER, Adjutant;
J. M. SMITH,
finance officer; and L. F. (Dock) WRIGHT, Chaplain. These officials
along
with thirty-two others made up the qualified thirty-six to start Post 147
of Guin, into active duty. The Post immediately began its duties by
processing many claims for widows and orphans of deceased veterans of
World
War I and II, helping many disables(sic) veterans to find security in life.
It also played an important part in burial of our soldiers from the foreign
battlefields.

On July 4, 1946, the Post made the big kick-off by giving away a
Hudson
automobile which  marked the beginning of the erection of a fine Legion
Hall which is a memorial to the dead and an honor to the living. This
building still stands in Guin, next to the City Hall.
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 11

R. R. WRIGHT CAME TO GUIN IN 1905

R. R. WRIGHT came to Guin, September 1905, as cashier of the Bank
of Guin,
which soon afterwards became the Marion County Banking Company
when
Hamilton became a part of the bank. He served as cashier of the Marion
County Banking Company for ten years, after which time, 1915, he
went into
the automobile business as agent for Ford cars.

In this business, he filled Marion County with Model T's, selling as many
as six hundred and fifteen in three years - quite a number of automobiles
back in those days.

After the Ford Agency was disposed of by Mr. WRIGHT, he went into
the
merchantile(sic) business known as the Guin Hardware Company.

Besides these businesses, he has been a bank official, director to the
president of the bank, and has taken an active part in civic clubs. Earlier
in life, he served several terms as president of the Civitan Club, served
for fifteen years as member of the School Board of Guin, and a number
of
years as Alderman of Guin.

Always actively interested in politics, he was elected to the State
Legislature in 1946, but resigned in 1947, when he was appointed
Probate
Judge of Marion County by Gov. James E. FOLSOM, to serve until the
next
election, 1948.

Besides a full business and political life, he has not neglected his
religious duties. He is a member of the Guin Baptist Church, having
served
as Beacon for some twenty-five years and has been a teacher of the
Men's
Adult Class for many years.

Mr. WRIGHT was married to the former Elizabeth J. BOOKER,
daughter of
Charlie A. BOOKER of Guin, who ran a livery stable in Guin from 1890
to
1910, when he retired to a quieter life of farming. Mr. and Mrs.
WRIGHT
were married on June 27, 1909, and they had a family of four boys and
four
girls.
 

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section D, Page 11

H. L. THOMAS IS BOSTON CITIZEN

Mr. and Mrs. Howard THOMAS of Boston were married on January 1,
1911, and
lived on the farm for two years, then moved to Winfield, Alabama,
September
1912, where Mr. THOMAS worked in the store of Bob COUCH and J.
R. WHITEHEAD.

They moved to Boston in July 1913, and Mr. THOMAS worked for
GIBBS Brothers
in the merchantile(sic) business until July 1, 1915, at which time he
became a rural mail carrier on Rote 1, Brilliant, Alabama. Later, he was
associated with Turner Mining Company and New River Coal Company,
where he
served as timekeeper.

In January 1926, they moved to Birmingham, where Mr. THOMAS
worked in
various positions for Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Company for twenty
years, the last few years being spend as a shipping clerk.

There were, added to this family, two sons and three daughters. The
oldest
son, Hugh THOMAS Dean of Conservatory of Music at Birmingham
Southern
College and Minister of music at the First Methodist Church of
Birmingham,
having won national acclaim as one of the most talented musicians of the
time. Ruth, the oldest daughter, married G. C. HALBROOKS who
associated
with the Birmingham Gas Company. Maud, the second daughter, in
Hewett High
School in Jefferson County. She held a Masters Degree from the
University
of North Carolina. Willette, the youngest daughter, married Jerreal
BLACKBURN of Houston, Texas, where he was in charge of deep
freeze and
refrigration(sic) departments of Papas Brothers of Houston. Edward, the
youngest child, was a Mechanical engineer and lived in Perry, Florida.

Mrs. THOMAS was the former Josie COCHRAN, daughter of Dr. W. J.
COCHRAN,
Boston's first physician, and Josie GIBBS COCHRAN, the daughter of
John
CALHOUN and Rachel UNDERWOOD GIBBS.