Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 19, 1999 Page: 2 of 16
sixteen pages : illus. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 2A—CHEROKEEAN/HERALD of Rusk, Texas—Thursday, August 19,1999
Emmett H. Whitehead
m i /TT i J
publisher
Cherokeean Herald
Marie Whitehead
Vil VI V11V Vülf/ 11 VI KM.A.
editor
August 19,1999
Texas' oldest continuously
published weekly newspaper.
Established as the Cherokee
Sentinel Feb. 27,1850
GRASS ROOTS
by Stan Lynde
a
Jim Hogg State Historical
Park, Rusk
Caddoan Mounds State
Historical Site, Alto
m
Texas State Railroad State
Historical Park, Rusk
Historian links historic photo
to New Birmingham ghost town
New Birmingham was first a "thought" in the
mind of a man who has come to be identified as A.
B. Blevins, Alexander B. Blevins in fact. But not
so, says Kevin Stingley, who has poured himself
into research of this well known ghost town south
of Rusk.
This promising boom town's brief life was be-
lieved to be accurately recorded in the famous
booklet, "Texas New Birmingham as it is October,
1891."
Again, "not so," says historian Stingley.
For beginners, Mr. Blevins name was not
Alexander, but Anderson. The Rusk Junior High
history teacher has exhausted himself from the
site itself, to libraries, courthouses, family descen-
dants and all other available archives/documents.
The thrill of this time-consuming project came a
few weeks ago. A great granddaughter of Mr.
Blevins sent a photo of him to Mr. Stingley. Her
name is Mrs. Bud (JimmieiMunroeofVallev Mills
near Waco.
Thfc photo accompanies this writing. This is the
gentleman who is credited with passing through
the area selling sewing machines. He saw the
possibility of utilizing the abundance of natural
iron ore here, thus providing the opportunity for a
second Birmingham. It was heralded as the "Iron
Queen of the Southwest" when the first lot was
sold Oct. 12. 1888.
And the rest is history.
Or. is it?
Not according to historian Stingley. He has un-
earthed so many new finds in information that a
re-write begs to be undertaken. Not because there
is that much wrong with the historical record
fe* HJNipp _
7/4 -
WELL, I'LL BE..
NEVER THOUGHT 10
SEE VOU WEARIN' AN
EARRING, BUFORD!
FIGURE IF I
WEAR ONE, MAVBE
MN SON WONT
HO'
O
m
I?
U
19
iiiiiiiiáiiiiÉiiiiiiiiiitt
A.B. Blevins
available. Quite to the contrary. But because he
now knows so much more of the story than was
told in that small booklet of 1888 and the excerpts
from the book, "Hills of Cherokee," written by
Hattie Joplin Roach.
Like Mr. Blevins, whose dream took shape after
the thought, it is hoped that Mr. Stingley's dream
will soon become hard copy!
Scene in Passing
Everything before right
now—is—history! Right?
Our friend Kevin
Stingley has a magnificent
obsession with history, which he
teaches. Not just any period but
specifically the 1880s and not
just any place. It is the area of
New Birmingham, our well
known ghosttown. He has been
totally focused on it this summer.
The fascination began about
three years ago. He has run
down more loose ends than
would be imagined. He has hit a
brick wall with one of the townpeople of that day.
He was S. T. (Stanley T.) Clooney, believed to
have shot Gen. W. H. Hamman, thus triggering
(no pun intended) the legend of the red-haired
lady.
You can see Mr. Stingley's interest is now my
interest. If any of you can provide information
about this gentlemen or his family, before or after
New Birmingham, it will be greatly appreciated.
It's like working a puzzle. A piece is missing. The
picture cannot be completed. Please
\
\
Marie Whitehead
editor@mediactr.com
walking time bomb and was sent
to the hospital immediately! He
is the son of Birdie Richey. His
wife Susan is the daughter of
Emmett and Martha Ray
Holcomb. And he should be
home by now!
It seems like only yesterday
that Steven Patterson was a
student-staffer with us. It was
about five years ago! He is
getting out of the service and
planning to attend school at the
University of Houston. His
~~mom, Mary Ann shared the
news in a phone visit last week.
She and Johnny have four sons. Number 3 son,
Johnny Glen (also a former staff member, as was
his mom) and beautiful wife Ashley have bought a
new home in Houston. It is always good news to
hear good news!
June Cervenka's call was good news,
help?
An e-mail from Gerry
Struhall was like wel-
comed rain after a drought.
She has such an interesting
life. And to those of us who
know her, she lives an
amazing life. She writes, "My
father came from Georgia a long
time ago and the Webbs have a
family reunion there each year. My parents went to
some and I went with Katie once when she lived in
Atlanta. This time I went with my cousins and
their husbands and we had FUN!. Besides the
family reunion, we went to the cyclorama which we
enjoyed. It was next to the zoo and we went there
too. On the way back, we stopped in Vicksburg to
see the battlefield of the Civil War and the grave-
yard. We also went to Natchez to see the beautiful
mansions and churches. When I got home I asked
Jamie what had been going on and he said little
Jamie had broken his other leg in a motorcycle
race. Jamie 111 is going to start school in a cast.
Lase year he had an appendix operation and was
in the hospital for a month, Four or five years ago
he broke a leg. He has broken his ankle and wrist,
too, in previous accidents." Well, poor little Jamie
needs special thoughts and prayers, don't you
think? Yes, indeed!
Nancy Bojarski sent word last week that her
spouse, Ed, suffered a heart attack about 1 a.m.
Monday. He was airflighted to ETMC. And good-
ness, he had just recently retired! Hopefully, he is
back home by your reading this space!
Another unexpected by-pass surgery was done
for Johnny Richey at Corsicana. He is u coach
and had gone in for a routine checkup. We hear
through Wanda Rawls that he was considered a
"It is always good
news to hear good
news!"
recent surgery successful and
June sends word that she looks
forward to getting back home!
Dr. Dean Wintermute came by the office with
what? A small sack of papaws. It's a fruit, rare
one, too. Few have ever heard of it, much less
picked one from a tree growing in a swampy, river
bottom. The taste is kind of like a mango. And
that's good! So, why don't we have more papaws I
wonder?
To feed the humor in all of us, here is an e-mail
"meal" from Commissioner Bob Gregg.
"The Pope was on a rare trip to the U. S. While
traveling through the south, he was riding in a
specially made, sporty Popemobile provided for him
by the President. The Pope begged the chauffeur to
let him drive. Finally the chauffeur gave in and let
the Pope get behind the wheel. Naturally the Pope
went a little crazy and began going too fast.
Eventually he ran a red light and was pulled over
by a policeman. The cop called his station to ask
them what to do because he had just pulled over
somebody very, very important. 'Who is it,'asked
the Sergeant. 'The mayor, a movie star?' 'Well, I'm
not sure,' replied the policeman, 'but he must be a
VIP (very important person) because the Pope is liis
chauffeur!"
That should hold a smile on your face for a few
minutes' Now, keep it there! Until next week?
High Points From El Camino Real
Chris Davis
e-mail: elcaminoreal@inu.net
0 § #••••••«
too! She
and Rudy will be in Waco Aug. 18 to help his
mom, Marie Cervenka, celebrate her 101st
birthday! His brothers and nephews plan to join in
paying honor to her also.
Carl and Hettie Rogers with
pretty niece Jennifer were in
Tyler Friday to assess
health problems. Carl is to
begin a series of treat-
) ments soon.
Good news from Chuck
Darrow, son-in-law of June
_ m m # • Cooper. He reports her
••••«ill*
Things have been plenty
busy this week along El
Camino Real despite the
heat. School started back
without a hitch and sweaty little
kids covered in the red dirt from
the playground got home from
their first days of school ex-
hausted and full of tales to tell.
As long as the air conditioning
holds out here at my house I'll
keep getting together your
quarter's worth, but when the
AC goes so do I.
The Lord called another one
of our favorite people home this
week and we spent Sunday evening saying good-
bye to Mac Parsons who died Friday morning in
Jacksonville. The folks who came to Lynches
Chapel Methodist Church for the services had it
packed full and people were standing all outside.
I'm sure Mac was proud to know he had touched so
many lives while he was here with us. He was as
much a part of the Lynches Chapel community as
the church and the spring. Mac liked to fish and
listen to the dogs bark on a good coon hunt. He
was a fine man and his big smile will sure be
missed in our community. Please keep his wife Eva
Mae and the rest ot the tamily in your prayers tnis
week.
Campground Baptist Church in the Lynches
Chapel community was host to the wedding of
John Michael Dixon and Sheila Aldava on
Aug. 6. I think weddings in our little country
churches have a special charm to them. The only
kind of weddings I like better are those performed
by the Justice of the Peace. Good luck to the new
Dixon family!
Five year- old Austin
Peacock was a pretty
busy little boy last
week. Not only did he
have to deal with his
first day of kindergar-
ten, but also with the
arrival of a new baby
brother at his house.
His Mom and Dad, Roland
and Rene Peacock brought
Addison Conner Peacock, who was born on
Monday, home on Wednesday. These events all in
one week could make things pretty stressful, but
Austin took them all in a stride and the whole
family is doing great. Congratulations Roland,
Rene, and Austin and welcome to Alto,
Addison!
Jennifer and Lee Pearman are the proud
parents of a new little baby girl, Lee Ellen
Pearman. This is the first Grandchild for Bob
and Liz Pearman and the first granddaughter for
Jennifer's parents the Rubys, so look for some
heavy duty spoiling to begin.
Fifty years ago, on Sunday, Aug. 14, 1949,
Brother Leon Thigpen nervously paced El Camino
Real in front of First Baptist Church. The pastor
was awaiting the arrival of the bride and groom for
a scheduled 4 p.m. church wedding. The last word
from them was received by the whole town of Alto,
via the one person telephone company, that the
groom was hitch hiking from North Carolina and
might not make it in time. At exactly 4 p.m.
Robert L. Lowry and Erna Lee Blanton arrived
and were united in Holy Matrimony. From that
day until now the pace hasn't changed. Robert
was in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict
and worked for the Air Force for 11 years. He
retired from IBM after 28 years. The Lowrys
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a
Carribean cruise, a gift from their children, Jim
and Sharlyne Lowry of Atlanta, Ga., Steve and
Kay Lowry, and Becky and David Roush of
North Dallas. They have nine grandchildren and
I'd sure walk three or four
miles before I'd get on a
bus Virgil was driving.
one great-grandchild. The
couple said they would do it all
over again. Congratulations on
50 happy years!
The home of Ron and Kay
Rose was the sight of a wedding
in the Linwood Community on
Aug. 1. Colleen Davis
Dinwiddie and Leon Picard
were married by Pastor Albert
Holliday of the Spirit of Truth
Church. Sara Picard was the
Bridesmaid and Raymond Picard
and Michael Lee Picard were the
—————— Best men. After the wedding
they had a barbecue and a
Baptizing.
I ran into a pretty little girl at the post office
the other day who wanted me to remember her
birthday. Sharon Rose Ritter turned 11 years
old on Aug. 10. Happy birthday, Sharon Rose!
Alma Wallace celebrated her 75th birthday on
Sunday with a big party thrown by her children at
the A. Frank Smith Methodist Church Fellowship
Hall. She was born in the booming Metropolis of
Weches and educated at Glover School. She later
fell for and married a Lynches Chapel boy, the late
Charlie Frank Wallace and moved to Alto. Lots
of friends, family, and great-grand babies attended
to help her celeorate tnree quarters ot a century ot
life. Happy birthday, Aunt Alma!
The other Chris Davis and his wife Lanita,
along with their whole brood have moved in right
up the road from us on the same side. They have
moved into a yellow house and we live in a yellow
house. It has been confusing enough just living in
the same town. If anybody wants to mail us
anything just put it in a bottle and throw it in the
river because we'd have a better
chance of getting it that way
than by mail with them
living that close. If they
start fighting and the law
is called they might show
V up at our house or if we
£ start fighting and the law
0 is called they could show
' up at their house. Any
number of confusing things
could happen with them living this
close. What if Ed McMan comes with one of those
big sweepstakes checks? He might give it to them
instead of us or vice versa.
Everyone knows the notorious Virgil Schochler is
my neighbor. What if they go up to the other Chris
Davis' house and think his nice neighbor, Mr.
Carroll Bennett is Virgil? It makes me shudder to
think about what that poor man could go through
being mistaken for Virgil. Just remember it was
the other Chris Davis that moved, not me.
Seeing children around town climb on the school
bus every morning reminded me of a horrifying
fact that Virgil told me. In the late thirties and
early 40s, Virgil was a school bus driver for Alto.
He said his route ran from out to the Central High
community and then through Redlawn and back
around by Shiloh. He said he made about $28 a
month driving the bus.
I imagine that is where the tales got started
where people tell their kids they use to walk three
of four miles to school each way. I'd sure walk
three or four miles before I'd get on a bus Virgil
was driving.
I guess this is about all I can come up with for
this week. I try to keep up with just about every-
thing that goes on in our area, but if you want to
make sure I don't miss your event, write me a note
and drop it by the Hall of Justice. If I don't lose
the note, you have a good chance of getting your
news in my column. I'll see ya next week!
And remember, Let people know what you
stand for-and what you won't stand for.
Cfyerokeeaq/Herald
USPS 102-520
POSTMASTER:Send address changa lo: CHEROKEEAN/HERALD, P.O. BOX 476 • RUSK, TEX. 7S7SS
Periodicals Postage Paid al Rusk. Texas 75785
Texas' Oldest Continuously
Published Weekly Newspaper
Established as the Cherokee
Sentinel, Feb. 27,1850
Consolidation ol The Cherokeean,
The Alto Herald and
the Wells News & Views
Published weakly on Thursday by
E H Whitehead Enterprises
618 N Main • Rusk, Te* 175785
(903) 683 2257 • (803) 586-7771
(409) 858-4141
FAX (903)683-5104
Subscnption rates payable In advance
Cherokee County $15 per year
Outtide/Cherokee County..$18 per year
Outside Texas $20 per year
Loans or CDs
Chcclyour
rates 1st:
683-2277
Citizens 1st
BANK u
Member F.D.I.C. Efl
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 19, 1999, newspaper, August 19, 1999; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152438/m1/2/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.