USA > Georgia > Tift County > History of Tift County > Part 14
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The day of all days was August 14-the event of all secular events- the surrender of Japan! Tifton had its noisest, biggest, and safest celebra- tion after President Truman announced Japan's acceptance of the sur- render ultimatum. As soon as the news flashed, people rushed to the streets and screamed. Then they rode, yelled, blew horns and beat tin pans until
2. Description of Swift's death in Thackeray's "English Humorists of the Eighteenth Century."
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early in the morning.
Other events of 1945, though important, were insignificant in compari- son with Japan's surrender. Two hundred German prisoners of war were received at the camp located at the Tifton Air Base. The camp here in command of Major Henry A. Florence was designated as Peanut Camp. Tift County voters favored the revision of the Constitution of Georgia (1877). Tifton High School's selling three thousand dollars worth of victory bonds and stamps entitled it to have a unit in some veterans' hos- pital in the United States named for the school. Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Woody celebrated their golden wedding. A. E. Amos C. Fennell, who died in February, would have reached the century mark had he lived until May 10, 1945. A. E. Danielson, general manager of Armour and Company at Tifton for nine years, retired after forty-two years of service with the company.
Rationing was cancelled to a certain extent after the surrender of Japan. Gas, tires, kerosene, butter, grease of all kinds, canned goods, fruit juices, and sugar had been rationed. Four ration books had been issued. No one had ever dreamed that lowly grease would one day ascend the ladder of fame, but a wad of grease, during the forties, more precious than a nugget of gold, reached the top round. People watched for trucks bringing groceries to some of the stores and rushed in a stampede to be first in the grease lines. During sales of scarcities clerks and customers were near exapsera- tion. Only the rationing of sugar continued after the surrender.
Within a few months after the surrender of Japan, some of our boys returned. Then eventually other survivors came home. Tift County values the services of its boys from the most humble private to the officers of highest ranks. Since, however, a volume would be necessary for a full account of decorations, achievements, and bravery, we have details about only those who lost their lives.
CHAPTER XV POST-WAR EVENTS-ATOMIC ERA
Nineteen-forty-six did not record events as important as those of 1945, but a great era-the atomic age-which began during the last days of the war, was in 1946 the theme of discussions among young and old. Radios, newspapers, and magazines debated about whether the United States should give to Russia the secret of the atomic bomb. How to win the peace-how to make atomic energy subserve and not master mankind- were some of the grave problems.
Unconscious of the great era, however, little Charles Randall Clifton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Clifton, Route 5, was the first baby to appear in Tift County in 1946.
Among the problems for Tifton in 1946 were improvements of schools. Mrs. O. V. Barkuloo was appointed chairman of a fact finding committee to survey the school problems. The investigation resulted in improvements in the grammar school, which especially needed them. The city had al- ready spent $27,000 on the high school auditorium.
As far as we know, Tifton was the first town to ship gladioli bulbs by air. A C-47 twin-engine cargo plane carried them to New York. They were shipped by Byles Brothers, of Valdosta, and the Nick Peete Company, Ty Ty, to two firms in New York.
"The shipment launched the overnight contract freight services out of Tifton to Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. The freight service is handled by the United States Air Lines, Inc., St. Petersburg." (Tifton Gazette.)
The tomato plant and shipping in Tift County reached a high point in 1946.
The main organization of the year was the Tift County Historical Society. An account of the charter of this society was published in the Tifton Gazette :
"Charter was granted in Tift Superior Court, June 6, to the Tift County Historical Society, Inc., for a period of thirty-five years, the petitioners being a group of Tifton and Tift County citizens and a few others, former citizens of the county, who are interested in the purposes of the county.
"According to the charter provisions the society is to have no capital stock and is not organized for pecuniary gain or profit but for the purpose of publication and distribution of a history of Tifton and Tift County.
"It is the plan and purpose of the society to continue the compilation of historical information and from time to time to publish such volume or volumes as may be necessary to preserve a complete and accurate record of Tifton and Tift County.
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"The society has as one of its plans and purposes the ultimate donation of copies of publications to each school and public library in the state. Its purpose and plan of society and its members to originate, plan, and partici- pate in movements for the betterment of the community through the pro- motion of its educational, cultural, and moral interest. It is an agreed plan and purpose of the society to seek out children with talents, musical, artis- tic, and inventive.
"In re: The Tift County Historical Socieyt, Inc., Petition to incorporate in Tift Superior Court.
"The foregoing petition of C. A. Baker, Joseph Kent, George W. Branch, J. L. Williams, Robert Herring, B. H. McLeod, E. L. Webb, L. E. Bowen, R. D. Smith, S. F. Mitchell, O. V. Barkuloo, W. Jelks Warren, C. L. Carter, John T. Ferguson, T. W. Tift, E. D. Gibbs, Lott Whiddon, S. A. Youmans, Harry Hornebuckle, A. B. Phillips, Mrs. N. Peterson, Mrs. Susie T. Moore, Mrs. Ruth Vickers Fulwood, Mrs. Briggs Carson, Sr., Mrs. Pearl Willingham Myers, Mrs. Martha Wil- liams, Mrs. Ralph H. Tift Jones, Miss Ida Belle Williams, Mrs. Ralph H. Johnson, Mrs. Elizabeth P. Karsten, Mrs. Robert A. Heinsohn, Mrs. Robert Balfour, Mrs. Hazel B. Mitchell, Mrs. J. E. Newton, and Mrs. Agnew Andrews to be incorporated under the name of Tift County His- torical Society, Inc., read and considered. It appearing that said petition is within the purview and intention of the laws applicable thereto, and that all of said laws have been fully complied with, including the presenta- tion of a certificate from the Secretary of State as required by Paragraph 22, 1803 of the Code of Georgia annotated :
"It is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed that all the prayers of said petition are granted and said applicants and their associates, successors, and assigns are hereby incorporated and made a body politic under the name and style of Tift County Historical Society, Inc., for and during the period of thirty-five years, with the privilege of renewal at the expiration of that time according to the laws of Georgia and that said corporation is hereby granted and vested with all the rights and privileges mentioned in said petition.
"Granted at Chambers this 6th day of June, 1946.
"R. Eve, Judge "Tift Superior Court."
Besides this organization, there were other additions to the city in 1946, the new Austin-Weston pick-up and street sweeper and the Dixie airways. The street sweeper the first that Tifton ever had, not only swept the streets and gutters, but picked up the trash. The machine, operated by one man, was gasoline powered.
The Dixie Airways, which opened at the Tifton municipal airport gave
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to Tifton and the surrounding territory a complete flying service air with the larger trading centers. The organization was composed of H. A. Horne- buckle, S. M. Phillips, and C. A. Randerson. The initial flight service on July 4 was from Tifton to Atlanta within an hour. On the return trip the plane left Atlanta at 5:30 p.m. and arrived in Tifton at 6:30 p.m.
There was a school for students, which is still in operation and airplanes for rental to rated pilots for cross country travel.
G. K. Loftin, owner of Tifton Bus Lines, began operation of bus serv- ice in Tifton in June, 1946. The service included Unionville, Phillipsburg, cotton mill, Armour and Company, and the city residential section.
Other material improvements were the loan of $460,000 from the Rural Electrification Administration to the Colquitt Electric Company, which operates in Colquitt and adjoining counties including Tift, and the $25,000 set aside by Governor Arnall for improvements at the Tifton State Farmers' Market. The Tifton Board of Education and the State Department of Education, offered an education course for veterans, who are engaged in the on-the-job training program. During March thirty-two building permits, amounted to $96,000.
During the progress citizens rejoiced to see our boys icturning from the battlefield. The boys who lost their lives were not forgotten. Beautiful Ful- wood Park was the appropriate setting for memorial services held on Sun- day afternoon in June, honoring the forty-one young men of Tift County who made the supreme sacrifice in World War II.
Tift County Post No. 21 American Legion, under command of J. G. Whigham, had charge. T. H. S. band under direction of Lastinger, gave several numbers before the service began and played "The Star Spangled Banner" for the presentation of the Flag. Mr. Ray Shirley gave the in- vocation.
Commander Whigham and Mrs. E. U. Holder, president of the Legion Auxiliary, told of the purpose of the services and Commander Whigham introduced the speaker, the Reverend R. C. Grisham, pastor of First Bap- tist Church, Moultrie.
The Gold Star citations, with the American Legion emblem, were de- livered by Raymond Brooks to the mothers or the next of kin of the dead heroes. One mother, Mrs. Henry S. Brooks, is twice a Gold Star Mother.
After a three-volley salute by a firing squad, Mr. Len Lastinger, and Dean George P. Donaldson, of Baldwin College, led the people in sing- ing, "God Bless America." Mrs. Gresham pronounced the benediction. As the name of each soldier was called, a flower was placed in his memory on a cross in front of the audience. After the services the decorated cross was placed on the grave of J. P. Adams.
The names of Tift countians who died during the recent war are: Gar- land C. Anderson, Theodore W. Croft, Silas B. Brooks, Samuel W. Spil-
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lers, Durwood Lee Willis, Cletes J. Watson, Tom H. Rooks, Charles W. Matthews, Albert J. Mullis, Wyman D. Martin, Robert B. Powledge, George M. Sutton, Alva McLeon Woodal, Elton J. Aultman, W. A. Kelley, Jr., Ralph Gibbs, Benjamin McIntosh, Frederick E. Sears, Eu- gene Hobby, Paul Johnson, Cecil H. Willis, George C. Johnson, Clyde F. Lavender, Tilton Belflower, Winford Evans, John Dowdy, Ollie Gibbs, Talmadge May, Horace Goff, Charles E. Patton, Francis A. Cooper, Murren Arrel Barbee, Jesse Penn Adams, Heyward W. Whiddon, Rus- sell Leonard Garner, Edward Carl Cromer, Sidney Neighbors, Curtis Matthews, Reuben Funderburke; colored, Robert Lee Board, Jr., and Joseph Alvan Mckinney.
Longevity during 1946 was represented by Mrs. Elizabeth Whaley, who on April II, celebrated her ninety-fifth birthday. Her hearing is still good, but her eyesight is poor. She is very active for her age. Mrs. Whaley still goes to the table three times a day for her meals, cleans up her room, does other chores, and answers the telephone. She attributes her longevity and good health to hard work, which she began during the War Between the States, and to her regard for the laws of nature.
Mrs. Whaley, a daughter of Madison and Trecia Burch Gaughf of Laurens County, was born on April 11, 1851. Mrs. Whaley, married in 1881 James Whaley, who fought in The War Between the States, under command of Robert E. Lee. Mr. Whaley was wounded when his horse on which he rode was shot and killed. Mr. Whaley died in 1924.
She and her husband moved to Tift County the year they married. Mrs. Whaley when a young girl was a member of the Red Oak Methodist Church and is now a member of the Omega Church. She is also a mem- ber of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. One of her sons died in 1924; the other, whom she stays with, lives in Tifton. She has ten grand- children and four great-grandchildren.
Miscellaneous happenings of 1946 were :
Marian Aultman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Aultman, of Tift County, left for Tokyo, Japan, in July. She was one of the first civilian workers with the United States occupation forces in that country.
The Tifton Lions Club placed new lights and wires in Fulwood Park. Lion Joe Kent at the request of the Tifton Garden Club placed the new lights. An automatic switch turns the lights on every night at seven o'clock, and they remain until eleven.
Order was placed for one hundred white concrete posts, costing six hundred dollars, for street markers in the city.
The new four-room annex to the Annie B. Clark Grammar School was completed in December. Fluorescent lights and a new automatic coal stoker, which heated new and old buildings, added much to the comfort of the faculty and students.
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A five-man board was appointed to control the affairs of the Tift County Hospital: C. R. Choate, Ralph Puckett, and A. R. Corry, of Tifton ; M. H. Evans, of Ty Ty; and W. R. Ponder, of Omega.
On September 19, 1946 grape production for Tift County was planned. E. L. Love, of Moultrie, was in Tifton for ten days in connection with the South Georgia Grape Growers Association.
Two of the most important events in 1946 were the opening of the Tif- ton Frozen Food Market and the Shriners' Convention. The market opened on September 23. The handsome building, located at the corner of Second Street and North Central Avenue is one of the best of its kind in this section. The market was erected by Spooner Construction Company of Tifton. H. A. Hornebuckle is president of the $200,000 enterprise; J. G. Chambliss, vice-president and general manager; and W. S. Weeks, secre- tary-treasurer.
A week after the opening of the Frozen Food Market about two thou- sand Shriners came riding in jeeps, on horseback, and on trains to Tifton. About three weeks before, Mr. Allen Johnson, Jr., on behalf of the Tif- ton Lumber Company, had presented a gold plated key to City Manager Frank Smith. The inscription, "Tifton, Georgia" is on one side of the handle, decorated with a wreath; "Compliments of the Tifton Lumber Company," on the other side.
John C. Helmken, illustrious potentate of Alee Temple, Savannah re- ceived from City Manager Smith this gold key, which unlocked the hos- pitable door of Tifton for the Shriners. After the registration of the Nobles at the Hotel Myon and at the high school auditorium the Shrine band in full regalia gave a concert in front of the Tifton Bank. City police and State Patrol cars cleared the way for the parade. Alee Temple band marched, followed by the official cars carrying the potentate and officials of the Tifton Shriners.
The Shriners had their fun playing all kinds of jokes on people, but exhibited in their float, which presented doctors and nurses in their treat- ment of crippled children, the main project of the Nobles.
Another sign of progress was the report of the third bank in Tifton, the Citizen's Bank, which opened on July 1, 1945, with H. D. Hand as presi- dent and H. P. Sanders as cashier. On June 29, 1940 the statements showed deposits of $250,929.48.
In November, 1946, people in Tifton and in other American towns were mentally and physically shivering over the complete shut down of the nation's coal mines. No one could buy coal unless he would sign an affidavit saying he had enough coal for only a few days. After the District Court of the United States made a case against John L. Lewis, he finally sent the miners back to work.
This war period was permeated with terrors and prayers for victory,
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the master word for the allies. People talked about the letter V, the symbol of the allied nations, thought about it, and saw it in various places. The letter V actually appeared in the formation of clouds. Reliable Tifton people saw it. Mrs. W. I. Lane, of Ty Ty, found a gray and green colored spider with a distinct grayish V on his back. Two ears of corn in B. B. Tyson's corn patch grew in the shape of a V. Cane in an almost perfect V grew in the patch of Henry Folsom, Route 5, Tifton, Georgia. No one can explain such phenomena as these. The V's, however, might have exist- ed before without anyone's observation.
The Holy Grail of War, the symbol V, was found. Only time can tell whether or not the search for the Holy Grail of peace will be in vain.
CHAPTER XVI SMALL TOWNS HISTORY OF BRIGHTON
(by Mrs. Dan Sutton)
When Brighton community was first formed, it was a part of Irwin County. In 1905 it became a part of Tift County. Captain H. H. Tift named Brighton for some town near his home at Mystic, Connecticut.
A man known as one-armed Jim Walker was perhaps the first settler. He cleared a rather large tract of land, and today his daughter Jude and her boys still live on this farm. Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Walker were probably the next settlers to move to this community. Other early settlers were Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Fletcher, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McMillan, Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Paulk, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Luke, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Conger, the Barton family, the Reason Gibbs family, the John Arnold family, and the Jordan Baker family. These are the families who really cleared the land and made way for other settlers.
Captain H. H. Tift built a tramroad from Tifton to Brighton, and with Charlie Jenkins as engineer, the train hauled the logs which had been cut from the virgin timber, to Tift's sawmill in Tifton where they were made into fine lumber. Log rolling and quilting parties were the order of the day. Much of the wood was piled together and burned.
About 1890, the first railroad was built from Tifton to Pinetta in Irwin County, the first engineer also being Charlie Jenkins. Wood was used as fuel to run the train, and when fuel gave out, the train was stopped for wood to be gathered. The engineer stopped just anywhere for passengers to board the train.
W. W. Lennon brought a large group of negroes from North Carolina to turpentine the timber and they, together with negroes from Albany, bought lots from Elbert Fletcher and settled what is known as the Brighton Negro Colony. Some of these negroes are buried under the Farmers' warehouse in Tifton. These negroes worked for the white pioneers, hoeing, share-cropping the farms, washing, ironing, scrubbing, and tending the children. They had a great part in the growth and development of both Brighton and Harding. Many of them were held in great respect by the pioneer families.
The church was begun in the first schoolhouse which was built about 1890. J. J. F. Goodman, George Clark, and Joe Mixon were among the first preachers. Then the Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church was estab- lished as an arm of Turner Church, and Elder James Gibbs was the first pastor. Today Elder W. F. Mims is the pastor, and the church is a very progressive, flourishing church made up principally of the children, grand- children and great-grandchildren of the pioneers. George M. Fletcher do- nated the land for the church and the school .. Jonathan Walker sawed the
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lumber and Henry Sutton built the first church and donated the organ to the church.
These men also built the first schoolhouse. Miss Edna Cox, who later became Mrs. M. S. Shaw, was the first teacher. Other early teachers were Miss Lummie Mann, Arch Shaw, W. B. Hitchcock, and Mrs. Leona Yarbrough Sutton. These first teachers boarded around with their pupils, and their salaries were meagre. They were real teachers though, and did a great work. Brighton School was finally consolidated with Harding School and is now known as Harding Consolidated School.
Mr. Walker had the first cotton gin in the Brighton community. People hauled the cotton to the ginhouse in wagons, and emptied it into stalls. Then they carried it from the stalls to the gin in large baskets. After the cotton was ginned, it was put into the press by hand. When they got a bale into the press, they pushed a lever until it was pressed. Today farmers from Brighton bring their cotton to Tifton where it is ginned on an electric gin.
The Brighton post office was established about 1900. Henry Sutton was the first postmaster, and Walter Sutton was assistant. Soon after this a rural route was established with Will Clark as the first rural carrier. After this the post office at Brighton was soon abolished.
The first store at Brighton was set up by Henry Sutton in his house. Later he moved it to the station at Brighton. There is no store at Brighton now.
The J. S. Belflower family and the Charlie Jenkins family and others moved to Brighton since the pioneers first settled it and they have helped in the growth and development of it.
Today Brighton and Harding Communities make Brighton Militia Dis- trict 1550, and Harding Consolidated School District.
MIR. AND MRS. ELBERT FLETCHER BRIGHTON COMMUNITY
by Mrs. Dan Sutton
Elbert Fletcher was born in Irwin County near Fitzgerald. He was a soldier in the War Between the States. He married Katie McMillan of Alapaha and they owned a large plantation in the Brighton community, being some of the very first settlers. Mr. Fletcher died at the age of fifty- two, but Mrs. Fletcher, who was affectionately known as "Aunt Katie," lived to be ninety-one years of age. Their children were Dan, George M., and Sarah.
Mrs. Fletcher was a good financier, a good neighbor and friend. She was a staunch charter member of the Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church, never missing a service except for illness. At "Big Meeting" time, her home
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was filled with visiting members during the three days. Her hospitality, as did that of the other pioneers, knew no bounds, especially during these meetings.
She was a famous cook of the old style. She cared nothing for dress, but her character was pure gold. She lived alone for many years. She kept a large herd of cows all the time, and loved them dearly. No matter what time of night one came straggling in, she would get up out of bed and go turn him in the cowpen. Aunt Katie was really a brave pioneer. They rest in the Turner Church cemetery.
MR. AND MRS. HENRY SUTTON BRIGHTON COMMUNITY
by Mrs. Dan Sutton
Henry Sutton was born in the Zion Hope community in 1861, a son of Joe and Missouri Sumner Sutton. He had one sister, Susie. In 1881 he mar- ried Sarah Fletcher, and a little later they purchased a 650-acre farm in Brighton community. Here they reared six children : Walter, Willie, Dan, George, Kate, and Bessie.
Mrs. Sutton was an invalid for many years, but had somewhat recovered during her last years. She had a great sense of humor, and everyone en- joyed her. When one drove up to her gate, she met him there with a friendly smile and one felt welcome at once. Her smile lighted up her whole face and there was a twinkle in her eye. She enjoyed homemaking. and since she had lived in the house so much when she was ill, she par- ticularly liked to walk about the yard and lot, feeding her chickens, etc., spending as much time as possible outdoors. She was exceedingly cheerful for one who had suffered for so many years.
Mr. Sutton liked to minister to the sick, and he spent many a weary night watching at the bedside of those who were ill. When sorrow, illness, or trouble entered a home, he was the first person thought of.
He was a charter member of the Mount Olive Primitive Church, and was a leading member and faithful in fulfilling his church duties as long as he lived. He always worked to maintain the best school possible. He loved and enjoyed his family and, like all other pioneers, they were exceed- ingly hospitable in their home. The latch string was, in truth, always on the outside.
Just as at the other pioneer homes there were cane grindings and sugar boilings for a month. Mrs. Sutton was an expert at making sugar. Then came hog killing time with "chiltlins" and stuffed sausage.
Mr. Sutton served four years as Tax Receiver of Tift County. He had
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the first store in Brighton and was postmaster during the time the post office was at Brighton. He died in 1926, Mrs. Sutton having preceded him in death in 1924.
MR. AND MRS. JONATHAN WALKER BRIGHTON COMMUNITY
by Mrs. Dan Sutton
Jonathan Walker was born near Irwinville. His father died when Jona- than was very young, and he helped his mother rear eight children. For several years Jonathan ran a ferry across the Alapaha River near Crystal Lake. Jonathan carried the mail on horseback from Irwinville to Broxton. He set up camps along the mail route and here he stopped to eat and sleep. He was Tax Collector of Irwin County for one term. He was a great fisherman and spent much of his latter days tramping the woods he loved so well and fishing.
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