Lauderdale County, Alabama
County Schools
Bethel Grove
1909: This picture is located in the scrapbooks compiled by the late Oscar D. Lewis. These books, which contain many interesting articles about this area, are in the local history and genealogy room of the Florence Lauderdale Public Library.
"...It was a big day, 60 years ago, at Bethel Grove
School when this group posed for the official school
portrait. The group includes, First row, seated on
ground, left to right:
Grover Wiles, Tom Fox, Everett Hendrix, Elmer
Hendrix, Doyle Livingston, Bill May, Luther Smith,
and teacher, Mrs. Eulala Bradley, Second row, from
left: Bessie Keeton, Bessie Givens, Annie Mae
Hendrix Swank, Mamie Smith Koonce, Mittie
Bourland Mitchell, Chapel May Robertson, Mary Sue
Livingston Smith, Bessie Givens; Third row, from
left: Silas Bradley, Mrs. Betty Bradley, Herbert
Bradley, Edward Bradley, Lonnie Smith, Yuel Givens,
Walter Young, unidentified, Everett Young, Tom
May, Fourth row, from left: Unidentified Person Fox,
Marvin Wilkes, Lessie Keeton, Virgle Hendrix. Our
thanks to Mrs. Luther Smith, 229 Georgia Avenue,
for this Scrapbook Feature."
1910 or 1911
Contributed by John R. Butler
"...This photo shows the Bethel Grove School group in about 1910 or 1911. Bethel Grove was located in the north end of Lauderdale county. The building has been torn down now. Shown left to right are: first row, Lesley Givens, Elmer Keeton, Ernest May, Doyle Livingston, Gifford Olive, Elmer Livingstone, unidentified, Edgar Willis, Aubry Butler, unidentified, Elmer Hendrix; second row, Willie Sue Cypress, Mary Sue Livingston, Desie Williams, Lula Williams, Nettie Olive, Vernon Olive, Viola Montgomery, Mary Lee Hendrix, Ollie May Holt, Irene Brewer, Martha Butler, Lizzie Sue Willis, Chaple May Robertson; third row, Robert Montgomery, Johnny Daniels, Everett Hendrix, Annie May Hendrix, Lina Butler, Mattie Olive, Flora Williams, Addie Montgomery, Mary Beth Cypress, Annie D. Livingston, Bertha Givens, fourth row, Grover Wilks, Bill May, Hershel Keeton, Everett Young, Walter Young, Rasco Willis, Herbert Bradley, Edward Bradley, last row, Tom May, Wesley Butler, Amma [Anna?] Berry, Mary May, Bessie Givens. The teacher is Mrs. Annie Berry. (Our Thanks to Luther Smith of Florence, for this Scrapbook feature.)
NOTE from Pat M. Mahan: The newspaper and date of publication are not given. It is believed that this picture and article appeared in the Times Daily during the 1980s. It is also believed that the picture was taken later than 1910, because Ollie Ruth (May) Holt was only 4 years old in 1910. Chaple (May) Robertson, Bill May, Tom May and Mary May were the brothers and sisters of Ollie Ruth. Their parents were John Johnston May and Ada Matilda Belew.
Brush Creek School
Feb 5, 1915
Contributed by JoAnne Forsythe
The school was located three miles north of Killen, Alabama. This picture was taken at Harrisons Chapel Methodist Church. Those that can be identified are:
1st row, 7th from left - Louise Gist
2nd row, 9th from left - Vernon Cox
Top row, 4th from left - Richard Tidwell
According to Ronald Pettus, the following children are
pictured: First row left to right: Ester Cox, John
Wesley Ramer, Lily Philips, Maud Haygood, Vernie
Muse, Albert Muse, Louise Tidwell, Elmer Richardson,
Emma McPeters, Douglas Gist, Eva Cochran, Homer
Haygood. Second row: Palmer Haygood, Martha
Evelyn Gist, Newt Haygood, Johnnie McPeters,
Clyde Owens, Lyda Massey, Elliot Grigsby, Birdie
Haygood, Mattie Cox, Bessie Muse Third row: Charlie
Cochran, Ona Grigsby, Oscar Warren (Supt of Edu.),
Richard Tidwell, Eva Muse, Walter Thompson,
teacher: Birdie Thornton, Eddie McGee, Ray Massey, Marvie Massey, Clarence Gist. If you can identify others, please contact JoAnne Forsythe.
Burcham Valley - 1917
This picture is located in the scrapbooks compiled by the late Oscar D. Lewis. These books, which contain many interesting articles about this area, are in the local history and genealogy room of the Florence Lauderdale Public Library.
The caption reads: "...Left to right, first row - Irene Haddock, Vernon Cobb, Cornelia Daniel, Gladys Cobb, Bertha Haddock, Eugene Darby, Carroll Box, Douglas Daniel, Owen Haddock, Bessie Olive, teacher. Second row - Preacher Darby, Mary Hipp, Carmen Box, Myrtle Haddock, Gladys Box, Beatrice Cobb, Ray Austin, Third row -- Maude Darby Sudie Mae Cobb, Myrtle Cobb, Robert Darby, Clyce Haddock, Carl Bevis, Homer Daniel, Fourth row -- Myrtle Box, Maggie Foster, Vernon Darby, Viola Couch, Ada Daniel, Josie Daniel, Fifth row -- Clarence Darby, Vester Haddock, Price Darby, Homer Foster."
Central School
1949 From contributor Beverly Bryant: "This photo appears to be
Central School which my mother had mentioned in her 'autograph
book.' My mother, Billie Ruth Murphy, dated the picture 1944. She
is in the middle row, 5th from the right. I would like to know the
other students names if anyone can identify them. Thank you."
Per Steve Cooper, the boy in the middle of the front row is possibly
his uncle, Bobby Young.
1949 - 1950 (Below) Contributed Aug 2006 by Marty Smith
1958 Contributed Aug 2006 by Marty Smith
Cloverdale School
ca 1936 - 1937
Submitted July 2002 by Beverly Bryant
From Beverly Bryant: "This photo of my mother's class at Cloverdale School was taken, I believe, about 1936 or 1937. My mother, Billie Ruth Murphy, is on the bottom row, 4th from left. I would like to get the names of the other children and teacher too if possible. Thank you."
On 24 Aug 2005, Beverly Bryant writes:
"Thanks to Steve Cooper and Alice Simmons Statom,
the students in this picture have been identified as
follows:
Front Row: Charles McCorkle, Audrey O'Bryant
(Daniels, Geans), Bernita Darby, Billie Ruth Murphy,
Mary Austin (G. D. Hendrix) (Dan Richardson), Roscoe
Murphy, Jr. Row 2: Hazel Wooten (Dalton Miles),
Verna Dean Goodman, Betty Jean Lovelace (Sherrod),
Lois Lewis (John Chowning), Arvel Creasy, Alice
Simmons (J. P. Statom). Row 3: Annie Ruth
Montgomery (Howard Whitten), Gurthia Hayes,
Harry Lee Sharp, Kenneth House, Carlos House,
Herbert Murphy, Ruby Price (O'Kelley), Teacher:
Miss Irene Fulmer. Top Row: J. R. Ward, Dewey Creasy, Juanita Montgomery (Alvin Valentine) (Neal Williams), Vernon Bates, Mary Easter Parrish (Edward Bevis), J. T. Foy
Ebenezer School
1916
Submitted Jan 2006 by Paul R. Parker
"Boys of Ebenezer School"
Left to right, names written on the picture are: Jesse Michell, --odney, Willie Forsythe, Killen, Davis, Theodore Smith, Jesse Gray, Allen. Can someone tell which boy the names of Willie Forsythe and ___ Davis belong to, and which boys are not identified? The teacher was Grace Catlow prior to her marriage to Walter Parker.
FORD'S MILL SCHOOL
1914 and 1917
Contributed 4 Oct 2006 by David Montgomery
This school no longer exists. It was located about 1/4 mile west of the present location. The photo's of the students were taken at the first or original building before it burned to the ground. After the school burned, a Mr. Bud Shepherd who lived nearby, along with others of the area joined together and built a new school near the original site in 1931. Later, the school was moved in sections by placing logs under each section. They were moved to the present location and re-assembled. The men and families of the community gathered together, sawed down trees and built the building that stands today. It was used as a church and school as many were in those days. The building has been renovated a few times through the years also.
School Class Photo made at Ford's Mill
on Second Creek, Waterloo, Alabama 1914
Back Row L-R
Dave Ticer, Dewey Fowler, Mamie Fowler, Victoria Shepherd, Margie Brewer, Lizzie Shepherd & Lewis Shepherd.
Middle Row L-R
Ola Weaver, Myrtle Ticer, Nora Fowler, Flora Shepherd, Hattie Williams (Teacher, daughter of John Williams),
Clarie Lindsey, Lillian Ticer & May Sego
Front Row L-R
Jesse Perkins, Unie Geans, Ledford Qualls, Cid Fowler, Velma Weaver, Lois Ticer & Cora Sego.
Ford's Mill School - 1917
Back Row: L-R
Lois Ticer, Augzelle Gray, Lillian Ticer,
Gertie Holcombe, Velma Weaver, Myrtle
Stricklin, Amos Dubois or Amil Goodman,
unknown, unknown, unknown, Savier
McDaniel and (Teacher) Virgie Kirkpatrick.
Middle Row L-R
Onnie Gean, unknown, unknown,
unknown, Elmo Holcombe, Berlan Lard
(son of John Robert Lard) or may be
Elan Hinton, unknown, Sallie Holcombe,
Nancy Lindsey, Edna Perkins, unknown,
& unknown.
Front Row L-R
Onus Lard, Luther Faulkner, Arthur
Holcombe, ???? Weston, Nora Lee
McDaniel, Etta Lindsey, Etta Ticer, Hattie Weaver, Irene Freeman, Rosie Holcombe, Virgil Hinton, Ancel Hinton & Jewel Hinton.
[These students were identified by Mildred Mason and others. If you know those marked as unknown, with questionmarks, or wrongly identified, please e-mail David Montgomery.]