My Mother's Scrapbook
Like many young ladies, my mother kept a scrapbook of newspaper articles about people she knew. Her scrapbook dates from the 1940's. This is a particularly interesting period of history as we see items about boys going off to war and some who never made it back; there are a surprising number of mentions of people going to college; and no matter what the event, if the women was not married then the newspaper included the names of her parents!
I have just included a short summary of each item. I tried to include the names of the person(s), the event that occurred, and information that would help pinpoint the date of the item. If you come across one that interests you please email me and I will email you all of the information included in the announcement. All marriage and engagement announcements included parents names. Hope you enjoy my mother's scrapbook!
Marriages and Engagements
Rice-Cook : Ruby Jeanette Rice of Widener to Grady Douglas Cook Monday June 11th. The couple attended Forrest City High School and will make their home near Madison.
Carlisle-Morledge: Betty Claire Carlisle to George B. Morledge, Jr. on September 13, 1941 at Hernando, Mississippi.
Combs-Lukes: Peggy Combs of Caldwell to Rufus Lukes of Caldwell on June 18. They will make their home in Caldwell.
Montgomery-Clarke: Elizabeth Nan Clarke of Madison and Clarence Edward Montgomery of Forrest City . Both are graduates of Forrest City High School. (Notice appeared Aug 20, 1944)
Cole-Pollard: Marie Cole and Robert Pollard, both of Forrest City.
Price-Wall: Dorothy Lorene Price to Jerry Franklin Wall, both of Forrest City. Mrs. Wall graduated from Forrest City High School in 1946. They will be at home on their farm in the Wesley Community.
Smith-Groves: Elwanda Groves of Forrest City to Jack Vinson Smith of Memphis On March 23rd. They will make their home in Memphis.
Waterman-Rountree: Jane Charline Waterman of Pine Bluff to Edward Clark Rountree of Forrest City will take place June 2nd.
Ellis-Gates: Rosie Mae Ellis to Chief Petty Officer James H. Gates. Both attended Forrest City High School and will make their home in San Francisco where the groom is stationed.
Pairmore-Whittingham: Flossie Pairmore of Hughes to Private Ernest Whittingham of Forrest City.
Shaddock-Horton: Ardrene Shaddock of Route Four, Forrest City to Pvt. Burford Horton Of Route Four, Forrest City. Mrs. Horton attended Forrest City High School. Private Horton was wounded in combat in France and on Jan. 27 reports to Foster General Hospital in Jackson, Miss.
Groves-Burmeister: Frances Elwanda Groves of Forrest City to Charles Burmeister of Memphis on Dec. 26th.
Adamson-Atterberry: Bessie Mae Adamson of Route One, Forrest City to Corporal Willie Eugene Atterberry, formerly of St. Francis County On May 9th.
Jolly-Johnson:Marguerite Johnson of Widener to William Aubrey Jolly of Forrest City on January 19th. Both graduated from Forrest City High School and the groom was in the Marines during WWII.
Williams-Perry: Gladys Westwood Williams of Forrest City is engaged to Sgt.. J.D. Perry of Dermott Ark. (Notice appeared Nov. 7, 1943)
Haven-Kirkpatrick: Rosemary Haven is engaged to Capt. Otto Rollwage Kirkpatrick, both of Forrest City. During the war he served with the Air force in Northern Europe.
Connaway-Dougherty: Betty Jean Connaway of Forrest City is engaged to Corp. Marion Conway.
Jones-Gadberry: Alice Marie Jones to Thomas C. Gadberry, both of Forrest City. (Notice appeared May 13)
Westhafer-Pollard: Martha Westhafer of Tulsa to marry Robert Pollard of Forrest City on July 1st.
Needham-Cook: Letitia Needham of Widener to Maurice Cook of Mayfield, Ky.
Aycock-Phillips: Elizabeth Ann Aycock of Forrest City to marry Sidney Horner Phillips of Little Rock.
Lindsey-Gunn: Beulah Lindsey of Caldwell.to marry Earl Gunn, Jr of Forrest City on June 16th. Mr. Gunn served with the Air Corps during the war.
Cisco-Thompson: Bobbie Marie Cisco of Forrest City to Seaman Howell M. Thompson Of Griffithville, Ark. on Aug. 21st.
Porter-Abel: Virgie Mae Porter to Aviation Cadet James Henry Abel, both of Forrest City. Wedding to be in eary spring.
Dice-Mullennix: Jeweldean Dice of Forrest City to marry Charles Mullennix of Tupelo, Miss. A late summer wedding is planned.
Stevenson-Murphy: Shirley Ann Stevenson to William C. Murphy of Tuckerman, Ark.
Epperson-Emerson:
Sybel June Epperson of Forrest City to William Emerson on Nov. 29th.
Horton-Logan: Frances Ruth Horton of Forrest City to marry Thomas Rea Logan of Precott, Ark. on March 25th.
Bell- Gilbreath: Maxine Bell to marry William Gilbreath of Batesville.
Lewis-Varnell: Mary Frances Lewis of Rector to marry Robert Varnell of McComb Miss. on June 21st.
Miscellaneous Announcements
Van Louis McDaniel , daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis McDaniel of Forrest City, Has been crowned queen of the Forrest City High School football team. She is a sophomore. (photo)
Miss Betty Claire Carlisle will represent Forrest City as a bathing beauty At the White River Water Carnival in Batesville, July 23-24. Miss Carlisle is a junior at Forrest City High School.... (photo)
Newspaper clipping of three girls: Virginia Woods, Mary Ella Crook, and Joanne Perdzock. No text.
Elizabeth Ann Aycock, daughter of Judge and Mrs. T.J. Aycock of Forrest City, has been elected president of the sophomore class at Mary Baldwin College....(photo)
Cpl. Roy Hill of the U.S. Infantry and stationed at Fort Ord, Calif., is spending a ten day furlough here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hill....
The crack Forrest City High School band...will attend "Eastern Arkansas Day" at the State Livestock Show in Little Rock on Thursday, October 17th....
Pvt. Ralph Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Roberts, is now spending a furlough with his family here....
Virgil Heath is spending a few days with his family here, en route to Camp Mead, Maryland....
Orville Clyde Pelkey of Round Pond, Route One, enlisted in the navy at Little Rock Friday, June 26, as an Apprentice Seaman....
Four Arkansas boys met in the South Pacific at an "Arkansas party" given by the American Red Cross for the First Marine Division. Left to right, they are: Pfc. D.T. Hargraves, 18, Helena; Pvt. Wiley F. Roland, 18, Forrest City; Pvt. John E. Matthews, 20, North Little Rock; and Pfc Jack Vernon Donoho, 19, Little Rock.(photo)
Word has been received by Miss Bessie May Adamson that Cpl. Willie Eugene Atterbury is back in San Diego, Calif., after serving with the Marines in the South Pacific....
Mr. and Mrs. Will Roland received official notice from the War Department on Thursday that their son, Pfc. W. F. (Dub) Roland was killed in action on Okinawa On May 1st., while serving with the Marines. Pfc. Rowland has been in service eleven months, and overseas for the past six months....
Marine Corps Base, San Diego, Calif.-Marine Privates Jim C. Peevey, 18, and Arthur Sadler, 24, engage in a hand to hand struggle for possession of a rifle.... The action is part of the bayonet fighting course taught at this base during recruit training. Private Peevey is the son of Mrs. Maude Peevey, General Delivery, Colt, Arkansas....(photo)
The Silver Star Medal with citation will be posthumously awarded to the parents of Marine Private Ralph Beazley Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist Church in Forrest City.... Private Beazley was mortally wounded in action against Japanese forces on Peleliu Island on September 15, 1944....
1948 Graduating Class Will Get Diplomas Tomorrow- includes photos and text about the following students- Student Head Virgil Calvin Merrill; Valedictorian LaVada Voss; Salutatorian Anita Sue Whittenton; Class President George Davis Eldridge; Editor Walter Buford Nimocks; Co-Editor Martha Ree Belshe; and Co-Editor Martha Ann Davis.
Word was received by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gray this morning in an official statement from the War Department that their son, Sgt. Joe Gray, who was reported missing on February 7th, is now a prisoner of war in a German camp in Italy. Sgt. Gray is a member of the Army Air Corps.
When Sgt. John Alessi, 29, of Forrest City, Ark., an airplane maintenance technician at this Eighth Air Force P51 Mustang station, watched his group take off for Munich on two successive days a few months ago, he checked off the missions as routine.... Sgt. Alessi's wife, Mrs. Dixie Alessi, lives on Route No. 1.
(This appears to be from the Forrest City High School Student Newspaper) Ralph W. Roberts, a former student of this school, is now spending a sixteen day furlough with his parents. On April 11 Ralph will report to Fort Ord, Calif. R. Leonard Sampley, another former student of this school, is now serving in france.... On January 6, 1943, Leonard was shipped to England, later he was sent to North Africa, Italy, and is now serving in France. Chester Frost, a 1943-44 graduate, is now serving in the South Pacific....
Miss Georgia Swan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Swan, has accepted the position of social editor of the Times Herald and will assume her new duties on Monday. Miss Swan is a graduate of the Forrest City High School.... She is an attractive and popular member of the younger social set of this city....
May 25- Miss Ann MacDougll of Forrest City, Ark., a Senior at Stevens College, this week received one of the highest honors a student may win at the college. She was named to the 1947-48 Senior Honor Roll....
The Community Center was packed with many spectators participating in the Carnival activities sponsored by the Lions Club, Friday Night.... highlighting the Carnival was the bathing beauty contest with Miss Bobbie Nicholas of Colt being chosen by out of town judges as "Miss Forrest City Lioness"....
Sept. 19- When the University of Arkansas' famed Razorback band marches out onto the football field for the opening game of the season Sept. 27, it will be led by A.F. Thomas, Jr., Forrest City.... (photo)
Obituaries
Mrs. Loyd N. Myers (Lyda Mae Mason) died in her home in Forrest City on August 31, 1947....
Alva Lee Young. 14, died Feb. 22, 1941 after being stricken with measles....
Shelby Jean Deere, born May 1, 1941, died June 30, 1941....
Doris Nolan died last night at the Laughrun Clinic following a long illness. She was 18....
Mrs. Eloise George Armstrong died yesterday afternoon at 4:00 o'clock at her home on Route One. She was 19....
Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon at Hughes Cemetery for John William Poland.... He was 16 years old, having celebrated his birthday on New Year's Day.
Thomas Richard Munn, St. Francis County farmer, died at his home on Route One at 10:35 o'clock this morning following a heart attack. He was 68....
Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at Forrest Park Cemetery for Mrs. Florence Brown, 33, who died at her home on Route 2 Thursday afternoon....
In memory of our Mother, Mrs. Erma Hubbard, who passed away November 15, 1936. By her children.... (includes a Mother's Day poem)
Arkansas officers have in custody a Memphis man held in connection with the death early yesterday by auto collision of Miss Dorothy Spivey, 17-year-old beauty contestant....(photo)
Sam Dexter Harris, St. Francis County farmer and school bus driver, died at midnight last night at the Laughrun Clinic of pneumonia.... Mr. Harris was a native of St. Francis County. He was born on March 26, 1907....
Mrs. Birdie Nichols Webb, age almost 40, passed away at the Wilson Clinic in Wynne.... Burial was in Hughes Cemetery.
Mrs Bessie Bradford, age 35, was born April 13, 1913, near Knoxville, Tenn.... She became sick Thursday night and in as much as she seemed to be getting along alright, her death Saturday afternoon at 2:30 came unexpectedly and without warning from a heart attack....
Funeral services for Tom A. Buford, 39, .... will be held Wednesday afternoon at the Stevens Funeral home.... The deceased was born at the family home here on December 19, 1909....
Mrs. Mable Marie Jumper...was born here in St. Francis County on January 23rd, 1932. She spent her entire life here and married Gerald Jumper in January of 1947. Mrs. Jumper passed away yesterday afternoon at 2:30 soon after giving birth to her infant son.... She was 17 years of age.
Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2:30 at the Hughes Cemetery for Will R. Meyers, 66....
Mrs. Clementine Satterfield Harris was born in St. Francis County on August 2, 1880.... The deceased was 64 years of age and had been in failing health for the past year....
Mrs. Mary Lee Smally Hughes, 33 years of age, passed away at Peterson Clinic in Wynne Thursday night at 11:45 o'clock. She was born July 19, 1913 in Grand Junction, Tenn....
Mr. and Mrs. Will Rowland received official notice from the War Department on Thursday that their son, Pfc. W.F. (Dub) Rowland was killed in action on Okinawa on May 1st., while serving with the Marines....
George W. Padgett, Jr.,19, born and reared in this county, met a tragic and sudden death near the Linden Island Bridge southeast of here early yesterday morning while squirrel hunting....
Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon at 4:00 o'clock at the Hughes Cemetery for Mrs David L. Henson.... She was 71....
Dr. John T. Brown, 84, life-long resident of St. Francis County, died at a Memphis area hospital Wednesday at 1:00 o'clock.... Dr. Brown was born August 23, 1862, at Old Linden, a thriving community no longer in existence....
Anita Faye Bryan, five months old, died at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Bryan, north of Forrest City, at 9:10 last night of pneumonia....
Lieut. Jere Witherspoon Gates, husband of Mrs. Dolores Weber Gates of Forrest City, Ark., was killed in action in Germany March 27 while serving with Patton's Third Army.... Lieutenant Gates was commissioned Feb. 8, 1943, and was promoted to lieutenant in combat Sept. 15, 1944.
Judge Eugene A. Rolfe, died at 5:30 am today in Laughrun clinic of the infirmities of advancing age. He was 83....
The body of Mrs. Ethel Ellis Boyd, 35, a woman taxi driver, was found in a ditch near Forrest City, Ark....
June 13, 1947-Robert Johnson, 40, farmer who made his home southeast of here near the St. Francis River, was drowned Friday morning....
William Laws, 78, passed away suddenly this morning....He lived in the Hughes community. Mr. Laws was born May 1, 1870 in St. Francis Co....
Dr. Nall Carroll McCown died...(he) was born in Kentucky August 31, 1883...and moved to St. Francis County in 1919 where he has since continuously practiced medicine....
Minnie Jean Early, baby daughter of Minnie Belle Davis Early and James Edward Early, died Friday afternoon.... The Early family lives south of Colt on the Summersweet Peach Orchard....
Chief Deputy Sheriff Ray Campbell of Forrest City was shot to death and Deputy Otis Tatum was wounded...Thursday night.
Seven Persons Lose Lives in Downey Hotel Fire-The dead are- Mrs. Lela Mae England Barrett, 24; and her two daughters, Louise England, 8 and Anna Faye England, 6; Arthur Waterson, 58, and his wife Mrs. Clara Waterson, 56; J.D. (Buck) Neves, 68; and Bert Nugent, 48. (part of a much longer article)