A look back

By Staff
Researched by Dr. Bill Stewart
New Year's is always a time of transitions, some happy ones and others definitely not. Most of these reminiscences date from a half-century ago.
1956 -Dec. 30, Cadet Ralph Pattillo, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. V. Pattillo, has been promoted to group commander at Graham Air Force Base in Mariana, Florida. He is training to be a jet pilot and will graduate in February.
1956 -Dec. 30, Today marked the first services for Hartselle First Baptists in their brand-new church building. The congregation has recently completed a $175 thousand building campaign.
1956 – Dec. 31, Folks planning to dine on traditional New Year's fare tomorrow should expect to find hog jowl selling at two pounds for 19 cents and the same amount of black eye peas can be had also for 29 cents.
1916 -Jan. 1, Today was the day the new officials of Morgan County took up their offices. Circuit Court Clerk J. L. Draper will have as his office deputy his son, Euel, and his clerk will be his niece, Lucile.
1954 – Jan. 1, New Year's is not the same in Hartselle. The beloved physician, Dr. W. H. Lovelady, was not here to deliver the first baby. It will be remembered that Dr. Lovelady died at age 84 late last month
1886 – Jan. 2, Mr. and Mrs. W. V. Echols hosted a New Year's night party last night at their residence. All of the young ladies and young men of the town and a goodly number of visitors from a distance were in attendance.
1956 – Jan. 3, Mahlon A. Hartselle, Jr., is now serving as sales representative for Allstate Insurance Company in Morgan County.
1951 – Jan. 4, Townspeople currently are debating whether they ought to let Hartselle teens dance in 1951 by opening the Legion hall to this activity one night each week.
1956 – Jan. 4, Merrill W. Doss is Hartselle's new city attorney.
1908 – Jan. 5, Hartselle merchants will soon settle down to the New Year's business and are anticipating a big spring trade.