A look back
By By Dr. Bill Stewart
Jan. 22, 1959-Richard Hyche, who has experience both as a sheriff’s deputy and a city policeman, was appointed sheriff of Morgan County this morning by Gov. John Patterson. The county already has one sheriff, Knox McRae, but Patterson contends that former Gov. Jim Folsom lacked authority to name someone to serve the full term to which the late Sheriff Jimmie Collier had been elected back in November. A lengthy court battle is anticipated.
Jan. 22, 1959-Paul Lee has returned from a business and pleasure trip to points in the Rio Grand Valley region of Texas.
Jan. 22, 1959-As a formal welcome to the ‘59 line of Chevies, Stewart Brothers Motor Co. is holding an “open house” today through Saturday. The debutante is the Bel Air sport sedan, which features a rakish design. The sedan is also identified as a four-door hardtop.
Jan. 22, 1959-The Hartselle Garden Club met in the M. H. Broom home this afternoon. Mrs. F. A. Bennett and Mrs. J. E. Peck assisted Mrs. Broom as co-hostesses.
Jan. 22, 1959-The Cullman Bearcats beat the MCHS Tigers 52-48 in an overtime basketball game there tonight. The Tigers’ record is now 16-6. Johnson was the leading scorer with 11 points.
Jan. 23, 1959-Frank Smith left today to spend a few months in Tucson, Ariz., and other sections of the west.
Jan. 24, 1959-A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Stallworth at Hartselle Hospital today.
Jan. 24, 1959-The MCHS Tigers suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of the Austinville Hornets tonight, 58-39. Earlier in the season MCHS had given Austinville their only defeat this season. Their gym was packed with 2,500 fans. Scotty Maples was Hartselle’s leading scorer with 11 points.
Jan. 25, 1959-Attorney Merrill Doss will be president of the Hartselle Chamber of Commerce during 1959. He succeeds Enquirer publisher Jack Hoffhaus. Scott Stone follows Hugh F. Penn as vice-president.
Jan. 26, 1959-David Buckalew, who attended the summer and winter quarters at API, has transferred to the University of Alabama and left for Tuscaloosa today after visiting with his parents.
Jan. 26, 1959-Funeral services were held this afternoon at Johnson’s Chapel for Jimmy Ikner, baby son of Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Ikner, Hartselle 2.
Jan. 27, 1959-John Patterson-designated Sheriff Richard Hyche called on Folsom-named Sheriff Knox McRae at the courthouse this afternoon. His purpose was to ask McRae to vacate the office which, of course, the latter refused to do. The next step in this unique situation of Morgan County having two sheriffs will be for a decision to be made by the circuit court, which will then be appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Jan. 28, 1959-Fifty leading U.S. scientists predicted today that a man would land on the moon by 1969. (Neil Armstrong did this on July 20, 1969.)
Jan. 28, 1959-President Eisenhower sought to encourage workers at Huntsville’s Army Ballistic Missile Agency today. He said the ABMA’s missile development program is proceeding very successfully at Redstone and there is “no cause for hang dog humiliation” despite recent Soviet accomplishments.
Jan. 28, 1959-Several local car men were in Birmingham today for a meeting of the Alabama Independent Automobile Dealers Association. The featured speaker was George C. Wallace of Clayton, who is expected to make another run for governor in 1962.
