A look back – July 28
July 28, 1961 – Mrs. Della Dorr, age 72, passed away today at the Colonial Rest Home in Decatur. Her survivors include a son, Bill Dorr of Chicago, who was associated with the Enquirer for many years. Funeral services will be at Bethel Baptist Sunday afternoon and will be conducted by Rev. Robert Slack. Pallbearers will be Sam Houston, Roy Roberts, Newton Thrasher, Roger Chapman, Pecky Smith, and L. L. Bates.
July 28, 1961 – A pair of brothers have been arrested in connection with the shooting in the nearby town of Arab of two other brothers, one of whom died as the result of a gunshot wound. The sets of brothers had been feuding after several sessions of heavy drinking.
July 29, 1961 – The Morgan County Maid of Cotton contest was held here today at MCHS’s J.C. Pettey Gym. The winner was Ann Rowe of Decatur, a sophomore at Birmingham-Southern College. The pageant was held in connection with the annual Morgan County Farm Bureau meeting. B. G. Hall of Hartselle is executive secretary of the group.
July 29, 1961 – Frank Depreast, Hartselle 2, has grown a beet in his garden that weighs four pounds.
July 30, 1961 – Rev. Tolan Whitten began a revival at Hillsboro Methodist Church tonight. Rev. Whitten, a longtime employee of Peck Funeral Home, is now the minister for Neel Methodist.
July 31, 1961 – The emergency rooms of the two local hospitals, Hartselle and Block-Chandler, were quiet over the weekend. They had no accident victims they needed to attend to.
July 31, 1961 – A special session of Morgan County Circuit Court began this morning in Judge James Bloodworth’s courtroom. Most cases relate to distilling and transporting moonshine. The first case involved the alleged owner of a still who is being represented by Hartselle native Ralph Slate, currently practicing law out of his offices in Decatur.
July 31, 1961 – Horace Broom, J. C. Johnson, Harvey Pickens, Charles Quinn, Buddy Smith, and Kyle Stover – all members of the Hartselle Kiwanis Club – are in Huntsville today attending a regional conference of the civic group.
Aug. 1, 1961 – Bobby Ray Hicks spoke to the regular meeting of the Hartselle Kiwanis Club tonight on the subject of the time he spent recently in Costa Rica. Bobby Ray teaches Sunday school at First Methodist and is also active in other ministries of the church.
Aug. 1, 1961 – Charles Plemons, who is employed in the Hartselle electric department, has asked the city to furnish him a car to use in his work away from city hall. The city can’t afford to do this so Mr. Plemons will be given $25 monthly to cover expenses incurred in the use of his own vehicle.
Aug. 2, 1961 – Morgan County Sheriff Knox McRae has hired his daughter-in-law as a deputy sheriff.
Aug. 3, 1961 – Hartselle Jayceetes held a tea this afternoon for the local girls who are vying to be the local entrant in the Miss Guntersville Lake pageant to be held later this month. The Hartselle Jaycees’ choice will also represent the club at other functions during the next year. The three Hartselle young women who have entered the competition are Frances Puckett, a rising sophomore at Florence State College, and Nancy Kelly and Janice Patterson, both rising seniors at MCHS. The new “queen of the lake” will be crowned on Aug. 26. Hal Hogan, Luke Chasteen, and H. B. Byford of the Hartselle Jaycees will have the primary responsibility for selecting which girl will represent Hartselle in the Marshall County pageant.
Aug. 3, 1961 – John F. Thompson Post 52 of the American Legion, Hartselle, met in joint session with the Decatur and Moulton posts tonight. In addition to supper, new officers for represented AL chapters were installed.
Aug. 3, 1961 – What family members term the “Sandlin Clan” held their annual reunion in the small community of Hepsidam, located 10 miles out of Moulton. Many local residents are descendants of this pioneer North Alabama family.
Aug. 3, 1961 – The highly successful Crescent Motel and Restaurant, between Decatur and Hartselle, is being significantly expanded. The enlargement will include new conference rooms and deluxe suites.
