Newspaper Page Text
Bicentennial Special
A Progress Report On
Perry's Black Community
By Mrs. Ruby Tharpe
Perry is a beautiful town
where two highways meet;
therefore, it is well known
over the U.S.A. The beauty
of our town is being
revamped and will soon be
a beauty to behold.
Perry and Houston
County have progressed
greatly in the last quarter
of a century. The Black
Community played a great
part in this progress. In
fact we have made civic,
educational, agriculture,
business, physical
features, also in the
nostalgia It holds for all of
us.
Educators
In the educational field
we have men and women
who have accomplished
degrees from the B.S. to
the Ph.D. Also medical
doctors, and lawyers. I
shall name a few of these:
Dr. Frederick Ragin, Ph.-
D.; Timothy Solomon,
Attorney; Herman Ragin,
school principal; Wm. C.
Rountree, asst, post
master; Dr. Mart Pierce,
Retired This Year
Colvin E. McLendon
Prominent Perryan
Calvin E. McLendon
retired in January 1976
after being in business in
Perry for 58 years. In 1917,
Mr. McLendon began with
a garage, service station
and auto parts store. In
1920, he became a
Goodyear Tire dealer. He
was the first radio dealer
and first independent
electric appliance dealer
in Perry. In 1934, he
became a Dodge and
Plymouth dealer.
On January 5, 1972, Mr.
-Bflnfc OF PINEHURST
FOIC Pinehurst, Georgia 645-3341
jpll y
M.D.; Mrs. Willie
Cochran, librarian; Mrs.
O.A. Dennis, catering;
Eddie Solomon with the St.
Louis Cardinals; and
many others.
One of our leading hair
stylists here today is
Christine Buckles Milton.
People made a beaten path
to her shop from all of the
surrounding counties and
towns because of the
beautiful work she does.
Mrs. Milton has made an
art of her work. She is
quite prosperous with it.
Not only does she devote
herself to styling hair, but
she and her husband,
Hodges, have educated
several deserving students
by giving them their
college education. May
God bless them more
abundantly for their
service to others.
Former Leaders
Another outstanding and
progressive lady in the
black community was the
late Louise Bell Roberts.
She worked untiringly for
the youth of Perry. I
McLendon retired as a
vice president and a
director of the Bank of
Perry after serving 31
years as an officer and 43
as a director.
Mr. McLendon is
recuperating from recent
eye surgery. This suc
cessful and genial man has
the best wishes of many
friends in his retirement.
He and his wife, the former
Ruth/Andrew, have a home
at 1102 Washington
Avenue.
believe she played an
important part in getting
our first school band
started. After retiring
from the teaching
profession and before we
had a school lunch
program she worked to
make it pleasant for the
students in New Hope
School to have some form
of lunch. She was very
civic minded in helping out
whenever and wherever
she could.
The late A.D. Redmond,
a long time school prin
cipal here, also worked
untiringly for the boys and
girls of Perry and Houston
County. He came here
back in 1931. He was
principal of two schools in
New Hope, after which he
became principal of
Houston High which is now
called Perry's Middle
School
For his day and time
Tobe Boone Tharpe was a
very progressive and
excellent businessman. He
was considered one of the
finest blacksmiths in
Houston County. He wore
out three shops at Houston
Lake before retiring.
People also made a beaten
path to his shop. He
traveled with Mr. Ervin
Dennard as far as Ken
tucky to shoe race horses.
He was known as "Mr. Fix
It" by the people he ser
ved. Tobe was born in 1851
and passed in 1945.
He not only loved
animals, but cared deeply
about taking care of them.
He taught himself with
books to be quite a
veterninarian. All of his
life he was very close to the
Davis family at Houston
Lake. I definitely know
about him because he was
my father.
Business Leaders
We have Mr. and Mrs.
Rayfield Richardson in the
Mortuary business. They
have built a beautiful and
well-equipped Funeral
Home on Swift Street.
They offer efficient,
courteous and friendly
service to all. The
Richardson's also are part
owners of a large and
modern Funeral Home in
Warner Robins, Ga. Their
rolling stock Is second to
none in the County. They
are native Houstonians.
Mr. and Mrs. Connie
Jones have made quite a
prosperous and helpful
business with a washerette
and dry cleaning establish
ment in their own
backyard. They offer ef
ficient and courteous
service to the public.
The late John Collins
was one of Perry's wall
known shoe repairers. He
wore out several shops in
his effort to give service to
the community. Back in
those days there was a
need for a good shoe shop
because people did more
walking than they do
today. We believe he could
almost make a pair of
shoes. His son, Russell is
carrying the business on.
One of Perry's native
sons who made lasting
friends and customers for
McLendon Auto Company
with his mechanical skills
was the late Arthur
Tharpe. We don't believe
Perry had a more efficient
or well prepared aufo
mechanic. He was always
businesslike, quiet and
retiring. He also put forth
Shell Oil Agency
Davis Oil Company
Formed In 1952
Davis Company, Inc.
operates the Shell Oil
Company Agency in seven
counties: Houston, Peach,
Pulaski, Dooly, Crisp,
Turner, and Macon. Davis
Co., Inc. was formed in
1952 by Mayo Davis who
acquired the Shell Agency
in 1949.
William James Sexton
came to Perry in 1955 from
Mcßee, S.C. to become a
partner with Mr. Davis, his
father-in-law, in Davis
Company, Inc. Mr. Sexton
had a Ford automobile
agency in Mcßee. He is
vice-president and
secretary- treasurer of
Davis Co., Inc. of which
Mr. Davis is President.
Since coming to Perry to
live in 1932, Mayo Davis
has owned and operated a
cotton warehouse and gin
and a Ford Tractor
agency; developed two
residential subdivisions on
the Houston Lake Road;
and invested in motels and
shopping centers. Mr.
Davis was an appraiser
with the Federal Land
Bank of Columbia, S.C.
from 1932-42, He is a
director of the Security
Federal Savings and Loan
Association.
Mr, Davis has been
Mayor of Perry, county
commissioner and state
senator. He has oeen
chairman of the official
board of the Methodist
Church and is a trustee at
the present.
W.J. Sexton, better
known as Bill, has been
active in church and
civic affairs since coming
to Perry. He has served on
the official board of the
United Methodist Church
and taught a church school
class. Mr, Sexton has been
a member of city council
and of the Library Board.
He is now a director of the
Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. and Mrs. Sexton have
four sons.
Davis Company, Inc.
owns thirty Shell stations;
fourteen in Houston County
and sixteen in the six other
counties in their area. The
company office is locatW
in the Davis building at 908
every effort to please the
customer.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobby
Glover own and manage
Glovers Mortuary on
Creekwood Drive. They
are a progressive young
couple in their business
dealings with the people of
Perry and Houston County.
Their business is growing
or expanding for the
comfort of others when
needed.
We do believe Robert
Lumpkin, Jr., is the
youngest and most
progressive young man in
our fair city. He stands
ready and able to help the
public with their gas needs
and car service. He and a
friend Eddie J. Cainion
were in the restaurant
business at one time and
are now serving the public
in the used car business.
Keep it up fellows. Perry
can use energetic young
men like you all.
Toomer Brothers is
Perry's oldest mortuary
establishment. I presume
it is approximately 62
years old and has been
handed down in the
Toomer family. One must
think about a business that
has been kept in one family
for a long time. May it ever
stand.
Farmers
We can't live very well
without eating; therefore,
we must think about our
farmers. The late James
Williams had a keen
foresight. He brought
truck farming to this
county or town more than
50 years ago. People were
happy each morning to see
the produce man coming.
He raised all of this
produce about 3Va miles
out on the Hawkinsville
Highway. His son J.O.
Williams and Mack
Fluellen are carrying this
farm on today.
The Holt brothers near
Elko are also progressive
farmers. They too are
Jernigan Street.
Employees are Mrs. Inez
Boswell, bookkeeper, who
has been with the company
twenty years; Mrs. Tiny
Bennett, and Henry
Dawkins.
I
M ANDREW J
HARDWARE I
truck farming along with
the production of other
farm crops.
Other farmers who did
well around Perry were
the late Charlie Bannister,
John & Gus Bannister,
Ernest Norwood, also the
late W.T. Flowers, Tom
Knight, Bratch Holmes,
Geanie McKenzie and
many others.
The late John Jackson
111, was one of Perry's
leading barbers until his
health failed. Our recent
progressive barbers with a
well equipped shop is Bill
Miller. Arthur Felder and
Freeman Roberts.
Redmond Center
The old New Hope School
Annex was purchased
from the Houston County
Board of Education by
Mrs. A.D. Redmond, Mrs.
Susie Tharpe, Connie
Jones, Willie F. Ragin, and
Samuel Collins.
They organized as the
A.D. Redmond
Association. The building
is now being remodeled
and used as the A.D.
Redmond Recreation
Center.
Luther Vance is now a
member of the purchasers.
Mrs. Tharpe and W.F.
Ragin are deceased.
Houston County Child
Development, Inc. had its
beginning in 1966. It first
opened with a Head Start
Program that was funded
by the government for 2
years. A group realized the
need for a Day Care Center
in the Black Community.
They then organized the
Houston County Day Care
Program to aid families in
the lower income bracket.
The establishers of the
program are very proud of
the progress that has been
made. The following
persons sponsored the
program: Mart Pierce,
Edward Lawson, Wm.
Montgomery, Carrie M.
Lawson, Ethel B. Williams
and Lila Redmond.
The Federation Assoc, of
Southern Rural
Cooperation came to the
rescue which was a life
saver for the group. They
are now operating a twelve
month program and have a
staff of seven.
Samuel Collins is a man
for progress. He has
worked diligently to im
prove conditions in Perry
for tourist and tennants.
Several years ago he built
Ebony Court; later seeing
a need for expanding he
built Ebony Guest House
and also have a Trailer
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS., JULY 1, Tf7«,
Park for the comfort of
others.
Union Baptist Church
The Greater Union
Baptist Church should
swell our hearts with pride
for the progress it has
made. It Is a beautiful
edifice for us to worship in
along with its educational
building. This church
started its real progress
under the late Rev. G.T.
Terry and kept its growth
under a young minister,
Rev. Glover. Under his
directorship It has become
a stationed church where
one can worship each
Sunday. He carries on his
ministry through the
church and radio.
Ms. Zion Baptist
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
was established in 1903
with the late Rev. George
Taylor as the pastor. He
served faithfully for 20
years.
Nine pastors have
served this church since its
beginning.
This church has grown
from a small frame church
to a beautiful brick one.
The greater part of the
renovation was done under
the late Rev. G.T. Terry. It
has new pews, pulpit,
floors, windows, kitchen
and has been bricked.
The present pastor is
Rev. Nathaniel Jackson.
The congregation is proud
of their new church.
New Hope Church
The New Hope Baptist
Church was founded in 1861
under the leadership of
Rev. J.R, Wilburn. The
first church was a wooden
structure. Mr. Nat Jackson
gave the land for the
erection of a brick building
where the present church
now stands.
About one dozen
ministers have served this
church since its beginning
in membership and ex
pansion.
Its growth was great
under Rev. Stalworth,
Rev. B. Johnson and the
present minister Rev.
Daniel Thomas.
The present enrollment
for the church is 583
members with 16 deacons.
This church is
beautifully furnished and
well staffed.
Day Care Center
The Adult Training
Union Day Care Center
was founded in 1962 under
the name of Sunshine
Kindergarten. This Kin
dergarten was established
in the home of the late
Johnnie L. Clerkley and his
wife, Ethelyn N. Clerkley.
Mrs. Clerkley started* it
with 12 children in her Ddn.
Under s t'a tie
requirements it
licensed name wpis
changed so Day Ca£e
Center, thus this Day Case
Center was the first to
licnesed here black $r
white.
After seeing a need for
more space they built a cpie
room building, whictvJfas
now expanded to five
rooms.
In 1965 the Adult
Training Union was for
med and chartered in 1966.
The Adult Training Union,
Inc. took into its charter
the Sunshine Day Care
Center then the name was
changed to the Adult
Training Union Day Care
Center. ,
During their 14 years
they have served qiany
people of both races. They
have two full , piirne
teachers, a director, cook
and a janitor. , ~
They would like to,thank
Senator Nunn and the
Training Union for much of
their progress.
Oldfield Baptist
The people of the, Old
field section of Perry had
wanted a house of worship
for a long time. In 1945 they
saw their dream come
true. They were able to
purchase the groundifrom
the late Arthur Tharpeand
established a frame
church under v the
leadership of Rev. I ;J.R.
Richardson, who is,mow
deceased. .nq
They named their
church the Oldfield Baptist
Church and have improved
it to a beautiful brick
structure with air 'con
dition and fix
tures. They also have 5
deacons and membership
of about 90.
They celebrated their
30th Anniversary with a
Bicentennial Program
June 13.
When I first came'from
near Houston Lake to
Perry so live quite some
years ago, I 1 saw
challenges in the Black
Community and we have
met and still are meeting
those challenges as the
opportunities permit. The
housing is greatly,im
proved We can ride over
our town and see beautiful
homes with well kept
lawns, which swell our
hearts with pride. I'm sure
these changes must make
all races feel better for our
town and our community.