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PAGE 4A
December 5, 2012
^Reporter
2011 winner: Sports Column excellence
2011 winner: Headline Writing excellence
2011 winner: Religion Coverage excellence
2011 winner: Serious Column excellence
2011 winner: News Photo excellence
2011 winner: Editorial Page excellence
2011 winner: Investigative Reporting excellence
Opinion
On the Porch
Get to know your local
Bored?
e have a lit
tle tradition
here at the
Reporter.
To
help us endure the
long Monday nights
on deadline, sports
editor Richard
Dumas and I always
order pizza rolls from
Jonahs. Mary
Persons princi
pal Jim Finch
introduced me
to them a few years ago
and they’re awesome: hot
bacon and melted cheeses
stuffed inside pizza dough,
dipped in marinara sauce.
Anyway, Jonahs closes at
8 p.m. and sometimes we
get too busy and forget to
call by 7:45 p.m. It
happened tonight,
but not to worry -
Jonahs owner David
Barker calls me at
7:50 p.m.: “Will, you
want the usual?”
“Absolutely,
David, and thank
you very much
for thinking of
us.” You have to love a
small town.
It’s the pleasure of a
newspaper editor to meet a
lot of very interesting peo
ple, and some of the most
interesting people I’ve met
are photographers. What
an eclectic bunch they are.
First, we stumbled upon
Crazy Kim Holderfield
about two years ago and
have benefit-fed from her
excellent sports work since
then. Kim’s one of those
people who has no filter:
She thinks, therefore
she says. Hilarity usu
ally ensues. It’s never dull
when she’s around. She’s
working very hard right
now to get through nursing
school but still finds time
to help us out.
Then there’s our old
friend William Haun,
whom we met at (sur
prise!) Jonah’s a few years
back at the Forsythia
Festival. While his wife
was finishing her resi
dency in Macon he was
taking their son Will to
various events around
Middle Georgia shooting
photography. Last year he
went to West Africa to do
photojournalism for a mis
sions organization. To my
delight, William will pop
up at a Christmas parade
9 r
_
Declare among the nations,
and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not;
Jeremiah 50:2
photographers
or Forsythia Festival and
send us some incredible
shots. Look at his picture
of tongue-wagging Conner
the dog on page 6B to see
what I mean, and check
his website at www.whaun.
com.
More recently I’ve gotten
to know Donn Rodenroth,
a fellow soccer dad who
shoots sports events for the
Telegraph. Donn was kind
enough to drive Richard
and I to cover the SEC
title game on Saturday. He
straps tens of thousands
of dollars of equipment
to his body almost every
Saturday in the fall like
he’s getting ready for war.
Donn’s one of those relent
less warrior types who
pursues photography like
combat. The amazing thing
about Donn is photography
is supposed to his “R&R”.
For his real job he sells
first responder and body
armor equipment, coaches
soccer, raises four children,
and is famous for playing
the Big Rat every year in
the Macon “Nutcracker”.
Yes, if you ever have the
chance to get to know a
photographer, you’ll never
be bored.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Hey, lay off
To the editor:
T his is the little
93-year-old lady from
your church, New
Providence, who moved
to Mississippi. When I
moved I asked you to transfer the
Reporter to my new address and
you did.
What I am writing about is your
article about Tech and Georgia,
“Why I'dmi’t hate Tech” from the
Nov. 21 Reporter. Did you have to
be so cruel about Tech? (Just kid-
my Jackets
ding).
It’s just a game so I forgive you for
airing your feelings about Tech.
But I was looking forward to the
next game and you know I was
cheering for Alabama!
I enjoy my paper, keep up the
good work. I miss the fellowship of
my church family but I’m looking
forward to the next copy. This writ
ing is all in Christian love. May God
bless you and yours real well.
Inez Griswell
Byhalia, Miss.
Rochester: ATV article insensitive
To the editor:
I normally do not write
letters to papers or voice
my opinion publicly,
but when I read the
paper this week I was in
ROCHESTER disbelief. The article submit
ted by the editor of the Herald
Gazette in Barnesville, “Tired of writing about
ATV deaths,” was insensitive and uncalled for.
I guess it’s a good thing it wasn’t his child that
was involved in such a tragic accident. It is self
ish and rude for one to title the article “Tired
of writing about ATV accidents.” Daley was a
very bright and smart young lady. She grew up
riding four wheelers and was very aware of the
dangers and consequences they involve. No one
knows if a helmet would have saved her. Only
God knows our fate and at what point we will
be called home. So next time you post an article
in our paper about an innocent child’s death, be
considerate of friends and family who are still
mourning her loss. The graphic nature of the
article was ridiculous and unnecessary.
Kip Rochester
Forsyth
MCR POLL
Would you favor renewing the 1 -per
cent education sales tax in Monroe
County to pay for a new fine arts cen
ter and upgrade the school facilities?
Yes, it keeps prop- 29 votes
erty taxes down and 36 percent
collects money from
travelers.
No, they keep raising 44 votes
property taxes and 54 percent
enough is enough.
I don’t have enough 8 votes
information yet. 10 percent
is published every week by
The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, president
Robert M. Williams Jr., vice president
Cheryl S. Williams, secretary-treasurer
www.mymcr.net
OUR STAFF
Will Davis
Publisher/Editor
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Richard Dumas
News Editor
forsyth@mymcr.net
Amy Haisten
Graphic Artist
graphics@mymcr.net
Tom Eads
Advertising Sales
sales@mymcr.net
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Business Manager
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Advertising
Manager
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Webmaster
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Community Editor
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Publication No. USPS 997-840)
Nelson: So proud of the Bulldog Nation
To the editor:
want, to personally thank the
community of Forsyth-Monroe
County for its support- of Mary
Persons football this season. It,
has been
quite special,
and I am hon
ored to have
been a part,
of it.
A big thank
you is extended
to Mary
Persons High
School. This
includes our
cheerleaders,
band mem
bers, students,
faculty and administration. Each and
every one of them plays a special role
in the spirit, of our school environment,
and their support, was amazing.
To our fans in the community, thank
you. To see you in the stands every
Friday night, was a reminder of just-
how blessed we
are. Your sup
port,, especially
during the last-
few weeks has
been unbeliev
able. No matter
how long the
road was, you
were there to
cheer us on. For
that-, we will be
forever grateful.
Most, impor
tantly, I want, to
thank the players. Football requires a
great, amount- of time and effort-1 am
so proud of each and every one of you
for your commitment, and dedication to
Mary Persons football.
As this football season comes to an
end, I would like to ask the community
to continue to show your Bulldog Pride
for all Mary Persons athletics. Our
coaches and student-athletes appreci
ate your enthusiasm and support,.
I am extremely proud to be a part, of
the Bulldog Nation. It, carries with it,
a long-standing tradition of excellence
and achievement,, and it, is my hope
that, it, continues to flourish and be a
source of pride for our community.
Thank you and Go Dogs!
Brian Nelson
Forsyth
Brian Nelson is the athletic direc
tor and head football coach at Mary
Persons High School.
MP fans outside Monroe County Bank send
off the team bus on the way to Friday’s
game. (Photo/Richard Dumas)
Civil War Sesquicentennial
Life went on in Monroe
D espite the war in Virginia
and the absence of many
men from the county, rou
tine activities continued in
Monroe County 150 years
ago.
Persons married. Thirty-year old
George W. (Dock) Hansford married
Nancy A. M. Ponder, the prover
bial girl next, door, on Dec. 14, 1862.
Hansford had already become a
Congregational Methodist preacher,
a service he carried on for 62 years,
especially at. Sunshine Congregational
Methodist Church in Cabaniss.
Although questions may be raised
about, the rate of real estate transfers
during the war, persons continued to
buy property. In December 1862, G.
W. Sikes paid Wiley J. Sikes $1,200
for 101 Vi acres out, in t-he count-y, and
Edward C. Butler sold a half-acre lot-
in Forsyth for $1,500.
Persons died, and John T. Stephens,
as county ordinary, supervised the
administration of estates. B. H.
Zellner was the executor of the estate
of W. C. Bird, and Stephens autho
rized him to sell Bird’s slaves. William
Maynard was authorized to sell “the
land and negroes” of the late Thomas
J. Hat-horn.
In his court-, Stephens accepted an
application from James G. Phinazee
to be guardian of A. H. Oglet-ree, a
minor who was the orphan of the late
Absalom Oglet-ree. Like Hansford,
Absalom Oglet-ree had preached in the
recently established Congregational
Methodist Church, particularly at,
Rock Springs.
Stephens approved an administra
tor for the estate of Joseph H. White.
White had died in Virginia in early
September 1862, after having been
wounded at. Second Manassas. The
court, record in its dry legal terminol
ogy does not, refer to
the cause of White’s
death.
[The settlement,
of the White estate
took years to fin
ish and eventually
involved the ser
vices as surveyor of
William C. Wilkes,
president, of Monroe
Female College.]
Stephens expected
administrators
to make detailed
returns to the state
of the estates for which they were
responsible. William Walker, admin
istrator of the estate of John Taylor,
was particularly busy in December
1862 with its affairs.
He assigned to Alfred A.
Middlebrooks, guardian of Berrien F.
Taylor, an heir to the estate, his share
of slaves, including Emiline and her
infant, and Charlotte and her infant,.
He conveyed 21 slaves to Benier Pye
as guardian of Nannie and James
Taylor.
Walker accounted to the court, the
incidental expenses of the estate.
Thomas M. Tyler got, $10 for “crying
property” as he served as auction
eer when the administrator sold the
chattels of the estate. Walker needed
County 1862
clothing, and he bought, 11 yards
of homespun at, 75 cents per yard
from B. Pye & Sons. He paid John A.
Lassiter, the tailor, $2.60 for cutting
pants and coats.
As was the tradition, Methodist
churches in the
county received
their new ministers
for the next, year.
The Georgia con
ference assigned
William P. Cook to
the Forsyth Station
and J. J. Singleton
to the Forsyth
Circuit, .
Unlike most-
months, there was
no conference in
December 1862 at,
the Baptist, church
in Forsyth. In November, there had
been two conferences, one for the
white members and one for the black
members. At, the conference for “col
ored” members, Harriet-, the property
of Mr. Stone, was added to the church
roll and the conference granted a let
ter of dismissal to Eliza. The clerk
lacked full information on Eliza and
identified her as “formerly the proper
ty of..” indicating that, she had either
been sold or perhaps was among those
divided in the settlement of an estate
as in the case of the slaves of John
Taylor.
With only an occasional hint, at, the
war, contemporary records 150 years
ago reflect, the rhythm of routine life
in Monroe County.
Confederate re-enactors in Satur
day’s Bolingbroke Christmas pa
rade. (Photo/Kim Holderfield)