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Subject: [FLBAY] Old Obits from The Dothan Eagle-w/PC ties
Date: 6 Sep 2006 10:31:09 -0600

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Excerpts from The Dothan Eagle..

Excerpts from The Dothan Eagle

20 Oct 1908

Killing Near Panama.

A report to the Constitution from Pensacola, states the Jim Gilbert, a naval store operator near Panama City, shot and killed Eugene Ward, an engineer on a log train, on Saturday last. He shot the engineer, it is reported because he had flagged the train and it failed to stop on another trip.
*******
20 March 1929
MRS J P WORD OF PANAMA JAILED LATE YESTERDAY
Arrest Follows Indictment Yesterday Afternoon On Circumstantial Evidence.

Rev. Word Found Dead In Back Yard, Shotgun Wound.

Mrs. Word Was Former Miss Johnnie Thrasher; Had been Married Three times.

Mrs. Johnny Word, widow of Rev. J P Word, retired Presbyterian preacher of Panama City, Fla., who met death several weeks ago from shotgun wounds, was yesterday indicted for his murder and lodged in the Bay County jail at Panama City, according to a long distance telephone message to The Eagle today from H A Pledger, clerk of the Bay County circuit court.

Mr. Word’s body was found in the back yard in a woodpile shortly after his death. It was said that he was in the habit of shooting hawks, and at the time it was believed that he either stumbled and fell, discharging the gun, or else committed suicide. The load entered under and back of the right ear, it was said.

Mrs. Word claims to have been at the café, of which she is the proprietor, at the time the body was found.

Mrs. Word had been married three times. She is the daughter of Mrs. J T Thrasher, of Dothan. Her first husband was W C O’Neal, who died in Pensacola, Fla., about 20 years ago. Her second husband was Williams McCarthy, who died while they were living in Atlanta. She married Mr. Word three of four years ago, and had been living in Bay county since.

Before her first marriage Miss Johnny Thrasher was one of the most popular young ladies in Dothan. The Thrasher family was one of the oldest and most prominent families in Dothan.

Mrs. Word is the sister of Mrs. W M Hunter, of Lakeland, Fla., who moved from Dothan several years ago. The family has numerous friends throughout this section who are shocked to learn of the occurrence.

The law firm of Farmer, Merrill and Farmer has been retained by Mrs. Word, and members of the firm left for Panama City yesterday.

It is not known when the trail will be held.
**

27 Aug 1931

Panama City Boy, 7, is Drowning Victim.

Loyl Boyett, eight-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. P E Boyette, was drowned at Panama City late yesterday, according to information received here today by Fellows and Forrester. No details of the accident were given. Besides his parents, the boy is survived by two brothers and three sisters.
**
29 Jun 1932
Florida Youth Fatally Shot; Man is Jailed.

Panama City, Fla., Julian Parker, 16 year old youth, was fatally wounded by a full shotgun charge in the neck late yesterday afternoon at Youngstown, Fla., 21 miles north of here and Ben Worthington, 24, of Youngstown, was in jail here today, although no formal charges had been made against him.

Sheriff Hobbs of Bay county, said he had not completed his investigation of the fatal shooting and that he did not know the particulars, as Worthington was reluctant to discuss the affair.

Parker was killed with a 12 gauge shotgun, dying almost instantly from a gaping wound in the neck, according to Sheriff Hobbs.

The shooting victim was a son of Luther Parker, farmer of the Youngstown community. Youngstown is a village 65 miles south of Dothan on the Dothan Panama City highway.
**
28 Jan 1933

Machine Plunges Through Bridge; Man is Drowned.

Driver of Truck Leaps Safely As He Fails to Notice Open Draw Signal.

Panama City, Fla.- One man is drowned and another had a narrow escape near here Thursday night when a motor truck went through an open draw bridge across St. Andrews Bay.

‘Doc’ Hoskins, driver of the truck said he failed to see the danger signal. He leaped to the bridge as the truck went through the gates and over the edge.

Coy Brown, negro, tried to jump but failed to leave the truck in time. He was carried down into 50 feet of water. His body had not been found.
**
23 Mar 1943

Mrs. Alto Burch Dies In Panama City.

Funeral services for Mrs. Alto Burch, sixty-one, of Panama City, who died at her home Sunday night following a short illness, were held today at the Hartford Methodist Church with the Rev. Mr. Cantrell of Hartford and the Rev. A B Taunton of Clio officiating. Burial followed in Pond Town cemetery with Ward Wilson officiating.

A member of the Hartford Methodist Church, Mrs Burch had lived in Hartford most of her life. She moved to Panama City last August.

Surviving are her husband; three sons, H C Burch of Dothan, Robert R Burch of Panama City and K L Burch of Enterprise; two brtothers, Bob Strickland and Chip Strickland of Hartford; a sister, Mrs. Bertie Meadows of Hartford; five grandchildren and several half brothers and sisters.
****
27 June 1943
Mrs. Sarah C Kent Funeral Conducted

Marianna- Funeral services were held Friday at the Baptist Church at Kynesville for Mrs. Sarah C. Kent, seventy, native of Jackson County, who died Wednesday at Panama City. Officiating was the Rev. Mr. Rooks and interment was in the church cemetery with arrangements under direction of Edge Funeral Home of Marianna.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Susie Woodell, of Millville, and Mrs. Lucine Baxter, of Marianna, and three sons, Albert, of Columbus, Georgia, Alton of Alford, and J D of Marianna. She was the wife of the late Noah Kent who died in 1940.
**
1 July 1943

Houston Girl Drowns In Lynn Haven Bay.

Coast Guardsmen and others today were searching the waters of North Bay, Lynn Haven, Fla., for the body of Miss Carolyn Hollis, seventeen year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Haley Hollis of Dothan route five, who was drowned yesterday afternoon while on a fishing trip in the bay.

Miss Hollis, who would have been a senior at the Wicksburg high school next year, was accompanied on the fishing trip by Miss Ruth Trawick, of Brannon Stand, James Hatton, of Brannon Stand, and Corporal Bertram Paulk 103 North Orange avenue, Dothan, home on furlough from Fort Benning, Ga.

Few details of the accident were known here, but at Panama City it was said that the outboard motor of a boat the group had rented caught fire and Miss Hollis leaped overboard. Miss Hollis was unable to swim and Corp. Paulk was almost drowned in an effort to rescue her, it was reported.

The water at the point where the accident occurred is about 12 feet deep. Two Coast Guard boats and similar craft are searching the area in an effort to recover Miss Hollis’ body. Her father and an uncle, Emmett Hollis, were called to Lynn Haven to assist in the search.
**
18 Aug 1943
Dr J M Whitfield Buried at Dundee.

Funeral was held at the Dundee Baptist Church yesterday afternoon with the Rev. J H Dykes and the Rev. J R Peacock officiating for Dr. J M Whitfield, sixty-eight, former Hartford resident who died in the Veterans Hospital at Montgomery Sunday following an illness of several weeks. Burial was in the Church Cemetery with Holman of Hartford in charge.

Dr. Whitfield, a resident of Panama City, is survived by a brother, C R Whitfield, Orlando, Fla.; four sisters, Mrs. Johnnie Hudson, Apopka, Fla., Mrs. W J Hardy, Donalsonville, Ga., Mrs. Georgia Kimbrough, Malone, Fla., and Mrs. John H Kimbrough, Orlando.
**
2 Sep 1943
Mrs. Avis Roberts Dies At Panama City.

Mrs. Avis Roberts, thirty-four, of near Headland, died today at the home of her mother, Mrs. Cock***, at Panama City, Fla., following a long illness. She was the widow of Cherry Roberts who died in 1935.

Mrs. Roberts is survived by a son, Bud Roberts; her mother, several brothers and sisters, all of Panama City.

Funeral and burial will be held at Panama City tomorrow at 4 pm.
**
13 Oct 1943
Mrs. Ollie Moates Funeral Conducted.

Funeral services for Mrs. Ollie Moates, thirty-seven, who died at a Dothan hospital Monday night following a two weeks illness, were held at Fellows and Forrester Chapel at 3 pm Tuesday with the Rev. A D Zbinden, pastor of the Headland Avenue Baptist Church, officiating. Burial followed in the Camp Springs Church Cemetery, Fellows and Forrester directing.

She was a resident of Panama City, Fla., and had lived there for the past year.

Surviving are her husband, Ollie Moates of Panama City; three sons, Carlton, Hoyt, and Ralph Moates, of Panama City; one daughters, Delores Moates of Panama City; two sisters, Mrs J A Willis of Waycross, Ga., and Mrs. J H Hasty of Panama City; and two brothers, H B Shirley of Columbus, Ga., and Pvt. Melvin Shirley of the U S Army.
**
1 Dec 1943
Earnest Harper Dies In Panama City, Fla.

Earnest Harper, twenty-six, of Dothan, died in a Panama City hospital yesterday afternoon following a three weeks’ illness.

Burial arrangements will be announced later by Ward-Wilson Funeral Home.

Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A W Harper of Dothan; four sisters, Mrs. W A Bruner of Dothan, Mrs. A M Brown of Columbus, Ga., Mrs. A R Dougherty of Newton and Miss Magdeline Harper of Dothan; and three brothers, A C Harper of Pansey, Coy Harper of Waynesburg, Pa., and Marvin Harper of Camp Buie, Texas.
**
8 Dec 1943
A J Money Dies At Panama City.

A J Money, fifty-three, of Panama City, died at a Dothan hospital early this morning following several weeks’ illness. He formerly lived in Graceville and moved to Panama City about two years ago.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at two o’clock at Union Hill Church with the Rev. H P Ferrall of Panama City officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Hill Cemetery with Ward-Wilson in charge.

Surviving are his wife, seven daughters, Mrs. A W Haasebrock (?) of Del Monte, Cal., Mrs Henry Dennis, Misses Mildred and Eunice Money all of Pensacola, Mrs. Hulon French of Virginia, and Miss Bertha Money and Mrs Paul Deal, both of Panama City, three sons, Pfc. G W Money of Moody Field, Valdosta, Ga., Pfc. G L Money of Ruckingham Field, Fort Myers, Fla., and David Money of Panama City, three brothers, the Rev. M M Money and the Rev H P Money, both of Bonifay, Fla., and Grace Money of Holly Ridge, La.; four sisters, Mrs G C Courtney of Burg*w, N. C., Mrs. Willie Fennels and Mrs. Joe Fennels, both of Dothan, and Mrs Will Hurt of San Diego, Cal.; and six grandchildren.
**
6 Jan 1944

Joseph T Bennett Dies In Panama City.
Joseph Thomas Bennett, Sr., sixty-three, former mayor of Panama City, Fla., died at his home in Panama City early today of a cerebral hemorrhage suffered Friday.

Surviving are his wife, the former Miss Clifford Faircloth of Dothan, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J R Faircloth; a daughter, Mrs. Allie Vera Peoples, Jr., whose husband is an officer in the Army Air Forces; a son, Joe Bennett, Jr., of the Navy, who was reported Tuesday night to be missing in action.

Funeral services will be held in Panama City, with burial following in the Dothan City Cemetery at 2 pm tomorrow.
**
17 Jan 1944
Panama City Fire Fatal To Woman.
Panama City, Fla.—Mrs. B F Thornton, 43, was burned to death Saturday and *3 persons were made homeless by fire which swept the upper story of the Ensign apartment house here. The fire had gained such headway when discovered that rescuers were unable to reach Mrs. Thornton’s room.
**
13 Feb 1944
Slain Panama City Man’s Body Found.

Panama City, Fla.—The headless body of Joe W Mullins, 43?, proprietor of the Mullins Grill missing since Wednesday night, was discovered Saturday under a clump of bushes a city block away from the Panama City Cemetery.

The head had been severed from the body at the shoulders.

Identification of the body was made by Mrs. Hazel Mullins, widow, and a brother, A L Mullins.

Chief of Police G W McCall, said Mullins was murdered apparently for the large sum of money he was in the habit of carrying. The dead man’s pockets only contained twenty cents in silver, McCall said.

McCall said the murder took place in the rear seat of Mullins’ automobile after which the body was taken to the spot near the Cemetery when the *** took place. The head has not been recovered.
**
5 Mar 1944
M F Wise Dies In Panama City.

Funeral of Marion Francis Wise, forty-nine, of 811 Montana Street, who died in Panama City early Friday morning, will be held at the Curtiss Memorial Church at 2:30 o’clock this afternoon with the Rev H C Bass, of Midland City officiating.

He was a former employee of the central of Georgia railroad and for the past eight years had made his home in Dothan.

Besides his wife he is survived by two sons, A L Wise of the U S Navy and P M Wise of Panama City; two daughters, Mrs B A Summerland of Atlanta, Ga., and Mrs H G Pugh of Fort Worth, Tex.; four brothers, Sam, William, Tupp and John Wise of Opp, Ala., and two sisters, Mrs. Lillian Averett and Mrs Dulcie? Boler of Leona, Fla.

Pallbearers are Welburn Johnson, Roy Evens, Ralph Cryson, R L Brown, Wilburn Stewart, M O Floyd and J M Jones.
Fellows and Forrester and Johnston Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
**
23 Jan 1950

Soldier Is Killed In Florida Accident.

Panama City- Davis A Rowe, Jr., 18 year old Vernon, Fla., soldier, was killed instantly last midnight when his car overturned 200 miles northwest of here.

A companion, Johnny Thomas, 27, Miller’s Ferry, Fla., was injured. Another passenger in the automobile, unidentified, was not hurt.
**
25 Jan 1950
Coroner’s Jury Finds Shooting Accidental.

Panama City- The body of a 29 year old farm wife was to be sent to Danville, Va., today following a coroner’s jury verdict that she was accidentally shot to death.

Mrs. Richard E Nostraedt, Fountain, Fla., was killed instantly Monday night when a blast from her husband’s shotgun struck her in the side. Nostraedt, 26, told the jury the gun accidentally discharged as he helped his wife from a pickup truck. They had been rabbit hunting.
**
Fountain Resident Charged in Death.

Panama City- A 26 year old Fountain, Fla., farmer was under a manslaughter charge today in connection with the shooting death of his wife.

Richard Nostrandt was charged with manslaughter through culpable negligence. He admitted accidentally shooting his wife, Bernice, 29, as he helped her from a truck after a hunting trip Monday night.

A coroner’s jury returned a verdict of accidental death. The manslaughter warrant was issued by County Judge Joseph W Bailey based on an affidavit filed by State Attorney Mercer Spear.

Nostrandt was arrested yesterday just before boarding a train for Danville, Va., to attend his wife’s funeral. He was allowed to make the trip after posting $1000 bond.

The Nostrandts moved to Fountain from Danville seven weeks ago.
**

20 Feb 1950
Joe Burdeshaw.
Funeral services for Joe Burdeshaw, eighty-nine, long time resident of Dothan, who died at his home, 1301 S St. Andrews St., yesterday after a long illness, were held at the Kinsey Methodist Church this afternoon.

The Rev. C H Hildreth and the Rev. C W Northcutt, officiated and Ward-Wilson directed interment in the Kinsey Cemetery.

Mr. Burdeshaw, a member of the Kinsey Church since childhood, had been a resident of Dothan for 43 years.

Surviving are a son, C Burdeshaw and a daughter, Mrs. Mary Chalker, both of Dothan; two brothers, E W Burdeshaw, Panama City, and H W Burdeshaw, Slocomb; five sisters, Mrs. Bobbie Singletary, Dothan, Mrs. Cleo Windack, Tampa, Mrs. Miland Bush, Sanford, Mrs. Fannie Vick and Mrs. Flossie Woodham, both of Panama City; two half-brothers, J A and T Burdeshaw, both of Warner-Robbins, Ga., 17 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.

2 Aug 1950
Two Bodies Found Near Parked Truck With Geneva License.

Atlanta—The badly decomposed bodies of a man and woman were found beside a truck parked on a lonely trail here today.

Fulton County police tentatively identified the man by papers in his billfold as Doris Vernon Miller, 37. A 1945 drivers license bearing that name listed his home as Panama City. A 1948 Florida license bore the address, Lakeland, Fla.

The police said they found nothing to indicate the identity of the woman.

Dr. Warren Mathews, a Fulton County physician, reported after a preliminary examination that the man’s skull had been smashed. “He was hit by something hard and heavy, like a sledge hammer.” Dr. Mathews declared.

The doctor said he made no attempt to examine the woman’s body.

Both bodies were partially clad and had been partially covered by a heavy quilt.

The truck was a green, stakebody 1941 Ford bearing a 1950 Alabama license number (GenevaCounty) 34 H-2 165. It was loaded with pears.

Fulton officers said a check with the Alabama Motor Vehicle Registration office showed that license was issued to H L Hatcher, Rt. 1, Hartford.

Four negroes who reported finding or seeing the parked truck are being held as material witnesses.
__
2 Aug 1950
Two Bodies Found Near Parked Truck With Geneva License.

Atlanta—The badly decomposed bodies of a man and woman were found beside a truck parked on a lonely trail here today.

Fulton County police tentatively identified the man by papers in his billfold as Doris Vernon Miller, 37. A 1945 drivers license bearing that name listed his home as Panama City. A 1948 Florida license bore the address, Lakeland, Fla.

The police said they found nothing to indicate the identity of the woman.

Dr. Warren Mathews, a Fulton County physician, reported after a preliminary examination that the man’s skull had been smashed. “He was hit by something hard and heavy, like a sledge hammer.” Dr. Mathews declared.

The doctor said he made no attempt to examine the woman’s body.

Both bodies were partially clad and had been partially covered by a heavy quilt.

The truck was a green, stakebody 1941 Ford bearing a 1950 Alabama license number (GenevaCounty) 34 H-2 165. It was loaded with pears.

Fulton officers said a check with the Alabama Motor Vehicle Registration office showed that license was issued to H L Hatcher, Rt. 1, Hartford.

Four negroes who reported finding or seeing the parked truck are being held as material witnesses.
__
26 Feb 1951
Bay Yields Body of Dothan Man

Victim Identified as W C Newton.

The body of a man identified as W C Newton of 506 North Oates Street, this morning was found floating in St. Andrews Bay at Panama City.

A coroner’s jury was empaneled by Justice of the Peace W L Folkes of Panama City and a physician was called in to examine the body, which bore cuts about the face and head.

Authorities indicated an autopsy may be ordered.

Newton, an employee of Chapman Construction Co. of Dothan, was working in Panama City as a carpenter-foreman on construction of a new school building at Springfield, a small town on the Eastern edge of Panama City.

His body was discovered about 100 yards from shore off Bay Front Park at the foot of Panama City’s main street. It was spotted by Allison Smith, a Panama City negro who works in the city dock area.

Smith also found a hat and a pair of glasses on the beach area near where Newton’s body was pulled from the bay. It was not definitely established that the hat and glasses belonged to Newton. R W Hayes, construction manager at Chapman Construction, said Newton wore both.

Identification of the body was made by a fellow worker of Newton’s and by papers found in his billfold, which contained no money.

Newton, who has worked with Chapman since 1945, has a wife and two children living in Dothan.

Hayes said today he talked with Newton, via telephone, Saturday morning. Officials said the condition of the body and papers in the billfold indicated the body may have been in the water since about Saturday night.
**
4 May 1951
Blast Kills Two and Razes Plant

Third Man Missing Near Panama City.

Panama City, Fla.- Two men were killed early today and a third was missing in an explosion and fire at a chemical plant on the grounds of one of the world’s largest paper mills.

The blast ripped through the Arizona Chemical Plant which processes rosin and turpentine from by-products of the International Paper Company, located at Bay Harbor, a short distance from Panama City.

W A Helm, manager of the chemical plant, said the loss would run “well over 1,000,000.”

Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base firemen managed to bring the blaze under control after an all-morning fight. They said the 16yearold, 90 foot high steel and concrete building was a total loss.

The dead workmen, who together with the missing man were the only persons in the chemical plant at the time, were identified as William Perry Pollock, and Callis William Galloway . The missing man, believed to be dead, was listed as Roland Emanuel.

Workmen in the paper plant were knocked to the floor by the heavy blast, felt as far away as Tyndall Air Force Base, eight miles from here.

Firemen were hampered by low water pressure, caused by the explosion. Water to fight the fire was pumped to the site from nearby St. Andrews Bay.
**

7 May 1951
Florida Doctor Dies.

Dr. E A Werner, sixty, of Panama City died yesterday following a long illness. He was a native of Crete, Ill.

Mrs. Werner has a number of relatives residing in the Hartford, Ala., area. Dr. Werner was a graduate of Baylor University and a retired Army Lieutenant colonel.

He practiced medicine in Illinois and Tennessee before entering the Army in 1943. After retiring from the Army, he went to Panama City in 1949. Funeral services were being conducted this afternoon.
**
8 Dec 1951

Donnie Fletcher.
Graveside rites for Donnie Fletcher, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Fletcher of Panama City, were held yesterday afternoon at Pilgrim Cemetery.

The Rev. W R Sammock of Abbeville officiated, with Abbeville Mortuary directing interment.

In addition to his parents, survivors include a twin brother, Ronnie; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Fletcher of Abbeville; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. M M Owens of Headland route one; several aunts and uncles.
**
18 Aug 1947

Mrs. R L Kirkland Dies At Panama City.

Mrs. R L Kirkland, seventy-four, of Panama City, formerly of Dothan, died Sunday afternoon after a long illness. Mrs. Kirkland was a resident of Dothan for 21 years before moving to Panama City in 193*.

Funeral services will be held at Grandview Baptist Church tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock with the Rev. Charles **dreth and the Rev. Mr. McDaniel of Panama City officiating.

Surviving are Mrs. Willie Mae Diner, and Mrs. Mary A Dyer, both of Panama City, Mrs. Mattie Lou Dinckley, Washington, D. C., Mrs. Jessie M Bailey, Tuscaloosa, John M Kirkland, Dothan, Lewis Kirkland, Panama City and James C. Kirkland, Bainbridge, Ga.; and 10 grandchildren.
Active pallbearers will be Buford Williams, Hobart Loftin, R E Todd, Charles Moody, C R Wilkins, Alvin Gwaltney.

Honorary: J T Trammell, O R Anderson, Dr. John T. Ellis, Robert Gwaltney, Sam Ratsonas, Foy Walden, J E Hatncock, R D Wright, V C Lokey, Sr., Raymond Spann, Sam Eiland, E F Etheridge, Russell Tedder, Albert Johnson, H T Scarborough, C C McArthur, Dr. W M Ryals, A T Todd, Lo*is Adams, W J Renfroe, and Gillis Griffin.
**
May 14, 1944
FUNERAL RITES HELD FOR ACCIDENT VICTIM

Funeral services for Odean Johnson, 15, Panama City, who was struck and killed by an automobile on the Panama and Dothan highway, Wednesday afternoon, were held at Beulah Church Friday at 1:30 p. m.

Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Johnson, of Panama City; a sister, Betty Sue; brothers, Robert, Odeal, James, Lee, Larry, and La Don, all of Panama City; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Johnson of Dothan and Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Given of Webb; and several aunts and uncles.

Active pallbearers were Richard Nowell, Rufus Gamble, J. D. Bands, M. E. Nowell , H. S. Land, and Grady Peterson.

Honorary pallbearers were the members of his class in school, Warn Dolan, George Walsh, Bermon Snow, Truman Hartzog, Carl Davis, David Hardy, James Mouring and George Banks.

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