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I’ve succumbed to a little bit of
newspaper browsing. We’re going through the pages of old Moultrie
Observers to see what treasures we can discover.
To me, it is a treasure to know that disturbing
the worship services of a church was classified as a misdemeanor in
1919…and according to the paper…is still classified as a misdemeanor in
2003.
A Colquitt County Superior Court jury spent all
night in 1919 deliberating such a case, indicating the seriousness with
which citizens took their jury duty!
The Moultrie First Assembly of God Church was
conceived in mid-1938 and officially
organized January 17, 1939. In 1976 the sanctuary was located on the
Thomasville Highway south of Moultrie. That building was dedicated
October 21, 1973.
First Assembly had its first revival in 1938 under
the Rev. S. W. Noles, who helped organize the church a few months later
while he was State Superintendent of Assemblies.
The Rev. L. G. Grice was appointed first pastor and
hyeld that position for 18 years. Others who have served the local
assembly through 1976 include the Reverends R. B. Palmer, Leon Comer,
Clifford Coursey and James H. Smith who assumed the pastorat6e in 1968.
The addition to the new sanctuary, an educational
building was constructed as a second phase of the building program. It
houses a modern kitchen, reception hall, office and Sunday School rooms.
From Monday through Friday each week the church operates a nursery and
play school in the educational building.
In 1976, the First Assembly of God had an enrollment
of 197.
One of the first things I learned when I moved to
Moultrie in 1981 was the location of Rich
Oil. Even today, when giving directions, I say, “You know where Rich Oil
is?”
In answer to my question, Rich Oil is located at the
intersection of the Sylvester and Tifton Highway. Rich Oil was
established in 1957 by Tommy Rich.
In 1976, Rich was the president of the firm and
Billy Gay was vice-president.
A 76-year-old Worth countian, Seaborn Harrell,
who moved into what was originally Irwin County in 1838 recalled the
Indian Wars of the territory in an interview with The Observer staff in
1901.
During a visit to Moultrie, he said he barely
recalled coming with his family into then-Irwin County at the age of
three, but could “well recollect the rights with Indians.”
Seaborn Harrell was also one of the first
subscribers to The Observer!
The Cherokee Garden Club, the first garden club
to be organized locally, was formed in 1930 with a desire to improve
“the unimpressive city.”
In that year, The Moultrie Chamber of Commerce
petitioned the ladies of the municipality on the idea of a garden club for
the town. Editorials were written on the proposal, the idea was discussed
throughout the town and on April 17, 1930, a group of civic and
garden-minded women met to establish the club.
The object of the organization has been “growing of
flowers and shurubs, the beautification of homes, streets and parks and
reclaiming the unsightly areas within the city limits.”
The group began their efforts toward beautification
of the city by planting dogwoods, crepe myrtles and shade trees along the
streets. Attention was also placed on beautifying the courthouse grounds
and the Westview cemetery. Other projects included flower shows and
garden tours which were sponsored annually with “stimulating effect.”
Wildcats were said to be “not as plentiful in 1901
in Colquitt County as some years earlier.”
F. B. Vickers and J.
J. Morris killed a wildcat in Little River swamp in September of 1901 that
measured five feet from foot to foot and two feet high.
Vickers and Morris said the cat had been eating lambs
and pigs in the Bayboro area. |
