February 6, 2013 at 11:25 pm (Baskin Family, Clements Family, Fender Family, Hardie Family, Knight Family, Langford Family, Luckie Family, Swindle Family, Terry Family, Uncategorized, Webb Family)
Tags: A.L. Bridges, Anna Eliza Fender, Austin Lawrence Bridges, Beaver Dam Missionary Society, Charles Oscar Terry, David C. Clements, Dr. H.W. Clements, Eugenia Clements, Fannie Ellen Hagan, Fannie Lola Clements, Gordon Vancie Hardie, Henry Warren Clements, James B. Baskin, James S. Swindle, Jesse Thomas Webb, John L. Webb, Leslie Alma Langford, Lessie E. Carter, Lorenzo D. Carter, Luther Etheldred Langford, Martha J. Baskin, Martha J. Clements, Mary Ann Harrell, Mary Virginia Knight, Mary Webb, Nebbie Luckie, Nix & Miller Co., Ray's Mill GA, Roena Clements, Walter Aultman, Walter Greene Altman, William Etheldred Langford, William F. Luckie, William Henry Edward Terry, William Lawrence Swindle, William Manson Carter, Wilson W. Fender
Rays Mill news items appearing in the Feb 4, 1911 Valdosta Times were about the business and social scene in the new town.
The Valdosta Times
Saturday, February 4, 1911, page 7,
Rays Mill News Items
Mr. A.L. Bridges has moved into his new building here.
Mr. W. L. Swindle, of Nashville, has accepted a position with his brother, Mr. J.S. Swindle, of this place.
Miss Leslie Langford returned to Rays Mill Wednesday night from Vidalia.
Mrs. L. J. Clements is spending a few days in Milltown this week.
Mr. G. V. Hardee, druggist of this place, moved in his new building Wednesday.
Mr. I. Burkhalter made a business trip to Nashville Wednesday.
Mr. Floyd Fender, of Tifton, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Fender for a few days.
Mrs. Baskin, Mrs. Terry, Mrs. Dr. Clements, Miss Fannie Clements and Miss Lessie Carter represented Beaver Dam Missionary Society at the missionary rally in Valdosta last Tuesday, January 31, and lunch was served at the Tabernacle. They report a good meeting, also a pleasant time for all who attended.
Mr. A. L. Taylor, of Nashville, has bought Mr. J.T. Webb’s store.
Mr. W. M. Carter, of Rays Mill, visited Tifton last Saturday returning Sunday night.
Mr. W. H. Terry made a business trip to Valdosta Wednesday.
Mr. George Norton spent a few days in Macon last week returning Monday night.
Ray City News appeared in The Valdosta Times, Feb 4, 1911.
Austin Lawrence Bridges was a merchant from who came to Ray City in 1909 with his bride, Della Pope. He bought a house on Jones Street and opened a dry goods store.
William Lawrence Swindle was a farmer of the Ray City area and former Sheriff of Berrien County. He was a brother of James S. Swindle, and son of James Swindle, Pioneer Settler.
Leslie Alma Langford was the daughter of William E. Langford and Mary Virginia Knight, and sister of Luther Etheldred Langford. In 1918 she married Walter Greene Altman. At the time he was a clerk working for Nix & Miller Company, a sawmill in Ray City, GA, but shortly thereafter he became an ice dealer. Later Walter owned a cafe where Leslie worked as a waitress.
Mrs. L. J. Clements was Eugenia Watkins Clements, wife of Lucius J. Clements. Her parents were Sarah and Thomas H. Watkins, of Whitesburg, Carroll County, GA. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Grange College in 1907.
Gordon Vancie Hardie was a druggist and entrepreneur of Ray City.
Isaac Burkhalter, Jr was born 1863 in Clinch County, GA just weeks before his father, Captain Isaac Burkhalter was killed at Gettysburg. Isaac Burkhalter, the son, made his home at Rays Mill some time before 1900 with his wife, Marentha Sirmans, where he engaged in farming until his death.
Wilson W. Fender was the owner of the Fender Hotel in Ray City. His wife Lena Fender was in millinery. His eldest son was telephone lineman Floyd Fender, of Tifton, and his younger son’s were Ike and Lutie. Ike Fender was a telephone operator and Lutie Fender was a soda jerk.
The Ladies of the Beaver Dam Missionary Society
- Mrs. Baskin mentioned in the story could have been one of several Baskin women: Mary Ann Harrell Baskin, second wife of James B. Baskin; her step-daughter, Fannie Ellen Hagan Baskin; or another of the Baskin wives. The Baskin family helped found the Baptist Church at Ray City.
- Mrs. Terry was Nebbie Luckie Terry. She was a daughter of William F. Luckie and wife of W. H. E. Terry, also mentioned in the article.
- Mrs. Dr. Clements was Pauline Nelson Clements, wife of Dr. Henry Warren Clements. Dr. Clements owned the second gasoline powered automobile in Berrien County, a Maxwell Doctor’s Roadster.
- Miss Fannie Lola Clements was a daughter of Martha J. Cements and David C. Clements.
- Miss Lessie E. Carter was a daughter of Lorenzo D. Carter and Anna Eliza Fender.
Jesse Thomas Webb, who sold his store in Rays Mill, was a son of Mary and John L. Webb, of the Connells Mill District. After selling his store in Rays Mill he moved to Tifton, GA and opened a store there.
William Manson Carter was a son of Lorenzo D. Carter and Anna Eliza Fender, and brother of Lessie E. Carter. In 1917 he worked as a druggist for C. O. Terry.
William Henry Edward Terry came to Ray City about 1910 and built the first brick building in the new town.
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April 24, 2012 at 12:14 am (Historic Businesses, Terry Family)
Tags: B. W. Boyd, Ray City GA, Ray's Mill GA, W.H.E. Terry, William Henry Edward Terry
Ray City History
William H. Edward Terry
About 1910, William Henry Edward Terry came to Ray City, GA from Florida and built the first brick building in the new town. Mr. B. W. Boyd, of Valdosta, was given the contract to construct the new building on the south side of Jones Street near the corner of Paralleled Street, in Ray City.
The Valdosta Times
September 10, 1910
Mr B. W. Boyd of this city has been given the contract to put a second story on Mr. Gregory’s building at Adel, the upper story to contain offices. He also has been given the contract to build a two-story brick building for Mr. W. H. E. Terry, at Rays Mill.
The construction proceeded quickly, and the January 19, 1911 edition of the Valdosta Times reported, “Mr. W. H. E. Terry has moved into his new brick building.”
But even earlier, Terry was advertising his new store in The Valdosta Times.
Advertisement for W. H. E. Terry, Rays Mill, GA appeared in the Valdosta Times, Dec. 24, 1910.
In a January 14, 1911 two line ad, W.H.E. Terry featured “Coffins and Carpets.”
Jan 14, 1911 ad for W. H. E. Terry’s store appeared in The Valdosta Times
An early photo of the town features a department store offering “coffins and caskets.
Early photo of Rays Mill (Ray City), GA. Note storefront signage for caskets and coffins. Was this the building constructed by W. H. E. Terry?
The old building was torn down in the early 1950’s.
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April 21, 2012 at 12:34 am (Terry Family)
Tags: C.O. Terry, Charles Herman Terry, Charles Oscar Terry, Effie Knight, Harvey Terry, Macedonia FL, Mary Virgina Pert, Nebbie Luckie, Terry's Drug Store, W. C. McGill, W.H.E. Terry, William F. Luckie, Zachariah Taylor Terry
William Henry Edward Terry was born August 26, 1890 in Madison County, Florida. His father, Zachary Taylor Terry, was from Alabama, and his mother, Mary Virginia Pert, was a Florida girl.
In 1900, at age nine, little Willie Terry was living with his family in Macedonia, Madison County, FL. Willie’s father was a farmer. Willie had attended school for two months that year, he could not yet read or write.
About 1910 W. H. E. Terry came from Florida to live in the new town of Ray City, GA. At the age of twenty-something, he was tall and slender young man, with blue eyes and black hair. An entrepreneur, W.H.E. Terry became one of the young businessmen of Ray City, building one of the first brick buildings in the community (W.H.E Terry’s Store at Rays Mill, GA). His brother, Charles Oscar Terry, became the town pharmacist, and their cousin Harvey Terry, became the editor of the Ray City newspaper.
In Ray City, William Henry Terry met Nebbie Luckie. She was the daughter of William F. Luckie, a successful businessman and a big sawmill operator of Ray City, GA (see William F. Luckie ~ Luckie Lumber Mill). On August 23, 1913 William H. E. Terry and Nebbie J. Luckie were joined in holy matrimony. W.C. McGill, Minister of God, performed the ceremony.
Marriage certificate of W. H. Terry and Nebbie Luckie, August 28, 1913.
On March 8, 1916 Nebbie gave birth to their first son, whom they named after his father. A second son followed, Charles Herman Terry, born October 24, 1917. With a young family to support, William Henry Terry went into the drug store business with his brothers.
In the meantime, the United States had entered World War I, declaring war on Germany on April 6, 1917. William Henry Terry and cousin Harvey Terry, registered for the draft on June 5, 1917.
1918 Draft registration of W. H. E. Terry.
In 1920, William H. Terry lived in a home on Main Street, Ray City, GA. Just a few doors down the street was the home of C. Oscar Terry, proprietor of a drug store. William H. Terry was working as a retail drug salesman. Effie Guthrie Knight, subject of previous posts, became one of his employees in 1923, hired as a saleswoman at a salary of $150.00.
By 1930 W. H. E. Terry had moved to Quitman, GA where he continued in the retail drug trade. His brother, C. O. Terry, had acquired the drugstore in Quitman (see Ray City Soda Jerk).
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February 13, 2011 at 12:20 am (Historic Businesses, Remedies and Medicine, Society and Leisure, Terry Family)
Tags: Berrien County GA, Charles Oscar Terry, G.F. Willis, Quack Nostrums, Ray City GA, Sargon, Tanlac
Among the “Prosperity” talk in the 1929 Nashville, GA newspaper article of the previous post was an obscure reference concerning the Ray City drug store operated by C.O. Terry.
“Another noticeable feature was a large sign across the rear end of the store reading “Sargon” which is evidence enough within itself to show that he [C.O. Terry] is the leading druggist of his section.”
Sargon, a patent medicine introduced in the summer of 1929 by the G.F. Willis company of Atlanta, was a wildly popular concoction. G.F. Willis was among the largest promoters of patent medicines and had already made millions from a similar quack formulation known as Tanlac. Through a massive marketing campaign, Sargon was made available only through “Exclusive ” drug store agents. To the readership of 1929, the mere presence of a Sargon distributor in Ray City was evidence of the town’s prosperity.
Across the country, the newspapers were full of Sargon advertisements and testimonials.
A 1929 newspaper article from New York state illustrates the manufacturers promotional strategy:
LOCAL FIRM GETS VALUABLE AGENCY
Local citizens who have heard of the amazing results which have been accomplished by Sargon will be interested in the important announcement that this new and scientific formula can now be obtained, in this city. Manufacturers of this revolutionary formula have followed out the policy of selecting outstanding firms as exclusive agents in every city where the new medicine has ‘been introduced.
Leading druggists everywhere have acclaimed it as a triumph in the field of modern medicine and have been eager to be among the first to supply it to their trade. Never before in the history of the world has the progress “of Medical Science been so rapid. One important discovery after another has been made which will have a far-reaching effect upon the health and well-being of mankind. Some of these discoveries are startling in the extreme and absolutely disprove many of the beliefs, practices and theories we have known.
As scientific investigators learn more and more about the human anatomy, the practice of medicine changes—the old is discarded for the new. As a result of this world-wide medical research, Science has discovered that good health is largely governed and maintained by three vital organs and fluids of the body. These are the liver, the blood and the endocryne glands. What is more important, we have learned that these organs and fluids can be stimulated and invigorated by certain basic elements. Having knowledge of these important discoveries, one of America’s leading bio-chemists succeeded; afterword and one-half years of laboratory research, in combining these basic health-giving remedies of the age.
It is called Sargon.
This formula and the formula for Sargon Soft Mass Pills, which are an essential and integral part of the treatment, are the property of the Sargon Laboratories and can be obtained by no other firm or individual in the world. This new scientific treatment, which represents much of our latest knowledge on modern therapy, has been acclaimed by druggists throughout America as a triumph in the’ field of medicine. With the needs of their customers uppermost in their minds, leading druggists everywhere have been eager to be among the first to supply it to their trade.
Although introduced in the East since July 9th, Sargon has already become a household word. In Rochester alone, over 16,000 bottles of Sargon and Sargon Soft Mass Pills have been sold and distributed by local firms. Nothing like it has ever been seen before. As a matter of fact, the marvelous success achieved by this remarkable medicine actually staggers the imagination. The demand for Sargon has been positively phenomenal and is probably unprecedented in the history of the drug trade. In the state of California alone, the astonishing total of eight entire carloads was required to supply the tremendous demand during the first sixty days this remarkable medicine was on sale. Six solid carloads were ordered by Texas firms the first ninety days after its introduction in that state. The success of Sargon in Minnesota has been so overwhelming that the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, are selling it at the rate of $200,000 a year through retail channels alone, to say nothing of the immense wholesale distribution: Over 250,000 bottles have been sold and distributed by Kansas City firms—Memphis wholesale and retail dealers have required more than 150,000 bottles—Atlanta retail firms are selling it. at the rate of 566,000 yearly. These are actual figures which can easily be verified and the sales in other sections have been correspondingly large.
The ad would go on to disclose that the local drug store had become the exclusive dealer for Sargon, and that large quantities of the product were on the way.
By 1933 the Federal Trade Commission had called the G. F. Willis company to task: the major ingredients of Sargon were grain alcohol and a laxative. In stipulation proceedings, G.F. Willis conceded that it’s advertising of Sargon was misleading. The Journal of the American Medical Association printed an abstract of the stipulation:
Sargon and Sargon Pills.—”Sargon” is a typical alcoholic “patent medicine” put out by G. F. Willis, Inc., of Atlanta, Ga. Willis was the former exploiter of “Tanlac,” a similar alcoholic nostrum. Sargon was declared misbranded under the Federal Food and Drugs Act because of false and fraudulent claims made for it. An abstract of the government’s case against this nostrum appeared in this department of The Journal, Jan. 3, 1931. “Sargon Soft Mass Pills” seem to be a complementary treatment that goes with Sargon and are, apparently, essentially phenolphthalein. G. F. Willis, Inc., has recently filed a stipulation with the Federal Trade Commission agreeing to cease publishing false or misleading statements and specifically to cease claiming: (1) That Sargon is based upon a new or revolutionary formula ; (2) that it accomplishes its results by new and amazing methods ; (3) that it is the result of world¬wide research ; (4) that signed statements approving Sargon pour in from physicians, and various other false and misleading claims. The concern also stipulated that it would cease misstating the official, professional or educational standing of persons giving testimonials, would cease publishing testimonials that had been altered so as to change their meaning, and would also cease using testimonials that had been paid for unless the fact that they had been paid for was given publicity.
Despite the agreement to quit making false claims about Sargon, the quack medicine would remain on the market for years.
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February 12, 2011 at 4:58 am (Historic Businesses, Terry Family, Uncategorized)
Tags: A. W. Starling, Archie Wardlaw Starling, Berrien County GA, C.H. Winderweedle, C.O. Terry, C.O. Terry Drug Store, Charles Oscar Terry, Chloe Gardner, Citizens Bank of Ray City, J.H.P Johnson, John D. Luke, Johnson and Winderweedle, Joseph Henry Pascal Johnson, Ray City GA, Swindle and Clements
In 1929, less than 30 days after Black Tuesday and the beginning of the stock market crash, the Nashville Herald was running stories to bolster the local Berrien County, GA economy. The Ray City “booster” story assured readers that the bank in Ray City was financially strong, and that trade was brisk among the businesses of the town.
The Nashville Herald, front page, November 21, 1929
RAY CITY A VERY PROSPEROUS SECTION
BY CHAS, HIMSELF
In keeping with the policy of the Herald to boost and build up all sections of Berrien County, Mr. A.W. Starling and myself spent Monday afternoon in the interest of a Ray City Community page which appears in another section of this edition. Upon our arrival, which was the first stop we had ever made in this enterprising town, we were greeted by our old friend, Mr. C.H. Winderweedle, of the firm of Johnson and Winderweedle, who do a general mercantile business and carry in connection a high grade line of groceries. Mr. Winderweedle showed us every consideration and was one of the first of the business men of the community to sign up for one of the spaces in the booster page. He was quite a bit more optimistic than some of th merchants called upon and stated that although his was a new firm that he was well pleased with their beginning and intimated that with the bargains they were offering that the and his partner anticipated a continued growth in trade.
Our next stop was made at the Citizens Bank of Ray City, where we had the pleasure of meeting Mr. John D. Luke, the popular and efficient cashier of the institution. Mr. Luke is a man of very pleasing personality and during our short conversation we can very easily understand why the banking institution of which he is the head has prospered as it has. As we understand it the Citizens Bank of Ray City is one of the strongest financial institutions in the county and its business is growing steadily as will be shown by the last financial statement as called for by the superintendent of state banks. It has total resources of over $150,000, and deposits of over $100,000 and shows that it has no notes and bills rediscounted. Berrien county is justly proud of its banking institutions and conservative business men do not hesitate to place the Citizens Bank of Ray City along with the head of list.
We casually visited the firm of Swindle and Clements and were surprised to find the class of merchandise that a large force of clerks were busy dispensing to a large number of customers who were continually pouring in and out of the store. In fact their rush was so great that it was several minutes before we could interview Mr. Clements, and when we did he readily agreed with our proposition to assist in boosting the county and he and Mr. Swindle readily signed up for one of the ads on the Ray City Booster Page. While in his store we were what might be termed a “victim of circumstance” insamuch as we spied a string of jack fish, which were so near uniform size that we became attracted to them and after getting their weight, bought the six pound string for the insignificant sum of 90 cents. Mr. Clements stated that his firm always has a supply of these fresh water fish on hand, which are alive when brought to his store, and supplies the lovers of the finny tribe with fresh oysters at all times in season. Their meat market which is operated in connection with the store is modern in every detail and is equipped with Frigidaire cold storage apparatus, insuring their patrons of always receiving the most sanitary meats.
Upon a trip of this nature it is natural for one to become fatigued and need refreshing so we made a call upon the C.O. Terry Drug Store, the proprietor of which is familiarly known as “The Accommodating Druggist.” Dr. Terry, himself waited upon us and true to his slogan proved to be very accommodating. Being a very busy man dispensing cold drinks, filling prescriptions and waiting upon the trade in general, we did not get to spend as much time with him as we would have like, but a careful survey of the store convinced us that he was modern in his ideas and carried a choice line of drugs as well as druggists sundries. Another noticeable feature was a large sign across the rear end of the store reading “Sargon” which is evidence enough within itself to show that he is the leading druggist of his section.
Just before taking leave of the little city it was our pleasure to visit the garden of Mrs. J.H.P. Johnson, which is a marvel, especially considering the dry weather. Our observation of the garden and surroundings, convinced us that there is no danger of the family going hungry unless they should suddenly become too weak to pull up vegetables, milk a cow, kill a chicken, or clean a hog, as there was plenty of evidence that this family believes in living at home.
The above trip was an eye-opener to us, and our suggestion is that the people of Berrien County should “Know Your County Better.”
Transcription courtesy of Skeeter Parker.
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December 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm (Clements Family, Giddens Family, Governance & Civics, Purvis Family, Studstill Family, Terry Family, Uncategorized)
Tags: Berrien County GA, Edmund Griner, J. S. Clements, J.M. Studstill, Jacob Arlie Purvis, James M. Studstill, John D. Luke, Lyman F. Giddens, Ray City GA, Ray City News, W. W. Woods, W.H.E. Terry, Walter Aultman, Yancey F. Carter
Ray City News articles from 1929 give insight into the town’s social, business, and political leadership of the time:
Ray City News, January 3, 1929
Ray City News, Jan 3, 1929
City Officers Take Seat on January 14
The followning city officers were elected in the election held in the early part of December, L. S. Giddens, mayor, J. D. Luke, J. A. Purvis, Y. F. Carter, W. H. E. Terry, councilmen.
J. M. Studstill opposed Giddens for mayor. W. G. Altman, J. S. Clements and W. W. Woods were on the opposite ticket for councilmen.
The new officers will be sworn in Monday night –text illegible– L. F. Giddens over Edmond Griner.
Mr. Lyman F. Giddens – better known as “Judge” – served the town as mayor, city clerk and justice-of-the-peace. As mayor he was involve in the effort to bring a power plant and electric lights to Ray City, GA.
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November 25, 2010 at 12:56 am (Historic Businesses, Terry Family)
Tags: Berrien County GA, F. G. Thompson, Harvey Terry, M. F. Folsom, Ray City GA, Ray City News, Ray City Newspaper, South Georgia Publishing Company
As previously mentioned, Ray City, GA once boasted its own newspaper, known as the Ray City News. As it turns out, there ARE a very few existing copies of the old hometown rag on display at the Ray City, GA City Hall. This blog will be bringing forth transcribed articles as they can be made available.
Prior local histories mention Harvey Terry as the paper’s editor, but he has no presence in the known copies of the paper.
When the Ray City News went to press in 1929, those at the helm were M. F. Folsom, Manager and Editor, and F. G. Thompson, Assistant Manager. The paper was owned by the South Georgia Publishing Company.
The Volume 1, Number 1 edition was dated Thursday, January 3, 1929. Subscriptions were $1.00 per year.
The paper included the following brief editorial:
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October 31, 2010 at 1:38 am (Fender Family, Historic Businesses, Society and Leisure, Terry Family)
Tags: Berrien County GA, C.O. Terry, Charles Oscar Terry, Fender Hotel, Lena Fender, Lon Fender, Lutie Fender, Main Street Ray City, Paralleled Street Ray City, Paul Tanner, Quitman GA, Ray City GA, Ray's Mill, soda jerk, Terry's Drug Store, W. L. Fender, Wilson W. Fender
When Ray City, GA became incorporated in 1909, among the earliest businesses to be established was the drug store. In those days, the soda fountain was an essential element of the drugstore trade. The National Druggist trade magazine, in 1911, published The Practical Soda Fountain Guide in which they advised drug store owners, “you have a soda fountain, because every druggist is supposed to have a soda fountain.”
In their heyday, soda fountains flourished in pharmacies, ice cream parlors, candy stores, dime stores, department stores, milk bars and train stations. They served an important function as a public space where neighbors could socialize and exchange community news. In the early 20th century, many fountains expanded their menus and became lunch counters, serving light meals as well as ice cream sodas, egg creams, sundaes, and such. Soda fountains reached their height in the 1940s and 1950s. With the coming of the Car Culture and the rise of suburbia, they began to decline. Drive-in restaurants and roadside ice cream outlets, such as Dairy Queen, competed for customers. North American retail stores switched to self-service soda vending machines selling pre-packaged soft drinks in cans, and the labor-intensive soda fountain didn’t fit into the new sales scheme. Today only a sprinkling of vintage soda fountains survive.
The 1910 census of Ray City shows seventeen year-old Lutie Fender working as a “soda fountain salesman” – a soda jerk. Lutie was the son of Ray City hotelier, Wilson W. Fender, and nephew of Lon Fender, turpentine operator and builder of the Patterson Hotel in Valdosta, GA.
The Fender Hotel was was one of the historic businesses of Ray City. It was located in a wooden building on the northeast corner of Main and Paralleled Street in Ray City, just across the track from the train depot of the Georgia & Florida Railroad. The hotel was operated by Mrs. Lena Fender. This building was destroyed by fire in 1913 or 1914.
The soda fountain became a long-time fixture in Ray City, as in small towns everywhere. By 1916, C.O. Terry was in business as a retail druggist in Rays Mill, GA (nka Ray City). It may be that he had assumed operation of the City Drug Co. at Ray’s Mill by that time. He later operated Terry’s Drug Store in Quitman, Ga., which became known locally for its soda fountain, among other things. In his book, My Whole Life and 48 Years of Small Town Family Medical Practice, Paul Tanner Jr., MD describes the work of a typical soda jerk, working in Terry’s Drug Store around 1940:
“I went to work at… Terry’s Drug Store, down the street. I was a full fledged Soda Jerk, working in afternoons after school, and Saturdays. They had sandwiches made from ham boiled in the back of the store, boiled peanuts, boiled in the back, pimento cheese mixed in the back, with lettuce and tomato. I went to work after school each day and left after closing at 9 PM. All the soda fountain was my specialty, too. On Saturday I worked from 10 am until closing at 11 PM. I was paid $2.50 a week. I continued working at Terry’s Drug Store off and on until I graduated from high school.” – Paul J. Tanner, M.D.
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October 21, 2010 at 1:02 am (Terry Family)
Tags: Berrien County GA, Emma Patten, Green Bay Herald, Harvey Terry, J. W. Norwood, Lucien Clements, M. F. Folsom, Pine Grove Gimlet, Ray City GA, Ray City News, W. R. Roberts
The press that printed the Ray City News may have resembled this model from the early 1900s
An article from the Nashville Herald, Nashville, GA dated Feb 16, 1956 stated that there was once a newspaper in Ray City, GA known as the Ray City News. The Ray City News first went to press around 1909.
The Ray City News which began publication, with Harvey Terry as editor, soon after the name of the town was changed to Ray City, was an aggressive newspaper and placed the little community well in the limelight of affairs of the day, though it finally had to discontinue publication for lack of patronage.
Today, a few old timers in Ray City recall seeing old copies of the Ray City News, although none can remember as far back to its days of publication. Has anyone still got a copy of the old hometown rag?
Some other long forgotten local community newspapers from the turn of the 20th century were the Green Bay Herald, edited by Lucien Clements and Emma Patten, and the Pine Grove Gimlet, edited by W. R. Roberts and J. W. Norwood.
The Ray City News made another run in 1929 with M. F. Folsom, Manager and Editor.
Advertisement for a printing press from the February, 1908 edition of The Practical Printer.
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Ray City News Goes to Press
1929 Merchants Support Ray City News
Ray City News, Jan 3, 1929 ~ M.G. Melton Buys A. Turner Brick Bldgs
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October 8, 2010 at 8:00 pm (Clements Family, Faith and Begorrah, Luckie Family, Swindle Family, Terry Family)
Tags: Andrew Turner, Annie Lee Dudley, Berrien County GA, Berrien County Georgia, F.D. Ratcliff, Henry A. Swindle, Henry Swindle, J.M. Tyler, John M. Tyler, Julia Dudley, Lucius Jordan Clements, Marie Dudley, Nashville GA, Nashville Georgia, Ray City GA, Ray City Masonic Hall, Ray City Methodist Church, Redding D. Swindle, Remerton GA, Rozzie. P. Swindle, Sparks GA, Sparks Georgia, Swindle Hall, W.E. Hightower, W.H.E. Terry, W.M. Creech, William F. Luckie, William Guthrie
A brief history of the Methodist Church in Ray City, GA is excerpted from a document composed about 1988. (See also Fifty Years of Methodist Ministers ~ Ray City, GA).
Ray City Methodist Church
The Church was organized by brother F.D. Ratcliff on October 29, 1910. The Rev. W.E. Hightower of Remerton, Georgia served as the first pastor. Originally the services were held in a tent on the north side of town near the homestead of Mr. and Mrs. Will Clements. Among the first members were Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Luckie, Will Terry, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Turner, Mrs. Julia Dudley, Annie Lee Dudley, and Marie Dudley.
Shortly after the Church was organized, Rev. Ratcliff held a revival in the Masonic Hall. Five Church members were present and twenty-one new members joined. This made the total membership twenty-nine persons. During the time Brother Hightower served as pastor, he was originally on the Remerton Charge. He was later transferred to the Milltown Charge. At this time Brother Langston was the presiding elder and lived at Sparks, Georgia.
The church services were held in the Masonic Hall until it burned. Since the faithful Methodists helped the members of the Christian Church to erect their building, the Methodist were invited to hold their services in the new Christian Church building each second Sunday.
Land for a Church was donated in 1912 by R.D. Swindle, father of Henry A. and R.P. Swindle. In 1917, a tent meeting was held on the site of the present Church and plans were formulated to construct a new Church. Brother Barr was pastor and leader of the movement. A committee consisting Lucious Clements, W.M. Creech, Will Terry, J.M. Tyler and Mr. Patterson drew up the plans for and constructed a wooden building which was used until replaced by the existing block building in 1954. The new block building consisted of an auditorium, three Sunday school rooms and a kitchen. William Guthrie, a cabinet maker from Nashville, Georgia, made the pews for the new sanctuary. The social hall was added in 1964 and bears the name “Swindle Hall” in honor of Mr. Henry A. Swindle who was a long-standing, faithful member of the Church.
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