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Community News

Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Charles Henderson and family vacation in St. Louis

Charles Henderson and his family, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Henderson and son Cory, enjoyed a trip to St. Louis, Mo., last week. They enjoyed a ball game.

Vacation Bible School was held at Potts Camp Church of Christ last week with many children attending.

Former Potts Camp residents in the past, Tommy and Shirley Bready of Covington, Tenn., held a family reunion on Sunday, June 22. He is the brother of my sister-in-law, Joann Potts, wife of my brother, the late Lindy Potts.

Many improvements are being made at Potts Camp School, located across the road from my home. I enjoy sitting on the porch and watching the large machines as the men work on the buildings and school yards.

Thanks to Sylvia Akin of Memphis for the picture she mailed me of her family members. I grew up with Rhetta Lou Alvis Page (we called her Boots); Sylvia’s mother Margaret Alvis Seymour; Margaret’s twin sister, Mary Alvis Fowler; and their double first cousins, Gerry and Louise Alvis (all pretty young girls in the picture). Sylvia also wrote about seeing friends Betty Jewell Work and her husband, Albert Smith in wheelchairs. They are patients at King’s Nursing Home near Memphis. Betty Jewell grew up in Potts Camp and is the stepdaughter of Lena Fay Work. Sylvia plans to visit them when she and her husband return from a trip to Chicago this week. She also sent a book she wrote in memory of her Aunt Boots. I enjoyed it and shared it with friends.

Thoughts

1. Jesus is living today! His spirit is a continuous, living presence outside and inside us. Despite of what we have done, He still loves us.

2. Like the song of Bill Gaither, “Because He Lives,” we can face tomorrow.

3. Others may not like the way we look, but God looks on our hearts. Others may think we are a bother because we are growing old, but God loves us to the end.

4. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

5. The good news is that “God demonstrated His own love for us that when we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray at the end of each day you’ll find I’ve helped someone, somehow, some way, that I’ve not failed in word or deed to enlighten the heart of someone in need. For Christ’s sake, amen.

6. “Let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

Happy birthday to Ethan Young, son of Colette Young and Jeremy Humprey on June 21. Happy birthday to Lilah Ward, my granddaughter of San Antonio, Tx., on her 20th birthday and to Juanita Howell on June 26.

Happy wedding anniversary to Jimmy and Martha Hollingsworth, June 24; and to Floyd and Elinor Edwards on June 25.

Prayer list: Mary Frances Clayton, Don Randolph, Henry Tutor, Diane Clayton, Roy Foote, Jean Derryberry, Donna Marett, Lena Fay Work, Willie Thomas Wicker, Mary Jo McCallum, Connie Work, Lina Mae Rhea, Ann Mann; the family of Mattie Gurley, who died recently; Betty Fincher; our servicemen and leaders of our country. Pray for peace.

(Correction in last week’s Memories)

Ralph Greer came home from the war and married his Potts Camp High School girlfriend, Martha Woodard. Her family had moved to Holly Springs and her first husband was named Hurdle. (He was killed in World War II.) They had one son. Ralph Greer and Martha also had one son, Ralph Greer Jr. Both of her sons live in Collierville, Tenn. Martha was my friend, she worked at a furniture store in Holly Springs. Both Ralph and Martha are deceased.

Memories and History

Potts Camp has always been a railroad town! It was built around the first Frisco Depot, built in 1886. The first board meeting was held in 1888. Mary P. Reid, daughter of Colonel Potts, the first settler, had given the right-of-way, so the train would come through our town. She also gave land for the Potts Camp Cemetery and for churches and schools of both races. Reid’s Gift MB Church and Mary Reid school are both named for her.

Back in the early days there were very few cars and people traveled by train; supplies were also shipped by trains. Many of them are now, since the gas is so high. Many business establishments moved to our town. Drummers (salesmen) came here by train and stayed a few days, so they could visit the many stores in town.

After 1913, when Williams Hotel opened on Church Street, the owner, Julia Williams, had a porter to meet every train to help travelers locate the hotel.

Four passenger trains stopped at the depot every day. About 1900, the Greer family bought Eagle Springs, a health resort with a two-story hotel, about a mile from town; people from Birmingham, Memphis, and other far away places came by train to visit there, sometimes for weeks. They thought the water was magic and a cure for everything.

A livery stable in town would drive them there in a buggy drawn by horses or they could walk the elevated wooden walkway there. Wright Greer, a dear friend, told me, before he died at age 100, that a train from Memphis brought a large group of people there on Sunday evening. He said that it was a sight to see the people dressed in their Sunday best as they got off the train and walked to Eagle Springs. Some stayed a week; others caught the train back that night.

Reid’s Hotel was located across the railroad tracks from the depot; also “The Potts House” built in 1910 by my grandfather, J.A. Potts, was located on Front St. (The two- story house has been bricked and is still in good condition.) Many of my grandparents’ children were grown and married. (My dad was one of them.)

When I was a child the merchants in town thought the depression was about over (it had just begun). They had “Trades Day.” Old man depression, made of rags, was burned at the stake, then the games began. A greased pig was turned loose; the boys who caught him could keep him; also a tall pole was greased and money was placed on top of it. Many people tried to climb it, but slid down. Finally someone made it. The family with the most family members rode out of town with a barrel of flour as a prize. I have happy memories of that day! The town was filled with people of all ages. Although we lived a while in and near Aberdeen, after L.D. and I married, Potts Camp has always been my hometown!

Potts Camp celebrated its 100th birthday in 1988. I’ll never forget it.

Holly Springs News
Henderson Milan

Mr. and Mrs. Melvin DeBerry recognized on 36th anniversary; VBS begins June 25

Father’s Day was observed at Hopewell No. 1 on Sunday, June 15 at 10:45 a.m. Sis. Monica Govan was the mistress of ceremony. Pastor gave the welcome followed by a skit and meditation. Music by the youth. Fathers were presented gifts by the Missionary Society. Mr. and Mrs. Melvin DeBerry were recognized for being married for 36 years. The congregation congratulated them. That afternoon, Hopewell made a visit to Oak Hill Baptist Church in Memphis. We were glad to have Jarvis DeBerry home for Father’s Day.

Vacation Bible School began June 25.

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