Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Hill Country Place: Ironwood Bluff Bridge --- Video

The continuing series, Hill Country Places, features a "Through the Windshield Video" of the historic Ironwood Bluff Bridge across the Tombigbee River in southern Itawamba County, Mississippi. For a short article, a photograph, and a video of a drive across the old one-lane bridge, click the following link:

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

A Hill Country Story Told in Stone: Ridings Family --- Murdered 1880

The story about the H.B. Ridings family continues today with information obtained by visiting the cemetery where they are buried --- the triple grave marker is inscribed with "Murdered on December 17, 1880." To read more about this family and to view photographs of the grave markers, click the following link:

A Hill Country Story Told in Stone: The H.B. Ridings Family

For additional information about this family, click this link to an earlier article:



Monday, September 28, 2009

My Hill Country Assurances, continued: MY BROTHER

The continuing series, My Hill Country Assurances, takes a photographic look at my brother, Sherman Thornton. To access this article, click the link below:

Sunday, September 27, 2009

A Poem for Hill Country: To Mrs. Eleanor Potts by Francis Scott Key

The Sunday series, A Poem for Hill Country, continues with a word picture from October 22, 1840 written by Francis Scott Key, "To Mrs. Eleanor Potts." The poem paints a lovely picture of a blind lady playing a guitar. To read, click the link below:

Saturday, September 26, 2009

A Hill Country Hootie Hoo and SPECIAL THANKS

to the Francis Marion Rogers SCV Camp of Monroe County for the cleanup of Mound Cemetery in Amory . . .

to the volunteers from Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage, Fulton United Methodist Church Junior UMYF group, and hard workers volunteering their time from Fulton and Itawamba County Mississippi in the cleanup of The Cedars/Cates-Gaither House . . .

to Roy and Rita Thompson of Hatley Mississippi for their hospitality and their sharing of historical information and local lore to out-of-state researcher this week.

For the rest of the story and some photographs, click this link

Friday, September 25, 2009

A Hill Country Family: Murdered in 1880?

The series, A Hill Country Family, continues with part of the story about the deaths of three members of Henry B. Ridings family on December 17, 1880, in Monroe County, Mississippi. To read click on the following link:

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Country expressions to take the rag off the bush

The series featuring Hill Country words and expressions continues with Part 8, Southern Expression that will take the rag off the bush, posted at the link below:

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Hill CountryPlace: Smithville, Mississippi

The series, Hill Country Places, continues with a short history of Smithville, some photographs of landmarks in downtown Smithville, and a "through the windshield video" of a drive through the middle of Smithville. Click the following link to view

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

A Sad Story Told in Stone


The series, Hill County Stories Told in Stone, continues with the publication of a photo-essay from Lann Cemetery at Splunge. The photographs of the grave markers of these nine children who died as infants tells a sad and powerful story. Click the following link to view:

Monday, September 21, 2009

My Hill Country Assurances --- The Class of 1957 at Hatley High School

The series, My Hill Country Assurances, continues with a look at the Class of 1957, Hatley High School, Monroe County, Mississippi. Fifty-two years ago that class graduated --- and I was fortunate enough to be one of the graduates. For a brief look at the Class of '57 including three photographs, click the following link:

Sunday, September 20, 2009

A Poem for Hill Country

The series, A Poem for Hill Country, continues with a special request to repost The Prayer of Cyrus Brown by Foss. Since the poem appeared at Hill Country in June 2007, it has been the most widely read poetry article posted on any of my Hill Country blogs. To read this absolutely delightful poem about prayers and have a laugh or two, click the following link:

Saturday, September 19, 2009

A Hill Country Hootie Hoo: SNUFF and DUST and GOODNESS

Reader Judy Carruth has shared her Grandmother Funderburg's expression denoting "goodness." Read this funny expression and how I used it yesterday by clicking the link below.

Friday, September 18, 2009

A Hill Country Landmark: Two Hill Country Families

The series, A Hill Country Family, today takes a looks at a landmark house, home to two Hill Country families whose names are associated with the building. Some researchers called the house The Byrd House after the John Kirk Byrd family who lived there until about 1905. In my lifetime the house was called The Stanford House after the George W. Stanford family who lived there until the early 1960s.

By whatever name, the Byrd-Stanford House is a landmark. Today the house stands as a ruin --- the two-story cabin around which it was constructed has been removed for use elsewhere. But thanks to photographer, historian, and author Glenda McWhirter Todd of Tullahoma, Tennessee, memories of the house will survive through the circa 1980s photographs she has graciously shared with HILL COUNTRY.

To read click A Landmark in the Hill Country: The House of the Byrd/Stanford Families at Splunge.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Related blog, photographs, and video


by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

Readers interested in other Hill Country counties of Northeast Mississippi may find some of the articles posted at Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage of interest. This new blog is an attempt to document a preservation project of a historic home currently underway in Fulton, Mississippi. Photographs and videos are posted about the project along with several articles documenting the home's history and some of its early occupants.

The "Through the Windshield Videos" not only shows the house in relationship to downtown Fulton, the tour goes onto the campus of Itawamba Community College for a brief look at this education facility.

Links to the exterior photographs of the house and to the five-part video tour are in the left side-bar of Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage.

Interior photographs and video will be posted soon --- the preservation committee is meeting tonight, September 17, for a brief walk-through of the house at 5:30 PM followed by a planning meeting at 6:00 PM at the Christian Life Center, Fulton United Methodist Church. The public is invited to all these functions and to all meetings of the PICH.

Additional information about the Gaither House Preservation Project

The Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage committee has taken on its first preservation project --- The Cedars or the Cates-Gaither House on Main Street in Fulton, Mississippi. Built about 1860, the house started as a basic four-room dog-trot building which evolved into one of the landmark homes of Fulton. The Cedars is one of the oldest surviving structures from early Fulton.

Owned by the Fulton United Methodist Church, the house has been offered as a gift to the citizens of Itawamba County and of the Hill Country if a group would develop the house as a historical structure and make it available to the community. The Church also offered a small lot on Main Street just west of the house's current position for The Cedars new location.

The Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage committee formed to study this preservation and relocation task --- and have adopted the project as its first effort. The CREATE Foundation of Tupelo has approved the Gaither House Project Fund as a special project --- and your tax-deductible donations are being accepted to help with the restoration/relocation.

Current plans are to remove the original dog-trot portion of the house and locate it just west of the house's current position, restore it to its original configuration, and to maintain it as a historical building from early Fulton/Itawamba County.

If you have questions about this preservation project, feel free to contact me for additional information.

Terry Thornton
Treasurer, Preserving Itawamba County's Heritage
Fulton, Mississippi

Southern Words and Expressions

Part 7 of the series Southern Expressions that "will take the rag off the bush" is posted at Terry Thornton's Hill Country of Monroe County Mississippi (click to read).

Click the link above or the one in the left side-bar of this page to read more "Words and Phrases from the Hill Country."

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hill Country Places: MAXEY CEMETERY

The series, Hill Country Places, continues today with Part 3, Maxey Cemetery. A map, some current photographs of the graveyard, and links to previous lists of those buried at Maxey Cemetery are included.

Click this link to read

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Hill Country Stories Told In Stone: Shelby Ray Parham Story Continues


The series, Hill Country Stories Told In Stone, Part 3, continues the SHELBY RAY PARHAM STORY started almost a year ago at Hill Country.

The memorial marker for Mr. Parham states simply, "Shelby Parham 1920 - 1944 Lost In Plane Crash Blue Ridge Mts." For today's article about Mr. Parham, click the following link:

Monday, September 14, 2009

Part 3. My Hill Country Assurances: LETHA DORIS HOLLINGSWORTH THORNTON


by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com

Part 3 of the series, My Hill Country Assurances, features LETHA DORIS HOLLINGSWORTH THORNTON. Written following a new-to-me format based upon the book, Pistols for Two, the article is about my mother, one of the two pistols in my life. It and nine photographs of her may be read/viewed at the link below.

This article is the concluding half of a look at my parents. Click here to read about Garfus Sherman Thornton.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

A Poem for Hill County, Invictus by Henley . . . In Memoriam, Dr. William Earl Phillips


The series, A Poem for Hill Country, today contains a poem in honor of the memory of my friend, William Earl Phillips, whose funeral was September 12, 2009. Click the links below to read


Saturday, September 12, 2009

A Hill Country Hootie Hoo: JOHN S. NOTT, late of Texas


The Saturday series, A Hill Country Hootie Hoo, continues with a report of an old duel fought in Texas. The duel involved ALEXANDER SHOTT and JOHN S. NOTT and the report of this event can be read by clicking

Report on JOHN S. NOTT, late of Texas

Friday, September 11, 2009

A Hill Country Family: FORRISTER, FORRESTER, FOSTER?

by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com


The continuing series, A Hill Country Family, continues today with a brief look at the family of Arnie Forrister. Mr. Arnie was a blacksmith --- and operated a country store. Researching this family in Monroe County is made the more difficult because of various spellings of the surname --- FORRISTER, FORRESTER, or FOSTER? To read about some of this family click on the following link:

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Southern Words and Expressions


Part 6 of the series Southern Expressions that "will take the rag off the bush" is posted at
Terry Thornton's Hill Country of Monroe County Mississippi (click to read).

Click the link above or the one in the left side-bar of this page to read more "Words and Phrases from the Hill Country."

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Hill Country Places: AMORY, MISSISSIPPI


The series, Hill Country Places, continues today with Part 2, AMORY, MISSISSIPPI. Three different articles are used to present only part of the story about Amory.

The main article features some of the history of Amory --- and presents fourteen different photographs of Amory scenes.

Two additional secondary articles are linked with AMORY, MISSISSIPPI, The first one presents Amory, Mississippi: Through the Windshield Video, a short film of a fast ride up Main Street on September 6, 2009, and the second one is Amory Mississippi Centennial Silver Medallion, a look at a 22-year old artifact from Amory's 100th birthday.

Click these links to access these three articles about Amory, Mississippi:

Amory, Mississippi: Through the Windshield Video (check sidebar of this link for all video presentations about Hill Country)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Hill Country Stories Told In Stone: ROBERT DARRYL BIRD, BARITONE --- and FRIEND


The series, Hill County Stories Told In Stone, continues today with Part 2, DARRYL BIRD late of Splunge, Monroe County, Mississippi.

Darryl was a personal friend --- I had the good fortune to know him for at least two decades of his far-too-short life. Darryl Bird, 1939 - 1971, is the subject of today's post which may be read by clicking the following link:

Monday, September 7, 2009

Part 2, My Hill Country Assurances: GARFUS SHERMAN THORNTON


by Terry Thornton
email: hillcountrymonroecounty@gmail.com


Part 2 of the series, My Hill Country Assurances, features a brief biography of GARFUS SHERMAN THORNTON. On this Labor Day 2009, I find it most appropriate that the person who taught me the most about labor and work, honesty and remaining true to my beliefs, and of making my own way is the featured individual in this series of articles. Written following a new-to-me format for structuring biography, the article may be read at the link below.


Sunday, September 6, 2009

A Poem for Hill Country: The Purple Cow by Burgess

The series, A Poem for the Hill Country, continues today with another short poem. American writer Frank Gelett Burgess is forever linked to his tiny poem, The Purple Cow.

In today's presentation of The Purple Cow is included my recipe for making purple cows. Read the poem --- make a purple cow --- and enjoy. Follow the link below to the poem and to the recipe.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Update to HC Family: GURLEY and REBA GILLILAND

Additional information has been provided by readers to the article A HILL COUNTRY FAMILY: Gurley and Reba Gilliland of Splunge, Mississippi.

Click here to read the update
Click here to read the original article

Hill Country Hootie Hoo: A new series

Today starts the new series, A Hill Country Hootie Hoo. The phrase "hootie hoo" is one of my elder son's favorite conversation stoppers to indicate that someone has really changed the subject on him or has really come up with something totally unexpected.

Of course he will tell you that "hootie hoo" is the Andy of Mayberry's Lodge Brothers greeting to other lodge members. "Hootie Hoo" he learned as a child watching the Andy Griffith Show and the lodge brothers phase got locked into his working vocabulary. My son is a teacher; I can't image him saying "Hootie hoo" to one of his students whose answer or comment is so "off the wall" that it take the discussion to a whole new level but I'm sure he does.

Of course "hootie hoo" has taken on recent slang meaning but we won't go there.

This series is a hodge-podge --- a miscellany of articles including those of the hindsight variety --- and, yes, even some completely "off the wall" subject matter will be covered. Each Saturday beginning today watch for A Hill Country Hootie Hoo. Click the link below to see what the Hootie Hoo for today is all about.

Friday, September 4, 2009

A Hill Country Family: GURLEY and REBA GILLILAND of Splunge


The new series, A Hill Country Family, starts today with a brief look at GURLEY WEBSTER GILLILAND and REBA GILLILAND, late of Splunge, and some of his ancestors. To read this report click the following link:

Each Friday a different Monroe County Mississippi family will be featured in this space.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Southern Words and Expressions


Part 5 of the series Southern Expressions that "will take the rag off the bush" is posted at
Terry Thornton's Hill Country of Monroe County Mississippi (click to read).

Click the link above or the one in the left side-bar of this page to read more "Words and Phrases from the Hill Country" from the series SOUTHERN EXPRESSIONS THAT "WILL TAKE THE RAG OFF THE BUSH."

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Hill Country Places: IN SEARCH OF ADLEY


Today starts a new series, HILL COUNTRY PLACES with a search for information about Adley, Monroe County, Mississippi. Little is known about Adley and today's article provides maps and photographs but primarily raises lots more questions than it answers. To read In Search of Adley and perhaps to help determine where or when, click on the following link:

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

New Series: HILL COUNTRY STORIES TOLD IN STONE


Today starts the series HILL COUNTRY STORIES TOLD IN STONE with a look at three grave markers for ROME GILLILAND, SARAH GILLILAND, and SARAH J. GILLILAND. Two markers, different dates for the same person, and a marker with a nickname for another --- and census reports over the years with a variety of name spellings can, at times, create problems for research.

But maybe I've got these three markers sorted out and in the process I've learned a little more about the heritage of the Hill Country. To read about ROME and SARAH GILLILAND click this link: