THE ET CETERA CHRONICLES - VOL. 95
NO ROOM FOR POLITICS - After our country’s entrance into World War I, Ant-draft organizations became common across the country. One such group was organized in Dublin by Dr. C.H. Kittrell, who was one of the top benefactors and leaders in Laurens County for a half-century. When Dr. Kittrell publicly spoke about drafting young American boys to fight in Europe, he was asked by a unanimous vote of the Dublin Board of Education to vacate his office. Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 22, 1917.
TURNING UP THE HEAT - In the winter of 1918, the Laurens County Courthouse ran out of coal. Coal was used for the war effort and in short supply in the South. So, the commissioners asked the sheriff to send his prisoners to the woods and began cutting firewood for the courthouse. Atlanta Constitution, January 28, 1918.
GOOD TO GO - Mrs. H.R. Routhwell joined the first girl troop organized in Dublin in 1912. It was in that year that the new troop was inspected and approved by Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America. Winston County Journal, Louisville, Mississippi, March 17, 1960.
BUILDING A BETTER MOUSE TRAP - C. C. Holland of Laurens County had it all figured out. In his day, rats were rampant in nearly every structure. Holland came up with the idea of how to trap the pesky rodents. He put a wash pot half filled with water. Holland then placed an upright stick with a flutter mill on top of the wood. On top of that, there was a piece of odorous cheese or cooked meat. The rats to get to the prize, ran over the flutter mill, which rotated them into the war. In the first two days, the proud inventor caught 33 of his enemies. Keowee Courier, April 17, 1901.
THE OLD BURYING GROUND - Dublin’s first city cemetery was laid out during the first decade of Dublin's existence. At the time, the cemetery was located at the northwest corner of the town. Legend has it that the first burial dates back to 1819 when a young man by the name of Laurens Vivian died while visiting the Thomas McCall family in Dublin. It is said that he is buried beneath the sandstone grave marker just to the left of the lane which runs from the front gate to the rear of the cemetery
A MOTHER TO MANY - Essie Mae Cobb first served as director of the Laurens County Department of Family and Children’s Services in July of 1937. Her first office was in the New Dublin Hotel and her filing cabinet was an orange crate. Miss Cobb served in that capacity for forty years. In 1978, Miss Cobb was elected to the Georgia County Welfare Association Hall of Fame. Dublin Courier Herald, Sept. 28, 1978.
FIRST TO SERVE - Willie B. Anderson of 202 Gray Street, Dublin address, and Johnnie Quindo Foster of Rentz were the first Laurens Countians to be drafted into the Armed Forces during the World War II era. The draft was held on October 29, 1940, in Washington and the first number drawn was No. 158. Charlie Powell of Rockledge and John Albert Clemons, of a Dublin Route 3 address, were assigned number 192 and were the second men selected in the draft. Dublin Courier Herald, October 29, 1940.
THE ANCIENT PREACHER - Rev. J.R. Roberson, who served for 56 years in the ministry, died in September of 1978 at the age of 103. Dublin Courier Herald, September 18, 1978.
WASH PLEASE? - Dublin and Laurens County’s first Chinese laundry was established in 1897 by Lee Wing. Loo Sam opened his laundry at the corner of South Lawrence and West Madison Street in 1904. Savannah Morning News, November 11, 1897, Dublin Times, August 6, 1904.
BIG RIVER - The drainage area of the Oconee River is 4,182 square miles or about the size of the state of Connecticut. DCD, February 27, 1902.
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