35 years ago

Building Permits issued in Batesville during November and December of 1983 totaled more than half a million dollars according to Building Inspector Thomas Burnett

Ben Barrett Smith and D. Ronald Musgrove announce the formation of a partnership for the general practice of law under the firm name of Smith and Musgrove Attorneys at Law.

40 years ago

Tripp Thomas, Don Kilgore, and Jerry Beaver shot simultaneously at a deer in which none could ascertain whose shot brought it down.

45 Years ago

Panola County continues to recover this week from what was determined to be the most severe ice storm in three decades.

55 years ago

Among county officials taking the oath of office on Monday morning at the courthouse in Sardis were Circuit Court, Ira Shankle, Superintendent of Education L. Stacey Davidson, Tax Assessor J.V. “Buck” Still, Chancery Clerk Brooks Vance Jr., and Sheriff Tax Collector, Earl Hubbard.

Progress in Panola County is to be highlighted on Wednesday when the formal opening of Panola County Bank of Sardis is held. The bank was founded in 1904 and has recently tripled in size due to remodeling.

75 years ago

Supervisor George W. Randolph  is newly elected president of the Panola County Board of Supervisors.

100 years ago

Friday night the town was visited again by robbers. This time Ed Cassell, Booth Mercantile Co., and W. G. Anderson were the victims of the midnight prowlers. From Cassell’s they took much merchandise of various kinds, from Booth’s, they needed a little change that was in the register and from Anderson they needed something to eat and in all, several hundred dollars of merchandise was appropriated by the prowlers.

“The bloodhounds which were at Como on a similar mission were brought down and put on the trail and soon followed the tracks of the thieves and halted at a cabin in the edge of town where Jack Clark and Fount McMillan were arrested and placed in jail charged with the crime. None of the goods has yet to have been recovered, and the suspects have been released on bond for a hearing the second Monday in February.”

“What Batesville needs is a nightwatchman, and a good man on the job would perhaps prevent the frequent robberies that been pulled off in the recent months.”

125 years ago

“For the information of a Virginia correspondent who would like to make a home in Panola County, we will sale our land can be bought from two to ten dollars an acre. It is a good place in which to establish a home and we hope to number among Panola’s citizens our Virginia correspondent…”

“Perry Gladden can cook the best baker’s bread in town. A fresh supply always on hand.”

Cutlines:

Towns:    This map is from an old school, window-shade-type pull-down map, probably from late 19th, early 20th Century. There is no trace of some of those communities except in memories of older residents who are fast passing from the scene.

Square:   This photo from small fire on Square, probably in the late 1940s. The fire truck with its rear visible is none other than the Teapot that was eventually restored and is now kept in operating condition by BFD Captain Bobby York. The building on fire is a one story structure located where the Dale Copeland Jeweler building is located now. Flints was then located in a two-story building to the left of the building on fire. What became known as the “December fires” of the early 1950s later destroyed in separate fires the rows of two story structures to the right and left of the fire in this photo.

Houston:   The late Charlie Houston is pictured in front of the drug store that bore his name, then located in the row of two story structures from where Bread and Breakfast and Davis Family Pharmacy are now located. Houston was the father of Charlie Beck Graves. (Courtesy of John Howell, Sr.)