Thursday, March 28, 2013

County Farm Bureau -- Familiar Names and Faces



Mississippi Farm Bureau Local Activities, Lincoln Co. Open House. February. 1972. From left: A. E. Beall, Irl Duckworth, Mrs. Duckworth, George Sougeron, Doug Thornton, Milton H. 'Papa' Walker." Group photograph. -- MDAH Digital Archives.



L to R: P. V. Kepner, deputy adminstrator, Federal Extension Service, Home Demonstration Agent Sara Jane Craig and County Agent Travis Tadlock. View of awards presentation.
195?  Brookhaven, Mississippi --
MDAH Digital Archives


These photos dovetail with yesterday's posting of the old Farm Bureau Co-op location on North Railroad Avenue.

According to a Facebook friend, Ennis Irl Duckworth managed the Co-op Store for many years.  According to Findagrave, Irl was born March 13, 1932, and died April 7, 1987, age 55.  His wife's name (contrary to the above caption implying it was simply "Mrs.") was Pat C. Duckworth. 
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I was surprised to find little information on the woman that many of us in Brookhaven knew as a household name -- Miss Sara Jane Craig, Home Demonstration Agent.

The most I could dig up online was from the 1940 Census. (I was unable to locate an obituary or a Findagrave site.)

Sara Jane Craig was born in 1904 and lived, at the time of the census, in a rental house on Cherokee Street in Brookhaven.  Her education level showed that she had graduated college and perhaps spent another year beyond her bachelor's degree pursuing a higher education.  She was single, worked 48 hours a week, and earned approximately $1,800. 

The Census showed that a "trained nurse" by the name of Laura Jane Huff, age 33, was also living at the same rental address.  She reported earning $1,000 in income, and also worked 48 hours per week.
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I had little luck in locating additional information on Travis Tadlock, another local "household name" when it came to the co-operative extension.

As always, if you know more than what we have posted here, please leave word either here or on my Facebook page.  
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UPDATE:  According to my Brookhaven Facebook friends, Mr. Tadlock is still with us, living in Brookhaven and tending a most beautiful yard.  Pat Duckworth is also with us, according to those who claim her as a best friend.  

Better yet, the following bit of trivia from Dr. Danny Dickey really got me going:  "If you remember in Brookhaven there were two 1,000 watt radio stations:  WJMB and WCHJ.  I worked most weekends at WCHJ while in high school, and Catherine reminded me that the station was at one time owned by Miss Craig and Miss Huff and then by Mr. Bill Jones (who was my "boss" during my time there), thence the WCHJ was for 'Craig, Huff and Jones.'"

WHO KNEW?  

UPDATE II: According to Pat Duckworth, the first photo was made on the day of the Grand Opening of the new Co-op building on North Second Street. 

2 comments:

  1. Travis Tadlock's home is directly behind Mrs. Milbrandt's home, facing South Street. I believe he still lives there (or did as recently as last year) and tends a yard full of beautiful flowers and shrubs. His daughter, Susie, is a member of the BHS Class of 1970 with my sister, Kathy.

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  2. Bettie, right you are! It's wonderful to know that he is still among us, making the world a more beautiful place! I understand from Lynne Holmes Lofton that Pat Duckworth is also with us.

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