CHANGING TIMES

CHANGING TIMES

by John Harvey

Some seventy five to eighty years ago, our county presented a much different picture than it does today.

The population was spread out over the county in numerous small communities. Monticello was not much larger than many of these settlements. The county with a population of between 15,000 and 17,000 fell into the moderately settled group of counties, there being some fifty counties with larger populations.

In considering the "hey day" of the county, population wise, we would have to consider the period between 1820 and 1840 as the top. The county, with a population of between 26,000 and 28,000 was third in the state with only Chatham and Wilkes having larger populations.

Even though the population was down by the early 1900's., the county was considered to give a good cross section of the state. This is evidenced by newspaper reports that show that a number of candidates for state and national office considered it a good place to launch successful campaigns for office.

As time passed and economic conditions have changed, many of the rural communities have lost population, and with it the school and stores which gave them identity. Among them was Hopewell community. This community, located around Hopewell Church, was one of the larger ones. The church is still one of the active churches in the county. The stores, school and many of the homes are now gone. Mrs. Vertna Kelly brought us two mementoes of that era. The first is a ladies fan which folded to be tucked into the purse and unfolded to a ruffled circle. These little fans were given out by the Blackwell Store to lady customers as favors. The store was operated by Mrs. Kelly's father and uncle.

The second is a picture of a group of Hopewell School students taken in 1906. Those shown in the picture from left to right are: front row: Reid Cook, Wilburn Benton, Rosaline Malone, Emma Blackwell, Vertna Blackwell (Kelly), Alvin Couch, Grover Benton Greer (Bub) Couch, Addie Lou Smith and Bryan Blackwell, and back row: Vera Smith, Mettie Malone, Genie Wilson, Wayman Malone, Ira Malone, Coile Wilson, Lonnie Blackwell and Clyde Blackwell. The teacher was Miss Bessie Cook from Shady Dale.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.