The Varnado Store Museum is a treasure trove of history, courtesy of Director Terry Seal together with her Board, staff, and volunteers.
Mesmerizing memorabilia on display year-round, but what caught my eye most recently was historical documentation - Daunton Gibbs's handwritten notes. Ms. Terry, in a labor of love, had typed them. The fantastic historical timeline is available for visitors to view at the Museum, but I'm sharing line by line.
First, for a bit of background:
Ira Daunton Gibbs, Jr. (1911-1998), was the only child of Ira D. Gibbs, Sr. (1884-1956), and wife Emma Lenora Graves Gibbs (1887-1968). His father was a railroad man. And Mr. Daunton, husband of Verna Bennett Gibbs (1915-2015), was the Coca-Cola man until he retired and became one of our parish's prominent historians.
The Gibbs had an only child, Ira Daunton Gibbs, III (1947-1995). In lieu of perseverating, I shall share the remembrance of Mr. Daunton's grandson Dr. Cullen Gibbs, a clinical neuropsychologist in Houston, who graciously wrote to me following my series of columns last summer on his grandfather. As he fondly recalled, in part:
"PaPa was a consummate gentleman and scholar with deep faith, love for family, and keen intellectual curiosity, especially with respect to uncovering and documenting the history of Franklinton and Washington Parish. He had a very kind and genteel nature, and I do not recall him ever having a cross word to say about anyone….
“I can vividly recall from childhood explorations with PaPa throughout Washington Parish to find or visit some historic site. These explorations typically occurred during the summer when I was out of school. No cemetery was too remote or old home site too overgrown to escape PaPa's interest. Despite the summertime heat and humidity of eastern Louisiana, I always enjoyed the explorations and learning about the history of the area."
The perfect segue to Daunton Gibbs's notes, which I retyped (despite my best effort, I doubt I got the spacing and dashes just right) from Ms. Terry's typed document and which follow:
*1941
Jan Local anti-aircraft (Nat. Guard) left by train (1-13-41) for Camp Hulon, Texas --- called to Federal Service
Feb. (2-3-41) Rev. Compear resigned as Pastor of Baptist Church in Franklinton
March 9, 41---Dula Bateman house on 10th Ave. burned
March 28, 41---Franklinton Wholesale opened on Mott &Mill It’s under C.S. Webb --- owned by Kraimer of McComb
4-30-41 Work on new jail begun by Contractor Gary Whitaker of Tylertown, Miss.
6-25-41 Work begun on new theater on Wash. St.
June 41 --Old Dr. Causey office N.E. corner of Wash. & Hancock Sts. torn down
9-1-41---J.N. Young began building our house on 10th Ave.
•1942
1-12-42---Moved into new home on 10th Ave.
2-7-42---Quick Service Auto Co. burned last nite --- located SW corner Pearl & Lee Sts., operated by H.F. Magee,Sr.
2-5-42 --- New Elroy Theater opened on west side of Wash. St.---owned by Roy Saxon between Lee & Wash.
2-11-42---New jail in use last week---Dedon Strahan first prisoner---hog stealing.
2-24-42---C.C. Camp about to close---located on Parker---2 top officers called to active duty --- they were Capt. Lessard & Lt. Emmerson
July 42---Dr C.V. Forshag in new home east of town
July 42---CC Camp on Parker St. disbanded --- was established about 1935
Daunton wrote at the end of this page:
Gone to War---World War II, Hope to be back
Daunton Gibbs, December 1942
At the top of the next page he wrote
Made it back
•1946
6-21-46---L.L. Ginn running Wallace store on Amite Hwy
6-21-46---M.L. Seal at intersection of 450 & Amite Hwy
7-17-46---Dr. W.R. McGehee took over T.M. Babington home for clinic (2021-Citizens Savings Bank)
7-23-46 -- Charlie Manning operating Corner Café S.E. corner Wash. & Cleveland
10-24-46 --- Bickham SS on Cleveland St. being rebuilt---Ambus Myles operator
11-24-46 -- -C.S.E.Babington Hardware burned -- north side of Ellis St.
•1947
March 3 - Buster Burkhalter closed Goodrich Store on Wash. St. (1968 - now occupied by Walker who took it over from Wright Furniture)
4-2-47--- Milk Strike on
April 47--- Ira Reese opened store on S. Main St. (present site of J.&B Super Mkt-1968)
May 47---McCullar brought me my 1940 Chevy truck all repainted
July 47---Dollar Rd. being blacktopped from town to Fisher Church (Richardson)
July 47---Bill Magee building milk plant at Ice Plant N.W. corner of Mill & Lee Sts.
Aug. 47 - Esco Riles steam sawmill at Popt------last night burned
Aug. 47 Dr. T.C.W. Magee (Dentist) moved from 2nd floor of D.A. Varnado bldg to Johnson Bldg. on Cleveland St.
10-3---Stephen Ellis house on Bene St. being torn down by Nick Skmetta---built about 1843
10-9---Road thru Fair Grounds blacktopped
10-22---Maurice & M.F. Welsh bldg Ford place on N.E. corner Wash. & Hancock Sts.
10-28---Experiment Sta. on Amite Hwy. about complete---consists of about 12 bldgs.
10-31---First football game at new park on Parker St.
11-15---Issued new truck-old truck (1940) to mill truck.
•1947---1948---1949
Rose Fussell Theater on Greenlaw being built -Jan., 47
Maurice Magee building brick bldg Pearl St. -Feb 47 or 9
VFW Home nearly complete---March 49
REA building on Pearl St. started---March 48
---- Auto Store bldg begun --March 48
Stores started closing Weds. PM---April 48
F.W. Watts home on 10th Ave. started -- April 48
Murphy Bateman bldg. being built --April 48
Old pool room being torn down -- May 49
Walter Burris bought out Wade Bateman at Fairgrounds --- 1947
----Bldg. between Theater and Ideal Drug Store started---1948
Bldg under construction near Meadie on Bickham lot -- 1949
Varnado Bldg. under construction-- June 47
Carley Yarick opened White House Lee St. --June 49
Wilson Burch opened Corner Café. Wiley Gray p---n---Aug 49
----Pritchard bought City Café from Rosa Anderson --Aug 48
J.M. Ware new high school principal -Aug. 49
Opening day for Welsh & Son Ford, Walker Dept. Store---Aug. 48
Wash. Par. High & Vernon School under construction-Sept. 49
Trades Day resumed after war---Sept. 11, 49
Fair Grounds enlarged to N.W. --Sept. 49
Old Ellis home on Bene St. being torn down --Oct. 49
Fair Grounds blacktopped---Oct. 49
Donald Walton opened Minute Grill --Oct. 49
•Stay tuned for the continuation of Daunton Gibbs's notes, beginning with the 1940s again next week.
