I’d like to begin this week with a section of last week’s article that was omitted, the most recent part of the story of Tri-C. It read, “Just since June of 2019, Tri-C has picked up a new product line, and flooring sales are picking up. As a result, Tri-C now has its best work load in about ten years.” This positive information is important for Tri-C and for the town of Union as well while this long-time business continues to rebound into the future.
*Malone Nicholson remembers that in the mid-1930s, the heart of the Great Depression, he was about five years old and still believed in Santa Claus. One day just before Christmas, his mother, his daddy, and he were in town. Many of the men were unemployed, including his daddy, because of the Great Depression. At that time, J.W. Henry Hardware and Furniture store stood on the east side of Alexander’s Pharmacy. In his display window, Mr. Henry had placed the prettiest scooter Malone had ever seen. The blue and yellow scooter cost about a dollar. Malone told his mother that he wanted that scooter for his Christmas present. She sadly told him that Santa didn’t have enough money to buy that scooter. It only cost a dollar, but Malone was resigned and soon forgot it. Then very unexpectedly on Christmas morning, that beautiful scooter was sitting under their Christmas tree. Malone couldn’t believe it. He remembers feeling like he was the happiest and luckiest kid in the whole world. At that time, Fifth Street where he lived wasn’t paved, but it did have a sidewalk, and he almost wore out that sidewalk with his new scooter. That was the best Christmas gift he ever received.
*Benny Ware remembers that the Lions’ Club met at the Dining Room in the mid-1980s after they left the Bus Station before moving to Laird’s Café. Also, a correction from a former article is needed. James Harold McNair, Charlie Rigdon, and Benny ran a pick up and delivery truck for Nicholson Cleaners rather than Union Dry Cleaners. I apologize for the mistake.
*Nora Eshee remembers the old two-story school on Forest Street. The school’s coal bin was kept under the elementary section of the school, and there was a door leading to it at the front of the school near the flagpole. Mr. Early Clark, Nan and Kenny Clark’s granddad, sometimes supervised some of the children who were dismissed early but had to wait for older siblings to be released later. Nora was one of those younger children in Mr. Clark’s care. Sometimes he would let them visit the coal bin, a treat she remembers that they all always looked forward to.
*Steve Milling bought the old One Mile Inn on the NE corner of old Hwy. 15 and Hwy. 494. When he got the property from Breland’s in 2008, the old Inn was in total disrepair, so Steve cleared the lot. Then in 2016, he sold the property to Amstead Trucking managed by Brad Capps.
*Barbara Roebuck worked at Union Congregate Housing on Kirkland Street for 12 years, and Patsy Vance worked there for eight years. Dot Page also worked there.
Barbara also remembers her husband Ronnie Roebuck driving the funeral home’s hearse when it was used as an ambulance.
*Ann Burkes and Jane Smith of Decatur are proud descendants of Captain A.B. Hunter, who was so influential in the early days of Union. He was their great-great grandfather. Captain Hunter is buried in the oldest section of Union’s Memorial Park, land that he had donated and designated to be Union’s town cemetery before the Civil War.
*Jo McMullan Taylor, who grew up in Decatur but now lives in Forest, came as a little girl with her mother to Dr. Harbour’s dental office above the Union Drug Store. Dr. Harbour’s wife Nell was usually in the office when they arrived. Near the Christmas holidays, Nell, who was in a women’s club, made Santas out of plaster of Paris. One year when Jo and her mother came to the dentist just before Christmas, Nell gave Jo one of her handmade Santas. Jo treasured it throughout the years, giving it a place of honor when she had a home of her own. Now, many years later, the Santa belongs to Jo’s daughter who grew up admiring the Santa and knowing what it had meant to her mother. Today, she proudly displays the Santa made by Nell Harbour in her home in Hattiesburg.
Jo’s uncle Ollie Buntyn had an ice plant in Decatur when she was growing up. She remembers that many of the houses then had ice boxes sitting on the front porch. Ollie’s brother was Jim Buntyn, who also had an ice plant in Union.
If you have memories to share, contact me at terersablount26@yahoo.com or 601-774-5564.
