25 years ago

May 23. 2001 PREPARING FOR GRADUATION – Fayetteville native Adm. Frank B. Kelso, who retired in 1994 as chief of naval operations of the United States, talks with graduating seniors and guests following the baccalaureate services on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln County High School. Kelso was the guest speaker for the event. Graduation exercises will be conducted tomorrow evening at the high school.

MCALISTER’S MEMORY HONORED – Mary Northup, a former resident of Lincoln County currently residing in Raleigh, North Carolina, sponsored a bench in memory of her father, Dwanye McAlister. Mrs. Northup still has a subscription to The Times and saw the bench sponsored in a recent edition and thought it was a good way to remember her father. She picked Mockingbird Antique Mall for the 44th location of the bench and requested that the business owners, Billy and Katherine Hobbs, be in the photo.

KEITH SPRINTS – Lincoln County Falcon sprinter Jessica Keith attempts to qualify for the Spring Fling in Chattanooga at the section meet in Tullahoma last week. Teammate Nettie Halcomb qualified in the 3,200-meter event, running a 12:33.64. She will compete in the state meet on Saturday in Chattanooga.

THREE-STAR AWARD – For the 17th year, Fayetteville-Lincoln County has been certified in the Governor’s Three-Star Program. Representing Fayetteville- Lincoln County accepting the award from the governor are Kay Cowley, Fayetteville-Lincoln County Industrial Development Board; John Parson, Fayetteville- Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce executive director; Gov. Don Sundquist; Mark Clark, Mayor of Fayetteville; Richard Crabtree, president of Fayetteville of Commerce; Lynn Wampler, City of Fayetteville; and Alex Fisher, commissioner of Economic and Community Development.

50 years ago

May 27, 1976 SECOND SIGNING – City, county, and CFW Construction Co. officials presided over the ‘second signing’ of the Declaration of Independence during a brief ceremony Tuesday at the Lincoln County Courthouse. Signing the copy of the document were Mayor SJ King, Mrs. William R. Carter, William R Carter, Judge Bobby Parks, and Mrs. John Poole.

OLDEST EMPLOYEES – Harvey Neeld and Mrs. Minnie Rowell Neville are the two oldest people to be associated with the telephone company in Fayetteville. Mr. Neeld, 97, helped install the original phone lines here in 1895. Mrs. Neville, 78, put in 40 years of service with South Central Bell.

AS IT WAS – Dr. M.A. Keeling served the Smithland community well, so well in fact, that he gave his life for his patients during a typhoid epidemic. No wonder then that he was one of Lincoln County’s most remembered and best-loved citizens. Born May 17, 1849, he was stricken with the disease when he refused to discontinue his trips to see patients by horseback, even though ill, and it did back then, according to Smithland old timers. The John Albert Dickey family now resides in the attractive home.

SIR TOPS COUNT IN LINCOLN VOTE – Martin Sir of Fayetteville has apparently failed in the bid to be elected as a committee delegate for Jimmy Carter to the Democratic National Convention although he led Lincoln County in voting Tuesday.