Viewing Athens through the Classified Ads By Anne Adams

Suppose it’s the early 1900s, you’re newly arrived in Athens, and you naturally wanted to become acquainted with your community and its residents. If that’s the case then one way to do that at the time was to read the Athens Review. And if you examined the classified ads you’d see that at the time Athens was an agriculturally oriented community but also with a people who kept up with the times.

It seemed to have started in 1908 when an August 27 issue ran this announcement: “The Review begins this week a classified column. In it will be put all lost, found, wanted, for sale, wanted to buy, etc. items. The Review invites a trial of this column with most assurance of success. Try it.”

Athenians did and a frequent participant was Frank Nelson of Brownsboro. One of his ads in 1928 offered stock animals for sale and sought and hunting hounds:  “For sale, 50 head stock of hogs.” He also wanted “.. from one to 12 good O’possum [sic] and squirrel dogs.” We get the idea that hogs were an important stock animal in the area, as indicated by a 1917 public notice from a local hog buying firm. It read: “If it has a forked hoof and grunts as he walks, it’s a hog – we want ‘em and will pay highest market price. Elledge and Tanner.”

However, though raising hogs could be profitable, there were times when local swine got out of control. Feral hogs are a common occurrence in many places these days but these were apparently not feral when in 1917 P.A. Hable put a notice in the classified section: “Notice – I have put in pen on my place two  miles west of Athens, six stray hogs, weighing about 125 lb each, marked split in left ear. Owners can get same by paying cost of this ad, damage done and cost of feeding.”

In a farming community it wasn’t only dogs that went missing but so did other stock animals. In 1932 Bud Carter notified the public of such a loss. The ad said: “Strayed, mouse colored mare mule; has on bell; left my place Wednesday, June 22.”

Another interesting aspect was how advertisements reflected the move from animal powered vehicles to motor driven. One example of this came from a 1923 ad when J.A. Harper “wanted to trade good work mules for good 5 or 7 horse power gasoline engine; must be in running conditions, might buy if it’s a bargain.”

At least twice local people advertised to sell carriages, perhaps when they had acquired an automobile. One 1917 ad ran: “Good second hand surry [sic] for sale Mrs. F.P. McElvrath, Athens.” Or Rev. E.D. Hammer offered his “surry” – cheap. One notice was slightly different as Dr. J.M. Shaw of LaRue, wanted “for sale or trade, 5 passenger car in good condition.”  However, he also wanted “mules, horses, cows or farm.”

 Like today people then posted notices in the classified advertisement section. One of those came in 1923 as J.W. Wylie and J.B. Springfield put in a notice: “Posted – anyone found hunting, fishing or trespassing on the J.P. Parmer Estate will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Another notice was from 1935: “Posted, fishing, hunting or trespassing in any manner is strictly prohibited on Doodle Bug Ranch, 15 miles south of Athens. Everyone please take notice as violators will be prosecuted. J.A. Moon.” (This tract eventually was purchased by Dallas businessman and Athens native Clint Murchison).

There were also real estate ads and these can reveal how people lived at the time and what was important in a residence. In 1917 Mrs. W.J. Curry of Corsicana advertised “For sale – our home place in Trinidad, contains 7 ½ acres 8 room house with sleeping porch; has well on porch, good barn and other out buildings; well improved place short distance from depot.” 

In another ad someone lost something, and the advertiser gave a specific description: “Lost Purse containing $38.75 somewhere on road between Athens and my home on Flat Creek. Besides the money there were some sales slips from Cob Feed Store with my name on them in the purse. Finder please notify C.M. Ramsey, Rt. 4, Athens.”

Once a company seems to have lost track of their merchandise. In 1939 the Morgan Furniture and Mattress Factory advertised: “Cash reward for any information as to who bought kitchen cabinet from us that has Singer vacuum cleaner in it. “

There were of course ads both from job seekers as well as those seeking employees. One man in the first category was very hopeful but also specific: “Alabama farmer seeking steady employment no farm. Single, ordinary speaking, no bad habits, no experience with machinery. State wages paid – W.J. Fuller c/o Athens Review.”  

And sometimes a company put their message in a classified ad instead of in a display ad. In 1939 local department store J.C. Penney informed their women readers: “A proper foundation garment will make a world of difference in your appearance and comfort.”  And if you asked this advertiser if this was the right place for such an ad they might respond “Of corset is.”