100 YEARS AGO, MARCH 1919
A new contracting firm was formed this week and at once got busy securing contracts for building. The firm is composed of M. D. Gilmer and Dan Horn.
The first contract secured was for a gin building for the firm of McGee, Dean, and Company of Leland. Bourbon will be the location of the gin.
The cyclone switched over to Baird last Sunday and did damage to property of J. W. Watkins, Arthur Ray, and G. C. Scroggins.
From notes by the editor, J. A. Richardson. The splendid days of turkey hunting and mosquitoes are here again.
50 YEARS AGO, MARCH 1969
Introducing Our
Police Officers
Several of our new police officers have been recruited from other areas.
Not so for Officer Johnny Blockson. He was born in Stephensville, grew up a farm near there and attended schools in Indianola. He was previously a deputy with the Sunflower County Sheriff’s department.
Initiated into the Phi Delta Theta chapter at the University of Mississippi were pledges Phillip “Bubba” Fratesi, Johnny Terrell and James Pratt from Sunflower County.
Jack E. Harper, Jr., president of the Indianola Chamber of Commerce has announced a resolution commending Andrew Banks of Indianola for his bravery. Banks and a friend were in the area of the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River when they heard cries for help from a man and his son. The water was 25 feet deep with temperatures in the 30’s, but Banks went right in with his clothing and shoes and saved the two.
Leslie Fletcher says he never intended for it to happen, but he finds himself president of four different organizations, the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, the Mississippi Beef Cattle Improvement Association, the Sunflower County Livestock Association and the Methodist Men’s Club.
25 YEARS AGO, MARCH 1994
The Indianola Boy Scouts presented the highest award in Scouting, the Eagle Award, to Ben Robertson and Jason Erwin, both 11th graders at the Indianola Academy last week. The ceremony took place at the First United Methodist Church.
Fifty years ago, Friedel Geissert was a prisoner of war sweating out his capture in the cotton fields of Sunflower County. He came back to Indianola last Tuesday to look at the place where the German prisoner of war camp once stood in Indianola.
The Gentry Class of 1994 has announced its officers, President Christopher Herring, Vice President Walter Tillman and Treasurer Reginald Brownlee.
15 YEARS AGO, MARCH 200
Inverness is celebrating its 100th birthday. Mayor Jimmy Weems said they are hoping for good weather and a huge crowd. Carolyn Williams is the chairman.
Leslie Fletcher Died on Jan. 19, 2018, But His Legacy Lives On
Fifty years ago, Leslie Fletcher was president of four different organizations. He passed away January 19, 2018, but his contributions to Indianola and the state will live on for decades to come. Adelaide Fletcher, his widow, recalls his work in scouting. ”Les was Scout Master of BSA, Troop 41 over 36 years with over 130 Eagle Scouts during this time, three of those were our sons, Reid of Huntsville, Ala., Spence of Ridgeland and Josh of Jonesboro, Ark. We have three grandsons who are Eagles now and another one is working to obtain his Eagle. Needless to say, I am so very proud of this,” Mrs. Fletcher said.
Leslie Fletcher received the Silver Beaver back in the 1960’s, one of the highest and most coveted awards in scouting. He was a member of the Indianola Rotary Club for more than 50 years with a 26-year perfect attendance record. He was Rotary District Governor in 1992-93 and was a Paul Harris Fellow. Fletcher received the DAR Medal of Honor in 1996 and was named Indianola’s Citizen of the Year in 2006.
In spite of his busy life in community service, he found time for his hobbies. He loved model trains and had over 200 cars and 150 feet of track in his attic. These trains were donated to the Transportation Museum in West Point. He also built model airplanes, over 340 of them. These were donated and are on display at the Aeronautical Engineering Department at Mississippi State University.
People come and go in our every day lives and most are passing acquaintances. Not true for Leslie Fletcher, once one met him, he was never forgotten
