 The Cherry Tree Grade School was built in 1917. It was torn down when the boulevard was built in 1956. If anyone has any Cherry Tree School photos, please share them with us. |
 A large photo collection of Cherry Tree Bottom and its residents from many sources. Submission of pictures is welcome – especially depicting Cherry Tree of the 1930s -1960s. |
 A collection of newspaper clippings about Cherry Tree and some of its residents. |
 Cherry Tree Pilgrim Holiness Church Gallery. |
 Photos of our Cherry Tree Reunions 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. |
I am a granddaughter of Van Buren Clark and Martha Hannah Clark. I would like to visit Cherry Tree some day. My parents were divorced when I was small and I have lived in Alabama all of my life.
Could you give me directions to Cherry Tree? Possibly from Logan?
I only have one picture in existence of my father. James Earl “Corky” Williams who lived at monitor. Born 1/24/29- deceased 6/7/2006, he worked at superior mine supply at Holden,and at monitor. He was in the USMC. Graduated from Logan,I believe. His parents were Earl and Margaret Williams,also from monitor. One brother, Richard “Dick” Williams, and a sister, Mary Ruth Williams Adkins. If you have any information or photos,I’d love for you to contact me. I have no memories in pictures, and would love see some. Thank you,and God bless you.
From Eddie Atkins:
Concerning ” Corky” Williams —I knew him from school days and cut his hair before he joined the marine corps. When the family lived at monitor I knew his family, sister Mary and brother “Dick” who was in the mine supply business at Monitor until the last few years however I hear he is living in Florida now.
Mollie,familysearch.org shows
William Brumfield Jr.death record.
He was born Feb.20,1910 & he died
March 12,1955 in a house fire in
Cherry Tree.Shows that he was divorced
at the time of death.Shows that he was
the son of William & Hollena Brumfield.
Thank you so much. I was able to find it thanks again
I have been looking up some family history and have learned
That I have two family members live and die in cherry tree
Bottom,I believe in a house fire in 1955.
There names were William and Hollena Brumfield.
If anyone knows anything please share.
Thank you in advance
Little Known Fact!
Bet you didn’t know….I was invited to Mrs. Von Pechy’s home in Middleburg for lunch and to my shock she had a pet monkey! Seriously, a real live monkey! I don’t remember anything else, I was in “monkey shock!” Sure made my day!
Wow! Another side of Mrs Von Pechy! Classroom was a serious business for her but she found time to tell us human interest stories as well as expose us to art and music. Thanks for posting that fact about Mrs. Von Pechy. Yes that must have made your day. I had forgotten that she lived at Middleburg before building the two story block house on Holden Road. I believe you lived between Nagy’s Grocery and Myrtle Herald. Right? You father was the scout master of troup 73 when I joined the scouts. We scouts were very fond of him. You must have been in the fifth grade when I was in third. That was the year that fifth grade was retained at Cherry Tree due to overcrowding at Mt Gay. I especially enjoyed being exposed to the fifth grade songs that were much more interesting like “Leron, Leron, My Boy.” It had two part harmony. During my junior hear of college I took a semester off during my mother’s terminal illness. During that semester I took over as a long term substitute teacher of a sixth grade class at Whitman Grade School. Mrs Von Pechy had been in that position before I took over and she left me a very sweet note wishing me well. I so much wish I had saved that note
I too was invited to her home for lunch and met the monkey. One of my favorite memories of growing up in Logan!
i was the one mr.marushi paddled in the hall with the pa system open to show what happens when you play the pin ball machine at gold and blue before school. i couldnt sit down very much that day.rode #50 bus all the years i went to school.i grew up in whites addition and lived in cherry tree as an adult across from the church.
I remember that.
I was so excited to run across this collection of photos. I’ve heard my Uncle Tom reference JB Ellis school many times. When I went through the photos, lo and behold, that’s my Great-Grandmother, Elmira Henderson, seated front and center in the snapshot of the faculty and PTA moms! I can’t wait for the rest of my family to see this. 🙂
Thank you for posting kids from high school ,I ran across my third cousin Ray Tomlin his sop .and junior years. Very good to see his picture.
Robert, these are wonderful pictures. The picture of Maude Ward and Rose Ghiz was especially meaningful to me. My Dad, John Haslam, always spoke with great fondness about his friend, Rose Ghiz. Thank you!
Memories of LJHS Jean Smith Spoo
Ron, my brother, was caught by Mr. Marushi as he was running in the hall to get to class on time. I think we had five minutes between bells to navigate the crowds, the three flights of stairs and the polished floors. The rule, of course, was “Never run in the halls or up and down the stairs.” Mr. Marushi was in the hall to enforce the rule along with a huge paddle riddled with holes like Swiss cheese. Those holes had a distinct purpose. Those holes allowed less air resistance, increased speed and force as the swing struck your bottom. Mr. Marushi raised the paddle high above his head as a batter preparing to hit the ball out of the park. The paddle made contact with Ron’s gluts. That hit propelled my brother several feet away from the principal which didn’t offer Mr. M a second opportunity to hit. That hit pushed Ronald far enough away and sent him on his way to class – walking of course. Ron made sure he never ran in the halls again. Well, at least he didn’t if he saw Mr. Marushi and that paddle!
I remember Elsie Szakal and bus #50. She was our bus driver, bless her soul! Can you imagine driving a bunch of raging hormone junior high students to and from school without losing your sanity! As a teacher whose bus duty experiences were memorable, I know heaven has a special, tranquil place without teenagers for school bus drivers. Elsie’s bus run was up Island Creek “holler” to Wilkerson where the Monitor drive-in theater was, past Dog Patch by Ruth and Harvey Mullins’ story., Monahill, Monaville where the stop was at the Island Coal Company store, Rossmore, and Lindley Camp. After school there were from ten to fifteen lines of students waiting for their buses. The drivers were coming from their Logan High runs so we would wait in front of LJHS by our bus number. Elsie had a bus load of loud, obnoxious, students to contend with daily.
The LJHS school colors were maroon and gray for years. When I was an eighth grader, my mother made Kay, my sister, and I a corduroy maroon skirt to go with a gray Christmas sweater. We wore the school colors to basketball games to show our LJHS spirit. However, the next year the maroon color was changed to scarlet but the gray was not. Wow! That meant all football, basketball, cheerleader, and band uniforms had to be changed too. How much did that cost, where did the money come from and who approved an allocation for that expenditure? Kay tells me that she did a lot of fundraising as a band member. I suspect the other groups did too.
Jean,I thank you for your wonderful memories of LJHS,hope you have more. I still recall seeing Mr.Marushi walking down the hallway,lining up boys and paddling them. He had his school rules and one had to abide by them.
I have a memory of some of us having a walk/run race to see who get to LHS first when our LJHS basketball team was playing in the tournament. I think we got a day off for
the event.
Also Jean,many thanks for the nice comments
about my Aunt Elsie Szakal. Although she was
only 5’tall and weighed 100lbs,she was tough.
Bob Piros
I remember Elsie as a wiry, no nonsense sort, yet quite likable!
Robert, I have some more pics to send to your site. Thank you for sharing all this with us. I have the fondest memories of the Nester girls. They had the most beautiful hair! ( I wanted to save one of the pictures but it was not allowed.) I could pick out your mom in every one of the pictures.
Kathy: Please send the pictures to my regular e-mail address and I will add them. Have you located the group wedding picture for your parents? lhswildcat1968@gmail.com
my sisters names were betty jeffrey and lois jeffrey
Was your sister Betty Ruth?
My mother was Betty Ruth Jeffrey Robin. Did you know her?
do you know of any relatives of martha hanna or van buren clark or any jeffreys???we lived in cherry tree when i was a little girl i went to Mt Gay grade school 3 rd grade and 4 th mrs .Gill was my 4 th gr teacher, and does any one know an elmer thompson ????he had 2 sisters and i think there names were immogene and imagene but can’t quite remember would appreaciate any info
Van Buren Clark was my Geat Uncle. I know some of his grandchildren and great granchildren. Can I forward this to them. Judy
Robert, I appreciate your work on this website so very much. My Dad was born at Monitor camp #3 and he was raised in Monaville. I have sent an e-mail message to you and am so anxious to hear from you in regard to several of these wonderful pictures. Again, many thanks!
~Carla Haslam Herkner