by Janie Gibson

Last week, my favorite historian, Glynn Mann, stopped by the NEWS and brought me some pictures from 1950. We have spent a couple of days this week trying to figure out the “what, when, why, and how” of these photos and on Monday, Mr. Ralph Booher stopped by the NEWS to fill Glynn and me in on most of the information because Jess Booher is his family.

I can’t remember enjoying two people so much as I enjoyed Mr. Booher and Glynn. What a wealth of information they are!

Mr. Booher was born in Clinton County, but has lived in Monticello for many, many years. He retired from teaching in Wayne County, as did his wife. He is a history junkie, like me, and had so many great tales to tell.

Two of the photos are from 1950 and show a moment in time when Jess Sevier Booher sold out his dry goods store. From the looks of it, it was quite the gathering and Jess and his grandsons can be seen watching over the sale. The grandsons, Jimmy and Wayne, were youngsters of his daughter.

Wayne Wright has been the keeper of the photos for all these years, making it possible for us to enjoy them today.

The store was located on the corner of Jefferson Street, across from what is now First and Farmers Bank, and it looks like it was a Texaco station in those days. Jess owned not only the end building, but the one next door as well.

Jess Booher’s father, George Washington Booher, was the first school superintendent in Clinton County. Contributing to the community must have been instilled in Jess from his upbringing because he was involved with a few businesses in Albany, including Clinton Real Estate with Harlan Dyer and Hige Boles. That business was later owned by Perry Cross, father of David and Al Cross.

For reference, Harlan Dyer was the grandfather of Marguerite Bertram and Deanie Williams.

Hige Boles was the sheriff here…but that’s a story for another time.

We don’t exactly know why Jess sold his store, but we know he died the next year at the age of 58.

Glynn says the Texaco station across from the Booher stores was run by Bob Higginbotham and later by Bennett Wade. Bob Higginbotham’s son Robert ran the store next door to the station, which was also a garage. The gas pumps outside the Texaco station had a lever hand pump with a glass front, so as you pulled the lever, you could see what you were getting.

The barber shop picture is so interesting to me. We know the man in the chair to the far right is Jess Booher. His barber is Delmer Ringley. In the middle is Kirby Ringley, but we can’t identify the customer in the chair. The boy in the chair at far left is Delmer’s and Kirby’s brother, Jack. Kirby is 90 years old now and lives in Wayne County.

What I found interesting about this photo was to the far left, behind Jack Ringley in the chair, is a shower stall. Mr. Booher told me why there was a shower in the barber shop…When a man got his hair cut, the cut hair would be stuck all over the customer’s neck and clothes, so after being spiffed up, he could take a shower and get all the itchy hair off him. Who knew?

If you have old pictures and information about them involving Clinton County, we would love to publish them.

Special thanks to Mr. Ralph Booher for all the information and great stories. Added thanks to my buddy, Glynn Mann, for his stories, especially the ones I can’t print!