NOTE FROM Donna Causey – I googled Mannville, Elmore County and have been unable to find it in Elmore County, In 1926, a news column written by “Rufus” reported that many residents in Mannville were ill with the flu. The column (transcribed below) mentioned many citizens and a school in the vicinity so it must have been thriving at the time. Is the area still in existence? Here is a link to MANN CEMETERY in Elmore County. https://peoplelegacy.com/cemetery/mann_cemetery-5f75/ Perhaps the community is in this area.
(Transcribed from The Weekly Herald (Wetumpka, Alabama, December 12, 1918)
MANNVILLE
J. W. McCain and J. A. Lamberth Pass Away
Since I wrote the happenings of our Burg last week, the Flu has been raging; there is hardly a family in this and adjoining communities but what has more or less flu.
On Sunday last, Mr. Dewey McCain of Seman, died with flu and was buried near here, at Balm cemetery. His mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. McCain and other relatives of Thorsby, came over to pay their last tribute of respect to the deceased.
75 cases of flu
Dr. Penton of Central, has for the past week, been very busy in this community, and he is almost sick himself. He says he has 75 cases of flu.
Mr. Geo. W. Boddie of Camp Logan, Texas, came Friday night last. He was called to the bedside of his wife, who is very low with the flu. He is off on a ten days furlough, but unless his wife gets better, he will have to get same extended, tho the sooner he gets back to camp, the sooner he will get his discharge.
Residents motor to other communities
On Saturday last, Messrs. J. T. H. O., T. B, and Raymond Moseley, G. R. Boddie, H. E. Holman and others of this community motored to Wetumpka on business.
Mr. B. J. Hodnett and family of Seman, motored through here Sunday last in route to see the later’s father at Pleasant Ridge.
We had to close our school last week on account of the flu, which we regret very much, for Prof. Ellis and Miss Guy had just gotten started after the other flu epidemic.
Death of Prof. J. A. Lamberth
Since I started to write this letter, I received the news of the death of Prof. J. A. Lamberth of Seman, who had suffered for several days past with the flu. It was about 12 o’clock Sunday night when he passed to that great Beyond. It has been my privilege and pleasure to be a patron of Prof. Lamberth for the past 5 years and I have said that I would like to send to him 5 years longer. We regret very much to give him up, as we feel the need of men like him, but we know that our Great Creator never makes a mistake and doeth all things well. So we ask God to extend his mercies to the bereaved family, especially the aged mother and father.
Mr. B. C. Holley the well digger, spent part of last week over near Buyck at Mr. Tommie Dunlaps, digging a well and helping them eat up their fresh meat.
Messrs. T. L. Moseley, E. G. Bodie and J. F. Moseley and wife, motored to Montgomery Friday of last week.
We are glad to know that Mr. Joe Mann and family are better of the flu.
To all you correspondents: I was glad to see your cities, vills, etc.s represented last week. It made me think of good old times when we all used to write. Come again. RUFUS
