The Tift County School Bus Crash of 1959

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A gravestone engraved with the name 'Leroy Tabor' and the years '1953 - 1959'.
Memorial for Leroy Tabor (1953-1959), St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Tift County

The Tift County School Bus Crash of 1959 happened nearly 70 years ago, but is still remembered by many as the county’s worst tragedy. Nine children lost their lives. Becky Taylor’s 2019 Tifton Gazette article about the anniversary of the crash highlighted survivors who still had vivid memories of the day. Two siblings who died that day, Leroy and Billy Tabor, are buried at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.

Leroy Tabor, victim of school bus crash of 1959, Tift County, Georgia.
Leroy Tabor, public domain image via Find a Grave.

On the morning of 3 March 1959, a school bus carrying Black students to the segregated Tift County Industrial (now J. T. Reddick) and Wilson High and Elementary schools, plunged into the cold waters of a farm pond on Lower Brookfield Road, which was in the process of being paved at the time. The fact that the bus was overcrowded didn’t cause the wreck, but got significant attention in the press. Estimates ranged from 60-100 students on the bus. No one knows for sure, but it was definitely overcrowded, according to survivors. Driver Doyle Jones, “who had been making the bus route rounds for 23 years, said his bus hit two bumps in succession on the dirt road, causing him to lose control. The bus turned over on its right side and plunged into the water The vehicle was about two-thirds submerged.”

Per the Associated Press: “Fortunately, the bus was not alone on the road. Carl Lowry and Charles Ahrens were in a car behind the vehicle. Jack Withers saw the accident as he drove by. Ambulances and authorities were telephoned…” The driver had kicked out the windshield and with the help of students began pulling people out of the wreckage.

Gravestone of Billy Tabor, engraved with his name and dates 1950 - 1959, situated on grassy ground.
Memorial for Billy Tabor (1950-1959), St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Tift County

Those whose lives were lost were: Gloria Jean Davis, Age 7; Leroy Tabor, Age 7; Rufus Harrell Greene, Age 8; Henry Edward Johnson, Age 8; Bobby King, Age 8; Billy Tabor, Age 9; Bernice Henderson, Age 14; Artie Lee Simmons, Age 14; and Erlene Wilcox, Age 14.

Billy Tabor, victim of school bus crash of 1959, Tift County, Georgia.
Billy Tabor, public domain image via Find a Grave .

Turner Primitive Baptist Church, 1915, Tift County

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Interior view of a vernacular church sanctuary featuring wooden pews arranged neatly, a small altar with flowers at the front, and ceiling fans for ventilation.

Near the upper reaches of the Alapaha River, where Tift, Berrien, and Irwin Counties converge, (Ferry Lake Road, Five Bridge Road, and Turner Church Road) Turner Primitive Baptist Church was constituted on 14 June 1890. The present structure was built in 1915 and is lovingly maintained by the congregation. In addition to the vernacular church building, the adjacent cemetery contains quite a few vernacular memorials, some of which I’ve shared here, in no particular order.

Turner Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery

The vernacular memorials at Turner Primitive Baptist church are similar to others throughout the state in that they are highly vulnerable to environmental factors. Because they’re made of cement or concrete, sun, wind, and rain render them less readable over time and therefore, those they memorialize are in danger of being forgotten.

A weathered gravestone set in a grassy cemetery.
Cerenian? (Serena) E. Benefield – (2 May 1839-1876)

This is perhaps my favorite memorial in the cemetery. The shape is unusual and appears to be upside-down, though this is by design. I’ve seen this pattern before; it was likely set in a mold meant for another use. The name, and part of the birth date, have already become so obscure as to invite confusion.

A weathered grave marker for Martha Susan Rabon, born July 27, 1815, and died December 9, 1929, located in a cemetery with grass and other gravestones in the background.
Martha Susan Keel Rabon (27 July 1875-9 December 1929)

This stenciled memorial is a common form, and like others, contains misspellings and grammatical issues. This is really what makes these markers interesting and important. Mrs. Rabon, a native of Lowndes County, was the wife of Daniel Jasper Rabon (1866-1939), who came to Georgia from Alabama. She was the daughter of W. A. and Martha Cobb Keel.

A gravestone honoring James Walker, with inscriptions detailing his birth on February 4, 1876, and death on December 15, 1897, set against a grassy background.
James Walker (4 February 1876-15 December 1897)

Mr. Walker’s memorial is also a typical form, with nice stenciling and a leaf or branch decoration.

A weathered wooden grave marker standing upright in a grassy field.
Unknown

Wooden markers were very common in rural cemeteries at one time, as it was often all that families could afford to mark the burial places of their loved ones. Unfortunately, very few can be identified.

A wide view of a cemetery featuring several gravestones and monuments surrounded by grass and trees under a clear blue sky.
Vernacular concrete tombs

There is a small section of these concrete tombs in Turner Primitive Baptist cemetery. Some have been damaged over the years.

Close-up view of cracked, weathered gravestones with inscriptions partially visible on stone slabs, surrounded by sparse grass.
James Turner (18 May 1801-4 July 1878)

This tomb-like memorial has been damaged. James Turner, son of Frank and Anna Turner. He married Anna McClelland in Tattnall County in 1823, and may have come to this area from there. may have come to the area from Tattnall County. At least two of his three sons served in the Civil War. One son, James S. Turner (1829-1904), was a prominent businessman in Jacksonville, who owned the Duval, one of the most prominent hotels in the city at the turn of the 20th century.

Weathered gravestone in a grassy cemetery, inscribed with a dedication to a deceased individual, detailing their name and lifespan.
Carsia Love Taylor (January 1886-13 November 1886)

Carsia was the daughter of W. W. and Polly Ann Taylor, and died as a toddler.

Front view of Turner Primitive Baptist Church in Tift County, Georgia, surrounded by green grass and shrubs under a clear blue sky.

Enigma High School Gymnasium

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A large wooden gymnasium with a peaked roof, set in a grassy area, surrounded by sparse trees under a clear blue sky.

The Enigma High School Gymnasium in Enigma, Georgia, was constructed in 1952 (according to an AI-generated response), along with a new cafeteria and kindergarten. Although the primary school building at the site—a large brick structure built in 1926—burned down in 1973, the gymnasium and cafeteria were spared. I believe a brick building in front of the gym may have been the cafeteria but haven’t been able to confirm.

Hay & Stock Barn, Fitzgerald

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An old, weathered barn with a rusted roof and broken windows, surrounded by overgrown vegetation and a clearing.

The best finds are often hiding in plain sight. This hay and stock barn, located near the corner of Benjamin Hill Drive and Perry House Road, was recently exposed after trees were cleared. The nearby area was once farmland but has been developed in recent years.

An old, weathered barn with a wooden structure showing signs of decay and neglect, surrounded by sparse vegetation and trees under a clear blue sky.

Folk Victorian Farmhouse, Bulloch County

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An old farm house with a gabled roof, covered porch, and blue door, surrounded by green grass and trees.

This well-maintained Folk Victorian was located near the Rushing Barn and may have been part of the John Rushing farm. The photo is a few years old but the house is still standing, to my knowledge.

Pyramidal Cottage, Bulloch County

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Abandoned wooden house with a rusted corrugated roof, surrounded by tall grass and trees.

This tenant dwelling was located on Harville Road. The photo dates to 2013 and the house may be gone by now.

Cypress Lake Dam, Bulloch County

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A wooden building elevated on stilts over flowing water, with a metal roof and partially visible siding, surrounded by trees and a grassy area.

Cypress Lake was built just down the road from the historic Riggs Millpond, possibly on land once owned by Abraham Riggs (1814-1886), but other than that, its history has been somewhat elusive. According to the National Inventory of Dams, the pond and dam date to 1912. The present spillway and pavilion may be contemporary to that date but I cannot confirm. At the very least, both have likely been updated over time.

Cypress Lake Dam near Statesboro, Georgia, with water flowing through it and foam forming on the surface below.

The dam was compromised during Tropical Storm Debby on 7 August 2024 but survived the deluge. These photographs were made in 2021.

General Store Ruins, Nevils

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Abandoned yellow brick store building with a large opening, overgrown vegetation, and a clear blue sky

This was one of several grocery and general stores in Nevils in the early 1900s. It’s located adjacent to the old Shearwood Railroad Depot. The photographs were made in 2014; as of 2025, the building is still standing.

A weathered, yellow-brick wall of an abandoned store with a faded Coca-Cola mural, partially overgrown with shrubs and grass, surrounded by leafless trees against a clear blue sky.

The Coca-Cola ghost mural is nearly unreadable now. Such traces of the commercial past are so common in small towns as to nearly be cliche.

E. C. Miller General Merchandise, Circa 1900, Hinesville

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Historical image of a wooden general store labeled 'E.C. Miller' with signs for 'Dry Goods,' 'Groceries,' and 'Hardware,' surrounded by trees, shared by Buddy Maertens on Facebook.
Historic photograph of E. C. Miller Store in Hinesville, via Buddy Maertens on Facebook.

Per Virginia Fraser Evans’s Liberty County: A Pictorial History, the E. C. Miller general store originally stood on the courthouse square in Hinesville but was later moved a few blocks away for preservation. Buddy Maertens wrote on Facebook: “The E.C. Miller General Store was the “Wal-Mart” of Hinesville, Georgia in 1900. My great grandfather, Elbert Calhoun Miller (1860-1925), owned the store and built a beautiful Victorian home behind the store in 1902.” Jim Moore also noted that it became a pool hall in the mid-1950s.

Historic E C Miller Store, situated on the corner of a tree-lined street in Hinesville, Georgia.

I don’t know when it was moved, but it’s an iconic form of late-19th and early 20th century store design and has obviously been restored in a historically considerate way.

Fleming, Georgia

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Fleming, Georgia, a ghost town near Richmond Hill and Savannah.

As I’ve noted previously, Fleming is one of two communities in Liberty County named for the pioneer William Fleming family, who owned large area plantations. A post office named ‘Fleming’ was established in 1871. A few structures remain, including a precinct house (right) and fire station (center), though I believe the precinct is now closed.