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Historical Society
page 2 -
This lot became Pray's homestead lot. On October 17, 1838,
•^he and his wife, Maria L, Pray, reserved this land in the public
A
^ square on the north side of Main Street in the village of Shields-
L	9H
.--boro for public buildings.
Pray died in 1840, and Sam White became administrator of his
estate. In 1846 the land was part of a lot sold by White to John
L. Henderson, Then in January 1849, ownership passed to John B.
uq#
Toulme, the first mayor of the Village of Shieldsboro', and remained in his estate until his death, -I-t remained in tho-Toulme family a^r&ha^gh—-the--land wag- continuously—irn pub Lire—tree,
On March 20, 1909, R. W. Toulme, Council Commander of the Cedar Groove Camp of the Woodmen of the World Insurance Society, and A. Hart, Committee Chairman, announced "to build the Hall for use of serving refreshments on occasions of balls and other forms of entertainment". And so the Woodmen of the World Hall came into being. While the insurance company owned the building, however, only the upper level had public use. The lower level was used by the managers of the Woodmen of the World Society.
Some of the senior adults in this area recall the dances held in the ballroom and the beautiful dance floor, with various bands from all over coming to play. Quite a few recall Ziggy, the banjo player, who entertained quite often there.
Besides being used for plays and theatrical presentations, the Catholic nuns used the building as a two-room schoolhouse for a while after the Catholic school burned. The building never stood idle long. Used for a time by the Mississippi National Guard, its upper level was later used as a dancing school taught by Dot Russell. And later a clothing manufacturer ran his business from the building.