John Henry Williamson and his wife Frances Bentley Williamson were pioneers in Perry and pillars of strength in our community. Their son, John Thomas Williamson, was my classmate from the first through the twelfth grade at Perry High School. I fondly remember “Mrs. Frances” as our Cub Scout den mother. Every Friday afternoon after school, there would be a caravan of little boys riding their bicycles to the Williamson’s home on the Hawkinsville highway about a mile from the schoolhouse. There we were feted to homemade goodies prepared by Mrs. Williamson followed by the weekly Cub Scout pack meeting. Afterwards we would play football in a field behind their house. Those were magical moments that we looked forward to every Friday after school.
“Mr. Johnny,” as he was affectionately called, was manager of the old Rogers Store (later became Colonial Store) located across Carroll Street from McClendon Auto Company. Those were the World War II years when the government rationed bread and issued stamps for the limited purchase of essential food items in short supply. Later Mr. Johnny went into business for himself at the corner of Carroll and Jernigan Streets. During the late 1940s and early 1950s I worked at J. S. Ellison’s Grocery directly across the street from his store. Further up Carroll street were Mr. J. W. Bloodworth’s store (Tommy and Johnny Mobley’s grandfather) and Mr. Eugene Lashley’s store.
In those days Saturday was a big day for grocery stores. Practically everyone in Perry converged on the downtown area to shop, to attend the old Roxy Theater (where Mr. Rhett Milan was the manager), or just to meet and talk with old friends. Some customers would call in their grocery orders (phone numbers like 241-L) which were assembled, boxed and delivered to their homes. Others would drop off a list and pick up their groceries after the movies which included a western, double feature, continued serial, comedy and world news. For a quarter you could purchase a movie ticket, buy a bag of popcorn and a drink. To help local farmers, Mr. Johnny would buy their produce and farm products for resale in his store. Every Saturday when Tolleson Lumber Company paid off its workers, Mr. Johnny would cash their checks so they would have spending money for the weekends.
There were no grocery carts or pre-packaged items. When a clerk weighed a meat or produce item on the scales, there was no automatic readout of its cost. You had to figure the item’s cost either in your head or on paper based on the price per pound and the pounds and ounces purchased. Many people would charge their groceries and pay up next Saturday. Grocery stores like Mr. Johnny’s would open up at 7 AM on Saturday morning and not close until after midnight. Those were the good ol’ days when you could sleep with your windows open and your doors unlocked.
Mr. Johnny Williamson came to Perry in 1932 where he worked in the grocery business for the next 55-years. He was the consummate grocer, a credit to his profession, who was known for his integrity and personable nature. When Mr. Johnny passed into God’s eternal paradise, one of the last vestiges of what used to be old Perry departed with him. It was people like Mr. Johnny Williamson that made Perry the great town that it is.
