Scouting in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi originally grew from the Boys' Club of Starkville High School in the early 1920's, barely a decade after the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. In June of 1924, Captain Guy Nason led a camping event at Camp Pushmataha near West Point, Mississippi. Many of the individuals involved in this camp out later became the earliest members of Troop 14.
The Starkville News, June 17, 1924, page 1
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On the evening of May 29, 1925, an organizational meeting was held in Starkville. Nineteen boys had already signed up to join the new Boy Scout troop, and final preparations were made for the upcoming chartering. It was announced that the Hon. Bolton Smith, who was the National Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, would be coming down from Memphis to present the charter. The new troop would be a part of the Northeast Mississippi Council, which was composed of six counties: Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Noxubee, Clay, Monroe, and Chickasaw (this council would eventually be renamed the Pushmataha Area Council). The Council executive was J. L. Hubbard.
The Starkville News, May 29, 1925, page 5 (click for larger version)
On June 21, 1925, Troop 14 was officially chartered by the Boy Scouts of America. The meeting began at 2:00pm at City Hall in Columbus, Mississippi for a get acquainted meeting, followed by a march to the Princess Theather where Bolton Smith presented the charter. The scouts already registered at the time of this meeting were Robert Blackwell, George Gunn, Roy Chester Jarnigan, Billie Mattox, Wilbur Maxwell, Clarke Morris, Harris McIlwain, Hal Oakley, John Page, Tom Rousseau, and James E. Yeates. The first Scoutmaster was "the popular and capable" Marshall McKell. Troop 14 has maintained its charter without fail since since June 21, 1925 and is the oldest continuously chartered troop in the Pushmataha Area Council.
The Starkville News, June 19, 1925, page 1
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The troop's first official meeting was held at the Starkville Chamber of Commerce. In attendance were Alfred Block, William Herbert, Frank Hogan, Roy Chester Jarnigan, Wilburn Maxwell, John Moore, M. H. Moore, Clarke Morris, John Page,Fred Price, Eustace Williams, and John Edward Yeates. Marshall McKell was the Scoutmaster at that first meeting, but was soon succeeded by C. E. Cain.
In 1927, Troop 14 awarded its first two Eagle Scouts, Fredrick Mellon and Fred Price. It would be three more years before its next class of Eagles. On June 3-4, 1927, Troop 14 attended Jamboree (these council-level events are now called Camporees) in Aberdeen, Mississippi. The troop finished second in that jamboree with 38 points behind Troop 1, which had 56 points. According to an article in The Starkville News (June 10, 1927), this was the third jamboree held by the council. Troop 8 from Aberdeen won it the first year (1925), Troop 14 from Starkville won it the second year (1926).
In 1927, Troop 14 awarded its first two Eagle Scouts, Fredrick Mellon and Fred Price. It would be three more years before its next class of Eagles. On June 3-4, 1927, Troop 14 attended Jamboree (these council-level events are now called Camporees) in Aberdeen, Mississippi. The troop finished second in that jamboree with 38 points behind Troop 1, which had 56 points. According to an article in The Starkville News (June 10, 1927), this was the third jamboree held by the council. Troop 8 from Aberdeen won it the first year (1925), Troop 14 from Starkville won it the second year (1926).
Through 1927, the boys and girls activities in Starkville were largely funded by a few individuals, and funding was running short. At the same time, Mr. Ruben Banks of Columbus ("president of the boy scout movement in this area") met with the Starkville Rotary Club about involving scouting in their program to work with boys. The two articles below were both printed on page one of The Starkville News on March 18, 1927. These articles may foreshadow what happened in 1928, when the troop secured the sponsorship of the Starkville Rotary Club. This relationship has been unbroken ever since. This is the longest sponsorship relationship in the Pushmataha Area Council. Around this time, the troop began meeting in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church on University Drive.
The Starkville News, March 18, 1927, page 1
The Starkville News, March 18, 1927, page 1
On Friday, December 5, 1930, Troop 14 and Troop 27 (which had recently split off from Troop 14) held a joint court of honor at which Broadus VanLandingham and T. R. Perry became the 22nd and 23rd Eagle Scouts awarded in the council that year. James Long and Lindsey Chadwick were also promoted to Second Class at the event. The following merit badges were awarded: T. R. Perry - camping, craftsmanship, book binding; Broadus VanLandingham - camping, bird study; Cecil Morris - safety, craftsmanship; Philip Matthews - pathfinding; Arthur Gardner - firemanship; Frank Vines - firemanship; Edward Lloyd - firemanship.
The Starkville News, January 2, 1931, page 1
On August 16, 1931 a group of Eagle Scouts from the Northeast Mississippi Council (now Pushmataha Area Council) left Columbus for a trip to Washington, D. C. where they met President Herbert Hoover at the White House. Four Eagle Scouts from Troop 14 went on the trip, including Broadus VanLandingham, Alex Hogan, T. R. Perry, and Cecil Morris. The group returned on August 29.
Northeast Mississippi Council Eagle Scouts at the White House with President Herbert Hoover, August 1931. Troop 14 scout Broadus VanLandingham is back row 6th from left. Boys from Troop 2 in Columbus are on the front row from left, Russell Husband (3rd), Dew Frank (5th), Sam Hirshmen (6th), Blanche Kennedy (7th)
The Starkville News, August 28, 1931, page 1
In 1934, Troop 14 won the Council Jamboree again. Also in the 1930's, a group of Starkville businessmen built a scout hut on property owned by the American Legion approximately five miles north of Starkville. However, after a few years, the troop moved back to the First Presbyterian Church basement. The church still houses the troop, although in 2012, the troop moved into a small building behind the church itself.
Past Scoutmasters
Marshall McKell 1920's
C. E. Cain 1920's
Frank Cooper 1920's-1930's
N. D. Burdine 1930's - 1940's
Cecil P. Marion ??? - 1956
Gladden Brooks 1957 through the 1970's.
Michael E. Hansen ??? - 1978
Bert Reed 1978 - 1990
Dan Seale 1990 - 1993
Ken Hood 1993 - 1998
Jim Beaty 1998 - 2001
Gary Windham 2002 - 2006, interim 2010
Perry Sellars 2007 - 2010
Russ Hayes 2010 - August 2012
Clifton D. Taylor August 2012 -
C. E. Cain 1920's
Frank Cooper 1920's-1930's
N. D. Burdine 1930's - 1940's
Cecil P. Marion ??? - 1956
Gladden Brooks 1957 through the 1970's.
Michael E. Hansen ??? - 1978
Bert Reed 1978 - 1990
Dan Seale 1990 - 1993
Ken Hood 1993 - 1998
Jim Beaty 1998 - 2001
Gary Windham 2002 - 2006, interim 2010
Perry Sellars 2007 - 2010
Russ Hayes 2010 - August 2012
Clifton D. Taylor August 2012 -
Eagle Scouts
Since 1927, Troop 14 has had the honor of awarding 241 young men the rank of Eagle Scout.
| Fredrick Mellen | 1927 |
| Fred Price | 1927 |
| John Carpenter | 1930 |
| Alex Hogan | 1930 |
| Cecil Morris | 1930 |
| T.R. Perry | 1930 |
| Broadus VanLandingham | 1930 |
| Evan Greene | 1932 |
| Felix Long | 1932 |
| Roger A. Pryor | 1932 |
| J Treadwell | 1932 |
| Willis Treadwell | 1932 |
| Thomas Brackin | 1933 |
| Arthur Gordon | 1933 |
| James Herschel Nash | 1933 |
| Carey Brackin | 1935 |
| Edward Lloyd | 1935 |
| June Long | 1937 |
| Duncan Brackin | 1939 |
| Arthur Phelps | 1940 |
| Jim Bobbitt | 1941 |
| Leon Denson | 1941 |
| Donald Phelps | 1941 |
| Leon Tallichet | 1941 |
| Ernest Graves | 1942 |
| D.C. Morton | 1942 |
| John Curtis Page | 1942 |
| Jack Page | 1942 |
| E.O. Templeton | 1942 |
| Thomas Henry Hester | 1943 |
| Frank Critz Page | 1943 |
| John Leslie Prichard | 1943 |
| Henry Wilson | 1943 |
| James Dudley Day | 1945 |
| Donald Howell | 1945 |
| Earl Weddle | 1945 |
| William Beam | 1946 |
| Gerald Strain | 1947 |
| Frank Harbor | 1948 |
| Jack Hoover | 1948 |
| Gene Johnson | 1949 |
| W Weddle | 1949 |
| Paul Murray | 1950 |
| Aubrey Dean Skelton | 1950 |
| Charlie Ashford | 1951 |
| James Ashford | 1952 |
| Caleb Burgoyne | 1952 |
| Robert Clapp | 1952 |
| Paul Lee | 1952 |
| Pat McIngvale | 1952 |
| Paul Newell | 1952 |
| Edward Seymour | 1952 |
| Gary Smith | 1952 |
| Robert Stillman | 1952 |
| George Bennett | 1953 |
| Lester Andrews | 1954 |
| Jimmy Daniels | 1954 |
| Chesley Hines | 1954 |
| Robert Rhinehart | 1954 |
| Wycliff Rhinehart | 1954 |
| Larry Weber | 1954 |
| George Clark | 1956 |
| William Dallas “Dal” Clark, Jr. | 1956 |
| Tony McClure | 1956 |
| Timmy Thames | 1956 |
| Walter Ashford | 1957 |
| Roger Clapp | 1957 |
| Roger Clark | 1957 |
| Stanley Tant | 1957 |
| Buddy Daniels | 1958 |
| Barry Montgomery | 1958 |
| Steve Parvin | 1958 |
| Robert Sheeley | 1958 |
| Paul Thaxton | 1958 |
| Russell Black | 1959 |
| Albert Clark | 1959 |
| Gaddis Hunt | 1959 |
| Maurice Reed | 1959 |
| David Rick Smith | 1959 |
| Jimmy Welch | 1959 |
| John C. McWhorter, III | 1960 |
| Mickey McReynolds | 1961 |
| Eddie Simonds | 1961 |
| Jack Cook | 1962 |
| George Corhern | 1962 |
| Andy Gaston | 1962 |
| Michael “Mickey” Hansen | 1962 |
| David McReynolds | 1962 |
| Jimmy McReynolds | 1962 |
| Clayton Montfort | 1962 |
| Frank Montfort | 1962 |
| Bert Reed | 1962 |
| Bill Jacob | 1963 |
| Ben Rosenkrans | 1962 |
| Francis Dale Cohenour | 1963 |
| Joe Cornish | 1963 |
| Keith Katz | 1963 |
| James Terry Templeton | 1963 |
| Robert Perry Templeton | 1963 |
| Howard Brown | 1964 |
| Bill Corhern | 1964 |
| James Robert Rosenkrans | 1964 |
| Tom Cornell | 1965 |
| Jim Hill | 1965 |
| Samuel Polk | 1965 |
| Thomas Brahan | 1966 |
| Henry Beattie | 1967 |
| Barry Brooks | 1967 |
| Chad Cohenour | 1967 |
| Donald Cornell | 1967 |
| Jimbo Crosby | 1967 |
| Bernard Jacob | 1968 |
| Douglas Emerich | 1967 |
| George Booth | 1968 |
| David Dudley | 1968 |
| Dwight Emerich | 1968 |
| Tom Overcash | 1968 |
| Steven Vance | 1968 |
| Timothy Buckley | 1969 |
| Thomas Buckley | 1969 |
| Steve Corhern | 1969 |
| Leonard Martin | 1969 |
| Warren Nash | 1969 |
| Stephen Overcash | 1969 |
| Dan Seale | 1969 |
| Jim Thomson | 1969 |
| Alan Vance | 1969 |
| Marc Aiken | 1970 |
| William Cornell | 1970 |
| Michael DeLouche | 1970 |
| William McCain | 1970 |
| Tom Mosley | 1970 |
| William Russell | 1970 |
| Jim Thompson | 1970 |
| Tim Turner | 1970 |
| John Cornell | 1971 |
| Steve Hamilton | 1971 |
| Joe Stewart | 1971 |
| Tom Tramel | 1971 |
| Jume Willson | 1971 |
| William McGee | 1972 |
| Walt Starr | 1972 |
| Steve Box | 1973 |
| Marcus DeLouche | 1973 |
| Michael Murphy | 1973 |
| Jerry Richardson | 1973 |
| Kevin Thompson | 1973 |
| Kimber Gourley | 1975 |
| George B. Ramsey | 1975 |
| Hardy Russell | 1976 |
| Mark DeKay | 1977 |
| Tom Lowery | 1977 |
| David Hall | 1983 |
| Joseph Watson | 1984 |
| John Ammon | 1985 |
| R. Jeffrey Smith | 1986 |
| Dennis Daniels | 1987 |
| Christopher Pennington | 1988 |
| William Jones | 1989 |
| Andrew George | 1994 |
| William McWhorter | 1994 |
| Ollie “Tres” Cleveland III | 1995 |
| Charles Zack Ivey | 1995 |
| Sterling Karr | 1995 |
| Philip Culver | 1996 |
| Joseph Sherrard | 1996 |
| Adam Cooper | 1997 |
| Benjamin Cooper | 1997 |
| Daniel Willers | 1997 |
| Jim Blake | 1998 |
| Jonathan Wesley Clark | 1999 |
| William Jeffries | 1999 |
| Collin Zumwalt | 1999 |
| Andrew Nagel | 2000 |
| Thomas “Tee” Thompson | 2000 |
| David Willers | 2000 |
| Steven Corhern | 2001 |
| James England | 2001 |
| Christopher Estill | 2001 |
| Sam Hardin | 2001 |
| Luke Hollingsworth | 2001 |
| Caleb Layton | 2001 |
| Eric Sanford | 2001 |
| Byron Wilkes | 2001 |
| Zachry Ashmore | 2002 |
| Cameron Beaty | 2002 |
| Christopher Coffey | 2002 |
| Greg Jeffries | 2002 |
| John Windham | 2002 |
| Stephen Browning | 2003 |
| John Guyton | 2003 |
| Evan Sanford | 2003 |
| Zackary Vosen | 2003 |
| Maloy Wilkes | 2003 |
| Jay Windham | 2003 |
| Bradley Thaggard | 2004 |
| Caleb Abel | 2005 |
| Nathan Herring | 2005 |
| Jack Holland | 2005 |
| Jonathan Nagel | 2005 |
| Eliot Sanford | 2005 |
| Jessie Coffey | 2006 |
| Benjamin Estill | 2006 |
| Jim Giesemann | 2006 |
| Brock Hanson | 2006 |
| Clark Hollingsworth | 2006 |
| C.J. Long | 2006 |
| Luke Peterson | 2006 |
| Matt Savage | 2006 |
| Tim Schulz | 2006 |
| Will Wills | 2006 |
| Hugh Alan Windham | 2006 |
| Benjamin Bailey | 2007 |
| John Mark Curtis | 2007 |
| Graham Oakley | 2007 |
| Davis Richardson | 2007 |
| Jake Hollingsworth | 2008 |
| Christopher Sellars | 2008 |
| Eric Bickford | 2009 |
| Ryan Lawrence | 2009 |
| Andrew Schulz | 2009 |
| Freddie Williams | 2009 |
| George H. Bennett | 2010 |
| Christopher Curtis | 2010 |
| Logan Maddox | 2010 |
| Christian Singleton | 2010 |
| Joshua Franz | 2011 |
| Joe Hayes | 2011 |
| Andrew Rogers | 2011 |
| Michael Thompson | 2011 |
| Marshall Adair | 2012 |
| Murphy Buckner | 2012 |
| Josh Coggins | 2012 |
| Austin Kibler | 2012 |
| Daniel Liffrig | 2012 |
| Clifton Taylor | 2012 |
| Grant Woomer | 2013 |
| Jim Bearden | Unknown |
| Gary Madiolin | Unknown |
| Stephen Miller | Unknown |
| Wesley Mullen | Unknown |
| Robert Wilson | Unknown |
