Thousands,
perhaps
millions
of beautiful, common pigeons are seen in the air or
perched on roof tops most days of the
year. These common pigeons, which most often take up
their abode in the eaves of Court Houses,
Libraries, store buildings and homes are generally
disliked and killed where possible because
of the mess and health hazards they create. Some
cities instruct their policemen to shoot
every pigeon on sight.
While some of the finer upscale restaurants offer
pigeon and squab (young bird) meat on their menu,
most people are not aware of the benefits of pigeon
meat which at one time was greatly used
for patients with stomach ailments, especially
pellagra. This writer’s brothers, who raised both
common and homing pigeons, could sell all the pigeons
they had for sale to the Spartanburg General
Hospital back in the 1920-30 eras.
The Racing Homer pigeon, so named for their
instinct to race home when released in distant lands,
is an altogether different breed. At one time they
were bred and trained for use as messengers
in the U.S. Army and law protected them. Today,
breeding and raising homing pigeons is
basically a sports racing hobby. D.B. Mabry, a
resident of Glendale village and employee
of Glendale Mills, bred
and raised homing pigeons as a hobby. As a member of
the
Greater Spartanburg Racing Pigeons Club, he was
awarded the “300 Mile Trophy” for the outstanding
performance of two of his birds which had been
released in Birmingham, Ala. Mabry had
released twenty five birds, D.N. Ferguson five, J.O.
Dobbin three with other members of the club
releasing only a few choice birds. Mabry’s “Birmingham
Boy” made the trip back home to Glendale in six hours
for an average of 50 miles per hour, beating all
others. When released, homing
pigeons will fly up, make a circle or two in the air
and after having found it’s bearing, will make
a direct charge home.
D. B. Mabry, a native of Union County, was the son
of Arthur and Lyda P, Mabry. According to census
records, he had 5 siblings, Ghomer E., Nellie, Ila,
Carl and Brondell Mabry. D. B. married
Helen Burgess, a Glendale native, the daughter of
Luther and Nellie Blackwell Burgess and
lived in Mill village. According to the 1940 Glendale
Census, Helen had 4 siblings, Margaret, Leroy,
James Harold and Doris Burgess. He bought their home
on Jackson Street from the mill when they
were sold in the 1950s. This writer knew D.B.
and his family well. They were a kind, wonderful
family. I had many good conversations with D.B.
Excerpts from the obituary of D. B. Mabry published
Monday, October 6, 1986; “D.B. Mabry, 65,
husband of Helen Burgess Mabry, died Sunday morning.
He was a Union native, son of Arthur and
Lyda Pryor Mabry and a member of the Glendale Baptist Church. He had
retired from the Cateswood Plant in Arkwright and was
a renowned pigeon enthusiast and producer.
Survivors were; his wife and one son, Galen
Mabry, Spartanburg; three sisters, Nellie Lamb, Brondell
Price, Spartanburg, Ila Poston, Columbia; one brother,
Carl Mabry, Woodruff; five grandchildren.
Funeral services to be held in the Glendale Baptist Church with
interment following in the Glendale
Community Cementery.”
Helen Louise Burgess Mabry died at the age of 74
June 8, 1997 and was buried with her husband
in the Glendale Community Cemetery.
Grave
markers; D. B. Mabry-March 15,
1921=October 5, 1986
Helen Burgess Mabry- September 17, 1922= June 8,
1997
Obituaries
courtesy of the Spartanburg Country Library.
Written by Clarence E. Crocker, July 2013
