The homes of many young families will be made much happier this Christmas season because of the birth of a little one since last year. The birth rate for the U.S. in 2019 was almost 12 births per 1,000 people. 

The number of babies born into American families has been declining over the years. A hundred years ago, in 1920, the birth rate was 26.9. Of course, the infant mortality rate has also declined, standing at 131.7 in 1920 as contrasted with the recent figure of 5.681 deaths per 1,000 live births – a 1.17 percent decline from 1991.  

One advantage of the declining birth rate is that parents can keep a smaller number of children safe. 

April 7, 1895—Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Morrow and Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Turner are happy in the arrival of girl babies at their respective homes. 

July 11, 1901—Heart disease caused the death of a young woman who was a passenger on a Southern train this morning at 2 o’clock. She was a Mrs. Elvy Leslie, 26 years of age, and was holding her baby, 5 weeks old, in her arms when she dropped dead by her husband’s and mother’s side as they were passing from the train. Mrs. Leslie was from Brookside and had been to Bridgeport. She was taken to Warrior for burial. 

March 11, 1910—The 7-months–old baby of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lane, residing a few miles south of the Decaturs, was so badly burned today in an oven fireplace that its recovery is doubtful. The accident was a very sad one. The mother left the child sitting on the floor before an open fireplace while she stepped into another room for a few minutes. When she returned, she found the baby had fallen over, and its head was lying in the hot embers in the fireplace. The little face and head were fearfully burned, all the hair and a portion of the flesh of the face and head being burned off entirely.  

March 5, 1911—The remains of Mrs. J. F. Gurley, whose death occurred yesterday afternoon after a long illness, were buried at Gum Springs today. She leaves a husband and eight children, one of whom is a little babe of 3 months, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sebe Humphrey, to mourn their loss. 

June 3, 1926—Mrs. Sid Clay showed great presence of mind in saving her 2-year-old baby from drowning Sunday. The little tyke had fallen into a 30-foot well in which there were eight feet of water. As it came up, it grasped a root and held on. Another child ran into the house and told the mother. Mrs. Clay ran to the barn, obtained a rope, tied it around the waist of a 15-year-old son and lowered him into the well. The boy caught hold of the baby, and Mrs. Clay hauled both out. The baby complained, “Mama, wet!” It was unhurt, but Mrs. Clay said she lived 1,000 years in 10 minutes. 

May 6, 1935—An auto driven by Mrs. William Stewart – and including her baby daughter Dorothy, Frances Stewart and Mary Houston as passengers – skidded on the wet pavement and plunged into the lily pond a half mile north of Flint on the Bee Line highway this morning. The car turned over and caught against a tree. The baby received a slight cut on the head. None of the other passengers sustained any injuries; they were just shaken up. 

Sept. 3, 1936—Mrs. J. E. Thexton and baby Martha of Gila Bend, Ariz., are the guests of relatives here and are staying at the home of their mother and grandmother, Mrs. S. E. Stewart. 

April 18, 1937—Elliotte and Helen Howell and baby Helen were visiting in Tennessee yesterday.  

Jan. 14, 1954—Dr. and Mrs. W. C. Duncan announce the birth of a son Jan. 11, at Block Clinic. The baby has been named Conley Ames.