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Some Turner County mothers packed lunches. Some packed a pistol.

This 1974 headline from The Wiregrass Farmer tells the unforgettable story of a mother, Julia Hill, whose no-nonsense response to a group of teens trying to cause trouble quickly became local legend by stealing her son’s car. Armed with a pistol in her hand with her hair in rollers, Mrs. Hill reportedly chased the boys down Washington Avenue and marched them right to the Turner County Jail, where the jailer took them into custody.

The article may have been written with humor, but beneath the colorful storytelling is something familiar to many who grew up here: the fierce, protective spirit of Turner County women. The mothers and grandmothers of Turner County have long been known for doing whatever needed doing to protect their families, businesses, and communities.

This Mother’s Day, the Turner County Project celebrates every kind of mother figure, from the gentle nurturers to the pistol-packin’ mamas who made sure everybody behaved themselves. Happy Mother’s Day to the women who helped shape Turner County, one strong-willed story at a time.