A Story About a Boy Going to Town
A Story About a Boy Going to Town Doug Frith was an attorney who lived most of his life in Martinsville and Henry County. After retiring he wrote a book about his life to share with his family. Upon visiting the Heritage Center and Museum one day, he showed me his book and allowed me... Read More
Martinsville and Henry County: Three Major Job Transitions and the Future of Jobs
Martinsville and Henry County: Three Major Job Transitions and the Future of Jobs By Dr. Barry M. Dorsey From its inception in October 1776, Henry County—and the entire region–have undergone at least three major job transitions, along with several “lesser” changes. The region is still adjusting to the last of the changes. The Early Years... Read More
The Tobacco Industry in the City of Martinsville and Henry County
The Tobacco Industry in the City of Martinsville and Henry County By Steve Rucker In Henry County, tobacco was the chief agricultural crop for nearly two centuries and was the backbone of the economy for almost 150 years. Henry County also gained worldwide distinction for its plug tobacco manufacturing. Tobacco was considered the same as... Read More
The Building of a Unique Mill Town; Fieldale, Virginia
The Building of a Unique Mill Town; Fieldale, Virginia By Bea Bullard In the early 1900s, Marshall Field and Company wanted to expand their textile operations from North Carolina to another location. So they chose this beautiful valley of over 1,800 acres of corn fields with the Smith River, the railroad tracks of the Norfolk... Read More
Rodman and the Courthouse Cannons
Rodman and the Courthouse Cannons By Johnny E. Nolen In the year 1841, Thomas Jackson Rodman graduated from West Point Military Academy; number 7 in his class of 52. His first assignment from West Point was ordinance Corps officer at the U.S. Army Allegheny Arsenal in Pittsburg, PA. In 1844 he began working on... Read More
Early Education and Schools in Henry County
Early Education and Schools in Henry County by Virginia King, Martinsville Free public education was not available in colonial days. Wealthy planters in Colonial Virginia either hired a tutor, sent them to a private school or sent them to England or Scotland for their education. Prior to the establishment of public schools, privately-operated community... Read More
Frontier Women: The “Glue” That Held the Early Families Together in Virginia
Frontier Women: The “Glue” That Held the Early Families Together in Virginia By Dr. Barry Dorsey The roles of frontier women were, among others, to serve as wives, mothers, and housekeepers. They found it impossible to escape their surroundings even if they wanted to, because they were most often dominated by their husbands. Yet... Read More
How C. B. Bryant left his mark on Henry County
C. B. Bryant 1842-1915 “Charles B. Bryant was one of the most brilliant men and unique characters that ever lived in Henry County.” That was according to Virginia and Lewis Pedigo in their book, History of Patrick and Henry Counties Virginia published in 1933. C. B. Bryant was born in 1842 and married Malinda, the... Read More
Historic Henry County Courthouse
The restoration of the Historic Henry County Courthouse is now complete thanks to a Save America’s Treasures grant, a Harvest Foundation grant, the County of Henry, cooperative subcontractors and dedicated volunteers. A project that was estimated to cost over 1 million dollars was accomplished for less than $200,000. The courthouse now houses the Information Center... Read More
The Doctors Shackelford and the Shackelford Hospital
Dr. Jesse Martins Shackelford, MD, was born on December 7, 1869, and reared in Irisburg, Virginia, the son of William George and Pattie Martin Shackelford, a direct descendent of General Joseph Martin. He was educated in the public schools of his community and then attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, later preparing for the practice... Read More