May 12 through time
100 Years ago – 1925
The editorial in the May 12 edition of the Henry Bulletin was titled “The Usual Sunday Accident.” It stated that “Accidents on Sunday in or near Martinsville have become so regular, that they are now being looked forward to weekly by many of our citizens, as indicated by the customary Monday morning inquiry, ‘What Was the Toll Yesterday.’ Scarcely a Sunday goes by without the report of some terrible and costly accident in automobiles.” It went on to say that it would be beneficial, but unfortunately not feasible, to prohibit driving on Sundays.
Three suspected safe-blowers were questioned for 2 hours by police in Danville, but the police couldn’t get anywhere with it. The men were found in an automobile with Tennessee tags and $2,000 in money, two bottles of explosives, fuses, dynamites and four revolvers.
75 years ago – 1950
Martinsville’s National Guard Company B was growing. It had been limited to 3 officers and 54 enlisted men but just was authorized to recruit its outfit to full strength of six officers and 161 enlisted men. The unit was under the command of Captain Jack Dodge, Lt. Lewis Thomasson and Lt. Paul Richardson. The armory building was on Water Street, which is the small street next to the former Sara Lee plant across Market Street from Martinsville Middle School. In the early 2000’s the building was home to Agape Bible Christian Fellowship, which now is at 38 Corse Ave. (former home of Villa Heights Baptist Church, in the Stultz Road neighborhood).
50 years ago – 1975
The West Martinsville Jaycees was the newest civic club in Martinsville. Johnny Williamson was the president; Kermit Hairston, vice president; Melvin Wooding, external vice president; Steve Jones, state director; Lafayette Jones, treasurer; and Steve Pitzer, secretary. The directors were William Eggleston, Michael Muse and Randolph Thomas. It was the fifth Jaycee club in the area; the others were in Martinsville, Bassett, Ridgeway and Collinsville.
25 years ago - 2000
At Chatmoss Auto Parts & Service, a fire on April 25 had severely burned Ronnie Harris, 57, who died from his injuries, and Steve Harris. The Harrises were cousins. Their friends and family members stepped in to keep their business going until Steve Harris could get back to work. Ted Woody of Axton and Lacy Compton of Martinsville did auto repair work for their business. Mary Ruth Brandt of Ridgeway, 75, did the bookkeeping. All their work was volunteer, with all earnings going to help Steve Harris. (Steve Harries died on May 13.)
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.