Nov. 11 through the years
100 Years ago – 1925
Classified Ads: FOR RENT, Two rooms with bath. Wish to buy second hand heater. Phone 2133. / The Methodist Church Auxiliary will hold a sale of Fancy Articles suitable for Christmas gifts at Central Drug Store, Tuesday, December 1st. Sale to begin at 10 A.M. Benefit. Church Building Fund. / WANTED – BY young man. Office work or bookkeeping for spare time. Write O.W. Box 104. / GIRLS BOARDERS WANTED – Mrs. Taylor, Wilson Street. / YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MAN DESIRES ROOM AND BOARD IN REFINED, WELL HEATED PRIVATE HOME. ALSO GARAGE SPACE FOR CAR. ADDRESS P.O. Box 33, MARTINSVILLE.”
In celebration of Armistice Day, members of the American Legion Pannill Post gave a patriotic program at the Hamilton Theatre. Mayor G.A. Brown issued a proclamation the day before urging that all places of businesses be closed during the program time so that everyone could attend.
75 years ago – 1950
Gov John S. Battle granted the Martinsville Seven stays of execution until February so that their attorney, Martin A. Martin, could make a new appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. His signature came just a week before they would have been sent to the electric chair – Nov. 17 and Nov. 20. The new execution dates were Feb. 2 for Joe Henry Hampton, Frank Hairston Jr., Booker T. Millner and Howard Hairston, and Feb. 5 for Francis De Sales Grayson, John Clabon Taylor and James Luther Hairston.
A Martinsville child was being treated for rabies after having been bitten by a rabid dog. The dog was a black cocker spaniel owned by E.E. Frost of 12 Blankenship St. in Chatham Heights. The dog left home the previous Friday and the next day bit the child in the neighborhood. The dog died that Sunday, and its head was sent to Richmond for examination.
25 years ago - 2000
Carleton E. “Shorty” Severance was honored with the Veteran of the Year Award at the Martinsville-Henry County Veteran’s Day 2000 service at Martinsville High School.
Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Axton held its annual spaghetti supper to raise money to help alleviate world hunger. The dinner was held at the Axton Fire Department, and tickets cost $5 per person.
Sandy River Community Park held a chicken dinner fundraiser at the home of Lavern Roher on the corner of Whispering Pine and Medical Center Road. Monarie Wilson and Geneva Foster helped organize it.
A Brunswick stew fundraiser was held at the Sanville Ruritan Club on Stones Dairy Road in Bassett.`
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.