First week of January, 2026: the past century
JANUARY 1
100 Years ago – 1926
According to the 1926 census, Henry County had 2,153 farms and 2,988 dairy cows. Some of those cows were in large herds on farms, and others were owned by people who lived in towns and did not otherwise have farms. The Agricultural Committee of the Kiwanis Club was advocating for a milk plant to locate in Henry County. Milk would make it easily from farms to the plant thanks to good soil roads reaching every community in the county and two railroads crossing the county. The climate allowed for grazing 8 months of the year. Most farms should be able to keep between four to 10 cows, the committee said. Legume crops could be grown for feed. A good cow should net a profit of $50 ($920 in today’s money) per year, above the cost of its upkeep. In order for a dairy plant to survive, it would need the milk of 5,000 cows, and the Agricultural Committee was proposing to farmers to increase their numbers of cows to that number. Members of that committee were D.S. Davis, H.L. Byrd, A.L. Tuggle, E.J. Davis and J. Nick Jones.
75 years ago – 1951
Fire broke out in the Christmas decorations at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. N.C. Napier of Chatham Heights. He was the pastor of Chatham Heights Baptist Church and lived in the parsonage. The couple were attending watch night services at the church when a passerby, Harry Young, saw the fire and reported it in the church. Rev. Napier and several members of the congregation ran into the parsonage and found the living room in flames. The pastor and L.R. McMaster and W.L Robbins ran through that living room and crossed into the dining room and kitchen to use a back stairway to rescue Rev. Napier’s parents and his three children, Mary Nathan, 5; Jonathan, 1 ½, and David, 7 ½. The hair and eyebrows of the rescuers were singed. The fire department put out the fire quickly.
50 years ago – 1976
The first baby of 1976 to be born at Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County was Darrell LeMann Wilson, a baby boy born to Michael and Valerie Wilson of Route 3, Axton. He would receive a variety of prizes from local companies. The Wilsons’ other son was Mitchell O’Shea. Crystal Gravely was the hospital spokesperson who announced the news.
25 years ago - 2001
The first baby of the new year born at Memorial Hospital was Kea’rie Niyae Clemmons, daughter of Ondrea Clemmons. She joined siblings A’vuntae, 3; Keven, 6; and Jalah Clemmons, 15 months.
JANUARY 2 .
100 Years ago – 1926
“Notice to the Public” from Turner Buick Company: “This it to inform our customers and the public in general that beginning January 1st, 1926, our business was put on a strictly cash basis. This includes the sale of gas, oils, greases, accessories, tires, repair parts and work, etc., but does not apply to the sale of automobiles, on which our usual liberal terms will continue in force. We are taking this step believing that it will greatly reduce our overhead expenses and enable us to serve you more efficiently at less cost. Thanking you for all courtesies extended us during the past year and soliciting a continuance of your good will, we are, Sincerely yours, Turner Buick Company.
75 years ago – 1951
The United States Supreme Court refused to consider appeals for the Martinsville Seven. They had been convicted on May 3, 1949, of the rape of a white woman. The convictions were affirmed twice by the Virginia Supreme Court. Several stays of execution were ordered pending various other court actions. The convicted men were Joe Henry Hampton, Frank Hairston Jr. Booker T. Millner, Howard Hairston, Francis DeSales Grayson, John Clabon Taylor and James Luther Hairston.
50 years ago – 1976
The unemployment rate in Martinsville and the counties of Henry and Patrick was around 4%, which according to national statistics was considered “full employment.” Virgil L. Thompson, the manager of the Virginia Employment Commission in Martinsville, said that this area should aim for a 3% rate.
25 years ago - 2001
Libby Wall was starting a new series of step aerobic classes that she was teaching, for an hour on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The cost was $17 for the 6-week class.
JANUARY 3 .
100 Years ago – 1926
The Henry Bulletin reported that the bus lines through Martinsville had been so busy lately that it might be necessary to put up a Union terminal within the year.
75 years ago – 1951
Thirty-four Henry County men and 10 Martinsville men were called by the draft board to report at the Martinsville courthouse and go to Roanoke for induction into the Korean War.
The Patrick Henry Civic Music Association held the first of three concerts at the Martinsville High School auditorium. The Nettleton twins performed a duo piano concert.
50 years ago – 1976
At Winn Dixie: 1 lb. thick bologna, 89 cents; 1 lb. dinner franks, 89 cents; a 1-lb. roll of sausage, $1.25; liver cheese, 8-oz. package, 59 cents; sliced souse, 12-ounce package, 69 cents; pickle & pimiento loaf, 1 lb., $1.39; olive loaf, 8 oz., 79 cents; pork links, 12 oz., $1.19.
25 years ago – 2001
John Edwin “Eddie” Bassett Jr. died at the age of 68. He was a retired vice president of Bassett Furniture Industries. His many types of community involvement included director of Bassett Rescue Squad, past president of Kiwanis Club, board chairman of Smith River Community Bank and involved with the Bassett Country Club and Bassett Men’s Athletic Association.
At Collinsville Furniture Mart futons cost $129, daybeds cost $169 and pillow-top bedding in a full-size set cost $269.
JANUARY 4 .
100 Years ago – 1926
Madame P. “The Old English Scientific Palmist,” advertised that she would tell “your Past, Present and Future, just what you wish to know and find out. She reads the lines in your hand like an open book.” She could tell you how to avoid matters that could sauce divorce or law cases from business, loves, friends, enemies and marriage. She’d give you “the height, size and complexion and also the day of marriage. She makes the old feel young, and the young feel gay. Those that have heavy hearts and sorrows she will enlighten them to gladness, all frowns to smiles.” She offered a “Private Reading for colored,” and a money-back guarantee if not satisfied. Her office was over R.E. Tuggle’s office on Walnut Street, and her hours were from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
75 years ago – 1951
The chairmen of the 1951 March of Dimes met in the parlor of the Henry Hotel. County-City Campaign Director Warren J. Watrous called the meeting to plan the campaign which would run from Jan. 15 through Jan. 31. Ben S. Ramsey was in charge of the drive in Martinsville, and J. Frank Wilson was in charge of the drive in Henry County. In 1951, the March of Dimes had raised $28,000 ($375,000 today). The money was used to help pay the medical costs of victims of infantile paralysis (polio).
50 years ago – 1976
At Bassett Furniture Industries, James L. Minter was elected vice president of engineering. He and his wife, Marjalee, lived at Mountain View Estates in Bassett. Their daughter, Barbara, was a student at Radford College, and their son, James L. Jr., was a student at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. R. Phillip Dalton was elected vice president of purchasing. He and his wife, Mary Louise, and son, Robert Jr., lived on Warren Road in Bassett.
25 years ago - 2001
A combined school reunion for Piedmont Christian Institute, Henry County Training School and the former George Washington Carver High School was being planned by Simon C. Spencer, Beverly Millner, Ruby Eggleston and Abbie Rucker.
Food Lion Inc. bought the former Harris-Teeter store on Brookdale Street for $2.5 million and was planning to open a Food Lion store there. At 32,000 square feet, it would be the largest of the four Food Lions in Martinsville and Henry County, but small for a Food Lion, which averaged 38,000 square feet for new ones.
JANUARY 5 .
100 Years ago – 1926
A fire broke out in the furnace room of the G.A. Brown building, where Rippe Pragers Womans Shop and Sam Kolodny’s store was. Much of the merchandise of both stores was damaged, and in Kolodny’s store, the damage was just from the smoke since no fire nor water had gotten in.
75 years ago – 1951
William Douglas Patterson of 215 Moss St., Martinsville, and Lloyd Clarence Earles of Axton reported to duty for beginning service in the Navy. They were sent to Great Lakes, Ill., for basic training.
50 years ago – 1976
Thieves stole the $250 in profit that a local civic organization had made in its annual fruitcake sale. The money, and two radio speakers, had been at Cooper & Ratcliff grocery store on U.S. 220 South and were stolen overnight.
Jack DuBosque, the pastor of the local Seventh Day Adventist Church, brought the “Five-Day Plan” for quitting smoking to Martinsville. More than 10 million people around the world supposedly had used that plan over the past 12 years to quit smoking. He said the plan had an 80% success rate. He taught the plan to members of the MHC Ministerial Association, and three of the four ministers who took it knocked the smoking habit. DuBosque was offering another such class to the general public, held at the hospital. The cost was $3, which covered printed materials. At the beginning of the class, each participant would be asked to get a chest X-ray. Then they’d watch a film called “Countdown,” which showed lung cancer surgery. A different film would be shown at each of the five classes.
25 years ago - 2001
The insurance company Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Memorial Hospital of MHC were in deadlocked contract negotiations. Local insurance companies were swamped with calls from Trigon customers. Patsy Akridge of Akridge Insurance Services in Martinsville said she was receiving 50 to 60 inquiries each day on it. Finally on Jan. 5 they agreed to extend their old contract through Feb. 28. The contract had expired on Dec. 31, but the Jan. 5 agreement provided for patient benefits between Jan. 1-5 to be at the same level as before the contract expired.
JANUARY 6 .
100 Years ago – 1926
The Fieldale Nursing Committee hosted the monthly meeting of the Red Cross Committee at the Methodist Church in Fieldale. The local chairman was Mrs. Lewis Hedgecock; the county secretary was Mrs. George Winn. Red Cross Nurse Mrs. Freda Drewry led the program, which was in the form of a roundtable discussion. They talked about holding a Health Week in the spring. Each club and organization in the county and the towns would be asked to make one health poster to be exhibited during Health Week. The executive committee was Freda Drewery, Miss Bessie Tuggle, Mrs. T.B. Stanley, Mrs. Lewis Hedgecock, Mrs. J.C. Glenn, Miss Preston Starling, Miss Georgie Griggs, Mrs. George Winn, Mrs. G.A. Brown, Mrs. K.C. Whitte, Mrs. E.G. Penn, Mrs. O.R. Easley, Mrs. Chas. Wales, Mr. T.G. Burch and Miss Janie Lavinder. The publicity committee was Mr. R.L. Carter, Mr. W.S.R. Mowbray, Miss Nora Crickenberger, Mrs. A.S. Gravely, Miss Georgia Griggs, Mrs. M.S. Buchanon, Miss Preston Starling, Mrs. George Winn, Mr. Charles Wales, Mr. T.G. Burch and Mrs. Freda Drewry. The group also talked about: The Toxin-antitoxin clinics (protection against diphtheria) which would be held in schools. Miss Ayers, the Fieldale Industrial Nurse, and Mrs. Drewry described a plan to start a Mother’s Club in Fieldale. They discussed Dr. Wescott’s monthly clinic for crippled children and adults, which would have its next session on Friday, Jan. 15, at Martinsville Grammar School; and Dr. Harper’s regular quarterly Chest Clinic, which would be held on Monday, Feb. 8, in Fieldale.
75 years ago – 1951
The Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) conducted a waste-paper collection. Housewives and others were asked to leave their old papers on the curbs in front of their homes by 1 p.m. Anyone who had paper not picked up by the truck could call 9331 after 4 p.m., and a truck would go by to pick it up. The Jaycees said that paper of all kinds was one of the critical scarce items in the nation. The paper collected would be re-processed for use in both military and civilian purposes.
50 years ago – 1976
The City had stopped giving warning tickets for parking violators and now was giving full citations with fines. The move to warnings-only was requested by City Council in November after merchants had complained that increased enforcement of parking regulations was driving away customers.
25 years ago - 2001
Memorial Hospital of MHC had more than 100 volunteers helping across departments of the hospital. Sherry Schofield was the volunteer coordinator.
JANUARY 7 .
100 Years ago – 1926
Acting on a tip, officers raided an area in the Philpott section of Franklin County and got 10 stilling plants with a seizure valued at $3,200 ($58,800 in today’s money). Arrested were J.W. Woody and G.P. Prillaman. As the agents were going about their raids, their car, which had their overcoats inside it, was destroyed by fire.
75 years ago – 1951
Local Civilian Defense Coordinator Clay A. Easterly announced that several air raid tests would be conducted in Martinsville during the month. Fire department sirens would be used as the air raid alarms. A two-state public warning code would be used to announce imminent attacks and the subsequent “All Clear” notice. The “Red Alert” public warning signal would last for 3 minutes. It would consist of fluctuating and warbling signals of various pitches by the sirens. The “All Clear” signal would be a series of three steady 1-minute blasts of the sirens. Additionally, Civilian Defense Officials would receive the private “Yellow Alert” signals from state headquarters to prepare them for the “Red Alerts.” At that point, there were no instructions for the public to follow on the air raids. The testing was just the beginning stage of a program to be developed. Meanwhile, the Civilian Defense corps would be beefed up with the addition of three posts to be named at the next city council meeting, those of chief air raid warden, plant protection officer and director of local communications.
50 years ago – 1976
Icy roads caused at least 50 traffic accidents in both Henry County and Martinsville. In Ridgeway, seven cars piled up on Va. 87 and U.S. 220. At least five cars skidded off Lings Mountain Road. Trooper M.C. Holley’s police car was hit while the trooper was out helping another motorist.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.