Fourth week of January, 1926-2001
JANUARY 22 75 years ago – 1951
Two Stanleytown sisters, one age 23 and the other 19, were arrested by city police on charges of obtaining money by false pretense – saying that they were collecting for the March of Dimes (which raised money to help pay medical expenses of children with polio). Detective Murray V. Barrow reported that when he took the women into custody, they told him that they were begging for money “because we are hungry and need something to eat.”
50 years ago – 1976
The State Air Pollution Control Board issued a violation notice to Henry County for smoke pollution resulting from recent fires at the county landfill on King’s Mountain Road. Regional Director Ivan G. Henson said he would take legal action against the county if he found that the county supervisors did not take all possible steps to prevent landfill fires.
25 years ago - 2001
Mike Seidle Jr., the chairman of the Henry County Board of Supervisors, sent a letter to MHC Chamber of Commerce President Steve Shepherd saying that the Chamber should just stick to hosting trade shows and the like and leave the real economic development initiatives to the city and county. Shepherd countered back that Seidle needed to be educated in the role of the chamber in economic development and community activities.
JANUARY 23 75 years ago – 1951
All remaining residents of Philpott reservoir land were asked to move away as soon as possible, because clearing operations would begin on March 1. Bids on the clearing project would be issued on Feb. 1. Most of the area already had been vacated, but some families had not left yet.
Mountain Valley sawmill operator T.L. Kendall was seriously injured near Leatherwood Bridge on Highway 57 when his lumber truck ran down the embankment and was demolished. He had lost control of the truck on the icy hill. The cab was crushed by lumber.
25 years ago - 2001
Martinsville’s Assistant Manager Dewey Cashwell was in his last days of the post he had held for 7 years, before moving to Texas to become the city manager of Schertz.
JANUARY 24 100 Years ago – 1926
George Mitchell of Boxwood won first prize in the Henry County Poultry Improvement Contest. The aim of the contest was for people to house and feed their chickens well enough for improved egg production. Sixteen flocks were entered into the contest, showing an increase in egg production of 66% more than the previous year. Some of the improvements included: strip old chicken houses and face them south to avoid the cold north winds; and display with ingenuity dropping boards, mash hoppers, water containers and laying quarters. Mitchell won an incubator donated by Mr. H.C. Gravely. Second place went to Mrs. T.L. Kendall of Sandy River (her prize was a brooder donated by Mrs. Newtown Giant Incubator); third place to Miss Preston Starling of Lone Oak (she won a ball of wire donated by Piedmont Trust Bank); fourth place went to Mrs. J.R. Doyle of Ridgeway (her prize was 100 Mash donated by J.W. booker & Co.); and fifth place was Ben Bowles of Martinsville, who won roofing donated by Walker-Fair. Miss Emma Bratten was the Home Demonstration Agent over the contest.
75 years ago – 1951
Furniture company officials from the area were in the New York Furniture Market and at the High Point, N.C., winter market. The furniture market in Chicago had just closed, and local firms had taken many orders for furniture there.
25 years ago - 2001
So many kids were out of school for sickness and medical conditions on Wednesday that Carlisle cancelled classes for Thursday and Friday. Thirty percent of the lower school students and 25 percent of the upper school students were absent on Wednesday for a variety of medical reasons.
JANUARY 25 100 Years ago – 1926
The book “History of Henry County Virginia” by Judith P. A. Hill went on sale.
J75 years ago – 1951
Eight hundred people had signed a petition asking the Henry County Board of Supervisors for a bounty on foxes. R.L. Wright of Bassett, the petition’s spokesperson, said the fox population had grown so large that small game was endangered. In 1948, the county had a $2 bounty on foxes, which was repealed after 2 years.
50 years ago – 1976
Every school day eight children in the city’s school system received dental treatment at the MHC Public Health Department, and school system nurse Marjorie J. Hairston said that wasn’t even all the children who needed dental help. Cavities and other dental problems were a major health problem among area students. One health department dentist worked full time bringing a fully equipped mobile dental office to check out students at each of the county’s 19 schools, but getting to only three schools a year.
25 years ago - 2001
Henry County school board members and superintendent Sharon Dodson rode school bus #7 on its regular route from the Henry-Pittsylvania County line to Magna Vista High School to see how long the trip would take – 61 minutes. It was part of officials’ studying various options for school consolidation.
JANUARY 26 100 Years ago – 1926
People were upset over “The Morning Mirror” column in the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal, which recently had begun being distributed in Martinsville. The column wrote about the Camel City [Bus] Line: “New bus line called the Camel City Line in honor of our ‘little Nicotine Village’ began today. Runs from Charlotte to Martinsville, but who in the world wants to go to Martinsville?” An editorial in the Henry Bulletin continued: “It is certainly no discredit to a city, that some do not want to go there. We know of several that do not care to come to Martinsville – the sheriff and chief of police having in their possession scores of their photos. We resent the fling of this writer as the sun would resent an unfavorable criticism offered by a tallow candle or an eagle would take exception to the unkind thrust of a chimney sweep …”
In Richmond, the committee on general laws reported favorably on the bill of Delegate G.A. Massenburg of Hampton which would require the separation of white and colored persons in all public assemblages and entertainments. The debate had centered on entertainment at Hampton Institute. Under the terms of the bill sponsored by Massenburg and 19 other delegates, the management of any firm, institution or corporation allowing the mixing of the races would be punishable by a fine of from $100 to $500, while any individual refusing to take his place in the space reserved also would be subject to a fine. Massenburg’s Law would end up passing the House of Delegates 63-3 and then the Senate 30-5 to become one of the strongest segregation legislations in the country. In 1947, Massenburg (1894-1968) succeeded Thomas B. Stanley of Stanleytown as Speaker after Stanley was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
50 years ago – 1976
Cynthia Carol Ferguson, a Bassett High School senior, was runner-up in Virginia Junior Miss competition. She won a $500 scholarship, a camera and a calculator.
The Henry County Board of Supervisors took action on two personnel matters which surprised those involved. It appointed Mrs. Carolyn Haynes as Henry County Central Accountant, but she resigned the post to remain in her role as deputy accountant, which she had done since 1973. Also, the board placed the two county dog wardens under the supervision of the sheriff’s department, under the supervision of Lt. John Norman, and Sheriff C.P. Witt said the next morning that he had not heard anything about it. Supervisor Jack E. Dalton opposed the action, saying that the wardens should be supervised by someone accountable to the board of supervisors, not to a constitutional officer.
25 years ago - 2001
Education Station, a resource center for parents, was set up in a storefront at Liberty Fair Mall, headed by Henry County educators Patty O’Brien and Harriett Copeland. From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays it offered support in early childhood education.
JANUARY 27 100 Years ago – 1926
The Kiwanis Club narrowed down its lists of objectives for 1926 to: encourage dairy farming in the area; set up a public library; and get playground equipment for the public school. The club had not yet decided which initiative to stress, but members were leaning toward the playground equipment.
75 years ago – 1951
The Beaver Hills golf course was leased to N.C. Riddle of Martinsville, who announced that he would add another nine holes to the layout. Riddle was a service station operator. The previous course manager, Maurice Ranson, had died the week before.
50 years ago – 1976
Martinsville Cablevision asked City Council for the right to raise its monthly rate charges from $6 to $6.50 to fund the addition of Channels 5 and 20 from Washington D.C. Those channels would mostly provide movies, sports, children’s shows, cartoons, old rerun series and news. Charles L. Robbins was the Cablevision manager, and Douglas Frith was the Cablevision’s attorney. A public hearing on the proposed increase in fee and services was scheduled for Feb. 24. Cablevision had 5,900 subscribers, with 3,400 of them in the city.
25 years ago - 2001
Ken Farmer, who ran an auction and appraisal business in Radford and was a frequent guest appraiser on the PBS television program “Antiques Roadshow,” was one of several appraisers at the Piedmont Arts Association’s “Antique Appraisal Day.” Nearly 400 people attended, though tickets sales had been limited to 250. The event coincided with the ongoing “Community Treasures” exhibit showcasing art owned by local residents. Anne Frazier was the director of exhibits at PAA.
JANUARY 28 100 Years ago – 1926
The Sam Kolodny store recently had received a great deal of smoke from the fire in an adjoining business so it had going on a “Big Smoke Sale. Save Dollars Here.” Prices included 69 cents each on a stock of 350 umbrellas; odd sizes of dresses, from 16 to 44, at $1; children’s dresses, some of which had sold for up to $7.50, at $1 each; ladies dresses ranging in price from $3.95 to $26.95; dress flannels from 50 cents to $2.95; “A wonderful line of furs that were very low priced at $12.50, now $3.95” and “Beautiful ones that were very low priced at $20.000, now $7.95;” lace 1 cent per yard; men’s union suits $1.09; men’s overalls, 220 weight, $1.10; and men’s suits, from $12.95 to $19.95.
75 years ago – 1951
The 112-year-old Mount Vernon Baptist Church near Axton was demolished by fire which had started in the furnace room. The church had just completed a $1,500 remodeling program, and other $1,500 had been set aside for further improvements. All the furniture in the building was saved, and a Bible saved from the fire remains on display (2026) in the church. The 1839 building could not be saved. The congregation would meet jointly with that of Axton Baptist Church until a new church could be built.
A father and son who had not seen each other for more than 23 years were reunited at the City Prison Farm. George Potter Sr., 72, had not seen his family since 1927 and had come to Martinsville from Northfolk, W.Va., where he had last seen his family. He had been told there that his family had gone to Martinsville. After spending the weekend asking all over for his family, he gave up and bought a bus ticket for Roanoke. However, there were a few hours before the bus took off, so he had a few drinks, which he later said had hit him hard because he hadn’t had anything to eat. He went to the police department to ask about his family, was arrested and was sent to the prison farm to serve 15 days. As soon as he arrived, another prisoner, Elijah Potter, walked up to him and said he was his father. Elijah, in jail for grand larceny, said he recognized him from a photograph, and that he also remembered seeing his father when the father left when Elijah was 4. Elijah would still have 8 more days in jail after his father was discharged. Then they would piece back together the family that consisted of mother, father, another son and two daughters, all residents of Martinsville.
50 years ago – 1976
Henry W. “Bill” Bartholomahy was elected president of the United Fund of Henry County and Martinsville. He was the manager of the DuPont plant and a former president of the MHC Chamber of Commerce; he and his wife and four children lived on Root Trail. J. Randolph Joyce Jr. was elected vice chairman; James Ford, secretary; and David I. Ramsey, treasurer.
25 years ago - 2001
Any potential homeowner who could secure financing to build a house and get the contractors to do the work was offered a free lot in the Moss-Barton neighborhood near uptown Martinsville. The city secured the lots as part of a Community Development Block Grant project. Also with that project, about 30 rundown houses along Moss, Barton and Gravely streets were fixed up, and 52 dilapidated housing units, mostly apartments, were torn down.
JANUARY 29 100 Years ago – 1926
Article in the Henry Bulletin, “The Lure of The Closed Car”: “We do not think it is a fad by any means – this awakened interest in the closed car. We have been watching the motor car purchasers for several months now and we have noted a decided growth of interest in the use of the closed car. We leave it to the automobile dealer to say whether it is because of the superior advantages of this type of car over the open car. We know that the sales during the past few months have been so much greater in closed cars. There is undoubtedly a reason.”
75 years ago – 1951
A fire destroyed the electrical control system at Philpott Dam, putting a stop to all construction for an indefinite period. Project engineer S.E. Winks estimated that it would take between 1 and 3 months to replace all of the destroyed equipment.
Darling Carroll Woodall, 31, visited the body of his father, Benjamin Jefferson Woodall, 52, at Noel Smith Funeral Home. He was joined by his mother and he was escorted by police, because he had been arrested for shooting his father with a shotgun blast. The father and son jointly had operated the Southside Cab stand. The funeral was held at Starling Avenue Baptist Church, and burial was at Roselawn Cemetery.
The City was making plans for some changes – it wanted to buy 38 acres of land in East Martinsville for an eventual warehouse, garage, storage yard and centralized stores; it wanted to move the downtown fire station from City Hall; demolish the present electric shop building at Jones and Liberty streets; and build a new landfill garbage site.
25 years ago - 2001
A fire occurred in the International Paper plant in Stuart, setting off two nearly simultaneous explosions. The bag house nearest the road had the first explosion, and the impact of that knocked down a silo, causing it to fall onto the shoulder of Commerce Street. Most of the damage was to a dust collection system, a conveyor system and some of the ducting, and no injuries were noted.
JANUARY 30 100 Years ago – 1926
The Friday, Jan. 29, edition of the Henry Bulletin reported on a Christian Colony which had been founded 2 years earlier by Marcus Allen Strickley (1872-1950) about 12 miles north of Stuart: It was “doing as well as most experiments of the kind could be expected to do in these days when the world is too much with us. Mr. Strickley at one time a prominent minister in the Christian Church, conceived the idea of establishing a Christian people, who tired of the world with all its evils might have an opportunity to live themselves untrammeled by the conventions of an all to complex social life. A ban was put upon all forms of amusements and innovations in dress, and the communicants were expected in everything to live the “simply life.” In talking with a friend in Stuart recently the reporter learned the colony was doing well, having confidence in the leadership of Mr. Stickley and hoping to stay with the idea until it has been given a fair trial.” A June 20, 1922 article stated that the colony was in Buffalo Ridge. Strickley and his son Sidney Strickley had come from a group of churches of the Disciples of Christ in Frederick, Shenandoah and Page counties. They were accompanied by Rev. C.B. Dinger, a doctor, and Rev. Mr. Gast, both of Ohio. The colony began with about 50 members from Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. They bought 157 acres of land in Patrick County, some costing $200 per acre.
25 years ago - 2001
The Patrick Henry Development Council was starting a workforce profile to measure skills and training levels of area workers. The $120,000 study was paid for by the Council, the Partnership for Progress and the MHC Chamber of Commerce. The study was expected to take 6 to 9 months.
JANUARY 31 75 years ago – 1951
The City of Martinsville had been considering getting its water from Philpott Lake (which was under construction), but an engineering report by Wiley and Wilson of Lynchburg showed that it would be too expensive - $865,000 to lay a water line from Philpott to the filtration plant and to provide booster pumping facilities. The line would either have to be built over the top of a ridge between Bassett and the dam or put through a tunnel dug through the ridge. Instead, the city was expected to go ahead with plans to build a raw water reservoir on Beaver Creek, which that same engineering firm had recommended several years before.
Almost 400 people attended the March of Dimes ball at Club Martinque, to raise money for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (polio). The weeklong campaign raised $8,382.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.