Second week of January, 1926-2001
JANUARY 8
100 Years ago – 1926
American Legion Pannill Post held its 2-day Tide of Toys campaign, in which students were asked to bring their old non-military toys to school. Toys also could be dropped off at the offices of Clyde Lanham in the Stone Building on Main Street and Dr. S.J. Kaufman in the Shackelford Building on Church Street. The toys would be shipped to children in friendly countries overseas.
75 years ago – 1951
A section of downtown Martinsville was destroyed by a devastating fire that had started the night before and raged on through to morning. The fire started in the Planters warehouse on Franklin Street (that’s where now is the parking lot below the Black Box Theatre). It quickly consumed the building and broke out in three other directions to destroy the buildings in its path. Seventy-five firemen responded to the scene. The damages were estimated at more than $1 million ($12,415,000 in today’s money).
Businesses affected were:
· The tobacco warehouse, where that fire had started. Built in 1884 the warehouse was covered by about $45,000 worth of insurance, but it would take an estimated $300,000 to $400,000 to replace it, estimated Banks Pannill. The building was owned by the D.H. Pannill estate.
· Blue Ridge and Martinsville Hardware lost all its supplies that had been stored in the warehouse.
· The Virginia Home Gas Service lost all its supplies stored in the warehouse.
· The W.M. Bassett Furniture Company lost $50,000 worth of finished furniture it had stored on the main floor of the warehouse.
· A wholesale grocery firm, a barber shop, a lunchroom and a fish market in the warehouse were destroyed.
· Cash Produce Company on the basement floor of the warehouse was destroyed; owner Rufus Turner said he was fully insured against the loss which he estimated to be between $40,000 and $45,000.
· Henry County Furniture Company on Franklin Street, burned to the ground; J.W. Townes, one of the owners, said only a third of the $100,000 worth of merchandise and stock had been insured.
· B.H. Townes and Company buildings on Franklin Street, burned to the ground
· Roy Stone Building on Main Street, badly damaged.
· The Brooks Machinery Company on Ford Street and Depot streets, owned by the Keesee Estate, was destroyed.
· The Lehman Knitting Mills, which just had put 55 new knitting machines into operation, on the third floor of the Brooks Machinery Company building was destroyed. Ed Lehman was the owner.
· Much of Roy L. Brooks’ industrial machinery, and his Jeep which was parked on the street, were destroyed.
· John Stultz’s plumbing office was destroyed.
· At around midnight, when the strong winds had slowed down, firemen thought the blaze was under control, but then the flames moved to the Stone building across from City Hall and destroyed its roof.
· A shed holding home gas containers behind the Stone building and next to the warehouse and a truck there were destroyed.
· Three Lee Telephone company terminals were damaged, knocking out power to 20 telephones.
The tobacco warehouse had been used as an indoor parking area since the tobacco season closed, but no vehicles had been parked there on the night of the fire.
Just south of the destroyed furniture store, and saved from the fire, were The Trading Post, Levy’s Department Store, Russells, the A and P grocery and the United Department Store. Also, the fire in the Stone building was kept away from the Advance Store and the Martinsville Hardware Store on each side of that building. Gravely Novelty Company and its lumberyard, a few hundred feet east of the Brooks Machinery Building, did not catch fire.
The weather was as low as 25 degrees, but thousands of spectators, some from deep inside North Carolina, showed up to watch. The streets were slick with ice and several firemen fell, but no fireman was injured.
City officials prepared paperwork to evacuate City Hall and move prisoners out of the Henry county jail, but the winds did not bring the flames in that direction.
Firemen attacked the fire with water from the night of Sunday, Jan. 7, through to the middle of the day or later on Monday, Jan. 8
50 years ago – 1976
Some of the 40 state and local officials and area residents who were involved in the case against Eddie Lee “Shanghai” Thomas left for Fredericksburg to get ready for his trial. It was a Thursday, and the case would begin on Monday. Thomas was charged in the Dec. 26, 1974, murder and rape of Sallie Davis Aliff and the murder of her four children. Henry County Circuit Court Judge John D. Hooker would preside. Henry County Commonwealth’s Attorney Roscoe Reynolds and his assistant, Fred Smith, were leading the prosecution. Going with them to Fredericksburg were State Police Investigator J.T. Oliver and Henry County Sheriff Department’s Detective Sgt. J.H. Kendrick.
25 years ago – 2001
About 200 people poured into the Fieldale-Collinsville High School auditorium for a public hearing about the Henry County School Board’s school-consolidation plan. The proposal would combine four high schools into just two, Bassett High School and Magna Vista High School, and create four middle schools, Fieldale-Collinsville, Laurel Park, Bassett and Drewry Mason. Most of the people opposed the plan.
Three primary health screenings and, for women only, a bone-density test, were offered at the Bassett Community Center.
JANUARY 9 .
75 years ago – 1951
Martinsville business leader Sam Kolodny died in bed at his home. He was 60 years old. He operated a store. He was on a committee, appointed by City Council, to survey volunteer fire departments across Virginia; it recommended funding a volunteer company for Martinsville. He was an honorary member of the local department and was instrumental in organizing it. He was in leadership with the Elks, Pythians Ohev Zion philanthropic activities and B’nai B’rith. He did a lot in distributing aid to the needy at Christmas.
50 years ago – 1976
Former Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Merritt C. Stultz Jr. and former Central Accountant Lawrence M. Martin were among finalists for the job of Henry County administrator, a role which had been filled by acting administrators since John E. Longmire retired in July. One other local man also was a finalist, but he was not identified.
Henry County Circuit Court Judge John D. Hooker appointed John L. Gregory III as a second attorney to represent Eddie Lee “Shanghai” Thomas in his trial, which would start the following Monday in Fredericksburg. The main attorney was Robert W. Mann.
25 years ago - 2001
The second and final of the public hearings about the Henry County School Board’s proposed school-consolidation plan was held at Laurel Park High School. About 10% of the 400 people in attendance spoke, all opposing the plan. Though larger, the crowd also was calmer than the one at the public hearing the night before. The proposal would combine four high schools into just two, Bassett High School and Magna Vista High School, and create four middle schools, Fieldale-Collinsville, Laurel Park, Bassett and Drewry Mason.
JANUARY 10
75 years ago – 1951
In the aftermath of a fire which destroyed the Planters Warehouse on Franklin Street (and several other businesses), G.T. Lester Jr. announced that the Lester Lumber Company would build a new warehouse between Lester and Franklin Streets. The building would be 200 by 300 feet and made of steel and cement blocks.
E.T. Rizer of Clifton Forge, 40, had just purchased the Tom’s Peanut business from Drewry Doss. He and his family (wife and six children) were moving into their new house at 17 Arlington Heights, West Avenue, south of Martinsville, when he collapsed and died.
50 years ago – 1976
“Suspension Bridge” was the nickname of a state Division of Justice and Crime Prevention program designed to reduce the number of suspensions in county high schools. The program had been funded since January 1975 by a $65,053 grant from that organization and an additional $3,600 from the local and Henry County governments for teachers’ salaries and classroom materials. The five county high schools participated in the program. In each school was a class of up to a dozen students who had been screened by school personnel in consultation with other agencies which would include juvenile and probation authorities and the courts.
25 years ago - 2001
J. Clyde Hooker Jr., 80, had just retired as chief executive officer of Hooker Furniture and was heading out to spend the rest of the winter in Florida. He would keep his office in the company headquarters and come in if asked for help. Hooker took over as CEO from his father, J. Clyde Hooker Sr., in 1960, and was passing the leadership to his nephew, Paul B. Toms Jr.
JANUARY 11
75 years ago – 1951
City workers were preparing the streets for the new one-way street traffic plan which would take effect in February or March. Some of the street signs were being painted during this January week. Other signs which had been ordered had arrived, and still more were due to arrive within the week. All of the 145 parking meters to be added in the city under the one-way plan also had arrived, and most of them had been placed in position. Special signal lights had been ordered also. This would be the start of Church and Main streets going one way between Moss and Clay streets (as they are now). Also changing to one way would be Jones, Franklin, Walnut and Bridge, between Public Square and Church.
50 years ago – 1976
The City Prison Farm was nearly self-sustaining, covering 277 acres in three locations. The main part of it was on 70 acres on Clearview Drive, where it still is. The main building and dormitories were there. The farm had 130 head of cattle; about 40 of them grazed on the 56 acres of what used to be the Poor House Farm on Clearview. Most of the other cattle were on leased property in Franklin County. The farm had another 151 acres in the city’s industrial park near the old airport south of Martinsville. Ten men were on the staff, and the annual budget was $147,000, most of that going to salaries. The prisoners grew the food, maintained the cattle and operated a cannery. The farm was established in the early 1930s and had both women and men prisoners. It was closed after several years. When Kent Matthewson came on as city manager in 1949, the farm was reactivated under the leadership of the late Robert King, its first superintendent. The superintendent in 1976 was David T. Davis, 60, who was in charge since King died in 1968. Davis recently had had a chapel built adjoining the main building. It was used for voluntary worship services and counseling and other gatherings. Security at the prison farm was loose, and every now and then a prisoner would just walk away. Most were caught and returned; some even had returned voluntarily.
25 years ago - 2001
A group of Rives Road residents led by Tim Moore appealed to City Council to restrict trucks on their road. They proposed that no truck larger than a UPS delivery truck should be allowed up Rives Road past Nationwide Homes.
The Henry County School Board put a hold on plans to consolidate the four county high schools into two as it would work on a plan that had more public support. In that same week 600 people had showed up at two public hearings on the matter, with most of those who spoke protesting the plan.
JANUARY 12
100 Years ago – 1926
All three local banks held shareholders meetings on this day, reporting a good 1925. Cashier Brown reported that People’s National Bank showed net earnings of $20,700 for 1925 and stockholders had been paid dividends of 15%. The surplus undivided profits and reserve fund at the close of the year was $103,999.95. C.B. Keesee was the president. At First National Bank, I.M. Groves presided over the meeting and J.C. Shockly was secretary; bank president was E.L. Williams. The new bank building had cost $62,259.87 to build. Cashier J.C. Greer reported net earnings for the year of $19,123.61 and that stockholders received a 16% dividend. Reserves were $112,651.04. At Piedmont Trust Bank, T.G. Burch was the president of the bank and its secretary-treasurer and I.M. Groves Jr. was the secretary. The president’s report showed an increase of resources amounting to $49,952.98 and an increase of gross earnings of $5,604.34 over the previous year, after payment of 8% dividends. Reserve funds were $39,636.66.
75 years ago – 1951
Reporting good years of solid growth were Fieldale Bank (president, J. Frank Wilson – total capital account increased from $160,880 to $180,000) and Broad Street Christian Church (substantial financial increase and slight increase in membership).
50 years ago – 1976
The trial of Eddie Lee “Shanghai” Thomas opened in Fredericksburg. He pleased not guilty to charges that he had raped and murdered Sallie Aliff and murdered her four children on the day after Christmas, 1974. His defense attorney, Robert Mann, talked with prospective jurors about mental disorders.
Mystery writer Agatha Christie, 85, died at her home in Wallingford, England. An estimated 350 million copies of her 84 novels had been sold during her lifetime, and by now (2026), more than 2 billion copies have been sold. Her top seller, “And Then There Were None,” sold more than 100 million copies, making it second only to the Bible and Shakespeare in terms of how many copies had been sold.
25 years ago – 2001
Nine-year-old Gina Marie Scognamiglio ran off an aggressive fox which was thought to have been rabid. As she got off the school bus to her home on Highland Street (off Forest Street),, she saw a fox attacking her dog which was tied up in the yard. She used a garden hose to fill up a watering can, then threw water on the fox. The fox ran toward her, and she stabbed at it with a stick. It ran off. Officers talked with neighbors and found that Toby Gracia said a fox attacked a tire on his car when he was driving away from his house. Other neighbors said they had seen a strange fox who wasn’t acting normally. Officers shot a fox, not knowing if it was the same one, and its head was sent off for testing. The fox did test positive for rabies. Gina Marie’s dog, Minime, which had been bitten by the rabid fox, was euthanized once the test results came back. A woman who had read about the situation had a Shih-tzu puppy that she ended up being allergic to, so she called the police department to offer the puppy to Gina Marie. Gina Marie and her family picked up the Shih-tzu at the police department and named the dog “Oreo.”
JANUARY 13
100 Years ago – 1926
The Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal has made inroads into Martinsville with the employment of Boyd Stultz to distribute the newspaper. Copies of that newspaper were delivered to Ridgeway each morning for Stultz to deliver them across the city. (The Henry Bulletin, in contrast, was published only each Tuesday and Friday.)
75 years ago – 1951
Charlie Jim, a Chinese man, operated a laundry on West Main Street.
50 years ago – 1976
Eddie Lee “Shanghai” Thomas was on trial for the murders of Sallie Aliff and her four children of Horsepasture on Dec. 26, 1974. His attorney, Robert W. Mann, told the jury of 10 men and 2 women that there would be no doubt that he had committed the crimes, but that he should be found not guilty of criminal guilt for reason of insanity.
25 years ago - 2001
The paintings of Scotty “Rupe” Dalton were on display in an exhibit at Piedmont Arts. His paintings would go on to take top honors at many Piedmont Arts “Expressions” open-entry exhibitions through the years. He died on Jan. 9, 2022 at the age of 52.
JANUARY 14
50 years ago – 1976
Former Henry County Central Accountant Lawrence M. Martin was hired by the Henry County Board of Supervisors to be the next county administrator. That action came just 3 months after the previous Board of Supervisors had fired him from his job as central accountant. The reasons for the firing were allegations that he paid his wife more money than she actually had earned while she worked in the circuit court clerk’s office and for allegedly lying about some of his actions while on the job.
25 years ago - 2001
R.J. Reynolds Patrick County Memorial Hospital would lose its obstetrics and ambulance services as part of a court-ordered reorganization. The ambulance service would shut down within 60 days, and people would have to get ambulances through fire departments equipped with EMS and also through Stone Ambulance Service in Martinsville.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.