April 13

By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion

100 Years ago – 1924

The newest automobile dealer in town was Mr. J.R. Gregory Jr., who announced plans of selling Hudson and Essex cars in Martinsville in a dealership called Gregory Motor Company. A carload shipment of cars was on the road and expected in town in a few days.

The Epworth League, which had the goal of bringing young people into active church service, celebrated its anniversary. The first vice president was Miss Mattie Rogers Smith.

The vehicle of Claude V. Self, a traveling salesman from Chatham, and 14-year-old Charlie Clark, collided just outside town on the Danville highway at a sharp curve just past the gate which leads to Lanier Farm. The curve was around a 10- to 15-foot embankment where it was impossible to see the other party coming.

The new Henry County Home Demonstrator, Miss Emma Bratten of Princess Ann County, arrived in the area to live in the home of Mrs. W.L. Penn of Starling Avenue.

75 years ago – 1949

County Agent George Pollard gave a demonstration on how to make a drainage ditch by dynamite explosion. At the farm of Thomas Wilson near Ridgeway, he put pieces measuring one third of a stick of dynamite each 8 inches apart and connected them with a fuse. When he put them off, the explosions blew a trench which was 600 feet long, 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep. About 40 farmers watched the demonstration.

1960

Downtown retail establishments which had customarily been closing at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays for midweek holiday would remain open all day to make up for their closing on Easter Monday.

Every member of the Martinsville Fire Department, along with all equipment, collected on Emmet Street for the final day of annual Spring testing. Every foot of hose was strung the length of the street and screened to ensure that winter had not had any lasting negative effects.

50 years ago – 1974

Mrs. Mary S. Martin was nearly the end of year year-long reign as “Mother of the Year.” The next honoree would be chosen on May 13. The award is conferred by the Retail Merchants Association.

25 years ago – 1999

American Electric Power (which became Appalachian Power Company) had to pay the City of Martinsville a $1.64 million refund, in two installments, by the terms of a 1992 rate suit settlement.

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.