Jan. 11 through time, from 2025
1925
News came out that the late Mrs. Anne Elizabeth George left an estate valued at $40,000. She owned great amounts of property in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. She left her 1,200-acre farm on the Smith River and Leatherwood Creek in Henry County to her son, Samuel Hairston of Oak Hill, where she had lived for many years. Her 350-acre farm at Walnut Cove, Stokes County, N.C., was left to her brother, Dr. W.A. Lash. A 45-acre farm in Florida went to Samuel Hairston.
1950
Pannill Post 42 of the American Legion launched its Toy for Europe drive. Jan. 11 was proclaimed “T-Day” in Martinsville, and every student in the school system was asked to bring in a toy that day, accompanied by a cheerful handwritten note, to be sent to a needy child in Europe. The children donated 1,200 toys and another 1,100 came from the community. Toys were still being accepted at local churches or would be picked up by a Boy Scout by calling 3491. Dr. Samuel Kaufman was the chair.
1961
The Business and Professional Women’s Club held a benefit card-playing party at the Community Recreation Center on Cleveland Avenue. Attendees had to bring their own packs of cards to the 8 p.m. event, at which people could play setback, rook, hearts, pinocle or any other card game.
Martinsville stores resumed their Spring-Summer schedule of closing at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. For many years, stores had been following the practice of closing early on Wednesdays for most of the year, and being open all day on Wednesdays only from September through mid-January.
1975
The Oak Ridge Boys performed in concert at the Martinsville High School auditorium. Revelations Quartet opened for them.
2000
James Cosby, an attorney for the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, conducted a meeting for Tultex creditors. Tultex had 11,000 creditors, and a series of meetings were held to give them information on what happened to Tultex that led it to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, why it did, and what were its plans for the future. This meeting was held especially for Tultex’s former employees, and about 800 attended. 28 displaced Tultex workers and others spoke. Many questions were about vacation pay, Christmas bonuses an dwhy some employees did not get termination notices. Ten law enforcement officers were station around the room, and though the crowd got noisy, it did not get rowdy. The meeting, held in the Martinsville High School auditorium, lasted 3 hours.
Prices at Aker’s Supermarket in Stanleytown: Chuck roast, $1.79; shoulder roasat, $1.99; ground beef, $1.69; ground chuck, $1.999; boiled ham, $2.69; chicken livers, 89 cents; 10 lb. bag potatoes, $1.79.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.