Jan. 7, back a century from 2025
1925
In the Jan. 6, 1925, Henry Bulletin (which published twice a week): “Much to the surprise of the people of the community, Miss Eva Bondurant and Mr. Walter Jamison, accompanied by Miss Margaret English and the bride’s brother, Mr. Forrest Bondurant, motored quietly to Greensboro, N.C., and were quietly married on Dec. 27th. Miss Bondurant is the attractive and popular daughter of the Supervisor G.T. Bondurant of Figsboro, Va. Mr. Jamison is a very prosperous young farmer and the son of Mr. Pat Jamison of Sago, Va. …”
1950
WMVA made its first broadcast from its new $60,000 studio in Chatham Heights. In the new building it would have an FM station in addition to the AM station it had operated since 1940.
Mrs. Freda Williams Drewry died. For many years she was the Henry County Public Health Nurse, retiring only when her health began to fail. She was the wife of the late Plummer D. Drewry, an attorney. She was long involved with the social and religious life in Martinsville, including at Christ Episcopal Church and Current Events Club. Survivors included children Mrs. Fred Worthington and A. Chauncey Drewry and three grandchildren.
Fred Zeiller, a sales manager at Seymour-Hackler Metal Works, became a part owner of Club Martinique on the Danville Road.
1961
City Patrolman Charlie Smith had lost $100, in $20 bills, that probably had dropped out of his coat on the Southside. He was looking for it and asking for it to be returned to his home at 608 Memorial Blvd., but after days of asking around, had not received it back. Meanwhile, other people were advertising things they had found and were looking for owners: Paul Shaffer of 608 N. Clift St., a new child’s cap, found at Starling Avenue and Virginia St.; William Howard Preston of old Route 58 near the Rifle Range, two shoats (young pigs) which he put in pen for temporary housing; Lucy Clay Draper of 409 Oakdale St., a gold wedding band near the mailbox on the corner of Oakdale and Hairston streets; and Mrs. Roy Grant of 13 Aaron St., some keys on a chain on Broad Street.
1975
The Agricultural Extension service hosted a meeting at Axton Elementary School at which tobacco specialist Wayne Brown brought farmers up to date on the latest research information on all phases of tobacco production. The program was held in conjunction with the Drewry Mason High School vocational agricultural department. Harry Little was the extension agent.
The City Planning Commission held the first of two public hearings on the new Comprehensive Plan for Martinsville, suggesting how to improve the city’s business district. People criticized the process, saying that only having the plan available for people to see at city hall made it impossible for people who work during the day to take a look at it.
2000
It was the last day of work for hundreds of Tultex’s employees as the company closed its fleecewear plant, which had been operating for more than 60 years. Two-hundred and eighty-five people were put out of work immediately, and another 160 jobs would be cut. In December the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed its jersey T-shirt manufacturing, which caused a loss of 1,100 jobs. One hundred forty jobs would remain, in administrative support and distribution. The last to remain of Tultex at this point was its distributors, California Shirt Sales, T-Shirt City and Discus Athletic.
For the past year, the well at Spencer-Penn Elementary School had been contaminated with nitrates. The school had been using bottled water in food preparation and for the children to drink. Nitrates were said not to pose a danger to the general public, just to pregnant women and young children.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.