Oct. 29

100 Years ago – 1924

The census taking in Martinsville to see if the town had enough population (5,000) to be upgraded to status of a second the second class showed that the population of Martinsville was 5,481. That was an increase of 1,406 people since the 1920 census.

75 years ago – 1949

Troxler Furniture advertised a Lane chest “for sweetheart, wife, mother, daughter, sister”, “as advertised in Life” magazine, for $49.95, or on credit with $1 down.

1960

Overton H. Gregory of Broad Street operated a poultry farm near Pleasant Grove. On this day he collected 1,487 eggs from his 2,000 hens. About a dozen of the eggs were so large they would not fit in egg cartons. One egg was 8 inches around the ends and 6 1/8 inches in circumference.

50 years ago – 1974

The deadliest road in the area was (and still might be?) Roller Coaster Hill, officially known as Belmont Street, Va. 732, in Collinsville. James W. Trull, who lived there, said he’d see more than 40 wrecks there. A vehicle driven by Linda Sue Hodges, 16, flew off the road and head-on into the rock wall in front of the home of State Trooper Q.M. McCullough. She and passenger David Wayne Hancock, 16, were dead on arrival. Hancock’s 14-year-old wife, Ginger, was in intensive care for injuries to her face, head and insides. Also treated for injuries were passengers Gary Taylor Richards, 15, and Ricky Caro Burnette, 18. A year ad a half before, James Barry Lawson, 17, was killed at the intersection of Westover Drive and Belmont Street

25 years ago – 1999

Eyvonne Hairston, 36, and her daughter, Melvina Lavonne Hairston, were shot dead in their home at 705 Rives Road. Michael Jerome Hairston, 38, of Chestnut Knob Road, was arrested and charged with capital murder. Daughter/sister Shawna Hairston, 19, survived.

Larry George of Pinnacle Drive in Villa Heights made a six-room haunted house in his yard which people were welcome to visit.

— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.