Jan. 15 through the years
1925
Word reached the public that prominent fruit grower C.H. Bradshaw of Horsepasture had died on Jan. 7 being pinned under an automobile which had overturned when the driver attempted to pass a wagon. Bradshaw had come to Henry County several years back from one of the Central states. He owned Knob Orchard, where he had conducted many experiments with various kinds of fruits.
1950
An open house was held at the new home of the Martinsville Public Library, 308 Church St., the former Andes property. The white frame house with black shutters was the classic farmhouse style: The front part was two 15- by 15-foot rooms separated by a central hallway, both on the bottom and top floor, with other rooms coming off the back, and two chimneys coming up from the center. Seven thousand volumes had been moved into that house from the library’s former home at City Hall. Miss Bess Tuggle, Mrs. W.L. Pannill and Mrs. Hugh Kearfott were committee members hosting the open house. The lower floor of the house was the library and the upper story was made into an apartment with a separate entrance. The apartment’s rent of $65 per month would help pay off the $13,500 owned on the property.
The 1950 March of Dimes fund drive began, sponsored locally by Pannill Post 42 of American Legion and with a goal of $10,000. Funds would help polio victims.
1961
The Martinsville chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, formed in 1956, chose new representatives of the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish faiths: John F. Edelen, Stanley M. Giddings and John G. Ullman. They succeeded William F. Franck, David Donati III and Stanley L. Sater.
1975
Nine people applied for the job as Henry County Registrar. The previous Registrar was Mrs. Ruth Joyce, who also was the county’s first general registrar. Her term expired on Feb. 28, 1975, but she left early due to health reasons. Mrs. Ruth Ellis, who had been her assistant since 1973, was appointed to fill her position temporarily. The job was paid for by the state to maintain the county’s election process, and the pay was $9,956 a year. Dawn Stultz-Vaughn is the current registrar.
2000
Nashville recording star and Axton native Clinton Gregory gave a concert in the Martinsville High School auditorium. Between 500 and 600 people attended.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.