March 26
By Holly Kozelsky and Pat Pion
100 Years ago – 1924
On Wednesday, March 26, Sheriff H.L. Turner cut up a 100-gallon copper still in a raid about 3 miles northwest of Bassett, and also destroyed 2,000 gallons of beer. The next day, it was a 200-gallon metal still and 1,000 gallons of beer near Sanville. Later the next day, a raid near Philpott resulted in the destruction of two 200-gallon copper stills and 5,000 gallons of beer.
Kennon Thornton was killed instantly Wednesday night, March 26, at Ridgeway railway station by officer Bob Gauldin. The conductor of a train which just had stopped to get coal and water notified Officer B.A. Anthony that a man had boarded the train in Ferrum with liquor. Officers in Ridgeway searched the train and found the man in the third car. The man ran, running into Officer Gauldin, grabbing his hand which held the pistol, and the shot went off, witnesses said. Officers found 11 1-gallon tins of liquor. Thornton, 20 had worked at Hamilton Hotel for several years.
75 years ago – 1949
In 1949, the Retail Merchants Association did credit checks for local merchants who wanted to know about customers applying for payment plans. The Association’s secretary, Miss Ursie Davis, told the Martinsville Bulletin that so far in March she had received requests for more than 900 checks.
1960
Tensions continued to build in regard to desegregation and civil rights as impatience grew over the slowness of court action in furthering equality. Lunch counter protests continued as they had over the last eight weeks in Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte and Atlanta, among others throughout the South. Lynchburg and Savannah, GA were soon to follow. Some localities continued to resist desegregation by closing down public school systems and establishing segregated private schools, forcing many families to fend for themselves in the struggle to educate their children.
50 years ago – 1974
Patrick Henry Community College offered classes for adults in Patrick County: flower arranging, interior decorating, cake decorating, yoga, art and beginning guitar.
Charming handwritten ad for Kwick Knit, Patrick Henry Mall: “Lovely gowns, lacy bras and girdles take shape almost before your eyes! You’ll forget the dishes, the dust, even the kids once you see the luscious colors, feel the silky fabrics that in no time will be part of you. Lingerie Classes Begin Tuesday, March 26. Fee $10.”
25 years ago – 1999
Eight members of the National Society of Black Engineers local junior chapter attended NSBE’s Pre-College Initiative in Kansas City: Martinsville High School teacher Helen Howell, the leader; her daughter, Erika Howell, a middle-schooler; and high-schoolers Matthew Ashburn, Robbie Williams Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Alison Manuel, Keisha Martin and Jennifer Payne. These were the early days of Howell’s local NSBE chapter, which now is recognizes as one of the top in the nation.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin accessed on microfilm at the Martinsville Branch Library.