Echoes of the Past is a collection of historical articles curated from The West Virginia News, The Greenbrier Independent, White Sulphur Star and other publications archived since 1852. You may be exposed to content that you find offensive or objectionable. For historical accuracy, articles are reprinted in their original form and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the publisher.
1923 – 100 Years Ago
Big Kettle Stolen
Mr. Thos. C. Vanstavern’s 200-gallon dye kettle was stolen from the Hollywood Woolen Mills. A hue and cry was raised, and county officials telephoned for. None showed up; however, and the owner and his friends followed the trail of the thieves until they found the kettle in a thicket opposite Vandegrift’s spring. It is believed that certain moonshiners swiped the kettle for their own base purposes.
Monroe County Hogs
Mr. E. Don Ballard of Salt Sulphur Springs butchered three Duroc hogs on Jan. 9. The largest, which was 17 and a half months old, weighed net 593 pounds. Mr. Ballard was advised to throw in the liver and the heart to make the weight 600, but he was too conscientious to do so.
Big Wildcat
Sherman Mullens, accompanied by Henry Stowers, of the Pocahontas Trail, brought to the town of Richwood the largest wild cat ever seen by natives. It measured 54 inches from tip of heels to front paws and weighed 30 pounds. Mullens has just two shots in his faithful old gun, and they only wounded the monster cat, and a battle royal was indulged in, the cat fighting hard and Mullens and Stowers finishing the fight by striking the vicious animal with the gun barrel.
1948 – 75 Years Ago
Home And
Literature Club
The Alderson Home and Literature Club meeting for January was held Jan. 20 at the home of Mrs. J. N. Alderson. Mrs. Grayson Housby and Mrs. James Rowe were co-hostesses. The program, a review of the book, “Why We Behave Like Russians,” by John Fisher, was given by Miss Hazel Smithson.
Dr. Jackson
Opens Office
Dr. C.C. Jackson, well-known East Rainelle physician and surgeon, is opening offices on the second floor of the former East Rainelle bank building. A graduate of the Medical College of Virginia in 1927, Dr. Jackson went to East Rainelle in 1930 at which time he became affiliated with the East Rainelle General Hospital where he remained chief surgeon until its closing the first of January of this year.
Wooly Worm
Looking out his window, Early Gaynor saw a wooly worm crawling slowly, but definitely crawling, on top of the snow. Like the groundhog, the wooly worm has something to do with the weather earlier in the season, according to legend, but he has no business out in the snow.
1973 – 50 Years Ago
Kellwood To Locate Plant Here
Officials of the Kellwood Company announced this morning that they would construct a new manufacturing plant near Lewisburg. The Kellwood Company, a major supplier of Sears, will build the plant on county-owned property adjacent to the Greenbrier Valley Airport. The building will be owned by the County Court and financed by the sale of industrial revenue bonds totaling $700,000.
Senate Investigation
The Senate has voted to spend $500,000 on a formal investigation of charges Republican party functionaries conducted political espionage and sabotage against the Democrats in last year’s presidential campaign.
Boosters Plan
Civic Center
In an unprecedented vote of confidence, the Greenbrier East Spartan Booster Club voted unanimously to make available to the state armory board a minimum of five acres of land upon which to build an armory civic center. This facility is envisioned containing a gymnasium with a seating capacity of 4,000 and a 300-seat separate theater in combination with all the ancillary units necessary for a National Guard armory.
1998 – 25 Years Ago
Roadkill
An amendment related to roadkill triggered a flurry of West Virginia jokes across the nation and sparked verbal sparring between the House and Senate. It all started when the Senate Natural Resources Committee endorsed a provision that would allow motorists who strike and kill wildlife with their car to retrieve and take possession of the carcass.
County Chess Masters
Recently, Greenbrier County schools held a countywide chess tournament. The winners for this year’s tourney were Michael Hambrick, the runner-up, and Lance McClintic, the first-place winner. Students from all the county’s elementary schools were invited to participate.
