Today in Johnson City History, Friday, December 13, 2024
Jonesboro comings and goings, Jamaican Ginger, news from Canada, the best fudge ever and more
Wednesday, December 13, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, the Herald and Tribune reported several short news items from Garbers, a community in rural Washington County. “Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, bringing with it the usual for activities, enjoyed by all having a clear conscience. Religious services were held at Cherokee Baptist Church by Rev. E. D. Cox. The exercises were continued day and night up to and including Sunday.”
“Silas Cooper and Frank Dosser were out in the section on the 30th and succeeded in bagging quite a number of quail. They satisfied the demands of the inner man at the hospitable table of Dr. John C. Hunter.”
“The new church house that was going to be erected at or near Cash Hill, it seems, has fallen through with. Guess the promoters found it required something besides talk to erect it.”
Cash Hill was a community located in rural Washington County, near Jonesborough.
“The wife of Isaac C. Garber, to whom he was recently married in Mississippi, is lying with typhoid fever at Forest. Her speedy recovery is anxiously looked for by her many friends in this locality.”
Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection and can be prevented by means of a vaccine.
“Caldonia Young, who has been bedridden the past two years, is said to be worse and her life is likely to terminate at any time.”
“Butchering is the order of the day in this section at this time.”
“Infant child of Bud Sliger was buried at Cherokee cemetery (sic for Cemetery) on Sunday last.”
“Married – On Sunday last in the road near the residence of Henry Hoss, Cas. Leonard to Miss Bennett, W. A. Garber, Esq., officiating.”
“While Judge Campbell is a good man in the right place, we greatly fear he is at present time casting his hook for a bite which will only be a mighty little nibble.”
“We understand J. H. Blair has bought out the sawmill of Boyd & Mohler, located on Dry Creek.”
Dry Creek is a community located in rural Washington County.
Judge Campbell continued to be in the news. “A. J. Kyker will represent us at Judge Campbell’s court next week. ‘Uncle Jack’ is a holy terror to evil doers, and it may have been trespassing against the ‘peace and dignity of the State’ they would better hide out, at least, until the shower is over.”
The above news items were signed by someone named “Phelim”.
The Herald and Tribune was and still is, a newspaper published in Jonesboro, which was spelled that way in 1899. Jonesboro is about 7.5 miles from Johnson City and lies west, and very slightly south, of Johnson City.
Saturday, December 13, 1924: A century ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle reported that “Robbery of the drug store of the Woody Drug Company, on Boone and West Market street (sic for Street), was discovered through the finding of five cases of Jamaca (sic for Jamaica) Ginger on the sidewalk near the rear door by night police officers just before daylight. A watch was kept by the officers, expecting the return of the robbers for their booty, but none coming by daylight, the cases were taken in charge and are now being held by local police.
“It is reported that a considerable quantity of stock was taken from the drug company, the robbers evidently having entered through the rear door, which was easily opened, by reaching through an opening where a pane of glass is missing, and unlocking the door from the inside. It is thought that the intruders made off with a load of booty, leaving the remainder for a return trip, but were most probably afraid to risk its removal after the lapse of a sufficient time for discovery by the police.”
Jamaica Ginger was sometimes called Jamaican Ginger.
Thursday, December 13, 1934: Ninety years ago today, The St. Catharines Standard reported news with a dateline from Johnson City. Readers learned that “When Milligan and Teachers Colleges (sic for College) played a football game here Thanksgiving Day and invited all previous lettermen to be guests at the field, Leslie T. Tart, editor of the Johnson City Chronicle and Staff News, solved a problem by attending and wearing the letters of both schools, from each of which he had won them.”
Milligan College is now known as Milligan University, and the Teachers College is now known as East Tennessee State University.
The St. Catharines Standard was, and still is, a newspaper published in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
Wednesday, December 13, 1939: Eighty-five years ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle reported that “Mr. and Mrs. Clay E. Booth of Jonesboro announced the birth of a son December 5 at Appalachian hospital (sic for Hospital). The baby has been named Joe Ward Booth. Mrs. Booth is the former Miss Gladys Crussell.”
Jonesboro was spelled that ways in 1939.
The Appalachian Hospital was a forerunner to Memorial Hospital, which was a forerunner to the Johnson City Medical Center.
Friday, December 13, 1974: Fifty years ago today, in an article carrying the byline of Alice Torbett, the Johnson City Press-Chronicle reported that “It sounds like a dream for the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – an eclipse of the sun and a meteor shower occurring on the same day.
“However, it will require some effort to observe today’s events, according to Prof. Robert Darling chairman of the East Tennessee State University’s Geology Department.
“The eclipse today will only be partly this morning but won’t be at its (indecipherable) locally; and the sky will not grow very much darker, Darling said. It should start at 9:13 a. m. and be over at 12:07 p. m.
“Darling warns viewers not to look at the sun to try to see the eclipse. It is very dangerous to the eyes and one probably wouldn’t see much anyway, Prick a pin-hole in a piece of cardboard and hold it between the sun and a flat surface, he says. The sun will project its image on the surface as the shadow obscures it. It will appear as a circle with a chunk removed.
“The meteor shower, called the Geminids because they seem to come from the constellation Gemini, can be seen early tomorrow morning but won’t be at its best until after midnight Saturday and won’t reach peak activity until 3 or 4 a. m. that morning, then it should be possible to see about one ‘shooting star’ a minute. This particular meteor shower is known to have some good fireballs, that look like explosions in the sky.
“The Geminids, which astronomers explain as bits of rocky material moving in a path in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, become visible when they enter the earth’s atmosphere and burn up.
“They can be seen at about a quarter of their peak rate tonight and Saturday night, Darling said.
“He said another meteor shower, called the Ursids because it radiates from Ursa Minor (‘The Little Bear’) will be visible Dec. 22.”
Here’s a different way to “Get Involved!”, as I bring Christmas greetings to you; this initially appeared in December, 2020, as a blog post that I did when I was blogging at “As We Serve With Significance”.
Christmas is right around the corner and if Christ coming to earth to save mankind from our sins isn’t significant, then I don’t know what is. In just a few days, the shortest day of the year will be here. The day with the least daylight. December 21. Isn’t it interesting that day is so close to the birthday of the Light of the World?
Many people get together with family and friends to feast on or around Christmas. Readers of The Comet on December 20, 1884 read a quote by Emerson: “The first farmer was the first man, all historic nobility rests possession and use of the land.” The Comet was the first newspaper to be published in Johnson City. This advice is still quite true. Where would we be without our farmers? Farming is certainly significant and hard work that doesn’t stop. It’s 365 or 366 in 2020/24/7.
Before her death, my mother used to answer the telephone on Christmas Day by saying, “Christmas Gift!”, instead of “Hello!” I asked her several times over the years why she did that, and she said that her family had always done it. I try to carry on that tradition, but I usually forget to do so for at least the first caller or so. Mama was born in 1926 and her family had one of the earliest telephones in the county, so I feel like she heard of it around 1930 or so. What traditions does your family have?
Here’s a recipe tradition from my family:
Mama’s Chocolate Fudge
Combine ½ cup butter, 1 tall can evaporated milk, and 4 ½ cups sugar in a large saucepan.
Place over medium heat; stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cover. Boil 5 minutes. Turn off heat, but leave on burner.
Add two squares baking chocolate, 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 13 ounces sweet milk chocolate and ½ pound marshmallows. Stir until all is dissolved. (Grate the baking chocolate and sweet milk chocolate for best results; use miniature marshmallows.)
Add 1 tablespoon vanilla and 2 cups chopped nuts. Blend.
Pour in a lightly greased 15 x 10 x 1” pan.
Let stand until it’s firm. Cut into squares.
This is the only recipe that I can remember Mama making for Christmas every single year.
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