Today in Johnson City History, Saturday, November 30, 2024
Local happenings and a way to be a part of history in “Get Involved!”
Thursday, November 30, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Comet reported several short news accounts, featuring area individuals; there were a few longer news accounts featured, as well. Some of each follow: “W. F. Young was up from Jonesboro Tuesday.”
“Mrs. John K. Snapp is visiting relatives at Greeneville.”
“H. B. Crumley has moved to his new home on Watauga avenue (sic).”
“Miss Lena Easterly, of Greene county (sic), is visiting Mrs. C. N. Estes.”
“D. D. Myler is able to be out after a long illness with typhoid fever.”
“Mrs. J. W. Cass and baby are visiting homefolks at Rogersville.”
“Miss Effie Smith has returned from a short visit to Jonesboro relatives.”
“Will Butterworth came up from Mossy Creek to spend Thanksgiving at home.”
Mossy Creek is a community in Jefferson County
“Mrs. S. C. Williams has returned from an extended visit to Ohio relatives.”
“Crumley & Crumley have moved their law office into the J. W. Crumley building on Main street (sic).”
“Mrs. W. K. Martin is visiting in Chattanooga. Mr. Martin is located there in the revenue service.”
“The Intermount Iron and Timber Company has sold to Pennsylvania parties a large amount of timber lands along the O. R. & C. extension.”
“John Hess, a member of the First Tennessee, came home Thanksgiving day. He did not remain in Nashville to take part in the festivities in honor of the returning soldiers. He preferred to eat Thanksgiving dinner with homefolks.”
“Mrs. J. A. Landon and children will leave Saturday for Pennsylvania to join her husband. Mr. Landon was electrician at the plant in this city for several years and the family has many friends here who will regret their departure.”
“The Ladies’ Aid Society of the M. E. Church, South, will give a calico carnival at the residence of Mrs. W. H. Cox on Unaka avenue (sic) on the evening of December 5th. The admission will be 15 cents and a delightful lunch will be served.”
“At the recent meeting of the State pension board the following East Tennessee confederates were added to the pension rolls: Wm. Lizenberry, T. R. Williamson, O. W. Lindamood, J. M. Shipley, Ed H. Bishop.”
“Since the East Tennessee Telephone Company has put in a toll station here, Johnson City is connected with the outside world. Last Monday, W. E. Uptegrove called up Little Rock, Ark., and talked nineteen minutes. The distance was over 1,200 miles, but the conversation was carried on distinctly. The toll charges were $27.00.”
Twenty-seven dollars in 1899 is now equivalent to about $1027, according to www.in2013dollars.com.
“The Public Library seems to be growing in favor. During the last month twelve new members have been added and more than twenty new volumes of late works have been purchased. The library is now comfortably located on the second floor of the Hart building and is open from 2 to 4 o’clock on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. This institution merits the patronage our best citizens and should receive it.”
“Two weeks ago it was announced in The Comet that Linville & Cox had secured a contract to build three 6-room houses for the Virginia Coal & Iron Company near the furnace in Carnegie. Work on these has been progressing nicely for ten days and they are well under way. The contractors have been notified that their offer on twelve additional houses had been accepted and they are requested to build them as rapidly as possible. This, these bustling contractors are arranging to do and are already busy milling out the material.”
“Last Tuesday evening at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. ReMine, Dr. J. C. Davidson performed the ceremony that united for life Mr. W. E. Reese and Miss Annie E. ReMine. A number of the friends of the contracting parties were present. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Reese were driven to their new home on Pine street (sic). These young people are well known in Johnson City and have a host of friends who join The Comet in congratulations and best wishes.”
“The congregation of the Methodist E. Church has decided to build a parsonage and has purchased the corner lot of Mrs. Landreth on the corner of Roan and Cherry streets (sic) for that purpose. It is a splendid location and the dwelling will be modern in all its appointments.”
“The spirit of improvement seems to have taken a firm hold upon the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church in this city. The church has recently been very much improved by the addition of an auditorium that is an architectural beauty. The interior is hardwood finished natural, and the large windows are of art glass. The yard has been graded and a new fence has been put around the plot. The choir will not be improved by the addition of a pipe organ. The organ is expected to be in place next Sunday.”
“Miss Kate Simpson, a teacher in our public schools, received a telephone message Tuesday evening announcing the death of her sister, Mrs. Ella Orr, at Mossy Creek. The evening mail had brought a letter stating that the mother and babe were doing well. Convulsions followed and death resulted suddenly and very unexpectedly. The previous cheerful news made the announcement of the death all the more distressing. Miss Simpson has the sympathy of many friends in her bereavement. The deceased was a niece of Mrs. Henry Lyle, of this city.”
“Judge Thomas Curtin came down from Bristol last Sunday.”
“On Monday before Thanksgiving a large Durham cow belonging to Joe P. Lyle, one of our most prosperous suburban farmers, dropped three fine calves. All are well developed bovines and are thriving. This cow was raised on the place and has been attended to by 12 or 15 of Joe’s children – the’ve (sic) all been milkers – and seems to realize that, being in an atmosphere of prolificity, she was expected to profit by a good example.”
And now for a unique way to “Get Involved!”
J. D. Banks, a Telford resident, tells me that “A History / Heritage Harvest is a community event that involves collecting, interpreting, and digitizing historical artifacts to preserve local history for the community. We are collecting and preserving any photographs from any time during the 1800s up through the 1990s of locations in and around Telford. Please search your attics, closets, or old root cellars for any old pics of Telford when it was more of a town. We're especially interested in the old train depot, post office, general stores, mills, public events, and / or prominent people.
“We will have a laptop and scanner on location at the Telford Ruritan Club at 101 Telford School Road in Telford, where we can scan pics and return them immediately. We will then preserve them within our archives and eventually share them with the Archives of Appalachia at ETSU with owner permission. Our end goal is to produce a current historical reference document to share with the community at large by the end of 2025. The last one produced by members of the Telford Ruritan Club came out in 1986, and a lot has changed since then throughout the area.
The event will be on Saturday, December 14 from 9 in the morning untili 3 in the afternoon.
For more information, email J. D. at banksjd@etsu.edu
To subscribe, click on this link:
https://www.todayinjohnsoncityhistory.com/subscribe
Truly, it takes several people to put together something like you’ve just read. I express profound appreciation to Heidi Dulebohn and Stephanie McClellan Houk for their thoughts and encouragement.
Grateful appreciation is expressed to Collin Brooks for his social media expertise. If you need assistance with your social medial needs, call him at 423-735-8755.
Will Riddle, owner of Riddle Technology Services, can help you with all your computer and computer-related needs. He’s the best! Call him at 423-480-4024.