Friday, November 10, 1775: On this day, two hundred and fifty-one years ago, the United States Marine Corps was formed. “The U. S. Marine Corps traces its origins to November 10, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, when the Continental Congress called for two battalions of Continental Marines to be raised. Their mission was to provide security onboard Navy ships, conduct ship-to-ship fighting, and serve as landing troops. Tradition has it that the Tun Tavern in Philadelphia served as the first Marines recruiting post. The Marines’ first landing, led by Captain Samuel Nicholas, came in March 1776 at New Providence, in the Bahamas, where they seized British cannons, shells and powder.
“The Marines were disbanded after the Revolutionary War, then reformed in 1798. The U. S. Marine Corps has served in every major armed conflict in American history. As a ‘force in readiness,’ its missions range from amphibious assaults to counterterrorism operations.
“The Marine Corps flag is a scarlet banner that carries a yellow and gray image of a globe (symbolizing service in any part of the world) and an anchor (a reminder of the amphibious nature of Marines’ duties, and that the Marine Corps is a partner of the U. S. Navy). An eagle stands on the globe, holding in its beak a scroll inscribed with the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis (“Always Faithful”). Below, a larger scroll reads, ‘United States Marine Corps.’ The flag’s design dates to 1939.”
(Source: The American Patriot’s Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T. E. Cribb.)
Sunday, November 10, 1901: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Chattanooga Sunday Times reported several short news items in a column entitled “Social News from Near-By Towns”. Some of the news accounts may have been previously mentioned in this column, but in a slightly different form. The following news carried a dateline from Greeneville, and a date of November 9:
“Joe B. Brown went Tuesday to Johnson City, where he will rehearse with Gov. R. L. Taylor’s quartette for two weeks before starting on a six-months’ tour.”
“The tobacco season in this market is opening up splendidly. The sales are larger than for three or four years, and the prices for bright tobacco are the highest ever known on this market. The warehouses will be open for sales this season.”
“Lewis Tipton and Miss Cordella Thompson were married Thursday evening at the residence of the bride by Rev.. B. C. Horton of the Methodist church.”
“Miss Nellie Broyles of Embreeville, Tenn., en route to Atlanta to spend the winter, is spending a few days with Miss Nellie Naff.”
Embreeville, sometimes spelled as Embreville, is a community in rural Washington County.
“Rev. C. K. Cox of the Baptist church has gone to housekeeping in the Williams property on McKee street (sic for Street).”
“Mrs. A. E. Godfrey and Miss Jennie Godfrey of Bramwell, W. Va., are visiting the family of Rev. H. C. Horton.”
“Rev. and Mrs. Russell K. Smith returned this week from an extended visit to Mr. Smith’s relatives in Pittsburg.”
“Born, to Mrs. and Mrs. F. A. Vann, a son.”
“J. B. R. Lyon, the oldest newspaper publisher in Greeneville, is quite ill at his house on Church street (sic).”
“Guy Shoun is spending a few days at home from Emory and Henry college (sic for College).”
Emory and Henry College is located in Emory, Virginia, which is about 62 miles from Johnson City. Emory is northeast of Johnson City.
“Miss Nellie Naff, after spending the summer at Asheville, returned home last week.”
Asheville, North Carolina is about 61 miles from Johnson City. It is almost directly south of Johnson City.
“Misses Bess and Hazel Shoun entertained a number of friends with a candy pulling Thursday night.”
“W. R. Lyon, editor of the Greeneville Sun, entertained the country correspondents of his paper last Saturday with a dinner at the Mason house.”
“Mrs. Bohannon, one of the oldest and most respected ladies of the town, is critically ill at her home on Main street (sic).”
“Mrs. M. P. Rowe continues very ill, and little hope is entertained for her recovery.”
“There are several cases of diphtheria among children here.”
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can now be prevented by means of a vaccine.
“Miss Edith Allen is quite ill of tonsilitis.”
Greeneville, Tennessee is located about 37 miles southwest of Johnson City.
The following news accounts from the same column carried a dateline from Jonesboro, which was spelled that way in 1901:
“Sheriff J. L. Hawkins received a telegram Thursday from the sheriff of Mount Airy, county (sic for County), N. C., stating that he had under arrest W. H. H. Atwood. He is the man who is thought to have stolen the horse from Mr. Susong, near Telfords (sic for Telford), several weeks ago.”
Telford is a community in rural Washington County.
“Wendell Ruoff, mechanical engineer of Knoxville, came here Tuesday and is getting the machinery of the flouring mill ready so that they may be able to turn out their first flour during the first of the coming week.”
“Mrs. L. H. Patton left Monday for Winchester, where she has been spending the week as a delegate to the W. C. T. U. convention now being held in that place.”
Winchester, Tennessee is about 284 miles from Johnson City. It is southwest of Johnson City and is near the Alabama border.
W. C. T. U. is an abbreviation for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, an organization founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1874. The organization still exists. An early motto was “Protect our American Youth by Prohibiting the Liquor Traffic.” Their current mission is “to organize the motherhood of the world for the protection and exaltation of its homes.” (Source: www.wctu.org.)
Chattanooga is about 216 miles from Johnson City.
The Chattanooga Sunday Times was published as The Chattanooga Daily Times the other days of the week. It is now published online as the Chattanooga Times Free Press. I do not have access to any newspapers that may have been published on a daily basis in Johnson City in 1901; The Comet was published weekly.
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