Today in Johnson City History, Wednesday, Christmas Day, 2024
Merry CHRISTmas!
Thursday, Christmas Day, 1924: A century ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle, which combined publication for the special day with the Johnson City Staff-News reported several short news accounts that were of interest to local residents. Some of these news accounts were as follows: “Mr. and Mrs. E. Munsey Slack and family of East Watauga Avenue plan to leave the first of next week for Bristol where they will make their home in the future.”
“Mr. Percy J. Conner leaves Wednesday for Roanoke where he will join Mrs. Conner as the holiday guest of her parents, Major and Mrs. Frank H. Taylor.”
Roanoke, Virginia, is about 183 miles from Johnson City. It is northeast of Johnson City.
“Mr. and Mrs. Andy Smalling of Bristol, were visitors here Tuesday attending the Pan-Hellenic dance at the country club.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Piper of Bristol are the Yuletide guests of Mrs. Piper’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Imboden on Southwest Ave.”
“Mrs. Gerald Goode is recovering rapidly from a tonsil operation at her home in the Southwest Addition.”
The Southwest Addition is now known as the Tree Streets Neighborhood.
“Miss Regina Elseman has returned from an extended stay in Chicago, and is making her home with Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Gump on East Watauga Avenue.”
“Miss Florence Lee Miller of Greeneville was a visitor here Tuesday and Weddnesday, the guest of Miss Josephine Divithe in the Southwest Addition. Miss Miller was a guest at the Pan-Hellenic dance on Tuesday evening.”
“Mr. and Mrs. E. K. Cox, of Glencester, Miss., are the holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Galloway, and Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Bradley, of Bristol.”
“Miss Dora Dowling, of Chattanooga, will be the guests of Mrs. W. J. Beale, in Cherokee Heights, for the Christmas holidays.”
“Miss Mary Phetteplace and Miss Carol Gregory, of Erwin, were visitors in the city Tuesday attending the Pan-Hellenic dance at the Country club (sic for Club).”
“Miss Mary Copenhaver, of Bristol, spent Tuesday as the guest of Miss Helen Summers and attended the Pan-Hellenic dance at the Country Cub.”
“Miss Katherine Summers, of Abingdon, Va., was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Carr, of the Unaka Apartments Tuesday, attending the Pan-Hellenic dance.”
Abingdon, Virginia is about 52 miles from Johnson City and is northeast of Johnson City.
“Coming from Erwin Tuesday by motor, for the Pan-Hellenic dance, were Messers. Tom Alderson, Hope Bradshaw, Lee Justice and George Brandt.”
“Mrs. J. B. Burke and son Mr. J. B. Burke and Miss Lena Castle, of Bristol, motored to Johnson City Tuesday and were the guests of Mrs. W. Hl. Burkett, on Maple Street.”
“Mr. and Mrs. A. W. B. Stokeley, Jr., and Mr. John B. Stokeley, of Newport, motored to Johnson City Tuesday for the Pan-Hellenic dance.”
Newport is a town located approximately 58 miles from Johnson City. It is southwest of Johnson City.
“Captain B. H. Spencer is spending the Christmas season with his family on Locust street (sic for Street).”
“Coming from Greeneville, by motor Tuesday evening for the Pan-Hellenic dance, were Mr. Judd Brumley, Mr. Jimmie Daughty, Mr. Jimmie Masenberry and Dr. Lunsford.”
“Misses Helen Dixon and Donna Perry, of Elizabethton were among the out of town visitors attending the Pan-Hellenic dance.”
“Miss Eleanor Rae Crouch was a visitor in the city Tuesday, attending the Pan-Hellenic dance.:
“Miss Louise Davis, Miss Marjorie McDowell and Miss Naomi Fishmah (sic for Fishman) came down Tuesday from Bristol for the Pan-Hellenic dance.”
“Mr. Graham Morison is home from Choate, Wallingford, Conn., spending the holiday season as the guest of his parents, Judge and Mrs. Hugh G. Morison, in the Southwest Addition.”
“Mr. Alvin Sullivan and Mr. Nesbit Sullivan, who are attending Davidson College this year, are the guests of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Sullvan, during the Christmas season.”
Davidson College is located in Davidson, North Carolina, which is about 146 miles from Johnson City. It is southeast of Johnson City.
“Miss Lula Durham arrived Saturday from school and is spending the holiday season as the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Durham, on King Street.”
The Durham family continued to be in the news. “Mr. Charles P. East, of Chicago, is spending the Yuletide as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Durham at their home on King Street.”
“Mrs. M. L. Beeler of Jefferson City is the guest of Miss Mayme Brown at Melubro Court during the holidays.”
Jefferson City is located about 82 miles from Johnson City.
“Mr. and Mrs. Ray Moss arrive on Wednesday evening from Middlesboro, Kentucky, to be the guests of Dr. and Mrs. J. G. Moss on East Unaka Avenue, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Moss in the Adele Apartments.”
Middlesboro, Kentucky is about 112 miles from Johnson City, in a northwesterly direction. It is on the state line.
“Mr. Foster Miller who is attending Southern College, Lakeland, Florida, is the holiday guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee F. Miller on East Watauga Avenue.”
“Mr. Jack Wallace has arrived from Southern College, Lakeland, Florida, and is the guest of his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Wallace at the National Sanitarium.”
The National Sanitarium is now known as the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center.
“Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Hubertson are spending the holidays in Boone, N. C., as the guests of Mrs. Hubertson’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Crabtree.”
Boone, North Carolina is located about 55 miles from Johnson City. . It lies in a slightly southeastern direction from Johnson City.
“Governor Peay, together with Mrs. Peay and their son, Austin Peay, Jr., the latter of whom is spending the Christmas season at home with his parents, from Harvard, will spend Christmas Day at their home in Clarkesville.”
Finally, with a dateline from Baltimore, Maryland, and a date from December 24, readers learned that “Alan M. Gump, of Johnson City, Tenn., has (several indecipherable words) to the student council, the student governing body of the school. The election was in progress about four weeks. On order of the student council two weeks ago the election was (several indecipherable words) and because of alleged illegal voting.
“The election was held to fill a vacancy created when William F. Calhoun was made president of the class.”
The Johnson City Chronicle and the Johnson City Staff-News were usually published as two separate newspapers, except on Sunday, in 1924.
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