Today in Johnson City History, Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Snow, railroads, Virginia Dare, the old Science Hill building and more
From Friday, December 3 through Sunday, December 5, 1886: If we think the snow we had yesterday was bad….Three feet of snow fell in Johnson City. (Source: I'd Rather Have a Talking Frog.)
Thursday, December 4, 1890: The Comet reported that “The managers of the East Tennessee & North Carolina Railroad have ordered built fifty new cars. This result has been largely if not entirely due to articles written by Col. H.E. Colton on the North Caroline magnetic ore beds, and published in the Tradesman. The same articles have been a big factor in stimulating the building of the South Watauga Railroad that gives a short line to the ores…the existence of vast supplies of magnetites and hematites in upper East Tennessee and Western North Carolina has given the region a big boom….”
Thursday, December 4, 1924: A century ago today, The Evansville Press reported news with a dateline from Johnson City; the story was carried by the United Press. Readers learned that “Eight hundred skeletons, believed to be the remains of a white colony massacred by the Indians about 1590, have recently been discovered in a cave near Benhams, Virginia.
“The discovery was made by S. C. Dyer, scientist of Mohawk, Tenn., who believes the colony were friends of Virginia Dare, the first white child in America.
“The colony came from England and landed on Roanoke Island, Virginia, July 22, 1587, with John White as governor, according to history records. Virginia Dare was born there, August 18, 1587.
“Governor White went back to England to obtain supplies and on his return in 1590 found Roanoke Island abandoned. No trace of his colony was found except the word “Croatan” carved on a tree. Historians deduced from this that the colonists were either massacred or, during White’s absence, moved to a place called ‘Croatan’.
“The skeletons, according to scientists, are about four hundred years old. They are, according to the Smithsonian Institute, the first trace of the lost colony and the length of time the bones have been in the cave and the date of the colony’s disappearance correspond very closely, another fact lending authenticity to scientists’ belief.
“Some scientists belief the Indians herded the entire colony into the cave and left them there to starve.
“Souvenir hunters carried away so many skulls soon after the discovery that it it has been impossible for scientists to determine by measurements whether they are of Mongolian, Caucasian, or Ethopian (sic for Ethiopian) races. There is a possibility, scientists say, the skeletons might be those of Cherokee Indians.”
Benhams, Virginia is about 43 miles from Johnson City. It is north, and very slightly east, of Johnson City.
Mohawk is a community in Greene County and is located about 52 miles from Johnson City. It’s west, and slightly south, of Johnson City.
The Evansville Press is now published as the Evansville Courier & Press in Evansville, Indiana.
Tuesday, December 4, 1934: Ninety years ago today, The Elizabethton Star, which is still in publication status, reported several brief news accounts regarding individuals with a connection to the area. Some of the news accounts follow: “Mrs. Roger Piercy of this city and Mrs. Fred Proffitt of Johnson City are spending today in Knoxville.
“Worley Anderson of Asheville, N. C., spent the past week-end (sic for weekend) with his family here.”
“G. C. Long of near Chattanooga spent the week-end (sic) in Elizabethton with Mrs. Long, and son, Garland.”
“Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Miles were the week-end (sic) guests of Mrs. Miles’ mother in Bristol.”
“The many friends of Buss Williams of Shell Creek will regret to learn that he is seriously ill in the Grace Hospital at Banner Elk, N. C.”
Shell Creek is a community in rural Carter County.
Banner Elk, North Carolina is approximately 38 miles from Johnson City. . Banner Elk is southeast of Johnson City.
“Mr. and Mrs. Carl Malone motored to Bristol, Sunday afternoon, and visited relatives.
“Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tate and little daughter were the guests of Bristol relatives, Sunday.”
“Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Pierce left Monday morning for Mullins, S. C., to spend the winter with their daughter, Mrs. J. M. Lowe.”
“Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Brummitt, 311 Roan street (sic for Street), Mrs. A. A. Lowe, the Misses Mary Willie and Catherine Brummitt, R. A. Brummitt, jr., (sic for Jr.) Mrs. Walter Estyt (sic for Estes?) and Mrs. L. E. Brummitt of Johnson City.”
The Brummitt family continued to be in the news, as did the Lowe family. “Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Lowe have been the guests of Mrs. Lowe’s sister, Mrs. Anna Brummitt and Mrs. Bruce Smith.”
“Cecil Barron, who is playing with an orchestra at the Robert E. Lee hotel (sic for Hotel) in Winston Salem (sic for Winston-Salem), N. C., arrived Sunday afternoon for a few days visit with Mrs. Baron. He returns Wednesday.”
Winston-Salem, North Carolina is about 144 miles from Johnson City. It is east, and slightly south, of Johnson City.
Monday, December 4, 1939: Eighty-five years ago today, in an article carrying the byline of R. C. Phillips, the Johnson City Press reported that “In the early days of the state’s history, the most prosperous industry in East Tennessee was the manufacture of iron. One of the first, if not the first, iron works in Tennessee was erected at the mouth of Steel’s Creek, in Sullivan County, about 1784. It was operated by Col. James King, who later associated with him Governor William Blount. John Sevier also became interested in the development of the iron industry in East Tennessee.
“At the dedication of the King Iron Works, a two-day jollification took place. When the furnace was charged with charcoal and ore, Mrs. Blount, the wife of the governor, in the presence of a large gathering of people, walked up on a platform, and breaking a bottle of rum, christened it ‘Barbara,’ The name of Governor Blount’s mother. This also became the first nail factory in the state.
“As the industry grew and prospered, it became the center of commercial activity. There were twenty-nine furnaces scattered throughout this section, Sullivan and Carter Counties having thirteen. The best-known was the Bushong furnace, operated first by George Bushong, and then by his son William Bushong, who operated it for twenty-five years.
“So important was iron that it became a medium of exchange, for money was scarce. The customer exchanged iron for whatever commodity was needed, and delivery of the iron was made afterward.
“With the advent of new business methods, and with money becoming more plentiful as a medium of exchange, the old-time credit system, where man trusted man, disappeared. An example of the old way may be found in a transaction between two friends. It was their custom to borrow large sums of money from one another without any written evidence of indebtedness. In time, they decided that this method was careless, and they agreed to give notes. One of the men borrowed five hundred dollars from the other and made out his note. The question arose as to which should keep the note. Finally the payee of the note said to its maker: ‘You got the money. You just keep the note so you’ll know when to pay it back.’”
Monday, December, 3, 1978: In her column in the Johnson City Press-Chronicle, Dorothy Hamill reported that the old Science Hill, later South Junior High, would soon be torn down.
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