120 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 7, 1906
from the Mathews Journal

The members of Westville Christian Church visited Rev. and Mrs. G.W. Remagen on Wednesday and gave their popular pastor and his wife a liberal and grateful “pounding.” And while the affair was in progress, delicacies, ice cream and cake were served.

S.E. Richardson, E.C. Richardson and Daniel Richardson left on Tuesday for the West. They go to visit the Bullion Bar Mining Company in Colorado. They will combine business with pleasure by visiting various places of interest including Pike’s Peak, Valley of the Gods in Utah, and various other places.

Capt. Spencer and Harold Treakle of the steamer Portland were at home on Sunday last.

Miss Ruby Forrest is visiting Cow Neck.

110 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 8, 1916
from the Mathews Journal

The first potato shipment made from the county this season was made by Mr. Forrest Sadler of Tabernacle on Tuesday.

The burning of Lindsay and Lindsay’s store building and contents at Belroi occurred early Friday morning, April 27. District Agent Wilton T. Broaddus went to Belroi Monday, May 1 and adjusted the loss. On Wednesday, May 10, a check for $1,000 in full for all insurance carried by Lindsay and Lindsay was sent by the Northern Neck Mutual Fire Association. Twelve days from the first to the payment. Quick work.

Mr. B.J. Bendall has purchased the wheelwright business formerly run here by Mr. J.W. Hunley and will conduct it in the future.

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 10, 1926
from the Gloucester Gazette

A “Home-Coming Dance” in honor of the boys and girls home from schools and colleges, but one which older people with young hearts are also expected to enjoy, is announced, to be held at the Gloucester fair grounds auditorium Friday night, June 18. One of Richmond’s finest dance orchestras will furnish music for the occasion and arrangements are well underway to make it one of the most important social events of the season in this section of Tidewater Virginia.

from the Mathews Journal

The Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting Friday, June 4, ordered that the gate which crosses the Haven Beach Road, below Diggs, be removed.

In response to a request presented by E.P. Twigg, the Board agreed to assist financially in the erection of a suitable building to house the chemical fire engine purchased some time ago by the merchants and property owners of the town. The building will be located at the rear of the old jail building, and the donation is conditioned upon the cost and nature of the house. Specifications and estimates are to be presented at the next meeting of the Board.

90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 11, 1936
from the Gloucester Gazette

Seven men and a woman who had neglected to observe the formality of buying licenses for their dogs at the prescribed time were up in Trial Justice Court Saturday. The cases against them were dismissed by Justice Catesby G. Jones on the recommendation of Game Warden Rhodes, the licenses having been bought and all costs paid.

An automobilist who had failed to have his car properly inspected was fined $5 and costs. Another was assessed $10 and costs on a reckless driving charge.

from the Mathews Journal

The Court House nine went down to an 8-1 defeat at the hands of Cobbs Creek Saturday with the local boys unable to solve the offerings of Bristow, Cobbs Creek hurler, who pitched a no-hit game and missed two Cobbs Creek errors.

Bristow gave a magnificent exhibition of mound work, facing only twenty-nine men and sending seventeen of them away via the whiff route while Cobbs Creek was hammering three Mathews twirlers for eight hits and as many runs. Bristow also proved his mettle at the plate in the fifth when he hit one of manager Cooke’s slants over the school building for a home run.

80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 13, 1946
from the Gazette-Journal

Preliminary preparations were made at Gloucester C.H. this week for the enforcement of new parking regulations, with the painting of curbs marking restricted zones in which no parking is permitted. Bright yellow paint marks the zones at six points around the Court Green Circle, at fireplugs and bus-loading stations.

All buses will be required to pull up to the curb in the zones set aside for them and no other vehicles, except trucks loading and unloading, will be permitted to park there. Trucks and cars will not be permitted to park in the street in such a manner as to retard or block traffic.

State troopers are also attempting to keep all sidewalks clear of parked cars. They point out that sidewalks are for the use of pedestrians, that the low places opposite driveways are put there so that cars may be driven across, but that they are a part of the sidewalk and must not be blocked by parked cars. Persons who disregard this warning are likely to be given a ticket.

70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 14, 1956
from the Gazette-Journal

First Morning Star Baptist Church will celebrate its 85th anniversary in an all-day service on Sunday, closing at 8 p.m., with the former pastor, the Rev. W.D. Adkins and his Gospel Chorus, of Charles City County, in charge. Deacon Harvey James is chairman; Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, church clerk.

Miss Nora Ellen Miller of Harcum and Miss Melissa Rowe of Gloucester Point are representing the Gloucester F.H.A. Chapter at the annual state convention at Mary Washington College this week.

The Loyal Workers Class of Salem Church will hold a bake sale in front of Richardson’s Drug Store on Friday, June 22 starting at 10 o’clock.

60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 9, 1966
from the Gazette-Journal

Mathews: Commonwealth’s Attorney F. Paul Blanock this week has cautioned Mathews residents to carefully read and calculate contracts before entering into agreement with some home improvement firms which are reported to be operating in the area.

Blanock said it has been reported to him that the firms are making contracts for home improvement service, including the price of a loan to pay off outstanding liens and indebtedness against the property, and the owners are agreeing to make monthly payments for as long as 84 months with the amount being paid totaling twice the contract price.

He said he is issuing the warning because of complaints he has received from owners who say they have been “stung” by alleged high interest charges and other costs not explained to them when signing the agreements with the companies.

50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 10, 1976
from the Gazette-Journal

The Gloucester School Board on Tuesday night unanimously agreed to seek more funds for its budget which was severely cut by the board of supervisors last week.

Although the county supervisors directed that half of the proposed 20-cent increase in the real estate tax levy be applied to the school system, the schools’ budget has still been cut by $248,000 and 32 staff positions have been eliminated.

The school board had requested $3,104,719 in local funds for a “bare bones” budget but the supervisors held them to a figure of $2,776,188.

40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 12, 1986
from the Gazette-Journal

The state highway department found “no justification” for Main Street in Gloucester to be closed to through trucks, as requested by county officials. Earlier this year, planning director J.W. Hollingsworth and other county leaders spoke to state highway officials about an apparent problem of many trucks cutting through Gloucester Court House, instead of proceeding around the area on Route 17. But in a recent letter to county administrator William H. Whitley, resident engineer W.B. Coburn Jr. said a study of the matter reveals no urgent reason to halt the truck traffic.

30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 13, 1996
from the Gazette-Journal

Family, friends and other well-wishers packed the Mathews High School gymnasium to the rafters to take part in Friday night’s graduation ceremony. Seventy-three MHS seniors received diplomas during commencement exercises.

In March, the school board had considered moving the graduation ceremony back one week to make up for the missed days this winter. However, Superintendent of Schools Harry M. Ward said (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) “we thought we’d pick a good cool night to hold it.” Graduation programs were used as impromptu fans in a forlorn attempt to cool off the spectators in the gymnasium which does not have air-conditioning.

20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 8, 2006
from the Gazette-Journal

The Mathews High School crew traveled to St. Catharines, Ontario, over the weekend to compete in the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association Regatta. Four MHS boats made it to Sunday’s finals, with the men’s senior four winning bronze.

The club team will take the rowers to Philadelphia to race in the Independence Day Regatta in July and to St. Catharines again to compete in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in August.

10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, June 9, 2016
from the Gazette-Journal

The 100-plus year-old sanctuary of a historic church in Bena is in the process of being demolished this week, to make way for a new structure, which is expected to be completed next March. The congregation of First Morning Star Baptist Church held a special close-out service and reception on Saturday, and Sunday services took place for the last time in its sanctuary this week.

Lifetime church member and longtime church clerk Evelyn Wright said she has mixed feelings about the change that the church is facing. “All of my family has had their funerals here,” Wright said. “This is a very beautiful church. I hate to see it torn down. You can’t duplicate it.”

According to the church’s pastor, the Rev. Larry Arrington, church members and leaders have known for almost a decade that something drastic needed to be done with the current sanctuary, which has faced declining structural integrity with wood rot and other major issues. “This was really driven by the necessity of the building not becoming as safe as it needs to be,” Mr. Arrington said.