115 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 25, 1910
from the Mathews Journal
We are going out of the buggy business and have on hand 1 surrey and 9 top buggies. We will sell these goods very cheap to close. —G.S. Marchant
The store house here known as Marchants old store is being again fitted out for business. When completed it will be occupied by Messrs. Emmett Jarvis and J.M. Pugh. Both gentlemen are substantial citizens and good business men and will doubtless run an up-to-date establishment.
100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 27, 1925
from the Gloucester Gazette
Mr. and Mrs. J. Walter Kenney have returned from a motor trip through the Valley of Virginia.
Mr. Joe Cluverious had the misfortune to break his arm last week in falling from a cart.
Mr. J.H. Ashe motored through the village last week.
A very successful revival closed at Union Baptist Church last week, resulting in the baptism of 21 persons.
from the Mathews Journal
A news item from our Hudgins correspondent last week told of a big cantaloupe weighing eleven and three-quarter pounds which was being exhibited by Mr. Eugene Armistead. Mr. Armistead was credited with being the champion in his section. He said later that had he known public mention was to be made of the melon he would have brought in a real one weighing 25 to 30 pounds. However, seeing is believing and the biggest melon we have SEEN is one brought to The Journal Office this week by Mr. Melvin Thurston, weighing over 14 lbs.
90 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 29, 1935
from the Gloucester Gazette
A dedicatory sermon by W.S. Deyerle, presiding elder of the Rappahannock Circuit, Sunday morning, climaxed a three days’ celebration of the 125th anniversary (dating from the deed in 1810) of Bellamy’s Church, and marked the payment of the debt on the handsome new church edifice.
The new church, erected on the church grounds directly in front of the old building, at a cost of $22,000 is modern and spacious, with adequate Sunday School facilities. A debt of $1,500 remaining on the building was wiped out during the three days’ celebration and the note was burned in the presence of a happy congregation Saturday.
from the Mathews Journal
Mrs. W.E. Hudgins and son, Garland, spent Wednesday last with Mrs. Walter Ripley, of Susan.
Little Miss Eleanor M. Diggs spent Saturday with little Miss Martha Lee White, of Mathews.
80 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 30, 1945
from the Gazette-Journal
In its regular weekly news release, the Mathews War Price and Rationing Board revealed that another local merchant had been reported to Richmond for failure to co-operate with OPA regulations for the protection of the public and that another merchant had been penalized for over-charging. At the same time the Board announced that from now on particular attention will be giving to the price structure as laid down by the OPA and asks citizens to report all over-charges.
One merchant appeared before the Price Panel at its meeting on Thursday the 23rd and paid sanctions in the amount of $25.00. These payments are made to the Treasurer of the United States. This represented the first sanctions assessed against this party and were for multiple over-charges.
70 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 25, 1955
from the Gazette-Journal
Plans for a lighted football and softball field at Gloucester High School were formulated at a meeting this week by the Gloucester Athletic Association.
The lights will be located on property recently purchased by the School Board adjacent to the school property near White Marsh. Evans Clearing Corporation has completed clearing and grading the area for an athletic field and parking lot.
Last year’s fund-raising campaign, headed by Colonel Henry P. Gantt, received approximately $2,000. Three hundred of this was spent for football helmets used by the High School football team last year.
60 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 26, 1965
from the Gazette-Journal
A 40 x 60 ft. barn was completely destroyed by fire and a tenant house was heavily damaged on Friday, Aug. 20, at “Burleigh Farm,” owned by A.G. Birdsall, Sr., Gloucester’s County agent, and located approximately one mile west of Short Lane.
Birdsall said the fire started in the straw in the first floor of the barn around 3 p.m. Approximately 300 bales of straw stored in the barn were engulfed in flames and destroyed; however, around 20 laying hens housed in the building escaped.
The five-room tenant house located nearby caught fire from the burning barn, but most of the furniture was moved and saved.
50 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 28, 1975
from the Gazette-Journal
Evening classes will begin at Mathews High School at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15. Art, bookkeeping, building trades, colonial history, drafting and blue print reading, family clothing, masonry and typing are among the subjects to be taught. The schedule will be arranged at the convenience of teachers and students, a spokesman said.
40 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 29, 1985
from the Gazette-Journal
The Mathews County Board of Supervisors rejected two proposed gun control ordinances Tuesday, one by unanimous vote, and the other 3-2.
The first law, which would have prohibited transporting loaded shotguns or rifles in vehicles, was opposed by Supervisors Jack Ward, Thomas Mangrum, Charles H. Richardson, Jr., Aubrey M. Morgan and Keith Sadler.
The second proposal prohibiting carrying a loaded firearm on a public highway without authorization to hunt on both sides of the road, was opposed by Mangrum, Richardson and Sadler. Ward and Morgan cast dissenting votes.
30 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 31, 1995
from the Gazette-Journal
A number of Guinea area homes and other structures narrowly escaped damage as Friday afternoon’s fire burned approximately 25-30 acres of grasses and pine trees, according to Abingdon Fire Chief Herb Austin.
“We had at least eight different structures that were threatened,” Austin said. Included in those buildings was a shed with a large quantity of gasoline, a pen with hunting dogs, a house and trailer with a propane tank, and the Maryus Post Office, he said.
20 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005
from the Gazette-Journal
The Fells Point Foundation has a new tugboat on the way. The Tug Oxnard, donated to the foundation by Moran Towing Corporation will replace the Tug Fells Point, which will be taken to either New Jersey or North Carolina by Dominion Marine Group and turned into a fishing reef.
The new tug is expected to arrive by the time school starts, said foundation president Captain Chip Kinsey, so that the seven Mathews High School students and eight Gloucester High School students currently enrolled in the marine trades program will be able to take classes onboard the new vessel.
10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015
from the Gazette-Journal
Thomas M. Evans of Venturing Crew 111 and Troop 111, Gloucester, completed his Eagle Scout project on Aug. 7: construction of a 16’x4’ dock at Beaverdam Park, directly across from the boat ramp. Evans received a great deal of help in his project, including from Buster Mattox and his son David of Troop 111; Eagle Scouts Frank O. Evans, Robert Morrison and Chandler Burris; Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 111, Joe Snyder, and his father Andy; Eric Jurgenson and Alec Earwood of Crew 111; Will Mattox of Pack 175; Vicki Morrison of Troop 111 committee and committee chair of Venturing Crew 111; Chip Neikirk of VMRC, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Gloucester Building, Planning and Zoning, and Environmental departments; Patricia McGrath, Carol Steele and the rest of the staff at Gloucester Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and W.T. Fary Brothers.