10 YEARS AGO
Week of May 12, 2016
Area Cidery Earns National Recognition
A small cidery in neighboring Highland County, VA, made a big impression in Michigan recently.
A Great Lakes contest gave Big Fish Cider Company a “Best-in-Class” award — the first time in the competition’s history that a Virginia cidery has earned that distinction.
Big Fish Cider Co., which has only been open for a few tasting events, took home a total of four medals at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition—the largest such contest in North America.
“We are honored to have these awards,” said Big Fish cider maker, Kirk Billingsley. “I had a feeling that these ciders would do well in a competition, but quite honestly, I didn’t expect this level of success at our first contest. Mother Nature was on our side last year with the biggest apple crop in Highland that I have seen in recent history. It’s great to see Highland apples get the attention they deserve. I often tell folks apples grown at this elevation, without sprays and fertilizers, are just better tasting apples, and with apples like we have, you can make some of the best cider in the world.”
Although Billingsley is a Highland County native, many Pendleton County residents will recognize him as the chief financial officer for Pendleton Community Bank in Franklin.
Billingsley has been making apple cider for nearly 20 years, but didn’t decide to embark on his own commercial business until late last year. “There is an amazing amount of science that goes into making quality cider,” he commented. “I learned a lot as a hobbyist.”
The Big Fish Cider Co. is housed in the former Maple Restaurant located on Spruce Street in Monterey, VA. Billingsley and his wife, Kim, spent years remodeling the space into offices and operations for the company. Cider is both made and bottled on site.
The Maple Restaurant was famous for its trout meals, hence the big neon fish on top and inspiration for the company’s name. The fish was repainted and restored by a local artist.
30 YEARS AGO
Week of May 9, 1996
SUGAR GROVE
Mothers Deserve Lots of Credit for Their Lending Hands
Moms are remarkable creatures. Their care never ceases. Mothers teach things that no one else can, and they are instructing and influencing our lives every day of their lives. To be that mother, it takes the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, the stamina of a workhorse, the understanding of Plato, the cunning features of a fox, the authority of an Army General, yet the love of a mother’s heart. A sense of humor is necessary, and above all, it takes a complete dependence on God to guide and lead.
40 YEARS AGO
Week of May 8, 1986
Ground Broken for New County Library
State and area dignitaries were present last Wednesday for a ground breaking ceremony marking the beginning of construction planning for a new Pendleton County Library facility in Franklin.
The ceremony was conducted at 3 p.m. at the new library site on the late Susie Daugherty property on Main Street which was purchased recently by the library from Mr. and Mrs. Basil Keller.
New Song About West Virginia —
West Virginia has commissioned a new song about West Virginia — a song that invites friends and loved ones to return to the state.
“Come Home to West Virginia,” recorded by West Virginia native and rising, young Nashville star, Kathy Mattea, premiered April 21 at the Cultural Center in Charleston.
“This song captures in music and verse the love I share with my fellow West Virginians for our state,” Governor Arch Moore said. “Come Home to West Virginia” is more than just a theme song for our new travel and tourism campaign — it is a feeling, a feeling West Virginians want to share,” the governor said.
Electioneering Prohibited Within 300 Feet of Polls
The 1986 session of the West Virginia Legislature enacted legislation which prohibits electioneering with 300 feet of the polls on election day.
Potomac Highlands Is Setting for Painting, Photographers
The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, long known as a haven for hikers, backpackers, skiers, and canoeists, will soon provide the settings for serious students of painting and photography. These artists and photographers have the opportunity to enroll in one-day, weekend, extended weekend, or week-long workshop courses conducted by Alpine Visual Arts, Inc., of Davis.
People at every level of expertise, from beginner to experienced, are welcome to participate in the classes, run by professional photographer Fred Busk and his wife, painter Dorothy Weatherford Busk.
Working out of their headquarters in Davis, a small, turn-of-the-century lumber boom town, the Busks and their staff of nationally recognized artists and photographers will take students to such pen and camera-worthy spots as Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, Blackwater Falls and Seneca Rocks.
50 YEARS AGO
Week of May 13, 1976
Pendleton Has 58.5% Voter Turnout
Approximately 58 percent of Pendleton’s registered voters turned out Tuesday to register their choices for public officials in the West Virginia primary election.
Homemakers See Williamsburg
Forty-seven Pendleton County homemakers celebrated national Extension Homemakers week by visiting the Williamsburg area. The homemakers left Franklin at 6 a.m. on May 5 and traveled to Shirley Plantation where they were informed about the history of the plantation and had a tour of the main buildings.
From the plantation, the group went to Lightfoot, Virginia, where they spent the remainder of the time shopping at the pottery and surrounding shops. The homemakers stopped in Richmond for dinner and returned to Franklin late that evening.
Elizabeth Champe Was ‘Patriot in Petticoat’ — Clyne
Although there may still be controversy over the exact location of John Champe’s home in West Virginia, no one familiar with his tragic story questions that he was a true hero of the Revolutionary War. Few, however, think of his local wife as being equally heroic. Yet, that is exactly what Elizabeth Champe was, according to Patricia Edwards Clyne’s new book, “Patriots in Petticoats.”
There are all kinds of heroism, the New York author contends, and while Elizabeth Champe did not perform such daring feats as those credited to West Virginia’s Anne Bailey or Betty Zane (also included in “Patriots in Petticoats”), she displayed a valor that is rare in any age.
Aided by such interested and knowledgeable people as Elizabeth Boggs and Pauline Harman of the Pendleton County Historical Society, Mrs. Clyne had at first been interested in writing an article solely about John Champe (which appeared in “Army Magazine” last year). Then when she began gathering material for a book about the vital role women played in the bitter fight to gain and maintain this country’s independence, Mrs. Clyne remembered Elizabeth Champe, the gallant wife of America’s little-known “traitor-patriot.”
John Champe was, of course, the sergeant major secretly sent by George Washington to kidnap the traitor Benedict Arnold. In order to accomplish his mission in British-held New York City, Champe himself had to pretend he was a turncoat.
When the kidnap plans went awry, Champe then had to defect from the British, with the result that he was considered a deserter by both side — and he was hunted as relentlessly by the British as he was by the Americans.
The climate of the times prevented George Washington from publicly vindicating Champe, who was then forced to go into hiding on some wilderness land he owned that is now West Virginia. Accompanying him was the steadfast Elizabeth, who was to be the unfortunate man’s mainstay in the heartbreaking years that followed.
Full details of this tragic — but eventually triumphant — story can be found in the chapter Mrs. Clyne has devoted to the wife of John Champe, whose memory is preserved in the name of one of West Virginia’s most beautiful natural attractions — Champe Rocks, near Mouth of Seneca.
Elizabeth Champe’s story is only of the many true adventures of courageous women which have been collected in “Patriots in Petticoats” — a book which spans the crucial four decades of 1774-1814. Starting with what has been called the “first battle of the Revolution” at Point Pleasant, West Virginia (a battle which changed Anne Bailey from a gentle housewife into a relentless raider and recruiter). Mrs. Clyne’s book covers most of the original thirteen states, ending appropriately with the dauntless woman who fashioned the flag which would forever after be the symbol of America — the Star-Spangled Banner.
To round out the inspiring chronicle of America’s female patriots, a section of mini-biographies has been included, as well as a listing of historical sites which may be seen today, several of them in West Virginia.
Truly a book of the past for the present, “Patriots in Petticoats” has already been named a Junior Library Guild selection. It is aimed primarily at young people (ages 10 and up).
60 YEARS AGO
Week of May 12, 1966
County Has 11.40 Inches of Rain in ’66
A good supply of rainfall during the first four months has brought a more optimistic outlook to Pendleton County farmers who have experienced three successive drought years.
George Hammer of Franklin, official weather observer for the U. S. Weather Bureau, reports a total rainfall for the first four months of the current year of 11.40 inches.
Monthly rainfall in inches so far this year has been as follows: January 3.00; February 3.04; March 0.60; April 4.76.
Hammer said 32.75 inches of snow has fallen at his weather station one mile east of Franklin since January 1. He said this compares with 24 inches of snow which fell during the entire preceding winter.
Johnny Lambert Is Circleville FFA Star Farmer
The Circleville Chapter Future Farmers of America has selected Johnny Lambert as their Star Farmer for 1966. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis Lambert of Mouth of Seneca.
An award, sponsored by the West Virginia Association, Future Farmers of America, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and the local FFA chapter, was presented to Johnny by Eston Leatherman, vocational agriculture instructor, at the Chapter’s Parent and Son Banquet held April 22. He will receive a check for $10 from the State Department of Agriculture.
Johnny is carrying for his enterprise program a beef cow and calf, a gilt, 4 ewes and 7 lambs. He has been elected secretary of the Circleville FFA Chapter for next year. He is a member of the High Rock EUB Church.
70 YEARS AGO
Week of May 10, 1956
DAHMER
The writer and son, Johnny Arvin, attended the wonderful birthday celebration of Mrs. Susan Harman, 95, and Mr. H. J. Dahmer, 88, on April 29th in the basement of the Mt. Horeb EUB Church. They are the two oldest living members of this church. Mr. Dahmer spoke in person and Mrs. Sara Lough spoke on behalf of Mrs. Harman. Both made short but elegant talks.
Rev. B.F. Spitzer gave a very appropriate talk relative to Aunt Susan and Uncle Howard and led us in prayer.
Now a few words about the nice and clever ladies who prepared this bountiful meal for all invited guests. More food was placed on the tables than eaten. If anyone went away hungry, it was no fault of those who prepared the repast.
It was whispered that Rev. B. F. Spitzer, Rev. J. L. Dove, Mr. Glen Ward and Dahmer ate more food than any other four.
