10 Years Ago
Week of November 27, 2014
Fracking Okayed
For Parts of
George Washington
National Forest
A compromise final 15-year management for the George Washington National Forest was announced last week.
The plan opens the door to the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in the drilling for natural gas on 177,000 acres of the 1.1-million-acre forest.
The George Washington National Forest lies almost entirely within the borders of the State of Virginia, except for portions of eastern Pendleton and Hardy counties in West Virginia.
The compromise plan dis-allows drilling on more than 900,000 acres. Drillers will also have to apply for permits and meet stringent standards.
20 Years Ago
Week of November 25, 2004
SUGAR GROVE
Country Churches Still Reflect Pioneer Values
The little old-time churches have almost become a thing of the past. Their unique atmosphere cannot be duplicated. Perhaps it is the earnest prayers that are imbedded up in the rafters or the bench where the repentant sinner sat that create that unique atmosphere. These old churches were often built on a hill with an adjoining cemetery. It is possible to trace genealogy by reading the headstones. The pews were homemade, and no inside restrooms were available. It is quite certain that the Propst Lutheran Church is not the oldest church in Pendleton County, but that she played an important part in the early settlement of the county. Granted under the 1769 deed, the present building is the third to stand on the original acreage.
30 Years Ago
Week of November 24, 1994
DAHMER
Men and Women
No Longer Segregated
In Church
The question—Why the men and women sat separate in the church?, arose in Sunday School at the Franklin Presbyterian Church Sunday. A custom used in Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, the men sat on the right side of the aisle and the women on the left side of the aisle in the church. At Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Deer Run, the men sat on the left and the women on the right side of the church, except for some funerals. At the Old Propst Church at Propstburg, there are two doors in the front of the building. The men used one door and the women use the other door in entering and then seated segregated. This was a common practice at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church about up to 1950. The writer remembers a few exceptions: when a boy and girl were courting and one was a newcomer, they would sit together and a newly married couple would often sit together.
The big question, Why? Looking back for answers, at the Propst School when John Dahmer attended school in the 19th century, the boys and girls were seated on different sides on a bench which would seat five pupils. At this period, some pupils would attend until and up to 21 years old. This could cause a problem, and educators thought it was best to separate them in seating. Churches were strict in their belief, teaching and moral living.
Women were not supposed to speak up in the church, wear a covering on their head, and keep silent in the affairs of the church. They could not vote on matters pertaining to the church, or even vote in elections in this great nation, the United States.
40 Years Ago
Week of November 15, 1984
Helicopter Service
Now Available
Area residents in need of emergency medical care now have an additional service from which to benefit. Rockingham Memorial Hospital has become linked with the University of Virginia Hospital through their helicopter transport service, Pegasus.
This around-the-clock service is designed to aid critically ill or injured patients who require the fastest and/or smoothest transportation. Patients and accident victims needing immediate attention can be whisked from RMH to UVa. Hospital in 14 minutes. Ground transportation normally takes one hour.
Week of November 22, 1984
Rural Landowners—
Liability and Post of Land
Rural landowners frequently are asked to open their land for hunting, fishing and other public recreation activities. Many refuse, citing past problems with property damage or concern about their personal liability for the safety of those on their property.
Are landowners legally liable for injuries or other mishaps that may occur on their property? Can they allow public hunting or hiking and still protect themselves legally?
Should they post their lands to keep off trespassers?
These concerns are addressed in a new publication from the West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service and the WVU College of Agriculture and Forestry.
The 13-page booklet provides a brief explanation of West Virginia law concerning landowner liability and posting of land.
The authors note that the landowner’s liability depends first on whether the visitors are trespassers (there without permission), licensees (those who enter with permission but for their own benefit, such as a salesman or social guests), or invitees (there with permission and for the owner’s benefit, such as livestock purchasers). Generally, they explain the duties a landowner owes to a trespasser are minimal, while the invite is owed the highest duty of protection.
Special provisions exist, however, when the person entering the property is a child, invited or otherwise. The publication outlines the landowner’s increased responsibility to protect children from danger. It also explains the legal liability differences between allowing recreational users free access to the land and charging them a fee.
Legal requirements for posting land to deny all access are explained. The booklet concludes with suggestions for measures that landowners can take to reduce the possibility of lawsuits.
Landowners considering opening their land for public use should find this booklet useful. However, it is not a legal guide, and the authors recommend that landowners dealing with these issues discuss them with an attorney.
Week of November 29, 1984
DAHMER
Thursday morning a three degree above zero temperature was recorded at Harpers store in Moyers, and at the home of Charles Henry Jamison, the thermometer stood at six above.
60 Years Ago
Week of November 26, 1964
100 YEARS AGO
By LON K. SAVAGE
Editor’s Note—The following is one of a series of articles on the Civil War. Each weekly installment covers events which occurred exactly 100 years ago.
Tennessee Invaded;
Hood, Schofield Clash
Gen. John B. Hood, the Confederate who had given up Atlanta to William Tecumseh Sherman, marched through Tennessee 100 years ago this week in the Confederacy’s last invasion of Federal territory.
Hood had 55,000 veterans in his army, including about 10,000 crack cavalrymen under Nathan Bedford Forrest, the South’s best cavalry general, and the things seemed to be going well for him. Since leaving Georgia, Hood’s men had swept across Alabama, had met Forrest and his men at Florence, and then, with Forrest in the lead, had turned northward toward Tennessee.
There had been delays, to be sure, but now a Southern army was moving north again, on the offensive, and in front of it the Federal resistance seemed uncertain. Despite freezing cold, hail, rain and snow, Confederates were crossing the Tennessee line near Rawhide, Alabama, by November 22.
Old Gen. George H. Thomas, the “Rock of Chickamauga,” was assigned the task of stopping Hood, but he was not quite ready. Early in the campaign, he had sent Gen. John Schofield with 22,000 men to Pulaski, Tenn., to hold the line and then, working in Nashville, began trying to accumulate the rest of his far flung army.
As Hood drew near, Schofield found Pulaski too hot. On November 22 and 23, with Hood’s army due west of him, Schofield pulled out and retreated northwestward to Columbia on the Duck River, where his men dug new defense works.
Forrest then showed his military genius. While Hood blasted at the Federal line with artillery, Forrest slipped up the river to the east with his cavalry and pushed his way across, ready to come in on Schofield’s flank.
He was met there by young James H. Wilson, commanding the Federal cavalry, and fighting broke out. Forrest quickly drove Wilson back toward the north; more of Hood’s army pushed across the river and followed, and suddenly Schofield’s army was being trapped, with Confederates to his south, east and north.
Wilson told Schofield of Forrest’s breakthrough, and Schofield again pulled out, this time at full speed. The Confederates already were near Spring Hill, ready to step across the road to Franklin and Nashville and cut Schofield off from his base. Schofield’s task: to get to Spring Hill and beat it back toward Franklin before this could happen.
What happened still is being argued. The facts are these: Schofield’s army marched, full speed ahead, all the way to Spring Hill; while some of his army guarded the road, the rest of his army slipped through to safety, and within two days, he was out of the trap entirely and in Franklin, to the north.
Whether Hood gave proper leadership; whether his generals followed orders properly; these questions have not been resolved. One thing is sure: Hood’s army had lost an opportunity to score a smashing victory—an opportunity it would never have again.
Next week: The Battle of Franklin.
‘Potomac
Highlands of WVa’
New Name of Local Area
A new name has been adopted for the area encompassing the 8 Eastern Panhandle counties in West Virginia for tourist promotion purposes.
Representatives of the 8 counties meeting recently at Romney in a day-long meeting adopted the name, “Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.”
The meeting was sponsored jointly by the area tourist committee, West Virginia University Appalachian Center, Shepherd College and the Department of Natural Resources.
Robert Bowers of the state department of commerce offered the state’s cooperation in a projected campaign to advertise the area and to match up to $11,000 for a campaign to promote the area and the state.
Bowers said an average of $30,000 in business for the Mountain State would result from every $1,000 invested.
William Anders, Jr. of Shepherd College presented a summary at the close of the meeting.
80 Years Ago
Week of November 24, 1944
SIXTEEN DEER
RELEASED
CHARLESTON, W. Va.—Sixteen Wisconsin deer were released Nov. 16 on the Blue Creek Game Refuge as part of the stocking program begun there last year by the Convention Commission. The deer, 13 adults and yearlings and three fawns were brought from Jackson, Wisconsin by E. J. Showalter, from whom they were purchased, by truck. Each deer, before being turned loose, was tagged. These deer represented the first load of 70 remaining from last year’s contract. The others will be delivered as fast as possible, said Showalter.
DRIVER EDUCATION NEEDED
It is gratifying to know that the State Board of Education will soon receive for its consideration, and we hope for early adoption, a driver education course prepared by a committee made up of county superintendents and high school principals.
It is certainly heartening that so much progress has been made toward the training of our youth in the fundamentals of safe and responsible driving.
1944 POTATO CROP 19 PERCENT UNDER THAT OF LAST YEAR
Whereas the 1943 potato crop of 465 million bushels was the largest on record, the indicated 1944 crop is only 378 million bushels, or 19 percent smaller than last season, reports W. H. Conkle, extension specialist in gardening at West Virginia University.
OCTOBER WAR
EXPENSES TOTAL $7,447,000,000
WASHINGTON—War expenditures totaled $7,447,000,000 in October, an increase of 4-8 per cent over September. This brought the total to $229,600,000,000, the War Production Board reported.
