10 Years Ago – Week of June 11, 2015
County Native Featured On Today Show
Icie Clark celebrated her birthday recently…a big birthday. Clark, who resides in Monroeville, Pa, is 108 years old. She was featured on the Today Show during the Smucker birthday announcements presented by national personality, Willard Scott, on June 3.
Clark was born March 19, 1907, to John McClure and Fannie Gertrude Hedrick of Reeds Creek. She is the third of nine children, two boys and seven girls, born to the Hedricks.
SUGAR GROVE – Swinging Bridges Are a Common Part Of Local Lore
Swinging bridges are historical pedestrian bridges towering over the rivers and creeks. They were not for the faint of heart! The last century found them as a common landmark in this area. When the waterways became flooded this was the only way to cross them.
They would span a wide river without the need for foundation pillars in the middle. This meant that there was no obstruction and no danger of the pier being damaged during flooding. This was also a cheaper way to build than prior designs.
These swinging bridges were built without benefit of formal engineering designs, making them a distinctive form of folk construction, well-suited for pedestrian crossing.
Typical construction would begin with a ball of twine to judge the curve and distance. The upright piers were constructed first before being pulled into position by men in the creek, or on horses or mules. The cable was then dragged across by hand using a wheel or pulley.
Men would mix cement and haul river gravel and timbers from the local farms to complete the job. Using cables, planks and timbers, these bridges could be constructed quickly and cheaply to provide access to homes or farms that were isolated by the streams and creeks. Cables were composed of wire rope which was suspended from the towers on each side of the bank, with back stays firmly anchored in the ground behind the towers. These towers, which raised and supported the cables, were usually made from timbers.
The wooden bridge deck was supported by ropes, wires or rod suspenders hanging from the cables. The parallel cables formed convenient hand rails. Although these bridges were strong enough to support foot traffic, they lacked stiffness and thus swung from side to side and vertically under foot traffic…hence the name, swinging bridges. It was scary crossing them. It didn’t look scary until one started crossing it and the “swing” began. In time, one soon learned to walk with the “rhythm” of the swing.
At one time, there were singing bridges to the farms and homesteads of “Toots” Simmons, Luther Todd, Wilson Mitchell, Walter Mitchell, Luther Simmons, Pleas Propst, from the old parsonage to Adam Kisers, Billy Allen Puffenbarger, Will Martin, Jim Helmick, Hoover Mill, Brandywine to Simpson/Blackwell…to name a few.
Once the floods ravaged those relics, they were no longer rebuilt. So, the historic landmarks in the town of Sugar Grove and the surrounding suburbs no longer boast of them. However, the changes of time do not blur the memories of those swinging bridges that once used to span the South Fork River.
Week of June 18, 2015
‘Book Barns’ To Be Placed In County Libraries
Pendleton County Farm Bureau and Pendleton County FFA have collaborated to provide “Book Barns” for the county’s three elementary school libraries and Pendleton County Library.
As a part of the West Virginia Farm Bureau Book Barn program, the local farm bureau will be purchasing and placing books about agriculture and farming. The books will give the county’s children the opportunity to learn accurate information and descriptions of the life of American farmers.
Upon returning to school in the fall, students will have the chance to gather a more vast and informed knowledge of agriculture.
30 Years Ago – Week of June 15, 1995
Dr. Henry G. Taylor To Leave Pendleton Community Care
Dr. Henry G. Taylor, founder and director of Pendleton Community Care in Franklin for the past thirteen years, has announced that he will leave Pendleton Community Care and Pendleton County in early July to pursue a career in public health. He will enter Johns Hopkins University this summer to work on a master’s degree in that field.
50 Years Ago – Week of June 12, 1975
DAHMER
Archie Crummett was a churchgoer and a special talent of his was placing flowers in the church that he often grew in his garden. One part the writer wished to share with the readers is, when Rev. Coffman came to Smith Creek he knew little about gardening. Archie told Rev. Coffman not to plant onions and potatoes close together Rev. Coffman pondered about this remark, then Archie gave the answer, “The onions will get into the potatoes’ eyes and they cannot see how to grow.”
Week of June 19, 1975
Mormon Church Construction Progresses Near Franklin
Franklin is getting a new church which is being built on the Kiser property next to the Luther Eye residence on Rt. 220 north of Franklin.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first started in Pendleton County in the early 1900’s with just a couple of families in the Smith Creek area and has grown to an average attendance of 85 at Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting.
DAHMER
What were county taxes like in the year of 1844? George Propst of Fredrick tax receipt of 1844 lists 7 horses 87-1/2 cents; 4 tithes $3.00; 10 acres 1 cent; 78 acres 7 cents; 13 acres 2 cents; 58 acres 2 cents. The Abel Propst who left here in 1915 and is now visiting his brothers, Harvey A. Propst and Arthur Propst of Brandywine, this George would be their great-great-grandfather.
60 Years Ago – Week of June 17, 1965
EIGHT-LEGGED PIG IS LOCAL ODDITY
An eight-legged pig was farrowed recently on the Denver Nelson farm near Circleville, Vocational Agricultural Instructor Eston Leatherman reports.
In addition to four normal sized legs, the pig had two legs attached to the stomach and two more growing between the front legs.
The pig was given to the Circleville Vo-Ag Department.
44,194 Pounds Wool Sold Thru Local Pool For $29,916
Pendleton County farmers sold $29,916.73 worth of wool Monday through the Pendleton County wool pool. Selling their wool through the pool were 168 farmers who delivered a total of 44,194 pounds to the vo-ag building at Franklin High School where the wool was assembled for shipment.
80 Years Ago – Week of June 15, 1945
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
PACIFIC: Suicidal Intent
Faced with the material superiority of the Allies, the Japanese announced intensification of their suicide plane attacks, and at the same time threatened to send piloted balloon bombs over the American mainland.
In revealing the acceleration of suicide attacks, which have inflicted a heavy toll of U. S. shipping off Okinawa without retarding its conquest, the Tokyo radio reported that every Jap navy plane will be ordered to crash-dive into an Allied warship. “If this tactic is successful,” it was blandly stated, “victory is assured… If otherwise, the navy will have many heroes for our shrines.”
In threatening to dispatch piloted balloon bombs over the American mainland, the Japs said that the present pilotless balloon bombs dropping on the west coast are being used for experimental purposes. Revealed by the army for their nuisance value, the missiles are borne by grayish, white or green-blue paper balloons 33 feet in diameter and lack direction.
WAR CASUALTIES: Top Million
Costliest of American conflicts, World War II already has claimed over 1,000,000 U. S. casualties, including 227,097 dead, 607,408 wounded, 63,455 missing and 104,867 prisoners.
With the big pull against the Japanese still ahead, U.S. dead exceed the 100,000 Union and Confederate soldiers killed in the Civil War, and the 50,280 troops who gave up their lives in battle in World War I. In all, 620,000 men died in the War Between the States from all causes including disease and imprisonment while the toll in World War I approximated 125,000.
Of the 1,000,000 plus casualties suffered to date, 890,019 were incurred by the army and 112,868 by the navy. Army deaths total 183,563 and navy 43,534. Of the 52,746 army men listed as missing, little hope is left that an appreciable number of the 44,000 unaccounted for in Europe will now turn up following their continued absence after Germany’s conquest.
RELIEF CLOTHING
Army clothing unserviceable and beyond repair for further military use is being reconditioned to the fullest possible extent for distribution to needy civilians in liberated areas.
In no way interfering with the existing program for repair of all serviceable army clothing for reuse by military personnel, the new project is using facilities of the nine service commands which otherwise would be inactive during the interim period until redeployment of troops to the Pacific gets fully underway.
RAGDOLL KNEES
You know that sagging, sawdust feeling. It’s a wartime symptom of the high cost of living. You often get it when you go to market or pay a bill—but not when you pay your electric bill.
For the price of electric service hasn’t followed other prices UP. It’s still at low pre-war levels or even a little lower. In fact, if yours is an average family you’re getting just about twice as much electricity for your money today as you did 15 years ago.
We’re glad we’ve been able to keep your electric service cheap and friendly and dependable—in spite of wartime conditions. That makes our hard work and careful business management seem worthwhile. And we are glad that it helps give you some relief from “rag doll knees”!
MOUTH OF SENECA – “Two Big Frosts”
On the nights of June 5 and 6th we had two whopper frosts here that did much damage in the hill country of this entire area by killing corn, potatoes and various garden vegetables, but in the valley along the river, no harm was done, and we are thankful indeed.
Some of the mountain farmers tell me they are planning to plow up their frozen corn and sew it in buckwheat. One farmer told me that some buckwheat that had been sewn early was completely killed.
It was very cold here all through May and June up until Sunday, when it got very hot, then Sunday evening a heavy shower of rain cooled the air and now since the eclipse has passed on and over, we are optimistic enough to feel that we will have some summer weather.
Bears! Bears!
By Gosh, the Big Bad Bears and some little cubs thrown in are hop-skipping and jumping from mountain crest to mountain crest and slapping the face right off the farmers’ sheep in the Alleghany and Spruce area. Looks very much as tho’ I would have to shoulder my “old musket” and go up there and call a halt on Mr. Bruin.
BRANDYWINE
At the local weather station the minimum temperature on the morning of June 6 was 24 degrees. Field crops and gardens were badly frozen and damaged considerably. According to weather records and tradition, this is the lowest reading for June since June 4, 1859.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is given that hereafter a charge of 1 cent per word for “Memorials” articles will be required, payable in advance. These articles are becoming so numerous, and not being of general news value, we desire to discourage their publication.
