Twice-Told Tales Redux
This edition of Twice-Told Tales appeared in the former Barnesville Enterprise on June 29, 2016.
Twenty Years Ago – 2006
The police force grows by two with the approval of Jason Williams of Byesville and Brian Eubanks of Quaker City to customary six-month probationary appointments.
Barnesville will host 444 players over a four-day period as the “Beast of the East” baseball tournament returns to Memorial Park.
Deaths reported this week include Foster Lucas,88, retiree of the former Belmont County Children’s Home as well as Doan Ford, and Emil Brown, 85, former Somerton resident and retiree of the former United Dairy here.
The former lumber storage building of Barnesville, later Village Lumber at Mill and Vine Streets, was demolished on June 24. Owner Rick Bostic indicates the parcel will be subdivided into six- to eight-home sites.
The Belmont Ridge Christian Church near Beallsville will mark a 150th celebration special service on July 9. The congregation dates to 1841.
Thirty-five Years Ago – 1991
Barnesville’s G.C. Murphy Store manager, Art Seneff, concludes a 38-year career with the McKeeport, PA-based firm. Seneff and his wife will remain here where both are active in business and community affairs. He is also serving his first term on village council.
Seneff’s replacement is Catherine Travis of Bridgeport. She comes here following 20 years at the downtown Wheeling store.
The possible development of an ice cream parlor and other businesses will be the topic of this month’s development council meeting.
Enterprise feature writer, Gary Hanasky, profiles Barnesville’s new village administrator, Greg Newcomer.
Congressman Douglas Applegate announces the development council has secured a matching grant for an adaptive reuse study for the Barnesville Depot from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Sixty Years Ago – 1966
Miss Mary Reischman, a member of this year’s graduating class, was crowned Barnesville Firemen’s Fair and Festival Queen Saturday night. She received a $50 savings bond, as well as a crown and flower spray.
Barnesville Hospital has been approved for participation under the federal government’s Medicare program which starts July 1.
Barnesville native, Dr. Paul A. Reeder, Jr., begins practice in surgery with the Barnesville Surgical Group, Friday.
A customer arrived at Hall’s Drive-In near Baileys Mills this week in a helicopter. He was a contractor from Mansfield, scouting the local terrain for relocation portions of State Route 265.
Somerton school principal,, Fred Stephen, announces the employment of Miss Florence Grimes as first and second grade teacher for the coming year.
Eighty-five Years Ago – 1941
Thousands, including scores from Barnesville, hear Governor John Bricker’s address at the Cadiz fairgrounds Saturday evening. He called for a “reawakening of and a rededication to spiritual values” as the only remedy for this war-sick world.
Three state highways out of Barnesville will be resurfaced by the state of Ohio this summer. The roads to Hendrysburg, Somerton, and Bethesda are included in 11 projects planned for this section.
Gibson Bradfield has received an airplane license after completing 60 hours of solo flying and 20 more with an instructor.
Charles Dew of Columbus, accompanied by two friends, flew here by plane last week. He wrote to his father, Harry Dew of north of town, previously, and the father had a hay field mowed for landing. But this field did not look safe, so the plane landed at the Douglass farm.
One Hundred-ten Years Ago – 1916
From the Whetstone
A number of young people of Barnesville spent Monday night at Epworth Park for a moonlight picnic. They went over in automobiles enjoying the occasion to the limit.
An effort to organize a military company here or secure several recruits for the 10th volunteer regiment is gaining ground.
Contracts are signed with Strahl & Stewart, electricians, and the First National Bank to erect five 5-light street light standards at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets.
The committee in charge of the 4th of July celebration has secured the Quaker City Band for the entire day. This is considered the finest band in eastern Ohio, consisting of 22 young musicians, everyone one an artist.
The State Journal of Columbus reports a “Mexican sympathizer” got into trouble in Napoleon, Ohio, when he called “American people a pack of dirty dogs.” The boys of Company F, 6th regiment, dragged him to a telephone pole and gave him a choice between being suspended from it or leaving town. He chose the latter. (Compiler’s Note: This was during the height of the American military involvement in Mexico during Pancho Villa’s Revolution. It is interesting how little has changed over 100 years.)
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Twice Told Tales is compiled by Bruce Yarnall, former general manager of the Barnesville Enterprise.
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