Twice-Told Tales Redux
This edition of Twice-Told Tales originally appeared in the August 24, 2016, edition of the former Barnesville Enterprise.
Twenty Years Ago – 2006
Village Council initiates the first of many discussions regarding a proposed natural gas line that will cross under the Slope Creek Reservoir.
All three area school districts – Barnesville, Union Local, and Switzerland of Ohio – move up in state rankings from “continuous improvement” to “effective” schools.
Deaths this week include Edison Fraley, 77, of Belmont, retired manager of area Rolling Hills Landmark/Green Valley Co-op stores.
Barnesville natives Herb and Mary Jo Parkinson of Buffalo, Ohio, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on August 25.
One of the 17 members of the third OVAC Hall of Fame is Barnesville’s own Richard “Lefty” Hall, longtime St. Clairsville High School baseball and golf coach.
Barnesville/Somerton native and BHS grad Al Logan is hired as football offensive coordinator at Muskingum College.
The new press box at BHS stadium includes media rooms, and a room for announcers, message board operator, clock operator, spotter and camera operator. An upstairs hospitality room and restrooms are also included.
Thirty-five Years Ago – 1991
After multiple unsuccessful tries, the Dairy Mart, 611 N. Chestnut Street, is issued a C-1 carryout liquor permit.
Interesting school board, village council and township trustee-clerk races will be on tap this November as the candidate filing deadline closes.
Rev. Andy Woods, new pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and his family, wife Barbara, son, John, and daughter, Sarah, take up residence at the church manse on West Church Street. Woods, a native of California, was pastor at the Presbyterian Church in Ely, Minnesota, for the past 12 years. Mrs. Woods is a native of nearby Old Washington.
The Southeastern Ohio Narcotics Task Force was in Barnesville Friday night taking several persons into custody on a variety of charges.
Sixty Years Ago – 1966
The Hanna Coal Company is assembling a new $8 million coal shovel (G.E.M.) the Spencer Creek area east of Hendrysburg. The new shovel will be larger than the existing “Silver Spade” shovel in Harrison County.
“Cougar crazy” aptly describes weekend excitement here on the heels of a rash of reports of an elusive cat being seen.
Young Martin Schumacher, Jr., is shown displaying a cave man’s club gourd grown on the family farm north of town, as Barnesville preps for the 3rd annual Barnesville Fall Fair next month.
Miss Alice Hilliard amassed 68,101 votes at a penny a piece to win the Somerton Firemen’s Carnival Queen. Proceeds from the competition benefit operations of the department.
Movies this week at the Leatherwood Drive-in include “Paradise-Hawaiian Style” staring Elvis Presley and “The Bellboy” staring Jerry Lewis.
Eighty-five Years Ago – 1941
Council boosts the rate of pay for city employees from 40 cents to 50 cents per hour.
Barnesville’s mayoralty race this fall is beginning to look like a free-for-all with three candidates already in the field and two more mentioned.
Ross Drucker, 14, who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Reischman, north of town, was severely injured about the head and hands when he was struck by lightning last Friday evening. He was unconscious for two hours. Drucker was standing in the barn doorway when struck. Two other boys were also in the barn but uninjured. A Jersey cow was stunned and acted very much like a calf for a few days. The barn roof was severely damaged, but the barn did not catch fire.
The Trico Conservation Club inks a one-year lease with Earl Finch for a house and land on Sandy Ridge.
William W. Groves, 98, the sole surviving Civil War veteran in this district, quietly observed his birthday Thursday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H.H. Murphy.
Family reunions profiled include the Heskett-Flanagan (Bethesda), Warfield (Somerton), Neptune (Pleasant Ridge Church) and McWilliams (Belmont Grange Hall).
One Hundred-ten Years Ago – 1916
From the Whetstone
Members of Local 73, Master Horseshoers’ Protective Association, will observe Saturday and close their places of business. This local is composed of master horseshoers of Belmont and Guernsey counties. The association is not only a protection to their members but to horse owners. Shops in Barnesville and vicinity, Quaker City and Hendrysburg will be closed for owners and employees to enjoy the national holiday.
Possibly no other town the size of Barnesville contains so many modern homes with new ones being added each year. A visit to the outer limits of the main streets will confirm this.
A reunion of the descendants of the late Asa and Phoebe Spencer will take place at the old homestead near Spencer’s Station today.
All National Road paving is complete except that part which runs through the village of Morristown.
Mr. Robert Lohmire, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Lohmire, who has been working for Ely and Wilson Drug Store on E. Main, entered the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy this week.
Work on the Standard Oil Co’s bulk plant on S. Gardner Street is progressing, as is construction of the new building on S. Chestnut Street for Charles Reed.
Twenty-five thousand workmen of the Ohio Valley will take part in a labor demonstration September 4 in Bellaire. G.W. Savage, secretary of the United Mine Workers of America, will deliver the principal address.
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Twice-Told Tales is compiled by Bruce Yarnall, former general manger of the former Barnesville Enterprise.
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