KYGenWeb: Floyd County

Sept. 21, 1944

The week's report from the war front: Captured-Pvt. Shannon Hicks, of Garrett; wounded-Cpl. Parker E. Hall, 27, Prestonsburg; Glenn Pack, of Garrett; James Calvin Rosebury, Weeksbury; Pvt. Leo Porter, Dwale. Second Lieutenant Ogden Stewart received his "Wings" as a pilot at Douglas Air Field, Arizona, September 8. T-5 J.B. Tackett recently returned to this county after escaping from a German prison camp. Pfc. Everett W. Collins, who made his own artificial leg while a German prisoner of war, is on his way home in the county, the War Department announces. Surfacing of the Left Beaver Creek highway "missing link" of 9.5 miles is apparently destined to wait till after end of the war, County Attorney W. W. Burchett said this week, after conferring with the State Highway Commission. Walter James Collins, 31, was killed, Tuesday, by a train at Garrett. W. H. Layne, 70, Prestonsburg attorney who introduced Prestonsburg to electric lights, died Tuesday, at a Pikeville hospital. There died: Porter Brown, 68, at Wayland, Monday; Wilburn Triplett, September 9, near Hollybush; William F. Lafferty, 40, of Allen, Saturday, at a Martin mine.

August 31, 1944

Nine Floyd County soldiers reported on this week's war casualty list are: killed in action-Staff Sgt. Joe Wheeler Garrett, of Lancer; Pfc. Paul E. Mullins, of Garrett, and Pfc. James Tackett, of Cliff; missing in action-2nd Lt. Nick C. Wallen, of Banner; wounded-Charles G. Hutchinson, of Martin; Pvt. Lige J. Goble, of Woods; Pvt. Ralph H. Elkins, of Dwale, and Pvt. Bennie Branham, of Dwale. Sunday's drought-bustin' thunderstorm not only brought an end to dry weather, but also curtailed school attendance at Garrett, Monday, as rain-swollen Beaver Creek prevented many students from reaching school. H. N. Cooley, a former superintendent of Floyd schools, will begin his 50th year of teaching next Monday. Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Harris observed their 50th wedding anniversary August 8, at their home in the Porter Addition, here. There died: Mrs. Mary Gray Meadows, 42, of Sloan, August 23, at the Prestonsburg Hospital; Appellate Judge Alex H. Ratliff, of Pikeville, in Lexington, August 22; George Garrett, 66, Tuesday, at Calf Creek; Mrs. Dorothy May Newman, 19, of Hi Hat, Saturday, at a Pikeville hospital; Glendean Akers, 13, of Topmost, last Thursday, at a Lackey hospital.

August 24, 1944

Green Haywood Hackworth, a native of Spurlock Fork of Middle Creek, legal adviser to the United State's State Department, and whose career is told in a page of "Who's Who In America," this week will sit on the momentous Dunbarton Oaks conference at which diplomats of the three great powers will attempt to build machinery for a lasting world peace. Floyd County war casualties reported this week: Missing-Pvt. Earl Hopson, of Drift; Edward Wright, of Martin; wounded-S-Sgt. Burns Jarrell of Allen; Pvt. Manis E. Gray, of West Prestonsburg; Samuel P. T. Lewis Jr., of Ivel; Paul Boggs, of Martin; Doffey Vance, of Melvin; Sgt. Hershell Harrison, of Betsy Layne, and Pfc. Jennings Justice, of Betsy Layne. Reports that Axis war prisoners are being "coddled," and that U.S. servicemen are being given "unworthy" treatment are being investigated by the House Military Affairs Committee, the committee's chairman, Congressman A. J. May, Prestonsburg, disclosed this week. Half a dozen potentially available sites for a tuberculosis hospital was being considered this week by a committee named to seek for Floyd County, location of one of the five proposed state hospitals. In Prestonsburg, where he held his first pastorate 34 years ago, the Rev. Henry L. Clay, superintendent of the Ashland district, Methodist Church, will retire from the ministry, Sunday. Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Sol Branham, of Allen, a daughter, Judith Ann, Thursday. There died: Blevins Patton, 70, Friday, at his home near Hueysville; Arbie Frazier, 28, of Martin, Friday, at Ashland; Reuben R. Kelly, 70 years old, at his home, near Hueysville, Friday; Mrs. Bessie Davis, formerly of Tram, at the home of her parents, at Red Jacket, West Virginia, Friday; Mrs. Elizabeth Branham Woods, 70, of Emma, Thursday, at the home of her son, at Bypro; Mrs. Hettie Little Johnson, 29, at her home at Melvin, Sunday.

August 17, 1944

Floyd County war casualties reported this week are: Killed in action-Pfc. Hillard Tuttle, of Minnie; wounded-Pfc. George W. Sizemore, of Prestonsburg; Pfc. James Tackett, of Cliff; Bud Ford, of Wayland; Roy Mullett, of Bonanza, and Lewis Calhoun, of Bevinsville; missing-Pvt. Charles Mullins, of Weeksbury. Elson Kendrick, 38, special officer at the David operations of the Princess Elkhorn Coal Company Mines was found seriously wounded, late Sunday night at the company's No. 2 mine. An altar-bound couple, Andy Inman, of Lackey, and Miss Zora Music, of Glo, on their way to the home of a minister, were seriously injured, Monday afternoon, at Lackey, when their automobile left the highway and overturned. In separate hospitals, both will recover, it was said. John Rufus Green, two years old, of Orkney, is the third case of polio reported in Floyd County this year. Henry Caldwell, 37, native of Ivel, this county, was shot and killed in front of an inn near Tams Mountain, West Virginia, Sunday. Fire destroyed the Banner post office and the store of Postmaster I. N. Hall, last week. Upon expiration of the present rationing period, motorists will be required to refile applications for "A" gasoline coupons, it was announced this week by the Floyd War Price and Rationing Board. Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Robinson, of Garrett, a daughter, Manuela Manilla, to S-Sgt. and Mrs. John A. Davidson, a son, John Jr., August 13, at The Paintsville Hospital; to Mr. and Mrs. Hershell Pennington, of Ligon, a son, Larry Joe; to Mr. and Mrs. Noah Akers Jr., of Ligon, a son; to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Moore, of Cliff, a son. There died: Allen Slone, 93 years old, at the home of his son at Blue River, Tuesday; William L. Noe, 76, of Wayland, at the Martin General Hospital, Thursday; Mrs. Martha Rose, 91, at her home at Lancer, Sunday; Mrs. Dulsna Bentley, 64, of Langley, last week; Hershell Lester Jr., two months old, of Martin, at the Martin General Hospital, Saturday.

August 3, 1944

Completion of the Salyersville-Prestonsburg highway was assured, this week, as the State Highway Department awarded contract on grade, drain and slag surface for the unfinished end of the route in Magoffin County. Mrs. Hollie B. Hall was named, Tuesday, by the Floyd County Board of Education, acting Superintendent of Floyd County schools, to serve in the absence of her husband, Superintendent Town Hall, who recently volunteered for Navy service. Deputy Constable Silas Johnson, 36, died Sunday night, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville, a few hours after he was shot near Wheelwright. Seven Floyd County soldiers reported killed in action; Pvt. Tommy James Fairchild, 19, of Abbott Creek; Pvt. Darwin L. Snipes, 21, Bonanza; Roy Burchwell, of Langley; Pvt. Matthew Short, of Garrett; Olva Spradlin, formerly of Bonanza; Amos Tacket, of Melvin, and Pvt. Carl Wright, formerly of Martin..Clarence Potter, 35, was killed, Friday, by a slatefall in the Inland Steel Company's mines at Wheelwright. There died: Walker Horn, 78, at his home near Cliff, Saturday; William J. Johnson, 72, at Weeksbury; Mrs. Emmajean Holt, 17, of Ligon, Wednesday; Jarvey McCoy, 41, Floyd deputy constable, Tuesday, at Melvin; James Ratliff, 60, of Wilson Creek, Saturday; Mrs. Laura Fitzpatrick, 54, Thursday, at home at Garrett; Dan Stephens, Monday, at home at Auxier.

June 15, 1944

Penicillin, the new wonder drug, was in use this week at the Prestonsburg General Hospital...George Hunt, 42, who had been missing since Tuesday of last week, was found, two days later, his body hanging from a tree on Daniels Creek...Magistrate and Mrs. John A. Hicks observed their 50th wedding anniversary at Garrett, May 28...Married: Miss Mildred Baldridge, of Prestonsburg, and Mr. Dewey Earl Music, of East Point, here, May 27...There died: Edward Harris, 75, Monday, at Lancer; Mrs. Sarah Martin Stewart, 89, Monday, at her home, here; W. M. Rice, 82, June 7, on Prater Creek; Jake Spurlock, 67, formerly of West Prestonsburg, June 3, at Columbus, Ohio.

(April 27, 1944

Floyd County, this week, oversubscribed its $22,500 Red Cross War Fund quota...Only 170 high school seniors will be graduated from this county�s high schools, County Superintendent Town Hall said, this week...Fire destroyed a patrol grader at the state highway garage at Allen today (Thursday)...Three Floyd airmen have been decorated for heroic action; T-Sgt. Eugene Hyden, of Auxier, an Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a second Air Medal; Lt. David Marrs, of Martin, a second Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air medal; T-Sgt. W. Lee Roberts, of Harold, the Distinguished Flying Cross...Wayne Bradley, of Madison, West Virginia, is the new manager of the A.W. Cox Department Store here; succeeding W. H. Coffman, who has entered the Navy...Married: Hazel Reffett, McArthur, O., formerly of Langley, and James Caldwell, Southgate, Ky., April 6, at Covington; Kathryn Marie Spradlin, Warsaw, Ind., formerly of Bonanza, and Milo W. Griffith, also of Warsaw, April 8, at Marion, Ind.; Betty Jean Goodall, of Wayland, and Cpl. Ralph Damron, of Weeksbury, March 1, at Detroit...There died: Bud Howard, 16, of Pyramid, Saturday, the result of an accidental gunshot; George Harrison Hall, 66, of Betsy Layne, Thursday; Jonathan Spradlin, 77, April 13, at Spradlin Branch, near here; Samuel P. Spradlin, 89, fomerly of Tram, April 19, at Tomahawk, Martin County.

March 2, 1944

Almost 500 men are scheduled to leave here, next week, for preinduction examination at Huntington, West Virginia...First soldier at Ft. McClellan, Ala., to receive the severance pay authorized by Congress, was 16-year-old Arthur Miller, of Garrett. He served nine weeks in the Army, before his actual age was learned...Pvt. Lundy L. Turner, of Garrett, is reported to have been slightly wounded...Duran Hamilton, 24, of Teaberry, was shot and killed last week at Rising Sun, Maryland...Frank Howell, 30, of Dony, was seriously wounded, last Monday, by a revolver shot...The Inland Steel Company, at Wheelwright, has announced it will match, dollar for dollar, contributions made by its employees to the Red Cross...Pvt. Frederick R. Cottrell, of Prestonsburg, has been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action on the Italian front, where, though wounded himself, he went to the aid of three members of his platoon who had been wounded...There died: Joseph Jarrell, 57, veteran, Floyd teacher, Saturday, at his home, here; Bill Burchett, 55, of Johns Creek, Friday, at a Martin hospital, of injuries, suffered when crushed beneath the wheels of a truck; Lloyd Allen, 19, of Lancer, last Thursday, at a Paintsville hospital; Mrs. Sallie Bailey, 51, at her home, here, last Thursday; Mrs. N. J. Brown, of Honaker, February 18, at a Huntington hospital; Troy Conley, 42, Monday, at Wheelwright; Mrs. Susan Martin Turner, 89, at Wayland, February 22; Russell Thacker, 41, last Wednesday, at Manton; Buddy Triplett, of Hollybush, Knott County, at a Lackey hospital, February 21.

February 24, 1944

Sgt. Euian C. Mills, of Wayland, recently listed as missing, is now known to be a German prisoner of war...Alben W. Barkley tendered his resignation as Senate majority leader, Wednesday, after President Roosevelt had vetoed the tax bill voted by Congress...Tom Raney, UMW district president, told The Times, this week, that if the mine workers fail to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the Tug River-Big Sandy Hospital Association, the UMW may buy or build a hospital for their exclusive use...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Howard, of Cow Creek, a son, James Franklin, February 17; to Pvt. and Mrs. Hershel Tackett, a son, Carl Edmund, Monday, at the Paintsville Hospital; to Cpl. and Mrs. Willie Hicks, of Alphoretta, a daughter, Judith Carol, February 10...There died: Glenn Roberts, 16, Tuesday, on Johns Creek; Beulah Napier, 17, last Thursday, at Garrett; Denver Skaggs, 38, of Garrett, Monday, at Martin; Luther Sturgill, 53, February 11, at Auxier; Mrs. Susan Turner, 89, Tuesday, at Wayland; Mrs. Cassie Mae Keathley, 58, Wednesday, at Amba.

January 20, 1944

Fire destroyed the 14-room Weeksbury Consolidated School building, and all of its equipment, last Thursday afternoon, causing estimated damage of $50,000...Floyd County�s fourth War Loan Drive, which began Tuesday, as the same work started in every community throughout the nation, is being directed by Town Hall, superintendent of Floyd County schools...After having escaped the Germans, when his bomber was shot down over enemy territory, last August 17. Technical Sergeant Jarvis Allen, 29, is now back home at Pyramid...I. B. Caudill, 49, well-known merchant, of Estill, was shot and killed, last Thursday morning near Hollybush, Knott County...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Grigsby, of Martin, a daughter, Marina Ann, at the Martin General Hospital...There died: Dr. E. E. Robinson, 74, former pastor of the Prestonsburg Methodist Church, at Plainview, Texas; Elijah Dyson, 79, at his home at Manton, Friday; Mrs. Sarah Bradley, 62, Monday, at her home at Dinwood; Mrs. Lula Kilburn, 65, former Floyd Countian, at Savannah, Georgia.

November 4, 1943

With only 435 precincts yet uncounted in the state, the election of Judge Simeon S. Willis, Republican, of Ashland, as Kentucky�s next Governor appeared certain, while Prestonsburg�s W. H. (Bill) May had a slight lead over his Republican opponent for Lieutenant-Governor, but is expected to be hard-pressed before the count is completed...The United Mine Workers and Secretary Ickes agreed, Wednesday night, on a wage contract, ending the nation-wide coal strike, and providing $1.50 a day earnings increase for soft coal miners...Big Ray Patton, 23-year-old Floyd Countian, in his first year of organized baseball, pitched 17 victories for Roanoke in the Piedmont League, and was the subject of a recent feature in The Sporting News...The Office of War Utilities acted, Monday, to reduce natural gas consumption in the Appalachian area by ordering all industrial consumers who have facilities capable of burning residual fuel oil, to operate those facilities to the limit, during the coming winter...Floyd County road machinery is being rented to citizens and private companies for public improvements, at the expense of those who lease the machinery...First services were held, Sunday, in the new Baptist Church at Allen...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Claybourne Stephens, of Prestonsburg, a son Claybourne Jr., at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville, last week; to Pfc. and Mrs. Glenn McNaughton, of Martin, a son, Glenn Joseph, III, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin...There died: Miss May Baldridge, 22, of Goodloe, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital, Monday night; Cleve Isbell, 60, last week at the Stumbo Memorial Hospital, Lackey.

October 7, 1943

Three persons were killed, and as many injured, over the weekend in accidents. Cecil Whitt, 25, Water Gap, was killed, and Berlie Prater, 36, also of Water Gap, was injured when they were struck by a passenger train, Sunday, at the old Eureka Coal Company tipple, near here. Noah Case, 22, of Honaker, and Estill Kidd, 20, of Harold, were killed Sunday, in a car wreck near Pikeville. Passengers in the car, suffering severe injuries, were Richard Cecil, 21, a sailor home on leave, and Miss Ethel Branham, 19, of Harold...T-Sgt. Harry Vaughan, 26, was killed Saturday night, when his Jeep wrecked during Army maneuvers in Tennessee...Quentin Lockwood has received his �wings� as an aerial navigator at Selmar Field, Louisiana, and has been commissioned a second lieutenant...Aviation Cadet Raymond N. Stephens has been named commander of Squadrons 2 and 4 at Garden City, Kansas, where his basic training as a pursuit pilot is almost complete...Five of the eight sons of the late W.L. and Teen Osborne, of Martin, are in Army and Navy service...Dick E. Mayo has received his �wings� as a gunner-sergeant at the Harlington, Texas, flexible gunnery school...There died: Dingus Lafferty, 30, Friday, at Sloan; Lawrence Compton, 47, of Maytown, last Thursday, at a Martin hospital; Mrs. Rosie Belle Hurst, 46, formerly of Minnie, September 23, at Yeager, Kentucky; Tom Gariluke, 67, Russian-born resident of Weeksbury, Sunday, at a Martin hospital; Miss Margie Ann Crider, 20, of Mare Creek, in a motorcycle accident, September 28, at Marion, Ohio.

August 12, 1943

In Saturday�s primary, J. Lyton Donaldson won the Democratic nomination for Governor, and Floyd County�s W. H. May Jr., was nominated the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant-Governor...Because of the critical shortage of teachers, no leaves of absence will be granted teachers from Floyd schools, this year, the Floyd County Board of Education voted last week...Lon Spradlin, 21, of Bonanza, was instantly killed, Monday night, in a truck-car collision at Lima, Ohio...With the drought in Floyd County growing ever worse, and sources of water becoming more scarce, the community of David, this week, was buying water from the Prestonsburg Water & Gas System, and having it hauled ten miles by truck...Jack Bannon, 30, of Chillicothe, Ohio, native of Prestonsburg, was one of three soldiers who died from exposure, after becoming lost during a six-day endurance test on the wastelands of the Southern California-Arizona desert, near Camp Young...Willis Hicks, of Langley, was reported last week by the War Department as having been killed in action in the European theater...Born: to Pvt. and Mrs. Herbert Preston, twins, John Herbert and Sandra Sue, August 7, at the Prestonsburg Hospital; to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Yantis, a son, Frank Stuart, August 3, at Louisville...There died: Mrs. Edith Maness, 30, at home at Wheelwright, Saturday; Fan May, 90, Friday, at her home at Maytown; Mrs. Agnes Scott Calhoun, 63, of Water Gap, Monday, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital, of tetanus developing from a spliner wound in her hand; Waleda Smiley, 15, of Prestonsburg, Thursday, at the Martin General Hospital; Mrs. Lewis Webb, 59, Friday, at her home at Colonial Hollow, near here.

July 22, 1943

Sgt. Charles E. Wells, of Auxier, has been cited for heroism as a tank commander in the Tunisian fighting...Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Williams, of Wayland, have been notified that their son, Sgt. Fred Williams, 25, has died in a Japanese prison camp...Lt. Burr Hereford, son of B. P. Hereford, of Milton, formerly of Cliff, is missing after the Flying Fortress on which he was navigator failed to return from a North African bombing mission...Death of Pvt. Emerson Estep of wounds received in Latin America, July 3, has been confirmed by the War Department in a letter to his mother, Mrs. Goldie Estep, of Allen...Wounded in the South Pacific fighting�Pvt. Dave Goodman, of Allen...Identity of the person who fired a bullet through a window of the Woodland Inn and inflicted a slight wound on a woman there, last Sunday night, has not been learned...Born: to Lt. and Mrs. J.E. Gambill, former Floyd teachers, July 17, at a Martin hospital, a son, Johnny Michael; to Pvt. and Mrs. Harry Porter, of Prestonsburg, a son, Harry Jr...There died: James Goble, 60, at his home on Cow Creek, Tuesday; Wesley Pigman, 79, Saturday, at his home on Bull Creek; Robert Lee Myers, 52, Thursday, at Weeksbury; D. B. Stephens, 65, well-known Allen businessman, last Thursday, at a Pikeville hospital.

June 10, 1943

Tom Raney, Pikeville international board member, United Mine Workers of America, said Wednesday, that representatives of approximately 20,000 eastern Kentucky miners have adopted resolutions defending their leader, John L. Lewis...Last vestiges of the depression-born food relief to the poor, which later rendered assistance to the aged, and to the public schools through school lunch programs, will be completely gone by June 20, Henry McCown, Floyd County commodity supervisor, said Tuesday...The long-planned Johns Creek dam was one of six reservoirs listed for Congressional approval last week as an after-the-war protection program for the Ohio River valley...Two more Floyd County soldiers�Herschel Hamilton, of Ivel, and Malcolm Layne, of Langley�have been killed in action in North Africa...Prestonsburg was declared, Monday evening, by the City Council, �open territory� for carnivals�if the carnivals pay a license fee of $250 a week...Auto use tax stamps in the denomination of $5 were placed on sale in all postoffices and offices of Collectors of Internal Revenue, Thursday...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Lon Hill, of David, a son, Joseph, June 8, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; to Mr. and Mrs. John Herald, formerly of Prestonsburg, a son, William Jefferson, June 3, at Georgetown...There died: Frank Lee Hughes, 57, of Garrett, Friday, at the Martin General Hospital; Joseph Edward Harris, 71, at the home of his daughter, at Betsy Layne, Friday; Mrs. Pearl Samons Click, 46, of Martin, at the home of her son on Arkansas Creek, Monday; Dorothy Virgnia Clark, two years old, of Wonder, Friday, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville

May 27, 1943

The War Labor Board decision, made Monday, opens the way to a wage increase of $1 a day for miners...Two of 10 Kentuckians listed Monday, as killed in action, are Floyd Countians�Pvt. Robert Mosley, of Minnie, and Pvt. John H. Young, of Wayland, both victims of the fighting in North Africa. Pfc. Fred Williams, of Wayland, is now listed as a prisoner of war, taken at the fall of Bataan...William Albert Burke, 83, was killed at Auxier, Friday, by a passenger train...Contract for resurfacing 11.4 miles of the Right Beaver highway from Martin to Lackey, was awarded, Monday, to the Gay-Coleman Company...Avery Goble, 22, was fatally injured, Tuesday, when thrown from a motor in a mine of the Inland Steel Co., Wheelwright...Aviation Cadet Paul Hayes, 20, of Fed, was commissioned a second lieutenant, May 20, at graduation exercises of the AAF Technical Command School at Yale University...There died: Mary Cole, 67, Saturday, on Mud Creek, minutes after the close of the funeral of a relative, which she attended; Mrs. Perry Crider, 60, last Thursday, at her home on Buffalo; John L. Hager, 74, brother of Mrs. William Greenwade, of Prestonsburg, at Greenup; G. W. Greer, 77, nationally known dealer in roots and herbs, at Pikeville, Friday; Mrs. Virginia Johns Smith, 46, of Betsy Layne, Tuesday, at a Pikeville hospital.

May 20, 1943

Floyd County returned a 472-vote wet majority in last Saturday�s local option election...It was learned this week that two Floyd Countians, previously listed as missing, are prisoners of war. They are Signalman First Class Wyman Walters of Allen, a prisoner of the Japanese, and T/5 Shirley A. Lewis, of Betsy Layne, who was captured in the North African offensive...Wounded in action: T/5 James O. Cavins of Garrett, in North Africa...The City of Prestonsburg, last Saturday, consummated the purchase of the gas company serving the community for $50,000...Two hundred twenty-nine Floyd County high school seniors were graduated in mass exercises, here, last Friday...Fifty-one Floyd farmers have contracted to grow hemp this year...Ten-year-old Betty Jean Martin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Martin, of McDowell, passed the eighth grade test for high school entrance last week...Riley Conn, of Prestonsburg, was reported missing this week. His wife said he was last heard of early in March, while at Cleveland, Ohio...Miss Dempil Herald, Prestonsburg high school senior, is the winner of this year�s Good Citizenship Award, given by John Graham Chapter, D.A.R....Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Keathley, of Martin, on May 8, their third son�Robert Anthony...There died: Mrs. Helen Gearheart, 90, Tuesday, at Lackey; Mrs. Alta Sword, 29, of Fed, Friday, at a Martin hospital; Elige Wells, about 65, last Wednesday, at Lancer.

May 13, 1943

As part of President Roosevelt�s nation-wide stabilization order of wages, prices and employment, Floyd County workers, and all others in the Pikeville area, who plan to get jobs elsewhere, will not be hired without a referral and a statement of inter-area clearance from the local office of the U.S. Employment Service...CPA investigators this week were probing into food prices, asked and received, by grocery stores of this section, seeking to verify or refute charges of John L. Lewis, UMWA leader, that food prices are out of control in mining sections, and a $2-a-day pay raise is necessary for the miners...Robert Mosley, 19 years old, of Detroit, was killed March 31, in action on the North African front...The Floyd War Price and Rationing Board prepared, this week, for registration of users of sugar for canning purposes...After 74 disabling injuries, and two deaths, as a result of accidents to miners in the Elk Horn Coal Corporation�s Mine No. 28, Wayland, the mine was inspected and reported �gassy,� and in need of extensive safety work...Floyd County more than doubled its War Bond quota of $466,000 for the month of April...There died: Mrs. Venice Gibson, 21, of Melvin, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin, Tuesday; Lonnie C. Estep, 47, of Gearheart, May 5, at Baltimore, Md.; Lois Dingus, 8, of Martin, Saturday, at the Martin General Hospital.

May 6, 1943

Every coal mine in Floyd County, as well as every bituminous operation in the land, was idle, Saturday, in compliance with a stop-work order of John L. Lewis, UMWA chieftain, and a few hours later, the government took over operation, pending settlement of the mine wage dispute...Floyd County�s nine high schools will graduate 226 seniors at the seventh countywide graduation exercises, to be held in Prestonsburg high school�s fieldhouse, May 14...Mrs. F.L. Heinze, J.D. Thomas and the Rev. W.B. Garriott, all of Prestonsburg, have been named by the Office of Price Administration, to compose the Floyd County Price Panel, established for this county in a nationwide price organization...Tipped off that a �big� poker game was in progress at a Court Street �rook room� Saturday, Police Chief Epp Laferty, Policemen Albert Horn and W. B. Howard, and Police Judge J. D. Harkins, Jr., in the subsequent raid, found only a rook game going, but money was on the table. Seventeen men paid fines of $20 each...Married: Miss Rachael Gravely, of Columbus, O., and Mr. Holland H. Starr, of Springfield, O., May 1, in the Presbyterian Church, Prestonsburg...There died: Jack Jones, of Hueysville, at a Lexington hospital, April 28; Jarvey Meade, 56, of Abbott Creek, in the Prestonsburg General Hospital, Sunday; Robert Bruce Howell, 46, at home at Betsy Layne, Friday; Marion Holbrook, 63, at his home at Halo, Wednesday; Mrs. Cora Stephens, 65, of Lackey, at the Stumbo Memorial Hospital, Monday.

April 29, 1943

First Floyd mine to be idle as a result of the current wage dispute between the United Mine Workers, and operators, was that of the Elk Horn Coal Corporation at Wayland, where 800 miners quit work this morning...Floyd County hemp growers, helping to supply America�s wartime need, after the Japanese captured our best source of imported hemp, are seeking a goal of 400 acres this year...Last obstacle to the purchase of the Prestonsburg Gas Company by the City of Prestonsburg, was removed, last week, when the transaction was approved by the Public Service Commission at Frankfort...Attempt of Mrs. Catherine Nolen, 77 years old, to extinguish a flaming curtain in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Melvin Allen, near Garrett, Sunday, resulted in burns which proved fatal to her, Monday...Floyd County is definitely �over the top� in its drive to reach the $463,000 quota assigned it in the nation�s $13 million War Bond campaign this month...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Patrick, of Tram, a son, Larry Douglas; to Mr. and Mrs. Sambo Laferty, of Sloan, a son, Vernon, April 18...There died: Daniel D. Martin, 89, Floyd County native, Wednesday, at his home at Ashland; Mrs. Sarah Johnson, 56, at her home at Lambert, on Clear Creek, Tuesday; Mrs. Amanda Akers, 62, at her home at Ligon, Sunday.

April 15, 1943

The Selective Service system underwent another revamping, this week, as preparations were made to induct into the armed services, this year, every able-bodied man between the ages of 18 and 37...Caught between a heavy fall of slate in the mines of the Inland Steel Company, at Wheelwright, Noel Bates, 32-year-old Wheelwright miner, was instantly killed early Wednesday morning...For bravery during a submarine attack on the merchant ship on which he was serving, and the subequent sinking of the vessel, Spency Cook, 19, seaman first class U.S. Naval Reserve, of Gearheart, has been awarded a letter of commendation by the Chief of Naval Personnel...The West Prestonsburg home of Mrs. Sadie Price was destroyed by fire at 5 a.m., Wednesday...Lt. L. A. (Jack) Donoho, formerly of Wayland, is missing after his plane crashed in Chesapeake Bay...Ray Patton, of Estill, former pitcher of the Prestonsbburg team, is with the Louisville Colonels this spring. Last Sunday, he hurled three-innings against the Chicago Cubs in an exhibition game, allowing one harmless single. Another Floyd County boy, Joe Weddington, of Emma, is on the Colonel�s roster as a catcher...Staff Sgt. Walter L. Goble, of Lancer, has been hospitalized in North Africa with a slight wound. He has been in six separate engagements in North Africa...A teacher in the Floyd County schools eight years, Miss Gradys Flannery, of Martn, will return to college herself, next Monday�to prepare for service in the WAAC...There died: Emma Dell Prater, 17, of Glo, Monday, at a Paintsville hospital; Wilson Clark, 71, Tuesday, at his home here; Mrs. Violet Pauline Price, 27, Sunday, at Wheelwright.

(April 8, 1943

The Howard Motor Company, Ford dealer here, was destroyed by fire, early Sunday morning...Johnson County authorities, Tuesday, expressed the belief that Cpl. Ennis Spradlin, 30, of Spradlin Branch, near here, whose body was found, late Friday night, beneath a railway trestle at Paintsville, died as a result of a fall...All temporary gasoline rations were discontinued as of March 31...Of the $13,000,000-goal for the Second War Loan, which will be conducted throughout the nation, Floyd County�s quota is $463,000...Willie Hicks, 21-year-old soldier, of Middle Creek, has been reported missing in action, after the first big push on the Tunisian front...The fiscal court, at its special session, Tuesday, added the services of a home demonstration agent to the county�s farm and home program...Funeral rites for Miss Irma Mae Vanderpool, 19, of West Prestonsburg, who was a murder victim at Bisbee, Arizona, March 27, were conducted, Sunday afternoon, at West Prestonsburg...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Billie Mayo, of Hite, a daughter; to Mr. and Mrs. Will Little, of Weeksbury, a son.

March 11, 1943

Men over 38 years of age have lost their 4-H deferment status as an army of 15,000,000 is envisioned...Lackey citizens have been told that restoration of the community�s school, which was destroyed by fire recently, is impossible for the duration of the war. The gym and teacherage, which escaped the flames, will be used for classrooms, Supt. Town Hall said...Homes of Sterling Clark, Darvin Rose, Bill Marshall and Henry Meadows at Lancer were destroyed, Saturday night, by fire...Frank Heinze, son of Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Heinze, of Prestonsburg, and now a junior at Berea College, has been named to the all-state K.I.A.C. team...Mr. and Mrs. Sherman May celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, February 28, at their West Prestonsburg home...Miss Bennie Caudill, of Prestonsburg, was recently elected secretary of Sigma Sigma honorary education sorority at Murray State College...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Turner, at their home here, March 9, a son, Donald Lloyd...There died: Logan Blackburn, 53, Tuesday night, at his home on Tandy�s Branch of Johns Creek; Milton C. Litteral, 32, Sunday, at Ashland; Henry Smith, 91, and Lee Arnett, 48, at Blue River�the former on Sunday, Arnett on Friday; Ernest Osborne, 49, of Daniels Creek, at the hospital here last Friday; Thomas Derossett, 82, at Dwale, Saturday; Elijah Hall, 26, of Grethel, at a Martin hospital.

February 25, 1943)

National defense courses and services designed, to boost farm production, have been initiated in Floyd County, superintendent of schools Town Hall said this week...A rationing certificate no longer is required to have passenger car and light truck tires recapped with reclaimed rubber...Complete reorganization of the school bus transportation system of Floyd County as ordered by the Office of Defense Transportation, is underway this week...One hundred seven selectees will leave here, Friday morning, for possible induction to the armed forces...The Red Cross drive for a War Fund quota of $13,500 will begin March 1...Mrs. A. J. Baldridge, 75, was seriously burned, Feb. 14, at her home on Little Paint Creek...The U. S. Marine Corps Women�s Reserve procurement officer at Cleveland, announced this week that Miss Cassie Patrick, of West Prestonsburg, is Floyd County�s first lady Marine, and is also the youngest woman to enter the military service from the county...There died: Asa Brooks Ewen, 58, Floyd coal operator, Wednesday of last week, at Martin; Mrs. Sallie J. Hall Frasure, 83, Floyd native, Friday, at the home of her daughter at Flemingsburg; William Lewis Sammons, 63, Friday, at Hunter; John Branham, 83, Monday, at Emma; Willliam A. Goble, 76, Sunday, at Emma; James Berry Howes, 49, last Wednesday, in an accident at the Atlantic Seaboard Corporation compressor station at Boldman; Mrs. Launa Mosley, 41, native Floyd woman, Feb. 18, at Knox, Ind.; Elder Linzie Moore, 55, Friday, at Gearheart; Phares Bradley, 66, last Wednesday, at Dock.

February 18, 1943

In two fires here, last week, the first, Monday afternoon, caused an estimated damage of $5,000 to the residence of E. R. Burke, on Second Avenue, and the second, Wednesday morning, destroyed the residence property of A. H. Spradlin on North Second Avenue...Monday, February 22, was designated, this week, by County Superintendent Town Hall, in a letter to the 19 Floyd County schools yet in session, as the day for school collection of clothes for Russia...Authority of the State Revenue Department to make a complete reassessment of property in a county, at the expense of the county Tax Commissioner, was upheld by the Court of Appeals this week...Malone�s Service Station, at Allen, was burglarized this week, the thief taking a box, containing a part of the infantile paralysis funds contributed by the community...The garage building, owned by A. C. Carter, and now occupied by the Valley Chevrolet Sales was purchased a few days ago by J. T. Hughes, owner of the Hughes Motor Company at Allen...D. C. Stephens, Prestonsburg, this week acquired gas properties on John�s Creek formerly owned by Lawrence Keathley, Martin, at a reported cost of $27,500...Funds contributed thus far by Floyd Countians to fight infantile paralysis total $375, Mrs. Lon C. Hill, fund chairman, said this week...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Jones Tallent, of Lake Mary, Florida, a son, William Anderson, February 1...There died: Mrs. Martha Tackett, 49, at Marion, Virginia, last week; William P. Jones, Floyd native, at Baltimore, Maryland; William Burchell, 68, at his home on John�s Creek, Tuesday.

February 4, 1943

Tuesday, this week, the last payment on the $46,000 firefighting equipment purchased by the City of Prestonsburg was made, Mayor E. P. Arnold announced...To qualify Floyd County for its share of approximately $23,000 of the states $2,000,000 rural highway fund, the fiscal court, last week, listed 30 projects covering approximately 125 miles of rural road in this county on which the fund may be expended...The Navy Department recently awarded a letter of commendation to 18-year-old James Paul Connors, formerly of Auxier, citing the young seaman for �devotion to duty and courage� during the sinking of an enemy submarine by a merchant vessel on which Connors was a member of a gun crew...Selective service headquarters here, this week, estimated that between 2,700 and 2,900 Floyd County men are now in the armed forces...Floyd Chapter, American Red Cross, will begin, on March 1, a drive to raise a War Fund quota of $13,500�the greatest Red Cross quota ever assigned the county in a single year...Mrs. Edith Fitzpatrick James, well-known Prestonsburg singer, will sing, Thursday night, with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the performance of pieces by Debussy...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Peters, twin daughters�Patsy Marie and Mary Elizabeth, February 8, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital..There died: Cephus Bates, 19, of Buckingham, Friday; Mrs. Rebecca McKinney, 85 years old, Friday, at the home of her daughter at Wayland; Mrs. Emily Sizemore Begley, 89, Friday, at the home of a son, near Maytown.

January 28, 1943

The strike of bus drivers, members of Transportation Workers Union (CIO) Local 214, which began last Friday, ending temporarily, 230 miles of service by the Kentucky-Virginia Stages bus line, continued through today...Floyd County�s 1942 tax bill will be figured on a total assessment of $10,706,984, Tax Commissioner Clive Akers said this week...Further curtailment of gasoline distribution went into effect, Saturday, as Petroleum Administrative Order No. 4 became effective, restricting the sale of gasoline to passenger automobiles by any service station to 72 hours a week, and not more than 12 hours a day...The Martin gymnasium has been selected as the site for this year�s district basketball tournament...W.H. Coffman, Hinton, W.Va., recently succeeded L. B. Mullins as manager of the A. W. Cox Department Store, here...G. C. Spurlin, who resigned his position as executive vice-president of The First National Bank here, this week, announced the purchase of a half-interest in the Spurlin Insurance Agency from J. C. Spradlin...John D. Thomas, of the legal department of the Warfield Natural Gas Company, has been named Public Relations and Volunteer Recruting Officer for Floyd War Price and Rationing Board No. 36...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Westfall, of Allen, a daughter, Sharon Elizabeth, January 23; to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Chaffin, of Ligon, a son, Wednesday...There died: Jody Sammons, 29, of Water Gap, by electrocution in a mine of the Sandy Valley Coal Co. at Water Gap, Tuesday; Second Lieutenant Elmo Fannin, 23, of Raceland, native Prestonsburg man, Sunday, in an airplane crash near the Roswell, New Mexico armed flying school; J. E. Osborne, 69, of the Forks of Beaver area, Monday, at the Martin General Hospital; Mary N. Martin, 18, of Garrett, Wednesday, at the Martin General Hospital; J. P. Spurlin, 90, native of Floyd Countian, January 16, at Elkhorn City.

January 14, 1943

Pfc. John D. Steele Jr., of the U.S. Marines and native Floyd Countian, returned to the United States early this month with three Japanese bullet wounds in his body and unofficial record of having killed 33 Japanese, and destroyed at least two enemy machine gun nests, single-handed, on Guadalcanal...National Selective Service Headquarters has directed Floyd County�s two draft boards to report all delinquencies under the selective service act; at the same time state draft headquarters announced that a vigorous drive against draft delinquents has been started...Floyd County tire inspectors have changed the January 31 deadline for tire inspections, giving holders of basic gasoline rations A coupons until the end of March for their first tire inspection, and holders of B or C coupons until the end of February for their first inspection...Two or more Floyd Countians have become officers in the U.S. Army�Tounsel Gordon, 22, of the Auxier road, received his commission in the Air Force, and Z.S. (Dickie) Dickerson, of Water Gap, was commissioned an officer in the field artillery...Working toward 100 percent enlistment of Floyd workers in the 1943 farm production program in response to Farm Mobilization Day, January 12, farm leaders this week called on every farmer to pledge a greater production of foodstuff�s this year...All nine of Floyd County�s high schools retain the excellent rating held last year with the accrediting committee of the Kentucky Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools...There died; Mrs. Betsy Moore, 67, of Dony, January 3; John Moore, 41, of Dony, two days after attending the funeral of his mother, Mrs. Betsy Moore; Mrs. Julia Baker Redford, 23 years old, January 7, at the home of her brother at Lancer; Ruby Jewel Collins, 15, of Halo, Saturday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Darwin Lafferty, 21, of Garrett, Sunday; Everett McDowell, of Mousie, Monday, in a Lexington hospital; Tosh Boyd, 47-year-old Floyd County native, Friday, at Newport News, Virginia; Walter Hughes, 83, Monday morning at the home of his son at Hippo; William Riley Tackett, 81, Thursday, at the home of his son at Manton.

December 17, 1942

The Floyd circuit court docket for January is slim with �only� three murder cases booked for trial...John Howard, of Quicksand Creek, Knott county, surrendered here Wednesday morning to Jailer Guy Horn, announcing that he had in self-defense killed two men on the Lick Fork of Salt Lick Creek. Later, authorities learned that Melvin Bolen and Adam Miller had been slain...Mrs. Ruth S. Roberts, of Tram, resigned effective Monday as Floyd referral agent...Mrs. Rosalee Hall, of Banner, is the first Floyd woman to enlist in the WAAC�s...The Agricultural Marketing Administration this week outlined a plan which, if adopted, would enable Floyd school children to buy milk at 1 cent per half-pint...There died: Mrs. Rebecca Osborne Salisbury, 75, mother of five soldier sons, Saturday, at her home at Printer; William (Buck) Martin, formerly of Garrett, Dec. 8, at his home at Siloam, Kentucky; Mrs. Malinda Messer Vaughan, 52, Sunday, at her home here; Mrs. Eva Bailey Howard, 26, Monday, at her home near Martin; Mrs. Ida Brown Cox, 68, Tuesday, at Lackey; Mrs. Clona Litteral, 44, sister of Auxier residents, at Ashland, Friday; Sam Jarrell, 64, Wednesday, of last week, at Allen.

December 10, 1942

An executive order of President Roosevelt was issued this week, instructing Selective Service board not to induct registrants 38 years of age or older...Registration of all male citizens 18 years old for possible military service will begin Friday...President Roosevelt has requested an end to the WPA program, the elimination of which will affect only 135 men in this county, presently employed on road projects...With Floyd county residents having been asked to buy $409,500 worth of Victory Bonds before December 18, as their part in the nation-wide Victory Loan drive to obtain $9,000,000,000, the Floyd fiscal court and two Prestonsburg banks have purchased $50,000 worth of Bonds each...Burned by an explosion of gas in her home at Glo, Thursday of last week, Mrs. Hattie Williams, 64 yearsold, died four hours later at the Martin General Hospital...The Prestonsburg City Council, in complying with a suggestion of the federal government for fewer traffic lights in an effort to economize on electricity, decided to have the Mayo Trail-Dingus street traffic light removed...Mothers of soldiers have been asked to assist, next Tuesday, in the sewing of surgical dressings...Married: Miss Grace Mitchell, of West Prestonsburg, and Mr. S. P. Bland, Jr., of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at Louisville, Kentucky, November 28; Miss Florence Crook, of Meridian, Mississippi, and Mr. Dick Mayo Allen, of Prestonsburg, now serving at Camp Puckett, Virginia, at Meridian, Mississippi, November 19; Miss Opal Salisbury, of Hunter, and Mr. Meredith Spurlock, of Huntington, West Virginia, at Fleming, Kentucky, November 21; Miss Patricia June Kelly, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Mr. Hershel Begley, of Prestonsburg, at the Union Congregational Church, Boston, November 30...Born: To Mr. and Mrs. Jess Howell, of Newport News, Virginia, Mrs. Howell formerly of Maytown, a son, Thomas Everett, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital, Thanksgiving Day; to Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Hall of McDowell, a daughter, December 6; to the Rev. and Mrs. J. B. Hahn, of Maytown, twin sons, Richard Donald and Charles Ronald, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin, Tuesday; to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Spencer, a daughter, Gloria Jean, at the Paintsville Hospital, Sunday; to Mr. and Mrs. Brady Shepherd, a daughter, Edna Arnold, December 2...There died: Samuel Beecher Hamilton, 49, formerly of Honaker, at Detroit, Michigan, November 26; Ed Stephens, 74, Floyd native, at his home at Salyersville, Wednesday; Delbert Hall, 39 years old, of Weeksbury, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin, Wednesday; Sam Jarrell, 64, at his home at Cracker, Wednesday.

November 12, 1942

Registration of home owners and car operators for kerosene and gasoline rationing will be started in Floyd County, today (Thursday)...Mines operated by Ward and M. K. Reed, in this county, led mines of the Big Sandy area in safety during September, A. D. Sisk, secretary of the Big Sandy Elkhorn Mining Institute, reported last week...George Burke, Jr., 14-year-old Drift schoolboy, succumbed, Tuesday morning, at Orthopedic Hospital, Huntington, West Virginia, to injuries sustained September 21, when struck by a truck, while in search of scrap to aid the national war effort. Fifty-one of the 168 Floyd Countians called from Selective Service Board 44 for final examination at Huntington, West Virginia, were rejected because of a variety of shortcomings...Gene Hughes, 53, of Minnie, was fatally crushed by a slatefall in the Stumbo Elkhorn Coal Company Mine at Drift, Thursday morning...Quarantine of several Floyd Countians who have been rejected for military service, because of syphilis, and who have not submitted to later treatment as directed, was asked Thursday, by the Floyd County Board of Health...Fillmore F. Jones, 30, former Martin liquor store operator, died at Memorial Hospital, Williamson, West Virginia, October 29, of injuries sustained in an automobile wreck on the Williamson-Matewan highway...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Everett Hager of David, Friday, a son, Robert Lee; to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Neeley, November 9, a son, Ashlay Brian, to Mr. and Mrs. Andy (Buster) McClanahan, of Bull Creek, a son, Andrew Anthony, November 9...There died; Mrs. Arminta Crager Cyrus, 71, Wednesday, at the home of her daughter at Winchester, Ohio.

October 29, 1942

As the deadline on the Kentucky scrap drive campaign drew near, Floyd County had hope of getting little beyond the half-way mark in its drive to gather a quota of more than 5,000,000 pounds of metal and rubber...A dozen persons from Bull, Abbott and Middle Creek communities were receiving treatment this week at the Floyd County Health Department, after having been bitten by dogs...The Floyd County volunteer women workers are far behind in their quotas of surgical dressings allotted them for September and October, with a quota of 55,000 dressings coming up for next month, Mrs. Lillian Keenon, director of the Red Cross endeavor, pointed out this week...Coffee rationing, which will allow one pound every five weeks for every person who was 15 or older when sugar rationing began last May, starts November 29...Floyd County�s first feminine contingent, trained in the NYA shop, here, for work in the nation�s war plants, left Prestonsburg, Thursday, to receive further training at Dayton, Ohio, that will qualify them as War Department employees at Patterson Field, Dayton...Taylor Skeans, 42, of Dock, father of eight, volunteered last week for Army service...Married: Miss Martha Helen Stone, of Louisa, and Pvt. Haskell Price, of Martin, October 9...There died: Thomas Hall, 47, native of McDowell, at his home in Flemingsburg, Saturday morning; Sol Slone, of Dema, at home, Monday; Bonnie Lou Arrowood, 12 years old, of Langley, Thursday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Mrs. Usley Jane Vanderpool, 75, Floyd native and former resident of McDowell, Friday, at Baden, Virginia; Fred Jefferson Cochran, 4, of Salisbury, Wednesday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Tobby Marie Harris, 5, of Emma, Saturday, at St. Joseph�s Infirmary, Louisville.

October 22, 1942

Floyd County�s scrap pile, this week, weighed a total of 1,231,000 pounds, with 257,514 pounds of metal and rubber being added to the junk collection since last week...There will be no opposing factions in either the election of two County Board of Education members, or three City Board of Education members here, but a heated city election is in prospect, the election lineup showed Monday night...W. G. Africa, commander of Floyd Post, American Legion, has asked County Superintendent Town Hall to enlist the aid of school children in salvaging old records for use by the armed forces...Delmas Martin, 26-year-old Wayland miner, was fatally crushed, Tuesday, when he was pinned between the mine motor he was operating and the �rib,� in the mines of Glogora Coal Company at Glo...Edward B. Leslie, Wheelwright teacher, was elected chairman of Floyd County Legislative District No. 2, at a Democratic caucas, held at McDowell, Saturday, and Morton McGlothen, of Printer, was elected secretary...The Floyd County Transportation Committee will hold meetings in the five Floyd County towns for the purpose of receiving applications of farm truck owners for War Necessity Certificates, James Stephens, chairman of the county USDA War Board, announced, Monday...Observance of Navy Day, Tuesday, October 26, was asked, this week, by Mayor E. P. Arnold in a proclamation, and by Superintendent Town Hall in a statement to teachers...Induction into the Army of Jesse Elliott, has left four Floyd County schools�Maytown, Wheelwright, Auxier and McDowell�without a music instructor...Married: Miss Edna E. Prater, of Washington, D.C., formerly of Lackey, and Mr. John Priddy Irvin, of Washington, D.C., at Marlboro, Maryland, October 1; Miss Georgia E. Adkins, of Covington, Kentucky, and Pvt. Savage Wayne Allen, of Prestonsburg, October 14, at Fort Thomas, Kentucky; Miss Ilene Fyffe and John Graham Leroy Combs, of Prestonsburg, here, October 17; Miss Ella Marie Woods, of Prestonsburg, and Mr. Paul Messer of Prestonsburg, October 15, at Allen...Born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Lee May, of Prestonsburg, a son, Martin Lee May Jr., Saturday; to the Rev. and Mrs. Campbell Jeffries, of Martinsburg, Virginia, a daughter, Victoria Murill; to Mr. and Mrs. Orville Cooley, Prestonsburg, a son, David Ray, October 10...There died: Mrs. Hattie Dotson Allen, 66-year-old Floyd County native, Thursday morning, at Ivyton; Alma Jean Horn, 2, of Ligon, at the Martin General Hospital; Mrs. Gertie Lena Fife, 40, of Martin, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin, Saturday.

October 15, 1942

Floyd county�s scrap weighed to date jumped 90,343 pounds with the junk harvest of 13 additional schools weighed and reported this week, S. L. Isbell, county salvage director, announced..Fifteen-year-old Hobert Minix Jr., of Lancer, was instantly killed Sunday afternoon when he fell beneath a train of empty coal cars near the Town Branch bridge here..Floyd County�s quota for the month of October of surgical dressings for army hospitals is 25,000, Mrs. Lillian Keenon, director of this phase of Red Cross work, announced, Wednesday...Oscar Greer, 57, of Abbott Creek, died a few hours after being crushed by a fall of slate and rubble in the old Purity Cannel Coal Company mine on Abbott Creek...Alex H. Spradlin, Prestonsburg, was recently appointed a member of Selective Service Board No. 44 here, to succeed Edward L. Allen, Prestonsburg, who resigned...The Rev. William Smith, 68, well-known minister of the Right Beaver section of this county, was instantly killed, Friday, when his head was crushed by a rockfall in a country coal �bank� in which he was working near his home on Snaggy Fork at Salt Lick Creek...Married: Miss Bobbie Buffaloe, of Durham, North Carolina, and Staff Sergeant Arbie Hunt, formerly of Prestonsburg, now of Camp Butler, North Carolina, on October 3; Miss Eloise Thompson, of Catlettsburg, and Cpl. John Pratt, of Martin, October 5; Miss Louella Hall, of Dewey, and Mr. Leon Buskirk, of Inez, at Paintsville, October 9...There died; Miles L. (Buddy) Hall, 65, Sunday, at his home at Pippa Passes; Lily Arlene Blair, five-months-old, of Ivel, Thursday; Ben Spears, 63, of Betsy Layne, September 30, at a Paintsville hospital; Mrs. Amy Sturgill Weddington, 82, October 7, at home at Harold.

October 1, 1942

Walter Wadkins, 50, of Brainard, is in critical condition at the hospital here, of injuries suffered September 21, and warrants have been issued for the arrests of four men...Keen Burchett, well-known Cow Creek man, was killed by a falling timber at Knob Noster, Misssouri...Seventy-six Floyd Countians are scheduled for induction to the armed forces next Tuesday...Stanley Hays, of McDowell, has been promoted to the rank of army captain...W. Claude Caudill announced, this week, that a class for the training of air raid wardens will be started here soon...An athletic association has been organized here to aid the high school football team...Miss Sarah Clay Stephens, of Prestonsburg, has been named cheerleader at Centre College...There died: Miss Mollie Elders, 65, Tuesday, at Wayland; Jake P. Akers, 82, Monday, at his home near Printer; Mrs. Fronia George, 66, Wednesday, at Weeksbury; the Rev. Alexander Hyden, 84, of Spurlock, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital, Saturday; Marion Proffitt, 21, of Wayland, in an auto wreck in Letcher County, Tuesday, the day he was to leave here for possible military service; Mrs. Lovelia Prater Howard, 46, of Prestonsburg, last Thursday, at a Paintsville hospital; Miss Burieta Pruitt, 23, Wednesday, of last week, at Pollard, Kentucky.

September 17, 1942

Last month, Kentucky led the nation�and Floyd County led Kentucky�in War Bond purchases...In one afternoon, last week, Floyd County school children, with their elders in supporting roles, collected 30,737 pounds of scrap metals and rubber for the nation�s war production effort...David L. Francis, vice-president and general manager of Princess Elkhorn Coal Co. at David, has quit both positions to become a lieutenant (j-g) in the Navy...Prestonsburg firemen were called, early Saturday morning, to Paintsville when the Sipp theater was ruined by fire and an entire business block was threatened...There died: Alex Bingham, 30, of Handshoe, Knott County, Wednesday, in a rockfall in the Elkhorn Coal Corp. mine in Wayland; Jack Hale, 86, Tuesday, at his home at Amba; Richard R. Newsome, 10, of Dana, at a Martin hospital, Sunday; William Prater, 63, Sunday, at his home in Risner; Mrs. Mary Frazier, 63, Friday, at the home in Martin of her daughter, Mrs. Walker Porter; Buck Boggs, 37, formerly of Town Branch, near here, Friday, at a Lexington hospital.

September 3, 1942

A pay increase of $10 a month is proposed for teachers, this year, by the Floyd County Board of Education. That will bring the base salary up to $75 a month...Petitions seeking a local option election will be circulated here within the next few days, it was announced...Ligon mining properties are being operated by the Hi Hat Elkhorn Mining Company...R. H. Koch, of Prestonsburg, owner of the county�s oldest radio repair shop, closed his business, this week, prepatory to leaving for employment in a radio plant. His former assistants, William Dingus and Estill Picklesimer, already are working in airplane factories...Willie, 13-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Hager May, is believed recovering after being unconscious five days. He sufffered a skull fracture when an auto hit the bike he was riding near Bonanza...Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Martin, of Jump, have been notified that their son, Sheridan, 25, is missing in action, presumably in the Solomon Islands offensive...County Auditor R. R. Allen and Atty. Bert T. Combs have received notice that they have passed the VOC examination, and that they will be received this month, for officers� training...There died: Mrs. Amanda Louise Howard Patrick, 81, wife of Ex-Circuit Judge A. T. Patrick, Sunday, at her home here; Thomas Patton, 54, Martin native, who in 1908 helped build the fortress of Corregidor, August 24, at a Cleveland hospital; Joe DeMurry, of Wayland, Monday, at a Rochester, Minnesota hospital; Rell Daniels, 39, former Floyd man, Sunday, at Franklin Furnace OhioAugust 13, 1942

Four-year-old Johnny Murphy was saved from drowning in swollen Right Beaver Creek at Glo last Friday, by his �big� brother, Don, 8...Federal mine inspections were underway in the county last week...Dr. Orris Gearheart, last week, became the first Floyd County physician to be sworn into the army during the present emergency...The Rev. Campbell Jeffries resigned, last Wednesday evening, the pastorate of Irene Cole Memorial Baptist Church...There died: William H. Herald, 56, of West Prestonsburg, August 10; Fannie Florence, 12-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Harris, August 6, at a Huntington hospital; Napoleon Jacobs, 42, at Lackey, of injuries suffered in a slatefall; Mrs. Maggie Bentley, 63, at her Dwale home, August 5.

August 6, 1942)

Senator A. B. Chandler led John Y. Brown, his opponent for the Democratic nomination, by 160 votes in the Floyd County primary, Tuesday...Ninety-one from this county are slated for induction, August 18, the Draft Board here, announced Monday...Five thousand persons attended the Floyd County Fish & Game Club�s annual fish fry at Allen, Sunday...Raymond Huff, 45, Wayland miner, was instantly killed, and Sisco Hays, also of Wayland, was seriously hurt, Saturday, when their auto wrecked at Gearheart, on Left Beaver Creek...The WYA Shop here, last week, transferred 12 youths to active war production work in Connecticut and Maryland...Released from Japanese �protective custody,� Miss Lydia Mae Francis, of the U.S. diplomatic service, has been sent to a Turkish post, and may not return here till the war is over, her mother, Mrs. H. C. Francis, of Prestonsburg, has learned...There died: Mrs. Willard Stephens, 34, Sunday, at her home on Middle Creek; Mrs. Theodore Slone, 35, formerly of Garrett, Friday, at Niagra Falls, New York.

July 30, 1942

The 235-man draft quota, for August, is the heaviest demand yet made on Floyd manpower by Selective Service during the present war...Eight-year-old Sylvia Wilton, who, with her mother, has left bomb-torn London for sanctuary in America, is a guest at the home on the Auxier road, near here, of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley A. Combs...B. F. Combs, Prestonsburg attorney, has traded his Clark County farm for Winchester business property...The second annual fish fry to be staged by the Floyd County Fish & Game Club, will be held Sunday, at Allen, and will feature the world-famous Topperweins, husband-and-wife firearms experts...Two men and a woman were jailed here this week in the Saturday afternoon slaying, at Weeksbury, of �Pebble� Tackett, of Pike County...There died: Mrs. Willie Johnson, 62, of Banner, Friday, at Allen; Ira Conn, about 30, of Arkansas Creek, Tuesday night, by electrocution in a truck mine at Hunter; W. H. Lynch, 75, Martin merchant, July 22, at his home near Martin; Mrs. Russell Howard, 63, Sunday, at Betsy Layne; Mrs. Shirley Burton, 45, of Auxier, at Lexington, Saturday; Isaac Lee Layne, 62, July 22, at his home at Tram.

July 23, 1942

Circuit Judge Henry Stephens said here, Wednesday, that state employees residing in Floyd and Knott counties will be called to tell grand juries if they have been assessed to provide this year�s election campaign funds...An appropriation of $1,500 by the Inland Steel Company, Wheelwright, has resulted in the services of a nutritionist being available as a member of the Floyd County Health Department staff. Miss Medora Davidson has been assigned to the work...Mrs. �Fats� Lamar, Wheelwright, was killed Tuesday night by a revolver shot...There died: Reed Henson, 18, of Ligon, by drowning, here, Monday afternoon; Mrs. Martha Mabel Harmon Knott, 46, native of this county, at Logan, W.Va., last Wednesday.

July 16, 1942

Investigation of an alleged wartime labor racket at Morganfield�s Camp Breckinridge, last week, resulted in the questioning of Floyd Countians who have been employed there...The Red Cross estimates 300 homes were damaged by last Wednesday�s flash flood...The Floyd Fiscal Court, Wednesday, voted to rescind its previous order renouncing its sponsorship of WPA projects in the county...W. G. Africa, of Prestonsburg, was elected commander of 24-year-old Floyd Post, American Legion, Saturday. He succeeds W. I. Myers, of Drift...There died: Mrs. Edith George Ward, 86, Wednesday, of last week at West Prestonsburg; C. C. Rucker, father of Mrs. James Roark, of Prestonsburg, at Van Lear, last Wednesday; Sidney Allen, 26, Saturday, at Martin; Jesse S. Hatfield, 62, of Bull Creek, Saturday, at a Paintsville hospital; Mrs. Fannie E. Mitchell, of Prestonsburg, Sunday, at a Grayson hospital.

June 25, 1942

County Agent S. L. Isbell estimated that flood-swollen streams inundated 5,000 acres of cropland in the county, last week, and that the damage may exceed $200,000...Fire, believed to be of incendiary origin, destroyed 40,000 feet of lumber at E. W. Jesse Lumber Company yards, here, Wednesday morning...As the filing deadline for district office passed, Monday midnight, it became apparent that neither Congressman A. J. May (D), candidate for re-election, nor Carl Senters (R), will be opposed in the Congressional primary. John Young Brown filed for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator, 10 minutes before the deadline, to be the primary opponent of Senator A.B. Chandler...Shelby Newsome was found seriously injured a few days ago, in a coal mine at Jump...Irvin Ramey, 40, of West Prestonsburg, suffered a fractured pelvis, Saturday night, when caught between a shuttle car and the roof of the Princess Elkhorn Coal Company mine at David...There died: Mrs. Mabel Case, 24, of McDowell, Tuesday, at a Martin hospital; Oscar Evans, 48, of a heart attack, Friday, when stricken at the Northeast Coal Company mine entrance at Auxier; Argie Tucker, brother of Mrs. S.R. Auxier, of Prestonsburg, in Oklahoma; Lee Stewart, 64, of Melvin, Saturday, on Shelby Creek, Pike County.

June 18, 1942

The WPA truck collecting rubber and scrap metals arrived, last week, at the home of Postmaster R. E. Frazier, only a day after Mr. and Mrs. Frazier had learned that their son, Hershel, was lost in the sinking of the aircraft carrier, Lexington. The bereaved family loaded 1,400 pounds of metal and 200 pounds of rubber on the truck...Floyd Countians reported safe after the carrier sinking are Jack Ward Stapleton, of Allen, and Willoughby Patton, of Garrett. Glenn Pinks, of Emma, is reported missing in action in the Philippines area...John Paul Wells, 23, Sparks Bros. Bus Company mechanic, was severely burned here, Wednesday morning...Opal Mosely, 16, of McDowell, died Sunday, at a Martin hospital of a shotgun wound...Joe Stumbo, McDowell farmer, and former teacher, was killed, Sunday morning, when hit by a train at McDowell. He was a brother of Magistrate Henry Stumbo...Vernon Castle, 57, former Floyd peace officer, was killed, Friday midnight, by a slatefall in a Letcher county coal mine...Married: Miss Janice Spradlin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Spradlin, of Auxier, and Mr. Carl O. Dingus, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Dingus, of Martin, on January 17; Miss Ivola Hale, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hale, of Prestonsburg, and Dr. Earl T. Arnett, son of the late Charles T. Arnett, former Secretary of State, on June 5, at Whitesburg...There died: Miss Jo Ann Allen, 31, here, Saturday morning; Mrs. Osa Osborne Herald, 47, Sunday, at Dwale; Mrs. Ernest Langley, 63, native of West Prestonsburg, June 9, at Valley Stream; Long Island, New York; James Thompson, 3, Monday, at Laynesville; Robert Newsome, 39, of Teaberry, Wednesday, at Pikeville; Margaret Ruth Scarborough, 16, of Weeksbury, Monday, at a Martin hospital; Mrs. Machala Frasure, 68, Saturday, at Hippo; Jeff Skeans, 65, Saturday, at Cliff.

June 11, 1942

J.D. Harkins, Jr., and Edward L. Allen, were recommended, this week, to Governor Johnson for appointment as members of Draft Board No. 44, here, to succeed E.P. Arnold and C.H. Corbin, who resigned...Two Floyd teachers�R.T. Hunt and Clabe Stephens�will be retired at the end of this month with lifetime pensions, under the 1940 teachers� retirement act...Prestonsburg has its first assembly line, in the production at the NYA shop, of cabinets for army field kitchens. One cabinet is being produced every 17 minutes...Jeff Osborne, 42, was killed Sunday, near Buckingham, by a train...Next day, Corbett Amburgey, 40, was injured when hit by a train, near Allen...J.D. Burchett, a raftsman on the Big Sandy during the days of the timber boom, this week returned to the river to gather scrap metal and transport it by boat to market. He now resides at Georges Creek, Lawrence County...A gas well drilled by the Kentucky West Virginia Gas Company on the James (Big Foot) Nunnery lease on Johns Creek was gauged this week at 2 1/2 million feet...Born: on June 10 at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville, to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Scott Harkins, a daughter�Barbara Baker...There died: Mrs. Hattie Alley Moore, 44, of Water Gap, Friday; Frank Gearheart, 48, of Hueysville; Virgil Crum, 13, of Arkansas Creek, of tetanus.

June 4, 1942

Lt. David D. May, of Prestonsburg, was graduated, May 29, from the U. S. Military Academy of West Point...Miss Lydia Mae Francis, of Prestonsburg, and a member of the U.S. diplomatic corps, who was taken into �protective custody� by the Japanese at Shanghai, China, will leave for the United States, June 14, in an exchange of diplomas and their staffs, to be made between the U.S. and Japan...Only six poll tax bills from last year�s poll tax book were collected in Prestonsburg, an audit made by R. R. Allen shows...The 10 o�clock curfew ordinance here was invoked by the City Council this week...Graduated from college: Henry D. Fitzpatrick Jr., from Eastern Kentucky State College, Richmond; Quentin Lockwood, 19, from Ashland Junior College; Miss Betty Jean May, 17, from Sullins College, Bristol, Va.; Miss Minnie Martin, of Eastern, and Miss Ruby Allen, of Langley, both from Berea College...There died: Dr. E. N. Burke, 43, Bonanza native, Tuesday, at Lockwood, Boyd County; Alvin Napier, 51, last Thursday, at West Garrett; Mrs. Mary Robinson, 87, of Dock, Friday, at a Martin hospital; Clyde Endicott, 32, Monday, at German; James Clifton, 63, Wednesday, at his home here; Oscar Cole, about 50, Friday, at Betsy Layne; Mrs. Robert Ferguson, of Wayland, at a Pikeville hospital, Sunday.

May 28,1942

Two Floyd servicemen�Bud Reynolds, 28, of Martin, and Luther James, 24, of Betsy Layne�are officially reported as missing after action on Bataan...Claybourne Stephens, Prestonsburg High School principal, will receive his master of science degree, Saturday, from the University of Kentucky�and he earned the degree by driving 10,000 miles to Saturday classes...Two strikes were still in effect this week�the drivers for Kentucky-Virginia Stages, and workmen on a pipeline being laid by the Kentucky West Virginia Gas Company, in Pike County...There died: Wesley Thompson, 80, of Edgar, at the Prestonsburg Hospital, Tuesday; Billie Martin Jr., 16, of Allen, of a bullet wound, at a Martin hospital, Saturday; T. J. Puckett, 87, Tuesday, at his home at Myrtle; James Monroe Hughes, 26, last Thursday at Lackey; Herbert Griffith, 37, last Thursday, at his home on Little Paint.

April 30, 1942

A total of 3070 Floyd men, between the ages of 45 and 65, registered for the draft...With fires raging through timberlands in every part of the county. County Agent S. L. Isbell announced plans for the formation of a countywide volunteer firefighters� organization...At least 10 percent of Floyd County�s population, or more than 5,000 persons are afflicted with venereal disease, Dr. Marvin Ransdell, director of the health department, said this week...Bus service was resumed between Paintsville and Jenkins, after a four-day strike by members of the Transport Workers� union...There died: Andrew Hunt, 28, at Ivel, of tuberculosis, and James Lee Goodman, 10, at his parents� home at Martin, of a lung abscess.

April 16, 1942

The first Floyd Countian to win his �Wings� in the U.S. air service is Lt. William Edward Sutton, of Langley...Breaks into the Purol Service Station and Morell�s Hardware Saturday, night, netted thieves at least $400 in cash and merchandise...J. R. Hurt, of Prestonsburg, has learned that his brother, Lieut. Com. David A. Hurt, 38, commander of the U. S. submarine Perch, is missing...Virginia Turner, who won the Floyd County oratorical contest here, Friday night, used her $15 cash award toward the purchase of a Defense Bond...John T. Foley, of Betsy Layne, was critically injured, last Thursday night, in a mine accident at Kopperston, West Virginia...There died: Henry Harris, 61, at his home at West Prestonsburg; Mrs. Lily Branham Harris, 58, native of this county, Saturday, at Lucasville, O.; Mrs. John Amburgy, 84, Monday, at her home at Maytown; Mrs. Hala May Prater, 33, of Hueysville, Wednesday; Joe Thompson, formerly of Wayland, Wednesday, at a Lexington hospital; Imogene Coyer, 4, Wednesday, at a Martin hospital.

April 2, 1942

County Agent S. L. Isbell, this week, announced that Floyd County farmers will be asked to sow 100 acres of land to hemp this year, in the nation�s effort to grow enough seed to assure sufficient hemp acreage in 1943, to restore the rope supply of which the United States has been deprived by war...County school officials this week expressed the opinion, after attending a conference in Ashland where the rationing set-up was discussed, that the task of preparing for the Floyd County registration will require much effort. Since all rural schools of the county are closed, and many of their teachers employed elsewhere, competent registars must be recruited, either from other professions, or other localities...There is a possibility that not one of the six school buses purchased by the Floyd County Board of Education in February will be delivered. If school bus sales remain �frozen� for the duration of the war, a major transportation problem faces Floyd County, Superintendent Town Hall said last week...February was an accidentless month for 19 of the Big Sandy field�s 36 mines, A. D. Sisk, secretary of the Big Sandy Coal Mining Institute, reported at Pikeville last week...There died: Mrs. Emma Prater Goble, 51, Monday, at her home here; Mrs. Susanna Cartmell, 91, Tuesday, at Drift; Pvt. Marion Hall, 20, last week at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

March 26, 1942

The Dewey reservoir on Johns Creek was one of six Kentucky flood control projects which the Army Engineer Corps, in a report to Secretary of War Stimson, listed Monday, as projects on which work could be done profitably...One man was killed and two others were wounded in Floyd County roadhouse shootings over the weekend...Lost on the Houston, U.S. destroyer, sunk in the recent Pacific naval engagement between United Nations and Japanese forces, is Ollie James Sturgill, of Harold, relatives in this county have been notified...�It is the duty of the local rationing board to ration tires and tubes in the way that a captain rations the last loaf of bread to shipwrecked sailors who are still pulling at the oars,� declared a member of the local rationing board No. 36, here this week...Elk Horn Post No. 196, of this place, met for the first time in the new American Legion hall here Saturday night, with a large crowd present for the celebration...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Lon C. Hill, of David, a son, John Alban, March 23, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville...There died; Mrs. Verlie Maddy Hunter, 34, of Martin, last Thursday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Robert �Nob� Campbell, 72, of Brandy Keg, Monday, near his home; Mrs. Serilda Fletcher Whitaker, 89, Wednesday, at her home at Estill; Thomas Reffitt, 73, of Dock, Sunday, at the home of a daughter, at West Prestonsburg; Rosanna Bailey, 61, of Hippo, March 15; Mrs. Alwilda Layne Darby, 82, of Tram, last Wednesday, at Ashland. 

March 19, 1942

The tail of a tornado lashed Prestonsburg and vicinity, whipcrackerlike, Monday night, causing property damage estimated at $10-to-$15,000...The fourth number to be drawn from the now famous fish bowl in Washington, Tuesday, shortly after 6 p.m., was the first number to apply to Floyd County registrants. It was number 441. Holder of that number with local draft board No. 44 is Cager Spencer, of Whittaker, on Jenny�s Creek, near Bonanza, while number 441 on the draft roll of local board No. 45, is James Potter, of McDowell...Carlie Ward, 32-year-old Wayland miner, died beneath a slatefall in the mines of the Elk Horn Coal Corporation, Wednesday morning...Lunch at Smith�s Cafe, located in the bus station here, was advertised this week for 35 cents...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Holton Hamilton, of Emma, a daughter; to Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Dingus, of Dinwood, twin sons...There died: Rev. D. M. Allen, 72, for 51 years a minister of the Church of Christ, and onetime Superintendent of Floyd County Schools, Tuesday, at his home on Salt Lick, near Hueysville; Mrs. Charlie Reynolds, 53, of Ligon, last Saturday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Mrs. Ed Slone, 30, of Alphoretta, Saturday, at the Martin General Hospital; Ang Collins, 28, Friday, at his home at Martin; Mac Newsome, 24, of Buckingham, Saturday, at the home of his parents; Mrs. Rhea LaGrange Flanery, 47, Monday, at the Martin General Hospital; Mrs. Nancy E. Howard, 87, of Garrett, Wednesday, at the Paintsville hospital.

March 12, 1942

Prosperity in the Eastern Kentucky coal fields is not around the mythical �corner� but is only a matter of a week or two away, was the opinion expressed here this week by observers of trends in the industry. Full operation of the National Youth Administration�s machine shop here began Wednesday, with 96 boys at work in three separate experience units...B. F. and A. B. Combs, Prestonsburg attorneys, Wednesday, purchased from S. R. Auxier, the Auxier Hotel property on First avenue here at a reported price of $18,000...Although defeated twice during the regular playing season by the Betsy Layne Bob Cats, the Prestonsburg high school Black Cats are the twice-crowned champions of Floyd County by virtue of tournament victories over the selfsame Bob Cats...An automobile battery complete with two-year guarantee, was advertised this week by Ernest Evans� Western Auto Store here at a price of $5.95...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. John Delong, of Banner, a son, Feb. 11; to Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Conley, of Auxier, a daughter, Vanda Sue...There died: Mrs. Will Rowe, 60, Saturday, at her home at Myrtle; Lewis Merritt, 89, formerly of Prestonsburg, recently in Searcy, Arkansas; Mrs. Mary Adams Stratton, 77, Friday, at her home at Ivel.

March 5, 1942

Power and telephone lines were out, and traffic virtually at a standstill, Tuesday, as a result of snow, ranging from five inches here to 22 inches in the Elkhorn City section of the valley...Contract was awarded, Tuesday, by the Floyd County Board of Education, for the construction of a nine-room grade school building at Betsy Layne. The low bid, offered by Reynolds & Gunnels, was $49,538...The Big Sandy-Elkhorn Mining Institute elected J. T. Parker, superintendent of Inland Steel�s mines at Wheelwright, its president at the annual meeting at Pikeville, last Friday night...The Kiwanis Club honored coach Joe Taylor Hyden and his Prestonsburg High School basketball team last Friday night...There died: Frank Ellis, 62, at his home here, Friday; Sam Jarrell, 78, Feb. 26, at his home at Emma; Joel Martin, 63, of Drift, Tuesday, of a heart seizure at a Martin hospital; Mrs. Susan V. Laukon, 85, of Catlettsburg, Sunday; Mrs. George Owsley, of Garrett, Thursday, at a Martin hospital; Nannie Tackett Damron, 87, Saturday, at the Langley home of her son, Abel Tackett.

March 5, 1942

The entire upper Big Sandy river section was in black-out for hours, communication systems were disrupted and passenger traffic except by train was at a virtual standstill, Tuesday, as a result of a snowfall ranging from five inches here to 22 inches in the upper reaches of the valley...Contract was awarded, Tuesday, by the Floyd County Board of Education to Reynolds & Gunnells on the constructon of a nine-room grade school building and auditorium at Betsy Layne...Requests that all public school superintendents prepare estimates of the number of persons expected to register March 17-20 for the nation-wide sugar rationing program have been sent out by State Superintendent of Public Instruction John W. Booker...Paying rent? Well, if you�re in Floyd County, you�re paying only half as much as Mr. Average Kentuckian, according to Census Bureau figures...There died: Bee Castle, 32, Saturday, at Stumbo Memorial Hospital, five hours after being crushed beneath a two-ton rock in a country coal bank near his home at Salt Lick; Mrs. George Owsley, of Garrett, last Thursday, at the Martin General Hospital; Mrs. Lucy McNeer, 56, of East Point, Wednesday, at the Paintsville Clinic; Joel Martin, 63, of Drift, Tuesday, at the Martin General Hospital; Sam Jarrell, 78, Feb. 26, at his home at Emma; Frank A. Ellis, 62, Friday, at his home here.

February 26, 1942

Members of the Floyd County rationing board said here this week, that the county�s truck and tire quota is insufficient to the needs of motorists whose cars and trucks are essential to industrial and other necessary activities...Floyd County draft board officials this week expressed belief that the new ruling providing for induction of selectees on the same day they are given their physical examination will not apply to the approximately 100 who have been notified to appear here, Monday, to be taken to Huntington, W. Va., for final examination preparatory to beginning military service...A.C.P. committeemen, Smith-Hughes teachers, Farm Security administration supervisors, county farm and home agents, and members of Homemakers� clubs of four counties of this section, attended the district Food-for-Victory meeting held at the Prestonsburg grade school, Thursday, last week...In the community news from Hippo this week, a fairly complex car swap deal was reported. The transactions follow: �E.C. Moore bought a Pontiac from Herb Paul, then swapped it to C.P. Ousley for a Plymouth. Mr. Moore had previously sold Mr. Ousley a Ford truck. Grover Ousley now has the truck and is using it to drive to the Warco compressor station.�...There died: Charles Baldridge, 68, Friday, at his home on Little Paint; Dr. Carl L. Prichard, 71, veteran eastern Kentucky physician, Saturday, at his home at Harold; Thomas Hall, 76, last Thursday, at his home at Myrtle; Edith Derossett, 19, of Dwale, Monday, at Martin General Hospital, as the result of injuries suffered in an auto wreck, Feb. 13; Flora Agnes Harris, 42, native of Cow Creek, Sunday, at the Paintsville Hospital; J.D. Collins, 24, of Wayland, last Wednesday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Beatrice Boyd, 33, Sunday, at Dana; Whitt Chaffins, 32, Saturday, at his home at West Garrett.

February 19, 1942

Incomplete returns from Floyd�s first war-time draft, since the outbreak of present hostilities showed that apparently 2,900 men between the ages of 20 and 45 years registered in this county, Monday...Full operation of the NYA master machine shop here on a 24-hour schedule will be begun next week, Richard Quillen, project superintendent said Wednesday...Two Floyd County Times newsboys Billy Turner and Frank Prater, were injured when struck by an automobile Thursday, last week on the Mayo Trail...General merchandise store of Magistrate Glenn Burchett on Cow Creek was destroyed by fire, Monday night, at an estimated loss of $6,000...Mrs. H. C. Francis, Prestonsburg, is in receipt of information from the State Department, Washington, reassuring her of the safety of her daughter, Miss Lydia Mae Francis, secretary to the American consul-general at Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China...There died: �Aunt Viney� Sizemore Collinsworth, 77, Saturday, at the home of a son here; James Hammond, 73, Tuesday, at home on Bull Creek; Raymond Hagans, 21, Saturday, at home at Maytown.

February 12, 1942

The total expenditure on Floyd county roads to be constructed this year by the Works Progress Administration jumped to $260,879 this week as three additional work projects were announced...County Superintendent Town Hall was authorized by the County Board of Education at its recent meeting to accept bids March 3 on construction of a grade school building at Betsy Layne and to receive prices on a maximum of six new school buses...Two carloads of wire, enough to string 70 to 75 miles of line, were received last week by the Big Sandy Rural Electric Cooperative here, and work this week was under way toward further electrification of rural communities in Floyd, Pike, Johnson and Martin counties...Floyd county�s suicide rate last year was almost as high as that of homicides, the vital statistics department of the recently-released annual report of the Floyd County Health Department shows. There were nine homicides and six suicides, according to the report...Saturday evening�s defense rally held at the grade school here stressed the buying of Defense Bonds and Stamps, saving of old postage stamps, old tin or lead tubes in which toothpaste and other household commodities are contained and support of the Victory Book Drive. �Save, Simplify, and Substitute� was suggested as a slogan for Floyd county...There died: James B. Jones, 87, Thursday, at his home here; Windon A. (Sand Rock) Harris, 42-year-old Drift miner, last Thursday, of skull injuries suffered after being assaulted and struck by a cue stick; J. C. Newberry, 78, formerly of Martin, Sunday, at Kenova, W. Va.; Robert Gibson, 74, native of Floyd county, Feb. 4 in Pike county; Mrs. Otta Tackett, 21, of Drift, Wednesday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Mrs. Helen Salyers Minix, 73, formerly of West Prestonsburg, Jan. 23, at Greenup.

February 5, 1942

A budget to cover expected expenditures of $14,920 this year was adopted by the Prestonsburg City Council at its Monday night meeting...Floyd County officers, Tuesday, were without a clue to the looting Saturday night of the Goose Creek Mining Company�s store, near Bosco, of merchandise valued at $600...Continuance of construction of the Turkey Creek road, a distance of 2.22 miles, was assured, with the announcement last week, that grade, drain and surface work for this distance has been approved by the Works Progress Administration...A petition filed in the Floyd Circuit Court, Monday, by Charles Moore and 100 other McDowell citizens asks that the corporation of the town be dissolved...Saturday night highlighted this year�s local sports calendar as, for the first time in 11 years, the Prestonsburg High School basketball team defeated the Inez Indians, instead of humbly submitting to the usual �scalping� so customarily handed out to Inez opponents...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Otto Frazier, of Martin, a son, born last week; Mr. and Mrs. James Setser, of Martin, a daughter, last Wednesday; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Harrison, of Martin, a daughter, Sunday...There died: John B. Stephens, 66, Monday, at his home at Allen; Pvt. Russell Robinson, of the U.S. Army, last Thursday, in Trinidad; George Frederick Gore, 32, Friday, at Estill; Mrs. Poppie Shepherd, 74, Saturday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin.

January 29, 1942

Suspected of blasting a 16-inch pipeline, which supplied gas to a plant engaged in defense work, two Little Paint men faced probable federal prosecution after the grand jury of the Floyd Circuit Court failed, Wednesday, to vote an indictment against them...Ray �Fuzzy� Lewis, 20-year-old Weeksbury miner was fatally wounded, Saturday night, as a tragic climax to a party at the home of a neighbor...How every individual may assist in the conservation of products that can be re-used, and the methods of helping local defense committees and all other organizations formed in the cause of national defense�all this will be explained at a giant defense rally to be held February 7 in the auditorium of the Prestonsburg Grade School, it was announced this week... Although returning only three indictments alleging roadhouse regulation violations, the grand jury of the Floyd Circuit Court stated in its final report upon adjournment Wednesday, that, �we have noted that most of the felonies were at or near roadhouses or places of public entertainment�...There died: Amos F. Conley, 68, last Wednesday at his home at Tram; Henry Baldridge, 76, January 20, at his home at Bonanza; Mrs. Sophia Nesbitt Brown, 69, Sunday, at her home here; Mrs. Mary Ann Hicks, 47, Sunday, at her home on Brush Creek; Marion B. Wellman, 66, formerly of Garrett, January 18, at South Bend, Ind.; Samuel Robinson, 69, January 17, at his home at East Point.

January 22, 1942

Work on the final survey of the Big Sandy River will begin early next spring. Congressman A.J. May this week wired The Times after the War Department approved this further step toward canalization of the waterway...The need for increased emphasis on larger yields and the growing of better crops to provide more feed for livestock which would mean more food for the Floyd County Food for Victory campaign, was stressed as 45 volunteer leaders gathered in an all-day meeting, Tuesday...A blazing gas well this week destroyed the drilling rig of D. C. Stephens, Prestonsburg man, at an estimated loss of $5,000...Floyd County�s American Council, organized for defense work, will hold its next meeting Saturday evening at Odd Fellows� Hall here, it has been announced...A full course dinner was offered this week at the Auxier Hotel for 50 cents!...There died: George Music, 67, of the Auxier Road, Monday, in a car wreck near Mesa, Arizona; Lee Leslie, 77, Wednesday, at his home at Emma; Carrie Davidson, 14, Wednesday, at Stumbo Memorial Hospital; Mrs. Polly Combs, 56, of Bypro, last Thursday, at Martin.

January 15, 1942

Irene Cole Memorial Baptist Church at the corner of Court Street and the Mayo Trail was left in ruins by a fire which broke out Sunday, shortly before the evening service was scheduled to begin. The loss was placed at $25,000 by the pastor, the Rev. J. Campbell Jeffries...Fire also destroyed the old Marrs residence on First Avenue three days earlier. The building was occupied by the Big Sandy REA office...John W. Harris, 95, who died Friday at his home on Brandy Keg, was the last surviving Floyd county veteran of the Civil War. He was a veteran of the Confederate Army...Floyd county high school principals ended the keen competition that rises annually over the selection of a site for the district basketball tournament by voting to rotate the tourney among the county�s high schools. This year�s tourney will be held at Betsy Layne...County farmers are in dead earnest about the �Food for Defense� program. Last Thursday, when the temperature was 2 below, 26 of them came here, some traveling almost 40 miles, to pledge the production of 403,000 dozen eggs on their farms this year...There died: Charles Oppenheimer, 76, former merchant here, Monday at the Prestonsburg General Hospital; Curtis Newsome, 21, of McDowell, Sunday at a Martin hospital of an accidental gunshot wound; Grayden (Hob) Allen, 36, victim last Wednesday of a slatefall in a mine of the Sampson Elkhorn Coal Co. at Drift; Sylvan Reitz, 56, last Thursday at his home at Drift of a heart attack; Mrs. Katherine Lykens, 85, Saturday at her home at Hunter; Wilburn Hale, 20, of Gunlock, Magoffin County, last Wednesday at Stumbo Memorial Hospital, Lackey; Gilbert Martin, 78, of Mousie, Knott County, Monday at the Lackey Hospital; Mrs. Draxie Stafford, 47, Saturday at Betsy Layne.

December 18, 1941

Floyd County farmers are among the first in Kentucky to report that they are ready and willing, not only to meet but to exceed, the increased production asked of them in the Food-for-Defense program...Floyd County this week moved to set up its own Civilian Defense forces as further evidences that �it can happen here� became more manifest...Two of Floyd County�s heaviest gas strikes in years are reported this week from the Maxon formation...With the arrival Wednesday, of steel for construction of the Nation Youth Administration machine shop here, and six truck-loads of machinery with which the shop will be equipped, it was predicted that actual training of youths in handling precision machinery such as is used in defense plants may be underway next month...Screening examinations for 83 Floyd Countians for possible army service will be conducted by Floyd County physicians Monday, December 22...All Prestonsburg churches will take part in the White Christmas service to be held Sunday evening at the Methodist Church...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Lafferty here on December 7, a son, their second, Earl Ray...There died: Robert Graham Harris, 57, prominent Texas insurance man and native of Prestonsburg, last Thursday in an El Paso hospital; Glenn Homer Burke, 26, of Wayland, of injuries received in an auto accident at Lackey Saturday night; Deward Stratton, 29, of Ivel, December 10, at the home of her mother; Hulda Cole, 58, of Melvin, Saturday, victim of an auto accident in Letcher county; Bill Weddington, 32, of Mossy Bottom, Saturday, after being struck by an automobile in Pike County; Lizzie Beach Wright, 74, Sunday morning, at her home in West Prestonsburg. 

December 11, 1941

Body of George Symon, 59-year-old mine superintendent for the Stephens Elkhorn Coal Co. at Manton, was recovered Monday night. A gas explosion, about 6000 feet back in the mine, is believed to have resulted in the mine veteran�s death...In the wake of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Sunday, it was said that soldiers discharged at age 28, will return to active duty...Prestonsburg Boy Scout Commissioner Carey Burchett called upon business firms and households to preserve waste paper against the imminent national paper shortage...Utilities not financially able to employ guards for their plants were told the government will provide them protection against sabotage...A round-up of enemy aliens was being made this week. At the postoffice here, it was said that no Japanese were known to reside in Floyd County. There are a number of Italians and Germans, however...Ace Davis, 50, tooldresser in the local gas field, and a familiar figure in Prestonsburg, died at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville, of burns sustained at a gas well on Sycamore Fork of Johns Creek, Pike County...There died: Newton L. Lykins, 84, former Floyd resident, at his residence at Glasgow, Ky.; Thomas Lafferty, 40-year-old Bull Creek farmer, of peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix; Nevada George, 73, at the home of her son.

December 4, 1941

Six members of Prestonsburg City Council took office, including a woman for the first time. Taking the oath of office were: Mrs. Ethel Heinze, Burl Spurlock, Byron Nunnery, Fred G. Francis, Curtis Clark and J.H. Nunnery. Epp Lafferty was reappointed chief of police here...The Floyd County Board of Education voted to construct an eight-room grade school at Betsy Layne next year, at an estimated cost of $40,000...As a part of its new pumping plant at Dwale went into operation, the Kentucky-West Virginia Gas Company began stringing pipe for a 10-inch line to connect its Dwale and Maytown compressor stations...A U.M.W.A. representative said the union would demand refunds of any deductions from miners� pay for the three days they were absent from work last week. The miners walked out during a dispute over a closed shop contract for captive mines...Manuel Slone, 58, of Paintsville, died in an auto wreck near Maytown.

November 27, 1941

The Broadway Theater building here, with all its equipment, was destroyed by fire, Wednesday afternoon, at an estimated loss of $30,000...With the beginning of work, Tuesday, on the foundation of a machine shop here, County Judge E.P. Hill Jr. announced that a minimum of 300 youths between the ages of 18 and 24 are wanted to begin the study of national defense work as soon as the building is completed and machinery installed...Although last week�s mine shutdown temporarily handicapped the Red Cross rollcall drive in a number of Floyd County towns to the extent that new reports are lacking, in the main, Prestonsburg Red Cross workers reported that they are well on the way to attaining the community�s goal of 500 memberships...After holding the highly-favored Paintsville Tigers scoreless through the first half, Prestonsburg�s Blackcats succumbed to their traditional foe in the last period, to lose their annual Thanksgiving game, played last Thursday, at Paintsville, 12 to 6...There died: �Uncle� Jeff Blackburn, 82, Saturday, at the home of a son here; Arnold Prater, 24, of Garrett, last Thursday, following the crash of his auto near the mouth of Brush Creek; �Uncle� Dick Allen, 72, Sunday, at his home at Dana; Ellen Music, 83, November 19, at her home on Abbott Creek; James Harry Clark, 59, last Thursday, at his home at Allen; David C. Cooley, 46, Wednesday, at the home of a sister at Auxier.

November 20, 1941

Every Floyd county mine but one was idle Wednesday, two days after John L. Lewis, United Mine Workers chieftain, had declared a �captive� mine general strike...An estimated crowd of 4,000 from all walks of life, Saturday afternoon, thronged the town of Martin to pay last respects to Dr. W.L. Stumbo, former County Judge and Sheriff-elect, who died Thursday morning, last week...The Maytown Consolidated School was the first in Kentucky to effect an organization of a Junior Sportsman�s Club...Specially chartered buses will transport 125 Floyd County men to Huntington, W. Va., next Tuesday, for physical examination, preparatory to future army service...Robert D. Francis, at last Thursday�s club meeting, was elected president of the Prestonsburg Kiwanis Club for the ensuing year. Town Hall, superintendent of Floyd County schools, was chosen vice president, and J.M. Davidson was re-elected secretary...Allotments totaling $166,605 have been granted 22 Kentucky colleges to provide National Youth Administration jobs for approximately 2,000 needy students...The blindfold drive through the streets of Prestonsburg scheduled Monday afternoon by Kirma, mystery man of India was being billed as �an important epic in the annals of local the tricals, in Prestonsburg...Next Sunday, Floyd County�s Plain Song Chanters will see the breaking of ground for a building where they may pursue mountain crafts and become self-supporting, according to Mrs. Edith F. James, who organized the group four years ago...Young men between ages of 17 and 23 1/2 years who desire to avail themselves of the opportunities of the Civilian Conservation Corps, may apply at Hellier, Ky., or to the County Selecting Agent, here...There died: Gladys Marie Daniels, 29, of Prestonsburg, at the hospital, here, Saturday; Mary Layne, 85, Sunday, at her home at Betsy Layne; Samuel Tilden Conley, 42, of Ashland, formerly of Bonanza, in an Ashland hospital; Saturday; �Aunt� Kate Wireman, 66, Saturday, at her home on Abbott Creek.

November 13, 1941

The Beaver Mining Company sector of Drift, Left Beaver Creek, is the first community in Floyd County to reach its quota toward attaining the Red Cross membership of 3,075 set for Floyd County...With the exception of a break in the Democratic ranks in Magisterial District No. 2, where a Republican was elected Magistrate, the entire Democratic ticket was victorious at last week�s election...Dr. W. L. Stumbo, Floyd County�s Sheriff-elect, and one of the most powerful figures in Eastern Kentucky politics, died this morning (Thursday) at his hospital at Martin...Although accepting as Thanksgiving Day, November 20, the date proclaimed by both President Roosevelt and Governor Johnson, Superintendent Town Hall said that if any Floyd school prefers to celebrate the traditional date, November 27, it may do so with full approbation of the board...The Martin Purple Flash defeated the Hellier quintette on the local floor Friday night, 17 to 11...Prestonsburg�s Black Cats took a 64-0 shellacking by K.M.I. at Lyndon, Friday afternoon...An oil well producing 20 barrels daily is reported as having been drilled in recently by Fred F. Williams, of Garrett, on the Stanley heir lease, Mare Creek...You could buy a dress for $4.95, or an overcoat for $18.95...A full course dinner was advertised for 50 cents at the Auxier Hotel, or lunch for 25 cents at Smith�s Cafe...There died: Emily May Ratliff, sister of Congressman A.J. May, Tuesday night at Warco; Elizabeth Akers Tackett, 87, Thursday night at McDowell; Catherine Hutsinpiller, 86, Monday, in Gallipolis, O.; W. M. Vanderpool, 73, well-known West Prestonsburg man, Sunday, at his home; Elizabeth Cynthia Harmon, 84, Wednesday, at Betsy Layne.

November 6, 1941

With Magisterial District No. 1�s 17 precincts and five precincts in District 2 tabulated, a sweeping Democratic victory in Floyd County was assured at noon, Thursday...One hundred and twenty Floyd countians, in addition to the 25 to be inducted next Thursday, will be called into the military service within the next 60 days...Bucks Branch mine of the Utilities Elkhorn Coal Company, near Martin, was ready to resume full-time operation this week after production there had been brought to a standstill since Saturday as the result of a mine fire...Young Freddie Miller, of the eighth grade, spoke for the Bonanza school its welcome to approximately 100 persons who came from outside the district to attend the school�s annual Community Day program...A Homecoming crowd here Saturday afternoon, saw the Prestonsburg Black Cats, by defeating the Wheelwright football eleven, at least win the football championship of Floyd County...Although foul play was at first believed indicated, a jury empaneled by Coroner Elliott Prater, Saturday afternoon, held that Denver Harris, 20, met his death when struck by a train at a point between Buckingham and the mouth of Jack�s Creek...There died: Pvt. Banner Conn, formerly of this county, Tuesday, at Marston�s Mills, Mass., of injuries received in an auto accident; Maurice Cleveland, 20, of Glo, in an auto accident at Lackey, Monday; Lorraine Harris, 33, native of this county, in an auto accident in Ashland, last Thursday; Minta Herald Harris, 41, Sunday at her home on Cow Creek; Burnetta Newsome, three-year-old daughter of Willard and Rose Henson Newsome, of Ligon, Monday, at a Martin hospital; Harmon C. Tackett, 4, son of Mr. and Mrs. Curt Tackett, of Fed, Tuesday, at a Martin hospital.

November 30, 1941

Prestonsburg�s super-heated municipal election boiled over into the courts this week as members of the Rising Sun ticket asked the Floyd Circuit Court for an injunction to restrain two substitute election officers in Wards 1 and 2 here from serving at the polls on November 4...Capt. P. V. Kiefer, executive officer of the Huntington district, United States Engineers, said that a report on the economic feasibility of constructing a new system of dams and locks for the Big Sandy in Kentucky was forwarded, Monday, to the Ohio River Division engineer�s office at Cincinnati...An extensive search for U.S. Army deserters was being made in the county this week by federal authorities following the arrest, Wednesday, in Prestonsburg of two men accused of being deserters...Drift came back Sunday in its last game of the season to even the score with Lynch of the Eastern Kentucky League, giving the Big Sandy league representative a 2-1 margin in post-season competition with teams from the allegedly �faster� loop...The Wheelwright Maroons journeyed into the hills of southwestern Virginia, Friday afternoon, on the trail of the St. Charles elevento take the Virginians� scalps, 7-0...There died: Ballard Childers, 45, of Emma, in a rock and slate fall Friday afternoon in the Sandy Valley Coal Company mine at Water Gap; George Crum, victim of a heart attack on his 68th birthday, October 23, at his home at Cliff; Robert Lee Frazier, 76, Friday at the home at Martin of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Crisp; Isabel Burchwell, 52, at her home at Drift, Saturday, victim of an accidental gunshot wound; Gwendolyn Martin, 21, of Garrett, Friday; Bobby Coburn, 9, son of Mrs. Vic Coburn, Tuesday; Kenneth Eugene Shepherd, two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Shepherd, of West Prestonsburg, Monday.

October 23, 1941

A total of 12,000 persons attended the third annual Floyd County Fair here, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, of last week...Floyd County�s �little World Series� is over at long last�and Prestonsburg is the Big Sandy Baseball League�s 1941 champion...Harry LaViers, Paintsville, president of the Princess Elkhorn Coal Company at David, was re-elected president of the Big Sandy-Elkhorn Coal Operator�s Association last week...Except for one home run, Drift�s own Kit Stumbo matched pitch for pitch Sunday with Burpo, fireballing chattel of the Cincinnati Reds, as the Big Sandy League team met Lynch at Drift...Floyd County students enrolled at Morehead State Teachers� College are Catherine Gayle Bickford, Mae S. Francis, Tommy Bukovich, Wilson Francis, Adrian L. Hall, Alka Evelyn Hopson, Vivian Yvonne Hutchinson, Gordon Victor Moore, Winifred Mason Sturgill, Earlene Stewart, Mabel Tackett...While scores of old friends listened in the rain, last rites were said, Friday afternoon, for T.J. �Uncle Jeff� Sizemore, 99-year-old Civil War veteran, who died last Wednesday at his home on Town Branch, near here...There also died: Evoline Little, 48, of Wheelwright, in an auto accident, Sunday, near West Liberty; Rayfield Price, 54, of Weeksbury, Friday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin.

October 16, 1941

From July 1, 1935, to July 1, this year, WPA workers have built 124 miles of roads in this county, it was pointed out here this week...Floyd County coal mines led the Big Sandy division in coal shipped last month with 530,000 tons...The Mayo Trail will be completed this year in Johnson County, it is predicted...Two new typhoid cases, and one death, were reported this week in the Bypro section...There died: �Uncle� Jeff Sizemore, 99, veteran of the Union Army, Wednesday, at his home near here; William Aldridge, 73, Oct. 4, at the Stumbo Hospital, Lackey; Martin Risner, of Bypro, Saturday, at a Martin hospital; Ballan Gearheart, 66, native of Hueysville, Oct. 3, at Palisade, Colorado. 

October 9, 1941

One man was killed and five others injured, Monday afternoon, in the mine of the Payne-Baber Coal Company, Clear Creek, Melvin Osborne, 41, died instantly, and injured were Duran Hall, Anderson Moore, Wes Bryant, Zollie Bryant and Rich Ferguson...Prestonsburg and Allen citizens became �dial conscious� last Thursday night when the local telephone exchanges were converted to the dial system. During the first 24 hours, the automatic numbering device showed approximately 7,000 calls were made...A Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into the looting of the WPA lunchroom of the grade school here, Tuesday night, is expected...For information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons guilty of the fatal shooting of her husband, Noah Johnson, wealthy Halo merchant, Myra Johnson this week offered a reward...During the next three weeks, rural teacher of this county, will have an opportunity to watch critic-teachers from four Kentucky colleges at work, demonstrating their theory and practice of teaching, Palmer L. Hall, rural school supervisor, announced this week...Batting around in the fourth inning, Auxier�s B-class champions scored six runs Sunday, against Prestonsburg. A-class titlist of the Big Sandy Baseball League, and went on to defeat Prestonsburg...Prestonsburg�s Blackcats rolled over Belfry last Saturday afternoon, 28-0, for their first victory of the current football season...Coach Walter Price�s Wheelwright Maroons, in their second game of the season, last Saturday, defeated Van Lear, 20 to 0...There died: Robert Lee Cecil, 20, of Ivel, when he was thrown from a truck at Tram, Saturday night; Harris Howard, wealthy landowner and father of Atty. J.W. Howard, Prestonsburg, at his home at White Oak, Wednesday; Martha Hicks, 30, at her home at Topmost, Saturday; Martha Coburn, 77, September 26, at the home of a sister at Martin; Sarah Akers Hatfield, 68, Thursday, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Hall, at Amba.

October 2, 1941

After a court session of 45 minutes, Tuesday afternoon, Special Judge T. C. Carroll, Shepherdsville, held that the contest suit of Dr. Orris Gearheart, Martin, vs. County Judge E.P. Hill, Democratic nominee for re-election, was unsupported by evidence...The man named by Mrs. Noah Johnson as the ambush-slayer of her husband on Jack�s Creek, last week, remained a fugitive this week, and the case remained to officials an unsolved mystery as circumstances pointing to the possible guilt of others were uncovered...More than 50 Betsy Layne citizens, including members of the town�s four Sunday Schools, signed a protest, filed Tuesday, with the Floyd County Court against the granting of a license or permit to any person to dispense alcohol in the community...Mr. and Mrs. �Ad� Topperwein, representing the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, are labeled �the world�s greated shooting team,� and will appear at the Floyd County Fish and Game Club�s annual fish fry at the Beaver Valley Golf Course, Allen...National Youth Adminitration jobs will enable approximately 120 youths in Floyd County to continue their education during the 1941-42 school year, it was announced this week...There died: P. H. Allen, 44, of Prestonsburg, last Thursday, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; E. C. (Con) Cheek, 72, Wheelwright peace officer, Tuesday, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; Carl Edward Hamilton, 23, of Melvin, Sunday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin.

September 25, 1941

A shot from a high-powered rifle, fired early Tuesday morning, from the hillside facing his store at Halo, Jack�s Creek, resulted in the death, Wednesday morning, of Noah Johnson, 28, prominent Jack�s Creek merchant and assistant postmaster at Halo...The new dial telephone system for Prestonsburg and Allen will be placed in service at midnight, October 1, after several months� preparation by crews of the Southern Bell Telephone Company and the Western Electric Company...Enrolled in all schools of Floyd County, this year, are 13,106 students, a total slightly below that of last year...Body of Joe Carr, 32-year-old Allen man, was found early Tuesday morning on the railway tracks, a short distance above the highway bridge across the Big Sandy at Allen; and early the following day Raymond Boyd, 23, of Emma, was found unconscious on the highway near that community, where the wheels of at least one vehicle are known to have crossed his body. Boyd later died. Married: The marriage of Miss Marie Prater and Mr. James E. Goble was beautifully solemnzed on Friday afternoon, September 19, at the home of the officiating minister, the Rev. A. C. Harlowe, of the Baptist Church...There died: Mart V. Allen, 49, Floyd County native, last Thursday, at a Harlan hospital; Jasper Bryant, 33, formerly of Ligon, Saturday, in Pike County; Finley Roberts, 39, Martin barber, last Thursday at the home of his mother at Martin; J. G. Hinkle, 60, Tuesday evening, at the home of a son at Martin.

September 11, 1941

Although practically every other county in Eastern Kentucky has a teacher shortage, it was said at the office of County Superintendent Town Hall here this week, that Floyd county�s supply of teachers is adequate to the Floyd system�s needs, with a few to spare...W.A. Toney, Floyd County�s WPA superintendent, said here Monday, that four new road projects, cost of which will aggregate $226,570, and construction of which will call for the employment of approximately 400 men, have already been started, or will be begun in the next three weeks...James Monroe Bowling, 33-year-old motor brakeman for the Inland Steel Corporation at Wheelwright, was killed, Saturday afternoon, when struck by a fall of slate...Although Prestonsburg high school�s senior band has 15 members, only 10 instruments are available for their use, it was said this week...Coming to the Martin Theatre, September 21, in person�Ken Maynard, and his Lone Star Rangers, and his wonder horse, Tarzan...There died: Matilda Newsome, 43, of Melvin, Sunday; Calvin Jones, 100-year-old Confederate Army veteran, formerly of this county, recently in Boyd County.

September 4, 1941

Three of 44 indictments voted by the grand jury which adjourned here last week name four Floyd men on murder charges..Circuit Judge Henry Stephens Jr., last week instructed the grand jury to make a full probe of the August primary election...Tom Raney, District 30, UMWA president, has said that if a new mine contract is not signed soon, a strike will be called...Former Circuit Judge A.T. Patrick will be honored at the third annual Patrick family reunion to be held September 13-14, at Salyersville...R.R. Allen, county auditor, told the fiscal court at its recent meeting that the county could save enough money to maintain a hospital of its own and employ a county physician for the treatment of the needy, if the court would let hospitalization and treatment on competitive bids...The David Woman�s Club, organized Aug. 29, at the home of Mrs. Russell Harman, is the newest club in the Seventh KFWC district...There died: George Burchett, 47, World War I veteran, Sunday, at Veterans� Hospital, Huntington, W. Va.; John, 18-year-old son of Frank Clarke, veteran Lackey peace officer, Saturday, in an auto wreck near Hindman; Celia Lacy Howard, 78, wife of Harris Howard, well-known Morgan landowner, and mother of J.W. Howard, Prestonsburg attorney, Saturday, at her home at White Oak, Morgan County; Lizzie Bradford, 47, of Blue River, Saturday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital.

August 28, 1941

The Jones Fork Mining Co., which recently acquired ownership of Mine No. 3 of the Central Elkhorn Coal Co. on Jones Fork, will resume operation of the mine next week...Approximately 700 men began work last week on the 16-inch pipe line from Kentucky West Virginia Gas Company�s compressor station at Dwale to upper Johns Creek...Troy Hall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Riley Hall, of Allen, sustained a skull fracture Friday, when hit by a wheel at a Ligon coal mine...The marker erected on the courthouse grounds by members of Greenville Davidson Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, was unveiled recently...There died: J. D. Hatfield, 55, well-known Wheelwright merchant, Tuesday, at the Stumbo Hospital, Lackey; Anna Virginia Cooley, 57, last Friday, and on the following day her 72-year-old brother, James Slone; Thurose Zanzonico, 9, of Wayland, a victim Tuesday, of measles; Barbara Ann Nelson, 6, Sunday, at the Dwale home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Nelson; Lyda Winger Grantman, 40, sister of Mrs. Arthur Blackburn, Friday, in an auto accident, at Springfield, Ohio.

August 21, 1941

Contest suits filed in the Floyd Circuit Court by defeated Democratic candidates in the August primary, charge that their victorious opponents, and other candidates who ran ahead of them, are guilty of committing a variety of crimes including bribery and operation of the �chain ballot�...The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company�s newest passenger train service began at 2:30 Monday morning, connecting West Prestonsburg and David...Of the 14 murder cases on the Floyd Circuit Court�s docket for the term beginning Monday, Sept. 1, four are not officially �before the court,� being fugitives...There died: Harry Privett, 72, of Lancer, August 8, at Lexington; Luther Hays, 56, of Wayland, Monday, at Lackey; Milton Slone, 38, Monday, at his home at Dema; Mary Ellen Tackett, 59, of Estill, Saturday, at the Stumbo Hospital, Lackey; Malissa Travis Charles, 58, recently, at the home of a daughter at Emma.

August 14, 1941

The $267,508 allocated to Floyd County by the Works Progress Administration will be spent during the current fiscal year on the construction of highways and bridges, W. A. Toney, Floyd County WPA construction supervisor, said Tuesday, in announcing five projects as ready for work...Even if the action was not so fast as that flashed by their Democratic brethren, Floyd County�s Republican candidates supplied the primary election thrills in the matter of driving finishes, none of three major GOP winners emerging with leads of more than 75 votes...Illness of Miss Alafair Flanery, 43, at Martin, marks the first appearance in Floyd County of the dread Rocky Mountain spotted fever...With five of her six sons enlisted in the nation�s armed forces, and the sixth an instructor in a national defense course, Mrs. Julia Hicks Bailey, 56, of Hippo, is nominated for the title of Floyd County�s National Defense Mother...Sewing for Bundles for Britain, sponsored here by the Red Cross, has been suspended during the last three weeks, because of hot weather, but will be resumed, August 20, with the gathering at the Presbyterian Church...There died: James E. Fannin, 34-year-old McDowell motor brakeman, Friday, when his head came into contact with an electric wire inside the mines of the Edgemont Fuel Company, McDowell; Rosa McSurley, 76, Tuesday, at her home at Emma; Francis Harmon, 33, native of Little Paint, Saturday, while at work at Jefferys, W. Va.; Icie Moore, 19, Friday, at her home at Wayland of tuberculosis; Carl Martin, Floyd County native, Saturday, in an automobile wreck in Indiana.

August 7, 1941

Another hectic Democratic primary last week resulted in the following nominations: Jerry Fonce Howell for Representative, Edward P. Hill for County Judge; Woodrow Burchett for County Attorney; A. B. Meade for County Clerk; Dr. W.L. Stumbo for Sheriff; Guy Horn for Jailer; and Clive Akers for Tax Commissioner. Farmer Halbert, son of Jailer Will Halbert, suffered a skull fracture Saturday when struck with a hammer wielded by a jail inmate whose name was listed as Joe Hill who is being held for trial on a charge of slaying Henry Hale of Dwale. James Halbert, grandson of Jailer Halbert, also was struck by Hall but his injuries were minor. There died: Rhoda Mayo, 80, Aug. 2, at the Martin home of her daughter, W.J. Reynolds; Nancy Wallace, 81, last Wednesday, at Estill; May Moore, 33, of Orkney, last Wednesday; Victoria Adkins, 40, of Galveston, July 31, at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Casey Jones, 27, of Martin, July 31, when hit by a mine car inside a Utility Elkhorn mine; Stafford Gibson, of Tram, when hit last Saturday by a train near the Betsy Layne depot; Noretta Spurlock, 5, of Printer, July 29 at a Martin hospital, of measles.

July 31, 1941

During the first six months of 1941, 372 workmen were injured, nine fatally, in, and around mines of the Big Sandy-Elkhorn field...Arrangements are practically complete for the free clinic planned by the Kentucky Crippled Children Commission to examine physically handicapped children in Floyd and three other nearby counties...�The Inlanders,� Wheelwright�s new dance band, will be presented to music lovers at the Grove, near Pikeville, Saturday, August 2...A complete seven-day, rail-ocean cruise tour was advertised this week by the Chessie System for $55.20, all expenses paid...Born: A daughter, Tennessee Adkins, to Mr. and Mrs. Adkins of Dinwood, July 26; to Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Osborne, of Eastern, twins, a son and daughter...There died: Hampton Rice, 16-year-old Martin High School junior, and outstanding athlete, Monday, at Martin General Hospital, of typhoid; the Rev. John Joseph, 89, Monday night, at the home of a daughter at West Prestonsburg; Mrs. J. J. Mosley, of Fed, Saturday at the Martin General Hospital; Ella Akers, 23, Tuesday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Fanny Conley, 68, of Lackey, Saturday, at the Stumbo Memorial Hospital; Lula Belle Parker, 37, of Drift, July 24, at the Beaver Valley Hospital.

July 24, 1941

Circuit Judge Henry Stephens Jr., this week, in printed circulars, issued a warning to candidates, election workers, voters and election officers that a special session of the grand jury of the Floyd Circuit Court will be empaneled to investigate any irregularities at the polls during the August primary...A large crowd attended the all-day meeting of the Floyd County Fish and Game Club at Warco, Sunday...Floyd County�s largest single contribution to the nation�s armed forces is composed of 46 men, who will leave here Thursday morning, July 31, for the Huntington, West Virginia, induction center...Clyde C. Carter, 49-year-old Northern taxi driver, was instantly killed, and eight other persons were injured, Saturday night, when his taxi and a truck collided...There died: David Moran, 58, at his home at Martin, Saturday; Epp Henderson, 69, of Fed, Saturday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Pvt. Lawrence Porter, 27, formerly of Allen, was found dead early Friday morning, near Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana

July 17, 1941

Floyd Post, American Legion, will meet, Saturday night, at the courthouse here in a special session to formulate plans for the observance in Floyd County of National Aluminum Week, July 21-26, W. I. Meyers, post Commander, announced Wednesday...With the arrival, Wednesday, of a transformer for the substation located on the Branham farm, near here, electrification of not less than 150 homes located on the first power line constructed in this section by the Rural Electrification Administration will be affected not later than next week...One hundred seventy-five Floyd County boys, aged 17 to 23 1/2 years, will be enrolled in the C.C.C. during July...Completion of purchase of right-of-way for the Left Fork of Middle Creek road to the new mining center on Lick Fork was affected this week...Appearing on the stage of the Broadway Theatre here were A. P., Sarah and Maybelle, the original Carter Family, and as an added attraction, Uncle Henry, Sally, and the Coon Hunter...At the Abigail Theatre, Wallace Beery and Marjorie Main were appearing in �Barnacle Bill,� and at the Patty Theatre, you could see the Dead End Kids in �Pride of the Bowery�...A 12-oz. bottle of Pepsi cost 5 cents; lunch at Smith�s Cafe cost 25 cents, and you could buy a used 1940 Ford pick-up truck for $425...There died: Norvel �Nig� Patrick, 25, of West Prestonsburg, fatally wounded at Paintsville, Sunday; Joseph Slone, 37, killed in a slatefall at Wayland, Tuesday; William Smith, 75, at his home at Martin, July 9.

July 10, 1941

On the Floyd County crime front this week, a woman was shot, another was stabbed; two men were cut and four were jailed here on robbery charges...Floyd County�s 1941 crop of candidates for office drew, Tuesday, for positions on the August primary ballot...Prestonsburg�s $114,000 indebtedness, some of which dates back to the beginning of the century, was in process of amortization this week, as the City Council voted the issuance of $78,000 worth of funding bond, which, judgment creditors have agreed, will suffice to wipe out the entire debt...Following the heavy rains of last week, the Floyd County Health Department warned residents of the county against the threat of typhoid...A one-man reign of terror ended, at least temporarily, Saturday afternoon in a gun battle with officers on Abbott mountain, near here, after which an ex-convict fled into hiding, sheriff�s deputies said...There died: Rosie Estep, 41, Wednesday at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Ira Conn, 84, Monday at Sloan; Minnie Howard Salisbury, 35, of Langley, July 3, at the Stumbo Hospital.

June 26, 1941

The Fourth of July, to be celebrated here with a program entailing an estimated expenditure of $500, is expected to attract to Prestonsburg thousands of persons from all sections of the county...Two men were killed and a third was injured in Floyd county mine tragedies this week. The dead are Arthur E. Rushbrook, 53, Wayland, and James Cecil Webb, 23, of Ligon. Foster Brewer was injured but is reported recovering...As names of the 32 Floyd Countians to be inducted into military service, June 30, were announced this week, word came that another call for 29 more selectees may be made between July 10 and 20...War was declared here this week on stray dogs in an effort by officials to curb the spread of rabies...WPA projects in Kentucky�s poorer cities and counties and those of least value will be eliminated first, it was announced Friday...Big Jess Ratliff, former Wayland baseball player who recently joined the Wheelwright team, smashed a home run in the ninth inning Sunday to shatter Lynch�s hopes of victory...Prestonsburg defeated Drift in a rousing mound duel between Patton and Price, Sunday, at Drift...There died: Sam Coburn, 20, Sunday at his home here; Tan Hale, 40, of West Prestonsburg, Tuesday at the Prestonsburg General Hospital; W. K. Elliott, 78, of Pikeville, Sunday at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

June 19, 1941

The mystery-cloaked murder, Monday night, of Policeman Jerry Lee, of Garrett, was committed either in the time-renowned mountain feudist style, a shot from a mountainside, or in the modern gangster manner, by gunfire from a passing automobile, authorities held this week after an intensive probe into the case...Governor Keen Johnson�s restoration of Dr. W.L. Stumbo to rights of citizenship renders him eligible to appear on the ballot as a candidate for office at the coming election, the Court of Appeals held Friday in affirming the judgment of Special Judge W.P. Mayo, Prestonsburg, who presided at the hearing of the case in the Floyd Circuit Court...Completion of a three-story clubhouse is expected to be made by the Inland Steel Corporation at Wheelwright by August 1, at an estimated cost of $80,000, it was learned here this week. In its program of making community life at Wheelwright more attractive and enjoyable, the company has caused the organization of an eight-piece orchestra, and the company�s theater there, one of the finest in Eastern Kentucky, has been in operation several months...Seventeen Revolutionary War veterans occupy their six feet of earth in Floyd County cemeteries, research done by W.G. Africa, Prestonsburg, reveals...Lunch at Smith�s Cafe at the Bus Station here currently will cost you 25 cents!...There died: John J. Hughes, 57, Tuesday, at his home at Hippo; Carl Adkins, former Floyd County officer, Friday at Nevada, Mo.; Mrs. Ida Hager, 76, Saturday at Paintsville; Mrs. Virgie Stumbo Spencer, 48, of Minnie, Monday, at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Mrs. Malissa Sexton Reed, June 7, at her home on Salt Lick Creek; John Calhoun, 81, of Abbott Creek, June 5, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital.

June 12, 1941

Prestonsburg�s banks�The First National and The Bank Josephine�will be hosts Saturday to the annual meeting of Group Seven, Kentucky Bankers Association, which includes banking institutions of 13 eastern Kentucky counties...Organized a few weeks ago, the Prestonsburg Lions Club received its charter from the Lions International last Thursday evening, and celebrated the occasion with a banquet at the Auxier Hotel...Floyd County�s tax on whiskey and beer for the next fiscal year was fixed by the fiscal court in special session here Monday. The license for whiskey dealers was placed at $100 a year; beer license, at $20...Drift remained in a tie with Prestonsburg for first place in the Big Sandy league baseball standings by staging a seven-run uprising in the seventh Sunday, to defeat Clear Creek, 8-2...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Reed, of Hippo, a daughter, May 23...There died: Malinda Jane Hamilton Mellon, 93, formerly of Prestonsburg, Friday at Catlettsburg; Carl Adkins, former Floyd County officer, Friday at Nevada, Mo.; Mrs. Lee Spencer, 48, of Minnie, Monday at the Beaver Valley Hospital; John Calhoun, 81, of Abbott Creek, June 5 at Prestonsburg General hospital; Malissa Sexton Reed, 75, June 7 at her home on Salt Lick Creek.

June 5, 1941

Three hundred-ninety teachers and 23 substitute teachers were hired Tuesday by the Floyd County Board of Education for service during the coming school year in county grade and high schools...One of the 18 bullets fired in a revolver duel late Friday afternoon at Lackey between a policeman and his predecessor in office took effect, and Lackey�s 20-year-old Town Marshal, Marvin (Jack) Triplett, fell dying...A school population of 16,817�and girls aged six to 17 inclusive�will net Floyd County, on the basis of the proposed school per capita of $12.70, a total of $213,575.90...Porter Motor Company, of Prestonsburg (Phone 241-J), offered a brand new Nash four-door sedan in this week�s paper for $795...Scheduled to appear at both the Martin Theatre and the Broadway Theatre, Prestonsburg, in the next few days, �live and in person� is Cousin Emma and Her Kinfolks...There died: Mrs. Wm. Arthur Beatty, former Prestonsburg resident, May 23, at her home at Nippa; Mrs. Martha Howard, 61, Sunday, at her home at Blue River.

May 29, 1941

Ten persons were in Martin hospitals Thursday morning suffering from burns and cuts after a powder keg exploded inside Treffrey�s Service Station, partially wrecking the front of the building...Circuit Judge Henry Stephens Jr. last week predicted that a saving of around $20,000 in cost of circuit court operation in Floyd and Knott counties will have been effected when the fiscal year ends June 30...With 120 miles of power line already completed, and the electrification of approximately 420 homes awaiting the installation of a substation, the Big Sandy Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation last week awarded a contract for 114 additional miles of line construction...There died: County Attorney Forrest D. Short, 40, of a cerebral hemorrhage at Paintsville Hospital; Bill Moore, 35, of a rock and slate fall in the Elk Horn Coal Corporaton mine at Wayland; John Banks, 44, Prestonsburg carpenter; Everett H. Sowards, 49, Prestonsburg insurance man.

May 22, 1941

With the Middle Creek railroad completed and the Princess Elkhorn Coal Co. operating on a scale that places it in the front rank of Eastern Kentucky coal producers, the C. & O. Railway Co. was this week engaged in the construction of a two-track bridge across Abbott Creek at Cliff...Families of 18 former employees of the Elk Horn Coal Corp at Garrett and Wayland were evicted from the company�s houses by Sheriff Dial Salisbury and deputies. Threats of resistance to the eviction were not fulfilled...302 seniors of Floyd County high schools will receive diplomas here, Friday night...There died: Joseph William Corkill, well-known coal operator at Minnie, in Memorial Hospital, Huntington; Sarah Reffitt, 67, Sunday night, at her home near Pyramid; Ruth Hale, 43, at her home at Colie; Adam England, 32, at the home of his parents at Colie.

May 15, 1941

Preparatons for two of its major projects of the year�a Fourth of July celebration and the Floyd County fair�were begun Friday evening...The Works Progress Administration during the 5 1/2-year period from July 1, 1935 to Jan. 1, 1941, built 119 miles of highways and streets in Floyd County...Preliminary phases of the complete organization of this section in behalf of canalization of the Big Sandy River were discussed at a meeting here Monday night...Fire discovered in the store of W. J. Turner at Drift shortly after midnight, Saturday, is said to have been of incendiary origin...Reconstruction of Prestonsburg�s Third street began Monday morning with the city and state highway department co-operating in the undertaking...Fifteen-year-old Winston (Winkie) Burke, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Burke, of Prestonsburg, competing against more than 30 of the state�s best bait-casters at Lexington, Sunday, during the League of Kentucky Sportsmen�s convention, won fifth place...Dr. W. L. Stumbo presided at a meeting of Floyd County doctors at Martin Saturday, for the purpose of reorganizing the Floyd County Medical Society...There died: Reba Webb, 11, of Dwale, Saturday, at a Martin, hospital; George Vance, 32, last Thursday morning, at Lancer, W.S. Johnson, 61, of Glo, last Thursday.

May 8, 1941

Insofar as jurisdiction of the Floyd Circuit Court goes, the matter of Dr. W.L. Stumbo�s eligibility to appear on the Democratic ballot at the coming primary as a candidate for Sheriff rested, as the Times was being published, with Special Judge W.P. Mayo, Prestonsburg attorney...Elimination of what has been described as Prestonsburg�s worst nuisance and greatest health menace is seen, with Monday night�s action of the City Council in agreeing to join citizens in the construction of a sewer line from the ravine back of Friend Street, to the main city sewer beneath the highway...A parade of more than a dozen present and former officials, and their deputies, from four Eastern Kentucky counties visited the witness chair in circuit court here Friday and Saturday, to testify in behalf of the Commonwealth�s efforts to thwart claims of the Penn-Ken Gas & Oil Corporation to 300,000 acres of land in this section of the state...F.D. Ward assumed charge of the Pep Service Station at the corner of Court Street and the Mayo Trail, having purchased the business from Ex-Judge A.T. Patrick...�The Children�s Cry to Democracy,� a patriotic musical pageant written by Mrs. N. Graves Davis (Whaley), Prestonsburg, this week was in rehearsal for production under the direction of Mrs. Fanny Jarrell, of the Prestonsburg graded school faculty, at the school auditorium, Thursday evening, May 15...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Frazier, of Dinwood, a son, Monday...There died: James �Blackhawk� Shepherd, 61, Wednesday at his home on the Lick Fork of Middle Creek; Mrs. Nell D. Roberts, 43, Saturday, at her home near Emma; Walter Burchett, 69, Monday at his home at �Sang Factory,� across the river from here, of tuberculosis; Mrs. Mousie Bell Click, 64, of Banner, Saturday at the Beaver Valley Hospital.

May 1, 1941

Twenty-one carloads of foodstuffs were ordered shipped this week to Floyd County to meet the emergency created by unemployment of miners, it was announced by WPA officials. County Judge E.P. Hill said Monday that 3,334 mine families will be certified for WPA aid...Contract for the surfacing of 7.79 miles of the Left Beaver highway from Hunter to Gearheart was awarded last week to the Gay-Coleman Construction Company, and the Gorman Construction Company, on a bid of $90,000.60...Edith Fitzpatrick James and her Plain Song Chanters from Floyd County, this week are setting an attendance record at the National Folk Song Festival in Washington...County Judge E.P. Hill this week received notice from the State Tax Commission that a hearing will be held in the tax commissioner�s office, Frankfort, on a proposed blanket increase in Floyd County real estate...Installation of a laboratory in each of his two hospitals�the Beaver Valley at Martin and the Stumbo Memorial at Lackey�were announced this week by Dr. W. L. Stumbo...There died: William Thacker, of Fed, at Camp Shelby, Miss.; John Thomas MacIlray, 27, in a Wheelwright bathroom of accidental asphyxiation.

April 24, 1941

Free education extending even to the professions was announced this week as available to nine boys graduating from Floyd County high schools. This further education to be made possible by the Caney Creek Community Center...With the distribution this week of 250 quail in Floyd County, District Conservation Officer, E.R. Burke, Prestonsburg, announced that 250 more will be liberated later in the week...Prestonsburg children will have a playground this summer, complete with chutes, swings, bars and every modern equipment according to plans nearing completion by the Lions and Kiwanis Clubs...The thirty-three mines included in the Big Sandy-Elk Horn Mining Institute produced 856,382 tons of coal in March with but one fatality and 71 injuries...There is no poisonous matter such as acids or iron in the water which pours from the Elk Horn Coal Corporation�s coal washer into Right Beaver Creek, but the coal dust is detrimental to fish life, and is at times lethal...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hopson at their home here, an eight-pound daughter, Bonnie Joyce...There died: Harry D. Auxier, 64, East Point, when he was struck by a car on the Mayo Trail; William B. Calkill, at his home at Pikeville.

April 17, 1941

Floyd County�s 6000 coal miners remain idle for the third week as operators and UMWA officials differ over contract terms...Four months after work was begun on the Middle Creek railroad at West Prestonsburg, the rails reached the tipple on Lick Fork, 10 miles away, Monday...F. C. Hall was employed by the fiscal court to investigate claims filed by the Beaver Valley and Stumbo Memorial Hospitals for treatment of indigent patients...There died: Mrs. Ella Shepherd Graves, 93, of Prestonsburg, granddaughter of early English settlers; Henderson Neeley, 51, of Goodloe, victim of TB and pneumonia; Agnes Singleton, 16, of Melvin, after childbirth; Mrs. H. B. Martin, of Martin, of tuberculosis; Mrs. Emily Ratliff Prater, 60, of Brush Creek; and Ernest Hall, 35, of Melvin, in a truck wreck.

April 10, 1941

�Reduce the carrying of pistols, and you reduce murder,� Circuit Judge Henry Stephens Jr. said Monday morning in instructing the grand jury on the first day of the April circuit court term...Prestonsburg and Salyersville are within 3 1/2 miles of connection via the Middle Creek highway...Because Floyd County Board of Education tax revenues are approximately $4,500 short of what was anticipated when the 1940-41 budget was prepared, high school teachers will be asked to teach the last week of the current term without pay...This week the third quota of bundles for Britain, including 50 complete layettes, hospital gowns, operating gowns, pajamas, shirts and sweaters, were shipped from Floyd County...Fifty Floyd youths left Friday to enter Citizens Conversation Corps camps...There died: C. C. (Lum) Davis, 84, of Prestonsburg, last Thursday at Martin; Mrs. Gracie Allen, 50, April 8 at her home at Garrett; Mrs. Nancy Akers Sellards, 44, of Banner, April 1 at Martin; Mrs. Cora Osborne, 57, Tuesday at her home at Lackey; Mrs. Elsie Hobbs, 72, Tuesday at Estill; Isaac Hurd, 53, Friday at his home at Lancer.

April 3, 1941

The Packhorse Library operated in this county by the WPA was declared last week to be the best of its kind in Kentucky... Volunteers have supplied the draft call for 36 from Draft Board No. 9...Henry Hale, 23, was killed, and his fiancee, Miss Minnie Porter, 22, was wounded by gunfire as they walked home from church at Dwale last Wednesday night...Eight Floyd County farmers have sowed alfalfa this year with excellent results, County Agent S. L. Isbell said this week...Doug Hays this week published his sworn statement branding as false, reports circulated to the effect that he had withdrawn from the race for the Democratic nomination for County Judge...There died: Jay Tackett, Pike County merchant and father of Joe P. Tackett and Mrs. Charles F. Bond, of Prestonsburg, last Tuesday; Herman Bowen, 40, of Amberstdale, W. Va., Saturday night at Martin in an auto accident; Mrs. Nancy Sellards, 45, of Banner, Tuesday at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; Mrs. Sally Brown Butts, 51, Friday at the Beaver Valley Hospital.

March 27, 1941

The Kentucky West Virginia Gas Co. announced that it will soon begin construction of a $500,000 compressor station at Dwale...Big Sandy REA announces that half of its $100,000 allotment this year will be spent in Floyd County...The Sparks Brothers Bus Line announces that it will begin operation, next Monday, of a bus up Middle Creek to within a mile of the mine site on Lick Fork...Vaughan Lee McCoy, Wheelwright High School graduate is being groomed by Morehead State Teachers College to represent it in the 90-yard relays at the state swimming meet...Born: To Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Martin, of Prestonsburg, on March 16, a son, Grover Franklin...There died: Ora Davidson, 37, Drift miner, Saturday, believed to have been a train victim; Mrs. Jennie Wells Elliott, 75, Eastern Kentucky teacher for 50 years, Sunday after a long illness; Mrs. Nancy Warrens, 82, Friday at the home on Rock Fork of her daughter, Mrs. John Wes Chaffins.

March 20, 1941

Peaceful evacuation by 108 mine families of property of the Elk Horn Coal Corporation at Wayland, Garrett, and Sizemore Branch, was underway this week, after writs of forcible entry and detainer has been executed by Deputy Sheriffs Tom James and W. B. Boyd...Calls received Wednesday for 54 men from this county for military service may, for the first time since the Selective Service system was instituted last year, necessitate the sending of draftees early next month, it was held here...The school building at Ligon, scene of last summer�s gun battle in which two men attending a United Mine Workers� meeting were killed, Saturday morning was a battleground again as the local union met�but guns were not used in this latest affray. Chairs were swung in this fight, and a 40-year-old Beaver miner was severely injured...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones, Jr., of Prestonsburg, a son, March 13...There died: Samuel Stephens, 80, Sunday at his home on Bull Creek; John S. Layne, 68, of Betsy Layne, Sunday at the Prestonsburg General Hospital.

March 13, 1941

Surfacing of the entire Left Beaver highway will be done this year, County Atty. Forrest D. Short was assured recently by Thomas H. Cutler, chief engineer for the State Highway Commission...Receivers of the Elk Horn Coal Corp. this week moved to evict miners and their families from company-owned property at Wayland...B. H. Cox, owner of Valley Chevrolet Sales, last week purchased the Carter Motor Sales, Buick and Oldsmobile agency, here...Prestonsburg High School won the district basketball title at McDowell, defeating Garrett. Both teams are in the regional here this week...For the fourth consecutive year Edith F. James and her Plainsong Chanters have been invited to participate in the National Folksong Festival in Washington, D. C.; Miss Kay Hopson, of Prestonsburg, freshman at Morehead State College, has been elected queen of the college�s annual Winter Carnival by the student body...There died: James Caddo Smith, formerly of Prestonsburg, Monday at the Dakotah, W. Va. home of his son, Todd Smith; Mrs. Virginia Ford, 29, of Prestonsburg, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; Mrs. Henry Wright, 60, of Martin, Sunday at the Beaver Valley Hospital; Mrs. Carrie Belle Rice Davis, 32, Friday at the Prestonsburg General Hospital.

March 6, 1941

Construction of the Johns Creek flood control dam at Dewey, this week drew a step nearer actuality as Maj. Gen. Julian Schley, chief of U.S. Army Engineers recommended to Congress that profitable expenditure of $2,000,000 could be made in beginning construction of the dam, spillway and appurtenances...Though unconfirmed by company officials, the report persists here that when the Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company�s new building is completed here its occupancy will mark the change to the dial system in this vicinity...Re-districting of Floyd County�s Magisterial divisions was made last week, the number of districts remaining at four and the only changes made being the transfer of Johns Creek to District No. 1, and Prater Creek to District 4...Consolidation of four school districts with that of Martin and two with the Wayland school district was voted Saturday by sizable margins...Eight enrollment periods in the Citizens� Conservation Corps instead of the usual four were announced last week for 1941 by the Floyd County referral agent�s office...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Martin Jr., of Martin, a son, March 1...There died: Mrs. Hamie Jarrell, 68, Thursday at her home at Warco; John Elliott Walters, 56, last Wednesday at Betsy Layne, following an auto wreck two weeks earlier; Mrs. Harry Privett, 79, of Brandy Keg, last Thursday at the home of a daughter at Lancer; Richard C. Gray, 38, of Weeksbury, last Wednesday, the result of injuries sustained in a mine accident, last October.

February 27, 1941

Plans of the Kentucky West Virginia Gas Company provide for the completion of 90 gas wells in Floyd, Knott and Pike counties this year, a company official told THE TIMES Wednesday...Immediate help from the Works Progress Administration for approximately 250 unemployed miners at Garrett and Wayland was asked this week by the Floyd Fiscal Court...Eastern Kentucky�s oldest family in the legal profession had its day in court here Saturday. Walter Scott Harkins III, a representative of the fifth generation of Harkinses who have begun the practice of law in the Floyd Circuit Court, was formally introduced to the court by his brother, J.D. Harkins Jr. And the presiding judge was his father, J.D. Harkins, Sr., special judge during the February term of court...On the basis of games won and lost, Garrett ranks as the favorite to win the 59th district basketball tournament which starts at McDowell High School, March 6, Clive Akers, McDowell coach, said this week...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Dingus, of Martin, a son...There died: Dow Clarke, 45, Auxier miner, Saturday after being crushed beneath a slatefall in the mines of the North-East Coal Company at Auxier; Mrs. Martha Jane Lambert, 57, Feb. 17 at Wheelwright; Mrs. Mary Hatcher Butcher, 84, of Boldman, last Wednesday at Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; Mrs. Elizabeth Stumbo, 64, of Harold, last Thursday at the Beaver Valley Hospital, Martin; John Oglesby, 42, of Weeksbury, Wednesday at the Stumbo Memorial Hospital, Lackey.

February 20, 1941

Except for its Greenup County holdings, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company�s properties in Floyd County are more heavily taxed than in any other county of the state a statement issued recently shows...Condemnation of the ravine between Friend and Dingus streets here by the Floyd County Health Department as unsanitary and a threat to the public health resulted Monday in the City Council studying plans for the construction of a sanitary sewer there...Postoffice inspectors this week were investigating robbery last week of the Martin postoffice. No arrest had been made in the case Tuesday...Right-hand of 14-year-old Chester Porter, of Allen, was severed Tuesday morning when he fell from a moving coal train onto the railway tracks...Floyd County direct relief clients�approximately 3,000 of them�will receive an extra �helping� of foodstuff this month, made possible by acquisition by the fiscal court of additional warehouse space...A third American Legion Post was organized recently in Floyd County at Wheelwright...Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Chester Howard, a son, William Arthur, Feb. 13; to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Webb, of Allen, a son; to Mr. and Mrs. Cleo Akers, of Dwale, a son, Charles Earl, Friday; to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Osborne, of East Point; a daughter, Leona Marie...There died: James Woods Jr., 18, of Brainard, last Wednesday after being crushed beneath a load of telephone poles he was helping unload at Paintsville; Amos M. Fitzpatrick, 33, of Garrett, last Thursday at Lackey; and Mrs. Rebecca Whitaker, 86, of Whitaker

February 13, 1941

Forty-eight of Floyd County�s approximately 700 World War veterans registered here Saturday for service in the event that a national emergency demands their help...Two fires within a few hours caused heavy damage at Drift, Tuesday of last week. Destroyed were the home and store of Millard Blanton, and the home of Ed Mosley...Sixteen volunteers from this county will fill the call on Floyd�s draft registrants...Prestonsburg�s new fire truck arrived Thursday, a reduction in fire insurance rates will become effective...A used 1939 Chevrolet sedan was advertised for $495 and a 1940 Ford pickup was available for $445...At the Martin Theater, one could see �Son of Monte Cristo� with Joan Bennett and Louis Haywood for 10 cents...Perry�s Grocery advertised, �We Deliver�...There died: Mrs. Bess DeLong, 41, Friday at Edgar; William Thomas Loar, 74, formerly of Betsy Layne at his home in Elkhorn City last Wednesday; Mrs. Pricy Newsome, 55, at Teaberry, Friday; Mrs. Martha Ann Vanderpool, 70, at Garrett, Wednesday.

February 6, 1941

Two men are being sought in the shooting near Emma on Monday of James Belcher, 25, of Mt. Sterling, an extra force employee of the C&O Railway...Ollie B. Hall, 40, was burned to death here last Thursday morning...Construction of a mile spur track up John�s Branch, near Maytown, began last week in preparation for the opening of a new coal mine by C.D. and B.F. Reed...There died: Jim Hall, 46, of Drift, Martin Baldridge, 92, of Little Paint Creek; Myrtle Marie Crum, 15 months old, of Cracker; Mrs. J.P. Comstock, 78, of Emma; Mrs. Zoula Howard, 59, of Betsy Layne; Cecil Ousley, 29, of Risner; Mrs. Sylvia Perkins, 80, of Tram.

January 30, 1941

After returning 152 true bills, from the examination of 218 witnesses, the grand jury of the Floyd Circuit Court ended nine days of work Wednesday with a final report in which it lashed out at roadhouses and enforcement of the law in connection with their conduct... Following the adoption of a plan to subdivide the Big Sandy district of the Lonesome Pine Council, Boy Scouts of America, into four divisions, the first of a series of division organization meetings was held at the Valley Inn here, Friday evening... Floyd County�s lime program will be discussed by County Agent S. L. Isbell in a broadcast Friday noon over WLW, it was announced Monday... Garrett�s Black Devils defeated Wayland�s Wildcats, but not before staving off defeat on at least two occasions in the closing seconds of what was described as �the best tournament basketball game ever played in eastern Kentucky,� Saturday at Wayland... Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Wicker, of Martin, a son, January 25... There died: Fanny Mayo, 63, Wednesday at her home at Hite; Kate Stephens Spradlin, Sunday at her home on Abbott Creek; John Nelson Kelly, 56, Monday at Martin; Ezra Akers, 45, formerly of Printer, January 20 in Lakeland, Florida. 

January 23, 1941

Reed Brothers � B.F. and C.D. � announced Wednesday that the Turner Elkhorn Coal Co. would open a new mine at Drift by Feb. 1... Deputy Sheriff Fred E. Damron, former Floyd County magistrate, was shot and killed in a Martin restaurant Monday morning... The paintings of Reba Mayo, local artist, are featured in The Times this week... Forty-seven Floyd County youths left this week for C.C.C.. camps. The WPA has begun work on building a road on the Left Fork of Middle Creek to future mining operations on Lick Fork... Marvin Music opened a new service station Saturday on the Mayo Trail at Richmond street... Jerry Ward also has opened a dry-cleaning plant here... There died: Minnie Adkins Sturgill, 50, last Wednesday at Harold; Rose Ranier Stephens, 23, Tuesday at the Paintsville Hospital; Mrs. Andy Hamilton, 65, of Galveston, Jan. 11 at Esco, Pike County; H.P. Gearheart, 57, Floyd native, in Oklahoma City, Okla. last week; Sarah Caudill, sister of Sherman May, of Prestonsburg, Jan. 7 at her Staffordsville home.

January 16, 1941

Mayor E. P. Arnold this week filed in circuit court a suit against the city and its council, seeking to require payment of six months salary at $50 a month...The Burning Fork road from Magoffin County into Middle Creek is reported scheduled for completion...Charles A. Horne, of Harold, was elected last week to his third consecutive term as president of the Floyd County Game & Fish Protection Association...Thirty-six volunteers from this county will report Jan. 30 for military service...Dr. W.L. Stumbo filed Friday, a suit against the county to collect $8,257.50 for treatment of patients sent to his hospital by fiscal court members...There died: Roscoe C. Howard, 51, Monday at Veterans� Hospital, Huntington, W.Va.; Rhoda Reynolds Howell, 62, wife of Joe Howell, of Harold, last Thursday; Mary J. Hale Click, 58, wife of James H. Click, Jan. 11 at her home at Lancer; Pete Slavens, 66, Tuesday at his home at Garrett; Alex Thomas, 71, Dec. 30 at Mossy Bottom; John Williams, 64, Tuesday at Boldman; Mrs. H.C. Kent, 36, native of Floyd County, Sunday of this week, at Island Creek, Pike County

January 9, 1941

Of the 20 indictments returned by the grand jury of the Floyd Circuit Court at noon Wednesday, three named six Floyd County men on willful murder charges... Completion of sewer work at Martin is expected to be made without interruption as the town council recently took legal steps to authorize the project after an injunction had been granted against it... �An avalanche of western action, the dash and deviltry of mad adventure, tragedy and romance under western skies,� will be depicted by Ray �Crash� Corrigan and his western stars when they appear at the Martin Theatre on Sunday, according to an ad in The Floyd County Times. There died: Roscoe Castle, 52, of Wayland; Ester Lee Allen Martin, 40, of Allen; M Hattie Harmon, 66, of Sugarloaf; George Tuttle, 64, of Minnie; Roseanna Hamilton Hall, of Amba; and Duran Hall, 58, formerly of Floyd County.