Over the years, Charles Hartley has shared glimpses of what was being printed in The Pioneer News in different months and years. This page includes what was taken from the August through December issues of 1916.
Irwin Funk, Judge A. E. Funk's son, passed his bar exam and qualified to practice law in Bullitt County. Anyone need a bright young lawyer?
Guy Stansbury of Smithville made the highest score on the recent civil service exam to be a rural mail carrier. The paper said he was likely to get the job. Others who passed the test include Malcolm S. Harmon, Roy Stallings, Geo M. Martin, Leslie D. Herps, and Herbert T. Crenshaw, all of Shepherdsville.
Azariah Menloe Floyd and Nora Belle Woolridge were married down at Lebanon Junction. They planned to honeymoon at Lookout Mountain in Georgia.
Uncle Barley Hall celebrated his 78th birthday, and received about ninety birthday cards.
"Dock" Owen returned home from Bowling Green after being treated there for a dog bite. The dog was said to be rabid.
Out at Cupio, Misses Minnie and Ethel Merker spent a good Sunday with Miss Nettye Mattingly; and Misses Lula Ashby and Minerva Pendleton were guest of their cousin, Miss Christina Skinner.
Mrs. Edyth Brooks spent a Saturday with her parents Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Barrall out at Barrallton. Also Prof. Edward M. Barrall opened the Sunny Side school.
David Smith, the county livestock inspector, called for a mass meeting at the courthouse for the purpose of forming a County Live Stock Sanitary Union to combat hog cholera and other contagious live stock diseases.
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Long of Mt. Washington motored to High Grove Sunday in their new Cadillac and spent the day with her sister, Mrs. Geneva Jones.
Mrs. Al Snider and son Clarence hosted a surprise birthday party for her daughter, eight-year-old Alberta. Guests present included Mildred McClure, Garnett Smith, Emma Lee, Ella K. Gentry, Susie M. and Lilbern Parrish, Susie L. Swearingen, Levada Stout, and Edna and Naomi Meddis.
A committee was established to arrange for the Gwynn School reunion at Pitts Point. The following subcommittees were named: Program - Ella Sweeney Pope, Chairman, Mary Hornbeck Collings, Birdie Hill Dawson, and Cora Hardy Roby; transportation - J. F. Collings, Chairman, O. P. Means, Lawrence Roby, Clarence Dawson, H. H. Glenn, and Dr. S. H. Ridgway; necrology and roll call - O. W. Pearl, Chairman, Hillary Greenwell, Ben Chapeze, Dr. S. W. Bates, Ella Pope, Kate Chambers, and Ella M. Magruder; general management - Rice Lee, Chairman, C. C. Lee, Price Smith, James Greenwell, Joe Woolridge, John Hill, James. Collings, Lawrence Roby, Charles Dawson, Luther Kelley, John Woolridge, Clarence Holsclaw, Claud Barrall, and Bob Ridgway; and finance - O. W. Pearl, Ora L. Roby, Lindsay Ridgway. J. R. Zimmerman, J. W. Barrall, Ella Hays Magruder, and W. B. Gwynn. A fine collection of folks.
And James Love of Belmont offered a $5 reward for information about the whereabouts of his dog, Hunter. Hunter's half hound with white and yellow spots. Anyone seen him?
The paper reported that the Shepherdsville school was adding two new rooms, making a total of nine large rooms for a school that a few years ago had only two teachers.
The paper also reported that two weddings occurred at the recent County Fair. Herbert Lee married Eva Bailey, and Simmons Cochran married Maud Barrall.
Miss Nadine Melton, the teacher at Clermont, was just getting over a bout with typhoid fever that affected her and three of her sisters.
Mayme Stephens, who graduated from the Shepherdsville school last spring, was moving to Irvine, Kentucky to become a music teacher. The community would miss her piano playing.
The County Directory listed the following officials: Circuit Judge D. A. McCandlass, Commonwealth's Attorney Lewis Williams, Circuit Clerk V. S. Rouse, Master Commissioner J. F. Combs, County Court Judge A. E. Funk, County Attorney C. F. Bradbury, County Court Clerk Lindsay Ridgway, Jailer R. E. Lee, Sheriff W. S. Rouse, Deputy Sheriffs Calvin Rouse, Lawrence Roby, and Charles Long, County Assessor W. W. Stallings, Deputy Assessors R. H. Miller and Preston Parrish, School Superintendent O. L. Roby, Surveyor W. C. Herps, Coroner C. A. Masden, Magistrates C. R. Smith (1), W. A. Gentry (2), J. H. Bolton (3), and J. L. Kenny (4).
Miss Anna Pierce retired as assistant post mistress after fourteen years of faithful service. The paper said she would be greatly missed.
Zella Owen, the teacher at the Green Briar school invited everyone to a box pie and candy sale at the school. And Alma Forrest, the Zion School teacher announced an ice cream supper and country store at her school. Proceeds at each event helped support the schools.
The Shepherdsville Brass Band, led by Woodford Troutman, provided the music at the Gwynn school reunion at Pitts Point.
The paper reported that Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Welch entertained Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ice, Miss Beulah Welch and Emmitt Coakley of Belmont.
Bertha Trunnell, who was teaching school at Victory, was at home for the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Trunnell.
Dr. and Mrs. Bates, W. T. Lee, Mrs. Curtis Lee, C. P. Bradbury and family, O. W. Jasper and Newton Pearl and many others from Bullitt County motored to Hodgenville to see and hear President Wilson's address at the Lincoln Farm celebration.
Percy Mumford of Belmont announced that he was a candidate for county jailer.
C. C. Daugherty, Professor Jack Sanders, Willie Mae Ridgway, Dr. Bates and many other teachers and trustees attended the Gwynn School reunion.
Miss Otis Mae Porter of Bardstown Junction, who was the principal of the high school at Mt. Washington, was moving to Auburn, Iowa to become principal of the Auburn school.
W. B. Gwynn, former professor at the Gwynn school at Pitts Point, and the first editor of the Bullitt Pioneer, gave a moving speech at the school reunion. He followed it up with a very nice letter to the editor of the Pioneer News.
The paper declared that Charlie Shoptaw was an artist in and at skinning squirrels, making John Buckman look slow in comparison.
And out at Pleasant Grove someone visited Edna Hall's chicken house twice. Apparently they didn't get everything the first time.
The paper identified the members of the junior class at Shepherdsville High School: Evelyn Bates, Kathlyn Croan, Kathryn Griffin (class vice-president), W. C. Herps, Chester Hardin, C. F. Troutman Jr. (class treasurer) and Nancye Trunnell of the Shepherdsville district; Myrtle Childers, Ursa Funk (class secretary), and Muir Funk of Brooks; Myrtle Crenshaw of Cedar Grove; Aileen Swearingen of Victory; Patti Pope, Elizabeth Weller (class president), and Roy Thompson of Glen Ella; and Lillian Wiggington of Hebron. The paper later reported that Kathlyn Croan had to leave school due to health problems.
J. H. Tucker sold his blacksmith shop, along with a buggy, and two spring wagons.
Ethel Mae Cundiff and Willie T. Armstrong, a popular young Beech Grove couple were married in Louisville.
William Phelps, the oldest man in Bullitt County, celebrated his 96th birthday on October 8th. He was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Bullitt County when he was 16. He married Susan Murray in 1847.
The paper expressed heartfelt sympathy to the family of William Wolfe of Lebanon Junction who sadly met his death while on duty at the switch yard.
Miss Lena Ice and Miss Bertha Trunnell opened their schools at Beech Grove and Victory. Beech Grove school was closed for a time due to the presence of scarlet fever among the children.
Buck Hutchens of Pitts Point was locked up for failing to send his children to school in violation of the new school law.
Howard, William, and Grover Maraman, sons of the late Coroner Charles Maraman, opened up a new, up-to-date slaughter house at Salt River to offer fresh meat to the public.
Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Coleman, and sons Thomas C. Jr. and William, prepared to leave their home at the Meadows at Gap-in-Knob to spend the winter in Louisville.
The paper remarked on the big white wagon from Belmont drawn by four black horses and driven by Harve McCubbins that was seen in Shepherdsville during the school rally.
There were a lot of good spellers at the school rally including Sudie Ridgway and Virgil Mattingly (1st grade), Allard Armstrong and Helen Burks (2nd grade), Norma Ridgway and Margaret Good (3rd grade), Anna Combs and Marshall Stallings (4th grade), Flora Chaddic and Josie Garr (5th grade), Susie May Parrish and Lillian Roney (6th grade), Della Ridgway and John Hoagland (7th grade), and James Morrison and Virginia Duvall (8th grade).
Editor Barrall complained that he was having a hard time getting paper at any price. He was having to print on whatever size paper he could get.
And Embra Deacon had a good cow for sale. Any takers?
Miss Geneva Joyce, teacher at Mt. Elmira, near Brooks, married Lee Beard, of the Chappell Ridge section. Miss Birdie Hall took her place at the school.
Mrs. Fronia James entertained Misses Lillian Thompson, Nancye Trunnell and Myrtle Childers, and Messrs. Irvin Funk, Roscoe Tucker and other guests of Shepherdsville, in honor of her niece, Miss Bertha Trunnell.
Little Miss Mable Whitledge spent several days the past week with her grandmother, Mrs. Jennie Whitledge.
The Mt. Washington correspondent wrote that Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Pearl, Mrs. W. L. McGee, Misses Lulie Swearingen, Alberta McFarland, Elma McGee and Carrie Collings were among the shoppers in Louisville the previous week.
Mrs. Lydia Snellen and Miss Emma Snellen entertained a family reunion. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Snellen, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Snellen, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Snellen, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Pyles, Mr. Irving and Pleasant Snellen, Archie, Herbert and Paul Snellen, Leola and Mable Snellen also Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Ridgway and daughter, Ruth. A turkey dinner was served after which the afternoon was spent with music and taking pictures. Mr. W. E. Pyles performed on the violin and Mrs. W. E. Pyles, Misses Leola and Mabel Snellen sang several beautiful selections accompanied by Mr. W. E. Pyles on the mandolin.
A state-wide vital statistics report for the month of September 1916 showed that more children under the age of five to die that month and the number over 65 years. Tuberculosis was by far and away the worst cause of deaths. Other major causes included pneumonia, typhoid fever, cancer, and violence.
The S.H.S. baseball team closed its season with two victories, defeating Boston 6-1, and L.J. 12-3.
Professor and Mrs. Sanders welcomed a new baby girl into their home. They named her Elizabeth.
The paper reported that Commissioner of Public Roads, Rodman Wiley, asked motorist to employ the whole width of the roads, instead of driving in one track, causing ruts, which is the most difficult form of road wear to repair.
Shepherdsville's first intercollegiate indoor track meet was held in the school gymnasium. All young people of Shepherdsville and surrounding country twelve or over were eligible to compete. Captains of the teams were Nancy Trunnell, Laura Daniels, Buren Hardin and Chester Hardin. Officials were Dr. Ridgway, Dr. Bates, Otis Russell, Herbert Glen, and Jimmie Lee Williams. Score keepers were Lindsay Ridgway and Prof. Sanders. P. H. Ryan was the official starter.
In reports for local banks, we learned that at the Peoples Bank in Shepheredsville, R. L. Simmons was President, J. L. Williams, Assistant Cashier. and J. W. Hardaway, Notary Public. At the Peoples Bank, Mt. Washington, Bert Hall was President, H. B. McGee, Assistant Cashier, and W. M. McGee, Notary Public. And at the Bullitt County Bank, J. F. Combs was President, H. H. Combs, Cashier. and T. C. Carroll, Notary Public.
And the Cupio correspondent reminded everybody to "go to the polls and vote for Woodrow Wilson."
C. C. Daugherty moved his family to Shepherdsville in order to educate his children and his coming probably caused a vacancy on the County School Board, a place he had filled well since the resignation of the late William Foster some years ago.
Brooks Tyler, of the Hebron School, got his leg broken recently by a fall from a colt he was riding.
One of the very best schools to be found in the state was in progress at Sugar Valley in this county on the Bardstown Pike near Smithville. Many of the leading families of Nelson and Spencer were sending their children there and the attendance was over 95 per cent of the enrollment for the month.
Miss Henrietta Bailey had to dismiss her school on account of a sore throat.
Miss Lounetta Stansbury and friend were guests of Miss Paralee Scott on a Sunday.
Fire destroyed the saw mill which had been set on the Kranz farm for some time and which was the property of Mr. Miller, of Buechel. The mill was a total loss and the fire spread, destroying two large stacks of hay and a lot of fence for Mr. Kranz and a stack of hay for Frank Bell.
Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Herps Sr entertained Messrs Jimmie Lee Williams, James Hardaway and J. R. Zimmerman at dinner one evening.
Miss Ruth Van Meter had been on the sick list for a few days and her place in the graded school here had been ably filled by Miss Willie May Ridgway, regular substitute for ths county.
Miss Tea Hays, principal of the Belmont School, had recently moved to Louisville and was now coming out every morning on the early train.
Misses Nancy Trunnell, of Shepherdsville, and Myrtle Childress, of Brooks, Messrs Irwin Funk and Frank Lewis spent the week end with Miss Bertha Trunnell in the home of Miss Frona James.
Uncle Charlie Ridgway was ill with laryngitis.
What was generally considered the best event ever given in Shepherdsville was the musical entertainment given at the Masonic Hall here under the auspices of Prof. Sanders and his school by four young ladies from the Louisville Conservatory of Music.
And in letters to Santa, Cora Snellen wrote, "I want you to bring me a big doll, a buggy, a set of dishes, and lots of good things to eat and don’t forget my teacher, Miss Peachy Thompson.
Elnora Bridwell wrote, "I am a wee little girl of six, and will you please bring me a doll and some peanuts and everything good to eat?"
And Wallace Armstrong boldly wrote, "I know you are good to wee boys like me and will you bring me a gun, some candy and oranges?"
Copyright 2018 by Charles Hartley, Shepherdsville KY. All rights are reserved. No part of the content of this page may be included in any format in any place without the written permission of the copyright holder.
The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 13 Jan 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/happened/1916.html
