It Happened in 1924

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 January through July issues of 1924.

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January 1924

The first jury of women used in Judge Shelton’s court was sworn in and included the following well known ladies: Mrs. J. R. Buckman, Mrs. David Buckman, Mrs. Joe Chappell, Mrs. Leon Lloyd, Mrs. Will Joyce, Mrs. Robert Foster. Two ladies had been used here for jury service several months earlier, Mrs. Hilary Hardy and Mrs. Nancy Strange.

Little Jerry Martin, while riding his tricycle on the front porch at his home on a Tuesday evening, fell from the porch and broke his right arm. Dr. Ridgway was called and set the broken bones and at last report, Little Jerry was doing nicely.

The Shepherdsville High School girls' basketball team defeated the Louisville Girls High School team recently, 18 to 9, the game being played on a large city floor. The following young ladies played on the local team: Misses Martha Hill, Johnnie Summers, Kathryn Nusz, Elizabeth Pittman, Bertha Feathers, Beulah Barrall and Iva Elliott.

Mr. C. P. J. Mooney, Managing Editor of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, was in Bullitt County the previous week, looking over his farm near Bardstown Junction, and shaking hands with his many friends. Mr. Mooney was born on the farm which he owned and had many relatives in this county.

Tom Taylor of Lebanon Junction was tried for bootlegging before a panel of women jurors, and after considerable debate the ladies could not decide, being split 3-3. Tom was tried a second time, this time with a jury of men, who likely knew him better. This time he was given a $200 fine and sentenced to 50 days in jail. Reckon he would prefer a female jury next time.

W. R. Starks, Louisville and Nashville engineer, of Lebanon Junction, stopped his train at Postenger Creek, near Gethsemane, and led a rescue party that saved the life of Jesse Brown, 12 years old, whom he saw fall through the ice while skating. E. L. Stamper, fireman and J. E. Scalf, brakeman, aided in the rescue. The trainmen continued their run of twenty miles to Lebanon Junction in their icy-wet clothes, after starting young Brown on his way home.

The Lebanon Junction High School Senior Class was composed of the following students: Pauline Harned, Lula Belle Monroe, Mona Johnson, Zella Carpenter and Edward R. Beeler.

Mrs. Albert Griffin gave a party in honor of her son, Earl. Those present were Misses Eunice Ridgway, Hazel Funk, Thelma Moore, Elizabeth Nichols, Bess and Evelyn Funk, Hazel and Nellie Merker, Jessie, Nellie and Oretha Hopewell, Mable Funk, Beatrice Ferguson and Dorris Griffin, Messrs Earl Griffin, James, Charles, and Harry Ridgway, Otto Moore, Robert Nichols, Walter Ridgway, Andrew Marcum, Orville Funk, Jack Applegate, Harold Atkisson, Rex Spencer, Roy Ferguson, Shack and Harley Ashby, and Robert and Orville Griffin. Cake, fruit and candy were served and everyone went away saying that this was one of the most delightful parties they had ever attended.

Misses Lena Patterson, Mary Stallings, Elizabeth Weller, Fay Magruder, Thelma Daugherty, Messrs John Glenn, Charles Lee Bradbury, Lynton Weller, Crumbacker Jenkins, Stanley Muir, Gabe Summers, Joe Blankenship, Thomas Trunnell and others who were attending school at different colleges spent the holidays with their relatives.

And Mrs. Christian Armstrong and Mrs. Stackhouse had closed their school at Nichols which had been a very successful one in every way. Their average daily attendance was 55 pupils which was about as large as 6 or 10 small one room schools combined scattered throughout the county.

February 1924

The ladies of Shepherdsville organized a Woman's Club with the following officers: Mrs. Sudie Means, President; Mrs. Ella Chappell, Vice-President; and Mrs.Ada Troutman, Secretary and Treasurer. Other members mentioned included Mrs. T. C. Carroll, Mrs. Collings, Mrs. Harmon and Miss Mary Dawson.

Miss Margaret Combs, the Belmont School teacher, was leaving for Lexington to enroll at the State University.

Charles Lee Bradbury and Stanley Muir led the Georgetown College basketball team to a victory over the University of Kentucky. Together they scored 16 of the team's 26 points.

Out Pleasant Grove way the Union Truck collected for market two bunches of hogs, one for Jasper Hall and the other for Strauss and Rob Hall, one cow for Jess Ridgway, five calves, two for George Armstrong, one for Mike Brumley, one for Talmage Lloyd and one of K. S. Grant. That was a full load!

The Shepherdsville High girls' team, including Martha Hill, Elizabeth Pittman, Johnnie Summers, Bertha Feather, Katherine Nusz, and Iva Elliott, easily defeated the West Point girls 62 to 2.

The local boys' team, including Hobert Roby, Robert Simmons, Pat Cruise, Paul Patterson, Charles Shaw, Gilbert Bradbury, John Wuthrich and Wassell Rogers were also victors against West Point, winning 27 to 9.

The Hebron correspondent reported that Mrs. Betty Deacon died in late January at the age of 88. She was a carpet weaver and wove many yards of rag carpet, flannel and jeans with her loom. It was estimated that in the 60 years that she followed weaving, she wove over six thousand yards of carpet, flannel and jeans. She left one daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Swearingen, three grandchildren, Louis Swearingen of Louisville, William and Miss Geneva Swearingen of this place and quite a number other near relatives and friends.

The Fiscal Court decided to help build a bridge across Rolling Fork River about a mile south of Lebanon Junction.

J. R. Zimmerman, a popular Shepherdsville attorney, moved his office over to room 3 in the new Bullitt County Bank building, and invited all his clients and friends to come by for a visit. He was also advertising for a good man to work the J. C. Holsclaw farm on Mountain Top.

The newspaper editor wrote about his "esteemed friend," Mr. Samuel A. Hornbeck who had just celebrated his 80th birthday with a splendid dinner prepared by Mrs. Letitia Wilson, his daughter, assisted by her sisters, Mrs. Mary Collings, and Miss Nannie Hornbeck.

The paper reported that the Glen Ella school district had the largest percentage of its pupils in high school of any district in Bullitt County. This district was first taught by Mrs. Ella Sweeney Pope, whose popularity there also gave it a part of her name. C. P. Bradbury, James Bradbury, Harry Combs, Forrest Weller, H. M. Trunnell, Conrad Maraman, James Hardaway and other notables were all students in that school.

Anna Lee Hill, a 7th grader, and Johnnie Cruise, an 8th grader, each wrote an essay for the newspaper extolling the benefits to be had in the new auditorium/gym being built for the Shepherdsville School.

O. G. Howerton sold his insurance business to Gabe Bealmear and Gus Swearingen who, while new men in the insurance field, were not strangers to the people of Bullitt County, where both were born and reared and where both had lived since birth. For several years, Mr. Swearingen was with Troutman Bros. where he made an enviable record. Before coming to Shepherdsville, Mr. Bealmear was engaged in stock raising and farming in the Zoneton neighborhood. He also operated a taxi for two years.

Mrs. W. C. Herps of Shepherdsville had pure bred Rhoda Island Red Roosters for sale, 6 months old, $1.50 each.

Back then Ottis Porter of Bardstown Junction would sell you a pair of good heavy horses, and if you were interested he'd also part with his farm.

Floyd S. Weller of Rural Route 3 was looking to buy a second-hand silo.

And if you needed coal, you needed to call J. E. Chappell or Lillie Thompson in Shepherdsville. They handled nothing but the best Eastern coal.

March 1924

The S.H.S. Girls' basketball team won the Fifth District tournament by defeating Glendale and Memorial High. The team was accompanied by Prof. Sanders, Manager, and Miss Beulah Lee, Coach and a fine crowd of about 75 boosters.

Then in the state tournament at Lexington they defeated Hazard 19-6, and LaGrange 22-5 before coming up a little short against a strong Georgetown team.

The team was composed of the following girls: Elizabeth Pittman and Beulah Barrall, Shepherdsville; Iva Elliott and Bertha Foster, Brooks; Johnnie Summers, Gap-in-Knob; Mary Jane Garr, Hubers; Kathryn Nusz, Bardstown Junction; and Martha Hill, Belmont. [Many of these young ladies appear in pictures found on a related page here.]

In other news, on March 7th the paper reported, "In the County Diploma examination recently held, the highest average was made by Mr. Edward Rhea Jr, a bright young student from Hebron. The second highest average was made by Elizabeth Wigginton of the same school, while several others made commendable averages and we think the following are well deserving of honorable mention: Linda Harned, Margaret Baldwin, Eugene Frick, Rena Shaw, Thelma Philpot and Harry Farmer."

Speaking of diplomas, the Sunday School teachers at Shepherdsville First Baptist were awarded Sunday School diplomas. Recipients included Mesdames Ada Ridgway, Ada Collings, W. T. Patterson, C. L. Troutwine, Inez Lee and Leon Lloyd and Miss Margaret Foster.

The Senior Bible classes of Hebron Presbyterian held their annual banquet at the manse and it was a social success in every way. The two classes, male and female, had a contest as to attendance and the previous year the men won by a large majority, so it was the women who had to furnish the entertainment.

An interesting note from the Hebron correspondent who reported that the following ladies met and outlined plans for providing for the needs of starving German children: Mrs. S. N. Brooks Sr., Mrs. Chas. McKenzie, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Harned, Miss Mary Kirk and Mrs. J. R. Holsclaw.

Closer to home, J. R. Ball cut a tree having 160 rings. About 75 years back, someone had cut into it and while healed over and overgrown with no outward trace, there remained still that weak spot that caused the tree to break there in falling.

A sage from the paper reported, "Ben Engle would like to get married, but all he likes is the chance. He thinks he has the chance, but some people don’t think he has."

Think the roads are bad now?

The Hebron reporter wrote "Wish the county could find a way to pike the Bell's Mill Road. Let's adopt the slogan, 'every road paved, every stream bridged.'"

And the Pleasant Grove correspondent wrote, "The Shepherdsville and Mt. Washington pike is in very bad condition. It is almost impassable. When trucks start out, they take mules and horses to help them over."

Earl Samuels, a local boy, was assigned as manager of the Jolly Motor Livery Corporation branch in New Orleans.

Miss Zella Carpenter, a member of the Senior class of Lebanon Junction High School, won the Lincoln Medal given by the Illinois Watch Company for the best essay on the life of Abraham Lincoln.

And out at Chapeze, J. H. Moore purchased a farm from Lon Hatfield, Maggie Warden bought a new organ, and John Worden lost a fine mule. Anyone seen that mule?

April 1924

The Mt. Washington P.T.A. reported over 70 active members. They were led by Mrs. Preston Parrish, President; Professor Otis Brown, 1st Vice President; Mrs. Charles Long, 2nd Vice President; and Mrs. Paxton Parrish, Secretary and Treasurer.

Charles Lee Bradbury, Stanley Muir and Crumbacker Jenkins returned home from Georgetown College for a brief visit.

Otis Porter advertised that he was quitting farming and selling his place about a half mile north of Bardstown Junction. Several others seemed to be doing the same thing in a time when it was getting harder and harder to make a living on a farm.

J. F. Combs' home burned, but a large number of volunteers helped to save most of the contents.

Several men were advertising stud service. O. H. Masden was offering his registered Percheron Stallion and fine jack at his barn in Shepherdsville; J. V. Ashby had a six year old black Draft Stallion housed at the fairgrounds; and W. A. Crenshaw was offering a fine young Jack at his barn near Lotus.

The Grand Jury returned more indictments than had ever been issued before in the county. Most of the cases were for whiskey hauling, selling and moonshining.

The Baptist Church in Shepherdsville reported a fine revival led by Evangelist H. S. Summers of Campbellsville who preached twice daily for twelve days. Music and singing was under direction of Professor Jack Sanders. Orchestra consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Sanders and Miss Margaret, with Misses Smith and Patterson at the piano. Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Hornbeck had the visiting Evangelist in their home. and Mrs. T. C. Carroll and Mrs. R. I. Kerr, headed the Entertainment Committee. Baptismal Service was held at Salt River, on the south side above the railroad bridge.

The seventh and eighth grades of Lebanon Junction School, with their most efficient teacher, Miss Bertha Trunnell, went on a hike Monday afternoon. After leaving town, they ascended one of the pretty knobs, made more beautiful by wild flowers, dogwoods, and red buds. At almost the very summit, a fire was made and soon bacon, weiners and marshmallow were sizzling over the burning embers. When all appetites were well satisfied, they began the descent with a heavy tread but a happy heart.

And in the "Personal" column we read, "Don't fuss, don't cuss, insure with Gabe and Gus." That's Bealmer and Swearingen, for the uninformed.

May 1924

Judge W. F. Morrow, who was back in town looking "fit as a fiddle," described being a water boy for the railroad in the 1850's when it constructed its main line from Louisville to Nashville. He drew the water from an old well which was on the Troutman Bros. store lot, with an old fashioned windlass and carried two buckets of water each trip. He received fifty cents per day and was paid every Saturday evening.

The paper printed a notice that "the contract has been let for the New Memorial and School Auditorium and as a bronze slab will be placed in this hall, we are printing a list of the Bullitt County Soldiers who lost their lives in the World War, and are calling on the relatives and friends to aid us in correcting or adding to the list any names that should be on." That memorial plaque was recovered from the gym following the fire in 1966, and is now on display in one of the History Museum's display rooms at the courthouse.

The Senior Class of Shepherdsville High School put on a comedy in three acts at the Masonic Temple. The cast included Pat Cruise, Roger Alford, Orville Jenkins, W. T. Whitman, Robert Ball, Kathryn Nusz, Mildred Hagan, Mary Jane Garr, Beatrice Moore, and Louise Shelton. The Director was Miss Lillian Crume.

The S.H.S. Junior Class gave a delightful entertainment with the following students as entertainers: Robert Jones, Hazel Dell Trunnell, Robert Wallace, Mary Tom Melton, Katherine McKinney, Clara Johnson, Eva Mae Thompson, Flossie Lynch, Russell Jenkins, Ada Bell, Franklin Armstrong, William Shaw, Hobart Roby, Ethel Mae Cochran, Hathaway Ball, Thelma Lee Welch, Annis Smith, Hattie Mae Buckman, Elizabeth Pitman and Margaret Sanders.

And the S.H.S. Sophomore class had a picnic at Myer's Camp. The party left about 8:30 and arrived at the camp about 9:30. The crowd consisted of the following: (boys) Charles Shaw, Clyde Roby, Roth Ratliff, Bill Griffin, Robert Hays Simmons, Paul Patterson, Lee Logsdon, Ham Collings, John Wuthrich, Tommy Wilson, Lavern Lloyd, Wassell Rodgers, Paul Schaefer and Maurice Tatum; (girls) Anna Rhea Combs, Evelyn Croan, Hazel Hall, Mildred Bergen, Etta Nusz, Dolly Stephen, Reba Dever, Margaret Sanders, Johnnie Summers, and Thelma Crenshaw. It was said that they all had a good time.

In Mt. Washington, a crowd of young folks enjoyed an evening of music and cards at the Biven Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Biven are very popular with the young people and the Hotel is a favorite spot of the boys and girls for loafing and chatting.

The following teachers were elected for the coming term: Shades - Sylvia Barrall, Sharp's - Mary Stallings, Sunny Side - Aldena Barrall, Mt. Elmira - Mabel Snellen, Zoneton - Mary Engle Brooks, - Mary Dawson, Mt. Washington - Beulah Lee (Assistant), Glades - Nora Bridwell, Pleasant Grove - Mildred Hagan, Victory - Lynton Weller, Clermont - Lula Cook, Beech Grove - Louise Shelton, Culver - Elizabeth Harned, and Hays - Lillie Monroe.

A fine time was had by J. R. Ball in celebration of his birthday with Thomas J. Brooks, Dr. Henry Beeler and Theodore Young joining him in a small band to provide some "sweet music."

At Pleasant Grove, Floyd Stallings got a new buggy, and J. W. Lloyd sent two cows and seven calves to market by the Proctor truck.

Among the personal notes, we read that Dee Bergen, Section Foreman at Salt River, bought a radio from Kerr Drug Co.

And the paper reported that General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing spent a week at Hubers and while there, he visited the knobs west of Brooks Station and stated he would like to buy them. Wonder how that turned out?

June 1924

W. P. Daugherty, a successful farmer of the Rolling Fork section, was sworn in as a member of the County School Board. He was considered a splendid business man and is one of the most popular men in the southern section of Bullitt County.

Mr. Schweckendieck and sons and Lee Wheeler and sons sent a fine lot of strawberries to market.

The Union Truck was busy out at Pleasant Grove picking up hogs and calves to take to the market. Robert Bridwell sent the hogs, and the calves came from Mrs. Cassell, Mrs. Lola Foster, and Lyman Hall.

Tragedy struck the Robert Ice family when their little son, Robert Jr. was struck and killed by an auto driven by Mr. Sang of Louisville. I wonder if this was the first traffic casualty in Shepherdsville?

Margaret Combs, Clay Porter, Elizabeth Weller, Mary Stallings, Virginia Foreman, Allen Welker and one or two others from the county returned home following their studies at the State University.

Elizabeth Weller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stoney Weller, graduated from the University of Kentucky with high honors.

Several well-known citizens including J. H. Boes, Nat Maraman, C. P. Bradbury, O. H. Masden, Dick Williams, and C. F. Troutman were circulating subscription blanks to help raise $9,000 as the county's part to get the state to build the Preston Street Road through the county.

Mrs. John Eckers, who had shot her husband, was acquitted in her trial before Judge Shelton who determined that it was self-defense.

The Shepherdsville Free Public Library was officially opened to the public by the Woman's Club on Saturday, June 14.

Hanging in the studio of Mr. John R. Buckman was a rattlesnake almost five feet in length, which Mr. Buckman killed on his hill farm.

Bertha Trunnell, Willie Mae Ridgway, and Willie Mae's mother returned home after spending a few weeks at French Lick Springs.

Out at Pleasant Grove, Archie Trigg purchased a five passenger car, while J. B. Proctor lost a horse in a sink hole.

The following young ladies from this county were attending Summer School at Western: Mildred Hagan, Beatrice Moore, Kathryn Nusz, Louise Shelton, Iva Elliott, Mary Jane Garr, Bessie Elliott, Mattie E. Magruder, Carolyn Hackney, Eunice Crenshaw, Roselee McKenney and others.

And E. G. Quick, Bullitt County jailer, offered $10 rewards for the return of Thomas Taylor or Harold Wolf who broke out of jail on June 10. Somebody forget to lock the door?

July 1924

James W. Croan, who was sheriff of Bullitt County from 1918-1921, was appointed Shepherdsville Police Judge by acting Governor William Perry. The paper said that “Judge Croan will do exactly what he thinks is right, and will not play any favorites. He is a just man and will decide all cases strictly on their merits. We congratulate the town on his appointment.”

By the way, Acting Governor Perry was married to Mary Jo Hagan of Chapeze. While in charge, he also made H. H. Glenn and Lee Hamilton Kentucky Colonels.

Lloyd Patterson and Pinkie Jones got married. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mack Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Patterson provided the place, and served cake and ice cream afterward. The young folks planned to stay with her folks for a spell.

H. E. Stivers and Henry Stivers got the contracts for hauling children to the Nichols Consolidated School.

Rev. Rees Northern died at his home near the Fairgrounds. He was 89.

Mrs. Eva Brown lost her leather handbag somewhere between Bert Pope’s and the Salt River. Anyone seen it?

Circuit Court was in session with the following men serving on the Grand Jury: J. M. Cundiff, Will Burns, Wathen Viers, E. F. Henderson, C. A. Barrall, Herman Mothershead, Chas. Duvall, Frank Mathis, Nick Miller, P. L. Roby, N. H. Braithwaite, and Walter Coakley.

John Weller Holsclaw took Ethel Prather as his bride. In attendance were Mattie Fort, Thomas Hackney, Mary Cynthia Holsclaw, and the Rev. W. C. Harrison who performed the ceremony.

Mrs. Sue Rogers was looking to sell a large blackberry patch. She’d also hire some pickers.

The paper reported that Rowan Snellen had died. In his early youth he assisted Hardin Holsclaw in taking flat boats to New Orleans, and later worked for the railroad.

Myron “Bud” Combs lost his battle with tuberculosis. For many years he worked at the Troutman Bros. Store, and then at the Bullitt County Bank.

And Jesse Mann killed a rattlesnake that was eight feet long, and four inches around. Boss Hagan and Walter Mann couldn’t believe their eyes!

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Copyright 2024 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.

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