Looking Back 100 Years

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Welcome to this special edition of my monthly "It Happened" articles. Today we will look back a century to January 1926, a month in a year I've never visited before, to see what The Pioneer News reported in both local news and gossip. As you read this, try counting the number of names with which you are familiar.

The front page of the January 1 issue was dotted with death notices, reminding us that the holidays don't always bring happiness and good cheer. Of these reports, John Dewhurst, age 94, died at the home of his niece Mrs. A. O. Smith near Hebron. He was born in England, but had lived in Bullitt County for 50 years. John Newman, the son of an English merchant, died of acute asthma at his home three miles south of Shepherdsville. Preston Samuels, aged 77 and a wealthy farmer, died at his home near Lebanon Junction. Grover Crenshaw, a relatively young man at 30, died of heart trouble two days before Christmas, and was buried at Cedar Grove. and W. R. Strange had walked over to his nearest neighbor, James Pope, where he dropped over dead.

On a much lighter note, if you went to the Fraternal Hall in Shepherdsville on the 16th to see the silent movie Midshipman, you likely caught a glimpse of Joan Crawford who had an early uncredited role as an extra. Or on the 30th you could have seen her along with Jackie Coogan in the silent film Old Clothes in which she was credited with her stage name of Joan Crawford instead of her real name, Lucille LeSueur.

That paper also reported several marriages including Calvin Boyd and Ollie Lee Maraman who were married at the Methodist parsonage by Rev. Crows; Elmer Crenshaw, son of C. E. Crenshaw, and Ruth Crenshaw, a local teacher and a daughter of Bedford Crenshaw, married New Year's Eve; and Frank Carpenter and Catherine Melton who were married December 23rd. He was a "prominent young farmer near Bardstown Junction." She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Melton.

In school news, the recently elected members of the Bullitt County School Board held their first meeting at the courthouse in Shepherdsville. The members included Chairman J. T. Harris, Vice Chairman Lem Swearingen, T. L. Mattingly and W. P. Daugherty.

The Shepherdsville Graded School had a separate governing board that included Frank Goldsmith, C. C. Daughterty, Hugo Rouse, W. A. Ice and Neil Trunnell.

And the paper reported that, thanks to the Samuel Simmons Trust School Fund, every 8th grader in the county school system could enter the Shepherdsville High School without the normal cost. This trust had been established by the late Sam Simmons to be used "to encourage the youth of my native county."

The B.Y.P.U. entertained young ladies at the home of Mrs. Lindsey Ridgway including Hattie Mae and Mary Buckman, Clara Johnson, Rosalee and Catherine McKinney, Ophelia Masden, Ethel Mae Cochran, Mary Tom Melton, Margaret Sanders, Blanche Howlett, Christine Kerr, Lois Sanders, Gladys Ice, Martha Ice, Eugenia Masden and Dorthie Samuels. Many of them were home on Christmas break from college.

The B.Y.P.U. also performed a "symbolic" wedding featuring Dorothy Samuels and Lindsay Jones as bride and groom. Bro. Burkhalter performed the ceremony before an improvised alter of ferns and lighted with cathedral candles. Jack Sanders sang "Oh Promise Me," and his daughter Margaret gave a violin solo accompanied by her sister Lois on the piano. That Sanders family was full of good musicians!

For those who remember the Henderson-Hardy Furniture Store, it gained that name in January 1926 when Noah Smith sold his interest in the Smith and Smith Hardware Store to Sam Hardy who along with Ralph Henderson renamed it. Over the years it changed from a hardware and feed store to the furniture store where many of you bought fine furniture over the years. Note that this Sam Hardy was uncle to the Sam Hardy of Hardy-Mooney Auto Supply that most will likely remember better.

The Courier-Journal ran a full page advertisement offering a bargain to Rural Free Delivery patrons providing a year's worth of the newspaper together with subscriptions of five other publications for just $3.50 for the year. That comes to about $62.03 in 2024 money according to one calculation.

If you did your banking in Bullitt County in 1926 it was almost certainly with J. F. Combs whose Bullitt County Bank reported resources totaling over $321,000; or Dr. S. H. Ridgway, vice-president of the Shepherdsville Peoples Bank with resources of over $352,000; or Bert Hall of the Mt. Washington Peoples Bank with resources over $192,000; or R. M. Hocker of the Lebanon Junction Bank with resources of over $285,000. Each of these banks issued their yearly reports in January.

In an advertisement, we learned that W. M. Combs of Shepherdsville was selling fruit trees for spring planting. One year old apple trees cost a dime each; and two year old peach trees were 15 cents each or $12.50 per hundred.

Dairyman Robert E. Lee advertised that he delivered "Blue Ribbon milk from pure bred Jersey cows, guaranteed test over 4 percent butter fat" and made deliveries night and morning.

C. C. Daugherty's store advertisement listed various canned foods for 10-15 cents each, rolled oats for 5 cents a pound, ladies shoes ranging from $1 to $5.50, and gingham for 15 to 50 cents a yard.

J. E. Hagan of Route 3, Shepherdsville was ready to sell multiple tons of clover hay, oats straw, millet, timothy hay and cow peas hay, as well as 800 bushels of oats and 600 bushels of corn. Sounds like a good harvest.

And Mrs. A. L. Rodgers of Shepherdsville was selling a good, gentle driving horse, harness, and rubber tire carriage. Maybe you could borrow it to ride out and see the good farm near Bardstown Junction that Otis Porter had for rent.

In government related news, the Circuit Court which normally met in April, July and November included Circuit Judge Basil Richardson of Glasgow, Commonwealth Attorney Lewis Williams, Circuit Clerk Cora Roby, and Master Commissioner J. F. Combs.

County Court officials included Judge E. Z. Wigginton, County Attorney T. C. Carroll, County Clerk Lindsay Ridgway, Jailer E. G. Quick, Sheriff W. F. Monroe, and his deputy, Albert Fisher. Other county officials included Tax Commissioner Bert Shepherd and his deputies Claud H. Gentry of Mt. Washington and Ack H. Harned of Pine Tavern District; School Superintendent O. L. Roby; Surveyor W. C. Herps; and Coroner Dr. J. H. Shafer.

County Magistrates included Melvin Raymond of District #1, W. T. Carrothers of District #2, J. H. Bolton of District #3, and John Samuels of District #4. Paul F. Myers was named as the constable for the Pine Tavern District.

The paper reported that a large crowd from Leaches attended County Court seeking help on the road leading from Lickskillet to Greenwell's Ford bridge; and a group of farmers came asking for the Court to donate $1000 toward hiring a county farm agent.

Dog owners were reminded to get their dogs licensed or face a fine. This dog tax law had been passed some 20 years earlier under the sponsorship of Representative Ed Croan of Bullitt County in an effort to control the dog population, especially with regard to reducing the rabid dog population.

H. M. Trunnell welcomed you to his restaurant in Shepherdsville "opposite the drug store" where you could get a good meal, soft drinks, cigars, tobacco, candies, cakes and "everything good to eat or drink."

A heavy snow began falling on Thursday, January 7th and reached a depth of about eight inches. The paper reported that "the young folks had a great time sleigh riding."

And I just know you want to hear about the Rook party held at Miss Anna Hathaway Ball's place the day after Christmas. The winners in the final game were Hazel Brooks and Robert Ball who played against Elizabeth Brooks and Ida Lee Ball. Also present were Elizabeth Wigginton, Geneva Brooks, Robert Brooks, Harry Bell, W. B. Miller and Roger Wigginton. Did I forget to mention that lunch included hot chocolate, cake, nuts, and fruit?

So, how many people's names did you recognize?

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Copyright 2026 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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