Thursday, January 8, 1970
Robert S. Gay, of Edray, was appointed Justice of the Peace for Edray District to fill the vacancy caused by the death of J. R. Kellogg.
RETIRES
Dempsey Johnson retired the last of 1969 from his job of carrying the Charleston Gazette and Gazette Mail on the Marlinton to Durbin route. Joe Buzzard is his successor.
Mr. Johnson probably set a record of staying on this same route for thirty-two years and eight months. He was always a willing helper along the road and never too busy to make deliveries and do errands for others. He previously worked for Royal Drug Store, Marlinton Bakery and Pifer Motor Company. The son of the late William B. and Hannah Malcomb Johnson, he is married to the former Beulah Palmer, who is employed by Ashland Oil in Marlinton.
BEAR
George Schoolcraft saw a large bear track on Pyles Mountain. He reported it to A. G. Dean. The bear traveled to Beaver Creek – from Beaver Creek into Burr Valley, bedded down on Briery Knob. The next day Eldridge McComb heard his dog barking and went to investigate. The dog had the bear in a large fallen tree. They returned to W. S. Smith’s for information about shooting bears. When they returned, the bear and dog were gone – heading for Anthonys Creek.
SOME SNOW!
During the winter of 1855, the Trotter Brothers had a contract with the U. S. Government to carry the mail between Huttonsville, (Ran- dolph county) and Staunton, Virginia. The brothers had made the trip from Huttonsville to Staunton and a severe snowstorm came up while they were in Staunton and on their return trip, they could not cross Cheat Mountain, and as the result of this delayed trip, the people in the Tygart Valley complained to Postal Authorities about the delay in delivery of their mail. The Postal authorities wrote the brother for an explanation, and the following is an exact worded copy of their answer:
Mr. Postmaster General
Washington, D. C.
Sir;
If you knock the gable end out of Hell and back it up against Cheat Mountain and rain fire and brimstone on it for forty days and forty nights, it won’t melt the snow enough to get your d—– mail through on time.
Yours Truly,
Trotter Brothers
By (s) James Trotter
Bill Proposed
An amendment sponsored by Senator Jennings Randolph to provide construction assistance to school districts containing large amounts of federal property has been approved by the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee…
“This amendment can be of great value to several West Virginia counties that contain National Forest Lands,” Randolph said. “It would fill part of the financial gap that exists because this federal property is immune from taxation to support schools.”
The measure would allow the government to provide construction money to districts in which there is substantial federal property if this ownership creates a financial hardship, the school district is making a reasonable tax effort of its own, and there are insufficient funds from other sources for minimum school facilities…
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Triplett, of Droop, a son, named Scott Eric.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Crone, Jr, of Roanoke, Virginia, a daughter, named Catherine Anne. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Carman Sharp, of Marlinton.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Hockenberry, of Point Pleasant, a daughter, named Anne Wallace.
DEATHS
Mrs. Maude Elva White, 86, of Minnehaha Springs, a daughter of the late Amos P. and Mattie Elizabeth Mc-Laughlin. Burial in Mountain View Cemetery.
Mrs. Myrtle Susan Swisher, 80, of Cass; burial in the Arbovale Cemetery.
Marion Everly Galford, 86, of Green Bank, a son of the late William and Nancy Jane Johnson Galford. Burial in the Wilfong Cemetery near Marlinton.
Norman Ralph Hannah, 51, of Slaty Fork, a son of the late Davis Samuel and Jemima Johnson Hannah. Burial in the Hannah Cemetery.
James Louis Wilson, 89, of Bartow; burial in the Arbovale Cemetery.
Mrs. Lottie May Wilfong, 45, of Cass, a daughter of Mrs. Grace Starks, of Thornwood. Burial in the Boyer Cemetery.
Con Johnston, 77, of Auto; a farmer for 50 years. Burial in the Woodland Church Cemetery in Auto.
Raymond Cochran, 86, of Renick; burial in the Old Droop Cemetery at Beard.