20 years ago

(June 10 and June 12, 1992)

Federal and state officials joined Civil War enthusiasts on a tour of the Middle Creek Battlefield on Monday, as part of The Kentucky Heritage Council’s Civil War Battlefield Conference. During the tour, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Frank A. Bracken, and David Morgan, state historic preservation officer, officially presented Frank Fitzpatrick a certificate proclaiming the site as a National Historic Site, and noting its listing to the National Register of Historic Places.

A vacancy on the Prestonsburg City Council was filled, Monday, with all the elements of a real election, including allegations that a council member tried to influence the vote. After two candidates for the post were nominated from the floor, David Hereford and Lida Margaret Howard—councilman George Archer told of the threats and harassment he and his family had received concerning which candidate to choose. The council chose Howard.

Mud Creek Clinic founder Eula Hall, was named Floyd Countian of the Year by members of the Floyd County Chamber of Commerce during the Chamber’s annual banquet on June 4. Hall, who has been recognized nationally for her work with the medically indigent, was one of several countians lauded by the Chamber for their contributions during the 1991-92 year.

The United States House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee has appropriated $29,995,000 for flood control and related projects in eastern Kentucky during the 1992-1993 fiscal year. Foremost among these is an appropriation of $7,890,000 to operate and maintain eight eastern Kentucky lakes. Dewey Lake, alone, will receive $1,789,000 this year, and $771,000 has been budgeted for Paintsville Lake.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Department is warning residents to be on the lookout for three men posing as county workers who stole $194 from a residence in Corn Fork, Thursday. Chief Deputy Linzie Hunt said the men went to the residence of Charlie Harris, Thursday, and said that the county was offering a pest control spraying program for elderly residents in the county.

There died: Frankie Stephens Best, 75, of Prestonsburg, Monday, at Phelps Community Medical Center; Howard Nelson Prince, 55, of Richmond, formerly of Lackey, Wednesday, in Lexington; Frank Howell Sr., 73, of Roanoke, Virginia, formerly of Dana, Friday, at the Community Hospital, Roanoke; Hazel Spencer Music, 77, of East Point, Thursday, at Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center; Beckham Combs, 88, of Hindman, Thursday, at Hazard Appalachian Regional Medical Center; Carl Edward “Banger” Robinson, 50, of Langley, Thursday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital; Theodore (Ted) Carroll, 45, of Lenoir, North Carolina, Wednesday, in Lenoir; John Jobie Calhoun Sr., 40, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 1, at St. Joseph Medical Center; Naomi Shepherd, 74, of Garrett, Thursday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital; Jack Wells, 76, of Paintsville, Monday, at Cabell-Huntington Hospital, Huntington, West Virginia; Cal King, 95, of Auxier, Friday, in Our Lady of the Way Hospital, at Martin; Bobby Gene Burchett, 51, of Allen, Wednesday, at Highlands Regional Medical Center.

30 years ago

(June 16, 1982)

For 36 hours, the City of Prestonsburg was without police protection as city police officers went on strike. Striking officers presented grievances to the city council and returned to work.

McDowell resident Ray Moore, 53, was killed, and two of his sons, James, 28, and Ricky 21, were shot. Price Hall, 40, of McDowell, was arrested at the scene.

Teddy Meade, 21, of Wheelwright, was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Three days of searching the Big Sandy River still had not produced the body of Betty Jane Brewer Cole, believed to have fallen into the river at Boldman.

A dispute over a cheerleading position at Allen Central High School led to a late-running school board meeting and a possible lawsuit.

The Floyd County Fiscal Court approved the new budget for the fiscal year in the amount of $2,293,766.

There died: Rhoda Risner Ousley, 69, of Risner, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital; Darkie Alley Elliott, 82, of McDowell, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital; James Farris Mullins, 86, of Wheelwright, at McDowell A.R.H.; Joe Johnson, 63, of Blue River, at Highlands Regional Medical Center; Mrs. Artie S. Moore, 66, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, formerly of Floyd County, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Superior Township Michigan; George W. Holbrook, 88, of Ada, Ohio, formerly of Magoffin County, at his home; James B. Muncy, 56, of Wayland, at Pikeville Methodist Hospital; and Henry O. Wilson Jr., 58, of Englewood, Ohio, formerly of Martin, at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.

40 years ago

(June 14, 1972)

The body of James Clayton Conley, 35, was found, last Wednesday, on Steele’s Creek, near Wayland. He had been shot in the head at least five times, and his murder is believed to be linked to that of Deputy Sheriff Lawrence Conley, at Garrett, about two months ago.

Laura Spradlin Robinette, 58, was shot and killed at West Prestonsburg, last Saturday. Her husband is in jail here.

Between 600 and 700 were guests, Saturday, of the U.S. Shoe Corporation, at open house held at its plant near Lancer.

Two Floyd men—Roger A. Akers, of Drift, and Daniel W. Spurlock, of Prestonsburg, received their Doctor of Medicine degree, June 3, from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Married: Miss Rita Crum, Cardington, to Pfc. Jimmy H. Castle, of Harold, May 2.

Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Hart Jr., of Anchorage, Ky., on June 10, at a Louisville hospital their first child, a daughter—Heather Burchett.

There died: T. J. (Tom) Turner, 76, formerly of Hueysville, June 6, at a Pikeville hospital; Mrs. Nora Hunt, 82, of Justell, at a nursing home here, last Wednesday; Mrs. Janice Halbert Bagby, 36, formerly of Printer, Saturday, at a Detroit hospital; Okie Wilcox, 67, Saturday, at her home at East Point; Mrs. Ida Castle, 91, of Prestonsburg, Friday, in a Johnson County nursing home; Mrs. Dona Little, 79, of Price, Saturday, at the McDowell Hospital; Darvin Gibson, 57, of Winona Lake, Ind., formerly of Prestonsburg, Sunday at a Ft. Wayne, Ind., hospital; Russell Dixon, 54, formerly of Auxier, Sunday, at Veterans Hospital, Huntington, W. Va.

50 years ago

(June 14, 1962)

The four-lane bridge, spanning the Big Sandy at Prestonsburg, should be completed in 60 days.

Prestonsburg maintains its seventh-class fire ratings and is looking forward to earning a sixth-class rating.

State Highway Commissioner Ward stated this week that he prefers that U.S. 23 pass through Prestonsburg, and follow its present route to Pikeville.

Operation of motor scooters by anyone under the age of 16, banned here, after two wrecks within the week.

Planning for the Prestonsburg Community College has been authorized by the State Finance Com-missioner.

There died: Russell Powers, 53, of Lackey; James Conn, 83, of Dana; Ava C. Martin, 76, of Martin; Emma Salmons, 84, of Allen; Joe Bradley, 65, of Langley; Milton Kash Reed, 85, of Estill; Margaret Prater, 72, West Prestonsburg; John P. Davis, 59, formerly of Auxier, in Detroit; Jacob Fouts, 65, of Melvin.

60 years ago

(June 12, 1952)

It was said this week that the new state law restricting all voting precincts to not more than 350 voters could make necessary, 92 precincts for Floyd County.

Floyd County’s tax assessment total is up to $350,000 this year, Tax Commissioner Clive Akers said.

Twelve-year-old Bobby Greer, of Burdine, drowned in Dewey Lake last Thursday afternoon.

William O. Goebel Jr., of Prestonsburg, has signed a contract to play baseball with the Spartansburg (S.C.) club of the Tri-State league after his graduation at the end of this year’s work at Morehead State College. In college ball this year he has won four games as a pitcher, and as an outfielder has hit .301 and has stolen 16 bases.

Married: Miss Mary Deadrick, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Deadrick, and Mr. Gene Howard Boyd, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Boyd, of Prestonsburg, on May 31.

There died: Emory Boyd Chase, 76, at Wayland; Joe Vanderpool, 78, at McDowell; Walter Tackett, 14 months, of Beaver; Dr. Harvey G. Hazelrigg, 63, Paintsville dentist.

70 years ago

(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.