This Weekend in Shelby County History: June 2 - 4

1917

First Presbyterian announced plans to host “auto day,” where members were requested to load up their cars, if applicable, and come to church.

Pearl Hutchinson, long declared dead, returned to town 12 years later and asked to be declared alive so that he would secure a portion of an estate willed to him.

Shelbyville’s five furniture factories announced bonus plans for all employees.

Approximately $500 in goods were stolen from the S.B. Morris store in an overnight theft. All cash had been placed in the safe, which was untouched. Fingerprints on the windows were unusually small.

1942

Eighteen were arrested over Memorial Day weekend on varied charges, including “straight drunkenness,” disorderly conduct, trespassing, and assault and battery with intent to commit a felony.

The fourth and fifth Shelby County African-Americans to be selected for World War II induction left for Ft. Benjamin Harrison. The men were Archie Vaughn and Abe Thompson.

Former Shelby County Circuit Court Judge James Emmert announced his candidacy to run for state attorney general.

Otto Holbrook was named to the school board, succeeding Harold Buxton.

The National Farm Machinery Cooperative became the first industrial plant in the city in which every single employee had pledged a full ten per cent of his salary each week toward the purchase of War Savings Bonds.

1967

Jerry McMichael was accepted into Officers’ Candidate School at Fort Knox.

George R. Tolen was elected Shelby County Democrat party chair. Ralph (Tiny) Briggs was elected city campaign chairman. Tolen had previously lost to Robert Sheaffer in the 1954 prosecutor’s race and to James Robison in the 1963 city judge election. Other officers included Pat Close, Mary Lancaster, Martin Luther, Mary Margaret Jackson, Helen Evans, and Donald Jones.

Robert Nolley and Donna Dunham announced their engagement. She was employed with American States Insurance. Her fiancé, a fellow 1967 graduate of Shelbyville High School, was an employee of the J.C. Penney Co.

Southwestern graduate Don Parker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Parker, was named the Shelby County Youth Center “Teen of the Month.” He was also an FFA Star Farmer and vice president of Hi-Y.

1977

New officers were chosen during the Job’s Daughters meeting at Messick Masonic Temple. They were Jessica Shisler, Lori Jennings, Sherri Adkins, Lydia Kuhn, and Lynn Baatz.

Mrs. Marie Furgeson was honored as the Thompson Community Club’s only active charter member at a celebration of the organization’s 60th anniversary. The group was organized in 1917 at the former Thompson School building for rolling bandages, making convalescent jackets and knitting socks for soldiers during World War I, later evolving into a social club.

Porter Pool’s bath house and showers were painted and renovated, but the pool remained closed due to pipes that burst over the winter.

John C. DePrez received the Rotary Club’s Arts and Humanities Award and John Bremer, the club’s Arts and Humanities committee chairman, said the next name on the plaque would be the late Walter S. Fort, a former principal at the old Booker T. Washington School.

The highway commission prohibited parking on the west side of N. State Rd. 9 just south of the I-74 interchange. Police Chief Robert Williams said that sometimes semi-trailer trucks would park there while drivers went into the Holiday Inn to eat, blocking the vision of those on 150N.

Howard Christensen was elected new president of the board of directors of Shelby County United Fund. Other officers elected included George. L. Stubbs, Jr., Richard Frank, and Jack McCabe. Re-elected officers were Gary Coers and Robert Barger.

1992

Junction Shopping Center merchants on East State Road 44 expressed concerned about teens loitering in the evening. Stores at the center included Kroger, Reliable Drugs, Mr. Video, Lamb Bookstore, Picway Shoes, Pasquales, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s and Goodwill Industries.

The public library, through board attorney Stephen Moberly, made a final offer for an adjoining lot and building that housed the Ray Breedlove Agency. The family would have 30 days to consider the offer.

Shelbyville Middle School students planted a tulip tree in honor of retiring English teacher Darlene McCaughey.

Winners of major spring athletic awards for Morristown High School were April McMichael, Nancy Franke, Erin Patrick, Kim Brown, Melissa Schneider, Brooke Musen, Eric Thompson, Wendi Wilson, Heather Hilton, Kathy Smith, Kaye Anne Johnson, John Hogden, Tony Montgomery, Jason Hausz, Jeremy Alyea, Brad Plessinger, Trent Appleby, Josh Conder, Rusty Hoover, and Charlie Powers.

Ed Ranochack said that the former Ranochack Air Conditioning & Heating building, 401 E. Hendricks St., destroyed by fire a month prior, would be torn down and removed.