This Day in Shelby County History: June 6

1917 - 100 years ago

The Ruff siblings were convicted of robbing the S.B. Morris store and were sentenced to separate reformer schools. (Editor's note: Robert Ruff went on to become a railroad union member and was the father of seven children with his wife, Nancy. He died in 1961; Nancy survived him by 25 years. Despite several attempted calls to relatives yesterday, I have so far been unable to locate more information on Esther Ruff.)

Registration Day resulted in 2,026 armed forces registrations in the county, including 37 African-Americans, and an “alien enemy,” a German resident of Shelbyville who never secured naturalization papers.

1942 - 75 years ago

Melvin Davies was hired as the high school’s new industrial arts teacher.

With Jean and Jerry Pearson, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Pearson, joining, the RCA Victory choir was broadcast over WFBM at 9:15 p.m. Floyd Chafee, a relative of Shelbyville’s Garnet Chafee, was choir director.

1967 - 50 years ago

SHS Principal George Boyd was named “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” and local attorney Robert Sheaffer was named “Outstanding Optimist of the Year” during the annual Optimist Club Awards Night dinner at the Chicken & Steak Inn.

Forty-eight anniversary cakes were prepared as prizes for Belaire Shopping Center’s second anniversary.

Mrs. Mark Milles, Long Acres Addition, won a prize for one year’s free dry cleaning at Dellekamp Cleaners. Hubert Dellekamp presented the certificate.

1977 - 40 years ago

Earl and Mildred (Pickett) Neu and Paul and Ruth (Darnell) Green had open houses to celebrated 50th wedding anniversaries. The Neu’s children were Bill Neu and Dorothy Kaster and the Green’s were Doran Maryellen May and James Green.

1992 - 25 years ago

Shelbyville native John “Peter” Gallagher was ordained into the priesthood. Born in 1961, he was the son of Elizabeth “Libby” (Moore) and David Gallagher. Libby was employed at Major Hospital. Peter Gallagher attended St. Joseph and was a 1979 SHS graduate. (He pastors in Lawrenceburg now).