January 16, 1890: The Comet advised readers: “Study the history of current events; make careful comparisons of fluctuations in price, demand and supply, in order to guide your own operations.
January 16, 1897: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, the Republican of Morristown reported horrible news. Deadline was Johnson City. “EM Bowman disappeared from his home near Pisgah, Mitchell County (sic), North Carolina, on Christmas Day (sic), and could not be heard from until yesterday (sic), when his frozen body was was found in a thicket near his house. The body was partially devoured by pigs. Bowman was prone to heart disease, and this is believed to have been the cause of his death. He was a brother of Clayton Bowman, County Clerk of Mitchell (sic), and leaves a wife and three children. His disappearance was the subject of nationwide interest, and he was thought to have been the victim of foul play, but since the body was found, the family are convinced his death was caused by a cardiac disease.
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina is about 90 miles from Johnson City.
The Morristown Republican was a newspaper published in Morristown, Tennessee. It is no longer in publication. Morristown is located approximately 66 miles from Johnson City.
January 16, 1902: Comet said: “If Reverend RJ Cooke doesn’t soon retract what he said about the Daughters of the Confederacy inspiring anarchy, there won’t be enough of him left to make a good roast.”
January 16, 1914: The Chattanooga Daily Times reported on a tragic fire in Johnson City.
“’Biltless’, the beautiful home of Colonel Cy H. Lyle, editor of the Johnson City Comet, was completely destroyed by fire Wednesday afternoon. The house was built fourteen years ago and cost $20,000. Malcolm Lyle, a young son of Mr. Lyle, put bullets on the fire in the living room and sparks fell on the roof. The furniture was saved. Only $2,500 insurance was carried on the property.
Twenty thousand dollars in 1900, the year the Biltless was built, would be worth about $662,000 today. Twenty-five hundred dollars in 1914 was now worth about $69,500. (Source: www.in2013dollars.com)
The Chattanooga Daily Times is now published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. We do not have access to any newspaper published in Johnson City in January 1914.
January 16, 1922: A century ago today, The Knoxville Sentinel reported news with a Johnson City deadline. AF Brandau had the signature. “The famous Boone tree which once stood near the waters of Boone (sic) Creek, nine and a half miles northwest of Johnson City, was purchased a few days ago by Colonel ZA Robertson, director of the company Grove Realty (sic), of this town, of Mr. Lafayette Isley, who now owns the land on which this historic tree stood.This tree, considered the most famous in the State of Tennessee, or probably in the United States , was picked piece by piece, every twig, limb and even bark and roots were gathered to be preserved for historical purposes.They were locked away and the part on which the famous pioneer Boone inscribed ‘D .The bear Boone Cilled on the tree in 1780’ was placed in a sturdy case made for him and stored in a bank.As Colonel Robinson’s intentions are probably to present him to the National Museum so that he may be seen by people who have never had the opportunity to see you standing.
The Knoxville Sentinel is now published as Knoxville News-Sentinel. We do not have access to most newspapers published in Johnson City in January 1922.
January 16, 1923: The First Christian Church assisted in the dedication of the Second Christian Church on East Unaka Avenue. The second Christian church was organized as part of a five-year program, resulting in the third and fourth churches in Johnson City and another in a different town. The second Christian church is now known as East Unaka Christian Church. Third Christian Church and Fourth Christian Church merged in the 1930s to become what we now know as Grandview Christian Church, located on University Parkway. (Sources: 100th Anniversary History and Directory 1871-1971, First Christian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee.Compiled and written by Mary Hardin McCown and Josephine Carpenter Owen and Ethan Magness, Senior Minister, First Christian Church.)
January 16, 1929: The Chattanooga Daily Times, with a date line from Johnson City, reported a tragic accident. “An unidentified body found yesterday on the Southern Railroad tracks near Telford, Tennessee has been identified as Jockey Roten, an elderly inmate from the Greene County Infirmary (sic), who escaped Saturday Roten was insane and likely wandered onto the train tracks, where he was hit and killed by a train, and one of his legs was not found.
Telford is a community in rural Washington County.
As mentioned above, the Chattanooga Daily Times is now published as the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
January 16, 1931: The Johnson City Staff News reported news of a car accident involving a local elementary school principal. “Miss Edith Campbell, Principal of South Side School, suffered minor lacerations to her face and hands when the taxi in which she was traveling to school and another taxi collided at the intersection of Watauga and Lamont (sic) Friday morning shortly before eight o’clock.
The article further stated: “Miss Campbell was taken to Appalachian Hospital where she was reportedly (sic) treated and then returned to her home at XXX East Holston Avenue (sic).”
Appalachian Hospital was a precursor to Memorial Hospital, which was the precursor to Johnson City Medical Center.
January 16, 1934: An upcoming contest has been postponed, according to the Johnson City Staff News. “Announcement is made that the date of ‘The Pageant’ of Wedding Dresses”, sponsored by The Monday Club, has been changed to Monday evening January 12 at the John Sevier Hotel, the date originally set being Tuesday February 13 and changed due to contradictory entertainment.
Interestingly enough, the dates were actually reversed in the article; otherwise, the contest would have already taken place at the time of printing.
January 16, 1941: The Johnson City Press reported: “Miss Billie Billings, XXX West Maple street (sic), was this week transferred from Appalachian Hospital to the home of her sister, Mrs. WR Anderson, XXX East Chilhowie avenue (sic), for recovery from appendicitis surgery.
As mentioned elsewhere in today’s column, Appalachian Hospital was a precursor to Memorial Hospital, which was the precursor to Johnson City Medical Center.
January 16, 1946: “US Army’s Marvin Hodge visits his mother, Mrs. Walter Hodge, XXX Daytona place (sic),” in Elizabethton, according to the Johnson City Press-Chronicle.
January 16, 1951: “The contractor completed the construction of (Memorial Hospital) on (that date) and gave possession of the structure to the Board of Trustees at that time.”
(Source: A Beacon for Healthcare by Ray Stahl.)
As mentioned elsewhere in today’s column, Memorial Hospital was the precursor to Johnson City Medical Center.
January 16, 1960: The Johnson City Press-Chronicle reported, “Roger McClanahan, a student at East Tennessee State College, was injured yesterday morning in a car accident outside Browning Hall. McClanahan, who suffered a deep cut to his right eye, was treated at Memorial Hospital and later released. He told investigating police that his 1953 car spun out of control, causing him to hit an embankment. He said his car’s steering mechanism was locked.
East Tennessee State College is now known as East Tennessee State University.
As mentioned elsewhere in today’s column, Memorial Hospital was the precursor to Johnson City Medical Center.
January 16, 1971: Several area high school basketball scores were reported on the front page of the Johnson City Press-Chronicle above the bear. Science Hill defeated Happy Valley by a score of 45-42.
University High won Jonesboro by a score of 53–46.
Boones Creek beat Lamar, 53-44, while Sulfur Springs narrowly won Washington College Academy by a score of 57-55.
Central beat Ketron, 68-62, and Bulls Gap took the win over Lynn View, 55-49.
Jonesboro was spelled that way in 1971.
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