Today in Martinsville-Henry County History: Monday, October 31

In the 1922 Henry Bulletin: The Marker, a handsome granite well, erected by the Patrick Henry Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on the land attached to the residence of Mr. SH Hooker on Danville Road near Carlisle and once the home of Patrick Henry, will be unveiled at three o’clock with proper ceremonies.

1947: After a conference held yesterday, Fieldale village and school authorities have decided to reopen classes in Fieldale schools next Monday after being closed for a week following a new case of infantile paralysis among the students. Dr VA Turner of the Virginia Department of Health…warned of growing hysteria in the community and reiterated that schools provided a place of controlled attendance and were in fact safer than any other place where children could congregate .

1972: The private war will never end for some local veterans, although “peace is at hand” in Vietnam. It is no easy task to reconcile national goals and patriotic ideals with crippling battle injuries. Russell Stone lost his legs when he stepped on a landmine and is still negotiating with the government over rehabilitation benefits. Olaf Hurd Jr., an outstanding athlete at Drewry Mason High School before the war, is now a midget wheelchair football coach. And there’s Don Fields. Without his right arm, Fields has adopted a positive attitude that makes him “try to climb the ranks faster than anyone else”.

1997 : The [Henry County Board of Supervisors] unanimously approved [Jimmie R.] Ford’s rezoning from agriculture to suburban residence for 150 acres off Fisher Farm Drive. Ford and members of his family formed Farmingdale Limited Liability Co. with a plan to build 100 houses in a housing estate there. … Each of the homes, described as upscale residences, would range from half an acre to 1 ½ acres.