Way We Were: Demise of tobacco farming exaggerated

50 YEARS AGO
DEC. 21, 1961
Nancy Brown was chosen “Miss Congeniality” from one six classes at the Fugazzi Business School in Lexington following a style and modeling show in which she participated in Monday night.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Romie Brown of Sinai.

Photo furnished

O Christmas Tree Trimming the tree is lots of fun and getting into the Christmas spirit in 1971 were, from left, Kevin, 14, Andrea, 5, and Steve, 11, children of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Royalty. The Royaltys lived on Park Lane. They liked a live cedar tree for the holiday symbol and enjoyed making it beautiful with all the tinsel and ornaments.

Photo furnished

MANGER SCENE in 1971 The manger scene at the Lawrenceburg Presbyterian Church in 1971 on a Sunday afternoon before Christmas was a part of the program “We have Seen His Star.” From left were: Mr. and Mrs. Paul Vaughn Jr. as Mary and Joseph; and the three kings, Dennis Rydberg, John Shryock, and Tony Young. It was narrated by John T. Cox, III. Mrs. Carol Hill directed the production.

Two 1-pound boxes of Domino Brown Sugar was 29 cents at A&P Supermarkets. Turkeys, 20-24 pounds, were 27 cents a pound.

Garnett Earl Crask, a son of Arvin Crask, Alton Station, was elected to the University of Kentucky Student Congress campus-wide governing body.

Marine Pvt. Robert W. Baxter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Baxter of route 3, completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depots, Parris Island, S.C. He was to report to Camp Lejeune, N.C., for combat infantry training.

Deaths
Larry Wright, 14, accidental shooting when a gun discharged in the adjoining room. The bullet went through the wall and struck Wright while he was watching television.
John L. Chowning, 70, retired employee of the Minneapolis-Moline Co. manufacturers of farm machinery; James E. Jones, 39; Helen Stratton Jones, 34; Mae Noel Gordon, widow of Yeuell Gordon; Bettie E. Kays Snyder, 81, widow of J.P. Snyder; Katherine Pearl Cook Hill, 74, widow of Russell Hill; Hester Gritton Carey, 84;

40 YEARS AGO
DEC. 23, 1971
Charles T. Duncan, Mrs. Nolan Perkins and Thomas E. Catlett sold 3,518 pounds of tobacco and on the Lexington Market for an average of $84.

Army Private George J. Flynn, son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Flynn Sr., completed his 10-week medical corpsman course at the U.S. Army Medical Training Center, Ft. Sam Huston, Texas.

Mrs. Anna M. Perry fell at her home and injured her back. She was taken to Frankfort hospital for treatment.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer C. Gash entertained with a Christmas party at their home on Saturday, Dec. 18. The serving table, covered with a green cloth and draped with pine roping, held a centerpiece of red carnations, silver candelabra and the silver punch bowls. Poinsettias, boxwood trees and hurricane lamps were used throughout the house.
Guests were Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Hudnall, Mr. and Mrs. John Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Bowen, Mr. and Mrs. James Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Trent; Mr. and Mrs., Larry Yocum, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Hanks, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Marquardt, Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Hanks, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Mayes, Mr. and Mrs. Doug Craig, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Burton, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby McAnly, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Connie Carlton, all of Lawrenceburg; Mr. and Mrs. Wade Austin Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Ken Master, Mr. and Mrs. David Bailey, all of Frankfort; Mr. and Mrs. David Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Foley, Mr. and Mrs. Winfrey Adkins, all of Versailles; Mr. and Mrs. Paul King, Amelia McClennon, John Cotton, Louisville, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kays, Mr. and Mrs. Terry Young, Salvisa.

William Ellis, Ray and their father, Marshall Searcy, have been selected as members of the Order of Kentucky Colonels. They were commissioned by former Governor Louie B. Nunn in his last official duties before leaving office.

Deaths
Nancy Tinsley Baxter, 76, died at the ExtendiCare Nursing Home where she was convalescing from a broken hip.

30 YEARS AGO
DEC. 17, 1981
Mark Boggess, a student at Saffell Elementary, was hurt when an auto struck him in front of his home in Stringtown. Boggess was running across the highway to catch an approaching school bus. The car was in front of the bus and left 91 feet of skid marks. The driver also swerved to the right to try to avoid Boggess.
He was taken to Frankfort hospital and then transferred to the UK Medical Center emergency room for treatment.

The Career Girls Club at Anderson High School performed the play, “Her Christmas Wish” in the high school cafetorium. The cast and stage hands were: Karen Benningfield, Carolyn Litkenhus, Tanya Smith, Renae Frye, Julie Smith, Donna Seyberth, Diana Smith, Tracy Howlett, Paige Hubert, Hope Hellard, Kathy Shryock and Ashlee Atkins. Emma B. Ward was the play director and club sponsor.

The snowball queen and court at Anderson High School were Wendy Crabill, Traci Bryant, Ashlee Atkins and Ann Fallis.

Stanley Phillips of Harry Wise Road was pictured holding an 8-pound turnip.
“Harry Truman always said to plant turnips July 25, but that’s too early. The first of September is plenty early. You gotta sow ‘em late and grow ‘em quick. Fertilize ‘em,” said Phillips.

W.B. Cole was pictured holding a birthday cake and surrounded by his four sons as he celebrated his 100th birthday. His sons are J.W., Julian, Bob and Carroll.

Deaths
Eva Adams Baxter, native of Anderson County and widow of W. Otis Baxter; Allen Ray Bryant, 27, was killed in an auto accident in Seattle, Wash.

15 YEARS AGO
Dec. 18, 1996
 Four members of the Anderson Middle School Quick Recall team were involved in the WLEX Channel 18  “In The Know” contest.
Brittany Sutherland, Jonathan Hughes, Graham Carlton and Phillip Thurman progressed to the semi-final round of the invitation tournament.
They faced Jackson County Middle School in the first round and defeated Bryan Station Middle School in the second, putting them into the semi-finals. They were to face Clark County in January. That round was to be taped for television.

Pictured on the farm page were Country singer John Conlee and U.S. Representative Scotty Baesler were among the tobacco growers and lawmakers speaking at a news conference in Lexington about tobacco. Both spoke of tobacco’s strong position in the state’s economic and agricultural areas. Noting that cigarette production was at an all-time high, Baesler, also a tobacco grower, said, “Reports about the demise of tobacco farming are greatly exaggerated.”

Bloomfield was featured on the surrounding communities page.

Deaths
Leslie Maurice Bolton, 44, United States Postal Services employee and a retired United States Marine Staff Sgt.; Lucille Lynem; Charles Lee Russell, native of Anderson County; Clara Rebecca Mahuron Shouse, 85, housewife; Idal Azel Robinson Sutton, 72, retired seamstress for the Fruit of the Loom; Violet Riddle.