January 25, 1940

Purchase Grocery

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Horton of Peebles recently purchased the grocery store and filling station in Peebles from Salvadore Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are now residing in Jacktown.

February 1, 1940

Popular Peebles Couple Married

Announcement is being made of the marriage of Miss Launa McFarland to Gale Thompson, both of Peebles.

Miss McFarland is the only daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Chas. McFarland and Mr. Thompson is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Chas. Thompson. A single ring ceremony was performed in the Methodist church at Russell, Ky., Jan. 24, at eleven o'clock, by Rev. O. P. Smith.

The bride was attired in a wine crepe dress with black accessories and wore a corsage of pink rosebuds. The groom wore a suit of navy blue.

Mr. Thompson is employed at the Pure Oil service station in Peebles. The happy young couple will go to housekeeping in Peebles in the near future.

February 29, 1940

Peebles F.F.A. Winners of Adams County Pest Hunt

On December 22, 1939, the Peebles Chapter Future Farmers of America began a pest hunt which ended February 19, 1940. Neighboring F.F.A. Chapters, Seaman, and Manchester entered the contest. At Peebles, Wayne Garrison and Creed Brown were chosen as leaders. Wayne Purdin, Melvin Hedrick, Junior Garrison, Carroll Shoemaker, Charles Miller and Edgar Frost were on Wayne's side. Dan Thomas, Forrest Graham, James Lloyd, Ralph Curry, Roy Conley, Robert Nixon and Eugene Campbell were on Creed's side.

Wayne Garrison's side won with a score of 3,075 points. Creed's side will treat Wayne's side with a covered dish supper.

A first and second prize was given by Charles Short, Game manager of Adams County, to the boys having the most points. Carroll Shoemaker won the first place with a total of 1,848 points. James Lloyd won second with 1,439 points.

The Peebles F.F.A. won the contest with a total of 5,875 points. The losing school will treat the winning schools with a covered dish supper at the losing school and a basketball tournament will be played.

Written by Eugene Campbell, President of Peebles F.F.A.

Points each: Gray Fox, 40; Red Fox, 35; Hawks, 30; Crows, 25; Woods Cat, 20; Mink, 15; Weasel, 10; Horned Owl, 5; Rats, 3; Mice, 1; Pigeon, 2; Starling, 4; English Sparrow, 2; Raven, 28.

February 29, 1940

Beauty Contest To Be Held At Peebles

A contest will be held at the Palace theater in Peebles, Friday evening at which time “Miss Peebles” will be selected to compete for a screen test and for the State contest of “Miss Ohio of 1940”. There will also be selected amateur acts and as a special, “Peebles Cutest Little Tots” between the ages of 2 to 10 will compete.

The showing of “Mutiny on the Blackhawk” will be shown on the screen.

March 14, 1940

Pine Gap CCC Camp To Close (edited)

The soil conservation CCC camp which has been working in the Peebles area since July, 1935, is to be abandoned. The announcement was made by camp superintendent, Albert Feck.

“The camp has practically completed its demonstration work in this area, and will be removed April 15. Our relations with the public have been most satisfactory and we can expect the soil conservation practices adopted by our many co-operators not only to be continued but eventually to spread to all other farms in this area.”

A brief summary of the major work accomplished by the Peebles CCC camp during the past four and a half years includes: 173 co-operators, 32,601 acres under agreement, 6,950 acres contour cultivation established, 50,000 liner feet of diversion ditches constructed, 21,105 rods of fence constructed, 900 acres of tree planting, 895,150 trees and shrubs planted, 4,300 linear feet of stream bank protection, 4,000 acres of strip cropping established, 4,205 acres of woodland management woods protected.

March 28, 1940

Abandoned Car On R.R. Track

A 1929 Ford sedan believed to have been owned by John Rhodes of near Sinking Spring was completely demolished Monday night near midnight when it was struck by a westbound Norfolk & Western passenger train at Peebles, in front of the depot.

The car, according to N. & W. officials, was believed to have been driven upon the platform at the depot and off the platform across the main tracks, striking a freight car on the next track causing it to come to a standstill.

It was reported that there were six occupants at the time and all deserted the car and obtained a ride to their homes.

Hugh Suffron of Peebles, who happened to be passing by the depot later notified A. C. Palmer, station agent, who found the remains of the car after an investigation.

Mr. Palmer stated that the cow catcher was knocked off the passenger train which dragged the car quite a ways up the track, and a short time later an eastbound freight struck the car knocking a step off the locomotive.

Mr. Palmer stated that the car had been stopped on a curve in the tracks which made it impossible for the lights of the locomotive to see it from either direction. He also said he did not see how the crash kept from wrecking the train.

The remains of the car were removed Tuesday afternoon and railroad officials stated that the only identification as to the owner is that Mr. Rhodes obtained the license tags.

April 4, 1940

Peebles Doctor Dies on Tuesday

Dr. J. M. Brooke, age 69 years, well known Peebles Physician, passed away at his home Tuesday night suffering from a heart ailment.

Dr. Brooke, who had practiced in Peebles the last 38 years, was graduated in 1896 from Starling Medical college, Columbus, which is now a part of Ohio State University. In 1914 he was graduated from the Eye, Nose and Throat college at Chicago.

The physician practiced for a time at Dunkinsville and for three years practiced in West Virginia. He located in Peebles 38 yeas ago. In 1897 he was married to Miss Rose Oliver.

Surviving are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Edith Robinson of Bellefontaine; two brothers, C. O. Brooke of Columbus and M. O. Brooke of Peebles, and a granddaughter, Jeann Robinson.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the residence, with Rev. C. F. Buehler officiating. Burial will be in the Locust Grove cemetery under the direction of the Trefz funeral home.

April 11, 1940

185 Seniors to Graduate

D. G. Wilson, county superintendent of schools announced Wednesday that there will be 185 Seniors graduating from the eight high schools in Adams County this year.

The largest class is at Manchester where 40 will receive their diplomas, second is Seaman with 28, Winchester 26, West Union 25, Peebles 24, Wayne Township 17, Jefferson Township 13, and Franklin Township 12.

Franklin Township – Alice Wallace, Anne Brooks, Juanita Hoffer, Mary Puckett, Paul Douglas, Tener Douglas, Jack Evans, Harry Reed, James Thomas, Mark Seaman, Glen Shoemaker, Eldon Newman.

Peebles – Margaret Marie Trefz, Ruby Jones, Anna Marjorie Garvin, Mary Lucile Blair, Reaca Schwartz, Charles L. Wallingford, Charlotte Davidson, Junior McCarty, Richard G. Moore, Clara Jo Young, Oren Spurgeon, Richard Stayner, George Liston, Paul McGraw, Roma Evelyn Gaffin, Maude M. Young, Ruby Helen Hoop, Wilma Juanita McFarland, Bonnie Mitchell, Wilma Garrison, Clarine Genelle Markins, Thelma Gwendolyn Gibboney, Virginia Webb, Paul Mendenhall.

June 13, 1940

Teachers Employed

The Franklin township board of education recently employed the teachers for the Locust Grove school for this coming year. Those named were: Glenn Hook, principal; Forrest Mason, assistant principal; Gerald Hedrick, coach; Genevieve Steele, home economics; Florence Criswell, junior high; Edna Shuster, music; Eugene Copeland, Alice Richmond, Mary Phyllis Morrison, Dorothy Armstrong.

June 20, 1940

Peebles Second Town In County (edited)

The reports have been made from the office of Wray Bevens, census supervisor for the Sixth district, for four more divisions in Adams County during the past week.

The village of Peebles has proven to be the second largest populated town in the county which has increased 115 during the past ten years.

The present census is given as 1,350 compared to 1,035 in 1930. Manchester has the largest population at 2,163 and West Union is third with 1,341. Winchester has shown a decrease with 800 compared to 821 in 1930. Franklin Township, excluding the Pine Gap CCC camp is found to have 1,116 inhabitants in comparison to 1,055 in 1940.

June 20, 1940

Commended For Good Work

Word has just been received from Warren G. Weilder, executive secretary of the Ohio Association Future Farmers of America that 522 boys from 120 schools in Ohio have received the State Farmer degree within the past 12 years. Included in this group are David Powell and Russell Nichols, both of Peebles Vocational Agriculture Department.

July 18, 1940

Peebles Bonds Sold To Columbus Firm

Seven bids were presented to Alber S. Bonner, clerk of the village of Peebles for sewerage bonds which were sold Monday by the council.

The issue was for $50,000 and was sold to the firm of Fullerton & Company of Columbus for the sum of $50,609 which was a premium of $609, bearing a rate of interest of two and three-quarters percent.

The village has now started advertising for equipment and supplies and excavation is expected to be started on the project by August 15, according to the engineers.

July 25, 1940

County To Get New CCC Camp (edited)

In July, 1940, an announcement was made that a CCC camp would be re-established on state forest ground in Adams County,. Possibly near Serpent Mound or on Churn Creek south of Blue Creek.

Adams County's current location is Camp Pine Gap east of Peebles. It is for colored World War veterans. Within the past year this camp has been changed from a soil conservation camp to a forest conservation camp.

August 15, 1940

Peebles School Plans For Season's Opening

The Peebles public school will open on Tuesday, September 3. School will be in session all day. The following teachers will be in charge:

A.E. Secrest, Supervising Principal; John Donaldson, Science, History and Coach; Raymond Peterson, Mathematics; Earl Chenoweth, Junior High and History; Margaret Walcutt, English, Latin and Speech; Eleanor Gallagher, Commercial; Julia Bullock, Home Economics; Theora Rickey, Music; W.R. Vanlandingham, Vocational Agriculture; Agnes Newman, Sixth grade; Ione Mathias, Fifth grade; Ethel Moore, Fourth grade; Beulah Armstrong, Third grade; Louise Morrison, Second grade; Mary Hilling, First grade; Joe Davis, Custodian.

Registration Day for all Freshmen, Sophomores, Junior and Seniors will be held at the school building on Thursday and Friday, August 29 and 30. All who can are asked to come and register on the days.

A meeting of all Peebles teachers will be held at the school building on Saturday morning, Aug. 31 at 10.

September 12, 1940

Work Is Started On Peebles Sewers

The first work started on the $200,000 sewerage system for the village of Peebles last Friday when sixty-four men were put to work on the project.

The construction work is a WPA project of which the Federal Government is to furnish $150,000 and $50,000 is to be furnished by the town which was raised in the form of bonds.

The total amount of men allowed to work a month has been set at 265 and more are expected to be added in the future.

The time set for completion of the project is 11 months, although if the weather is not permissible an extension of time will be allowed.

November 21, 1940

Open Hunting Season One Day Too Early

William Hawes of near Peebles just couldn't wait until the opening of hunting season which was last Friday at noon, so he took his gun and started out after the rabbits Thursday afternoon.

The consequences were that one of the first persons he met was county Game Protector Charles Short and K.W. Duncan, Brown county protector, who looked into matters and Hawes was taken before W. H. Young of West Union and fined $25 and costs and placed in the Adams county jail for failure to pay the fine.

December 12, 1940

To Open Funeral Home In Peebles

Announcement was made Saturday of the purchase of what is known as the Fenner property in Peebles by William Lafferty of West Union, who intends to open a modern funeral home in the near future.

Mr. Lafferty completed the transaction with Hugh Suffron of Peebles, the owner, Friday and took immediate possession.

Mr. Lafferty stated that he will equip the new business with all Packard motor equipment and has placed his order for an ambulance with the Henney Motor Company of Shreveport, Illinois, which will be delivered within the next two weeks.

Clarence J. Waugh of Portsmouth, formerly connected with the Emrick Funeral Home of that place for the past ten years, will be in charge of the Peebles funeral home. It will go by the firm name of William Lafferty and Waugh.

Mr. Lafferty stated that the opening of the new business will be around January 2, while the formal opening is expected to be held around January 15.