Program Sunday At Old Henry County Courthouse In Martinsville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CONTACT:                                                                                        
Debbie Hall, Executive Director
276-403-5361                                            
mhchistoricalsociety@gmail.com

May 31, 2011

Historian and author Thomas D. Perry will present “Extraordinary Times, Ordinary Man: The Life, Times and Images of Everett M. Bennett” on Sunday, June 5, at 3:00 PM in the Historic Henry County Courthouse and Heritage Center and Museum, located at 1 East Main Street in Uptown Martinsville. Everett Bennett grew up in Spencer, Virginia and served his country in occupied Germany after World War II and during the Korean War. Perry’s sixteenth book, “From Spencer-Penn to Rives Road: The Life, Times and Images of Everett M. Bennett,” recounts Bennett’s life, the times in which he lived and the images he collected along the way including photographs he took and postcards he collected. The book also includes letters Bennett and his family received after famed photographer Walter Sanders’ photograph of Bennett appeared on the cover of Life magazine in 1947 propelling Bennett to his own “15 minutes of fame.” Bennett died in 2005.

The program is being held in conjunction with the opening of an exhibit on Everett Bennett featuring personal possessions including his uniform and other military items, his original photographs and his Life magazine cover on loan from his widow, Dora Adams Bennett and his longtime friend, David Minter. The exhibit will also include items from the collection of David Minter on the Korean War, Vietnam and his father, Philmore G. Minter’s service with Company H, 116 Infantry 29^th division on D-Day.  Mr. Glenwood Hankins and Mr. Clyde English, D-Day veterans who served with Minter plan to attend the program.

Historian Thomas D. Perry is the author of sixteen books on regional history in Virginia surrounding his home county of Patrick. In 1990, Perry started the J.E.B. Stuart Birthplace in Ararat, Virginia. A Virginia Tech graduate, he studied under renown Civil War Historian James I. “Bud” Robertson, and speaks all over the region and country. Perry’s collection of papers, books, and images are housed in the Special Collection Department of the Carol M. Newman Library at Virginia Tech.

He is the recipient of the John E. Divine Award from the Civil War Education Association, the Hester Jackson Award from the Surry County Civil War Round Table, and the Best Article Award from the Society of North Carolina Historians for his article on Stoneman’s Raid in 2008. In 2010, he received acknowledgement from the Bassett Public Library Association for his work to expand the Bassett Historical Center and was named Henry County Virginia Man of the Year by www.myhenrycounty.com. Perry also recently received the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award from the Patrick Henry Daughters of the American Revolution.

Everett Bennett Book

Program Sunday June 5 at 3 pm at Martinsville Henry County Heritage Center and Museum at old Henry County Courthouse in Martinsville. Ordinary Man in Extraordinary Times: The Life, Times, and Images of Everett M. Bennett.

Read Paul Collin's article in the May 30, 2011, Martinsville Bulletin about Everett M. Bennett.

http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=28696

Thank You Friends of the Blue Ridge Regional Library

"Thank You Thomas Perry!

                I would like to take this moment to Thank Thomas Perry for all that he has done for the Bassett Historical Center and the promotion of regional and local history. Tom has tirelessly devoted his efforts and resources in support of the Bassett Historical Center and many other deserving organization. The Patrick Henry Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) presented Tom with their Community Service Award in February 2011. The DAR Chapter in turn received a third place award from the entire Commonwealth of Virginia for their nomination of Tom for Community Service. The Colonel George Waller Chapter of the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) presented Tm with their Bronze Good Citizenship Award in 2005. Tom’s mission has always been the education and promotion of history. He started the J. E. B. Stuart Birthplace Preservation Trust, Inc. in 1990 and the online Free State of Patrick website in 2004, which has grown to over 500 members.

                Tom has produced the Laurel Hill Teacher’s Guide for educators and the Laurel Hill Reference Guide for groups. Additionally, Tom speaks with students at several local schools and colleges. Tom has his collection of papers relating to J. E. B. Stuart and Patrick County history at his alma mater Virginia Tech in the Special Collections Department of the Carol M. Newman Library under the auspices of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. He has donated his collection of over 14,000 photos and images to the Bassett Historical Center and the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. Tom as instrumental in developing the Historical Symposium held to benefit the Bassett Historical Center’s Building Fund, as well as, encouraging James I. Robertson, Jr. to be a speaker. He has presented multiple “First Saturday” programs annually, on various local topics of local history over the past five years. He served as editor of the Henry County Heritage Book and Tom’s Arcadia Publishing’s Henry County Virginia book went to the Bassett Historical Center’s Building Fund to help raise over $50,000 for the expansion of the building. Tom participated in the Big Read in October 2010, holding the final event for Poe on Halloween at the Bassett Train Depot. Tom has gone above and beyond for the promotion of local and regional history and deserves a huge Thank You for all he has done for the Blue Ridge Regional Library system and the Bassett Historical Center. The deeds listed above are just a sampling of Tom’s outstanding contributions. We are truly fortunate to call Thomas Perry our friend!"

Ruby David, Editor, Friends of the Blue Ridge Regional Library Newsletter Spring-Summer 2011

Book To Help Fieldale Community Center

Fieldale Virginia $19.99

Laurel Hill Publishing is pleased to announce that Fieldale Virginia (History and Memory Series of Laurel Hill Publishing) will help funding for the Fieldale Community Center respectively. Each book is available at each respective center where proceeds will go to each center and each center will receive $1 from all sales of the respective books.

Tom Perry recently received the National Community Service Award from the Patrick Henry Daughters of the American Revolution and these two books continue his long standing belief in using his books to help raise money for local non-profit projects, which began over twenty years ago when Perry started the J. E. B. Stuart Birthplace in his hometown of Ararat, Patrick County, Virginia and continued recently with the expansion of the Bassett Historical Center.

Fieldale Virginia is part of the History and Memory Series of Laurel Hill Publishing. Fieldale Virginia continues the series begun in 2009 by Tom Perry with Images of Henry County Virginia, which was used to raise money for the Bassett Historical Center and matched by the Harvest Foundation to help fund the expansion to what Perry calls “The Best Little Library in Virginia.” Perry continued this series with Martinsville Virginia recently revised with the Virginia Museum of Natural History on the cover. All these books are available for $19.99 at the Binding Time Café, Martinsville Visitor Center and the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.

This book is co-authored by Traci Petty, who is an expert on the history of Fieldale especially the Fieldale Lodge and the Fieldale Heritage Festival. Perry asked Petty to join him after going on one of her tours of the Fieldale Lodge.

This book uses old black and white images to tell the history of the small Henry County community began by Marshall Field and Co. in the early 20^th century. Also, included are short

essays by people whose families called Fieldale home.

 

Bill Adkins of the Fieldale Community Center comments. “The proceeds from the book sale will be used to update facilities at the center. We are currently working on the pool, which is scheduled to open May 28. We are cleaning and working at the center preparing for the Heritage Festival.”

Link to Fieldale Community Center http://www.fieldalecommunitycenter.org/

TOM PERRY WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS WITH TRACI PETTY AT THE FIELDALE HERITAGE FESTIVAL ON MAY 21.


Perry can be contacted through his website www.freestateofpatrick.com or email at freestateofpatrick@yahoo.com

Book To Help Spencer Penn Centre

Laurel Hill Publishing is pleased to announce that From Spencer-Penn To Rives Road: The Life, Times, and Images of Everett M. Bennett and Fieldale Virginia (History and Memory Series of Laurel Hill Publishing) will help funding for the Spencer-Penn Centre and the Fieldale Community Center respectively. Each book is available at each respective center where proceeds will go to each center and each center will receive $1 from all sales of the respective books.

Tom Perry recently received the National Community Service Award from the Patrick Henry Daughters of the American Revolution and these two books continue his long standing belief in using his books to help raise money for local non-profit projects, which began over twenty years ago when Perry started the J. E. B. Stuart Birthplace in his hometown of Ararat, Patrick County, Virginia and continued recently with the expansion of the Bassett Historical Center.

Perry can be contacted through his website www.freestateofpatrick.com or email at freestateofpatrick@yahoo.com

Mary Jordan of the Spencer-Penn Centre comments. “The Spencer-Penn School has a legacy of admirable, hard-working students who went on to be admirable, hardworking citizens.  When the school closed and the community formed the Organization to buy the property, the mission was not only to preserve the building and continue the role the building served in the community, but also to preserve the history of the school and thus its former students.

When one tours the building, one will see many pictures of former students decorating the walls.  Each student has a memorable part of Spencer-Penn’s history.  Having a book written about a former student is an extra bonus.

Everett Bennett was your usual rural student but achieved recognition when his picture went all over the world on the cover of LIFE magazine.  What a thrill for this family, his friends and his community because his image also was an image of his life in rural Spencer, Virginia. 

Spencer-Penn Centre P.O. Box 506 475 Spencer-Penn Road Spencer, VA 24165

Phone: 276-957-5757 Fax: 276-957-5757 spspo04@yahoo.com www.thecentreatspencerpenn.com

          An Exhibit of Everett Bennett’s personal belongings is on display at the Spencer-Penn Centre in the Stanley Bowles Classroom.

          Tom Perry will be speaking on May 11 at Noon in the New College Institute about the book.

          A temporary exhibit about Bennett will be on display later this summer at the Martinsville-Henry County Courthouse Museum.

          Everett M. Bennett grew up in the Penn's Store community on the border between Patrick County and Henry County in Virginia. He graduated from Spencer-Penn High School in Henry County in 1945 as World War II was winding down. Bennett joined the U. S. Army and found himself in occupied Germany in 1947 serving in the 28th Constabulary, a military police unit along the German/Czech border. During that time Life Magazine photographer Walter Sanders made him the cover image of the February 10, 1947, Life Magazine. Bennett returned to Martinsville and Henry County before returning to active service Korea in the 1092nd Combat Engineers. He returned to Martinsville and spent the rest of his life working at the Rives Road Grocery beside Martinsville Novelty. This book tells his story, the times he lived, and the images he saved along the way. Tom Perry used material brought to him by Bennett’s friend David Minter and Dora Adams Bennett, Everett’s widow. 

          Everett Bennett died in 2005, but his story lives on along with the history of the Spencer-Penn school along with information about the families of those names including the Shootout on Fayette Street between the Spencers and the Terrys in the late 19^th century. This book tells of life in world in 1947 when the Life Magazine with Bennett’s image was on the cover. The book tells of the rise and fall of Martinsville detailing the rise of the town through furniture and textiles before the hard times of the late 20^th century.

          Exhibits about Everett Bennett are on display at the Spencer-Penn and will soon also be at the Henry County Courthouse Museum in downtown Martinsville on loan from David Minter and Dora Adams Bennett. Tom Perry will speak on Everett Bennett on May 11 at noon at the New College Institute in downtown Martinsville.

"My Angel Mother"

My mother Betty H. Perry on the right and her sister Kathyrn H. Green on the left at Mabry Mill.

            Jane Tesh and I are not without mothers on Mother’s Day because our mothers Nancy and Betty are gone to Georgia. They are going to spend a week taking care of my Aunt Kathryn, who is in a nursing home suffering with dementia and recently fell and broke her hip and then last week fell and broke her arm. So, without my mother today I got to thinking of the self-sacrifice of my mother and Nancy for going to Augusta, Georgia to take care of a sister and her friend’s sister.

            My Aunt Kathryn raised two daughters Kathy and Ann as a single mother after the death of her husband Robert of a heart attack when my beautiful first cousins were teenagers. She worked for years at the Medical College of Georgia in the mail room. My cousin Kathy is a CPA and a grandmother herself. My cousin Ann has PhD  level education in education and is the grandmother of three and is fighting her own battle with cancer.

            Kathryn Hobbs Green was one of those people who not only talked about being a good Christian, but was a good Christian. She walked the walked following Jesus’ teachings. She was one of the best human beings I ever knew. When I was a grown man I would still get birthday cards from “Sis” as we called her. Now, she like her mother Elizabeth Prescott Hobbs is dealing with dementia and her children and grandchildren are dealing with it. Every woman in my mother’s family seems to have to face to this disease and the horrible effects of literally losing one’s mind.

            Abraham Lincoln said of his step-mother, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Having lost his birth mother to disease as a child, Lincoln was lucky to have a stepmother who encouraged him to ready and that learning was a good thing. Most men believe their mothers are saints and I am one of them. My love of history and books comes from my mother who reads voraciously and who thought nothing of loading her only child in a 1964 white VW and carrying him to Monticello or more importantly she took me to visit Icy and George Elbert “Shug” Brown when I expressed an interest in J. E. B. Stuart’s birthplace although years ago.

            Today our (Jane and I) mothers are acting as angels of mercy taking care of my aunt and giving my cousins a few days to have their own lives. I don’t mind being without my mother today because she is doing more important work and like her sister. She walks the walk in Jesus’ footsteps not just talking about her Christian faith, but actually doing something few of us can do. Living it.

Justice

“ Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.”-- George W. Bush - September 20, 2001

 “We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.” –Barrack H. Obama, May 1, 2011

“Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.” – George W. Bush, May 1, 2011          

Bush’s statement echoes his call for “Justice” from almost a decade ago after the attacks of September 11, 2011. In the last few days I have been watching Facebook for the reaction to the death of Osama Bin Laden and it goes from pure revenge to criticism of the President to the following. “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him." Proverbs 24:17-18

                I got the following numbers off the internet. The U. S. Military Losses since September 11, 2011, are 4,768 Coalition Casualties in Iraq, 2,421 in Afghanistan and 2 from Patrick County, Virginia, Jonathan Bowling and Leevi Barnard. This weekend on May 7, there will be a benefit for Joshua Kerns, who was wounded in Afghanistan a few weeks ago.

          I have thought about these three young men a lot over the last few days. Two lives lost and one forever changed and what the world would be like without this horrific change. The things they might have done and the children they might have had that we will never know because of Osama Bin Laden’s religious fanaticism and the hate he spewed.

          The loss of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan are staggering. 48,644 total casualties in Afghanistan (40,000 Afghan Civilians and Soldiers) and total casualties in Iraq of 1,609,903 (864,000 Iraq civilians). I put everyone of these lives lost at the feet of Osama Bin Laden. It took nearly ten years to kill this man after the attacks of September 11, 2011. It took nearly ten years and thousands of lost lives for Justice.

          I have little use for Bill Clinton because I believe from everything I have read that he could have killed Osama Bin Laden before September 11, 2011, after the attacks on the U. S. S. Cole, which killed seventeen sailors and wounded thirty-nine and the 1993 attacks on the World Trade Center, which killed six and injured thousands. Unlike Clinton, Obama was willing to give the word to take out Osama, a decision that I agree with.

          Assuming that Osama is dead and they need to show proof soon or the conspiracy theories are going to start flying. It concerns me greatly that this country is so fractured that the leadership shown by the President is criticized instead of giving him credit for taking out one of the worst enemies this country has had. I don’t like much of what Obama is doing, but Osama is dead and we as a country should acknowledge that a team of dedicated military, intelligence and yes even political leaders took him out. This same harping from the other side during George W. Bush’s administration made me uncomfortable because when we are at war with an enemy that really does want to destroy our freedom of speech, put women back in the Stone Age and rule us by religious law, the petty political dialogue serves no good purpose.

 
We are a great country. We are an exceptional country. People are upset because they buried Bin Laden at sea as his religion dictates, a religion that he so abused that there is not enough room on this blog to state it. We are a great country because we can rise above the hate of this mad man. We are a great country because we produce men like Jonathan Bowling, Leevi Barnard and Joshua Kerns. I am proud of that and I am glad Osama Bin Laden is dead. I believe they have some justice today along with all the others who lost their lives because of the actions Osama Bin Laden put in motion. It takes courage to die for what you believe in and that leads me to the last quote I saw on Facebook this week, which speaks for itself.

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.