26 Dec 1953
Page 1
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 21 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
The Gastonia Gazette
Location
Gastonia, North Carolina, United States of America
Date
Dec 26, 1953
Page
1
A blaze at a Troy boarding house killed Mare wn Kewnsy 65 and DTA. Allen 83, while four others were injured including Grace B. Harris and Marilyn Carbone. The fire’s origin is undetermined as responders battled the flames after a family attempted to escape.
Merchants report mixed activity as after Yales sales draw big crowds downtown and shoppers crowd sidewalks and parking fills. Department stores and apparel outlets reopen after holiday shutdowns while some retailers delay, grocers return Monday, textile plants resume Monday, city and county offices reopen with staff back to work Tuesday.
U S Ambassador M B Davis, 60, died at home in Tel Aviv from a heart ailment after a rough sea voyage from sick leave in the United States. Born Greencastle Indiana August 1 1803, he had served as consul general in Bangkok as minister to Denmark and as representative to the Economic Council of Asia and the Pacific and minister to Panama before arriving in Tel Aviv in February 1931.
Washington NBC commentator David Wills said Soviet Ambassador George Zaroubin asked Radio Moscow to convey Christmas and New Year wishes to the American people. Zaroubin declined to comment on Moscow’s broadcast but asked that his greeting be passed along.
New York death of Lee Shubert at Sinai Hospital follows four days of treatment for circulatory failure. He led The Shubert Theatrical Enterprises and built a famed family empire with brothers Sam and Jacob, once valued at about 400 million dollars.
Fedro Ramirez Glaslegal gathers a famed cigar butt collection featuring bottles and theater staff eras. The collection, housed in glass cases with cards naming the smoker and locale, includes a $2500 14 core item. The priciest is a 12 dollar ex King Farouk of Egypt butt smoked in Rome, marking a notable sale item.
Mrs Mary L Clary 63 of 1668 West Third avenue died Thursday afternoon at a local hospital after a long illness She was a native of Cleveland county and had lived in Gastonia for 26 years widow of John KH Clary Surviving children include Mrs Luther Raby Mrs Floredge Breedlaye Mr Irene Butter Mrs Johnnie Ray Christopher all of Gastonia E K Stephen and Blando of Shelby and Mrs Ivy Petty of Fallston Also 30 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren She was born Mary Davis in Cleveland County on June 22 1900
Harold L Smith won a television during the Akers Center grand opening at Dixie Home Stores Akers Shopping Center on Wilkinson Boulevard Christmas Eve. Funeral notices follow for multiple local residents with services planned at West Franklin Avenue Baptist Church led by Rev James B McQuere and others.
Preasley recently left the service in September and has served as guest soloist at churches in Gastonia and Charlotte. He has performed in Christmas songs and carols and sung with the Charlotte Vocal Society. He plans to enter the University of Brichiaan in January to study music, after a period of church appearances and orchestral engagements.
Kings Mountain area obituary notes Robert Ross Price 78 died of a heart attack at his home in Lowndesville South Carolina. He was father to Auntie Price Grissom of Kings Mountain and brother to Beaty Price of Guisston. Funeral at Lowndesville Presbyterian Church Sunday afternoon. Survived by four sons John Lowndesville Nick Jacksonville Robert Jr Greenboro Raymond Maryland. two daughters Elizabeth Price of Washington DC and Ann Price Grissom of Kings Mountain. four grandchildren.
Ray Jimison reports in Gaston County on a field trial treating cotton with BHC to combat ball and bull weevils. Five farms showed yields from 620 pounds per acre on treated plots versus 283 on untreated plots. The countywide effort, overseen by Farm Agent Parker and entomologist George Donec, highlighted improvements, with one prominent farmer singled out for consistent innovation.
Tommy Thompson, a noted Gaston County farmer, runs a small Grade A dairy and 170 acre farm. He advocates artificial breeding, serves as vice president of the Gaston Artificial Breeding Association, and participates in county farm groups. He grows wheat and feed grains, sustains his own feed, and has a family including Elizabeth Ann and Thomas Jr. The piece highlights his practical approach and community roles alongside weather notes predicting fair conditions across most regions.
Firestone of Memphis earns a National Safety Council honor after logging 7 103,422 man hours without a lost time accident. The Memphis plant, with 4,002 workers, has operated since February 1953 without a reportable injury, surpassing the prior rubber industry record.
Sunday school at 9 45 conducted by Supt E O Pristay Rev WV M Norton to speak at 11 00 with senior choir music led by Miss B Falls The Birth of Christ film strip follows with student recognition and a Christmas eve program titled Students Night at Christmas featuring college student speakers Public invited Gaston County College Women open house honors home for vacation students at Y Jeffers home December 30 4 to 6 pm Also funeral notices andSweetheart announcement for Miss Laura Jackwin and infant graveside service at Mt Pleasant Baptist Church.
A series of incidents in the 300 block of West Main and nearby areas tied to holiday activity. A car struck a curb and a street pole, minor damage estimated at 75 dollars. Police logged dozens of arrests Christmas week for drunkenness and traffic violations. Separate reports include assaults with deadly weapons, larceny of a toy plane, and a rifle-related incident. Firemen responded to grass fires on Osvalia street, burning leaves on West Franklin, a couch fire at the Negro Hotel on West Page, and other small mends including a stove spark and a defective furnace.
Miss Jackson, a member of the shulents' Home Club, was spotlighted at a well attended ceremony at Temple University School of Nursing in Philadelphia. Reports praise her excellent work in studies amid a caterful event.
A list of patients admitted to Memorial Hospital with names and room numbers across various wards including Room 410 Ellis Building North Conner Street and Room 205 West Mala wen, highlighting common entry details such as patient names and assigned rooms rather than medical specifics. The item reads like an internal intake roster and place identifiers for staff reference.
Obituaries report the sudden death of Samuel Richard Wooten age 80 while visiting Gastonia followed by funeral plans at M L Ford and Son in Clover and burying at Woodside Cemetery. It notes survivors including his son George Wooten and daughters, and lists relatives across North and South Carolina. The passage also mentions Burgess N Wir of Rutherford County who died and was laid to rest at Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery with services by Carothers Funeral Home. survivors include three daughters and grandchildren.
Long Beach detectives take on a case of Christmas day assault and robbery against Charles J. Baker, a Korean War veteran in Artesia. Baker, missing a leg and fingers from war injuries, was dragged from his car by five youths, beaten, and robbed of a Christmas watch. He remains hospitalized as investigators pursue the attackers and piece together details of the incident.
A Kansas family suffered injuries when their car was struck by a train near High Point Thomasville and Denton. Amanda Elaine McCrea, 5, died in the collision. Walter Hood McGetta of McPherson received a broken collar bone and injuries. A 12 year old son Wyatt was treated and released. The crash occurred as the train was not avoided at the crossing.
Patty Ruth Watkins twenty two of Alamance County died Christmas Day from burns after clothing caught fire from an open stove on December 18. The incident was reported in Burlington and noted as a fatal burn accident with details available from local authorities.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.