Tennessee, Bedford County, Shelbyville
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In honored memory of
the veterans of Bedford
County, who died in
W.W.II, the Korean
Conflict and the Vietnam
Conflict.
(War, Korean • War, Vietnam • War, World II) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
In honored memory of
the veterans of Bedford
County, who died in
W.W.II, the Korean
Conflict and the Vietnam
Conflict.
(War, Korean • War, Vietnam • War, World II) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
The Lehigh Navigation, built by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, was used to transport anthracite coal from mines in north eastern Pennsylvania to New York, Easton, Philadelphia, and beyond. Workers dug much of the canal by hand, constructing a series of 49 locks to compensate for the 353-foot drop in elevation. Operation of the canal from Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe) to Easton began in 1839.
The areas first settler Nicholas Kern emigrated from the Palatinate area of Germany circa 1730 on board the ship Adventurer. Kern moved his family from south Whitehall Township after acquiring 700 acres in present day Slatington. The Kerns were lower Slatington’s principal settlers until the discovery of slate. Present day Slatington was originally known as Kern’s Mills, and later as Kernsport.
One of the largest slate-producing centers in the United States. Welsh slate entrepreneur William Roberts first sighted slate in 1844 near a local barn. He and other Welsh immigrants established and worked in numerous slate quarries in this region. Nearby quarries included "Big Franklin"( c.1852), the largest excavation in Slatington; and "Williams," known for its production of school slate. These sites also contributed to the increase of slate roofing during the late 19th century
The first factory to produce blackboard and school slates common in U.S. classrooms opened nearby in 1847. Slate production peaked at over one million pieces early in the 20th century, leading to Slatington’s distinction as the nation’s top slate and blackboard producer.
On this site in 1623
A company of fishermen and farmers from Dorchester England under the direction of Rev. John White founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony From that time the fisheries the oldest industry in the commonwealth has been uninterruptedly pursued from this portl
In the year 1776.
The Brig Independence
Set sail from Kingston's
Jones River to protect the ships
and coastline of
Massachusetts.
Revolutionary War Patriots and War of 1812 Veterans known to be interred in Historic Dumfries Cemetery
Arden Grantham moved to Albany as a small child and grew up here. In 1930, he was considered one of the most brilliant students ever to graduate from Albany High School. Albany Congressman Thomas L. Blanton secured him an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1933. He also excelled academically there, graduating with distinction as third in a class of 323 members in 1937. His senior year he was regimental commander. After graduation, he was sent to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Cambridge for further study in ship design and received a Master of Science Degree in 1941. He was appointed Assistant Hull Superintendent for new construction at the Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard at Bremerton, Washington until 1944 when he became Assistant Planning Officer at the Pearl Harbor Naval Ship Yard. In that wartime capacity, he was decorated for Meritorious Achievement in returning damaged ships to action. In 1948, he completed a course in advanced management at Harvard Business School and then served in various capacities before returning to the Bureau of Ships as head of the Hull Arrangements, Armament and Structural Branch in 1955. In 1967, he became Deputy Commander for Fleet Maintenance Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. For this service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1972, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Management to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe. In that capacity he was awarded a gold star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit medal. He retired in 1974 after 37 years of faithful service to his country and died in Hawaii in 1998. Throughout his Naval career, he listed his home address as Albany, Texas.
Edwin Dyess remains Shackelford County’s most decorated serviceman. Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene is named in his honor. Born and educated in Albany and John Tarleton College, he joined the Army Air Force in 1938 and received his wings at Randolph Field. After three years he was promoted to Captain and put in command of the 21st Pursuit Squadron of 18 new Curtis P-40E fighter planes. In November 1941, due to the Japanese menace in Asia, the 21st Squadron was sent to the Philippine Islands. A month later, the Japanese attacked. Flying his P-40 off crude Bataan airsrips, Dyess fought them vigorously, shooting down five planes, and strafing, bombing and sinking their ships in Subic Bay. When all U.S. pilots on Bataan were order to fly south to safety, Dyess refused to leave his men and organized them as ground fighters. When all U.S. forces were surrendered, Dyess and his men endured the infamous Bataan Death march where brutal Japanese treatment caused hundreds of deaths of their prisoners. Dyess later escaped from a prison camp and met up with guerilla fighters who put him in touch with a U.S. submarine that took him to Australia. Returning to the U.S., he was the first to report the Japanese atrocities that killed one in three of their prisoners of war in WW II. After recuperation, he returned to active duty and was killed in the crash of a new P-38 fighter plane near Burbank, California on Dec. 22, 1943. He was 27 years old and is buried in Albany. Dyess was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and was recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The highest ranking serviceman from Shackelford County during World War II, Robert Williams was a native of Albany. After attending schools here, he graduated from Texas A&M in 1923 with a degree in Civil Engineering and a commission as a Second Lieutenant. He entered the Air Corps, which then was just a branch of the Army. Williams played an important role in the development of heavy bombers, particularly the 4 engined Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. He participated in goodwill mission flights of six B-17s to Brazil in 1938 and to Argentina in 1939 to prove the long range capability of this bomber. In 1940, he was sent to London as an American military observer of heavy air bombardment where he lost an eye when his apartment was struck by a German bomb during the Blitz. When America entered the war, the U.S. 8th Air Force was organized in England into three divisions. Major General Robert Williams was commander of the 1st Bombardment Division while Major General Curtis LeMay was in command of the 3rd Division. They were equipped with B-17s. Under their directions, the 8th Air Force quickly enlarged and soon was launching thousand plane raids against Germany. General Robert Williams personally led the famous Schweinfurt ball bearing plant raid on August 17, 1943, flying in a B-17 named “Lady Luck.” Schweinfurt was the most important target to that date for the 8th Air Force. Williams received the Distinguished Service Cross for this mission. He later flew on raids to Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen and Watten Germany. On the latter, his plane received major battle damage. After WW II, Gen. Williams returned to the U.S. He served in high positions in the Air Force until retiring in the mid 1950s to San Antonio where he died in 1977. General Williams, along with his cohort General Curtis LeMay, were leaders in the development of the heavy bombardment ability of the U.S. Air Force that helped defeat Germany and Japan in WW II.
English Text:
Physician and military commander, Jack Shackelford, was born in Richmond, Virginia. He earned an M.D. degree and in 1811, moved to Winnsboro, South Carolina, where he opened his first practice and met Maria Youngue, whom he married. Shackelford enlisted in the army during the War of 1812, where he served on Andrew Jackson’s staff and was wounded at Charleston. After the war, he moved his family to Alabama, where he continued to practice medicine, owned a cotton plantation and served in the state senate.
Original building 
Formed from Tom Green County Created February 26, 1887 Organized September 3, 1927. Named in honor of William Carey Crane 1816-1885. A Baptist minister President of Baylor University 1863-1885 Crane, The County Seat.
Since 1839 Texas has set aside her public lands to finance education. The University of Texas at Austin acquired the land at this site in 1883, after the first owner, a railroad company, returned it to the state as worthless. For years McElroy Ranch grazed cattle here. On similar terrain 70 miles to the southeast the Santa Rita Gusher blew in during 1923, and soon other University lands were being explored for oil.
August Courier columnist and peopleologist. Petaluma's number one booster. Founder of the World Wist Wrestling Championship and numerous other events. Trade mark - He's been photographed with more famous, infamous, usual and unusual people than anyone in the word. He's the world's number one people meeter.
