FOUNDED IN AMERICA’S 200TH YEAR, IN THE SPIRIT OF ‘76 THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2021 • ONEIDA, TENNESSEE A PUBLICATION OF LIBERTY PRESS INC. Firemen’s Fourth: Ready, set, celebrate! HUNTSVILLE — The itin- for the most part, this year’s erary for the annual Firemen’s festival will look much like it did Fourth Festival: An all-you-can- before the pandemic disrup- eat pancake breakfast beginning IN A NUTSHELL tion. at 7 a.m., the New River Run The Town of Huntsville’s “We’re still not going to con- 5K/10K also beginning at 7 a.m., Firemen’s Fourth Festival will gregate three or four thousand the Independence Day parade begin with an all-you-can-eat, people at a time,” Huntsville at 7 p.m., and fireworks to cap it $5 pancake breakfast at 7 a.m., Mayor Dennis Jeffers said of all off around 10 p.m. the New River Run at 7 a.m., the decision to not include live That’s the lineup for Sunday, the 4th of July parade at 7 entertainment in this year’s July 4, as the town and its fire- p.m., and fireworks at 10 p.m., line-up. Canned music will be all on Sunday. There will be no fighters mark a renewal of the live entertainment this year. playing throughout the day, region’s longest-standing 4th of however. July tradition. No live entertainment also After a year of interruption means there will also be no due to covid, the Firemen’s will be no live entertainment, Fourth is mostly back to normal for example, and the parade is for 2021. It won’t be exactly the The Sharp family float is a mainstay in the Town of Huntsville’s Fire- at night instead of in its tradi- See HUNTSVILLE, page A6 same as it was in 2019 — there men’s Fourth Festival parade. BEN GARRETT/INDEPENDENT HERALD tional morning time slot — but, PREHISTORIC SCOTT COUNTY The earliest Scott Countians lived here more than a thousand years before Christ was born — and Scott High students have the artifacts to prove it BEN GARRETT/INDEPENDENT HERALD Along about the same time, a would eventually become the Many self-taught historians Prehistoric people By BEN GARRETT young Virginian named Richard area’s main thoroughfares — like are familiar with the Cherokee are pictured in a [email protected] Harve Slaven moved to the No U.S. Hwy. 27, and the Monticello that roamed the region, using it replica rockshelter Business Creek valley and settled Road, and others. as a hunting ground, temporarily built by Scott High ometime around 1800 — on a piece of land granted to him But long before that — nearly taking up residence, and in some students at the nobody knows the exact by the Kentucky government. 3,000 years, in fact — humans had cases marrying into the earliest Museum of Scott date — a North Carolin- Those two men are believed settled Scott County. white families that were settling County in Hunts- ian named Mikel “Grand to have been Scott County’s first These prehistoric people and here. ville. Mikey” Low moved his white settlers. It had only been their way of life was the subject of But the first prehistoric people Sfamily to Smokey Creek and set- a few decades since the first a presentation by Scott High an- tled on a piece of land granted to long hunters and explorers had thropology teacher Gary Sexton at him by the government of North ventured through the region, the Museum of Scott County last MUSEUM Carolina. traveling old Indian trails that week. See , page A6 OUR BACK YARD WWI hero Alvin York’s Wolf River Valley home PAGE A16 Vol. 46, No. 4 1 Section, 18 Pages © 2021 Liberty Press, Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe: (423) 569-6343 ihoneida.com A2 | Thursday, July 1, 2021 Independent Herald | www.ihoneida.com PENNIE SUE BUNCH, AGE 70 DAVID DUNCAN (CONT.) JANIS OWENS, 80 Penelope “Pennie” Sue Bunch departed this life on Thurs- Services: Friends may visit with the Duncan family on Janis Fae (Jig) Mason Owens went to be with the Lord on day, June 24, 2021, at Park West Medical Center in Knoxville, Wednesday, June 23, 2021, from 6 p.m. until time of the Ma- Saturday, June 26, 2021. She was 80. Tenn. She was 70. sonic service provided by Masonic Lodge #670 at 8 p.m. in Life: Janis was born on Feb. 11, 1941 to the late Rebecca Life: Born Jan. 5, 1951, Pennie was the daughter of the late the chapel of Jones & Son Funeral Home in Oneida. Funeral “Becky” Mason. She was a member of the Fairview Baptist Eddie Moore and Flora Faulkner Moore. She was a member service will be held on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 11 a.m. Church. She loved to embroi- of the Low Gap Missionary in the chapel of Jones & Son Funeral Home with Bro. David der, go fishing, and watch foot- Baptist Church. Dial officiating. Committal service will follow in the Wilhite ball, especially her favorite Preceded in death: In ad- Cemetery in Oneida, with full military honors conducted by teams: Scott High, UT and the dition to her parents, Pennie the American Legion Post #136 in Oneida. Pallbearers will be Redskins. was preceded in death by her Jeffery Goodman, Tyler Ellis, Luke Ellis, Damion Eads, Isaac Janis worked as a substitute husband, Harvey Lee Bunch, Eads, Tristen Henry, Zane Henry and Morgan Miller. teacher in the Scott County and a sister, Patty Sipple and Arrangements by Jones & Son Funeral Home. School System for 16 years and husband Joe. worked as a secretary at Scott Survivors: Pennie is sur- WILMA JEAN JEFFERS, AGE 87 High School for 10 years. She vived by her sons, Wayne helped some on the beginning Bunch, Brian Bunch and wife Athens, Ga. of the Museum of Scott County, Carla (special daughter-in- Wilma Jean Jeffers passed away on June 22, 2021. She where she served as secretary. law), Troy Bunch and wife was 87. She and her husband, Odis, donated several items to be dis- Kathren, and Curtis Bunch Life: Wilma was born on July 14, 1933 in the coal mining played at the museum. and wife Christina; special community of Norma, Tenn. In 1954, she married Kermit Preceded in death: In addition to her parents, Janis was daughter-in-law, Tammy Jeffers. In 1961, they moved preceded in death by her grandparents, Felin and Stella Mason, Pemberton and husband Kurt; grandchildren, Hunter Bunch to Athens, Ga. Wilma owned who raised her, and Pat and Allie Patterson; eight uncles, D.T., and wife Brittany, Heather Brewster and husband Chevan, and operated Wilma’s Beauty Clifford, Bill, Phillip, Raymond, Elmer, F.M. and Clyde Mason; Lisa Marie Bunch, Traci Bunch, Brandi Harris and husband Salon for over 40 years and and three aunts, Mary Ward, Susie Acres and Pauline Mason. Sean, Korey Eskew and wife, Emilee, Kellsey Eskew, Kristi after retiring as a hair stylist Survivors: Janis is survived by her husband of 61 years, Odis Waddell and husband Frankie, Karri Hendershot and husband worked at Lord & Stephens Fu- Owens; three daughters, Denise Lloyd and husband Jackie, Nick, Justin Bunch and wife Timeka, and Corey Bunch; 34 neral Home as a greeter, which Elaine Lowe and husband Randy, and Janet Lowe and hus- great-grandchildren; special cousins, Barb Perin and Doug she dearly loved. She loved her band Dewayne; one son, Michael Owens and wife Linda; eight Faulkner; a very special friend, Joyce Hickney and husband friends and customers and grandchildren, Jessi Strunk, Jennifer Manis, Keshia Bass, Megan Lewis; and many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. made many friendships over Mills, Kevin Lloyd, Craig Owens, Dalton Lowe and Austin Lowe; Services: Friends may visit with the Bunch family on Mon- the years. She always wore a 10 great-grandchildren whom she loved so much, Callie and day, June 28, 2021, in the chapel of Four Oaks Funeral Home smile and would go out of her Casen Strunk, Ava and Emma Bass, Jolee and Amelia Manis, in Huntsville from 6 p.m. until time of the funeral service at 7 way to help anyone in need. Rylee and Ryan Mills, and Cooper and Clayton Lowe, and her p.m. with Bro. James Taylor and Bro. David Walker officiating. She was of the Baptist faith. 11th great-grandchild, Tobias Owens, who is due anytime; her Music will be provided by Kaylah Chambers and David and Wilma was the daughter of little brother, Ralph Mason and wife Pat; special friend Bernie Felicia Walker. Graveside service will be on Tuesday, June 29, the late Rev. Roy Lowe and Mary Elizabeth Lowe. Mason, who called her every morning; and many other cousins, 2021, at 10 a.m. at Baptist Memorial Cemetery in Robbins, Preceded in death: In addition to her parents, Wilma family and friends. Tenn. Pallbearers will be children and grandchildren. was preceded in death by her husband, Kermit R. Jeffers, and Services: Friends may visit with the Owens family Tues- Arrangements by Four Oaks Funeral Home in Huntsville. brothers, Ralph W. Lowe and Hank H. Lowe. day, June 29, 2021 in the chapel of Four Oaks Funeral Home Survivors: Wilma is survived by her sons, Gary Jeffers in Huntsville from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Funeral service will be 12 DAVID DUNCAN, AGE 69 and wife Lynne of Danielsville; Bruce Jeffers and wife Kim of p.m. Wednesday, June 30, at Fairview Baptist Church with Bro. Winterville; Tony Jeffers and wife Gaye of Watkinsville; and Michael Ray Jeffers and Bro.