6 • JANUARY 12, 2013 • UNION COUNTY SHOPPER-NEWS
Gertrude Grubb Janeway The most popular woman in Blaine
Another living treasure I missed was Gertrude Grubb Janeway, whose love story lives on in the hearts of all who have heard it. As fate would have it, the story begins long before Gertrude was born. John Janeway was born in 1846 in Grainger County. Not much is known about him until, at age 18 in the spring of 1864, he was discovered by Union soldiers taking a turn of corn to the local gristmill on Buffalo Creek to be ground into cornmeal for the family. The soldiers said he looked like a strong young man and immediately recruited him into the Union Army. John forgot about the grist mill and turned his thoughts to war. He joined the 14th Illinois Cavalry and rode off with them, but he pointed the family horse toward home. Fearful that someone might harm his family, he used the name “John January” instead of John Janeway, and he kept the
Bonnie Peters
name throughout the war. His official enlistment was on June 1, 1864, at Maryville. He was sent immediately to the Atlanta area to join the army of William Tecumseh Sherman to train for his march on Atlanta and to the sea. He escaped death when a bullet pierced his hat, and after just two months he was captured and became a prisoner of war at Chattahoochee. After the war January did not return home. Instead, he disappeared and was not heard of until some 59 years later when he showed up back in Grainger County. Gertrude Grubb was born July 3, 1909, to Halley and Tom Grubb. Unfortunately, Gertrude had some congenital deformities – her right hand was severely deformed and her right leg
Union County High School Athlete of the Week Fugate says the high school team is doing fine By Cindy Taylor since its recent win over Union County High School Carter and is moving right basketball along. player Drew “Drew has really Fugate worked hard on his game never really over the past year,” said considered coach Shane Brown. “He any other is currently averaging sport. 10.2 points per game and “I’ve is leading the team in played assists. He is becoming a since I was good leader on the court.” Drew Fugate four years Fugate, a sophomore, old,” said Fugate. “I hope to plans to study physical continue playing in college.” therapy in college.
Drew Fugate
was shorter than the left. She could not walk until age 7. Tom Grubb died in 1922 at age 69, leaving Gertrude and her siblings – Arthur, Rubin and Barney – for Mrs. Grubb to raise. Before Tom Grubb died he taught Gertrude to walk by persistence and by having her hold a string which he carried to another side of the room and asked her to bring him the string she had in her hand. It worked. Halley Grubb put food on the table by scrubbing clothes on a washboard six days a week for which she was paid 50 cents. Gertrude finished the 5th grade and became quite a good reader. In 1925, when Gertrude was just 16, John Janeway stopped by the Grubb home and on that first visit inquired about taking Gertrude for his wife. Halley told him he’d have to wait for her to “come of age.” Gertrude says they courted for more than two years until she was old enough to get married. The courting seemed to have consisted mostly of swinging in a porch swing or just sitting and talking. After their marriage for a few years they boarded with friends or family. Gertrude spotted a cabin for sale on Indian Ridge Road during one of their walks and she told John she’d like to have it for a home. They purchased the home, and there Gertrude lived from the time she was 23 until
MILESTONES
John and Gertrude Janeway cabin, historic site at Blaine Photo by Bonnie Peters
she died Jan. 7, 2003, at age 93. In spite of their long talks and walks, Gertrude did not know much about John except that she really loved him. He did tell her that war was hard and that sometimes he had to go to homes and beg for food. He also told her he went to California in 1865 after the war and raised a family. We do not know if he married someone in California. At age 77, John just showed back up in Grainger County and started looking for a wife. He and Gertrude were married for 10 years before John died and was buried in New Corinth Cemetery at Blaine in the Grubb family plot. The Janeways never had a phone, electricity or running water until recently when family became so concerned about Gertrude they convinced her to get
electricity so she could have a little electric heater. The cabin had three rooms. The downstairs is roughly 20 x 20, and the front room had only one electric light and four wall outlets. It is furnished with a double iron bed, a wood cookstove with a warmer, a sow-belly cabinet, a table and a few chairs by the fireplace. These furnishings are original to the cabin. The backroom was not original to the cabin and was not moved to its new location. I have not been inside the cabin, but there is a staircase leading to what I understand would be a small room upstairs. When she was 19, John took Gertrude to Knoxville to People’s Studio to have a portrait made. This was the first picture Gertrude ever had taken and she treasured it as long as she lived. After her death, preser-
vationists Marvin House and Delbert Morgan moved the cabin by truck six miles down Indian Ridge Road to its current location. Civil War historians will keep her love story alive because Gertrude was the last living Union soldier’s widow. Gertrude received the last check issued for a Civil War veteran’s widow in the amount of $70. She fielded questions without hesitation about how a young girl could marry an 81-year-old man. She simply said she loved him – adored him. She said she called him “Honey” and he called her Gertie. When reporters and historians came to interview her, she was told she was a celebrity and that she was popular, but Gertrude always thought of herself as “Gertie.”
Seniors celebrate birthdays
NOW SHOWING THROUGH JAN. 17 THIS IS 40 (R) 2:15; 5:15; 8:40
Adults $6.25 all day Children/Seniors/ Military $4.75 all day $1 drinks/$1 popcorn $1 candy half off nachos
Keith Merritt
LINCOLN (PG13) 2:05; 8:25
Merritt is 50
LES MISERABLES (PG13) 5:10
Keith Merritt will celebrate his 50th birthday Sunday, Jan. 13, with his family. He got an early gift – a new puppy named Katie.
JACK REACHER (PG13) 2:10; 5:05; 8:30 THE HOBBIT (PG13) 1:50; 5:05; 8:20 NO PASSES A HAUNTED HOUSE (R)
2:20; 4:30; 6:45; 9:00
**TUESDAY SPECIALS NOT VALID ON NO PASS FEATURES.
PARENTAL GUIDANCE (PG) 2:00; 4:20; 6:35; 8:55
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NO PASSES GANGSTER SQUAD (R)
2:05; 4:25; 6:45; 9:05
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MOVIE LINE 922-2187
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COUNTY BAIL BONDING Freedom is just 150 Court Street Maynardville, TN a Call Away 992-6511
Agents: Von Richardson & Kenneth Janeway
Melody Smith, Kris Chadwick, and Candy Halford The Union County Senior Center celebrated December birthdays on Dec. 17. Luttrell seniors honored were Melody Smith, Kris Chadwick and Candy Halford. Sharps Chapel senior Tony Ozuha celebrated his January birthday on Jan. 2 with friend Jim Langston. Teresa’s Bakery provided cake and Flowers by Bob provided flowers for the honorees. Tony Ozuha and Jim Langston
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