Tom Perry’s Laurel Hill Publishing announced the publication of Patrick Pioneers Part One: One Hundred Thoroughly Researched Stories of Patrick County People and Places by Beverly Belcher Woody. The 400 page book will be available for the Tom Talks History program on July 28 at 2 p.m. at the Ararat Ruritan Club, which is located at 4711 Ararat Highway in Ararat, Virginia, as a fundraiser for the Perry Family Scholarship, which gives a $500 each year to at least one Patrick County High School senior. To be considered, applicants must write a 1,000 word essay on a historical topic of their choice. Eight scholarships have been given in honor of Historian and Author Thomas D. “Tom” Perry’s parents Erie Meredith and Betty Hobbs Perry.
Beverly Belcher Woody writes a weekly column for The Enterprise on which this book is based.
“Most authors come to me, but in this case, I wanted to publish this book as I believe it is one of the best books ever written on Patrick County history,” Publisher Tom Perry said. “I am thrilled to have helped Beverly get this book in print and that we can help students at our alma mater Patrick County High School get started in their college careers.”
Woody was born and raised in the Big A community of Patrick County, Virginia. She grew up with a passion for history, conducting her first interview with mountain folks at the age of 10.
Upon graduation from Patrick County High School, Woody spent the next seventeen years working in local textile mills. When the factories closed, Woody earned an associate’s degree in paralegal studies from Patrick & Henry Community College and worked for local district and circuit courts as a deputy clerk for the next fifteen years. While working for the court system, Woody earned her bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, took master’s courses from Averett and Liberty University, and completed her master’s in education at Regent University. At the age of 50, Woody left the court system and earned her teacher licensure in history and English.
Woody teaches United States History to sixth graders at Martinsville Middle School and writes a weekly local history column called “Patrick Pioneers” for Patrick County’s oldest newspaper, The Enterprise.
She serves as Regent of the Patrick Henry National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and is on the Board of Directors of both the Patrick County Historical Society and Museum and the Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Museum. She was named “Teacher of the Year” in 2023 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
Woody and her husband Mark live in the Snow Creek section of Franklin County, Virginia with their assortment of animals. She may be reached at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com.
Patrick Pioneers Part One is available for $19.99 on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8JPX52F.
