Looking Back by Lora Stull
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One Hundred
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 2, 1919.)
Blockton postoffice robbed..When Postmaster Wildman of Blockton came down to the post office Wednesday morning he found his safe had been literally torn to pieces and the pieces scattered over the floor, together with soap and other evidences of nitro-glycerine. In a flash it came to him that the office had been robbed during the night. The work was evidently done by professionals. Entrance had been gained by forcing the front door. The doors of the safe were blown off and the frame expanded about 2”.
If the proposal to issue $28,000 bonds for a new county home carries Tuesday, Ringgold County will have 240 acres of land worth $150 per acre with a $28,000 home, or making a total of $64,000 for the keeping of eight people, the number now in the county home. This is the equivalent of giving each of the inmates an $8,000 home. If you think a smaller farm would do, Vote “No.”
Farms for Sale: 213 1/2 acres two miles from Hale, MO., lies nearly level, rich soil, large 12 room house, partly modern, good barns and other buildings, good orchard…Price $140 acre-Also other farms from $120-$150 per acre-We have a dandy list of Ringgold County farms all sizes, from $120 up. Inquire of Flynn & Flynn, Mount Ayr phone number 225.
June 28, Maude Shaffer and Lewis German were united in marriage. Retha Johnson and Earl Goodale were married Sunday.
Births recorded: June 16, a son, Richard Andrew, to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Grubb…June 12, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Hoover of Delphos…June 17, a son to Mr. and Mrs. John Thompson of Redding…June 4, a son, Jerald Rubert, to Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Thompson of Mount Ayr…June 10, a daughter, Vega Ruth, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Clark of Delphos..May 28, a daughter, Pauline Evelyn, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gray…June 7, a son, Eldon LaRue, to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Main…June 1, a son to Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Reynolds of Redding…a daughter, Leota Maxine to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Minnick…June 10, a son, Donald Roy, to Mr. and Mrs. John Fertig of Benton…June 14, a daughter, Melba Farrold, to Mr. and Mrs.John Willey of Mount Ayr…June 13, a son, Everett James, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Baumann of Mount Ayr…May 25, a son, Franklin Rex, to Mr. and Mrs. Clell Fuller of Mount Ayr..March 4, a son, Charles Francis, to Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Foster.
Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Angeline Johnston Swigart and Carroll Wayne Danielson.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 6, 1944.)
The voters of Tingley will go to the polls in a special election July 27 to cast ballots favoring or opposing the proposal to issue bonds to construct a new town hall. The question will be submitted as follows: “Shall the town of Tingley, in the county of Ringgold, state of Iowa, construct a town hall and contract in debtedness for such purpose not exceeding $5,000 and issue bonds for such purpose not exceeding $5,000 and levy a tax annually upon the taxable property of said town of Tingley, Iowa, not exceeding 3 1/2 mills per annum for payment of such bonds and interest thereon.”
Mrs. Cora Hall of Benton received an official message June 28 informing her that her son, John E. Hall is missing in action over Germany since June 18. John was a crew of ten men on a bomber stationed somewhere in England. In his last letter, John stated he had received the air medal award and also new ratings. John volunteered his service to his country February 2, two days before his 18th birthday.
Mrs. E.M. McPherson received an official communication from the War Department notifying her that her son, Lieut. Paul McPherson had been missing in action over France since June 6. However since receiving the message, Mrs. McPherson has received four letters from her son, the last one being dated June 17, which leads relatives to believe that Lieut. McPherson had returned since to his base after being reported missing.
Ration News: All people who have not yet returned their renewals for the 1944-45 heating ration, please do so immediately. July 1, all tubes were removed from rationing. No certificate is needed now to purchase any type of tube.
Marriages: June 5, Oleva Pritchard and Leo Woollums…June 22 Vera Harriman and Hollis Oren …June 23, Burt Norris Jr. and Dorothy Ohl…June 26, Joyce Jones and Francis Smith.
Births recorded: June 29, a son, David Charles to Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Rupert…July 5, a daughter, Sandra, to Pvt. and Mrs. Shultz…July 4, a daughter, Betty, to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert O’Grady…June 29, a son, Roger, to Mr. and Mrs. Bert Lane…June 30, a son, Barry, to Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Walker.
Obituaries in this edition were: Isaac Elder Campbell, Samuel Alonzo Bullock and Sarah Ann Fraiser Rice.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 3, 1969.)
Violent weather struck much of Ringgold County Saturday afternoon, part of a statewide pattern of severe storm system that left injury and destruction in it’s wake. Most of this county, however escaped the damage that visited Creston, Osceola and other communities to the east. Torrential rains did hit much of the county, but hail and punishing winds concentrated in the northern section, although there were reports of isolated spots in other parts of the county that received damage. Hail varying in size from marble to baseballs were reported. Hardest hit was a belt south of Beaconsfield.
Sports: Tim Irving of Mount Ayr has received an athletic scholarship to attend Simpson College at Indianola this fall. Irving has been an outstanding three-sport star at MACHS in football, track and baseball. He will participate in football and baseball at Simpson.
Iowa sportsman harvested 13,771 deer last season, reports the State Conservation Commission. The harvest by shotgun hunting was 12,941, topping any previous year and significantly higher than the 1967 kill of 10,392. Archers bagged 830 deer last season, also higher than any previous year.
Births: July 1, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wood of Stewartsville, MO.
Obituaries in this edition were: Mose McPherson Hennegin and Charles Victor Hukill.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 7, 1994.)
Summer means crews working to repair the brick streets in Mount Ayr and several projects have been worked on this summer. The major project of the summer is the repair of the brick street outside of the old depot that is being restored north of the square in Mount Ayr. The major work at the street there will take quite a bit more time this summer.
If all plans for new large hog operations in Ringgold County become reality, the county will have almost 40,000 more hogs in confinement buildings in the county. Iowa Select Farms has submitted plans for four different complexes in the county…Swine Graphics Enterprises has cooperating locations with several farmers in the county already but is planning a farrowing operation of its own in Ringgold County. Southwest Quality Pork, a group which has Michael Warin of Maloy listed as it’s representative, is a company which includes several area farmers as investors. This new group plans two large hog operations.
Births: Randy and Gannie Porter of Wahoo, NE are the parents of a son, Brandon William, born June 17…June 22, a son, Tyler Steven, to Mr. and Mrs. Steve McClelland.
Obituaries in this edition were: Donna Joan Holtzman Drake and JoAnn Lorraine West Gorman.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, June 18, 2009.)
A big step in the process to make blades for wind generators at the Heartland Energy Solutions Inc. plant in Mount Ayr took place last week when the first of the molds for the blades was constructed. A crew of plant employees and youth from the area put together the fiberglass mold which will be used when making the generators that the plant here is developing.
First Sargent Matthew Bainum retired from the U.S. Army at Fort Riley, KS in May. During his 21 years in the military he has served in Germany, Alaska, Kuwait, Greece, Bosnia, and Iraq.
Births: June 9, a son, Logan, to Mr. and Mrs. Jason Worthington…June 11, a son, Ian Steve, to Brittany and John Gaddum.