Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, November 14, 1919.)
With the thermometer registering 22 degrees below zero and no prospect in sight for securing more coal within a month; with a splendid system devised in operation for the relief of the situation in Mount Ayr, but with insufficient wood choppers to meet the exigencies of the situation, a number of leading members of the Mount Ayr Commercial Club met yesterday morning and decided to issue a call for volunteers to go into the woods today and fell trees which will be brought to the municipal wood yard, cut into stove lengths and thus create a surplus supply. Arrangements were made with H.H. Wilson for securing wood from the timber on his farm in Washington Township and when the matter was presented Mr. Wilson volunteered to permit the choppers, no matter how many, to go into his timber and for the moderate consideration of one dollar a cord cut all they could on the day appointed,
Notice to customers from Citizens State Bank of Benton: Owing to the fact that numerous banks throughout the country have been robbed recently, the object of the burglars being mainly to secure US Liberty Bonds and War Savings Stamps, we wish to advise our customers that it would be good business on their part to have their bonds and stamps duly registered.
Mount Ayr is to have a modern gasoline filling station located on the south side of the square just east of the library building. The three lots between the library building and G. W. Laucks store were purchased from I. J. Dalbey by a large corporation from Davenport and was announced Saturday that thirty shares of stock had been sold at $250 each.
W.F. Chanse sold last week his interest in the grocery, produce, and feed business to his partner, Howard Rush.
Maude Greenman and Charles Burchett were united in marriage last Thursday.
Birth: Mr. and Mrs. Roy King are rejoicing over the birth of a son on November 21.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, December 7, 1944.)
The rain sleet and snow storm of Sunday and Monday wrought thousands of dollars of damage to electric light wires and electrical equipment, communication lines, trees, and buildings struck by falling limbs. Fortunately wind did not accompany the storm. W.F. Hutchinson, district manager of Iowa Southern Utilities Company, said it was more destructive than any storm in the 12 years he has been in Mount Ayr.
T-4 Marion (Jack) Dailey, who suffered serious injuries to both feet and legs October 28 while in action with a tank division in France, has undergone operations for the amputation of both feet, according to a letter under date of November 16 received by his parents, Mr. an Mrs. Roy Dailey. The v-mail letter read: “I am coming along as well as can be expected. They operated on my left foot day before yesterday. I have them both off now just above the ankles. The only way I can write is by laying flat on my back.” Through the whole sad experience Jack has urged his parents and other loved ones not to worry about him as he was receiving good care and was in good spirits in spite of his misfortune.
Ration News: Attics, basements, and other home storage places may be the answer to Saint Nick’s problem of meeting a shortage of such toys as electric trains, construction sets, scooters, skates, metal sleds and tricycles. It has been suggested that householders dig up those long unused toys and to sell to persons with youngsters who expect Santa Claus to deliver them Christmas Eve. Although there is no OPA ceiling on toys in transactions between individuals, prices should be based on ceilings placed on sales of used toys by business establishments. This is 75 percent of the new price.
November 22, Miss Luella Wall and L Banks Wilson were united in marriage…November 23, Margueritte Bush became the bride of Leonard Travis.
Births: November 27, a daughter, Lenora Ann, to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Mathany.
Obituaries in this edition were: Sarah Virginia Shambaugh Fisher and Charles B. Parslow.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, November 27, 1969.)
Kellerton farmer gets 2nd lamb crop. Little Bo Peep has nothing on a Kellerton farmer when it comes to sheep. The Glen Bears, who farm in the vicinity, report for the first time in 38 years of sheep raising they have two crops of lambs in the same year. One set of lambs came the first week of January, while 25 more came the third week of October.
Duane Miller, former star athlete at Mount Ayr Community High School, has been named most valuable player by Drake University football team.
Jones breaks record as Raiderettes top Malvern Saturday night. Jerry Horton’s girls came from behind to beat a stubborn Malvern team 75-67. Forward Kathy Jones set a new school scoring record in the process when she dumped in 54 points to break Jo Ellen Hainline’s mark of 49 points set against Lenox in 1968.
Marriages: November 2, Rita Fear and Airman Michael Adkisson were united in marriage…November 15, Susan Hill became the bride of James Thomas.
Obituaries in this edition were: Pearle Veva Bramon Foland, Mrs. E. Dee (Lesan) Prugh, Barbara Ann Ibbotson Heizer, Minnie Helen Kuder Millsap and Ada Grace Rowell Manso.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, November 24, 1994.)
Accidents show that deer are on the move. There were 13 auto accidents reported to the Ringgold County Sheriff’s office between November 11-19. All involved animals on the roadway. Twelve of the unfortunate drivers hit deer and one cattle.
Dr. Yogesh Shah will be coming to Mount Ayr as an employee of Ringgold County Hosptial effective Monday December 19. The announcement came after many months of work with immigration authorities to get paperwork needed to bring the Canadian citizen to Mount Ayr to expand the county’s medical staff.
Unemployment rate in Ringgold County dropped to 2.1 percent during the month of September, according to Iowa Department of Employment Services.
Births: November 14, a son, Caleb James, to Jay and Kim Moore.
Obituaries in this edition were: John Neil Chicken, Irma May Stringham Mosbarger and Janene Chatfield Capp.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, November 12, 2009.)
Pat and Melissa McAlexander from Ringgold County received a Heritage Farm certificate and yard sign from the Department of Agriculture and Farm Bureau at a ceremony at the Iowa State Fair this year. To qualify, a family must have owned their farmstead for 150 years or more.
Bob Ricker of Mount Ayr will be inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association basketball hall of fame at the state basketball tournament in Des Moines. Ricker, who graduated from Diagonal High School in 1951, was a 4 year starter on the team that reached the substate each year and state tournament once back when the state had a one-class playoff. He set his school’s career scoring record (1,525 points) that lasted for 40 years.
Obituaries in this edition were: Jane Anderson DeVries, Craig Michael Henson, Lucille Elizabeth Valentine Perry and Burl Reynolds.