Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 28, 1920.)
In a written confession filed in the Ringgold County district court Monday, Harry Taylor, an African American of Ottumwa, tells how he was induced by a professional robber to take part in the robbing of the Tingley State Savings Bank on the night of December 23. Taylor was arrested in Ottumwa when he attempted to cash a registered bond, which was stolen from the bank and upon being questioned made a clean breast of the whole matter. In his story Taylor says he was approached by a white man, whose name was given in the confession, who professed to be adept at bank robbing. Judge P.C. Winter, who after hearing arguments of attorneys sentenced the prisoner to ten years hard labor in the penitentiary at Fort Madison.
Five Diagonal men charged with conspiracy, on trial in district court. The trial case of the State of Iowa vs. Harry Pollen, Victor Graham, Otto Sobotka, Cecil Dillenburg and Dave Benson was begun in district court Monday. In the testimony submitted by the state sought to show that the men under indictment conspired to secure the insurance money on an automobile owned by Otto Sobotka, which was later found in Saint Joseph.
Marriages: January 28, Elva Stotlemeyer and Olyn Davis were united in marriage…January 28, Lillian Jennings became the bride of Fred Casebolt.
Births: January 18, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lightner…December 14, a daughter, Selma Marie, to Mr. and Mrs. R. Hightshoe…December 11, a son, Donald, to Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Shaughnessy…January 10, a son, George, to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Smith…January 9, a daughter, Neva Arleen, to Mr. and Mrs. Bert Gilbert…December 21, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor…December 24, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. George Tindle…December 16, a daughter, Elizabeth Darlene, to Mr. and Mrs. V.V. Doty…December 27, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bentley…January 4, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Busby.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 11, 1945.)
A special election will be held Monday February 5 at Shannon City on the proposition of constructing a town hall and contracting indebtedness not to exceed $5,000. Voters will cast their ballots from 8 a.m -8 p.m. at the First State Bank building in Shannon City.
Dalton and Lynch buy Horn Motor Company. D & L Motor Company, successor of the Horn Motor Company, Gail Dalton and W.E. Lynch, proprietors, announce the opening of a garage for general repair work. Claude Moore has been engaged to have charge of the gas and oil, being fully equipped to do greasing and oil service and tires and accessories. When available the company will handle, Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler and DeSoto cars and trucks.
Service Selections: reported killed in action this week, Pvt. Lyle Barnett, January 4 in France; Glee Smith, December 16, Leyte Island. Those missing in action are: Pvt. Lyle Sackett, December 20, in Luxembourg.
Births: January 22, a son, Warren, to Cpl. and Mrs. Frank Elliott…January 21, a son, to Cpl. and Mrs. Horace Nelson.
Obituaries in this edition were: Jennie Roby Lewis Marshall, Warren Cassil Curry and Roy E. Brownlee.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, January 15, 1970.)
The Mount Ayr Community school district will operate with four attendance centers after the current school year ends, instead of six as now. Action was taken at the regular school board meeting Monday night to close centers at Redding and Ellston and transport those pupils to Maloy, Tingley and Mount Ayr.
A fire caused by spilled fuel oil extensively damaged the Christian Church in Diagonal Thursday evening. The fire broke out around the furnace in the basement, was discovered by Mrs. Donald Butt, who was in the building after attending a Christian Women’s Fellowship meeting.
Best wishes to Cole’s Phillip Station, Johnny’s Railroad Salvage and Haver Skylark Service. We are happy to welcome you to the business community of Mount Ayr. Mount Ayr Improvement Club.
Marriage: Kathleen Johnston became the bride of James Tunink December 27.
Births: January 10, a son, to Dr. and Mrs. Max Mekus.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 22, 1994.)
Clerk reports on local court activity. Vital statistics for 1994, provided by Ringgold County Clerk of Court, show no births; 76 deaths; 36 marriages; 15 dissolutions and 3 adoptions. (Note that the above statistics are events which actually occurred in Ringgold County.)
Diagonal Maroonettes moved into the Class 1A rankings in the third ratings of teams by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. The Maroonettes, rated 19th in the state, had a record of 5-0 through January 3, with an offensive average of 63.6 points a game and a defensive average of 39.0 points per game.
Performing for huge crowds and relaxing in a giant wave pool were some of the things that made a big impression on the fourteen MACHS students who were part of the southwest Iowa Honor Marching Band. The band, which was made up of almost 300 students from high schools in the southwest corner of the state, traveled to Phoenix, AZ. to march in the Fiesta Bowl Parade. The trip went very smoothly and band members served as good ambassadors for Iowa, trip sponsors said.
Births: Jeff and Rhonda Quick of Redding are parents of a daughter, Morgan Renee, born January 4.
Obituaries in this edition were: George Henry Thurman, Lillie Lucille Lucas Willey and Gary L. Collier.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, December 31, 2009.)
Farmland values in Ringgold County slipped back by less than 1 percent after increasing rapidly since 2002, according to the annual survey of farmland value conducted by Iowa State University. While the average acre of farmland across the state showed a 2.84 percent decrease in value, Ringgold County farmland decreased at a slower rate, the survey said. The average acre of farmland in Ringgold County is now worth $2,361, a decline of .94 percent or $22.
Ringgold County residents didn’t have to dream of a white Christmas this year as a Christmas eve snow storm dumped a big pile of snow on the county landscape along with winds to blow it into drifts. The snow came after some heavy rains earlier in the week had tried to clear the landscape to some extent of an earlier big snow storm. Cold temperatures came in early this week as well, plunging to lows in the below zero realms.
Obituary in this edition was, Jerry Lee Campbell.