Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, April 7, 1920.)
For the first time in many years Ringgold County was visited by a windstorm of cyclonic nature last Wednesday evening. The storm came from the northwest and the first evidence of damage in Ringgold County was found about 4 miles west of Mount Ayr. From this point the storm passed in a northeasterly direction most of the time being above the ground, but occasionally reaching down with apparent intention to destroy everything in it’s wake.
Winter weather with all the trimmings, including an old fashion blizzard was record of the opening days of April. The blizzard on Saturday was of such proportions as to cause those who have returned from spending the winter in California and Florida to wonder if the weather machinery had slipped a cog or their homecoming to enjoy the usual mild salubrious April climate was premature. From Friday evening through Monday morning, seven inches of snow fell and the temperature dipped to 5 below zero.
There passed over the Chicago and Northwestern railway through Iowa the other day two cars loaded with undesirables who were being taken to the Atlantic seaboard for deportation. Government officials were in charge of the prisoners and not even members of the train crew were admitted to the Pullman cars in which the men were traveling. One of the cars was what is known as a prison car. Iron bars were across the doors and windows. Fearing that an effort might be made by sympathizers to wreck the train the greatest secrecy was maintained by railway officials. Most of the men were young fellows and many of them it is said hid their faces from anyone who might be on the platform as the train passed by.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, April 12, 1945.)
Service Selections: Staff Sgt. John Jackson, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Jackson of Kellerton has been awarded the Air Medal for “meritorious achievement…coolness, courage and skill” in aerial warfare…Listed as missing in action since March 19 is Captain Francis M. Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Jones of Beaconsfield. A member of the veteran 96th bomber group, Captain Jones has been serving as a pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress…Pay Clerk J. F. Athey of Redding, a warrant officer in the US Navy who has been held prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Corregidor, was transferred in October 1944, from the Philippines to Japan…Killed in action March 8 in Luzon, Pfc. Lyndon Curry of Kellerton and March 6 in Iwo Jima, Lieut. Russell Beede of Kellerton, while serving with the marine corps.
Work of the Iowa Assembly: The legislature is almost over. It will end this week if the adjournment motion adopted by the senate means anything. Here are a few of the important bills on which the legislature has taken no action whatsoever; General retirement measure setting up retirement system for public employees; several school code bills; workmen’s compensation for occupational diseases; appropriation of $35,000 for a governor’s home; to lengthen government terms to four years from two; local option on state liquor stores; increase maximum benefits under employment security act.
Marriages: April 5, Betty Stephens and Sgt. Harold Griffith…March 19, Sara Theriot and Tech. Sgt. Duane Roush.
Births: April 8, a son Michael, to Sgt. and Mrs. Melvis Eighmy.
Obituaries in this edition were: Harry Stamper and Louisa Sams Prentis.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, March 26, 1970.)
Terry Myers, Mount Ayr Community High school principal, was named president of the community Jaycees organization at the annual meeting Monday night.
Richard Dean Hammond Jr. was ordered to report March 24 to Ringgold County Local Board for induction. The state director authorized his release to enlist. Ordered to report the same day for physicals were: Gregory Reynolds, Gregory Ferguson, Charles C. Lawhead, Patrick G. Irving, Robert P. Henson, Alan A. Verploegh, Randall L. Larsen, Thomas L. Parker, Ivan Grout, Randall E. Sobotka, David Neas and Jimmy D. Coulson. Many are students and were transferred to other boards for their physicals.
Births: March 19, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Savage…March 23, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Quentin Anderson.
Obituaries in this edition were: Jesse W. Halden, Benjamin Reah Robison and Eva J. Ambrosier Woollums.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, March 23, 1995.)
A long effort by many people will come to final reality when the Diagonal Community Building is completed next month.
Alan Dolecheck of Kellerton was one of 58 corn and soybean growers honored by Asgrow Seed Company at an awards program held recently in Des Moines. Dolecheck planted an Asgrow variety that averaged 69.54 bushels per acre to place first in the contest.
Hitching post part of council talk. The council discussed possibilities for placing hitching posts for horses in areas of the community. One location is needed for doing business in the square area and one for shopping at Hy-Vee by Amish families moving into the area who come to town in Mount Ayr by horse and buggy.
Marriages: December 17, 1994, Julie Sackett and Robert Davison.
Obituaries in this edition were: Patricia Ann Ruckman Phillips, Dolly D. Pyle Hanks and Charles Jerry Kilgore,
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, March 18, 2010.)
For the first time in several years a Mount Ayr Comm. High school individual speech contest student has advanced to all-state. Erin Budach received straight division I ratings in radio broadcasting at the contest held in Glenwood.
According to the Alzheimers’ Associations’ newly released 2010 Alzheimers’ Disease Facts and Figures report, there are 5.3 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, including 69,000 in Iowa alone. The number of Iowans with Alzheimer’s Disease is expected to rise to 77,000 by 2025.
Births: March 10, a daughter, Cadance, to Tom Shiflett and Monica Castell.
Obituaries in this edition were: Lester Franklin Corll, Floyd Eugene Elliott and Matthew E. Becker Warden.