Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 28, 1920.)
Last Thursday night the bank at Grand River was relieved of the bonds and small change that were in the outer vault by two young men, strangers in the community. The theft was discovered in the morning and the thieves were traced east of town to a corn field by empty envelopes, which were addressed to the bank. At the edge of the corn field the envelopes ceased and upon investigation the two fellows were found asleep in the field one of them gave himself up to the police but the other made good his escape. However, the money and bonds were recovered and returned to the bank. The one young man, who gave himself up, is being held for trial.
It is officially announced that the Fourteenth Cavalry, now stationed on the Mexican border, will be transferred to Fort Des Moines as soon as the buildings and equipment can be put in proper condition. Col. Robert A. Brown will be in command. During the world war Fort Des Moines was converted into a reclamation hospital under the title of US Government Hospital and thousand of wounded soldiers were brought there directly from France on preparing the place for a hospital many changes were made in the buildings. A Red Cross building, a YMCA hut and a Knights of Columbus hut were erected, but it is not known whether these will be continued. About 1,000 horsemen will constitute the new cavalry division. (In 1920, the 14th Cavalry Regiment was moved to Iowa, and for approximately the next two decades served in a peacetime capacity. In 1942, the regiment was inactivated, and from its lineage came the 14th Cavalry Group, 14th Tank Battalion, and 711th Tank Battalion.)
Marriage: Wednesday evening Gladys Lynch and Leo Kleber were united in marriage…Saturday, Iona Fisher and Chauncey Conner were united in marriage.
Births: July 17, a girl, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Winger…July 22, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Turner.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, August 2, 1945.)
Sgt. Combs Heard In Broadcast From Europe-Mrs. Arnold Combs, of this city, had the privilege and opportunity Saturday afternoon of hearing over KMA of Shenandoah, a transcription of a broadcast made previously over a national hookup in which her husband, Sgt. Arnold Combs, was interviewed by Sgt. Carey Cronan, an announcer for the US Army Radio Service. Sgt Combs, a mechanic with an ambulance company with Advance Section Communications zone in Occupied Germany, has been overseas since December 28, 1944. After being asked to talk about the job their men had been doing in Europe, Combs replied: “We have transferred thousands of American wounded from field and evacuation hospitals, from the combat areas back to the rear for further treatment. There are two on every ambulance, the driver and his assistant. The assistant usually takes care of the patients en route although the ambulance usually has to stop for this. We carry four litter patients or nine walking wounded. We moved a lot of German wounded prisoners of war, out of the prison pens along the Rhine to German hospitals. Those prisoners were filthy and the stench caused by dysentery and other ailments was gagging. Most of us knocked out our rear windows and drove with our windshields up to get fresh air. In one day we transferred over a thousand German prisoners.” For the question, “I suppose you men have had a lot of emergency calls at all hours?” by the announcer, Comb’s answer was: “Well lots of times I’ve had to roll out at one or two in the morning. We’ve often slept in our vehicles along the highway. Lots of times we are stopped to render first-aid or take accident victims to hospitals. For instance, the other day we picked up four German kids that were blown up by a German booby trap. The trap was in an old German helmet lying at the edge of our camp here. Three of the kids died, the fourth will be crippled for life.” “Since you are headed east do you think ambulance companies are needed in the Pacific now?” asked the announcer to which Comb’s replied: “You and I know that ambulance companies are always needed where there are wounded men to transport from the front line areas to hospitals, hospital trains, and evacuating air transports. If you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go, I guess to the quickest way home is really through the Pacific because the sooner more troops get there the sooner the Japs will be wiped out.” Concluding the interview the announcer said, “And the sooner your ambulance company gets there the sooner better medical care will reach the fighting men who need it.”
Marriage: July 18, Mary Elkins and S Sgt Wayne Teale.
Births: July 31, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. John Seevers…July 30, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Arlo Dillenburg.
Obituaries in this edition were: Arthur Ward Smith and Marion Lawrence Davis.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 16, 1970.)
Community Youth Center to Open- A dream for many concerned adults and youth in Mount Ayr is becoming a reality. A youth center, located in the basement of the Mount Ayr Presbyterian Church is near completion and will be opening for all the area youth of junior high and high school age soon. Several months ago, members of the Mount Ayr Presbyterian Church decided that instead of renovating their basement for their own use, they would seek to build a youth center for the entire community. “The members of our church have taken a great risk,” says Ron Davis, church pastor. “They have worked with great faith-Faith in God, Faith in our youth, Faith in our community. Instead of building Sunday school rooms, we have built a place that we feel will provide an atmosphere conducive for our youth.”
Marriage: April 18, Kay Saville and Richard Cobb.
Births: July 7, a daughter, to Rev. and Mrs. James Maxwell…July 8, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. John Gillispie…July 8, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Barton Shields…July 9, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Don Higdon…July 10, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Norvil Miller…July 14, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Howard…July 3, a son, Jason, to Mr. and Mrs. Lyndon Hacker.
Obituaries in this edition were: Mabel Ann Bringolf Stogdill and Virgil Thompson Cole.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 13, 1995.)
Log House Uncovered as Home Demolished. A piece of history was uncovered recently in Mount Ayr. When Larry and Sandy Lamb began tearing down the home, they discovered that the old building had been constructed around a log cabin. The history of the cabin is somewhat of a mystery. The first date on the abstract for the property is 1845. The earliest date on the deed of the property is 10-27-1866, when John H. Back bought the lot with buildings from the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors for $22. The cabin was probably built before the first frame house was constructed in the county in 1858. (It now is situated at Fife’s Grove Park.)
Births: July 9, twin boys, Clifton and Hunter, to Greg and Ann (Foltz) Semrad.
Obituaries in this edition were: Bertha Lorriane Jarred Hanks, Rene Andreas Kuonen Sr., Reba Breckenridge Erickson.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 8, 2010.)
Residents of north east Ringgold County and Sun Valley Lake area are coming together to raise money for the Ellston American Legion building and a community local library through the first ever “cash for clunkers (not cars, individuals)” live and silent auction.
Weston Pierschbacher, a recent graduate of Mount Ayr Community High School, recently was named the Cinch Saddle Bronc and Steer Wrestling champion at the Iowa High School Finals Rodeo held in Fort Madison.
Obituaries in this edition were: Gracie Stanley Hohn, Gloria Ruth Jermier Kiburz, Ronald Larson, Wilma Maurine Faubion Shearer.