Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, August 11, 1920.)
An explosion of sewer gas Friday afternoon resulted in the severe burning of Jim Thompson and Patsy Greenrod. The two boys and Joe Keating, impelled by curiosity, were inspecting a sewer NW of the Keating residence in the west part of the city and in order to provide light the Thompson boy, who had climbed into the man hole, struck a match. The gas ignited and the boy was thrown several feet into the air. He sustained severe burns on the body and of such a nature that he has since been in a very critical condition. Improvement has been noted during the past 2 days and his chances of recovery now seem good. The Greenrod boy was quite severely burned on the face but his condition has not been considered critical and the Keting boy escaped with singed hair and eyebrows.
For he first time in many years Ringgold County was visited by a hail and wind storm Sunday evening which resulted in damage aggregating thousands of dollars to the growing crops. The storm passed over the corner of Middle Fork Township, covered a strip about 2 miles wide through Lotts Creek Township and touched the corner of Poe Township. In many places the corn was cut to shreds and a number of fields will be complete loss. The greatest damage was done in the vicinity of Caledonia.
The Masons have started remodeling the Huggins Building on the SW corner of the square. The building, when completed, will be occupied by the new Moore & Campbell furniture store.
Marriages: Saturday evening Dallas Stephens and Loren Willis were united in marriage.
Obituaries: Nellie Elvira Price Kimball.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, August 16, 1945.)
An impromptu celebration began in Mount Ayr Tuesday evening following a radio announcement at 6 o’clock by President Truman of the unconditional surrender of Japan. The news expected momentarily for several days, was received by citizens in a joyful and prayerful mood.
S. Sgt. Frank Reasoner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Brice Reasoner of Beaconsfield, who recently returned to the states from 3 years of overseas duty in the Central Pacific, has been reassigned to Columbus Field, at Columbus, MS. Sgt Reasoner has also received his 4th Bronze Star for his part in a major engagement in the pacific.
Arlo Mosier, known to his radio listeners as Ed Mason, who for six and one-half years has been a program executive for WLW of Cincinnati, OH, has been appointed program director of station WIBC, the Indianapolis News Station, according to an announcement made recently by Geo. G. Bigger, general manager of WIBC. Mosier will have supervision of a staff of 33 musicians, vocalists, announcers, newscasters and writers; as well as being responsible for the planning and scheduling of WIBC’s 81 hours of local orginations weekly. Mr. Mosier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mosier, was born and reared at Mount Ayr and was graduated from the State University at Iowa City in 1935.
Marriages: August 12, Anna Hogue and Gene Larson…August 1, Anna Haidsiak and Otis Carson…August 12, Donnella Taylor and S.Sgt. George Jackson…August 3, Mildred Trimble and Cpl. Lyle Nichols.
Births: August 14, a daughter, to Sgt. and Mrs. Rex Bonner…August 13, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Dean McNutt…August 4, a boy, to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Uglow.
Obituaries: Minnie M. Waugh Abarr and Eddie Leland Robins.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 30, 1970.)
Break-ins at Diagonal business establishments believed to have occurred after midnight Friday, are being investigated by the Ringgold County sheriffs office. Entrance to the Diagonal Snooker Parlor was gained by breaking the glass in the front door. The burglars obtained approximately $100 cash from two cash registers, but whether or not anything else was taken, has not been determined. Also broken into was the Diagonal Oil Company, operated by Bud Beymer, entrance having been made through a panel at the side of an air conditioner. The contents of the safe, which contained no money, were scattered on the floor and the burglars broke a pop vending machine which contained only a little change.
Births: July 22, a girl, to Mr. and Mrs. Dale Stephens…July 23, a girl, to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Goodale…July 27, a girl, to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Davenport.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 27, 1995.)
Sales of livestock in the 4-H livestock sale to close Ringgold County Fair last week totaled $38,514.95 with a large increase in the number of hogs sold at the sale, the total dollars increased from $35,859 in 1994.
Injuries suffered when a trench collapsed at a work site near Lake Panorama killed a Clearfield man. Dennis Kerns, 39, owner of Kerns Plumbing & Electric of Clearfield, was working in a trench Saturday when the sides of the ditch caved in and buried him.
A decision from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division has affirmed the Mount Ayr city council’s denial of the application of Joseph Koester, dba, Anthony’s on the Square, to renew its Class C liquor license. Koester was convicted in March 1995 of violating Iowa law on serving minors.
Births: Stacy and Dawn (Huff) Elliott of St. Louis, MO are the proud parents of a boy, Ezekiel Elijah born July 22…July 23, a son, Colton, to Chris and Leann Boswell.
Obituary in this edition was Donald Nelson Sevier.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record News, Thursday, July 22, 2010.)
Finishing touches on the streetscape project on the north and east side of Mount Ayr square were made recently when the blocks recognizing communities in Ringgold County and when they were formed, were placed as part of the brick strip in the sidewalks.
Ringgold County sheriff’s office is seeking information in recent vandalism to the Tedrow Cemetery. Law enforcement officers responded July 17 to a report that vandals had defaced the cemetery in Athens Township, section 19 and found that approximately 40 headstones had been knocked over and broken. The estimated $20,000-$30,000 damage occurred between July 11 and July 17.
Obituary in this edition was, Perry Beymer Johnson.