Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, October 24, 1895.)
The Department of Agriculture has fixed the total corn production of the year 1895 at above 2,000,000,000 bushels. These estimates are always judicious and far below the mark. It is an unprecedented yield. Iowa leads the states with a yield of 238,410,000 bushels. Illinois follows with 229,761,000 with Missouri next and Indiana sixth. Oats have also broken the production record. It all means plenty and prosperity.
The town of Wirt has undergone a change of name and will hereafter be called Ellston. The new name was given by the railroad company and for the reason Wirt was sometimes confused with Van Wert. It will take the old inhabitants sometime to get used to the new order of things, but the new name goes.
Marriages: October 23, Fred Wilkenson and Alice Johnston…October 15, James Gray and Mary Johnston…October 16, Cluda Waugh and J.E. Huffman.
Births: October 16, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Wilson.
Obituary in this edition was: Mary Dolbe Cavin.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, November 15, 1945.)
Veronica Pine purchased Monday, Kenneth Markley’s interest in the Pine & Markley Cafe on the east side of the square. The business is now known as Pine’s Cafe.
Service Selections: Those receiving honorable discharge from the armed services: Lyle “Runt” Dailey, army 3 years; Don Stephens, army, 27 months; Frank Dredge, army, 35 months; Evan Dickerson, army, 3 years; Bob Wilson, marines, 4 1/2 years; Keith Cole, navy, 2 years; Loren Mosier, navy, 3 years; Jerry Walter, army, 40 months; Delmar Miller, 19 months; Lt. Blaine Herren, air corps, almost 5 years; Thomas Vowles, 4 1/2 years air corps; Harold Johnson , army, 4 years; and Harold Wilson, 1 year….Pfc. Max Hughes, who is stationed on Tinian in the Marianas Islands with a group of bombers which took an active part in plastering the Japs, writes under date of September 6 to his wife. Max is the grandson of Mrs. Aaron Hughes and great-grandson of Mrs. Samuel Robertson of the Mount Ayr vicinity. His letter reads in part as follows: “ Now that they have quit censoring our mail, I can tell you a little more what we did over here. The planes held forty, 500 pound bombs, a gas load of 6000 gallons and a crew of eleven men. That is a load to lift off the ground…In the 6th we lost only a few crew. As far as my squadron goes, we lost only three crew…Our C.O. was in the last plane. We did lose more planes, however, but the crews by luck, got away from them. As for the planes getting shot up over the target, there weren’t many that did…The island is 32 square miles in size and there is a speed limit of 25 mph. We do quite a bit of driving and Heath is always with me, as we worked together all the time until I got assigned to the motor pool, but I still pull K.P. with him…I have only 65 points, but if we get two more stars, which we are supposed to, I’ll have 75. They tell us we might get them soon but of course that could only be a rumor. Golly, but the rumors are thick now and everyone has a different one. Right now we are having to build porches on our barracks. We have ours all built. A while back when I had the truck after 5 o’clock, I hauled in a number of loads of dirt and a boy named Ketron has it all leveled out. He has corn, beans, and flowers all planted around it. He also has a hive of honey bees outside our hut. However, no one goes near them but he. It can’t be long now before they send us home. There isn’t anything for us to do over here now and I can’t see why we shouldn’t be leaving soon. But of course, the transportation is something that has to be looked at.
Marriages: October 23, Alice Beede and Wilbur Greenman…November 11, Dorothy Nickel and Ralph Carlise…October 27, Jewel Hammer and Frank Baker…October 21, Edna Louis and William Danner.
Births: November 11, a son, to T-Sgt. and Mrs. Clarence Millsap…November 7, a daughter, to Mr.and Mrs. Fred Rice…November 14, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Richards…November 12, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Ted Defenbaugh…November 4, a son, to Mr.and Mrs. Russell Smith.
Obituary in this edition was, Jonas Frank Fender.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, October 29, 1970.)
Mrs. Jack Elliott, a member of the governor’s Commission on Youth and Children since September 1961, will be one of four members of the Iowa 25 member commission to attend the White House Conference on Children to be held December 13-18, in Washington, D.C. The invitation was extended each delegate by President Nixon.
Susan Harover and Paula Hixson will participate in the All-State music concert in Des Moines this month.
The Ringgold County Historical Society has been offered the Cornwall pioneer home and accepted the gift at a meeting Monday night. The home originally built in 1858 of walnut lumber, was purchased and moved to Ellston by Cecil Cornwall, who restored it to it’s original condition. Since his death his heirs have offered the house to the historical society if it could be retained in the Ellston area.
A trial experiment involving memory span was tested during 7th period Psychology class: Miss Van Houten told the students to read the chapter on memory. Not noticing science teacher, Mr. French, releasing a snake, the students continued to read until someone screamed. Then all the girls, including Miss Van Houten were on top of their desks screaming. When the snake was put back safely into it’s box, the students were then asked to write down exactly what they could remember reading.
Marriage: October 3, Susan Henderson and Gary Lidey.
Births: October 23, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Terry McGahuey…October 24, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Dan Barber and October 24, a daughter, Angela, to Mr. and Mrs. Craig Elliott.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, October 26, 1995.)
Six possibly seven key people in the Des Moines Register’s news operations, will be in Mount Ayr Thursday November 2, asking local people for their comments, criticisms, and suggestions about the daily paper.
Winning some of the top awards at the Ringgold County 4-H awards program Sunday at MACHS were: Robert Martin, merit award; Amy Walkup, Danforth award; Amanda Miller, merit award; John Tidman, Danforth award; Travis Shaha, Lions Club award; Amanda Schlapia, Lions Club and Ak-sar-ben awards; Chris Whittington, leadership and citzienship awards; Stephanie Bainum, citizenship award; Lesa Overholser, merit award.
Iowa State University Ringgold County Extension office will be demonstrating one of many of the technology resources now available to Ringgold County residents on Tuesday, October 31. Anyone interested in learning about what is available on the internet such as electronic mail, electronic conversation, gopher servers, news groups, etc. We want Ringgold County to know how our technology resources can literally connect them with the world, said Athena Simpson, county extension education director.
Births: October 20, a daughter, Chelcee, to Todd and Lisa Knight-Dowing.
Obituaries in this edition were: Cecil Lavern Clouse, Leo M. Guess and Lola Burchett Smid.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, October 21, 2010.)
Mount Ayr city council studies having firm manage utilities… Should the city of Mount Ayr operate it’s own water and sewer treatment systems or turn over operation, maintenance, and management to People Service Inc. a private company? That is the question that the Mount Ayr city council has been discussing in a special meeting October 12.
David Showalter of Mount Ayr will receive a 2010 Iowa Character Award from Character Counts In Iowa. The awards annually honor individuals and organizations that consistently demonstrate the six pillars of character, trust worthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, daring and citizenship. Showalter is 18 years old and a senior at MACHS.
Births: October 9, a daughter, Mabel Irais, to Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Trujillo.
Obituaries in this edition were: Kevin Austin, Hubert Loren “Thomp” Davenport, Donna Rae Emig Hardisty and Ruby Opal Adams Heyle.