Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One HundredTwenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, October 31, 1895.)
During the administration of President Benjamin Harrison the government paid and canceled $230,000,000 of its interest bearing debt. During the administration of President Grover Cleveland thus far the debt of the nation has been increased over $160,000,000. Draw your own conclusion as to methods, competency and incompetency.
The goosebone is nearly all white this year and the results will be that snow will lie on the ground from early December until late April. A long cold winter with blustering storms is ahead. There are other signs that confirm this. Corn husks are unusually thick, chipmunks and woodchucks are already fat enough to kill. Coal is advancing and gas companies are threatening to raise their rates.
Postmaster W A. Todd has received a notice from the official weather observer, T.S. Outram of Des Moines stating that the arrangements for a branch of the weather bureau will be established here soon and that the necessary supplies will be forwarded immediately. Forecasts of the weather will be sent by telegraph to this branch station and Mr, Todd will send them from here to the following towns: Benton, Delphos, Diagonal, Kellerton, Knowlton, Lesan, Mortimer, Polen, Redding, Shannon City, Tuskeego, Wanamaker, Allendale, Grant City and Irena. The forecasts are made 36 hours ahead and during the winter will be invaluable to farmers by warning them of the approach of sudden storms. The people of Ringgold County are fortunate in securing through Mr. Todd this service and his efforts should be duly appreciated.
Marriage: October 30, Emma Sams and James Burdette…October 31, Maggie Stevenson and S. G. Smith.
Obituary in this edition was Frank Raymond Nesmith.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, November 11, 1945.)
Service Selections: Receiving their honorable discharges recently from the Army are the following: T. Claire Brace, Cpl Don Haviland, Leroy Herrington, Wayland Young, Rex Lesan, Sgt. Lyle Hogue and Sgt Lyndon Rinchards.
The nine room house on the Stuart Hoover farm in Rice Township was completely destroyed by fire Friday about noon. It was one of the better old houses in the county. It was constructed about 1882 and was the home of five generations of the Hoover family.
The first case of its kind ever to come before district court in Mount Ayr was presented Saturday before Judge Charles Lewis. According to record, T.L. Duke, plaintiff, brought action against the incorporated town of Diagonal; C. Bunker, Mayor, A.J. Clayton, Neil Johnson, O.R. Ives, Eugene Pine, and J.A. Stogdill, councilmen; H.O. Sanderson, town clerk; and their successors in office, defendants, after councilmen had failed to act on an application for a beer permit on November 5.
Marriages: November 18, Eva Saville and Richard Knapp…November 11, Dorothy Bird and Eldon Main.
Births: November 11, a son, Ray, to Mr. and Mrs. Jay Brammer…A daughter, Susan Jane, to Mr. and Mrs. John Cradick.
Obituaries in this edition were: Chas. D. Milligan, David Fletcher Gray and Clyde Melvin Harris.
Fifty Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, October 15, 1970.)
The Mount Ayr Public Library is offering an additional service to the community with the circulation of stereo records among it’s patrons. These records ranging from classical to pop are being loaned to the public library by the Iowa State Traveling Library.
News of Men in Armed Forces: Sgt. Terry McGahuey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon McGahuey of Mount Ayr, was presented the Army Commendation Medal on September 27. Since February, McGahuey has been stationed with Headquarters Company, American Division at Chu Lai where he serves as a communication and radar air monitor.
Births: October 30, a daughter, Lywanda, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Case.
Obituary in this edition was, Margurite Priest Sowards.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, November 2, 1995.)
When the body of Jesse James was reburied in Kearney, MO. recently there was a Ringgold County connection. James’s family descendents recently gave permission to some researchers to dig up the remains of the famous Missouri outlaw to determine by DNA and other tests if the Kearney grave held the body of James, or if one of the other persons claiming to be James fit the genetic patterns of the descendents. While the final report still hasn’t been made, preliminary results show that the remains of the body reinterred in the Kearney Cemetery are those of Jesse James. This time James is resting in a burial vault made by Taylor Fiberglass of Diagonal.
Diane (Sickels) Elmer named state “Mother Advisor of the Year.
A reception and program honoring Mrs. Diane Elmer of rural Mount Ayr will be held November 4. Elmer was named as “Mother Advisor of the Year” for the International Order of Rainbow for Girls in Iowa at Grand Assembly held in Waterloo in June 1995.
Marriage: September 2, Ron Schafer and Elizabeth Loutsch.
Ten Years Ago
From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, October 28, 2010.)
As part of an effort to upgrade the shelter house in parks managed by the Ringgold County Conservation Board, a new shelter house was built recently at Poe Hollow Park east of Mount Ayr. The park has three shelter house areas and the new shelter has been built at the shelter area closest to the entrance to the park.
Lotts Creek Inn case brings jail time for Juergens. James Juergens, 50, of Mount Ayr will serve time in federal prison on several charges dealing with his operations of a hunting guide business known as Lotts Creek Inn, located in Ringgold County. Juergens was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment for charges of violation Fish and Wildlife laws and mail fraud and 12 months of imprisonment for failure to file tax returns associated with the hunting lodge business.
Births: October 22, a son, Justin, to Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Novak.
Obituary in this edition was, Maxine McConnell Wion.