Looking Back with Lora Stull
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One Hundred
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 14, 1923.)
Roe Lesan, son of A.L. Lesan of this city, witnessed the Earl Thorst hanging March 9 at the state penitentiary and reported the hanging to the Waukon Republican & Standard of which he is foreman.
An extra issue of the paper, giving the details of the hanging, was published.
Officials at the state prison are quoted as saying that Mr. Lesan was able to get more conversation out of Thorst than any other newspaper man who interviewed him. (Iowa’s original capital punishment law spanned the years from 1834-1872. Quaker and Unitarian opposition to the death penalty successfully lobbied to abolish the death penalty.
Capital punishment was revived as a legal Iowa penalty in 1878, however, in response to a statewide crime spree spurred by a national economic depression. Reinstatement of the death penalty was also an attempt to stem the rash of vigilante-led lynchings of criminal suspects in response to the crime wave. The death penalty was abolished again in 1965.
A deal was closed last week whereby Dr. D.R. Dudley sold his dental practice in Mount Ayr to Dr. E. R. Swank of Des Moines, immediate possession being given.
Marriage: Sunday, Jennie Foltz and Everett Merritt were united in marriage.
Births: March 3, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Weeda…February 25, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Wright.
Obituaries in this edition were: Thomas Teale and Charlotte Brooks Glendenning, and Jesse Wayne Leeper.
Seventy-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 11, 1948.)
Junior Jeter left Tuesday for Alexandria, LA where he will spend a month in spring training with the Tulsa Oilers baseball team. He will be joined later by Mrs. Jeter and daughter.
Only eight of 29 days of February were clear, according to local weather observer, H. L. Cornelison. Fourteen days were cloudy and seven were partly cloudy.
The high reading for the month was 62 degrees on the 17th with a -10 degree mark being recorded on the 8th. Approximately .80 inches of participation in the form of sleet or snow, was recorded.
Wayne Hutchinson, ACS publicity man, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Hutchinson of Mount Ayr writes script for Crosby Film.
The American Cancer Society’s 1948 motion picture appeal, starring Bing Crosby, was previewed by Paramount Pictures last week for members of the ACS national office in New York. Based on the script written by Wayne Hutchinson, the film dramatizes the Society’s campaign theme, “Every Three Minutes Someone Dies of Cancer.”
Births: March 2, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Worthington…March 2, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Hale Jackson.
Obituaries in this edition were: Jessie Edna Bohall Ogier, Alfred Cooper, Richard Ewing Moore, Wesley Richard Hutchinson, and Miller Christansen.
Fifty
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 15, 1973.)
Two business changes have been announced in Mount Ayr this week. The APCO station in west Mount Ayr has changed hands. New manager is Joe Pulliam, who has taken over and offers a line of automotive services. Former owner James Haver is now employed as a custodian at the school.
The West End car wash has been purchased by Pete Cavendar, effective yesterday, March 14. It will operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. featuring an automatic wash. Former owner Charles Swanson has purchased an interest in the Hutchinson Seed Company.
The Ringgold Co. Extension service is seeking farm families to serve as hosts to children from Des Moines for a weeks visit on their farm during July 7-14, Mrs. Rosalie McAlexander, 4-H aide, said this week. The “City to Farm Youth Visitation Program” is being sponsored by the Midwest area extension service in cooperation with the Polk Co. Extension Service.
Births: March 11, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Ibbotson.
Obituary in this edition was, Derek Paul Greene (infant).
Twenty-Five
Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 5, 1998.)
For the first time since 1966 and the first time since 5-on-5 basketball began in 1993, the Mount Ayr Raiderettes will be a part of the Class 2A state basketball tournament.
The girls take a 22-1 record to the tournament, their only loss coming to Lenox, which begins Class 1A competition on Monday.
Settlement was $270,000 in Yoder case. Cash settlement in a personal injury case against the City of Mount Ayr and police chief Todd Jackson totaled $270,000, it was announced this week.
Charges were filed by Phil and Stacia Yoder of Mount Ayr following an incident that occurred in February 1995. Yoder ended up with a broken ankle during an attempt by Jackson to arrest Yoder. Jackson filed charges for 1st offense OWI and resisting arrest following the incident.
Brett Shields was 6th in the 103 pound class in the state Class 2A wrestling meet in Des Moines last weekend.
Births: February 16, twins, Dillon and Breann to Keith and Melissa (Loomis) Bennett.
Obituaries in this edition were: James Albert Jones, Arlene Marie Main Kimball, Jerry Dean Forkner, Carmaleta L. Byrant Burchett and Arleta Belle Cook.
Ten Years Ago
(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, March 14, 2013.)
Jim and Ann Werner of Diagonal have been named Iowa Master Farmers by Wallace Farmer magazine. They are among four families from across the state to be honored.
The Clearfield school board of directors met in special session Tuesday, March 5, to discuss information from superintendent Joe Drake concerning possible reorganization with a neighboring district.
Maddison Hosfield of Mount Ayr was named 2013 Iowa homecoming queen.
Two Raiders are unanimous first team choices on the Pride of Iowa boys basketball all-conference teams. Seniors Braydee Poore and Jake Still are the only Raiders to appear on either the first or second team roster.
Births: March 5, a son, Kyler, to Mr. and Mrs. Jose Castelan…March 5, a son Dillon, to Miranda Zollman and Shawn Young.
Obituaries in this edition were: Kenneth Gene Bolinger and Joe Andrew Jackson.