LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

T.D. McGahuey has moved to Redding where he is conducting a blacksmith shop.

Threshing is now in full sway in these parts and the oats are turning out from twenty to fifty bushels per acre and of good quality.

Relatives received a telegram yesterday morning bearing the sad news of the death by drowning of Hugh Endsley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Endsley, formerly of this city, at Bristow, OK, to which place the family moved.

The people of Davis City, Decatur county, are delighted with the record made by a home boy in the recent explosion of the naval store house at Lake Denmark, New Jersey, which wrought such destruction to life and property. The young man’s name is Ernest W. Ricks, expert telegraph engineer of the Fourth signal company. His daring and bravery was highly commended by Maj. Gen. Charles P. Summerall, commander in charge.

Sergeant Ricks was credited with having broadcast from an emergency field telephone station, built by himself “on the firing line,” the first authentic report of the extent of the disaster. He had rushed to the scene from his station on Governors Island. He hurriedly erected a field station and connected it with the nearest unbroken telephone line. For twenty-four hours, under nerve wrecking shell fire, he remained at his post sending official reports to Washington, Governers Island and the Brooklyn navy yard, issued by Brig. Gen. Hugh A. Drum, USA the field commander.

Marriage: Hazel Harden became wife of Herbert Richardson..Mae Henry and D. A. Hawk were united in marriage.

Birth: July 19, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Richards..July 20, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harden..Thursday a son to Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Daubs..July 25, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Leo Finn..July 28, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Merle Reynolds.

Obituary in this edition was, Roy Alec Blauer.

There is much excitement in the Vorhies family today. It’s all over a little seven-pound, 12-ounce daughter, born shortly before midnight Sunday, August 5, to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Vorhies at the Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr.

You see she is the first girl in the Vorhies family since 1899, which is 52 years ago. Five generations of Vorhies have lived in the Shannon City community. In fact, all five have lived right on the same farm, which should be something of a record, too.

Goes back to Josiah who lived in a log cabin on the place. Next in line was Frank. His son is Walter Vorhies, present resident of the farm. Walter’s son, Donald, No. 4, in the line, is also living on the farm they have their own house. And the little girl will be the fifth generation.

But over this girl business, they can work out all sorts of interesting information. Walter and his brother, Fred, both have boys. The last girl in the family was a baby sister of Walter, who died in 1899. Donald’s brother, Howard, lives in Shannon City and he has two boys. Mrs. Donald Vorhies is the former Veva Short, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Short, and this is their first granddaughter. They have four grandson.

In one of the best baseball game of the season, the Mount Ayr Vet won over Greenfield, 4-1, Sunday afternoon on the local diamond.

Lefty Geist, pitching for Mount Ayr, held the visiting team to three hits while his teammates converted their four runs from seven hits off Kivett.

A feature of the game was McNeill’s home run in the fifth inning with Hannon on base. The Vet’s first rally came in the fourth inning when McNeill flied out to leftfield, Mahoney singled, Newton popped out at first, Davenport drew a base on balls, then Monaghan singled to score Mahoney. The final count came in the sixth.

Another feature of the game was the absence of errors. Greenfield’s only score was made in the seventh when Pace was hit by a pitched ball, then scored on Campbell’s single to right centerfield.

Mahoney was the heavy sticker for Mount Ayr with three hits out of four trips to the plate. Hannon, McNeill, Newton and Monaghan each accounted for one hit. All three of Greenfield’s hits were turned in

by Campbell.

“Petunia,” the Lions Club pig, is still without a permanent home, and until such time one is found, she is residing temporarily at the home of Chas. J. Lesan, club president. Mr. Lesan intended to present “Petunia,” to some Lions member, who was AWOL from the meeting last week, however, the members turned out enmasse to the meeting and there were no unexcused absences.

“Petunia,” a 75-pound red-headed Duroc, was purchased by the Lions Club to encourage attendance at the bi-monthly meetings. Any absentee, without a bona fide excuse, has the “privilege” of keeping “Petunia,” as his guest for the following two weeks.

President Lesan was quoted as saying, “I have grown very fond of ‘Petunia,’ but wouldn’t mind presenting her to some other Lion at our next meeting.” He further stated that “he expected to present her to Willie Corll or Alvin Varner at the last meeting, but they returned from Des Moines only in time to avoid it “Petunia.”

Marriage: August 12, Betty Marrs and Darrell Fenn..August 12, Nadene Campbell and Herbert Bryan..August 10, Luella Maudlin and Ralph Barker..August 11 Eleanor Johnston and Evan Smith..August 8, Ann Wilson and Ronald Stephens.

Births: August 9, a daugther to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lumbard..August 11, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Peppmeier..August 11, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Mowery..August 13, a son to Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell..August 14, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Don Reese.

Obituaries in this edition were: Raymond Roach, Maud Webb Egger, Mary Ellen Mullin Shay, Lester Andrew Monday and Clare Leroy Gleason.

Marcy Solliday, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Solliday of Mount Ayr, was named queen of the Ringgold County Fair and Angel McDonnell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Randy McDonnell of Mount Ayr, was named fair princess.

A Mount Ayr man was found guilty last week of fraudulent acts committed against the department of welfare in a jury case in Ringgold County district court. Kenneth L. Smith was found guilty by the jury after about an hour’s deliberation last Tuesday.

Marriage: July 24, Bob Reasoner and Glenda Palmer..June 27, Paula Hixson and Thomas McSweeney..July 10, Vicki Sleep and Terry Still.

Birth: July 29, a son, Michael, to Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sobotka..July 28, a daughter, to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Payne..July 29, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Campbell.

Obituaries in this edition were: Cecil N. Saltzman and George Lindsey Jackson.

For the second year in a row, one of the Iowans of the Day at the Iowa State Fair will be a Ringgold county resident.

Arlene Sobotka of Diagonal will be honored this year in the program soponsored by the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation and Cookies Food Products.

With renovation of the area completed and arrival of the dialysis machines during the past week, the Ringgold Coutny Hospital is ready to provide kidney dialysis to its first patient Friday, August 10.

A reception was held Thursday, August 2, to recognize the retirement of of Nancy Roe as librarian at the Mount Ayr Public Library. Mary Kathryn Gepner is the new librarian.

Marriage: July 28, Ryan Reynolds and Angela Sweeney.

Births: July 29, a daughter, Kesia, to Rick and Tonja Stewart..August 2, a son, Reas, to Steve and Tracee Knapp.

Obituaries in this edition were: Elva Elizabeth Richardson Fletchall, Elizabeth German McGregor, Edna Louise Killinger Perlenefein, Grace Arlene Schroeder Wilson.

Ringgold County Sheriff Mike Sobotka was involved in an injury accident at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 26.

According to the accident report from the Iowa State Patrol, Sobotka, 39 was westbound on Highway 2 approximately two miles west of Leon when his vehicle drove over Daniel Warlop, 39, of Rockford, IL, as Warlop was lying in the highway.

When longtime Mount Ayr resident John Campbell starts his 1949 Farmall tractor people in the know get ready for ice cream.

That is because Campbell, who was born near Delphos but has lived in Mount Ayr many years, uses the power takeoff on his 1949 to make home -made, that is tractor-made, ice cream.

Birth: July 8, a daughter, Riley, to Leah and Gregg Watkins.

Obituaries in this edition: Velma King Lorenz, John Keith Sickels, Max Herrington, Darlene Schaefer Ricker.