Looking Back

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 3, 1924.)

Patricia Flemming, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Flemming of Diagonal, won the first prize in the contest at the Iowa State Fair last week in the rural district for baby girls from 12-24 months. Her score being 98.06 per cent. The only thing that kept Patricia from winning sweepstakes was the lack of cutting one tooth.

Thieves entered the cellar at the home of Mrs. D.J. Campbell Friday night and stole several jars of fruit. The padlock was unlocked by the thief and carefully locked when he took his departure. Thinking to avoid a repetition of such unusual procedure in a law abiding community and incidentally to protect the fruit, Bud Campbell purchased a new padlock Saturday, but the thief evidentially possessed a key which fit the new lock as another batch of fruit and jellies was stolen Sunday night.

Such performance is so unusual in this community that it is not likely the thief will be able to keep his tracks covered for any considerable length of time.

August 26 is the 65th anniversary of the visit of Abraham Lincoln to Council Bluffs.

On that day he was taken to see the sights of the city and stood on the bluff now marked by his monument, and looked over the plains to the west and south. A few years later he, as president, cited this plain as the eastern terminus (end of a railroad route) of the Union Pacific railroad. Years afterwards the Union Pacific railroad tried to annul the order and make Omaha the eastern terminus. Council Bluffs fought the company in its efforts and the case finally reached the U.S. Supreme Court which decided that Lincoln’s orders should stand and all Union Pacific trains arrive and depart from the Union Pacific transfer depot on the Iowa side fo the “Big Muddy”. At this depot more mail pouches are handled daily than that at any other point in the world.

Marriage: September 1, Susan Timby and Dr. J.W. Young…August 27, Clarence Weeda and Thelma Buell…August 30, Arla Seevers and Verne Johnson…August 27, Hazel Lucas and Clarence Stephens…Last week Carrie White and Carrhart Bowlby.

Births: August 21, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Baker…August 30, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Gardner.

Obituaries in this edition were: Philip Jarvis and infant Marjorie Louise Adair.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, September 1, 1949.)

Excavation work for the construction of the new county hospital in Mount Ayr is expected to be started today, according to H.W. McConeghey, representing Garner and Stiles of Des Moines, low bidders for the general contract.

Mount Ayr schools open with record enrollment. Total of 541 pupils. The total enrolled in the elementary is 330 and 211 for high school.

In a close play in the finals of the first local handicap tourney, Royce Davis won over Joe Place to capture the honor of wearing the championship crown of the Mount Ayr Golf & Country Club.

Ringgold County 4-H members sold 24 baby beeves for a total of approximately $7,500 at the conclusion of the baby beef show at the Ringgold County Fair. Byron Hays, representing the Rath Packing Co. bought calves. John Overholtzer, who had the grand champion, did not sell. He plans to show him again at the St. Joseph Interstate Baby Beef and Pig Show on September 27-29.

Marriage: August 21, Helen Oaks and Donald Grout.

Births: Born Wednesday a girl to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jeter…August 24, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Kyle…Born Sunday a daughter, Madlinda, to Mr. and Mrs. Barton McAnninch…August 26, a son, Teddy, to Mr. and Mrs. Junior Dulany…August 24, a son Barry, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGahuey…August 25, a daughter, Linda, to Mr. and Mrs. George Staats…August 29, a daughter, Deloris, to Mr. and Mrs. Earl Merritt…August 26, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. David Young…August 29, a son, Richard, to Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Cunningham.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday,  September 5, 1974.)

McNeiley sells drug store after 33 years.

A long time Mount Ayr businessman retired this week after a third of a century of service to the community. New owners of the business are Mr. and Mrs. Verd Bailey. Mrs Bailey, a registered pharmacist, is the niece of Mr. McNeiley and a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Percy Beasley of Mount Ayr.

The Redding United Methodist church is celebrating its centennial this month with special services being held on Sunday September 16.

The Cloverleaf  square dance club will sponsor a new class of square dance lessons with Theron Johnson as the instructor.

Marriage: July 12, Wanda Parker and Mark Baker.

Birth: September 1, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Reeves.

Obituaries in this edition were: Eleanor Vernice Franklin Ferry and Bert Raymond Lane.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, August 26, 1999.)

Marvin Woollums of Mount Ayr won the state championship in the horseshoe pitching competition at the Iowa State Fair over the weekend. Woollums pitched his way to the title over six other pitchers who had won titles and tournaments earlier in the summer. Woollums also picked up the title of the Midwest Senior Classic earlier in the week at the fair.

Letter winners back for the Mount Ayr Raiderette volleyball squad this season include, Dara Creveling, Shannon McKern, Angie Shields, and Amanda Werner.

Several of Mount Ayr Community high school football cheerleading squad took part in the Kansas City Chief’s cheerleading clinic in Kansas City last week. Angie Shields, Amanda Werner, Sheryl Dolecheck, Morgan Dredge, Amanda Taylor, Tawnya Still and Laurie McGee traveled with cheerleading coach Joen Brown to Kansas City for the clinics.

Shirley Hightshoe of Mount Ayr recently earned an award for logging 1,000 hours in the American Quarter Horse Riding Program.

Obituaries in this editioin were: Helen Mary Haidsiak Hunter, Ruby Jane Weddle Pottorff and Eva Leta Gates Wion.

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, August 28, 2014.)

Dr. Ed Wehling opens his surgical practice at Ringgold County Hospital September 1. Wehling plans to expand surgical services at the Mount Ayr facility to include vascular and thoraic surgery.

New staff members at Mount Ayr Community school include Brandon Pearce, custodian; BreeAnn Barrans, second grade; Melanie Knapp, special education; Kati Larsen, SFL Coordinator; and Dylan Lame, special education associate.

The Ringgold County Conservation Board is participating in the Monarch Watch tagging program and needs your help capturing Monarch butterflies to tag.

Two from county earn Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. Cheryl Whittington and Cindy Schlapia were inducted recently into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame.

Births: August 10, a son, Ridge, to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Simpson…August 9, a son, Aiden, to Mr. and Mrs. Josh Parman.

Obituaries in this edition were: Lowell Raymond Schaefer, Jerry Max Bowen, Judy Ann Stevens Fletchall, Georgia Etta Hainey Kinne, Patricia Ann Main Prentis and Francis Junior “Snowball” Hanks.