LOOKING BACK in the Early Files

Probably never before in the history of Ringgold county was the Fourth of July celebrated with a more appropriate program than on last Saturday when the people of the county and adjacent territory met at Mount Ayr to enjoy the celebration sponsored by the Farm Bureau in co-operation with the Mount Ayr Commerical Club and other organizations of the county.

Forming at E. Adams Street the parade composed of twenty-one separate floats entered in competition for the prizes offered, and a dozen decorated automobiles carrying members of the Grand Army of the Republic, passed south on Depot Street, led by the Mount Ayr band. Then came the G.A.R. led by, Comrade J.D. Turner in blue uniform on horseback, in the role of commander, followed by a white horse bearing an empty saddle and the inscription “He Gave His Life For His Country,” the horse being led by the Boy Scouts in uniform.

Next in order was the float prepared by the postmasters and postal employees with Willie Poore in regulation Uncle Sam costume as presiding officer and feature representing the excellent service that is being rendered by the various branches of the postal department. Next in order was Captain G.W. Gartin’s Martial band, composed of Capt. Gartin, fife; and Capt. Lynman Forgrave, of St. Joseph, MO, John A. Scott of Beaconsfield, Grant Hart, James Hall of Benton, and Steve Gartin, drums; John Fertig and son, fifes; who made the welkin ring (means to make a loud, joyous noise that resonates and fills the air) with stirring patriotic music at various intervals during the parade. Automobiles carrying veterans of the civil war were next in order, followed by the American Legion float and members of the Legion in marching column. Floats of farm organizations came next, followed by religious organizations, fraternal societies, Mothers’ Congress, W.C.T.U., Camp Fire girls, Boy Scouts, Mount Ayr Fire Dept., W.L. Powell with his ox team, spring wagon and blood hound, depicting “Lincoln from Kentucky,” and private cars.

Marriage: June 28, Doyle Andrew and Thelma Coushman..June 27 Thomas Miles and Helen Roundtree..July 6, Leonard Brown and Mildred Tepfer..Friday, Belle Stranahan and W. Murray Russell.

Birth: July 2, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gray.

 Seventy-Five

Years Ago

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, July 13, 1950.)

Fifteen hundred dollars will soon be spent for the construction of permanent seats on the west side of the natural amphitheatre at the fair grounds in Mount Ayr. Besides the seats, improvement plans call for the construction of a fence around the arena. The conract for the work was let to Harley Triggs and Marvin Akers.

Robert Bastow and Wilbur Faris prominent Duroc breeders of Mount Ayr, have each entered a bred gilt and a spring boar  in the exceedingly stiff competition of the National Duroc Congress show and sale at Hawkeye Downs, Cedar Rapids July 28 and 29.

An average of nearly one car for every three persons in Ringgold county was the record set Monday with the 3,000th car registration in the offices of County Treasurer Earl T. Hoover.

Six boys from Mount Ayr are this week enjoying Boy Scouts activities at Camp Wakonda, near Griswold, having left Sunday for their vacation. In the group are Jerry Willis, Roger Thompson, John Hood, Teddy Marrs, Herbie Johnston and Bob Clark.

Marriage: July 1, Lorraine Scott and Max Stephens.

Births: July 8, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Byron Guilliams..July 10, a son, Kyle, to Mr. and Mrs. Rex Shaha..July 10, a son, Thomas, to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Pollard..July 7, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Jake Larsen.

Obituaries in this edition were: Anna Jones Saltzman, William Henry Fertig and Orpha Lola Wyckoff.

Fifty Years Ago

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, July 10, 1975.)

Work started Monday on a new $100,000 Iowa Southern Utilities Co. office and service center in Mount Ayr. The new facility is being constructed at the corner of Polk and Adams, a block off ot the Mount Ayr square.

John Walling of Tingley won the overall prize in the Mount Ayr Fourth of July “kids” parade held Friday with his red, white, and blue canon and the slogan “Start out the Centenial with a Boom”.

Ed Defenbaugh, who taught science and coached at the Moulten-Udell schools during 1974-75 has accepted a similar position in the Dallas Center science department for 1975-76.

Ron Defenbaugh, a former Mount Ayr resident has purchased a drug store in Grant City, MO. It opened under new management July 7. Defenbaugh had been working as a pharmacist at Maryville, MO.

Births: July 5, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Melvin..July 7, a son Charles David, to Mr. and Mrs. Collus Lawhead..July 2, a daughter, Suzanne, to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pierce.

Obituaries in this edition were: Glen Darrell Bolinger, Florence Mary Overholtzer Weeda, Bradford Mark Cunning, Gladys Glazebrooke Bischoff, Laura Lucinda Stephenson Pottorfff, Milan Wilbur Greimann, and Daisy Violet Newton.

Twenty-Five

Years Ago

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, July 13, 2000.)

Supertintendent Phil Burmeister who has been battling back problems, presented an official letter of retirement to the school board Monday night. Effective June 30, 2001.

Two Ringgold county race drivers placed in racing at the Adams County Speedway in Corning Saturday night. Paul Glendenning of Mount Ayr had his best night of the season in the NASCAR late model racing. Glendenning won the 1st heat, then moved from 9th place to 3rd position in the A feature race of the night.

Dennis Elliott of Mount Ayr placed 3rd in the 1st heat, then took 19th in the A feature in the modified racing.

Birth: July 5, a son, Ryan, to Clint and Tina Walters.

Obituaries in this edition were: Jessie Ruth Woollums Carlton, Lee “Luke” Comer, Horton Arthur Dufty, Betty J. Stonehocker Waller, and Mariann Washburn Pottorff.

Ten Years Ago

(From the Mount Ayr Record-News,Thursday, July 16, 2015.)

2015 Ringgold County Fair royalty was announced. Fair queen is Jaci Haidsiak and fair princess was Shelby Comer.

Sharon Carr was recently honored with a 2015 Daisy Award to commemorate her 38 years of nursing experience at Ringgold County Hospital.

Local author Mary Martsching will sign copies of her three books at Mount Ayr Public Library July 18. Another Mount Ayr connection for the latest two books is that local artist Josh Hanawalt designed the cover images.

Ringgold County Conservation director Kate Zimmerman recently received some exciting news related to the RCCB’s participation in the Monarch Watch project. The goal of the project is to tag thousands of Monarch butterflies in order to trace their immigration patterns. Recently two butterflies that were tagged in Mount Ayr were discovered in Mexico.

Get up to speed with the newest tastes and latest preparation methods with the help of professional chef Katie Porter of the Wallace Center of Iowa. (Porter is the former Katie Routh of Mount Ayr.)

Obituaries in this edition were: Vera Laviece Main Barber, Kevin Blake Whittington, Joyce Ann Allen Estes-Andrews, and James Phillip Monaghan.