Snapshots of History

By Editor | November 5, 2025 |

I took this week’s photo on April 19, 2005. I just liked the way the barn looked with half its boards missing. Not too many years later, the barn was dismantled. But, with this picture, future generations will be able to see what we saw in 2005.
I just got back from Mexico and have nothing planned for this week’s article. So, I’ll get into my “Historical Accounts” folder on my hard drive and see what I can pull up.
The old Ringgold County newspapers contain hundreds of historical accounts and biographies written mostly by correspondents and contributors. When I encounter these in my searches, I sometimes make a note in my computer. The earliest, digitized newspapers I have access to are dated 1872.
On page three of the July 17, 1873 Ringgold Record is a business directory for Caledonia, Mt. Ayr, Ringgold City and Caledonia were all established in 1855, the same year as the county was established. Caledonia was a big player in the early days, but being missed by the railroad spelled disaster for the one-time boom town.
There are histories of Ringgold County townships, mostly in the 1876 Ringgold Record newspapers. There were few towns then but many rural post offices and schools so these histories are important.
In the July 1880 Ringgold Records we find dozens of biographies of early settlers, one of which is Michael Stahl. In 1880, Stahl was postmaster of the Goshen Post Office but the town of Goshen was still two years away. This bio says Stahl built the first frame house in Mount Ayr in 1861. Previously, all homes were log. The account also gives Stahl credit for erecting the first church building in Ringgold County. This would have been Mt. Zion in Jefferson Township, 1858, a log structure. Some of these bios contain very helpful info.
September 28, 1897 Twice-A-Week News has some history of Ringgold County before the county was established in 1855. The Twice-A-Week News was published by Randolph Beall who I consider to be our county’s first historian. So, I trust the information included in this edition.
Mary Timby’s obituary appears in the September 22, 1887 Ringgold Record. This obituary gives us another look at the life of William Timby, Mary’s husband, who is largely responsible for business development in Mt. Ayr in the 1880s and 1890s. Timby came from England to Ringgold County about 1863 and he and his wife made two trips home after 1863. Mary died in Chicago on the second return trip.
The May 10, 1912 Record-News has L. M. Lowenthal’s obituary. Mr. Lowenthal had a jewelry store in Mount Ayr and Diagonal and provided his customers with souvenir gifts with Lowenthal’s name on it.
Lowenthal was only in Ringgold County about 10 years and “Lowenthal” is not a Ringgold County name. Thus, looking him up in the digitized newspapers is extremely effortless. People ask me about Lowenthal because they own one of the souvenirs I mentioned.
In the April 1914 Record-News is a series of articles by S. L. Thompson about the history of Liberty Township including Blackmore Corner, which was called simply Blackmore in the early days. Mr. Thompson’s writing are based on memory and passed down stories. And while Thompson’s area of expertise is small, it is important because no one else recorded this history. He also covered the history of High Point Church (built in 1874), the closest church to Blackmore.
In 1931, Arthur Lesan wrote the history of Lesanville and Athens Township. Lesanville is in Poe Township so I guess Art grew up in Athens Township. It’s been 20 years since I read what he wrote!
Think about all the histories in 150 years worth of newspapers. Newspapers are the gift that keeps on giving.