LOOKING BACK in the Early Files by Lora Stull

After eleven years of uniterrupted success in the furniture business in Mount Ayr, R. E. Gleason sold his store last week to E. A. Saltzman, the inventory being completed Wednesday evening and the new proprietor taking charge Thursday morning.

Just to show folks that he was still on the map, Frank E. Jackson, world horseshoe pitching champion, pitched the only perfect 50-point game on record at Excelsior Springs recently. He threw 28 shoes and made 28 ringers, his opponent placing 11 ringers. A Florida man who was here recently on business said you could ask someone down in Florida where Des Moines was and they would say, “Oh up in Iowa somewhere,” but ask the same question about Kellerton and they immediately reply, “Why, that’s where Frank Jackson lives.” More reason for being proud of our home town.

Marriage: October 10, Nellie Powell and Rev. Eastman.

Births: October 14, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Richardson..October 22, a daughter, Helen, to Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Campbell.

Obituaries in this edition were: Rev. Edgar Price and Maria Louise Anthenreith Courtney.

The new Methodist parsonage in Mount Ayr will be dedicated Sunday morning November 4, following the 11 o’clock worship service. Plans provide for a basket dinner at the noon hour and open house in the afternoon.

Mae Culver of Maloy, and Marvin Triggs, of Mount Ayr will receive the KSIB 4-H record book awards, according to Dick Franklin, county extension director.

New cars and trucks registered. George E. Anderson, Ellston, Hudson. Don E. Johnson, Beaconsfield, Chevrolt. Paul Vernon, Mount Ayr, Ford. Vernon Todd, Diagonal, Chevrolet 1/2-T. pickup. Harry Fugate, Kellerton, Packard.

The 40-acre farm belonging to tthe late Starr Williams was sold October 22 by L.E. Butler, referee at public auction at Mount Ayr, to Norman Klejch, of the Diagonal vicinity for $85 per acre.

Marriage: September 23, Mary Todd and Verle Saltzman..October 28, Alma Graham and William Kidney..October 22, Marlene Giles and Walter Zarr.

Births: October 26, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Willie Ray..October 27, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Cavin..October 27, a son, to Mr. and Mrs. Dale Campbell..October 27, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Rex Robinson..October 28, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Richmond..October 29, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Larson..October 31, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Mackey.

Obituary in this edition was, Ida Marie Simpson Searles.

Leroy Blessman, area operating supervisor, and Wilbur Landphair, appliance repairman, both from Mount Ayr, were honored for their long-time service to the Iowa Southern Utilities Company at an emblem awards dinner held October 14 at the Inn in Creston.

Blessman had served 30 years with ISU having started in February, 1946.

 Landphair was honored for 25 years of service.

A 96-piece marching band from Mount Ayr Community high school under the direction of Merrill Perry came home with a first place in band competition held in connection with homecoming festivities Saturday, October 16, at Northwest Missouri State University at Maryville.

Marriage: September 4, Kristi Mathany and Dennis Hiemstra.

Obituary in this edition was, Paul Clifford Hixson.

Mount Ayr Community high school’s Raider cross country qualified for the state meet, which will be held Saturday in Fort Dodge, by placing third in  the Class 1A district meet in Ottumwa Thursday. Members of the team are as follows: Brian England, Mark Crain, Nick Johnson, Luke Still, Matthew Weeda, Jason Wilkey and William Snook.

Only one Ringgold County area person is listed among creditors in a listing of liabilities and assets from George Young’s cattle trading firm which has filed for bankruptcy.

According to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy court by Young’s attorney, the Grant City, MO, businessman’s cattle management firm, Professional Business Services of Kansas City, MO, had liabilities of $180,996,192.99 against assets of $4,448,183.64. The firms assets, however, include only $42,485 left in an account with Bank of America and the possible insurance coverage on officers of the company of $4 million.

The local creditor among the list of those owed money is Dale Walters of Mount Ayr, who is due $1,844 in feed lot costs, the record shows.

A former Ringgold County resident will be a torch bearer for the Winter Olympics when it comes through the Omaha/Council Bluffs area.

Teri Kramer Rokusek, a 1981 graduate of Mount Ayr Community high school and now a resident of Reinbeck, has been chosen as one of  the runners on January 10 or 11.

Rokusek is elementary principal at Reinbeck elementary school and a group of staff, students and community people nominated Rokusek for the honor last spring.

Marriage: April 28, 2001, Lafe Dukes and Laura Eaton.

Birth: October 19, a son, Cole, to Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt Mobley.

Obituaries in this edition were David Milton Sobotka and Clifford Harry Taylor.

The Raider and Raiderette Cross Country teams hosted the Pride of Iowa meet recently along with the Ron Landphair Invitational.

In the POI meet, Mount Ayr came in second with 75 points overall. Rachel Gregg finished 13th overall for the Raiderettes and set a new school record with a time of 24:44.75.

Several individual competitors form the South Central Region of Leon, Lamoni and Mount Ayr recently attended the State Equestrian Special Olympics at the Jester Park indoor arena near Grimes. Local competitors included Beth Elswick, Kristin Ford and Melissa Silver, Miranda Drake and Tyler Martin.

Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Lou Ranne Hixson and Evelyn Morey Stevenson.