One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, August 20, 1919) Monday morning about 9 o’clock a big fire occurred in the city of Ellston, when the Ellston Elevator burned to the ground. It is a complete loss and the elevator was filled to capacity. The fire was caused by back firing of…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, August 13, 1919.) Interesting facts about the schools. During the past school year of 1918-1919, 102 rural schools were in session in which 121 different teachers were employed. The average term was eight months and the average salary paid was $55 per month; the highest…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 30, 1919.) Roy Emerson, convicted of the murder of his mother, Mrs. Kate Emerson, and sentenced to life imprisonment last Thursday, made his escape from the deputy sheriff of Union County and E. B. Hayner and his guard, Rev. William McFarland, early this morning…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 23, 1919.) With the Soldiers in Camp Dodge: Much interest has developed in the courts here on account of the large number of petitions on file for divorce. While this is one reason for the large number of divorces, Judge Utterback says that hundreds…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 16, 1919.) The trial of Roy Emerson, charged with murder in the first degree, is developing some very interesting phases, so many in fact that the large crowd of spectators which gathers in the court room every day to hear the trial will not…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 9,1919.) Charged with the murder of his mother, Roy Emerson, for many years a prominent undertaker of Creston, was placed on trial in the district court of Ringgold County yesterday morning. The trial comes from Union County on a change of venue granted by…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, July 2, 1919.) Blockton postoffice robbed..When Postmaster Wildman of Blockton came down to the post office Wednesday morning he found his safe had been literally torn to pieces and the pieces scattered over the floor, together with soap and other evidences of nitro-glycerine. In a…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, June 25, 1919.) Judge Fuller grants change of venue to Ringgold County… Trial begins Tuesday, July 8…Roy Emerson indicted by Union County grand jury for first degree murder following the finding of his mother, Mrs. Kate Emerson, at the foot of the elevator shaft in…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, June 18, 1919.) Counterfeiting scheme unearthed. The name of Chester Mallory is mentioned as one of the thirteen men charged with complicity in what federal secret service men say may prove one of the most daring counterfeiting schemes of recent years. The operatives who have…

One Hundred Years Ago (From the Mount Ayr Record-News, Thursday, June 11, 1919.) With the Soldiers in Camp Dodge: Eighteen “lost men have been found” at the Fort Des Moines Hospital and communications with their homes re-established, through the “Missing Man Canvas,” which is being conducted by the American Red Cross. Men of whom every…