Looking Backward 2.4.2016
25 Years Ago
January 31, 1991
Two rural churches were burglarized last week, with P.A. systems being the targeted items taken in both cases. At Walnut Grove Church, on Route A southwest of Ava, three speakers, a microwave oven, a power pack, and silverware were taken in a break-in that occurred on Friday night, Jan. 25. On the night of Jan. 26 or early the following morning, burglars entered Pentecostal Holiness Temple, five miles south of Ava on Highway 5, and took a number of items including a flat top guitar, bass guitar, amplifier, a sound system including speakers, amplifier, microphones and speaker cable, pen set and vacuum cleaner.
Ponch VanCamp, representing Ozark County Mutual Aid Fire & Rescue Association delivered checks for $900 each to the City Ava Volunteer Fire Department, Ava Rural Fire Department and Squires Volunteer Fire Department for their contributions in putting out fires last July along Highway 5. 18 agencies were involved in stopping fires set from northern Arkansas to Ava by the tractor-trailer rig. The truck, owned by Peace Valley Charcoal, had apparently been loaded with charcoal that was not properly cooked. As the truck traveled up the road, the embers burned through the wooden bed of the trailer and set some 50 fires.
Joanna Ross, a licensed private pilot since 1979, has been employed as assistant manager at the Bill Martin Memorial Airport. And just recently Michelle Mayr joined the staff as flight instructor in fixed-wing aircraft.
Shelly McKnight, daughter of Ronnie and Charlotte McKnight and a graduate of Ava High School, worked as a scenic artist with the production crew that filmed “Sarah, Plain and Tall,” starring Glen Close and Christopher Walken.
50 Years Ago
January 27, 1966
The annual Ava Invitational Basketball Tournament will get underway at the high school gymnasium here Tuesday night.
Winter gripped the southwest Missouri Ozarks Saturday and again Monday night and Tuesday as about two inches of snow fell in this area – the first snowfall in Ava this winter.
Douglas County’s 1965 tax collections revealed an increase of $37,464 over the previous year with a total of $344,099 collected as compared to $306,635 received in 1964, according to a report this week from County Collector Willard Pueppke.
Above a door of a church was an engraved message that read, “This is the gateway to heaven.” Below the engraving hung a printed sign, “Closed during July and August.”
Ava Motel, top quality service, commercial-family, air conditioned, T.V., Kitchenettes, City Route 5 & 14 in N. Ava. Lloyd & Alma Weast, owners, phone 683-4517.
ALMARTHA – Vernie Gardner gave a widows dinner Jan. 11 in honor of Hattie Shindler’s 83rd birthday. Others attending were Mattie Lou Price, Stashie Beach, Ella Herndon, Lizzie Souder, Carrie Murphy and May James. Mrs. Oliver was the eldest guest and will have her 96th birthday March 24.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Turley of Ava announce the birth of a four-pound, 13-ounce daughter, Kris Lois, born Jan. 18 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.
New officers for the Roy Boosters 4-H Club were elected at a meeting recently. They are: Randy Huff, president; Galen Chambers, vice president; Susan Rutledge, secretary; Gary Johnson, treasurer. Other officers are Donita Rutledge, song leader; Kathy Hathcock and Glen Chambers, game leaders; Richard McDonald, reporter; Bill McDonald, community leader; and Delma Swain, assistant community leader.
BLACK OAK –– Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Sanders, Leo and Marjorie visited Saturday in the hospitals in Springfield wit Mr. Sanders’ uncle, Ed Alcorn, and also his aunt, Mae Walker.
ARNO –– Mrs. E.A. Ward attended a pink and blue shower on Friday in the home of Mrs. Nancy Wood for her daughter, Mrs. Helen Lakey.
I.P. Henson of Brushyknob will celebrate his 86th birthday Feb. 8.
GENTRY –– Mr. and Mrs. Archie Mahan took their two-year-old son, David, to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield Saturday to have a portion of a peanut removed from his breathing passage. He is being held for observation.
FIELDSTONE –– Mrs. Liza Bowden observed her 87th birthday Jan. 24.
A surprise birthday party honoring Mrs. Billie Lohman was given Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 19 in her home at Squires.
75 Years Ago
January 30, 1941
Announcement of the opening of a new business in Ava is made this week by the O. K. Rubber Welders in which J.E. Crumley and Floyd Viles are partners. The business is located in the former Burdett garage building, a block north of the square on Jefferson Street. The shop specializes in repairing and recapping tires. It will be operated in conjunction with a garage.
In a recent letter to Dr. and Mrs. J.L. Gentry from their son, Dr. Merritt Gentry, who is studying this year in John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, he tells them that he drove to Washington, D.C. on January 20 and attended the inauguration of the United States president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dr. Gentry stated that when he first reached the capital city he consulted Congressman Dewey Short who secured a seat for him so he might enjoy the ceremony. He also visited Missouri’s senior senator, Bennett Clark.
Much interest is being shown in the President’s Birthday Ball to be held Saturday night at the Spurlock Hall to raise funds for the combating of paralysis, it is announced by Wm. Brooks, chairman of the Douglas County organization sponsoring the affair. Music for the dance will be furnished by Doc James and his orchestra.
Fire at the John Phelps dry kiln in the north part of town Friday noon destroyed the kiln and the greater part of 3,000 feet of lumber belonging to E.H. Cooper and Louis Brown.
Experience shows that success is due less to ability than to zeal. The winner is he who gives himself to his work, body and soul.
SPRINGCREEK –– Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Huff had as Monday guests Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Johnson and baby, Frances Louise.
- TABOR –– Audie Jenkins has purchased a farm from Fred Poyner known as the Oliver Ward forty.
God Send Us Men –– God send us men with hearts ablaze; All truth to love, all wrong to hate; These are the patriots nations need, These are the bulwarks of the state.
STAR –– Mr. and Mrs. Logan Heard named their new son Dennis Loren.
Douglas County had 3,930 housing units on April 1, 1940, and 3,780 were occupied, leaving only 150 vacant, according to information released this week by Director William Lane Austin of the bureau of the census, Department of Commerce. Of the 150 vacant houses, 119 or three percent were for sale or rent. Population of the county is 15,600. Christian County, with a population of 13,538, has 4,001 dwelling units, of which 3,727 are occupied with 203 or 5.1 percent being vacant and for sale or rent. Ozark County, population 10,766 has 2,729 dwellings of which 2600 are occupied. 163 or 3.8 percent are vacant and for sale or rent.
100 Years Ago
February 3, 1916
It is claimed by many of our older citizens who take note of such things and whose memory has served them well that the recent rains produced the highest tidewater known since 1877. Reports received in Ava tell of destruction wrought by every stream of size in Douglas and Ozark counties. Wherever fencing, corn, or stock was caught in the wake of the high water, it has been washed away. Some farms have been almost completely washed away while others were built up.
In an official bulletin issued by Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Washington, appears the name of Will Rippee, of Sweden, Douglas County as having qualified as a marksman in that most interesting branch of the Government service. Will, who is the son of Mrs. Sarah Rippee of Sweden, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Kansas City on April 19, 1915, and is still serving with the expeditionary force of marines landed in Haiti for the protection of American interest in that war torn little isle.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Evans are the proud parents of a ten-pound son, who made his arrival last Tuesday morning. Ben Evans has just completed an addition to his shop in order to make room for the new blacksmith.
DENLOW ITEMS –– Denlow has once more a large general store, owned by J.P. Newton, who is having a fine business.
The Woman and the Hog –– The relative value of a woman and a hog was illustrated in Wisconsin recently. A woman wrote to the Governor that she had a large family to support, and was suffering with tuberculosis and desired aid. About the same time a letter was received from a man who desired aid for a hog, which showed symptoms of cholera. The Governor sent word to the woman that no appropriation had been made for tuberculosis victims, and at the same time a man was hurriedly dispatched with a supply of cholera serum to the rescue of the hog. The incident tells its own story without further comment.
Saddle Campaign – That’s the latest. A Missouri woman will ride horseback through the Ozark mountain region and round up “votes for women” supporters. This is one of the many methods planned to secure the ballot for Missouri women.
SCHOOL NOTES –– The new students entering school this week are Charlie Johnson and Miss Ethel Silvey.
Miss Vivian Snow, who is attending Drury College, spent Sunday in Ava returning to her work Monday. Miss Snow has gained a position on the Drury girls basketball squad.
125 Years Ago
February 5, 1891
Crime may prevent crime. At least that seems to be the opinion of some people. The Warwick County, Indiana, jail is without an inmate, and it is claimed that fear of White Caps deters crime in that county. But, doing evil that good may come of it, is not a very safe business.
The Empress of Germany, since her confinement, has given a fresh proof of womanly sympathy by ordering 100 complete sets of baby linen to be given to poor mothers. She has also set apart 10,000 marks to accompany the gifts.
CHICAGO –– The air ship is a success so at least a large audience that witnessed a test at the Chicago exposition were decidedly inclined to declare. A craft has at last been invented that performs feats of serial navigation never before accomplished – propelling and steering. The new style conveyance has the appearance of a 30-foot long cigar made of shining oilcloth and with wings like awnings extending all along the sides. At no time during the first trial was the ship more than ten feet from the ground.
Some people seem to imagine that a law providing for the coinage of silver will also furnish free silver money to everybody. It is a very grave mistake.
The arrival of Dr. Davis, with a fine new stock of drugs and medicines is just what the people of Ava and vicinity were in need of. Reliable and accurate compounding of prescriptions can now be had at all times, night or day. He has leased the Osburn building on the East side of the public square.
The contract for the new Herald Office and Spurlock & Kay’s Jewelry store is to be let this week. The building will be erected on the North side of the square on the lot West of the Ava Bank building.
- E. Cockerel, from Nevada, Mo. was in Ava on Wednesday. Mr. Cockeral and other Nevada parties have purchased 880 acres of land in Clay Township, Douglas County, and will commence active mining operations at once.
The Ava, Arno and Mansfield Telephone Company are putting up new poles all along their line.
Sheriff Klineline received notice from his Washington attorney on Thursday last, that his pension claim under the new law had been allowed and that he had been placed on the pension rolls at the rate of $8.00 per month from the date of his application in July 1890.
The Ava Normal is rapidly increasing both in numbers and popularity, nine new students have been enrolled this week. Messers N.P. Freeman and Eva Miller, of Mansfield, Mo.; Miss Tumey Brown, of Washington Township; Masters Moody and Clayton Bulger, of this township, and Thos. Surguine of Roy, are among the newcomers.
BRYANT SPRING CREEK – Considerable improvement is manifest in the neighborhood: four new houses have occupants and there are several more in the course of construction.
