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Looking Backward 3.17.2016

25 Years Ago

March 14, 1991

 

Ava High School senior Danny Schnieder, who set a new single-game scoring record for the Bears when he scored 41 points against Cabool here on Feb. 1, was named to the South Central Association all-conference first team when the SCA coaches gathered last Thursday night for the conference meeting.

A major theft ring was apparently broken up last week with the arrest of five persons believed to be responsible for burglaries in several counties.  Douglas County Sheriff Roldan Turner said as many as 10 Douglas County thefts, two in Ozark county, and one in Wright County are known to be involved in the items recovered during the past week, and still more leads are being investigated in connection with the arrests that have been made.

The fifth annual Patchwork Players Melodrama has been selected for performance during Poke Salat weekend in Ava.  This year’s play is called “Never Trust a City Slicker.”

Tony and Sonia Yockey of Ava wish to announce the birth of their son, Gorgan Lee Yockey, born Feb. 4 at 6:44 p.m.

Nine members of the 1990-91 Ava Lady Bears basketball team earned letter awards, with the recipients being named at the close of the season.  Announced as letter winners by Coach Martha Faucett are seniors Erika Humberd, Kerry Potter, Angie Owens and Bridget Overstreet;  juniors Deborah Smith, Dawn Schillinger and Marcy Wilson; and sophomores Ginger Bloomer and Shelly Heinlein.

John Harlin, Gainesville will complete the unfulfilled term of Howard Wade on White River Valley Electric Cooperative’s board of directors.

 

50 Years Ago

 March 10, 1966

 

A certificate for heroism will be presented today to a local Boy Scout for a feat of heroism performed last July 5 while boating on Bull Shoals Lake.  The Boy Scout Certificate of Heroism will be presented to Jimmy Williams, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Williams of Ava, in a ceremony at 9:30 at the high  school auditorium.

The arrest of two juveniles has solved a burglary at the Ava school lunchroom where a large quantity of food was taken from freezers, according to a report this week from Chief of Police Ezra Henson.  The two juveniles have been turned over to juvenile authorities, and a third party is being sought, Henson said.

Douglas County Circuit Clerk and Recorder Virgil R. Kester announces 163 marriage licenses issued in 1965 with only 27 divorces granted, 10 more being filed but dismissed before coming to trial.

Don Page of Meridian, Idaho, son of Jack Page and Hazel of Norwood, who has tracked down 25 cougar since he started hunting the big cats in 1960, brought back two recently on a hunting with Jim Byers of Meridian.

The Friendly Neighbors Club of Friendship community met at the home of Mrs. Bessie Deatherage Feb. 23.  The morning was spent making quilt blocks for the hostess.

Mr. and Mrs. Oda Snelson of 304 NE 2nd Avenue, observed their 60th wedding anniversary Friday, Feb. 25, and had several members of their family as all-day guests in the home to help them celebrate the special occasion.

During an 8 o’clock double ring ceremony solemnized Friday evening, Feb. 5, in Englewood Baptist Church, Gladstone, Mo., Miss Audrey Lee Wilson of North Kansas City became the bride of Bill R. Curnutt, also of North Kansas City.

Two 16-year-old Ava youths were arrested by state police west of Ava on a charge of joy riding on a 1964 BSA motor scooter.  State Trooper Joe Hart said the boys allegedly took the motor scooter without the owner’s consent.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Heath of the Heath & Son Feed Company in Ava, attended the annual Pay Way dealer convention in Kansas City, which was held at the President Hotel.

Ray Hailey is honored at “This Is Your Life” program in Kansas City.

Mr. and Mrs. Ted Sallee and children, David, Mickey, Timmy, Jimmy and Ginger, of Andrews, Texas, arrived in Ava early Friday morning to make a short visit with Mrs. Sallee’s mother, Mrs. F.L. Thomas, and other relatives and friends.  The Sallees, who moved to Texas from Ava a few months ago, returned to their home Sunday and picked up the car of their older son, Pvt. Eddie Sallee.

 

75 Years Ago

March 13, 1941

 

Douglas County’s office of the University of Missouri Extension Service will be closed after this week and County Agent A.T. Goodding, who has been in charge of the office the past five years will leave Monday for Charleston, Mississippi County, where he will be county agent temporarily, it was announced Wednesday.

Vote irregularities and fraud in eight Douglas County townships is charged by Lawrence McDaniel, St. Louis, who was defeated for governor in the general election by Forrest C. Donnell.  In the eight townships in question McDaniel received a total of 701 votes and Donnell received a total of 2,187 votes.

Death of two sisters, Mrs. Louisa Day, 81, and Miss Betty Turner, who would have been 77 next month, occurred this week within two days of each other.  Both lived at Goodhope.  Mrs. Day died Sunday night and Miss Turner died Tuesday night.

Mrs. Grace Singleton recently purchased the Frank Spurlock cottage on North Jefferson Street and moved Monday to take possession of the property.  Mrs. Singleton was accompanied to Ava by her mother, Mrs. Bob Deatheridge, who will make he home with her.  They have been living on Mrs. Singleton’s farm near Girdner.

Three persons were injured Tuesday afternoon in a head-on collision on what is known as the hairpin curve on Highway 5 near the Charley Porter Store close to Girdner, fifteen miles south of Ava. The injured were Marvin J. Turnbull, Helen Carter and Fred Hamilton, who, it was understood, recently moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas, from near Kansas City.  The car in which they were riding, along with another man who was not hurt, struck head on with a Dr. Pepper Bottling Company truck from West Plains.  Both machines were damaged.

Little Jerry Harley has birthday party –– Mrs. Cecil Harley entertained a group of children in her home Friday afternoon in compliment to her son, Jerry, who was celebrating his third birthday anniversary.  Refreshments were served to these guests: Michael Gentry, Wendell Nall, Dee Ann Pettit, Joe Henry Dean, Vonne Stanton, Mary Copenhagen, Danny Riggs, Wanda Lorraine Dilsaver, Jean Gay Harrison and the honoree.

Miss Virginia Givans returned to Ava Sunday evening after spending several days in Columbia where she had been visiting Miss Marjorie Reynolds who is attending Stephens College.

Citizens over in our neighboring town of Mansfield have been pushing a campaign to build up a public library, and they seem to be getting the job done.  Here in Ava we already have a library and have had for a number of years.  Members of the ladies auxiliary of the Douglas County American Legion Post started and are sponsoring Ava’s library.

 

100 Years Ago

March 16, 1916

 

A rousing mass meeting of the citizens of the Ava High School District was held in the courtroom in Ava last Monday evening, for the purpose of discussing ways and means of securing a new high school building as required by the state, in order for the Ava High school to continue as a first class school.  The meeting was called to order by V.A. Dobyns, president of the board of education, and upon a motion, I.T. Curry was elected chairman and Frank J. Davis, secretary.

When a congressman’s ideas of preparedness consist of sending out garden seed to the voters of his district, he is the wrong kind of congressman.

The Hon. County Court of Douglas County in session last week, went Friday to the Albert Inman 60-acre farm two miles north of here, and after much delib­eration closed the deal in consider­ation for $1545.58 for a farm for the county’s poor.  Mr. Inman first asked $1700 for the place.  The farm will be managed by a super­intendent who will receive a monthly or yearly salary from the county.  Bids for management will be received at the county clerks office in Ava.

Honoring Miss Grace Grasham, Mrs. J. Morgan Adams entertained at a delightfully arranged Miscella­neous Shower Thursday afternoon at Whitehall.  The guest list included the members of the Ladies Benefit Society, and the young ladies of the Epworth League. Victrola music was rendered.

DEPEW ITEMS –– To the children for character building:

“Little Builders”

Little builders day by day,

Building with the words we say.

Building from our hearts within

Thoughts of good or thoughts of

sin.

Building with the deeds we do,

Actions ill, or pure and true,

Oh! How careful we must be,

Building for eternity.

Building, building every day,

Help us Lord to watch and pray.

 

Mr. and Mrs. John Merriman are the proud parents of a new baby boy christened, William Frederick.

The Frisco passenger depot at Sparta was destroyed by fire Sunday night.

Ava businessmen and the surrounding farmers have met the requirements for a canning factory, and will grow 400 acres of tomatoes this season.

 

 

125 Years Ago

March 19, 1891

 

NEW ORLEANS –– Public indignation ran mountain high in this city Saturday afternoon and last night, when news of the virtual acquittal of the Mafia cutthroats, charged with the murder of Chief of Police Hennessey spread from the courtroom.  Loud and open threats of summary vengeance were heard on all sides, but it was not until 100 leading citizens attached their names to a call for a mass meeting that the public felt that the administration of justice might come from the enraged people.  Early this morning thousands of reputable men, unused to scenes of bloodshed, swarmed about the appointed place of meeting.  As the minutes passed the crowd grew.

Last week George Ball of Webb City drove over to Oronogo and paid C.R. Elliott a debt of $240 his father had contracted 19 years before and which he owed when he died.  Missouri breeds good people.

A couple was married at St. Joseph the other day who were so poor that they put in half a day tramping over town to find a preacher or a justice of the peace who would splice them for nothing.  How sorry they will be by-and-by that their search was not fruitless.

From what is known of the first effect of gunshot wounds surgeons have decided that to be shot to death is one of the easiest modes of terminating life, as the first impression is known to be rather more stunning than acute.

Will Johnston & Co. has just received a new stock of drugs and paints and is furnishing their customers with pure drugs at cash prices.

Parties bringing in specimens of Ore should not bring less than ten pound lots, a thorough test of the value of ore cannot well be made with a less amount.

Francis Duff, the proprietor of the billiard hall, who was fined $80 and trimmings for carrying a pistol, packed his worldly goods and left Saturday.  It is said that he left several of our merchants mourning over the evils of the credit system.

A report was circulated a few days ago that gold had been found in paying quantities in certain localities in Douglas County, the excitement became intense.

RICHVILLE ITEMS – A brutal assault was committed on Mr. Thomas Dobbs, of this township, by a man named Bill Thompson.  Mr. Dobbs was attending to the feeding of his stock on Saturday morning of last week when he discovered Thompson in the field making too free with his feed, and proceeded to remonstrate with Thompson, who made fight at once and assailed Dobbs with a hoe, striking him two or three times on the top and side of the head, dangerously wounding him.  Dobbs with much difficulty managed to get back to his house. A doctor was sent for who dressed the wounds and pronounced them dangerous but not necessarily fatal if he received proper care.  Thompson is in custody of the officers and has thus far been unable to give bond.

Born to the wife of Herman Rice on the 15th, an eight-pound boy –– a Republican.