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Looking Backward 7.7.2016

25 Years Ago

July 4, 1991

Ava Drug Co. Has New Owner –– In a transaction that became effective July 1, ownership of the “drug store” passed to Bill Mackey, an Ava native who has worked off and on at Ava Drug Co. since high school.

Chad and Tyler Klineline are proud to announce the arrival of their baby sister, Abbie Katherine.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Chesley Teal will host a reception in honor of the sixtieth wedding anniversary of their parents on Sunday, July 7, at the Ava Lions club building in Ava.

Kristi Janel Woods, Ava, was salutatorian of her graduating class at Mt. Zion Bible School this spring with a grade point average of 98.11. Kristi has been accepted at College of the Ozarks for the fall semester to begin working on her B.S.N. in nursing.

BROWN BRANCH –– Aaron and Joshua Dalton, sons of our pastor Randy Dalton, at the church here, enjoyed ball camp the week of June 24 at the College of the Ozarks. Aaron won first place in the free ball throw.

GLENDALE –– Marvin Burke is among the first to have ripe tomatoes in our community.

BLACK OAK –– Happy birth-day to Alice Van Houden and Megan Hathcock.

BREEDEN –– Those visiting Dale Thomas were Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Walker, Howard Lee Thomas, Faye Pruiett, Corda Pruiett and Ricky and Brandon.

Jenny Honeycutt, Lutie fifth grader, won the LATA poster contest this spring. She won a $50 bond from the Ozark County Chamber of Commerce for her poster which was judged best in a Lutie School competition.  Jenny’s three-dimensional poster was on recycling.

50 Years Ago

 June 30, 1966

Two new buildings in the business district are under construction here.  New quarters for the County Welfare offices will be provided in a building under construction on Jefferson just north of the Kerr-Chevrolet used car lots, and another just off the southeast corner of the public square is designed as new quarters for the Production Credit Association.

Mrs. Charley Jones, Mrs. J. G. Heinlein, Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Luna and Debbie Rogers attended a reception in Sullivan, Mo., Saturday night, June 25, honoring Jewel Snell, president of the Rebekah State Assembly.

Airman Alan N. Speed, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oner J. Speed of Route 2, Ava, Mo., has been assigned to Dow AFB Maine, after completing Air Force basic training.

MCCLURG –– Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Adams, Stevy and Sheree visited with Mr. and Mrs. Earl Engelhardt and son, Rickey, and daughter, Mrs. Pauletta Farris, Sunday night.

Mr. and Mrs. Dale Haden (Judy Wilson) of Route 5, Ava, have selected the name, Kelly Lynn, for their daughter born at 7:07 Sunday night, June 26, at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.

Mrs. Gladys Stewart entertained with a late afternoon swimming party at Ava Country club Monday to honor her granddaughter, Miss Ann Stewart of Grand Prairie, Texas, who is her vacation house guest.

Two hundred Avans attended the annual picnic for employees and personnel of A.G. Spalding and Bros., Inc., and their families held Saturday at the Shadow Rock Park in Forsyth. Games, swimming and water sports furnished entertain-ment for the large group. Music was furnished during the day by employee musicians and several prizes were awarded.

Ava Dry Goods, Bang-Up Savings for the Fourth –– boys short sleeve, no iron shirts, 99¢; girls’ dresses, assorted styles, $1.44 each; ladies’ bell bottom pants, sizes 8 to 16, $1.39 pair; Kidds canvas shoes, 69¢; boys’ western boots, $3.99 pair; and table full of flats, sandals, oxfords, 99¢.

BASHER –– A surprise birthday party was given Mrs. Opal Conley Monday evening.  Those attending were Mrs. M.B. Hylton, Mrs. Russell Hylton, Mrs. Rena Mae Miller, Mrs. Pearl Rhodes, Mrs. Don Kendicott, Mrs. Barbara Milley and children, Mrs. Linda Davis and Kevin, Mrs. Hazel Hall, Vicky and Sue Merritt, Debra Kay Dickens.

CROSS ROADS – Joey Welker, 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Welker, fell Friday evening and broke his leg.  He and his sister were walking on a plank when he slipped and fell. Joey was taken to the Mansfield Hospital and his leg was placed in traction. His condition is reported as good.

75 Years Ago

July 3, 1941

A clock almost 85-years-old which still keeps good time is used in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John R. Edge of the Basher community north of Ava.  The clock was purchased three or four years before the Civil War by Sam Hardin, grandfather of Mrs. Edge.  According to Mrs. Edge the clock has kept perfect time since it was purchased.

The marriage of Fred Curnutt, deputy recorder of deeds in the office of Noel Sutherland, and Miss Adeline Humbyrd of Brown Branch was revealed Wednesday morning by the groom’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Curnutt.  They were married early Wednesday by Justice of the Peace J.E. Reeves.

Tuesday, July 1, brought a higher temperature than was recorded in June.  The temperature was 95 degrees.

Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Reynolds moved last Thursday to their new home “Waverly Place,” just east of the city. The new Reynolds home is located a mile and a half east on the Hunter Road. The house is built along the lines of old English architecture, has nine rooms, all modern conveniences, with a large recreation room and screened porch.

The red stripe on the blue trousers of the United States Marines commemorates Marine blood spilled at Chapultepec in the Mexican War.

STAR – Word has been received that the Fred Linder family is located south of Springfield. They formerly lived in the Star district.

ROY –– Mr. and Mrs. L.V. Ellison are moving this week to the Garrison farm and will keep house for Sherman Garrison.

Mr. and Mrs. Corbin Mathews called on Mrs. C.L. Craft last Sunday afternoon.

Private W.A. Leavitt of the United States Marine Corps, field stripped and reassembled a machine gun in 27 seconds while blindfolded.

SANDY –– Those from this community who have gone to the Kansas wheat harvest are Clifton Mackey, Ralph Siler, Paul Comer, Kermit Hodges, B.C. Yates and Isaac Wilson.

WHITES CREEK –– Mr. and Mrs. Vaud Yandell and daughter, Elaine, visited the fish-hatchery near Sweden Sunday.

  1. TABOR –– Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Cox and little daughter, Mary Frances, visited Sunday with the Frank Denney family.

ARNO –– A large number of young folks helped Miss Mildred Pellham celebrate her 17th birthday June 24 at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pellham.

Mr. and Mrs. Hurse Smith announce the birth of a 6 ¼ pound daughter, Sandra Sue, Monday afternoon, June 30.

Miss Lavon Barner, daughter of Richard Barner of Hammond, and Clyde Loftis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Loftis of Romance, were married Sunday in Ava at the home of the Rev. and Mrs. D.A. Honeycutt.

100 Years Ago

July 6, 1916

A bulletin from the United States Forestry Service declares that the waste in the saw mills of the south is sufficient to produce 20,000 tons of paper daily.  Still we learn from the intelligent press of the country that the paper situation is critical.

A minimum of three babies to every healthy woman is required if this country is to maintain its normal population.  A casual glance will convince the observer that the Ozark country is doing its part.

Every able-bodied male inhabitant of Missouri between the ages of 18 and 45, who is a citizen of the United States or has declared his intention of becoming a citizen is a member of the State militia and liable to be “called to the colors” by the Governor for service in Mexico. If one is called and has religious scruples against bearing arms, one may avoid service only by paying an “equivalent” for military service, which is the pay of a private in the United States Army at present –– $15 a month.

An automobile last week made the trip from St. Louis to Houston, a distance of 185 miles, in 5 ½ hours, almost 38 miles an hour.

Sterling P. Eversole, the tip top St. Clair county farmer living three miles north of Lowry City, has a cow that gave birth to twin calves; first, ten months ago, and then again last week.

False friends are like our shadow –– they stay with you only in the sunshine.

Jos. V. Pitts has just installed the vacuum heating system at his residence on the corner of Ozark St. and Benton Ave.  The vacuum system is a new method, but is very highly recommended by people who have tried it. Mr. Pitts says he does not care to give it a test at the present, but will tell us more about the system next winter.

Wm. Davis returned this week from Kansas. He informs us that he has traded 320 acres of Douglas County land for 160 acres in eastern Kansas.

BERTHA –– Mr. Bryon Bell had the misfortune of losing their barn from being struck by lightning, burning four brood mares, two mules, a watch dog, some chickens, lots of hay and corn and all his farm implements.

Mr. Andy Millsap, who is quite a hand to doctor in his own family, had quite a mishap. He found a box partly filled with a salve looking medicine from which some had been used on stock, and being troubled with a pain in the leg, he made a free application Saturday night from the knee down. The inflaming and swelling that followed was similar to a severe poisoning, making him very restless. By application of antiseptics he was resting easier Sunday.  We should be very careful with medicine we know nothing about.

125 Years Ago

July 2, 1891

TOPEKA, July 7 –– Last night about 12 o’clock grasshoppers stopped the Rock Island passenger train east of Lyman Junction in Colorado, and about 50 miles west of the Kansas state line.  They covered the track for a distance of 5 miles and the wheels of the engine rolled helplessly.  Another engine was procured at Lyman, which pushed the train through the five-mile column, it taking two hours to accomplish this, even with the two engines.

A Mysterious Killing –– Some time ago Royal Frisby received a notice signed “Society of Justice,” and bearing a skull and cross bones, giving him notice that he was to be killed.  Yesterday morning his dead body was found on his farm, riddled with shot. The notice is not believed to have been sent by Whitecaps but by friends of his divorced wife.  Frisby married a Mrs. Carver, of Marshall County.  It is charged that he did so to secure her fortune.  Shortly after he secured a divorce he married her daughter. This gave rise to bitter feelings, which is believed to have culminated in his death.

The Fourth of July Celebration at Ava was not a success owing to the almost continuous rain.

Steamboat fare between Cincinnati and Louisville has been reduced to 50 cents each way.

Thermometers in Los Angeles registered 145 degrees in the sun Monday afternoon.

A rat weighing three pounds was killed the other day at Springfield. It was in the act of carrying off a spring chicken.

The rain on the 4th was worth thousands of dollars to the farmers of Douglas County.

A cutting affray occurred at a picnic at Caney in Taney County near the Douglas County line.  George Albright got into an altercation with George Horasy of Campbell township and Albright received five nasty cuts with a pocket knife in the face and neck.

The barbershop, saloon and billiard Hall on the SE corner of the square have all been removed and the lot is now ready for the new building of Davenport and Hetson.

George Walters who was confined in the Ava Jail for whipping his wife has gotten into trouble again, and is in fair way to see the sights on and around Jefferson City.  He is making preparation to visit Officer Sprague.  He was arrested in Springfield a few days ago for stealing a saddle from James Carreck, of near Cedar Gap. He had in his possession a horse and as he was never known to own one, the owner of the horse is being sought.

A man’s idea of being good to a woman is to give her opportunities to be good to him.