Looking Backward 1.12.2012
25 Years Ago
January 8, 1987
Douglas County officials who were elected at the November general election were sworn in last Wednesday morning at the courthouse to begin their terms with the start of the New Year. Beginning first terms this year are Associate Circuit Judge Roger Wall, Prosecuting Attorney Souder Tate, Western District Commissioner Kenneth Adams, County Surveyor John Schmacht, and Collector Patty Dooms.
The Ava Police Department is investigating a burglary at Sawyer’s Station that occurred on Tuesday night, Dec. 30. On the same night burglars attempted to enter Posey Building Center next door to the station, but were unable to get inside.
J & H Quick Stop is now open south of Ava, it was announced this week by owner Jeff Hickson.
On Saturday night, Dec. 27 a surprise party was given to honor Willie and Della Coonts for their 48th wedding anniversary.
Scott O’Dell, son of Randy and Becky O’Dell of Ava, is Pack 77 Cub Scout of the month. He is 10 ½ years old and is in Mrs. Davis fifth grade class in Ava, where he is an excellent student. His favorite subjects are science and reading. He loves collecting baseball cards and swimming in the summertime.
WAGNER –– Birthday greetings to Marie Riddles on Jan. 4; Arlin Watkins on Jan. 6; Vernice Stillings on Jan. 6, Bill and Duane Griffin on Jan. 7 and Judy Griffin on Jan. 11.
Helping Irma King celebrate her 91st birthday Friday, Jan. 2, were husband, Jim, her daughter-in-law, Mildred Robertson of Ozark, and granddaughter-in-law, Pat Robertson of Springfield.
Dinner guests New Year’s Day in the home of Miss Beulah Gentry were Mr. and Mrs. Henderson Gentry, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gentry and Mrs. Ola Staley.
MOUND –– Eddie, Kathy, Reggie, Tara and Kayla and Ed Bray visited Saturday evening with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stafford.
50 Years Ago
January 4, 1962
$81,250 Loan to AIDC For Factory Extension, Federal Funds Will Be Supplemented by Local Money –– An $81,250 loan to finance expansion of the Rawlings Manufacturing Company building in Ava has been approved by the Area Redevelopment Administration of the Department of Commerce in Washington. The federal funds will be supplemented by an additional $43,750 in local funds, including loans from the Citizens Bank of Ava and the First National Bank of St. Louis. Funds for the initial section of the factory building were obtained from the sale of stock certificates to some 1265 individuals and business firms mostly within the Ava trade territory.
Fire protection has come to all of Douglas County, effective Jan. 1, with the near completion of the first fire tower in western Douglas County by the forestry division of the Missouri Conservation Commission. Coinciding with completion of the tower, Richard Chilton, forest assistant for Douglas County, said that three fire fighting crew leaders beside him have been employed. Lawrence Ray Stillings has been hired as the Dogwood towerman, and Floyd Dry is serving in the Ava area and will man another tower to be erected in the future.
Three members of the religious colony, Zions Order of the Sons of Levi, located about five miles north of Ava, are scheduled for appearances on KSD Channel 5, St. Louis, at high noon on Jan. 10, it is announced. Appearing on the program will be Marl Kilgore, president; Barton Kilgore, counselor; and William Hilles, secretary. Mr. Kilgore says his wife, Ruby, will go along to observe the program.
Mrs. Juanita Ewing, city collector elected to office last April, tendered her resignation to Mayor Bill Pettit Tuesday. Mrs. Ewing gave no reason for her letter of resignation.
Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Spurlock entertained with a quail supper in their home on Webster Street Friday evening, Dec. 29, as a special honor to her sister, Mrs. Clovis Gipson, who was observing a birthday. Guests attending the birthday supper with the honoree and Mr. Gipson were Mr. and Mrs. Van Upchurch, Mr. and Mrs. Basil Spurlock and son, Mike, and Mrs. Emma Mae Meads.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Alcorn of Ava announce the birth of a daughter Friday, Dec. 22, at the Mansfield Hospital. The baby weighed eight pounds at the time of her birth and she has been named Helen Sue.
A watch night party and oyster supper was held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Davis, in the Basher community, New Year’s Eve night.
Members of the Ava Pitch Club held their last meeting of the year on Wednesday night, Dec. 27, when Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Jackson entertained at their home. Members attending with Mr. and Mrs. Cloine Pettit and Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Maloney were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jarrett, Mr. and Mrs. Harlan House, Dr. and Mrs. Howard Curry and Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Alderman
75 Years Ago
January 7, 1937
Decreases in the number of marriage licenses issued and in the number of instruments filed as compared with the previous year are noted by Noel Sutherland, Douglas County Circuit Clerk and ex-officio recorder.
Farmers are faced with a somewhat critical feeding situation similar to that of 1934, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics said today in its December summary of the feed situation. It is again necessary for feeders to reduce livestock numbers, especially hogs, and to curtail feeding operations.
The Cozy Grove nightclub on Highway 63 near West Plains was destroyed by fire Monday morning. It was a pleasure resort often visited by young persons from Ava. Ed Seiberling, owner, said he believed the fire possibly was started by a heating stove.
Mrs. Earl Hitchcock and children will leave sometime next week to join Mr. Hitchcock in Chehalis, Wash., where he is employed in a radio business. The Rev. J.J. Steele, pastor of the Highway Church of the Nazarene has purchased the Hitchcock property in east Ava and will take possession of the place early next week.
Names of three active deputies are announced this week by the new Douglas County Sheriff, Lincoln M. Barnes, who took office Friday. The deputies are Matt Huffman, Arthur Singleton and Lester Eslick.
Resolved: To keep my New Years resolutions strictly to myself, because experience has taught me that when –– thru my frailties –– I lapse, my family has an exasperating habit of becoming gleefully remindful and I can’t take it.
On Jan. 7, 1812, one hundred and fifteen years ago this week, Missouri experienced one of a series of earthquake disturbances collectively known as the New Madrid earthquake. Despite the fact it is relatively unknown, it ranks as one of the world’s major earthquakes. The earthquake centered around New Madrid but a total area of 1,000,000 square miles, or a total of approximately one-third the area of the United States, was so disturbed that the vibrations could be felt within it without the aid of instruments.
The Social Security Act is an effort to correct a condition that has existed in all ages and with all people that of caring for the older members of the race after they have reached the non-productive age or have arrived at the non-productive age without sufficient means to sustain them and keep them supplied with the necessaries of life. It is to be expected that the bill will need many changes and revisions before it reaches a point where it will work smoothly.
Forty-five states have military training on their college campuses. The exceptions are Missouri Wisconsin and Minnesota.
A six-room cobblestone house is being built on the eighty-acre farm of Mr. and Mrs. George Wyatt five miles north of Ava and a quarter of a mile east of Highway 5.
100 Years Ago
January 11, 1912
One of the coldest spells that has visited this country for several years passed over us the latter part of last week and first of this. Saturday night the thermometer registered 11 degrees below zero. This is the lowest temperature since 1905.
The janitor of the Ava School district asks us this week to notify thru the columns of the Herald all parties, who are participating in the job, to please stop carrying the wood away from the schoolhouse yard. He says he has you pretty well located and will have the authorities after you if it ain’t “cut out”. The Ava school district should build a wood house. They might save enough wood in one season to pay for the building. It is also suggested by some that the school put in a furnace and radiators. This would perhaps be the wiser plan.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. –– The St. Joseph & Grand Island railway, after experimenting with gasoline motor cars on the eastern division for more than a year, has decided the cars are impracticable and probably will take them off and increase the number of steam trains February 1.
The post office department has ordered a mail service established on the new extension of the midland Valley railroad between Wichita and Arkansas City, Kans., January 22.
NEW YORK –– Alfred Tennyson Dickens, eldest surviving son of Charles Dickens, the novelist, died suddenly of acute indigestion of the Hotel Astor here. Mr. Dickens was in this country on a lecture tour. Mr. Dickens was a godson of the poet, Tennyson. He was in his 67th year.
Otto Clapp has been putting up ice this week off of the Davis pond. The ice is full 6 inches thick, and is as clear and nice as is ever found. Mr. Pettit says that it is the best ice that has ever been put up in Ava. They have put up 40 tons or more.
Perhaps the most interesting wrestling match ever held in our little city will be pulled off at the Wilson Opera house, Saturday night January 13th. The match will be between two of our home boys, Heiner Mays and Arthur Barker. Both of these boys have been in the professional wrestling game for some time, and the match will no doubt be very interesting. They promise to give a square deal and affair, square wrestle to a finish.
BRYANT BREEZE –– Mr. and Mrs. Burley Pope are the proud possessors of another girl, which made its arrival at their home last week.
To meet the demands of the law a teacher must file a term report with the county superintendent and a duplicate term report with the district clerk.
As a result of the discovery that whisky is being shipped into Oklahoma in trunks as baggage from Springfield and Joplin in violation of the federal law regulating interstate liquor shipments, Frisco officials are co-operating with the internal revenue officers of the district to stop the practice.
