Looking Backward 7.26.2012
25 Years Ago
July 23, 1987
Construction of Ava’s mechanical sewer treatment plant could begin as early as next spring with the system to possibly be in operation by the summer of 1989.
The Douglas County Retired Teachers Assn has been building on a scholarship fund since 1985, and this week the first scholarships were awarded. Recipients of the first RTA Scholarships are Debbie Coble, a student at Drury College, and Rob Allen a student at the University of Missouri Columbia.
Rena Lee Melton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Melton of Ava, will be among the candidates competing for the title of Miss Teen of Missouri at the annual state pageant, which will be held in Columbia, July 24-25.
Mrs. Ada Brazeal was honored July 14 at a five o’clock dinner for her 85th birthday.
Marine Cpl. Scott Huffman, son of Dorsey and Doyne Huffman, Ava, Mo., is currently home from Camp Pendleton, Calif., serving 30 days Recruiters Assistance with Marine Cops RSS West Plains, Mo., following a 10 day leave.
Linda Thompson has been promoted to the position of Production Control supervisor at Emerson Electric, Ava.
BRIXEY –– Fred and Linda Stout and daughter, Brandy, have recently moved to this area. They live over on Highway N.
NORTH SIDE NEWS –– Bill, Ruth and Donna Rippee visited a while with Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Wallace Saturday.
The Benny Stillings home southwest of Ava was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning. Stillings was away at the time of the fire, and neighbors discovered the house was on fire around midnight Monday. Some areas of the structure suffered only smoke and water damage, while the west end of the house was a total loss.
MT. TABOR –– Holly Stillings spent Friday night with Joy Singleton.
50 Years Ago
July 19, 1962
Mrs. Grace Deyo, formerly of Almartha, won a new trial Monday from a life sentence imposed in Ozark County Circuit Court for her alleged complicity in the death of her husband, Kenneth Deyo, according to an Associated Press story in the Springfield Daily News. The Missouri Supreme Court said the state didn’t try hard enough to produce a preacher named Duffer. His testimony had been used in Mrs. Deyo’s preliminary hearing. When he wasn’t available for the circuit court trial the transcript of his preliminary hearing testimony was read into the record. Testimony in the case, plus Mrs. Deyo’s signed confession, purported to show she knew her lover, Bill Shindler, was going to substitute strychnine for vitamins in Kenneth Deyo’s vitamin capsules. Deyo died of poisoning July 27, 1959.
Everett Irby of Route 2, Ava, escaped serious injury when he was run over by his tractor last Friday. Irby, mowing weeds on a hillside, got off the tractor leaving it running but not in gear. The tractor started rolling down the hill, fording Irby against a fence. He grasped the exhaust pipe, trying to swing himself onto the tractor, but was thrown to the ground after his hand was burned on the hot pipe. He was dragged about 30 feet. A tractor wheel rolled over Irby’s chest, but a rock, about six inches high, near his body, prevented the full weight of the tractor from crushing him.
Gary Kester, son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Kester of Ava, was listed on the dean’s honor list for the second semester of the 1961-62 term at Millsaps College, Jackson, Miss.
A Douglas County girl who was vacationing in Washington state was struck by a truck and injured on Sunday, July 8. Miss Joanna Peeble, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Peebles of Route 3, Ava, was hit by a pickup truck near Aberdeen, Wash., and tossed 15 feet. She suffered a compound fracture of the arm and was to be in traction for 15 days. Joanna is a sixth grade student at Plainview R-8 School. She was planning to visit the world’s fair at Seattle.
The largest crowd in the six years of the current series of horse shows sponsored by the Ava Saddle Club attended the annual event held at the city fairgrounds last Thursday night. Attendance was estimated at 950 to 1000.
C.V. Clinkingbeard and his sons, Lyle of Ava and Eugene of Phoenix, Ariz., returned to Ava Sunday after concluding a two weeks fishing trip in the Vermillion Bay area of Canada.
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Smith of Ava announce the birth of a 7 ½ pound son Saturday, July 14, at the Gainesville Clinic in Gainesville.
Miss Karen Lakey entertained with a lawn party for a group of friends at her home Saturday night. Records were played and after playing games, cake, ice cream and ade were served to the following guests: Larry Hampton, Donald Ray Hinton, Larry Mackey, Don and Wayne Harper, John Yeisley, Kenneth Keith, Faye Hedrick, Ralph Hedrick, Sherry Garrison, Sandra Archer and the hostess.
75 Years Ago
July 22, 1937
Evidence pointing toward the guilt of Robert Kenyon, Howell County farm youth charged with the kidnapping and murder of Dr. J.C.B. Davis of Willow Springs was offered by witnesses for the state in circuit court at Alton Wednesday and today.
Mrs. John Victor has purchased the Venice Beauty Shop from Miss Florence Fletcher and took possession of the business Monday morning. Miss Fern Grote of Sedalia, a close friend of Mrs. Victor, will be the operator of the shop with Mrs. Victor assisting her.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Hawkins have leased the basement of the Wilbanks Grocery store building from Mrs. C.W. Meeker and are installing a café, rather a “dine and dance” place. The place is to called the Brown Derby and will open early next.
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hunt have sold their Ava Grocery and Market to T.J. Jones and son of Holden. The two Jones families have rented the upper apartment of the Coffman duplex and the D.W. Tillman house just west of the Tillman residence.
D.W. Tillman, manager of the Ava Farmers Exchange for the past several years, was reelected to that position Monday at a meeting of the newly elected board of directors. Board members were selected as follows: R.E. Privett, Homer Hailey, Luther Robertson, J.D. Harnden and P.A. Joslin.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hart of southwest of Ava announce the birth of twin sons, Friday morning, July 16. The 5 ½ pound son has been named Jerry Lee and the 5 ¾ pound son has been named Joe Lawrence.
Ava softball fans organized this week in order to put floodlights on the ball diamond at the city park.
Mrs. W.T. Frost is assisting at the Quality Bakery and Café, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lachmund. Mrs. Frost began her duties Sunday morning. Miss Ruth Tate who has been employed at the café resigned her position Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Thad Clements and seven children returned to their home in Humboldt, Kansas, after spending a week visiting Mr. Clements’ mother, Mrs. Sarah Clements and other relatives and friends here.
RIPPEE –– Thurlow Stout left last week to work in South Dakota.
MT. TABOR –– Again we have some new neighbors. A family, man and wife, from California, have bought the Minor place and have established a temporary swelling until the McFerrin family vacates. Are we extending the neighborliness and friendship we would enjoy in a strange place?
Morris Herrell has bought the Geo. Turner farm, stock and crop. Eh? Did we hear wedding bells? Well, anyway, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Herrell will be at home to friends and neighbors on the farm recently purchased as soon as Uncle George and daughter make their departure.
DOGWOOD –– Dame rumor reports that Cupid has been busy in our community. That Miss Fern Bowers and Paris Harvill were married at Springfield on June 22. Mrs. Erma Townlain and Rolla Blackford were married last week.
100 Years Ago
July 25, 1912
The City Council met last Tuesday and passed a resolution favorable to granting a franchise for an electric light plant, but the question of the length of time was discussed.
According to a report given out by Postmaster H.L. Brown, a new post office building is to be erected in Ava within the next sixty days. H. S. Wilson made a proposition to put up a building on the lot just north of the northeast corner of the square, and give the government a lease on it for ten years. The building will be a one-story structure 40×90 feet, and 20×50 feet in front will be occupied by the post office. The building is to be completed by October 1, 1912.
Announcement of the sixth annual commencement exercises of the Springfield State Normal have just been issued. The exercises will be held next Thursday, August 1st. Among the list of graduates this year we notice the names of five who were formerly students of the Douglas County Normal, and all but one of them graduated from our school. They are as follows: A.M. Johns, Miss Carrie Hicks, J.A. Oliver, Henry Davis, Elmer Knight. Mr. Oliver is to be Superintendent of schools at Thayer, Missouri; Miss Hicks will teach English in Humansville High School; and Mr. Knight is Superintendent of the schools of Buffalo, Mo.
Davis Swimming Pool Opening Day, Sunday evening, August 4. Everybody invited.
Word has been received in Ava that Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Byng are the happy parents of a bright eyed son, which was born in Sedalia, Mo., July 16th, 1912. Mr. Byng left Ava, Monday of last week to join his wife in Sedalia and had been there ever since.
Everett Goodnight and Pete Marsh stole a couple of fine young mares from Ben Stillings and Will Thomas of near Pansy last Saturday night and started for Springfield with them, arriving there early Monday morning. They tried to sell the animals, but before succeeding, were suspicioned and arrested. Sheriff Gentry of this county was notified, and he went to the Queen City last Tuesday and brought the two gentlemen to Ava yesterday and put them in the county jail where they will await trial at the September term of Circuit Court.
Born last Saturday morning to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Sweeney of south of town, a baby boy.
ST. JAMES –– Will Ungle and son Elmer of Mansfield have been here the past week taking pictures.
DOGWOOD DOING –– Mr. James Wren, who purchased the old schoolhouse of Dogwood District has finished moving it. He will make a dwelling house of it.
DENLOW –– The firm of Smallwood and Nash has been dissolved, Henry Nash retiring. He has bought a farm from Geo. Upshaw, which was part of the old Cal Wilson place and move there soon.
125 Years Ago
July 14, 1887
Bold Robbery Near Ozark –– A dispatch of July 11 from Ozark, Mo. to the Globe Democrat, says: “Last night about 8:30 o’clock, a bold robbery was perpetrated ten miles southwest of this place, in the edge of Stone County by two unknown men. John T. Nelson, a former resident of Ozark, has a store on the James River near the Robertson Mill. About dark last night two young men called at Mr. Nelson’s store and told him they wanted to buy some clothing. The unsuspecting merchant, accompanied by one of his neighbors, Briton Cloud, who happened to be spending the evening with Mr. Nelson, went with the strangers to the store. The pretended customers at once selected three pair of pants, which they offered to pay for handing Mr. Nelson a $20 bill to change. As soon as Nelson had given them the proper change and put the bill in this pocket one of the strangers drew two pistols with which he covered the merchant, while his partner leveled one revolver on Cloud. The robbers proceeded to recover the $20 bill they had just given the merchant and took about an equal amount of other money found in Mr. Nelson’s pockets. Then taking the three pants, the robbers walked out of the store firing a couple of shots as they passed the threshold, and were soon hiding in the dense woods of the James bottom. For several days before the robbery the two robbers had been in that vicinity pretending to be fishing. They had been at Nelson’s store several times and claimed to be from Green County, north of Springfield.
Dr. Saulsbury found malarial fever to be propagated among persons sleeping in a room in the windows of which had been placed a box of earth from malarious soil. House plants cultivated in pots filled with malarious earth are a constant danger.
Work has commenced on the courthouse and material is being put on the ground. Those who subscribed are hereby requested to come in and pay up their subscription, as the money will be needed to pay for material as it is delivered on the ground.
On July 29th, 1887, there will be a pic-nic and campfire at the Grand Army Hall on Casto Creek, Douglas County Missouri. There will be speaking, singing, sack racing, corded leg racing in pairs with all necessary accompaniments through the day –– camp and pickets at night, a commissary department with some stolen chickens, court martial trial, oyster cans, coffee and hard tack or sour bread.
Col. L.O. Hailey, Barney Mallonee, J.A. Payne, Marion Ridenour and Mart Singleton took a “flying trip” to Rome Saturday of last week. Most of the parties are masons and they went down to ride the goat just to keep in practice, you know.
Andy Pennington is now called “pap”. It is a girl and Andy says it has a Methodist voice. Mrs. Dewhirst officiated.
