Looking Backward 9.13.2012
25 Years Ago
September 10, 1987
Members of the Douglas County Commission and others from the Ava area went before the Highway Commission, asking the state to take back the section of old Highway 5 that runs from the Ava city limits to East Highway 76 north of Ava. That 2.2 mile section of road was turned over to the county when new Highway 5 was completed about 25 years ago. The delegation was met with one of those “don’t call us, we’ll call you” answers.
The Ava R-1 Board of Education voted last Thursday night to present a levy increase proposal to the voters in November. If approved, the proposal would fund an extensive building improvement project.
James “Butch” Willis, Route 2, Ava, was recognized last week for a heroic act of bravery that he performed earlier this summer. Early in June, Willis, a truck driver for Cabool Transport pulled six people from a burning car on I-44 near Sullivan.
Marine Sgt. Mark Dietz has re-enlisted for three years while serving with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, N.C.
Bradley Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Johnson of Ava, has been named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester at Rockhurst College.
Williard Hutchison of Ava, his wife, Reba, and Freda Manis killed a giant copperhead snake last Friday night. The snake, which measured 44 inches in length, was killed about one mile west of Ava at the Jack Hutchison residence.
RED BUD VILLAGE –– Melba Roper, Alice Van Houden and Fae Pruiett visited Mary Murphy one afternoon.
WASOLA –– Mr. and Mrs. Shorty Robertson are to move Monday to Red Bud Village in Ava.
BLACK OAK –– Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Daugherty, Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Brooks, Treva and Buffy spent the day together in Mtn. Home, Ark., Saturday.
50 Years Ago
September 6, 1962
Two of the nation’s outstanding gospel singing quartets will present a concert here Tuesday night, Sept. 18, under sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce’s singing committee. Appearing will be The Plainsmen of Baton Rouge, La., and The Harvesters of Charlotte, No. Carolina.
Work started Monday of last week in the Wasola area of Ozark County on new telephone lines, which will complete service to virtually all of the county. The Modern Telephone Company has let the contract to L.O. Bration and Co., for the construction work.
Airman and Mrs. Jack Hutchison (Patsy Pickens) left Ava Sunday enroute to Biloxi, Miss., where they will make their home while the airman is attending a U.S. Air Force electronics school.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Price, of Wasola, announce the birth of a son on Monday, Aug. 27, at the Gainesville Clinic. The baby weighed 6 pounds and 4 ounces and he has been named Lyle Wendell II.
Jeanie Morton of Springfield will be at the Legion Hall on Monday, Sept. 10 – 3:30 to 4:30 for registration of pupils who wish to take tap or ballet dance lessons.
Master Ronnie Fleetwood, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Fleetwood of Ava, celebrated his fourth birthday Saturday, Aug. 25 at an afternoon party given in the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Thomas. Children attending were Brenda King, Denise Moore, Cindy Shull, Kathy Reid, Cathy Durham, Dennis Collins, Stephen Durham, La Fawn Hoggard, Kirk Reid and Jeff Fleetwood.
Public Auction, Tuesday, Sept. 11, quitting business in Ava., Mo. Everything goes. Chaffee Foodex, one block west of square, Ava, Mo. Auctioneer – Chancy Sherman. Cash – Nothing moved until settled for.
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Frye were honor guests at a house warming Friday when a group gathered at the couple’s new home on Route 4.
Drive-In Theatre. Saturday –– Face of a Fugitive, with Fred MacMurray. His gun becomes a weapon of terror! Color. Sun., Mon., Tues. –– State Fair, with Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Tom Ewell. Come to the fair. Brand new Rogers & Hammerstein spectacular in color.
MURRAY –– Mr. and Mrs. Orville Potter have a baby, born Aug. 29, James Alan. He weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
BROWN BRANCH –– Mrs. Bob Siler is now employed at Rawlings Manufacturing plant working in the cutting department. Grandmother cares for the children.
RED BANK – Those enjoying a picnic dinner and swimming at Beaver Creek Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Lirley and family, Mrs. Lodean Lethco, Mrs. D.L. Lakey and, Mike and Tony and Junior Stafford.
75 Years Ago
September 9, 1937
Judges of the county court in session here Tuesday blamed carelessness and waste for the fact that the new Douglas County Courthouse will have to be without lights and water the balance of this year. The court issued a statement to the public this week that the budget for expenses at the courthouse and the jail will be exhausted on or before October 1, and that after that time lights and water will be cut off from the courthouse. This year’s budget allowed $700 for expenses at the courthouse and jail.
Enrollment at the opening of the Ava Schools Monday was the largest ever recorded in this school system. In the high school 424 reported to classes Monday, and in the grades 344 reported, making a total of 768. The largest high school enrollment in any previous year was in 1931 when there were 350 enrolled. This was the first year of consolidation.
Ralph and Buoy Taylor, Almartha brothers charged with the murder of Palmer Gilliland of Noble, will be tried in a special term of Ozark County Circuit Court starting October 11, it was revealed this week by Prosecuting Attorney G.W. Rogers of Gainesville.
RANDOM NOTES –– By Mrs. R.G. Armstrong –– Silence is the best answer to a great many things, yet it does not fill column space or I would be treating all those mistaken people (who do not agree with me) with the silent and haughty contempt that they deserve.
Children’s and Ladies’ winter coats, price range $6.75 and up. Inquire about our lay away plan. New fall dresses, jewelry, ladies ready to wear – Harley’s Sons.
As fall days approach housewives are rushing to fill the remainder of those fruit jars, which have been empty too long. The drought of the past few weeks has cut some crops short, but for the first time in years, cellars will be full of vegetables, fruits and other eatables, Let us be thankful!
RIPPEE –– Our school with Clarence Singleton in charge, is progressing nicely. The pupils highly praise their teacher.
A few Ava ladies were in Mansfield Friday afternoon and attended the formal tea, shower and wedding reception given by Mr. R.J. Twitty in honor of her son and his bride, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Jack Twitty, who were married in Hartville the preceding Saturday by the Rev. Calton.
The old Douglas County Courthouse, built in 1889 and torn down last year after being the seat of Douglas County government almost fifty years. Said to have been the last frame courthouse in Missouri, the building sold on a bid of $350.
Automobile drivers’ licenses, made compulsory under a new state law, may be secured through any notary public having the necessary blanks, it has been explained. The licenses cost 25 cents plus notary fee, usually 25 cents.
The last Douglas County Fair, soldiers Reunion, Fair and Stock Show, was held in Ava in 1929. It was a four-day fair beginning September 25, that year. Crowds estimated as high as 10,000 attended the fair in a single day.
100 Years Ago
September 12, 1912
There was a wee bit of excitement on the streets of Ava and about the county jail last Tuesday morning when it was discovered that Pet C. Marsh and J.H. Hall, who were in the county jail awaiting their trials at the Sept. term of the Douglas Co. Circuit Court, had sawed the bars of the west window of the jail and made their escape some time during the night. It is the supposition that someone handed them a handsaw, with which they did the work. Nothing has been heard from the prisoners since their escape.
There was a demonstration of loyal citizenship by the citizens of Ava and vicinity here last Saturday about 12:30 p.m. when J.A.G. Reynolds, who was nominated at the St. Louis Progressive State Convention for Sate Auditor, was met at the station by the Ava Commercial Band and several hundred other citizens wearing badges and carrying floats and flags. All cheering for J.A.G. Reynolds for State Auditor. Enthusiastic supporters of Roosevelt wore red bandana handkerchiefs about their necks and some carried “Teddy Bears” hoisted above their heads on a pole. Mr. Reynolds is the cashier of the Bank of Ava.
T.S. Newsome who has been working on the building of the Green Hills Creamery Association at Willow Springs came home last Saturday and stayed over Sunday with his family at this place. He says the building, which is 46×72 feet in size and two stories high, is about completed and the machinery is being installed and will be ready for business by October 15.
Born, last Monday, Sept. 9, 1912, to Mr. and Mrs. Roy Turner of near Arno, a little girl. Dr. Gentry was the physician present.
There seems to be a possibility of war, if the situation along the Mexican border continues to grow worse. There may be a special session of Congress to determine the matter.
The new post office building will be ready to occupy by or before October 1. The concrete workers have finished and there only remains the inside wood work to be done.
Hiram York whose home was near Bryant in Douglas County, and who has been working in Jasper County for three weeks, was instantly killed by a street car at Carterville, Mo. last Saturday. The car ran over him and cut his body into several pieces. He was laid to rest in the Prairie Hollow Cemetery. The wife and five children are left to mourn the sad loss.
125 Years Ago
September 9, 1887
The exhibits at the state fair in Atlanta, Ga., will cover about five acres of ground.
Complaints from orange growers in Florida are that they receive little or nothing for their fruit when it is sold. It seems there is no difficulty in growing oranges in Florida, but between the transportation companies and the middlemen the poor granger generally comes out loser.
Physicians are trying to decide whether the discovery of electric lights has been beneficial or otherwise to human eyesight.
The hills in the vicinity of Sierra City, Nev., are filled with prospectors, and new discoveries are reported daily.
J.M. Curnutt and wife have returned from their recent trip to the east end of the county.
A North Carolina tobacco firm in July shipped 41,100,000 cigarettes. Since January it has shipped 185,038,340 cigarettes.
J.K. Bulger has purchased the Haws residence of J.K. Reed. He will take possession some time next month.
J.A. Baker’s building is nearly ready to receive his goods, which are here boxed up. By next week, Mr. Tweedy will be ready to wait on customers. Mr. Baker has filled a long felt want in Ava by placing a large pair of hay scales in a convenient position on his lot.
GIRDNER –– Sorghum making is the latest business of this place, and they are turning out some very fine molasses.
Following is a list of persons that were united in the pleasant bonds of matrimony during the past week: Mr. Chase to Miss Annie Richards; Robert Fuson and Nancy Evans; C. Brixey and Mary Horner; Douglas World and Tabitha Marlor.
No man has any excuse for being a drunkard now, not even the pleas of an overcoming liquor appetite. Neither is it necessary for any man to break down from an overload of business, or a woman to be nervous and tired, while harmless Moxie Nerve Food can be bought for 35 and 50 cents a quart bottle. The finest beverage on the market, is slowly and surely squeezing the rum fiend into small quarters because it pays the rum seller a larger profit, is more popular than liquors, requires no license, and can be sold like soda. The women swarm after it. It did not come any too soon. Every druggist sells it.
The freighting team belonging to Reynolds, and driven by Geo. Campbell, took fright this morning and ran away tearing up the wagon and harness considerably. We did not learn what they took fright at.
Miss Nettie Dobbyns, of Clifty, was in town last Friday and Saturday. She came after a certificate. Miss Dobbyns is to teach the school at the hall at Clifty.
School is progressing nicely under the management of good and competent teachers. We now have a school that we can point to with pride.
