Skip to content

Looking Backward 7.10.2014

25 Years Ago

July 6, 1989

 

The Dogwood community west of Ava is reeling this week in a state of shock, fear and disbelief over the disappearance of a 24-year-old woman from that neighborhood last Friday. Kelle Ann Workman was last seen around 6:15 p.m. Friday evening while she was mowing the Dogwood Cemetery at the Pleasant Ride Baptist Church, located at the junction of Highway 14 and Douglas County Route Z, about 14 miles west of Ava.

Honey Branch Cave is one of those places – quite common in the Ozarks – that has been there forever, but is just being discovered by a lot of people, including those who live close by. Juanita and Irvin Sheets recently purchased the cave property and are laboriously returning it to the showplace it was some 20 years ago before it slipped out of the Swearengin family for a time.

An estimated 2,300 people or more attended the big Independ­ence Day celebration ta Squires last Saturday night.

Theo and Lois McCall took first place in the Cat & Dog Scramble golf tournament held Tuesday at the Ava County Club. The McCalls won first in Championship Flight with a score of 66.

Harrison Lee Dunnegan has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. Harrison is the son of Albert and Eula Dunnegan of Mansfield and the grandson of the late Judge Willis and Ruby Mitchell of Ava.

Becky Jarvis, formerly of Ava, graduated from Cypress High School, Cypress, Calif., in June.

STAR –– Robert McFarlin visited with Velma Chappell and Donna Schroop Friday morning bringing them green beans and new potatoes.

 

50 Years Ago

July 2, 1964

 

A weird experience for a 16-year-old Squires girl might be headed “The Masked Marvel Rides Again,” except that it was not in fun and definitely was not a pleasurable experience. According to Sheriff Don Souder, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Turner of Squires, who live 1 ½ miles south of the Murray Church, went to Mansfield Saturday and left their daughter, Vonda, 16 with two younger sisters, ages 2 and 4. The three girls went swimming that morning and returned to their farm home between 10:30 and 11:00 o’clock. One of the small girls remained in the car when Vonda and the other small sister went toward the house, and Vonda discovered a horse owned by the Turners was in the house. Vonda went inside and led the horse out of the house. When she went back in the door, a man, wearing a piece of heavy manila wrapping paper over his head, grabbed her. Vonda fought the man while trying to get the sack off his head, and yelled to her little sister to run. The man then ran from the house and disappeared in the woods. The paper headpiece with two slits cut for eyeholes, was found the next morning. Sheriff Souder said that he believed the man was not attempting to assault the girl, but was attempting to flee from the house after being caught in the act of ransacking it. Officers theorized that the man might have let the horse inside as some sort of cover-up in case he was surprised in the house.

Mr. and Mrs. Williard Pueppke and sons, Larry and James, left Ava Saturday morning enroute to Colorado Springs, where James entered the United Sates Air Force Academy Monday. Pueppke is the Douglas County Collector, and Frank Givans is keeping the collector’s office open while the family is away.

Ava Boy Scout Troop 68 members attended Camp Arrowhead near Marshfield, June 14-29, and took part in outdoor activities such as swimming, rifle, and archery shooting, canoeing, fishing, hikes and overnight campouts. Boys attending from here were Phillip Brooke, Douglas Alderman, Lyle Gastineau, Bruce Pettit, Reggie Victor, Jimmie Huffman, Richy Williams, Randy Victor, Larry Turton, Danny Silvey, Marvin Emerson. Ricky Hale and Kenny Moore.

Rainbow girls from Ava attending the Grand Assembly were guests in the Colonial Hotel during the three-day session. They were Misses Alice Cooper, Betty Curnutt, Pam Pettit, Brenda Gentry, Janet Curry, Marjorie Robertson, Carol Curry, Sherry Sims, Debbie Coats, Debbie Deckard and Sherry Plaster. The group was accompa­nied by Mrs. James Curry, the mother advisor, Mrs. Cleo Cooper and Mrs. Henderson Gentry.

Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Gott observed their 71st wedding anniversary Monday, June 13, at their home on NE 6th Street in Ava.

 

75 Years Ago

July 6, 1939

 

The entire stock of the Clinkingbeard Furniture Company is to be closed out in a sale to open Saturday morning, it was announced this week by Clarence Clinkingbeard, manager of the store. Several months ago the Clinkingbeards started construction of a modern funeral home, and Mr. Clinkingbeard explained that they are disposing of the furniture store in order to devote more time to their funeral service.

Joe Bacorn was fined $40 and costs Wednesday in police court for operating a pool hall in the city of Ava. Bacorn, who operated bowling alleys in the Walker building until a few weeks ago, was charged on three counts. He was alleged to have operated a pool hall in the Walker building on three occasions, July 22, 24, and 27. J.E. Reeves, police judge, found the defendant guilty and assessed fines of $5 and costs on the first count, 410 and costs on the second count, and $25 and costs on the second.

Plans were getting under way this week for the erection of sheds at the city park for housing livestock and other exhibits at the county fair and stock show. The sheds will be of permanent nature and will be located on a site previously selected just northwest of the ballpark.

Avalon Theatre –– formerly Wilson Theatre –– Friday, Saturday July 7-8, will feature “Where the Buffalo Roam” with Tex Ritter, in a singing western, action picture.

ROCKBRIDGE –– A new daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Lee Williams Saturday at the home of Mrs. Williams’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walt Brown.

July Clearance Sale! Summer merchandise greatly reduced. 265 dresses on sale, many at ½ price. $1.00 dresses, now 59¢; $1.99 dresses, now 99¢; 2.99 dresses, now $1.49. Choice of our stock of summer hats just 59¢. Polly Prim Shop. Sale starts Friday, July 9.

SPRINGCREEK –– Kelley Brown was employed last week on the J.E. Curry farm north of Ava.

President Roosevelt has asked Congress for approval of another gigantic money lending program. He wants to put out $3,550,000,000 as a “stimulant to business.” The brilliant-minded, self-appointed saviors of America, therefore are out to prove that government cash can end a depression.

Ava’s public library, operated by the American Legion Auxiliary, will be open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays through July and August, it is announced this week. As usual the open hours will be from 12:30 o’clock to 4:30 o’clock.

Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Gaulding left Saturday morning for the state of California where they plan to relocate. The Gauldings will visit in San Diego with Mrs. Gaulding’s brother, Lieut. W. I. Martin, Mrs. Martin and son, Richard Inman.

Andrew Bean and Harlan House spent Monday night and Tuesday in Hardy, Arkansas, and were guests in the home of Harlan’s aunt, Mrs. Rupert Smith and Mr. Smith. The Ava boys attended the 4th of July sunrise dance Tuesday morning.

 

100 Years Ago

July 16, 1914

 

The failure of the North Dakota Progressives to muster a sufficient number of voters to nominate a State ticket is one of the many straws, which show which way the political wind is blowing. If these straws keep on accumulating at the rate shown since the last election, the Bull Moose and the Democratic Donkey will have an abundant but very unpalatable collection of “fodder”.   The North Dakota vote simply proves that the rank and file of the Progressive party are tired of supporting an unprofitable cause and are convinced by the bad results of Democratic rule that the country needs a return to Republican principles and politics as speedily as possible.

A railroad to tap an undeveloped Ozark territory south and southeast of Springfield and running as far south as the White River Line of the Iron Mountain railway south of Mountain Home, Ark., passing through Douglas and Ozark counties in Missouri is being surveyed under he direction of F.C. McAfee, an attorney of Springfield and K. Loba and H.S. Wickersham of North Yokami, Wash.

Marriage Licenses –– Logan Heard of Brushy Knob, to Lilley Rhodes of Vera Cruz; S. E. Hodges of Cross Roads, to Lela B. Cooper of Roy; John Wattenberger to Sadie Rippee, both of Girdner; H.O. Martin, to Marthie Singleton, both of Ava.

What Bad Roads Cost –– To carry a ton one mile by sea costs one-tenth of a cent; by railroad, one cent. To haul a ton over good roads costs seven cents a mile; over ordinary country roads, 25 cents a mile. Mud tax and hill climbing tolls, therefore, amount to 18 cents a mile.

It is hot and dry again, however good rains are reported in most parts of the country this past week, which has helped crops a great deal.

Charley Spurlock and Charley Moorehouse, both barbers of Ava, left the first of the week for Springfield where they expect to make their home. Earn Daugherty bought the Spurlock barber shop in Ava and will continue the business at the same stand. Marshal Anderson is running the Moorehouse shop.

TIGRIS –– The canning factory being built by Robert Chelders of Marshfield is progressing fast.

 

125 Years Ago

July 11, 1889

 

Will the school board yet permit the lumber to rot on the ground before they proceed to finish the fence around the schoolhouse?

We don’t know whether our prosecuting attorney can “Kill-rain” or not, but we do know that with the assistance of some of our justices he can kill more time than any body.

John Y. Appling informs that some cowardly sneak set fire to and burned up several panels of his fence on last Sunday night. It is to be hoped that he will be able to fix it onto the guilty miscreant, so they will get the full penalty of the law.

We today give a full detail of the terrible shooting affray that took place at Kirbyville, in Taney County, which with the recent picturing of the Bald Knob business by the press throughout the country, will again give a reputation to our whole Southwest Missouri, in which will undoubtedly be represented that this whole country is filled up with a dangerous mass of outlaws, when in fact those only who have to judge our people at long range are disposed to arrive at any such opinion. Our people are made up of an industrious, law-abiding class as a whole, with only the exception that may be found in any country.

A special received says that the reports first sent out on the murder of Sheriff Branson and deputy of Taney County were nary near correct. Deputy Funk made the first demand upon the Miles brothers, Jim, Bill and Manuel, to surrender. They were carrying concealed weapons, and as liquor was flowing freely, the officers thought it unsafe in their state of feeling prevailing to permit the noted outlaws to carry their revolvers. Knowing the desperate character of the men Funk accompanied his command by drawing his pistol. Quick as a wink, Jim Miles drew his pistol and fired point blank at Funk. The ball struck a vital spot and the officer fell dead. Sheriff Branson came to the rescue of his deputy and covered Jim with his revolver, but before he could fire, Bill Miles sent a ball true to its aim at the sheriff. He was also hit in a vital spot, but in falling, fired his pistol three times in rapid succession and from later developments, must have hit Jim once at least. No other officers being present the outlaws were permitted to escape before the crowd realized what had occurred. When the atrocity of the awful deed broke upon them a posse was quickly organized to overtake the criminals. Jim Miles was overtaken near Forsyth. He had received Branson’s ball in the right side, ranging down through the opposite groin and hip. His wound was fatal and must cause death in a short time. Although everybody for miles around is scouring the country for Bill Miles, he has not been captured.   The double murder is the result of the old deadly feud between the Bald Knobbers and the militia factions of Taney County, and may be only the beginning of a new reign of terror in the section.