Looking Backward 7.16.2015
25 Years Ago
July 12, 1990
Work on Highway 14 and Business Route 5 through Ava was continued this week as the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department began work on the corner of the business route at the Intersection with old Highway 5 in north Ava. A center turn lane will be added along the business route from Highway 5 to the intersection of old Highway 5 near the Highway House Café.
Fair workers like Linda King, superintendent of the home economics division of general exhibits, were busy Tuesday entering baked goods and produce for judging which began Tuesday evening. The 50th annual Douglas County Fair runs through Saturday night and the cooler weather promised by the weather man should bring a welcomed relief from the soaring heat.
The sale of Heriford Express to a Highlandville man is announced this week. Randy Heriford said Heriford Express has been sold to Stan Goetz, Highlandville, who has assumed operation of the business. Heriford has joined the family-operated Cash Gas Company with his father, Leslie Heriford and brother, Leslie Heriford, Jr.
Charlene Kester and Marilyn Alms of Ava, and Gary Kester of New York, visited in the home of Ralph and Lila Rapp in Arlington, S.D., last week.
Lester and Carla (Todd) Platt are proud to announce the birth of their baby boy, William Lester Platt IV, June 1 at Cox South in Springfield.
BUCKHART – Happy birthday to Tabatha Smith, who is sweet 16 today, June 29. Wishing you many more.
Pfc. Michael Tollison, Ava, who serves with Company C, 369th Signal Battalion, 15th Signal Brigade, Fort Gordon, Ga., recently received a Memorandum of appreciation from the Department of the Army.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Stone of Ava will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary July 18. Ted Stone and Imogene McAlister were married July 18, 1940, at First Baptist Church, McAlester, Okla., by Dr. A.A. Duncan.
50 Years Ago
July 8, 1965
A 14-year-old Ava High School sophomore was instrumental in saving the life of a three-year-old girl during the July 4 holiday weekend in a boating accident near Theodosia, Monday. Jimmy Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Williams of Ava who was on an outing with his parents, accompanied by Eddie Hesterlee and Junior Swearengin, heard the cries of the girl’s father, saw the bubbling water and dived from his boat to the capsized boat where five persons were stranded, and rescued the baby. The family –– Paul Sweeney, his wife, their three-year-old daughter, his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, all of the St. Louis vicinity, were riding in a small flat-bottom aluminum boat powered by a three-horse power motor when the craft became filled with water, and was overturned by the motor.
An Ava boy spent a week recently on the East Coast on board a ship of the U. S. Navy. Eddie Hesterlee, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Hesterlee, 513 SW 3rd Avenue, was one of the winners of the Navy Science Cruiser Program.
Don Knight, who became a foreman with Rawlings Manufacturing Company in Ava early this year, moved Mrs. Knight and their son, Tim, to Ava during the weekend.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Clinking-beard and children, Brenda, Kirk and Toni, entertained with an outdoor barbecue supper Tuesday evening, June 29, at their home. Guests attending the 7 o’clock dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Boone Norman, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. James Norman and children, Gayle, Kris and Phillip, and Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Clingkingbeard.
Mrs. Jim Bone, her children, Pike and Korinne, and her mother Mrs. W.H. Leave, of Bardwell, Ky., have just concluded their annual vacation visit in Ava as guests in the home of Mrs. Bone’s sister, Mrs. Vernon Jackson and Mr. Jackson.
The heavy wind and rainstorm early Saturday afternoon left tree limbs around and trees over the roads in places.
ROY –– A birthday supper was prepared Monday evening by Mrs. Faye Humbyrd for their son, Doyle.
Rainbow Girls attending Grand Assembly in the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City were Miss Pam Pettit, Miss Marjorie Robertson, Miss Nancy Emerson, Miss Connie Prock, Miss Carol Curry, Miss Linda Bacorn, Miss Carol Leeper, Miss Jean Cox, and Miss Debbie Coats. Accompanying the group were Mrs. Cloine Pettit and Mrs. Dwight Emerson.
RED BANK –– Dorothy Suggs was an overnight guest Saturday night of Karen Lakey.
STAR –– Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Welton, Huba Ann and Gil Boyd visited the O.K. Weltons Monday afternoon.
75 Years Ago
July 11, 1940
It is an unusual thing and it is attracting a lot of attention –– the spotted mule colt. It belongs to C. M. Walker of Mountain Grove, Route 6, who formerly lived in the neighborhood of Brown’s Cave. The colt is now a little more than a month old. Its mother is mostly white mottled with blue. Quite a few visitors have gone to Mr. Walker’s farm south of Mountain Grove to see the unusual colt.
The 1940 census shows a gain of more than 31 percent for the city of Ava and more than 11 percent for Douglas County over the census of 1930. The population of Douglas County, as shown by the preliminary count of returns and subject to correction, as of April 1, 1940, is 15,574, as compared with 13,959 on April 1, 1930. That figure includes Ava’s population of 1,373. In 1930 Ava had 1041 persons living within its limits.
The Nazi “blitzkrieg” against England was expected today after what the Associated Press termed the “greatest air fight of the war over England” took place Wednesday. British Air Force shot down or disabled thirty-seven Nazi raiders. It was reported, in a battle in which as many as 150 planes, German and British, were engaged at one time. Both Italy and Great Britain claimed victory Wednesday after forty-eight hours of sea battle in the Mediterranean Sea.
Harry Rose, son of Mrs. Willie James of Ava, and Miss Lois Tarbutton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Tarbutton of Mansfield, were married June 19 at Hartville.
DID YOU KNOW? Missouri is the 18th state in area, having a total area of 69,420 square miles. … The huge bronze doors of the Missouri capitol are said to be the largest cast since the Roman Era. They are 13 feet by 16 feet. … Missouri has 276,454 farms. They are valued at $1,199,271,255. … Latest available figures place Missouri’s total wealth at $7,259,000,000. Missouri is the richest state in the West North Central group of states, which includes Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Martin of the Arno neighborhood announce the birth of a girl, Patricia Ann, born July 2.
Saturday evening Dr. and Mrs. Marvin Gentry entertained members of the Monthly Dinner club at a dinner-bridge party in their home on Ozark Street. Those who enjoyed the party were Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lachmund, Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Stanton, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Ferguson, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Cummins, Mr. and Mrs. David Joslyn, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Platt, Mr. and Mrs. A.T. Goodding, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Irwin, Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Parker and the host and hostess.
100 Years Ago
July 22, 1915
The Ava Construction Co., composed of R.F. Marler and C.W. Meeker have just finished the concrete work of the Meeker building, and it is a dandy. The concrete floor is especially a good job. When this building is completed, it will be the most nearly fireproof of any in the city.
The two things you can leave your children which are worth more to them than all the gold you could pile before them are good roads and a good education.
Clarence Roberts, a son of Mr. and Mrs. S.S. Roberts, of just north of Ava, happened to a very serious accident last Friday. He had secured some dynamite, caps and fuse, in some manner, and was using it for “plaything” when it exploded and it “shot him up” pretty badly, one eye was injured and two fingers on his left hand were blown off. His story of the incident is that he and some other boys had stolen the explosives off the road works some where, and had been hiding it around and using it to play with. This should be a lesson to the rest of the boys, and others, to “not be monkeying with nothin’ you don’t know nothin’ about.”
For each child enrolled in the public schools in the United States the total annual cost of textbooks is 78.5 cents. The total expenditure per child for all school purposes is approximately $38.31.
Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Reynolds and daughter Ruth, and Miss Maude Reynolds of Mansfield, are down on Bryant River this week, near the old Jot Stout place, enjoying an outing and pleasure trip on this beautiful stream.
The Herald is indebted this week to the Mtn. Grove people for a “pass” to the Chautauqua, which will be held in that city July 28 to Aug. 4. Vice President Marshall is scheduled to be there for an address August 3.
Ava and Douglas County are preparing for the big Fair Sept. 30 – Oct. 1-2.
Denlow did not celebrate the 4th but will likely have a picnic later on.
Many of the young men are gone to the harvest fields. Owing to the heavy rains it is unsuccessful for some of them.
We still have an abundance of rain.
125 Years Ago
July 17, 1890
St. Louis is threatened with an ice famine and arrangements are being made to manufacture ice to meet the demand. The destruction of an ice house containing $30,000 worth of ice was a pretext for St. Louis dealers to increase the price to $1 per 100.
The July races at Nevada are attracting considerable attention, and a number of horses will be there from abroad.
Two girls recently broke into the Joplin pound. The cause is not stated, but it is supposed the dog catchers had taken in the pride of the household.
In Washington, Mrs. Joan Rother was burned to death on the street, her clothing having taken fire from firecrackers. The scene was horrifying in the extreme.
Sedalia is putting on airs since she has an electric railway in operation through the heart of the city, and fans herself with the idea that she will soon be the state capital.
The barge office in New York City is now kept open on Sundays for the reception of the incoming throng of immigrants.
A diver, who was working at the foundation of a railroad bridge near Boise City, Idaho, gave a signal to be hoisted quickly. When, he got to the surface, he held fast a sixty-five pound salmon that he had caught by the gills.
There are only five states in the union in which a schoolmaster can now legally flog a pupil. Massachusetts teachers flog an average of two boys per day per capita.
The petrified jaw and tusk of some mammoth prehistoric animal have been found near Petaluma, Calif. The jaw is two feet long and weighs forty pounds. In it are two molar teeth, the largest of which weighs two and one-half pounds. The tusk is nearly three feet long and about five inches in diameter. The remains were exposed by a huge landslide.
The new Baptist church is progressing slowly. The foundation is ready for the building, and the lumber is on the ground ready for the workmen and if the work is not pushed the lumber will be damaged then it will be useless. Let everybody lend a helping hand and “up” with the church.
We call attention to the announcement of Seigel Kester to the office of Sheriff subject to the action of the Republican Nominating Convention. Mr. Kester is at present a farmer, of Washington Township. He served several months as deputy sheriff during J.M. Lyon’s first term as sheriff, and is well qualified for the position to which he aspires.
Dr. Gatling, inventor of the sulphur shower bath gun, which bears his name, is 86 years old and lives at Hartford.
