Looking Backward

25 years ago
Crowds estimated at from several hundred to a few thousand made their way to the Vera Cruz Civil War battle site last weekend for this community;s first-ever Civil War reenactment.  Some 200 reenactors made their way to Douglas County to simulate the Battles of Vera Cruz that took place over 100 years ago on what is now the Jack Vineyard farm.  The reenactment took place on the exact site where the Battle of Clark’s Mill occurred in the 1860s.

Mr. and Mrs. Danny Fish (Kellie) Wagner), Ava, announce the birth of their fifth child and second son, Dexter Joe, born at 12:15 a.m. Nov. 1, 1994 at St. John’s Regional Health Center, Springfield. The baby weighed 8 lbs., 12 oz., and was 22 inches long.

Doris Morrison, kindergarten instructor at Ava Elementary School, has been elected to the Kindergarten Advisory Council Steering Committee for 1994-95.  Doris will serve as chairperson of the committee.

Doshia Miller will be celebrating her 90th birthday Saturday, Nov. 26 at the Ava Lions Club.  Her eight children will be present to host the event. They are Lavern Miller, Thermon Miller, Allie Gentry, Marvin Miller, Jane Dubil, Dormon Miller, Willis Miller and George Miller.

Tyler McGill, Ava 7thh grader, led his football team with 550 yards rushing on 88 carries this season.

Ava had its own version of Monday night football this week, hosting the Seneca Indians in the Missouri 3A football quarterfinals.  But it was Seneca that earned the right to celebrate with a 30-0 shut-out victory over the home team Bears.

Bunny suits and batty boarders are the subjects of the upcoming one act plays being performed by the Ava High School drama department.  Tonight and Friday, “That’s A Cute Bunny” and “Mad Breakfast” will be performed in the Ava High School cafeteria.

Susie Nelson of Ava observed her 109th birthday last Thursday.

50 years ago
A new manager has been named at the Ava Farmers Exchange replacing Mrs. Pauline Krider who recently retired after serving as manager for the past five and a half years. Taking over on October 13 was Glenn E. Harnden, 50, of Route 1, Ava, and a lifelong resident of Douglas County.  Mr. Harnden has operated a dairy farm here all of his adult life, and assisted his father, the late John Harnden, in dairy farming as a youngster.

The Ava High Bears captured their fourth football victory Friday night by defeating the Mountain Grove Panthers 20-6 at Mountain Grove.

Mrs. Thelma Heard has sold the Ava Locker Plant after operating the firm for the past 25 years.  Assuming ownership as of Nov. 1 were Carl and Marie Sherman, also of Ava.

“The Restless Ones,” considered the most successful motion picture yet produced by Evangelist Billy Graham, will be shown in Ava on Dec. 11-12-13 at Pettit Theater.

Mrs. Mona Decker of Ava has been appointed District Deputy Grand Matron of the 48th district of the Order of Eastern Star.

An Ava woman left for home recently after making Cox Medical Center history, according to the Springfield Daily News. She is the first patient at the hospital to have gone into ventricular fibrillation as many as 50 times in a 24 hour period.  During that time, Mrs. Francis Ellison was defibrillated (shocked) at least 135 times.

EVANS –– Mrs. Ezra Walker was a Saturday visitor here.

FIELDSTONE –– The home of Arvie Sloan burned early Sunday morning with a reported total loss of house and contents.

STAR –– Mr. and Mrs. Richard McFarlin and daughter, Pam, were dinner guests Tuesday in the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Mertie McFarlin.  They left Saturday for Rock Island, Ill., where they will establish their home.

Two million Missourians in nine cities may well be wondering if their water is safe to drink.  Recently, an assistant secretary of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior said the current sewage treatment measures on the Missouri River are seriously deficient.

Miss Una Ellison and her sister, Mrs. Roy Dean, were in Springfield Saturday and attended a luncheon of Hostess Group Y of the P.E.O. Saturday held at the Glenstone Heritage Cafeteria.

Mike Blair hit a basket with nine seconds to go to give Bradleyville a 56053 victory over Rogersville in a season opener for both teams Tuesday night at Bradleyville.

Admiral Byrd transported the first American flag to the South Pole wrapped around a stone taken from the grave of Floyd Bennett, companion on his flight over the North Pole.

Anthropologist Margaret Mead told a Senate subcommittee that harsh laws against marijuana have done more social harm than prohibition. She called for more medical treatment and less punishment of users.

75 years ago
The recently purchased city dump ground is now available for public use, it was announced this week by Mayor Ben M. Callaway. The dump ground is located four miles north of Ava, on Highway 5, near the home of Bill Miller. The site for the dump ground was purchased by the city council some months ago, but it was necessary to construct a road and erect a fence before the tract could be opened to the public.

Six Ozarks men have been fighting with the 168th Infantry regiment of the Fifth Army in Italy, veterans of more than 300 days of combat in their attempt to breach the Gothic line.  They are: PFC Lynn R. Parten, rifleman, Springfield; Private Joe F. Garner, rifleman, Almartha; PFC Wilbur J. Lawrence, drive, route 1, Lamar; PFC James C. Springs, bugler, Marshfield; PFC Cecil Hash, artillery officer, Phillipsburg; and PFC Alva D. Thurman automatic rifleman.

The 12th Air Force B-28 Marauder group of Staff Sergeant Norman Rippee of Ava, Missouri, has been awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm by the French government for precision attacks on bridges in support of the French ground forces in Italy.

Three Ava boys, Orville Nall, Buster Vinson and Calvin Huff, and Wally McGill of Squires, left Wednesday to return to the Naval base at Great Lakes, Illinois, where only last week they completed their base training.

GIRDNER –– A surprise birthday dinner was given in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Moore of the Girdner community Saturday evening, complimentary to their daughter, Miss Gustava.

Mr. Bryant is preparing to put in a store in the property vacated by Bob McCrite at Halfway.

Mrs. Una B. Smith left Tuesday for Excelsior Springs where she will undergo treatment for asthma.

Monday evening, Miss Virginia Berry entertained a number of the teen age group at a surprise birthday party in compliment to Martha Jo Lethco who was celebrating her fifteenth birthday anniversary. The party was held at the new Lethco home just north of Ava.

Three new students entered the Ava High School Monday. They are Wallace Phillips, who transferred from the Marshfield High School, coming here with his parents who have settled on a farm ten miles southwest of Ava, and Glenn Shelton returned to Ava recently from Selah, Washington who is living with his family in the Hunter community. Both boys are sophomores.  Tuesday, Miss Betty Deckard who also returned to Ava from Selah, Washington, entered the freshman class.

Freeda Hardcastle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hardcastle of Ava, Route 4, and Ellis Adams, SC2-c were married Oct. 27 at Shelton, Washington.

PETTIT’S THEATRES –– Nov. 17, “Roger Toughy, Gangster”, the story of The Dillingers.  Excellent action.

100 Years Ago
The county court in session in Ava last week authorized special elections in five townships to vote on the stock law during December. Four townships – Springcreek, Cass, Wood and Lincoln will hold elections December 16, and vote on restraining horses, mules, cattle, asses, sheep, goats and swine from running at large. Buchanan Township will hold an election on December 20 and vote on restraining sheep, goats and swine from running at large.

The public schools of St. Louis are introducing the work of Thrift and Savings in their classes in a splendid manner. This work is presented to the pupils in many different ways so arranged to arouse  interest and establish habits of Thrift and Saving permanently in their lives.

Joe Baker, one of the contractors for the Ava-Mansfield mail line, has turned his end of the route over to the Ava Motor Co., the deal having been closed last Friday.

E.Q. Johnson who until just recently was manager of the Ava Motor Co., has leased the Murray-Inman Mill for a period of three years from G. W. Privett. Mr. Johnson and his father, G.W. Johnson formerly owned the Murray-Inman Mill having been engaged in that business for a number of years.

The old Singleton Hotel building on the northwest corner of the square was sold last week to Jno. Haskins and Jesse Jones, and is being torn down. The lumber will be used for dwelling houses.

James Ousley, Civil War veteran, and pioneer citizen of Douglas County, died at his home at Buckhart Nov. 2 of gangrene starting from a small sore on one of his toes.  All who knew Uncle Jim Ousley, knew him as a friend, for he so lived and conducted himself as to gain the love and esteem of all his fellow countrymen.  We can all meet him again if we so live.

The two five-ton Army trucks secured for road work in Douglas County are said to be on the way to Ava.

A fine big boy arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Spurlock of Ava on Wednesday night.

Mrs. A. Bacorn has moved into her property vacated by Wess Chamberlain, and Wess Chamberlain has moved to the Oliver farm vacated by Joe Cobb who is moving to Ava. Jack Chamberlain has moved to the Will Laurie tenant house on Hunter.

The proposed road which was ordered opened during the recent session of county court will open into a large territory –– join Whites Creek and Hunter roads and open a way to the schoolhouse. Such a road will be a great help to the neighborhood and to both Whites Creek and Hunter farmers.

Henry McFarlin has moved onto his farm which was vacated by the Waddell family.

LAKE CRYSTAL –– Joe Welton is carrying the mail while Geo. Northrup does some work on his farm.

125 Years ago
Teachers everywhere are urging parents to keep newspapers at their homes for the benefit of their children.  The modern idea of school teaching is not only to teach what can be found in the textbooks but practical every day affairs and customs, and keep them well-informed abut what is going on around them.

The amendment to grant female suffrage in Kansas was defeated at the recent election by over 30,000 majority. It is a noticeable fact that all the large cities and counties where the whiskey element was strong gave large majorities against it.  Cowley was the only county east of the center of the state that gave a majority for it. The whiskey element of the state was solid against it.

The death is announced of Colonel H.F. Fellows, one of the most public-spirited citizens of Springfield. He was appointed register of the United States land office in Springfield in 1861, being one of the 42 men who voted for Lincoln in Greene County.

The lead and zinc used in the construction of the great steamer St. Louis launched at Philadelphia, was mined and smelted in Joplin.

Scott County has a surplus of panthers no less than four of the beasts being engaged in devouring hogs and sheep.

Judge Walter M. Robinson will get as judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri, $4,500 a year for ten years.

To keep a saloon in Bowling Green you have to have $2,500 and a good moral character.

Carthage has 58 girls employed in a woolen mill.

The Joplin Courthouse is finished and paid for.

SQUIRES and VICINITY –– A new church is being built near the old Spring Creek Church.

Fry School resumed work Monday with Prof. Hiram Barnes at the helm.

Wm. Spurlock Jr. has purchased 80 acres of land over in Benton Township and is building a neat residence.

Mr. Martin Plumb and Miss Ollie Thomas were united in marriage last Sunday.

A lie is often told without saying a word by putting the rotten apples in the bottom of the basket.

Squire’s new constable, Hon. Joel Stantill moved Wednesday to the farm he recently purchased of Geo. Archer.  A new baby, a new office and a new home in rapid succession just after a man has got religion, is enough to “rattle” most anyone, but Joe is as “cool as a cucumber” and he will make a good officer.

TOPAZ CLIPPINGS – The Mt. Ararat Schoolhouse burned last Tuesday night about 7 o’clock.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Childreth, a fine girl, also to Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Johnston, a fine girl.

They are having “a deal of a time” up at Kansas City over fraudulent voting at the recent election. If half what the Journal charges is true. Osley and his gang should be sent to the penitentiary for a long time.

Mrs. Jane B. Curry, mother of ye editor arrived yesterday and will make her home with us.

It is never stated on a man’s tombstone that he was a great bore.