Looking Backward
25 years ago
The Ava City Council passed an amendment to strengthen the city’s tobacco ordinance. The original ordinance made it unlawful to sell tobacco individuals under the age of 16. The amendment raises that age limit to 18.
John Wolfram was hired as a health educator and Valerie Reese is the new environmental sanitarian with the Douglas County Health Department.
Douglas County has been awarded a $10,000 grant for eradication of mutiflora roses from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Candy Lane is employed as Outreach coordinator for Ozark and Douglas counties through Southwest Missouri Office on Aging. She will be assisting elderly residents in receiving benefits to which they are entitled, such as Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid/Medicare, and Food Stamps.
The T.O.P.S. Mo #720 had a total weigh-in of 22. Misty was high loser of the week. Helen won Lo-Cal and Rebecca won Lucky Loser.
Lora and Jeff Hubbard and Justin, Nancy and Dean Stout, Travis, Joshua and Trenton, Ella May and Bud Daugherty had birthday cake and ice cream with Lois and Glen Riley. It was Glen’s birthday.
Ragan-Thieme Funeral Home is having their Seventh Annual Memorial Service. They will remember all the loved ones they laid to rest in 1994, with a short dignified ceremony.
Rebecca Arnold, daughter of Martha and Sam Arnold, recently qualified for the Dean’s List at College of the Ozarks.
Mike and Amanda (Myers) Lumley wish to announce the birth of their first child, Brittney Nicole.
Those calling on Mrs. Myrl Cox on Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Kevan Davis and children, Mrs. Jackie Todd and Haley, Mrs. Jean Curry , Mrs. Ronnie Lansdown, Mr. and Mrs. Lansdown, Joe and Starlin Cox, Bill Rowe and Jason Diede.
The Greenway Missionary Society of Ava General Baptist was hosted by Mildred Watson. Those attending were Gladys Denton, Faye Wray, Freeda Hot, Faye Case, Louanna Curry, Bridget Loftin, Norma Thompson and Donna Alcorn.
Shalana Fleetwood, Emily Gressman, and Jason Smith are on this semester’s Honor Roll of Distinction for the 12th Grade.
Can’t get to the Library? Let the Library come to you! The Douglas County Public Library has a FREE Mail-A-Book Program available to Douglas County Residents.
Thanks to the Plummer family for their gift to our “little people,” who all enjoyed the skating party.
50 years ago
The city’s new well is put into operation.
The prolonged snow cover along with continued cold temperatures and a shortage of water have kept the Ava school system idle for the past 14 days with no school. Saturday classes are being considered to make up for the days lost as well as no Easter vacation.
PFC Alvin L. Barnes, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lorel Barnes , Ava, is assigned to Headquarters United States Army, Vietnam. Barnes’ job is IBM key punch operator at Long Binh.
Bradleyville spoiled Hartville’s homecoming with a 40-38 summit conference.
Mr. and Mrs. Olen Deckard and their daughter, Debbie, moved into their new home in the Rainbow Ridge subdivision in West Ava.
The Know Your Neighbor Club met with Mrs. Ethel Wade. Quilting was done for the hostess and a covered dish dinner was set. Members present were Mrs. Reva Case, Mrs. Columbus Putnam, Mrs. Erma Jennings, Mrs. Rubye Morgan, Mrs. Marv Ellen Brixey and Mrs. Edna Sell.
A telephone survey is being made in Evans to determine how many want phones.
The Cowbell Cafe has moved one block east of square in Hale Hardware Building.
Some 850 pounds of feed has been fed to an estimated 85 covies of quail in Christain county this past week.
Chamber of Commerce President Wayne Coats issued an appeal this week to local businessmen and individuals to send in their dues for the organization.
The Douglas County Disaster Committee held an emergency meeting at the ASC office and asked the State Disaster Committee to reconsider its application for drought fee grain.
Scout Troop 168’s program, presented by assistant patrol leader, Ronnie Allen, presented scoutcraft instruction in orientation.
Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Emerson made a trip to Houston, Texas. They visited over night with Mr. Emerson’s Army buddy and wife, whom they hadn’t seen since leaving the service.
Paul Hesterly took Leonard Morris to Springfield for a physical check-up. Christine Page rode along to visit her daughter, Sue Pitts, who was in the hospital with a new baby boy.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Newton want to thank all their friends for their prayers, flowers, sympathy and assistance during the recent illness and operation of Mr. Newton. Mr. Newton is making an excellent recovery at their home.
All past attendance records were broken at the annual meeting of the Missouri Pork Producers Association (MPPA).
Miss Karen Hinds, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hinds, a freshaman at UMC, was crowned MPPA Queen.
Drew Driskell, Dwight Driskell, and the Bledsoes from Gentryville were shopping in Ava Saturday.
Ronald Denny, who is employed in Springfield, was home over the weekend and because of road conditions didn’t return to work until Monday.
75 years ago
Bernie Lee Turner, 23, of Ava, committed suicide by walking in front of a train at Rolla, MO, where he had been working for the past two weeks as a cab dispatcher. Young Turner left a note reading, “Death is all that can heal what is troubling now… I am sorry to have left you without a dispatcher. I am gone. Pray for me.”
David G. Shaw, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Spurlock, was killed in action on the western front. Private Shaw was a new member of General Patton’s army, and had been overseas only a short time.
Miss Dorothy Staley who has been employed in the Vanity Beauty Shop in Ava has accepted a position as a beauty operator in the Glay-Ta Beauty Shop in Springfield.
The White Oak Farm Club of Buckhart sponsored the organization of a 4-H club in that community. It’s motto is “Make Farm Work More than Hard Work.”
Ration Reminder: Shoes – Airplane stamps 1, 2 and 3 in book three, good indefinitely.
Technical Sergeant William V. Bowles, who has spent the past 62 months overseas in the American Theater of Operation, will be in Ava soon to visit with relatives.
Sales of lard, shortening and salad and cooking oils by retail stores were resumed following a three-day freeze of retail store sales on these items. Sales of butter and margarine were not affected.
Basil Spurlock, who has been employed at the Norman-Gentry drug store for the past year began work at the Ava Lumber Company.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Souder and Daughter, Ola Sue, entertained with a dinner in their home. Covers were laid for Lieutenant and Mrs. Roka Pamperien of Amarillo, TX, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Uhlmann of Buckhart, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Exline and daughter, Mary Ann, and the host and hostess and Ola Sue.
Members of the We-Wan-Chu Sunday school class met in the home of Mrs. Shelt Dilsaver for their monthly class meeting.
Mr. Bixey has recently returned to Ava and to civilian life after receiving a medical discharge from the U.S. Army in which he served for a year.
Mrs. Russell Thompson entertained a few children at luncheon in compliment to her son, Harold, who was celebrating his 11th birthday anniversary. Covers were laid for Shirley and Peggy Guthrie, Bonnie Jo Coon, Billy Pitts, Mac Callaway, Jimmy Mitchell, the honoree and his two brothers, Leon and Donald.
Nellie Dee Brooke, daughter of Verlin Brooke, is a new pupil at Start school. She is in the second grade.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bacorn, of Ava, announced the birth of a daughter on January 23. Her name is Judy Ann Bacorn.
School was dismissed at Excelsior due to the illness of the teacher, Miss Elda Kilburn.
Harley Dye who is in France, has been promoted to corporal.
100 Years ago
The following men have signed contracts to grow tomatoes for Howard Hitchcock & Sons’ Ava factory: J.W. Baumgardner Jr., W.H. Hampton, F.M. Osborne, Jess Downing, F.D. Lackey, Arthur D. Fry, John Lewis, B.W. Singleton, Tom Vinson, John Wiseman, Fred Miller.
Whether the 132 Douglas county draftees called by the Local Board for entrainment, but were released before reaching training camp, are entitled to discharges from the army will be determined in an opinion from the Judge Advocate General.
The Elliott School got state aid this year, and they are going to have an eight months term.
John Miller took a load of rabbits to Omo. He says he is making a living for himself and wife trapping.
Mrs. Roy Matthews made a trip to Norwood and purchased a new range stove.
Mose Sluder’s family have the Smallpox.
The basketball game between Thayer and Ava resulted in another victory for Ava. The game was very close, 14-16.
Ava School Alumni of whom we are proud: Emmet L. Yeoman who is principal of the hight school at Norwod; Vernon Holestine who is taking a medical course at Missouri University; Vernie Wilson who was a lieutenant in the A. E. F’ Harry Berger who won individual honors in the inter-Normal debate at Cape Girardeau in 1919.
Mtn. Grove is again making an effort to establish a hospital in that city.
Among the 55 brides of Missouri soldiers who fought overseas are 39 French women, 2 are Belgian, 8 are English, 4 Irish, 1 Serbian and 1 Italian woman.
Cashier J.W. Reece of Citizens Bank returned to Springfield for further medical treatment for ear trouble.
J.T. Singleton, prominent grocery dealer of this city, was married in Springfield to Mrs. Grace Riggs of Girdner.
Wanted: Nice, quiet lady boarders. Located in the Earnest C. Bunch property.
St. Joseph, Mo, has a municipal official holding the title of “Chimney Sweep. His duties require him “to sweep and clean in a faithful manner once in each year all chimneys within the limits of the city which have been in use at least sic months prior to date of such cleaning.” The chimney sweep receives 25 cents a chimney for a one story house, 50 cents for a two story house and 25 cents for each additional story.
Melissa Siasco is making preparations to go to Norwood to work in a restaurant.
Circuit Court: Susie Wallace against I.R. Lewis, support of children, judgment for plaintiff for $500.00.
C.M. Walker, who appeared much improved, had another severe attack of rheumatism and the doctor predicts a long siege.
Taxi Service. Any Place. Any Time. Good Car. For first class service, call ‘phne 78 at Ava H Tel. F.E. Hicks, Ava, Missouri.
By Brown and Jesse Scott passed thru here with a drove of hogs last Friday.
125 Years ago
General James S. Hackney, formerly adjutant general of Missouri, was found dead in an alley with his head between the pickets of a fence. Alcoholism was the cause of death.
Miss Adelaide Niedringhaus, the youngest daughter of the millionaire F.G. Niedringhaus, eloped to Belleville, IL and married to Mr. Frank P. Seltzer, a traveling salesman.
At Dutch Flat, Cal., sixty hours of continuous snowing has left five feet on the level. The roofs of houses have been cleared of snow to prevent crushing.
We received a letter from Mr. Jefferson Williams, of Burmell, NE, ordering the Herald sent to his address for one year. He says, “As I desire to know something in regard to Douglas county, Mo, and believe the best way to get said information would be through the columns of your paper.”
The Silver Shade school house in Spring Creek township caught fire from a defective line and was soon a mass of ruins.
The Pullman company declared a quarterly dividend of $2 per share.
R. J. Phillips, under sentence of death at Guthrie, Ok,, died in his cell.
Miss Opal Steele of Emporia, Kan., 13 years old, is missing. It is feared that she has been murdered.
The St. Joseph Republican has suspended publication.
Target practice in the army has been suspended on account of lack of ammunition.
Mrs. R. A. Kennedy has been seriously sick for several days but is now improving.
If you want an Abstract, the title of your land cleared or notary done, consult J. M Adams.
The trial of Bud Meadows began yesterday. Thirteen witnesses for the state and 10 for the defense. Meadows is being tried for murdering a child some time in 1886.
J.H. Kincaid and wife have just returned from a visit to his uncle Ben Offield in the northeast part of Douglas County. Mr. Kincaid reports the folks are healthy and lot of good sweet potatoes.
A Justice of the Peace recently notified the County Attorney that there would be no trial at his court in the following words: “The constable has resigned, the warrant is not served, the prisoner has skipped, and the J.P. has the end of one of his fingers cut off, hence, no trial at this court on the day set.”
Henry Fulcomer, who bought the Guinn place on the Springfield road has moved his family to the new purchase and soon will add more land and erect a nice and comfortable dwelling thereon.
D.P. Workman has purchased 160 acres of land 3 miles south of Ava and will soon redeem it to a state of cultivation.
Mr. Smith purchase a tract of land adjoining the Workman purchase, and will soon put up a dwelling and improve the place.
The Missouri Pacific passenger train from St. Joseph ran into a wagon in which were Fred Scheveman and his two sons. Fred Scheveman Jr. was instantly killed.
