Skip to content

Looking Backward 9.25.2014

25 Years Ago

September 21, 1989

 

The Douglas County Historical and Genealogical Society is now owner of the H.S. Wilson House, which will eventually become the Douglas County Museum. The Wilson House is located on East Washington Avenue (Highway 14) just east of the Ava square.

Corman Ray Honeycutt, 55, Ava has been charged with first degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with a shooting incident that took place last Wednesday morning outside Cooper Lumber Co., in Ava.

Early enrollment figures recorded prior to Labor Day had the head count at 1,492, the lowest enrollment for Ava since 1956.

About 500 marijuana plants were seized by officers working this area with the Missouri National Guard helicopter recently, according to Douglas County Sheriff Roldan Turner.

Bryan Leeper and Jim Fleetwood won the Monday Night Men’s Scramble League in a sudden death playoff Monday night. Final results and scores are as follows: 1. Leeper and Fleetwood, 33; 2. Tony Jenkins and Bill Swofford, 34; 3. Jim Greene and Dennis Harrison, 35; and 4. Joe Baker and Bob Sterling, 38.

The number of Missourians over age 65 increased dramatically during the 1960s, a trend that parallels the graying of America nationally. But the percentage of Missouri’s senior population has been shifting to the west, with the highest numbers concentrated in the northern third of the state and in Truman, Pomme de Terre and Stockton lake areas, according to University of Missouri-Columbia researcher.

TWIN KNOBS –– Mr. and Mrs. Don Hamby and family visited Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Chalmer Collins.

 

50 Years Ago

September 17, 1964

 

The Ava High School Bears opened their South Central Association league play with a victory Friday evening by defeating the Salem Bears, 25-0 on the home field. Delano Stewart started the scoring for the Bears with a touchdown in the second quarter from the six-yard line. Paul Dooms scored the conversion point.

Gala Grand Opening, Thursday, Sept. 17, Crain Auto Sales, Jct. Hwys. 5 & 14, come on in and say hello. Inspect our modern facilities – and meet the staff of friendly automotive men who are dedicated to serving you. RAMBLER, fresh new spirit of ’65. Rambler American – Rambler Classic 6 or V-8 – Rambler Ambassador.

Junior Sagerser, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Sagerser of the Elkhead community, has eight head of cattle which he is raising as a project in the Future Farmers class of Ava High School. As a freshman, he received the Star Greenhand award, and won the dairy-judging contest at the fair for which he received a Jersey heifer worth $75.

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Davis of Ava observed their 55th Wedding Anniversary on Sept. 15. Those present were Mrs. Mertie McFarlin, Mrs. R. V. Roper and Mr. and Mrs. O.K. Welton. The couple has two sons, Ira of Ava, and Ivan of Strafford, and two grandchildren, Carol and Boyd, children of Mr. and Ivan Davis.

Mr. and Mrs. Clyde R. Bell of Ava announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Carol Elaine Bell to James Richard Silvey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Silvey of Ava.

SMALLETT –– Grandma Phipps spent last week in the Cory home and helped peel almost 100 quarts of peaches. Then she went back home and helped peel six bushels more so she had little time for piecing on her quilt.

BLACK OAK –– Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Thompson and daughters, Brenda and Cindy, ate Sunday dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Norman Alcorn and family.

USS ORISKANY (FHTNC) – Thomas J. Williams, gunner’s mate seaman, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Williams of Smallett, Mo. is serving aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Oriskany.

Mr. and Mrs. Grover Blakey and sons, Howard and George, were dinner guests Sunday in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Blakey and children. George is here on a 21-day leave from he service. He is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash. He entered the service Oct. 2.

WASOLA –– Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cudworth and girls of Ava, Mrs. Ruth Mahan and girls, Mrs. Joy Ledbetter and Kathy and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hicks and girls of Springfield visited Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Hicks Sunday.

 

75 Years Ago

September 21, 1939

 

It has been twenty-three days since Ava has had a measurable rain, Ranger W.J. Molsio of the U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday, and the effects of the dry weather are beginning to show in the forest.

Two troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol checked driver’s licenses in Ava again Saturday evening, picking up two drivers without licenses. The troopers were Earl Barkley and Clyde Brill, both of the Willow Springs office. Four troopers checked licenses here a week ago Saturday.

With thirty-seven in high school and more than fifty in the grades, Brushyknob school has what is believed to be the largest enrollment it has ever had. Last week was the sixth week of school and still more new pupils were enrolling, according to Joe Dunn, high school teacher.

Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Singleton of the Hunter school district announce the birth of a son Sunday, Sept. 17, at the home of Mrs. Singleton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Rippee of Ava.

A pretty average American is the typical Missouri convict, judging from the physical description revealed by the state’s penal records. The average convict is a native American, 26 years old, born on a farm or in a small town, finished one year of high school and reasonable skilled at a trade or other means of earning a living.

Howard Curry left Monday for Kansas City to enroll in the Kansas City – Western Dental College where he studied throughout last school year and also through the summer term. He had spent six weeks in Ava with his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Curry.

Miss Edith Hodges and Miss Nancy Lee Neiman were co-hostesses at a miscellaneous shower Monday evening in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hodges, in compliment to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Robertson, who were married on September 8.

Archie F. Bell was surprised Thursday night last week when a group of his friends came to his home east of town to celebrate his birthday.

In all science error precedes the truth, and it is better it should go first than last.

Experience is the common school house of fools and lil’ men –– Men of wit and honesty are otherwise instructed.

ROCKBRIDGE –– Everett Byerley is moving this week to the Burton Wright place near Gentryville.

An effort to locate members of the Church of Christ in Ava and vicinity is being made by Mrs. Maggie Campbell of Wheeling, Arkansas, with the idea of organizing for regular services for that denomination here. Members around here may get in touch with Mrs. Campbell by writing to her at Wheeling, Arkansas.

100 Years Ago

October 1, 1914

 

When a prudent man faces a decrease of income he does two things. One is to seek new sources of income. The other is to reduce his expenditure, all most of us can usually do is the latter. We hear nothing from Washington, however, about reducing expenditures, even where it is well known to be largely wasteful, as in the case of the pending $32,000,000 river and harbor distribution “pork.” Congressmen seem to think only of their power to tax, and not at all of their power to save.

It is argued that as a general thing and particularly in the West, the roads of the United States are too wide. It is pointed out that while in Germany, where the traffic is enormous, the highways are but 20 and 21 feet.. In the West, where the traffic is comparatively light, and land worth $100 an acre, the roadways are from fifty to sixty feet in width, three-fourths of which grows up in weeds and grass.

The State of Virginia has joined the “dry” ranks, with Maine, Kansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia with more than a majority of votes. A strong prohibition fight is raging in Ohio, and if she too goes “dry” with her vast population the liquor interests may well be dismayed.

Post Office Inspector Ward was here several days of the past week. While no information from official sources could be obtained it is generally believed that he was investigating the loss of letters enclosing checks and money orders and official and private letters of the postmaster from the Ava post office from time to time.

  1. ZION ITEMS –– There has been quite an amount of freight both shipped and received at the Mt. Zion stop. We are anxiously looking for the promised depot to be put up.

ANNOUNCEMENT –– Sabbath School will be organized at the New Baptist Church building next Sunday at 10 a.m. Everybody cordially invited to come, this means you, and you will receive a hearty welcome at any time you may come.

L.H. Pettit returned Friday from St. Louis, where he went to see about the repairs of the dynamo, the Electric Light to restore the service as quickly as possible.

COLD SPRINGS –– It’s a new baby boy, the third at the house of R. C. Penney, born Sept. 17.

Teams wanted to haul timber from the Murray Mill near Sweden to Ava. We will pay $4.50 per 1000 delivered in our yard here. Each load must be checked and a ticket signed by Mr. Murray for same. D.J. Landers Lumber Co.,

J.W. Palmer, MGR., Ava, Mo.

 

125 Years Ago

September 26, 1889

 

The new store of Miller Bros. is crowded every day and their new stock of goods and bedrock prices are appreciated by their customers.

Sheriff Lyons was in Springfield last Friday night looking after a couple of birds, but the net was not well set and the birds are yet in hiding.

J.C. Braswell, prosecuting attorney of Oregon County, is in town looking after the case of State Mo. v R. C. Dalton, which is here by change of venue from Oregon County.

William Spencer of Lincoln township presented this office with a fine apple, which measures eleven and one-half inches around and weighs fifteen and three-fourth ounces. This is hard to beat.

Eugene de Baurenfeind, who was editor of the Douglas County Herald, some six years, is attending court this week as a witness in the celebrated rape case from Oregon County. Gene is the same old boy, and his many friends here are proud of the opportunity to shaking hands with him.

BUCKHART NEWS –– The proprietor of the Buckhart wagon factory, Robert Atkins, is doing a good business. He has plenty of good seasoned timber, and there is no reason why the Buckhart wagon cannot supply the Douglas County market.

The bloodthirsty Chinese Highbinders, whose lawless deeds are on the increase in San Francisco, should be bound to keep the peace –– tightly bound around the neck.

The wicked flea has invaded Boston. Boston is getting to be a lively place.

There is one peculiar thing about all big gales when viewed from the standpoint of the storm-driven vessel master – they are invariably “the heaviest in twenty-five years.”

It is reported from France that hides are being tanned by electricity, at only one-half the cost of the old process. The hides are placed in a revolving cylinder full of tannin, through which a strong current of electricity is made to flow.

The alligator has become an article of commerce and consequently he will soon be forced out of existence. His hide is used for leather, his teeth for trinkets, and his flesh –– all except that of the tail, which is a dainty among the Negroes –– is fed to the hogs.

The elections in the new States will take place in less than two weeks hence. In each case’s State of affairs, a Legislature and a Chamber of Congress will be chosen, except in South Dakota, which will be choosing two Congressmen.

The present strength of the Grand Army of the Republic is 418,228, an increase of 59,000 during the past year. This is the organization, which, according to Senator Vest, was the cause of Cleveland’s defeat in 1888; or, to state the same fact in another form, these are the men who voted as they shot.