From Our Files
100 years – Jan. 25, 1923Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the barn of J. D. Bellew near Twelve Mile last Saturday morning about four o’clock, at the same time burning a large supply of fee, four good mules and a valuable jack. The fire entailed a loss of more than $2,000 and there was not a cent of insurance.
Last Saturday morning a young man gave to S.M. Ivy a check on the account of Nick Richards, a prominent farmer of Route Three. It was for $25 and purposed to be signed by a son of Richards. Mr. Ivy became suspicious and a telephone call to Mr. Richards proved the check to be a forgery. Sheriff Howell paid the young man a visit. He admitted the act, borrowed the money from a neighbor and made it good, and was not arrested.
Sam Buford has just closed a deal by which he purchased outright the grocery department and all fixtures of White and Co. The stock was invoiced Monday night and Mr. Buford took charge on Tuesday morning.
75 years — Jan. 29, 1948Water mains, automobiles and businesses, not to mention the people, suffered from the intensely cold weather which struck this city and the nation last weekend and still remains. A two-inch snow started the unpleasant period last Thursday and the streets and countryside have been blanketed since that time, aided and abetted by another lighter snow which fell early this week.
All of Madison County’s power lines are expected to pass from the hands of the Sho-Me Power Cooperative soon. At a special meeting of the Black River Cooperative yesterday, that organization decided upon the purchase, from Sho-Me, all of the county electric properties, exclusive of those in the corporate limits of Fredericktown. That system is being bought by the city.
Buford Chevrolet Company is announcing the first showing of the new 1948 Chevrolet. The showing is scheduled for Saturday of this week. C.L. Buford said this week that Mr. and Mrs. Homer Priday will receive the first 1948 car. Priday is a veteran of World War II.
50 years – Jan. 25, 1973R-I School District board members are no fools and they aren’t afraid to tread on some rather treacherous and uncharted courses —drug knowledge, recognition and perhaps control. Monday night, in regular session, the Board of Education unanimously voted an expenditure of $750 as its share of the cost of a teacher training in the area of drug education.
Two more “brand new” Ford tractors were taken from the lot of Bennett and Smithh, Inc., west of Fredericktown, during the weekend, Jan. 12-13. Jerry Bennett told the D-N that he was in Memphis on Sunday and actually didn’t miss them until Monday. Bennett said the retail value of the tractors would be about $12,000.
The heavy rains and the thawing and freezing of the last month have left a number of city streets and county roads in a state of bad repair. Only some warmer weather will allow resurfacing and patching.
Madison Memorial Hospital erected a 150 foot tower last week. The hospital will now be in communications with other area hospitals for emergency and disaster situations.
25 years – Jan. 28, 1998Greg Walker and his pet kangaroo decided to hop in at the Democrat News, Monday afternoon. Walker purchased the kangaroo at an exotic animal sale in Macon, Missouri. The “proud papa” says the “little boy” will grow to be six feet tall. Right now, the ten-month-old baby sleeps in the bed with Walker and his wife.
Air Force Airman George Jason DeSpain has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX.
Both Fredericktown and Marquand-Zion High Schools celebrated Homecoming, Friday night. Fredericktown crowned Senior Angie Allgier as Queen. Angie is the daughter of Mark and Kathy Allgier and her escort is Blackcats guard Luke McKinnis. Marquand-Zion had a tie for Queen. The winners were Rhonda Myers and Vanessa Miles. Rhonda is the daughter of Bob and Kathy Myers. Vanessa is the daughter of Rick and Darla Miles. Their escorts are Tigers Dusty Stephens and Brandon Settle.
The first baby born in Madison Medical Center in 1998 was Eli Michael Mills, son of Brandy Mills. Eli was born at 3:25 p.m., Tuesday, January 20, 1998.
