Pike Pickings – 1.18.23
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150 Years Ago
Jan. 23, 1873
We in Griggsville just had the wettest, slipperiest, most disagreeable day you ever saw. Rain, rain and then more rain. Everyone your correspondent saw had some comment about it.
The annual meeting of the First National Bank of Pittsfield took place Tuesday, and the board members, Messrs. C. L. Higbee, E. M. Seeley, John Hall, C. P. Chapman and Lewis Dutton, were all re-elected.
125 Years Ago
Jan. 25, 1898
Ugh – such weather! When we went to press last Friday, the mud was as deep as it could be, but now it is deeper still. Last night was an old-fashioned thunder and lightning storm, and today it is raining and drizzling. The roads are impassable on horseback. This would seem to be an excellent time for an editorial on good roads.
News – news – No, there is no local news. The town and county are both mud-locked and even the chicken roosts and wheat bins are safe these days.
New Canton is now in darkness. At a recent meeting the town board voted to discontinue the street lamps on the score of economy. The lamps have been taken down and stored away.
Jan. 28, 1898
The Chicago and western packers are sending out circulars to the hog buyers to advise the farmers to stop the production of great bulking 300 and 400 pound hogs and to raise the slim, long-bodied porker, weighing 200-250 pounds. This sort of hog is known as the bacon porker and commands the highest price.
That old-fashioned spelling skule will be held at the armory in Pittsfield one week from tonight. Admission 10 cents.
100 Years Ago
Jan 24, 1923
This year Pittsfield High School is in a 6-team conference that includes Keokuk, Macomb, Quincy, Carthage and Fort Madison. The Red and Black lost their first conference game to Keokuk Friday night by the score of 35-15.
Relatives and friends in Pike County were shocked last Wednesday morning to receive news that Parker Zumwalt had died at the home of his brother in Los Angeles, California, of flu. He is survived by nine children, including Ched, Claud and Merle Zumwalt, all of Nebo and Humphrey Zumwalt of Pearl. Mr. Zumwalt was born in Spring Creek Township 60 years ago, and was the son of one of Pike County’s oldest and best-known pioneers, Nathan Zumwalt, who for years resided on the old Zumwalt farm in the Cold Run neighborhood.
More than 200 relatives and friends of the Pittsfield fire fighters enjoyed the entertainment given by the “fire laddies” at the city hall last Thursday night.
Evangelist B. G. Reavis of Mexico, Mo., will hold a series of revival meetings at Time beginning Feb. 19.
Two hundred and fifty Pike County farmers will cover the county in a Farm Bureau reorganization campaign which opens on Feb. 1. Remember, the Farm Bureau is the biggest organization of farmers the world has ever seen.
There are 3,381 farms in Pike County. The average for all farms is 141 acres. Seven farms are more than 1000 acres and 45 contain 500 or more acres.
A new fire company has recently been organized in Barry.
75 Years Ago
Jan 21, 1948
At about 5:40 Saturday morning two big locomotives crashed into each other on the tracks in the Baylis yards of the Wabash. Fortunately, no one was hurt, as the engines were traveling only 7 or 8 miles per hour.
Stockholders of Pike County’s oldest bank, Pittsfield First National, met Jan. 18 and elected seven directors: Barry Mumford, Judge Lee Capps, L. C. King, Clay Rush, Earl C. Smith, Roy D. Plattner and Mrs. Maude Higbee. The directors then appointed G. B. Meyer cashier and Hiram McKenna and Orin Borrowman assistant cashiers.
A mobile x-ray unit will be in 22 locations in Pike County during the next two months. It offers a free x-ray to every man and woman over the age of 18 to show whether you have tuberculosis.
Rex Davis, popular St. Louis newscaster on radio station KMOX, now broadcasts news of Pike County from the columns of the Pike County Republican at 8:45 a.m. six days a week and at 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The membership director of the Loyal Order of Moose has established residence in Pittsfield and will remain here until a new Moose Lodge and club has been organized in Pittsfield.
N. L. Eddy and John Sutter have announced the opening of their new funeral home on West Washington Street.
Elden Fesler, science teacher at Pittsfield Community High School, has been named chairman of the Red Cross fund drive for Pike County.
50 Years Ago
Jan. 24, 1973
“In spite of the Wage and Price Stabilization Act, hospital costs are still increasing,” said Illini’s administrator, Carl Fredricksen, in his report at the annual meeting Tuesday night, in which J. E. Gully of Barry was elected president of the hospital board of directors. He replaces Foreman Fields of Spring Creek Township, who did not choose to be a candidate for re-election to the board.
The engagement of Julia Lynn Parks of rural Milton to Michael Bruce Boren of Nebo was announced by her family over the Christmas holidays.
Free vision and hearing screening is being offered for pre-school children throughout Pike County.
25 Years Ago
Jan. 21, 1998
One of Pike County’s school districts is in session year around, with no summer vacation, few holidays and no Christmas break. Students wear nearly the same thing every day and there’s a waiting list of 90 wanting to attend. School district 428 is in session at the Pittsfield Work Camp with 60 students attending classes each day. Tom Hillebrenner is the school’s education facility administrator.
International Eyecare Center was named “Regional Eyecare Practice of the Year” by Eyecare Business magazine. Staff members are Hope Moore, Brenda Booth, Rosemary Wilson, Rashelle Yelliott and Dr. Timothy Leahy.
The Perry Fast Stop officially opened Sunday afternoon for coffee, cola, chips….and gas!
Nicole Lynn Smith, daughter of Richard and Elaine Smith of Pittsfield, and Eric Dean Fish, son of Darrell and Lisa Fish, also of Pittsfield, were united in marriage Saturday, Oct. 18 at the United Methodist Church in Pittsfield.
10 Years Ago
Jan. 23, 2013
Materials have been delivered to the Florence bridge and work is expected to begin soon. Steve Beran, IDOT District 6 engineer, stated, “Our goal has always been to have the bridge open for traffic by planting season. We are still shooting for a March re-opening.”
New State Representative C. D. Davidsmeyer spoke to Pike County residents Jan. 16 at the Pike County Farm Bureau building. He has been traveling around the area that he now serves after taking office Jan. 9.
The Barry YMCA is nearing its sixth month in operation and according to Lance Kendrick, Barry city administrator, the new facility is doing well.
Griggsville-Perry’s Dryden Craven scored his 1000th career point Friday night in the Winchester tournament. He is the son of Darin and Pollee Craven. Darin made the 1000 point list in 1985.
Compiled by Michael Boren
