Pickings from Pike’s Past: 75 YEARS AGO: ROBERT EARL HUGHES, WORLD’S HEAVIEST MAN, TO VISIT PITTSFIELD

By Editor | May 21, 2025 |

150 Years Ago

May 20, 1875

Pete Smith of Pearl has caught six genuine wolves, whose scalps now adorn his belt, and for which he will demand many shekels from the Board of Supervisors.

The grand army of drummers (traveling salesmen), innumerable and insatiable as grasshoppers, is now on the war path, and every village and hamlet and crossroads is inflicted or afflicted with their visitations. There was a grand dress parade on the Pittsfield square Monday, and the three-carat jewelry was gorgeous in the extreme.

Lands sold at chancery sale in New Canton at about $75 per acre. Fair timber land sold at $10 and $12 per acre.

125 Years Ago

May 23 1900

Corn planting is still going on, although some are done got their corn plowed over once.

Henry Kientzle is papering and fixing up his shoe store on the Pittsfield square.

It is a great pity that inclement weather kept so many of our people from visiting the Pittsfield school buildings last Friday and Saturday. Those who did go were well repaid. The blackboards were covered with drawings and the walls hung with pictures and specimens of work in the different studies. Many of the drawings showed considerable talent.

The dramatic company, encouraged by its success at home and at Milton, will show at Barry next Monday night. Barryites who are fond of first-class melo-dramas will do well to patronize the Pittsfield Dramatic Company.

The Pittsfield fire department dedicated their new headquarters Thursday evening in a fitting manner. After an inspection of the rooms in the Lovell building on the north side of the square and some time spent at games and social talk, they were called to order by Chief S. N. Jones, who gave a brief history of the organization, which was organized Oct. 12, 1888 by the late E. F. Binns, Jacob Windmiller, members of the town board and S. N. Jones who was the first chief.

Wednesday, May 30th Decoration Day will be observed by the Dick Gilmer G.A.R. Post and citizens of Pittsfield.

100 Years Ago

May 20, 1925

Pittsfield High School graduated 42 this spring, 11 boys and 31 girls.

The annual May Day festival was presented at the East School last Friday under the direction of Miss Vida Nighbert to an audience of several hundred patrons, parents and friends.

Harry Cox has been employed as principal of the El Dara School. Salary reports in the county range from $75 monthly for teachers to $1600 a year for the superintendent.

The Biddle Ice Plant turned out the first batch of ice Monday morning. The plant has been under construction for more than a year and is up to date and modern in every respect.

75 Years Ago

May 16, 1950

Seven of the 10 high schools in Pike County have reported their information to the Pike County Republican: Nebo, Pearl, Chambersburg, Perry, Barry, West Pike and Griggsville. Those seven schools are graduating 108 seniors, 54 boys and 54 girls. It is interesting that 45 of the 108 graduates have as yet no definite notion of what business or profession he or she hopes to follow.

The nine graduates of Nebo High School for 1950 are Barbara Sue Foote, Donald Wayne Chamberlain, Larry Gail Chamberlain, Richard Smith Davis, Logan Ralph Guthrie, Dale Howard Turnbeaugh, Gordon Bliss Unglaub, Emma Elizabeth Greger and Kathryn Lucille Evans.

Robert Earl Hughes, who thinks he is the world’s heaviest man and who wears the world’s largest overalls, is expected to be in Pittsfield today for Nick’s “around the square display of the world’s largest overalls.” Robert Earl now weighs 807 pounds and so far, there has been no challenge to his claim as the world’s heaviest human.

Coal operations are expected to be started soon in the Witten coal mining project in the northwest portion of section 10 in Hadley Township.

May 17, 1950

Eighth grade promotion exercises will be held in the Pittsfield High School auditorium Thursday evening, May 25 at 8 o’clock. Students from the following schools will be promoted: Pittsfield, Baylis, New Salem, Rockport, Summer Hill, Pleasant Grove, Independence, Rose Hill, Martinsburg, New Hartford, Detroit, Toll Gate, Prairie, Black Oak and Gray.

May 18, 1950

The west side of the 200 block of North Madison Street—the first block off the square—is undergoing a big transformation. With the exception of the Pike County Republican office, every business location from the old A & P corner to Mike’s Smoke Shop is undergoing remodeling and change. Floyd Yaeger of Floyd’s Jewelry, will move soon to the building just north of the Republican office.

President Truman submitted the Congress 21 of the reorganization plans recommended by the Hoover commission. Each of these plans changes the organization or administration of some government agency. They are aimed to streamline federal government agencies and save an estimated three billion dollars each year. If neither house vetoes one or more of the plans they take effect immediately. The Senate already killed two of these plans last week, largely the result of pressure from special interest groups.

50 Years Ago

May 21, 1975

Here we go again. As was true last year, Pittsfield this year will again observe two Memorial Day holidays. Observing the Monday May 26 federal holiday will be the Pittsfield post office, other federal offices, the city hall and most Pittsfield retail stores, plus the two banks.

Choosing Friday May 30 (the traditional and state date) are state offices, the courthouse and the Pike Press. Schools will be in session May 26 and will be out for the year by May 30, anyway. The traditional Memorial Day patriotic parade and cemetery service will be held Friday, May 30, under the auspices of the Pittsfield American Legion Post 152.

With Merle Pepper dissenting, the Pittsfield Unit 10 board of education voted 6-1 in favor of offering the Unit 10 teachers a $300 across-the-board pay increase, plus an added year of top longevity pay in all columns of teacher education. Tuesday night the Unit 10 Teachers Association voted by a near unanimous margin to reject the offer.

An addition has been added to the produce market of Ackles Apple Acres on U.S. 54 in New Hartford, providing for another 1370 square feet of space to the market for a total of 2800. Manager Joe Ray Lister says the market will continue to feature fresh produce brought in from St. Louis several times a week. The market was first opened in July, 1967 and since then two additions have been built.

Pittsfield High School will graduate 123 seniors May 29. Rev. Wallace Robinson, pastor of the First Christian Church, will be the speaker. East Pike High School will graduate 29 seniors May 28. Rev. Steve Lang of the Detroit Christian Church will be the speaker.

Tom Gates says that the wind-damaged Clark drive-in, which was blown down April 23, has been replaced with a new all-metal screen, 32×72 feet with full cinema scope.

25 Years Ago

May 24, 2000

West Pike Superintendent Rodger Hannel has accepted the position of superintendent at Payson after 11 years as superintendent of the West Pike school district. Hannel will replace Thomas Leahy at Payson after Leahy leaves to become superintendent at Camp Point. Previously Hannel has spent 16 years in various positions in Pikeland Unit 10.

Royalty crowned at the Pittsfield High School prom recently were Lucas Conkright and Tori Johnson, both juniors at the school. Conkright is the son of Melanie Conkright and Mark Conkright. Johnson is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Johnson.

10 Years Ago

May 20, 2015

Approximately 165 Jeeps and about 300 people participated in the Jeep Jamboree held May 14, 15 and 16 in Pike County. The event is well known and usually attracts Jeepers from several different states. This year there were participants from Chile, France and Scotland.

Gary and Carla Furniss are celebrating their 50th anniversary Saturday, May 23 at Sprague Kinderhook lodge. Gary and Carla were married Jan. 15, 1965 during a bad snow storm so they have decided to celebrate in the spring.

Compiled by Michael Boren

Posted in Society