NEWSPAPER: May 1925 Local Events, Blakesburg Excelsior, Wapello County, Iowa Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Extractions from the Blakesburg Excelsior Wapello County, IA May 1925 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Martha Richards maseattle@copper.net Microfilm from State Historical Society of Iowa Blakesburg (Wapello Co, IA) Excelsior Newspaper, Jan 1, 1925 (missing issues Aug 6, 13;) Oct 8, 1925-Dec 25, 1930 Microfilm from State Historical Society of Iowa Thurs, May 7, 1925 BAPTISTS SECURE A NEW PASTOR At a business meeting of the Baptist church last Sunday morning Rev. C. E. RIDDINGTON was unanimously called as pastor of the church, to succeed Rev. CHILDS. Rev. RIDDINGTON needs no introduction to the people of this community and the announcement that he has been employed as pastor for an indefinite period will meet with the hearty approval of all his friends and acquaintances. LOCAL SHOTS --Mrs. Gust PIERSON of Ottumwa was a Blakesburg visitor Saturday. From here she drove to the PIERSON farm where she visited the family of her son, Earl. --Miss Lucille ROKEY, employed as stenographer at Centerville, arrived home Sunday to spend the week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. J. ROKEY. Miss ROKEY will probably visit at Kansas City and Lawson before returning to work. --Mrs. Lou VIRDEN of Smila, Colorado, is a guest at the J. G. THAYER home. --Mildred ABEGG of Alliance, Nebraska, is spending a few days with home folks. --M. H. ABERNATHY celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday Sunday. M. H. is hale and hearty for one of his years and steps around like he was twenty-one and bids fair to reach the century mark. --Mrs. Lizzie ROWE received a message Saturday evening informing her of the death of her sister, Mrs. Cordelia RHODES of near Agency. Mrs. RHODES lived alone and when the milk man made his usual visit Saturday evening he found her sitting at the table dead. She was seventy-eight years of age. Mrs. ROWE left Monday morning to attend the funeral. --Last Saturday evening at 8 o’clock at the M. E. parsonage in Indianaplis (sic) Ind., occurred the marriage of Wilbur REILEY and Miss Clara THOMPSON, Rev LYONS performing the ceremony. The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest THOMPSON and grew to womanhood in this city. For several years she has been employed by the Bell Telephone Col, where she holds a very responsible position. Mr. REILEY is a barber by trade and for the present they will reside in Indianapolis. The Excelsior extends best wishes. JUNIOR-SENIOR BANQUET TONIGHT Graduates are Being Banqueted by the Junior Class The graduating class of the Blakesburg high school is enjoying the last banquet they will likely attend during their public school careers at the I.O.O.F. hall tonight, given them by the Junior class. The graduating class are Clara McALLISTER, Mary ELLIS, Doris RAYMOND, Freda CHIDESTER, Helen JACOBSON, Mable LOCKE, Elizabeth MILLER, Ralph BLUMER, Chas. POST, Carl and Harry JOHNSON.... NORTH OF TOWN --Several families from this vicinity attended the funeral of Mandus ANDERSON last Thursday afternoon at the Cuba church. --Mrs. Chas. KELLER of Fairfield was killed Sunday evening during the wind storm by a large tree falling on the car in which she was riding. four other persons were in the car but one of them were seriously injured. --Wednesday evening of last week in Ottumwa occurred the marriage of Miss. Frances STAFFORD of near Foster and Mr. Harry CHIDESTER. Rev. HEATH officiating. The happy couple will go to housekeeping on the Jake Anderson farm north of town where they will be at home to their friends. The Excelsior wishes them the best that life affords--health, happiness and prosperity. --Friday, May 1st,. being Mrs. T. L. CHICK’s 55th birthday, the Good Time Club of that neighborhood with their families planned and carried out a complete surprise on her. There were thirty present. Invited guests were Ralph SNOW and family of Des Moines and Mrs. John CHICK and daughter of Ottumwa... Thurs, May 14, 1925 NORTH OF TOWN --Born to Arthur PETERSON and wife, a duaghter, Wilma Maxine, May 4th. --Word was received that Mrs. Nettie PEARSON (sic) passed away at the home of her daughter Mrs. Rev. PURN of Mammoth, Ill. MUNTERVILLE --Word was received here Sunday of the death of one of our old pioneers, Mrs. John PEIRSON (sic) who died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. PURN of Paxton, Ill. Funeral services were held here Wednesday at the church of which the deceased had always been a member. Services in charge of Rev. BERCELL of Ottumwa. (later story in same issue says she was past 82 years old, most of life lived in Munterville, name spelled PIERSON; after years lived with daughter and son-in-law Oscar PURN of Paxton, IL.) OTHER NEWS --Some two hundred robed Klansmen formed the funeral cortege at the services held for the late Harry YOUNG at the First Baptist Church in Ottumwa Sunday afternoon. Thurs, May 21, 1925 --Mr. and Mrs. Ted CROWE, north of town, have a little girl in their home. She arrived Tuesday. --A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Herman LEFFLER May 12th. He is not going to be in the featherweight classs as he tipped the scale at 9 ½ pounds. Thurs, May 28, 1925 --Prof. J. Oscar JOHNSON, who has been superintendent of the public school at Grover, Iowa, for three years, arrived home the first of this week for a visit with home folks. Mr. JOHNSON has been selected Superintendent of the public school at West Bend, Iowa, at a salary of $2400. --Rev. C. E. RIDDINGTON’s father died at his home near Hitt, Mo., and the funeral was held on Saturday, May 16. Speaking of the deceased, the Memphis Mo. Reveille, says: "Funeral service was held at the Richland Baptist church Saturday at 2 p.m., conducted by Rev. C. E. RIDDINGTON assisted by Rev. Dan NEWLAND." --Mr. and Mrs. Floyd WHISLER of Udell spent Sunday at the parental SAUM home. Floyd WHISLER and Miss Lela SAUM were united in marriage at the parsonage of the First M.E. church in Des Moines Saturday evening before Easter, but they really haven’t been in any great hurry of apprising their numerous friends of the fact and kept them guessing for a while; however, they are now receiving congratulations of their many friends. They will reside on a farm near Udell. --A very pretty wedding was soleminzed (sic)at the M. E. parsonage in Unionville Sunday afternoon, when Miss Mildred THOMPSON and Versal ROBB were united in holy bonds of wedlock, Rev. JAMES, pastor of the M.E. church officiating. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mr. T. S. THOMPSON residing in Urbana township and is a most estimable young woman. The groom is engaged in the mercantile business with his father in Unionville and is a splendid young man. The Excelsior joins a host of friends expressing hearty congratulations. CHRISTIANBURG --Louis GRIGGS, wife and son Howard attended the Wilfred DOMER and Greta OURS wedding in Davis county Saturday evening. URBANA --The remains of Cal LEACH were laid to rest in the Eslinger cemetery last Friday. Death followed a stroke of paralysis. NORTH OF TOWN --Vanner HORNSTEIN of Des Moines was called home Sunday by the death of his father P. A. HORNSTEIN. OTHER NEWS --Miss Barbara OLTMAN of ottumwa and Mrs. HOOVER of Missouri were here Monday evening to attend the shower given in honor of Miss SASSEEN (see below) --Rev. Wm. PORTER of Olathe, Kansas, has been visiting Mesdames DeHAVEN and DERBY this week. Rev. PORTER taught school at the Trussell school house sixty years ago. He will go to Washington, Iowa to attend a Church of Court. --A miscellaneous shower was given at the Martin HUBER home Monday evening in honor of Miss Vera SASSEEN whose marriage to Walter HUBER will take place June 14th. The rooms were beautifully decorated in pink and white which color scheme was fully carried out both in decoration and refreshments. Each guest was presented with a tea towel which she was invited to hem and write thereon a "Do" or a "Don’t" for the bride... --Will SCHOECH, who has been a student in the naval school at Annapolis , Maryland....(is visiting local folk...)