Sheridan County Newspapers & Publications
Echoes of the Past
May 5, 2004
columns by Helen Selee
100 Years Ago - 1904
On last Friday morning, Mr. Selbig, clerking for Woodruff & Winship, made the discovery that the store had been robbed and calling Mr. Woodruff’s attention to the fact, investigations commenced. It was learned that the burglars had broken out a glass 10x16 inches in a back window effecting an entrance. Considerable telegraphing and telephoning was resorted to but no trace could be found of the law breakers. Mr. Woodruff went to Rushville later in the day and had Mr. Housh send out some postal cards intended to hunt up the desired parties. On Saturday morning "Sleuth" Butler and Frank Bresee, Alias Dick Carter, reported from Irwin that they had located a couple of suspicious characters, that scented as having something hid away somewhere that did not belong to them. Mr. Woodruff and Marshal Hupp departed immediately for the scene of trouble and Mr. Hupp, after meeting some resistance, arrested the two young men who gave their names as Frederick Cole of Oaks, S.D., and Frank O’Conner of Independence, Col. The criminals were brought up to Gordon on the afternoon freight where Sheriff Housh met the procession and took the fellows to Rushville where they had their preliminary trial, pleading guilty to burglary in the night time, and were jailed to await sentence of the court. On account of Judge Westover’s absence, Judge Harrington’s services will be secured as soon as possible to pass the sentence and save the county further expense of keeping the prisoners. The clothing taken invoiced over a hundred dollars and was all recovered, part being on the persons of the burglars and the balance had been left along the railroad track between Gordon and Irwin.
Prof. N.R. Carson, of Alliance, was in Gordon last Saturday. He is one of the applicants for the professorship of the Gordon schools. He is a pleasant and intelligent appear-ing gentleman and has been giving good satisfaction in Alliance.
Miss Emma Miller returned to Gordon last Saturday morning bringing with her the little daughter of her sister, Mrs. Scott, who is very sick and in a hospital for treatment.
M.H. Jones, while working with his peanut roaster, had the misfortune to burn one hand some and likewise his whiskers and eyebrows.
Dr. Furay of Valentine was here Monday and said he expected to remain in Gordon, but the next morning another doctor came in to stay and hearing that Dr. Dwyer was coming back, he concluded competition getting too extensive and he departed.
G.O. Fairhead was up from Merriman Monday and Tuesday. He reports that there was a good rain there last Saturday. He remembered the Journal with a deposit of that which it takes considerable of to keep things going.
An order of Eastern Star was organized at Rushville on Friday evening of last week. Those in attendance from Gordon were Mrs. Griswold and husband, Mrs. Woodruff and husband, Mrs. Hill and husband, Mrs. Beckwith and husband, Mrs. Powell and husband, and the Mesdames Rye, Ross, Thompson and Ladd.
Miss Clara Andreas has accepted a position in the post office in place of Miss Grace Thompson, who has resigned.
August Low moved the barn the first of the week that A. Hupp bought of the Journal man.
Miss Anna Leach not long ago commenced a second term of school in the Walls district just east of town.
Elmer Owen has commenced moving his household effects to the Dan Hill ranch where he will work this summer.
The Maverick Loan and Trust Company bought the Gordon Hotel property this week, and the intention is to erect a big brick hotel there in the future. We are glad to have additional evidence in this transaction that there are people who have reason to believe that Gordon is not dead yet.
Walter Waggard, the night operator returned last Saturday morning from Baxter, Iowa, where he had been for several days in attendance at the burial of his brother. C.P. Wilson acted as night man in his absence and then went to Rapid City.
Miss Ruby Campbell has charge as manager of Mrs. Elmore’s store during the latter’s absence at Valentine.
The pupils of Miss Jennie Van Buskirk gave her a surprise party last Saturday. She reports it as a time made very pleasant by the smaller folks.
Dr. G.L. Cremeens, formerly of Dahlgren, Illinois, located in Gordon last Friday and has his office the first door south of L. Schmitt’s store. He seems like a gentleman and we wish him success.
Pine Ridge is manifesting a desire to wallop Gordon on the baseball diamond here on Declaration Day. Can we arrange to disappoint them, that is, so far as results are concerned?
George Stannard’s house on his farm southeast of town is rapidly being completed. He says that W.R. McElroy can push work along on a house in a way that beats the band.
Rev. L.H. Young and Bishop Graves of the Episcopal church were in Gordon Tuesday and held services in the M.E. Church that evening. News of the services should have been in last week’s Journal, but the notice of it was handed in about an hour too late.
Lee Fritz was in the city last Saturday on his way to have his cattle branded before letting them out to summer with John Auker. He came to Gordon on Monday evening and returned to Rushville on the freight.
The baby of Roy Perin was given a little too much paregoric Tuesday and some trouble was experienced in reviving the youngster.
One-hundred-seventy-five Indians, including men, women and children, were shipped yesterday evening to St. Louis, where they will swell the Cummins Wild West aggregation. They were accompanied by Col. Cummins and J.F. Asay, who expect to remain at the world’s fair during the season. The Indians made a magnificent show Monday when they lined up in front of the Farmer’s Mercantile store to be photographed, after which they entertained the crowd with a series of dances.
If you want to get any land in the Rosebud country that is soon to be opened, you must have the legal rights to a homestead and pay $4 an acre for it besides. There are 416,000 acres of the land and about 50 miles of it border on the Missouri river.
The London Crystal Palace accommodates more people than any other building in the world. It will hold 100,000 people.75 Years Ago - 1929
A deal was completed the first of the week whereby Noah Kent becomes the owner of the north side grocery of L.W. Ganow & Sons. Mr. Kent will continue to give high class service and invites the public to call and see him. For many years, he has been behind the counter at the Fairhead Market and he is now getting into business for himself. Mr. Ganow and his sons will continue in business at their southside location.
The Gordon Junior Baseball team won their first game last Sunday with the St. Mary’s high school team of Rushville, the score being 14 to 6. Skinner pitched the last half of the game for Gordon and let Rushville down without a run.
Mr. Robert Sturdevant of Chadron has taken over the distribution of Frigidare electric refrigerators in this territory and was in Gordon on Thursday. Mr. Sturdevant is a brother of the late Captain Fred F. Sturdevant.
Margarete Morris and Harold Bixler and Viola Kohout and Wade Slaby drove to Martin Monday and were the participants in a double marriage ceremony. The young people are well known here and will continue to reside here. Their many friends offer congratulations.
Mrs. L.S. Griffith died suddenly at her home in Gordon Monday night, death coming to her while she was asleep and without pain or suffering. Mrs. Griffith was eighty-seven years old and with her husband had made her home in Gordon for the past twenty years. Her husband has been in ill health for some time, while she had been comparatively well. They had made their home with their daughter, Mrs. C.G. Stubblefield. A brief service was held at the home on Thursday afternoon, with Rev. C.L. Shelby in charge, and she was then taken to her old home at Minier, Ill., for burial.
Mrs. George Tausan, formerly Ellen Michaelson, was born in Nerstrand at Stavanger, Norway, on January 27, 1859 and departed this life at her home in Gordon on the morning of April 29, 1929, at the age of 70 years, 3 months and 2 days. She grew to womanhood in the town of her birth. It was here that she was united in marriage to George Nikolai Tausan on April 3, 1880. In 1882 the family came to American settling at Roland, Iowa. After a period of five years, the family came to Sheridan county, taking up a homestead 7 ½ miles north of Gordon. Here they were pioneers in building up this country, going through trials and hardships that they might give their children a good start. In the spring of 1920 they retired to Gordon, where they were living at the time of her death. Besides the sorrowing husband, she leaves to mourn her loss four sons, Nels and Carl of Clinton, and Michael and Morton of Gordon. Also one sister and one brother. There are seven grandchildren. The funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 from the home and at two o’clock from the Lutheran church, conducted by her pastor, the Reverend H.M. Roth and her remains were laid to rest in the Gordon cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boyd are the parents of a sweet little daughter, born May 1st.
The stork braved the storm of a week ago Wednesday and presented Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Petshow with a baby girl. The little stranger was christened Mary Marie.
Funeral services for the late Mrs. Red Bear were held in the new Catholic church south west of Denby on April 23rd.
Saturday evening Eletta Mattsen entertained at a birthday party for her brother George. The evening of games and dancing was brought to a close with the serving of a delicious lunch among which was, of course, the large birthday cake with 18 candles on it. The young people departed at a late hour wishing George many more such happy birthdays.
Mr. and Mrs. Claude Saults returned Monday from a short wedding trip spent in the eastern part of the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Lang are the parents of a son, Kevin Dirk, born April 23, 1954.
Mr. and Mrs. Nern Skanadore are the parents of a daughter, Beverly Jean, born April 23rd.50 Years Ago - 1954
The Gordon high school junior play, "I Remember Mama", pleased audiences both Thursday and Friday nights at the City auditorium. Turning in topflight performances were Rose Marie Robson as Katrin (who narrated the play); Marlys Suhr as Mama; Ward Klingebiel as Papa; Veda Cady as Dagmar; Phyllis Holmgrain as Christine; Brooke Hershey as Mr. Hyde; Sam Oldenburg as Nels; Anna Marie Dohse as Aunt Trina; Ruth Ann Boerger as Aunt Sigrid; Betty Wallace as Aunt Jenny; Gary Ryder as Uncle Chris; Joanne Burg as Jessie; Newell Metzger as Mr. Thorkelson; Mac Hull as Dr. Johnson; Steve Van Horn as Arne; Nancy Ohlsen and Yvonne Forster as nurses; Barbara Cobb as the scrub woman; Dale Davis as a soda clerk; Kathleen Brandon as Madeline; Audrey Swick as Dorothy; Virginia Cummings as Florence Dana Moorehead and Norman Frey as a bell-boy.
The Gordon Broncs track squad won their third consecutive Northwest conference track championship last Tuesday by scoring 51 ½ points over runner-up Chadron high’s 37 points. The squad consists of B. Hershey, L. Suhr, W. Klingebiel, M. Hess, J. Borman, G. Cobb, J. Keene, J. American Horse, D. Muck, R. Johnson, L. Hagemeier, D. Downing, R. Eichenberger, S. Oldenburg and P. Martin. The coach is Bob Kerth.
Mr. and Mrs. Melbourne Hamm moved to Gordon from the Lyle Hull ranch in Fieldside. Mr. Hamm will be employed at the Dodd-Debolt Implement company. Marsha Hamm stayed with Mrs. Bob Coon for several days while her folks were moving.
The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Swanson was an event of Thursday, April 15th, at the Methodist church in Gordon. Before her marriage Mrs. Swanson was Miss Lois Hanneman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Hanneman of Gordon.
Honoring the birthday of Mrs. Blaine Belsky of Merriman, Mr. and Mrs. Jay Webster were hosts at a card party Wednesday evening, April 28. Guests besides the honoree were Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Sones and Mr. and Mrs. James Swick of Rushville, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Buckles of Merriman, and Mr. and Mrs. Bud Stearns, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Keller, Blaine Belsky, Betty Jo Alexander and Jim Blair.
Gathering at the home of Mrs. Nels Petersen for a no-host dinner Saturday evening in honor of her birthday were: Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Petersen, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Tilton, Mr. and Mrs. Milton Peterson and Patty, Mrs. Minnie Cawthorne, Mrs. W.L. Coon, Mrs. Dean Coon and Beverly, Mrs. Mae Losey and Miss Mary Lou Petersen.
Miss Kaye Lessert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lessert of Merriman, has been elected president of her class for the following year at Duchesne college. This is quite an honor for Kaye.
Gayle Lessert, another daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lessert, had the misfortune to break her arm above the elbow Sunday afternoon while playing with her brother. Gayle was taken to the hospital in Martin where the bone was set and put in a cast. She returned home Thursday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Chappell, Ronnie and Donnie, helped Mary Oleske celebrate her sixth birthday at the Oleske home Wednesday evening, April 28.
Fifteen Girl Scouts met Tuesday evening at the home of Mrs. Bryan on April 27th to present an evening about Fritz Kreisler. Each girl told about an interesting excerpt from the book, "Kreisler" by Louis Lochner. Then musical numbers by Kreisler were performed by Lana Holst, Bonnie Hull, Mrs. Metzger and Miss Janet Pepper, Helen Magnuson, Peggy Hlava and Raye Jeanne Clark.
Obituary: Myrtle May Park.
Myrtle May Park was born in Mercer county, Penn., June 30, 1877 to A.W. and Alice Gealy and died April 28, 1954. In 1885 she came with her parents to Gordon, Nebr., where she made her home until 1912 when she moved to the ranch where she lived until now. In November 1899 she was united in marriage to Theodore S. Park, who preceded her in death in February of 1931. To this union four children were born: Gilbert W. Park and Mrs. Lewis Wiles of Rushville, Mrs. Robert Bennett of Eugene, Ore., and T. Shirley Park of Rushville. Besides these surviving are three grandchildren, Ruth and Ralph Bennett and Mrs. Val J. Doughty; two brothers Glenn and Lester Gealy of Gordon; several cousins, nieces and nephews and a host of friends. She has always had a deep and abiding faith in her Master’s guiding hand.25 Years Ago - 1979
A grand opening is the order of business this weekend at the Modern Farm Equipment Inc. on Highway 27, south of the intersection with highway 20 in Gordon. L.D. Walker and Gary Cranston, who recently purchased the equipment firm from Kenneth Hardin, are inviting the public to visit their modernized physical plant, see the facilities for extended and expert service, have a snack and get acquainted with the new owners.
Elementary school science fair winner this week include: David Watson, Tanner Schlientz, Pete Elwood, Pam Dishong, Stacy Adkinson, Amber Metzger, Stacy Samuelson, Larry Parks, Shawn Ehlers, Tina McConkey, Andrea Otte, Clyde Kime, Matt Phillips, Travis Wallace, Mike Borders, Jon Albro and Chad Bornsen.
Sheila Heesacker, daughter of Jerene Heesacker and the late Marvin Heesacker, has been accepted for the fall term at the National College of Business in Rapid City, S.D. Miss Heesacker is a senior at Gordon High School. She will be enrolled in the receptionist and office machines program.
Helen Turechek and Wilma Schaffert of Gordon, and John Fairhead of Merriman won awards at the 1979 annual spring art fete in Alliance, April 28 and 29th.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Forster went to Alliance Saturday and spent the weekend with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Cliff McCune. On Sunday, Mrs. Forster was honored at a birthday celebration at the McCune home. Other guests were Mr. and Mrs. Errol Brakeman and children, Mr. and Mrs. Ward Forster and Jim, all of Gordon, and Mr. and Mrs. Alan Forster and Reyna of Alliance.
Mary Bachmann of Gordon announces the marriage of her daughter, Carolyn Bachmann Featherston to Thomas T. Tipton on April 21 in the United Methodist church at Palmyra. Thomas Tipton is a teacher and is working toward his doctor’s degree at the University of Nebraska. Carolyn works in student medical records at the university and is working toward her degree in administration.
Born at the Gordon hospital were:
*Raegen Lea, 6-pound 14 ounce daughter born April 26 to Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Faulk (Patty Hull) of Gordon. She has three sisters, Crystal, Donell and Kylie.
*Daniel Ryan, 6 pound 13 ½ ounce son born April 29 to Henry and Susan Good Buffalo of Pine Ridge. He has one brother, Adrian William.
*Jamie Lynn, 7 pound 8 ½ ounce son, born April 26 to Esther Prokop of Rushville.
*Robin Celeste, 8 pound 9 ¾ ounce daughter born to Cynthia Runs Above of Pine Ridge.
*Aaron Stuart, 7 pound 6 ¼ ounce son, born April 27 to Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Rasmussen (Julie Jacobson) of Rushville.
This page was last updated on
Tuesday, 10-Mar-2009 20:00:18 MDT
submitted by Helen Selee
© 2004 Sheridan Co. NEGenWeb