100 years ago
July 30, 1909
Local news
The meat market was visited by burglars, Sunday night. They cut out a screen door at the rear of the room and got about $4.50. It was very likely the work of home talent.
Myrtle Snider is taking a three-week vacation from her duties in the Edmondson store. She and her mother are spending the time in a visit with their relatives in Indiana and Ohio.
I. E. Wells quit the mail route Saturday. Thede Frederick is carrying the mail on Route 5, until the examination which takes place August 14.
The carpenters are at work on Mike Stumpf's new house. The accident to Roy Snyde, the foreman, has delayed the building considerably.
Mrs. H. A. Mellinger left Monday for an extended visit and pleasure trip. She will first visit at Salt Lake City, Utah, and will then go on west to the coast, stopping at Van Couver, and Seattle, where she will she the Alaska Yukon exposition.
Murph Adams has treated his family to a fine new Kimball piano. It is a nice instrument and will be greatly appreciated by his little daughters.
Fire of unknown origin destroyed two large barns, granaries, hog houses, corn cribs, a lot of grain, hay, harness, implements, buggies 3 horses and other property, on the J. R. Mead farm 2 miles west of Iowa City.
The excursion to Muscatine last Saturday did not seem to draw, only a few passengers were on the train after it left here.
Marion Kepler, carrier on Route 1, has a rather serious fracas with his team yesterday. They became frightened when astrap broke, letting the buggy tongue downable, tore loose from the rig, dragging Mr. Kepler along on the road. In the melee his nose was broken, his face was injured and his arm badly sprained.
Hampsher-Kitzmiller
Married Wednesday evening, at the Joetown M. E. Parsonage, Miss Anna Hampsher to Mr. George Kitzmiller. Mr. and Mrs. Kitzmiller will make their home in Kalona.
Sharon Center
The Gingerich Bros. have purchased a threshing outfit from Dan Brenneman, of Windham, and are now prepared to do their own threshing.
Laura Winborn is assisting Mrs. B. Gramley with her work.
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Weeber and family visited over Sunday in this vicinity.
Will Berkey has gone to Kansas City for a weeks visit.
Mrs. Louisa Ressler has returned home after a three weeks visit with her daughters in Frank Pierce and Amish.
Mrs. Oscar Johnson of Windham visited the first of the week with her friend Fanny Bales.
Bayertown
Emroy Mentzer is helping S. P. Finch make hay.
Henry Durst and family, Artic Ressler and family and Iva Niffenegger were Sunday guests at Abe Lackender's.
Carl Craig and Edna Sleichter will be married August 11.
Lucy Verehal is visiting her sister, Mrs. H. Edle.
Middleburg
Mrs. G. Greaser and Mrs. C. E. Patterson were Hills visitors, Thursday. R. Hurt and wife and Miss Bailey spent Sunday at I. Feldman's.
John Spenner and family spent Sunday at the John Lemley home south of Kalona.
J. D. Patterson and family, Frank Telin and wife, Ves Reiner and family, A. Kupka and family were Sunday visitors at V. J. Spevacek's.
L. Schnoebelen and brother Guy spent Sunday at Rock Island.
Richmond
Maggie Reiner of Washington, spent Saturday at Joe Stumpf's.
Social last Thursday evening was well attended, they cleared $48.
Mr. F. Pieper and daughters are on the sick list.
G. Eglin and B. Marhofer are putting cement sidewalk around their residentce.
A. Sharp will build a barn 40 by 50 this week.
Pilotburg
Chas. Rickey thrashed Monday.
Miss Susie Bitting visited at Chas. Schulty's Sunday evening.
Little William Alfred Rickey was sick last week.
Mrs. Walrab and daughter, Mrs. Sexton, and children are at Frank Stransky's this week, helping with the blackberries.
J. V. Hoefort's came through the burg in their new auto Sunday.
Chas. Eyestone went to South Dakota Tuesday evening with some land seekers.
R. M. Ashby is having his buildings painted.
Finley Rickey is hauling tile.
C. E. Rickey's have the wall of their house done and are now ready for the carpenters.
We were all sorry to hear of the death of Granma Stagner.
Nort Messenger of Wellman surveyed for F. E. Rickey Wednesday.
Henry Matthess and Warren are helping Frank Matthess hay.
Fickeling Bros. are hauling corn to F. E. Rickey's.
Prairie Flower
The people of this community were shocked last Sunday morning by the sudden death of Mrs. James Saville.
The Misses Ella and Clara Faulkner returned from Pella Saturday where they have be attending summer school.
Mrs. Reber and little grandson, who have been spending the summer with Mrs. Reber's daughter, Mrs. D. Rittenhouse, returned to their home in Kansas.
Frank Pierce
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Maske Sr. entertained a number of ther children and grandchildren Sunday, among those present were Will Maske and family Leonard Maske and family. Frank Kline and family, and Henry Maske and family of Oxford, all present enjoyed a fine time.
Verge Beeney and family were Sunday visitors at the A. W. Ropp home.
Fred and Harry Fry had the misfortune to lose one of their best horses which was overcome by heat.
Thrashing is the order of the day. H. DeFrance began Monday at the N. M. Taylor home and W. A. DeFrance began Wednesday at Will Yoder's.
75 years ago
July 26,1934
New Arrivals
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Stutzman in their home, July 13.
Mr. and Mrs. L E. Swartzendruber are entertaining a new son born to them in their home.
Mr. and Mrs. Leal Littrel southeast of Kalona are the proud parents of a son born in their home, July 24.
Local News
Wilbur and Cleo, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Troyer underwent operations for the removal of their tonsils on July 24. On July 23, Ernest and Mary, son and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Miller underwent the same kind of an operation.
Clemens H. Miller, oldest son of Harvey C. and Mary J. Miller, of Kalona, Iowa was born in Kansas in 1903, and died near Kalona, Iowa aged 30 years.
On November 13, 1924 he was married to Polly Schrock, living in matrimony more than 9 years. To this union were born four children, Harry 7; Tobias 4; Ralph 2; and Ora 7 months.
Blanche, the 7 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brennman met with the misfortune of breaking her arm just above the wrist while roller skating. She is under the doctor's care since Wednesday morning.
Arlene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hochstetler broke her arm just below the shoulder joint Tuesday evening while riding her pony at her home.
A birthday surprise was carried out for Miss Katie Rhodes Thursday evening at the parental, C. J. Rhodes home.
J. F. O'Loughlin motored to Ames Thursday to bring home his son John Francis, who finished the first six weeks of summer.
Mrs. Thede Frederick underwent an operation on her nose last Friday. She is reported to be improving.
Miss Verna Ford is taking a week's vacation from her duties at the E. J. Hesselschwerdt store, and is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Ford at Luzarne, Iowa. Miss Katie Ropp is taking her place at the store.
Mrs. James Keifer of near Richmond underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Washington hospital recently. She is recovering nicely at this writing.
Mrs. Melack Kolosiek underwent a tonsil operation Thursday morning at Iowa City.
Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Walker and children moved Thursday to the O. B. Oldaker property in the east part of the town.
Dr. and Mrs. Ware are preparing to move shortly from the flat to the Mrs. Thursa Grady property for a few months. They expect to return to the flat for the winter.
A number of young people were guests at dinner Sunday at the Lewis E. Yoder country home west of town.
Those present were the Misses Wilma Boller, Ruth and Lois Fisher, Ruth and Mable Brenneman, Velma Eash, Dorothy and Velma Miller, and Grace Shetler, and the Messers, Paul Gingerich, Raymond Brenneman, Gordon Miller Eldon Rhodes, Dan Shetler and Clifton Gingerich.
There will be two special numbers of music played at the Kalona band concert Saturday night.
They will be played by the Clarinette Quintette composed of Muriel Michel, Helen Snodgrass, Robert Gingerich, Pauline Peterseim and Dennis Michum.
Menno S. Yoder reports that his wheat turned out exceptionally well for this year. He threshed last Friday. He thresed ten acres which averaged just 32 to the acre.
Richmond
Ardell Piper and Modesta Tebockhorst of Washington will be married August 3rd at Washington.
Mick Duwa finished his threshing Monday. The run had four jobs this year, and 14 jobs other years.
L. F. Duwa hulled clover for Wm. Shalla Friday.
The heat of the past week has certainly been terrible. If relief doesn't come soon, the corn crop won't amount to much as the tassels are burning badly.
Middleburg
John Bulger's wheat turned out 30 bushels to the acre, and Herman Ruth's wheat turned out 35 bushels to the acre. Oats turned out from 4 to 14 bushels to the acre.
Mr. and Mrs. Homer Yoder and daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Brenneman and children spent Sunday evening at the Elmer Schrock home.
Amish (Joetown)
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brenneman are the parents of a 9 pound boy, July 22.
John Brenneman is under the doctor's care nursing a very sore arm; the effects from a hog bite several weeks ago.
Brush
D. B. Swartzendruber had his alfalfa seed hulled Friday afternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Hershberger and daughter, Lydia were callers at the John Hershberger home Thursday morning.
Mrs. A. F. Troyer, Orval, Alma and Vivian Stutzman were Sunday visitors at the Willis Troyer home near Wayland.
Sharon
A few relatives gathered at the home of Mrs. Mable Meer last Wednesday and tendered a reception to her son and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Meer.
Threshing is pretty well completed in our neighborhoods. Oats that were not cut until after the storm of Sunday, July 15 were very poor.
Mrs. Annon Christner is reported to be improving nicely in an Iowa City hospital where she submitted to an operation for appendicitis.
Pilotburg
July 23-We are having almost unbearably hot weather. Some are losing livestock with the heat, which they can ill afford.
Little Bobbie Fisher is recovering from a tonsil operation.
Carl Oldfield's have the enclosed porch rebuilt since the storm and wind of a week ago which did so much damage.
George Shalla threshed last Friday for about an hour and got 20 bushels of oats. Three jobs were done that afternoon.
Ora Stumpf is threshing today on the "Jake Bishop Run" Carl D. Anderson, Marion Stransky, and Joe Vodicka were finished today. Tomorrow Albert Maas, Allison Maas and maybe Orva Scott, and Stanley Mouser has a few loads, and that will complete the work for his year.
Last Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Marion Stansky entertained with a picnic in their grove, Mr. and Mrs. Milford Anderson and baby. Richard, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Myers and baby and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Unthnz and baby, John of Washington. The young men were high school mates.
Egypt
Mr. and Mrs. Melo Horak and family and Hora Brothers spent Friday night at the Charles Sojka home.
Harry Malichky and Charles Sojka shipped a carload of cattle to Chicago last Sunday morning.
Mrs. Rene De Wulf's mother, of Wheatland, Iowa is visiting at the Rene DeWulf home.
Prairie Flower
Dave Brenneman has a well-made deeper on his farm last week.
John Rittenhouse has been hulling his alfalfa and clover for seed. Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Fishburn and daughter Alice, spent Wednesday in Des Moines visiting their daughter and sister, Irene who is employed at that place.
C. A. Fishburn and Chas. Ashby shelled corn Friday afternoon.
50 years ago
July 30, 1959
7,000 Attend Kalona's
Barbecue Day
Governor and Mrs. Loveless were met by Mayor and Mrs. R. H. Peterseim at the parade grounds at which time the Mayor presented the Governor with a boutonniere and Mrs. Loveless with a beautiful orchid.
The Mid-Prairie schools mass band played a concert in the park and at 11, Chairman of the day, Raymond Yotty welcomed the crowd on behalf of the Kalona Community Clubs and Committee chairman: Logan Reif, Joe Chody, Joe Fisher, Dr. Paul McAndrew and Chet Miller. He introduced the Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Dendy Garrett who introduced Mayor and Mrs. R. H. Peterseim and Governor and Mrs. Herschel C. Loveless.
Following the Governors talk a free beef barbecue luncheon was served to 4,800 people. Consumed were 165 gallons of baked beans, 187 pounds of potato chips, 225 pounds of Kalona Swiss cheese, 1,500 pounds of beef, gallons of coffee and orange drink.
Local News
Miss Dorothy Mae Coblentz of Kalona, daughter of Chris Coblentz of Osceola and the late Mrs. Coblentz, became the bride of James Ivan Nelson, July 26.
Dr. and Mrs. Paul McAndrew are the parents of a daughter, Anne Marie, born July 23 in Iowa City.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Mayer July 23 at the Washington hospital.
A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Bontrager at the Washington hospital on July 28, he weighed nine pounds, eight ounces.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Way and David C. Ekstrand visited Thursday evening with Clair Bailey and helped him celebrate his birthday anniversary.
Mrs. Darrell Hostetler and Mrs. John Krall were co-hosttesses at a pink and blue shower in the formers home, Tuesday afternoon, honoring Mrs. Luke Drescher.
Sunday dinner guests in the Elmer Schrock home were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schrock and family, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Schrock, Emma Jean Schrock, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hochstetler and Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hochstetler Jr. of California and Margert Gingerich. The dinner was in honor of the birthday anniversaries of Emma Jean, Alice, Dallas and Stanley Schrock.
Kids Baseball
Outstanding Hitters-Duane Chalupa hit a 3-run homer for the Braves 3-2 win.
Ward Niffenegger also hit a 3-homer as the White Sox handed the Braves their first loss, 3-0.
Gary Miller and Richard Miller hit well to give the Cardinals their first two wins of the season. Kirk Bailey pitched for the Cardinals.
Pilotburg
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oldfield went to La Clede, Mo. Friday to get Daryl Oldfields little boy who has spent the week at the Mennonite Bible camp there.
Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Shaw and Jeffery moved from Iowa City Saturday to the parental Jim Shaw home.
Wesley Freel sold turkey hens Monday and Jim Shaw helped catch them.
The contractors now have the cement floor in the basement of Wayne Stransky's new house which they are building.
The Richard Scotts were supper hosts to Dr. and Mrs. L. C. Swain of Wellman Sunday evening. The Gene and Michael Scott families were present also.
Bayertown
Mrs. John Sleichter was called to Monroe, Wisconsin last weekend by the sudden death of her brother, Harry Wagner.
Mrs. Meredith Maas is visiting in Wheaton, Illinois at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ed Howe. Mr. and Mrs. Howe are the proud parents of a new daughter.
Mrs. Rose Sleichter and Mrs. Irma Sleichter called on Mrs. Edwin Grout Thursday afternoon.
Frank Pierce
Mrs. Frank Fry, Jimmy and Garey McGlumphry were Sunday dinner guests at the Richard Yoder home in Kalona. Jimmy and Garey are spending time this week with their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ihrig.
Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Taylor, of Englewood, California visited at the H. J. Fry home on Thursday of last week.
Richmond
Barbara and Bill Covey of Moline, Illinois are visiting at the Wm. Shalla and Robert Welte Jr. homes. Cathy Welte returned home after a visit at the Covey home.
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Hamer and family and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Blakely and daughters of Fairfield were dinner guests at the Mrs. Dennis Jardon home on Sunday.
25 years ago
July 30, 1989
Arrivals
Mark and Karla Troyer of Blue Grass are parents of a 7 lb. 13 oz. daughter, Amy Sue, born July 24. She was welcomed home by a sister Jill. Grandparents are Harold and Evelyn Troyer and Jerry Wilson of Blue Grass.
Rick and Jeannie Pfannebecker are the parents of a son, Derrick Daniel, born July 27 and weighing 12 ounces. He joins 2 brothers, Mike and Nick. Grandparents are Jim Litwiller of Des Moines, Jacqueline Flanegan of Chamblee, Ga. and Mildred Lee of North English.
Local News
Kalona Blacksmith and Welding - Formerly Fisher Blacksmith & Welding IS NOW OPEN FOR Business - Robert C. Yoder, Owner
John McDowell, who retired in June as secretary for the Mid-Prairie Board of Education, was guest of honor at a farewell dinner July 30, at the Kalonial Townhouse.
The farm of Leroy and Edith Ropp, in Johnson Country was honored as a Century Farm at ceremonies held July 1 at the All Iowa State Fair.
Don L. Miller, 18, of Kalona was killed July 30, 1984 in an apparent industrial accident at the Yoder, Inc. feed plant in Frytown.
Jacqueline Kay Kerf, daughter of Donald J. and Mayme Kerf of Iowa City, and Jimmy Lynn Miller, son of Wilson L. and Lois Miller of Kalona were united in marriage July 28.
Last week optimist Steve Snyder had as his guest speaker Don Showalter, basketball coach from Central of Elkader. Don shared past and present coaching experiences and hopes to be returning to this area soon.
Richmond
Mrs. Blanche Saforek went to Davenport Wednesday of last week for a visit at the Don Saforek home and to help Don celebrate his birthday.
Delila and Mary Wade, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Wade of Austin, Texas, came by plane Saturday for a visit with their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Wade and family.
Pleasantview
Ann Schmidt and Jan Truelson of the Activity Department took a van load of resident to the Johnson County Fair Thursday afternoon to view 4-H exhibits. Those who went were Lawrence Miller, Blanche Marner, Dorothy Yoder, Fanny Smucker, Maude Gingerich, Chris A. Yoder, Mille Putnam.
Frytown News
From a modest farm-based operation started in 1934 to a three-division agri-business, known as Yoder, Inc., Yoder Feed has come a long way in 50 years. The firm is celebrating its half-century of business August 25.
When Jonas Y. Yoder began mixing and selling livestock feed to his fellow farmers of the rural Frytown area in 1934, the United States was in the midst of the worst depression in its history.
M.P. News
The Mid-Prairie Athletic Boosters held their regular meeting July 26, at the high school. Present were 15 members and activities director Gary Fickel.
Ed and Gweyn Augustine distributed materials and discussed plans for contacting community businesses for ads.
Janice and Dennis Berger reported on the athletic schedules to be ordered.
Flint Ridge
By: Bill Jr.
Kevin Lammer, Lisa Yoder, Don and Ruth Yoder took on a big feed down at the Coffee Cup in Olds, Iowa, last Thursday night.
We had a lot of fun giving rides with Dolly and the cart, Prince and Babe in the buggy up at the last Thursday evening.
We say Thank You! to the Kalona Sales Barn for stabling our horses overnight Friday and to Heather and Jennifer Jones for helping us haul hay to our horses.
On Saturday morning when we headed home the burr on the left front wheel let loose and we lost a wheel right between Mark Swartzendrubers and the new Methodist Minister's place and we sure to say Thanks! to the new preacher for helping us get squared around again and we were soon on our way after we went back about five hundred feet and found the burr and you can bet we have our wheels tight now.
Elmer Millers and John Benders of Harrisonburg, Virginia, also spent a vacation in the White Hall areas and I guess the Benders had quite a reunion.
Adios