TIMES PAST


This photo, shared by Ozark County Historium genealogist Rhonda Herndon, was donated to the Historium several years ago by Larry Loftis. Taken sometime around 1910, it shows the “Sawmill by Ramsey Spring, below the Arthur Loftis place, toward Smith Chapel Church,” according to notes with the photo, which also identify Will Loftis, center, holding the shovel; Henry “Shoat” Womack at right, holding the team of horses; and “Amyx children up front.”

The Democrat
July 13, 1904
J. W. Terry of Lilly Ridge, one of our most prosperous farmers, is extensively engaged in the sheep business. He now has about 400 head of a good breed.
Albert Harley found two bee trees last week. The comb in one of the trees reached about 8 feet up and down the tree.
 
Ozark County Times
July 12, 1918
The Red Cross sale and picnic at Hammond on July 4 conducted by the Sunday School at that place netted $223.40 for the Red Cross fund.
J. C. Harlin is building a 20 x 36 store building with some of the old school house lumber on the southwest corner of the square. Hawk Walker and Henry Wood are doing the carpenter work. Virgil Graves will move his grocery into the new building when completed. 
Caney – The people of this district met at the schoolhouse June 28 to raise our $200 quota.
We only have 19 voters in this district. We raised $640 all told. We also over subscribed our 3rd Liberty Loan. 
 Dora – The meeting at Pine Valley on June 28 was well attended. Over $300 worth of Stamps were subscribed for.
Several from here attended the picnic at Shipley Spring July 4. They say the war drink, lemonade sweetened with molasses, isn’t very good.
 
July 8, 1943
Bro. Floyd Hitchcock is flying to Gainesville July 18. He will light just south of Gainesville, near the graveyard. He expects to arrive about 10 o’clock. There will be preaching at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the high school auditorium.  
 A fine group of our young people are planning to attend the Christian Service Camp at Bennett Springs Christian Church Camp Aug. 1-7. The entire cost is $5.50 for the five and a half days.
 
July 10, 1958
The 35th annual Steel Bridge picnic will get under way today at Tecumseh. ... An old fiddlers contest will highlight the entertainment. All political candidates will be welcome to speak.
Arthur L. Beard, M.D., and his wife and daughter moved here last week to make their home. They came here from Little Rock, where Dr. Beard has just completed his residency in surgery at the Baptist Hospital there.
Dr. Beard will have his office in the building now being constructed on the Walker lot, east of the Times office. 
 
July 18, 1968
A chain was fastened to a gas pump and then attached to a school bus on Dora school property Friday night. The pump was then pulled up and dragged some 30 feet. It was destroyed in the process, according to Sheriff Herman Pierce, who is investigating the incident.
A fire at the Turkey Creek Resort in the Theodosia community destroyed two guest units and the home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Edwards, owners and operators of the resort.
Some clothing and furnishings were saved, and the Edwardses have purchased a trailer and installed it at the resort to use as a home until they can rebuild after the tourist season. They are the parents of five children ranging in age from two weeks to 13 years.
 Dora – The Needmore congregation and Mr. and Mrs. Glen Downen and boys from near West Plains and David Ocumas and family from Wichita met on the Bedford Cansler farm on the Bryant the 4th and had a wiener roast and a good supper.
Dawt – Helen and Edward Stenger picked blackberries at the Rancks recently. Canning berries and beans is the order of the day.
Your service stripes are the scratches made by blackberry thorns. 
 
July 14, 1993
Jerry Carter of Tecumseh has recently opened Comix Plus on the Gainesville square. He and his wife will buy and sell comics and sports cards. They also carry compact discs, books and tapes. 
 Jerry Ford and his wife Suzi of Bakersfield have started a new stretch limousine service with a 1988 Lincoln Town Car they purchased recently. The couple are long-time residents of Ozark County.
The limo service also hopes to offer services in the Branson area as well as West Plains. Ford has been employed with Ozark County as a road grade operator for 17 years.
 

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423