Aug. 20, 2025: TIMES PAST compiled by Sue Ann Jones
This old photo, believed to be a threshing operation near Dora, was shared with the Ozark County Historium several years ago by Geneva Collins Infield of Sepulpa, Oklahoma. Geneva’s father, the late Willie Otis Collins, grew up on a Dora-area farm that had been homesteaded by James Franklin Collins in the 1800s.
Ozark County News
July 19, 1883
The rattle of the thresher is now heard in different parts of the county.
John H. Beach had the misfortune on last Saturday to lose his mare. He had been working her to a thresher, and he thinks she got too warm and drank too much water, shortly after which she died. This works a hardship on Mr. Beach, as it breaks his team.
James Crabtree took the last of the pigeon men to the railroad this week. They had a wagon load of pigeons.
July 8, 1897
And now the hum of the thresher is heard on this summit. Wheat is good and the inhabitants are correspondingly happy in anticipation of the good biscuits which the Ozark women so well know how to get up to tickle the pallets of the average dweller on these mountains. There are two machines in hearing, both manned by a jolly crew, full of whim, ambition and a good appetite, one of the crew being able to stow away 14 biscuits at a meal.
July 4, 1901
Farmers in this locality are stacking their wheat on account of not being able to get a machine in the country to thresh it. There is a hundred percent more wheat in the county than was expected, and few machines in a condition to take care of it.
Ozark County Times
March 19, 1909
Dormis items – Last Saturday so many wagons passed through this little city that it appeared as if it was the 4th of July going on, but it was only a lot of our citizens taking cane heads to the thresher at Will Howard's. They threshed 65 bushels of seed. Now if our farmers will plant it all for syrup, what taffy pulls we can have next winter.
Bakersfield News
Sept. 2, 1909
Dormis items (Wiley M. Tilman correspondent) – The voice of the thresher has been making music in our land this week, and it is so opportune that we all feel like beating time on our kneading boards.
The lightning ran into Henry Howard's house during the electrical storm Saturday night and burned out the wire in two telephone call bells. Also knocked off part of the door casing and came near setting his house on fire.
Ozark County Times
Aug. 7, 1947
Progress on the new landing strip at Gainesville Airport, located at the junction of highways 80 and E, is continuing with most of the heavy grading completed.
According to Mayor H. T. Harlin, over an acre of trees were uprooted by a bulldozer operated by Orr and Noble Hill. . . . Money from the State of Missouri was used to hire the bulldozer.
Aug. 25, 1955
It was announced today by Supt. Mearle Luna that Everett Upton has resigned as janitor of the Gainesville School System. The board of education has hired Avril Pierce to replace Upton.
Mr. and Mrs. Max Decker of Tecumseh, who are teachers in the Gainesville High School, have received their B.S. degree in education this summer and have returned to their home at Tecumseh.
Mrs. Robert Usrey and new daughter Melissa have returned to their home here. They were visited Saturday by Mrs. Tom Burns and daughter of Willow Springs.
Aug. 21, 1985
Wasola Volunteer Fire Department may soon protect to the Gainesville city limits, and work hand-in-hand with the city VFD, if discussions currently underway prove fruitful. Wasola has already expanded its limits beyond the standard five-miles radius to extend to the Bryan Plastics plant on the south side. Now it proposes expanding all the way to Gainesville.