TIMES PAST


Marv Looney, left, told the Times this photo was taken in 1957 or ’58 when he and his fellow fisherman friends, the late Jollie Pace and Don Rackley, caught three limits of bass one night on Bull Shoals Lake while fishing out of what was then Pontiac Boat Dock. He believes they were fishing from a boat owned by Pace and another friend, John R. Sims, and it “probably had a 10 hp motor on it.” At the time, Looney and his wife, the late Delores Robbins Looney, owned the Rod and Gun Motel on W Highway near Pontiac, and Marv also taught school in Gainesville. He went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas and serve as president or chancellor of colleges around the country, retiring back to Pontiac after ending his career as chancellor of what is now Missouri State University-West Plains.

The F. E. Norton headstone mentioned in this week’s 1889 Times Past item from the Ozark County News. The grave is in the Price and Mitchell family cemetery at Udall (formerly St. Ledger).

Ozark County News
May 30, 1889
 Boone & Mishler’s marble shop at this place has just finished a very fine monument for F. E. Norton, deceased, to be put up at his grave near St. Ledger [now Udall]. It is said to be the finest monument in the county. The inscriptions were cut by J. A. Miller.
 
May 30, 1901
The Gainesville Milling Co. now have their mill running doing custom work and giving entire satisfaction. We have been using the Gaines-ville Patent flour since the mill began work and can say to the credit of the Co. that it is the best flour we have used since we have been in the county. 
 
Ozark County Times
June 5, 1908
 The Decoration exercise at the Gainesville cemetery was well attended, and everybody enjoyed the orations and recitations.
 Mrs. Ivy Hicks, who shot and instantly killed her husband a few weeks ago, had a preliminary hearing before Justice Hogard last Friday and was held to the circuit court which convenes in August.
The four oldest children, the oldest of whom was 16 and the youngest 9 years old, ... gave evidence which will surely convict their mother and was something that touched the hearts of all present. A contribution for the benefit of the children was taken up. 
 
May 31, 1918
 Camp Devens, Mass. ... The time has come when my comrades and I must leave this grand old U.S.A. with its loving parents, sisters and sweethearts ... and get at the noble work which lies before us. ...
The ladies gave us a fine supper tonight at the “Y.”
We went through some gas today which was three times stronger than we will have in France. ... We will leave this week sometime. Don’t worry, only trust that I will do my duty as a soldier and return to you safe and sound. ... Degie Cantrell
 Four or five carloads of Gainesville folks attended the Sharp Red Cross meeting Sunday. All report a fine time.
Chief Clerk Hugh Layton and C. F. Grisham, chairman of the local board, entrained 27 Ozark County boys enroute to Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa, at West Plains on Tuesday.
Ozark County was called on for 42 men but only 27 registrants could be supplied from this county at this call. 
 
May 27, 1943
Max Mahan and Gene Terry were two of our young men who joined the armed forces this week. We are informed also that Mary Weatherford plans to enter nurse’s training in St. Louis soon.
Dawt – We are glad to see Old North Fork and Bryant getting back in their banks again. Several people here happened to be on the wrong side of the river when the big headwater came down and had to go by way of West Plains and Twin Bridges before they could reach their homes.
John Blair fell and broke his arm while fishing Thursday.
Chester North is home from the camps on a furlough. Several attended the cake supper given in his honor at Sigel Watkins on Thursday night. 
Bertha Bratcher died after a long illness. She was laid to rest in the James cemetery. 
 
May 30, 1968
The sign-up date for the eight weeks of baton lessons to be taught by Mrs. Patty Crisp at GHS is Monday at 1 p.m. at the high school. 
 Cadet Michael Mearle Frazier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mearle Frazier of Gainesville, will graduate from Wentworth Military Academy, a junior college at Lexington, Mo., on June 2.
 
May 26, 1993
The Gainesville High School class of 1993 held their commencement exercises at the high school football field at 7 p.m. on May 22.
Members of the senior class, 59 students, were awarded their diplomas under cloud-filled skies. ...
Joe Scott, GHS alumnus, was the speaker at the ceremony.

Ozark County Times

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PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

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Fax: (417) 679-3423