Feb. 26, 2025: TIMES PAST compiled by Sue Ann Jones
A 1995 Times Past item below reports the sale of Johnson’s store on the Gainesville square, announcing that it would become a Curtis Department Store owned by David and Karey Quackenbush of Willow Springs. This photo, from the 1968 GHS Bulldogger, shows the Johnson family 27 years earlier, standing in front of the store on the west side of the Gainesville square, From left: Rex and Frances Johnson with their children Lisa (front), Teresa and Eric, with Rex’s parents, store founders Jessie and Frank Johnson at right.
Ozark County News
Feb. 20, 1890
Considerable excitement prevails in this county, especially the east part, over the discovery of mineral. The ore is supposed to contain silver. There is no doubt, mineral of different kinds in Ozark county, which only wait development.
The Democrat
Feb. 22, 1905
Walter Durham of Pine creek while out hunting last Sunday accidentally discharged a double-barreled shotgun, the load entered his foot, and it is feared that an amputation will be necessary.
The Republican
Feb. 22, 1906
Sheriff Mahan left last Saturday for Jefferson City with Wm. Sizemore, who was sentenced last week to two years in the penitentiary for felonious assault.
Ozark County Times
Feb. 20, 1925
Unusually large crowds attended the Amyx picture show on Tuesday and Wednesday nights of last week and were much pleased with the picture “The Merry Go Round.”
Pontiac items – An ounce of prevention is worth 10 lbs. of cure, so let Fatty Barner vaccinate your hogs against cholera.
Feb. 22, 1940
Mrs. Curt Luna was injured, physicians could not yet tell how seriously, when the coupe in which she and her husband were riding slid off of the highway coming down a steep hill on the Zanoni Road No. E a few miles north of town, turned over early Wednesday morning as they were on their way from their home on Caney to town. . . . Her most severe injury is a deep dent in the skull behind and above the left ear.
Feb. 18, 1965
The home economics classes of Gainesville high school will present their annual fashion show in the school gymnasium on Friday night. Curtain time is 8 p.m.
Mrs. Sue Nell Gault, Ozark county representative, said she is co-sponsoring a bill that would require physicians to notify law enforcement authorities whenever they suspect a child under 17 years of age has been cruelly treated. A sponsor of the bill said more children are killed by parental discipline than in traffic accidents.
Feb. 20, 1985
Three of Ozark county’s five school districts have scheduled Saturday makeup days from 8:30 to 12:30. Gainesville, Lutie and Thornfield will hold school on these hours on Feb. 23, March 9 and March 30.
Feb. 22, 1995
After months of searching, Ozark County Commissioners say they have found what they think is the best location for the new jail facility. . . . Commissioners say they are working on a contract to purchase five acres of land on Old Hwy. 160 West near the Ozark County Ambulance building. . . . Architects are pondering the installation of two entrances to the jail site, one from the old highway, and the other from the new highway. . . . The total price for the land is $20,000.
The end of an Ozark County tradition draws near with the selling of Johnson’s Store, a clothing store which has operated in the area since 1905. Rex and Frances Johnson recently announced they have sold their Gainesville square store to David and Karey Quackenbush of Willow Springs.