March 18, 2026: TIMES PAST compiled by Sue Ann Jones
The Deupree Store in Dora In this undated photo, W. R. “Ray” Deupree stands on the porch of Dora’s first store, which his parents bought when they moved to Dora from Oklahoma in 1912. The store was started by Anton Fisher sometime after he bought land there in 1878. Fisher established a post office and named it for his daughter, Dora. According to the writings of Dora merchant and historian Bess Cropper (1898-1987), other store owners after Fisher were U. L. Winkler, D. L. Harlin, Joe and Frank Harlin and then Ray’s parents, Edwin and Mattie Deupree. Ray Deupree worked with his dad in the store and post office and eventually took over the store and ran it until his death at age 86 in 1967, when the store closed permanently. Ray and his wife, Alta, had two children, Elizabeth Deupree Toler, whose adult life was spent in California, and well-known Dora-area farmer and horseman Dick Deupree (1925-2024). The photo is from the collection of Mary Collins, curator of the Dora Historian Facebook page.
Ozark County News
March 19, 1896
A pugilistic encounter took place in the court-yard on Monday in which one of the combatants was considerably disfigured and the other was fined [can’t read] and the [court] costs. The trouble grew out of unnecessary gossip about the burning of J. M. Boone’s house. The party who so richly deserved what he got in the scrap had made the statement that Boone burnt his own house.
Bakersfield News
March 3, 1906
Bridges Creek items – The prayer meeting at Baptist Hill was very well attended Sunday.
E. L. Lawyer, who was so badly kicked by a mule a short time ago, is now able to be at work.
Ozark County Times
March 26, 1915
The post office at this place, which has been located in the Wood & Reed Merc. Co’s building for the past twenty or more years, was moved on Monday into the Boone & Amyx building on the southwest corner of the square.
Dora items – Mr. [Edwin] Deupree has bought the Slater farm.
Feb 15, 1940
Edwin A. Deupree, 91-year-old retired postmaster of Dora, died at the home of his son, Webb Deupree, at 10 o’clock Monday morning. His death resulted from shock caused by a leg fracture sustained a little more than a week ago.
Mr. Deupree, who had served as postmaster at Dora for 27 years, had retired from the office only the day before he fell.
March 13, 1941
H. R. Barner of Pontiac was a visitor at the Times office last Monday. He has had quite a siege of typhoid fever, and this was his first trip to Gainesville in eight months.
Pontiac items – Arnold Martin is home from the U. S. Army camp visiting his father E. P. Martin. Arnold is one of Uncle Sam’s million soldiers who may taste Hitler’s Heel Dust in a few more months.
March 19, 1959
The Luna Store here has installed two new pieces of equipment. The store has added a new freezer case for handling frozen foods and a new saw for the meat department.
March 17, 1966
M. J. Luna, superintendent, and A. C. Dreckman, Gainesville school board president, were in Jefferson City Monday to appeal to state department officials for Public Law 89-10 funds with which to construct rooms for the kindergarten at the elementary school.... Tentative approval was approved for a $10,000 grant with which to construct a kindergarten unit of one room with minimum size of 1,000 sq. ft.
March 14, 1991
Funeral services for Ozark County native and lifelong resident Ealum Bruffet, 75, of Gainesville were held March 9 at Lilly Ridge General Baptist Church, Brother Dale Roberts officiating. . . .
Mr. Bruffett was a U. S. Army veteran who served during World War II as a gunnery instructor. He also served as an aerial gunner on a B-24. ...
He taught school for a total of 31 years in 15 different area schools. ...
Mr. Bruffett served as state representative from Ozark County to the Missouri House of Representatives from 1949 to 1962 except for one year when Uncle John Harlin held that office. ...