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Remember When: A Community Review of Tonganoxie

By Billie Aye - | Nov 8, 2011

10 years ago: Oct. 24, 2001

Dedication: Tonganoxie’s Assembly of God Church, damaged in the May 2000 tornado, is now rebuilt. Members plan a dedication service and open house on December 9.

Deaths: Rita Marie Dressler, 69, Tonganoxie, died October 20, 2001; Velma Christine Hughes, 71, Kansas City, Kansas, died October 19, 2001; Gale D. Reeves, 90, Bonner Springs, died October 15, 2001.

Bob and Jerri Cooper were dismayed to discover that someone had stolen two large American flags from the couple’s Tonganoxie home. The only flag they have left is this small plastic flag. (Caption under picture.) The article continued with the information flags had also been stolen from Mike Vestal’s vehicle, and also from B & J.

Stitching Patriotic: Patriotic business is booming. Americans are buying and flying flags as never before. Store shelves, once filled with red, white and blue, are empty. But one Tonganoxie business has a novel way of supplying more flags. They make their own—stitch by stitch. Sherry Coulter and Michelle Weigel, owners of Rainbow Designs, a professional embroidery business, says that since the Sept. 11 acts of terrorism, more of their clients are asking for flags. (Pictures showed a flag being embroidered, which would have 17,105 stitches when completed, and Sherry and Michelle keeping an eye on Coulter’s four-head commercial sewing machine as it embroiders flags on T-shirts.)

Births: Shawn and Lajean Keene, Tonganoxie, announce the birth of a son, Emmett Gene on August 17, 2001; Dawn-Marie and Ben W. Black, Spring Hill, announce the birth of a son, Daniel Christopher, September 2, 2001.

25 years ago: Oct. 22, 1986

Zane Morgan, son of Ray and Melva Morgan, was elected homecoming King October 17, 1986; Lisa Keeler, daughter of Larry and Glenda Keeler, was elected homecoming Queen October 17, 1986.

Mr. George Cooper officially retired in July 1986, from Gas Products, a division of Puritan-Bennett Corporation. (Twenty-nine years of Mr. Cooper’s life had been spent with the Air Force.)

The stop light at the corner of 24-40 Hwy and 16 Hwy was removed by a large, tall truck which had been given clearance to travel the route. It now lies near the City Shop for repairs.

Births: Mr. and Mrs. Richard McNett announce the arrival of Rachel Lynn, born October 8, 1986; Mr. and Mrs. Pete Reischman, Tonganoxie, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Richard Eugene, born October 16, 1986; Jarbalo Jottings: Jim and Maria Winker are the parents of a baby girl, Sarah Maria, born Sept. 26, 1986.

Mr. John Lenahan, President of the Tonganoxie Historical Society, presented a most interesting look into the past in our town with pictures and slides of some former buildings, streets and people, at the Florence Riford Club October the 6th. (Mr. Lenahan first showed a picture of the Old Tonganoxie Lodge where Chief Tonganoxie resided out on the Tinberg place and it was noted the foundation still stands there.)

50 years ago: Nov.. 9, 1961

Mr. and Mrs. James Ronan, east of Tonganoxie, not only have been married fifty years, but seem to have married the farm, too, where they live. All of the fifty years were spent there.

Death: Mrs. Della S. White, Tonganoxie, passed away November 8, 1961, at the age of 88 years.

Work has finally started on the new post office. This (Thursday) morning men started tearing down the old Davis Cafe building on the east.

The Community and Project Leaders of the Happy Helpers 4-H Club enjoyed a buffet dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Parsons and Marilyn Kay. Those assisting in preparing and serving were Misses Rachel Slawson, Carol Lee and Donna Moore. These girls are all enrolled in cooking projects.

Linwood: Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Montgomery announce the birth of twins October 24, at Emperor Beach, California. They have been named Christine Leona and Christopher Leon; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Mathia announce the birth of a son, November 1.

Reno Community News: Harl Sloan and his son, Harold, went deer hunting near DeBeque, Colorado, and returned home October 23 with three deer.

75 years ago: Oct. 15, 1936

Linwood News: Little Ray Zimmerli had his tonsils removed at the office of Dr. Fred Johnson, Saturday.

An apricot tree at the Clyde Sturgis place is in bloom and a row of cherry trees where George Shrimplin lives are in bloom.

Lawrence: Production has been slow in starting on the Jockey Bike, the new invention of George Rumsey, which is being manufactured in the old Turner Hall on East 9th street. (the Bike was a riding device that will take the place of the tricycle for children. 3,000 had been made.)

Elizabeth Jessie Sutherland Wilkinson died October 8, 1936, at her home in Canon City, Colorado.

Just-A-Thinkin’: (Walt Neibarger) We don’t want to be a wet blanket, but there is still some doubt in our mind about this prosperity the new dealers talk about. The figures sound nice, but where is the money?

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Titres, Kansas City, Mo., announce the birth of a daughter September 23; Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Lash are the proud parents of a son born Oct. 11.

From “It Happened in Kansas” by F. A. Cooper: By authority of the law Samuel Nickles of Linn County was ordered to leave Kansas….his home was burned and his personal property confiscated. This sentence was imposed because he had been accused and found guilty of owning a copy of the New York Tribune….it was against the law to own a copy of a ‘Free State’ newspaper in 1855.

100 years ago: Oct. 26, 1911

Samuel W. Conlin, once a resident of Tonganoxie, and son-in-law of Mrs. Amanda Vantine, was badly injured in a collision in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday morning and he died just before noon. He was in a taxicab which collided with a street car.

Mrs. Margaret Fox died at three o’clock Thursday morning, October 19, from apoplexy, after an illness of 19 days. (Mrs. Fox had been born in Ireland and came to America in 1852. She married Michael Fox and they moved to Parkville, there experiencing border warfare. They were among the early pioneers of Kansas, homesteading in Lynn County.

Richard King died suddenly and unexpectedly at his home near Neely a week ago last evening, on the day that he became 60 years old. Richard King was born a slave in Platte County, Missouri, in the year 1851. In 1865 he settled on Stranger Creek, and then moved to Neely. He had lived on the place he died for 41 years.

Henry Shirley, for many years a resident near the township line six miles west, died suddenly Sunday of heart troubles, at the age of 73 years. A rupture of the aorta of he heart was the cause.

Mrs. Catherine Kemberling died Tuesday evening of old age, in the 85th year of her age.

Mrs. H.W. Reed died early Sunday morning of consumption.

Word reached here Monday that Frank Brown had died at Kenewick, Klickitat county, Washington, the evening before of pneumonia.

Linwood: Ambrose Hall, Linwood, aged 22, died last Thursday following a relapse of typhoid fever; J. W.Harbaugh, one of the early settlers of Linwood, died suddenly Sunday of apoplexy.

The Tonganoxie State Bank got through with remodeling its interior last week. The wood work on the inside has been made to match the mahogany fixtures, the floor in the lobby is marble tiled, and the partition between the lobby and business room is of marble.