Deaths: Helen Stiglmire, 86, Tonganoxie, died March 14, 1996. Willa Pearl Guthrie, 81, Tonganoxie, died March 16, 1996.

(Picture) Victoria McDowell, an eighth-grader at McLouth Middle School, was one of the 14 outstanding young musicians selected from 800 to perform at an honors recital Sunday night. She received a 1+ on her vocal solo, which was judged by college students at Washburn University.

(Picture) One hundred hours. That’s how much time it took Russell Ehart, Springdale, to carve a bust of John F. Kennedy out of a soft maple tree trunk. Ehart is a wood carver, and has been at it since December 1994 after a wall fell on him at a constructions site and he injured his back.

Birth: Werner and Mary Jo Bartels of Tonganoxie announce the birth of Celeste Nicole Bartels on March 12, 1996.

(Picture) Sam Wiles and Otis Ryan of Wiles Construction volunteered their time to help the Historical Society fasten two restored belfries onto the roofs of the old church and school at the society’s site on Evans Road. Rick Hinkley with Belger Cartage donated his crane services, and society chairman Don Heubner and Jean Lenahan were on hand.

25 years ago: March 18, 1981

Jim Ditty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Ditty, Rt. 2, Tonganoxie, was the winner of the spelling bee at the Tonganoxie Middle School for the second year in a row. Vickie Groshong, Rt. 1, Tonganoxie, was runner up and would represent the middle school at the county spelling bee in Leavenworth in the event Ditty could not make it.

Death: Daniel Oelschlaeger, 84, Tonganoxie, died Sunday at his home.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Rosenberg of Sanger, Texas, announce the birth of a daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, March 12, 1981. Mr. and Mrs. Hervey Quisenberry of Tonganoxie are the maternal grandparents, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rosenberg of Gainesville, Texas, are the paternal grandparents.

McLouth News: Clarence McHenry, Overland Park, died March 5, 1981.

McLouth News: Mr. and Mrs. Ben Leavitt, Tonganoxie, announce the birth of a grandson, Jeremiah, on Feb. 25. The parents are Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cole, Bennington.

John Lenahan has assembled all these (pictures) into a book form, namely, “Yesteryears” with the help of his son, John “Chip” Lenahan Jr. This will be available to the public soon, possibly this month.

50 years ago: April 5, 1956

Deaths: Linda Lou Beard, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Beard, of Quopaw, Okla., passed away April 2, 1956. Graveside services for John Harrod, who passed away March 28, 1956, age 77 years, were Saturday.

Birth: Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kerns of Lawrence, announce the birth of a son, Mark Alan on March 29, 1956; Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Sackett of Manhattan, Kan., announce the birth of a daughter, Jerilyn Gwen, on April 2, 1956.

The Weekly News Reel: A note from William Barton tells us that the grade school population is now 288, an all time high for Tonganoxie.

The Western Auto Associate Store, owned and operated by John Haas, will open officially Friday morning. The building formerly housed the Tonganoxie Clothing Store, was completely redecorated prior to its sale to Wm. Shaw by John Dorney. Mr. and Mrs. Haas and children, Larry, 7; Kathleen 4; and Marilyn, 18 months, are moving to their new home on East Seventh street about June 1.

Five new homes are under way in the old Ball Park area on lower Pleasant Street. They are being built by Wm. Burgoyne, who has completed and sold three others there. The new Burgoyne homes face Seventh and Eighth Streets. Also facing Seventh Street in the Ball Park area next to Pleasant Creek is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Papenhausen.

75 years ago: March 12, 1931

Deaths: Effie Colleen Douglas was born April 8 last year and died March 9, 1931. The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Channel, died about an hour later than the Douglas baby. Mr. J.L. Trew, who for many years was a resident of Tonganoxie, died March 4, 1931 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Rudolph Jr., Leavenworth at the age of 77 years. Mr. Trew had the experience of crossing the plains by the old-time method of travel with ox teams from Iowa to California.

And now Tonganoxie has a quilt that was designed for it and named for it. Madame Hall of Leavenworth, discoverer of the design, thinks the pattern and the name “Nine Patch,” particularly appropriate and symbolic of the roads that lead in and out of our city. This is the Quilt Age. Everyone is reviving patterns that their grandmothers loved and others are designing new and lovely patterns. (Mrs. Hall took inspiration for her design from the watermark on Federation stationery, made in the Mirror office.)

Word was received here Monday of the death of Elbert Haworth, a brother of Nettie and Hiram Haworth of Stanwood, in Oklahoma City.

Elmwood: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Zacharias announce the birth of a daughter, Monday.

Hoge News: Mr. and Mrs. Russell Gray are the parents of a daughter, Lillian Cecelia, born Feb. 26, 1931.

100 years ago: March 22, 1906

James Mason Thistlethwaite was born in Darlington, England, in the county of Durham, August 8, 1820, and died at the home of J.C. Hopkins, four miles southeast of Tonganoxie, at 4 p.m. March 18, 1906, in his 86th year. At the age of 20 years, he with his mother and younger brother came to America in a sailing vessel being on the ocean five weeks. They landed in New York City, and proceeded to western New York, going there in a canal boat, there being no railroads at that time in that part of the country.

The remains of Oscar McWilliams, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.W. McWilliams, were brought here from Kansas City, Kan., last Thursday. The funeral took place the next day with interment in Hubbel Hill Cemetery.

Col. W.A. Harris informed a reporter for the Kansas City Star Saturday that he was again negotiating for the purchase of his old home place at Linwood.

Basehor: An attempt was made here this week to cut ice, but it was found to be too thin.

Basehor: T.H. Barnard was home Sunday from Salt Creek Valley, where he is teaching school.