On Saturday, April 20, two Tonganoxie Boy Scouts received their Eagle Scout awards at a double Eagle awards ceremony. Andrew Kelly and Kevin Sivits received their Eagle badges, joining only an estimated 2 percent of all Boy Scouts who achieve this recognition.

Births: Jesse and Jennifer Crittenden, of Anchorage, Alaska, announce the birth of a son, Kiefer Wade Crittenden, on March 8, 1996; Rodney and Amy Parsons announce the birth of a son, Galen Isaiah Parsons, March 16, 1996.

Deaths: Francis Ray Oelschlaeger, 60, Tonganoxie, died April 25, 1996; Walter L. Stephen, 74, Kansas City, died April 24, 1996.

During May, paintings by Kim McGinness will be featured in the Gallery of Rural Art at the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame. Her exhibition is entitled “The Horse Farmers.” Kim is a self-taught artist who has been sketching since childhood. Kim resides on a small farm in Gage County, Nebraska, and raises Percheron horses.

“They’re popping up and everyone thinks it’s too early for them,” said Dale Breshears. He has been busy hunting tasty morel mushrooms but he won’t give away the location for fear that they will never return to his secret harvesting spot.

Springdale Scene: We wish to extend sympathy to Wanda Benson and her family for the loss of Wanda’s mother, Dorothy Mayfield, and to Orville and Rosie Oelschlaeger and family for the loss of Orville’s brother, Francis Oelschlaeger.

25 years ago: April 29, 1981

Phil Jeannin, physical education teacher at the Tonganoxie Middle School, competed in the Kansas University Marathon on Saturday, April 18. Jeannin finished the marathon in 37th place with a very respectable time of 3:21.47. Over 200 people participated in the grueling 26-mile run. The marathon is the test of endurance, which separates the true runners from the weekend joggers.

Mrs. Wilma Robinson shows an antique quilt that was on display at the Quilt and Craft Show held last Friday and Saturday at the Florence Riford Senior Club. The quilt was made by Helen and Grace Shilling’s mother.

Deaths: Mrs. Eva Myrtle Parker, 89, former resident of San Diego, passed away Feb. 15, 1981, in Whitefish, Mont.; Mrs. Ruth Gibson, 69, Bonner Springs, died Tuesday.

Linwood News: Mr. and Mrs. Tom Pitts were the honored guests at a surprise 25th anniversary dinner Tuesday evening, April 14, at the Linwood Community Building.

Joe Daniels was promoted to the rank of major in ceremonies at the Trembley-White Reserve Training Center, 1325 N. 78th St. Major Daniels is assigned to the Supply Directorate of the 326th Support Group. He entered the Army in 1968 through the Reserve Office Training Corps program at Kansas State University.

50 years ago: May 17, 1956

Deaths: William Wayne Joslin, formerly of Leavenworth, died March 14, 1956 in Tonganoxie, at the age of 80; Mrs. Mary Frances Rhodes, Linwood, died May 11, 1956, at the age of 66; Mrs. Lottie Freeman received word that her granddaughter Cathryn Ann Miller of Sublette, was killed instantly in a car wreck May 11, 1956, on her way to Sublette High School.

There are no longer any signs north of the U.S. 24-40 overpass, where Chief Tonganoxie’s lodge was located, on the east bank of Tonganoxie Creek. In the early days the Leavenworth-Lawrence road was a main thorofare into Kansas, and Chief Tonganoxie’s Lodge was a stopping place because of good camping facilities and weather. The lodge was more elaborate than an ordinary lodge, and was instead a two-story frame structure built by the U.S. government by agreement when the Delawares were moved to Kansas by the Treaty of 1818. Tonganoxie became Chief of the Delawares in 1829 in southwest Missouri on the James Fork of the White River. He was a man of consequence in the tribe, being a grandson of Tamanand, who made the famous treaty with William Penn in Pennsylvania. Chief Tonganoxie came to the area in 1832, living first in a log cabin and later in the government-built house. In the Delaware language Tonganoxie means “Little Man,” or “Man while still a child.”

75 years ago: April 23, 1931

Mrs. Katherine Peterson, 78, died at her home, two blocks south of the Methodist Church in Tonganoxie, about 2:30 o’clock Saturday morning, April 18th, following an illness of pneumonia. Katherine Peterson was born in Osmus, Germany, Oct. 29, 1852, where she spent her life as a child and grew to womanhood. When Mrs. Peterson arrived here, the town was only ten years old, having been founded in 1867.

On the 13th day of April 1881, Mr. Hugh Parry and Miss Sadie Tudhope were joined in happy wedlock. All their married life this honored couple spent in this community on a farm, just west of Linwood, and have friends by the scores far and near. A number of their relatives and old friends gathered at the home Monday to help celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of this fine couple.

Good progress is being made on the caretaker’s house at the state park. Roadways into the place from the highways are being laid out. This will make a beautiful place, high above the lake, on one of the bluffs. The house is nearing completion.

Stanwood: Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ridgeway, of Inman, announce the birth of a son, born Monday, April 6.

Mr. and Mrs. David Geisen of Easton, announce the birth of a daughter, to whom they have given the name of Marjorie Ruth.

Linwood: The funeral of John Johnson, who passed away at Leavenworth Sunday morning, was held Tuesday afternoon at the Federated Church. He was 81.

Stranger: Mr. and Mrs. M.A. Wallace announce the birth of a son, April 17, whom they have named Robert.

100 years ago: May 3, 1906

Old residents will no doubt remember Mr. and Mrs. Varney and family who lived in and about town many years. A paper received from Whittier, Calif., tells of the celebration of the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Varney at the home of their son Charles at LaHabra.

Frank Henry has had a delivery wagon made to order. It is now the most striking vehicle in town.

The public is hereby notified that all refuse and rubbish must be dumped in no place within the city limits except in Tonganoxie Creek at the east end of Fourth Street.

George Phenicie’s house near Reno is completed.