This may be the first year that Bob and Beverly Phillips have invited the public to a pumpkin patch at their rural Lawrence home, but chances are, it won’t be the last. Near the barn Saturday afternoon workers carved pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, so a planned 300 jack-o-lanterns would illuminate the farm for Halloween. Meanwhile, children clamor for pony rides, and nearby, families climb aboard horse-drawn wagons for a ride out to the 17-acre pumpkin patch, where an estimated 17,000 pumpkins scattered across the ground wait to be picked. (The Phillips family, which owns the Eldridge Hotel, started a bed and breakfast at Free State Farm, in the tall, yellow Victorian house on the property.)

Deaths: Mrs. Dorene Trent, of Kansas City, Kan., died Oct. 12, 1999, at the age of 76; Fred L. Johnson, 77, Lawrence, died Oct. 15, 1999; Sylvia W. Kensbock, 64, Leavenworth, died Oct. 17, 1999; Craig DeVere Plum, 55, DeSoto, died Oct. 16, 1999.

Little is the story known that it was a local vote that brought prohibition to Kansas. About to celebrate his 89th birthday, Tonganoxie native Greever Allan tells this story….and more….from his home in Valley Falls….and from his…TIES TO THE PAST. (The article by Lisa Stevens John tells of newly married George Greever, Civil War veteran and Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives, changing his vote about prohibition at the urging of his new bride, who was visiting the statehouse gallery and watching him work.) Because of this vote change, the decision ultimately went to the people of Kansas and the prohibition amendment carried by a majority of 7,998 votes. The law became effective in February 1881. It was many years before a second state voted for prohibition. (Mr. Allan talked about Tonganoxie’s current growth spurt. “I’m a little leery,” Allan said. “I’m afraid that the city’s going to get out and we’ll have Kansas City-type influences, compared to the small town that I love.”)

25 years ago: Oct. 17, 1984

Best wishes from the entire community to Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Soetaert on their 65th wedding anniversary Oct. 15. Mr. Soetaert celebrated his 90th birthday on July 18 and Mrs. Soetaert celebrated her 86th birthday Oct. 16.

La Sertoma Club President Connie Putthoff presented the local portion of the La Sertoma-Sertoma Scholarship Award to their 1984 recipient, Miss Shelley Saathoff, at the Club’s joint meeting last Thursday in Tonganoxie. Shelley also was a 1984 recipient of the La Sertoma International Scholarship Award, which was presented to her earlier in the fall.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leslie E. Rollins, son of LaVerna M. Rollins of Lawrence, has arrived for duty in San Miguel, Philippines. Rollins, a maintenance supervisor with the Space Command, was previously assigned at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Death: Mrs. Opal M. Garvin, 70, Independence, Mo., died Oct. 10, 1984.

Dr. and Mrs. Philip L. Stevens and Loralee had a family gathering at their home Sunday in honor of Dr. Steven’s sister, Marie Stevens Huey of Portland, Ore.

Mrs. Elise Grinter and Mrs. Martha Haize spent September on a Northeastern tour to Canada, the Gaspe Peninsula and the Maratime Islands.

On Oct. 5, JoAnn Poterbin went to a banquet at Emporia State University. Her daughter, Ursula, a senior, was initiated as a member of the Kappa Delta Pi Society in IOTA chapter.

50 years ago: Nov. 5, 1959

Births: Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kraus, a son, Roy Lee, Oct. 30, 1959; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Slawson, a daughter, Pamela Jo, Nov. 3, 1959.

Selection of Miss Marilyn Kay Parsons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Parsons, was recently announced as state award winner in the 4-H Poultry Project. (Miss Parsons also was state winner in the frozen foods project. She was to attend the 4-H Congress in Chicago.)

Leroy Kimberlin left Friday for Norfolk, Va., where he will be in training with the U. S. Navy. Leroy is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Kimberlin, of McLouth, and a grandson of Mrs. Leona Babcock.

Death: Mrs. Anna W. Simison, Tonganoxie, passed away Nov. 4, 1959, at the age of 93 years. Mr. and Mrs. Simison owned and operated a dry goods store in Tonganoxie for many years and Mrs. Simison was reporter for the Leavenworth Times for many years.

Fairmount: Alvin Young arrived home Tuesday evening for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Young. Young has completed a year’s service with the U. S. Army in Korea.

75 years ago: Oct. 11, 1934

Mrs. Zella Cheatwood, widow of James M. Cheatwood and a resident of Fairmount for the past 60 years, died Friday in Leavenworth. She would have been 69 years old Tuesday.

Foster Bailey, 8-year-old son of Mrs. W.J. Bailey, formerly of Tonganoxie, died in Kansas City a week ago Saturday.

Just-A-Thinkin’ — As to the idea of giving the country back to the Indians at this juncture, maybe we’d better ask the Indians if they’d take it.

Stanwood Items: Ralph Herstrom fell from a horse he was riding Saturday evening and broke an arm.

Floyd Ratliff, who has been entertaining the mumps, was able to be at the drugstore Monday. V.R. Trosper was able to get downtown the later part of the week.

100 years ago: Oct. 21, 1909

Maurice, the 4-year-old son of Ira Huffman, while playing in the yard of his grandmother’s Mrs. Angeline Huffman, last Sunday afternoon, fell and cut his face severely.

A boy arrived at the home of James McEnulty, Jr., four miles west of town, last week.

Here is another discovery and it has been made at a distance farther than the north pole. Observations by Prof. Percival Lowell, the Harvard astronomer, convince him that there is oxygen in the atmosphere of Mars, and from this he concludes that it is possible for life to exist on that planet as well as on the earth. Here is a chance for real distinction. What airship inventor will fly to Mars and find out all about it?

W. Wood is erecting a new barn on his farm one and one-half miles southeast of here.

Tom Davidson took a carload of hogs Monday to Kansas City.

Henry Kern, the new owner of the Wilkinson place, arrived last week and his family will follow soon. Mr. Kern is a Kansas man who for some years has been living at Cabot, Ark.

The new McNaughton home on Sixth and Shawnee streets is completed and the family expects to move into it this week.