Old Settlers' Stories
by C. G. Lighter and Emma
In 1888, J. H. Lighter traded a team and wagon for an interest in a paper at Hubbard, Iowa. After several moves he settled down at Rolfe, Iowa, where he published the "Rolfe Arrow". His son, Clarence Lighter, worked with him.
Clarence married a Havelock girl named Emma. She was in the first graduating class in Havelock High School and taught until she married. Her father taught her to ride a bicycle so she could ride to and from school.
In 1927, Clarence and son, Theron-called Spin- moved their newspaper equipment to Ocheyedan and named their paper "Ocheyedan Arrow".
The Lighter family moved to Ocheyedan a month later. When Emma knew she was moving she taught her children how to spell Ocheyedan. Instead of going to school the first day here the children got haircuts. Mrs. Lighter wanted the children to get haircuts in Ocheyedan from Archie Stillwell. Archie stayed in business long enough to cut the Van Kley family's hair. He retired after many years.
Printing a weekly newspaper in those days had lots of problems. One time the gas motor would not start. Mr. Lighter didn't know what to do but his three sons worked it out. They called in their friends and spent half the night taking turns turning the big fly wheel by hand while another caught the papers Clarence had fed in from the top. Someone else folded them.
The first paper was located south of the present post office. Leon Johnson bought the building to start a Hardware store. The paper moved a block north of the fire station. The building was so cold that winter they couldn't get the ink to print.
About this time the Bank of Ocheyedan had closed and they were taking bids to sell it. John Deibner, Carl Rahn and Clarence Lighter bought it. Deibner had a drug store on the corner, Rahn had the grocery store south of the drug store. Lighter got the area east of the post office. Each would get the second floor above their part.
Carpenters converted the upstairs area into a three bedroom apartment for the Lighters. The paper was moved into the downstairs area.
By this time the three sons had left home. Leo Miller was hired to run the linotype. Leo had his leg cut off when a child by the train so he was limited in what he could do. He worked in the print shop through four owners.
Mr. Lighter later sold the paper to Reece and bought the Marcus News. Due to Emma's failing health the paper was leased to "Spin" and Clarence and Emma moved back to Ocheyedan.
When the Lighters moved back here their daughter, Jeanne Van Kley, insisted on a railing down the stairs. It was to this railing that he clung the night he stumbled down the stairs in the smoke and dark when the building burned, taking everything he owned.
Emma passed away in 1955, Clarence in 1956, and Spin in 1974.
-Transcribed by Roseanna Zehner