Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

BEACONSFIELD, by Loretta Rotert:

Thursday, February 12, 2004
Phyllis MANNING hosted the Cozy Corner Club meeting Wednesday afternoon. Because of the snow the group met in the Methodist church basement. Each member made a Valentine for Shirley McALEXANDER.

Eugene McALEXANDER reports nearly 10 inches of snow fell in the area starting Wednesday night and Thursday. This winter he has measured a total of 27 inches of snow.

Saturday evening Ed and Loretta ROTERT went to the Greater Community Hospital in Creston to make the acquaintance of their new grandson, Blade Thomas ROTERT. Blade was born Friday evening at 6:21 p.m. to Tom and Leann, weighed seven pounds, seven ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Duane and Willa POORE were happy to receive word of the birth of a great-grandson born Sunday at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. The parents are Robby and Aimie LARSON.

BENTON:

Thursday, October 11, 2007:
Modern Mothers Club met Wednesday evening at Breadeaux with Mary SWAN as hostess. Mary provided games for entertainment. Lucy RICKER will have club on October 24. There will be a $5 fall or Halloween grab bag.

HICKORY GROVE:

Thursday, September 16, 2004:
Vicki JEANES, as a Sunshine Worker 4-H leader, and her daughter, Abby, hosted a hayride for the club on Sunday. They also picked up trash along the highway. Jena JAMES and her mother, Tammy, enjoyed the ride with the club.

KELLERTON:

Thursday, June 17, 2004:
Kenneth and Tammy STEVENS of Glenwood hosted a surprise 70th birthday parter for Ken's father, Paul STEVENS, on June 10. Those who attended were Paul's wife helen, his sister Jean SWEENEY of Lenox, his brother Keith STEVENS of Youngtown, AZ, his son Larry and Sandra STEVENS and his grandson, Justin and Megan STEVENS of Bellevue. Happy birthday, Paul, and it's nice others are reaching the big 70!!

Paul STEVENS and his family were former residents of rural Kellerton. Paul graduated from Kellerton Public School in 1952. Many of the local folks remember Paul well. He and his wife, Helen, travel full time now, however they call Alamagordo, NM home. They travel by motorhome and their next stop will be the state of Montana where they will work for Habitat for Humanity redoing and remodeling homes for the needy.

Down REDDING WAY by Mary Troyer:

Thursday, January 15, 2004:
Attendance at church and school has been poor with Middle Fork dismissing Monday morning as too many absentees.

The Vernon TROYER family had their belated Christmas gathering on Jan. 6 at Junior DETWEILER'S with 100 percent attendance. With 42 grandchildren under the age of 16, there are no dull moments. We had our usual breakfast - haystacks. Wednesday about 50 men and boys from Bloomfield, Centerville and the local area gathered to thin out the coyotes. They were pleased with their harvest of 14. Mose, Ada, Jacob and Alma YODER traveled home with the hunters that evening after a four-day visit at their parental home.

Alvin BONTRAGER left Saturday evening for Canada to the funeral of a grandparent, traveling with other family members from Bloomfield.

Eli YODERS, Ora HOCHSTETLERS, Levi MILLERS and Olen BONTRAGERS plan to attende a funeral in Kalona of an old-time neighbor and acquaintance.

The young at heart had an enjoyable evening of skating under a bright moon Friday evening.

Thursday, February 12, 2004:
The young folks enjoyed skating at Eli YODER'S Wednesday evening. With so much snow it takes some effort to clean the ponds good enough for good skating, but the energetic youth are willing to do the job.

The Joe MILLERS had a nut picking for the young folks Friday evening. Ice cream and snacks were served afterwards.

Eli MASTS had the young folks for supper Sunday evening with a singing held afterwards.

Several had plans to go to Jamesport, MO Friday but had to cancel the trip on account of the snow. They want to try again this week.

Thursday, March 04, 2004:
March 1 - March comes in like a lion with strong winds and storm like clouds. But spring seems to be peeping around the corner, with tulip spears pushing and the musical notes of cardinals and blue birds were heard last week.

Born to Reuben and Ada TROYER was a son, Feb. 26, named Andy Ray. Grandparents are Jonas and Wilma MAST of J The Allen DERWEILER family left early Saturday morning for different parts of Missouri to visit family connections. Hermansville, Verona, LaMar and Windsor were the main stops.

Several more children in the Middle Fork school started with the chicken pox last week.

Eli and Fannie MILLER had some welcome visitors from Loganville, WI (where they had formerly lived) the other week. Among them were Levi and Sadie YODER, Jerry and Ruth TROYER, Melvin and Katie GARBER and Paul and Ruth Ann GARBER. Melvin and Katie, Paul and Ruth Ann also visited their sister, Ora and Florence HOSTETLER.

Eli and Lydia YODER went to Kidron, OH last week, traveling with others from Centerville, for the annual tool auction. They also visited kin while there.

Thursday, June 24, 2004:
Visitors in church at Ora HOCHSTETLER'S Sunday were Syl and Ruth Ann GRABER, Floyd and Sarah MILLER, Elmer and Mary BEECHY, Gertrude HOCHSTETLER, Sarah MAST and Ella ROPP, all from Jamesport, MO. Mrs. Joe MAST was also onthe load and spent the day with her daughter, Mrs. Lester BEECHY and little baby.

The Levi MAST family from Granton, WI came last week and have fixed up temporary living quarters in the shed while working on the house. They want to start farming it this week.

Vernon and Mary TROYER went ot Logansville, WI last week for a family gathering at brother Ferman TROYER'S. Brother Leon TROYER of Washington and Henry of Jamesport; sisters, Emma MILLER of Millersbufg, OH, Betty KRAMER of Windsor, MO, Verna HOSTETLER and Esther SCHROCK, both of Jamesport, completed the family circle. A great time was had reminiscing and just being together. All too soon it was time to part again.

The Allen DETWEILER family want to leave Monday evening for an extended trip to Pearisburg, VA to visit a brother, then to Fremont, MI over the weekend.

Thursday, August 26, 2004:
On Thursday evening Alvin BONTRAGERS had the youth for supper as a thank you for all their help in his building project. Ora HOSTETLERS and Eli YODER family were also there. They played volleyball afterwards.

Rodger SCHROCK family and Noah BONTRAGER family from Jamesport, MO spent the day with parents, Eli MAST.

Mrs. Samuel YUtZY and four children from Bloomfield spent two days visiting her parents, Vernon TROYERS.

Jonas TROYER had a not too pleasant meeting with the ground! He was in the back pasture bringing the horses up and jumped onto the one he often does, but didn't have a bridle. She started backing with him trying to straighten her up but soon it was more than he could do to hang on. He lost it then and was thrown off, landing on his arm. No broken bones, just awfully sore.

Exciteent is mounting as the school term approaches, especially for those involved. There's still some last-minute celanup from the new addition that was added this summer.

Leanna DETWEILER and Leona YODER will be in charge of Timber View and Mary and Lucy BONTRAGER at Middle Fork. There will be 10 first graders. We appreciate everyone who drives carfully as they little folks travel to and from school. It's hard to believe that summer's about ouver.

Thursday, October 21, 2004:
Gertrude HOCHSTETLER of Jamesport, MO has been at her son's, Ora and Florence's, for over a week, visiting and helping out. One day she and Florence helped Mrs. Paul TROYER cut up apples to make applesauce. Gertrude plans to return home Thursday.

William and Esther YODER and Regina DETWEILER made a call to the Herman MASTS Sunday afternoon to see the new baby.

Mary Ann DETWEILER is gong to LaPlata, MO for several weeks to her brother, John's, to help take care of a new nephew.

Eli BONTRAGER lost a driving horse to West Niles recently.

October 18 - Trees are in their autumn garments and shedding quite a bit. Apples and pears are being picked and canned and it's time to get the old hens in jars while the temperatures remain moderate. That's what the MILLER women were doing on Thursday at Junior MILLER'S.

Born to Herman and Susanna MAST a husky little boy named William weighing nine pounds and 14 ounces. Four sisters and two brothers greet him. Grandparents are the Vernon TROYERS of Redding and the Amos MASTS of Kentucky. Dena BONTRAGER is helping out with household duties. Mary TROYER was there Monday afternoon. Mrs. Junior DETWEILER, Miriam and Carolyn visited at Middle Fork School Tuesday afternoon and also at Herman MASTS.

Eli, Sara and Barbara MAST went to Jamesport, MO for a niece's wedding on Thursday. Mrs. Gertrude HOCHSTETLER, who was here for two weeks at her son's, Ora, traveled home with them. She is still pretty spry for her 80 some years and helped several mothers with apple canning and also worked on some quilting and sewing.

Word came Tuesday from Bethany, MO that Mr. Noah YODER passed away suddenly while in Ohio. The funeral was on Friday with a vanload from here going.

Sunday morning several young boys, Allen PLANK and Jonas, Eli and Joe BONTAGER, buggied to Diagonal where they attended church services at Moses BONTRAGER'S.

Junio DETWEILERS had the youth group, Eli YODERS, Junior KAUFFMANS, Ora HOSTETLERS, LEster BEEECHYS and Floyd PLANKS for summper Sunday evening.

Early Monday morning Allen DETWEILER and Floyd PLANK left for Kalona with horses. They also took about a pickup load of clothes to the CAM center there.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2012