Dixon Harper`40 graduated from Milford Twp "University" at a precarious time. He was the oldest of eight children of Harlan and Joan Parson Harper page 224 & 238 . As a youth, he was quite active in 4-H with the production of purebred Durocs and Hampshires page 311 . He bred and exhibited the All-American Hampshire Junior Boar in 1939 in Chicago and was a delegate to the National 4-H Club Congress.
He worked in Wisconsin for a stock farm in 1940 where he developed a herd of Durocs and exhib- ited (1) the Premier Herd and (2) The Grand Champion Sow at the 1941 Wisconsin State Fair.
In 1942, while Dixon was a student at Iowa State College, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He enlisted in Feb 1942. After washing out of pilot training for physical reasons, he earned wings as an aerial gunner on a B-17 crew. Grounded before going overseas, he was discharged in Jan of `44 to farm with his father and operate pea deviners with Jamaican laborers. He later managed a canning factory casing room with German Prisoners of War during the pea and sweetcorn harvest in the seasons of 1944 and 1945.
Dix started his radio career in Jan of 1946 at WOI in Ames which included farm and sports broadcasting. He received "Best Farm Program" awards in 1949, 1950, and 1951 presented by the `American Institute for Education by Radio' at Ohio State.Dix was one of the original 8-man committee that started the Farm Progress Show and served as chair for the first 3 years. In 1976 he helped found the annual Tobacco Farm Show in Greenville, NC.
His prestigious career included working with many renowned businesses and serving on various national boards and committees for which he received many honors including: 1959 NATRFD Meritorious Service Award; 1985-1986 Meritorious Achievement, National NAMA; 1988 Honorary American Farmer Degree, National FFA; 1988 Outstanding Service Award, North Carolina Yam Commission; 1990 Award for Distinguished Service, National Pork Producers Council; 1998 NAFB Farm Broadcaster Hall of Fame, he was the third person from Iowa, behind Herb Plambeck, WHO, and Chuck Worcester, WMT, (both were inducted in 1987), to be elected to the National Farm Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He died July 22, 2012.
Nevada Paper, early `40s: Pfc Dixon L Harper received his wings recently at La Vegas, Nevada, and had been home on a 17 day furlough visiting his parents. He is a gunner on a Flying Fortress, and is being transferred to the 18th Replacement Center at Salt Lake, Utah.
Doug Sampson `74N, son of Glen and Etheleen Sampson `43, was inducted into the Nevada Hall of Fame January 4, 2008 as recognition of his outstanding Athletic Achievement. Doug lettered in 3 sports; 3 years each in Basketball, Football and Track. As a tail back he was named to the 1 st All Team in the Heart of Iowa Conference and was an IHSAA All State Honorable Mention in 1971. He was also very active in 4-H and FFA.
Doug Sampson was in the last kindergarten class at Milford Twp in 1961. He attended the Milford Attendance Center through third grade, was at Shipley for fourth and back to Milford with the Nevada Middle School.
Doug and Dianna have three children, Todd, Cory, and Amy. In the fall of 2005 Todd was Capt of the All State Football Team and selected on the IHSAA 1 st Team. In soccer, he was a 4 year varsity team player. In 2004 and in 2005 Nevada played at State and he was Capt of the All State Soccer Team.