The Leigh World publishes a weekly column entitled Looking Back at the World, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Leigh World files. A special thank you to the Leigh World for allowing me to reprint those articles. The following are selections from that column:
July 1, 1949 - reprinted December 10, 2003Miss Marlene Muhle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Muhle, was united in marriage to Ewald Cattau, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Cattau of Columbus, in a double ring ceremony at St. John’s Church on June 19, with Rev. Karl Gigstad officiating.
They will be at home 12 miles northeast of Columbus.James Pasek, former resident of the Leigh community, passed away at an Omaha hospital. His death followed an appendicitis operation which he underwent a few days before.
Mr. Pasek farmed many years northwest of Leigh before moving to Omaha.
Services were held at the Catholic Church at Clarkson.
July 8, 1949 - reprinted December 10, 2003Miss Donnette Urban, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jos. V. Urban, and Alvin Reichmuth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reichmuth, were united in marriage at St. Cyril and Methodius Church at Clarkson. Rev. Father Kubesh officiated at the double ring ceremony.
July 15, 1949 - reprinted December 17, 2003Miss Muriel Haynes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herold Haynes of Washington D. C., became the bride of John R. Wullschleger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto H. Wullschleger, at the Calvery Baptist Church in Washington, D. C. at 2:00 p.m. on July 9, 1949, with the Rev. Clarence Cranford officiating at the double ring ceremony.
As the result of several years of planning, a modern two room school is being built, having been the dream and now the fulfillment of the wishes of the Christ Lutheran Parish, south of Leigh.
The building will be modern in every respect including oil heating, drinking fountains, toilets, proper lighting and ventilation. It is hoped that this new school building will be completed by September when the next term beginsMr. and Mrs. William Ehlers, of Leigh, are the parents of a daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bera of St. Louis, Missouri, are the parents of a daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Staubitz are the parents of twins, Paul Edward and Carolyn Kay.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Machacek are the parents of a daughter.
July 22, 1949 - reprinted December 17, 2003Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sedlak lost a new home they were building to a fire which was started by an electrical storm. The house was almost finished and they were planning to move into their new house in a month.
Four hundred and forty eight people received free chest x-rays in Leigh while the Portable Chest X-ray was set up here.
PFC Leonard Wilke was killed in the line of duty as a platoon runner on April 22, 1945.
Rev. and Mrs. Werner are the parents of a daughter.
July 29, 1949 - reprinted December 17, 2003The highlight of this years County Fair will be gala parade. The Colfax County Fair will hold it’s 28th annual fair in Leigh.
Miss Marlene Held, daughter of Mrs. Flossie Held, was honored at a prenuptial shower on Sunday afternoon.
August 5, 1949 - reprinted December 24, 2003The local Legion post has decided to drop the name Legion Hall and use the correct name, Memorial Auditorium.
Under a new school law, which goes into effect August 27, school boards are not permitted to admit children to the kindergarten unless they are five years old on or before October 15 of the current school year, or unless they have demonstrated, through recognized testing procedures approved by the state superintendant, that they are capable of carrying the work of the kindergarten grade.
August 12, 1949 - reprinted December 24, 2003Funeral services were held for Mrs. Gerhart Asche who passed to her reward on August 3, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Omaha. Burial was in the Leigh Cemetery.
Funeral services were held for Otto Odvarka. Mr. Odvarka, who with his brother, Anton, published the Colfax County Press.
Miss Marlene Held, daughter of Mrs. Flossie Held, was united in marriage to Gordon Hoff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Hoff, on August 4, at St. John’s Lutheran Church at Leigh.
August 19, 1949 - reprinted December 24, 2003Miss Ruth Dostal, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Dostal, and Elgin Jenny, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Ben Jenny, were united in marriage at St. Mary’s Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Jenny will reside in Stanton, where they will take up farming.Miss Wanda Weed, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Weed of Orient, became the bride of Don Loseke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Gorman of Hastings, on July 17. The couple will make their home in Red Oak.
Senator Hugh Butler has introduced two admendments to the Administration’s proposed Wage-Hour law exempting country grain elevators and rural telephone companies with less than 750 subscribers from the law. Effect of the Butler amendments, if adopted by the Congress, would be to prevent the Wage-Hour Administration from regulating these two types of businesses.
August 26, 1949 - reprinted December 31, 2003Leigh Public schools will open, September 5. There are three new teachers for the grade school.
The Chicago and Northwestern Railway has asked the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to abandon its Albion branch from Scribner to Oakdale.
Although, there is expected to be stiff opposition to the proposed abandonment of this line, according to Mr. Larson, of the Nebraska Railway Commission, this line may be abandoned unless immediate action is taken to hold this 114 mile line open.Mr. and Mrs. Martin Barjenbruch are the proud parents of a daughter, Annette Lou, born on August 19.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Drahota are the proud parents of a daughter, Jamie Marie, born on August 16th.
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Fowler of Howells are the proud parents of a daughter, Linda Marie, born on August 19th.
September 2, 1949 - reprinted December 31, 2003Miss Norma Jean Weber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Weber, exchanged vows with Dr. Donald E. Veatch at Trinity Lutheran Church.
One of the most successful fairs Colfax County has ever experienced was held at the Colfax County Fair Grounds at Leigh. All time records were broken on the attendance due largely to the successful parade held in the morning of the 27th, which officially opened up the two-day celebration.
Mr. and Mrs. Roland Wilke are the parents of a daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Korfhage are the parents of a son.
Mr. and Mrs. John Herink are the parents of a son.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Loseke are the parents of a son born on August 27th.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Salak are the parents of a son, Jon.
September 9, 1949 - reprinted December 31, 2003Mr. and Mrs.Lawrence Cromer are the parents of a daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Roland Watchorn are the parents of a son.
One hundred fifty three students are enrolled in Leigh Public Schools.
Colfax County buys $944,784.83 U. S. Bonds.
September 16, 1949 - reprinted January 7, 2004Miss Elva Brauner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Brauner, was united in marriage to Richard Hawes, son of Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Hawes.
The couple will make their home in Lincoln.Miss Darlene Nitz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Nitz, was united in marriage to Mr. Nordean Bade, son of Mr. Frank Bade and Mrs. J. C. Lowe at a double ring ceremony at St. John’s Lutheran Church.
The couple will make their home in Schuyler.Based on the present incidence, the Nation is faced with the likelihood of the greatest polio epidemic in history.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Stevens are the proud parents of a son, Larry Clark, born on September 5th.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Franzen are the proud parents of a son born on September 11th.
While Nebraska farmers have spent millions of dollars for improvements, soil conservation, and the purchase of new equipment since the war’s end, farm debt has made no significant increase; and holdings in cash, bank deposits, and United Savings Bonds are at record levels according to J. A. Kucera, cashier of Clarkson Bank. who represents the Nebraska Bankers Association as a county key banker.
September 23, 1949 - reprinted January 7, 2004Miss Luetta Muth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Muth, became the bride of Merlin Asche, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Asche.
Commercial Club votes to fight railroad petition to close line.
October 7, 1949 - reprinted January 7, 2004Miss Marcella Schmid, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Schmid, and Dennis H. Bahns, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Bahns, were united in marriage in a double ring ceremony September 20th.
The couple will reside in the Leigh area.A fund raising campaign will get under way this week to raise $600.00 alloted to Leigh in our fight to keep the Scribner-Oakdale branch of the C & NW Railroad in operation.
Miss Darlene Jenny, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Jenny, became the bride of Henry Hefti, son of Mrs. Henry Hefti Sr., on October 1st in a double ring ceremony.
The couple will make their home on a farm near Clarkson.Mr. and Mrs. Emil Knapp are the parents of a daughter born October 3rd.
October 14, 1949 - reprinted January 14, 2004The committee appointed by the Commercial Club made their drive for funds to help fight the petition filed by the C & NW railroad to abandon the Scribner-Oakdale branch line. The drive was a complete success. Leigh went over the $600.00 quota allotted to them.
Vincent Moser and Esty Sadler will be opening a new business, Joker Deuce. Joker Deuce is a card playing and billiard parlor with no beer sold, but all the pop, ice cream and candy that you want.
Strong winds damaged bumper corn crops, roofs and killed one person by Lincoln.
Donna Mae Kloppel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kloppel, and Roland Mundorf, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Mundorf, were united in marriage October 2.
They will make their home in Airlsworth.
October 21, 1949 - reprinted January 14, 2004Roller skating will be started at Memorial Auditorium. Commander Morfeld assures us that the hall will soon be ready for skating as 90 pairs of skates have been secured and delivered to the hall. There will be a lunch stand available for children and adults to enjoy while skating.
Funeral services were held for Fritz Koenig of Lindsay. Koenig was a resident of Leigh for many years.
The home and acreage of Mrs. Ida Dunker, consisting of 15 acres of land, was sold for $4,500.00.
Johnny, get your gun. Pheasant season opened from October 21 thru October 30 in all counties in eastern and southern Nebraska.
Colfax County’s 1949 corn loan will be $1.32 per bushel, it was learned this week from the state production and marketing administration office in Lincoln.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Conyers are the proud parents of a son.
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Mohnsen are the proud parents of a boy.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Musil are the proud parents of a son born October 14th.
October 28, 1949 - reprinted January 21, 2004Miss Darlene Feye, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Feye, became the bride of James L. Paulin, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Paulin, in a double ring ceremony on October 23.
Leigh was without lights after a chicken decided to roost in a substation.
Funeral services were held for James Severa, Sr. He was a pioneer of both Colfax and Stanton counties.
Funeral services were held for Leon Grotelueschen, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo. Grotelueschen.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wiemer are the parents of a daughter born on October 14.
Mr. and Mrs. James T. Sharp are the parents of a daughter, Karen Elizabeth, born on Octoher 11th.
November 1 [4?], 1949 - reprinted January 21, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Harold Dohman of Humphrey are the parents of a son born October 30th.
November 11, 1949 - reprinted January 21, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Ladean Korte are the parents of a son born on November 3rd.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Heeney are the parents of a daughter, Mary Margaret, born on November 3rd.
A corn husking bee was held at the home of Mrs. Milo Herink of Madison. Fourty-four men, thirty tractors, twenty-four trailers, and 12 pickers, and three elevators were put to work.
November 18, 1949 - reprinted January 21, 2004Forty-two neighbors and friends gathered at Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stevens home where a cornhusking bee was held.
The volunteers picked over 40 acres of corn which averaged 50 bushels per acre.Over 700 toys sent to needy children in D. P. Camp in Germany.
November 15, 1949 - reprinted January 21, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lake are the parents of son born November 18th.
Mr. and Mrs.Robert Ritter are the parents of a son, Robert Eugene, born November 16th.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Asche are the parents of a son.
Funeral services were held for Vernon Hake, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Hake.