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:
January 6, 1950 - reprinted February 4, 2004Lloyd Pospichal, Colfax County Attorney, has received word of his appointment by the President of the Nebraska Bar Association as a member of the 1949-1950 Special Committee on Judicial Selection.
Annette Wurdeman is cast as "Jennie" in a three act play at Wayne State Teachers College.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Trojan are the parents of a son, John Thomas.
Andrew Jenny has won the distinction of being the first among thirty-eight distributors in selling the greatest number of bushels of seed corn. He has won this distinction for the past eight years.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Navrkal were given a farewell party at their home. Friends and neighbors gathered for an enjoyable evening of playing cards and visiting. The Navrkals will be moving to Columbus.
January 13, 1950 - reprinted February 4, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Walter Littleman were honored at a party enjoyed by friends and relatives from both sides to celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Callies entertained friends at a card party held Sunday evening.
Joe Kucera of San Diego, California, who was born at Leigh and who spent his boyhood days here, recently traded rental properties in downtown San Diego, with the transaction running to approximately $240,000.00, according to a news report in the daily press of that city.
January 20, 1950 - reprinted February 4, 2004County proceedings will be published in only one paper in the county, and will publish the proceedings yearly instead of the five legal papers in the county.
The Leigh World paper will be eight pages beginning with this issue. There will be two pages of ready-print which will appear on pages six and seven. With an eight page paper we will be able to make use of a folding machine as the paper is being printed instead of folding by hand which will free up three to four hours a week.
Miss Jeraldine Beran, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Beran of Howells, became the bride of Raymond E. Hake, son of Mr. and Mrs. Siegfried Hake of Creston, in a double ring ceremony officiated by Rev. B. A. Filipi of Clarkson.
Mr. and Mrs. Hake will make their home on the groom’s farm north of Creston.A farewell party was held by neighbors and friends for Mr. and Mrs. Ed Otto at their home. The Ottos will be moving to Schuyler.
January 27, 1950 - reprinted February 11, 2004Mr. and Mrs. James Lopour were surprised when a number of friends and neighbors gathered at their home in honor of their 54th wedding anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Alden Faltys, of Clarkson, announce the marriage of their daughter, Gwendolyn, to Merlin R. Phillips, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Phillips, of Leigh. The couple will make their home in Lincoln where the groom is employed at Bankers Life Insurance Co. and the bride is a telephone operator for Lincoln Telephone Co.
Mr. and Mrs. Alois Brauner celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary with the afternoon and evening spent socially and playing cards.
The first GI Insurance refund checks are arriving in Leigh. The checks will range from a low of sixty cents to $528, the maximum amount a veteran can receive.
Funeral services were held for Richard V. Froehlich, formerly of Leigh.
Mr. and Mrs. John Sloey are the parents of a son.
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Von Seggern are the parents of a daughter.
February 3, 1950 - reprinted February 11, 2004The Boys Scouts mark their 40th anniversary. The anniversary will be observed Feb 6 to 12 in every part of the nation.
Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Prokop, Sr. were honored guests at a dinner celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Ruth Clausen and Conrad Grotueschen [sic] were wed in the home of the bride’s son.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Muhle are the parents of a son born January 26th.
Four Nebraska farmers, including three from Clarkson, have won top honors in the Sargent "Million Dollar Hog Race". The winners were: Anton Stephan, Jr. $250, second place; James Klimes, $100, third place and Rudolph Kabes, $10, eighth place.
Fulfilling an ambition she had to give the people of Leigh a modern and outstanding funeral home, Miss Emma Holmes has recently purchased a new 1950 Pontiac combination hearse and ambulance.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Fiala and Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeKeere were honored with a surprise party honoring their 26th wedding anniversaries.
Funeral services were held for Mrs. Lydia Eisenmann. She had been in failing health for several months.
February 10, 1950 - reprinted February 18, 2004A shower was held for Miss Margaret Wolken. She will become the bride of Victor Wiese of Howells on February 14th.
A party was held for Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Mohr and Mr. and Mrs. Julius Skoda, honoring them on their wedding anniversaries.
Madison Creamery held their annual meeting. The creamery is owned by approximately 1200 farmers in Platte, Colfax, Stanton, and Madison Counties. The board is made up of nine farmers. Present officers are Walter Purdy, President; Walter Botsch, Vice President; Paul Robertson, Secretary-Treasury; all of Madison. Directors are John Morfeld, Leigh; Art Osten and John Kapels, Creston; Albert Rollman, Humphrey; Albert Adelman and Arthur Freudenburg of Madison.
Business was reported good at the Farmers Co-Operative Mercantile Company annual meeting.
Funeral services were held for Fred Husmann, who died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, following a heart attack.
February 17, 1950 - reprinted February 18, 2004The Leigh Post Office was moved to the Metzger building. The building has been redecorated and will serve the public better.
Although arrangements had been made in the Miller home in 1874 for post office headquarters when mail was brought twice weekly from Stanton to Schuyler, it wasn’t until March 18, 1875 that the first postoffice was established in Leigh. For lack of any other name, they first called the post office, Millerburg.
However, in 1815 the family of A. M. Walling acquired the Miller residence and the post office was also transferred to the Wallings. Thus, the first commission was given to Augustus M. Walling on March 18, 1875. However, Mrs. Walling served as the postmistress. At this time the name Walling was suggested as a suitable name but Mr. Walling declined the honor and passed it to his young wife, her maiden name having been Leigh.Miss Margaret Wolken, daughter of Mrs. Anna Wolken, was united in marriage to Victor Wiese, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Anton Wiese, on February 14, in a double ring ceremony.
The couple will coninue in the grocery business established by the bride’s father.Relatives and friends celebrated the anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Ed DeKeere. Mr. Joe Fiala and Mr. Art DeKeeres birthdays were also celebrated.
A surprise party was given to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thalken in honor of their 36th wedding anniversary.
A shower was held for Miss Darlene Armstrong. The bride-to-be recieved many nice gifts.
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Hanel are the parents of a son, Roger Wayne, born on February 8th.
A surprise party was held honoring the 35th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Zdenik. The evening was spent playing Pinochle and Taroks after which a lunch was served.
February 24, 1950 - reprinted February 25, 2004Frank Reichmuth of Leigh and Anton Heiman of Humphrey were elected to Madison Co-op Creamery board.
Miss Sylvia Belohrad became the bride of Lumir Stodola, at a double ring ceremony on Valentine’s Day.
Miss Gladys Hanak of Omaha, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hanak, was united in marriage to Earl Miller, of Clarkson, at a double ring ceremony on February 21st.
They will make their home at 1821 Chicago Street in Omaha.Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cisler were pleasantly surprised by friends and neighbors at their home honoring their 39th wedding anniversary.
Frank Muhle observed his 82nd birthday with friends and family. The evening was spent playing cards and visiting. A lunch was served the guests at midnight.
Miss Darlene Armstrong, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Armstrong of Howells, and Herbert Daniels, son of Mrs. Fred Daniels, were united in marriage on February 16, with a double ring ceremony.
The couple will make their home south of Leigh where the groom has farmed for several years.Mr. and Mrs. John Morfeld celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary with a dinner in which all their children were present.
March 3, 1950 - reprinted February 25, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Fred Severin were honored on their 14th wedding anniversary when relatives and friends came to help them celebrate the occasion.
After a lunch was served, Canasta and other card games were enjoyed by all.Mr. and Mrs. Earl Fuhr were honored on their fourth wedding anniversary. Guests enjoyed an evening of cards after which a lunch was served.
March 10, 1950 - reprinted February 25, 2004Funeral services were held for Josephine Aspinall, formerly of Leigh. She was laid to rest by her husband in the Leigh Cemetery.
Aunt Jemima was in Leigh to serve her famous pancakes. The event was sponsored by Hobel Bros.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Busse are the proud parents of a son, Richard Thomas, born March 6th.
March 17, 1950 - reprinted February 25, 2004Miss Lou Ann Loseke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Loseke, was united in marriage to Donald Everett, son of Mr. James Everett, on March 12 at St. John’s Church in Shell Creek.
Mr. and Mrs. John Odenreider were surprised Sunday evening by their children and friends who came to honor them on their 34th wedding anniversary. The evening was spent playing cards and games.
Miss Ruth Husmann, teacher at District 45, and her pupils were stranded at the schoolhouse until midnight on Tuesday night when Harvey Koch, father of the pupils was able to get to the schoolhouse to rescue the teacher and pupils from remaining overnight in the unlighted schoolhouse.
March 24, 1950 - reprinted February 25, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Asche are the parents of a son.
Emil Motycka, owner of the meat market, has begun remodeling the whole front of his building located at the south end of main street.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mullenhoff Jr. celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.
A surprise housewarming party was given to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Novotny. The evening was spent playing cards and games after which a lunch was served.
March 31, 1950 - reprinted March 3, 2004A miscellaneous shower was held for Mrs. Roy Brdicko. Hostesses honoring her were Mrs. Bruno Zuerlein and Miss Annette Brdicko.
Miss Mary Ann Hledik became the bride of Loring Siebrandt, March 5th. The bride is the daughter of Mr. Emil Hledik, Sr. of Madison and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Siebrandt of Stanton.
The couple will make their home in Stanton. Miss Hledik operated Mary Ann’s Beauty Shop in Leigh.Mr. and Mrs. Frank Muhle were honored on their 50th wedding anniversary when a number of relatives and friends gathered at their home.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kafka are the parents of a daughter.
April 7, 1950 - reprinted March 3, 2004Neighbors gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold McMullin to help them celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.
Funeral services were held for De Maris Moeller, April 3rd. Miss Moeller passed away at a Columbus Hospital.
After the final counting of votes Leigh will have a new fire truck.
Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Maliha are the parents of a son, Donald Lee, born on March 28th.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gersib are the parents of a daughter.
April 14, 1950 - reprinted March 3, 2004Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Watchorn entertained relatives and friends on their 16th wedding anniversary. Cards and contests were enjoyed by all after which a lunch was served.
Farm family night wil be held.
$493 was recieved from various towns in Colfax County for the Easter Seal drive.
April 21, 1950 - reprinted March 3, 2004The Leigh Fireman were called when it was discovered that the Memorial Auditorium had caught fire. Upon arrival at the scene, the firemen were unable to enter the building because of the head start of the blaze and its terrific heat in the building.
It is unknown how the fire started. The volunteer firemen fought the blaze for 90 minutes before they got it under control. However, only the brick front and the tin shell remain.Mr. and Mrs. Glen Botsch are the parents of a son, John Eldon, born on April 13th.
Miss Jeanne Dasenbrock was honored at a miscellaneous shower.
Miss Dasenbrock will become the bride of LaVern Went.
April 28, 1950 - reprinted March 10, 2004Miss Dorothy Matthies and Albin Charipar were united in marriage April 16th. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Matthies and the groom the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Charipar.
The couple will make their home on a farm north of Leigh.Miss Jeanne Dasenbrock and LaVern Went were united in marriage at St. Peter’s Church with the Rev. Churchill officiating. Miss Dasenbrock is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Dasenbrock. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Went.
Patricia Ann Busse became the bride of Raymond Bakenhus on April 2Oth at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Leigh with the Rev. Karl Gigstad officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Busse and the groom is the son of Mrs. Freida Bakenhus.
Miss JoAnn Pieper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Pieper, became the bride of Russell McMullin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold McMullin, on Apri1 18th, at a double ring ceremony held at Sacred Heart Church in Omaha with the Rev. William Klein officiating.
The young couple will make their home on a farm south of Leigh.Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Olson are the parents of a daughter. Mo< Miss Loretta Herink became the bride of Mylen Wegner at St. Francis Church in Humphrey.
The young couple will make their home on a farm near Lindsay.Mr. and Mrs. James Kucera are the parents of a daughter born April 22.
May 5, 1950 - reprinted March 10, 2004Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Jones are the parents of a daughter, Sheryl Ilene.
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Grotelueschen are the parents of a daughter born to them on April 26.
Mr. and Mrs. Clem Foltz are the parents of a girl born on April 29th.
Miss Eilene Martensen of Humphrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Martensen and Laurence Hockemeier, former Leigh boy, were united in marriage in a double ring ceremony performed by Rev. R. L. Ochs on April 23.
May 12, 1950 - reprinted March 17, 2004Once again, the cafe known as the Club Cafe is reopening for business. Mr. and Mrs. Sadler will themselves see to the comfort of all patrons.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Svoboda were honored on their 48th wedding anniversary on May, 8th, when friends surprised them with a party for the occasion. Bingo and cards were played and a delicious lunch was brought by the guests.
Baccalaureate for the Class of 1950 was held on Sunday, May 14, at the Leigh High School Gym.
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Vlach are the parents of a daughter.
May 19, 1950 - reprinted March 17, 2004Mrs. Anna Klimes, well known pioneer resident of Clarkson community, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Vinc Urban, at Clarkson following an operation three weeks prior to her death.
Commencement exercises were held at the Leigh High School gym on Friday, May 19, 1950.
Funeral services were held at the Holmes Funeral Home and St. John’s Lutheran Church for Albert Busse. He passed away at the Lutheran Hospital in Columbus following a stroke. Rev. Karl Gigstad officiated the last rites.
Miss Marjorie Mae Valish became the bride of Karl H. Groteluschen on May 10, at the Presbyterian Church in Schuyler. The Rev. DeWitt officiated at the double ring ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Valish of Schuyler, and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Groteluschen of Leigh.
Following a short trip, the couple will live on a farm near Leigh.Graduates of the class of 1950 from Leigh High School are: Rolland William Ahrens, Eldon Emil Asche, Norman Jean Bruns, Esther Irene Fiala, Velda Mae Held, Marilyn Janet Henke, Robert Dale Hobel, Norene Anna Imholte, Marilyn Ann Kmoch, Greta Lea Kumpf, Muriel Marie Motycka, Charles Adolph Mullenhoff, Mavis June Nebola, Quentin Merle Reichmuth, James Phillip Sadler, Alvin Eugene Sucha, Harlan Frederick Trofholz, Ronald Dean Trofhilz [sic], Harold Ernest Wiechen.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Reichmuth are the proud parents of a son, Bruce James.
May 26, 1950 - reprinted March 17, 2004Jenny’s Feed and Seed Store has recently received the dealership for Kellogg’s Hog Feeds.
Leigh Volunteer Firemen were called to the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. August Barjenbruch when an electrical plug had started a fire in their home. Curtains hanging directly above the plug were burned and the furniture suffered some smoke damage.Phillip Zabka, 48, met his untimely death when a new tractor which he had recently purchased, overturned and crushed him underneath the machine.
Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church with Rev. W. H. Clem officiating the last rites.Relatives and friends gathered at the Henry Dasenbrock home for a surprise party honoring Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dasenbrock on their 40th wedding anniversary. The evening was spent playing cards and socially.
June 2, 1950 - reprinted March 24, 2004Since the beginning of this year, the pupils at Zion Lutheran School have been served hot lunches. The children seem happier and healthier since the program was introduced. The parents tell how their children have gained weight, acquired bigger appetites and have learned to eat many foods which were untouched before the program was started.
In a transaction completed on Saturday, May 27, The Leigh World was purchased by Fred A. and Velma Leigh, who have operated the paper the past seventeen months under lease from Mr. and Mrs, Charles R. Kuhle of Lincoln. Mr. Kuhle is the present secretary of the State Board of Control.
Mr. and Mrs. Kuhle bought the paper in 1907 and have owned it until this transaction took place. They operated the paper themselves till June 1st, 1947, when they leased it to Evans & Son, who published the paper for nineteen months, prior to the time when your present publisher took it over on January 1, 1949.
The Leigh World was established in 1886 when Wm. P. Suttle, of Stanton, founded the first paper in Leigh. He called it the Leigh Advocate. Shortly after, A. M. Walling took over the paper and installed Morley Cain as editor.
The next oWner, George T. Vandermuelen, changed the name to "The Leigh World."
From l886 until 1900 when Chas. H. Stockdale purchased the paper, it was owned and published by six different men. Succeeding Mr. Vandermuelen were: Romain Sanders, C. H. Swallows and H. E. Crisman.
Mr. and Mrs. Leigh purchased the building in which the printing equipment is now housed along with the business. The Bank of Leigh acted as agent for both parties.Miss Helen Wahl became the bride of Mr. Eldon Nitz on May 23 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Leigh. Miss Helen Wahl is the daughter of Mrs. Bertha Wahl, and Eldon is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Nitz.
Rev. W. Churchill officiated the double ring ceremony.Mr. and Mrs. Carl Wirth are the parents of a son, born May 25th.
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Franzen are the parents of a daughter.
June 9, 1950 - reprinted March 24, 2004Miss Jo Ann Moeller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Moeller of Leigh, was united in marriage to Clyde Lnenicka, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Lnenicka of Rising City, on May 31, 1950, at a candlelight ceremony at Bethany Lutheran Church at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Rev. E. W. Wuggazer performed the ceremony. The couple will make their home in Cedar Rapids.
Relatives and friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Neuhaus, honoring them on their silver wedding anniversary. The honored couple received many Lovely gifts and a purse of silver in honor of this occasion.
The evening was spent socially after which the guests departed.Charles Evans and D. J. (Jim) Evans took their father A. Ray Evans to the Medical Arts Building in Omaha, where he underwent a thorough examination in preparation for an operation, in which he will have a growth removed from his lung.
June 16, 1950 - reprinted March 31, 2004With Rev. Daniel F. Brick celebrating the nuptial High Mass, a large number of relatives and friends attended the double wedding ceremony held at St. Mary’s Catholic church of Leigh. Father Brick officated at both double ring ceremonies.
Miss Florene Dohmen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dohmen of Leigh, became the bride of Robert Herink, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Herink of Leigh; Miss Marcella Herink, daughter of Mrs. Mary Herink of Columbus, became the bride of Bernard Dohmen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dohmen of Leigh. Florene and Bernard Dohmen are brother and sister and Robert and Marcella Herink are cousins.Funeral services were held for Wihelm Menke on June 8, 1950, Rev. Karl Gigstad officated at the services with burial in the Leigh cemetery.
Funeral services were held for Mrs. Hermine Feye on June 10, 1950, at St. John’s Lutheran Church with Rev. Karl Gigstad officating.
Mrs. Feye has been living with her daughter, Mrs. Leona Ahrens, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she passed away on June 7, at the age of 76 years. She had been in failing health the last few years.Funeral services were held for Wilbur J. French, June 6, 1950. Mr. French was a former resident of the Leigh community having lived for some time northwest of Leigh on a farm.
Funeral services were held for J. R. Jenny who passed away on June 8, 1950, at the age of 84. Burial was at the Calvary Cemetery at Shell Creek. Rev. Karl Gigstad, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, officated at the funeral.
Beginning with this issue, the Leigh World begins its 65th year of service to the community.
A miscellaneous shower was held for Miss Betty Wullschleger at the Leigh Women’s clubhouse. Miss Wullschleger will become the bride of Orville Miller.
June 23, 1950 - reprinted March 31, 2004The Red Cross Bloodmobile Unit obtained 99 pints of blood during their six hour stay at Leigh.
Mr. and Mrs. Nordean Bade of Schuyler are the parents of a daughter, Linda Lou, born June 18th.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Paul, of Creston, are the parents of a daughter.
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Sander, of Creston, are the parents of a daughter.
The Henry H. Bahns home was the scene of a family reunion. Dinner was served the many guests at high noon. The afternoon was spent in visiting. Henry C. Bahns also celebrated his 70th birthday.
June 30, 1950 - reprinted April 7, 2004The marriage of Miss Betty Wullschleger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Wullschleger, to Orville Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Miller, was June 23rd, at the Leigh Congregational Church.
Rev. William Clem received the vows at a double ring ceremony. After a short honeymoon, the couple will be at home on a ranch near Spalding.Miss Edna Jenny, formerly of Leigh, became the bride of Barnes L. Napier, of Portland, Oregon. The Rev. Harold Hamilton read the double ring ceremony at the Redeemer Lutheran Church. The bride is the daughter of R. G. and the late Mrs. Jenny and the groom is the son of Mrs. Roy Clark of Portland. Mr. and Mrs. Napier will make their home in Portland, Oregon.