April 2, 1925
Mrs. Howard Smith and daughter are visiting relatives in Platte Center this week. ... Beatrice Gurley was badly burned about the face when she spilled some lye while playing. ... Mrs Barkley Jones of Spalding was visiting relatives in Monroe Sunday. ... Simon Pearson was a business visitor at Genoa on Saturday evening. ... Born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Alfred on March 31 a 9 lb daughter. Mrs. Gilbert is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Farmer of Monroe. ... Maurice Terry who has been studying Electrical Engineering in Chicago returned home on Saturday. ... The Misses Helen Strother, Edna Terry and Ruth McWilliams who are attending University at Lincoln, arrived home on Saturday to spend a few days with home folks. ... Mr. and Mrs. John Farmer entertained a large number of friends at their home on March 26, in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary. They received many useful silver gifts. ... Mr. and Mrs. R.E. VanAllen and daughter, Elinor, visited at the home of W. Miller at Columbus. ... Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gillespie went to Minden Tuesday. ... Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hagenbuck and son, Lloyd were Genoa visitors Friday evening. ... Mr. Gillespie arrived from Scotia, where he purchased a team of horses.
April 23, 1925
Rev. and Mrs Hagemeier and daughter autoed to Madison Tuesday. ... Mrs. Howard Smith was a Columbus visitor Friday. ... Mrs. C.W. Talbitzer arrived Saturday after a several months stay with her daughter, Mrs. S.J. Percy, in Omaha. ... The Jos. Clark family is planning to go to Oregon in the near future and will make the trip in autos. ... Mrs. Frank Kelley departed Wednesday for Big Spring, Neb. to attend the funeral of her niece, Mrs. Albert McCone. ... Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Alexander came up from Omaha Saturday afternoon for an over Sunday visit with Monroe relatives and friends. ... Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Terry and Clarence Terry of Havens, Nebr., were visiting Monroe relatives and friends Sunday. ... John Mortinsen received word of the death of his mother in Oregon the first of the week. ... Rev. Hagemeier, Howard Smith and Richard Robley were playing golf on the Genoa course on Friday afternoon. ... Hugh Hill has so far recovered from his recent illness as to be able to be up town.
52 YEARS AGO The following is a brief description of a few incidents of the great blizzard witnessed by the early pioneers of this vicinity as we remember being told the story by Jno. Williamson. ...... The blizzard started on Monday, April 13, 1873 and lasted for three days. The weather just prior to the great blizzard was warm and everywhere the green grass was just beginning to show through the blackened prairies which were burned off every summer from the Dakotas to Texas by the prairie fires. Cultivation by the homesteaders was just starting when the blizzard struck. For three days the storm raged, so fast and thick did the snow fall that the pioneers were unable to leave the house during the entire three days. One man in Boone County attempted to look after his stock, wandered away and was never seen again. W.J. Irwin who was one of the pioneers tells that he was caught on his claim with very little fuel and no tobacco. He claims that being deprived of the tobacco was worse than the fuel shortage. He looked after his stock by being led to the barn and back by his faithful dog, otherwise he surely would have been lost as the vision was completely blurred by the blinding snow. The snow fell as fine as flour and packed as hard as ice and many houses were completely covered. Along the river the snow was so deep that nothing but the tree tops could be seen above the snow. In many places the snow was packed so hard across the Beaver that a man, and horse could cross without sinking the least bit. Many people had to tunnel their way out to the barn and the loss of live stock was very great. After the snow started to melt the Indians gathered the perished live stock and held a great feast. With the melting snow came one of the worst floods ever experienced in this country, washing out practically all the bridges. There are several pioneers in this vicinity who were here at the time and could relate many more interesting incidents of the great blizzard of 1873.
June 4, 1925
Mrs. Hunacote of Fullerton, is visiting at the home of her daughter Mrs C.H. Sigea. ... Mrs. Laura Conrad and Miss Lucile spent the week end visiting at the Jim Conner home. ... Miss Helen Strother returned to her home in Monroe from Lincoln where she has been attending the University. ... Ben Fellers of Columbus, was in Monroe the last of the week visiting at the home of his sister Mrs. C. W. Hollingshead. ... Mr. and Mrs. Sim Carter and family, of Ainsworth, arrived Thursday for a visit with his mother, Mrs. Eliza Carter. ... Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Knight and little Betty Maurine were supper guests at the E.W. Mann home Friday evening. ... Mrs. Walter Hobbenseifken of Columbus, visited her sister, Mrs. Emil Hobbenseifken and family Wednesday and Thursday of last week. ... Max Lawrence is spending a part of the summer vacation at the homes of Clarence Watts and Ora Nansel in the Okay neighborhood visiting his brothers, Willis and Ronald. ... Miss Anna Reece returned to her home Wednesday evening after taking care of the household during Mrs. Hagemeier's illness. We are glad to report however, that she has entirely recovered from terrible siege of the summer flu. ... Miss Viola Gleason and Wm. A. Lohr both of Columbus, were married at St. Bonaventures's Church last Tuesday morning. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Gleason, living north of Columbus, and is a graduate of Columbus High School. Mr. Lohr is the son of Mrs. Mary Lohr of that town also. Mrs. Lohr spent a few years of her early childhood in Monroe and the News joins in wishing her and Mr. Lohr a happy and successful life.
Gus Olson returned to work after an enforced vacation due to illness. ... Mr. and Mrs. Jim Farrer, the Misses Mildred Farrer, Marie Pine and little Marjorie Jean left Tuesday noon for Columbus, where Miss Pine and little sister left for their hom in Menlo, Ia. Miss Pine has made many friends here, while living in Monroe and her little sister has endeared herself in the hearts of many. ... The Village Board appointed R.H. Preston for marshall and night watchman this week. Mr. Preston was marshall before and was a good one. We are glad he has been appointed again. ... Myron Saddler went to Sioux City Monday to visit his father, Dr. Saddler. ... Will Bitter while working at the Ditter Garage, severly cut his wrist Tuesday morning, when an irone we was working with flew up and hit him. Chas Hill dressed the wound and soon stopped the flow of blood and altho the artery was badly cut, it is getting along nicely. ... Mrs. Chas. Kelly and Kenneth visited her sister, Mrs. Frank Osborne and family at Genoa Sunday. ... Mr. and Mrs. Ed Farrer and Hazel of Farwell, Nebr., are expected home for a visit Friday.
June 11, 1925
Word has been received from Harry Ziegler that he arrived at Corvallis, Ore., and that it was more than worth the price of the trip to view the beautiful scenery between here and Oregon. ... Chas. Kelley drove to Colby, Kan., to harvest his wheat. He took with him Jake Harding, Mauris Terry and Lester Kyser. Clay Mann drove the truck down. ... Rev. and Mrs Hagemeier, little Helen Louise and Miss Ethel Burmood went to Green Garden, Madison this Thursday, to attend the S.S. picnic held there and to visit old friends. Rev. Hagemeier was pastor of that parish before coming to Monroe. ... Mrs. Martha McNealy left for Lincoln, Saturday where she will be a guest at the home of her son, Wesley McNealy. ... Roy Parker, who is head book keeper for the T.B. Hord Grain Co., and Carl Axen were invoicing the local lumber yard and elevator Wednesday. ... Mrs. M.C. Killion and children left Wednesday morning for Kearney to visit at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Sunderlin. ... Miss Helen Kelly came home from Ceresco Sunday where she has been assisting her sister Miss Mae as telephone operator at that place. Wm. Eliason, who brot Helen home, took Henrietta back with him so she can assist Mae during the summer months. ... Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Loucks of Belgrade left last week for Calif. where they will make their future home with a son. ... Mrs. O.B. Preston returned from Columbus Thursday where she underwent an operation on her throat and head, in the Columbus Hospital Wednesday. She is getting along successfully at this writing.
Ellen Claybaugh returned Friday noon from Genoa where she had been visiting at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Horton. ... On last Sunday morning the worse hail storm hit Monroe and vicinity that has visited these parts for years. The crops were badly damaged altho most every one in this territory was insured. ... Our honorable councilman, C. H. Kelly got caught on a harmless screen-door on Main Street Tuesday afternoon. We felt realy sorry for him as he looked down the street in bewilderment for someone to come to his assitence. After sometim, however, he freed himself and walked down the street vowing never to go near screen doors again. ... Miss Ruth McWilliams visited Miss Edith Cleaver in Columbus Wednesday. The young ladies were room-mats at the State University this winter. ... Mrs. Frank Dickinson, Miss Mae and Mannon drove to Shelton last Thursday to attend the funeral of David Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs was accidently killed while driving an auto, without brakes, down hill. He had been repairing the car and was trying it out. His cousin was driving a car ahead of him and stopped at the foot of the hill. Young Gibbs could not stop the cars so he struck the other, turned two flip-flops and landed with the car on top of him. It took two nights and a day for the undertaker to straighten out the body. The man was an orphan, making his home with his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Bowman and several cousins, six of whom served as pallbearers. Mr. Gibbs has been to Monroe several times, being a close friend of the Frank Dickinson family. ... Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Lubben and daughters, Grace and Alta, of Newman Grove, were in Monroe Tuesday visiting relatives. ... Wedding announcements have been received of the marriage of Miss La Vern Haufman and Mr. G.N. Johnson both of Fremont. The wedding took place at the home of the bride, with Miss Irene Bushnell as the bride's maid. Mr. Johnson is agent for the Standard Oil Co. and they will be at home to their many friends after July 1st, the groom having secured a home next door to the bride's parents. Mrs. Johnson was the principle of our high school the last semester of the past school. Congratulations.