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Dr. Brown’s Excerpts of the DOUGLAS COUNTY HERALD of Ava, Missouri Volume 1 March 1887 – December 1899 Compiled by Kenneth W. Brown ―The Ozark Uncle‖ Springfield, MO eMail: [email protected] Because this document is provided in Adobe Acrobat’s .PDF format, an index is unnecessary. Simply use the ―Find‖ function under the ―Edit‖ menu – enter a name or keyword you’d like to find and let the Adobe Acrobat Reader find each instance of that word. _________________ If your computer does not have an Adobe Acrobat Reader, then a free copy can be downloaded from www.adobe.com. Copyright©2011 by Kenneth W. Brown Springfield, MO 65809 Foreword from Ken Brown The Ozark Uncle, Springfield, MO eMail: [email protected] In March 1887, the Douglas County Herald came into existence and has been published on a weekly basis ever since. Today, microfilm copies of the Herald from those early years provide the most complete and fascinating story of the county and its residents ever written. This history, however, does not give itself up easily; one must peruse each issue of the Herald for a period of years to gain an understanding of the daily life and the issues that concerned our Douglas County ancestors. My personal fascination with the old issues led to the preparation of this volume of excerpts which was transcribed from the Herald for the years 1887 through 1899. Almost all the excerpts were obtained from two pages of each issue--the editorial page and the local news page. During those early years, the remainder of the paper was filled with “ready print,” i.e., state and national news that was funneled to the paper from outside the county. I chose not to make excerpts from such non-county news items because of their availability from sources. For example, all the major battles of the Spanish-American War were reported in the Herald but are covered in other historical documents as well and therefore omitted. The fact that a local boy died in the Spanish-American War, however, is county news that is not reported elsewhere. Thus, this volume of excerpts focuses only on the latter or local story. Initially, this volume started out as a set of notes for my personal interests in the commercial, educational, and entertainment histories of the county as well as my own family history (Brown, Hartley, Morris, Gunnels, Johnson, Honeycutt, and Lakey). Along the way, I transcribed excerpts for my nieces and nephews who have ancestors within the following families--Sell, Elliott, Durham, Goodnight, Hamby, Ingram, and Potter. As the pages of notes mounted, I realized that others might benefit from the excerpts; thus the idea of this document Although the excerpts are personalized to my particular historical interests, I attempted to capture all events of the following types whether they occurred in Ava or elsewhere in the county: Deaths, births, marriages, and real estate transactions. New businesses opened or changes in business ownership. Construction of new buildings, schools, churches, and residences. Public entertainments (e.g., plays, traveling troupes, movies, circuses). Major school news--commencements programs, etc. Results of public elections and major news events of the community. In reading these excerpts, one should be warned that omissions could have occurred on my part or on account of the Herald itself. During the early years, the editor went months without printing any news columns from the outlying communities such as Rome, Arno, Buckhart, or Vanzant. Also, beginning several weeks before an election, the Herald (a Republican paper) would devote all its local space to propaganda supporting the Republican agenda and admonishing the public about the evils of the Democrats, the “Wheelers,” or the Populists. The print included a heavy dose of “mud” slung toward the editor of the rival Farm Record newspaper. The Herald contains various spellings of names, and no attempt has been made in these excerpts to standardize the spellings. Obvious typographical errors, however, have been corrected except in a few occasions where an editor had a unique but consistent spelling such as “comicle” for the word “comical.” The editor never capitalized “county” when referring to Douglas County, and this transcription retained that original style. Despite the limitations inherent in this kind of project, any serious student of Douglas County history should find this work interesting and helpful in his or her own research. Certainly that is my hope. BECAUSE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED IN ADOBE ACROBAT’S .PDF FORMAT, AN INDEX IS UNNECESSARY. SIMPLY USE THE ―FIND‖ FUNCTION UNDER THE ―EDIT‖ MENU—ENTER A NAME YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND AND LET THE ADOBE ACROBAT READER FIND EACH INSTANCE OF THAT WORD. If your computer does not have an Adobe Acrobat Reader, then a free copy can be downloaded from www.adobe.com 2 Ava, Missouri Douglas County Herald 1887 -- 1899 Dr. Brown’s Excerpts - Vol. 1, Copyright©2011 March 3, 1887 (Vol. I, No. 1) - A couple of prairie schooners passed through town going - (Issue missing from microfilm) west Monday morning. - The Festival. One of the most enjoyable affairs that has March 10, 1887(Vol. I, No. 2) taken place in Ava for some was that of the Church festival - Editors and Proprietors of the Douglas County Herald: G. J. last Saturday night. The play given by the Thespians Club Roote and H. E. Frink. was executed in a manner that drew comment and praise - Notice--Application No. 10711. Frank A. Shead. from all. After the play John H. Martin delivered a short but - Notice--Complaint by John C. Elliott against Charles W. very appropriate and exceedingly eloquent oration. Judge Pullman for abandoning homestead entry No. 12185 dated Hailey and Uncle Austin Reynolds also make remarks. Rev. November 15, 1884. Dunaway was then called upon and responded in a short - Be sure to attend the Church festival. address sanctioning the play and pointed out the moral it had - It is about time the ball players of Ava were organizing a shown: “look not upon the wine when it is red.” club. - Three immigrant wagons were camped just west of town the - Dr. Gill is the proud father of an eight pound daughter. first of this week. - H. H. Childreth has sold his blacksmith shop to Lewis - Robert Martin has sold his farm to Harrison Sanders. Hampton of Mansfield. Mr. Hampton is to take charge this - Official Directory: week while Mr. Childreth will hereafter give his undivided Circuit Judge .................. John F. Hale attention to the barber business. Representative ............... John Lewis - Ava should have a town well immediately in the center of the Probate Judge ................ H. H. Roller square, where it will be convenient for farmers to water their County Judges ............... D. C. Walker, teams when in town. A good force pump with a few feet of N. J. Smallwood hose would save a great many dollars in time of fire. Barney Brixey - The church festival which is to be Saturday night, March 12 Circuit Clerk .................. John H. Martin will be a grand affair. As no programme has been handed to Sheriff ............................ J. M. Lyons us we can give none. However, we understand a supper is to County Clerk ................. Marion Curnutt be given at 10 o‟clock. The Ava Thespian Club, aided by Collector ........................ Barney Mallonee good music, will given an entertainment. New plays got up Prosecuting Atty ............ Geo. B. Waters for this special occasion will be rendered in good style. Treasurer ........................ John A. Baker - We understand that Mrs. John Payne will soon commence a Surveyor ........................ James Wood subscription school. School commissioner ..... T. A. Kay - Some slight work is needed on the square. The late rains Public Administrator ..... Elijah Hurst have washed deep ruts in several places that need filling. Justices of Peace ............ J. Casad, - Death of Hon. J. R. Woodside. Judge John R. Woodside Rob Wheeler departed this life Feb. 28th, 1887, at his home at Constable ....................... George Sanders Thomasville. Judge Woodside was born Aug. 3d, 1814, in - Ads: A. C. Kice, Attorney at Law the State of Kentucky. He came to this county in 1844, J. K. Reed, Attorney at Law where he has since resided. He was married Nov. 17th, Dr. W. J. Gilbreth, Physician & Surgeon 1839, to Mary E. Old. - Among the numerous plays given by the Thespian Club March 24, 1887 (Vol. I, No. 4) Saturday night, March 12, will be one entitled “One night in - Notice: Homestead applications a New Orleans Bar-room.” William P. Gray, No. 8657 David H. Hunter, No. 9346 March 17, 1887 (Vol. I No. 3) Geo. C. Wood, No. 8679 - Bald Knobbers--Last night two men hailing from the Thomas Howard, No. 8080 southern portion of Christian county called at the Republican - A brass band is soon to be organized in our city. office and furnished all the details concerning a fiendish - H. H. Childreth has moved his barber shop into the building outrage that was perpetrated Thursday night. The victim was formerly occupied by Mark Roby as a store. His razors are a man named McFarland, a quiet inoffensive man who lived in fine trim. Give him a call. two miles east of Chadwick. About 18 men were involved. - A photograph gallery occupies a conspicuous position near the center of the public square. 3 Ava, Missouri Douglas County Herald 1887 -- 1899 Dr. Brown’s Excerpts - Vol. 1, Copyright©2011 - The B. B. boys have cleared the ball ground and commenced - Vera Cruz Notes: John Stout had his hand badly mangled by practicing. A match game will soon be played. one of his oxen. - Died: last Tuesday night infant daughter of Dr. Gill. - Cowskin Items: Old uncle Mat Huffman is the happiest man - Ava needs a post G.A.R.

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