[ CLAY COUNTY INTHE REARVIEW MIRROR
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2001 – 25YEARS AGO Billboard’s No. 1 song for all of 2001 was “Hanging by the Moment” by Lifehouse, though it never reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 weekly charts.
Billboard’s top song the first week of 2001 was “Independent Women” by Destiny’s Child which was recorded for the film adaptation of the 1970s TV series “Charlie’s Angels.”
Dave Highea of Clay Center, Sheriff Jeff Franklin, and Civil Defense Manager Bob Rose were three of a group of men and women who began in 1993 to plan upgrades to Clay County’s 911 system. Their years of work was leading to the enhanced 911 system that was to be computerized including mapping software compatible with Global Positioning Systems. The project required naming rural roads and numbering rural residences. County north-south roads were to be lettered, and east-west roads numbered. Postmasters were assigned to assign house numbers to rural homes. The project brought rural Clay County up to date with more urban areas. (Personal note: Such changes come gradually to people living them. But for those living distantly, these can be sudden changes, as when I learned I’d grown up on Road W, with a house number. Who knew?)
Clay County found itself part of the Trailblazer Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) area along with Fillmore, Franklin, Harlan, Nuckolls, Thayer, and Webster counties. Four of these areas in Nebraska were defined and funded for the first time by the Department of Agriculture.
Courthouse workers held a noon buffet to celebrate Jack Cox’s twenty years as the county’s Veteran’s Service Officer.
Kimber Carriker, Harvard High junior, was chosen by the Presidential Classroom Scholars Program to attend a week-long civic educational program in Washington, D.C. The program included lectures and seminars on government operations and sight-seeing opportunities.
Featured business: Harvard Chemical Inc., Bob Delay, proprietor.
The Sutton Speech team opened their 2001 season winning four events and earning 15 medals at the Adams Central Invitational Speech Contest. Travis Sippel, David Brown, Trent Bergen, and the team of Deanna Garrelts and Travis Sippel were the firstplace winners.
Death notices this week included: Jessie (Juraneki) (Mrs. Benjamin) Wolfe, Edgar and Vivian (Gier) (Mrs. Paul) Schuman, Harvard.
Trent Leichleiter, T.J. Aumiller, Nate Schumm, and Jarod Owens were champions in Harvard’s first place finish at the Franklin Invitational Wrestling Meet.
Sandy Creek boys were tied with undefeated St. Cecilia at 43 at the end of regulation. Kevin Prochaska had all seven of his points in the overtime as the Cougars won the overtime period 14-5 for a 57-48 win. Sandy Creek won its second overtime game beating Lawrence-Nelson 58-55.
Sutton’s 22-15 showing in the third quarter accounted for much of the success in the 63-55 win over Centennial. Michael Jones had 16 points. Sutton faded in the fourth quarter, losing at Friend 53-46.
Harvard enjoyed a shortlived ten-point lead against Hebron before taking a 69-66 loss. Tyler Colvin did his part with 28 points. Harvard lost to Red Cloud 42-37.
Harvard girls were led by Jen Spickelmier’s 18 points in their 64-49 win over Hebron. She also had ten rebounds. The Lady Cardinals held Red Cloud to single digits in each of the first three quarters on the way to a 63-30 win. Paige Barnett and Sarah Sedersten both had 16 points.
Clay Center beat Silver Lake 58-42. Justin VonSpreckelsen had 13 points. Nathan Karnatz had 13 points in the Wildcat’s 47-44 loss at Blue Hill.
Sandy Creek girls led Lawrence- Nelson in the first half 46-22 and matched them 24-24 in the second half to win 70-46. Taryn Ninemire had 25 points.
Silver Lake beat Clay Center Lady Wildcats 39-35. Amy Parnell had 14 rebounds for Clay Center.
Frank Solich’s Cornhuskers ended their 2000 season with a record of 10-2 after an Alamo Bowl shellacking of Northwestern 66-17. Senior I-back Dan Alexander rushed 20 times for an Alamo Bowl record 240 yards. Junior Quarterback Eric Crouch ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more. The 66-point total set a record for most points scored in a bowl game, bettering Texas A&M’s 65 in the 1990 Holiday Bowl.
American Airlines agreed to buy most of Trans World Airlines (TWA) for $500 million fixing TWA’s financial troubles.
The Federal Trade Commission approved the merger of America Online and Time Warner to create AOL Time Warner.
1976 – 50YEARS AGO The top song the first week of 1976 was “Saturday Night” by the Bay City Rollers.
Bonus listing: C.W. McCall’s “Convoy” was the top song the second week of January. (For a real nostalgic reminder, C.W. McCall was played by Bill Fries, the Omaha advertising executive who joined Chip Davis and his Mannheim Steamroller group on a wild ride in the music business that began with bread commercials featuring geographic references from Omaha, Council Bluffs, and rural wester Iowa, especially the Old Home Filler ‘er Up and Keep on Truckin’ Café in Pisgah.)
First class postage rates rose from ten to thirteen cents. A stamp featuring a portrait of President Kennedy was the primary issue, but stamps with state flags and Bicentennial themed stamps celebrated 1976.
A recap of the 1976 pheasant hunting season showed that low population in the panhandle forced Nebraska officials to close hunting in the western parts of the state. Local conditions were favorable early in the season, but a mid-November snowstorm killed much of the pheasant population in the eastern half of the state impacting hunters’ successes.
The future operation of the Sutton Legion Club was in doubt as the club manager resigned, operating costs were increasing, and debt of more than $40,000 threatened the club. Post #61 Commander Gayle Steiger called for all Legionnaires to attend a meeting to address the problems and determine the future of the club.
Rev. William Keeney resigned from the Federated Church in Sutton to take a position in Hyannis in April.
Mrs. Burdette Aspegren was named 1976 Clay County Heart Fund Campaign Chairman.
Featured business: Wiebe Plumbing & Digging, Larry W. Wiebe, Sutton.
Death notices this week included Mabel (Jewitt) (Mrs. August) Krebs, Clay Center; Fred Flesner, Glenvil; Mrs. Agnes Fleming, Sutton; and Sam Eurich, Sutton.
Clay Center wrestlers were having limited success except for Dean Jensen, their 155-pound entry who was rated Number 2 in the state in Class D.
Sandy Creek had success at a holiday tournament at Hasting College defeating St. Ceclia 66-57 and Adams Central 78-44. Mike and Scott Davenport combined for 49 points against Adams Central.
The Sutton Mustangs defeated Clay Center 70-47 and Lawrence 57-49 to win their own Invitational Tournament. Lawrence beat Harvard to reach the finals, and Harvard beat Clay Center in the consolation half of the tourney. Scott Gemar’s 13 and 22 points led Sutton. Scott Johnson had 13 and 22 points for Clay Center.
Nebraska’s 13th-ranked team beat ninth-ranked Texas Tech 27-24 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston. QB Vince Ferragamo finished his two-year Nebraska career going 13-23 for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He had 22 TD passes in the season. Rick Berns rushed for 118 yards.
1951 - 75YEARS AGO Patti Page was in a long run at Billboard top with “The Tennessee Waltz.”
The Sutton fire department moved into its new building this week.
Featured business: Bates Implement Co., in Edgar, Sponsoring John Deere Day at the Edgar Theater with free tickets for farmers to see the movie “One Happy Family” plus “Oddities in Farming” and “What’s New in John Deere Farm Equipment.” This was two days after the Edgar International Harvester dealers Grummert & Son held a Family Party with live entertainment at the Edgar School Auditorium.
Recent legislation required all doctors, dentists, and veterinarians under the age of 50 to register with Draft Boards on January 15th. New medical personnel were to register within five days of receiving their degrees.
Mr. Fred Mock of Clay Center was re-elected Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. County Clerk Roy Oakley nominated and the board approved Miss Gladys Buchtel of the Massie law office to be his deputy. Miss Buchtel replaced Loren Hill who was the new county assessor.
Death notices this week included Glenne (Stephenson) (Mrs. Oltman) Busboom, Fairfield; Dr. Francis T. O’Brien, Harvard veterinarian; Clara Hazel (Joynt) (Mrs. George) Stutzman, Sutton; Mrs. Luella Childress, Clay Center; Anna (Mrs. William M.) Jones, Clay Center; and Vesta J. (Northrup) (Mrs. Charles) Beck, Edgar. (Personal note: Vesta Beck lives in our family folklore. My Grandmother, Maggie Rowlison, was Vesta’s maid, housekeeper, etc. and helped take care of four kids in the mid-1880’s. My grandfather, David Cassell, was the farm’s hired man. The Vesta’s took Maggie to a social event at the nearby country school. David drove his buggy to the party. The Beck’s sneaked out leaving Maggie to ride home with David. Grandma Maggie told us David was so mad he whipped the horse all the way home. The social trigger worked. David and Maggie were married in 1890. My mother was their ninth baby.)
Sgt. Chester Harwood of Fairfield was killed in action in Korea on November 30, 1951.
G.A. Unterseher, a farmer near Clay Center, learned there was a layer of blue shale about 40 feet below ground on his farm. It was a possible indication of oil. Neighbors recall that a stock well on the farm became unusable because of oil in the water. Mr. Unterseher was in touch with drillers.
The movie at the Edgar Lyric Theater was “Return of the Frontiersman” starring Gordon MacRae, Rory Calhoun, and Julie London. The Center Theater had Doris Day and Gordon MacRae in “Tea for Two.” Sutton’s Lyric had “My Blue Heaven” with Betty Grable and Don Dailey.
Dean Palmer was the new manager of the Fairfield Theater.
The first 1951 Plymouth was expected on January 13 at Art’s Garage in Sutton.
Bill Madden, sports editor of the Hastings Tribune wrote about the 11-0 Ong Red Devil basketball team. Curtis Olson and Bill Johnson led Ong to the finals of the state Class D tournament in 1946. This year, Olson, a 1950 grad of Peru State, was coaching Ong. Ong High School had eleven boys and four girls. Ten of the 11 boys were on the basketball team. The eleventh, a transfer from Shickley, wouldn’t be eligible until the next semester. Gordon Benson, six-foot, was leading the Red Devils. His father, Lynn Benson, led Ong’s team in 1930. Fivefoot-five Gayle Johnson was averaging 15 points per game. Point guard Earl Hammond was averaged 13. Bob Anderson, 5’10” led the defense. The fifth spot was shared by sophomores Leonard Thurin and Gene Bruening and junior Gene Andersen. George Kochi, Don Maxon, and Ed Roemmich rounded out the team.
Ong beat Edgar 33-32. Sutton beat Hebron 46-43 for their fifth straight victory with one defeat on the season. Reserves Marlin Engelhardt and Duane Rasby had 19 and 9 points, mostly leading the second-half surge that took over the game. Sutton had just beat Clay Center 42-35.
Eckley defeated Fairfield 30-26. (Eckley Consolidated Schools was formed in 1917 from several Webster County rural schools.)
Clay Center beat Blue Hill 49-35.
Harvard beat Blue Hill 64-29 and Fairfield 57-24. Fagler had 28 and 29 points.
Donald Rogers piloted the first passenger jet from Chicago to New York City.
The United Nations headquarters officially opened in New York City.
1926 – 100YEARS AGO Spring-like weather with rain turned ungraveled rural roads into impassible quagmires. Four miles of KND road south of Clay Center had not been graveled, though contracted for. The local newspaper told of regular customers trading in other towns due to road conditions.
The Epworth League of the Fairfield M.E. Church presented a Home Talent Play at the Opera House titled “Daddy Believes in Signs.” Admission: 35 and 25 cents.
The office and all equipment of The Edgar Sun newspaper moved across the street to the King Building.
A group of Sutton folks took over radio station KMMJ with a musical broadcast. The performers included John H. Claus, D.H. Moore, Fred Holmes, Fred Wolfe, Summer Barnell, Bob Fleming, Dr. H.W. Kellogg, Ewald Heinz, George Barnell, and Al and Les Hanson.
Members of the Butler-Johnson Chapter of the D.A.R. held a New Year’s Day open house at the F.H. Hanke home in Sutton.
The Clay Center Sun published the broadcasting schedule for KMMJ. Listeners were to tune in at 229 meters, as AM radio signals were identified by wavelength rather than frequency in the early days.
Featured business: Fairfield Variety Store holding a 9-cent sale.
The Edgar Auto Co. offered radios with 150-hour Exide batteries for $150,00 and with 100-hour batteries for $117 50. (My handy dandy AI converter puts $150 in 1926 equal to $2,746 in today’s buying power. No wonder my uncles built their first radios.)
Doane College completed a half million-dollar fundraiser, likely thwarting attempts to draw the college away from Crete.
Death notices this week included: Theodore F. Johnson, Harvard; Marla (Mrs. John) Stover, Sutton; and Oscar U. Cooper, Edgar.
“Sam “n” Henry” debuted on Chicago radio station WGN running through 1928 performed by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll. The ten-minute program is often considered the first comedy. WGN refused to let them distribute the program. Gosden and Correll reworked the premise, scaled it up, and created “Amos “n” Andy” on station WMAQ.
1901 – 125YEARS AGO Cold temps supported ice skating at town ponds and on the Blue, North and South. Ice harvesters were dealing with eight-inch-thick slabs.
News coverage was about the start of the state legislature and about election of new officers by lodges, clubs, governing boards, etc.
F.J. Hoerger sold his interest in the Sutton Lumber Co. to C. Tidball.
Clay Center and Harvard newspapers reported many cases of grippe (a one-time term for influenza). Smallpox in neighboring towns was a scare across the county.
Featured business: Mrs. James Sert offering cutting and fitting for the ladies, third door south of Grove Street and Butler Avenue, on the west side, in Sutton.
Arthur McCormick of Inland enlisted in the Navy and was on a ship named Philadelphia sailing for South Africa.
The first tournament sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress was held in Chicago.
Oil was discovered at the Spindletop oil field near Beaumont, TX.
1776 – 250YEARS AGO Thomas Paine published “Common Sense” in which he argued for American independence, a mere 59 pages in The Library of America’s “Collected Writings of Thomas Paine.” Later writings were “Rights of Man” (1791) and “The Age of Reason” (1794). His life story at Wikipedia is a fascinating tale.
Our photo is from a 1926 ad in the Fairfield newspaper. The cream separator turned whole milk into skim milk for the hogs and real cream for sale in town. Cream and egg money on Saturday night usually covered the weekly grocery bill.
