March 11, 2010

Pat Petz saw “our McCracken” turkeys at Dorothy Guidrey’s Monday morning when she was driving to school.  She thought they were having breakfast in Dorothy’s yard!!!
 
Bet McCormick again fixed the lights at the city park. These lights are broken four or more times a year so the alumni have decided not to provide lights after these are broken.  The flag pole has been bent so the flags will be taken down and the lights taken out.  It is so sad to try and have something nice and it gets vandalized. 
 
Amanda, Joe, Michelle, Anthony and Matthew Priddy enjoyed a day at the city park with Sandra Jacobs last Saturday.
 
I received an email from Ben and Nancy Anderson saying they needed ‘help’.  It seems it was a ‘hacker’ that got into Ben’s email and did lots of destruction.  The email said he was in London and needed help and money as he was taken by gunpoint. I didn’t read very much as I deleted it very fast.  I also received a similar email this summer from Cheryl Davis Werth who was also in London and needed $20,000.
 
Jerry Higgins has been named top official for KSHSAA this year. I wish him special congratulations!! sh
 
I received this email message from Todd Frazier, our webmaster this weekend:
Just a word of thanks for the wonderful website you have created.  My mother's family (Wierman) is from the area and it is always enjoyable to see their name appear in your 'newsworthy' section.  It has been a great help in my family history searches as well.  My mother and siblings and I will be attending the Ness Co Old Settler's this summer and hopefully we will find time to make it to McCracken and visit the museum and family members there.
 
Kerri and Layne Morgan enjoyed lunch with Patti Swartz Johnson at Boondocks on Friday.
 
Pat and Vickie Salsbury, Rose & Les Diehl, Topeka; Mel and Jennifer Sauer, Hays; enjoyed supper at Boondocks Saturday evening.  Joining them were Charlotte, Arline, Arky & Diana, Roger & Norma, Francis & Julia.
 
Priscilla Jacobs hosted a dinner Sunday for Sandra Jacobs, Sean Peters, Neal and Amy Jacobs, Tessa and Jaden, Anton and Caden Foust, Mitchell Jacobs and Terry Lasater.
 
Thanks to all who sent me birthday cards, phone calls and face book messages. These made getting one year older much easier. sh
 
Some of those that attended Encore “Groovaloo” Thursday evening at Beech-Schmidt were: Carol Weber and daughter Callie, Shirley Higgins, Ellen Kershner and Addie, Emma Rues, Ruthetta Irvin, Zelda Brack, Jerilyn Stull, Nada Wells, John and Melanie Zeller, John and Janice Stull, Sharon Irvin and Sheryl Rogers.
 
 Addie Kershner joined the Girl Scouts on a trip to the Exploration Place in Wichita for an overnight stay on Friday night and returned home Sat. evening.
 
 
 
 
 
A get together was held at Boondocks Saturday evening for Terry & Charlotte Peters, Sean Peters, Sandra Jacobs, Billy Schroter, Laschell Peters and Mason.
 
We welcome Chad Weatherly from Nebraska to our community.  He is a great friend of Eric and Melissa Davis and has great experience in the restaurant business.
 
Clinton Kershner and his roommate, Zach Muckenthaler and Cody Prosser, Fort Hays State Students, were supper guests of Bruce, Ellen & Clayton Kershner, at Boondocks Friday night.  They had a pool tournament afterwards at their home where Patrick McCarroll joined them. 
 
Did you ever hear the saying “Thunder in March the corn will parch”.  Let us hope that isn’t true!
 
Boondocks will close Saturday, March 13 for the St. Patrick’s Parade and festivities in Rush Center. 
 
Congratulations to Dolores Petz on her 80th birthday.  You may send her a card at
1128 Avenue B, McCracken, KS 67556
 
Congratulations to Ruby Myers on her 90th.  Cards may be sent to her at 621 Poplar, LaCrosse, KS 67548.
 
St. Patrick’s Day events at Rush Center will be this Saturday.  Everyone come and enjoy. The parade is at 2:30 p.m.
 
Dean Gilbert and Francis Zeller had surgery at Hays Medical Center on Wednesday.
 
Kenneth Keith, father of Mike Keith, Wellington, had triple by-pass surgery at Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita on Friday.
 
I forgot Charmaine Wolfe’s birthday in February.  It is on the 16th.  Please wish her a happy birthday even if it is almost a month late!  ct
 
If your birthday, anniversary etc is not listed on our master list, please send it to us by mail or e-mail.
 
Not only was there a huge crowd downtown on Saturday night, you should have seen the cars enjoying the card games at the Senior Center.  It is a wonderful feeling to know that our town has life.
 
It is nice to see Pat Derr back home from the south.  She said it was cold down there also.
 
Marge Moran and Carolyn Thompson went on the bus tour sponsored by Farmers Bank and Trust on Wednesday to the Garden Show in Wichita at Century 11.  They also enjoyed the spice shop in the old Mentholatum building and a nut shop.
 
Here is an amusing story that Roy Conrad found in the Enterprise on August 3, 1939 from Clarence Lincoln Younkin.  At that time Mr. Younkin was living in Miami, Florida.  He told about serving as Marshal of McCracken during the first years of the settlement here in McCracken.  He said he had a small jail which at the time was the toughest life that he pursued throughout the wildest years of the West.  One time two sullen prisoners made a remark while in Jail if they had matches they would burn down the jail.  Marshal Younkin said here are some matches and they set fire to the jail.  They couldn’t seem to start a big enough fire so they gave up since they couldn’t find enough to burn and ran out of matches.  He later told of a big old tree just outside of town which had a big old branch from 14 feet high from the ground and extended out from this tree.  Said it was high enough for a cowboy riding on his horse with a rope tied to his neck which was used one time hanging five cattle rustlers dancing to their deaths from the swaying branch of this tree.  Marshall Younkin said he once had his horse shot out from under him, shot in the leg once and had plenty rough and tumbles, which he participated in to keep the arm of the law supreme.  This was featured in the Miami, Florida, Daily News. There was a William Younkin at Hampton .  If we find anything further we will let you know.  We never found a hanging tree mentioned in our history.
 
It was good to see Phyllis Higgins, Sabrina and Ron Hurt and son, Sam, at the Boondocks. 
 
In preparation for the DAR State Conference in April, the Northwest District held a work day at the Hays Public Library on Saturday to make table decorations.  Jonathan Gilbert Chapter members helping were Susan Keith, Carolyn Thompson, CAR member Shannon Keith and prospective member Peggy Kay. 
 
McCracken History Notes
March 1910
 
The Elmore Lumber Co. shipped a day or so ago a car containing 1,822 bushels and 30 pounds, which they think was the largest load of wheat ever shipped out of McCracken.
 
Louise Krecker’s place is vacant in the freshman class, she having quit school last Friday.
 
There will be a basketball game here Saturday between the Hoisington and McCracken teams.
 
March 1920
A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Littler, Monday, March 1.
 
Mr. M. R. Potter, the photographer, is building a shop 20 x 40 just north of J. P. Warden hardware.
 
March 1940
The Midget team of McCracken Grade School ended their basketball season by winning first place in the county grade school tournament held last weekend at Alexander.
 
Lucille Elmore is on the staff of the Royal Purple yearbook at Kansas State.
 
March 1960
A 9th birthday party, given by his mother, was held for Doug Whitis on Sunday.  Refreshments were served to the following:  Lonnie Irvin, Dennis Higgins, Russell and Mike Peters, Terry Peters, Bruce and Philip Peck, Jimmy Higgins and Robert Mason.
 
Donnie Barber is attending a barber school in Wichita.
 
Frank McGaughey escaped serious injury in a car-train accident during the snow storm Wednesday of last week.  The accident occurred at the main street crossing when McGaughey’s car slid into a Mo-Pac freight train.  The car was completely wrecked.
 
March 1980
Lynette Legleiter has moved to Pauls Valley, Oklahoma where she is an acting official court reporter.
 
Phillip Swindler has been named one of five winners of a Search for Excellence Scholarship at Kansas Wesleyan.