RCNews May 12

Received a call Sunday from 'Curly' Juvenal saying he plans to try and come back for our 25th rodeo and the alumni get-to-gather.
 
Shirley visited with our web-master, Todd Frazier Friday evening, he is doing much, much better, thanks be to God. The doctors said it was a stroke. They drilled a hole in his head to take off the pressure, was 'hooked' up to all kinds of tubes; had to lay flat on his back and lots of other 'good' things you have to do in a hospital. His getting well is a miracle. Thanks to all for their prayers.
 
 Pat Derr and her family, Layne & Kerri Morgan, Angela & Katlyn; Deb Rogers; Michael & Jerridy Morgan, Reece and Eli; Allen & Bailey Morgan, Carter & Bailey’s nephew, Tucker; Dave Derr & Carly and Kalyn Sewell enjoyed a picnic in the park for Mother’s Day.
 
Rob & Helena McGaughey, Ashley & Austin McGaughey, Aaron & Leslie McGaughey Lillian & Jackson enjoyed Mother’s Day at Tracey’s in LaCrosse.
 
Shirley’s Mother’s Day guests were Tammy, Kyra, Cameron and Chuck. Zach was in Hoisington for graduation for Brady Demel.
 
Charmaine Wolfe made the remark Monday afternoon that she went to sleep and woke up and it was August. One would think it was with 100* temperatures, 30-40 mile an hour south wind and nothing green, everything brown. We are afraid it is going to be a very long summer.
 
This is the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War; does anyone have a record of their ancestors?
(Shirley) My great grand father, James Start, was a Private in Company E, 2nd Regiment for the state of New York. He was in the infantry 2nd Heavy artillery and captured 6/22/1864 in Petersburg, Virginia and sent to Andersonville. He was mustered out June 21, 1865 at Annapolis, Maryland. He was 18 years old.
 
Congratulations to Suzanne Azzarella who will be graduating from Fort Hays State University Saturday, May 14 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership
 
Birthdays:  May 12, Elaine Littler, Madison Sparrow, Aidan Martin; May 13, Valerie Anderson, Kristian Gembala; May 14, Brooke Deines, L. Pat Casey, Drake Timson; May 15, David Moran, Tran Pham, Kelly Weber; May 16, Lynette Buhr; May 17, Jeff Crawshaw, Brennen Stinert, Randy Conrad, Olivia Baus; May 18, John Irvin.
 
Anniversaries:  May 17, Walter and Jeanette Rogers; May 18, Norman and Glenda Pfannenstiel.
 
Wilma "Billie" North gave the museum a metal marker off a cream can.  It reads: Return to W. L. Barninger, McCracken, Kans.  In case of loss notify
Blue Valley Creamery Co.
 
Mother's Day weekend guests of Marge Moran and Michele Moran were Clark, Nicole and Madison Kirk.  John, Ellen and Josh Moran and Jason Moran joined them on Saturday.  On Sunday they ate out at Boondocks.
 
Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church on Saturday, May 28 at 4:00 p.m. with Father Kraus.  On Memorial Day, May 30, there will be services at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery.  The rosary begins at 10:10 A. M. with Father Rene with Military Services Following.  All are welcome.
 
Sheila Brown, daughter of Cecelia Gilbert, will receive her Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensic Science at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, on Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m.  Congratualtions.
 
Kansas History Item
The Eastern Division of the Union Pacific, on which work was begun on the state line of Kansas and Missouri in November, 1863, eventually received a grant of alternate sections, twenty miles in width, and amounting to 12,800 acres to the mile.  The grant extended 394 miles west from the Missouri River, and amounted to some 6,000,000 acres.  Other lines extending through Kansas received subsidies, but these two, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and the Union Pacific Eastern Division, later called the Kanaas Pacific, and the Missouri, Kansas, Texas, were the largest grantees of land.  Besides those grants the railroads acquired large tracts of Indian lands. The organized counties voted large amounts of bonds to the roads.  The railroads proceeded instead of following the settlement, greatly acclerating the old process of filling a country with a wagon immigration.  The land grant companies sold their lands at low rates, and on long time, and the alternate sections reserved by the Government were sold at $2.50 an acre.  From History of Kansas by Prentis.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
May 1911
John Lovitt and family, Mrs. Mary Prior, Mr. and Mrs. Ora Ware, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Yawger will start for Sedgwick by automobile Sunday to visit Mr. and Mrs. Will Lovitt.  Mr. and Mrs. Lovitt will join the crowd and they will all go from there to Crescent, Oklahoma, to visit John Farley and family.
 
May 1941
Walnut Grove School District #43 celebrated its 50th anniverary on Tuesday at the school house at its present location, three miles north and one mile east of McCracken. Walnut Grove was organized in the spring of 1887.  The first school was held in a dug-out, which had been the former home of Mr. Levi Darkes, which was located one-fourth mile west of the present location.  The first teacher was Mrs. Mollie Edards-Kerr, the eldest sister of John I. "Jack" Edwards, her salary being $20 per month.  The name "Walnut Grove" school is still worthy of the name, even though drouth, grasshoppers and devastation have almost swept the trees from the countryside - two walnut trees still produce enough the the coveted black walnuts.
 
May 1961
Population for McCracken in 1951 was 531; 1961 was 408.  The county total in 1951 was 7,239 and 1961 was 6,264.
 
May 1981
Those elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for K-18 Cookie League were Jeff McCormick and Myron Schuckman.  Old-timers were Bill Lovitt, Bill Hinman, Dean Irvin and Chet Phillips.