October 16, 2014 News

Birthdays: October 16, Jennifer Lovitt, Paulette Thompson, Georgia Lytle, Eric D.Kerney; October 17,Norma Kober, Karen Shumake, Megan Conrad, Joseph W. Rogers; October 18,Stacy Moran, Michael Harp; October 19, Frank Littler, Pat Miles, Linda Kenyon; October 20 Larry Buster, Kyra Horesky; October 21, Cindy Petz, Kevin Casey, Brady Whitis, Sonny Showalter; October 22, Kevin Anderson (son of Shane Anderson).

Anniversaries: October 17, John and Sharon Irvin, Tony and Tomi Rues; October 21, Aaron and Lesley McGaughey;

Rosalie Renz celebrated her 80th birthday on Sunday with a noon luncheon and Open House at Rush Center Town Hall. Bernita Serpan, Addie Mills and Darlene Misegadis joined the family for lunch.

From the Hampton History by Floyd Thompson - a little historical humor.

Lot Langdon and his buddy from Missouri, Whalley, worked for my Dad, Audice Thompson in harvest for at least two years, probably 1940 and 1941. Lot drove the tractor and Whalley drove the truck. One day during dinner after Whalley explained how he helped move a six story brick building across the Mississippi River, Lot said, “I know that to be a fact because I helped the same fellow move the basement the next day.”

Lot had a fine set of coon hounds. One day they treed a coon, but Lot had no shells for his gun so he went home, but the hounds stayed with the coon. Lot forgot about them until the next year and went back and those hounds still had that coon up the tree. You could count the ribs of the hounds' sides and their eyes were all sunken in and the coon was in no better shape. The bark on that tree had grown up over the coon's back so much that they had to use a saw to get him out.

Had an e-mail from Gerald Crotinger. He liked the larger print version of the McCracken News in the Rush County News. I told him that it was because we didn't have much news so they had to spread it out. You can all help us on that. If you will just e-mail your news to us, we can get the print smaller again! He also likes the Hampton news. His Dad (Alfred) and his siblings mostly went to Cottonwood school. His dad graduated in 1928 and his Uncle Orville in 1938. He has his dad's report card from his last year in school, plus his graduation card and certificate.

Steve Hawley, astronaut, was the keynote speaker at the KU Honors Banquet in Salina. KU gave each student a dictionary and certificate. Steve Hawley signed their dictionary.

Mason Weber, Ness City, was crowned Ness City High School  Football Homecoming Queen on Friday, October 3.  She is the daughter of Mike and Kelly Funk Weber.  Mason is a Senior.   Grandparents are Bob and Marlene Funk,  Bob and Shirley Weber and Judy Helget.

Brad Penka has donated pictures from his personal collection to the McCracken Historical Museum, Inc. of the churches of McCracken – Assembly of God;  McCracken M. E. Church in 1919 by Cottage Studio of LaCrosse;  U. B. Church, McCracken, Kans. 1918 by Conrad of LaCrosse;  St. Mary’s Church and Parsonage, McCracken, Kan. In rural Ness County.
 
The car show at the Fall Fest was excellent.  We enjoyed visiting with Mike and Lavetta Stephens of LaCrosse.

Congratulations to Matt and Camille Barnett on the birth of a baby girl, September 25, 2014. She has been given the name Leila. Her brothers and sister welcoming her home are Tom, Belle, Cal and Sam.

Sherry Petz, Dolores Petz, Rose Diehl, Shirley Higgins took an ag tour Wednesday afternoon in and around McCracken.

We received almost two inches of rain this past Thursday. I ran over the rain gauge with the mower so this is just a guess.

I forgot this last week. Layne and Kerri Morgan and their two oldest grandsons, Kaden and Reece enjoyed the extra innings game between the KC Royals and the Oakland. It went 12 innings, the boys were excited with the score and were kept awake with Mountain Dew.

More people attended the Kansas State than had done so in 16 years----attendance was 355,329. This was about 15, 000 more than 2013.

Thanks to Mark McCormick for making the City Park look fabulous; to Chris Ault for cleaning the streets.

We were surprised Thursday by the visit of Marcia Penner and WenDee LaPlant, of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. They were in Rush County for the day. They toured the library, the Jail Museum, visited with Charmaine at the post office, LOVED the banners on highway 4 that Debi Schuckman made and went to the McCracken Grade School. Shirley met Marcia in Inman when she first started her Kansas Sampler.....probably 20 years ago.

The 5th McCracken Fall Fest was a success. Thanks to all the people involved. Nancy Baker was the winner of the chili cook off; Roger did a fine job as auctioneer. The donated baskets and donated items were awesome. The high school and K-18 trophies from the library have been moved to the school, many, many thanks to Myron Schuckman for putting up the shelves and trophies. Those who didn’t make it this year, make plans to do so next.

Thanks to Roy Langdon and his crew of two, they put the baseboards around the ‘lunch’ room in the grade school etc.

Memorials to the McCracken Alumni include: Penny Irvin Betz from Sally Irvin; Dennis & Susan Walker Irvin; Claude Irvin from Wesley Irvin; Duane Brackney from Kim Brackney Jay; Hank & Norma Swartz from Patty Swartz Johnson; Celestin Stremel from Lanette Stremel Kaster, Kathleen Stremel Thomas; Gene Petz from Kathleen Rourke Kazmaier, Maddie Rein Petz; Kenneth Mills, LuAnn Grumbein from Kathleen Rourke Kazmaier; Doc & Carrie Davis, Lonnie Irvin from Ellen Davis; Robert Mason from Mike & Sharolyn Jones Legleiter; Bob & Grace Lovitt from Bill Lovitt; Lucy & Buck Vogle from Mary Vogle McCormick; Patty Klee Brock from Addie Klee; Kenneth Thompson from Daryl North; John & Carol Rein Rixon from Robert Rein; David Rogers from Walter Rogers; Al Rues from Rose Diehl, Alicia Rues, Tim Rues, Tom Rues, Tony Rues; Elmore, Lorraine & Glenn Ryan Jr., from Cathie Ryan Shapiro; Donna Davis Schuckman, Bert & Lenora Schuckman from Donnie Schuckman; Mac & Helen Showalter from Jesse A. & Jolene Showalter; Emmett Sloan from Ruth Ann Sloan Sissel; Kathryn & Bard Stephens & Claude & Ruth Stephens from Stephanie Stephens; George & Ruby Myers from Craig Stull & Mike Stull; Kenneth Thompson & Robert Mason from Carolyn Thompson.

History Notes Hampton History Book 1877

February The first stage on the new mail route from Hays to Dodge left last Monday.

The Rush County fight over the county seat waxes warmer.

The Dodge mail carrier’s horse gave out on his last trip over, and he was obliged to drag his cart from Hodgeman to Dodge by hand.

Mont Leach has been appointed postmaster for the new post office on the Big Timber.

The Dodge City mail has been lying at this point for the past ten days awaiting the arrival of somebody with a horse having sufficient strength to make the trip. The contractor is receiving $1,500 a year for his work and should be compelled to put at least a portion of a pony and the semblance of a man on the road.

The Dodge City mail route might as well be abolished. Over a month has elapsed since the last mail departed.

October 1974

Kindergarten class: Debra Gaunt, Trenton Herdman, Kaira Miller, Penny Schuckman, Tracy Zinn, Melissa Seltmann, Lance McCormick, Frances Million and Tricia Seltman. 1st and 2nd graders: Kris Bromlow, Laura North, Scotty Wittman, Karen Skillet, Michele Moran, Kevin Rixon, Dale West, Susan Thompson, Kelly Skillet, Greta Dome, Edward Mangold, Chris Casey, Tresha Zinn, Terry Showalter, Sean Miller, Dixie Bott, Jeff Hansen, Dean Million, Donna Durfee and John Moran.

MHS Mustang football team walked over Gorham by a score of 52-8. The Mustangs are ranked 10th in the State and they were led by Jim Casey who scored 4 touchdowns.

Frank Foster, 20 year old music major at Ft. Hays, won first place in the Pick-a-Thon contest at Hays Music. He lasted 87 hours and won a Gibson guitar worth $330.00