October 18, 2012 News

Birthdays: October 18, Stacy Moran, Michael Harp; October 19, Franklin Littler, Pat Miles; October 20, Larry Buster, Kyra Horesky; October 21, Cindy Petz, Kevin Casey, Brady Whitis, Sonny Showalter; October 22, Kevin Anderson; October 23, Terri Everhart, Brandon Mills, Donna Hill, Stephanie Anderson, Mary Peach; October 24, Doug Keady, Aiden Anderson.

Anniversaries: October 21, Aaron and Lesley McGaughey; October 23, Josh and Hannah Albers Enslow.

Lance McCormick welded the back of the bench at the Jail/Museum, so we now have two good benches. Our thanks to Lance and the Beautification Committee.

Our sympathy to the family of Edmund James Casey, 79, who died October 4, 2012 at Hutchinson. He was the son of Daniel and Anna McGaughey Casey. He was born June 28, 1933 in McCracken. He married Annetta J. Willard on July 2, 1961. She survives. He is also survived by sons, Mark and Terry and daughter, Lori Watson; sisters, Neva Fehrenback and Rita Fitzpatrick, nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Francis and Lawrence; sisters, Anna, Lois, Bernice and Ruth. He was cremated. No services are scheduled.

Ron and Sally Busse and Ron's mother, Carol Metz Busse, Lougheed, Alberta, Canada were Wednesday and Thursday visitors to McCracken. Their ancestors, Issac and Lizzie Haas Metz, were married at McCracken on December 26, 1900. Because of a bumper wheat crop in Canada, Issac Metz loaded his threshing machine on a flatcar and went to the Lougheed district to custom thresh. He was impressed with the looks of the country, so in 1914 he and his wife and four sons Lester, Henry, Orval and Aaron migrated from McCracken to Lougheed, Alberta, Canada. His oldest son Lester (Sylvester) was the father of Carol. While here they shared copies of their genealogy with the Jail/Museum. They also enjoyed a visit with a cousin, Arlene Wilson Gilbert. Carol recalled having visited McCracken in 1951, getting to know Shack and Anna Stephens, Paul and Tot Wilson, Jack, Arlene and Marlene Wilson.

A Kansas plate and a presidential plate beginning with George Washington and ending with Jimmy Carter has been given to the Jail/Museum by George Hunter and the late Joyce Hunter. Other items include a picture album that contains the Hampton Event, a 1968 yearbook of MHS, Local History from Trego County Historical Society in 1974, Brownell United Methodist Church 100 years booklet, 100 Year Rush Centennial book 1974, Holy Cross Church booklet, Pfeifer, Kansas 1968, They Dared to Come, a store of the beginning of LaCrosse, Kansas by Margaret Hain Houser, Some Early Day Businesses of Ness City, Kansas by Mary L. Hall and a sack with items from various businesses in the area.

R. B. Hayes has returned home after having surgery in Hays.

The bank robbery in Chase and the chase and shoot-out near Gypsum impacted a volleyball game at Southeast of Salina on Tuesday. The school was locked down while the hunt was on for the robber. It just so happens that Southeast of Salina and Ellsworth were playing that night, so I got a message saying, "We are fine. Watch KSN and see what happened."

The donations are flowing in for the 2012 Rush County Fund Drive! A big thanks to all of the generous donators. Remember 100% goes to the organization/charity that you choose. And, it all stays in Rush County. You are making a difference. Let's keep it up! If you haven't donated, there are extra forms at the library or contact Tomi Rues (785) 394-2404 and she will mail one to you.

Kansas Questions

1. What famous aviator lived in Bird City?

2. How many steps are there from the metal stairway to the top of the state Capitol dome?

3.Oscar Micheaux was Hollywood's first African-American movie producer and the first to use all-black casts. He made 43 movies from 1919 to 1948. Where was his home and where is he buried?

4. One of the greatest clowns ever who played the sad-face hobo in tattered clothes and a worn hat. Who is he?

5. The first time a single fingerprint was used to convict someone of a crime? What crime and who was the criminal?


Answers

1. Charles Lindberg barnstormed in Bird City in the summer of 1922 and was known as "The Daredevil" because of his wing-walking feats and parachute jumps.

2. 296.

3. Great Bend

4. Emmett Kelly of Sedan

5. The Fleagle gang (bank robbers) killed a doctor near Dighton who they had kidnapped to treat one of their wounded. The fingerprint belonged to Jake Fleagle.
Adrian Doerr, 94, Wamego, formerly of Alta Vista, Kansas, died October 10, 2012. He was born August 24, 1918 in McCracken, Kansas to Henry and Polly Cates Doerr. He was a 1939 graduate of McCracken High School. He was a WWII veteran, serving in the Army for four years. Adrian was a farmer in western Kansas; worked in grocery sales; owned a restaurant in Eureka, Kansas and retired from State of Kansas IRS. He was a member of the United Brethren Church, V.F.W. and American Legion, F.O.E. In 1944 he married Wilma Crisp and to this union two children were born, Adrienne (Gary) Freeman; Tom and (Phoebe) Doerr, four grandchildren and eight great-great children. He later married Doris Zieber in 1992.  He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings. Funeral services were held Monday, October 15 at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel in Topeka with burial at Penwell Chapel Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 4125 SW Gage Center Dr., Topeka, Kansas 66604.