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1941There was a great concern locally over the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and other United States possessions in the Pacific, as a number of people from this area were located in the bombed area.The Journal listed 16 Jefferson County people in that area.There was a plea in The Journal against spreading rumors in regard to war casualties.The Red Cross was raising a special fund for war relief. Glenn R. LeRoy, president of the Chamber of Commerce, named Ralph P. Howell, Charles R. Moon and W.G. Freeman to deal with any war emergency that might arise.1951A lengthy history of the Helvey family was published in The Journal, written by Mrs. Mabel Helvey Colver, dating from 1846 to the death of Mrs. Joel Helvey in 1881.C.C. Bailey, YMCA secretary, asked relatives and friends to furnish him the address of service-men, especially those in Korea, so he could give the information to the churches and others who wished to send Christmas greetings.Only six weather observers in the United States had a longer con-tinuous record than W.F. Cramb, editor of The Fairbury Journal, who began taking weather observations in Fairbury, Aug. 1, 1898, according to a publication of the U.S. Department of Commerce.Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer wrote a letter to Mr. Cramb, which read in part, "I would like to express my appreciation for your remarkable record as a Cooperative Weather Observer.Your 53 years of voluntary service and your unselfish devotion to the work of the Weather Bureau are not only commendable but furnish the inspiring example of public service, and the observations made will continue to be important in helping solve problems concerning the conduct of our industry and commerce, our agriculture and our national defense."1961Roy Holloway was the president-elect. Robert V. Denney presented the Nebraska Masonic 50-year member-ship pin to his father, Arthur J. Denney.1970Mike Danaher was elected president of the Fairbury Chamber of Commerce.1976Descendants of Jacon Foutz Secrist, including his great-great-grandson and his great-greandson, were at the District No. 10 west of Powell to dedicate a marker honoring him. Secrist, an early Mormon pioneer,died on the train en route west of Utah in the mid 1800s, and his grave is near the school site.1986Flood waters of Swan Creek once again inundated cornfields and swept into the Village of Swanton, sending many residents to higher ground, after an estimated 10 inches of rainfall.1996Fairbury resident Kevin Johnson and his wife, Lori, opened “The Corner Cobbler” at 524 D Street, which was formerly Rhinehart Shoe Repair.

Doris Dragoo

12.8.21

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