Looking Back April 6

1894The widow of Dr. Eaton of Fairbury turned over to the state museum his collection of fossils and Indian relics.1904Dr. Dodge was elected Fairbury mayor over Dr. Dawes by 26 votes as the “high license” party won.Father Roche, Fairbury Catholic priest, had written a book that had a sale of 12,000 copies. He reportedly disappeared in Europe during World War I.1914Hogs were bringing $8 a hundred pounds; wheat 75 cents and corn 69 six months before World War I upset markets.“School Reform Victorious,” was the Journal head-line over the story that petition candidates Olive True and Nina Burford had been elected, in the “heaviest school board vote ever recorded” was 45 “wet” and 40 “dry,” with Max Schroeder continuing to run the saloon.1924Jefferson County was paying 7 percent interest on registered warrants. For comparison with pre-war market prices 10 years earlier: hogs $5.75, wheat80 cents and corn 67 cents. Cattle were $ 10, choice baled alfalfa $15 a ton and eggs 17 cents a dozen.1934The Union Pacific introduced its “aluminum train,” first of its streamliners, on a round trip through Fairbury, from Marysville, Kansas, to Fairfield.Fairbury parties split in the city election. Winners were Citizens' Enoch Slater, C.C. Smith and James Welsh, council, and Toy Stocker, school board; People's W.W. Waldo, council, and A.J. Denney, school board. Afternoon mail deliveries to Fairbury residences were discontinued. Roy E. Riley was elected Rotary Club president, to succeed John W. Buswell.1944Two explosions at the Navy's ammunition depot east of Hastings jolted Jefferson countians.1954The city council authorized a 99-year lease on a 145x287 foot tract on the west end of Fourth Street for a military police armory site.R.V. Denney was elected to succeed L.K. Cramb was chairman of the Executive Club. Its 107 members heard speakers and lecturers at dinner meetings.City election winners were Emiel Kenning, James Brown, Pat Hutson and L.F. Schroeder, councilmen, Wards 1 to 4; Jack Shipman and Clyde Moore (editor and columnist for the Fairbury Journal-News), school board.1963Entrants in the Miss Fairbury pageant sponsored by local Jaycees included Cynthia Lucille Newton, daughter of the George Newtons, Barbara Ann Junker, daughter of the Irvin Junkers, Pamela Lee Powell, daughter of the Delmer D. Powells of Hebron, and Rose Mary Woodside, daughter of the Gerald Dean Woodsides of Chester.Charles Glaze retired after 45 years' service with the Railway Express, the final 40 at Fairbury.1964Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Vawser of Norfolk bought the Mary-Etta Hotel from Bob Straight.1973Dave Schnuelle of Diller and Bob Siegel of Fairbury were picked on the South team for the Nebraska coaches' annual all-star game.Dale and Dennis Flagle of Fairbury won the Nebraska father-son bowling championship.All nine members of Steele City's 1918 graduating class attended the 55-year re-union.Fairbury Rotarians elected Roger Judd president. St. Michael's Catholic parish's new social center, north of the church, was blessed by the Rev. Francis J. Murphy, pastor.1974LaVerne H. Schweer of Daykin was named “Hardwareman of the Year” by dealers in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.Jefferson County had six State Farmers at the State FFA convention: Bruce L. Dux, Mark A. Schoenrock and Mike Swett of the Fairbury chapter; Greg Weers of Diller, Douglas L. Bergmeier and Douglas L. Busch of Tri County.The Blue Valley Pork Association chose Faye Niederklein of Daykin as queen and Ray Clifford of Beatrice as Pork All-American.Major exterior remodeling of the First National Bank of Fairbury had begun.Dr. Robert Ellsworth resigned as FHS principal to become a school superintendent in western Nebraska.Ramona Schoenrock of FHS Future Business Leaders of America was installed as state FBLA treasurer.1983Glenn Beachler retired as Fairbury Utilities Department superintendent, after 45 years with its electric department.He had helped organize the Nebraska Municipal Power Pool and the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, linking scores of towns for joint purchasing power of electric current, with Fairbury as a charter member.Chris Bangert and Larry Klaus were FHS junior-senior prom royalty.1984Larry Zink of Fairbury was a member of an 18- member group of Witnesses for Peace returning from a week in Nicaragua. A two-day auction of the Joe Cecrle parts and repair store at Morrowville marked his retirement after 38 years in business. Greg Schnuelle of Jansen, Darrell Wallman and Mrs. John Wallman of Diller were honored by the Nebraska Dairymen's Association. The $50,000 mortgage for the St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Diller was burned at a service. The edifice had been dedicated in 1969.1993Chad Pohlmann of the Tri County FFA chapter was recognized as a State Star in ag production.Members of the Fairbury Veterans of War Post 3113 and Commander Melvin Nespor gave the Nebraska State Patrol $2500 to be used toward the purchase of a drug dog for the canine unit.The Daykin Lumber volleyball league, consisting of Missi Rohr, Staci Zoubek, Ellen Long, Linda Johnson, Dennis Johnson, Mark Rohr, Lymon Hamm and Bob VanWesten, won first place in the Hebron Volleyball League's season-ending tournament.1994After a five-month trial period, Fairbury's paid fire department personnel was again brought up to four full-time members.The decision was reached by members of the Fairbury City Council voting 6-2 in favor.James Schroeder was installed as exalted ruler of Fairbury Elks Lodge No. 1203.FHS Prom king and queen candidates were Bill Canham, Mike Endorf, Bernie Endorf, Ryan Gill, Jeremy Olberding, Sara McCord, Shannon Biggs, Korinna Schmidt, Heidi Pavlicek and Amy Meyer.John Wallman placed third in the small herd production at the Nebraska State Dairymen's Association annual meeting in Lincoln.Derrick Haake, son of Mike and Chris Haake of Alexandria and Jason VanWesten, son of James and Ellen VanWesten of Alexandria, were named Meridian Students of the month.Becki Jantzen, a member of the Tri County FFA Chapter, was chosen as a candidate for the American FFA Degree. Her application was recommended to the national level by the state review committee.2003The American Red Cross Bloodmobile goal of 110 units was surpassed by 135 units.Approximately 40 volunteers helped with the drive.Blue Valley Community Action sponsored a clean-up day as part of Youth ServeAmerica Day and 17 youths from throughout the community helped clean at Camp Jefferson with AmeriCorps and Southeast Nebraska Youth Empowerment Council members.2004The house was packed Palm Sunday and again on Wednesday as the Jefferson County Ministerial Association sold out the showings of “The Passion of the Christ” at the Bonham Theatre.The D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) graduation of 2004 was held Apr. 8 at the Burkley Fine Arts Center.Over 130 fifth and sixth grade students from Jefferson Intermediate School received their certification of completion of the D.A.R.E. program.

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