150 years ago (1873)
The Callaway Agricultural Society was organized in 1853. The first fair was held on the second and third
days of November in that year. The following is a list of the officers for the first fair ever held in the
county: the late Maj. W. W. Snell, who, like George Washington, "first in war, first in peace and first in
the hearts of his countrymen," was the first president elected. Dr. A. A. Ryley and H. F. Renoe, Vice
Presidents; Joseph Flood, Treasurer; Thos. C. Anderson, Recording Secretary; J. B. Williams,
Corresponding Secretary; A. B. Fant, W. W. McKinney, Jacob Maddox, J. C. Anderson, Jno. Sampson, W.
T. Moore, M. S. Coats, G. A. Nicolson, Wm. Carrington and M. T. Jolly, Directors; J. F. Jones and Jno. H.
Curd, Marshalls; Edwin R. Parker, Gatekeeper...Owing to the breaking out of the rebellion, there was no
fair held during 1862 and the operations of the society were suspended until 1866...Presidents include
Major Snell (3 years), Capt. John Sampson (1 year), W. W. McKinney (1), Esq., Col. G. A. Nicolson (1) and
Hon. C. A. Bailey, including the present year (12)...The 1873 Callaway County Fair will start on August 19
and continue for five days.
125 years ago (1898)
(Advertisement). The Summer Man. He that knows how to dress cool and comfortable and look swell at
the same time has unearthed the secret. It is that we launder your duck and crash suits so that they look
just like new, as also your dainty colored negligee, madras, pique or dress shirts, collars and cuffs. Your
linen keeps clean longer when done up here than any place. ~Fulton Steam Laundry.
100 years ago (1923)
The best news we have to give to Fulton people today is that the contract for furnishing coal to the State
Hospital No. 1 is given to Fulton operators and the supply of coal for the institution will be dug by Fulton
miners from Fulton mines. The Simmons Company was given the contract at 20c/ bushel for screened
coal. The School for the Deaf Board decided to award its coal contract to Moberly Coal and Supply
Company at a price of $4.48/ ton on the car in Fulton. This is not a savings as the price is only a slight
shade under 18c/, but the hauling is 3.5c/bushel so it will be more than the Fulton price. The State
Hospital contract is the larger of the two as it uses coal year round. Fulton people will be pleased that at
least this contract stays home and will give the miners work winter and summer.
75 years ago (1948)
Vernie Cole, a farmer living on the Perry Divers farm east of here, has 57 ewes who have an unusual
record. During the latter part of last December and the early part of January, these ewes had 60 lambs.
During the past few weeks, 25 of the 57 ewes had 27 more lambs, making a total of 87 lambs from 57
ewes in less than eight months. Cole said such an occurrence usually comes "once in a lifetime," but
added that it is the second time he has had it happen.
NOW PLAYING. Kingdom Theatre in Mokane, Missouri. Saturday: Stork Bites Man, an uproarious comedy
starring Jackie Cooper. Also cartoon and short subject. Sunday – Monday: B. F.'s Daughter Barbara
Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Charles Coburn and Richard Hart. Latest News and Cartoon. Wednesday –
Thursday: The Wild West Trembled When Montana Mike Came A 'Callin' Brian Donlevy, Robert
Cummings, Marjorie Reynolds, Bill Goodwin. Plus Technicolor Cartoon.
50 years ago (1973)
Superstar status is in store for McBride. Batting at a .500 pace, the local product knocks in the tying run
and wins the day for the Cardinals. "Star of the Day," says his old coach. "No doubt in my mind... that
Bake McBride will make his mark in Cardinal history. He has pride in himself and that's why he'll make
it," said Dick Ault, McBride's former Westminster track coach and now Dean of Students, after McBride
had just sparked the St. Louis Cardinals to a double header victory over the New York Mets and putting
them five games in front of the Chicago Cubs. McBride singled off the Mets' Tom Seaver, knocking in the
tying run and then scoring on Lou Brock's single to give the Cardinals their opening victory. Cardinal
broadcaster, Jack Buck, gave McBride the 'star of the day' honors. Harold Flynn, Westminster's baseball
coach, says that McBride will be a superstar in time, if he has no injury problems. "He has all the tools..."
McBride is the fastest man Flynn has seen on the bases. He has clocked McBride at 3.5 seconds going to
first base. In his first game with the Cardinals, he showed his speed to the fans as he almost beat out a
ground ball to the pitcher. At a MCAU conference championship track meet, McBride ran the 220 yard
dash in 20.9 seconds, a conference record that still stands.
25 years ago (1998)
Frederick Laydon, an international investment manager with The Principal Finance Group, received one
of the company's seven Service Edge awards. Laydon is a 1988 graduate of FHS. Shortly after the honor,
Laydon was promoted to director of investments and transferred to Hong Kong.
(From caption of a photo by Russell Whanger). Working Toward Victory. Daniel Bosworth of Morten
Building Co. puts weather stripping on base boards as workers on a lift use a power nailer to do rafter
work on the new Victory Fellowship Church building being constructed on Route NN, south of Fulton.
And Four To Go. New Bloomfield graduates, Jeremy Sebastian (son of Mike Keyes and Larri Rehagan),
Scott Nichols (son of Charlie and Rhonda Nichols), Justin Glick (son of Allen and Dawn Glick) and Mike
Antweiler (son of Ralph and Karen Antweiler), sign letters of intent to play baseball at Central Methodist
College. The Wildcats finished third in Class 1A this past season.