150 years ago (1874)
Mr. James H. Baynham and Miss Mollie F. Barnes, daughter of Richard Barnes, were married by Rev. W.
W. Trimble at the home of the bride's father. Mr. N. C. Burt and Miss Nannie B. McDonald were married
by Rev. W. W. Trimble at the home of Mr. Joseph McDonald. Mr. John Harris and Miss Annie Martin
were married by Elder R. H. Hudson at the home of the bride's mother, near Portland. Mr. M. R. Trigg
and Miss M. L. Adams were married by Rev. Geo. W. Penn at the home of Mr. Thomas Adams of
Millersburg. Mr. David Pasley and Miss Mildred A. Williamson, daughter of Mr. Wyatt Williamson, were
married by I. O. Craghead, Esq.
125 years ago (1899)
Wilbur Huddleston and Miss Lola May Sanford, both of Auxvasse were married by Rev. J. D. Greer. The
young couple had intended to marry at a later date in the spring. However, today he started on a cattle
buying trip to Arkansas and the young lady accompanied him to town to see him off. While in route, he
decided that his business trip would be more pleasant if his sweetheart would accompany him. He went
to work and induced her to hasten the wedding and marry him today. When they reached town, a
license and minister was procured and the wedding took place. The bride's parents know nothing of the
wedding as yet, but there will be no trouble in that direction. They were perfectly willing for the couple
to wed. They left on the fast Wabash for St. Louis.
{I was astounded by the number of Callaway weddings that took place in late December and January of
the 1800s, despite harsh weather/ blizzard conditions. Keeping with Callaway tradition, my own brother
(and this year's Kingdom of Callaway Supper President), David A. Backer, and my sister-in-law, Sarah
Rummel Backer, were married in a January 1993 blizzard. Happy Anniversary!}
100 years ago (1923)
Callaway's Taxable Wealth for 1924. County Assessor Crump has made his abstract of the assessment. A
quarter of a million dollars less returned this year than 1923. The total assessment for the year was
$24,551,655 which includes land, town lots, money, notes, bank stock and all livestock and other
properties. It is lower than 2023 assessment by $265,005. The difference is almost equally distributed
over all the different classes of items, although there was an increase in the valuation of hogs, sheep and
other property. Mr. Crump will submit his report to the county court, sitting as the Board of
Equalization. The Board may change the figures or accept them as prepared. The State Board will then
be given the opportunity of passing on them before it can be definitely stated just what the county's
assessed value is.
75 years ago (1949)
Lt. J. Roy Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Roy Jackson of Fulton, has received a 'well done' from the Air
Force commander of Berlin Airlift for his work with the Naval Air Transportation Squadrons flying with
the US Air Force planes in the Berlin airlift. Despite the worst flying weather in decades, he has been
carrying coal and food into beleaguered Berlin as the naval squadrons operate with the Air Force from
the Rhein Main Air Force base, near Frankfurt. The squadron's personnel, both in the air and on the
ground, were faced with the two-fold problem of flying planes through conditions rarely faced by
airmen in normal flight operations and of keeping planes in operating condition in hastily improvised
shelters, often working in the open and in sub-zero weather, the Navy bulletin said.
50 years ago (1974)
By-Pass Construction May Split Fulton Area Down the Middle. Fulton Chamber of Commerce has
discovered that the proposed Highway 54 between Jefferson City and Kingdom City will develop by
elimination of at-grade intersections. The Chamber does not plan to accept the decision of the Missouri
State Highway Commission which says, "Access to adjacent properties and county roads cut by a
freeway would normally be by means of motor roadways. Our current 5-year right of way and
construction program does not include plans for dual-laning of the by-pass; however, the growth of
traffic in the area may require such action in the not too distant future." For 5 years, the outer roadways
will not be developed and Fulton will wait until the dual-laning of the by-pass is included at the end of
the 5-year program. The Commission is designating future access from the by-pass via interchanges at
the north juncture of Bus. 54, Route F and Route H. R. H. Lahmeyer, district engineer, assured local
authorities that the Commission would do all they can to provide adequate access for any developments
in the vicinity of the by-pass. The Chamber plans to make an appeal to assure suitable access for
residential, business and industrial development which is already underway and those presently served
by access from by-pass 54. For further information, please contact Mrs. Carmen Rand, executive vice
president of the Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce.
25 years ago (1999)
To Editor: Our Mexico, Missouri hardware store was practically destroyed by fire. In the "Letters to the
Editor" section of your paper, I would like to have the statement below printed. The Fulton Fire
Department played an invaluable role in containing the blaze. "On behalf of my brothers and our
employees, we at Erdel's True Value Hardware in Mexico, Missouri, would like to thank the members of
the Fulton Fire Department who joined the firemen from Mexico and Centralia...in fighting the blaze
which practically destroyed our hardware store. Without the professionalism and courage displayed so
well by Fulton firemen, the fire could have easily consumed the entire block where the store is located.
Instead, the blaze was well contained. Again, thank you for the Fulton Fire Department. Shortly, we will
begin construction of our new store at the Mexico location. Cordially, Erdel Bros. John Erdel. Erdel's True
Value Hardware. Mexico, Missouri 65256."