In 1892, the St. Joseph Herald published the news from Ridgeway just like we do now with the Republican-Clipper. I pulled up the columns from the month of January and found a few interesting bits.
Sleighing was good at the beginning of January and young and old alike enjoyed it, however, by the end of the month, the snow was melting, and the roads were muddy. The ladies of the Methodist church were praised for the fine Christmas dinner they served to help raise money toward a new parsonage. The Methodist minister, Rev. Winnell, was preaching a “protracted meeting” on Sunday evenings. A Mr. John Brazzel moved here from Eagleville and was building a house in the new Miner’s Addition (located east of the railroad and west of East Street, with Locust Street to the north and Cypress to the south.) There were several weddings and even a ball that was well attended.
The biggest story was the epidemic of “La Grippe” (or just the “grip”, what we now call influenza, which caused a lengthy sick list in the last column of the month. The school was closed for at least two weeks as the principal, John Leazenby, was sick with the grip. Sounds a little too close to current times.
