Bit of History -- January 7, 2026

In the January 10, 1918 issue of the Ridgeway Journal, readers were given information about their new obligation to pay income taxes.  The income tax, dormant since after the Civil War,  had been reinstated in 1913 when the 16th amendment was ratified. But until 1917, most people earned less than the standard exemption of $3000 and didn’t have to worry about filing a return.  (The average American worker earned about $800 per year in 1914, which would be just under $26,000 today).  With the cost of World War 1, the government needed money and lowered the standard deduction to $1000 for a single person and $2000 for a married couple.  This meant most people would now have to figure how much they owed Uncle Sam and send in a payment.

To help lessen the confusion, W. A. Miner, one of the officers of the First National Bank of Ridgeway, arranged to have an income tax officer come to Ridgeway on January 18, 1918.  He had “his headquarters at the First National Bank and he will be ready and willing to assist persons subject to the tax to make out their returns without cost to them for such service.”  The writer of the article thought most people would appreciate the efforts of Mr. Miner “as it will give all in this vicinity a chance to interview the officer without making a trip to Bethany or Blythedale.”  

Bit of History -- May 21, 2025

 This week is a continuation of the Ridgeway soldiers’ letters home that were published in the Ridgeway Journal in 1918. By the second half of the year, things were a bit more serious.

The September 12, 1918 edition of the Ridgeway Journal published two servicemen’s letters. Dolph Cain wrote to his aunt, Mrs. S. D. Rardin Jr. a rather cheerful letter that only really lamented that he had only seen one other boy from home: “One of the Worley boys that lived in Mt. Moriah is now in the Supply Co. in the 17^th.” He also wrote that “I have become so used to the shell fire that I can lie down behind the large guns and go to sleep. I slept for three weeks beside one of the guns and of a morning when I would awaken, I would be slid off my blankets by the jar of the guns. I always use cotton in my ears.”

In the same issue, Glen Yeater wrote again to his mother: “We have returned from the trenches and are enjoying a short rest. All of the boys are feeling fine and all of the Ridgeway boys are still in this company except Ted and Peanut and they are in headquarters company. I saw Ted last night and he is at the same people we are now. I have not seen Dolph Cain or any of the other boys from there that over here thought.”

In August, Miss Theo (Theodosia) Bennett sailed to France to join her sister, Ruth in the Army Nurse Corps. In September, Ruth wrote to their brother O. P. Bennet that she had received a letter from Theo that she was on the way. She also wrote “Was on duty two nights. Not of my work has been hard like it was in Camp Songe, but some of the girls are working very hard and no doubt my time will come.” There is a page dedicated to these nursing sisters in the Ridgeway: Then and Now centennial book on page 241 which has more information about their service.

Cpl Ted Opdyke was killed in action in September. His last letter to his mother, Rosa Opdyke, was written four days before he died and was published with his obituary: “I am well but don’t know much to write. Haven’t seen a paper for several days so don’t know much of what goes on, but I hope we are still getting the best of it.” Glen Yeater wrote this sad letter to his sister, Ide Montgomery on Oct 9: “I suppose you read in the papers about us being on the front. Several of the boys from Bethany were wounded; Ted Opdyke was killed and I was with him at the time.”

By November, there was hope instead of sadness. Theo Bennet wrote this letter to her brother Charles on Nov 24: “Everyone is rejoicing now that the war is won and many will be sent home soon. I am only a short distance from Ruth, but too far to see her….I am wishing you a Merry Christmas and well may you rejoice this year for many homes will be very sad.”

One final letter from Glen Yeater to his mother: “The other boys here are feeling fine and we are all anxiously waiting for the time when we will start back to the U. S. A. That will sure be a happy day for us….As yesterday was Thanksgiving, I supposed you had a good dinner. I sure would have like to have been there to help you.”

If you would like to see the full text of the letters I have collected, please check out the RCBA blog. These letters will be posted on Friday to ridgewaycba.blogspot.com

Bit of History - May 14, 2025

In 1918, many of Ridgeway’s young men and women left their hometown to serve their country during what we now call World War I.  As these were the days before texting, emails and unlimited long distance, they wrote letters home to their families and friends to update them on what was happening overseas.  Many of these letters were published in the Ridgeway Journal for all to read.

Dolph Cain was “Ridgeway’s First Representative in France” and he sent his first letter to the Journal editor, published January 18, 1918:  “I presume that I am the first of our boys to come across.  We landed safe and sound, so we all have a warm spot in our hearts for the navy “for taking care of the submarines.  He also wrote “Everything here looks much different that in the U. S. A.  All the fields are green and it looks like summer.”

Ira B. Chapman was in Camp Hancock, GA for training and wanted to let everyone know that “they have not killed me yet”.  He exclaimed about the higher prices for that he was paying for food and was “getting anxious to see the waters” on his way overseas.  

In May, Garland Johnson wrote his father, C. E. Johnson, from the ship that he was sailing to France:  “Well, here I am on the sea and no land in sight yet, however we are all patiently waiting and anxiously watching for said soil.”  He thought he would be very happy to get his feet back on “some good firm soil”.  There were about 3500 soldiers on board plus a crew of 400-500.  “Talk about a crowd—it is worse on this ship than the streets are in old Ridgeway when she has a rip-roaring big crowd July 4th.  We are packed like sardines.”

O. P. Bennett shared a letter from his sister Ruth who was serving overseas in France in the Army Nurse Corps.  She was stationed at a camp hospital near Bourdeaux and wrote “they have never had nurses here before.  We have very comfy quarters with running water and hot bath and good menu.”  She also wrote “All night long I can hear the troops coming to or leaving camp and try to realize what a big job this war is.”  She was grateful for the food they got: “It is great to know that we are really getting what you are doing without that we may have.  We have canned butter and canned milk, plenty of sugar, but they say the fruit is getting very scarce.”

I have several more letters that I will share next week.  If you would like to see the full text of the letters I have collected, including several others and a list of local residents who were serving as of June 1918, please check out the RCBA blog:  ridgewaycba.blogspot.com.

Bit of History - April 10, 2024

By request, I have done some digging into the “orphan trains” that came to Harrison County to bring children from New York to be placed with families in rural America.  While these trains didn’t actually stop in Ridgeway, there were several children placed with families in the Ridgeway area.

At least two groups of children were brought to Harrison County from New York City by the Children’s Aid Society of New York.  The first group of nine older boys ages 10 to 16 and one little girl were presented on March 20, 1891, per an article in the Bethany Democrat. The Children’s Aid Society expected to place the boys mostly with farmers.  The families taking the children were expected to treat them as their own “in the matter of schooling and training” and where they would be “at least under strictly moral influence.”  There were no contracts or papers signed and either parents or the Aid Society could end the placement at any time.  Lawrence Mooney, who wanted to be a farmer,  was placed with Harvey Myers, “of near Ridgeway”.  Brothers George and Eddie Lake “wept over the prospect of being separated” when one was taken  by L. J. Kemp of Jefferson township and the other by A. P. Hayes of Grant township.  

In 1918, another group of children was brought to Bethany by the same organization.  There were fourteen in this group, both boys and girls from infant to teens.  Sadly at least one group of 4 brothers were split up among four families in this group and one brother and sister also split up.  None of these children ended up in Ridgeway, however.

Bit of History - June 2 2021

Memorial Day is the day we remember those service people who have given their lives for our freedom.  One such person was Ridgeway native Charles Frederick “Ted” Opdyke.  Ted was born in Ridgeway in 1897, the son of Samuel Sigel and Rosa Redinger Opdyke and the nephew of John E. Opdyke, one of Ridgeway’s first settlers.  Ted grew up here and in Stockton, KS.  He joined Company G, 4^th Missouri Infantry in 1916 and served first at the Mexico border.  In 1917, his company was sent to first to Oklahoma for training then to France in 1918.  

Corporal Opdyke was killed in action on September 27, 1918, but his family did not find out for sure until mid-October. He was buried in France, but his father wrote to Army Adjutant General Harris that he was not happy with that decision and wanted his boy to come home.  In September 1921, his boy did come home and was buried in the Ridgeway Cemetery.  Later, the American Legion Post in Ridgeway would be named in his memory.