Bit of History -- June 25, 2025

From the pages of the Ridgeway Journal, June 24, 1904:

The City of Ridgeway was preparing for the Fourth of July with a grand celebration which included performances by the city band, a parade, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, an address by the Honorable H. S. Hadley of Kansas City (who, according to the RJ editor, was “one of the foremost orators of Missouri and should be a good drawing card”) and an “hour-long concert by a chorus of thirty voices”.  The afternoon’s entertainment included a number of races included a bicycle race, a goat race, boys’ foot races, a “Fat Man’s” race, sack race and wheel barrow race.  There were other contests attendees could enter like the Oldest Couple, Heaviest Woman and a grand shooting match.  The day ended with a grand fireworks display.

There were a few editorial comments scattered through the paper about the celebration.  One was a hope that there would be no gambling during the celebration as “Gamblers are very apt to congregate at such large gatherings to ply their vocation. On such days good order should be maintained and no drunkenness allowed. Another note mentioned that “The Ridgeway band is practicing every night so as to be in good shape for the celebration” and one more:  “A person might imagine some of these fine evenings that the celebration was in full force right then and there-judging from the amount of fire works and fire crackers being burned. So far there has been no serious accidents.”

CLOSING:  Hope that you all have had a good week and relaxing weekend!  Please be sure to send me any news items for the paper by Sunday evening!  Thank you for reading!

Bit of History -- June 18, 2025

A few items from the pages of Harrison County newspapers in June 1943:

The third annual flower show was held in the Ridgeway that month.  Miss Roslyn Ragan was selected from seven entrants as the flower queen.  There were entries in thirty classes and several special events.  “Mrs. O. F. Fordyce led in winnings with seven firsts, two seconds and one third.  Mrs. Elmer Rinehart had five firsts, two seconds and one third.”  Of the special prizes, my favorite was that Karen Lea Carson won the prize for the table setting for dolls.  (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Jun 9, 1943.)

Lieut. James Ragan, the son of Sgt and Mrs. Pally Ragan “appeared briefly and inconspicuously in the photo play ‘Crash Dive’”.  This photoplay featured the submarine on which Lieut. Ragan was second in command.  His parents went to see the play and while his father missed seeing him, “Mrs. Ragan recognized him in one scene where the crew was shown.”  Unfortunately for Harrison County residents, they didn’t know until after the photoplay had been shown in Bethany that he was in it.  He wrote to his parents that he had hoped to get home for a leave, but due to his location, he would not be able to get leave “for a long, long while.” ( (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Jun 23, 1943.)

Miss Doloris Elaine Elliot, a resident of Ridgeway, was promoted to seaman, second class, in the navy WAVES (the women’s branch of the Navy).  She had been a clerk in the Harrison County treasurer’s office before enlisting.  She was attending a “storekeepers school” in Indiana after which she expected to be promoted again.  

Bit of History -- June 11, 2025

These are a few of the ads from the Ridgeway Journal dated June 30, 1910:

Grocery store owner O. P. Bennet had an ad on the front page in which he asked “Did your children enjoy the Pony Show?  Wouldn’t it be nice for them to have a pony of their own, if it cost you nothing?”  The store was going to give away “one of the best Shetland Ponies in Harrison County” to a patron who spent at least $1 in the store.

Miner & Frees encouraged farmers to start thinking about fall already, claiming that “NOW is the time to buy the best SILO made.”  Bartlett & Bridges likewise advertised to farmers withWe have the largest line of Harvesting Machinery to be found in this section, and not only the largest but the best.”

Miner & Frees had another ad telling readers to “Wake up! You are not at the beach but at home and the house is full of flies.  The only relief is to buy one of those good Screen Doors from Miner & Frees.”

C. O. Buzzard offered gasoline cook stoves for sale, claiming that “Baking and cooking can be done on these stoves just as well as on any coal or wood stove, with less trouble and no dirt, and much more comfort, especially in the hot summer months.”

The opera house was going to present, for one day only on July 2, “Witherel's Scenic Prison Show: "The Twin Hells” of Kansas and Missouri.  Two hours behind the walls of Famous Penitentiaries. The only prison show of the kind in the world It is an object lesson to the young and an entertainment of merit for older people.”  

Bit of History -- June 4, 2025

From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated June 6, 1935: 

Northwest Missouri had been hit with heavy rains through the spring which resulted the Grand River flooding and the destruction of the bridge on the farm market road between Mt. Moriah and Cainsville. The flooding also destroyed three other bridges and Trail Creek, Big Creek and Painter Creek were all over their banks. The flooding delayed farm work for W. W. Bush who said that a “week of straight sunshine would not put the ground in condition for working in many fields.” He also described Mosquito Creek, “ordinarily something like an exaggerated trickle, was nearly 100 yards wide and would swim a horse Saturday.”

One positive note to the flooding was that damage caused by chinch bugs was expected to be lessened. Chinch bugs are small insects that feed on the sap of grass and grain crops, causing damage by injecting toxins into the plants. They thrive in hot, dry weather like the drought of 1934. The flooding delayed their reproductive cycle and as long as the weather remained wet, they would not cause as much damage as expected.

The paper also reported that 480 feet of pipe slid into the city well that week during repairs. Workers had been pulling the pipe to look for faulty valves to determine why the water was not filling the bowl and not enough water was available for an emergency supply. They were unsure at first if the pipe had plunged all the way to the bottom of the well and made plans to take measurements to find out. Meanwhile, Mayor Leazenby and City Marshall Crosby went to Kansas City to order more pipe at a cost of $400. This was part of a series of problems fixing the well that ended up lasting 10 days before they could turn the water back on. (For the rest of the story, see the Bit of History for July 3, 2024 at RidgewayCBA.blogspot.com.)

Bit of History -- May 28, 2025

Thank you to the sweet reader who called to share her memories of living in Ridgeway:

“I am 90 years old and I remember when people had to start to pass a written driver’s test in order to get a license.  All of the members of the class of 1953 went together in May to the Triplet Shoe Repair Sho[ in to get our driver’s license.  He was the notary public and his building was across from the Farmer’s National Bank. Of course this man was the only notary public in town for many, many years.”  

At that time, you had to apply for your driver’s license at a notary public.  She said they all wanted to get their license before the state began requiring that you pass the exam.  When she and I talked about the shop, we thought the notary might have been Ernest Triplet, but most likely (according to the Ridgeway:  Then and Now centennial book ), he was probably Robert Milligan who was also a shoe repairman, tax collector and insurance agent.  He’d had polio and used a wheelchair as did Ernest Triplet, the original owner of the shop who had been paralyzed in a farming accident.  The notary had all the students take the written exam “so they could see what it was about”

She also recalled that she used to smile and feel happy when the train passed by the school and blew its whistle, because the teachers would stop what they were doing until the train had passed!  It was a delight to talk with her for a while and listen to her reminisce about the past.

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 -- May 7, 2025

In the 1940s, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rinehart started a tradition of inviting mothers who would be alone on Mother’s Day to have dinner with them. In 1946, they hosted five mothers including Frank and each mother received a handkerchief and a Mother’s Day card. They carried on this tradition for at least twenty years and hosted as many as 29 mothers who would otherwise have been alone on Mother’s Day.

In 1958, they extended the invitation to other women who may not have been mothers but would be alone on that day and extended invitations to women in Bethany as well as Ridgeway. That year, they hosted 25 ladies for lunch and “Mrs. Rinehart cooked everything herself, include four kinds of pies and two kinds of cakes.” (Bethany Republican-Clipper, May 14, 1958.)

Bit of History -- April 30, 2025

In 1866, the leaders of Harrison County appointed John W. Brown to purchase land to build the county’s “poor farm”, a place for those who were indigent would live and work. He found and purchased an unknown amount of acreage in section 9, township 64, range 27 – a plot of land southeast of Ridgeway (east of what is now known as East 250^th Street and south of West 245^th St.) The land was purchased in 1866 and the buildings on it were erected two years later. (Per the 1914 plat map, one of these buildings was the “Asylum”.) “This farm under county management afforded a comfortable home for the poor of the county until about 1902”. (History of Harrison County, Missouri, Geo. W Wanamaker, 1921, pages 186-187)

The county officials would advertise in the local papers for bids for someone to take over the management of the farm for two years. The bid needed to include the amount the bidder would accept per week of “boarding and clothing and taking care of each poor person” as well as rent per acre for “the plow land in said farm and the amount per acre for the pasture and meadow land.” The bidders had to provide a bond to place a bid. (Bethany Clipper, Jan 18, 1883)

In 1883, one woman was taken to the poor farm after she got off the train in Ridgeway unable to give her name or address at first. She was seen by the local doctor and taken to a local family but after she had a “hard fit”, that family request that she be moved. She was taken to the poor farm where she was cared for until she could recover enough to remember her name. (Bethany Clipper, Nov 29, 1993, page 4).

The poor farm remained in operation near Ridgeway until 1902 at which time the farm was closed and operations moved to Bethany.

Bit of History -- April 23, 2025

“He was just a dog.  Mister-- that’s all;
And all of us boys called him Pug;
He was black, crippled and not very tall,
But he’d fight at the drop of hat for us all.”

On April 18, 1912, the Ridgeway Journal published the sad obituary of a dog named Pug.   Pug, an “old black dog known to all in Ridgeway and a friend to everybody who was kind to him.”  He lived at the home of his masters, the Spragg family.  “Speaking in a way, the old dog has raised every boy in the town; everybody swore by him and in his death we lose a friend that cannot be replaced.”

One evening, he was shot by a man “because he had a grudge against Pug’s owners” and because the dog had been barking in the street by his home.  

The poor pup survived for several days.  He was cared for by the boys on a bed of straw and rags in the back of the Ridgeway Journal office.  Many inquired after his welfare during the next several days, but Pug continued to suffer until a boy,“one of Pug’s best friends”, ended Pug’s suffering as an act of kindness.

The editor of the paper described the man “(we hate to refer to him as a man)” as a brute, “lower by far than the dog he killed.”  The writer went on to say that the “old faithful dog stands a much better change of reaching that spiritual mansion” than the one who shot him.  The article ended with “This is written with no apologies, to anyone.”