141 YEARS AGO May 25, 1882

The windmill at the well on Main Street in front of J. Beebe’s store has been repaired and is now running regularly.

A number of our citizens have purchased telephones, which they will have erected between their residences and places of business.

Ben Rice has converted his cheese factory to a creamery. He ships his butter to Denver.

A. Larkin, is building a handsome residence on his farm south of this city.

The bridge across the river at Ellsworth is being dressed with a new coat of paint.

Arrangements have been completed to organize a chapter of Royal Arch masons in Ellsworth.

A.W. Barofsky, formerly of this city, now of Denver, was here Tuesday visiting his many friends.

A number of our young gentlemen have recently purchased bicycles. They can be seen turning somersaults over the bicycles and into the mud almost every evening. It is fun for small boys, but tough on the riders.

116 YEARS AGO May 23, 1907

The Class of 1907 of Ellsworth High School will receive their diplomas at the Opera House tomorrow evening.

Orations will be given by the graduates, Florence Cadwell, Roscoe Holt, Nora Phelan, Carrie M’Laughlin, Henry Hoffmann, James Nelson and Susie Phelan. In lieu of an oration, Jessie Hissem will render a piano solo, “Fantasia” by Mendelssohn. Miss Hissem is a zealous student of the piano and is considered one of Ellsworth’s foremost performers.

The Class of 1907 is the first to issue a High School Annual.

Peter Redman and wife met with quite an accident last Saturday. They had been in Ellsworth and were on their way home when the horse became frightened at a sign board just north of Ellsworth. He ran and Mr. Redman lost control of him. In trying to turn a corner, the buggy was upset, breaking both shafts and throwing the occupants into the ditch.

Aside from a few bruises, however, both escaped unhurt.

91 YEARS AGO May 26, 1932 Ellsworth county wheat looks fair and there has been quite a lot of crop vacated and the ground plowed up for other crops, but farmers say that a good soaking rain of at least two inches is the real need right now if the crop is to turn out in any sort of a yield at all. Just a little over half an inch, .63 to be exact, was the amount that fell in Ellsworth. It is hardly more than a starter to the amount really needed here, but will save the crops until Decoration Day at least when perhaps a good old-fashioned Decoration Day rain will come.

Dr. Harold O’Donnell’s car was robbed of his instrument and medicine cases Monday night while in the garage at the O’Donnell home on West Third street. The cases were later found in the alley back of the residence.

Green Glass Ice Sets, large 80-oz. pitcher and 6 chip-proof iced tea glasses for $1. T.G. O’Donnell Hardware Company.

Within a short time, the receiver for the Central National bank will pay a 9 percent dividend. This will make 49 percent that has been paid so far.

66 YEARS AGO May 23, 1957

Members of the Ellsworth High School Class of 1957 are Mildred Carol Borecky, Eva Ann Bruning, Donna Lee Collins, Jane Elizabeth Cook, Vernon Anthony Dolezal, Donald Gene Dumler, Marilyn Kay Dumler, Marlene Fern Eilrich, Douglas Kay Erway, Larry Hugh Garrelts, Larry Lamar Griffitt, Marilyn Kay Hoffman, Robert Frank Hokr, Robert Stephen Homolka, Jacqueline Jarryl Hoopes, Alvin Louis Katzenmeier Jr., Linda Joan Katzenmeier, Roy George Katzenmeier, Sharon Keith Knorr, Harvey Carl Kohls, Darlene Lavon Kottman, Frank Carlton McAtee Jr., Mary Elizabeth McConnell, Jimmy Wade Milbradt, Ralph Cris Naegele, Keith Arlan Peterman, Roger D.

Prochaska, Dennis Dean Pruyn, Theora Jean Quade, Donald Dee Richards, Lucia Lee Richards, Gloria Kay Schneider, Shirley Louise Schultz, Donna Lee Schwerdtfeger, Carol June Sheridan, Ellen Elaine Sinclair, Frank Ray Toman, Donald James Urbanek, Phyllis Mae Vanderbilt, Gerald Allen Vodraska, Mary Elizabeth Wagner, Jon Roger Wamhoff, Patricia Ann Wanek, William Gary Westerhaus, Janet Louise Wilson and Mary Louise Zavesky.

51 YEARS AGO May 25, 1972

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Larkin, Hondo, Texas, stopped in Ellsworth Monday to refresh boyhood memories. His grandfather is the famous Arthur Larkin, prince of the frontier merchants.

Mr. Larkin, now retired, is one of five remaining grandchildren of Arthur and Alice Larkin, and is named for his uncle, Charles Larkin, who was the last of the original family to live here. Mr.

Larkin’s mother was Lillian Cochrane Larkin and his memories of the Cochrane home in Ellsworth rival his memories of the big Larkin home across the river and the White House Hotel.

While he and Mrs.

Larkin lived in Great Bend, they looked after the White House Hotel which then was still owned by the Larkin estate. Pat Larkin later returned to Ellsworth for a few years as the last owner of that old-time Ellsworth landmark.

Larkin’s father was Frank Larkin. The other Larkin grandchildren are Mrs.

Vera Williams of Wichita; Frank and Pat Larkin, both of Wichita; and Mrs. Margaret Alice McClure of San Antonio, Texas.

46 YEARS AGO May 26, 1977

Ten Ellsworth High School seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society at the annual awards and recognition assembly May 19. They were Ken Boyer, Lori Fulton, Bill Grothusen, Melodie Janssen, Curtis Krizek, Russ McCaulley, David Svaty, Lori Urbanek, Allison Van Meter and Cheryl Weinhold.

Ellsworth County population increased 118 from 7,171 to 7,289 last year, the largest population since 1960, according to figures compiled recently by the county assessor’s office.

41 YEARS AGO May 27, 1982

Members of the Wilson City Council approved the painting of a mural, depicting the Czech heritage, on a building at Wilson. The mural will be painted by Ronald Meyeres, Great Bend, on the north side of a building located south of the Wilson State Bank.

Meyeres will paint the mural as part of his sentence for misdemeanor theft and criminal deprivation. Judge Barry Bennington handed down the sentence. — The Wilson World.

Freshman Shawnee Call won two individual events to lead the Ellsworth High School girls’ track team to the Class 4A track championship at Wichita Friday and Saturday. Call won the 300-meter and 100meter hurdles, placed second in the 200-meter dash and ran on the Bearcats’ second place 400-meter relay to account for 30 of Ellsworth’s 42 points.

Kim Pflughoeft, daughter of Helen Pflughoeft and Kenneth Pflughoeft, Ellsworth, has been selected state finalist for Kansas’ Homecoming Queen selection to be held Sunday, May 30, at the Holiday Inn Sports Complex, Kansas City.

She will represent Ellsworth High School.

Police Chief Richard Dahl reported the theft of a trailer from the storage lot of Westerhaus Motor Company, 103 North Douglas, sometime between 3 p.m. May 21 and 8:45 a.m. May 22.

The loss was estimated at about $25.

Five employees of the Ellsworth Good Samaritan Center have recently passed examinations qualifying them as certified nurse aides.

They are Ruby Muninger, Sandy Perry, Beverly Roush, Darlene Singley and Della Tripp. The center now has 33 certified nurse aides and medication nurse aides, according to Administrator Virgil Larsen.

Janet and Rodney Kempke exchanged marriage vows Saturday, March 27, 1982, at St.

Peters Lutheran Church, Holyrood. The Rev. Lloyd Sprick officiated the double-ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Chet Nienke, Holyrood, and the late Wanda Nienke. Mr. and Mrs.

Richard Kempke Jr., Kanopolis, are the parents of the groom.

The historic items on this page appear as they did in the original publication.