Pomeroy Pioneer Portraits

Ten Years Ago

December 8, 2010

Denny Ashby Library’s Pomeroy Heritage digital collection has 288 new items documenting local history, including collections of Garfield County schoolhouses and tramways.

The Silvery Moon Sale, created by Tom Meyers three years ago, has become Pomeroy’s most popular holiday retail event and will be held Thursday in several downtown businesses.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 13, 1995

Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce presented the musical highlight of the season downtown when businesspeople performed “The 12 Days of Christmas” on the Courthouse lawn Thursday. Mike Field, the Motorola Chicken, won balloting for Best Costume, with his Four Calling Birds outfit complete with ringing cellular phone, Pam Kimble of Home Mart was voted Best Singer, and Steve Gormsen, Roger Dumbeck and Beau Blachly of Pomeroy Grain Growers garnered Most Off-key. Master of Ceremonies and Partridge in a (Garfield County) Pear Tree was Troy Berglund of Food City.

Fifty Years Ago

December 10, 1970

Doctors Stephen and Shirley Richardson have opened their medical practice at 808 Columbia in Pomeroy. The property has been remodeled into modern doctor’s offices.

A $300 donation and razing of old houses on the planned building lots was the big news this week in the museum drive.

The Earl Ball family lost all of their household goods and clothing in a country home fire last Thursday evening when the house they rented on the McKeirnan grade burned to the ground.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

December 13, 1945

The Central Ferry post office, serving that community since prior to 1881, will cease to exist after December 31, 1945. Its 25 patrons will be served by rural carrier Elmor Trescott, whose route 3 will be extended from 45.09 miles to 52.79 miles per day and his salary, likewise, increased from $2,508 to $2,668 per year.

Kenneth Price, 17, received a 17-jewel gold watch for having the highest rating state record in the national 4-H meat animal award program. During five years in club work the boy handled 32 baby beeves, 45 hogs and 25 registered Herefords.

The Pomeroy Golf Course reports plans are in the making for the construction of a clubhouse costing approximately $8,000. The building, when and if it becomes a reality, will provide members with a lobby, lunch room, recreational hall suitable for the club’s social activities, and a basement for showers and lockers where members may store their golf equipment.

Dr. J.W. Sherfey, county health officer, has closed Pomeroy, Mayview and Holy Rosary schools until after the holidays in an attempt to get control of the influenza epidemic that has struck the county. Absenteeism in the public school, with an enrollment of 430, increased from 101 on Tuesday to 140 on Wednesday. Churches, theatre and other public places will be permitted to function if the situation does not take a change for the worse.

One Hundred Years Ago

December 11, 1920

Revere Hotel merchant’s lunch menu every day—50 cents—soup, meat, three varieties, vegetables, two varieties, tea or coffee, bread and butter, dessert.

On December 1 the Wenaha and Umatilla National Forests were merged and hereafter will be known as the Umatilla.

A number of heavy farm mortgages have been filed for record with the county auditor within the last 30 days. The largest sum secured by the plaster process by any one person is $50,000. The next largest is $22,000.

One Hundred Twenty-Five Years Ago

December 7, 1895

Free Hearse—W.B. Williamson & Co. have just received a stylish, new hearse which will be furnished free to the people of Garfield Co. until further notice, free to all cemeteries.

“A merciful man is merciful to his beast,” is an old and true saying. Too often at this time of year teams are left standing on the street at night unblanketed and half frozen, for hours, while the owners, who seem to have time and money to throw away, are enjoying a long chat or perhaps a “sociable game” of cards in some saloon. Don’t forget your team. Everybody notices it and the price of one drink will secure them a comfortable stall in the stable. While you are “setting ’em up to the boys,” don’t forget to set ’em up to the team. If you do forget it, the marshal is pretty apt to remember and then it costs more.

Late Wednesday evening J.N. Perkins’ team ran away on Meadow Gulch hill, and went down the steep grade at a frightful speed. They were attached to a wagon loaded with household effects. Mr. Perkins was thrown to the ground, but fortunately escaped unhurt. He was moving over to his Meadow Gulch farm from Endicott, where he has spent the past two years, and says he will live out the remainder of his time on earth in Garfield County. From Jos. Trosper, with whom Mr. Perkins stopped overnight, we learn that no effort was made to find the runaway outfit until Thursday morning. The horses were found a mile and a half from where they started to run, apparently in prime condition and ready for another heat.