HITCHCOCK COUNTY – HOMETOWN HISTORY – WEEK OF DECEMBER 18, 2025
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News of 1935
The Republican Leader
90 Years Ago
Trenton Couple Weds Secretly
Mrs. Nellie Thompson and O.G. Smith, both of Trenton, were married Wednesday, November 20, at 2:00pm at Oberlin, Kansas. Rev. Muri Smith, pastor of the Oberlin Methodist Church officiated with the ring ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Smith returned to Trenton and are living in the Conover property in the north part of town. Mr. and Mrs. Smith kept their marriage a secret until December 9, when they started on their wedding trip, which took them first to Omaha where Mr. Smith attended the state convention of County Clerks and Commissioners the first three days and they went on to Iowa, where they visited Mr. Smith’s daughter, Mrs. Bert Kirby in Mason City, and his parents, Mr and Mrs. Wm. Smith in Sharpsburg. Returning home they visited a day in Lincoln with Mr. Smith’s brother, Earl, and arrived in Trenton Monday night. Mrs. Smith has lived in Trenton most all of her life. She is a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. S.M. Fleming. Mr. Smith came to Hitchcock County as a young man. Most of the time he has engaged in farming. A year ago he was elected county commissioner for the second district and is filling this position very satisfactorily. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have many friends in Trenton who join with the Leader in extending very best wishes for their happiness.
Escapes Serious Hurts in Wreck
When driving home from McCook about midnight Wednesday, L.D. Holston ran into a parked car in the center of the highway near the Henry Morthole farm home. The right hind wheel of Holston’s car caught the hind wheel of the parked car, took off the tire of the parked car and after turning several somersaults landed right side up, and Mr. Holston found himself in the back seat instead of the front seat, but little the worse for the flip flops he had taken, except that he was well nigh scared to death. Bill Gillaspie had run out of gasoline and was waiting in the road for someone to come along and seeing the Holston car he waved his hand outside the car but this was not noticable in the darkness and all lights on the car were turned off. Mr. Holston saw the parked car just before he was on it. Stepping on his brakes, and turning out what he could to one side probably averted a direct impact and serious injuries to both passengers. Bud Shaffer was directly behind Holston’s car and he and Bill Gillaspie brought Mr. Holston to town. Except for a small cut on one leg and a generally bruised body, Mr. Holston is unharmed and will soon be around again. His car, a Ford V-8 is a total wreck and he says he will not try to fix it up. The Gillaspie car sustained a slight injury to one wheel. Mr. Holston says that he was driving too fast and blames himself for the accident.
New Manager at Symns-Shaffer Company
Roy Lee arrived last Friday and took over the management of the Symns-Shaffer Produce Company at Trenton. He came from Cheyeenne Wells, Colorado where he has been in charge of one of the Symns-Shaffer stations for the past two and one half years. Mr. Lee’s family consists of Mrs. Lee and their six children all of school age. The family will be here soon after Christmas. They expect to live in the Sadler property vacated by Carl Graber and wife last week. The Leader extends to Mr. and Mrs. Lee and family a hearty welcome to Trenton. Miss Gladys Brown is helping in the creamery at Symns-Shaffer this week while Mr. Lee is getting a Nebraska license.
Son of Former Trenton Girl Instantly Killed
Richard Chipperfield, aged nine, of thirteen miles south of Benkelman met with instant death last Saturday afternoon when he fell from a tractor, a lug on one of the wheels of the tractor hitting him directly behind one ear. The parents of the boy are Mr. and Mrs. Harold Chipperfield. Mrs. Chipperfield was Miss Hattie Merklin before her marriage. She is a niece of Claude and Weldon Clark of Trenton and made her home with the Claude Clark family and attended Trenton High School, graduating some fifteen years ago. Richard was allowed to get on the tractor to take a ride with the hired man, who was hauling water for the stack at the Chipperfield ranch. He had only been riding a few minutes when he fell. The tractor was stopped almost immediately but Richard was dead when the driver of the tractor got to him. Funeral services were conducted Monday. Trenton relatives attending were the Claude and Weldon Clark families and Mrs. Arnold Swartz.
Honorable Mention
You never could tell by watching Attorney J.F. Ratcliff walk up the street to the court house or to his office that he had recently been mentioned in the daily papers as one of the state’s sixteen most competent law makers. But this honor was bestowed upon him the last day of the recent special session of the Nebraska legislature by a leader in the House of Representatives and a group of newspaper men. The compliment came entirely unsolicited and unlooked for, and from a group who had given the matter considerable study by watching the work of the legislators through the last regular and special sessions.
News of 1945
The Republican Leader
80 Years Ago
Winter Really Here
A light fall of snow Wednesday, preceded by several days of near zero weather, reminded residents of this territory that the winter season is definitely at hand. Roads were a bit icy late Wednesday, and there were a few reports of cars sliding into the ditch on the highway hills east of town. Sun is shining brightly Thursday morning, but the temperatures are still “plenty snappy.”
Clean-Up Project Off to Good Start
One of the most noticable clean-up projects instituted in Trenton recently was started last Friday afternoon, when Marshal Elby Ungles and a couple of assistants began the work of cleaning the parkings, curbs and gutters in the business districts. They did a thorough job, and completed the project along three blocks on Main Street before the weatherman stopped them. The work will be continued, weather permitting, on other streets on the town.
Heads Fire Department
At the regular monthly meeting of the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department on Monday evening, Joy McDonald was elected as president of the group for 1946, succeeding Ken Miller. Other officers elected were: Pearl Burrows, vice president; Archie Strayer, sec.-treas. The modern Fire Truck for Trenton, which is being built and equipped by the department members, will soon be finished and ready to put into service. The pump unit, obtained on a loan from the federal government, is mounted on the truck, and a water tank of several hundred gallons capacity, to aid in fighting rural fires, is also built into the unit.
Named Service Officer for Hitchcock County
Stan Holston, recently discharged from the Army, has received the appointment of Service Officer for Hitchcock County, and is now located in an office on the top floor of the court house in Trenton. He wil assist returning servicemen in finding jobs, opening new business enterprises, starting farm operations, getting further schooling, and obtaining all possible aid under the GI Bill of Rights. Stan received the appointment from the Hitchcock County Veterans’ Service Coordinating Committee, which is made up of Legion men from the various towns in the county.
To Remain on Mountain Time
Following announcement a couple of weeks ago that Dundy County would go on Central Time, after a Resolution to that effect had been adopted by the County Commissioners, an injunction was filed against changing the time, said injunction being signed by a goodly number of Dundy County residents. At a hearing before District Judge C.E. Eldred on December 3rd, he ruled that the Commissioners have a legal right to pass such a resolution, and that any governing body had the right to set any time they chose for the operation of their particular activities. However, due to the strong sentiment against Central Time, the Commissioners again reversed their stand, and as a result, Dundy County remains as the only county in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas on Mountain Time – one hour slower than Central Time. Last week’s Imperial Republican stated that a petition was presented to the Chase County Commissioners at the last meeting asking that the time again be changed – back to Mountain Time – but no action was taken, due to the fact that the members of the Board were not present.
News of 1955
The Republican Leader
70 Years Ago
Cub Scouts Receive Awards and Badges
The November meeting of Pack 205 Cub Scouts, was held at the Legion Hall on November 30. Both dens had displays set up with articles they had made on the theme of the month, “America the Beautiful.” Den 1 made scrapbooks and posters. Den 2 made pilgrim and Indian puppets, shadow boxes and potato turkeys. The flag was advanced by John Horvath and Bob Frakes, after which the cubmaster repeated a few lines on the monthly theme and everyone gave the Pledge of Allegiance. The following awards were given: James Hartman, Wolf badge and gold arrow and Wolf head; Lloyd Jones, service star and lion head; Meredith McDonald, service star, bear head and Indian head; Marc Danner, wolf badge; Charles Powers, silver arrow under wolf and wolf head; James Clark, service star and Indian head; Walter Dye, service and wolf head; George Campbell service star, denner stripe, wolf head, Indian head and land rush badge; Frank Jones, wolf head and lion head; Dannie Jones land rush badge; Berry Corder, wolf head and land rush badge; Bob Frakes, bear head; Roger Rotter, bear head and land rush badge. Lane Baker, District Scout Executive, was introduced and gave a short talk to the parents. Ed Peterson, McCook conducted an impressive ceremony for the Bobcats, Jimmy Roose, Howard Hoover, Douglas Lampman, Leon Carter, Danny Jones, and Jim Campbell. The bobcat pins were given to the mothers who in turn pinned them on the boys. The pins to be worn upside down until the boys perform a good deed. The Webelos ceremony was then held for Ronnie Harrison and Donnie Steinke. Lane Baker then showed a short film on cub scouting, after which there was a brief closing ceremony.
Weather Still Cold
With the highest recorded temperature of 44 for the week local residents turned up their furnaces and complained of more cold weather. The bright note was the thaw on Monday and Tuesday of this week that cut down the size of the snowdrifts and took some of the ice off the roads. The low point of the week was the one above reported at the weather station Saturday night. Thursday night was four above reading and Sunday night five above. The moisture content was not high although snow flurries were prominent throughout the week. Last Friday two hundredths of an inch were recorded at the weather station and Tuesday night of this week, 0.07 with between one or two inches of moisture which fell and led flat on the ground, with little or no wind blowing during the storm.
Door Prize Winners Announced
At the drawings for door prizes given Saturday in Palisade following were the lucky winners. Claude Kuhn, GE Iron from Krotter & James Hiner; Art McCormick, Sunbeam Iron from Carses Store; Lucile Daniher, turkey, from Curtis Red and White; Elmer Henze, $5 gift certificate from Elstun Pharmacy; Jimmy Hiner, TV lamp from Strayer’s Hardware; Steven Bailey, two years subscription to Palisade Times; Wilber Harris, $5 gift certificate from Schroeders IGA. Krotter and James Hiner Hardware also gave two smaller gifts, a sponge window washer which was won by Beulah Kitt and a screwdriver set to Mrs. Dale Pugh. Schroeder’s IGA also gave a 10 pound sack of sugar to Mrs. Guy West and a one pound of coffee to Mr. George Fornoff. A surprise joke gift was presented to Mrs. Clyde Gruver. All in all a fine time was had visiting and awaiting the drawings which attracted a large crowd.
News of 1965
The Hitchcock County News
60 Years Ago
To Wed in June
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Ulrich of DeWitt announced the engagement of their daughter, Virginia Lou, to Jerry D. Steinke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Steinke of Trenton. Miss Ulrich attended the Lincoln School of Commerce and is presently employed in Lincoln. Mr. Steinke is a senior at the University of Nebraska where he is majoring in civil engineering. The couple plan a June 11 wedding. Engagement Announced Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schafer of Culbertson are announcing the engagement of their daughter, Susan, to Delane Carlson, son of Mr and Mrs. Floyd Carlson, Stratton. Miss Schafer graduated from the Culbertson High School and McCook College and is presently employed in McCook. Her fiance graduated from Stratton High School and served four years in the Air Force. He is employed in Stratton. A May wedding is being planned.
Two Trentonites Complete Airline Personnel School
Ronald Duckworth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Art Duckworth and Jim Campbell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Campbell, all of Trenton have been assigned to positions as Stratton Agent for the Braniff International Airways, Inc. and Delta Air Lines respectively, according to news releases received from Weaver Airline Personnel School at Kansas City where both attended. They are stationed in Chicago. Both young men had completed the Weaver Airline Personnel School’s home study extension course and were attending the resident school in Kansas City when selected for the positions.
Called to Kansas
Mr. and Mrs. Stan Johnson were called to Fort Scott, Kansas, Thursday night, following an accident there in which Stan’s sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Jennings, and five month old son were seriously injured. Mrs. Jennings was still on the critical list Tuesday. Mrs. Eleanor Brown is caring for the Johnson children while their parents are in Kansas.
Wedding
Miss Gayle Jeannene Hedke became the bride of Larry Ward Fish, November 27, at the Trenton Methodist Church. The Rev. Jerry Elrod of Benkelman performed the double ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Hedke of Trenton. Mr. Virley Fish of Benkelman is the father of the bridegroom. Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a street length dress of eggshell silk faille, styled with a lace bodice and long sleeves. A Pearl trimmed tiara held her short veil of nylon net. She carried a crescent bouquet centered with removable corsage of yellow sweet heart roses. The Matron of Honor was Mrs. Deryl Pemberton, Wheatridge, Colorado, sister of the bride. She wore a dress of blue chiffon over blue taffeta and a short veil of metallic net trimmed with a beige bow. She carried a bouquet of bronze pompoms. Bill Cawthra of Max served the bridegroom as Best Man. Seating the guests were Mack and Gary Hedke, brothers of the bride. Assisting at the reception in the church basement were Mrs. Ed Stitt, Benkelman, Mrs. Larry Brown, Trenton, cousin of the bride, and Mrs. Frank Skinner, McCook. The three tiered wedding cake, trimmed with yellow roses and white wedding bells, was baked and decorated by Mrs. Gerald Paxton, Trenton. Attending the guest book was Miss Donna Cole, Superior. In charge of the gifts were Mrs. Lloyd Buhler and Mrs. Gary Hedke, sister-in-law of the bride, both of Trenton, assisted by Miss Bonnie Reiman, Benkelman, and Miss Floy Hedke, sister of the bride. Mrs. Fish is a graduate of Trenton High School. Mr. Fish graduated from Benkelman High School and is now attending the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.