100 Years
October 28, 1920
O. V. Havens, Publisher
To the Voters of Wichita County—As I have not had time to see you all personally, I take this method of reminding you that I am a candidate for re-election to the office of sheriff and that your support at the polls will be appreciated. Hugh Glenn.
Ladies and Gentlemen—As the time is so short and so much farm work to be done between now and November 2nd, it will not be possible to see but few of you between now and that date. I, therefore, take this method of expressing my gratitude for what you have done for me in the years gone by and letting you know how I will appreciate such favors if repeated in the future.
Will say that if I am chosen as your representative, I will do all I can to truly represent the people. Having spent 56 summers on the farm I will especially look after the needs of the farmer. With best wishes I am, Yours truly, W. S. Oldham.
80 Years
October 24, 1940
Bryant Holmes, Publisher
Wanda Gilmore, Carl and Sophia Scheidt and Fred Metheney, all of this city, are driving new Chevrolets purchased at the Western Motor Company, in this city.
Charles and Donald Baker, brothers, and sons of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Baker of this city, left Tuesday morning via Garden City, for Kansas City where they will enter the United States Navy.
Here’s hoping they have good luck at all times.
75 Years
October 25, 1945
Bryant Holmes, Publisher
Bess Holmes, Assistant Publisher and Editor
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Buck are enjoying a visit with two sons. Cpl. Richard Phillips, son of Mrs. Buck, who received honorable discharge October 16 from service after 8 years in the army. Richard saw 38 months overseas in China, Burma, and the India theatre, flying the ‘Hump’ in many instances. He was in the mail department. Also Pfc. Lloyd Buck, who is home on a 17-day furlough and this week that was extended 28 days. Lloyd was with the 13th armored division serving in France, Germany and Austria. He is now stationed at Camp Cooke, California.
Pvt. Lloyd Neyer spent a weekend pass with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gillies Neyer. He came from Sedalia, AAF in Missouri.
Gillies Neyer and daughter Mrs. Myron Vaughn took Lloyd to Kearney, Nebraska, Wednesday, where he will be given an assignment.
70 Years
October 26, 1950
Bryant Holmes, Publisher
Bess Holmes, Assistant Publisher and Editor
E. S. Bonner and son, Bob, Marion Bonner and son, Orvie, and Bobby Haines are this week deer hunting in the Colorado mountains.
Vane Watts recently finished additional improvements on his section of land 22 miles northwest of Leoti. Ben Hasz, well driller, completed the second deep-well irrigation plant on the section which will all be “under the ditch” in months to come.
There is a 130-foot lift in the 200-foot hole with 110 feet of water in it.
The section now has brome grass, alfalfa, winter barley and will be a center of diversified farming, with plans for new buildings included on work projects at this lively point.
50 Years
October 8, 1970
Bryant Holmes, Publisher
Bess Holmes, Business Manager
Mrs. Karl Meyer, driver of a winch truck belonging to the local Meyer Auto Salvage yard, escaped injury Tuesday just before noon when the vehicle suddenly perched itself up from the street with the left rear wheel entirely off the payment.
The top of the A-frame where the pulley is located caught a cable line of the Sunflower Telephone Company, and the cable line with its many wires had all the necessary strength to lift the truck off the pavement.
Al Droste, local manager for the Sunflower Telephone Company, was on the spot in seconds after the accident and he procured the services of another winch truck and the difficulty was soon ironed out.
Mrs. Meyer had driven the truck from her home to town and was returning, northbound before making a right turn from in front of the Leoti Grade School building to the street north of LGS where the odd accident occurred just as Mrs. Meyer turned east.
50 Years
October 29, 1970
Bryant Holmes, Publisher
The 1970 Homecoming Queen is Janice Wilbur, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wilbur, and the King is Dennis Jay, son of Mr. and Mrs. Merle Jay. They were chosen before the homecoming game between Leoti and Ulysses Friday night.
Art Kuhlmann took his daughter, Lynn, back to Denver, Colorado by plane the first of last week after she had spent the weekend here. There he met Mrs. Kuhlmann, who came from Rochester, Minnesota, where she had been at the Mayo hospital for two weeks and they returned home Tuesday of last week.
40 Years
October 23, 1980
Dave and Karen Williams, co-publishers
It has taken time to accomplish, but the Wichita County museum will soon be finished and ready for public viewing.
Clyde Blackburn first tried to start a historical society in Leoti in 1961. “I started five others in Colorado and Kansas before I finally got one started here,” he said. He is now president of Wichita County’s Historical Society.
Originally, a plot of ground was donated by the county commissioners for a museum, but when the drainage ditch was put in, the plot was traded for the City Building’s auditorium and basement.
The 52 by 85-foot auditorium will be the main showcase for the museum’s artifacts. Later, the 120 by 52-foot basement will be used for enlarging the museum, but for now it will serve as storage, Blackburn said.
With four-lane highways, well-marked routes, and detailed road maps, traveling to San Francisco from Kansas does not seem like much of an adventure.
But for four young men from Kansas who set out to do just that in 1915, it was a great adventure.
“A Great Adventure” is the title of the book written by Roy Gwin describing his trip. For his 90th birthday, his children had the manuscript bound and published.
In a 1913 Model T, Roy and three of his college friends set out form Great Bend for the World’s Fair in San Francisco. They had no road signs, no maps and at times only a dust trail through the sagebrush to drive on as they headed for their goal.
Included in the “Kansas Kids” as they soon dubbed themselves, were Walter Ott, Washington; Elmer Bird, Great Bend; Cameron “Goldie” Goldsmith, Abilene; and Roy “Pinkie” Gwin.
Their motto was “World’s Fair or Bust” but they also intended on seeing other sites such as Yellowstone Park, Mexico, and the Grand Canyon.
40 Years
October 30, 1980
Dave and Karen Williams, co-publishers
Leoti had a population of 300 when Ernst Minor came here in 1912.
“I was only going to stay two weeks, when I first came, but then I met Eva, my wife and I’ve been here ever since,” he said with the lines around his eyes crinkling up in a smile.
Minor was recognized by Gov. John Carlin at the governor’s reception last week. He had been given a 10- and 25-year pin for service to the county as registrar of deeds, but there was no recognition given after that. Now, fourteen years later, he has shaken hands with the governor and received his personal commendation. Berniece Gilmore engineered the-long-overdue recognition, Minor said.
At 90, Minor feels he deserves to rest and doesn’t really regret leaving.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rickford and Sheree were in Hutchinson over the weekend attending homecoming activities and visiting Warren Rickford, a sophomore at Hutchinson Community College.
Yesteryears
