July 22, 1897 —
Cards are out announcing the marriage of Ed Jefferson and Miss Belle Scott. The ceremony will take place next Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. At the home of the bride.
No use to whine over the nonarrival of the Yankton road. Osmond always was and will continue to be the best new town on the Short Line for an indefinite period. Come now.
100 Years Ago. . .
Lloyd Hansen, who formerly farmed near Osmond, was struck by lightning on a farm near Orchard, during the story of the previous week. Mr. Hansen was a brother-in-law of the Steckelberg Bros. of Osmond.
E. E. Perry of Breslau was in town demonstrating his Kohler light plant. Anyone wanting an individual light plant would do well to see Mr. Perry. There was no cranking an engine with this plant. Merely turn a button and off it goes.
E. J. Huey purchased the old Poggensee building, which was one of the old landmarks, and a choice location. “We understand Ed got it at a bargain.”
Osmond’s big Fourth of July program included a 99-gun salute at sunrise, band concert by the Verdigre band, balloon ascents, a parade, chorus of 25 girls singing the “Star Spangled Banner” and “America,” an address by Chas. Stewart of Norfolk, ball game between Pierce and Plainview, greased pig contest, races of various kinds, and a drill by the Osmond R.N.A. Aeroplane flights consisting of nose diving, wing walking and parachute jumps, unfortunately failed to materialize.
In the July 4 parade, R. L. Senift took first prize for the best decorated float, the Huey Garage second, and Luebbers Machine Shop third. In decorated bicycles, Milton Lorenz took first, Walter Broekemeier second, and Shad Jr. and Devlin Jr., tied for third.
75 Years Ago. . .
The renewed sub-contract of John Loeding, star route carrier between Osmond and Niobrara, was received by Mr. Loeding with a new wage standard at $4,000 per year for a fouryear contract. The new agreement called for Loeding to leave Osmond with his bus, which carried both passengers and mail, at 7:30 every morning and return to Osmond at 4:20 every afternoon.
The Osmond orchestra, organized recently by Jim Rice, appeared on the concert stage at Pierce as guest of honor during the regular Wednesday evening concert in Gilman Park there.
The local orchestra played for its initial performance for the Legionsponsored dance the previous Friday at the Legion hall. It was composed of Jim Rice, Gerald Moore, Darwin Johnson, Donald Schumacher, Herb Goger Jr., Willis Johnson, Cletus Becker and Woody Waddell.
Children from four to 14 gathered at the Osmond Gun Club grounds to participate in a fishing contest sponsored by the club. A dozen or more prizes were given as awards for big fish, little fish and a host of other things. Prize fish was a 12-inch bullhead caught by Wayne Francis. Other prizes with values up to $15 and donated by Osmond business firms, and their winners, included: Biggest fish — second, Colleen Becker, third, Dale Steckelberg; most fish - Karen Luebbers, 9, Jimmy Sazama, 8, Gary Springer, 7; smallest fish - Rodney Hansen, Gary Burt, Vernon Van Ackeren; youngest fisherman — Butch Schumacher; tallest fisherman - Donald Liewer; first fish - Teddie Goeres; second fish - Sally Bomar; third fish - Clarence Jensen Jr.; drawing — Homer Steckelberg, Wayne Francis, Ruth Luebbers.
65 Years Ago. . .
Many persons reported sighting a tornado funnel in skies northeast of Osmond at mid-afternoon one week. Phil Beckwith, local weather reporter, telephoned to advise the Weather Bureau at Norfolk of the condition. The funnel apparently did not descend to ground level and there were no reports of damage.
Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Dibbert were going to operate the Osmond Theatre under terms of a contract worked out by the Dibberts and the Osmond Post of the American Legion. The Legion had operated the theatre for some months under a lease-purchase plan with the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Overhue of Norfolk.
Two Osmond youths admitted to Sheriff Elmer Kuhl that they entered the Osmond Cafe through a side window and took money from the cash register and a cash box in another part of the building. Richard Schmit, Cafe operator, said the amount of money missing was about $56. Neither of the youths had been in any trouble before. They were taken to Pierce and placed in jail to await the filing of formal charges. They were later placed on probation for a period of one year each.
Father Herman Stahl, pastor of St. Mary’s Church here from 1931 until 1958 when he was retired, was honored here on the occasion of his Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee. The official day began with a Solemn High Mass with about 45 priests from a wide area attending.
50 Years Ago. . .
The medical staff of Osmond
General Hospital held an election of officers at its annual meeting, with the following doctors elected to serve two-year terms: President, Dr. David F. Johnson Jr.; vice president, Dr. Richard L. Tollefson of Wausa; secretary-treasurer, Dr. Henry J. Billerbeck of Randolph.
Eighty-seven entries, involving more than 100 kids, participated in the parade during the annual summer carnival, which was held June 30, July 1 and 2. There were pets and costumes of all types vying for the prizes in the six divisions and special classes. Winners of the “grand prize” of $25 were Dennis, Sharon and Julie Kuhl and Kevin and Susan Wragge for their zoo entry. Their menagerie mounted on a circus-like wagon drawn by four sturdy youths included goats, cats, ducks, geese, guinea, rabbits, banty chickens, pigeons and multi-colored chickens. Russel Buckendahl took first place in the pony division with his team and wagon entry. Selected first place in the clown division was Doug Schmit for his clown costume.
In the individual competition the first place prize went to Chris Pfanstiel for his portrayal of an Indian. First prize for the best decorated bicycle went to Michael Kumm. Joe and Kelly Thomsen took first place honors in the family group division with their gypsy costumes. Angie Lorenz received the first place prize for her pet rabbit which she wheeled through the parade in her baby buggy. Robbie Beacom’s goat entry received the prize for the biggest pet; smallest pet was Allison Pfanstiel for guppies, and Tim Gansebom had the oddest pet with his two peacocks.
25 Years Ago. . .
Members of the Osmond and Wausa ambulance squads attended a training session in Osmond. The original plan called for a Life Net helicopter to land in Osmond for the training meeting, however, wind and threatening weather presented its coming here. Life Net was a new emergency helicopter service located at Faith Regional in Norfolk.
The 17th member in the Osmond High School Hall of Fame, who was inducted during ceremonies held in conjunction with the all-school reunion, was Marian Borgmann In- gwersen, the first female athlete to be so honored.
10 Years Ago. . .
Twelve teams participated in the mud volleyball competition during the Osmond Q125 celebration. Tak- ing first place was the Dana F. Cole team, comprised of Caleb Krohn,
Ashley Gillilan, Nathan Krohn, Jordan Koehler, Carissa Gutz and
Laurel Krohn.
