The Way It Was

100 years ago:

Long-lost bachelor uncle leaves local resident $15,000

County Clerk Isbell received a letter from Collinsville, Ohio, which contained good news to R.B. Simpson of this city.

The letter asked if one Ralph B. Simpson resided in this county and then stated that an old bachelor uncle of Simpson's had died recently and left a large estate and that R.B. Simpson's share of the estate would amount to $15,000.

75 years ago:

Cargill is held for trial on charge of stealing chickens

The preliminary hearing of Robert Cargill, who is charged with stealing chickens, was held Monday morning at the courthouse before Judge S.G. Welborn.

Cargill pleaded not guilty and was bound over to the circuit court.

His bond was fixed at $2,000 but failing to make the bond he was committed to the county jail. He is charged with stealing the chickens from Mrs. Emma Lockhart the night of March 28.

50 years ago:

Judges request that pedestrians keep off the lawn

The judges of the Vernon County Court have requested that people refrain from walking on the Courthouse lawn.

According to a statement by Presiding Judge Jess Banes, the county has gone to some expense to have the lawn fertilized, worked, and seeded but this will be wasted if people still continue to walk across the lawn.

Judge Banes said: "It is our hope that Vernon County citizens will be civic minded enough to want an attractive courthouse lawn, and will help to make it that way."

--Compiled by Nick Wright