125 years ago

september 26, 1890

The death of Mr. W.H. Billings, familiarly known as “Uncle Will,” removes from our midst the second of Marion’s three first settlers. Uncle George Griffith alone remains of the three stalwart men who planted here, among wild beasts and wilder men, the outposts of civilization thirty years ago. The wives of these three pioneers, however, who shared with them the privations of pioneer life, are all still alive, enjoying the esteem alike of old and new settlers.

School is moving off nicely. Most of the teachers have enrolled several new pupils this week, so some of the rooms are entirely too full for health and good work. Miss Anna Bown now enrolls 75, Miss Smith 70, Mrs. Roush 56, Miss King 62, Mr. Miesse has 70, 48 of these being in one grade. The enrollment in the high school is now 53, with the prospect of several more.

Messrs. O.H. and F.L. Drinkwater, noted Chase county gentlemen, registered at the Elgin Wednesday.

The Gale correspondent of the Scimeter tells of some young “bloods” who fired a pistol at a group of people standing in S.E. Richardson’s yard, nearly hitting this gentleman. The correspondent threatens to “mention their names in the paper” if they are not more careful in the future! Fellows who go along the road shooting at people deserve to have their names “mentioned in the paper.”