125 Years ago
September 29, 1898
The commissioners of Shelby and Champaign counties were in session yesterday on the engineer’s report of the Mosquito Creek ditch. There were about 100 persons present and the questions at time were warm. They reported progress and decided to sit again next Thursday.
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The telephone line from Botkins to Sidney and also to Bellefontaine is nearly completed, and so also is the Phil Sheets line form Botkins to Geyer and Lakeview.
100 Years ago
September 29, 1923
Walter McMillan and Wilber Dill have been in Columbus the past two weeks rehearsing with a concert company with which they will play on the Lyceum circuit this winter. The company of young men will be known as the Music Makers. They will be on the road for 30 weeks, traveling through the South and West.
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Orville Miller was named grand knight when members of the Sidney Council, Knights of Columbus, elected officers last night. Carl Yost was named deputy grand knight; Vade Potts, chancellor; Ormond Blake, recorder; Charles Hentrich, financial secretary; Edward F. Salm, treasurer, and Urban Doorley, advocate.
75 Years ago
September 29, 1948
City council at its meeting last evening authorized the service director and mayor to sign three-year renewal contracts for the Sidney Fire Department to provide protection in seven townships in the county. Involved are the following townships: Perry, Orange, Clinton, Franklin and Green, along with the south half of Turtle Creek and west half of Salem.
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A group of enthused and inspired workers left a meeting at the first Ward school last evening after they were addressed and instructed regarding the campaign for the passage of the school bond issue at the November 2 election. Chairman Harry Binkley, Supt. Fred B. Louys, and J. Oliver Amos, publicity director for the campaign, addressed the group.
50 Years ago
September 29, 1973
Laura Lee Linet, 17 daughter of DeGraff’s Mayor Dean Linet, was named DeGraff Gourd Festival queen last night. Miss Linet competed with 10 other candidates in categories of ticket-selling, poise, appearance, an oral autobiography, and , finally, an opinion question.
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James Brentlinger, owner of Brentlinger Reality, has announced the purchase of a three-story building at 116 W. Poplar St. He plans to move his realty office to the structure’s first floor. The purchase was effective today from Atty. Michael Boller.
25 Years ago
September 29, 1998
An estimated 1,000 people turned out Saturday for an antique farm machinery auction on the farm of Don Knasel, 11777 Tawawa-Maplewood Road, Maplewood. With the exception of a collection of Ford products that he is retaining, Knasel put 50 years’ worth of memories on the auction block. “The crowd was pretty good,” Knasel said. While a few items went higher than expected, “there were a lot of bargains that went out of there.” Knasel said.
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A month-long exhibit, the third in as many years, opens in Amos Memorial Public Library on Monday. According to Shelby County Historical Society president Rich Wallace, “We plan an eclectic collection of artifacts, including a display of local Civil War artifacts, Shelby County sports memorabilia arranged local historian Dave Ross, a large display of old Sidney postcards by long-time collectors Tom Dunnavant, Gerald Billing and Herb Van Tilburgh, and a retrospective on the medicine show/vaudeville career of Anna resident Rosa Phillips.”
These news items from past issues of the Sidney Daily News are compiled by the Shelby County Historical Society (937-498-1653) as a public service to the community. Local history on the Internet! www.shelbycountyhistory.org. Visit the Sidney Daily News website, www.sidneydailynews.com to read the rest of the week’s columns.
