125 Years
January 13, 1899
Electric lights have been placed in the grocery store of G.B. Sterline and the shoe stores of B.C. Bennett and F Montanus. The lights are connected with the electric light plant of N.C. DeWeese and Son and operated by their gas engine .The new light improves the appearance of the stores very much.
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The Inland Telephone Company has placed its toll station at C.J Briggs Drug Store. This telephone line connects Sidney with the following places: Quincy, DeGraff, Bloom Center, Lewistown, Jackson Center, New Knoxville, Botkins, New Bremen, St. Marys, and Wapakoneta.
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The insurance inspectors of the companies in which W.H.C. Goode had his house insured were here last week. They decided to pay the full amount of the insurance, $15,000. Mr. Goode expects to begin repairing the house immediately.
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The long talked of and wished for telephone line in Lockington is about completed. This puts Lockington in connection with the long distance telephone.
100 Years
January 13, 1924
The Shelby County Fair Board met for reorganization Saturday afternoon and as a result two sets of officers were selected at two separate meetings. Conflicting opinions of the law governing the Shelby county board are given as the cause. The two sets of officers include: Robert Evans, president; J.A. Flinn, vice-president; H.M. Martin, secretary; L.E. Marrs, treasurer, and E.D. Brautigam, president; L.E. Steenrod, vice president, Wilbur Barger, secretary: Ed Swander, treasurer. The whole proceedings will be brought to the attention of the prosecuting attorney and the attorney general for a ruling.
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Four fiery crosses were burned at various points in the city Saturday night. These were accompanied by the usual firing of several bombs. Two crosses were burned on the hill on Chestnut street, one in Bon Air, and the fourth in East Sidney.
75 Years
January 13, 1949
Sidney firemen answered 173 alarms in the city during 1948, and 53 township calls were made, according to Fire Chief Elmer Weipert.
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All officers of the Shelby county Township Trustees and Clerks association were renamed when the organization held its annual meeting yesterday. Officers re-elected include: Lon Shoffner, president; William Frilling, vice president; H.H. Soelman, secretary-treasurer, and William Sandham, executive committeeman.
50 years
January 13, 1974
Harry E. Thompson, 85, former president and director of Copeland Refrigeration Corp., died Saturday evening in Birmingham, Mich., where had made his home since leaving Sidney.
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With the Service of Celebration held Sunday afternoon in the First Methodist Church, the Women’s Society of Christian Service became known as United Methodist Women. Leading the program was Mrs. C.P. Li. Others participating were Mrs. Ralph Metheny, Mrs. Arlen McRill, Mrs. Walter Faulkner, Mrs. Ned Smith, Mrs. Jesse Moon, Mrs. William Lilenkamp, Miss Ruth Geer, Mrs. Douglas Brookhart, Mrs. Ruth Hatfield and Mrs. Eugene Elsass. The Rev. Ralph Metheny closed the program.
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JACKSON CENTER- The United Methodist Church will be torn down in the next couple of weeks. Although everyone can see the need for a new building, there are many memories connected with the old.
25 years
January 13, 1999
ANNA – When the mayoral gavel was thrust into her hand Dec. 29 due to a sudden resignation, Julie Ehemann was “shocked.” But the first woman mayor in the town’s history does not plan to sit idly by. The New Bremen native plans to become deeply involved in her new position. Attending meetings and establishing a time to meet with residents at the Village Hall top immediate plans. Officially sworn in as mayor and presiding over her first Village Council meeting Tuesday night, Ehemann became the second consecutive mayor not elected to the post. Ehemann became mayor when Dale Locker resigned without notice following a brief council meeting. Unbeknownst to council members that day, Locker had given Village Administrator Jean Hale a two-sentence resignation letter.
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Winter continued its icy grip on Shelby County as more frozen precipitation fell and created more of a mess on roadways.Once again, area schools closed in the face of snow and sleet that fell from another storm front that moved through the area Wednesday. A number of industrial operations canceled work for today, while several businesses closed early Wednesday. Electrical service was interrupted in the Russia area Wednesday night when a small fire began on top of a utility pole along Ohio 66. The fire was extinguished, and workers with Pioneer Electric Cooperative replaced electrical equipment dam- aged by the fire. About 800 Pioneer customers were affected.
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.
