The Leon Journal-Reporter Wednesday, December 30, 2009 30 YEARS AGO December 27, 1979 Jody and Marcey BOX were shown with a ginger bread house that they made at their home south of Leon. Decatur County farmland was valued at $831 per acre. That was up from $700 per acre at year earlier. William L. SCHMIDT, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schmidt of Hampden, Mass. former residents of Leon, was appointed a Federal Judge with headquarters in San Francisco. Bowler from Westview Acres Care Center: Opal COOK, Opal PORTER, Alice JONES, Eva HUFF, and Simon MANCHESTER, challenged the bowlers from the Leon Care Center. The Leon Care bowlers were Helen WORDEN, Kenny BOWEN, Luther SMITH, Cecil GREENLEE, and Lillie FORSYTHE. Leon Care won, 243 to 133. The Grand River Volunteer Fire Department purchased a 500 gallon midship pumper fire engine from Mount Ayr. The funds came from allocations from fire districts. 50 YEARS AGO (December 31, 1959) A five car pile up six miles south of Leon on Highway 69 was caused by a heavy snow storm in progress. Sheriff Gale MCCLURE and Patrol Richard WIGNALL worked for over three hours to get the traffic congestion remedied. The storm was so blinding that cars going both ways on the highway could not tell if they were on the shoulder or in the middle of the road. Ralph EVANS came to work at Jimmerson Mobil Oil in Grand River and found that the station and a car had been broken into. Within 10 hours of the crime, Sheriff Gale MCCLURE apprehended the thieves. The two juveniles had taken merchandise from the station and stole a pair of ice skates out of a car. Sheriff MCCLURE recovered all the stolen articles. Dr. John R. STOCKTON, formerly of Leon, director of the Bureau of Business Research of the University of Texas, was appointed to the board of directors of the San Antonio Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He was a cousin of Mrs. Emma CROUSE of Leon and the late Robert P. CROUSE. Deputy Sheriff Emmet CRAIG of Decatur County resigned his position after serving four years and two months in the Decatur County Sheriff's office. He planned to seek other employment. Homes decorate along Highway 2 were honored for their outstanding contribution to the Christmas spirit. Homes honored were those of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis ANDERSON, located just east of Leon; C. L. MAXWELL, two and one-half miles west of Leon; Dr. and Mrs. G. H. MCNAY on East Commercial in Leon; Slade Funeral Home on East Commercial; and Mr. and Mrs. Charles CRAWFORD on West Commercial. Honored for their Cub Scout Advancements by Pack 117 were James BINNING, James ANDREW, Doug STOREY, Max VARNER, Jim MCNAY, Ed EVANS, Allen BOWEN, David STONE, Jim RASH, and Danny KELLEY. 75 YEARS AGO (Jan. 3, 1935) The new Iowa income tax law became effective Tuesday of this week. Each individual citizen who has a net income of $600 or more must pay an income tax. Exemptions include: for single person, $6.00; For a husband and wife, $12.00; For each child under the age of 21,$2.00 each; and for other dependants, $2.00. George W. PENNIWELL, Leon contractor, has completed the splendid new theatre at Osceola and it was opened last Friday night. The manger is John WALLER. Elected county officials began the official year. A.L. SEARS began his second term as county treasurer. His deputies are Herbert COZAD and Kenneth HARRIS; Mrs. Eva R. MCGINNIS began another term as clerk of the courts. Charles E. HURST continues as her deputy; J. Leon LEEPER agin took up the duties of the sheriff with Art MARON as deputy sheriff; Mrs. Laura ALLDREDGE started on her second term as recorder with Miss Bertha May WALLACE as deputy; Dio MCGINNIS began his duties as county attorney with Miss Maude MCMORRIS as his secretary; G. G. GRIMES became a member of the board of supervisors; Dr. M.W. Rogers started upon another two years as county coroner; J.W. FROST, John OVERHOLTZER and John MCCLARAN are hospital trustees; and county auditor W.B. HALSTEAD, who had been appointed to serve the unexpired term of W.R. WARREN, who passed away while serving in that office, began a two-year term with his deputy being Charles MINOR and Miss Marguerite CARTWRIGHT as his clerk. A new bank to be known as the Clarke County State Bank, opened for business at Osceola. John WALLER of Osceola is the president; H.O. LOVETT, cashier of the Decatur County State Bank of Leon is vice-president; Julian FROST, formerly of Leon, will be cashier. Mrs. Marguerite KEMP LYON, of the well-known Chicago advertising agency, Henri, Hurst and McDonald, Inc., who writes the commercial broadcasts for big national radio programs, received her first training as a reporter on the Decatur County Journal. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis B KEMP of Leon. Mr. and Mrs. Von DAVIS who recently bought the Kerr Cafe and filling station at the county line north of Leon on No. 65, are now in possession of the business. Claude PITTS, who has been employed with the Iowa State Highway Department in this district, has been named as the new county engineer for Decatur County. The first birth to be reported for 1935 in Decatur County was a six and one-half pound daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Claude BOGGS of near Pleasanton.