More from: A COLLECTION of RECOLLECTIONS by LaNelle Cartwright Buckingham 1976 -1977 MEMORIAL DAY We always attended Memorial Day in Leon. The day was called Decoration Day then, and honored Civil War Veterans. I remember the Civil War Veterans marching, and becoming fewer in number each year. Particularly, I remember Captain J.D. Brown. The Veterans had their own fife and drum band. Henry Pitman, Harl Pitman's father is well remembered also. There was a sidewalk on the south side of the School House leading to the Cemetery. While the Veterans were physically able, they walked this route to the Cemetery. The sidewalk was traveled by many on Decoration Day. CHAUTAUQUA A few times, when there was a special program, we attended Chautauqua. It was held in a tent near the North School House. If the weather was rainy, saw daust or straw was placed on the floor. Chautauqua programs consisted of speeches, plays, singing or instrumental numbers. THE BANK IS CLOSED Our family sometimes exchanged visits with the John Garner family of Eden Township. Mrs. Garner was our Mother's cousin. On one of these visits, arrangements were made for John Garner to saw our winter's supply of wood. He had a saw equipped with an engine. While the sawing was in process, a man came along riding a horse in the manner of Paul Revere. He announced, "The Leon Bank Is Closed." He then galloped on to tell his news to others. It took a while to recover from that blow and proceed with the sawing. THECIRCUS A circus came to Leon nearly every year. As I remember, the Circus came by train. The parade took place at ten o'clock in the morning and the streets were lined with people. Leading the parade, was a steam calliope, which made beautiful lilting music The wild animals ere in cages enclosed by bars. Often the lions roared as they passed the spectators. The clowns walked and beautiful ladies with spangleson their dresses rode the horses and elephants. Some of the route to the circus in the northwest part of Leon had board sidewalks. We walked to the circus grounds because there would naturally be few places to tie your team, or in later years to park your car. A few times, we attended the circus, but we always viewed the parade. No circus of 1976 could surpall the excitement of a circus of the 1910s and 1920s. To be continued. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copied by Jackie MOORE GOEKEN: A CARTWRIGHT descendant.

Jackie: What's the import of those dates, 1976-1977, below LaNelle's name? I initially thought this was the same Lanelle Buckingham that taught me Primary through 5 or 6 grades in the Decatur Scholl 1945 through 1950 or so. But the dates aren't adding up....but it's hard to believe that there were two LaNelle Buckinghams!....mac in Killeen Tx (106 today.....actual and the humidity at 96 will make it "feel" a lot hotter than that. ----- Original Message ----- From: Jackie Goeken To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 11:51 PM Subject: [IADECATU] A COLLECTION of RECOLLECTIONS by LaNelle Cartwright Buckingham More from: A COLLECTION of RECOLLECTIONS by LaNelle Cartwright Buckingham 1976 -1977 MEMORIAL DAY We always attended Memorial Day in Leon. The day was called Decoration Day then, and honored Civil War Veterans. I remember the Civil War Veterans marching, and becoming fewer in number each year. Particularly, I remember Captain J.D. Brown. The Veterans had their own fife and drum band. Henry Pitman, Harl Pitman's father is well remembered also. There was a sidewalk on the south side of the School House leading to the Cemetery. While the Veterans were physically able, they walked this route to the Cemetery. The sidewalk was traveled by many on Decoration Day. CHAUTAUQUA A few times, when there was a special program, we attended Chautauqua. It was held in a tent near the North School House. If the weather was rainy, saw daust or straw was placed on the floor. Chautauqua programs consisted of speeches, plays, singing or instrumental numbers. THE BANK IS CLOSED Our family sometimes exchanged visits with the John Garner family of Eden Township. Mrs. Garner was our Mother's cousin. On one of these visits, arrangements were made for John Garner to saw our winter's supply of wood. He had a saw equipped with an engine. While the sawing was in process, a man came along riding a horse in the manner of Paul Revere. He announced, "The Leon Bank Is Closed." He then galloped on to tell his news to others. It took a while to recover from that blow and proceed with the sawing. THECIRCUS A circus came to Leon nearly every year. As I remember, the Circus came by train. The parade took place at ten o'clock in the morning and the streets were lined with people. Leading the parade, was a steam calliope, which made beautiful lilting music The wild animals ere in cages enclosed by bars. Often the lions roared as they passed the spectators. The clowns walked and beautiful ladies with spangleson their dresses rode the horses and elephants. Some of the route to the circus in the northwest part of Leon had board sidewalks. We walked to the circus grounds because there would naturally be few places to tie your team, or in later years to park your car. A few times, we attended the circus, but we always viewed the parade. No circus of 1976 could surpall the excitement of a circus of the 1910s and 1920s. To be continued. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copied by Jackie MOORE GOEKEN: A CARTWRIGHT descendant. ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx