The following are selected articles from a Newspaper titled, "The Higbee News" which was issued out of the town of Higbee, in Randolph County, Missouri from the years 1888 through 1953. The editors were W. H. Welch and his son H. Scott Welch. This paper covered the Higbee area and also a great deal of the northeastern part of Howard county. The copyright notice at the end of this transcript is there for the sole purpose of keeping this work free to the public, and to ensure that it is not harvested by a fee-based corporate genealogy site, or published in any format for profit. If you decide to use the information from this transcription, PLEASE LIST ME AS THE SOURCE, rather than the paper. My transcription is another generation removed from the microfilm, and would thus be a third generation copy of the original paper. For proper documentation, a researcher should obtain a photocopy of the microfilm for their own permanent records, and use my transcript as a guide or index. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan through the State Historical Society of Missouri, and a copy is also on file at the Moberly Public Library, generously donated by the Higbee Historical Society. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 1--LIFE CRUSHED OUT IN BLOCK MINE--Jas. Shafer Instantly Killed Saturday Morning By Fall of Immense Rock--Funeral Monday.--The people of Higbee were horrified Saturday morning when word was phoned to town that Jas. T. Shafer, one of our best known and hardest working citizens had been instantly killed while at work in the Block mine operated by the Citizens Coal Co., and of which he was one of the shareholders. With his son, Raymond, he had gone to work as usual that morning, the accident happening while he was taking down a break of coal, but it was not due to any carelessness on his part. The rock had been loose and working for a day or two, but he had it sufficiently secured with props. He was engaged in splitting the coal, in order to get out and dispose of the lower half of the break first, and was on his knees at the time. The fall of coal struck one of the props that was holding the rock, and the rock which was eight feet long, five broad and twenty inches thick, and was estimated to weigh four or five tons, dropped without a second's warning, crushing the life out of him in an instant. His son, who was waiting for the coal to fall so they could begin loading it, rushed at once for help, not realizing that his father had been instantly killed, and almost at once more men than could work were in the room, J. M. Shafer, a brother of the deceased, being the first to reach the room. As he has spent his life in the mines, he saw at a glance that death had been instantaneous and told Raymond that his father was dead, whereupon Raymond dropped over, which is not to be wondered at. As the rock had left a gaping hole in the roof and there was great danger of as much more loose rock falling, no effort could be made to recover Mr. Shafer's body until the roof had been secured. When this had been accomplished work of breaking up the big rock was begun, and although the men worked like demons, in the hope that the accident had not been fatal, it was an hour and a half before the body could be taken from the mine. It was brought to the undertaking parlors of Joe Burton, when it was found that from his hips to his head he had been crushed to a pulp, showing that death had been merciful in coming in a twinkling. James Theodore Shafer was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Shafer, who passed away about forty years ago, and was born in Monroe county on January 8, 1871, and was therefore 55 years, 9 months and 22 days old. He came with his parents to this county when a child and had spent most of his life in and around Higbee and Renick, working in the mines most of the time, beginning that calling at old Shafton, east of here, long before he reached his majority. He was married to Miss Bertha Lewis of this place on March 25, 1903, and is survived by her and their two sons, John William and Raymond Forrest. Besides his immediate family he leaves two sisters, Mrs. John Newton of this place, and Mrs. John Garrett of Columbia, and three brothers, J. M. and W. H. Shafer of this place, and J. W. Shafer of Moberly, besides a large number of more distant relatives and a host of friends. Funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon by the Rev. L. M. White, pastor of the Baptist church, with which he united sixteen years ago, the crowd being many times more than could be accommodated. Interment was made in Higbee Cemetery. Mr. Shafer, who was one of our best known and hardest working citizens, had spent the greater part of the last thirty years as a resident of Higbee and was known to all for his quiet way and unassuming manner, and had the respect and confidence of all who knew him. He was so very quiet and retiring, however, that he was only known best by most intimate acquaintances, each of whom feels a personal loss in his going. He worked early and late and attended strictly to his own business if ever any man did. To the bereaved family and relatives the NEWS, along with the entire community, tenders it's warmest sympathy. Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 2--PLEASANT BIRTHDAY PARTY--The home of Dr. C. F. Burkhalter was the scene of one of the most pleasant social gatherings in the history of Higbee Thursday evening of last week, the occasion being the celebration of his 59th birthday, the party being given by his daughter, Mrs. Frances Warren, and the guests being twenty-four of his closest friends and business associates. Mrs. Warren had requested all guests to be at the home promptly at 7:30, and all were there by that time, and some considerably before, knowing that it was going to be an evening worth while. Six-handed pitch was the diversion of the evening, there being four tables. Before the playing started Mr. Burkhalter was presented with a fountain pen and two boxes of cigars, the presentation speech being made by Dr. Nichols, and to which the recipient responded in a most happy manner. Partners were selected by the drawing of tally cards, and then the fun commenced, and kept up until after 11, when most delicious refreshments were served, and in which Mrs. Warren was assisted by her sister, Miss Charlotte, and Miss Marjorie Burton. The game having proved so exciting and everybody having been pepped up by coffee and cigars, play was resumed and continued until about 12:30, when all most reluctantly departed, thanking Mrs. Warren for one of the most delightful evenings they had sever spent, and wishing Dr. Burkhalter many, many more such happy days. Medley Burton, George Walton and C. H. Cleeton, not having lost a game, were declared the champions and were awarded Halloween hobgoblins as prizes, while Dr. Winn, Ernest Bryant and Ben Wright, who won but one, were given witches' caps, and which they wore during the second session, having as much or more fun over having to do so than did the others. Those present: R. R. Walton, Geo. Walton, T. H. Lambier, Wisdom Burton, Leonard Ancel, Medley Burton, Joe Burton, Jasper Roberts, Cottie Cleeton, Dr. J. W. Winn, Dr. G. M. Nichols, Dr. G. B. Cowley, David Davis, H. S. Welch, C. A. O'Dell, Geo. Lay, Ernest Bryant, J. T. Randolph, Elerd Baker, Ben Wright, H. C. Eubanks. Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 2--VIRGIL DOUGHERTY IN FOOTBALL AT MARSHALL--Virgil Dougherty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dougherty, is doing some good work at right end on the second team of Missouri Valley College at Marshall. The Big Greys, as they are called, defeated the Sweet Springs high school last week, 39-0. Virgil played right end well regardless of the fact he knew nothing of the game until entering Missouri Valley this year. He is being groomed for a possible place on the big Viking team next season. The Homecoming game will be played with Westminster Blue Jays of Fulton in Marshall on November 12. The Blue Jays have an undefeated team so far this season, while Missouri Valley has one defeat. The game is expected to be hotly contested and there is much interest in it. Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 2--D. M. SUNDERLAND IMPROVED--D. M. Sunderland, who has been critically ill for the past ten days, and whose recovery was not thought possible the latter part of last week, is a great deal better, we are pleased to say. Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 2--FRAZIER-LOWES--Mr. Joe Frazier of Rutherford, Idaho, and Miss Margaret Lowes of Moberly were married in that city on October 20th by the Rev. E. V. Lamb, pastor of the Baptist church. The bride is the pretty and winsome daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lowes, former residents of Higbee, and is quite well known here. The groom is the son of Dr. Frazier of Rutherford, and is also a physician, and is taking a special course in the University of Missouri at Columbia, on the completion of which he will locate in his home town for the practice of his profession. The NEWS joins other friends in extending congratulations and best wishes. Thursday, 4 Nov 1926, Vol 40, No 27, Pg. 1 Col. 2--MRS. TRUE DOING NICELY--Mrs. Ruth True, who was taken to a Boonville hospital one day last week and underwent a very severe surgical operation, and who was believed to be near death the next day, is doing nicely, her many friends will be glad to learn, and at her present rate of progress will be able to return home in a short time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright notice: All transcriptions in this email are copyrighted by their creator. They may not be reproduced on another site or on any printed or recorded media, CD, etc. without specific written permission from Kathy Bowlin. Although public information is not in and of itself copyrightable, the format in which it is presented, transcriptions, notes & comments, etc. is. It is however, quite permissible to print or save the files to a personal computer for personal use only. Permission is granted to public libraries, and genealogical and historical societies to print and bind for the use of their patrons. Kathy Bowlin Additions, corrections, comments welcome.