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, 31 Mar 1927, Vol 40, No 47, Pg. 1 Col. 1&2--DR. G. M. NICHOLS PASSES AWAY, Died Thursday At Moberly Hospital--Funeral and Interment Saturday.--Dr. G. M. Nichols, who was reported in our last issue as gradually sinking, died at Woodland Hospital, Moberly, at 2:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon, March 24, 1927, following an illness of several months, but which was not considered alarming, at least by the general public, until about a week before his demise. He had been suffering from kidney and bladder trouble for a year or more and some six or eight months ago was operated on at a Moberly hospital, following which he seemed to be more like his old self. Some four weeks ago, however, he went to a Boonville hospital where he was treated for a week or more, and where he was advised that another operation would be absolutely necessary if he was to ever hope to get well or see another well day. He couldn't, or wouldn't, be convinced of this fact, and returned home on the day set for the operation, and was apparently in pretty good shape, and felt so well that he advised his patients through the columns of the NEWS that he would be at his office on the 12th. But it was not to be, as he was taken considerably worse on the 11th, in which condition he remained for about a week. On the 20th two Moberly physicians were called in consultation with Drs. C. F. Burkhalter and J. W. Winn, and it was their unanimous opinion that he should be taken to the hospital at once, although they held out no hope whatever. He perhaps realized his condition as well as did his fellow physicians, although he said nothing about it, as he objected most seriously to going, or to taking any medicine, but after reaching the hospital that day he stated that he was glad that they had taken him. From the very first, however, no hope was held out for his recovery, or for any slight improvement, as uraemic poisoning had developed. Monday morning he seemed to rally and for a short time talked to Mrs. Nichols, who accompanied him and remained with him constantly, which gave her great encouragement, as it did his children, who were also with him, and his friends, but which did not deceive his physicians, who stated that he might go at any moment, and that at best his life could not be prolonged longer than three or four days, and the news of his passing, which was received while funeral services for Medley Burton were being held, did not come as any surprise. The passing of such an old and prominent citizen would naturally have caused a feeling of gloom to pervade town and community, but occurring just when it did, gave all pause, and brought home to all the rapidity with which we are passing away--not only one by one but two by two. Funeral services were held Saturday at the Baptist church, of which deceased had long been a prominent member, by the former pastor, the Rev. L. M. White, assisted by the Rev. E. Y. Keiter, a long-time friend, each of whom paid glowing tributes to deceased as a citizen and physician. Dr. Dixon on Moberly also made a few brief remarks on behalf of the Randolph County Medical Society, of which deceased was a past president, speaking in the highest eulogy of his knowledge of medicine and the great service he had rendered during his forty years of practice in Randolph, Howard and Boone counties. He had practiced in Higbee since 1893, and during these years he had gone many weary miles in all kinds of weather, on horseback, in a buggy or in a car, and just how many it would be interesting to know. Many of these trips he made, too, knowing that he could never hope for reward--not even as much as thanks, in some instances--this side of the pearly gates, doing so from a sense of duty and from the fact that he was naturally generous and free hearted. The Rev. White read the following obituary, and the lines "A Tribute to Our Friend," the author of which was unknown to him, as, he is to us: "Dr. George Martin Nichols, son of E. J. and Polly Ann Nichols, was born in Boone county, near Columbia, MO., on August 25, 1860, and died in Moberly, Mo., on March 24, 1927, at the age of 66 years, 6 months and 29 days. "In his youth he attended the district schools of Boone county, and later entered the Missouri University, from which he graduated in 1884. He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, from which college he graduated in the year 1886. He took a post-graduate course in the Rush Medical College of Chicago in 1891, and moved to Higbee in 1893. Dr. Nichols was first married in 1883 to Miss Sallie Naylor, to which union two children were born--Mrs. C. A. Johnson of Wilson, Okla., and Mrs. Charles Mandler, of Muskogee, Okla. "In the year 1887 he was married to Miss Ida McBain, and two children were born to this union--Mrs. Evelyn Nunnelly of Houston, Texas, and Mrs. Pauline Minor, who died in 1917. "In the year 1892 he was married to Mrs. Frata Avery, to which union three children were born, one dying in infancy. Miss Frata Nichols of Houston, Texas, and William Nichols of Kansas City, Mo., survive. "In the year 1903 he was married to Mrs. Mamie Thompson, who survives him at her home in Higbee. "Other relatives that survive are two brothers--Oberton Nichols of Columbia, Mo., and John Nichols of Paragola, Kansas. The grandchildren surviving are Carroll Johnson, Jr., of Wilson, Okla., and Volney and Vashti Minor, who make their home in New Mexico." (poem followed). The crowd attending the funeral was perhaps the largest ever seen here on a similar occasion, the entire town and community turning out, while a great many were here from Howard and Boone counties, and an exceptionally large delegation from Moberly. While the hour of the funeral had been set for 2 o'clock, the church began to fill at 12 and in a few minutes every section of the building, except that reserved for the family, was filled, the crowd outside the church being as large again, and the business streets were parked thick with cars. Interment was made in Higbee cemetery, the crowd accompanying the body to its last resting place being larger by odds than had been seen in the Silent City in many a long day. The crowd and the loads of beautiful flowers spoke most eloquently of the esteem in which deceased was held, and especially those who had known him through the years as their family physician, and many were the tears shed by old and young. The NEWS joins the community in deepest sympathy to his loved ones. Thursday, 31 Mar 1927, Vol 40, No 47, Pg. 1 Col. 3--MEDLEY BURTON'S FUNERAL--The funeral of Medley Burton at the Christian church Thursday of last week, was one of the largest ever seen here, every seat being occupied, as well as all of the chairs that could be placed in the aisles and all available standing room was occupied, while perhaps as many more could not get in the church, which spoke more eloquently than words of the esteem in which he was held. And not one of the large concourse turned out through idle curiosity, but because they felt that they had lost a friend, which they had. The flowers, silent tokens of love and affection, were among the most beautiful ever seen here and so profuse were they that they had to be conveyed on a truck, which would not hold them all, all space for that purpose in the hearse being filled also. But perhaps the best test of the general sorrow was the closing of the business houses. It had been announced that all would close promptly at 1:45 and remain closed until 3, or until after the services, and never was an announcement more religiously lived up to. There was no make-believe closing on the part of any house, but every door, first front and rear, was closed without exception, with the result that those who were unable to get into the church had no place they could go to keep warm, except to stand on the sunny side of the street, while several salesmen, and others, who reached town after the hour of closing, and who had counted on getting dinner here, could not get a bit to eat until after 4 o'clock. The complete suspension of business was a source of general comment, and all felt, no matter how much they may have been discommoded, that it was as it should have been. The body was accompanied to the cemetery by one of the largest corteges seen here in many a day and was laid to rest with the full honors of the Masonic fraternity, of which deceased had been a member for 35 years. Truly a good man has gone from among us, and again we say, Peace to his ashes. Thursday, 31 Mar 1927, Vol 40, No 47, Pg. 1 Col. 3--COWLEY-WARREN--Dr. G. B. Cowley and Mrs. Frances Warren, two of our popular young people, were quietly married at the home of the bride's father, Dr. C. F. Burkhalter, at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 26, the Rev. c. R. Luton, pastor of the Methodist church, performing the ceremony, using the ring service. Following the wedding, which was witnessed only by the bride's father, her sister, Miss Charlotte, Miss Marjorie Burton and Mr. and Mrs. H. Scott Welch, the happy pair took the Alton train for a short visit with the Doctor's parents at Cowgill, Mo., returning Monday night, and will make their home with Dr. Burkhalter. The bride is a most capable and accomplished young lady and popular among a wide circle of acquaintances. Dr. Cowley, since locating among us three or four years ago, has proven himself not only a most capable young man professionally, but a high class gentleman in every sense of the term and has the confidence and esteem of all. The NEWS joins others in congratulations and best wishes, and in wishing that their pathway through life may be strewn with nothing but sunshine and roses. Thursday, 31 Mar 1927, Vol 40, No 47, Pg. 1 Col. 4--MISS THELMA FREEMAN DEAD--Miss Thelma Freeman, aged 17 years, died at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Freeman, near Harrisburg, Howard county, on Monday, March 28, 1927, from tuberculosis, from which she had suffered for about a year. She is survived by her father and step-mother and two half-sisters, Vivian and Nina Freeman. Funeral services were held yesterday at Mt. Pleasant church, where interment was made. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.