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 and owners were a wonderful man by the name of 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. It is because of my tremendous admiration for this father and son, that I am transcribing this paper and putting it in a more readable format, so that this work may again be brought to light, to entertain, and teach a whole new generation of the descendants of the inhabitants and neighbors of a little town called "Higbee." 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. I wouldn't want my own possible errors in transcription, blamed on the editors of the 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. When the Higbee Historical Society disbanded, their material was donated to the Randolph County Historical Society and is still available there. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 1--PAUL KIRBY A SUICIDE--Dies at His Home Shortly After Taking Poison--Reason for Act is Not Known.--Paul Kirby, residing three miles north of Fayette, and quite well known here where he shot occasionally with the gun club, took his life Thursday of last week by taking poison. he had been in poor health for some time and was subject, it was said, to moody spells. This, together with the intense heat of the day, is presumed to have caused him to become temporarily deranged. Deceased was about 35 years old and was the son of the late Wm. Kirby and was born in Howard county, where he had always resided. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Dora Kirby, two brothers, Herbert and Elbridge Kirby, of the home, and one sister, Mrs. Frank McCully, of Armstrong. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 1--A Surprise Dinner.--The children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild gave a surprise dinner Sunday for Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Mallory of Clark, it being Mrs. Mallory's 75th birthday. All took well filled baskets and ample justice was done to the many good things to eat. The afternoon was spent in taking pictures and in social conversation. (Guest list omitted.) Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 1--J. W. Marshall Sells town "Farm."--Through an oversight last week we failed to mention the sale of the J. W. Marshall residence property, or "farm" as Mr. Marshall and others frequently called it, in the northwest part of town, Mr. Marshall selling it to Mike Marietta for $5,000. This is a most desirable piece of property for one who wishes to raise chickens or farm on a small scale, as it contains fourteen acres and has a large modern residence. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 1--Ermon Hare to Teach at Centralia.--Ermon Hare, who taught in our school last year, and who was employed for the coming year, will not be with us, we are sorry to say, having secured a much better paying position in the Centralia school, where he will have charge of physical education and also teach physiology. Ermon is one of our most capable and worthy young men and the Centralia board will find that it made no mistake in employing him. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 1--Lightning Burns Barn--Willard Edwards had the misfortune to lose his barn on his farm northwest of town from fire about 7 o'clock Tuesday morning, the fire starting from a stroke of lightning. Besides a lot of machinery, seven tons of baled hay, which he had just stored, was destroyed. Insurance was carried, but not enough to cover the loss by half. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 2--W. W. Harper Dead.--W. W. Harper of Mexico, well known here, where he frequently came on business with his farm, the old Andrews place, near Myers, died at his home Wednesday of last week, rather suddenly and unexpectedly. He was born at Warrenton, Mo., and had spent most of his 79 years at Mexico. He is survived by three children, one of whom, Mrs. J. F. Brown, of Mexico, is known to many of our readers, she having lived on the farm south of town for several years. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 2--Mark Little son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark C. Murphy, was a caller at the NEWS office yesterday, and was all but broken hearted over the loss of his coaster wagon, whcih some one had taken from the walk in front of his home where he had left it after play Monday night, and the little fellow could hardly keep the tears back long enough to tell us to advertise and find his wagon for him. It isn't to be supposed that we have a grown person in town little enough to steal a child's wagon, and it is likely that some child took it, and perhaps with never a thought that he had no right to do. If any of your small boys have shown up with a wagon that you did not buy for them, it may be Mark's and if so, he will be more than grateful to have you return it. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 3--Willard Owens went to Boonville Sunday to attend the funeral of Ben Shipley, a son-in-law of his brother, Chas. Owens. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 3--A son of B. Heathman of east of town, while cranking a car Sunday morning, had his arm broken when the engine back-fired. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 3--The 8-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Rodney, while playing around home Sunday, fell and broke both bones of his right arm just above the wrist. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 4--Dr. G. M. Nichols returned from Kansas City Tuesday night where he was called the day before by the illness of his daughter, Miss Fratie, who was operated on that day for appendicitis. She is doing nicely, her friends will be glad to hear. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 4--Miss Frances Dorman returned yesterday from Kirksville where she was called by the illness of her sister, Miss Edna, in training in a nurses' school there, and who was operated on Tuesday for appendicitis. When last heard from Miss Edna was doing nicely. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 4--Frank Harris, who is employed by the Alton at Joliet, Ill., and who was struck in the eye by a piece of steel two weeks ago, will not lose his sight, his friends will be glad to learn. A letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Harris advised them that the sight could be saved, but that he would be kept from work for several weeks. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 5--The fire department was called out yesterday morning to put out a burning automobile in front of the Kroger store, but the car was saved before the apparatus, with Ferd Cooper at the wheel and sounding the siren for all that it was worth, could reach the spot. The car belonged to a Mr. Cline of Des Moines, Ia., who is visiting his daughter, Mrs. H. Deskin, and caught fire while he was at Genola Bros.' getting some ice, the fire being caused, it is presumed, from a short circuit. C. H. Jones of the Kroger store, and others, extinguished the blaze with flour and a fire extinguisher from Walton & Lambier's store. The car was but little damaged. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 6--Mrs. Susie J. Ryan Dead.--Mrs. Susie J. Ryan, formerly of this vicinity, died at her home in Winslow, Arizona, on the 10th, following an extended illness. Deceased was 65 years old and was the eldest child of the late Joseph Lessly, and is survived by one son and one daughter. She also leaves four sisters--Mrs. Hiram Land and Mrs. Blackford Adams of this place, Mrs. Adam Ham of Slater and Mrs. Cole Baker of Cleveland, Ohio; she is also survived by two brothers--Joseph Lessly of this place, and Frank Lessly of Hunnewell, Kansas. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 1 Col 6--Broke Collar Bone in Fall.--Mrs. Claude Lessly, while getting out of a car in front of the residence of W. H. Wheeler Friday evening of last week, stepped on a rock and fell, breaking her right collar bone. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 4 Col 3--WEST POINT ITEMS--Mrs. Chas. Lewis and son Mark were Sunday guests of J. W. Chism and family. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 4 Col 3--WEST POINT ITEMS--Miss Gertrude Noel of Columbia is visiting with her uncle, Luke Haggard, and family. Thursday, 12 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 15, pg. 4 Col 3--WEST POINT ITEMS--Miss Jewel Chism returned home Saturday from Kirksville where she had been a student in the state normal school. She will begin her duties Monday as teacher in Chapel Grove near Clark. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.