Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Joe L. Andrews was here from St. Louis the first of the week to see his father, J. B. Andrews, of near Myers. Joe has a good position with the Cottonwood Fiber Co, a concern which manufactures a material to take the place of lath and plaster. He is on the road most of the time buying cottonwood logs and other soft timber. The mill for which he buys is located at Venice, Ill. He had good places in the mill for several hands and was accompanied to the city Wednesday by Omar and Seymour Andrews, James and John Warford and Crews Cooper. Mr. Andrews says the concern is erecting a big mill near San Francisco and that he will likely be transferred to California during the new year. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Postmaster J. P. Rankin and son, James, went to Kansas City Sunday to attend the funeral of the former's nephew, Chas. Rankin, who died in that city Friday. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Thos. Lavelle of Homestead, Pa, is the guest of his aunt, Mrs. T. A. McVay. Mr. Lavelle was a citizen of Higbee at one time, leaving here 19 years ago. This is his first visit in 16 years. He found so many changes in the old town that he would never have recognized it as the same place. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--J. O. White, who moved to Oklahoma three years ago, locating at Inola, has had enough and has moved back to God's county, arriving here Saturday. He will locate in the Rucker vicinity, from which place he moved. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--BIRTHDAY DINNER--Saturday, December 23, was a very pleasant day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. O. S. Pitney, it being Mrs. Pitney' s 59th birthday anniversary. A feature of the day was the presence of all of her children and grandchildren, except one, and the only great-grandchid. Mrs. Pitney was the recipient of many nice presents. The children spared neither pains or expense in preparing the dinner, and when the guests were invited to the dining room, a table fairly loaded with everything good to eat met their gaze. After enjoying the feast to the utmo st the guests repaired to the parlor where the afternoon was most pleasantly spent. Those present: Mr. and Mrs. O. F. Pitney and four children, Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Pitney, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Pitney and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Pitney, Mr. and Mrs. Colman Pitney, Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Lewis and five children, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bradley and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Bradley and son, Mr. and Mrs. John Kirby and family, Mrs. Ella Binney and children, Mrs. Thos. Osborne and children, Mrs. John Hudson, Mrs. Chas. Ware and children. A photograph was taken of the gathering. Just before the hour of departure arrived all joined in the song, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again," and wishing Mrs. Pitney many more such birthdays. A FRIEND. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Born on the 22, to Warner Lloyd and wife, a son. (This child would be Carl E. Lloyd) Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Dr. Herbert Atkins of Pratt, Ks. is the guest of Higbee relatives and friends. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Mrs. John Harriman of Illinois is the guest of her parents, John Goin and wife. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Lester Bray of Lexington and Miss Nola Wright of this place were married on the 25th, Congratulations. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Misses Maggie and Rosie Bowen attended the marriage of their cousin, Miss Maggie Green, at Vandalia Sunday. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Mrs. Bert Rees of Columbia is the guest of her mother, Mrs. David Williams, and other relatives and friends. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Mr. Earl Edwards and Miss Georgia Tucker, two popular young people of south of town, were married Sunday. Congratulations. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Born, on the 24th, to J. B. Terril and wife, a daughter. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--John Page and wife of Muskogee, Ok, are the guests of his parents, George Page and wife. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--B. F. Andrews received a letter a few days ago from a Ms. or Miss Hattie Belt of Greenfield Tenn, inquiring as to the whereabouts of her father, Philip Belt, who resided in this or Howard county several years ago. When a small child she was given by her father to John Henry Bias who brought her up as his own child. She has heard recently that her mother, whom she does not remember, nor whose maiden name she does know, left a lot of money in a bank somewhere, or is heir to some valuable property and for that reason the daughter would like to locate the father. If any of our readers can throw any light on the subject the information will be thankfully received. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--MATTHEWS-EDWARDS--Mr. Thos. Matthews and Miss Mae Edwards, two of our popular young people, were married on the 25th at the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Edwards, Rev. Lofty of Moberly officiating. The NEWS joins in congratulations and best wishes. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--Saul T. Martin, a former well-known citizen of Moberly, dropped dead in St. Louis Sunday. He was 48 years old and is survived by his wife, two brothers and four sisters. Interment was made at Moberly. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--TOOK CARBOLIC ACID--Mrs. J. C. Rodney, who lives with her husband in the old photograph building just opposite the Randolph Hotel, shortly after noon Sunday took, or attempted to take, carbolic acid from a bottle, but was prevented from doing so by her daughter, Mrs. Grace Dixon, knocking the bottle from her hand. Mrs. Dixon was burned on the hand and arm by the acid. A doctor was hastily summoned and soon had Mrs. Rodney out of danger as she had swallowed very little, if any, of the poison. The inside of her mouth and lips were badly burned, however. It was reported that the episode followed a quarrel with her husband, but her son, J. P. Rodney, informs us that such was not the case. As he knows of no cause why his mother should want to end her life he is of the opinion that she mistook the bottle for one containing medicine she had been taking or that she was deranged for the moment. Friday, 29 Dec 1911--RICE-JOHNSON--Mr. Dan Rice and Miss Mabel Johnson, two of Higbee's popular young people, were married Sunday in Moberly at the residence of the groom's sister, Mrs. H. M. Burrell, by Rev. Mote, pastor of the M. E. church. The marriage came as a surprise to the families and many friends of the happy couple, none of whom were given a hint that the event was to occur so soon. They are two of Higbee's most deserving young people, and the NEWS joins others in congratulations and best wishes. Kathy Lloyd Bowlin. The 22 December 1911 issue was a pleasant surprise for me. My Lloyd family moved from Higbee to a little town named Marissa, in southern Illinois, following the vein of coal as did many, many other families from Higbee. One of my earliest memories, was of being a young girl in Marissa, and singing Christmas Carols with our church group and going to the home of a man about my grandmother's age. His name was "Beano" Stevenson, and he had an invalid wife named Allene. He was a jovial, upbeat, and very kind man, even though he had total care of his wife, who was bedridden. I knew that his family had come from Higbee, but I knew very little about them, or when they had moved to Marissa. What a delightful surprise, to read little 6-year-old Ernest "Beano" Stevenson's letter to Santa Claus. It brought it full circle for me.