The 1930s saw an abundance of tonsil and appendix operations.

Hospitals would schedule one week for nothing but

tonsil operations and another week just for appendix operations.
1935
...F. M. Straight was the only man remaining in Imogene who had fought in the Civil War. He celebrated his 90th
birthday at the home of his daughter Mrs. C.B.Abbott.
...On a bright, sunny day about 1935 the red north elevator burned to the ground.
JANUARY
Hogs were over the $8 mark for the first time in more than four years.
Bernie Slater took a truckload of grain to Carroll and purchased a farm while he was there.
The Aust and Urban McGargill sale was well attended.
MARCH
Vincent Saner is moving to Creston to operate a service station.
Joe & Pat Martin moved to the West farm.
Delia Hughes purchased the Anna OConnor property.
APRIL
17-The Pete Doyles celebrated their 35
th
wedding anniversary.
The Sodality gave a shower for Mary Head at the Fannie Dempsey home.
MAY
Francis Hughes is driving a new V-8 Coach.
JULY
A shower was held for the newlyweds-Mr. & Mrs. Julius Dinville.
DECEMBER
Dear Santa Claus:
Please bring me an orange, a wagon and harmonica and book with it. Bring me a drum boy and a wrecker, and a car
with lights on it. Bring me a horn, some candy and some big peanuts.
Your little friend,
Robert Regan
Dear Santa Claus:
Please bring me little dishes, a high chair for my doll and some doll clothes. Bring me some candy, too.
Your friend,
Betty Riley
1936
JANUARY
Six hogs were stolen from Albert Maher at the home of his mother, Mrs. Dick Maher.
James Skahill has pneumonia; Louis McCardle has double pneumonia.
Francis Hughes and Jim OConnor escaped injury when their car went into an open culvert on the Farmers City Road.
22-There was heavy snow and temperatures to 23 below zero.
Thomas L. Clark, brother of Andy Clark, passed away at Kent, MN. Mrs. Clark is a sister of Mrs. Joe Saner and E. P.
Laughlin who attended the funeral.
Joe Regan had a farm sale NE of town.
MARCH
Joe Regan bought a new car, and after many delays and much bad weather, headed for New York City to live.
15-17-The St. Patrick Church bazaar was held in St. Patrick Hall.
The Anthony Saner family moved to Imogene from their farm north of town; the John Regan family moved to the
Saner farm.
31 - US Hwy 184 was extended from Imogene to US Hwy 59. It was designated a highway on 1/16/1934. Originally the
western terminus was US Hwy 275 and the eastern terminus was Randolph.
April -Dr. William Kerr ran a race with the stork at 2am. He was accompanied by Glen Thomas who drove the car about
a mile before they could go no farther in the snow. They borrowed a team and bobsled from J.H. Walker and continued
to the E.J. Blakely home where two men with lanterns met them and took them through the fields and drifts, over
fences to the Tony Hughes home where a 10 lb. baby boy was born soon after the doctor arrived.
May-Mr. & Mrs. John Head were among 300 former teachers, pupils and friends of McIntyre Schoolhouse who attended
a reunion. A basket dinner at noon was followed by community singing, readings and talks.
Anthony Saner opened a gas station in Imogene; his nephew Louis was helping him.
...Civil War veterans from Imogene were F. M. Straight (B-11-10-1845 served in Co E 23rd MO INF), Mr. Blakely
(Henderson), Eli Boatman (Served from Ohio), Lawrence Campwell (D-7/14/1903), Henry Crosthwaite (1828-1891 served
with the 138th IL INF), Anton Dierkersbach (Co K 50th IL INF D-8/12/1910), Herman Drone (D-1/17/1903), Philip
Hambsch (D-4/11/1913), Martin Head (D-2/9/1919), Levi Labor (D-8/27/1887 Co I 74th IL INF), John Lee (D-3/10/1904),
Alfred Liston (D-8/29/1901 drummer boy in the Civil War), Adam Long, F. M. Moors (Co H 27th OH INF), Robert Hess
(D-12/1/1905), Robert Otis (52nd IL INF drowned in Walnut Creek 5/31/1890), Charles Schick (D-1913), W. J. (William J.)
Smalley (Co E 19th IA INF D-4/7/1907), William Voss (Served in the IL regiment D-3/23/1881), and W. H. Woods
(D-12/27/1880).
JULY
Father Doyle took a three-week vacation in California.
SEPTEMBER
A farewell party was given for Julia Ryan who left to join the Sisters of Charity of the BVM.
OCTOBER
Edward Dorsey was enrolled at the Civilian Conservation Camp.
Mr. & Mrs. John McGinnis celebrated their 55
th
wedding anniversary.
NOVEMBER
Anthony Saner sold his interest in the Imogene gas station to Lou Saner.
The ladies of St. Patrick parish cleared $50 on the dinner and supper they served on election day.

1937
MARCH
Viola Torpy won second place in the Fremont County Spelling Contest and will enter the interstate contest at Omaha,
NE.
APRIL
The Art Gilmores moved to Defiance.
MAY
Imogenites honored F.M. Straight, father of Charley Abbott, who was the only Civil War veteran now in town. He was
92 years of age.
SEPTEMBER
E.P. Laughlin built a wind charger for his light pant. The tower is 40 feet high.
DECEMBER
The Stitch and Nibble club met at the Bern Maher home on the 16
th
and at the Harold Maher home on the 30
th
.

1938
JANUARY
Hughie Laughlin is ill with pneumonia.
John Dempsey is spending the winter in Los Angeles, CA.
MARCH
Mrs. Harold Maher received a set of dishes at a surprise birthday party held in her honor.
George Gutschenritter sold a team of fine horses for $300 to a farmer east of Shenandoah.
...Young grasshoppers were busy working on wheat and alfalfa fields.
Mrs. Frank Laughlin is recovering from an infected arm caused by burning it on the stove and then spilling hot liquid on
it when she slipped.
Mrs. Carrie Head and her daughter Rose returned from a trip to Los Angeles, CA.
The roof of the Nick Ballain home caught fire but was quickly put out when several responded to the line call.
The Donald Scheibelers moved to the Alton Leahy home where they will work the coming year.
Robert Maher, formerly a top salesman with the Ford Motor Agency, passed the Civil Service exam and is employed
with the Shenandoah postoffice.
Frank Gilmore of Coin held a closing out sale.
Eleven month old Danny Head was at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs with pneumonia. After returning home he was
readmitted a week later with a bad case of the flu. Three year old brother Jerry is sick at home with the flu.
A surprise farewell basket supper was held for Mr.& Mrs. Joe Laughlin who are moving to the vacated Gilmore home
near Coin.
Bernie Laughlin and Gene OBrien were elected school board directors.
The Ed F. Laughlins moved to the home formerly occupied by the Joe Laughlins. They purchased the farm last fall.
Fanny McGargill returned from San Diego, CA and reported she was not affected by the floods in that area.
APRIL
Rhuben Allshouse, 88, a former resident of Imogene, died at Elliott.
Friends and relatives of the Ed Gutschenritters sent them a memorial gift of $82.50 to lighten their expenses incurred
when two of their children passed away 10 days apart from the effects of Scarlet Fever.
MAY
Kenny Skahill was rushed from school to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs with feared appendicitis. It was found he had
a bad cold and pneumonia was threatened.
Mary Wiman, RN is employed at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, NE.
Bernard Cassidy was visiting in the Ed Martin home while here on business.
Leo Maher is the first to start plowing corn.
Paul McGargill has taken work with the Wickham construction gang.
Carrie Head finished painting her home in town.
The Lou Saners are moving to the Michael OConnor house in Imogene.
Monie Doyle, daughter of the Mike Doyles, was chosen Miss Imogene and will be a queen candidate at the
Shenandoah Floral Show.
...26 - At 1:45pm, two tipsy pro bandits robbed the closed Cahill Bank of $19.86. The Fremont County sheriff broadcast
the robbery five minutes later. At 3:45pm the bandits were apprehended 50 miles away at the intersection of Hwy 275
and 46, one mile SE of Fairfax, MO. They confessed to 11 other robberies in MO, KS and NE.
The Lyle and Lyman Torpys attended the funeral of their aunt Sister Mary Pius, RSM in Omaha, NE. She was the former
Mary Torpy and taught here before joining the convent.
Donald Maher and Bill Laughlin were in Dunlap acting as Confirmation sponsors for their cousins, sons of the Will
McGarrys.
Joe Martin and five other boys escaped serious injury when the lights on their car went out and they rolled over twice
in a deep ditch west of Randolph.
JUNE
Ruth Boatwright, employed by the Bernie Laughlins, picked up a needle in her scrub cloth and it broke off in her hand.
It was removed at Hand Hospital.
Little Jerry Head has the measles.
Father Doyle was in Red Oak acting as master of ceremonies for the ordination of Father Gerald Deere.
A windstorm blew down trees, limbs, and windmills.
Fannie Dempsey and Veronica Leahy were in Springfield, IL visiting their aunt Mrs. Maurice Clark.
The Lee Guilfords, Elmer Rileys, Fred Harmons, Bernie Harmons and Lydia Harmon enjoyed a picnic at Porters Lake.
Mae and Gerald Maher met Sr. Mary Regis, OSF in Omaha, NE and brought her here to visit her cousin Mrs. Pat Maher.
Virginia Hughes was in Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs with an infected throat.
JULY
Edna Hambsch was nursing in Miami, AZ.
Mrs. Henry Leonard spent 6 weeks on the west coast. Some of that time was spent visiting her sister Mrs. Pat OBrien
in Seattle, WA.
Ed Conners is a grain inspector in Rosenbaum Brothers in Omaha, NE. Pete Conners began working there, too.
14 year old Jerome Regan dropped a 75 pound anvil on his foot. It was badly bruised but not broken.
The six month old son of the Donald Scheibelers had eye surgery in Iowa City.
4 - A pasture fire threatened the new barn on the T. P. Maher farm. Due to heavy traffic on the road, a number of
passersby were able to beat out the flames.
The Martin brothers purchased a threshing machine and began work on the John Owens farm. Oats were making 10-
15 bushels an acre and wheat was making 7-35 bushels an acre.
Anna Maher dislocated her finger.
...10 year old Pat Skahill was kicked by a colt and 28 stitches were needed to close the face wounds. When he fell he hit
against the barn and got a severe bump on the back of his head.
Walter Doyle suddenly stopped his pickup on Hwy 59 and was struck by an auto driven by Mrs. John McGinnis. Her two
children were thrown from the car and all, including the passenger Mayme McGinnis, were treated for shock and
bruises.
Father Skahill, teacher at the Catholic University in Washington, DC was visiting relatives in the area including Jim
Skahill.
...Frank Laughlin had a team of horses killed by lightning.
12 year old Kenny Regan is ill with poisoning that has gone through his system.
John Dempsey, retired mail carrier, attended the rural carriers picnic in Shenandoah.
The Amos Hambschs are moving to Miami, AZ where their son Edmund and daughter Edna are stationed.
AUGUST
Ed Laughlin is reshingling buildings and painting his house.
Gravel was being put on the highway. One truck loaded with gravel took a spin down an embankment, through a
fence, and into Tom Regan's cornfield.
Stray dogs killed several hogs on the Jerry Maher farm.
Mr. & Mrs. E. P. Laughlin, Dick Ross, Louise OConnor, George Hughes, Lucille Laughlin and Monica Doyle attended the
Democratic Convention in Des Moines.
Jerry Leahy left for the harvest fields in MN.
James Martin, brother of Michael Martin, celebrated his golden wedding anniversary in Ireland.
George Dinville had his arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder in a baseball game between Imogene and Tabor.
The Joe Laughlins with Joe, Dan, Francis and Hughie and the Leo Higgins family along with Mrs. Carrie Head picniced at
Porters Lake.
...Willie Laughlin purchased the landmark scales and scale house of the north elevator which burned some time ago. He
will use the scales on his farm. He is also building a new house.
...A new pipe organ arrived at St. Patrick Church.
...Lightning killed a team of horses on the John Laughlin farm, a three-year old mare at the George Gutschenritter farm
and a calf of Tom Smiths.
...Pete Conners went to Omaha to try out with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Vacationing at Lake Okoboji were Mr. & Mrs. Leo Hughes and Johnny, Mr.& Mrs. Lou Saner and baby, Esther Saner,
Tom Regan, Kenneth and Jerome Regan, Mr. & Mrs. Vince Saner and family and Geraldine Gleason. Joe and Leo Dinville
were also there with their professor Molesworth on his yearly trip.
George Gutschenritter was badly burned on the arm and shoulder when gasoline he was carrying to clean out a
radiator exploded when the car backfired.
Sister Margota headed for Sinsinawa, WI and Sr. Theopholis headed for Minneapolis, MN after visiting with their
parents-the Will Leahys and George Scheibelers. Sr. Margaret Mary visited her mother Delia Hughes on her way to
teach in Omaha, NE.
Joe and Margaret Dorsey, Ed & Joe Saner, Anna, Jeanne and Betty McGargill, Genevieve and Monica Regan, Gene
Leahy, Mary, Myrtie Lou, T. J., Evelyn and Lily Pat Maher attended the tenth birthday part of Fay and Fern Hambsch.
Nine year old Francis Laughlin, son of the Joe Laughlins, went to the field on horseback and fell off badly breaking his
arm. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha, NE. For a time it was feared he would lose his arm.
The S. I. Roscoes, grandparents of Mrs. Matt Laughlin, celebrated their 55
th
wedding anniversary in Shenandoah.
The Emmett Hughes were hospitalized after their car crashed near Farmers City. The Hughes were heading to a
fishing party. Mrs. Hughes had broken ribs and other injuries. Mr. Hughes was unconscious for several hours with a
concussion.
Joe OConnor and Matt Maher lost horses to sleeping sickness.
Walter Doyle was stricken with appendicitis. Neglecting it for a few days, he finally needed surgery when it ruptured.
Emmett Maher is building a new cave and painting his barn.
A new pipe organ arrived at St. Patrick Church.
Gerald Maher reshingled and painted his house and added a porch.
The L.E. Gutschenritters painted their buildings and prepared to build a cow shed.
The Lou Saners moved to the Hillings property vacated by Russell Addy.
George Leahy carried the mail while Everett Whistler was at a convention.
Cecilia Doyle will teach Glynn School since Union School will be closed because of the lack of pupils.
The St. Patrick Church ladies started a sewing club with 40 attending their first meeting at the Tommie Conners home.
Mrs. Henry Leonard, Mrs. Delia Hughes and Anna Maher were the hostesses.
SEPTEMBER
3-The Bern Mahers celebrated their 25
th
wedding anniversary. 60 relatives gathered at the Harold Maher home to
surprise them. Their son Bernard did not arrive from Denver, Coin time for the party.
Mrs. L.E. Gutschenritter and son George visited her niece Peggy Higgins of Columbus, NE at Mercy Hospital in Council
Bluffs. Peggy was heading home on a bus when she became ill and was taken from the bus in Omaha. She underwent
an appendectomy September 4th.
Helen Marie Maher had her tonsils out; Betty Chandler had an appendectomy.
Marty Laughlin was hospitalized in Council Bluffs at Mercy Hospital with tonsillitis.
Lou McGinnis was hospitalized with appendicitis.
1,700 cigarettes and 7 pounds of tobacco were taken from the Tom Skahill Pool Hall.
...11-A horse-shoe tournament was held in Imogene. Participants came from Coin, Randolph, Shenandoah, Blanchard,
Thurman, Tabor, York Town, Emerson and Imogene. Morning winners and their prizes included Hizer-4 lb. coffee,
White-case of Dr. Pepper, Olson-box of candy bars, Vannausdale-cake, and Stidd-cake. Afternoon results: B. Phillips of
Randolph-$5, Josephson-set brake shoes, White-case Hires mission and orange, E. Webb-box Carelton rolls, Sandell-box
cigars, L. Germar-4 lb. coffee, D. Olson-case Pepsi, F. Forney-cake, Gohlinghorst-cake, Hizer-candy bars.
...Hot weather and strong winds were hurting the corn.
...12-A pink and blue shower was given for Mrs. Darwin Addy. Fruit salad, cupcakes and ice tea were served.
...Martin Anderson of Nickerson, NE opened a blacksmith shop in the Foutch Building formerly owned by C.J.
Addy. Several years ago he also had a blacksmith shop in Imogene.
Emmett Maher, Maurice Gilmore and Joe Gutschenritter lost horses to sleeping sickness.
Highway 59 is being blacktopped.
Frances Dempsey is employed at the state institution in Glenwood.
George Gutschenritter has a new Plymouth sedan.
Joe Maher, stationed with the US Navy in San Diego, CA, was home for the first time in 18 months.
Florence Maher had a badly bruised hand after running it through a wringer.
Three stitches were needed to close a wound on the calf of George Mahers leg when he fell on a broken bottle.
OCTOBER
Hap Wright had two bones of his ankle broken while working on a WPA project near Summitt. His crew was cutting
down a tree and part of it fell on his foot.
Eleven year old Naomi Hughes cut a deep gash in her throat as she ran for the school bus and fell over some barbed
wire her father had stretched across the gateway to keep horses in the yard. Several stitches were needed to close the
wound.
Jr. Hughes is on crutches after a limb operation.
E. P. Laughlin cribbed 7,000 bushels of corn.
A Bingo party was held in St. Patrick Hall.
...Miss Geraldine Gilmore, former teacher at Strahan, visited in the area. The school in Webster City where she now
teaches is closed for two weeks so the students can help pick corn.
...Will Foutch is recovering from injuries received when he was knocked down and kicked by horses in his barn. He lives
three miles west of Imogene. He was able to crawl from under the feet of the horses. He lay in the barn for some time
calling for help. No one heard him. Eventually, he crawled to the house. No bones were broken, but he was confined to
bed for several days.
...24 - Gerald Maher and Minnie Ryan of Axtell, NE were married in St. John Catholic Church in Minden, NE.
The 8am nuptial Mass was officiated by Rev. J. Dowd. The bride wore a teal blue silk dress with a black hat and
accessories to match. Jessie Vannoy was the bridesmaid. She wore wine colored silk with black accessories. Pat Ryan,
brother of the bride, was groomsman. The bride was the youngest daughter of Mrs. Minnie Ryan and has always lived
near Axtell. The groom was the son of Mrs. Pat Maher. After the ceremony, the bridal party went to the home of the
bride's mother where a 3-course meal was served to 40.
...The public school held a Halloween party. Best masks & costumes were: Grammar Grade-1st-Freda Bolton, 2nd-
Gerald Drake; Primary-1st-Wanda Abrams 2nd-Charles Stuelke
...The Sisters at St. Patrick Academy gave a Halloween party for the Freshmen. Entertainment included games and
tricks. Refreshments were served.
Mr.& Mrs. Harold Maher and Jacqueline attended Confirmation services for 50 in Hamburg. Grace, Marvin and Dick
Maher, children of the Clem Mahers, were confirmed.
NOVEMBER
The weather has been so nice that snowballs and wild violets are blooming as if it was spring.
...The M.P.F. Club met in the St. Patrick Church Hall. 12 members were present and made plans for an election night
dance in the hall. Committee members who served refreshments were Mrs. Leo Maher, Mrs. Ed Laughin and Mrs. L. E.
Gutschenritter.
...Work on the Hwy 59 project was completed in early November.
...Tom Regan had two hogs killed by gravel trucks.
...A cafeteria style dinner was held in the St. Patrick Church hall on election day.
35relatives and friends held a miscellaneous shower for the Gerald Mahers.
Mae Maher and Mary Dempsey attended the state teachers meeting in Des Moines
George Gutschenritter lost a cow to corn stalk disease.
Michael Martin, Jr. has a new Chevrolet sedan. Ed F. Laughlin has a new Plymouth sedan.
John Owens is remodeling his house and adding a new porch.
Jim Leahy and Joe Saner, Jr. sang on the amateur hour at the Shenandoah Armory.
Patrick Martins car was hit on a curve while coming home from Glenwood. Luckily he escaped with only a cracked rib.
The Harold Mahers headed up the church hill when they saw a V-8 backing down the hill. Soon they discovered the
car was driverless. The brakes had failed on the parked car belonging to Johnny Owens.
18 neighbors and friends of Walter Doyle, who recently underwent an appendectomy, husked all of his corn. The
women served a lunch.
DECEMBER
Four year old Jerry Head had his tonsils removed at the Hand Hospital in Shenandoah.
Some of the McDonald children are ill with measles.
Louise OConnor and Barbara Laughlin were hospitalized at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs with pneumonia.
Joe Doyle owned the land on which the town of Solomon once stood. He recalled that the town had once had an
active community life. Tommy Connors ran the elevator there and another one at Imogene. An informal racecourse
was laid out on the level road west of town and some spirited contests were held there on summer mornings. The
stores and businesses other that the elevator closed in the 1920s. Gradually the houses were moved to other locations.
Before the elevator was torn down in the 30s, the land in the original Solomon plat had returned to farm ground.

1939
JANUARY
Mr.& Mrs. E.P. Laughlin entertained 90 members of the Triple S Club.
Mr. & Mrs. Johnny Owens entertained 60 members of the M. P. F. Club. Chinese Checkers and cards were played. The
young people took advantage of a steep hill and enjoyed the evening coasting.
Andrew Delehant held a closing out sale at the James Powers farm near town.
Michael Martin, Don Leahy, A. J. Clark, Bill L. Laughlin and Lou Laughlin attended the Master Farmer School in Sidney.
Educational pictures of trees were shown in the school.
The L.E. Gutschenritters were surprised by 75 friends and relatives for their 35
th
wedding anniversary. Guests found
Mr. Gutschenritter asleep on the couch and Mrs. Gutschenritter visiting with her daughter Mrs. Ed Maher. The group
had met and walked from the Ed F. Laughlin home.
The Ed F. Laughlins entertained 60 members of the M. P. F. Club.
The Frank Laughlins entertained 26 members of the Merry Mixers Club.
Mary K and Jimmie McDonald were recovering from a severe case of the measles.
FEBRUARY
A shower was given for Alphonsus ODowd and Anna Gutschenritter by Mrs. Lew Gutschenritter.
The Jerry Mahers entertained 80 members of the M.P. F. Club.
MARCH
17-A dinner in St. Patrick Hall cleared $38.
Tommy Martin broke a rib while choring.
School was closed one week because of the flu.
George Gutschenritter was at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs with the flu and pneumonia.
Mae Maher teaches Honey Creek School. Two of her pupils took honors in the Monroe Township Spelling Bee. Fifth
grader Bonnie Skahill placed first and sixth grader Pat Skahill took second place.
Another landmark is gone. The office building used by the north elevator was torn down and taken to the Stanton
farm of George Petersen.
John Laughlin, six month old son of the Bernie Laughlins, was in Hand Hospital in Shenandoah with pneumonia and
ear trouble.
APRIL
The Ted Germar family moved from the Joe Doyle farm to the Scheibeler property in town.
Several from Imogene attended the opening of a new skating rink in Shenandoah.
Jackie Maher answered the phone while her parents were away from home. She was thrilled to hear her aunt, Mrs.
Mary Gilmore, who had won a call to anywhere in the US at the San Francisco Worlds Fair.
100 relatives and friends surprised the Joe Gutschenritters on their 40
th
wedding anniversary. They were married in
Imogene on April 12, 1899. Mae Laughlin was the bridesmaid and Will Gutschenritter the groomsman. Those attending
the anniversary who were present at the wedding were Mrs. Pete Sloan, Nick Sloan, Mrs. Art Walters, Mr. & Mrs L. E.
Gutschenritter, Mrs.Delia Hughes and Mrs. J. J. Saner.
Donny Owens was out of school with a broken arm suffered when he fell out of his little wagon while playing.
MAY
Leona Maher, formerly of Imogene, was named Miss Sidney in conjunction with the Shenandoah Floral Show.
Charles Archer was awarded a senior salesmanship pin by the World Herald in ceremonies held before the student
body.
Surveyors are busy planning a new road that will go through the Michael Delehant, Kate, Rogers, John Owens and
McCardle farms.
A new bungalow is being built on the Johnny Martin farm SE of town.
Leo Maher purchased an International pickup.
JUNE
Father Francis Doyle left on a three-month vacation in Europe.
A windstorm and two inches of rain blew the chimney from the Joe Clark home. Brooder houses were overturned at
the Joe Doyle and Lew Gutschenritter homes.
JULY
Wheat on the E. F. Laughlin farm made 25 bushels per acre.
The Art Leahy farm was hit by chicken thieves.
The new highway east of town is taking shape. The big hill south of the corner, known as the Gwynn Hill, is cut away.
Dominican Sisters Eunan and Isidore were called home by the illness of their father Dominick Martin.
AUGUST
Mrs. Pat Maher and Mae entertained relatives in honor of Sr. Anastacia of Peoria, IL. Tom McDonald, her cousin, had
not seen her in 31 years. They had grown up together in Ireland. Mrs. Dick Maher also entertained in her honor.
Lucille Laughlin was teaching in Ashton, NE.
Gerald Maher has a new Plymouth coach.
Louis Saner had his tonsils removed at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs.
Lydia Harmon extensively remodeled her home three miles west of Imogene.
The Frank and John Owens families attended a reunion in Lincoln, NE.
A snake wrapped around the leg of Donald Gutschenritter while he was cutting weeds. He kicked it loose and was not
bitten. The shock and fright was bad enough!
E. P. Laughlin and Lew Maher are building new corn cribs.
Anthony Saner received a severe cut on his hand while cutting cockleburs at the Ed McGargill home.
The Tom Regan family returned from a trip to the New York Worlds Fair.
Louie Saner and Leo Hughes went fishing at Lake Okoboji.
Allis Chalmers tractor Model WC on steel - $785- on rubber - $960 Overalls 85 cents Big Smith shirts 39 cents
SEPTEMBER
Mary Dempseys students at Rice School gave her a surprise party. Cake and peaches were served. In the afternoon
everyone made Indian villages in the sand table.
30-Matt Laughlin finished husking corn.
OCTOBER
Anna and Andrew Delehant moved from the Bernie Laughlin home to the Mrs. Dan Hurley property. The Ed Powers
Family moved to the Laughlin property. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Perkins moved from the Glynn farm to the John Perkins home
to help out.
About midnight, Bernard Cassidy awoke to find his house in flames. He escaped through a window and ran to the
nearest neighbors. Everything was destroyed.
NOVEMBER
Yvonne McGargill, 15 months, drank coal oil-but she is recovering.
The Ed F. Laughlin home is quarantined as Vincent and Edward have scarlet fever.
Rose Head opened a beauty shop in Omaha, NE.
Bill L. Laughlin underwent an appendectomy.
One of Matt Laughlins feeding steers wandered on the Wabash right of way and was killed by a train.
8-At daybreak, 60 men with 12 teams began shucking corn for Johnny Saner on the Anna Skahill farm west of town.
Mr. Saners foot is still in a cast after breaking bones in it. He caught it in a chain while shelling.
Lou Saner and Leo Maher were pheasant hunting in Alta.
E. P. Laughlin, Johnny Saner and Joe Doyle have new V-8s.
Geraldine Laughlin and Myrtie Lou Maher have scarlet fever.
...17 - US Hwy 59 (designated a US Highway 12/1934) was realigned between US 34 and east of Imogene. A two-mile
segment was replaced by US Hwy 184.
DECEMBER
The Joe Saners held a Christmas open house so relatives could visit with Mrs. Saners brother, Johnny Laughlin, who
came from Amarillo, TX. His sisters Mrs. T. L. Clark of Kent, MN and Mrs. Ed Sweeney of Omaha, NE were also present.
28-A shower was held for Alice McGinnis and Ed Leahy.

...The following are memories of the 1930's as recalled by Jimmy Skahill.
In the early 30's, Estelle Bussard ran a service station on the NW corner of 2nd & Main across the road north of the
central office. He sold ice, ground feed and serviced autos. Previously the building was a butcher shop.
Lee Higgins ran the lumber yard in the late 1930's.
Estelle Bussard pitched for the Imogene Shamrocks at a young age.
Gene Woods was a Wabash Railroad employee during the depression. His home was on the west side on the road in
Brooklyn next to the Bussards - just north of the road into town.
The Bussard home was on the west side right at the turn into town. It was purchased by Matt O'Brien and became
the Irish O'Brien home. Estelle tore down the Woods home and used the lumber from the church that stood at the top
of the hill on the road to Frank Laughlin's to build a new house where the Woods family had lived.
Jake & Maude Bussard (Estelle's folks) tore down the Clem Maher house and built a stucco house on that location.
Raymond "Bluke Hayes lived on the road to Frank Laughlin's -west side just as the road turned west; the last house
on the north side of the road just as it curved west was home to Henry Leonard-mayor of Imogene.
Jim worked in Albert Addy's Grocery. He managed the north elevator across from the postoffice. It was painted red.
The town of Imogene did not prosper because of the lack of water and because of disastrous fires. Father Hayes
offered $3,000 to anyone who could find water. He increased the offer to $10,000 in an effort to reach water in the
valley just past the business district. No water was found.
Bill Kammerer had a gas station/convenience store. He had a small inventory of bread, etc. which was unaffordable to
most people. He had an old-time gas pump-filled a glass container to the top between each filling. The attendant would
check the air in the tires, the oil level, washed all the windows on the car, and then grabbed the handle on the gas pump
and manually pumped the glass container to the top so the next customer's gas could be measured accurately. He also
did repair work for the telephone company. He was also the driver for the Star Route-exchange of mail between
Imogene and Randolph at 4pm each day. This was in addition to the Wabash delivery of mail each morning.
The block south on Railroad Street included a tavern owned by Wess Hayes and then Glen Hayes. This was later
operated by John Jacobs, Red Lowe, Pete Dempsey, John & Marion Saner and Joe & Rose Wagner.
Addy's Store had groceries on the south side and dry goods on the north side. You could charge your purchases at
Addy's-something you could not do at the stores in Shenandoah. There was a hand-operated elevator at the back of the
store. There was a huge iron wheel high on the west side of the elevator with a rope that encircled the wheel and ran
down around another wheel in the basement. The elevator operated when the rope was pulled one way or another. It
had brakes that could be used only when going down. The downstairs area contained supplies. The upstairs contained
the office of Albert Addy and a skating rink. The store was also known for its candy case.
The building to the south was Miller's Grocery Store that later became Harville's Grocery. There was a wide boardwalk
between Addy's, Miller's and Sweeney's. There was one step down from each store to the boardwalk. The boardwalk
extended 8-10 feet out to the main sidewalk and there was a drop of over one foot from the boardwalk to the main
sidewalk. It was a place to sit and relax. Many sat on the boardwalk every Saturday night watching the world go by.
At one time Addy's, Millers and Ed Sweeney's all had grocery stores right in a row on the boardwalk. Ed Sweeney's
store was the last one on the boardwalk. Sweeney moved to Omaha about 1930 and Miller purchased the stock. He
then closed the doors on the Sweeney building. Before the mid 30's, movies were show in the in the old Sweeney
building. Bill Kammerer brought good movies to town. Whoever had the lucky ticket at the movie would receive a set
of dishes, some glasses or other small prizes. Admission was 16 cents.
In 1933, Miller sold his store to Joe Harville. Later in the 1930's, the store was purchased by Jerry Brannen, painted
green, and turned into a "Clover Farm" chain store.
In the 1930's, Martin Anderson had a blacksmith shop in the old Sweeney Building. He tore down the boardwalk and
put up a ramp so the farmers could drive right into the building.
At one time the First National Bank had $1 bills with the name of the bank printed on them. There was a wide alley
between Sweeney's and the bank (later the Town & Country Tavern). This was a great shortcut for many.
Ned and Carmie Collins ran the Collins Drug Store. There was a decorative heating vent in the center of the store
surrounded by chairs with a circular wrought iron design. They lived in the back of the store.
Jim Skahill ran the pool hall/tavern/restaurant. Coming in the front door you could take a tight turn towards the SE
and go through a door to the Scheibeler Barber Shop or you could go through the door straight ahead into Skahill's. On
the left was a glass case with candy. Past this case was a wooden bar that lead to a door of the pool hall. There was a
slot machine at the end of the bar. The bar had 10 stools that were filled most of the time. Behind the bar, on the north
wall, were cigars, cigarettes, tobacco, loaves of bread, homemade pies, cases of pop and beer, decks of cards, dishes and
silverware. There were only a few kinds of cigarettes. They were called "tailor-mades." Most people could not afford
them and rolled their own.
George Scheibeler had the owner/operator chair in his barbershop. His son, George, Jr. had the second chair. They
were always called "Shy" not Scheibeler. (Ceiling fans operated in both Skahill's and Scheibeler's. If the doors between
the two were opened at the same time, it was not unusual for hair from Scheibeler's to come floating into Skahill's.
There was a building attached to the barber shop side. Silent movies were shown there in the 1920's. Tom Clark had a
harness shop there. In the mid 1920's, Clyde Addy took over the shop. He could see the changeover from horses to
autos coming.
The next building had a wide alley that separated it from the harness shop. The two corners of the front had entrance
doors at 45 degree angles with the street. In the 20's, a man named Halbert had a drug store there. Clyde Addy bought
the building and put a gas pump by the curb. He ran the gas station and helped the harness shop turn into an auto
garage.
Clyde Addy lived at the corner of 1st & Market. He and Newt Hilliary both owned parrots.
The Newt Hilliary Hardware Store was on the corner. He was also the funeral director in partnership with Perryman
Funeral Home in Red Oak. An outer building was stacked with coffins and other devices used for funerals. He always
wore a light gray three-piece suit. Mary McGargill started working there in 1929.
Across the street to the south was the Postoffice. Charlie Abbott was postmaster. John Dempsey, Floyd Gee and Harry
Comstock were the mail carriers. Charlie's father-in-law was a Civil War veteran named Straight. He lived with Charlie.
Perry & Ernie Preston ran a garage on the NE corner of 1st & Main. They later sold it to Colonel Butcher. On the east
side of the garage was a lot that Clyde Addy developed into a putt-putt golf course.
Heading north past the garage on the east side was a house. In 1933, this was Dr. Coogan's office. Gert McGargill was
his nurse. He managed the Imogene Shamrock's baseball team for a couple of years in the 30's.
Up the street east from Butcher's Garage on the NE corner of 1st & Walnut lived Nick & Kate Ballain. Nick would
follow the words of the priest in Latin aloud at church. Some say he studied to be a priest. Clyde, Blanche and Albert, Jr.
Addy lived across the street from them.
The Wabash Depot was located between the main line and the side railroad tracks. The side tracks were switching
tracks running from the stockyards south of the depot, past the Greenwood Lumber Yard (north of the crossing). The
depot was straight west of Scheibeler's Barber Shop. The train arrived in Imogene at 6:10am on its way to Omaha. It
returned through Imogene at 9:30pm on the trip back to St. Louis. All Wabash trains were westbound or eastbound,
even though the tracks through Imogene went north and south.
The Conner's Elevator was called the "south elevator."
The Hibernian Hall was directly across the street south of the Methodist Church. It was originally a Free Methodist
Church. In 1928, a small one-room building was built east of the Hall for a meeting room for the Auxiliary.
The Perry Hotel was located on the NE corner of 2nd & Main.
Going east on 1st Street and past Main, there is an alley that runs to the south. If you traveled south about 50 yards,
there was a shop on the east side of the alley that John Thomas used as a carpentry shop. He built a few buildings
around Imogene.
John & Dolly Garrity Regan lived on the NE corner of 2nd & Market. John worked with John Thomas.
...Beer was sold for 10 cents a glass or two glasses for 15 cents. When there were Beer Wars a glass of beer cost 5 cents
and two glasses of beer cost 10 cents with free beer the rest of the night.