125 Years Ago – 1896
The little 2 1/2 year old son of Walter Pitts got an overdose of cough medicine Wednesday morning and died Thursday morning. The little fellow found the bottle and drank a large portion of it.
The Cherokee County Agriculture Society are making plans for the 7th annual fair to be held in Marcus in September.

110 Years Ago – 1901
The bell for the Methodist church arrived Saturday morning and it was in place before 6:00 p.m. that day. The bell and fixtures weigh 1300 pounds and it has a fine tone.

105 Years Ago – 1916
William J. Bryant spoke for about an hour in Marcus last Thursday. He is in favor of Woman’s Suffrage and Temporance. Many attended the affair. His train continued on to Merrill and Sioux City.
Louis Means and Lloyd Bourke (Bork) have been absent from school several days this week.
A. J. Lenth accidentally drove a spike in his wrist while working in his blacksmith shop.

95 Years Ago – 1926
Nine girls and eleven boys will receive diplomas from Marcus High School May 27th.
Ernest Rae arrived here by auto from Los Amgeles, CA. He made the 2000 mile trip in 5 days, averaging 400 miles per day. He will remain here for a few weeks. He is engaged in building Spanish type homes in California.
Hope Mich was voted May Queen at Holy Name High School. The seniors skipped school Wednesday, May 5th and visited the Cathedral High School in Sioux City, the packing house and the candy factory.

90 Years Ago – 1931
Miss Charmione Turner of Marcus is practice teaching in Tilden #2 with teacher, Miss Herta Krekow.
A public sale of farm machinery, livestock, feed, etc., belonging to the late John R. Billings, was held Tuesday, April 21 on the farm east of Marcus.
Sjostrom Bros. advertise gas at 10¢ per gallon plus tax.
Will Rogers stars in “Lightnin’ “ showing in the Lyric.
85 Years Ago -1936
Miss Irene Brooks was re-elected for another 3 year term as Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools. She replaced Lulu Orr in 1933.
A rural electrification co-operative is being organized in Cherokee County.
Ament Chevrolet Company has Fairbanks-Morse Refrigerators for sale.
Marcus Public High School will have 35 graduating seniors and Holy Name will have 8.

80 Years Ago – 1941
Jean Alesch and Frances Zembsch’s first place poppy posters will be entered in the state contest. Darlene Means’ and Myrna Ament’s posters placed second. There were 39 posters entered.
Howard McConnell will represent F.I. Goodburn Post 517 at Boys’ State in Des Moines June 15-22.
Eight senior girls from Marcus Public enjoyed a picnic supper with Dorothy Rose Cave, who is an invalid, and suffers much pain. She is a member of the Class of 1941.

75 Years Ago -1946
Marcus Public School will have 22 graduates this year, Marcus Holy Name will have 8 and 42 rural school eighth grade students will graduate May 25.
Melvin Carlson and Jim Cave met recently in the Manicani Islands in the Philippines. Both are in the U.S. Navy.
Mary Jean Knox and Anthony J. Marinello, CGM, were married Wednesday, May 8 in the Methodist Church. Lucretia Marinello and Jack Knox were attendants. They will make their home at Great Lakes, IL where he is stationed.
John Wayne and Ann Dvorak star in “Flame of the Barbary Coast” showing in the Lyric.

70 Years Ago – 1951
Marcus Public School will have 20 graduates this year and Holy Name will have 15.
Don Rubink of Sibley, IA has accepted a position as barber in the Lou McDaniel shop. Don, his wife and daughter will move here as soon as housing can be found.
Chris L. Miller has purchased the farm he has been farming for many years from Mrs.Clara Reinboth of Amboy, IL.
Bob Reed notified his parents that he sailed on the U.S.S. Los Angeles for Korea where he will care for the wounded and help with the dead.

65 Years Ago -1956
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Dorr are the parents of a 9 lb. 3 oz. son, born Tuesday, May 15. he is named Paul Robert.
Janet Hagenbucher and Richard Jenks, both of Marcus, are planning a June 17th wedding in the Methodist Church in Marcus, June 17.
Mrs. W.L. Gund returned home after spending several days with her cousin, Boyne Platts, and his wife, at Ames.
Prices at Clarkson’s Food Market this week include: T-Bone steak 59¢ a lb., tomatoes 19¢ per large tube, and 6 cans of Del Monte corn $1.00.

60 Years Ago – 1961
Mr, and Mrs, John Bentz and Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Bentz and family were Sunday evening dinner guests in the Mr. and Mrs. Dick Bird home at Calumet to help John celebrate his 65th birthday.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McQueen and sons of Sheldon were Sunday dinner guests in the Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Booth home.
Pat Boone and Shirley Jones star in “April Love” showing in the Marland Sunday and Wednesday. The whole family will be admitted Wednesday nights for $1.00.

55 Years Ago – 1966
Holly Kirchoff of Marcus and James Fisher of Independence, IA are planning a June wedding. Both attended Iowa State University.
The annual Marcus Picnic was held at South Mountain Park, Phoenix, AZ May 8th.
Marcus Community School will have 53 graduates May 25. Wiley E. Mayne of Sioux City will address the students and those present.
Rodney Muilenburg has been student teaching in the Biology department at Marcus Community High for the last several weeks. He is finishing four years of college at Northwestern in Orange City.

50 Years Ago – 1971
Louis Homan of Remsen had the first registered hole-in-one on No. 4 at the Marcus Golf Course. Pat Phelan and Jim Jaminet of Remsen were winesses.
Dan Bork and Jean McKernan were crowned King and Queen of the Marcus Community High School Prom. The theme was “Magic Moment”.
The Marcus Centennial will be held June 24-26 with many events scheduled. There will be a parade, a pageant and many other activities.
Barbara Sand was honored on her 8th birthday, May 2, with relatives joining her for cake and ice cream.

45 Years Ago – 1976
Mrs. Fred Knox, 82, nee Grace Nield, died May 8th in Long Beach, CA. She lived in Marcus for most of her life. Funeral services will be May 13 in Marcus Grace United Methodist Church with burial in Marcus-Amherst Cemetery. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Julie Roethler of Marcus and Randy Hoeg of Wapello, IA are planning an August 7 wedding in Marcus Holy Name Church.
The Meriden-Cleghorn Senior held their Skip Day last Friday. They chartered a bus and went to Kansas City where they attended Senior Night at Worlds of Fun. They returned home Saturday noon.

40 Years Ago – 1981
Mrs. George Briggs presented the Marvin Hanson Award to Craig Lehan, as the outstanding sophomore athlete. Marvin was Mrs. Briggs’ son and he passed away as a sophomore.
Shelley Donaldson is the lone senior in the Meriden-Senior Spotlight. She hopes to become a special ed teacher, get married and be happy forever.
Marguerite Dunn and Ronald Seggerman, both of Marcus, were named Dimmitt Scholars for the year at Morningside College in recognition of their academic achievements.

35 Years Ago – 1986
Meriden-Cleghorn High School will honor 20 graduating seniors Sunday, May 20. Their motto is: “Life is made of dreams, To each dream there is a goal, Behind each goal lies the future.”
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Sand and Bill and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Dreckman were Mother’s Day breakfast guests of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Dreckman, Mandy and Nicholas at the Marcus Golf Club House.
The Marcettes held their annual Newcomers Party at the Golf Club House Friday, May 9th with a salad luncheon and twenty people present.

30 Years Ago – 1991
The Marcus Trash Patrol, better known as the Marcus Jaycees, were busy picking up trash on their designated 2 miles on Hwy. #3, outside of Marcus. Ten members are pictured with 5 orange bags of garbage.
Marcus Holy Name Parish invites the community to visit their new rectory on Sunday, May 19th.
Alex Wibe and Amy Dugan are featured in the MMC Senior Spotlight. Amy plans to attend Wayne State and Alex will either join the Navy or attend college.

25 Years Ago – 1996
Esther Bjork Anderson celebrated her 101 birthday, May 13th, in Marcus Heartland Care Center with relatives and friends. She was born 5 miles north of Marcus and has been a Cherokee County resident all of her life.
Les Petersen and Arnie Carlson were presented the Roy Johnson Memorial Award for all the work they do for the Marcus Fair.
Susan Smith, Mia Viktoria Meyer and Kari Johnson are pictured in the MMC Insider “Focus on the Class of ‘96”. Mia will return to her home in Einbeck, Germany and Susan and Kari will pursue further education.

20 Years Ago – 2001
Steve and Rosie Specht hosted a pre-graduation party for son, Bob Bork, at the farm Sunday. Many relatives, his Godparents and many friends, joined in the festivities.
Jake Sokolowski, Andrew Glassmaker, Jessica Leavitt and Jessie Broocks, are pictured in the MMC Insider “Finally Done in 2001”.