125 Years Ago – 1896
Marcus was hit by a rain, wind and hail storm late Sunday afternoon. Small grain was pounded into the ground as some of the hail stones measured 9 inches in circumference. The fruit crop was ruined, corn was damaged, chickens killed and windows were broken.
C.J. Jackson offers milk at 3¢ a quart and a gallon for 10¢.

115 Years Ago – 1906
Will Dwight of LeMars and Mr. Newman of Pasadena, CA visited with the Dwight family in Marcus Tuesday.
Clara Meyer and Myrtle Imhoff accompanied Mrs. B.F. Maurer and children to their home at Chihuahua, Mexico and remained for a visit.

105 Years Ago – 1916
Cherokee County District Clerk of Court, F.J. CArpenter, issued 85 marriage licenses during the first six months of 1916, twelve more than last year.
Mrs. Cora Chase and son, Oswald, of the Fielding area are visiting relatives at Lincoln, NE.
William Gibson of Amherst, Twp. is building a corn crib and granary 18X32 by 17 feet high, with a cement floor.

95 Years Ago – 1926
There were 345 cars purchased in Cherokee County in 3 months time. The best sellers are Fords, Chevrolets and Buicks.
A Cleghorn alumni banquet was attended by 45 of the 56 graduates. A three course dinner was served by the high school girls in the gymnasium. They plan to make it an annual event.
O.E. Shoemaker held the first dance in his Fielding pavilion with an 8 piece orchestra from New York playing. There were 1200 cars counted in the parking area and 300 tickets were sold.
Local attorney, L.J. McGivern, is a patient in the LeMars hospital where he is receiving treatment on his eyes.

90 Years Ago – 1931
Members of the Tuesday Bridge Club motored to Lake Okoboji Wednesday where they were guests of Mrs. I. C. Edmonds for the day.
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Michaelson and daughter, Arleen, returned Sunday from a tour of the west and northwest states.
Vance Marquis and Harold Booth returned Sunday from Omaha where they attended the Citizens Military Camp for the past six weeks.
Depositors of the Exchange Bank of Marcus will receive 22 1/2% on all claims allowed by the court.

85 Years Ago -1936
The Sweet Players will have a 3 night stay in Marcus beginning Monday July 27. Plays showed will be “The Easy Mark”, Circumstantial Evidence”, “Mary’s Ankle” or “Quality Has No Substitute”.
Miss Mae Wright of Lake City, IA has begun work as a reporter for the Marcus News.
The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors estimated a $281,500 budget for 1937.

80 Years Ago – 1941
Mrs. Perry Miller has purchased a new Fluid Drive Dodge coupe through the local dealer, Carl Dorr.
John Bindner of Marcus had a market-topping shipment of 32 heifers that averaged 748 pounds and sold at $11.50.
Kenneth Gordon and his sister, Mabel, both of Meriden, joind a group of Junior Farm Bureau members for an outing at the Lakes Sunday.
Mrs. Alice Thompson thinks she is probably the longest subscriber of the Marcus News. She and her husband arrived here in 1879 and subscribed to the News since its first issue.

75 Years Ago -1946
Mary Ellen Kelly, accompanied by her mother, joined a pilgrimage to Canada to visit the shrines and holy places there.
Former Marcus resident, Laura Hinkley, tells of her father, M.E. Hinkley, having a nursery where the Lone Eagle station stood. She said she graduated from Marcus high. ( I find a Mae Hinkley in the 1899 class. She was probably in one of those they couldn’t find).
Paul Norris is recuperating from knee surgery in the parental Dr, and Mrs. L.L. Norris home.

70 Years Ago – 1951
Richard Garvin and Gerhardt Gutenkauf were listed in the August draft call for Cherokee County. They will leave August 7 for Omaha where they will be inducted.
Margie Schnoes and Ruth Ann Ohlendorf were weekend guests in the Mr. and Mrs. Lee Beacon home in Minneapolis. While there they attended the aquatennial.
Marjorie Gutenkauf of Marcus and James F. Rupp of Cherokee are planning an August 25th wedding in Marcus Holy Name Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Seggerman are the parents of a 9 pound 1/2 ounce son, bornWednesday, July 18. He is named Patrick Francis and has a brother at home.

65 Years Ago -1956
Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan star in “The Maverick Queen” showing in the Marland. “Forever Darling” with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, will follow on Sunday and Monday.
Darrell Johnson of Cleghorn departed Monday for Fort Bliss, TX where he will be with the Artillery Branch of the Army.
Janice Gates of Marcus and Neil Schilmoeller of Granville will be married August 30 in Marcus Holy Name Church.

60 Years Ago – 1961
Col. and Mrs. E.H. Railsback, Steven and Patricia, visited in the James Rae home, Mrs. Railsback’s parents. They departed for Europe where he will be stationedwiith NATO for three years.
Dennis Peavey, Tom Dorr and Tom Jenness will attend the Isaac Walton Conservation School at Storm Lake for 3 days. They are sponsored by the Marcus Sportsman Club.
Mrs. Leo Oswald, 57, nee Eleanor Korth, passed away Monday, July 17. Services were held in Marcus Holy Name Church with burial in the church cemetery, Survivors include her husband, a daughter, 4 sons, her mother, 4 brothers and 5 sisters.

55 Years Ago – 1966
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Bird are the parents of an 8 lb. 12 oz. son, born Momday, July 11. He is named Robert and has 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
Mrs. William Specht entertained her N. B. C. Club Monday evening in her home where they enjoyed a picnic dinner.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Galles and Ron attended orientation at Ames the 7th and 8th of July. Ron registered for the fall term at Iowa State University.
Gayle Flanagan, Torrance, CA, Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson and Mrs. Earl Flanagan, Marcus and Mrs. Madeline Dalton, Cherokee, visited with Mrs. Anderson’s brother, Cliff Ritts, a patient in Fort Dodge St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

50 Years Ago – 1971
Mrs. Dick Petersen returned home after spending two weeks with the Richard Strohmeiers in Irving, TX.
Jim Lenox departed for Omaha where he will be employed for the summer months.
Mrs. Winnie Winsler of Memphis, TN is spending sometime with her daughter, Mrs. Ken Pallesen.
Prices at the local IGA store include: bananas@10¢ lb.; 4- 10 oz. pkgs. strawberries @$1.00; U.S.D.A. beef hind quarters @ 79¢ lb.and home grown sweet corn-49¢ a doz.

45 Years Ago – 1976
Robert J. Matzgen has been hired as industrial arts instrucor and girls’ basketball coach at Meriden-Cleghorn of the 1976-77 school year. He served 4 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. He taught in the Tehran American School.
Regina McLaughlin, Blanche Kohn and Bill and Martha Ament attended the 21st annual McLaughlin reunion at the Storm Lake Park Sunday, July 18
The Cherokee County Cattlemen’s Association held their annual stag steak fry and meeting Wednesday evening, July 14 at the Marcus Golf Course. Over 200 enjoyed the delicious Iowa corn fed steaks.

40 Years Ago – 1981
“The King and I” will open July 30 at the Cherokee Community Center for four nights. A cast of over 40 will take part.
Mrs. Axel Vikander, 80, nee Edith Carlson, died Thursday, July 16. Services were held in the Nelson- Mauer Funeral home with burial in Liberty Cemetery. She was a long time Marcus area resident. Survivors include a brother and 2 sisters.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carey of Marcus and Mr. and Mrs. Don Anderson of Sioux Rapids returned home after a 5,000 mile, 17 day tour of the Pacific Northwest.

35 Years Ago – 1986
Randy and Barb Tentinger are the parents of their first child, an 8 lb. 1/2 oz, and is named Amy Michelle, born July 12.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Husman attended the Big-Four Bowling Proprietors Convention at Dubuque last week.
Dale and Marian Taylor of Cleghorn annouce the marriage of their son, Doug Taylor to Linda Johnson of Huntington Beach, CA on May 17 in the groom’s home in Bel Air, CA. After a three week wedding trip to Europe, they are at home in Bel Air. Both are employed at McDonald Douglas in Long Beach, CA.

30 Years Ago – 1991
Rev. John Meehan, a former Marcusite and June Reinboth, formerly of Des Moines, both now of Alexandris, VA are planning a June 20, 1992 wedding in Alexandria.
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Moser, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sokolowski and Ann Alesch attended the Danbury Catholic Alumni Social Friday evening at the Danbury Park.

25 Years Ago – 1996
Dave Stevensn is pictured giving Cherokee County Sheriff Al Bofenkamp the keys to a new 1996 Chevy Lumina purchased from Hesse’s Chevrolet for the sheriff’s vehicle.
Jon Helget of Cleghorn and a 1994 graduate of MMC has been accepted at ICCC, He received Football and Residence Hall Scholarships.
Marcus will celebrate its Quasquicentennial and its 60th annual Marcus Fair August 7th through the 11th.

20 Years Ago – 2001
Bryan Dreckman, his mother, Eleanor, and brother Leonard, helped him in the cover and pinning presentation as he was elevated from the ranks of enlisted Navy personnel to an Officer. He is now a “Mustang”.
Celeste Ogren, 17, of Marcus has been recognized as a new member of the 2001 Northwest Iowa Area 4-H Council.
Katie Mohning and Lee Rainboth were presented Volunteer pins and certificates for their year long labor of love serving as crossing guards at MMC Primary School. Marcus Chamber President, Laura Letsche, presented the awards.

15 Years Ago – 2006