130 Years Ago -1893
A large number of people gathered in the spacious mansion of F.S. Barnes to say their farewell to Dr. and Mrs. Prosser. They were presented a silver water pitcher. The Prossers will make their home at Chicago.
Henry Luge, former Marcus resident, and now of Grand Meadow Township, has fallen heir to $16,000, a legacy from friends in Germany who have died.

125 Years Ago -1898
Eleven car loads of hogs and cattle left Marcus for Chicago Saturday evening. Shippers included Barney, Harvey, Frank Dickens, Hobbs and Wells, S. Zink, Joe Hinnis, Hans Hadenfeldt and Sherman Switzer.
A. Dezellem and his family have returned to this area to live, after spending several years in Nebraska. He is a son-in-law of A.H. Hiller of Amherst.

120 Years Ago -1903
The Banker’s Life Association paid Mrs. Wm. Poston $4,068.00 in settlement of two certificates of membership her late husband had in that company.
W. H. Bosworth, 75, passed away in the home of his daughter, Mrs. H.C. Wilson of Amherst Township, He is survived by four children.

115 Years Ago – 1908
A.J. Kramer and family arrived here recently. He is at work in the Stitt Meat Market,
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Pitts moved to Marcus and have rented their farm to their son-in-law, George Gibson.
Forty-two couples attended the Leap Year dance held in the Opera House. It seems the lights went out just as the couples were waltzing. Rumors have it, that several proposals of marriage were made before the lights came on again.
110 Years Ago – 1913
The Marcus Township special school, which has been in session for three months, will close on Friday, March 14. It has been very successful and much credit is due the teacher, Lewis McDonald.
Mrs. Constance Bird went to Waterloo to visit her sister for two weeks.
The Remsen Bell Enterprise reports that the water supply in the Remsen tank is very low and that the city wells at the foot of Main Street are threatening to go dry. The water was shut off Tuesday night and this will be repeated as some patrons continue to use it unnecessarily.

105 Years Ago -1918
Robert Meylor will leave Friday to join the U.S. Field Artillery.
J.W. Armbruster of the Marcus Panatorium will move his family from Sioux City to the Hans Johnson residence here.
James Hoxsie, Joe Ament. Oscar Kaiser and Jack Stewart departed to join the U.S. Service.
Peter Miller caught a white owl near his place last week.
Mr. and Mrs. George Erickson are the parents of a son born March 3.

95 Years Ago -1928
George Kirchner and Dr. T.C. Knox announced their candidacy for school directors.
Superintendent and Mrs. V. L. Johnson celebrated their second anniversary of marriage on February 29 but have been married nine years.
Mrs. Alice Kolb passed away in her Marcus home March 4.

85 Years Ago -1938
Margaret Zembsch will open a beauty shop April 1 in the Tutt building.
The Herb Hueser family will return home this week after five weeks absence in California.
The Western Union Telegraph Company installed a machine in the West Iowa Telephone Company in Marcus.

80 Years Ago – 1943
Harry Johnson of Tilden Township punctured his knee cap on a nail while working in his hog house. He is under a doctor’s care.
Fire of an undetermined origin raced through the Rock Island Lumber Company work shop Sunday, destroying valuable materials and equipment in its path.
Ray Sand sent a most unusual gift to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Schmillen as a wedding gift. Sand explained he hadn’t seen a town in 84 days so he sent them a beautiful grass skirt – native hand work.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ballard is holding a closing-out public sale March 16 on the farm seven miles north and two and one half miles west of Marcus.

75 Years Ago -1948
Vernon Grauer of Marcus is one of five Cherokee County young people leaving on a bus tour of the southland and a plane trip to Cuba.
Cleghorn second graders have another pair of twins in their room. Janice and Jerry Jaminet have joined them.
Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Lange and three sons of Germantown and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zangger were guests in the John Barry, Jr. home to honor the birthdays of Mrs. Zangger and Gerald Barry.
Howard Peavey was elected Chief of the Marcus Fire Department, John Clarkson, Assistant Chief and Wendell Grauer, Secretary-Treasurer

70 Years Ago -1953
Douglas Paul Mortenson, son of Pvt. and Mrs. Ronald Mortenson, was baptized in, Carmel Lutheran Church,
Marcus, on Sunday, March 1st. A dinner was held in the Art Nielsen home.
Twenty Marcus old-timers and the Highlanders of the public school played a basketball game here. The Bloomer Boys lost to the Highlanders 63 to 78. Howie Flanagan, who was the scorekeeper, scored 75 points and Stan Birch of the Bloomers had 63.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Walsh and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Muehl departed for Norfolk, Virginia, to spend two weeks with the Muehl’s daughter.
Marcus Holy Name won their conference crown with a 6-1 record. Gene Oswald, Marcus center, was named to the all-conference first team. Dick Boever of Marcus was named to the 2nd team as a forward.

65 Years Ago -1958
Holy Name’s senior class will present the play “Sing a Song of Sixteen,” a three act comedy in April.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rayburn and family moved from Aurelia into the Broock house south of The Co-op station.
Ed P. Ulstad, 79, of Marcus died Saturday, March 1st. He is survived by three sisters. Burial was in Marcus Amherst cemetery.
St. Ann’s Guild of Marcus Holy Name Church will host a Fashion Show With Nagle’s Apparel furnishing the gowns, etc. Mrs. Leo Alesch will be mistress of ceremonies.

60 Years Ago -1963
Paulette K. Brandt and Dale F. Woltman, both of Marcus, are planning a June 23 wedding in Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Marcus.
Wm. H. Ducommun, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ducommun of Cleghorn, received a B.S. degree at Iowa State University, Ames. He will work toward his masters degree in Agricultural Economics. He was active in R.O.T.C. and has been commissioned a second lieutenant.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Carver and baby of Des Moines spent the weekend in the Eldred Beeghly and Loren Carver homes.
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Stewart, formerly of Meriden, have moved into the Mrs. Emil Ducommun home at Cleghorn.

55 Years Ago -1968
McKernan’s Super Market is observing their 18th anniversary here. He came here in 1950 and bought the Leo Wagner general store.
Roberta Jean Nitsch and Darrell Johnson announce their engagement. No definite date has been set for the wedding.
Kenny Ogren, Kathy Sand and Clarence Sand were Sunday dinner guests in the Merle Sand home to honor Kathy on her 21st birthday.
Nancy Ann Kauffman was born Tuesday, March 5th, to Mr. and Mrs. Loren Kauffman. She weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. and has a sister and a brother.
Keith Rupp is editor of the local high school “The Eaglet” page.

50 Years Ago -1973
David Bierman, 17, is listed in serious condition following a one car accident early Monday morning.
Forrest and Dorris Burch of near Meriden held a public auction on their farm – selling machinery – livestock, hay and some household goods on Saturday, March 10.
Sharon Flanagan of Marcus and Keith DeMers of Cleghorn are planning a late summer wedding.
Mrs. George Eggleston, 93, passed away February 16 at Fort Dodge. She and her husband were Marcus residents m the early twenties as he was the pastor of the Methodist Church here.

45 Years Ago – 1978
Doug Bierman announces the opening of his Television and Audio Sales and Service store in Marcus. It is located in the Knudson building. He will feature Sylvania TVs and repair all other makes.
Lou McCullough, Athletic Director at I.S.U. will be guest speaker at the first annual awards banquet here by the Charles Rosburg Memorial Foundation on April 2.

40 Years Ago –1983
Jody Moser and Jeff Holmes, both of Marcus, are planning an October 7th wedding in Holy Name at Marcus.
Vernon and Rita Letsche are the proud parents of a 7 lb. 12 oz. daughter, Sarah Nicole, born Monday, February 28. She has a sister Kristina.

35 Years Ago – 1988
Members of the Class of 1958 of Marcus High School gathered for their 30-year reunion on February 26 and 27 at the Embassy Suites in Tempe, Arizona.
Karlton Kleis, an 8th grader at Marcus Middle School was named Student of the Week.
Larry Keffeler landed a 42 lb. salmon and his 13 year old son, Ben, got a 27 lb. one. They were caught in the Ell River near their home of Ukiah, California. Larry is a former Marcusite.

30 Years Ago – 1993
A group of relatives and friends surprised Fred Hoover with a pot luck supper in his home Tuesday evening, March 2, in honor of his 70th birthday.
Doug Glackin of Marcus is serving as a mathematics tutor in the Wayne State College learning center.
Beverly Jean Hiller of Marcus and Wendell Rahorts were wed February 6 at Las Vegas, Nevada. They are at home at Golden, Colorado.