davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

Iowa and settling near Farragut
about thirty years ago where he has
since resided. He came here from
near independence, Mo.
Mr.. Phipps never used tobacco.
opiates or liquor. He used plain food
and loved corn bread, buttermilk
and cider. He nearly always took a
nap at noon, and spent great deal
of time out of doors. He loved the
open air and exercise, and even now
at his great age it is hard to keep
him in the house as much as neces-
sary for his health. In all his long
life he has had butfew spells of sick
ness and has taken but little medi-
cine. He never had but one spell of
fever, and that was when young
man. He likes to visit with his
neighbors in the good old fashioned
way-just go and spend the day. It
has been his custom in winter 4.
bathe his feet in the snow, ana,a.
summer in water fresh and cold
fro4s -he well. He sits in the house
with his feet bare a great deal and
meyer seems to take any cold from it.
rim fact he used to cure himself of
rheumatic attacks by cutting hole
in the ice and sit with his bare feet
hanging in the icy water beneath.
,.Mr. Phipps is a remarkably <7isor-
GUS man for his age, insisting upon
| doing hard work, until reeentls and
even now doing more work; than
many men 40 years younger. He
travels alone to visit relatives ir Me-
braska and few days ago made a
trip to Leon, Iowa. The. train~from
Faraguteto Shenandoah was late and
when he. reachea Shenandoah tn K.
& w. train had pulled ,out to they a
half-milesa awa,s u. Uncle John
started ed on loot to catch the train,
! caught it and went on his WY reieic-,
ing.
Mr.. Phipps has been great man
to ask questions, but always reticent
to talk about himself. Regarding his
early life hegtEwill seldom .,talk,a al
though he cc4ld no doubt tell fA,.
dents and experiences enough to
make an interesting book. This
reticence. or modesty, brought him
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
Look at Your Tag.

AS will be seen by notice pub
lished in this issue, the publishers of
every newspaper in Decatur county
have agreed that on and after March
10 they will comply strictly with the
postoffice departments ruling that
all subscribers to weekly newspapers
must not be more than one year in
arrears or the paper will be denied
admission to the mails. The date to
which your paper is paid is printed
on the yellow label after your name
on your paper, and we ask all our
subscribers to examine their tag and
if year or more in arrears to send
ns check or draft, or call at the
office and pay the account. If you
fail to do this you will not receive
The Reporter after March 10, and
the account will have to be placed
for collection, as we cannot keep
track of the accounts after the pa
per is stopped. Don't neglect this,
but attend to 1t at once.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
THEIR GOLDEN WEDDING
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bowsher Cele-
brate that Coveted Goal, which
is Reached by but Very Few.

One of the most notable society
events ever held in Leon was the gol-
den wedding anniversary of Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert Bowsher, two of Leon s
oldest and most highly esteemed citi-
zens. at the home of their son, ]. R.
Bowsher, whose magnificent new
residence, "The Linger Longer" is
nearing completion. Work had been
rushed night and day to get the resi-
deuce finished in time for the cele-
so that 1t was not entirely done in
time for the celebration Monday of
this week.
In order that all of their friends
might attend, Mr.. and Mrs. Bowsher
did not send out individual invita-
tons, but gave public invitation to
all their friends through the col
umns of the newspapers, and they re-
sponded in great numbers, the large
house being thronged with visitors
all day, and in the evening by those
who called to pay their respects to
this worthy couple. The home was
beautifully decorated in yellow in
honor of the occasion, the dining
room having profusion of yellow
cut flowers to add to the beauty of
the decorations. Throughout the
day delicious refreshments were
served to all who called, the guests
being received by Mr.. and Mrs. Bow
sher; their son, Mr.. ]. R. Bowsher,
and Mrs. Bowsher; their grandson,
Mr.. Port Bowsher, and Mrs. Bow
sher. of Lamont; their grandchil-
dren, Miss Edna and Mr.. Robert
Kohler, of Butte, Mont; Mr.. and
Mrs. James Clutch, of Abba, and Mr..
and Mrs. F. c. Younkin, of Des
Moines.
In the afternoon and again in the
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

the government at the head of the
allied tribes in Indiana, Ohio and
Michigan; while Indiana was the west
ern frontier. 1t was before Fulton
built his United States steamboat;
long before railroads, or telegraphs
or electricity were thought of. He
lacked but one year of being old
enough to vote for Andrew Jackson
for president. During the lives of
these remarkable twins the world
has moved forward more than all
the 1900 years of the Christian era
before
In this issue appears an excellent
likeness OF John M. Phipps, and it
will do for both, for John and Eli
look SO much alike that no one would
know one from the other The child
in the picture is little Ortille Phipps,
son of A. S. Phipps, of Farragut, and
grandson of John M.
The life of John NJ Phipps has
been remarkable in some ways, chief
ly in the temperate manner Of his
life, which no doubt has been the
chief cause of his longevity, and also
that of his brother, for no doubt the
manner of life of the one is the story
of the other also.
John M. married late in life, at
thirty, but even thus his marriage
dates back to three years before the
Mexican war. He married Mary e..
Long, February 27, 1912, and
through this marriage is shown the
relationship to o. S. Long, the mer-
chant of this city. Mrs. Phipps died
October 16, 1907, after welded
life of IS years.
Mr.. Phipps came to Iowa about
1885, ten years before it's admission
to the Union and when the only pop
ulation was fringe of settlements
along the navigable rivers He has
been farmer all of his life, but liv-
ing for q time in Missouri and Me-
braska and then coming back to
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
TWINS 98 YEARS OLD
John N. and Eli Phipps---Born Feb.
IA, 1872, are the Oldest Living
Twins in the World.

A remarkable birthday celebration
was observed on Monday of this
week at the home of Mr.. John M.
Phipps, who lives half way between
Shenandoah and Farragut, it being
the ninety-eighth birthday of twins,
Mr.. John M. Phipps and his brother,
Mr.. Eli Phipps, who came from his
home at Hennessey, Okla, to attend
the celebration in his honor.
Mr.. John M. Phipps is the father
of Mrs. F.. A. Gardner, of Leon, and
frequently visits in this city, having
been here but few weeks ago. He
vas one of the early settlers of Deca-
tur county. and is acquainted with
many Of our older citizens.
The Shenandoah Sentinel-Post of
last Friday has the following very
interesting article in regard. to the
twins: sGs
Mr.. Eli Phipps. of Hennessey, Ok
lahoma, is expected here tomorrow to
visit with his twin brother, John M.
Phipps, and celebrate their ninety
eighth birthday together at the home
of the latter between here, and Far
ragut next Monday.
Some weeks ago the Chicago Rec
ord-Herald published an account of
the lives of twins ninety-one years
old and claimed for them the dis
tinction .of being the oldest twins in
the world, but we can beat them by
seven years. John and Eli Phipps
were born. in Washington county,
Virginia. February IA. 1912.
This date conveys little impression
upon the mind unless one stops to
make compari,ons. 1t was a few
months before me declaration of war
against England in 1912. 1T was be-:
fore the battle of Waterloo was
fought. Before the fall of Techmseh,
the famous Indian chief who fought
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

made many of the ladies green with
envy for he made up as a stunning
young lady and the way he did the
dancing act was a caution Deacon
George Ogilvie; as handsome little
coon lady was the star of the
evening, and he could not be beat.
George Hurst and Wilbur Miller also
appeared as "cullud'' ladies, and
they handled their skirts to per-
fection. Frank Farquhar, Ray Lay
ton, DR.. Woodmansee Lou Pease,
Pete Brady and r. O. ALLEN in sing
ing and dancing features were out of
sight. Marion WoodaTd in the
ehssfaGter of old crouch portrayed IN
only too true manner the attitude
of few old knockers who still live
in Leon. James Hurst as interloc-
ulor and DR.. ]. w. Rowell and DR..
r. A. Bowman as end men and vocal
soloists were strictly there with the
goods. And last but not least there
was Tiny Stempel and Katrina"
kopp, our two French" druggists,
IN their Dutch character sketch,
wooden shoe dancing and singing,
and everyone screamed with laugh
ter at their antics, and called them
VAIN again duu again.
The crowning feature which closed
the performance was the Lincoln
tableau, in which w. C. Stempel i'm
personated "Old Abe'' to perfection,
even it it did necessitate the sacrific-
ing of his mustache.
The K. P. band and many of the
members of the Commercial Club
met Secretary Gels Botsford at the
depot upon the arrival of the train
from Des Moines and escorted him
to his hotel.
SO well pleased was everyone with
the minstrel show that the boys have
been requested to repeat it soon at
the opera house, SO that everybody
IN Leon can see it, as on account of
lack of seating capacity the attend
ance at the K. P. hall was limited to
the guests at the banquet and few
Others
The Leon Commercial Club is in
flourishing condition, having an
active membership of over 100 mem
bers. During the past year they have
accomplished number of good
Things for the benefit of Leon and
have plans laid for number of
others during the coming year. The
members are boosters from the word
go, and Leon is making herself a
name throughout the state as a live
town where the boosters are in tho
saddle.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

evening Rev. j. L. Boyd performed a
second ceremony, uniting Mr.. and
Mrs. BoWsher even more strongly in
the bonds of love and affection.
Br. Bowsher was born in Wyan-
dotte county, Ohio, Sept. II, 1874,
and will be 76 years old next Sep
tember Mrs. Bowsher, whose maiden
name was Mary Jane Drake, was
born near Tiffin City, Ohio, Oct. 19,
1897. and will be 73 years old next
October. They were married in
Crawford county, Ohio, Feb IA,
1860, and went to Upper Sandusky
to live, and in 1856 they came to the
then far west and settled at Prince
ton, Mo-, where they engaged in the
conducted the Old Buckeye house at
Princeton, one of the well-known
hostelries of northern Missouri, and
later conducted the Mineral Springs
hotel. In 1894 they came to Leon
and Mr.. Bowsher engaged in the i'm
plement business with his son, j. r.
Bowsher, under the firm name of
Bowsher & Bowsher. Although hav-
ing reached the age at which few
men are still in active business, Mr..
Bowsher is as spry as many younger
men and takes an active part in the
firms business, both at their big
store in this city and the branch
stores at Lamont, Pleasanton and
Decatur City.
During the day many hundred of
their friends called to pay their re-
spects and wish them many more
years of welded happiness. AS a
souvenir of the happy occasion the
guests were presented with a photo
of Mr.. and Mrs. Bowsher taken the
day of their marriage and also as
they appear today, which we are
HAPPY to reproduce for The Reporter
readers.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
A New Trial for DR.. Sells.

The supreme court last Tuesday
handed down an opinion reversing
the verdict found by jury in Clarke
county against DR.. F. w. Sells, a
prominent physician of Osceola, for
attempting a criminal assault on a
young lady who was patient at his
hospital in Osceola. The opinion in
the case was written by Judge
Weaver and says the evidence
against DR.. Sells was insufficient
and there was not enough cor
roboration of the young lady's story.
1t was held that her story might pos
sibly be true and they did not want
to brand it as false, but as it stood
1t was not enough. In reversing the
verdict Of the lower court, the SUI
preme court remands the case back
for a new trial, but suggests that
unless the state has more evidence,
that the indictment against DR.. Sells
be dismissed.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

In view Of the fact that the United States Post
office department is at work rgidly enforcing the
the departments ruling that all subscribers to weekly
newspapers must not allow their subscription to be-
more than year in or the publisher
of the paper will be refused admission to the mails
under the secondcass postage rate becomes neces
for the newspapers Of Decatur county comply
, with the departments ruling On March TO- 1910,
every subscriber to the newspapers of Decatur county
: who is year in arrears will have their
paper discontinued.
Please don't blame the publishers for this for we
must comply with the postal ruling. We can make no
exceptions and all subscribers will be treated alike
We dislike to cut off subscribers who have taken our
papers many years, but there is no alternative
you desire to continue receiving your paper it
will be necessary to settle up your subscription ac
count.
0. E. Hull, Publisher Leon Reporter.
Will F. Lindsey, Mgr Decatur County Journal
!, r. G. Hoadey, Publisher Garden Grove Express.
Chronicle Publishing Co, Pubs. Lamont Chronicle
|, Lambert Bros. Publishers Lamont Patriot.
n. 0. Tuttle Publisher Van Vert Record.
, R. G. Hoadley, Publisher Weldon American.
c. NJ. Grimm, Publisher Grand River Local
> /~>|~>~I~>~r<>~I>>~/~>~T~>~ ~T~>~r~~,T->>n>>n>~r>.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
Yeomen Will Celebrate,

The Brotherhood of American
4eomen will celebrate the 18th an
nlversary of their order at the X. p.
hall on Thursday evening, Feb. 24th,
and all members of the order and
their families are cordially invited
to attend. Each archer is also priv
ileged to invite one or more friends
outside the Homestead, and they are
anticipating very pleasant time.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
Marriage Licenses.

Jake H. Lockwood. Woodland. "a
Minnie Rains, Woodland. "a
James S. Bond, Lamont. "a
Ada 3. Toney, Lamont. 22
VIM. II. Smith, San Francisco. 81
Blanche Rose, Detroit, Mich 20
George Fry, Van Vert. %
Josie Hall, Weldon. 20
Geo. Woodmansee, Jr., Decatur. "a
Esther Shields, Grand River .lS
Orel Everett Baker, GAINESVILLE. .21
Eadls Baldwin, GAINESVILLE. 10
Albert w. Fleet, Lamont "a
Marie M. Siltz, Lamont. ga
Edward Hartman, Van Vert. .26
Rebecca j. Green, Van Vert. .21
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
A Big Horse Sale.

A big commission horse sale will
be held at the brick sale barn in this
city on Saturday, Feb. 26, and all
parties who have any horses to sell
should list them at once with Fred
Teale, clerk, SO they can be adver-
tised next week. There will be a
number of good buyers here to at
tend the sale, and horses are in good
demand at present and bringing top
prices.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
Baker-BaIdwin.

Mr.. Orel Everett Baker and Miss
Eadis Baldwin, both of GAINESVILLE,
Mo-, were married at the clerks
office in this city last Thursday after
noon by Rev. ]. L. Boyd, pastor of
the M. e. church of this city. The
happy young couple returned to
GAINESVILLE on the evening train where
they are we'll and favorably known.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
"A Prince of Sweden. !"

After hard days work in the of.
flee, at the factory, behind the coun.
ter, or wherever it may be, what is
more refreshing and restful than a
hearty. wholesome laugh? One for
gets his or her troubles and worries,
II you care for an evening of pure,
clean and refined entertainment
you should not overlook seeing that
funny, good-natured Swede come
dian, Carl Olson, as the Prince OF
Sweden" at the new opera house, De-
catur City. Iowa, Tuesday. Feb. %.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17
Rev. coakwell will go to St. Joe.

Rev. Chas. Arthur Coakwell, for
the past two years the popular pastor
of the Christian church of Leon, has
accepted a caff from the st. Joe
Avenue Christian church of North St.
Joe, and will enter on his duties as
pastor April 1st when he closes his
labors as pastor of the Leon church,
having announced his resignation
some weeks ago to take effect on
April 1st. The charge at st. Joe
pays him quite a nice increase in
salary, and his friends will congratu-
late him, but will be sorry to see
him leave Leon. Mrs. Coakwell is
now visiting relatives in Ohio, and
he has stored his household goods
until he moves to St. Joe.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

Preaching services at the Presby-
terian church II a. M and 1880 p.
m. Subject for morning, "The Re-
ligion of Jesus Christ and How it
Compares With the Religion of
Leon"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

Wanted AT the county farm, a
good farm hand. Apply to q. T..
Shira, steward county farm.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-02-17

For Rent-A five room cottage.
See Harry Bradfield.
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28

the larger the correspondents and the Official force
all the swift accommodation needed This arrangement kept
MIN
great Taft tariff speech Delivered reached
In that time however had had his troubles He had learned
the baggage coach game and had acquainted himself with the dis
comforts the cabooe on freight He had hired buggy
and driven another He had been awake
night by change repeatedly while the special cars
Of the party switched and from
without disturbing occupants He had to know that
tough he had fallen the habit OF thinking
longngy Washington. He had begun lose OF that total
twenty pounds managed before the
Journey had been covered.
The President spoke Winona night Of September H. and
this evident that by dn Of the buggy ride and the caooe
baggage experiences Taft had had practically sleep
leaving WInona filed total of
thousand words Of press matter and when remembered how
many telegraph key click order spell word
the other end o the realize that
dispose cop. calls hustle and hard Labor And
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28
The Start from Boston

obackto beginning clock
- ing of September Taft Boston accompanied by W
Of
on the pilot train preceded presidential Btw
all where short ST
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28
T A F I
AND
T A F F
By James Hay. Jr.


t mana andth
On Of which the Mississippi River from
aft ed a
With place any launches
in the
President the bank Of the railroad
and O
after niyftfal in the o
Journey
md steam
was on the Mississippi up launch and watched
the
pals used the vehicle the
Of rchlght and after the steamers had
the
the
Office.
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28

.t Ie-y9f looking ahead and having the eoIle [.'5
-- Town Ar Taft might strike. Obliged 10 kho"
TIE 1-- official party would hle the
u "lr- instructed have messengers al eE5l
made e-l,e r,,,15 be carried 10 the diiei'
-1ft terrific Sometimes he rode II q las ~
-.- u a. The special were attached by Ils.
E-- ne baggage when there PullnaIs on uta ~
-g 10y De compelled catch local or iTghl .I- 80
I'm q - special cars 50 that having his work fnislel III l @
could ras.a the next ahead Of the presidential pa- a.
L - readiness for the arrival and filing Of de5I)atcL-es'
@--e brief short cuts; but tins was not oIl - ~
~ -5-rl president d his company were Ilil " I7
r. Mr. -fr yr him know that at any uiLe ~
1.s message and the same thing was 10 Apply " YIN
--s1- I'D 70 have operators 's1l- il
small towns where there were put into his hands Tor u1ia
Ea- -a.e thousand words Of press matter ana ono . I
a-r % some lights q key himself iill l lIi
- he had b. ..... --s ...,.. l.4l ..... .-s par. ii
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28

cen regarded as impossible, and all the way
disregard physical comfort
oses On freight trains; he went whole nights
4 not everv time he wanted food. He took
m moving boats. He converted telephone
.ad RELAYS of messengers carrying desIoatcheS
,- transmission. He was up against the Job
-aDh Offices into tremendous hives Of INDUS
Is sent across many miles the words and sen
7ent measures OF kept the press Of the coun-
,+ the President was doing and saying
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28
Taft on the Job

e- VINO the Western Jion Telegraph
Wash. wag given the last moment the 'A 81
and seeing TO II lL4 inc
with should have any eifllO5 II
There two p1FaJ7 car Oh |
- srsl ehi-e15y men All core7f'dI-9
either NeHY 17'Il
-eHI York { therefore Ian duty -
and once ioT l"e "
@ tr either the private cars I
-- re5s been maIeb before the President elTeIIi
Il Western Union keep man with le t
+ that Taft had 10 take pot I'N
- ---.- !. Is - q
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28

his Job Ordinarily journalists are the best fellows
earth and right deck with the genial smile and the
persfage but once let them rush into telegraph office
file their stuff and find that there delay IN getting it
and harsh words begin to ow not in the ordinary way
turnutuously, vindictvely and with wealth OF eXp
sion that leaves nothing to be said. Newspaper men
are DELAYED in sending their stories abuse telegri
company, its operators, its board Of directors, and
stockholders the most effective manner imasina
and they don't hesitate to do it. At such times they hi
faith in the repressVe school Of acting or talking
Having been schooled in Washington, where every
newspaper has special correspondent, Taft knew this
he was always on hand with optimism and smiles.
couldn't even call his feelings his own He had ca
blanche in the matter Of ordering operators to Van
points and in the use Of wires and he always had
New-York tribune., 1910-08-28

T'1-S is @ story Of how the President Of the
/ -1,-- was kept dangling on the end Of
-=-g- -1- ttcv-fve DAYS while he Travelled
--=s- --r miles b. land and water and crossed
--..--Eo ----.. nd Territories.
--e"a- .---5 The trick was Harry F. Taft, and it
- H--- .-- .za-5 Taft made his swing round the
----. "a Boston last fall going 70 the Pacific
-t -2- The Southwest and up through the
---- % ~ During al that time, whether he
- L ne The desert. the height OF The noun
--4 u l- Park 1- On 3 steamer. there was never
.-- T- -a C-s- II touch with the country IN gen
~ ana --e -..s Capital N particular The work ot
81 II --a possible constitutes one Of the greatest
annals Of relegraphy. He had to be
ne Job - day with his sleeves rolled up h1s
N -e and r.s mind on the alert He had TO
7a g-.. shat had hitherto been regarded as mp
59s--- rg-or he had 20 disregard physical
--r- .=-aee cars and cabooses on freight tran
l. sleep ate when he could, not every time D.
---- in bottles from moving boats
i-. -... lines. and once he had relays ot rnesser
Steep .5-s ~ be fled for transmission ID
--s .- notice small telegraph Offices into tre