The Houston Herald from Houston, Missouri • Page 1

Houston '(LI1 ME SEVENTY-FIVE HOl'STON. TEXAS COUNT MISSOURI, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1953. Hottest Day MMBER FIFTY -ONE New County Agent Here 56 Years Enough Covert Retires PERFORM OPERATION Surgeons at St. Mary's hospital in St. Louis Tuesday performed a rare and unusual operation on six-year-old Evelyene Pur-sifull of Raymond viile and the i of the suraery her condition Is James Ross Texas county's new farm agent is James E.

Ross. 30. who comes here from Miller county where he was assistant farm Ross will succeed Miller Hunter who is leaving for an extension assignment in the Hawaiian islands, Ross will take over here on August 1. He Is married and. has one daughter.

Ross served in the army three years, taught on-the-farm training at Mammoth Springs, and was graduated from MU in 1950. has been in Miller county for the past 18 months. 7., I Charles E. Covert Is Sunday, 103 Degrees Houstonians like other hot and bothered residents of the drought area are becoming accustomed to 80 and even 100-degree weather. But Sunday was almost too The mercury soared to a new high mark of 103 degrees and a hot wind blew furnace blasts which, instead of providing relief, made the weather seem even more unbearable.

The 103 mark was the highest recorded here in many years Ninety-decree weather Monday and Tuesday made the atmosphere seem like summer resort temperatures after the breath-takmg 100 degree readings. Although from all appearances DEATHS Julia Ann Ice Services were held at 2:30 p. m. Monday at the Ozark Baptist Church near Houston for Mrs. Julia Ann Ice, 45, who died Friday at her home eight miles southeast of Houston.

Suvivors are the husband. Calvin Ice; one daughter, Mrs. Shirley Medlock of Yukon, two sons, Donald and George of the home; her mother, Mrs. R. P.

Smith of Garden drove, two half brothers, Ernie Smith of Springston, Idaho, and George Smith of Garden Grove, and a half sister. Mrs. Arthur Moody of Garden Grove. The Rev. Archie Grose officiated and burial was In the church cemetery under direction of Elliotts of Houston.

William W. Poor Funeral services for William W. Poor of Licking were held Tuesday morning. Mr. Poor, who was 63 years old.

died early Sunday morning. He Is survived by his wife and nine children. Services were also held at Vichy. at the Church of Christ, with burial in the Vichy described as "satisfactory" The operation was successful. Evelyene was suffering from abnormal communication between blood vessels leading from the heart and her only chance Tor normal health was surgery.

The operation was delayed eight days when one member of the surgical team becam ill Evelyene is the daughter of Mr. and. Mi's. George Allen Purslfuil. ther of Mrs.

C. M. McCaskilb and V. M. Hines (uncle of Mrs.

Charles Covert i had started the abstract business In 1872. Fascinated in the leaal aspects his new work, Covert devoted all of his time to land titles. "I've never been sorry." he said, "as 11 has been Interesting and als lucrative." When Bob Lamar (former Congressman! died in 1922. Covert joined the law firm ol W. L.

Hiett i father of Wm. Duke Hietti and Kirby Lamar, brother of Bob. And some 12 years latei when Kirby Lamar died. Covert was bv himself In the abstract and law business. After the end of World War II.

when Wm. Duke Hiett returned to Houston. Covert and Hieit lormer a partnership that has been, as Covert describes It, "very pleasant and satisfactory." It has been said that the two best known men in Texas county are Covert and Judae C. Covert, as a student of land, has been to every nook and corner of this, the largest county In the state, and in traveling, he has added scores of friends. Almost every Sunday will find Mr.

and Mrs. Covert taking a ride In The retirement ot Charles Covert from public We will ma.k the end ol a lent; thy career in Ism and abstract business 1 venerable, Hous-toinan who has long been known as the man who knows more about Texas county land than any other person. For 56 years, Covert has been linked closely with the development and growth ol Houston and Texas county. It was back 1817 when he returned fiom MU school to his home town to into law practice with a younger brother. He has seen land sell for a an acre during his time.

He has watched a sleepy little village of a half-dozen stores grow into a busy and thriving country town. He has had more i his share of community rs 'president of the Bank ol Houston board for 23 years pTtident of the Houston school board for 20 years; member of the SMS Board of Regents for sevi years, etci But throuRh the almost six decades of active business lif Charles Covert has been best known for his knowledge of the land; of the history of the ownership of fertile valley acres and wided hills; of land title suits. was on Thanksgiving Day, 1881, that Covert first saw Houston. His father, James Harvey Covert, and five children rode Into the Texas county seat in search of a good spot in the "hill country" so the father might regain his health. Harvey Coveit had left Pennsylvania for the "far west" and had first settled h- Illinois where Charles was bfn.

The father later bought two Gene Garwitz the conditions were Ideal for rainfall both Thursday and Friday, only a few drops fell The fir.it.. measurable ram in three Reeks feii here Tuesday evening, amounting to .04. The biow-by-Dlow description of the weather; the country. He says he enjoys moved to the 200-acre farm they had purchased trom Ike Yoakum. (The farm is owned today by T.

K. Coats and is near Clara. Three years later, Harvey Covert died and the five children were "on their own." The ctudren worked the farm, taught school and got alons very well. Charles secured a teaching certificate and taught at Wolford near Clara i. Plato.

Mountain View and Competition. He had been an honor student at the Houston school and at Commencement exercises, heard an address by the president of Drury college in Springfield. That address sold him on Drury and he enrolled there In 1893 as a pre-medical student. After two years, he switched to the University of Missouri where he studied law and was graduated in 1897. In those days there was no bar examination.

Charlts and his fellow graduates went to Jefferson High Low Rainfall 100 Reunion Dates Aug. 12-15 Along about this time of the year season after season letters and telephone calls are received, asking one quesiton. What are the dates of the Old Settlers Reunion? Here they are: August 12, 13. 14 and 15. The Chamber of Commerce and other civic groups are also receiving requests for the names of committee members so directives can be sent to the right group.

For example, several persons have suggested that the OSR this year sponsor a horseshoe Pitching contest but did not know which committee to contact. Officers of the CC are Unville C. Hardin, president; Joe Richardson, vice-president: and Bill McCaskill. secretary-treasurer. July 1 July 2 July 3 July 4 July 5 July 6 July 7 Killed in Crash A second member of the Allen T.

Lay family has met violent death In a 30-day period. Gene Garwitz. 23, son of MX. and Mrs. Lawrence Garwitz ol Boston.

and a grandson of Allen Lay. was killed July S. In an automobile accident in New Hampshire. His uncle. Vester Lay.

brother of Allen, was killed 30 days earlier in an auto crash In southern California. Gene, only recently discharged from the army, had spent the holiday week end in New Hampshire and was enroute, home when the tragedy occurred. He is survived by his parents and one sister, June. Puneral services were held Wednesday in Boston. Hubert B.

Lay of Houston, an uncle, planned to attend the services. Mrs. Lawrence Garwitz is the former Berniece Lay, SORRY. FOLKS! Due to an extremely heavy schedule of advertisements, illness on our stafr and the Fourth of July holiday, the Herald is unable to publish all of the news received this week We will be back on schedule, however, week. Thanks for your cooner-nton and understanding.

river bottom farms county. Mo. but the lc infested country broug. to most of the family. verts sold their land, tad City, exhibited their law di-i piomns.

swore an oath of allegiance, and were admitted to the bar. When Charles Covert returned home to practice law, Just before the turn of the century, Houston was just a village with a pro- i "portion 16 population, yet there i wagons, loaded the five and their belongings and in search of the -Boston CC MEETING seeking a more heal Merchants Run Win Streak To 3 By Tom Ghoslin After a slow start, the Houston Merchants have hit the winning trail and now have a three-game winning streak underway with victories over the St. Louis Giants, the Webster Oilers (Negroes) and Willow Springs. The Merchants were never behind here Friday niht. pounding out 14 singles and a triple to defeat the Negroes.

11 to 8. The Houstonlans unleashed their power early, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Taking advantage of errors and timely hitting, they Increased their lead to 9-0 in the third. The Negroes came back to make the score 9-8 but the Merchants wrapped up the contest in the seventh and Queen. Houston hurler.

was an airtight pitcher the last two innings. Maxwell and Bob Evans each got three safeties. Celebrating the Fourth, the Merchants trounced the St. Lout? Giants. 12 to 6.

with bis Rack Cooper on the mound, Houston's defense enlivened the game with Jim Maxwell. Lum Elmore and Lloyd Elmore contributing some sparkling plays. Bob and Clyde Evans led In hitting with three each. The Merchants made It three in a row Tuesday night at Willow Springs with a 6-5 victory. Norman Parker hurled a five-hit game and Bob Evans co-starred with a decisive home run in the seventh inning.

Another home game will be played here Friday night. July 10, and the Merchants play Saturday night at Salem. looking over the land and watching the changes made in the tracts that he has described so many times in legal papers. Changing theories in fertility of the land Is interesting, Covert says, and il lust a tea his point with this story; "When we first moved to our farm, neighbors pointed out an area which they said was not productive They said it was no use to plant anything there. Today, that field is the best producer on the Coats farm!" Covert also likes to tell the story about the couple that bought a 40-acre tract for So 00.

They raised a few chickens, milked a cow. farmed a little and sTved their money. With una: her uve-uuliar bJi. they purchased an adjoining 40. When they died this enterprising couple had accumulated 640 After 56 years of steady (seldom has he missed a day at the office' and diligent work, wtll Covert miss the routine that has carried him through a half-century and enabled him to work far past the average? With a twinkle in his eye and a slap on his le.

Covert counters that question with. "I'm going to find time now to look after my own business. I'll keep busy. I have too many things to do." And somehow, one gets the Idea that that Is exactly the way It will be. Charles Covert, veteran lawyer-abstraCter.

has been too busy and enjoyed too full a life to be happy with a humdrum retirement. He will find pleasure and satlsfacton in whatever it may be. because of his great interest in his people and his desire to be busy. There will be a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Thursday n.ght at 7:30 at the City Purpose of the meet-In is to make final arrangements on conduction cf a building which will wt approximately aliOO. All members are urged attend Doris Blankenshlp, who for the I pa-t four years has been Sec-' retaiy to the Superintendent of Houston Public Schools, has re-1 siTnud to accept a position in Jeiferssun City.

Dor.s will be to John Hnilty. a form'r Supt. of Hju -I Srhools and now Executive I Seciv.ary of the Missouri Mecli- tie for first place in the Tex-County Baseball wi: Ji'okfn Sunday when Simmon; at Success. The two team; tied for the top spot. Th( factory will piay at Hug-; Sunday, he standings: EiRTHS c'iriai.

They traveled as far v.rr. as Kansas. The mother's health failed to Improve and sh? died at Eldorado. The father and his children left Kansas and went to Independence. Mo, where the elder Covert decided to locate at one of two spots For-sythe or Houston both of them described as mountainous.

They spent one night at Forsythe and spf out for Houston over a rough, lld difflcult-to-follow trail. Their route took th-m through Ava and by the Mountain Store. near Mountain Grove. Harvey Covert noticed some ties stacked around. He asked the storekeeper what the ties were going to be used for.

"Why. man." he replied, "we're going to have a railroad!" the Coverts arrived in they stopped near thp Old Texas House ione of the known hotels In this areai and found a house for rent. On Christmas Day. 1881, the Coverts Miss Jarkie Sue Reave assisted Miss Lenora Clai" B.idn with a vr.cn ilon school near P.obv las; week were 11 men here qualified to practice law! Charles joined his i younger brother, James, (father of Maurice Covert who had been an attorney for about a year to form the law partnership of Covert and Covert. Their offiiv was located in a frame building where the Brown Motor Co.

is today. "In those days," Covert explained, "land was extremely cheap and there were few land suits. Virtually all law cases were criminal cases." Court was in session twice a' year, in May and November, and I It was aimost like an Old Settlers1 Reunion Entire families came to Houston for court sessions and camped out on the land cast of the site of the present court house. In 1907. Covert bought the abstract books and law office cf John Young and thus launched; a career in abstract work that, ended last week.

Young i fa Mr. and Mrs of Aurora. South DiKotn. I ounce the recent oi 1 Dennis Lee and Kaien Kav. Taylor was Lenora Frv.

fjn of Houston. LOCAL TEAMS PLACE IN' HORSF.PI'LLING CONTESTS AT LEBANON, STEELVILLE Five Hurt In Local Accidents Eldon Dunlap of Steelville one-car accidents county resulted in injuries for five persons during the holiday week end but no one was seriously hurt. Described as "one of the worst when his car was wrecked between Eunice and Summersville on Highway 17. Dama-ie to the three cars was estimated at S5.000. this section" by the state highway patrol at Willow Spnn-'s was the wreck of a 1950 sedaa shortly afternoon Friday on Highway G3.

of Licking. BII-L GLADDEN GETS MORE HONORS AT MISSOl'Rl V. William E. Gladden, Houston, MU law student, has again been Ingled out for honors for his high scholastic averages. He has been awarded the Alexander Martin Prize which whs established as a memorial to a former Dean of the Law School.

The prize Is 850 In law books and The automobile struck a cul- vert and was literally ripped Into sections. Mrs. Myrna Stafford. 31. of Detroit, received a crushed wrist, an ankle wound and a severe scalp lacer- first place in horsepulling contests June 27 at Lebanon and July 3 at Steelville.

Results at Lebanon: Dunlap: Wllbert Hayes. Ellis Prairie, second: Dale Martin, Houston, third; Oliver Kell, Ellis Prairie, fourth and Jack Farrar. fifth. Results at Steelville: Dunlap; Cecil Hedrtck. seend; Cecil Bra-sheais.

third: Wayne Bauch. Houston, fourth and Farrar fifth. A MAJOR NOW LeHoy R. Anderson, son of Mr. and Mss.

C. M. Anderson of Mason City. Iowa, has been promoted from Captain to Major. Major Anderson, a veteran of World War II and Korean fighting, will complete his 13th yeai of Army Service in September.

Major Anderson was awarded the Bronze StSar medal for heroic achievement in Korea, and the Silver Star for bravery in the fighting near Pusan. Major and Mrs. Anderson, with their dauehters. Sharon and Loree, live at Twin Falls. Idaho Mrs.

Anderson is the former Jackie Hiatt, granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John S. Freeland and niece of Mrs. John Bradshaw of Houston.

Read the Want Aces. m. Her husband. James, 25. Tilley Buys Mtn.

Grove Drug Store William B. Tilley, well-known Houston resident and a member of the Board of Education here, has purchased the Booker Rexall Drug Store at Mountain Grove and assumed ownership July 1. Mr. and Mrs. Tilley and two children plan to move to Mtn.

Grove as soon as suitable living quarters can be secured. Operating a drug store Is no new experience for Bill. When his father was a physician at Plato, Tilley operated a drug store there and has recently been a pharmacist at Ft. Leonard Wood. He was also employed here at the Bank of Houston.

The Tilleys moved here from Plato six years aso. The Booker drug store has been owned and operated by Mrs. Merle Booker and her late husband for the past 9'2 years. batting the blaze and preventing spreading. A cigarette, flipped from an automoble.

apparently caused the fire. Watch the Want Ads. scapfd with a fractured no.se. Stafford, the driver, told a Lick- i piwyrtpr that he fell asleeo at wheel. They were eivroute to visit her mother.

Mrs. Loman it Cabool. At iRaymondville Sunday night a 1950 coach driven by Francis it is awarded annually to the student regularly enrolled In the school of Law who does the best work and attains the best scholastic standing in some course designated by the faculty at the btgimnns of each academic year. Gladden is the son of Mrs. Winnie Gladden and has previously been recognized for his scholastic ability.

FIRE AT KELLY'S FARM Fire Sunday afternoon burned over several acres of land on the Harry Kelly farm west of HoOs-ton. The rural fire truck and volunteer fighters Joined in com- Mr. and Mrs. E. W.

Hiett of former residents of Houston and widely known in Texas county, celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary Sunday. June 21. with a buffet luncheon at the home of their daughter. Mrs. James K.

Dameron, 1517 Cairo, Springfield. The table was laid with white Maderla, centered with a tiered cake iced In white with gold roses and light green leaves. White tapers wrapped with gold satin ribbon and a bow of tola satin at the base of the cmidli holder were on either side o'. Three white wertdin? bell; topped with gold sailr. ribbon hung from the belis almr touching the cake.

The following attended celebration: Mr. and Mrs. li Hitt and Ronnie of Tulsa, Oitla Mrs. Jack A. Talmadge and Barbara Rose of Terre Haute.

Ind Major Talmadge is with the service and could not attend. Mr. and Mrs. R. M.

Boniface, Mrs. Jessie Dietrich and Miss Chrls-ti i- Dietrich ol St. Louis: Mr. Mrs, W. Hiett, Mrs.

W. Hiett, James Hiett of Houston: Smyer of Cabool: Mr. and E. W. Hiett.

Mr, and Mrs. w. Roverturff and Pamela. Riy and Mark Allen. Mr.

and Its. Ivy Dameron and Mr. and Mrs. James K. Dameron all of Springfield.

One grandson. Dick Dameron. who is serving with the V. 3. Navy, was not present.

Wvnn. 31, Vlda. was wrecked' when it left Highway 63. The driver, and the owner -occupant, 33-year-old Clyde Bruning, Lees-burg. escaped with cuts and brumes.

The driver lost control wheel, apparently due to excessive speed. A soldier from Ft. Wood received minor injuries late Saturday.