We have two slightly different account of the 1958 event. Enjoy!
[Typed from newspaper article provided by Harold John.]
THE INDEX, September 11, 1958
"80 AND OVER" DAY DRAWS LARGE CROWD
Oldest Person Present
Approximately 260 people gathered in the Wheatland Park Sunday afternoon to participate and help honor the 80 and 90 year old people who had assembled to present a program, visit, and enjoy the afternoon. Many met for the first time and others renewed acquaintances.
Frank Herbert served as M. C. Bro. J. E. Jones, 80, gave the invocation. Mrs. Alice Butler, 84, and Mrs. Eva Sherman, 88, sang, "The Last Mile of the Way," accompanied by Mrs. E. H. Beem. Rev. J. L. Wright made a fitting talk followed by a tribute to the deceased members by Mrs. Pauline Holloway. There were five members who had passed on—W. T. Edge, 96, Hermitage; G. A. Bliss, 88, Cross Timbers; Eli Breshears, 80, Wheatland; Mrs. Leota Wheeler, 88, Weaubleau; and Frank Gaston, 95, Garden City.
Mrs. Clara Erickson, 86, sang two songs in her native Swedish tongue. Mrs. Stella Bryan, 82, gave a reading on "Chatterbox, birthdays and growing old." Mrs. Nannie Brookshire, 85 and Mrs. Mary Sue Goans, 87, sang two songs, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", and "Precious Lord Take My Hand". Mrs. Edna Largent gave a reading, "We Ain't Dead Yet". Mrs. Olive Coberly, 91, who is blind and hard of hearing sang two songs, "Father Grumble" and "Six Feet of Earth".
A. J. Cox, 91, of Weaubleau, played two numbers on a borrowed violin and drew forth perfect strains that none could detect that he had been critically ill this summer. Lige Bray responded with a poem, "Growing Old Sweetly."
Mrs. Stella Blair, 88, who is in bed with a broken leg, sent greetings to the group. This is the first time she had missed.
The gift for the oldest man went to John Crates, who will celebrate his 93rd birthday Saturday, September 13. Mrs. Mary Foster, 92, Macks Creek, received the gift for the oldest lady. Mrs. Kate Hollingsworth was the recipient of the gift for the lady who walked the farthest and J. E. Jones, 80, the gift for the oldest man who drove his car to the park.
Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Palmer, Weaubleau, received the gift for the couple married the longest—67 years and 8 months.
There were fifteen couples on the ground whose nuptial vows were taken 50 or more years ago and who received like gifts. They were: Will and Annie (Vaughn) Palmer, 67 years; Wes and Nan (Campbell) Carpenter, 63; Will and Bertha (Ketchum) Tipton, 58; Andy and Lou (Parke) Cox, 57; Thomas and Edna (Jordan) Largent, 57; Ernest and Zilla (Maberry) Jones, 55; George and Ruby (Higgins) Browning, 55; Walter and Ethel (Dorman) Wall, 55; Wes and Lula (Robertson) Chaney, 53; Dan and May (Sutt) Huffman, 53; Ed and Ethel (Brent) Moore, 52; Harry and Rena (Paxton) Glazebrook, 51; Ira and Lou (Roth) Moore, 50; Roscoe and Alta (Steward) Nevins, 50; and Marion and Ethel (McGee) Parson, 50.
Refreshments of punch, cookies and ice cream were served.
The weather was ideal, the interest and enthusiasm was perfect, and the pleasure derived from the occasion seemed to repay all the work and effort it took to make the day a success.
The committee wishes to thank everyone who helped in anyway to make our older people happy.
Following is a list of the honorees: John Crates, 92; Mrs. Mary Foster, 92; Mrs. Jennie Nance, who was 92 the next day; Mrs. Margaret Breshears, 91; A. J. Cox, 91; Mrs. Olive Coberly; W. T. Palmer, 90; Tom Wilson, 90; Mrs. Eva Sherman, 88; Mrs. Martha Breshears, 88; Mrs. Annie Palmer, 87; Mrs. Mary Sue Goans, 87; W. K. Edens, 87; Mrs. Clara Erickson, 86; Mrs. Cora Goodman, 86; Mrs. Maude Mann, 86; Jim Gardner, 86; Franklin Bartshe was 86 the next day; Mrs. Nannie Brookshire, 85; Alfred Heard, 85; T. A. Largent, 85; A. N. Tankesley, 85; Wes Carpenter, 85; Mrs. Alice Butler, 84; A. A. Chaney, 84; Mrs. Kate Hollingsworth, 84; Miss Florence Mabary, 84; T. M. Selvidge, 84; Mrs. Stella Bryan, 82; John S. Williams, 82; Mrs. Ida Wrinkle, 82; Ed Swicegood, 81; Mrs. Venia Breshears, 80; Mrs. Nan Carpenter, 80; Mrs. Lou Cox, 80; Mrs. Vella Donovan, 80; Mrs. Della Kelley, 80; Ernest Jones, 80; Mrs. Edna Largent, 80; Mrs. Mollie Paul, 80; Mrs. Etta Reser,, 80; Mrs. Lizzie Sibert, 80.
This article was found in the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection-Columbia, Lucile Morris Upton, Papers, 1855-1986.
OVER THE OZARKS EDITED BY LUCILE MORRIS UPTON
WITH OUR HISTORIANS, WRITERS AND POETS
80-AND-OVER DAY
The Wheatland Park was the scene of a grand event in the lives of 42 "80-and-Over" who gathered Sunday, September 7, for the fifth annual celebration of birthdays and anniversaries of octogenarians and nonagenarians. There were approximately 260 in the crowd that assembled to help them enjoy the afternoon.
Frank Herbert kindly accredited himself as M. C. and made some pertinent remarks and reminisced with the oldsters. The Rev. J. E. Jones, retired Methodist minister, 80, gave a fitting invocation. Mrs. Alice Butler, 84, and Mrs. Eva Sherman, 88, of Wheatland sand, "The Last Mile of the Way," accompanied vocally by Mrs. Eunice Beem. The Rev. J. L. Wright, pastor of the Baptist Church, made an appropriate talk; Mrs. Stella Bryan, 82, of Hermitage gave a reading, "Chatterbox, Birthdays, and Growing old."
Mrs. Pauline Holloway gave a tribute to the five deceased members during the past year: W. T. Edge, 96, Hermitage; Frank Gaston, 95, Garden City; Mrs. Leota Wheeler, 87, Weaubleau; Eli Breshears, 80, Wheatland; G. A. Bliss, 88, Cross Timbers. Mrs. Olive Coberly, 90, (almost blind and hard of hearing) sang from memory two songs, "Father Grumble" and "Six Feet of Earth."
A. J. "Andy" Cox, 91, of Weaubleau, brought a borrowed violin and played, "Arkansas Traveler" and "Sailor's Hornpipe." He was a fiddler from away back and has entered and won many fiddler's contests. He was quite ill this summer but is much better.
Mrs. Clara Erickson, Wheatland, sang two Swedish songs from her song book in her native tongue. She recently celebrated her 86th birthday. Mrs. Nannie Brookshire, 85, and Mrs. Mary Sue Goans, 87, both of Weaubleau, sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "Precious Lord, Take My Hand." Mrs. Edna Largent, 80, Wheatland, gave a reading, "We Ain't Dead Yet." Lige Bray of Preston responded when asked with a poem, "Growing Old Sweetly."
There were eight nonagenarians this year and only five last year. They were: John Crates, 92, and Mrs. Olive Coberly, 90, both of Wheatland; Mrs. Mary Foster, 92, of Macks Creek; Mrs. Jennie Nance, who was 92 September 8; Mrs. Margaret Breshears, 91, Warsaw; A. J. Cox, 91, and W. T. Palmer, 90, Weaubleau; and Tom Wilson, 90, Quincy.
There were 34 in the 80s, where as we had 27 in '57. Following is a list of the octogenarians: Mrs. Eva Sherman, 88; W. K. Edens, 87; Clara Erickson, 86; Cora Goodman, 86; Maude Mann, 86; Franklin Bartshe, 86 on September 8; Alfred Heard, 85; T. A. Largent, 85; A. N. Tankesley, 85; Alice Butler, 84; Kate Hollingsworth, 84; T. M. Selvidge, 84; John S. Williams, 82; Venla Breshears, 80; Vella Donovan, 80; Della Kelley, 80; Edna Largent, 80; Ernest Jones, 80; Mollie Paul, 80; Lizzie Sibert, 80; all of Wheatland; Annie Palmer, 87; Mary Sue Goans, 87; Jim Gardner, 86; Nannie Brookshire, 85; Wes Carpenter, 85; Ed Swicegood, 81; Nan Carpenter, 80; Lou Cox, 80, all of Weaubleau; Martha Breshears, 88, Fairfield; Florence Mabary, 84, and Etta Reser, 80, Preston; A. A. Chaney, 84; Stella Bryan, 82; and Ida Wrinkle, 82, all of Hermitage.
The men of the 80s and 90s wore badges of covered wagons with age, birthday, and name, and the ladies in the same group wore paper churns in bright colors. The ladies in the 70s had bonnets and men had paper hats. The anniversary couples wore golden paper bells.
* * *
The gift for the oldest man went to John Crates who was 93 September 13, the oldest lady was Mrs. Mary Foster, 92, of Macks Creek.
The lady who received a gift who walked the farthest was Mrs. Kate Hollingsworth, 84; the oldest man who drove his car to the park also received a gift, Ernest Jones, 80; the longest married couple was W. T. Palmer and his wife, Annie (Vaughn), of Weaubleau, who have been married 67 years and 8 months. They live in their own home, never miss church service and walk that distance, some quarter of a mile.
There were 15 couples on the ground whose nuptial knots were tied 50 or more years ago: the Palmers; Wes and Nan (Campbell) Carpenter, 63; A. J. and Lou (Parke) Cox, 57; Ed and Etha (Brent) Moore, 52; all of Weaubleau; Will and Bertha (Ketchum) Tipton, 58 years; Thos. and Edna (Jordan) Largent, 57; Ernest and Zilla (Maberry) Jones, 55; George and Ruby (Higgins) Browning, 55; Wes and Lula (Robertson) Chaney, 53; Harry and Rena (Paxton) Glazebrook, 51; Marion and Ethel (McGee) Parson, 50; all of Wheatland; Walter and Ethel (Dorman) Wall, 55; Ira and Lou (Roth) Moore, 50; Dr. Roscoe and Alta (Steward) Nevins, 50; all of Hermitage; Dan and May (Sutt) Huffman, 53 years of Jasper, Missouri. The ladies in the honor group were presented corsages and the men were given ball point pens.
* * *
Mr. Crates underwent a serious operation early in the year but is now enjoying fairly good health and reminisces with old friends in the park almost every day. Mr. Wilson lost his only daughter this summer, Mrs. Lester (Beulah) Little. Mr. Wilson still drives his car but did not drive Sunday. His son, Glover and wife, brought him.
Mrs. Nance made a special effort to be present, as her son, John and wife of Cross Timbers drove to Fristoe for her. Mrs. Margaret Breshears became too tired and did not stay for the entire program or refreshments. She is able to get around very well.
Mrs. Foster attended the first "80-and-Over" in 1954 but had not been here since, until this year, she enjoyed her gift, a lovely hand mirror. One could never have detected Mrs. Coberly's age by hearing her singe in a clear, sweet voice.
Miss May Carpenter of Weaubleau brought her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wes Carpenter and her brother's wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cox, the sum of whose ages equal 336 years. Mrs. Stella Blair, 88, is in bed with a broken leg and sent greetings to the group and wanted to be remembered. She is recovering nicely and reached her 89th birthday November 16. Mr. Tankesley called his daughter, Mrs. Euba Short, at Warsaw twice last week for her to be sure to come. She did not disappoint him.
* * *
People are very cooperative and help in every way to make the day a success. The weather was ideal, the interest and enthusiasm were excellent, and the pleasure derived from the occasion repaid for all the work and effort required to make the day happy for so many people who sometimes may feel they are left out or forgotten.
The booklets containing the names, ages, birthdays, and anniversaries will again be distributed when they are finished.
A silver offering was taken, (three $1 bills made their way into it) which totaled $31. The entire expense was $40.40, so with a back log of $11 from previous years, we now have $1.60 balance.
It has grown from year to year and it is hoped that we can make bigger and better plans for another year.
If you want to be happy,
And make others be gay;
Just come to our park
For "80 and Over" some day.
MRS. NANNIE JINKENS
Wheatland
Ed. Note: My thanks to Mrs. Jinkens for her report of this most interesting event to which she gives so much time and effort each year. LMU.
Posted 18 Nov 2006 & 20 May 2007 by Ginny Sharp
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