95 Years Ago – January 2, 1930

Mr. and Mrs. T.J. McGlynn and son, Jimmie, of De Pere came Tuesday to attend the New Years dancing party and visit with friends here for a few days. Mr. McGlynn was formerly principal of the Owen schools.

Mrs. F.E. McCray suffered an electric shock while washing clothes Monday. She fell to the floor, causing a severe strain. A defective light socket caused the shock when she came in contact with the wire and a steel rod on the floor.

85 Years Ago – January 4, 1940

Fire of unknown origin which was noticed about midnight last Thursday destroyed the frame Cheese Factory of Christ Stephenson, 2½ miles south of the Curtiss corners at the Green Grove corner. The cheese factory was the first one to be erected in the Green Grove community, originally being built and owned by William Laabs about 50 years ago.

Burglars at a late hour Monday night broke into the Hansen Specialty Company building and robbed it of tools and five dollars in cash with which to break into the Farmer Store and rob it of over $200 in merchandise.

75 Years Ago – January 4, 1950

By an act of God four persons escaped with their lives and serious injury, when the car in which they were riding crashed through the guardrail on the High Bridge spanning the Soo Line railroad tracks, one-half mile north of the 19th Hole Tavern at 12:30 a.m. Saturday. The accident occurred as Mrs. Walter Fritz, 63, a sister-in-law, Mrs. Delia (Fritz) Edwards, 72, Mrs. Lorraine Fritz, and Valerie Ann Fritz, 12, were returning home from the Jens Smith home.

Last Thursday evening at seven o’clock, the marriage of Lois Marie Gautsche, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. E. Gautsche, to Robert W. Joubert, son of Mrs. Lottie Joubert, was solemnized in a candlelight double ring ceremony in the First Congregational Church.

65 Years Ago – January 7, 1960

Officials at the Frederick Post Manufacturing Corporation, Owen, Tuesday told The Owen Enterprise of their intention to build a new woodworking plant here. Work will begin in the spring and upon completion will provide the firm with more than 60,000 square feet in which to house their plant.

55 Years Ago – January 1, 1970

Sitting in Clark County’s ‘crowbar hotel’ at Neillsville are persons suspected of being those who held up the Curtiss branch of the Owen-Curtiss State Bank. The holdup took place at 7:25 Friday evening when the bank’s teller, Mrs. Milton (Susan) Ryba, was on duty.

This community was stunned and saddened by the unexpected death of Mrs. Harold Parker that occurred shortly before noon on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24. She was enroute home from the Frederick Post Co. where she was employed and suffered an apparent heart attack while at the wheel of her car. The vehicle went across Country Trunk D and came to a stop without damage. Persons who saw the mishap went to her immediate aid but death was instant.

45 Years Ago – January 3, 1980

A public meeting has been called of the Owen-Withee School District Building Committee and members of the O-W school board for Thursday, January 10, 1980 at 8 p.m. in the high school cafeteria to review three different plans for the new O-W elementary school. The first plan will be a revision of the original plan which was voted on in the December 10 referendum. The other two plans will be of two separate K-8 facilities, one being a single story with a pitched roof, and a roof like the one being proposed in the original plans, and also a plan for a multi-story K-8  facility with a pitched roof and elevators.

35 Years Ago – January 4, 1990

The Owen Public Library is now open for business in its new location. Some of the new and improved areas that will provide better patron use are new magazine racks for display of periodicals. Tables and chairs in the window areas will make it comfortable for sitting and reading or looking at magazines and also for kids to study in the evenings.

A daughter, Jessica Morgan, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Mike Gilbert on Wednesday, December 27, 1989. Little Jessica weighed 5 lbs. 14 oz. and was 19½ inches long.

25 Years Ago – January 5, 2000

Area residents went to bed New Years night to the sound of rain and sleet on their windows. Upon rising Sunday morning, a light snow had started, which by midmorning turned into a mini-blizzard, dumping approximately seven inches of snow on top of a layer of the freezing rain which had fallen overnight.

Former Withee resident Elsie (Jensen) Blunck, now of Minneapolis, entered her 3rd century. Her birthday is July 19 and she was born in 1896. For her age of 103 she is in fairly good health.

15 Years Ago – January 6, 2010

The new priest at Holy Rosary is simply known as Father Nathan. He comes to us from the southern area of India called Tamilnaclu, where he was the Parish Pastor of three churches, president of a school and secretary to the Diocesan Communication Commission.