REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago

Oct. 16-20, 1970

A farmhouse burglary in northern Fayette County netted enough weapons to start a small war. A burglar or burglars who entered the Willie G. Lehmann residence southeast of Warda made away with three high-powered rifles and two shotguns, as well as a typewriter and a quantity of old coins. Left behind were three old but still serviceable guns. Fayette County Sheriff’s officers said the home had been ransacked from one end to the other. The burglary took place between 1:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon while the family was working in the field. Although the doors were closed, the house had been unlocked.

Martin Manuel presented a petition signed by 34 residents to Fayette County Commissioners about a road in the Rabbs Prairie community. The three-mile stretch under consideration began at the bend in the loop at the Schafer Store and continued down the county road. The petition noted that sections of the road were impassable in wet weather, thus affecting 18 residences, as well as access to what was described as a large percentage of Fayette County’s bottom farming land.

An official veterans’ marker provided by the U.S. Department of the Army was to be placed on the grave of Mexican War veteran John Thompson Philips in Moore Cemetery, six miles north of La Grange. Philips was born Sept. 24, 1823, in Franklin County, Tennessee. The son of Ezekiel T. Philips and Elizabeth Thompson Brown, he enlisted in the U.S. Army on Sept. 10, 1847, at Winchester, Tennessee. He served as a private, Company E, 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Voluntary Infantry. During his service, he accompanied the troops to Mexico City. He was mustered out of the army on July 24, 1848, at Memphis, Tennessee. Philips arrived in La Grange on Christmas Day, 1850, with his recent bride, Lucy Ann Elizabeth Darnaby. After living in La Grange for five years, they moved to a farm six miles north of town where they lived until his death on May 8, 1907. His widow, who survived him by two years, also is buried in the Moore Cemetery. John Thompson Philips served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, as well.

Milton F. Behnke of Carmine was reelected for a second fiveyear term as a director of Subdivision 2 of the Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District at the annual meeting. Carmine residents H.G. Plueckhahn served as chairman and Arnold P. Kiel was secretary of the election.

Oakridge Restaurant in Schulenburg marked its first anniversary with a four-day customer appreciation event. It was offering special prices on its breakfast, noon and evening meals, free coffee and the first glass of cold draft beer free from 5 to 10 p.m.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. A. Unger, 90, of Winchester; Frank Legler, 68, a native of La Grange; Jeffrey Wade Supak, infant, of La Grange; Mrs. Mamie Manthey, 80, of Muldoon; and Rudolph Kudlacek, 62, of Nelsonville.

Clear Lake Pines, the new resort development near Winchester, opened another 110 lots for sale. Developer V.A. Hrbacek of La Grange said the new sector of the subdivision was even prettier than the first part. Lake lots were listed at $2,950 to $3,950, view lots of the verdant Colorado River valley at $1,250 to $1595 and interior lots at $950 to $1,250. A fourth lot was offered free with the purchase of three at the regular price.

Mr. and Mrs. Willie Noak observed their golden wedding anniversary with an open house from 5:30 to 8:30 Saturday evening, Oct. 10 at the American Legion Hall at Round Top. Willie Noak and Irene Giese were married on Oct. 10, 1920, in the home of her parents near Round Top. They lived in the same community all of their married life. The couple’s six children were: Mrs. L.E. (Lydia) Orbeck of Cranfills Gap, Mrs. Nelson (Evelyn) Kieke of Fayetteville, Kermit of Round Top, Milton of La Grange, William of Deer Park and Wilbert of Houston.

Construction of the vestibule at the Muldoon Baptist Church had begun. Architect Joe Doms designed the addition and Emil Kiesling was in charge of the building project.

La Grange’s Leopards, still unable to find the correct combination, lost to the Hearne Eagles 36-0. The Leopards’ most sustained drive came with the second half opening kickoff, during which they were in possession for almost eight minutes, but finally had to cough up the ball on the Eagle 30.

Membership in Chromcik Council, Knights of Columbus of La Grange increased by 16. Initiated were: William C. Kainer, John A. Muras, Larry Zbranek, Larry A. Knebel, Franklin J. Mozisek, Ralph J. Goering, Thomas J. Svec, George Muras Jr., Edward C. Kruppa, John D. Kana, Norbert J. Strmiska, John F. Svoboda, David Tiemann, William H. Koehl, Jesse Lee Hernandez and Dr. James F. Tiemann.

Members of the Bethlehem Lutheran ALCW of Round Top who attended the ALCW Southern District Convention in McAllen, Texas, were: Mrs. Ronald Haseley, Mrs. Virginia Eichhorn, Mrs. Johnny Krause, Miss Dora Krause and Mrs. Edmund Schulze.

For more great stories, visit Elaine online at www.elainethomaswriter.com/blog/ or call her at 979-263-5031.