Scrapbook Newspaper Clippings 

"My mom kept a scrapbook of Clinton Herald clippings from about 1938 to 1942. I'd like to share some of those clippings with you and will also copy the obits to the county board site.  This will be an ongoing process as I have time to type them up. There are many articles listing names of all the boys going off to WW II in Clinton County. Thanks" ... Lynda

There are also a few obits from Lynda's scrapbook posted on the Obituary Message Board.

WWII Articles

Weddings

Charlotte,  July 22, 1944:  Mr. And Mrs. Herman Rickertsen, Charlotte, have announced the approaching marriage of their two eldest daughters in a double wedding to take place Sunday, Aug 12, at 2 p.m., in Immanuel Lutheran Church, Charlotte.  The Rev. William Zabel will soleminize the double ring ceremonies.  Miss Lucille Rickertsen is the future bride of Alvin Schoolman, son of Mr. And Mrs. Elmer Schoolman, Charlotte.  Her sister, Dorothy, will wed Lester Grim, son of Mr. And Mrs. Claude Grim, Thomson, IL.

Oct 24, 1942:  Humphrey-Peters Wedding Held in Zion parsonage - Miss Jane Peters, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Jack Peters of Camanche and Sam Humphrey, son of Mr. And Mrs. Sam Humphrey, Sr, 761 Ninth Avenue, South, were married at 10 o’clock Saturday morning in Zion Lutheran parsonage, with the pastor the Rev. George W. Krueger officiating.  Attendants were Miss Marjorie Smith and Kenneth Petersen.  The couple will be at home at 243 North Sixth Street.

Oct 28, 1942:  Miss Pauline Woods is Hostess at Bridal Shower - Mrs. Sam Humphrey, Jr., the former Miss Jean Peters, was feted Tuesday evening at a post-nuptial shower given by Miss Pauline Woods, 1336 Harrison Drive.  Bridge trophies won by Miss Luella Naeve, Miss June St. Clair and Miss  Lois Stamp, were given to the bride, who was also showered with beautiful gifts in the miscellaneous shower.  Refreshments were served by candle-light with all the table appointments and favors in blue and white.

Goose Lake Husking Champ Is “Corn-Picking Natural”

Clinton Herald - fall, 1941:   - picture available

Perhaps it’s a combination of his natural liking for corn shuckin’ and his experience in playing basketball - at any rate, it’s really “something” that makes Duward Mommsen, 22, of Goose Lake, the husker he is and the county champion he has been since Friday.  It was the smiling, popular Duward who although he hardly has kingly leanings, took over the Clinton county corn monarch’s throne yesterday afternoon after 10 pickers’ scores had been compiled in the annual contest on the Mrs. Hazel Harrington farm at DeWitt. 

Duward, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Mommsen, Goose Lake, Route 1, is known as an unusually diligent worker, but that is no sign that he’s a “dead number.”  He will be remembered as an ex-Elvira High school basketball player.  The “husking hot-shot” is a familiar figure on the ballroom floors in Clinton and surrounding towns.  By the way, he prefers modern dance music over that produced by the old-time polka and waltz bands which charm many young couples who do new steps to old country melodies.  The swing version of “Down in the Cornfield” is purported to be Duward’s favorite number.  Friends remember that he received his high school diploma at 16. 

“He picks an awful lot of corn every day and he thought it would be a good idea to see what he could do in the county contest”, Duward’s father and mother told The Colonel, Herald farm editor, during a visit Friday afternoon on the beautiful Mommsen farm.  The father admits that his son is a much better husker than he ever was.  The new champion in the contest for the first time, opposed several ex-champs. 

Duward will enter the district meet at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the John L.A. Kruse farm just south of Preston, along the gravel road.  Although he is not bragging about it and is building no “air castles”, his friends know of his success and are behind him to the man.  They would like to see him get into the state meet at Hartley.  Duward also has three sisters in the “cheering section”.

Duward was not “preening his feathers” when your reporter drove into the Mommsen barnyard, but instead, already had hitched up to go into the field.  “You deserve a rest”, your scribe called out.  The husking  sultan smiled as if he did not know what was meant by the salutation and answered, “just going out for a load or two.  There’s a lot of corn to get out.”  The corn crop on the farm is better than last year. 

Perhaps that attitude of “industry pays” is one of the principal secrets of the model Mommsen farmstead where 124 fat Herefords are in dry lot, where 64 are in pasture, and where all the modern buildings are painted and the massive farm home is spic-an-span.

Lightening Bolt is Blamed for Farm Barn Fire

Clinton Herald article - undated   

Fire, caused by a bolt of lightening, destroyed the barn and granary on the Bernard Brown farm about five miles west of the city on West Main avenue road shortly after 5 o’clock last night.  Contents of the buildings, including several hundred bushels of newly threshed oats, a large quantity of hay and nearly all of Brown’s tools and equipment were destroyed.  Thirteen year old June Brown saw smoke burst from all portions of the barn immediately after the bolt struck.  Realizing that the structure was doomed she rushed to the barn, started the tractor and drove it to safety and then did the same with the family automobile.  She then turned out the cows which had just been brought in from the pasture.  Brown and his son, John, were assisting neighbors who were threshing.  They were summoned home by June but by that time the flames had spread in the granary and it was impossible to save any more of the contents other than a small quantity of oats.  The farm, known as the D.C. !
Manning place, is owned by the trust of the Lyons Savings bank.  Loss on the buildings is partially covered by insurance.  Damage is estimated at from $4,500 to $5,000.  Brown’s loss is uninsured and probably will run between $1,500 and $2,000.