The Rich Hill Tribune Rich Hill, Missouri Thursday, May 22, 1902

 High School commencement
The Rich Hill high School commencement exercises were eminently creditable to all engaged in them,from the invocation to the closing exercise.
"The Shadow Song"was rendered in Mrs. J.M Johanners best style which is only another way of saying it pleased everyone.
The salutatory ,"The path of glory in America," by Miss Mary Mattingly, was well delivered and well received by the audience.
Miss Blanch Edith Rhodes essay,"Self Made if Ever Made"was so true that everybody saw the point and it was a pleasing production.
"Life's Dream," rendered by the M.F.M. Quartet was an excellent piece of music sung in an excellent piece of music.Sung in an excellent manner by a club quartet that reflects credit upon the community in the excellent way in which they do things.
Miss Alta Matteson's Valedictory ,"Influence of Associates,"Was an elegant production by one of Rich Hill's best young ladies.
The Piano Solo by Prof. Kimbrough was delightful to lovers of music.
Rev.W.T. Pyles address was appropriate excellent and appreciated by the audience.The presentation of diplomas was then made by F.H. Chevertoo,President of the School Board.
The closing item on the program.In the hour of softening Splendor, was splendidly rendered by a quartet,misses Lutie Winchell, Gertrude Cheverton,Florence Slater and Maggie Hughed
Every went off smoothly and to the satisfaction of all under the splendid management of Prof S.M. Barret and his associates.

Redwood log Cabin's advertisement from the Rich Hill Daily Review Newspaper

Old advertisement from Rich Hill Daily Review Newspaper 

Rich Hill Gas Works Part 2

This is part 2 of Rich Hill Gas works Part 1 can be seen here at Rich Hill Gas part 1

From
History of Rich Hill, Missouri From: History of Bates County, Missouri
By: W. O. Atkeson
Historical Publishing Company
Topeka - Cleveland 1918

The development and utilization of natural gas had been made a success, temporarily, at least, at Ft. Scott, and Colonel Irish conceived the idea of prospecting for natural gas in the interest of Rich Hill as it was known to exist in many of the deeper wells in Howard and New Home townships and had been troublesome in the entries in the different mining shafts west of the city; and he set about to secure a franchise for furnishing Rich Hill with natural gas and ultimately secured a very liberal franchise, with the privilege of putting in an artificial gas plant; and failed to find, after prospecting, a sufficient amount and requisite pressure of the natural gas to be successfully utilized. He did the prospecting west of the city and penetrated the gas strata but the pressure was not sufficiently strong to be of use for the. purposes required. Thereupon he installed an artificial gas plant, costing thirty thousand dollars and operated the same for several years, purchasing in the meantime the electric light plant. A few years later when on a business trip to St. Louis he met the Garrisons and learned they desired to sell their water plant at Rich Hill and figuring out that the three plants could be operated together to advantage and with economy, he negotiated for the purchase of the water works plant at a cost of seventy five thousand dollars, and consolidated the three companies under the name of the Rich Hills Water, Light and Fuel Company and as president and general manager of the company, operated them successfully for three or four years when he had a vision of Rich Hill's decline and sold and transferred all but a few shares of the stock to a St. Louis syndicate of capitalists and resigned as president and general manager. Several years after this the city of Rich Hill acquired all the interests of the company.

                              This is from the American Gas Light Journal, Volume 53 July 14 1890

the Rich Hill Pool Hall

December 6,1979 Wagon Wheels edition of the Rich Hill Mining Review
The Smith Pool Hall has been a family business since 1941 when Dalph and Hazel Smith started it. The Pool Hall was passed on to Orben and Margaret, to Earl and Gjra Lee and now Ora Lee and Clifford operate the Smith Pool Hall. Needless to say this has been a favorite place for men who want to enjoy a game of pool.

Danny and Willa Ellis

Source  The Ellis Foundation -http://www.theellisfoundation.org/ellis-community/the-ellis-family/
Danny and Willa Ellis, Danny and Willa grew up in Rich Hill, Missouri. These high school sweethearts have spent the last 60 years as successful business partners and have applied their entrepreneurial expertise to their non-profit work.

Danny and Willa Ellis were profoundly impacted by their daughter’s influence on her students. During the year after Kathy’s passing, they offered three scholarships in Fort Scott, Kansas, in her memory. They immediately saw a tremendous need for scholarship assistance, as well as a mentoring program directed towards results.

Danny and Willa retired from active work with the foundation in 2011, but they continue to serve on the Board of Directors. They continue to provide endowment support for the foundation and scholarship assistance to students in Fort Scott, Kansas and Rich Hill, Missouri.

2nd Source-Google news

The Fort Scott Tribune - Apr 23, 1984

"The Case of Couch and Meredith"

Bart

Got the book back from the printers. Thanks again for your assistance.

"The Case of Couch and Meredith" chronicles the 1938 crime spree of St. Louis desperadoes John Couch and James Otis Meredith.  They were unemployed and decided to  head out on a road trip, holding up gas stations and taverns along the way when they needed more funds.  Things got out of hand after they car-jacked several people and crossed several state lines. Their activities caught the attention of the FBI, who at he time thought these crimes were being committed by Floyd Hamilton and Huron Ted Walters who were also on the run in the Midwest and happened to be No. 1 and No. 2 on the "Most Wanted List." They made it as far south as Dallas-Forth Worth and as far north as Effie, Minnesota, within 100 miles of the Canadian border before being captured.

As part of their 1938 crime spree, John Couch and James Otis Meredith held up the Skelly station in Rich Hill, The gas station and Red Onion Cafe in Harrisonville, and car-jacked Robert Kalousek of Greenwood.

The book is $14.95 with free shipping. If any of your blog followers are interested, they can find the book at Amazon:

ht
redith-Mark-Anderson/dp/0615852092

Thanks!

Mark Anderson

Bemidji, Minnesota

Frank Ralston Obit from the Rich Hill Mining Review Feb.2 1967

Frank Ralston 
Dead at 86

Frank E. Ralston one of Rich Hill's best known and highly respected citizens died unexpectedly about 8 o'clock Sunday morning, Jan 28, 1967 in his room at the Oakes Hotel in Excelsior Springs, Mo. where he had been living the past five years. Death was apparently caused by a heart attack.

Mr. Ralston was born in Rich Hill, October 28, 1880, the son of James and Hannah Ralston. He grew to young manhood here and received his education in the Rich Hill schools. He was employed by the Beasley Mercantile company many years before his appointment in 1927 as Missouri State Oil Inspector. He  traveled  through Missouri several  years  discharging  the duties of this office.  June 6, 1904, at Rich Hill, he was united in marriage to Elisabeth Maurer, who preceded him death in 1938. During the time Mr. Ralston was employed by the State of Missouri, he and Mrs. Ralston lived at the Dixon Hotel in Kansas City, but always maintained their home in Rich Hill, and at every opportunity spent their time here.

Following  Mr. Ralston's  retirement he returned to Rich Hill and again became active in civic, social and religious  circles of the town. He was proud of his home town and for number of  years  wrote, a column for the Mining Review concerning early day activities here, and at every opportunity gave of his time and resources for every worthwhile project in the town, also helping with publicity to make the project possible.   He was  faithful member of  the Presbyterian  church. Although Mr. Ralston  had been in Excelsior Springs the past  five  years  he still claimed Rich Hill as his home. He was a member of the B.P.O.Elks and during the  time he lived here planned  that  all Elks attend  Mothers Day services at a local church.

Surviving are one niece, Mrs. A.H. Dixon, Excelsior Spring, Mo. ;two nephews, Dr. H. V.  Guhleman,  Jefferson City Mo. And Lt. Col. J. H. Scrivner, Jr. an instructor in the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

The  body was brought to Rich Hill for burial in Green Lawn cemetery,  and services were held in the Booth Chapel at 1 o'clock Tuesday afternoon conducted by Rev. Allen Jones, pastor of the Methodist church.
Pallbearers were F. C. "Toppy" Clark, George Holler, Robert Bums, Raymond Mor gan, Hubert Kienberger, and Edwin Lyons.
Mrs. Paul Stevener and Mrs. Marion Moreland vocalists, were accompanied by Mrs. Delmar Vogt at the organ