Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of Dec 22
1861 Major William and his 3rd Kansas Regulars have burned Butler and Papinville and have returned to Kansas with a number of freed slaves.
1881 Judge Brown reports being able to see the electric lights on the courthouse dome from 10 miles away.
1881 94 year old Thos Lundy & 68 year old May Sample elope to Carthage and are married. Both of Butler.
1908 Witnesses say a large meteorite, that fell in the Marais Des Cygne river bottoms bounced several times before disintegrating.
1919 The population of Spruce, 10 miles east of Butler, is 75 people.
1940 Norton Seelinger, Butler’s Western Auto man, opens a Western Auto store in Adrian, Buddy Spears is manager.
1943 George S. Miller and C.L. Phipp have begun a dragline operation on their 160 acres south of Rich Hill. They have taken off 18 feet of topsoil and have a 4 foot vein of coal.
1944 The Ward Electric Company, Amsterdam, is selling Delco lighting systems, new & used light plants, and batteries.
1951 Mr & Mrs Clarence Domer and son Glen are found unconscious in their home west of Butler. Glenn had not appeared for work at Osage Valley Electric Coop and manager J.F. Lauderback and James Kenady drive to the home to find that carbon monoxide was inside the home. All were taken to Bates County Memorial Hospital and treated.
1973 One of Butler’s historic homes suffers from fire damage, as the Gene Shrout residence at the corner of Pine and High streets fell victim to children playing with matches.
