1895 Shawnee Co. Map

    Below is a link to an 1895 map of Shawnee Co.  Note that the UP had stations at Menoken, Silver Lake, Kingsville, Rossville, St. Marys, etc.  According to my mother,  there was still a depot at Kingsville in the 1920.  I have no idea when it disappeared.  The Menoken depot must have disappeared sometime around then also.
    I note on the map that there was a stop called Sugar Works on the Rock Island east of Valencia.  I had never heard of that before.
http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/KS/County/shawnee.htm

Shannon Parr (13) at KSU

    Shannon Parr is a sophomore at KSU and on their track team,  competing in the high jump and pentathlon.  You can read her bio at:
http://www.kstatesports.com/sports/c-track/mtt/shannon_parr_825329.html

Horak, Reesor, Sowers, Steckel Sign LOIs

   Corbin Horak, Nick Reesor, Terrance Sowers, & Jack Steckel signed Letters of Intent on Feb. 4 to play football at Highland Community College this coming year.

RHS Girls Roll Over Bears

    The RHS girls dominated the St. Mary's girls in their basketball game on Feb. 3 at St. Marys.   

Rossville     11 13  26   8   =   58
St. Marys      9   4  12   7   =   32

Rossville scoring:

Hill                         6 (3)      2-4     17 
Kirk                        5           1-1     11
Nitsch                    4 (1)      0-0       9 
Steckel                  4           1-1        9
Shinn                     3           0-0        6
Day                       2           0-1        4
Conley                   1           0-1        2
Totals                   25 (4)     4-9       58.

For video of both the girls and boys games,  go to:
http://www.wibw.com/sports/ksprepzone/headlines/February-St-Marys-at-Rossville-290697531.html

Bryan Kidney--Lawrence Finance Director

The city of Lawrence announced its new finance director on Monday.

Bryan Kidney replaces Ed Mullins, who retired in the fall after 23 years in the position.

Kidney has worked in the private sector as vice president/client representative for Springsted Inc., and prior to that in the public sector as finance director for the city of Shawnee. He also has held financial positions for the cities of Gardner and Manhattan and for Pottawatomie County.

Kidney has specialized proficiency in debt management, public budgeting, auditing, internal controls, computer operations, accounting and investments, according to the city of Lawrence. He graduated from Emporia State University and has been involved with nonprofit board and community initiatives.

Kidney, who started on Friday, said his past experiences prepare him for the job.

“I am very excited to be a part of the Lawrence team,” he said in a statement. “I am joining an incredibly capable group of public servants that care for their community.”

Kidney’s municipal finance expertise will benefit Lawrence, City Manager David Corliss said in the city’s announcement. As finance director he will oversee the city’s utility billing, purchasing and bids, accounting, payment processing, debt issuance and financial reporting.

Dawgs Defeat Bears

    The RHS boys basketball team turned a 3 point half-time lead into a nice 19 point victory over St. Marys on Feb. 3.

Rossville      12   14   18   22   =   66

St. Marys     13   12     6   16   =   47

Rossville scoring:

Roduner            1           1-2      3 

Th. Horak          4 (2)      5-6    15
Sowers              5           2-2    12
C. Horak            4           4-8    12
Schultz-Pruner   1           3-5      5
Tu. Horak          3 (1)      1-2      8
Hammes           1 (1)       2-2     5
Woodcock         2            2-4     6

Totals               21(4)    20-31  66 

For video of both the boys and girls games,  go to:

http://www.wibw.com/sports/ksprepzone/headlines/February-St-Marys-at-Rossville-290697531.html

Jean Budden Passes Away

    Jean Ann (Ward) Budden Jean Ann (Ward) Budden, 86, of Tecumseh, passed away on Monday, February 2, 2015, at the St. Marys Manor in St. Marys
    Jean is survived by three children: Pamela Jean (Budden) Turner of Rossville; Frederick Richard (Rick) Budden and wife Diane of St. Marys; and Sally Ann (Budden) Price and husband Alvie, of Kingwood, Texas.
    For her complete obituary, go to: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/cjonline/obituary.aspx?n=jean-budden&pid=174052694&fhid=25016&eid=sp_ommatch

RHS Booser Club Sign Update

    The RHS Booster Club has been working very hard this year to raise money to have a state of the art LED sign installed on Highway 24 and we need your help! We are currently just over half way to our goal...
    The sign will help us communicate school announcements, celebrations, and various events at both Rossville High School as well as Rossville Grade School. The sign will also allow us to communicate community events and emergency announcements that will benefit our entire community.
    Our goal is to raise $30,000.00 to cover the cost of the sign and installation. Please take a moment and consider making a donation!
    We have created an on-line site to help us reach community members, Rossville students as well as our alumni members. Please go visit —
http://www.gofundme.com/9d7yj8
    This will allow you to make a credit card donation as well as track our progress.
If you would rather send a donation by way of a check—please make your check payable to Rossville Booster Club and put LED sign in the memo portion of your check and send it in care of Rossville State Bank, 117 US 24, Rossville, KS, 66533

3A Wrestling Rankings

There were a few small changes in the Top 10 3A schools rankings this week,  though Norton and Rossville have maintained their spots for several weeks.   Mid-East rivals St. Marys, Silver Lake, and Wabaunse are also in the top 10.   The top 5 are:

1.  Norton,

2.  Rossville

3.  Hoisington

4.  Oberlin

5.  Marysville

113 lb.   Bryce Gfeller       #1
126 lb.  Alex Cavanaugh   #2
160 lb.  Nick Reesor         #3
182 lb.  Isaac Luellen        #1

For details of each class,  click on below image:

Silent Auction and Raffle

Click below image  to enlarge.

The Booster Club will also be selling funnel cakes

Gerald Green Passes Away

    Mr. Greene will lie in state at the funeral home from 2:00 until 4:30 P.M. today (Monday February 2, 2015),  A rosary will be recited at 5:20 this evening at Assumption Chapel.

    Requiem Mass will be at 7:15 A.M. Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at Assumption Chapel.  Burial will be in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.  There will be a brunch at the gymnasium following the burial.

    Condolences can be left at:  http://piperfuneralhome.com/obituaries/gerald-f-jerry-greene/

Barbara Driver Passes Away

    Barbara Lee Driver, 89, passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Atria Hearthstone in Topeka. 
    She was born on December 7, 1925 in Weaubleau, MO., the daughter of Don and Agee Rees Harryman. Barbara lived near Quenemo for many years, moving to Rossville in 1987. In 2007 she moved to Topeka to Atria Hearthstone. Barbara graduated from Weaubleau High School in 1943. She worked a summer in Yellowstone National Park and then spent a year at Montana State College in Bozeman, MT. She will be remembered for her music and her portrayal of Susanna Wesley that she provided for many church groups. Barbara also played piano and performed at the Vassar Playhouse. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Pomona and the D.A.R. in Ottawa.
    On April 4, 1958, Barbara was married to Joe Driver in Quenemo. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and her eight siblings, Eugene, Irene, Vivian, Rees, W.D., Anna May, Kathryn and Don. Barbara is survived by her husband, Joe of the home; brothers-in-law, Jim (Betty) Driver, Don (Dorothy) Driver and Howard (Jeanne) Driver; sisters-in-law, Katie Harryman, Peggy (Bob) Friesen, Veda (Bruce) Rogers, Ruth Driver and Jessie Driver; many nieces and nephews.
     Funeral services for Barbara will be at 2:00pm on Wednesday, February 4 at the Feltner Funeral Chapel in Lyndon. Burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery at Pomona. Memorial contributions may be made to the Prairie Paws Animal Shelter, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS., 66451. Online condolences may be left at:
http://www.feltnerfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=2939234&fh_id=13720

Norma Jean Strawser Passes Away

    Norma Jean Strawser  was born on April 25, 1934 and passed away on Sunday, January 4, 2015.
    Norma was a resident of Rossville, Kansas at the time of her passing.    She is survived by her husband Robert.    A visitation will be held 4:00 ' 7:00 P.M. Wednesday January 7, 2015 at Anderson Funeral Home 427 E Main St. Hoopeston, IL. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 A.M. Thursday January 8, 2015 at the Rossville Church of Christ 514 E. Attica St. Rossville, IL, with Pastor Kevin Purdy officiating. Burial will follow in the Rossville Cemetery.    Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Greater Illinois Chapter 303 N. Hershey Road Suite 2A Bloomington, IL 61704 or the Rossville Church of Christ 514 E Attica St. Rossville, IL 60963.
    Is it coincidental or error that Norma was living in Rossville, KS,  but her funeral will be in Rossville, IL?  But it says in two places on the funeral home web site that she was living in Rossville, KS.  Perhaps she was living at the Rossville Healthcare and Rehab Center.

Garold Nichols Passes Away

Willard—Garold Gene “Bull Rider” Nichols, 78, passed away Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at the Midland Hospice House in Topeka.

He was born February 6, 1936 in Nowata County, Oklahoma, the son of Arley Elbert and Nora Alice Cooper Nichols. Gene graduated from Nowata High School and served in the United States Army and the Oklahoma National Guard.

Gene was a truck driver for many years. In his younger days he was a bull rider, did team roping and was a bulldogger. Everybody on the rodeo circuit and all his truck driving buddies new him as “Bull Rider”. He moved to the Rossville/Willard area in 1990.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Iva June Reed; two nephews, Eric Nichols and Charles Arley Moore; a grandson, Dalton Ray McIntyre-Nichols.

On August 26, 1989 he was united in marriage to Arletta Sage at Cedar Vale, Kansas. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include daughters, Debbie Dunn, Nowata, OK, Sage Nelson, Topeka, Yvonne Church, Minneapolis, KS., Yolande Nichols, Topeka and Heidi Taylor, Las Vegas, NV.; two brothers, Owen Nichols, Sand Spring, OK and Ervin Nichols, Tulsa, OK; a sister Jessie Palone, Nowata, OK; 10 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren and several nieces.

Graveside services will be at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 31, 2015 at the Dover Cemetery, Dover, Kansas. Mr. Nichols will lie in state and the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Friday, January 30, 2015 at Piper Funeral Chapel in Rossville. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Midland Hospice House and sent in care of Piper Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 642, Rossville, Kansas 66533. Online condolences may be sent to www.piperfuneralhome.com