Frank Daniel Myers died the morning of December 23, 2023, at Lucas County Health Center in Chariton.

Frank was born on March 27, 1946, during the time his parents, Daniel and Reefa (Miller) Myers, lived on the Evans place southeast of Russell.  When Frank was five, Daniel and Reefa purchased the Teater farm seven miles south of Russell, which remained their home for more than 40 years.  During the early 1990s, Daniel and Reefa moved into Chariton where they lived contentedly until September 3, 1999, when Reefa died.  Daniel died on July 31, 2004, a week after he suffered a severe stroke while engaged in a favorite pastime – riding with his son through the hills of southern Iowa.

Almost all of the preceding paragraph came from the obituary Frank wrote for the Mason City Globe-Gazette (where he worked at the time) after his father died.  For those of you who knew Frank, you recognize the style and also know that only Frank is qualified to write his own obituary.  Not surprisingly, unless we’ve missed it, he chose not to do so.  What we have instead is this treasure of nearly twenty years of his blog posts.

When Frank died, he was President of the Lucas County Historical Society, a member of the Chariton Historic Preservation Commission, and a member of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Chariton.  A traditional Episcopal funeral service will be held at Saint Andrew’s on Wednesday, January 3, at 10:00 a.m.  For those who would like to hear more about Frank’s life and work, the Lucas County Historical Society and Chariton Historic Preservation Commission will host a gathering to share more of his words and our memories of him on Tuesday, January 2, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the CB&Q Freight House in Chariton.  The Freight House event will be live streamed on the Facebook page of the Lucas County Preservation Alliance.  https://www.facebook.com/HotelCharitone/

Twenty days at sea dodging sharks, eating raw fish

I found this story of a young Chariton man's extraordinary performance under challenging conditions during World War II on Page 1 of The Herald-Patriot of Dec. 9, 1943 --- as did his family, who learned of his circumstances that year as Christmas approached from newspapers rather than the military. The banner headline fairly well tells the story ---

 Mauk on Raft in Caribbean 20 Days:

Naval Gun Crew Boys Are Saved

Nazi Torpedo Sinks Ship; Chariton Youth Lives on Raw Fish and Hardtack.

Wife, Parents Here

Survivors Recuperating at Hospital 'Somewhere in Caribbean.'

The Herald-Patriot this afternoon received the following report through its United Press service:

A CARIBBEAN PORT, Dec. 9 (U.P.) --- John D. Mauk, 28, 1007 Orchard Ave., Chariton, Ia., was recovering today after drifting 21 days on a small wooden raft in the Caribbean with six gallons of water and among large sharks.

Mauk, three other members of a U.S. Navy gun crew, and a mess boy, were the only survivors of a Panamanian ship torpedoed one night last month without warning.

The ship sank so swiftly that some crew men were dragged down with it, Mauk said.

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John Dean Mauk of Chariton, U.S. Navy gunner, today was reported recuperating in a United States hospital at a Caribbean port after spending 20 days adrift on a raft.

A dispatch from "A Caribbean Port" said Mauk, two other young gunners and a Columbian mess boy were the sole survivors of a 27-man crew of a Panama steamer torpedoed in the Caribbean last month.

Mauk's wife, who lives here, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ferris Mauk, have had no official world from the Navy department concerning him. The parents live on a farm near Chariton.

All found comfort in the AP's statement that the survivors of the torpedoed ship were "apparently none the worse for spending 20 days adrift on a raft."

Formerly employed at the Lucas County Co-operative Creamery, Mauk went into the Navy Nov. 25, 1942. He has been on sea dury since March of this year.

Mrs. Mauk, a member of the sales staff at the Economy Store, said he had her last letter from her husband Nov. 3 --- just a month ago today.

The press dispatch said Mauk and his companions improvised a net of electric wiring and scoped fish from the sea. They lived on raw fish and limited rations of handtack and chocolate malted milk tablets. They had three swallows of water daily.

The men were rescued on the first day when they were sighted by a Panama motorship.

The Chariton Leader of a week later was able to report that the Mauk family had received two letters from Dean that contained basically the same information. The Leader also included a photograph of the sailor in question

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Dean, who had grown up near Chariton, had married May Arlene Mason, daughter of Pearl and Guy Mason, on Feb. 15, 1941, at the Presbyterian parsonage in Chariton and they were living in town when he enlisted.

After his discharge from the U.S. Navy, Dean went to work for the Skelly Oil Oil Co., the family moved to Kansas where Dean was managing a plant in Conway when he died unexpectedly on Jan. 27, 1972, at the age of 51. Arlene continued to live in Kansas until her death on Oct. 11, 2007, age 90.

They are buried at McPherson and were survived by two sons, John Dean Jr. and Dennis.

John Pence: The CHS graduate killed at Pearl Harbor

The U.S.S. Pennsylvania, astern here of the remains of the destroyers Cassin and Downes, remained largely intact after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

John Pence seems to have been a memorable young man and it would be an honor to claim him as a Lucas Countyan. But John was an Osceola boy and when he died on Dec. 7, 1941, aboard the U.S.S. Pennsylvania at Pearl Harbor, he was the first among our neighbors to the west as well as somewhat indirectly from Lucas County, too, to give up his life during World War II. Osceola's Davis-Pence American Legion post is named in part in his honor.

He was, however, a 1938 graduate of Chariton High School and when his classmates met for reunions as the years passed, they remembered him along with others in a class hard-hit by war. Beryl L. Clark, Prosdocimo "Dutch" Della Betta, Lucille Jervis, Andy Knapp and Lyle Mosbey, also were classmates who died. Knapp, in fact, was the first Lucas Countyan, although that would not be known until after the war was over.

John, born at Garden Grove in Decatur County on Oct. 16, 1920, was one of six children of Clarence B. and Nellie Pence. Clarence was a painter and decorator by trade and when John was four, the family moved to Osceola where he opened a small paint and wallpaper store.

John spent most of his high school career in Osceola, where he excelled academically as well as in athletics and theater. But the late 1930s were hard times and John worked to help support his family. During February of 1938, he found a job in Chariton that allowed him to work longer hours at a higher rate of pay than he could find in Osceola and attend school, too. So he found room and board in Chariton --- and moved east.

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The Charitonian Quill, the student newspaper of March 8, 1938, noted his arrival as follows:

"John Pence, a former student of Osceola High School, after accepting a job in the Chariton Hatchery, entered C.H.S. a week ago last Wednesday to complete his senior year.

" 'I came to Chariton from Osceola because of the job in the hatchery. I believe I'll make more money here than I did in Osceola. In Osceola I published a paper with the help of a close friend of mine. We called in "The Thistle," ' stated John. By selling advertisements to the businessmen of Osceola the boys took in enough money to publish the paper and make a little profit for themselves. After the paper was printed, they distributed it on the streets gratis.

"John is short and slim, and has brown eyes and wavy black hair. He says he likes C.H.S. very much. He is taking Shorthand 4, Commercial Law, American Government and Typing 4, just as he did in Osceola."

An aspiring thespian, John almost immediately tired out for a role in the CHS Class of 1938's senior class play and won the plum role of "Tommy" in a play by the same name, presented on April 6.

The Osceola High School student newspaper, The Chief, reported in its edition of April 12 that "John moved to Chariton February 21, last, and we are extremely pleased to learn of this honor accorded to him, especially since there were a large number of students who tried out for the parts."

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John continued to work in the hatchery at Chariton following graduation later than spring, but we don't know for how long. When he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the spring of 1939, he gave his parents' home in Osceola as his permanent address.

On April 6, 1939, The Osceola Sentinel published a letter that John --- now at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center --- had written to veteran Osceola physician, Dr. Frank W. Sells. I got a kick out of reading it, since the personality of the author seems to come through clearly, so here's the text:

"Dear Dr. --- I know you don't like beating around the trees, so I'll tell you exactly why I write you. I think you might be interested in knowing a few details of my navy life so far. First, I like it fine and that really means something. Second, we have one of the best commanders in the U.S.N. He reminds me very very much of you, Doctor. Now I am not trying to flatter you, because I know you don't like that.

"We were issued $99.97 worth of clothes gratis. I had my teeth all fixed up in first class condition by a good dentist. I get out of training in five and a half weeks more. I have 6 days furlough, then I return and we (by we I mean my company) go to Norfolk, Va., and then up to New York. From there we go to San Francisco via Panama Canal. From there we go to Hawaii. It makes a nice trip considering everything. Don't forget to patronize Pence's Paint and Paper Place when you are in need of paint or wall paper.

"Well, Doctor, I don't suppose you are so awfully interested in this letter so I'll close now. Hoping to hear from you soon, I am very sincerely yours, John W. Pence.

"P.S. --- Received a letter from Dr. J.N. Goodman, formerly of Osceola who lives in Milwaukee. Find it enclosed. Please return it if it is not too much bother. Love. John."

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More than two years later, John had advanced to the rank of radioman 3rd class (E4) and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Tracy, a Clemson-class destroyer. The Tracy had entered the navy yard at Pearl Harbor for overhaul earlier that fall and as Dec. 7 dawned, lay at Berth 15 with her machinery, boilers and guns dismantled. Only a skeleton crew remained aboard. The rest of the men, including John, were living in receiving barracks ashore.

As Japanese planes were attacking, some of the crew returned to the Tracy and hurriedly reassembled guns in order to fight back; others went to the U.S.S. Cummings to help man her guns. Others, including John, boarded the U.S.S. Pennsylvania to help operate the battleship's antiaircraft batteries.

The Pennsylvania, lead ship of the Pennsylvania class of super-dreadnaught battleships, was in drydock in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on Dec. 7 --- and one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire as Japanese dive and torpedo bombers attacked.

John, once aboard, joined a crew working at and supporting a 5-inch gun mount that was wiped out when a 1,000-pound Japanese bomb struck the starboard side of the Pennsylvania boat deck and exploded inside Casemate 9.

Although the Pennsylvania survived the attack, she lost 28 men --- including John and two of his mates from the U.S.S. Tracy, John A. Bird and Laddie John Zacek. Identifiable remains of neither John Pence nor John Bird were recovered; they are commemorated in the Courts of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial. John also is commemorated on the tombstone in the Garden Grove Cemetery that marks the graves of his parents.

Lifting up the kingdom ....

Jim Palmer is widely known as a Christian preacher who ended up leaving his faith behind entirely as the years passed --- a not uncommon response.

But many of the concepts incorporated in that faith resurface, now and then.

Including this approach to the "kingdom of God," which some interpret to result from faith, prayer and the like; others, including many Christians, from effort on the part of believers and non-believers alike  to follow a path set out in directives attributed to Jesus.

In one approach, the kingdom drops from heaven; on the other, it is lifted up.

The story-telling obituary of Russell's William Goltry

The interesting thing to me about this obituary, other than the life of the subject himself, is the amount of information the author has managed to pack into relatively little space.

It was published on Dec. 3, 1903, on the front page of The Chariton Herald, attributed to a Russell correspondent.

Here's the text:

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Wm. Goltry was born Sept. 4, 1826, near Tyrone, Steuben Co., New York; died at Russell, Iowa, Nov. 28, 1903, at the age of 77 years, 2 months and 24 days. When about 10 year of age, he with his parents moved to Jennings county, Indiana, where he resided until Oct. 2, 1853.

In 1846, when war was declared by the United States against the government of Mexico, he enlisted, and was in Gen. Scott's army in the assault upon the city of Vera Cruz, and all the battles that led to the capitulation of the city of Mexico.

In 1862 he again enlisted in the cause of his country, serving as 1st Lieutenant of Co. G, 34th regiment of (Iowa) volunteers.

 On Oct. 30, 1851, he was united in marriage to Cordelia, daughter of Peter and Mary Youtsey. To them were born 10 children, four of them preceding him to the grave, the remaining six being with him during his sickness.

On the second day of October, 1853, they with an ox team, started westward to make a home, locating in Lucas county, Iowa, where they have resided for 50 years --- a half century. In 1901 they removed to the town of Russell, where they have since resided.

The funeral services were held at the family residence at 10:30 a.m. December 1, 1903, after which interment was made in The Russell cemetery. For some time Mr. Goltry has been totally blind, but did not grow despondent over his condition, being able, until recently, to attend to his business affairs and always glad to visit with friends.

Thanksgiving in 1945 --- and now

 

I was struck this morning by the final line of this Thanksgiving greeting, published on Nov. 22, 1945, in Chariton's Herald-Patriot --- "(that) those who gave their lives that the true spirit of Thanksgiving in America might live on forever."

World War II had just ended: Germany surrendered on May 8; Japan, on Sept. 2. There was indeed much to be grateful for. But while most Lucas County families were celebrating, others were mourning lost young men; still others were awaiting final reports on the missing.

Looking back 78 years from Thanksgiving 2023, the dream of world peace continues to be only a dream as violence accelerates; domestically, we're more divided now than I can ever recall --- and my useful memory stretches back into the 1950s.

Here's the text of that 1945 greeting. Perhaps there's still time to learn a little from it:

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Reunited at last! Heads bowed in prayers of thanksgiving; sons and daughters returned from the wars to the warm love of a mother's aching heart --- a father's strong, silent yearning --- the eager adoration of younger brothers and sisters. Thanksgiving dinner with all its trimmings and not one vacant chair! The world at Peace! Is this not reason enough for heads to be bowed in prayer --- prayers of thankfulness for having lived in a land that escaped the ravaging hand of a deadly enemy --- a land whose brave sons and daughters fought and died that truth, humanity and righteousness might triumph over deceit, cruelty and treachery --- and today whose flag flies victoriously over a vanquished enemy. On this Thanksgiving, above all, our first since the end of a tragic and bestial war, there is much for which to be grateful --- much for which to thank the Almighty. And those of us who are fortunate enough to have our loved ones home, in our joy, let us not forget those less fortunate, whose loved once will never return --- those who gave their lives that the true spirit of Thanksgiving in America might live on forever.

Thanksgiving in Iowa Territory, 1846

Iowa still was a territory as Thanksgiving 1846 approached. (Statehood would arrive that year, but not until Dec. 28.)

In Lucas County, John and Hannah Ballard --- first settlers --- had brought their family to live in English Township during September. The Freeman Nickerson family party --- fleeing Nauvoo --- found refuge that fall, too, at Chariton Point. These were the only known residents of Lucas County that long-ago winter.

Iowa City had become the official territorial capital during 1841, replacing Burlington, but Gov. James Clarke (left) continued to make Burlington his home and it was from there that he issued his Thanksgiving proclamation:

By the Governor of the Territory of Iowa.

PROCLAMATION

Conformable to the request of many highly respectable persons belonging to the several religious denominations of the Territory, and in obedience to a venerable and generally approved of usage, I hereby name Thursday, the 26th Day of November Inst. as a day of general Thanksgiving throughout Iowa and recommend that it be celebrated by prayer, humiliation, and abstinence from secular employment.

It is meet on an occasion like the present, when as a people we are about assuming new and important responsibilities, that light and wisdom should be invoked from above. Moreover, the past year had been fruitful of blessings to our favored Territory, for which we have abundant cause to feel deeply grateful.

Thanks for our continued existence and prosperity as a community; for augmented human comforts; for health, and a bountiful yield of the necessaries of life; for the advance of learning, science and educational, for the onward march of the doctrines of christianity; for the triumph of our county's arms on the ensanguined field --- all these, and more, we are called upon to render.

The spectacle of a whole people voluntarily uniting on a particular day in a tribute of praise for the blessings they enjoy is one of the most impressive character, containing the best assurances of the durability and permanency of the liberal institutions under which we live.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and caused the Great Seal of the Territory of Iowa to be affixed, at Burlington, this sixth day of November 1846,

(Signed) James Clarke

By the Governor: Jesse Williams, Secretary of Territory

The several newspapers of the territory are requested to publish the above.

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The governor's proclamation was published in The Burlington Hawk Eye of Nov. 5, 1846. And then The Hawk Eye of Nov. 27 noted: "Today is set apart as a day of Thanksgiving throughout Iowa as well as a majority of other States.

"The Rev. Wm. Salter will deliver a discourse this day at 11 o'clock in the new meeting house on Fourth Street. As we have no doubt it will be appropriate and interesting we hope the house will be full.

"After the services a collection will be taken up in behalf of the poor."

Of course newspapers had not yet been dreamed of yet in Lucas County so we have no way of knowing if there were observances here in the Ballard or Nickerson households.

A centennial supper with Chariton Methodists

Chariton Methodists observed the centennial of their 1851 congregation in 1951 during a variety of events, including an old-fashioned sit-down supper in the church basement for some 300 parishioners and guests on the evening of Wednesday, April 25.

That's when these two wonderful images, donated recently to the Lucas County Historical Society by Lois Hutchison Schleuter, were taken.

Guests in the first image are not identified, but Lois and her parents, Esther and Otto L. "Hutch"  Hutchison, are seated to the right with their backs to the camera at the base of a pillar.

After the meal, guests were invited into an improvised church "parlor," designed by Mary Louise Hoegh among others (She would become Iowa's first lady during 1955 after Leo Hoegh was elected governor).

A program of hymns, special presentations and reminiscing followed.

More of the people in this image are identified, including (from left) Kristin Hoegh, Marvel Shore, (woman in rocking chair unidentified), Louise Leonard, Mary Louise Hoegh, Lois Hutchison, Janis Hoegh, T. Franks, Mrs. Swick and Rev. Swick. The two women at far right are not identified.

Making the world a better place ...

Here's a quote to start the week on an uplifting note from Lori Deschene, founder of Little Buddha, one of those sites I've invited at some point to stream such things into my social media feeds. 

Goodness knows there's enough to think about otherwise. The passing of Rosalyn Carter, of course. And then the Rev. Carlton D. Pearson, died on Sunday, too, at the age of 70. Pearson is widely known in some circles as a fundamentalist megachurch pastor dismissed as a heretic when he embraced universal reconciliation (aka universalism) --- the concept that godly love embraces everyone.

Today also is Transgender Day of Remembrance, set aside to remember those who have been killed for no reason other than their gender identity.

That came to mind over the weekend when I was visiting with someone who attends one of Chariton's largest fundamentalist churches where position papers crafted by congregational leadership condemning transgender people and Critical Race Theory currently are circulating.

I remember a time when fundamentalist churches focused more on winning hearts and minds for Jesus and less on the politicized cultural hotspot of the day. As a rule, I'm not sentimental about the past, but in this instance I miss the good old days.

Methodists abandon mother ship, climb to the roof

I was reminded of this cartoon from 2021 yesterday as 59 more Iowa United Methodist congregations, some quite small, jumped ship and climbed to the roofs of their buildings, eyes turned skyward, voices crying, "Dear Lord, save us from the flood of LGBTQ+ members who want to marry and be ordained as clergy."

The 59, announced Saturday after an Iowa Annual Conference special called session conducted via Zoom, join 83 congregations that disaffiliated during May for a total of 142. Albia's Trinity Church and Centerville's Faith Church left during May; Moravia's Grace Church was among the latest to depart. All Lucas and Wayne county congregations have remained with the mother ship.

The process used by these congregations to depart --- a congregational vote and agreement to pay off financial commitments --- sunsets at the end of 2023. There's no telling what will happen if more congregations decide to leave. As in many other denominations, the annual conference owns the property of its member congregations.

The whole process is sad --- on a couple of fronts. Iowa United Methodists have worked hard as the years passed to keep its small congregations afloat and I'm guessing quite a few of these smaller parishes, now independent or involved in a new affiliation, just won't make it. Owning a building is one thing; paying the bills and finding and supporting a pastor, another.

And then there are LGBTQ+ people, too, some of them adults who still want to be involved in the religious life of their communities and some of whom, younger, are being raised (generally unbeknownst) within them.

For the time being at least, no United Methodist Church can be considered a safe place --- a sad occurrence at a time when the church as a whole is becoming increasingly irrelevant. But no one wants to walk into an intrachurch squabble while in search of a place of refuge.

Truth be told, there aren't enough LGBTQ+ folks out there, even when parents, family and friends are added to the mix, to make us worth considering when crunching numbers in a big congregation.

But the following is attributed to the big guy: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me." 

And that might be worth attending to.