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The
Oxford Mirror was the newspaper of Oxford Jct., Iowa from 1879 to 1953. Because of the foresight of some community members, money earned
in the 1971 Centennial projects purchased the microfilming of those
newspapers. As one of the
many genealogists and historians who have used the films for research,
I noticed that the paper interviewed local business men in the first
half of 1927, and that the interviews are interesting, they contain
important history of O.J., and are especially desirable to descendants
of the interviewee. Therefore,
they are presented here in their entirety for your use and pleasure. I
have included some biographical data which I believe to be correct,
but (you) researchers must bear the burden of proof as my source might
have been incorrect. I
want to thank Viola Kouba and Delbert Hodgden for answering my questions
for the bio. data, and Rita Balichek for copying the pages I had missed. In
1927 Oxford Jct. was remembering the Great War (WWI), living with Prohibition
which may have been altered from the Federal plan by local option, smarting
from farm takeovers by creditors, and preparing to vote on bond issues
for road improvement which had tax (property and gas) implications.
The town had electricity, good water and sewer systems, a good
school and schoolhouse, a fire company, milder winters than earlier
years, Coca Cola, some retail credit, and a local golf course which
prompted a daylight savings time.
Not surprisingly, several of the interviewees were working for
or had worked for the railroad. According
to the articles, O.J. lacked a public park, a city hall and library,
organized baseball, enough manufacturing plants, a place for athletics,
a place for social affairs, a P.T.A., and street paving (the town was
still oiling the streets). I
hope that you enjoy the interviews as much as I did. The
above was written as an introduction for the hardcopies which were sent
to Wregie Memorial Library (O.J.) and the O.J. Genealogy Club.
Here on the SMALL TOWNS website, I will offer only an index of
the interviewees. If you
want a copy of a specific interview and/or biographical data, contact
me or Wregie Memorial Library (linked to this site).
The interviewees: Barrett,
M. E. |