“Little” Midvale, IdahoMidvale used to be a

pretty good size town. Atone time there were a bigmarket (grocery) & drygoods store, two banks anda service station. Now we have 3 church-

es, a cafe, post office, firestation, ambulance serv-ice, large school, library,small market, VFW hall,but no service station.(Population in 2013 was160) There is now a dirt

“walking” trail” where therailroad used to run thrutown. The trail is also usedby a Wagon Train whichpasses thru Midvale once ayear and camps overnightin our park (Nice park).Our home on Keithly

Creek Road is 4.6 mileswest of Midvale, fromwhere we look out across aprairie, where over 2000head of cattle graze, to theSturgill and Hitt mountainranges, which are normallysnow-covered until earlyJuly. A portion of Payette

National Forest is only 7miles west of our home,and 50 miles to our north-west is Hells Canyon, Ore-gon, where we used to gofishing (in our youngeryears), for catfish in theSnake River. I’m now 91and Kenneth is only 85.We have been married

54 years and have livedoutside Midvale continu-ously since 1998. We hadlived in the same housepreviously before movingto Oregon for a few yearsbefore 1998. I’m originally from

Kensett, but lived in DesArc from 1942 to 1959.Kenneth was born in Ore-gon. When Ken and I mar-ried in 1962, Kenneth hadone daughter, Diana; and Ihad two daughters, Wandaand Brenda, and threesons, Roger, Lynvel andJerry. Why we now live inIdaho is because when vis-iting Jerry who lived inCambridge, ID, only 12miles from Midvale, wefound we loved the area.But we’ve since lost Jerry in

2002, Brenda in 2009 andDiana in April 2015.We first lived in Califor-

nia for about 10 years,where Ken operated heavyequipment; and thenmoved to Kensett, Ar in1971 for about 5 years tocare for my parents whostill lived there. Anotherlengthy living stint includ-ed 18 years in Hydro, OK.

Love to all,Iona Burnett Botts

Note: The 1078 mile-long Snake River, in whichthe Botts fished, begins inWyoming in YellowstoneNational Park, continuesacross southern Idaho,then along the Oregon bor-der and thru Hells Canyonon to Washington where itmeets the Columbia River.

“ T“ T H EH E PP A G E SA G E S TT U R N E DU R N E D BB A C KA C K ””(Compiled from White River Journal files)

T h u r s d a y , A p r i l 7 , 1 9 3 2 T h u r s d a y , M a r c h 2 0 , 1 9 5 8T h u r s d a y , A p r i l 1 , 1 9 4 3

WHIT E RIV ER JOURNAL , THURSDAY , MARCH 31, 2016 3See photos in COLOR, Online

Lt. Commander F.Julian Becton,was a hero of the

USS Aaron Wards’ epicbattle with a superiorJapanese force last No-vember, it has beenlearned in his hometownof Memphis. Becton wassecond in command ofthe Aaron Ward, a de-stroyer when it took onfour Japanese ships in-cluding a battleship andsunk or damaged all.Commander Becton wasborn at Des Arc, son offormer residents, Mr. andMrs. John E. Becton, whomoved from Des Arc toHot Springs a few yearsago.

Two-hundred and fiftymillion dollars has beenset as the non-bankquota for the Eighth Fed-eral Reserve District inthe Second War Loanstarting April 12. TheTreasury Departmentwill borrow 13 billiondollars in the greatestmoney-raising campaignin World history. Eightbillion will come fromnon-bank investors andfive billion from banksources with the enor-mous sum being used toback up our armed forceswho are carrying the fightto the enemy in Europe,North Africa and the far-flung islands of the SouthPacific. Of the quarter-billion non-bank quota,the money will be raisedby the sale of War Bondsto Americans. Arkansas’quota is $20,160,000. U.S. Bonds will be issued inany denomination youwish.

Preparations are be-ing made by the PrairieCounty Health Dept. fortuberculosis clinicswhich are scheduled forApril 13 and 14. The onefor Des Arc will be at theCourthouse at 9 a. m.April 14, advises J. F.Hays, M. D. Director.

Seventy-five club offi-cers and 4-H Club localleaders met at OakPrairie, Wednesday,March 24, with Mr. W. J.Jernigan, State ClubAgent. County officerselected are President,

Billy Joe Morton, OakPrairie; secretary, VirginiaCastleberry, DeVallsBluff; reporter, RichardNorman, Des Arc; songleader, Twyla Sommers,Des Arc. A county com-mittee was appointed in-cluding officers and Mrs.Anna Murray from OakPrairie. Program num-bers were presented byDes Arc Jr. Girls, OakPrairie, Prairie Chapel,Cuneo, DeValls Bluff, andIdlewild. Other clubs rep-resented were Edwardsand Brown Grove.

Des Arc Young Bus-ness Men’s Club met atthe cafeteria on the cor-ner at Young’s Dept. Storefor dinner and then bythe courtesy of Mr. Bar-low, the store manager,the group retired to thefurniture room where aninteresting meeting washeld.

R. H. Romunder of DesArc, president of theChoctaw TransportationCo., informed us Tuesdaythat he had just returnedfrom a trip last weekthrough Missouri, Ne-braska and Iowa, on theMissouri River lookingfor a few steel barges tobe used in transportinglogs on a large govern-ment contract his com-pany has.

Our old friends, BillTipton, L. C. Arrowood, J.M. Holland, B. W. Bran-ham Sr., and C. G. Pruett,the blacksmith, East Sidecitizens, have been totown since our last.

Our old friends, L. T.Vandiver, S. S. Conder, EdHarper and Buford Sis-son of the Northside,were in town trading lastSaturday.

Miss Maxine Marsh,who has been employedon the GovernmentSteamer, Progress, out ofMemphis, visited withher parents, M. and Mrs.L. D. Marsh and friendshere this week.

The Des Arc SeniorHigh class and theirsponsor, Miss NettieSpradlin, were enter-tained last Thursday af-ternoon at a fish fry.

Prairie County offi-cials must elimi-nate all unneces-

sary expenses and lowerseveral necessary expendi-tures if the county is to staywithin its income and meetprovisions of AmendmentNo. 11, J. Bryan Sims, chiefof county auditors in thestate office said yesterday.As of February 15, 1932, thecounty has total outstand-ing warrants of $28,031.93.County revenues this yearare expected to reach$28,000 and warrants in thesum of $13,754.02 havebeen issued against theamount with 10 1/2months to run.

Beginning next Sunday,April 10, at 11 a. m., a bigtent revival meeting underthe auspices of theMethodist Church inHazen will start and con-tinue for two weeks, twoservices daily. Rev. John L.Tucker is pastor.

Carpenter W. D. DeVoreof Des Arc is building on anew residence on hisbrother, John’s plantationsouthwest of Des Arc, thisweek

Prairie County is fairlywell stocked with goodhogs at the present time.There are more hogs in thecounty than have been inthe last three years. Thereare two or three outbreaksof cholera reported to theCounty Agent’s office week-ly. At the present price ofAnti-Cholera serum, it isnot wise to take a chanceon losing hogs to cholera.

Farmers and others metat the courthouse in Searcyon Saturday and organizedthe White County Demo-cratic League by the adop-tion of a constitution andby-laws. White County citi-zens say they will demandclean politics. F. N. Baker ofGray township was electedchairman and J. A. Gibsonof Center Hill, Des ArcTownship, was elected sec-retary.

We are glad to reportthat James Allen, the little15-year old son of Mrs.Birdie Wall, who was oper-ated on about ten days agoat the Gilliam Infirmary inthis city for appendicitis, ison the road to recovery,

being able to return homeyesterday. Drs. Gilliam,Crow and Yancy, performedthe operation which hasproven successful so far.

A Father and Son Ban-quet, sponsored by theschool F.F.A. Chapter will beheld at the Masonic Templein this city Friday night.

Members of the Presby-terian Church have addedto the beauty of theirchurch and yard this weekby trimming up the bigoaks on the lawn.

Our friends from Mem-phis, Messrs. Hugh andJohn Hayley and Wm. Stew-art, were in the city onbusiness and meeting oldfriends here yesterday.

Messrs. Ralph Greer, J. F.Loretz, Smith and RichLenderman and Owen Hut-son attended the ball gamebetween Chicago White Soxand Little Rock Travelers inLittle Rock on Sunday.

One candidate for Con-gress in Texas is thoroughlywet, so wet that he wentinto court and had hisname changed so that hisinitials was made to standfor the word “WET”. He isWalter J. Wet Reid, candi-date from the Fifth District.This candidate is no Prohi-bitionist.

Misses Ruie House,Hazel Bacon, Lorena But-ler, Christine Wicklund,Louise Green and Mr.Bruce were motorists toDeValls Bluff and returnedon Sunday.

Estimated revenue fromthe increase in postagerates from 2 cents to 3 centsfor first class postage is$135,000,000.

Grass and trash pile firesare dangerous. One of thiskind excited our townspeo-ple yesterday morningwhen a small outhouse onthe J. D. Weatherley lotswas destroyed in this man-ner.

Our old friend, Mr. J. H.Beck of Fairmount was inthe city on business Mon-day with friends fromStuttgart paying taxes. He isone of Prairie County’s bestcitizens and spoken of as acandidate for county sher-iff.

Jack Curtis Millerof Des Arc, co-owner with

Archie D. Patterson ofthe Hickory PlainsLumber Co., arrivedhome Tuesday from aplane trip to CentralAmerica on a timberbuying trip that tookhim over 4,000 miles.He made stops at NewOrleans, Meridi, Mexi-co, Guatemala City, SanSalvador and Havana,Cuba. His destinationwas Tegueigalpa, Hon-duras, where he foundexcellent timber in themountains. He was toldthat some of the Indianvillages only had muletrains and no modernhighways in most of thecountry.

The Prairie CountyClassroom TeachersAssociation and thePrairie County Educa-tion Association held ajoint session at a din-ner meeting in the De-Valls Bluff schoollunchroom Tuesdayevening. The invoca-tion was given by Mr.Weems of Hazen. Offi-cers elected for the Ed-ucation Associationwere: Carl Stewart,Hazen, pres.; James R.McCormick, Des Arc,vice-pres.; Miss EthelBenish, Hazen, secre-tary; and Mrs. Thur-man Knuaff, DeVallsBluff, treasurer. Offi-cers for the CTA are:Mrs. Inez Love, DeVallsBluff, president; Mrs.Georgia Taylor, Hazen,vice-pres.; Mrs. Thur-man Knauff, DeVallsBluff, secretary; andMrs. Norma Ramsey,Des Arc, treasurer.

The fourth-classpost office of Brasfield,Ark., in southeastPrairie County is beingclosed as of March 31.In the future, mail ad-dressed to people ofthe Brasfield Commu-nity, should be mailedto RFD, Biscoe, Ark.

Mayor Tom E. Atkinsfined one man $17 forpublic drunkennessthe past weekend. Ar-rest was made by town

marshals, Orvil E.Owens and Virgil Self.

Mrs. Elsie Minton,president of the DesArc School Band Boost-ers Club said this weekthat on Friday night,April 4, at 7:30 p. m.,there will be a TalentShow in the school au-ditorium. Admissionwill be 20 and 35 cents.

Rev. S. B. Echols,founder of the Everlast-ing Gospel MissionChurch at Des Arcsome six years ago, andwho built a very nicechurch building here,has moved to HollyGrove. He will be backhere Thursdays andSundays until the con-gregation can get a newpastor.

The new federal-aidhighway system nowbeing built across thecountry will be finishedby 1973 and will savethousands of lives year-ly. Interstate highwayswill have wide lanesand no stoplights,sharp curves or inter-sections..

Louis Sanders ofClarendon was in DesArc on his regular triplast Saturday buyingshells and scrap iron.

Cordell Whittakerhas accepted a positionhere with Pay & SaveSupermarket of JeffHolmes Jr. Glen Over-turf has resigned theposition.

FREE: At WallaceEsso Station: March 29-30 - FREE LubricationJob with each oilchange.

An electrical dem-onstration will be heldat Hickory Plainsschool for all women ofthe community. Mrs.Eagle Boyd, Home Eco-nomics teacher at DesArc High School, willgive instructions basedon using large andsmall electrical appli-ances.

BABY CHICKS, nowavailable at Des ArcLumber Co. Get yoursearly for layers or meat.

The occasion (both photos): Iona’s 90th birthday, July 12, 2014Sitting, from left: Wanda Davis, Iona’s daughter, Iona and Kenneth BottsStanding, from left: Lynvel and Roger Burnett, Iona’s middle and oldest sons, respectively

(Note: Iona’s two other children, deceased, were: Brenda, Roger’s twin sister, and Jerry Burnett)

Sign above porch says “Ken & Iona Botts” (home for 22+ years)(snow shovel resting next to front steps)

Five Generations, minus One - July 12, 2014Sitting: Natasha and Iona holding the newest, 12-day old DaleStanding: Iona’s oldest son, Roger. Missing is Roger’s son and

Natasha’s father, Clint, who passed away in 2009

Iona & Kenneth Botts, Journal subscribers, share a little about their life in Idaho

MONTANA

CANADA

WYOMINGIDAHO

MIDVALE

HELLS CANYON(Snake River)

UTAHNEVADACALIFORNIA

OREGON

WASHINGTON

Summary of March 22 letter from Iona Botts, conversations with both she and Kenneth Botts, plus Journal research: