Columns

15 Years Ago

1997 – The Vandalia City Council was closer to hiring the first city administrator for the town. The field of 43 applicants was narrowed to four finalists, and they were interviewed by aldermen.
The Deb Keeling family was chosen as the first partner family for a Fayette County Habitat for Humanity house.
Rebecca and Jack Hill of Ramsey were celebrating their 40th anniversary.

This week’s Mystery Banks Photo: This young lady, who was 18 at the time this photo was taken, will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of her graduation from Vandalia High School this year.

In May 1923, The Ramsey News-Journal newspaper reported that seven hooded Knights of the Ku Klux Klan entered the Christian Church at Herrick and presented the pastor with $50 for the church building fund.
It was generally believed they were members of the Ramsey Klan, although it had been reported that there was a goodly number of the Klan in and around Herrick.

Samuel Griffith was born on Jan. 23, 1793, in New York State, where his Welsh ancestor had settled nearly 20 years before.
He traveled to Pennsylvania, locating near Laurel Hill, and married Mary Ann Beckley on Jan. 1, 1811.  Their 10 children were born in Pennsylvania.