Rippey Legion Park Dedication, November 1926
Rippey Legion Memorial Park 1926
Jefferson Herald April 15, 1926
Rippey Service Star and American Legion Working On Memorial Plan There
Rippey—The Service Star is working on a Memorial plan at present, in the form of a city park. Two lots have been purchased by B. F. Osborn and given to the city. Work will soon be begun on the grading, and the landscaping will be done and trees planted. The American Legion is working in connection with the Ladies division.
Jefferson Bee May 26, 1926
Two days last week men were busy filling the new park. Frosty Howard and Delmar Van Horn took tractors and hauled a large boulder from Berkley vicinity which will be placed at main entrance. The stone measures 5 ft. 4 by 5 ft. 6.
Jefferson Herald June 24, 1926
WORK PROGRESSING ON MEMORIAL PARK
Legion Memorial Park at Rippey is Nearing Completion—To Give Program
RIPPEY—The work on the Legion Memorial Park is nearing completion and will soon be ready for the lighting, flag pole and flag without which no park is complete. Rippey and vicinity are certainly to be commended on their loyal and faithful support on putting this across so harmoniously. The entertainment to be given June 29 will certainly give you your money’s worth. The first “Grand Mother’s Dream” put on by 14 of our local talent, mostly children and young people.
The second will be. “Success at Last” The following will take part:
Bessie Derry – The Land Lady
Bernice States – The Poor Girl
Hazel Drake—Old Fashioned Mother
Chas. Moore — Old Fashioned Father
Fern States — Old Fashioned Vamp
Kenneth Farley – Old Fashioned Hero
Thelma McDowell – Old Fashioned Heroine
Lester Crumley – Old Fashioned Villain
Mrs. Fred Farley – Modern Mother
Claude Johnson – Modern Father
Blanche Frizelle – Modern Vamp
James Morse – Modern Hero
Dorothy Crumley – Modern Heroine
Herman Rhoad – Modern Villian
Jefferson Herald July 29, 1926
Work on Rippey Memorial Park is Progressing—Contract Let to Companies
RIPPEY—A representative of the Pittsburg and Des Moines Steel and Iron company was awarded the contract for the new steel flag pole of Rippey’s Memorial park, also the steel arch over the entrance. The Iowa Power and Light Co. of Perry is to have charge of the lighting system while B. W. Porterfield of Jefferson will furnish the bronze tablets and have charge of the stone cutting on the big boulder, all this was arranged last Thursday when the men met with the Park trustees.
Jefferson Bee September 29, 1926
The flag pole for park has arrived and will be put in place sometime this week. The engraving on stone is done and bronze tablets are completed and have been shipped. The dedication will be in a few weeks now. A program is being prepared.
Members of Rippey Service Star at Dedication
Jefferson Bee November 10, 1926
GOVERNOR AT RIPPEY
HON. JOHN HAMMILL’S ADDRESS
InConnection With the Dedication of the Legion Park There Last Sunday.
The Legion Memorial park, a gift of Hon. B. F. Osborn, was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies at Rippey last Sunday afternoon, November 7, 1926. Distinguished visitors present to participate included Governor John Hammill and Mrs. Saunders, National President of the Service Star Legion.
Although the day was cloudy it remained dry and pleasant, and hosts of people from all over the county gatheredthere to witness the’ exercises. Promptly at 2 0’clock Mrs. Harriet Burk, of the Rippey Service Star, called the audience to order at the corner of the new Park. A massive granite boulder, one of the largest that could be secured, was used as thecomer stone of the Park, and around this gathered the people for the exercises. Community singing was led by Lester Crumley, after which a company of Legionnaires raised the flag, from a new flag pole in the center of the park. Then the audience, led by Mrs. Saunders, repeated the pledge of allegiance to the Star Spangled Banner.
E. B. Wilson made the formal presentation speech, which was responded to by Mrs. Burk for the Service Star and Lisle S. Burk for the American Legion, in all of whose addresses was voiced special gratitude to Mr. Osborn for his splendid gift. V. H. Lovejoy placed the copper box, containing valuable historical papers in a receptacle under the corner stone. Then prayer was offered by Mrs. Heater. The Legion firing squad then gave three salutes, followed by taps, thus closing the corner stone exercises. All were then requested to proceed to the high school building, where a program of exceptional interest was given.
The high school orchestra played several numbers while the audience was filling the spacious gymnasium. Invocation was offered by Rev. Buehler, followed by a song, “When the Boys Come Home” by Lester Crumley.
Then a reading was given by Miss Grace Allen, after which, Mrs. Saunders spoke at lengththe aims and purposes of the Service Star Legion, the first organization to be formulated, in commemoration of woman’s work in the Great War.There were readings by Frances Clapp and Bertie Stoufer, and a delightful solo by Mrs. Christensen. After music by the orchestra Rev. Buehler introduced Governor Hammill who spoke for forty minutes upon live questions of the day. He made a special appeal for patriotism and support of the laws of the land, two subjects which cannot be handled too often from the public platform. He emphasized the needs of such memorials as the new Park, not for perpetuation of war, but rather to teach the benefits of peace. The world must cease the business of war, he said, or civilization must fail. To abolish war, and perpetuate civil order it was necessary for the world to embrace and practice Christianity in accordance with the example and teachings of the Prince of Peace. At the close of his address the audience was dismissed after singing oneverse of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
It is interesting here to state something more about the Memorial Park. The large boulder which represents thecorner stone of the park surmounts a cement foundation of several feet depth. It has been provided that the box ofhistorical articles may be removed in one hundred years for inspection of the people of that day. The stone has several bronze tablets attached to its surface, one of which is in memory of those boys who made the supreme sacrifice in theGreat War, their names appearing thereon as follows:
Clifford W. Kinkead, Jesse C. Bullock, George W. Hougham, V. R. Hawbaker, Fred W. Galivan, H. M. Halloway, Frank Patterson, Edgar J. Clapp, Earl T. Johnson, Owen Chambers.
Another tablet bears the following inscription: Established May 10, 1826 by the Service Star Legion. Board of Trustees: Mrs. John Burk, Pres.; Mrs. Kate Fry, Mrs. Maggie Heater, Mrs. Celia Crumley, Mrs. Annie Shoemaker, Mrs. Metta Senter, B. F. Osborn, Mrs. Elizabeth Mercer, Sec.
Carved in the huge boulder on the front side appears the following: B. F Osborn Legion Park 1917-1918. Contents of the box encased in the foundation have been in process of collection for several months, this difficult job being in the hands of Mr. Osborn, who has worked long and diligently to preserve therein all available history of Rippey and Washington Township.
The contents of the box is herewith given:
History of the Rippey Chapter of the Service Star Legion.
History of the Rippey American Legion and sketches and wax records of all of the members.
Complete lists of all the boys who went to the war from Greene County.
History of the four remaining veterans of the Civil War.
History of Rippey telephone service from its first organization.
History of the Baptist church in Rippey from organization.
History of the M. E. church.
History of the Church of Christ.
History of the coal industry in this locality.
History and other details of the Rippey Savings Bank
History of the Masonic Lodge in Rippey
History of the Rippey Eastern Star Chapter
Special history of Clifford Kinkead Post of the American Legion of Rippey
A collection of one hundred postage and revenue stamps from the collection of B. F. Osborn.
Pictures of the 1926 graduates of the Rippey Consolidated School
A letter which went to France and returned without delivery to Estel Senter
History of the Rippey Consolidated School.
Clippings and premium list of the first Rippey Farm Festival, Oct. 9 and 10, 1907.
Biography of Daniel Gonder, a soldier of the Mexican War, and his obituary.
Literature on the World War liberty loans.
World war clippings from the Jefferson Bee, covering letters from the boys in France and obituaries of those who died in service. Also, Red Cross and liberty loan items.
History of the Rippey branch of the American Red Cross with, a complete list of the 1917 members.
Literature and history of the Rippey W C T. U.
Copy of the deed to Legion Park from B. F Osborn to the Rippey Service Star chapter.
Copy of the dedication program Nov. 7, 1926.
The Teachers’ Duty in War Time and address by president Woodrow Wilson.
An account of the reorganization of the Rippey alumni association.
Biographies of the present teachers in the Rippey Consolidated school
Biographies of the trustees of the Legion park.
A condensed history of Rippey by G. M. Fry and C. E. States.
Biographies of Archibald Burk and Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Lovejoy with early Washington twp. history.
History of Rebekah lodge No. 414 of Rippey.
Biography of Clifford Kinkead,
Copy of the annual of the Rippey Consolidated school.
Clippings from the Rippey Booster containing obituaries of the Rippey boys who died in service.
History of the Rippey post office from its organization, by Wayne C. Ellis.
History of Washington twp. by H. C. Rippey
Memorial day program May 30, 1924
138 pictures of Rippey scenes and Rippey people.
Biography of Truman Davis the first settler in Greene county with notes of early Greene county history.
History and activities of the Rippey Commercial club.
A short biographical sketch of B. F. Osborn.
History of the Rippey Royal Neighbor lodge.
Lane Bryant’s catalogue for the fall of 1926 of women’s wearing apparel.
History and programs of the Old Settlers’ Association of Boone, Greene, Guthrie and Dallas counties.
Sketches of the Iowa State Pioneer Association.
A picture of the Rippey World War Veterans on parade.
Pictures of 39th Iowa Infantry with other veterans of the Civil War.
Pictures showing the condition of main street after Halloween.
Rippey main street pictures of farm festival days.
A picture of the Rippey fire department.
A picture of the Rippey band.
A picture of the Rippey pick and shovel gang, volunteer good roads workers from the Rippey Commercial club.
A complete list of the membership of the Rippey high school alumni association.
A ring brought from France by Chester Burk.
A bunch of French cigarette papers from France furnished by Estel Senter.
Instructions and regulations regarding the opening and replacing the memorial box each 100 years by Mrs. John Burk, president of the park board of trustees.
Best wishes and goodbye to the people of a hundred years hence. by B. F. Osborn.
