Old Time Notes from The Beacon
130 Years Ago Nov. 15, 1890
• The McFaul mill at Bridgeport has been started up again, but only to get out some bridge timbers and lumber enough to build a new store building to take the place of the one that burned down last spring.
• The bodies buried in the church yard on Navarro Ridge have been exhumed and placed in other graves — that of Mr. Balder has been removed to Little River cemetery and Mrs. Clark’s to a new graveyard on the land of Mr. Gorrell on Navarro Ridge, about two and a half miles from the church. The new graveyard will be deeded to the church trustees. The reason for the removals was a decision not to make the church yard a cemetery.
• Thos. Welch and sons, of Bridgeport, have twelve men hired to assist them in harvesting their large crop of splendid potatoes. The potatoes are sacked as they are dug, and left standing in the field. It reminds one of a wheat field of long ago when headers were undreamed of and the grain was shocked in the field — the potato sacks being nearly as numerous as were the bundles of golden grain.
105 Years Ago Nov. 13, 1915
• Antone J. Quaill and Miss Dina Figaro were quietly married at the Catholic Church at an early hour last Monday morning.
• A baby boy arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Morton in Fort Bragg last Monday morning.
• Some thirty- odd convicts from San Quentin were in town Monday evening on their way to Leggett Valley in the northern part of the county to work on the state highway. This is the second gang that has been sent to this section of the county and a third is expected shortly.
• Carl Swanson and John Larson went to Ukiah this week to obtain their final citizenship papers. They were accompanied by A. L. Patton and F. H. Bailey making the trip to the latter’s car.
• Owing to the rain Sunday and Monday, Ed Stoddard laid off his auto stage temporarily and sent out a four-horse stage on the down-coast trip. Frank Buchanan of Greenwood handled the ribbons and showed himself to be a master in an art which has rapidly fallen into disuse since the advent of the automobile.
75 Years Ago Nov. 10, 1945
• Herman Fayal, who has been living in Napa during the period of the war, was in Mendocino during the past week greeting friends and acquaintances. Mr. Fayal was accompanied by his son, Herman Fayal, Jr. This young man has just returned to this country following long weary months in a prison camp. He was at Bataan at the time it was taken and had been held in camp since that time. Relatives and friends in this community had almost given up hope for his safety, when the news came that he had been located and was to be liberated.
• Louis Vieria returned to Mendocino Thursday with his honorable discharge from the Army after a period of three years’ service. Louis served in Italy and was decorated for bravery in action during his stay overseas.
• Jacques Helfer, who has been in the service of his country for the past three years or more has recently returned home from the Pacific Area of Operations where he was with the first occupational forces to enter Japan. He has been discharged and is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Helfer of Mendocino.
55 Years Ago Nov. 12, 1965
• Former President Eisenhower, who was attacked and hospitalized at Augusta, Georgia, Tuesday with severe chest pains while playing golf, was subject to a second attack — more prolonged and of longer duration Wednesday, and has been returned to an oxygen tent.
• Little River residents — and especially its SkinDiving Club — were quite elated over the presence there last week-end of Juan Marichal (editor’s note: former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball), who made his first under-sea submergence at its bay, and who paid that community some nice compliments.
• Comptche News: Kathleen Reese of Kathleen’s Yarn Basket in Mendocino reports a good day at the Flea Market, in Mendocino Saturday. Lots of interest was shown in the finished models, assembling and the art of fine knitting. Several nice orders from out of town people always perks up one’s enthusiasm. Eleanor Smith, and Lena Meshishnek of Comptche and her sister Blanche Lamplmayr of Mendocino attended the Silver Tea on Friday hosted by the Mendocino Study Club and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon.
• Miss Mary Gray, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Gray, with two classmates, all recent graduates of the University of the Pacific, is now in London taking advance study until Christmas.
30 Years Ago Nov. 8, 1990
• Harold Reep, known affectionately to many on the Mendocino Coast as “the apple man,” celebrated his 80th birthday on Nov. 3. Born in Tulare County, Reep came to Mendocino with his parents and sister in 1917. He attended Mendocino Grammar School about a mile from the family ranch, located on what is now Little Lake Road. He completed his education at Mendocino High School, where he was valedictorian of the 1928 graduating class. Although the Great Depression deprived Reep of the college education he had prepared for, his study of ancient history in high school enabled him to appreciate the many historic ruins he managed to visit during his service in World War II.