Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Memories of Jerome, Iowa 1989
Inspired by the Old Settlers edition of the Seymour Herald published in 1954 and feeling that the history of her own hometown could be told in an interesting manner, Miss Susie Sidles submitted to the Seymour Herald a brief history of Jerome, Iowa, which was published on 27 January 1955.
She drew on her personal knowledge of her hometown for much of her article. She was born in the same house in which she lived in 1954. By visiting with the older members of her family and friends, she learned about the early history of the community.
Verle Brummitt had a vision for a Jerome Reunion. His vision and persistance led to the first reunion in 1988. People had such a wonderful time that it led to plans for a second Jerome Reunion and to the publication of Memories of Jerome, Iowa 1989.
Susie Sidles had died in 1969, but her article formed the basis of the main narrative of Memories. Additional information and pictures were contributed by: Edmond Allen, Mildred Thomas Carth, Marcella McKern Inskeep, Bernice DeVore, Louise Condra Hunt, Helen Shorts McElvain, Mildred Dooley Cathcart, Chesco Massa, Dorothy Owen, Diana Owen Glenn, Phyllis Hamm Disney, Merrill Condra, Anna Gillispie Jensen, Pearl Gillispie, Donald Purdy, David Purdy, Frances Hamm Owen, Ida Mincks McGavran, Margaret Hamm Jones, Verle Brummitt, Catherine Blozevich Mallett, Coza McKern and Paul McElvain.
The narrative from the Memories of Jerome will be shared in several following posts. Unfortunately, many of the pictures reproduced poorly in the publication; but when an original is available to me, I will share it with the identifications of the persons as shown in Memories.
A third Jerome Reunion was held September 1, 1991.