Mary Jo Powell, 81, of Dittmer won first place and a $100 cash prize in the Leader Way Back When photo contest, held in conjunction with the Arnold Senior Expo set for Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Arnold Eagles, 1725 Jeffco Blvd.
More than 60 photos were entered in the contest, which called for Jefferson County and Eureka readers 50 and older to submit photos that were at least 25 years old.
Three contest winners were drawn randomly.
Tammy McCoy, 63, of Arnold will receive a $75 cash prize for taking second place in the drawing, and Alice Lee, 85, of Morse won third place and $50.
Powell’s winning photo was taken around 1906 of her father, Harry Hampton, and her aunt, Violet Hampton Wills, at her grandparents’ home in Elvins.
“It’s one of my favorite pictures of my dad when he was young,” said Powell, who was raised in Flat River. “My grandfather died when my dad was 13. He had to quit school to work on the Hampton Farm.”
McCoy submitted a family photo taken in summer 1953 on her grandparents’ farm in Okawville, Ill. Pictured in the photo are her mother, uncles, grandparents, great grandmother, an aunt and a cousin.
McCoy believes her aunt had just purchased a new car and the family had swarmed together to check it out.
Lee, 85, sent in a photo from the 1930s of her husband’s grandfather, Jesse E. Pounds, inside a Morse Mill business that served as a grocery store, tavern, diner, gas station and post office all in one. She said the businessman lived from Oct. 28, 1884, to Dec. 19, 1967.
Lee said she has many great memories of Morse Mill.
She said it was a fun and happy place to live.
Lee also said she loves looking at old photos and studying family history.
Carol Williams, 63, of Barnhart sent in a picture taken by Wanda (Williams) Webb in the summer of 1968. The photo shows Carol and her cousin, Dale Weaver, in Ellington. Carol said that she and Dale were more like siblings than cousins. “We enjoyed the simple times when you played outside, made up games – especially going to the river for fishing, swimming and playing in the dirt,” she said. Dale passed away in December of 2021. “Although we didn't see each other much as adults, I certainly do miss him and will always remember the joy we had as children.”
Sherrie Iahn Marion of House Springs sent a picture of her father, Charles Iahn, with his grandparents before leaving to join the Navy. From left is Myrtle Brown, Maggie Iahn, Walter Iahn, Charles Brown and Charles Iahn in Park Hills, then Flat River, in the summer of 1949. “This picture is significant because it was the farewell party for my father, who was headed to the Navy during the Korean War.”
Susan Ziegler of Arnold sent in a photo taken by her great-grandpa in 1940. Her father, Bill Walton, now 88, is holding his dog, Snowball, with his cousin, Cecil Ray, to the left and their grandmother in the background. Susan said the picture is special since Bill lost his mother at birth and was raised by his grandmother. “His love of dogs and memories of his cousin are priceless,” Susan said. “They were very poor, as you can see, yet lots of love in this picture.”
Nick and Heather Bahr of Arnold sent in this picture of Don and Brenda Bahr of De Soto at their wedding Nov. 3, 1973. This year, Don and Brenda will celebrate 50 years of marriage.
Jana Proske Brazeal, 65, of Arnold sent this photo of her father, Walter Proske with his 1933 DeSoto Coupe on Sept. 22, 1938, in downtown St. Louis.
Jana Proske Brazeal, 65, of Arnold said her father, Walter Proske, took this picture of the first First Baptist Church of Arnold in June 1962.
Christine Wills of Arnold sent this 80-year-old picture of her mother, Marcella Smugala, with her two dogs, Booby and Jackie, on her farm near Nashville, Ill.
Margo Oberkrom, 73, of Cedar Hill sent in a picture believed to be taken on July 4, 1864, of her great-great-grandma as a young girl with her parents. “The picture sat in the back of our closet in the 1950s,” Margo said. “As young children, we thought they looked like ghosts.” Margo said that, in the 1990s, her sister-in-law took the photo to a professional photographer to learn more. He said it is a tintype photograph, which was a popular method of taking pictures at the time. The numbers written at the bottom, 7462, likely correspond to the month, day and year, and the letters, FW, a signature from the photographer. “The people were probably poor. It was common among people who couldn’t afford pretty bonnets, suits and petticoats. The photographer would paint the clothes. In this case, the woman’s bonnet, the little girl’s dress and petticoat, and the man’s suit were all painted in,” Margo said.
Donna Donnell Snyder, 75, sent in her father and uncle’s class photo from when they were children. “Most of the children's parents couldn't afford shoes in the summer,” Donna said. The two girls in the very back were graduating 12th grade and wanted to become teachers. “According to my dad, most girls in the class went on to be teachers or nurses.”
Jim Delue of Cedar Hill sent in a photo from 1928 taken at his family’s farm just west of Grubville. The 6-year-old girl standing on the car is Marie Eoff, Jim’s mother. The woman in the center is Jim’s great-grandmother, Aggie Girardier, around 60, and on the far left is Jim’s grandmother, Blanch Girardier Eoff, about 35. The man to the right is likely one of Aggie’s four brothers. “Notice no one is smiling,” Jim joked.
Alice Lee, 86, of Morse Mill sent a photo of a business in Morse Mill in the 1930s. Alice said it served as a grocery store, tavern, diner, gas station and post office all in one.
Dennis Mattison, 69, of Pevely sent in two pictures of his wife’s family’s cigar store at 2201 S. 7th St., in St. Louis. The first photo is from 1885 and features siblings Robert and Franzinka Wuschke in the doorway, a young Wuschke girl to the left and mother Maria Wuschke poking out of the doorway to the right. “Josef and Marie Wuschke are my wife’s third-great-grandparents,” Dennis said. “They immigrated from Hungary in 1864, and Josef established a cigar store in downtown St. Louis in 1870. Robert took over the store when his father passed away in 1883.”
Dennis Mattison, 69, of Pevely sent in two pictures of his wife’s family’s cigar store at 2201 S. 7th St., in St. Louis. The first photo is from 1885 and features siblings Robert and Franzinka Wuschke in the doorway, a young Wuschke girl to the left and mother Maria Wuschke poking out of the doorway to the right. “Josef and Marie Wuschke are my wife’s third-great-grandparents,” Dennis said. “They immigrated from Hungary in 1864, and Josef established a cigar store in downtown St. Louis in 1870. Robert took over the store when his father passed away in 1883.”
Julie Warden, 52, of Festus sent in an old family photo from 1901 in Little Hocking, Ohio, that features her great-grandfather, center, George W. Oakes, with his sisters, Julia, Clara and Elizabeth, and their father, Silas Oakes. “If you look closely, you can see a thin, white string in the bottom middle of the picture,” Julie said. “George had hooked the string to the camera, and, hence, took a ‘selfie’ of himself with his family (his mother had just passed away).” Julie also notes that George moved to Missouri in 1914 and was the superintendent of the Crystal City Pittsburgh Plate Glass factory from 1928 to 1948.
Darlene Erny, 71, of De Soto sent in a picture from 1922 of his grandparents, Daniel and Hulda Brooks, uncles, Carl, Roy and Clarence, aunt, Gertrude, and father, Ralph, who is being held by Hulda. “I just love this picture,” Darlene said. “It’s a part of my heritage. A copy of it is hanging on my wall.”
Stephen Pipitone, 57, of De Soto sent a 1919 photograph of his great-grandfather John Fontana, right, and his business partner, John Curotto. The pair owned the Curotto and Fontana bar, which was in St. Louis at the corner of Sarah and Olive.
Stephen Pipitone, 57, of De Soto sent an October 1910 photograph taken at Union Station. The picture features Stephen’s great-grandparents, John and Virginia Fontana, and John’s sister, Rose, and her husband, Stefano Salarano. Stephen said his great-grandparents had just immigrated from Borzonasca, Italy, in March of that year.
Pat Jarvis, 59, of Arnold sent in a photo from July 1966 of Pat’s great-aunt, Esther Lamprecht-Bergman. The picture was taken by Esther’s niece, Nettie Zastrow, in White Rock, N.M. “She lived in the St. Louis area, but was out there visiting family,” Pat said. “My aunt was a go-getter and loved life. She was always impeccably dressed.”
Bob De Garmo, 67, of Festus sent in a baby photo taken by his mother, Elizabeth C. De Garmo, in summer 1956 in Kent’s Hill, Maine. Sitting, from left, are Bob’s brothers, Russell W. De Garmo, David P. De Garmo and Henry K. De Garmo, with himself in David’s lap, less than a month old. “I was always my mother’s ‘baby,’ regardless of my age,” Bob said.
Mary Jo Powell of Dittmer sent in a photo of herself and her family at their grandma Ida Sibole’s house in Elvins around June 1947. “Our aunt, Ruby Sibole Scaresy, came home from Virginia and bought a box of popsicle for all of us kids,” Mary Jo said. “We had to eat them all up because Grandma didn’t have a freezer in her ice box to keep them frozen.” Mary Jo is in the front right.
Cindy Foster of Arnold sent in a photo from the ’50s of her mother, Mary Psaris, around 25 years old.
Gary Schneider of Arnold sent a photo taken by his mother, Patricia Schneider, on May 7, 1962. On the right is Gary, 1, and his brother, Greg, 2, wearing outfits made by their mother.
Gary Schneider of Arnold sent a photo taken by his mother, Patricia Schneider, on June 1, 1964. Gary, 4, right, and his brother, Greg, 5, are in front of a partially built St. Louis Arch.
Peggy Schneider Strunk of Imperial sent this photo taken in 1941 by Madelyn Strunk. From left, Louie, Gregory, Vincent, Wilbert “Red” and Robert, wearing their military uniforms.
Kathy Reed, 55, of High Ridge sent in a picture taken in July 1972 by her mother, Carol Mangelsdorf. From left is Bethann, Kathy, Donna, Pam and Jeffrey Mangelsdorf aboard the S.S. Admiral on the Mississippi River near St. Louis. “There was so much to do and see,” Kathy said. “We liked dancing to the music played by Bob Kuban Brass.”
Brenda Shocklee, 60, of Imperial sent in a photo taken by her mother’s cousin, Eileen Hundelt, from around 1954 of Brenda’s parents, Howard and Delores Jacobsmeyer. “Just a reminder that they were young once!” Brenda said. Delores passed away in 1995, and Howard is 91 years old.
Joe Brissette, 88, of Festus sent in a photo that his father, Joseph L. Brissette, took around 1915 of Joe’s uncle, George, and grandfather, Alexander.
Joe Brissette, 88, of Festus sent in a photo that his uncle, Ben Brissette, took around 1919 in Florissant of Joe’s father, Joseph L. Brissette. Joseph served in World War I from 1917 to 1918. “He came home with all his war gear, and I played with the helmet, gas mask, bayonet and rifle as a child,” Joe said.
Teri Lonigro, 73, of Imperial sent in a picture of her father, Eldred Arnold, then 3, in 1920. “Arnold was named after his grandparents,” Teri said.
Teri Lonigro, 73, of Imperial sent in a picture of her father, Eldred Arnold, playing horseshoes in Arnold near Church Road with his future brother-in-law, Fred Blumer, around 1932.
Stephen B. Cook, 70, of De Soto sent a photo from the early 1910s of his grandfather, Art Ellis, driving his car on De Soto Main Street with passenger Dick Hopson. Stephen said the picture was likely taken by his grandmother in front of Art’s garage, the first in town. “He also worked on the first car in town before he had a garage,” Stephen said. “It was a Stanly Steamer.”
Stephen B. Cook, 70, of De Soto sent a photo from the early 1940s in De Soto that he says was likely taken by his grandfather. From left are his aunt, Juanita Ellis; a man from Fredericktown, Darwin; two unknown women; his great-aunt and -uncle, Nettie and John Sahwenk; and his mother.
Tony Johnston, 68, of High Ridge sent in a picture his cousin, Beverly Herbert, took in 1939 of Eddie Caswell and Arthur Brown in front of a Cain’s coffee delivery truck in Independence, Kan.
Tony Johnston, 68, of High Ridge sent in a picture from 1938 at Pikes Peak. Tony’s cousin, Beverly Herbert, and aunt and uncle, Frank and Hessie Herbert, are to the right.
DeAnna Dulle, 64, of Hillsboro sent a picture from the early 1900s of her great-great-grandfather, Bill Smith in Many, La. “The reason this picture is special to me is that my love of horses in my family goes way back,” DeAnna said.
DeAnna Dulle, 64, of Hillsboro sent a picture from the mid-1930s of her grandfather and grandmother, Bill and Loretta Bolton, in St. Louis. “The reason this picture is special to me is that it shows me exactly where I got my love of horses!” DeAnna said. Bill’s horse was named Trigger, and Loretta’s Dolly.
Marsha Boyer, 66, of House Springs sent a photo of her great-grandfather, Charles Newton Twitty, then 20, in 1920 while working at a neighbor’s cotton gin in southeastern Missouri. “We lived next door across a cornfield and loved to visit and hear his stories while he sat in his rocking chair,” Marsha said.
Bryanna Alexander, 71, of De Soto sent in her grandfather’s class photo from 1933 that was taken by their teacher, Mable (Akins) Kingsland. From left are Elsie Pounds, Edith McFarland, Oscar and Oran Akins, who are Bryanna’s grandfather and his twin, Clinton Kite, Wayne Hardin, Donald and Oral Larkins and an unknown student. Students stand in front of the now closed McGehan schoolhouse. “It had two doors, one for the boys and one for the girls,” Bryanna said. “Notice the little lunch pails. Oscar and Oran did not have a lunch pail; they ran up the hill to their house for lunch.”
Bryanna Alexander, 71, of De Soto sent in a picture taken in 1942 by Mable (Akins) Kingsland of Bryanna’s grandparents, Oscar and Rhoda (Larkin) Akins at their De Soto home. “This is how they would spend their evening, grandpa reading up on the current news and grandma reading her Bible,” Bryanna said. “No TV, just a radio.”
Mary Zerillo, 56, of De Soto sent in a picture from 1929 of twins, from left, Oran B. and Oscar L. Akins. The pair had been born two years earlier in De Soto on McGehan Road. “These two lived on this road with their families their whole life,” Mary said. “This picture was taken right on the road in front of their childhood home.”
Mary Zerillo, 56, of De Soto sent in a picture taken by Mable (Akins) Kingsland in 1942 De Soto of then 15-year-old twins, from left, Oran B. and Oscar L. Akins. “This picture was taken at their home on McGehan (Road) after a hard day working in the fields.”
Dale Richardson, 62, of Hillsboro sent in a 1945 picture of his grandmother, Grace Vincent, and mother, Connie (Vincent) Richardson.
Dale Richardson, 62, of Hillsboro sent in a September 1927 photo of his newlywed grandparents, Raymond and Grace (Clement) Vincent.
Carol Sklenar, 76, of Arnold sent a family photo from July 29, 1950. “It must have been way past nap time when my father decided to take this picture,” Carol said. Carol sits to the right with her mother, Alice, and Carol’s sister, Linnea, is surrounded by her three daughters, Mylbra, Diana and Karen.
Carol Sklenar, 76, of Arnold sent in a photo from 1959 of Waukegan, Ill., celebrating its centennial with a “Brothers of the Brush” facial hair contest. Carol’s father, right, won best moustache and best chinstrap beard.
Carol and Edward Sklenar of Arnold sent a photo from around 1941 that Edward’s father took of his three sons, Bill, Ed and Bob. “It looks like he said, ‘Attention!’ to get that stiff, straight pose!” Carol joked.
Carol and Edward Sklenar of Arnold sent a photo from 1950 of Edward’s brother, Bill, who was the first in the family to buy a car, which was a 1947 Dodge. “He was one proud young man!” Carol said.
Jane Markley, 69, of Festus sent in a photo taken in June 1921 by Block Bros Photography in St. Louis. Shown here are Jane’s grandparents, Eleanor Reiner and Alphonse Oge, with their wedding party.
Harold Peterein, 91, of Festus took this photo on Oct. 18, 1952, at Sacred Heart Church. Shown here is Harold’s newlywed aunt and uncle, Nora and Arthur Peterein, riding in a carriage with the bridesmaid, Esther, best man, Daniel Peterein, and, standing, Tony Peterein.
Kim Morgan, 53, of Pevely sent in this picture of her parents, Betty and John Stephens, having a cold snack at a carnival in Evansville, Ind., around 1944.
This photo was taken of George and Janis Morgan in Ferdinand Indiana at St Ferdinand church on their wedding day Aug 11, 1962.
These are my in-laws! I love them so much.
They knew each other for 6 months then got married!!!
They joy from their marriage was infectious!
Kelley DePauw, 60, of High Ridge sent in a photo taken by her father, Robert Killoren in 1962. Pictured are Robert Killoren (son) and Jimmy Farmer (neighbor). "The simple times...two boys playing army in the back yard...tent and all! The picture also shows the clothesline used to hang laundry" Kelley said.
Kelley DePauw, 60, of High Ridge sent in a photo of her father, Robert Killoren, back row, third from left, with his Navy crew in 1944 Honolulu, Hawaii. Robert worked on submarines as a welder. “I love this picture because it shows all the tough Navy men, and yet there is a picture of a puppy posing, too!” Kelley said.
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