Things to be thankful for at the turn of the century

The Webb City Area Genealogical Society has a subscription to newspapers.com and we can use that website to access many area newspapers that have been scanned and are now searchable.

In addition to the Webb City Sentinel and the Webb City Register the site has the Webb City Daily Register but only for part of 1901.

On November 27, 1901 the Webb City Daily Register interviewed Webb Citians for their Thanksgiving edition, and we thought it would be interesting to look back and see what residents were thankful for 124 years ago.

• Mrs. Cissna was thankful that the Newland Hotel had obtained a national reputation but was particularly thankful that she still enjoyed single blessedness.
• Judge Bowlin was thankful that his life had been spared to see the grand developments of Jasper County and to see the United States become a great world power.
• J. P. Stewart was thankful that he was on kindly terms with all men and that his banking business was expanding.
• Col. Hulett was thankful that he was not a candidate for public office.
• W. H. Van Etten, manager of the Blake Theater, was thankful he had succeeded in getting Blanche Walsh, one of the most famous actresses on the American stage, for the opera house on December 5th.
• Capt. Earles was thankful after the vicissitudes of half a century he was now enabled to live in ease and quietude and enjoying all temporal blessing with a 20 lb. turkey dressed with oysters for Thanksgiving dinner in the year of grace 1901.
• Prof. A. G. Young, school superintendent, was thankful to be alive after the teachers association finished their business and the teacher resignations of the year.
• James Muratta was thankful that he had a good business and good digestion.
• Chas. L. Wright was thankful for the people that were allowed to exist in so wonderful a country as this.
• Will H. Wright was thankful he was a farmer.
• F. L. Forlow was thankful that he was alive and well after a severe sick spell in Colorado last summer.
• J. E. Cobb was thankful he did not have to settle the sewer problem.
• T. G. Tyman was thankful for his increase in business over the last year. Every month was ahead of last year’s business.
• Floyd Sexton was thankful that every grocery store in the city had not adopted the cash basis.
• C. R. Jones was thankful that he lived in so civilized and enlightened community as this and that interest rates were stiff.
• The Lowe Furniture Company was thankful for continued and increased business and would have many new designs in their line for the approaching holiday season.
• Lue Bradberry was thankful a certain man had left town.
• Judge Frankenberger was thankful that he had had three meals a day the last year.
• Miss Nettie Moore was thankful she was going to a warmer climate.
• Miss Elsie Wasser was thankful that she would not be tormented by Register reporter Guy Troxel the next day.
• Dr. Thornberg was thankful that he had four healthy children.
• E. M. Martin was thankful that he would eat dinner at home.
• Miss Ida Maddox was thankful her sweetheart had come back to her.
• C. R. and W. S. Chinn were thankful for a fine lot of quail they killed on their hunt and would serve it at Thanksgiving dinner.
• B. C. Aylor was thankful for his big lead mine.
• Capt. Price was thankful that his better half was a better housekeeper than her liege lord that was evident from the state of his home during her absence.
• H. Snodgress was thankful that he lives in one of the healthiest and most prosperous and best governed states of the Union, Grand old Missouri.