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May 5, 2006
Oroville Mercury Register 1942
Agnes P. Alm, Pioneer, Dies Here Suddenly
“Well-Known Enterprise Woman Succumbs to Pneumonia “ An illness of only a few days resulted in the death at Oroville Curran Hospital of Mrs. Agnes Parks Alm, 74, of Enterprise, who died at 6 a. m. Thursday from pneumonia. Mrs. Alm, known throughout the county, became ill with a severe cold several days ago, and was brought here in the community ambulance at noon Wednesday when pneumonia developed. She was born May 10, 1867, in Oroville, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Parks Sr., pioneers of the Oroville district. In 1897 she was married to John G. Alm of Enterprise, the couple celebrated their 45 wedding anniversary Jan. 13, 1942.
GOLD STAR MOTHER
A son of the couple, Gus, died in 1917 at Camp Kearny. The local American Legion post was named originally the Alm-Toland post for Gus Alm and James Toland, brother of C. W. Manny and John Toland of Oroville, one who was killed in France during World War I. Mrs. Alm was a Gold Star mother. She had been a correspondent for the Mercury at Enterprise for many years, and was among the older rural area writers for this newspaper. Members of the staff were remembered with cards at Christmas each year, and frequently bouquets of wild flowers or mountain greenery were sent to the Mercury office and employees by Mrs. Alm. Her home was a gathering place for friends from the mountains and valley, and those traveling to or from mountain points always stopped to visit the kindly woman.
GAVE BOOK SET
During the early part of the Victory Book campaign here, Mrs. Alm sent to the Mercury a box of books, with a letter explaining that a full set of Dickens works was included. The Dickens set had been given her as a prize for a costume worn to a Native Sons and Daughters mask ball on New Year’s Eve before her marriage in 1897. Besides her husband, she is survived by one sister, Mrs. Mattie Parks Toland of Oroville, widow of Supervisor C. W. Toland, whose funeral services were held only four hours after the death of his sister-in-law. Funeral services will be held at Thomas funeral home with arrangements to be announced later, after arrival of a brother-in-law, Fred O. Alm, of San Francisco.

Countryman Crash Victim
Joseph D. Countryman, 39, of Oroville died today at Monterey hospital from injuries received late yesterday at Monterey Airport when two jeep conveyors crushed him. Countryman was working on one of the jeeps when the other one drove into it pinning him between them. Coroner J. A. Cornett of Monterey will conduct a complete investigation of the accident. A brother of Countryman was expected to arrive in Monterey today. Countryman is survived by his wife, Mildred K. of Wyandotte avenue: a son, William Earl, 9: a daughter Ramona D., 14: two brothers, Frank countryman of Marysville and Clifford who is in the Army. A friend of the family went to Monterey today to get Mrs. Countryman, who is expecting a child. They left before news of the accident had reached Oroville.

Oroville Gives Warm Send-Off To 24 Draftees
Twenty-four young men taken for the government’s draft army left Oroville Wednesday afternoon after having been given a suitable “sendoff” by citizens at Memorial Hall and at the Western Pacific Station. Speakers, including Mayor Jacobs and Secretary of State, Paul Peek, expressed the appreciation of the general public for the sacrifice being made by them. “It should be considered an honor to go,” said Jacobs, himself a member of the army in 1917, “for the army is taking only the young strong men, mentally, morally and physically fit. To some this will be a hardship, but we cannot look down into their hearts and minds and appreciate the full sacrifice. If it proves you will have to stay longer than is now contemplated the country will feel more secure because you will be trained, and fit. Peek declared the draft the “most democratic movement in the country’s history” because it treats all alike. “We are back of you to a man, and you will receive as rousing a reception when you return as you are being given today. Those who shoulder the guns should feel that there is an economic army back of them. It is the answer of a democratic America to the claim of the dictators that Democracy is too slow and too sluggish to compete. We are going to show that Democracy can work.” The high school choir sang several songs, closing with “The Lord Bless and Keep You.” The high School band played, ending with “The Star Spangled Banner.” The program was in charge of the Rotary Club. At the station the young men were lined up and checked off as they entered the train. There was a large crowd there to see them off.

Stu’s Notes: I have written about Joseph D. Countryman over 3 years ago and others with that name. Their stories are on our web site. Until I recently found this article I had no information on where he lived. Now we know more of the story but far from the “rest of the Story”. I recently wrote about Gus Alm and James Toland in WWI. You can read about them on our web site: www.orovilleveteransmemorialpark.org.