Thursday, Jan. 24 2013 5:35PM

Years ago

70 Years Ago

1935

William H. Colbern, 72, a pioneer citizen of Lee’s Summit died Jan.14, 1935. He came with his parents to Lee’s Summit from Warrensburg after the Civil War. He was engaged in cattle raising and fruit growing. His father, W.H. Colbern, started the first bank in Lee’s Summit in 1868. It was a private bank and operated under the name of Colbern and Harris. In 1884 the bank was chartered a state bank under the name Bank of Lee’s Summit. Colbern Road is named after the family.

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1938

N.B. Langsford, Sr. made a trip to Ohio and returned with a new LaSalle funeral car for the Langsford Funeral Home. (The LaSalle was built by General Motors and was similar to a Cadillac.)

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1943

On Jan. 19 most thermometers in town registered between 15 to 20 degrees below zero, making it the coldest weather here in years. A strong piercing wind and flying snow added to the problem. Many motor cars would not start and became stalled. Frozen water pipes were a problem in many homes.

Compiled from the files of the Journal by Jim Carpenter.