Thursday, January 10, 1974
WOOD RAT
Last Thursday night, James Dulaney caught an animal new to him in one of his traps set near the Devil’s Backbone above Hunters-ville. He was trapping for a fox and had the trap baited with part of a muskrat. He thought it was a rat, but it had a furry tail. He skinned the animal out and stretched it over some cut and glued pieces of corrugated boxing and brought it the Times office Saturday. We did not have an animal book here so we put in a call to Chuck and Paula Waggy. Mrs. Waggy soon came up with the answer – an Eastern wood rat.
The wood rat has very fine soft fur, buff and gray mixed white underneath, furry tail, big naked ears, long whiskers. It is seldom seen because it shuns civilization. Neotoma is the scientific name, neo – new and toma – cut, for a peculiarity found in the young, the teeth have a diamond shape. About 17 inches long, including an eight-inch tail. Kin to the pack rat.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Daniels, Jr., a daughter named Rachel Amanda.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baker, of Alderson, a daughter named Stephany Dawn.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Don Nicely, of Durbin, a son, named Timothy Don.
Born to Rev. and Mrs. Wallace Dorn, of Grafton, a daughter named Rachel Lynn.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Larson, in Wichita Falls, Texas, a daughter named Jeannette Lea.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Barrett, of Buckeye, a daughter.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Green, of Frost, a daughter.
DEATHS
Charles Levi Gragg, 74, of Ravenna, Ohio, formerly of Durbin; a retired employee of Howes Leather Company. Funeral service was held in the Brethren Church at Durbin; burial was in the Gum Cemetery.
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Jessie Ellen Lacy, 54, of Port Washington, New York; born at Seebert, a daughter of the late Summers and Emma Wheeler Lacy. She was a member of Pleasant Green Church at Seebert. Burial in Knoll’s Memorial Park, Port Washington, New York.
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John Walter Hawkins, 49, of Princeton; born in Kettering, England, a son of Mrs. Fred Starsmore, of England, and the late William J. Hawkins. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Linda Cassell Hawkins… Burial in the Dunmore Community Cemetery.
