The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, June 27, 1918
FARM LOAN ASSOCIATION ORGANIZED: A number of Henderson County farmers met at the county farm advisor's office and organized a local Farm Loan Association. Hon. Carl E. Hopkins of the Federal District Reserve Bank of St.Louis was present to assist in the organization. The following officers were elected: Pres.-R.N.Clark; Sec.-Treas.-B.G.Widney; Appraisers-C.R.A.Marshall, S.B.Vaughn, G.M.McGaw. The following board of directors was selected: R.N.Clark, Edgar Rankin, S.E.Pendarvis, C.E.Lant, G.M.McGaw, C.R.A.Marshall, Chas. Pogue, C.B.Vaughn and Milner Brown. The association started off with 10 sign up members.
***Mrs. G.W.Yaley***Sarah Jane Harris was born in Des Moines County, Iowa on August 1, 1838 and died at Stronghurst June 18, 1918, aged 79 years, 10 months and 12 days. She was married to George W. Yaley March 18, 1863 and to this union six children were born four of whom have preceded the mother in death. Surviving are Mrs. Ida Mellinger of Boise, Idaho and A.C.Yaley of Stronghurst. Funeral services were conducted at the home with the remains taken to Burlington, Ia. to be laid to rest in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
LETTER FROM WILL MARSHALL IN FRANCE: "Am getting along fine and am enjoying the experience in a way. Have seen quite a lot of France. It is different in many ways than I had expected. They have fine roads and the houses are built almost entirely of stone or some lasting material, very few frame buildings, some are exceptionally fine structures evidently costing a great deal while others are very poor, barely worthy of the name of a dwelling. At one place I saw the ruins of an old castle which they said was 1300 years old and within a quarter of a mile was the most beautiful palace and grounds that you could wish to see said to have cost thirty million dollars.
Was for two weeks within half a mile of it. It was surrounded by a great stone wall with high and heavy iron gates.Everything is so different from the States. This is quite a historic place where we are now but won't likely be here much longer. It does not take us long to get ready to move from one place to another. I have been at so many different places that my mail has not caught up with me and it has been three months since I have gotten a letter so naturally am anxious to know how things are getting along at home.
I haven't seen Oswald Smith yet and it is not at all likely that I will. There is a YMCA in nearly every camp and they are a great help to us...We see lots of aeroplanes; can hardly look up at any time in the day without seeing one. I would like to get a ride in one but don't' think there is much of a chance.
We are well equipped with steel helmets, gas masks and the like but they are not very pleasant things to wear. We use French money all together and I have been paid once over here and drew 109 franc, but as a franc is a little less than 20 cents, I didn't have much after all. It would come in pretty handy to be able to speak French, but hope I am not over here long enough to learn.
Oh, yes France is good enough in a way but nothing to compare with the good old USA. Guess I must have planned my tour at the wrong time. The hotel accommodations are not very good and they insist upon us getting up before we are ready and for some reason they never give us our preference as to means of travel...Priv. Wm.E.Marshall
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: The weed burner was through the area burning the weeds on the railroad right of way. Ruth Forward returned home from visiting her aunt, Mrs. Newman, in Monmouth. Mrs. Charles Applebee and children came from Galesburg to visit her mother, Mrs. Amy Lewis.
Virgil Galbraith, who went to Camp Dodge to take soldier training, is home again; he could not pass the required examination. A goodly number from here went to Burlington to attend a meeting concerning the Red Cross and Allied Relief Work at the Y.M.C.A. Mr. Bergren moved from S. Stevenson's house down into the bottoms where he has just completed a new house on the farm.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Barbara Dixon fell from a bicycle and broke her right arm. Harold and Lloyd White were involved in an exciting runaway last Tuesday, but neither was hurt. The Red Cross sale netted the local organization $1,648. The bantam hen brought $1,110, the highest individual bid being $61.
The parade which formed on a downtown street and proceeded to the park where an address was given by Mrs. Margaret Long of Chicago. Martial music for the sale was furnished by Messrs. C.L.Kilgore, Thos. Herndon, Paige Randall of Carman, Suydam of Media, Chas. Graham and H.L.Fuller. The congregation will give a reception honoring 25th wedding anniversary of Dr. and Mrs.. A.C. Douglas Wednesday evening after the church services.
SMITHSHIRE SMATTERINGS: Mrs. Belle Jackson, who has been quite ill, is much improved. Mr. Art Huntly has been having a siege of typhoid fever, but is getting along as well as can be expected. About 50 of the young people of the community assembled at the beautiful country home of Mr. and Mrs.. C.J. Anderson and gave a farewell party in honor of Frank and Walter Anderson who have been called to the colors.
Refreshments of cake and ice cream were served. Col. P.E.Holp of Chicago, lecturer for the State Council of Defense, will give an address at Media at the Media Township Service Flag dedication. Mrs.. Maude Hutchinson had quite an exciting experience Monday evening when lightning struck the chimney of her house.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs.. Ed Waterman of Dallas City spent Saturday with Dan Siens and wife; Dan left the following day for Oquawka where he was sent to Camp Grant. Miss Hazel Stewart has returned from her school work in Washington. Every good citizen- man, woman or child- is expected to meet Friday afternoon at 2 pm at the school on the War Saving and Thrift stamp drive by order of the President of the U.S. Mrs. William Coffman, who has been quite seriously ill at her home with gall stones, is improving.
LOCAL HAPPENINGS: Mr. and Mrs. John Salter received word this morning that Hobart Morris had arrived safely in France. The Misses Hazel Kirby and Marie Mudd have been engaged as teachers of the Raritan Public School. Nat Bruen has returned from Canada and reports crop prospects in the Northwest as fine. About two dozen young people enjoyed a picnic at Crapo Park. Some of our citizens report seeing a British tank go through the village on a flat car in a west bound freight train.
W.A. Derkson, wife and baby came over from Kahoka, Mo. to visit Charles Kerr, a brother of Mrs.. Derksen, who is employed on the Freeman Doak farm. The Henderson County Board of Supervisors will hold a special session at Oquawka to consider the proposition of installing a steam heating plant in the court house.
Henry Adair returned from a trip to Western Nebraska and Western South Dakota; he ran across Charley Floyd at Edgemont, S.D. and reports him enjoying a placid life. Lyle Harden, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.N. Harden, is now at Montreal, Can., and a member of the American-Canadian Engineer Crops. He is going through the usual quarantine experience and expects to be sent to France soon; his wife and baby are here.
Mrs. Nellie Ross Cornwall, who has been a visitor at Garden City, Kansas, returned home and was accompanied by her sister Mrs. Grace Fulton. Friends regret to learn that Mrs. Fulton is in poor health and all hope that the change of climate will be beneficial. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morgan entertained about 25 invited friends and relatives at dinner in honor of five Colorado guests: Mrs. Fred McKinley and daughter, Vivian of Los Animas; Mrs. Will Morgan and children, Floyd and Leota of near Fort Collins.
Harry C. Myers, a former LaHarpe boy, who enlisted from McLean County in the Marine Corps at the beginning of the war and who was pronounced by examining physicians at Peoria an absolutely perfect man from all physical standards, is reported as having died from wounds received in battle.
The parents of one of the boys who was killed in the wreck at Williamsfield, have brought suit against the Sante Fe for $20,000 damages. It is understood that the parents of the other two boys killed will take similar action. Charles Berg, who was so seriously injured in the same wreck, was able to leave the hospital and returned to his home here.
Plans have been perfected for a monster farewell athletic carnival and God speed celebration at Camp Grant and a formal dedication of the great new open-air boxing arena which is a natural amphitheater on a hillside and will seat 30,000. The 86th division, known as the "Black Hawk" division and made up of Camp Grant boys, is expected to be called soon for overseas service and the celebration will be a farewell to these troops.
BIG AUTO RACE: Everything is all set for the big 100 mile automobile race at Carthage, Ill. on July 4th. Entries include some of the fastest racing talent in the Mississippi Valley, among them being a brand new racing Dodge car from Macomb, Ill.; A Sunburst Special from Moline; "Wild" Barney Wetzel from Sterling, Ill. with a racing Buick Special; F.R.McDonald and H.A.Skinner, two dirt track stars from Springfield, Ill. with an Overland No.90 and a Chalmers BlueBird; Iowa's dirt track champion, A.M.Gailman with his Baby Grand No.4; "Bob Cusick of Kansas City l bringing his sixteen valve Puegot type racing Ford; Alva Ford of Good Hope, Ill. racing an Alford Special; Roy Humphrey with a racing D-45 Buick; C.E. Brown of Keokuk with a Flying Frazier-all will be money contenders.
The track has been put in first-class shape by the fair association, the Carthage band has been hired as a side attraction and with good weather and roads a record breaking attendance is anticipated.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Quite a number from town have been going to the nearby woods for gooseberries. Miss Anna LaVelle is spending the week at the Jim Heaps home doing sewing for Mrs. Heap. Mr. Gale Sullivan returned to his work in the depot at Stronghurst after a week's layoff on account of two badly smashed fingers.
The Misses Bessie Pendarvis, Florence Gram, Vera Jones, Mrs. Kathryn Malmn and Mrs. Charles Pendarvis and Mrs. C.R. Pendarvis motored to Biggsville to attend the Red Cross Sale. The community club will meet at the sewing rooms of the Academy to make comfort kits; the Red Cross will have a business meeting.
In Lomax Miss Vera Schroeder, who has been learning operating at the Santa Fe depot, has been called to take charge of an office east of Galesburg. Mr. Ed Babcook and family of Lomax have been entertaining with a new player piano.