The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, May 30, 1918
***OBITUARY***WM. H. FORT: William H.Fort, one of the early settlers of Henderson County, died at his home at DeWitt, Neb., May 7, 1918 at the age of 86 years, 9 months and 12 days. Mr. Fort was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Fort and was born in Edmonton County, Kentucky, on July 25, 1831.
At the age of 2 years he came with his parents to Henderson County where he grew to manhood in the vicinity of Olena and remained a resident until 1878 when he are moved to Lincoln County, Kansas. Here he lived until 1890 when he moved to DeWitt, Neb., where he lived on a farm until about 8 years ago retiring to town.
On December 19, 1872, he married Martha Elizabeth Fryrear and to this union seven children were born: Thomas Fort, Frances Quackenbush, Harry Fort, Maude Plucknett, Myrtle, Grace and Jessie Fort-all living in the vicinity of DeWitt. He also had two children by former marriage: Mrs. Lillie Ellis of Seattle, Wash. and George H.Fort, who preceded his father some years before. He also leaves 13 grandchildren, two brothers ( George and Jesse Fort. of Stronghurst, Ill.) and a host of friends. Funeral services were held on May 10th at the M.E.Church with interment in the Ellis Cemetery.
PROUD OF THEIR SONS: Mr. and Mrs. F.S.Fisher of Hopper have reason to feel proud of the record of having four sons in service or training for the Allied cause: Clarence-New Jersey National Guards stationed at Dover, N.J.; Charles-taking a special course in radio work at Harvard
University for the navy; Ray-aviation student at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Tex.; and Will-Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Mo.
MARRIED IN VIRGINIA: "Friends will be surprised to hear of the marriage of Harold Richey , son of Mr. and Mrs. C.G.Richey of Stronghurst, and Miss Leanore Bader of Vermont, Ill. on Monday evening at 8 o'clock at the Chapel at Fortress Monroe, Va. The services were read by the Chaplain of the camp and the ring ceremony used. Mrs. Richey left about two weeks ago for Fortress Monroe with Mrs. Hiram Martin to visit with Mr. Richey and when the news leaked out of the marriage, it was a surprise to their many friends as no thought was given to this event before leaving for camp.
The groom is well known having attended the local high school finishing his course with the class of 1914. Afterward he attended the business college in Galesburg and for a while was chauffeur for Dr. Percy of Galesburg. Before entering the army he was farming near Stronghurst. While the bride is not well known in Monmouth, the many friends of the groom extend their best wishes. Mrs. Richey will return and make her home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Bader and those of her husband for the time that Mr. Richey is in service. -Monmouth Daily Review
0 A letter from Earl Mahnesmith of Albia, Ia., contained information which indicates that Harry Clark may have met his death in France as the result of a gas attack.
The letter says: "I have a copy of a letter from a boy in France saying that he had been out looking at some trenches that they had left and he found a body of a U.S. soldier of Company I who had been gassed and was overcome and had lost his way trying to get back to support. The body was found the next day after Harry's death. I have noticed the papers very closely and he is the only one I could find "killed in action" in Company I on of near that day."
TRAINING FOR THE NAVY: a personal letter from Charles C. Fisher, son of Mr. And Mrs. F.S. Fisher of Hopper and who is now a radio student at Camp Perry, Mass., relates his experiences in the naval service training program.
"I enlisted for the Navy Aug.10, 1917, and was called to answer my enlistment on Sept. 2nd when I reported at Des Moines, Ia., where there were 186 men and one boy bound for the Great Lakes training station. They were the happiest lot of men I was ever shipped with. We were all at the station two hours before the time for the train to leave, eager to go on our fighting mission.
We were sent to Chicago on a special train over the Rock Island road, arriving early the following morning. Some of the boys stayed up nearly all night and spent the time trying to sing operatic selections, but their efforts were pronounced a failure by the rest of the bunch.
After spending a short time there, we left for the Great Lakes station, 33 miles north of the city anxious to find out what we had signed up for; and I can say that our first impression was disappointing, for instead of battle ships and shipyards we saw long lines of tents and no water in sight. On our arrival we were put through an inspection for cigarettes, guns and other prohibited articles. Some of the boys forked over their smokers, but the wise guys hid them in their clothing. Some of the Texas boys put them in their boots. Our first line-up looked like a ripple on the briny deep. After a few weeks drill we could keep from getting mixed up, but our line was not as straight as it was some months later.
Our first drill was in the detention camp where we were kept for 21 days and where we received our first shot, not of lead but vaccination virus, two for typhoid, three for diphtheria and in some cases, one extra for good measure. On the 22nd day we were notified to be ready to move in five minutes; so you see that when the Blue Jacket (sailor) moves, he moves on short notice.
Regarding the officers, I will say that most of them are not "hard boiled" as the navy slang goes, meaning cross or fussy. They treat a new beginner fine and will meet him halfway, but no farther. You are expected to do what you are told and can't quit if you don't like the job like you can on a farm.
The best thing to do when an order comes is to give the officer a snappy salute and get busy. The worst thing to do is to try to get help or ask for it; for they are trying you out and watching your actions from the very start, and your record follows you through your whole term of enlistment and upon this record depends your chance for promotion.
Our first work was hauling lumber on two wheeled wagons with 20 jackies (sailors) to pull each one. It lacked a whole lot of being hard work, but there was of course more or less shirking and the officer in charge was kept busy keeping every one at work. Naturally many of us felt it a big disappointment to be put at lumber jack's job when we were looking for real war training. We found, however, that they don't make a seaman of you right away; but rather a jack of all trades such as washing clothes, dishwashing and hundreds of other things that must be done. We accepted the situation, however, and showed that we were willing to do anything for a chance to get at Fritzy (Germans) later and we were also willing to buy our own ammunition as you will see that of the 28,000 Jackies at the Great Lakes, there were 24,070 who helped Uncle Sam in the Second Liberty Loan drive.
As government insurance takes $6.70 per month, board $10 and family allotment for those who have dependants $15 per month, you can see that the apprentice seaman with $32.60 per month, does not have much left to go out and enjoy himself on. The most of us, however, did not have to pay the $15 family allotment and got along very well. The first $32.60 coming to the apprentice is put in the ship's bank for use in case of sickness, or if you are called home because of the sickness or death of relatives.
We were given a hammock to call home-just a piece of canvass 4 by 7 ft. with lacing. It's a man's job to sleep in one of these affairs and you spend the first night watching that you do not fall out and hit the deck seven feet below. It is also quite a trick to get out in the morning without falling. Some of the fellows after their first night's experience made up their bunks on the deck, but the officer came and ordered them up into the hammocks. When the inspecting doctor came through, some of the boys were sent to the hospital for treatment for bruises. The hospital is a swell affair and the doctors are a fine lot; but the helpers are far from being the fair Red Cross nurses you read about so the Jackies do not get sick purposely to get to be attended by the little nurse in charge.
The guy who attended me was about 6 ft. tall and more like a horse doctor than a human doctor. Some of the Jackies fainted before they were vaccinated or even touched because of the rough manner of those who were doing the work.
(To be continued)
MEMORIAL DAY 1918: Here in Stronghurst as well as the many other communities throughout the county, the Memorial services held today will take on a deeper significance than any which have been held in recent years because of the fact that they will bring to us memories not only of those who long ago laid down their lives on their country's altar, but also of those who but a short time ago went off from among us in answer to the nation's call for defenders and who have given up their lives that the institutions which we cherish and the liberty which we enjoy might be made enduring.
We will also be reminded of the scores of young men from the community who are today a part of or in training to become a part of that great army which it is coming more and more to be recognized must be depended upon to deal the final and crushing blow to the world menace which is expressed in the term "Prussianism."
Even as we gather to pay our tribute of respect to the memory of the dead and to do honor to the living heroes of our nation, there will be young men from the homes of some of those who have gather standing , perhaps, face to face with death in the front battle line in France prepared , if need be, to give up their lives that the cause of human liberty and justice and humanity be not overthrown.
Yes, it will be a different Memorial Day from those which have gone before in that it will commemorate the deeds of sacrifice of the men of our own day, of our own community, of our own homes in the most momentous conflict the world has ever known.
Those who fought in the previous wars of our country and whose sacrifices made possible for us the blessings we have enjoyed as a free people will not be forgotten, but our heroes of today will necessarily fill a large place in our thought as we observe Memorial day, 1918.
(These words resound with fresh meaning when we remember those fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan today. This Memorial Day honor those alive as well as those lying in this county's cemeteries. Flags will be flying over their graves.)
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Mr. and Mrs. Ben Mudd were at Camp Dodge to visit their son Estel. Miss Nellie Bowen came down from Aledo to visit with home folks before the departure of her brother Ed for service in the army.
Chicken thieves are reported to be carrying on operations on a considerable scale in the village presently. Miss Marian Barnett has been selected as principal of the Biggsville public school for the coming year.
Mrs. James McDermitt, who has been in Iowa for some time, is visiting at the home of her daughters, Mrs. Helen Burrell of Stronghurst and Mrs. Hattie A. Ogden of Galesburg.
Ed Stine, Newt Vaughn and Ralph Painter went to Octavo, Neb. to attend a big Hereford cattle sale. Ed bought two cows and Newt a cow and calf. The average price of the cattle sold was $1200.
Mr. and Mrs. H.N. McDonald have moved into Stronghurst from Decorra neighborhood and taken up residence in the house on East Main Street formerly occupied by C.L.Thompson and family. Shore Hollingsworth has been having trouble with his hip which was injured a number of years ago and expects to go to Topeka to have an X-ray photo taken to see what can be done.
Clarence Hartquist, Hollis Links, Cranston Doak, Ray Chandler and Harold Butler bid farewell to their friends and took their departure for Peoria to enlist in the Navy.
Mr. Ed Wanders, Miss Katie Wheeling and Miss Hazel Dodds of Stronghurst; Mrs. WmWhiteman and Mrs. Ray Whiteman of Biggsville; and Mrs. Doc Logan of Lomax left from Galesburg for Ft. Morgan, Ala. for a short visit with relatives who are training there for service.
TRAIN SCHEDULE CHANGED: Two important trains, No. 17 arriving at 7:35 am and Train No. 18 arriving from the west at noon are to be abolished.
Train No.15 will run on the old schedule of No.17 and will leave Chicago at 2:15 am and probably arrive here about 7:30 am. It is presumed it will be the morning mail train but it will make no stop here and we will, no doubt, receive any mail again in a shredded form. But it's war times and we will put up with these inconveniences with the best grace possible. The railroads are losing so many men to the draft and it is difficult to keep trains moving.
STRONGHURST GRADUATION: The Stronghurst High School commencement exercises will be held in the Lyric Theatre Friday evening, May 31st at 8:15 with the following program: Harp Solo..Erma Kaiser, Invocation..Rev. A. Jaggers, Class Prophecy..Belle Negley, Class Poem..Evelyn Fort, Vocal Solo..Alice Wax, Address..Prof. R.E.Curtis, High School Song..Class, Presentation of Diplomas..Supt. Pope, Benediction..Rev. W.P.Anderson. The subject of Prof. Curtis's address will be "The Fountain of Youth."
***OBITUARY***MRS. ELIZA HUSTON: Mrs. Eliza Huston passed away at the home of Mrs. Mary Thompson in this village; she was a sister of Mrs. Thompson's father and made her home in eastern New York state until about 12 years ago when she came to live with her niece.
She was upward of 90 years old and had been practically helpless from the infirmities of old age for a year or more. Funeral service was conducted at the home with interment in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
GLADSTONE: Ralph VanSant shipped 2 cars of hogs to the Chicago market. James Thomas, Orin Ogle, Frans Miller, Glen Kimmitt and Virgil Galbraith all left for training camps. James Sandy is working in Oquawka in the new Oquawka garage.
Oscar Swedland went to Jefferson Barracks for training. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Galbraith and son Virgil and Flora Petterson went to Burlington and took the excursion on the river to Keithsburg.
CARMAN: Cyril Good, Earl Breen, Arlie McCannon, Roy Stimpson and Lee Stewart have been called for U.S.service. Mr. Fred Crane and family have left for a trip to Colorado and other points West. Mr. Marcellus Clover has returned home from Denmark, Iowa, after a visit with his son Harry Clover and family.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Little Joe Meloan is quite sick. Dr. Bond was a professional caller in town one evening this week. Mrs. E.C.Lukens has been quite sick with inflammatory rheumatism.
Mr. Clyde Stanbury has been assisting with some carpenter work at Stronghurst. Miss Evelyn Richey attend the State Sunday School convention at Peoria as a delegate from the United Presbyterian Church.
The tennis court on the Academy lawn has been fixed up and some of the young people have been enjoying themselves in the evenings. The teachers that are hired for the public school the coming year are Miss Erminda Clark, Principal and Miss Marjorie Thompson of Stronghurst for the lower room.
Edward Gram spent a short visit with parents before going to a training camp. Teachers who recently finished their term and returned to their homes for vacations are Faree Mathers, Verlea Wolfe, Omah Lukens and Anna LaVelle.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pendarvis and son and Mr. and Mrs. Hugh McKeown and son of Biggsville motored to Burlington to see Mrs. T.C.Knutstrom of Stronghurst, who has been in the hospital for some time. The third meeting organized to promote a community club was held in Meloan's Hall.
Mr. Earl Brunington of Coldbrook was present and told of the club there and its benefits. Dr. J.F.Meloan and family left for Ellsbury, Mo., where Mrs. Meloan and Joe will spend the summer while the doctor goes to a medical school in Chicago preparatory to taking up his profession again as a doctor. This family will be greatly missed in Media and vicinity.