The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec.12, 1918
SUMMONS CAME SUDDENLY: This community was shocked last Monday morning when the word gained circulation that Volney Evans, who has for the past year been looking after the extensive farming interests in this locality of his father, J. Marion Evans, had passed away during the night at the old Evans homestead near Decorra.
The fact that the young man had been in Stronghurst on Saturday evening apparently well and hearty made the report all the more difficult to believe. Heart failure resulting from indigestion is supposed to have been the cause of death.
Volney S. Evans, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Evans was born at Emerson, Iowa, Oct.3, 1904. His childhood was spent at Emerson, but at an early age he went to Fairbault, Minn. where he attended Shattuck Military School for seven years. He took a course at Ames, Ia., later, graduating from the agricultural college. On July 3, 1918 he married Miss Dorothy Josephson of LaHarpe, Ill, the wedding taking place at Burlington, Iowa. After a trip East they took up their residence on the farm near Decorra.
About Sept.1st, Volney went to Camp Pike, Ark., where he entered the officers training school, completing the course Dec.1st. He was given his choice between being made a commissioned officer in the army or being mustered out. He chose the latter and returned home last Wednesday, Dec.4th. He took his wife to LaHarpe Saturday, it being her birthday. In the evening he left her there to remain over night and returned home to look after things on the farm. He drove to Stronghurst to get his supper and ate a hearty meal. He was taken ill on his way home and was barely more than able to summon a physician after reaching the house. Dr. Harter arrived in a few minutes and after giving the patient a treatment for indigestion, called his wife at La Harpe, telling her of his illness. She returned home at once. He was still suffering somewhat from the attack on Sunday, but arose in the morning and dressed and came down stairs. He and his wife were alone at home in the evening and as the latter was not feeling well, they retired early. About 10 o'clock, Mrs. Evans was aroused by her husband's groaning and throwing his arms about. She hastily summoned the physician and called Alvah Anderson, who lives nearby. Volney soon sank into a stupor and before any one could reach the house he was dead.
Brief services were conducted at the residence and a funeral party left for Emerson, Iowa in the evening. The funeral was held Wednesday at Emerson.In addition to his bride of but a few months, Volney is survived by his parents, one sister, Mrs. Edith McArthur of Chicago and four brothers, namely, John of Emerson, Iowa; Capt. Frank Evans, who is serving in the Medical Corps of the U.S.Army in England; Marion Evans, Jr., who is with the army in France and Kenneth of Stronghurst.
The deceased had a wide circle of friends who will sincerely mourn his untimely death and sympathize with the bereaved wife, parents, brothers and sister.
LETTER FROM OREGON: Another year has rolled around. . . Well, this is hoping the cruel war is over, but I do dread the reconstruction. There is going to be an army of men thrown out of work here in the shipyards unless the Government consents for them to go ahead and build them for any one who will buy them. It has canceled all further orders so that stops all work only on those ships that are on the way.
There have been very few cases of the flu in this neighborhood so far, but it has been very bad in Portland and Salem and other places here on the coast and it has been much worse in California than in Oregon and Washington. . . The milk condenser here is paying $3.50 per hundred for milk now. That is the highest price ever paid here for milk. One of my neighbors has two old cows and four heifers and his milk check last month was $128.00. I suppose that corn husking is about done by this time. I wouldn't mind having a few hundred bushels to husk. The corn we get out here for chicken feed is poor looking stuff and it sells for 4 cents a pound at that. If they would let us feed wheat, it would be cheaper for us. Eggs are selling for 65 cents and butter is 70 cents.--H.G.King
COMMUNITY CLUB NOTES: Saturday's program was enlivened by the presence of the children. One group under Miss Ethel Hartquist's direction presented a delightful Flag song. Miss Marjorie Thompson's 13 wee tots recited "Little Orphan Annie" with telling effect. Rev. K.R.Anderson favored the audience with a brief address on "The Things We Read." During the business session Mrs. White was elected secretary to succeed Mrs. Wells. Fourteen members were received into the club as follows: Mrs. J.M. Johnson, Miss Hazel Kirby, Mrs. Judd Steffey, Mrs. Foote, Miss Ruth Heisler, Mrs. Fanny Gray, Mrs. Mahnesmith, Miss Robinson, Miss Kendrick, Miss Ella Brokaw, Mrs. Roy Park, Miss Grace Marshall, Mrs. Spence and Mrs. Alice Worthington.
***OBITUARY-Biggsville Pastor's Son***DONALD H. DOUGLASS: Youngest son of Dr. and Mrs. A.C.Douglass of Biggsville died last Saturday evening at their home in Biggsville. The deceased was a lad of 10 years and possessed of an unusually winning disposition. He was taken sick with influenza on Dec.1st, the disease developing into pneumonia which terminated fatally on Saturday evening. Besides the father and mother he leaves three brothers and two sisters to mourn his death. They are Lieut. Wilbur F. Douglass, now is France; Lieut. Ralph W. Douglass, Camp Hancock, Ga; Annabel, a student at Monmouth College; Evelyn, attending Cooper College at sterling, Kan. and Irwin B. at home. Funeral services were conducted at home with interment at Monmouth.
THEY MADE GOOD: Phil Hamilton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hamilton who were residents of Stronghurst in its earlier days, has been a student in the officers training school at Camp Taylor, Ky. and previous to the signing of the armistice with Germany, had received a commission as Lieutenant in the army. His brother Ben is now chief at the big government radio station located at Astoria, Oregon where he has been employed for the last 5 years.
***OBITUARIES***CLIFFORD E. MARSHALL: Clifford E., son of J. Ralph and Addie Gaddis Marshall, was born near Ashland, Neb. Nov.21, 1890, died at Wellington Kan. Nov.3, 1918. The father arrived in Stronghurst with the remains on No..8 train, the two sisters, Mrs. Maud Davis of New Mexico and Grace Waldrop of Montana, arrived the previous evening. Rev. Jaggers, assisted by Rev. Anderson, conducted the services at a private funeral at the home of Miss Emma Marshall attended by relatives only. The remains were laid to rest in the Old North Cemetery beside his mother, who preceded him nearly twenty years to the spirit world. (Died of the flu.)
***VICTOR CARTER*** Victor M. Carter, who went to Chicago to look after some fine Galloway cattle being exhibited by J.P. Milliken at the International Livestock Show, was taken sick with the influenza soon after arrival there and died from the malady on Dec.8th. Victory Melvin Carter, son of Andrew and Laura Carter, was born at St. Cloud, Minn. Feb.23, 1897 and passed away at Mercy Hospital in Chicago Dec.8, 1918 at the age of 21 years, 9 months and 15 days. He came to Stronghurst in 1913 and has since them made his home at James Milliken's. His mother passed away April 15, 1910. He leaves to mourn his father, stepmother, seven brothers and one sister, namely, Ivie, now with the American expeditionary forces in France; William of St. Cloud, Minn.; John of Whiting, Iowa and Daniel, Alma, Andrew, Raymond and George at home at Pleasant Hill, Mo...Burial was in the Raritan Cemetery.1893 GRAPHIC: A series of revival meetings were held in the Stronghurst Baptist Church under the direction of Rev. J.A.Cornelius assisted by Rev. Brown. The period of hard times and depression in this county had reached the point where relief committees were being organized in almost every city of any size to care for the needy. A pleasant social in honor of Miss Maggie Ross was given at the home of her sister, Mrs. Frank Davis, north of town. Ira Foote and Miss Mary Coates were married at the home of the groom in Stronghurst on Dec.10th. A 16 months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Irons died from the effects of chicken pox.
McDonough county citizens were swelling up with pride over the fact that the towns of Blandinsville, Fountain Green and Colchester had been connected up by telephone. At the regular meeting of the Stronghurst village council held Dec.11, 1893, provisions were made for the establishment of a calaboose and a cemetery for the village. It was decided to issue improvement bonds in the sum of $11,800 to meet debts due and contracted the village.
CAUGHT RED HANDED: A raid on the notorious booze and bawdy house at the east end of the Burlington wagon bridge was conducted by Sheriff McDill last Saturday night and John Taylor of Burlington taken into custody and a large quantity of beer and whiskey confiscated. The patrons of the place, mostly Burlington people of sportive inclinations, were given to understand that this county did not propose to submit any longer to the odium arising from harboring a set of undesirables from another state. Taylor was taken to Oquawka where he pled guilty to illegal liquor selling.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Mr. Richard Cadle of Peoria is visiting his sister Mrs. James Kelley and family. Miss Gladys Gray commenced teaching school at the Bacon School House; the house is a modern new school house that has just been finished. Mr. Johnson, the blind piano tuner from Burlington tuned D.S.Bryan's piano at the hall. Earl Watson , one of the local soldiers who was training at Camp Grant, came home to stay.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: The health of the community is fairly good; a few lingering cases of the flu has some victims in the Roscoe Detrick and Leslie Lyons home. Mrs. Robert McCartney is suffering with erysipelas; she is receiving medical treatment of Dr. Ditto of Gladstone. Messrs. Ed Carlson and John Lant have been afflicted the past few weeks with lumbago. Mr. and Mrs. Clas Carlson are quite worried about their son Elmer, who is somewhere in France. The last heard from him on Oct.14, 1918. The annual Thanksgiving dinner of the Lant family was held at the home of C.E. Lant, but bad weather diminished the numbers. Mr. and Mrs. P.J.Johnson are hoping their son Fred will be home for "over there" to eat Christmas dinner with them. Frank Veech and family visited his brother Lester. Mrs. Riggs of Monmouth was a recent guest at the S.W.Black home; she will soon be leaving for California to spend the winter. Mr. John Peterson is building a new house to replace the one destroyed by fire. The Olena Sabbath School is arranging to give a Xmas entertainment, possibly a tree will be in evidence though that has not been fully decided upon.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: J.F.Mains has been appointed postmaster at Stronghurst. He is exceptionally well qualified for the position because of his 16 years of former experience as postmaster here. Mr. C.E.Fort resigned in order to devote his time to other affairs. Waldo Johnson has been appointed mail carrier on Route 3 out of Stronghurst. Lyman Ross, who is a member of the signal crew on the U.S.S.Massachusetts, has been granted an eight day furlough. Miss Anna Fort returned from an ten day visit with her brother Chalmer and wife at Great Lakes Training Camp.
John Wilson, a former resident of this locality and now living at Carman, Okla., has been visiting at the home of his brother L.A.Wilson. Ben Matzka returned from his Canadian ranch to spent the winter with relatives and friends. John B.Lant and wife with his father-in-law started for Long Beach California by auto; they will spend the winter. Rev. K.R. Anderson and wife are rejoicing over the arrival of a fine baby boy at their home on Dec.10th. Mrs. E.R.Grandy left for Grand Rapids, Mich. where she was called by the death of her father, D.V.Goodspeed, 74 years of age. Ben Leinbach is back from spending a year with his daughter at Brown Valley, Minn. Lieut. Chauncey M. Hollingsworth received his discharge at Ft. Sheridan and has returned home. Rev. Schiarnetzki is the new pastor of the Congregational Church at Dallas City. Raymond Thompson was discharged at Camp Taylor and returned home. Miss Dorothy McKee and Miss Judith Fish of Kahoka, Mo.are at the J.M.Johnson home to help care for the sick there; the girls are nieces of Mrs. Johnson. Mr. Johnson is reported to be in a critical condition from pneumonia following an attack of the influenza.Irwin B. Milliken, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Milliken, has enrolled for a complete course in automobile mechanics and tractor engineering in the Rahe Auto and Tractor School at Kansas City Mo. The work of stringing the high tension wire for the Western Utilities Co. electric light line which is to furnish Stronghurst with current, has been delayed as some of the material contracted for was taken over by the government; new purchases were necessary.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Joe McCleary, who has been at training camp in Alabama, came home. Harry Winders is the new assistant helper at the depot during Miss Simpson's absence. Miss Vera Simpson is sick with the flu. Earl Pendarvis of Oklahoma was in town called here by death of his sister, Miss Effie. A box social will be held at the public school Tuesday evening; ladies, please bring boxes. The pie social at the Academy netted the sum of over $30.00. Miss Elsie Cooper received the cake which was given to the most popular young lady; the cake brought something over $11.00 and was made by Miss Harting. A pie sold for $6.00.