The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1919
Stronghurst Graphic, Jan.30, 1919
BIG COMMUNITY CHAUTAUQUA: A big two day Chautauqua whichwill be free to people of the community is scheduled for Feb.3 and 4th. It promises to be an affair of educational and practical importance worthy of attendance of everyone. Committees of local businessmen supporting the event were formed (long list in this issue).
This Chautauqua is furnished by the Agricultural Extension Department of the International Harvester Co. under the management and control of Prof. P.G.Holden, formerly of the Iowa State Agricultural College and universally recognized as the highest authority on corn raising in the world. Speakers here will be Mr. H.S.Mobley and Mrs. Adda F. Howie, the former a specialist in farming and community building work and the latter famed throughout this country and Europe as an expert in matters pertaining to dairying and on subjects pertaining to home building.
There will be demonstrations and discussions of topics pertaining to the farm and to the home and the Chautauqua will be entirely different from anything ever held in this vicinity. The lectures will be illustrated with large charts and lantern slides and at the evening sessions, educational moving pictures will form most of the program. People from the country are asked to be guests of local businessmen and will be served a free luncheon at the noon hour both days.
***OBITUARY***ANSWERS THE CALL: Miss Katie Wheeling-Very few are have been the occasions where the tiding of the passing of one received with as many expressions of genuine sorrow and regret as was the case when it became known that Miss Katie Wheeling had died last Saturday morning at the Westlake home near Coloma where she had been engaged in teaching.
Last week it was known that she had fallen victim to the ravages of pneumonia following an attack of influenza and it was hoped that medical skill and careful nursing might avail in saving her life. Because of her rather frail physical condition, relatives and friends were apprehensive and somewhat prepared for the word that her spirit had taken its flight at 7:30 that morning. Her mother had been at her beside since her malady became serious and was present to sooth her dying pillow to the very end. She had a few moments before and asked to have some passages from the Word of God read to her and afterward expressed her faith in the Savior she was soon to meet. She remarked that it seemed to be "growing dark" and turning on her pillow sank into the "Blessed sleep from which none ever wakes to weep."
Katherine Christina L. Wheeling, the eldest child and daughter of Charles S. And Johanna Wheeling was born at San Antonio, Texas, Oct.23, 1893 and passed away at Coloma Jan. 25th. During her infancy her parents moved to Chicago and from there to Decorra, Ill., which was their home until about 15 years ago when Mr. Wheeling died and Mrs. Wheeling and four children moved to Stronghurst, which has been their home ever since. Katie received her education in the public schools of Decorra and Stronghurst and graduated from Stronghurst High School in the class of 1913. Following graduation she took up the profession of teacher with a degrees of success which marked her as one of the best in the county and one whose services were eagerly sought. She taught several terms in district 13, known as the "Cork" district, going from there to district No. 10, known as the Henderson district. Two years ago she was chosen to take charge of the Coloma school, one of the very few "standard schools" in this part of the country. . .She is survived by her mother, one brother, Pvt. Charles El Wheeling lately returned from overseas and who reached home in time to be present at the funeral and by two sisters, Marguerite and Juliette Wheeling, both of this place.
Katie was a member of the Stronghurst M.E.Church and took an active interest in the Sabbath school and Epworth League. Funeral services were conducted at the church. Floral offering contributed to Katie by friends were perhaps the most profuse and beautiful of any ever seen in this village. The music for the occasion was furnished by Lieut. Chas. E.Fort, Roland Davidson, Sarah McElhinney and Marie Davidson with Erma Kaiser as pianist. The pall bearers were six recently returned soldier boys, namely, Dale Davis, Russell Brokaw, Frank Lauber, Fred Johnson, Lawrence Duncan and Chester Trimmer. Seating capacity of the church was not sufficient to accommodate the large number of people and many were forced to remain outside. The pupils of the Coloma school attended in a body and form a part of the procession which followed the remains to the village cemetery. The Eastern Star lodge of which Katie was a member were present as a body.
WCTU LADIES ENTERTAIN: The Local ladies of the Women's Christian Temperance Union gave a reception at the home of W.C.Regan in honor of the ministers of the village, the local school board and the Supt. and teachers of the school. The guests were delightfully entertained with a program consisting of a short history of the W.C.T.U. and its achievements given by Mrs.B.G.Widney; solos by the Misses Sarah McElhinney and Marie Davidson and Lieut. Chas. Fort; trios by Mrs. Geo. Wax, Miss Marjorie Thompson and Miss Marie Davidson and a select reading by Mrs. K.R.Anderson. Refreshments of cakes, ice cream, tea and coffee were served and an hour or two of social intercourse and music was enjoyed by all. Previous to their departure each guest was presented with a souvenir in the shape of a stick pin with a small U.S. flag attached. The nicely appointed Regan home was appropriately decorated for the occasion. (This is the Baxter house of Division Street today.)
ANTI-AIR CRAFT BOYS RETURN: Seven young men from this immediate vicinity who formed part of this country's overseas fighting forces arrived home on Tuesday and met with a hearty and enthusiastic reception at the local station when they disembarked from the trains which brought them from Chicago, a large share of the populace including a company of school children carrying U.S. flags being massed on the station platform when the boys arrived.
Chas. Wheeling, Fred Johnson and Chester Trimmer arrived on the morning train with the balance of the company, including Frank Lauber, Lawrence Duncan, Ross Harvey and Herman Matzka, arrived on the afternoon train.
The seven boys had not been separated since leaving Stronghurst last April when after reporting for duty at Oquawka they were sent to Camp Merritt in New Jersey and from there were sent overseas landing at Liverpool and proceeding to Southampton where they embarked for LaHarve, France. On their arrival there they were assigned to the Anti-Aircraft School of the American expeditionary Forces situated in the Fort-de Stains, one of the forts for the protection of Paris. It was here that the most of the time of their sojourn on French soil was spent.Col. J.P. Hopkins, the officer in charge of the school in a speech remarked that when the Armistice was signed the school had turned out 12,000 trained men and officers and the number of aeroplanes brought down by the machine guns of the Anti-Aircraft Service spoke for the efficiency of the training. He said that one aeroplane had been brought down for every 1,200 shots while one in every 6,000 is considered a high mark of efficiency.
The boys were billeted in four or five villages around Fort de Stains, which is a suburb of Paris and it is the anti-aircraft guns of such forts that played their part in protecting Paris. Sometimes squadrons, thirty strong, were turned back by the guns at Stains. During the raid last September a bomb was dropped on the fort and damaged one of the walls considerably. A few seconds later two enemy aeroplanes were brought down in an open space just outside the walls of the fort. The Ant-Aircraft gunners say that the Germans lost as many aeroplanes in trying to break through the barrage around Paris as they lost on the whole front.
After being disbanded at Stains, the boys on Jan.8, 1919 were sent to Camp Grant, Rockford where they received their final discharge a few days ago.
Not all the names of the Anti-Aircraft boys who reached home were not available, but it is understood that Harold Richey, Ross Lefler, Lawrence Barry and Barney White of Media township are amongst the number.
***OBITUARY*** MRS. MINERVA POLLOCK- A telegram informed relatives of the death of Mrs. Minerva Pollock at her home near Mt. Ayr, Iowa on Jan. 22, 1919 in the 75th year of her age. She was a sister of Mrs. J.M.Fort and Mrs. John Carothers and grew up in this neighborhood where she was a teacher in the public schools of the county for several years; many of her students still hold her in grateful remembrance. After her marriage in 1869 she went to southwestern Iowa with her husband where by their united efforts they were successful in acquiring a substantial home. Her husband died several year so and since which time she has lived with one of her sons. Four sons and their families including twelve grandchildren, three sisters and one brother survive to mourn her loss. She has been a loyal member of the United Presbyterian congregation of Mt. Ayr since her residence there.
1894 GRAPHIC: The question of licensing saloons in the village was being agitated in connection with that of selecting candidates for village trustees at the spring election and quite a number of alleged reputable citizens were said to be favoring the license proposition. A large article was contained in this issue about Simon Nevius' greenhouse growing a large variety of flowers, shrubs, plants and vegetables while zero weather prevailed outside.
C.A. and W.O.Stevens, who later became famous silk merchants of chicago, had just failed in business in their native town of Colchester, Ill. The Aledo Record and the Aledo Times had been consolidated to become one of the most influential papers in Western Illinois.
ALL RECOGNIZED BERT: A big audience attended a showing of the U.S.Gov't War films shown at the Lyric Theatre. The scene which aroused the greatest enthusiasm and most loudly applauded was that in which Bert Putney was shown in action "somewhere in France" handling loaves of bread with the swiftness and dexterity displayed by the ball juggler in a circus. The men shown were evidently preparing to forward a consignment of bread to the boys in the trenches and were to busy to even glance in the direction of the camera. If Bert had known that he was in a film to be shown all over the U.S. and especially to home people, he would at least have taken time for a glance and a saluting gesture in their direction.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Miss Violet Sandy and Mr.James Kobus announce their recent marriage. The bride is a graduate of the class of 1917 and a very popular young lady. Mr. and Mrs. George Forgey are enjoying a visit with their son who has been the Naval Transport service. Mr. Forgey made many trips across the ocean and has many interesting tale to tell. Mrs. R.W.VanSant is quite ill at her home in town. Miss Iona Simpson is suffering from an attack of bronchial trouble. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Furnald have moved into the Silas Dowell property which they recently purchased. Mrs. Marcellus Galbraith is sick with the "flu."
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Mrs. Wm. Booten was called to Dallas City by the serious condition of her son John; he and his wife have been flu victims, but Mr. Booten got out a little too soon and suffered a relapse. Several in the Johnson family north and west of Olena are quite sick with influenza and Mrs. Margaret Peyton is nursing them. The box supper given at the church was fairly well attended. Boxes sold well and the neat sum of $65.25 was added to the church's exchequer.. Col. Fred Gray of Media and Mr. Spiker of Stronghurst kindly gave their services as auctioneers.
About 50 or 60 friends of Harvey Lant took possession of his home to remind him of his birthday anniversary. This company was mostly composed of the young people's Bible class of which he is teacher and the Senior Bible class. Light refreshments were served. Mr. Lant, like Kaiser William (whose natal day is also the 27th), said he had been wondering what the people were going to give him.
Mesdames Clas Carlson, John Lant, George Detrick, Pine Long, Effie Scott, Miss Eva Burrell, Messrs. J. Long, H. Francis were dinner guests at the Irvin Burrell home to celebrate their anniversary and also Mrs. Burrell's birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Clas Carlson received a letter from their son, Elmer who was still in a hospital in France.
Elmer had previously written that he stood knee deep in the trenches for 15 days without relief and when taken out, his shoes and clothes had to be cut off him and he was suffering a bad case of "trench feet." Mr. McCannonand family were recent guests at the Arthur Dowell home. Mrs. Ross Marshall is reported as being in very poor health. Raymond Prior broke his arm while playing on the school ground. Mr. George Bigger of Carman neighborhood has returned safely from overseas and has been employed for the summer by Mr. Claybaugh of the village. Mr. Geo. Detrick has rented her home to her son Roscoe for one year and is expecting to visit with her children during his time period. Mrs. John Lant received a letter from her niece, Mrs. Eugene Rodwell of Oakland, Iowa bearing the sad news that her youngest sister, Alyce had passed away at a hospital in San Francisco, Calif. after two days of pneumonia. The deceased was the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Miller Black,, who were both born and raised in this vicinity and spent their early married life here. Mrs. Black, who has for many years been widowed is also mourning the loss of her youngest son, Ralph, who has been reported "missing in action" in France for several months.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: H. N. Vaughn and Ed Stine left for Omaha, Neb. to attend a sale of Hereford cattle. Mrs. O.W.Lauver and children from Little York came down for a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John McKeown. Returning boys from the army and navy include Ernest Putney from the Naval Station at Pensacola, Fla; Chas. Heisler from Camp Gordon, Ga.; and Dean Rankin from Great Lakes Naval Station. Arthur McIntyre and wife of Washington, Iowa are visiting relatives. Atty. W.C.Ivins has been confined to his home the greater part of the week by a persistent attack of the hiccoughs; he is now able to be about. Rev. K.R.Anderson left for Clarinda, Ia., where he expects to enter a hospital for treatment for stomach trouble from which he as been a sufferer for a long time. The Women's Community Club are furnishing the rooms above the Community Dining Room for public use; if anyone has a couch, table, desk, chairs or rugs to donate, please notify Mrs. B.G.Widney.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Miss Francis Babcook, a highly respected young lady of Carman, departed this life Saturday at the Burlington hospital where she died from the flu. Mr. Bill Brown of Gladstone was here to see his sister, Mrs. Clara Coffman, who again is very sick. Clarence Fisher of Hopper is home from New York where he has been in Uncle Sam's service. Mr. G.W.Howell received a letter from Pvt. Walter McCannon who is stationed at Arizona stating that their troops had orders to get ready to leave soon for Hawaiian Islands. Mrs. Clair Dixon returned home from the Burlington Hospital where she underwent an operation for the removal of her tonsils and adenoids.
Mr. and Mrs. Pete Good are rejoicing over the arrival of a new daughter. Mrs. Willis Dowell was called to Stronghurst to help care for her mother-in-law, Mrs. John Hodson.Mrs. Mary Ann Parry received a letter from her nephew, Frank Dixon of Kansas, conveying the sad news of the death of his wife. Besides her husband she has several children to mourn her loss. Mr. Dixon was formerly a Carman boy, being the only son of Henry and Nettie Dixon.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. Charles E. Pendarvis received a check for $4.00 and a blue ribbon which he won on an exhibit of Dwarf Rice Pop Corn shown at the Corn and Poultry Show held at Burlington, Iowa under the auspices of the County Farm Bureau there. Arriving home from Boston from the service are Harold Richey, Ross Lefler, Lawrence Berry and Barney White, who had been in France for some time. Bob Sullivan has been confined to his bed with quinsy since returning from camp. County Supt. A.L.Beall is quite ill at his home here with the flu. There has been no school in the upper room of the public school this week on account of the teacher, Miss Clark, having influenza.