The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1919
Stronghurst Graphic, July 3.1919
STRONGHURST CHAUTAUQUA IN AUGUST: August 1 to 6 is the time set for Stronghurst Assembly and plans for the event are already under way. The musical offerings will include, the Lillian Ringsdorf Concert Co; the Williams Male Quartette; the Four Artists Co.; the Clifford A Foote Trio; the Victory Four and Chenette's Overseas Military Band.
The lecturerers who will appear are Dr. Edward Amherst Ott; Prof. Geo. M. Palmer, "the Pep maker;" Dr. F.E.Gordon; Hon. J. Claude Youdan and Anna Dickie Olesen. One of the interesting features will be the presentation of American Indian folk lore and songs by the Princess Neawanna. (This truly was the highlight of the summer; time and again, older members of our community have told me how they waited with excitement for the Chautauqua. It was culture coming to small town America.)
NAUVOO'S BIG DAY: Last Monday is said to have been the biggest day in the history of Nauvoo and that city's saloon keepers probably raked in enough cash in exchange for booze to tide them over a considerable distance into the dry era which dawned on the following morning.
It is estimated that over 1,000 automobiles were parked in the streets of town and that there were at least 5,000 visitors in the city. Burlington, Keokuk and Ft.Madison are said to have furnished a large proportion of the visitors who came to attend the obsequies of old John Barleycorn and help lift the gloom occasioned by the enforced shutting down of one of the principle industries of the city by the liberal spending of their money. It is quite probable, however, that Illinois was well represented also in the crowd of celebrators and it is not at all unlikely that a few from this immediate vicinity were at the death. (Locals probably were in the crowd.)
RETURNS HOME: K.E.Yoakam, who was with the 80th Artillery of the 7th Div of the American Army in France for ten months, arrived home from Camp Grant after receiving his final discharge. Mr. Yoakam was glad to be back in Stronghurst; he will visit relatives at Brimfield, Ill. after which he will return to Stronghurst and resume the jewelry and optical business in the Chant Building.
RED CROSS NOTICE: Certificates in recognition of local service to the Nation given by the women and men workers of the Red Cross will be awarded in the near future. These certificates entitled the holder to purchase and wear the Red Cross Official Service Insignia. For women this insignia will be a badge with ribbon, bar and safety catch; for men, a button to be worn in the coat lapel at an approximate cost of $1.00 for women and 75 cents for men. The questionnaires can be had from Mrs. Kaiser or Mrs. Bell, Sec.
OILING THE STREETS: An 8,000 gal. tank of road oil for use on the streets of the village arrived and is now being applied by means of the big road sprinkler belonging to the county. The work is being done under the supervision of street commissioner, James Sutliff. Another car of oil is on the way and will be applied to the streets upon its arrival. It came none too soon as dust has become very troublesome to property owners and merchants within the past few days.
PUBLIC PLAYGROUND OPENS SOON: The Stronghurst Community playground will be equipped and ready for use by next week.
All the children and young people are invited to come and take part in the activities. (They included the following: free play with materials and on the apparatus, marching, active games, singing games, quiet games, occupational work, story telling, drills, gymnastics, organized game-boys baseball, girls volleyball and basketball, track events, races, and folk dancing.) Country children in town are especially invited to take part.
CONFIRMATION AT LUTHERAN CHURCH: Sunday a class of 17 children was confirmed at the Swedish Lutheran Church. They had received instruction in the fundamental of Christian doctrine and Lutheran faith since last fall from theological student, J.O.Lindstrom. In the evening the class received their first communion. The church was beautifully decorated with greens and flowers.
Members of the class were the following: Alice Evelyn Hartquist, Esther Ida Lind, Avodia Johanna Malmburg, Ruby Dorina Johnson, Ella Sophia Swanson, Ethel Mildred Peterson, Hazel Louise Peterson, Hilda Laverna Peterson, Carl Ludwig Johnson, Lambert Richard Peterson, Carl Oscar Raymond Gustafson, Carl Arthur Raymond Enwall, Axel Oliver Victor Johnson, John Oscar Dillon, Waldo Merle Erickson, Glennard Gustav Johnson, and Carl Harold Malmburg.
FARMERS' PICNIC: Blandinsville will hold her big Farmers' Picnic on July 17th. Col. Henry J. Reilly, commander of "Reilly's Bucks" of the famous Rainbow Division, will address the people and review the soldiers. There will be a Great Soldier Reunion and welcome home with big free banquet to all in uniform.
The Gov't will send one or more aeroplanes. Over $1,000 will be spent for free amusements. Fisher's band of Burlington will furnish music and band concert at night.
CELEBRATE IN OQUAWKA: the boys of the Oquawka Boy Scouts are putting on a Fourth of July celebration with all profits going to fitting out the new Scout troops with needed supplies. A big program is arranged including an oration by the well known preacher-orator, Rev. George McClung of Kankakee and a big ball game between Smithshire and Oquawka in the afternoon. Lots of stands and side shows as well as evening fireworks out on the river will be featured. Later a big free outdoor picture show tops off the evening.
WALNUT GROVE CEMETERY: A corporation has been formed under the state laws to assume the care and management of the old Walnut Grove Cemetery northeast of Strong-hurst. Plans are being made to enlarge and beautify the grounds under the direction of a landscape artist and the road leading to the cemetery will also be improved. This is one of the oldest cemeteries in this part of the county and as it is the resting place of many former well known and beloved citizens of this county.
I.O.O.F. PICNIC (this was a really big event for local people): A picnic and home coming celebration for the soldier and sailor boys of the community ahs been planned by the I.O.O.F. lodge of Stronghurst for July 25 & 26th. Business men of the village have been asked to cooperate in the movement and an effort will be made to prepare a program.
1894 GRAPHIC: A big Fourth of July celebration was staged at the Santa Fe Park in Stronghurst with races and amusements of various kinds and an address by Hon. O.F.Berry of Carthage, Ill. G.E.Roth, formerly of this place, had just completed his law studies and been admitted to the bar in Chicago. The return of Aliens from this country was commented upon as being a significant feature of the times.
It stated that 20,000 Germans had returned to the Fatherland during the year taking several millions of dollars with them. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Marshall were rejoicing over the advent of a son at their home during the preceding week. A boycott of the Pullman cars by the American Railway Union had the country tied up in the greatest strike ever known in the railway circles.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Judge Murphy of Monmouth was calling on relatives and friends in town. Mr. Sam Yates of Chicago was visiting the home of Mrs. Nancy Ellis. Mrs. Geo. Kemp of Fairfield, Ia, was visiting Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Tate. John Long of Willits, Calif., came to take his mother back with him. Miss Gertrude Duncan is quite ill with the measles. Russell Cadle, one of the soldier boys, returned home Friday. Mrs. John Cunningham and daughter, Miss Fern and son, Ivan who recently returned from France visited her daughter, Mrs. Edwin Gray and family. Robert Beck came home from Kansas City with a car load of cattle to put on the farm. Master Sammie Stevenson and Master Frederic Forward have the measles. I.F.Forward went to Kansas City, Mo. to look at the oil well there and see the city.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bennington of Arkansas are visiting the lady's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Pendry. Byron Stewart of Champaign has returned home. Mr. Archie Vaughan and family spent Sabbath at the Os Kirby home near Gladstone. G.W.Howell and family motored to Keithsburg and spent the day with Mr. and Mrs. Willard Crose. The Royal Neighbors held lodge Friday night at the M.W.A.Hall instead of the afternoon. Cake and ice cream was served afterward.
LOMAX LINGER-INGS: Chas. Pence and J.P.Bradley each ride in a new Chevrolet car. C.B.Vaughn and wife and W.H.Crownover and wife visited Monmouth relatives. Miss Wanda Fisher left for Chicago to spend a few weeks at the Chas. Collin home.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: L. Odegard, who has maintained a tailor shop here for several years, moved his effects to Alexis, Ill. where he will engage in the tailoring business. The women of the M.E.church will hold a tea in the church on July 10th. Mrs. Layton, Mrs. Russler, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Milt Lovitt, Mrs. J.K.Spence and Mrs. Wheeling will serve. After spending several weeks in Monmouth where he did a lot of painting for former Raritan citizens, Lyman Taylor returned to Stronghurst and is prepared to take care of any jobs in his line of work. Frank Apt and family from East Pleasant Plains, Iowa spent the day at the Apt home. Helen and George Barker, children of Dr. Kathryn Barker of LaHarpe, are staying at the Dr. Henderson home in Stronghurst while their mother attends a convention of the American Osteopath Association in Chicago. Roy Shugert and wife of Blandinsville, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. J. Eads Spiker of Bushnell, visited friends here. Mr. Spiker, who was formerly engaged in the mercantile business at Raritan, has purchased a stock of goods in Sciota, Ill. and again embarked in business.
After an absence of over 17 months in France where he engaged in the Motor Convoy Service of the U.S., Oswald Smith reached his home in Stronghurst last Saturday, having received his discharge at Camp Grant. Miss Rea Frazer, the lady who has been employed by the public play ground committee to supervise the play ground activities for the months of July and August, arrived here from Texas and is fast forming the acquaintance of and establishing friendship with the younger element of the community.
The price of hogs touched 22 cents in Chicago, establishing another record in the history of the swine industry. Mrs. Mary Byers of Washington State is visiting her sister, Mrs. J. W. Layton. W. E. Salter returned home from Maysville, Mo. where he has been taking care of an invalid gentleman for several weeks.
On account of delay in the arrival of necessary parts, the aeroplane, which came to grief in the Swanson field east of town nearly two weeks ago, has not yet been repaired and put into shape for flight. The hot and dry weather of the past week or more has ripened the small grain very rapidly. The wheat and rye is now nearly all in shock and many fields of oats are showing a decidedly yellow tinge. Will Bailey and sister, Bessie, who accompanied by Miss Martha Whiteman of Biggsville, made an automobile trip to Niagara Falls, visiting Oberlin and Cleveland, Ohio enroute.
Raymond and Marjorie Thomspon, Mrs. J. S. McMillan and son Harold and Miss Bessie McGaw went to Canton, Ill. in the Thompson car and attended the big Victory celebration. A barbecue at which 3,500 lbs. of beef, 500 lbs. of pork, 30,000 buns, 950 cakes, 20,000 onions, 100 gal. of potato salad and barrels of coffee and pickles were served free to everybody was one of the feature of the occasion.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gibson and Grandma Gibson motored to Weir Fruit farm. Business caller in town included the following: Mr. and Mrs. F.I. Brounell on Monmouth; County agent Miner, E.R.Grandey, Miss Moore of Stronghurst; Glen Campbell of Biggsville; Fred Houlton and daughter of Kirkwood; F.A.Buford and son of Monmouth; and A.G. Hedges of Olena.
A fine new porch is being built on Mr. Callow's house. Quite a crowd attended the Lamett Bros. show given here Thursday evening.