The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1919
Stronghurst Graphic, April 24, 1919
CALLED TO HER REWARD: Mrs. Harriet Drew, who spent seventy five of her eighty four years of life in this immediate vicinity, died at her home in Peoria on April 18th. Previous to her marriage she was Harriet Emeline Brown, daughter of James H. and Betsey Copp Brown and was born at Stanstead Plains, Province of Quebec, Canada, March 3, 1835. When she was but nine years of age, her parents left their Canadian home and came to Illinois taking up their residence on the farm just west of the present village of Stronghurst and now owned by C.E.Fort. Here they lived until 1858 when they moved to Burlington, Ia. Their daughter Harriet was married at the home on the farm mentioned on Oct.7, 1851 to Charles Edgar Drew, who previous to that time had been in the employ of the firm of Parson, Copp and Parsons of Burlington.
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Drew lived on various farms in this vicinity until 1868 when Mr. Drew purchased the southwest quarter of Sec.36 in Stronghurst Township, the farm recently owned by Mr. R.E. Morse. (Presently, owned by Ruth Duncan). Mr. Drew improved the farm and it was home to the family until shortly after the village of Stronghurst was established when they purchased property here and built a comfortable home. Here Mr. Drew passed away Dec.25, 1908. Mrs. Drew and her daughter Abbie continued to make Stronghurst their home until last summer when they went to Peoria where they and Miss Annis Drew established a home.
Mr. and Mrs. Drew were parents of nine children, two of whom, Dallem?Ulysses and William Wallace have passed away. The remaining children are the Misses Abbie and Annis Drew of Peoria; Mrs. Hattie Johnson of Elwood, Neb.; Mrs. Nettie Timmerman of Manchester, Ia.; Chas. E.Drew of Burlington, Ia.; Frank P. Drew of Chamberlain, S.Dak.. and Lewis H. Drew of Salt Lake City, Utah. Two sisters of Mrs. Drew also survive her, namely, Mrs. J.R.Wood of Burlington, Ia. and Mrs. Abram Voorhees of St.Joseph, Mo. There are also twenty three surviving grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Mrs. Drew's remains arrived here from Peoria and were taken to the home of Miss Naomi Cooper and funeral services were conducted the same day at the M.E. church, of which the decease was a faithful member for many years. Her earlier church affiliations were with the Olena and Raritan M.E. congregations. Interment of the remains was made in the Stronghurst Cemetery...
NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES: Point Pleasant Township in Warren County raised its full quota of Victory bonds by noon the first day of the drive. Miss Florence Saunders, 23 years old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Len Saunders of New Boston, was found near the railroad tracks in the village in an unconscious condition and suffering from a fractured skull and concussion of the brain, which caused her death. It is believed that she had been attacked and brutally beaten and then placed on the railroad tracks in order that a passing train might crush out the life which remained in her and remove the suspicion of foul play. A recently returned soldier, who had been a suitor for her hand and had been rejected, is being sought in connection with the crime.
The bankers of Mercer County have agreed to assume the entire responsibility for raising the county's quota of the Victory loan and there will be no canvass of individuals. The steamer Helen Blair will make her first trip of the season between Davenport and Burlington on May 6th. The fish in Spoon River are said to be dying in great numbers as the result of oil which escapes from a pipeline crossing the stream spreading over the surface of the water. The fine residence of Harry Black in Dallas City was partially destroyed by fire. A number of Schuyler County farmers have invested $1,450 in a rock crusher to provide limestone fertilizer for their land. The city of Galesburg has voted out the Sunday moving picture shows by a vote of 3,465 to 2,326.
1894 GRAPHIC: Postmaster McElhinney received a new outfit for the post office; the cabinet contained 240 boxes of which 180 were call boxes and 60 lock boxes. Joab Shick, an inmate of the County farm at Oquawka, drowned in Henderson Creek while fishing. Miss Julia McKee, formerly of Stronghurst, died April 24th at the home of her parent in Biggsville. Plans were being laid for the erection of a Christian church. Dr. H.B.Harter was kicked in the face by a colt on the Heisler farm near Olena and suffered a broken nose and other painful injuries. Land Agent Gosselt of the Santa Fe Co. was in the village and made it known that the company had decided to donate a block of ground in the south part of the village for a public park provided the citizens would set out trees and otherwise beautify the property. (The park was known for years as the Santa Fe Park.) A successful revival was being conducted in town by Rev. Milton Haney, 35 conversions and the nightly meeting increasing in interest. Hibbard Chase, who had conducted a blacksmith shop in the village left for Macomb where he intended to locate.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Mrs. Joseph Long is very ill at her home; they think of taking her to the Burlington Hospital soon. Mr. Archie Fishel of Tycona, Ill. and Miss Myrtle Warner of Gladstone were united in marriage on April 21st in Oquawka at the home of Mrs. W.M.Boughton. The bride is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Warner. Mr. and Mrs. Fishel went Tycona Monday evening in an automobile which cheated the boys out of a big time which they were preparing to have (shivaree?). An egg shower was held in the basement of the M.E.Church. Sixty dozen eggs were donated and the menu consisted of pie, sandwiches and coffee. $45 for the church was realized from the affair. Miss Blanche Duvall has gone to Ames where she will have charge of the new hospital. The Blue Grass Garage owned by Charles Ahlburg is progressing and will soon be ready for use. Frank Porter shipped a fine car load of hogs to the Chicago market. Lee Galbraith wrote his mother a very interesting letter from overseas which was published in the Henderson County Journal. Mr. Charles Roseling, an aged citizen passed away Monday at this home; no arrangement have been made yet; he has a son in Canada. An Italian laborer was badly injured Saturday night by falling off a hand car. His head had severe cuts and the abdomen and other parts of his body were badly bruised; he was taken to Mercy Hospital for treatment.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mrs. John Parry and her sister, Mrs. George Fox of Mosier, Ill spent Friday with their nephew Henry McCannon and wife at Lomax. Mr. G.W.Howell and family; Mr. Geo. Marsden, wife and son; Mr. Fritz Dannenburg and family; Miss Mary Siegworth and Mr. Jesse Howalter and wife; Prof. Will Lightner and several of his pupils were at Oquawka to see the war relics. Mrs. A.C.Babcook is suffering from blood poisoning in her hand and has been obliged to have the hand lanced several times.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Miss Anna Watson of Galesburg has been in the hospital suffering from several broken ribs. Stronghurst was well represented at Oquawka with persons looking over the exhibits on the war relic train and listening to the eloquent speeches made in the interest of the Victory Loan. Easter day was ideal in every respect in this locality and there was a large attendance at the various churches in this village. A beautiful bouquet of Easter lilies sent all the way from Washington, D.C. by Mrs. Dr. Wells as a token in memory of her late husband graced the stand near the pulpit at the U.P. Church.
Winter wheat was probably never so far advanced nor looking so well at this season of the year in this locality as is the case at present. The forwardness of the crop, however, is regarded by some farmers as unfavorable condition the fear being that the grain will lodge before it ripens and that the harvest will be greatly diminished. O.W.Beckett expects to leave for Carrollton, Mo. to visit his brother George who has been in poor health for several months. Mrs. George Chant is visiting relatives in Powellton, Ill. George is having his hands full nursing a case of mumps which Phil developed after his mother left in addition to looking after the other household affairs.
While Miss Gross and Charlotte Maxey were returning Wednesday evening from the schools which they teach southeast of town, the horse they were driving became frightened and turning quickly in the road upset, the buggy and ran away. Fortunately, both ladies succeeded in freeing themselves from the buggy before the horse started to run thus escaping serious injuries; the buggy was quite badly wrecked. Miss Madge Henderson is teaching school in Mercer County. Tom Parson, who has been in very poor health all winter, left for Quincy where he will become an inmate of the Soldiers Home and receive the benefit of hospital care. Glen Marshall notified his parents of his return from overseas and indicated he will be stationed at a camp in Maryland for a season.
Little Helen Hollingsworth developed some sort of trouble which has caused her to become practically blind in one eye. Her mother took her to a Galesburg hospital to consult with physicians. The Johnson Garage in this village will give away a new automobile tire of any desired make to the person in Henderson County buying the largest amount of Victory Loan bonds.
Six brand new German helmets from the big lot which the Germans had made to wear when they entered Paris, have been received by Chairman Ivins of the County Liberty Loan Committees to be distributed to the six townships which first reach their quota in the Victory Loan Drive. Three of the helmets are now on exhibition in Hunter & Regan's show window. Mrs. Elisabeth McMillan, who has been visiting her daughter Mrs. Turner at Eden, Ill., was 75 years old. Mrs. Ida Wood received a telegram announcing the arrival from overseas at New York of her son Ira. The next day another telegram asked for the present address of the immediate relatives of Ira's wife, who died during his sojourn in France. The latter telegram leads his mother to surmise that Ira may not have fully recovered from the appendicitis operation which he recently underwent in France. Miss Dorothy Moore is visiting at her home in Missouri and her place as stenographer in the Farm Bureau Office is being filled by Miss Edith Hartquist. K.E. Yoakam sent a card locating him at Chamonix in the French Alps near the juncture of the Swiss, French and Italian frontiers. He stated that the scenery was wonderful and the sports good. He had climbed Le Chapeau about 6,500 feet and went out on Mer de Glace, the famous glacier which is visited by an immense number of tourist each season.
JUICE FROM THE DAM: The streets and home in Stronghurst were lighted last evening by current flowing from the big Keokuk dam. The force of workmen who have been here in the employ of Western Illinois Uitilties Co. for some time completed the connection of the service wires of the town with the high tension wire from Keokuk yesterday and a service which it is hoped will prove adequate for the needs of the town for years to come was inaugurated.
All will be glad to know that the village hereafter will not have to submit to the alternative of going to bed at 10 o'clock old time or fuss with oily and smelly kerosine lamps and also that it will not be necessary to grope around in the dark for matches and a lamp in the dark in case of sickness or other emergency requiring a quick light in the night.
Considerable work remains to be done before the new system will be in shape to meet all the requirements which will be placed upon it, but the fact that the "juice" is now on tap is a matter of much satisfaction.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Charles E. Pendarvis is spending a few days in Bloomington. The community piano arrived and was placed in Lewis Hall.(Anyone have a photo of Lewis Hall?) Some of the young people of Stronghurst gave a dance here Saturday evening; the Wayne's Orchestra of Galesburg furnished the music. Mr. Ed Kane, who was with the U.S.forces in France and who was wounded there, returned home. Melvin Schroeder, who has been at a camp in the East, received his discharge and returned home. The school election here caused quite a little excitement and interest. Mr. S. Mathers and Mr. W.C.Winders were two men running for office. Altogether about 80 votes were cast. Mr. W.C.Winders was elected, having received a few more votes than Mr. Mathers.