The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1920
Stronghurst Graphic, March 4, 1920
BLIZZARD IS RAGING: March weather in this locality is running true to form and the early bird which was hopping around a few days ago looking for the proverbial worm has sought the shelter of the barn and hid his head under his wing, poor thing! The first two days of the month were spring like and balmy and inspired the hope of early garden in the minds of a few.
On Wednesday, the third, a light drizzle set in along in the afternoon and rain continued to fall at intervals until early Thursday morning when the wind whipped to the north and the rain changed to snow. The wind steadily increased in violence and by day light one of the worst blizzards of the entire winter was raging. Old King Winter seems to have a firm grip on the present; but then-this is March.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. Oscar Schroeder is very ill at her home near Hopper. Frank Bowen and wife are moving into Mrs. Keener's house in town. Lloyd Rankin and family are moving from the Delaney farm to the Sam Mathers farm where he will have employment his season. Frank Keener and mother have returned to their farm north of Media.
Charles Duvall, one of Oquawka's well known and highly esteemed citizens, died at his home there last Saturday evening at the age of 62 years. Joe Ross and bride have returned from their honeymoon trip and are making arrangements to go to housekeeping on the farm of Joe's father south of town. Miss Rosalie Smith has resigned her position as teacher at the Stine School and has accepted a position with the Western Union Company at Chicago where her sister Clara has employment. W. E. Hurd and wife will once more become residents of Stronghurst having moved from Galesburg and rented rooms in the C. H. Davis building adjoining the post office on the north.
Elize Gilliland and wife shipped their household goods to Basco where he and Chet Steffey are engaged in the mercantile business. The Operetta "Miss Cherry Blossoms," put on by the Biggsville High School proved to be a most pleasing and successful event.
George Adkinson of Roseville has accepted employment at the Johnson Garage. Dale Rankin was taken to the Burlington Hospital to have his tonsils removed. Miss Grace Marshall is filling the vacancy at Stine School as teacher. E. C. Moreland and son Clarence left for Dolliver, Iowa where they will engage in farming. Tate Johnson and family are moving from the Crenshaw farm south of town to a place of their own in the Blandinsville neighborhood.
Hugo Johnson and wife are moving to the Allison farm east of town and Arthur McKeown and family to the Thompson farm they vacated. Mrs. N. C. Curry returned from Oquawka where she was called by the death of her sister, Mrs. Edna Haffner. The aged mother, Mrs. McIntire and Mrs. Bert Putney, a sister, who have been in poor health, were unable to attend.
Russell Brooks is now employed as the regular rural mail carrier on route number 3 out of Stronghurst. W. B. Gregory has purchased the Elizie Gilliland home on the north side. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Reedy are the parents of a fine baby girl born March 1st. Mrs. Fred McKinley of Lamar, Colo. has been called her by the death of her mother, Mrs. Sarah Morgan. Vern Wood resigned his position with the Johnson Garage and with his brother Frank will go to Richland, Ia., where they will open a vulcanizing shop. Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Lauber and children of near Little York visited at the home of Mrs. Lauber's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John McKeown, south of town. They met with quite an accident while enroute here when their Ford car was smashed into by another Ford car at a cross roads and both rear wheels of the Lauber car torn off and the other car turned completely over. Fortunately, none of the occupants of either car were injured.
HARD ROAD PROGRAM HALTED: The prospects for a paved road across Henderson County being built during the present year are not exceedingly bright.
The news comes from Springfield that at a conference of the state highway advisory board called by the governor, it was decided that until contractors were ready to submit bids on the road building work under contemplation which were somewhere within the bounds of reason no new work would be undertaken.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: W. T. Galbraith purchased a fine farm near Bowen, Ill; he and Mrs. Galbraith and their son Robert expect to move to it soon. Mr. John Knutstrom, Sr., south of town is very ill. Miss Thelma Hedges is working in Oquawka for Attorney Nolan this week.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dutton returned home from their winter sojourn in Palm Beach, Florida. Alex Jacob, who is looking after Fred's livestock, had his leg broken by a mule kicking him. Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Dixon have moved back to Illinois, having purchased the old Wm. Hopkins place. Their son Clarence and wife have moved on Newton White's farm. Jim Dixon and wife will be on Thomas Dixon's place. Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Lord are now owners of what was known as Silas Jinks place, formerly occupied by Clem Jarvis and family. Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Parks loaded their car(train car) and started for northern Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Porter are moving on Mrs. Ella Curts Cawkins farm recently occupied and farmed by Willis Dowell and his son.
W.H. Babcook, who is the last victim of the family with flu, is being cared for by a trained nurse from Burlington, Iowa. Mrs. Babcook is not recuperating as fast as friends would like to see her, the flu having left her with heart trouble. Mr. and Mrs. Geo. McCannon will occupy C.X. Johnson' farm, known as the Dannenberg farm east of town. Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Dillon now reside on Matt Vaughn's farm now owned by his son, Manford Vaughn of Burlington. G. W. Howell is weighing corn at Lone Tree for W. H. Babcook. T. Logan of near Gladstone is shipping a car of household goods to Iowa. (This was the time of year for families to lease new farms or find new employment.)
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Sheriff McDill visited this locality and subpoenaed Messrs. Charles Lyons, Virgil Davis and E. Carlson to appear at the county seat to help make up a jury. Ira Peterson and Lee Davis are each sporting the very latest in a Ford Car while H. S. Lant has the latest in a 5-passenger Dodge car. Jerry Hicks and family moved to the Logan farm which they recently purchased. Frank Hicks and family moved the same day to the Pendry farm recently purchased by Mr. Jesse Hicks. Sam Claybaugh and family are at their new home north and east of Stronghurst recently purchased of John Shaw.
Mrs. Oscar Schroeder, who has been quite critically ill with pneumonia, is slowly improving, but their young three week old child passed away and was laid to rest in the Stronghurst Cemetery. A young child born to Mr. and Mrs. Waterman of Hopper passed away too. On account of much sickness and quarantine in homes in and near Hopper, the school has not been in session for the past week.
On Feb. 28th Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Lant, accompanied by Mrs. Edwin Lant and daughter, started for Burlington to do some shopping, but the fates willed it otherwise. They had just reached the four corners west of their home when their car collided with a Ford car driven by a man from Quincy, Ill. Both cars were considerably damaged and the occupants of each badly shocked and somewhat bruised. All are thankful they escaped as safely as they did.