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 25, 1920
COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL: The election which posed the question of a community high school created a great deal of interest, 262 votes cast. Of these 208 were in favor of the establishment of the new district and 54 against. Under the provisions of the law, the county superintendent of schools is to call an election for the purpose of electing a community high school board of education. Another provision of the law is that the board shall establish at some central location most convenient to the majority of pupils a community high school with a program of studies extending through four school years.. . This provision is met by the fact that a building commodious enough to accommodate probably all of the high school pupils for years to come and thoroughly equipped both as regards to teaching force and apparatus is already at hand. The transition of this school from a district to a community high school ought to be easily accomplished... (This is a long article giving formation instructions to be followed.)
BIRD HOUSE CONTEST: W. C. Regan, Strong-hurst's enterprising furniture dealer, has inaugurated a novel contest among the grade pupils in the public schools in the community which is calculated not only to stimulate the inventive and constructive genius of the boys and girls, but also to provide the feathered songsters which visit the area their abode. He offers prizes of $3, $2 and $1 respectively for the best three bird houses brought to his store before April 9th with the judging of the house to take place at the school building and to be done by qualified judges selected by the school faculty.
RARITAN AREA WEDDING: A. Buell Corzatt, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Corzatt of Raritan and Miss Cordelia Lofftus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arzo Lofftus of Point Pleasant Township in Warren County, were married at the home of the bride's parents. They will reside on the farm just west of Raritan owned by the groom and where he is preparing to erect a fine home to take place of one recently destroyed by fire.
1895 GRAPHIC: J. G. Penny, 21 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Penny, died of typhoid fever at the Penny house southeast of town. Miss Laura McChesney passed away at her home near Olena on March 14th, aged 17 years, 3 months, and 10 days. The new woodworking factory of Struble and Woodside began operation. Claude Doty was rendered unconscious in an accident which occurred when a buggy in which he and Will Allison and Fred Baldwin were riding overturned at a railroad crossing in the village. The horse became frightened. H. Coquillette purchased the Morey store building and Mrs. C. E. Coquillette was preparing to open a millinery establishment there. R.P. Randall of Raritan sustained a broken nose and other severe injuries about the head and face when he fell from the Raritan-Media mail hack while attempting to place a package in a mail box at the Joseph King corner.
***OBITUARY***MRS. SUSAN DEAN: Mrs. Susan Dean, one of the few remaining pioneers of Swan Township in Warren County, passed away at her home near Swan Creek on March 19th, at the ripe age of 96 years. Susan Cummings was born in Greenock, Scotland and came to America when she was only five years of age. The family lived first in Massachusetts, afterwards moving to Maine and later to Illinois. In 1842 she was married to Mr. Dean of Fulton County, Ill. which was their home until 1856 when they moved to Ellison Township in Warren County and later, to the farm near Swan Creek where both spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. Dean passed away seven years ago at the age of 97 years.
Eight children were born to the couple, seven of whom survive: Mrs. Susan Boyd, Mrs. Melissa Perry, Mrs. Bessie Byers, Mrs. Clara Ratekin and Charles and William Deal. Funeral services were conducted at the Point Pleasant church with interment in the cemetery there.
WEDDING BELLS: At the home of the bride's mother, Mrs. Lorena Rankin Hamilton at Valparaiso, Ind. on March 18th occurred the marriage of Miss Quinn Bernetta Hamilton to Mr. Andrew Heinl of Cherokee, Ia. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hamilton and was born and spent her early childhood in Strong-hurst. The groom is a young farmer of Cherokee County, Ia. The newly wedded couple arrived in Burlington, Ia. and visited relatives of the bride before coming to Stronghurst. The couple left for their future home near Cherokee, Ia., where Mr. Heinl will operate his father's 240 acre farm. Philip Hamilton, a brother of the bride, accompanied them on their visit to Stronghurst.
FORTUNE SMILES ON MATH-ERS: In the Beaumont, Calif. Leader there appeared an article concerning G.W. Mathers, a brother of the late Joseph and Robert Mathers of Media Township who went to California many years ago which reads almost like a tale from the Arabian Nights. Quoted:
"The 800 acre ranch of G.W.Mathers midway between Beaumont and Banning, bids fair to early to become widely known as the Mathers Oil Field. For so pronounced are the surface indications of great oil wealth secreted below this ranch that it has of late been visited by eminent geologists, petroleum experts and practical oil men, all of whom are agreed that the oil prospects here are full of promise for the development of the Mathers field into one of the most productive in Southern California.After the most searching investigation by all kinds of oil authorities, the Riverside County Oil Company has been prompted to sink a test well on this property. All the necessary timber is on the ground and construction of the derrick will be begun forthwith.
It was a poor boy who first made the discovery of oil indications in the Montebello field, the son of Walter P. Temple, a man who at that time was in straightened circumstances, but who fifteen months thereafter was drawing down a one-eight royalty on the oil output of his property of $175.000 per annum.
The first marked indications of oil in the Beaumont district was observed by members of G.W.Mathers family. For about five months now all of the water pumped out of their 180? foot well is impregnated with oil so much so that touched by a lighted match, it flames up and then congeals into a whitish, solid string of paraffin. Freshly pumped water is filled with gas bubbles which burst and it is tinted with rainbow colors. Tests recently made here by an oil expert prompted the exclamation, "Your oil indications are as strong as those immediately around Montebello's great gusher."
G.W.Mathers owns two large grain ranches, the 800 acre ranch with the oil outlook and the 380 acre tract but one-half mile south of Beaumont. Both are highly improved and for thirty years have been crop producing. The larger one is his home ranch and it is a little principality of barely, oats and hayfields. A marvel of mechanisms on this ranch is a 75 horse power Holt tractor, a combined harvester which cuts and threshes at the same time and also bills and pile the bags with grain. The header cuts a swath 20 feet wide and the "Caterpillar" is always equal to its titanic task. Six men are necessary to operate the three.
About 500 acres of grain were harvested last year and an equal acreage will be harvested this year. His tractor was the largest one to be brought to Beaumont Valley. Twenty head of steers and twenty-five horses are on the place. A more ideal location for a farm is not in our sunny Southland. A grove of eucalyptus and shad trees embower this country home which boldly stands out in the center of this emerald valley between the foothills.
On July 5th next Mr. Mathers will have reached the 80th milestone in his successful career. Lightly, he still carries the burden of his years and in sprightliness of mind and motion he would easily pass for a well preserved man of 65. He first saw the light in Alleghany, Pa. born on a farm whose soil was both rocky and stringy. Early he became inured to hard work and his fortune is solely of his own making having no inherited money.
In 1862 when the life of the nation was imperiled he enlisted in Co.K, 84th Vol. Illinois Infantry regiment and for three years followed the flag until the rebellion was crushed and the Union saved. He was in turn with Grant, Sherman and Thomas. He fought on the blood-drenched fields of Stone River, Chick-amauga, Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge.
Fifty-one years ago he wooed and won Miss Sarah J. McMillan of Monmouth, Ill., a lady of keen mind and whose character was jeweled with Christian graces. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mathers have been church members for 52 years. He was largely instrumental in founding the United Presbyterian Church here.
In absence of children of their own, they have reared, splendidly educated, and loved six who were born to others, among them are George M. Martin, who when America entered the World War went overseas in the Ambulance corps, served humanity both in France and Germany for 22 months; was promoted to wagoner after a year's service, and when honorable discharged returned to resume his duties at the old homestead.
His brother, Clair Martin, is also a member of this family and is now at the University of Southern California. Miss Genevieve Martin, whose home is here, is now doing business college work at the L.A.Polytechnic School and is also taking careful music training; she is rarely gifted with song.
Other members of the Mathers household whom they admirably armed with an education are G.W.McGill, a graduate of the state university at Berkeley, now a Los Angeles attorney; Miss Jennie McGill, his sister, who after graduating at Berkley also graduated at the Chicago Conservatory of Music.
Block 52 in Beaumont adorned by his stately city home is owned by Mr. Mathers. He was a forerunner of civilization to Beaumont 32 years ago. All that the city and valley are today and all that they hope to be was made possible by the well-timed intelligent efforts of such undaunted pioneers as he..."
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. W.J. Mc-Elhinney returned from Bloomington, Ill. where she accompanied her daughter Sara, who entered the State Normal School. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Hartquist spent part of last week at Mount Pleasant, Iowa where they attended the golden wedding anniversary of an aunt of Mrs. Hartquist. W.E.Salter has gone to Seaton, Ill. to care for an old gentleman named Seaton living there. W.B.Gregory, Pat Billups, Dewain Rezner, Harry Gilliland and Clifford McKeown drove a consignment of Ford cars for the Johnson Garage down from Chicago. Dr. Ney Salter of Williams, Calif. reports having made use of an aeroplane on two different occasions recently in making professional calls on patients living a considerable distance away. An unusual display of the Aurora Borealis was seen last Monday night and disturbed electrical, telegraph and telephone service throughout the country. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Doak moved into their new home on the south side of town. Lon Doak and wife will continue to look after the farm south of town.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Frank Murphy arrived home from Texas having delivered safely to a ranchman in El Paso County 25 head of young Hereford bulls. Frank says that the oil boom in Oklahoma and northern Texas is drawing thousands of people to that section and that oil derricks dot the landscape in every direction. During his sojourn in Texas he was offered the job of accompanying a shipment of several car loads of government cattle to the Philippine Islands, but he declined the offer. Mrs. Effie Huston has been very ill with the flu at her home on the Crenshaw farm south of town, but is now much improved. Mrs. J. S. McMillan spent several days with her mother, Mrs. Ketcham at Canton, Ill., who has been confined to her home by illness most of the winter. Mrs. Wm. Adair is reported to be in a critical condition at her home in the east part of town. John H. Voorhees had a shipment of cattle of his own feeding on the Chicago market. Mrs. Paul D. Gibb of Biggsville has been a visitor at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James Mathers. Mrs. Ida Wood and daughter, Miss Minnie, went to Burlington where the latter will enter the Burlington Hospital for an operation for the removal of her tonsils. Robert Ingerson received treatment there for a tumorous growth on his face.
A teacher's examination was held at Oquawka and a number of our high school students were present among them being Mary Dixson,Ê Madeline Parks, Maxine Mains and Ardis Hicks. Abe Davis returned from a visit with his family at Olathe, Kan. He brought greetings from Rev. J. A. Monteith and report that Mr. Monteith has a recurrence of a malady from which he suffered while pastor here. The members of the Biggsville Community Club banqueted their husbands; Mrs. N. Q. Welch was toast-mistress and John Lugg of Monmouth delivered an address.
A bunch of young men dropped off here from a train going east and inquired about the labor situation. On hearing the prices of farm labor, they decided to go on. They started from Hannibal, Mo. and were looking up some of the big paying jobs they had heard were plentiful in the north. Illinois farmers are noted for the generous wages they pay during the crop season.
The housewives who depend solely upon their electric ranges to do their baking and cooking were handicapped in the preparation of the Sunday dinner when the current was shut off from 11 o'clock a.m until nearly six o'clock in the evening. To be thus deprived of the means of preparing a meal without any preliminary warning is extremely annoying, to say the least. ÊIn Gladstone, Glen Tribler, Clarence Cisny, Richard Kemp and Floyd Lewis have been quite ill with the mumps. Joseph Kemp of Galesburg has purchased the Lewis Dalton property south of town and expects to move there soon. In Lomax the funeral of Mack Scott was conducted at the church with interment at the Shaw Cemetery.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Julia Babcook, Mona Dixon and Walter Howell took the teacher's examination in Oquawka. Mrs. Deborah Pendry was up from Lomax attending to renting her farm and visiting Mrs. James Parry. Ruby May, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pete Good, still remains critically ill with bronchial trouble. David Pendry was taken to a Burlington hospital to be operated on for appendicitis. Gene Williamson will spend the summer at the W. A. Stewart farm. Mr. Slieter?, Mr. Gregg and several other gentlemen from Burlington were going down this side of the river canvassing membership for hard road through this part of the country hoping to make the Burlington road a part of the National Military Highway from St. Paul to New Orleans.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Schroeder moved into Frank Hamilton's house in the east part of town. Wm. Hickman is putting a new roof on his house. The Grand Union Tea Co. man from Burlington delivered groceries in town.
GLADSTONE QUARRY BUSY PLACE: The Monmouth Atlas printed the following article: "Although the weather has been unseasonable for construction during the last three weeks, the Monmouth Stone Co. has been "at it" every day and it will not be long before the plant is ready for business.
Workmen from the Illinois Steel Co. of Jacksonville are on the ground ready to erect the building. The large 100 ft. derrick is erected and in place. Several carloads of steel have been in transit for several days and should arrive soon. Construction at the plant is going along in first-class shape. Twelve all-steel cars to be used in handling stone arrived and will be unloaded and used at once.
The company has built and furnished living camps, which are sufficient in size to take care of a large number of men. They now have an experienced chef that has charge of the food provisions. Anyone desirous of making a trip to the quarry to look it over will be given a sample of a very good dinner in the bargain. The Henderson County Public Utility Co. which has the contract for building the power line to connect with the Keokuk Dam expects to begin its construction from Stronghurst. The poles and fixtures are now on the way and Manager Lee of Biggsville states that about five weeks will complete the work."