The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Jan. 20, 1920
OBITUARY-MRS. ELIZABETH MCMILLAN: Mrs. Elizabeth McMillan passed away at her home on Jan 18th after an illness extending several months.
Elizabeth Milligan was born April 23, 1874 in Sullivan County, Ind. and died in Stronghurst, Ill. Jan. 18, 1921. She was a daughter of James and Elizabeth Milligan and was one of a family of 13 children. Two brothers and two sisters survive, namely Thos. Milligan of Biggsville; Alexander Milligan of Gladstone; Mrs. Wm. Duff of Earlham, Ia. and Mrs. Wm. Graham of this place.
She came with her parents to Henderson County, Ill. in 1854 and was married to James Harbison Sept. 25, 1865. Mr. Harbison passed away May 2, 1872.
To this union three children were born, Mrs. Carrie Simonach of Raritan township; Mrs. Josephine Turner of Galesburg, Ill and Miss Hortense Harbinson of Stronghurst. On Jan. 30, 1877 she married H.D.K. McMillan and to this union two children were born, namely, Eugenia Myrtle, deceased and James Fleming McMillan of this place. She leaves six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a host of friends.
She united with the Walnut Grove United Presbyterian Church at the age of 15 years. Coming to Stronghurst, she transferred her membership to the Stronghurst U. P. Church, being one of the charter members. She was a member of the Women's Missionary Society during her entire membership with the church.
She was very patient during the two and a half years of intense suffering receiving much comfort for the daily reading of her Bible. Funeral services were conducted at the church with interment in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
COMMUNITY CLUB NOTES: At the close of Miss Butter's talk at the Community Room the club voted to adopt an Armenian orphan for one year, the cost, $60 to be raised by individual subscription as many of the members as can conveniently do so to give $1 each. Miss Lucretia Bruen was appointed chairman and will receive contributions to the fund. The receipts from the dinner given were $60 with provisions being donated. The club expressed their thanks to all.
-OBITUARY-VERNON LONG: Jos. Long received a message that his son Vernon had passed away in a sanitarium in Tennessee. The remains have been shipped here but the time when they will arrive in not known. Vernon was in the naval service of his country during the war and had been in failing health from tuberculosis since leaving the service. (Today, his grave is marked only by a thin metal rod at the west end of the Olena Cemetery; surely, this veteran deserves more than this.)
NEW REAL ESTATE OFFICES: A. S. McElhinney, Stronghurst progressive and enterprising real estate dealer is now at home in his new office rooms in the building which he owns on the east side of Broadway two doors south of the Santa Fe tracks. Mr. McElhinney recently remodeled this building adding greatly to the appearance by finishing the front in stucco and glass. Two connection rooms were finished off the north half of the building for office purposes, one an outer general office and the other for private interviews or consultation with customers.The problems of lighting and heating have been given special attention and no detail looking to convenience and adaptability for the purposes intended has been overlooked in the furnishings and equipment.
WEDDING BELLS: Miss Eurie Mathers of Media and Mr. Harold Graham of Monmouth were married on Dec. 31 at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Mrs. Graham has been a successful teacher in the schools of Henderson County for several terms and for the past year has been bookkeeper at the E. G. Lewis seed house. Mr. and Mrs. Graham will make their home in Monmouth.
1896 GRAPHIC:The scale house and implement house of John Irons on his farm 2 miles southeast of Stronghurst was destroyed by fire together with his grocery wagon and stock and other property amounting to about $800. Residents of the Hopper neighborhood were all stirred up over the appearance of mysterious lights at night in the house occupied by Mrs. Helridge and her four children. The house was the scene of the Holly murder which occurred a few years before and many believed the place to be haunted. The W. E. Salter residence in the west part of town was badly damaged by fire. This afforded the newly organized fire department their first opportunity to show their prowess in fire fighting. The death of Mrs. Eliza Pearce, widow of Rev. A.G. Pearce, occurred at the home of her son George T. Pearce near Gladstone on Jan. 22nd. John Dalton sold his stock of merchandise at Media to Wm. McKeown of Amboy, Ill. The top price for hogs on the Chicago market was $4.15 and for cattle $4.70 per hundred. A county farmers organization was formed at the Putney Hotel electing Edgar D. Rankin as president; Wesley Rankin as secretary and J. Marion Fort as treasurer. They plan to hold an annual farmers' institute in February.
LOCAL BOY, A SUCCESS: Peter Groom has been gradually working his way up the railroad world ever since he began as an operator here in his home town something like 25 years ago. He recently ascended to another round in the ladder and now holds the position of Asst. Supt. of the Colorado division of the Union Pacific.
"Peter Groome for the last three years general safety agent of the Union Pacific railroad system and formerly inspector for the interstate railroad commission at Washington, has been appointed assistant superintendent of the Colorado division of the Union Pacific beginning his duties Thursday.
The office is newly created and was made necessary by the increased agricultural development of the country traversed by the system according to local officials. Mr. Groome will be assistant to A. E. Vickroy, superintendent of the division.
His place as general safety agent in Omaha will be taken, it is reported unofficially, by H. R. Abrams, formerly on Hale Holden's staff under the United States railroad administration.
Mr. Groome, several years ago was chief dispatcher of the Denver & Rio Grande at Alamosa, Colo. and is widely known in Denver. He is credited with being responsible for the advance of numerous safety devices lunched by the Union Pacific during his tenure of office is regarded as an expert along that line.
"OBITUARY' MRS. CHAS. A. ANDERSON: Mrs. Chas. A. Anderson who spent the greater part of her life in Henderson County and who was well known to many passed away at the Burlington Hospital Jan. 13th.
Mary Emma McClure was born at Legioneer, Ind. Nov. 24, 1856 and came with her parents to Henderson County in 1865 living near Iowa Junction. Later moving to Carman and on Feb. 10, 1880 she married Charles A. Anderson of that place. She united with the M.E. church at an early age and has been a devoted and constant member ever since.
She leaves a husband, Charles A. Anderson; one son, Harold D. of Lomax; one sister, Mrs. William McCaleb of Burlington; three grandchildren, and a host of relatives and friends to mourn her loss.
She fell peacefully asleep in the Burlington Hospital at 11 o'clock Jan. 13, 1921, aged 64 years, 1 month and 19 days. The body was brought back to the home and the funeral was conducted from the Dallas City Christian church with interment in the Carman Cemetery.
ENTERTAINMENT-SMALL TOWN STYLE: The largest audience which has ever been present thus far at any of the numbers of this year's lyceum course greeted the Varsity Four at the Lyric Theatre last Saturday night.
The four young ladies composing the company are sisters and all college girls; and while their work on the stage lacked to a certain extent the professional touch which has marked some of the other numbers of the course, they proved themselves to be versatile and accomplished entertainers with voices well adapted to solo, duet and quartet singing.
Their saxophone numbers were also well rendered and received with hearty evidence of favor on the part of the audience.
The sketch, "When Patty Goes to College" with which the entertainment closed was a clever presentation of college life in which the actors appeared in roles with which they seemed perfectly familiar. The easy grace of manner with which the young ladies conducted themselves
THE WATER SITUATION: With wells and cisterns in the village rapidly going dry, the water situation is becoming a matter of concern to many. While the village is fortunate in having an adequate supply of city water available for fire fighting, the nature of this water makes it absolutely unfit for washing or cooking purposes. It is at times like this that we realize how much it would have meant to the town if negotiations could have been successfully carried out at the time the water works project was being put through by which the never failing supply of pure spring water which exists almost within the limits of the village could have been made to serve its needs. This source of water supply was the one which the engineer in charge of the project insisted upon as being in every respect the most desirable and no one now would question his judgment in regard to the matter. (Obviously, in 1921 each person had their own well and/or cistern; not too long ago a pump stood on the south corner of Nichols and Broadway. Horses had to be watered.)
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: As a result of federal inspection 37 head of milk cows from the herd of O'Leary and Sons, 3 head from the herd of Merrefield and Boals and 5 head from the herd of Dory Smith, all dairymen of the Monmouth neighborhood, were condemned as being tubercular and the sale of milk from the cows ordered stopped.
The Monmouth Plow Factory is expecting to entertain several thousand visitors during the ten days from Jan. 19-29, the occasion being the third annual opening and special sale of this big mail order concern.
Invitations have been sent to 80,000 farmers throughout the Middle West and those who respond will be furnished with tickets for free meals and lodging while they are in Monmouth. Monday, Jan. 24th, has been designated as Henderson County Day.
Elmer J. Platte, a former Dallas City boy, now in charge of a fishing plant at Vicksburg, Miss. and Miss Volga Logan, daughter of E. L. Logan, C.B.&Q agent at Lomax were married at the home of the bride's parents on the evening of Jan. 8th.
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: The Mississippi River Power Co. is offering to the public an issue of $3,000,000 of 15 year 7% debentures, the proceeds from which are to be used in redeeming various notes given by the company during the period when the Keokuk dam was being constructed. The debentures are selling at 91. 38 and accrued interest and it is claimed will yield 8% on the investment.
A recent decision of the courts declared the election by which the Colchester High School was established illegal; but the patrons of the school decided that this should not deprive them of its benefits and have raised a fund of $3,700 by private subscription to keep the school in operation for the remainder of the present school year.
Three children, aged 9, 11 and 16 respectively, were drowned near Pekin, Ill. when the ice in a ditch on which they were skating broke through. The father of the children is in serious condition from exposure suffered while vainly attempting to save the lives of the children. The name of the family was Noard and they came from Sweden.
The Mississippi Valley Veterinary Association held its regular quarterly meeting at the Union Hotel in Galesburg with a banquet at noon hour.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The I. O. O. F. lodge held their annual installation of officers. Mr. and Mrs. Algert Nolan are the happy parents of a daughter born Jan. 14th. Mr. and Mrs. John Butler accompanied their son Frank to Galesburg where he had his tonsils removed. Miss Amy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. Apt of Terre Haute neighborhood is a victim of scarlet fever and the home is under quarantine.
The Willing Workers of the U. P. Church are planning to hold an apron bazaar in the near future.
A fire at Caldwell Bros. Aerial Co. office and storage plant at the aviation field in Galesburg destroyed 7 new airplanes at a loss of $40,000. Robert N. Clarke was elected a member of the new I. A. A. Association and also chosen chairman of the grain marketing committee at the Chicago meeting.
Mace Adair, the Raritan young man who was so badly burned in the fire which destroyed the Adair home on Jan. 7th is said to be recovering rapidly and has been removed from the Monmouth Hospital to the home of his sister at Roseville. The village council at Little York passed a law regarding the sale of cigarettes, making it a crime to sell or give away to anyone under 21 years of age, the dealer being held responsible and being liable to a fine not exceeding $100 each offense.
Grandma Cooksie, who makes her home with the Wright family here, passed the 92nd milestone on her life\'d5 journey. She was the recipient of a number of post cards from friends as mementos of the occasion. Although she is confined to her bed most of the time, she is able to sit up for a short time occasionally and still maintains an interest in passing events.
A government revenue officer from Peoria was in Stronghurst checking up on delinquents in the payment of license fees of various kinds. He collected quite a little sum in fines from unlicensed pool tables, public taxi operator and automobile owners; he let it be known that he would be doing the same on his next visit.
Guy Hulet leased the Frank Johnson farm and will move his family there at once. Dr. and Mrs. Harter have arrived at Hollywood, Calif. where they will spend the remainder of the winter. The new Vaughn Hotel in the village is now in the hands of a large force of interior decorators and will be thrown open to the public within a week or two. Joe Long is re-decorating the interior of the house recently purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Worley for a residence; the family will move in a short time.
Friends are congratulating Charles Pendarvis and wife of Media on the arrival of a son on Jan. 3rd; the young man will be known as Robert Edward.
Carl Rosen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Swan Rosen of Point Pleasant Township in Warren County and a grandson of Mrs. Bertha Matzka of this place underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Galesburg Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Staley took their little son Ralph to the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago to have the cords of his fingers straightened. The little fellow\'d5s hands were severely burned last summer and were wrapped up with the fingers partially closed and when the burns were healed the fingers remained in that position on account of the contraction of the cords.
The newly remodeled M. E. Church at fall Creek was re-dedicated last Sunday morning. A new grain company to be known as the Oquawka Grain and Supply Co. has been organized at Oquawka and incorporated with a capital stock of $6,500 distributed mostly amongst the farmers of the locality. Dr. Sensebaugh, who will be remembered as the converted Jew who visited Stronghurst a year ago in the interest of the Inter-Church movement, will conduct a series of revival meeting at Biggsville.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: N. J. Gram remains quite poorly and unable to be at the store. The Farmers Co-operative Co. is planning on remodeling their store and putting in a stock of dry goods. Fred McKee and John Stanberry of Biggsville were doing some electric wiring in town. The Methodists will hold their weekly prayer meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Lewis. Tom Brooks of Wichita, Kans. visited a few days with Mr. and Mrs. John Pogue. A Boy Scout patrol was recently organized here with John Lawyer as scoutmaster. Quite a number of young people attended the dance at Biggsville.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Miss Gertrude Dowell spent the latter part of the week at the John Dowell home. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Marsden returned to their Chicago home after several days visiting with relatives. The I.O.O.F. gave a luncheon in honor of one of their oldest members, Mr. Fred Crane, who leaves for his home in California Monday.
Mr. Crane has been Q agent here for twenty years being on the road as agent forty years. He is one of the oldest for the C. B.& Q. Mrs Crane was an earnest worker in all of the liberty loans and always ready, both of them, to do their share in any good cause. She taught in California for a number of years and knowing the advantages of schools there will give their son Frederick the opportunity of finishing his school work in a good college. The remains of Mrs. Emma McClure Anderson of Dallas City were laid to rest in the Carman Cemetery.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Judge Murphy was in town taking care of a trial and acting as judge in the case. Mrs. Mandy Bell from Henderson, Iowa visited relatives and friends here and in Stronghurst before returning home. John McCabe moved here from Kingston, Iowa into a house in the north part of town.
The Monmouth stone quarry started work with several men and will add more as needed. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rhoads moved up to the stone quarry where they will run the cook house for the men working there. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Pitt from Petoka, Ill. expect to move to town into part of Walter Furnald's house. Amil Huneke and his men are finishing work at the Taylor Galbraith home; he is from Burlington, Iowa. C. Christa is again working at the depot.