The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Sept. 22, 1921
MRS. FRED KERN STARS IN HUGE BENEFIT FOR SOLDIERS: The lady referred to is the wife of Mr. Fred Kern, a former Stronghurst boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Kern: "The many friends of Mrs. Fred Kern will be glad to learn about the wonderful work she has been doing for our soldier boys. Earlier in the summer she arranged a splendid program which was enjoyed by almost eight thousand guests given on the lawn of the summer home of Col. John R. Leipaig of Chicago; eight thousand dollars was made. Last Friday she gave another which cleared $525.
Mrs. Kern is one of the most talented readers in Chicago so her name on a program means a large gathering of enthusiastic listeners; and a program arranged by her sells all tickets long before the time. She has been reading for the boys in all the hospitals and has sung and played for them where pianos were available. Besides arranging parties and teaching them bead work and how to paint in water colors and oil...
Mrs. Kern is not only one of the finest readers in Chicago, but a fine artist in china, water colors, oil, crayon and Japanese lacquer. She is a member of the Atlan China Club of the Art Institute. She is also the ideal for all her little school friends of whom she is so fond. . ."
NEW MINISTER FOR METHODISTS: The Rev. Van B. Sullins comes to this charge for the conference year and is very highly recommended. He has been a student of the Valparaiso University, also a graduate of McKendree College in the class of 1908. For fifteen years he was a member of the Southern Illinois Conference transferring into the Central Illinois Conference last year. For the past year he has served the pastorate of Alpha. Not only does he come highly recommended, but this family is spoken of in high words of appreciation. Stronghurst Methodistism is to be congratulated in the appointment of their pastor for this year. He will preach at Maple Grove at 9:30 Sunday morning and the evening service will be at 7:30. Mrs. Lucile Simpson will sing in at the morning service. "The Past and the Present" will be presented in a unique entertainment given by the September group of the Ladies Aid Society of the M. E. Church at the Lyric Theater on the evening of Sept.20.
THIRD TRIAL FOR STRAUSE: The third trial at Bloomington, Ill. for Edgar A Strause, former Burlington, Ia. man who something like three years ago was convicted in Peoria, Ill. of the murder of Bern M. Mead, a banker of that city and sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of 25 years began last Monday. Following his conviction, Strause was granted a rehearing of his case by the Supreme Court. In the second trial which was held in McLean County, the jury disagreed standing ten to two for acquittal.
NEW CAR PRICE: a light-six Studebaker, 3 passenger auto sold for $1125 at Wallin's Garage ($13,589 in today's values).
SABBATH SCHOOL CONVENTION: The annual Henderson County Sunday School Convention will be held in the Terre Haute church on Friday, Sept.30th. Dr. Rezner of Biggsville will speak on Bible Prophesy and present day conditions; Rev. Ross Hume of Monmouth College on The Bible, the fulfillment of the World's Needs; Rev. Olson of Stronghurst on The Influence of the Bible on History and Miss Weaver upon The Church and Her Children. A basket picnic dinner and supper will be furnished by the ladies of the Terre Haute.
1896 GRAPHIC: J. Ross Carpenter of Little York presented the cause of free silver at a political meeting held in the Stronghurst Opera House. J. N. Derr, the Monmouth Alderman who was in jail charged with forgery, sprung a sensation by claiming that he had committed the offense while under the influence of a drug administered by a prominent physician, who was also a member of the city council and who was opposing a plan favored by Derr for opening up a new street in Monmouth. He further claimed that the physician mentioned had been instrumental in getting him a railroad pass to Denver and that the whole scheme was a conspiracy to get his away from Monmouth.
Peter Groome, Jr. had just accepted a position as ticket clerk for the M.K. & T. at Sedalia, Mo. Felix Shain had purchased the old Davidson meat market building in the village and opened up a grocery store therein. He was advertising good bacon at 8 cents per lb; country lard at 8 cents and best Minnesota flour at $1.00 per 50 lb. sack.
At the prevailing price of corn and oats, renters were unable to pay the $3 per acre ($76+ today value) cash rent, which was the prevailing price in this section of Illinois. (My, how times have changed!)
BURIED WITH HONORS-ERNEST FOOTE: One of the largest crowds ever assembled in Stronghurst on a funeral occasion gathered here last Sunday afternoon to honor the memory of Ernest Foote, who more than three years ago gave up his life in Chauteau Theirry, where the brave American troops met the onrushing and hitherto invincible German hordes and turned the tide of the war in favor of the Allies.
The body of young Foote arrived here on Santa Fe train No.5 at midnight last Thursday and was taken to the Regan undertaking rooms where it remained until Sunday. On that day at 3:00 P.M. the flag draped casket was placed in the hearse and under an escort composed of the members of Lawson Babitt Post No. 614 of Roseville, a number of Ernest's old comrades of Company I and other ex-soldiers from Burlington, Ia. and a number of ex-service men from this locality, was taken to the village park where impressive ceremonies were conducted and a funeral oration delivered by Rev. Catlin of the Old Bedford Church. The theme of the speaker's discourse was loyalty and sacrifice, and the faith manifested by the deceased solider in his country and in the things symbolized by the flag which he followed across the sea and under which he found and died, was held up as something worthy of emulation and the highest praise.
Previous to the discourse a quartette composed of W. C. Ivins, Douglass Prescott, Mrs. Ivins and Mrs. L. McAndrews sang "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," and following the address Mr. Ivins and Mrs. McAndrews sang "Sleep Soldier, Sleep."
At the conclusion of these services the military cortege again formed and marched to the cemetery led by the Roseville Legion band playing a funeral march. Beside the hearse marched the six pall bearers under the direction of Ex-Lieutenant Marion L. Evans of this place. The pall bearers were with one exception, members of Ernest's old company, four of them being Burlington boys and two of them C. C. Walker and Robert Wilson of Stronghurst.
At the cemetery the soldier escort was drawn up into two lines leading from the hearse to the open grave and through the lane thus formed the remains were carried to their final resting place. Previous to the lowering of the casket into the grave, Rev. Catlin read the burial service and offered prayer. After the casket was deposited in the grave, a firing squad composed of six members of the Roseville Legion stepped forward and fired three volleys from their rifles across the grave; and as the echoes from these volleys died away a bugler stationed near the grave sounded taps; and the notes from his cornet were caught up by another bugler stationed at a far corner of the cemetery and wafted back, softly yet distinctly, on the Sabbath afternoon breezes like a benediction on the silent throng gathered at the grave.
The idea of having the funeral services in the village park proved to be a wise one, as there is no edifice in the village which would have accommodated the crowd present which numbered fully a thousand. There were perhaps 75 ex-soldiers and sailors in uniform present and participating in the ceremonies at the park and in the cemetery.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Little Florence Bane has been very ill from intestinal trouble for several days. Grandma Bane of Urbana, Ill. and Grandma Whiteman of Prairie City have been at the Bane home for some time helping care for the little sufferer. Mr. Wm. Ryan, well known over the country as a distributor for the products of the Monmouth Pottery Co., was seriously injured by being thrown from his wagon recently. He is being cared for at the Wm. Reedy home while he is recovering. Chas. Rankin of Dexter, Iowa is visiting Henderson and Warren County relatives. Walter Simonson of Anthony, Kans. visited his father. S. V. A. Simonson and other relatives in this vicinity. Joe Baxter, who was in the same company with Ernest Foote in France and was present at his burial there, came over from Douglass, Ill. to be present at the burial services of his comrade here. Misses Verna and Emma Rankin are attending Elliott's Business College in Burlington. Miss Mary Dixson has resumed her studies at Knox College. Miss Ruth McMillan is again a student at Hedding College at Abingdon. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Houtchens of Fort Madison were present at the funeral of their nephew Ernest Foote.
Mrs. John Butler is teaching the Record school during the illness of her sister, Miss Jean Spears, the regular teacher. Elize Drain was taken to the Burlington Hospital and underwent a second operation in the hope of obtaining relief from complications following an operation for appendicitis. Miss Anna Ahlers is receiving treatment at the Monmouth Hospital for an infected hand. Miss Laura Enwall has gone to Oregon in response to a message stating that her brother Russell was very ill with jaundice and leakage of the heart at a hospital there. Russell has been homesteading a claim in Oregon this summer. Herbert Fitz, Frederick Fitz and Harry Painter of the west country are attending Wesleyan College at Bloomington, Ill. Mrs. Mabel VanTassell left for her home in Washington, D.C. after spending two weeks visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Simpson.
C. M. Bell and family left in their Ford car for Manhattan, Kans. where they will participate in a reunion of the Bell family to be held this week in honor of the birthday of the father. A brother of Charlie's, who lives in Montana and whom he has not seen in 18 years, will be present. A card from Charlie says they found good roads and made the trip of 450 miles without auto trouble of any kind. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Ogden left on auto trip to Cass County, Minn. where they have relatives. Robert Billups and wife of North Yakima, Wash. visited here with his brothers whom he had not seen for 22 years. Dr. Lauver started yesterday on an auto tour which will include the states of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. The teaching force of the Stronghurst Community High school has been augmented by the addition of Mr. Ralph Kilpatrick of Elmwood, Ill., a recent graduate of the University of Illinois, to teach history. The stork left a fine eight lb. boy at the home of Dr. and Mrs. H.L. Marshall on Sept. 20.
From the Forest, Wisconsin Republican: The marriage of Miss Elsie Anna Cooper to Mr. Arthur Nelson took place on Sept. 16th. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Cooper of Crandon.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Miss Vera Logan of Dallas City filled Mr. H. Crane's position at the depot while he and his wife visited St. Louis. About 50 attended the community meeting at the home of Wm. Dixon. The Hardy family have vacated the Mrs. Mary Harter farm and gone to Gladstone. Mrs. Mary Marsden is visiting a few days with her daughter Mrs. Chas. Bowlyou of Lomax. Mrs. Albert Runge and Freddie and Rhoda Howell enjoyed the day at Crapo Park. Mr. Calvin Hazen of Wellfleet, Neb. is visiting relatives here.
DECORRA DRIPPLINGS: Mr. Jess Denum and family and Mr. Bert Coy and family picnicked at Crapo Park Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. George Kemp, Jr. are rejoicing over a new daughter born Sept. 7th. School opened Monday with Hazel Anderson as the teacher. Several of the boys and girls from Decorra are attending high school at Stronghurst this year. The Decorra operator (telephone) was transferred to Lomax.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: A cold drizzling rain on Monday made travel disagreeable especially for so many teachers who spend the weekends with relatives and have to reach their schools on Monday mornings rain or shine. Miss Esther Johnson, who teaches near Oquawka, spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Johnson west of Olena. Mr. H. L. Lant accompanied by his cousin, Miss Carol Rankin, who is a teacher in the Oquawka high school, spent the weekend with relatives at Stronghurst motoring back to Oquawka on Monday.
Mrs. Frank Hicks, who resides east and south of Olena, is reported quite critically ill and has a nurse attending her from Burlington. Mr. Lee Davis took the examination at Burlington for mail clerk; he reports 30 others there. Mrs. Clas Carlson has been quite a sufferer from a sprained knee. Mrs. Floyd Burrell has spent a few days in Burlington helping care for her mother, who is on the sick list. Silos belonging to the Messrs. Ross, Pearson, Heisler and Hartquist have been filled the past week or two and are now working at the Ralph Olson place north of Olena. Mr. Emil Benson of the Hopper neighborhood bought a lot in the Olena Cemetery last evening and reports the loss of a young child. Mr. Clas Carlson and Mrs. John Lant of the Olena M.E. Church were appointed as delegates from their church to a joint committee meeting of the Oquawka and Biggsville circuit at Reed. They in company with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Carlson drove up to that place Monday forenoon only to find they had been misinformed as to the hour of the meeting, but a lady living nearby (Mrs. Sandstrom) noticed the strangers, guessed the situation and kindly invited them to her home. They enjoyed and appreciated her kind hospitality and from her learned some very interesting facts. She said that Reed had lost its identity as a village since the rural service began, then the store and blacksmith shop ceased business. The church had always had morning services and was having a good attendance in both the church and Sabbath school. Miss Ruby Hicks of Stronghurst was the teacher of the school there at $115 per month. Mrs. Lant was surprised to learn that Mrs. Minnie Reed Mitchell, a sister of the late Mrs. Ed. Salter of Stronghurst and her personal childhood friend was buried there. (Article continues onward about church meeting.)
***OBITUARY***ANNA LARSON HEPPERLY: from the Clearfield, Ia. Enterprise-"Anna B. Larson was born in Sweden, April 25, 1864 and suddenly departed this life at her home Sept. 4, 1921, at the age of 57 years, 4 mo. and 9 days. She came with her parents to America in 1870 and settled at Carman, Ill. where she spent her early life attaining her education in Normal and college work in Illinois, fitting herself for teaching. After teaching there for some time came west to Nebraska afterwards coming to Iowa to the home of her sister, Mrs. Wolford, and taught here for some time.
She married John Hepperly Nov. 27, 1894 near Clearfield and has since made her home in this vicinity. To this union five children, two of whom preceded her in death, one an infant and one son, Ronald, dying at the age of 5 years.
Mrs. Hepperly united with the M. E. Church in Illinois and after coming to Iowa placed her membership with the Clearfield Methodist Church where she has been a faithful member being an active worker in both Sunday school and church services.
Suddenly, Sunday evening while attending to her home duties, she was called by her Maker to cease this life's work...She leave to mourn her loss, her husband, three children-Verna, Harlan and Jody, all of the home; two sister, Mrs. Wolford of Clearfield and Miss Larson of Galesburg, Ill.; two brother, Peter and Manil Larson of Galesburg. Funeral services were held at the church with interment in the Clearfield Cemetery."