The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec. 22, 1921
HE WINS THE CONTEST: Fred Painter, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Painter of Terre Haute Township and a pupil of the Notch school presided over by Miss Rhoda Anderson, is the proud wearer of the gold medal which bears testimony in the fact that he is Henderson County's champion grade school speller for 1921. This entitles him to compete for state honors at the contest soon to be held at Springfield. He correctly spelled all 150 words given at the contest.
CLASS PLAY-A SUCCESS: The Senior of the Stronghurst High School presented the play "Topsy Turvy or The courtship of the Deacon" at the Lyric Theater last Friday and Saturday evening in a manner that bore witness to the training of director, Miss Marie Larson...The title role was assumed by Miss Dorothea McMillan...
WILL TO BE CONTESTED: The Blandinsville Star Gazette says that the will of the late Samuel B. VanArsdale of that village is to be contested. Mr. Van Arsdale died without issue and left all of his property to his wife.
Included in this property was 100 acres of land which Mr. VanArsdale inherited from his mother, the land having been bequeathed to her by her father, George Huston, one of the early settlers of this section of Illinois.
The surviving descendants of Mr. Huston, who are the contestants in the case claim that since Mr. VanArsdale died without issue and with no surviving brothers or sisters, the land in question reverts under the terms of the Huston will to the remaining living descendant's of Mr. Huston.
***OBITUARY***HARRY MOORE: Harry Moore, who was for several years a resident of the country southeast of Stronghurst, died at his home at LaGrande, Calif. on Dec. 3rd. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Zora (Riggs) Moore and three sons, Marion, Channing and Paul and one daughter, Grace. Two brothers, William Moore of Roseville and Grant Moore of Peoria, Ill. and two sisters also survive him. Funeral services and interment were at LaGrande, Calif.
CHOSES TO SING: Miss Mary Dixson has been chosen as one of the members of the Knox College Girls' Glee Club. Only 24 of the 50 girls who tried for places were accepted. Miss Dixson is one of four sophomores to make the club this year; she sings first alto. The Girls' Glee Club of Knox College gives an annual high caliber concert in Galesburg every year. The club this year is under the direction of Miss Margaret Lawson Mulford of the Knox Conservatory.
***WEDDING BELLS***CARNER-DETRICK: Morris F. Carner and Miss Merie Jezzie Detrick of the Olena neighborhood were untied in marriage at the parsonage on Dec. 14th by the Rev. W. H. Craine, pastor of the First M. E. Church of Monmouth. Miss Vera Detrick, sister of the bride, and Harvey Carner, brother of the groom, were the attendants. Mr. and Mrs. Carner will make their home on a farm near Biggsville.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS: The first of a series of events which will mark the Christmas season in Stronghurst was the cantata, "The Manger Prince," presented at the M.E. Church under the directorship of Mrs. George Widney. The school building has been the scene of further celebration. The grade pupils were all treated by their teachers to ice cream molded in figures to represent Santa Claus and assorted cookies. The freshmen entertained the sophomores with a party, one of the features of which was a Christmas tree on which were gifts for each member of the two classes and faculty members. The grade pupils will have special exercises with a Christmas tree and present exchange while the high school will give a special program of music and recitations assisted by local village talent.
The M.E., U.P. and Christian churches will all have exercises for the children and distribution of gifts and treats on Saturday night. Christmas Eve the Lutherans church will have early service or Jal-oppa on Christmas morning at 5:30 and a children's festival on Dec. 26th.
***OBITUARY***SENATOR BERRY: Former State Senator Orville F. Berry of Carthage, Ill. passed away last Monday at a sanitarium in Jacksonville after an illness of several weeks. He was well known in Henderson County where he appeared as counsel in many important cases in court as well as on the rostrum in numerous political, educational and religious gatherings.
Senator Berry was born in McDonough County in 1852 and after passing the public school took up the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1877. He entered political life early in his career and served several terms as mayor of Carthage. He also served in the lower house at Springfield and in 1888 was elected state senator which he served continuously for 20 years. He was ranked amongst the most influential members of the senate and for a number of years acted as floor leader for the republican party...He served as chairman of the state republican convention which nominated Richard Yates for governor and was a member of the state railroad and warehouse commission for several years...In 1916 he was a delegate to the Republican national convention and a member of the resolutions committee and of the sub-committee which drew up the party platform for the presidential campaign of that year...
Aside from his activities in his profession and in politics, Senator Barry found time for considerable work in religious circles and was prominent as a Sunday school worker in the M. E. Church of Carthage. He was also a prominent member of the Masonic order and of the Knights of Pythias.
GOLDEN WEDDING: Mr. and Mrs. David McDill of Biggsville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner enjoyed at the home hosted by their two daughters and their husbands, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. McMillan and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Graham. Miss Lois McMillan was also present. During the afternoon a reception was held at which many old time friends and acquaintances congratulated the couple. With the exception of eight years spent in Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. McDill have spent the entire fifty years of their married life at Biggsville, where Mr. McDill has been engaged in the mercantile business.
***WEDDING BELLS***A happy event occurred at the court house in Burlington on Dec. 21st when Miss Hazel Leinbach of Stronghurst became the bride of Lewis L. Bigger, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Bigger of Carman. Rev. G. M. Tuttle of the first M. E. Church of Burlington officiated at the ceremony. Parents of the bride and groom, the bride s sister Beulah and brother George and her uncle and aunt from Wataga, Ill. were present at the wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Bigger will be at home on a farm near Gladstone.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. H.M. Allison has been confined to his home for several days with sciatic rheumatism. Mrs. Allison has also been quite ill recently, but is now much improved. W. F. Allison and Harold are staying at the home and caring for the patients. Mrs. Opheila Barnett of Kirkwood is visiting the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. H.L. Marshall. Geo. Hoffeditz and family have returned to Stronghurst and will occupy rooms over the poultry house on east Main St. Mrs. John Brand spent the weekend with her daughter, Miss Ruby, who is recovering from an operation for appendicitis at a Macomb hospital. Robert and Merna Vaughn entertained 12 couples at a 6 p.m. dinner; the evening was spent playing cards and dancing. (Sounds like the social event of the season.) Maurice Lee will hold a sale of Big Type Poland-China swine on his farm southeast of Stronghurst. R. N. Marshall whose farm home southeast of Stronghurst was destroyed by fire, has purchased the P. W. Wallin residence in this village. Mrs. Frank Murphy has been a sufferer from bronchitis. The officers of the new Warren-Henderson Historical Society met in the Chamber of Commerce Building at Monmouth to outline future programs. Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Worthington were called to Quincy, Ill. by the serious illness of Mrs. Wilbur Simonson, who is a sister-in-law of Mrs. Worthington. Roland Davidson and wife arrived here from Niagara Falls and will spend the holidays with relatives. From here they go to California where Roland has accepted a position with the Los Angles Fruit Growers Supply Co. This company is extensively engaged in lumbering in northern California and Roland s duties will be in connection with that enterprise. Richard Peasley is home from Knox College for the holidays. Philip Mains, a student there also, is assisting with the Christmas week rush at the post office. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Adair are the proud parents of an 8 ½ lb. boy, born on Dec. 21st. The young man has been named Dale Dobbs Adair.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: A vacation from the regular preaching services on Xmas day was voted the pastor, Rev. Sailor. The annual congregation dinner of the M. E. Church will be Dec. 30th. The quilt and comforter which the ladies have finished and sold numbers upon will be exhibited and the one getting the lucky number wins it. Albert Dean has built a small residence on his farm west of Olena. Miss Ardis Hicks and pupils are preparing a program for Friday afternoon at which time they will have a Xmas tree. Miss Mona Dixon who teaches the Burrell School will also give a program and Xmas Tree on Dec. 30th. P.J. Johnson and Will Hicks have been having some sick cattle supposed to be from corn stalk feed. Lee Davis who has signed up for a business course, will soon be leaving for the Fort Madison Business College. Word received from Mrs. Robert Gibson of Broken Bow, Nebr. brings sad news that the young wife of their youngest son, Ernest, has passed away after a very brief illness. Dan Evans is seriously ill with pneumonia.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Oliver Chandler shipped five car loads of cattle from Colorado arriving here Saturday. A special train brought them down from Burlington and they were unloaded and taken to his farm near Terre Haute. J. Lester Clark has received quite an order for brooms. F. J. Walling returned from Kansas City where he has been on business for the boiler company; he reports things somewhat better. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel E. Vaughn will soon leave for Hot Springs, Ark. to spend the remainder of the winter. Chas. Hoover moved into the old Porter store building. A series of three week meetings closed Thursday evening conducted by a Mrs. Loomis of Piedmont, Mo., who was blind, being sent by the Church of the Nazarene. Quite a number accepted this faith and a Church of the Nazarene was organized by district Supt. A. L. Brown of Danville, Ill. The store building opposite the Hotel Lomax has been rented and regular services and Sunday school will be conducted each Sunday.
1896 GRAPHIC: C. M. Davis, the Iowa man who had negotiated the purchase of the Baldwin and Jones stocks of merchandise in the village, was an imposter and had quietly slipped out of town leaving a four days board bill unsettled. Samuel McGaw passed away at his home north of Stronghurst on Dec. 18th at the age of 70 years, 8 months and 12 days. Attorney B. F. Robinson gained consent from Santa Fe officials for the village to put a crossing on Elizabeth and Logan Streets across their right of way and opening them up to travel.
An evangelist by the name of Bennet, who had been conducting revival services here for two weeks in the Baptist Church created a sensation during a meeting held on the evening of Dec. 18th when he denounced the members of the church for refusing membership to a young girl who had come from another church in the village and sought admission to the congregation on profession of faith. The evangelist announced that he would have nothing more to do with the meetings and left the same evening for