The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic August 10, 1923
IMPROVING BROADWAY: The Union Construction Co. of Burlington has started work on the cement culvert to be built on the west side of Broadway from Grandey's corner to the A.T. & S.F. right of way. A culvert and cement sidewalk is being built on the east side of Broadway from Yoakam's corner to the Farmers' Cooperative Store. All the trees are being cut down along the street. These old landmarks must give way for modern improvements that gradually are taking the place of the old.
SUNDAY SCHOOL GAME: In a one sided game of six innings, the Stronghurst Sunday ( School team defeated the Media S.S. team on Sanderson field last Saturday afternoon by a score of 23 to 3. Game was called on account of darkness. The Stronghurst S.S. team will play Reed next Friday afternoon and on Saturday afternoon the Terre Haute team. This will be a contest as neither team has been defeated this season. Both games will be played on Sanderson s field.
SELL SOME OIL STOCK: G.E. Pop, Poe Bros., operating as a partnership in West Virginia and owning about 9,000 acres of land at Stronghurst, Henderson County, Ill., which are regarded as good oil prospects, was closing up a deal with Frank P. Welch, president of the Illinois Oil Co., who has purchased some of the acreage.
Officials of the company state that six wells are now being drilled on this property of which the Standard Oil of Indiana has two and has purchased about 1500 acres. The Pure Oil Co., Columbus, Ohio, in which General Dawes has a controlling interest, has bought 2,000 acres and the Imperial Oil Co. of Pittsburg, 1,000. The bulk of the acreage is to be held by the Pope Brothers, but they are disposing of the portion to buyers including Mr. Welch. Rock Island Argus
***OBITUARY***McWILLIAMS: Chas. Herbert McWilliams was born in Ellison, Ill., Oct. 11, 1836 and died in Chicago at the home of his sister, Mrs. Belle Ralston, Aug. 3, 1922. He was the son of John T. McWilliams and spent his young manhood near Ponemiah and Larchland, going to the Dakotas in the early settlement of the Northwest; for a number of years, he had lived near Sheridan, Wyo. where he had acquired a large ranch.
Early last winter he became afflicted with the dread disease, cancer, and although he consulted with and was treated by the best that science is, he gradually grew worse. In April he went to the home of his sister in Chicago to have the advantage of the best scientific knowledge of cancer, but it did no benefit and he passed away last Thursday morning.
He leaves to mourn his death: Arch McWilliams of Monmouth, Jay McWilliams of Biggsville and three sisters-Mrs. Belle Ralston and Miss Marian McWilliams of Chicago and Mrs. George Barnett of this place besides a number of relatives and friends.
The remains arrived in Stronghurst on No.5 last Friday evening and were taken to the George Barnett home from which place the funeral was held on Saturday afternoon. Interment was in the family plot at Old Ellison.
SAD NEWS BY TELEGRAM: A telegram to George E. Pope from St. Michaels, Md. bore the sad tiding that his wife, his wife's mother and his youngest son had been killed in an automobile accident and that his daughter and two other sons were seriously injured. Mr. Pope was not in the city when the news arrived, being away on a business trip. His brother, E. E. Pope, succeeded in locating him at Fort Wayne, Ind. last night just as he was boarding a Pennsylvania train in his way back to Chicago and thence here. On receiving the news, he immediately left for Parkersburg, Va., where the victims of the sad tragedy were taken and where the interment will take place. No further particulars of the accident had been received at the time of going to press. St. Michaels is located on Chesapeake Bay and is about a two hour ride from Baltimore.
NOT THE ROBBERS' VEHICLE: "Stronghurst people are trying to connect the theft of R. E. White's Hudson sedan with an incident which occurred in that place early last Tuesday morning when a Hudson sedan was seen on the streets there and got gas by breaking the lock on the pump at a filling station. However, the Hudson seen in Stronghurst was equipped with white wire wheels and Mr. White's car had wooden wheels, at least while it was in his possession." Monmouth Review
LAID HIM LOW: "Some years ago a football game was played between La Harpe and Blandinsville teams and Blandinsville won. A good bit on money changed hands and La Harpe sports were dejected. On the La Harpe team one of the best players was Jim Campbell. He had at one time lived in Blandinsville and as an alibi some of the La Harpe boosters started a report that he had laid down on them and not done his best to win the game. It was not true. He played fairly and the insinuation that he had been tampered with was a reflection on Blandinsville as well as an injustice to Campbell. Last week while he was sitting in La Harpe came by a fellow named Bundy who stimulated, perhaps, by something more than just to be disagreeable, twitted Campbell again with having thrown the long lost game. Campbell rose up slowly and hit him once. It was enough. It took him half an hour to regain consciousness and realize that he was still on earth and had made a mistake. Campbell was arrested and fined $8 and costs. The Blandinsville boys when they heard it felt that he had resented an insult to them as well as to himself and they promptly made up a purse of $10.50 and sent it to him as an expression of their approval. The incident is closed." Blandinsville Star Gazette
COMPETITION IN ALEDO: A circus shows in Aledo on Saturday, which will seriously interfere with the last day of the county fair, has fair officials worried over the clash of dates. They say they depend on Saturdays for their profits and have asked city authorities to get the circus to change its date for showing here and in case of refusal to deny a license to show inside the city limits and to parade the streets. Whether either can be accomplished is not known at this time...
***WEDDING BELLS***FAGAN-LINK: Last Wednesday evening at the home of the Christian minister in Monmouth occurred the marriage of Miss Mildred Fagan of Biggsville and Clifford Link of Monmouth. They were accompanied only by the brother of the bride who with the minister's family were the only witnesses. The bride was gowned in a white Canton crepe and carried a bouquet of flowers. Immediately after the ceremony the couple went to their home at First Avenue and Seventh Street which had already been furnished and ready for occupancy. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Fagan of Biggsville and has for the past three years been a primary teacher in the public school. Mr. Link's home has been at La Harpe but was principal of the public school three years ago and since that time he has held a position in the National Bank at Monmouth.
BIGGSVILE BRIEFS: The July meeting of the Community Club was held in the park with Mrs. Nancy Jamison, Mrs. George Jamison, Mrs. Clark Kelly, Mrs. Andy Stevenson and Mrs. Willie Dixson as hostesses. Mrs. Chas. Burrus was in charge of the program. In response to roll call, each member was to name a vegetable best liked from her garden. After the program a lunch of pineapple ice and cake was served. Mrs. Vance of Clinton, Ill., but who was visiting a daughter in Iowa, is the guest of her daughter, Mrs. Daisy Babcook. Mrs. J. Y. Whiteman and daughter Martha returned home from a trip to Minneapolis. Mrs. Andy McQuown of Sandwich, Ill., a former resident, spent last week at the Chancey Whiteman home. A party from here drove to Burlington and joined the excursion from there to Keokuk. (Boat trips on the river were popular entertainment.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The L.M Society met at the Alexander Marshall home with 35 members present. There is a possibility that Hedding College may not open this year owing to financial difficulties. Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Hurd (Cotton) came down from Galesburg to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Hurd on Saturday night. On Sunday he took them for a ten mile drive on the river and bluff roads north of Burlington and returning partook of a picnic lunch in the beautiful Crapo Park, the most beautiful spot on earth. (Spending Sunday 1923 style) Although we have had a few warm days July of 1922 has been the coolest in 40 years, according to F.M. Myers, official weather observer at Ft. Madison. Mrs. W. V. Curtis moved Mrs. Thyseen s milliner furnishings to Canton, Mo. Miss Agnes Kirby resumed her duties in Mr. G. W. Worley's store after a week s vacation. Tuesday night was a typical fall evening; the thermometer registered 35 degrees. Dallas City will vote on a proposition to put in a complete sewer system. All indications are that it will carry by a large majority. Joe Peasley left for Canada where he expects to purchase some cattle for feeders and ship them here. The drought in Canada has made the feeding of the range cattle a serious proposition and they are being sold out at a figure so low that they can be shipped back here and fed out at a profit.
RARITAN REPORTS: The play, All a Mistake,which was given by local talent in the opera house was well rendered and well attended. The gross receipts were $53 which goes to the benefit of the library. A twelve pound boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Schenck on August 2, 1923. Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Cooper are the owners of a new Ford coupe purchased last week. Cora Mabey was operated upon in the Macomb Hospital. An auction of army blankets was made on the street Thursday evening. James Spiker and family of Bushnell, Arthur Grate and family of the Bedford neighborhood, Paul VanArsdale and family of Point Pleasant Township, Mrs. Carrie Haallbert and daughter Vera of Pella, Iowa, C. E. Perrine and family and L.V. D. Perrine of this place all enjoyed a day's outing at Spoon River Thursday.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Rev. Harry Whitmyer and family started for Pennsylvania for a visit at the old home. His brother, S. Whitmyer and two sons who spent the past two weeks here returned with them. The Women s Foreign Missionary Society met at the home of Mrs. Lena Pence. The Ladies Aid is having the inside of the M.E. church newly decorated. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lewis and family went to Moberly, Mo., where they expect to make their future home. Their household goods are ready for shipment and will be shipped as soon as they are able to get a house at this place. Mrs. Lloyd Brainard was taken to Burlington Hospital and under went an operation for appendicitis; she is reported getting along fine.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Raymond Lefler has begun work as a permanent helper at the Santa Fe depot. Mr. Jake Ford is still very low and his daughters from Oak Park, Ill. have been summoned to his bed side where they are helping to care for him. Home grown watermelons have made their appearance among us. A load of fine ones were brought over from Oquawka and are selling for 15-20 cents. The streets have been oiled and the streets and alleys mowed which adds greatly to their appearance.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Harry Sparrow received a new separator. The Q. Revs. Michell and Tolson of Missouri are holding a series of tent meetings at the rear of the Nazarene Church. A goodly attendance has been to hear them. Nearly all the threshing is done in the neighborhood; most of the wheat was a fair yield but of not a good quality.
PLYMOUTH OIL WELLS: After practically dormant for the last three years, the Plymouth Oil fields may reopen. Among the first steps to indicate such a probability is the fact that the Ohio Oil Co., which has leased the Jim Myers farm in Lamoine Township, will start drilling within a few days. James Stockwell and Lloyd Cludry located the well and two expert drillers of Centralia have been hired to do the drilling...
***OBITUARY***MRS. GEORGE BARNETT: Mrs. Barnett passed away at her home 3 ½ mile north of Stronghurst last Friday afternoon at two o clock. Although she had been seriously ill for over a year, her death was very sudden and a great shock to her relatives and friends. She had gone out into the garden to pick a few vegetable for table use and was returning to the house when she suddenly collapsed. Miss Lant, who had been staying at the Barnett home, noticed her fall and went to her assistance, but she passed away before she could be removed into the house. After the long period of suffering, passing from this life was peaceful and without pain.
Nancy Amy, the youngest daughter of John T. and Nancy Sackett McWilliams, was born near Ponemah, Ill. May 23, 1867 and passed away at the family home near Stronghurst on Aug. 11, 1923, aged 56 years, 2 months and 18 days. Her entire life, with the exception of two years spent near Greenfield, Iowa, was spent in Warren and Henderson Counties.
On Oct. 12, 1892 she united in marriage with George W. Barnett, who with the children and numerous other relatives mourn her death. She is survived by her sons, Wesley of Yellowstone Park,Wyo; Herbert of Biggsville and Max; Also two daughters, Mrs. Marion Voorhees and Mrs. Ruth Smith besides one daughter who passed away a number of years ago. Her brother Arch McWilliams of Monmouth and A.J. McWilliams of Biggsville and sisters, Miss Marian McWilliams of Chicago and Mrs. Belle Ralston who resides at Elmhurst, Ill, survive her. A brother Frank passed away years ago and also Chas. McWilliams whose death occurred only a week ago...