The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, July 27, 1923
ALL THE WAY FROM OREGON: When Henry G. King, former citizen and well known businessman of Stronghurst but for the last 22 years a resident of Oregon, dropped into the village, he was warmly welcomed by old time friends. Most thought that Henry's visit had its sole inception in a desire to revive memories of former days and to renew old acquaintanceships. It soon became evident, however, that romance had played an important part in prompting the long journey from the Pacific slope and that a wedding was in prospect. The knowing ones were, therefore, not altogether taken by surprise Wednesday afternoon when he and Miss Nettie Wilsher, who had departed quietly for Galesburg that morning, returned as man and wife.
The ceremony which united these estimable people in wedlock was performed by Justice Walberg in his office at Galesburg, Miss Lois Johnson, who makes her home with Mrs. John Francen, a sister of the groom being one of the witnesses. A wedding dinner was served at the Francen home following the ceremony.
Naturally retiring and modest in disposition, the bride, who is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Wilsher and who has made her home in the east part of the village since the death of her father several years ago, is a lady of many excellent qualities and one who enjoys the highest respect and esteem of the entire community. The groom is also so well known by the people here as to need no commendatory notice. Since moving to Oregon he has kept in close touch with affairs here and has also kept his friends advised as to his own life and activities in the West by an occasional contribution to the Graphic. He has a home and several acres of fruit and truck land in the outskirts of Forest Grove, Ore. and here is where he will take his bride.
***WEDDING BELLS***CADLE-COX: Russell Cadle, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Colyer of Stronghurst with whom he has made his home for several years, and Miss Fannie Cox, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Cox of Blandinsville, were united in marriage July 21st by Rev. W. H. Cross, pastor of the Stronghurst Christian Church at the parsonage. The groom is at present employed as a driver for the Schell Oil Co. in this territory and after a short honeymoon they will establish a home in Stronghurst.
BIG WHEAT HARVEST: R. P. Edgar and J.J. Seerley aren't the only Burlingtonians busy threshing wheat these days. Others include Jim and Alex Moir and Leon LeMaire. The latter three have a farm of many acres situated on the Burlington Road a mile and a half south of Oquawka. Several hundred acres are in wheat and threshing crews are now engaged getting out about 30 bushels per acre. A grain dump and switch have been installed and to date four cars have been loaded. When the harvest is complete, 12 to 14 cars will have been loaded.
AGENCY ROAD TO BE OPENED FOR TRI-STATE FAIR: The State Highway Commission has arranged to open Agency Road for automobile traffic for the fair to be held at Burlington, Aug. 6-11th. While the hard road itself cannot be used, the commission is going to grade the sides and open them up for the use of visitors to the Fair.
The Fair expects many famous dairy exhibitors to be present (read list on microfilm). In the racing department the fair has had an unusually large entry list in the six early closing events... Three races have 20 horses and the remaining have 18, 15 and 12 respectively. The speed program open on Tuesday with a purse of $800...With respect to amusements, the administration has spared no expense in providing a wealth of entertainment for both afternoon and evening shows...Visitors to the Fair will have the unusual opportunity of seeing Fashionable Fern's Lad, Grand Champion Bull in the National Dairy Show for two successive years, 1920 and 1921. This is an unusual feat for never before in the history of the National Dairy Congress has one animal been successful in defending his title in the second year.
***OBITUARY***TINKHAM: George W. Tinkham, one of Kirkwood's better known citizens, died suddenly while sitting on the porch of his home last Sunday about noon. He was alone at the time of his death although he wife had conversed with him but a few minutes before on her return from church.
Mr. Tinkham was the son of Ransom and Cordelia Tinkham and was born Oct. 4, 1853 on the old Tinkham farm, two miles southwest of Kirkwood. He was married on Oct. 11, 1876 to Adah L. Oakes and two children were born to this union, namely, Forrest G. and Ralph B. Tinkham. Mrs. Tinkham died in 1902 and on Feb. 7, 1912 Mr. Tinkham was married to Mrs. Mary A. Pape, who with the two sons mentioned survive him. The deceased is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Ophelia Barnett and Mrs. Sarah Barnett and by three grandchildren. Funeral services were held in the United Presbyterian Church at Kirkwood with interment in the Kirkwood Cemetery.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Glen Rankin of the north neighborhood are the happy parents of a young daughter born on July 20th. The contract for the building of a new gymnasium for Monmouth College has been let to a Moline,Ill. firm for $228,000. Work will begin in September. The ladies of the Old Bedford Church solved a vexing problem for several farm wives in that neighborhood and also added a nice sum to their church treasure by serving dinner at the church for three threshing crews which were working in the vicinity. Mrs. Gail Brook left for Sterling, Kans., where she will be a delegate from the Young People Society of the local U. P. Church to National Y.P.C. U. Convention. She was accompanied on her journey by her aunt, Mrs. Simonson of Roseville. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Richey of Sandwich, Ill., accompanied by the Misses May and Margaret Beveridge, two ladies who a re engaged in teaching in the Knoxville, Tenn., school for Negroes maintained by the U.P. Church, visited among former friends and relatives of the Richey family.
RARITAN REPORTS: Edward Houston, having spent a week with his parents in Indiana, arrived home Sunday night. Mrs. Dana Finch and daughter of Washington, Iowa, are visiting her mother, Mrs. Ann Adair. Marqurete Stillwell of California came for a visit with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Eldert. It has been thirteen years since she has seen her parents and visited the old home town. Her mother was formerly Maud Eldert of this place. A nine pound daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Rice on July 24, 1923. The Misses Opal White and Bertha Payne who took a course of Bible study in Shurtliff College at Upper Alton arrived home. Art Mesecher had the misfortune to fracture his hip last Monday. Elgie Ray who was a victim of typhoid was up town for a short time.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: The Olena Annual Home Coming Picnic will be held on the M.E. Church grounds July 29th. Hope all who can will make an effort to be here. A chicken dinner at thirty cents a plate will be served. A nice program is being arranged with plenty of outdoor amusements. The young people will conduct a booth where many articles will be offered for sale so loosen up your purse strings and come and enjoy the day among old friends and associates. Mrs. Leslie Lyons is reported as making some improvement. Mrs. Peyton returned home from the David Dobbin home and is expecting to do nursing in a home near Terre Haute.
The Peterson brothers are threshing for Will Hicks who has grain on the George Fort and John Lant farms. Wheat is said to be making a good average and is of excellent quality. Gossip says that Frank Veech and daughter are now riding in a spick and span new Dodge car. The Burlington Gazette recorded the wedding of Mr. Wm. Brown and Mrs. Ollie Dalton which took place in that city. The Misses Violet Lant, Audra Marsden and Vera Deitrick were in Oquawka taking the teachers exam. Miss Headly has been employed to teach the Hopper School.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Mrs. Nellie Ogburn who has been visiting relatives returned to her home at Los Angeles, Calif. Born to Herman Cartwright and wife on July 15th an 8 ½ lb. daughter. James Farren s hay and stock barn burned with most all of its contents including a haybinder and other implements; the origin of the fire is unknown.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. Harry Ross will entertain the Kings Daughters at her home; Miss Lura Speck and Miss Emma Marshall will give an account of their trip through the East. Master Charles Peasley entertained about 18 of his little friends at his home southwest of Stronghurst. Various games and amusements were enjoyed on the lawn, one novel feature being taking turns riding horseback. At five o clock refreshments were served with dainty favors for each of the children. Several mothers were present and enjoyed the fun with the little folks. The Misses Frances Worley, Frances Anderson, Winifred Jones, Mary Lois Mahaffey, Gertrude Gibb, and Margaret McElhinney left for Monmouth to attend the Y.P.C.U. convention on behalf of the Stronghurst Y.P.C.U. Misses Mary McKeown and Ruth Brooks will attend some of the meetings. The 500 Club was entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Lynch.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. Pastichel and daughter Helen of Chariton, Iowa, spent Tuesday with Miss Margaret Reynolds. Mr. and Mrs. Evan Thomas returned to their home in Burlington after spending several days here with their daughter, Mrs. Zimmerman. A Knoxville, Tenn. Glee Club will give an entertainment at the United Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Lena Kilgore and daughter left for Bloomington where Mrs. Kilgore will attend six weeks at Normal. Expecting to be gone for three weeks, Rev. Lormier and family will leave in their big Hudson car on their annual trip to Indiana and Pennsylvania. The tennis court on the Presbyterian lawn is proving to be quite a playground, the favorite time being from 6:30 o clock until dusk. A goodly number will arise at four o clock in the morning in order to get in some play time. Wheat and oats are showing a good yield in these parts. Some wheat is going 44 bushels an acre and oats 50 bushels.
Mrs. A. H. Van Tuyle of Culvert City, Calif., who has been visiting her daughter, Mrs. Edgar Bergreen, left for Mt. Union, Iowa. The bake sale and ice cream supper held Saturday afternoon and evening in the interest of the Sunday School base ball club was well patronized with $45 cleared.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. Ernie Spiker had been employed by the ladies of the U.P. Church to re-decorate the interior and will begin work soon. Farmers are in the midst of threshing; Norman Grossman had two machines at work and Heap Bros. one. A delegation of 30 cars for the drive given by the G.B.A. of Burlington accompanied by the Orchard City Band, stopped here a short time Thursday. The band furnished some good music and members of the association distributed advertising matter in the form of fans, caps and balloons to the kiddies and citizens who had gathered to greet them. Several races among the children were held. The E. G. Lewis Seed Co. served lemonade for them and presented them with some of their souvenirs. Miss Margaret Rankin returned from a visit with her grandmother, Mrs. Moore at Mt. Carroll, Ill. Mrs. R. N. Clarke and children from Chicago visited her father, Mr. C. G. Richey and relatives. Miss Faree Mathers attended the six week Illinois Teachers College at Macomb. Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Pendarvis are enjoying some fine music, speeches, etc. which they receive by Radio.
(Dear Reader, if your grandmother's last name is misspelled, remember in 1923 they did not have spell check and I try as best I can to reproduce what is on microfilm.)
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Dr. and Mrs. B.L. Ditto have returned from their visit in the West. Members of the Stone Quarry Co. and some business men from Chicago held a picnic at the quarry last Monday. The fast train No.6, which comes through her at 4:30 was stopped in order to let the Chicago people return. They expect to open up the quarry next Monday and continue through the winter. Robert Beck entered the Burlington Hospital. An outdoor service was held at the M. E. Church last Saturday evening. The grounds were lighted with electricity. Much needed repairs will be made at the church this week. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lauber of Lafayette, Ill. arrive for a visit with the lady's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Daughterty.