The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec. 27, 1923
A CHRISTMAS WEDDING: Christmas and wedding bells chimed in happy unison at Ottumwa, Ia. for two of this community's popular young people. At four o'clock in the afternoon a Presbyterian minister spoke the word which united the destinies of Miss Madeline Park, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Park of Media Township and Mr. Dale Stine, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stine of Stronghurst. Full particulars of the happy event, the fore knowledge of which was in the possession of only a few of the intimate friends of the principals, are lacking at this writing.
The bride, who is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Park, is a young lady of many charms and graces both of person and character. She graduated from Stronghurst High School with the class of 1919 and completed her education with a short course at Knox College. She followed the teaching profession for a year or more, and during the past year has been at home with her parents on their farm near Media.
The groom is well and favorable known to the people of this community and amongst a circle of friends extending far beyond its confines, many of these friendships having been acquired during the time he was a member of the firm of Ed Stine and Son, breeders of and dealers in pure bred cattle and swine. During the late war he spent several months at the Naval training station at Great Lakes, Ill. During the past year he has been in the employ of the Burroughs Adding Machine Co. with headquarters in Ottumwa, Ia. He recently obtained a promotion and has been transferred to Chariton, Iowa, where he has been placed in charge of a branch office of the company and where he and his bride will make their future home. Until arrangements for a permanent home are found, their address will be Hotel Chariton, Chariton, Iowa.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: C. W. Cooper of Little York and C. C. Painter of Stronghurst are the men who have been chosen to represent Henderson County as official delegates to the ninth annual meeting of the Illinois Agricultural Association at Galesburg, Jan. 16 and 17th. The Christmas season was observed by all the four churches in the village with appropriate exercise by the younger members of the congregations. The revival services conducted by Evangelist R. H. Heicke of Springfield, Ill. at the Christian church came to a close last Sunday evening when an audience which filled the church listened to a sermon on "The Cost of Lost Opportunity." Evangelist Heicke sojourn here has resulted in a spiritual quickening not only amongst the members of the congregation, but also added twenty new names to the membership roll of the local Christian Church. Miss Mattie Tate, A missionary of the Presbyterian Church at Chun Ju, Cores, who is now visiting relatives in Stronghurst, will address a combined meeting of the Women's Missionary Societies of the M. E. and U. P. Churches.
The next number on the High School Lyceum course will be a lecture by Mr. Raymond R. Tolbert on the subject, "The Hour of Democracy." The lecture is said to be one of special interest to businessmen and farmers and the community should be well represented at the Stronghurst U. P. Church on Jan. 4th. Friday evening, Jan. 11th at Media at the U. P. Church, John Acheson will deliver a lecture on the subject, "A New Era for the rural community." Many will remember the moving picture film put on by the Farm Bureau in various parts of the county last September that John Acheson carried out the minister's part in the picture. Thirty-five friends of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Park perpetrated a pleasant surprise upon them last Friday by gathering at their home to assist in the celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary:
THEY WILL REBUILD: The Smithshire State Bank and the Worden & Brown Store at Smithshire are to be rebuilt early in the spring. The bank is at present located in a building owned by F.F.Birdsall, having started business again the day after the fire. Cashier Neil F. Norman has been conducting the affairs of the bank with very simple furniture, consisting of an ordinary table, a desk and a chair. The new bank building will be of brick and modern and larger than the old one. The cost of the building is estimated at $10,000. The firm of Worden & Brown sustained the heaviest loss in the fire-about $12,000-only about half covered by insurance. The store is at present located in the front of Staley's garage but will return to its old location as soon as the new building can be erected.
J. H. REZNER CALLED: A distinct note of sadness came to mingle itself with the Christmas season joy last Monday when it was learned that James H. Rezner had passed away at his home in the east part of the village. While the tidings came as somewhat of a shock to many, they were not wholly unexpected as it was known that Mr. Rezner had been failing rapidly for the past few days. He was obliged to give up his duties as village marshal and pumper (he pumped water for the steam engines on the railroad) two or three weeks ago and since that time his decline had been rapid. The cause of his death was cancer of the bladder, an affliction from which he had suffered many years and from which he obtained temporary relief several years ago through an operation.
James Henry Rezner was born in Henderson County, Ill on Nov. 26, 1867 and was brought up on a farm in the vicinity of Kirkwood. He was married in 1877 to Miss Belle Ross and engaged in the occupation of farming. To this union three children were born, one died in infancy. In 1895 death claimed the wife and mother. Mr. Rezner married a second time in 1896 to Alice Moore, and to this union three children were born, namely Dewain and Audrey Rezner of this place and Mrs. Izel Gearheart of Raritan. The deceased is survived by his wife, the three children mentioned and two children by his first marriage, namely, Mrs. Lenna Pepper of Rosetown, Sask., Can., and Marshall Rezner of Media Township. Two brothers survive: John Rezner of Kirkwood, Ill. and Fred Rezner of Oberlin, Kans. and three half sisters, Mrs. Josie Salter and Mrs. Billings of Kirkwood and Mrs. Ackerman of Long Beach, Calif. In addition there are seven surviving grandchildren.
Mr. Rezner and his family have been residents of Stronghurst many years during which time he has followed various occupations. He served several years as school janitor and has been employed much of the time as village marshal and pumper. He was a man of genial temperament, considerate and thoughtful of the interests and welfare of others and a lover of orderliness and beauty, these latter qualities being manifested in the careful attention he paid to keeping the public school grounds and the pumping station lawn beautiful and attractive while he was in charge of that area. While quiet and unostentatious in his manner of life, the loss of his presence will be keenly felt by those who knew him best. Funeral services were conducted at the Stronghurst Christian Church with interment in the Stronghurst Cemetery. The businesses places in the village were closed as a mark of respect for the deceased and there was a large concourse of friends and neighbors present at the service.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Home for the holidays included James Marshall and Lester McMillan from Chicago, Ruth McMillan from Canton, Ill. where she is teaching, Clifton Regan from Illinois State University, Rolla Mudd who holds a position in Chicago with the Standard Oil Co., Ethel Brokaw from St. Ansgar, Ia., Max Barnett, who is now in the technicians' department of the government naval service at Great Lakes, Ill., Miss Sara McElhinney from Sioux Falls, S.D., where she is engaged in teaching, Russell Brooks and wife who is engaged in teaching at Plainfield, Ill., Glenn Marshall, the manager of a grain elevator at Edwards, Ill. and Dorothea McMillan from the Columbian School of Expression in Chicago. Mrs. Mary Starkey, who makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. I. H. Brokaw, has been quite ill for the past two weeks. St. Nicks gift to Mr. and Mrs. L. E. McAndrews was a fine 8 lb. boy, born to them on Christmas morning at the home of the ladys parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ferna Davidson. He was named Donald Deveraux.
Notwithstanding the rather inclement weather, the 3-act comedy drama entitled"Sophronias Wedding," given at the Lyric Theatre last Thursday night by the Amoma Class of the Baptist church of Blandinsville was well attended. Jack Hatton of Stronghurst who has a position on the Santa Fe as mail clerk with a run from Chicago to Kansas City, says the amount of mail handled for the holidays this year was the largest ever. The rush started about the tenth of December which is earlier than usual; but improvements in methods of handling the mail made it possible for them to handle the extra amount in less time than formerly. The many stockholders of the Perfection Tire and Rubber Co. securities will be interested to know that the plant will be sold at auction at Fort Madison, Jan.28th. P. S. Junkin, receiver for the company, will be in charge of the sale. The plant built at a cost of $5,000,000 was closed a year ago when creditors with claims of approximately $2,000,000 forced the company into bankruptcy. Wesley Barnett will hold a closing out public sale of livestock, farming implements and household goods on the G. W. Barnett farm, 3 miles north of Stronghurst on Jan. 3rd.
A SHOWER AT MEDIA: The pretty country home of Mrs. Lewis Cavins was the scene of a most happy event Saturday afternoon when a company of young ladies gathered there to shower with linen one of their number, Miss Madeline Park, who was the guest of honor and a bride-to be. The home was prettily decorated in Xmas colors of red and green, ferns and red carnations being used to carry out the effect and a handsomely decorated Xmas tree held the gifts for the bride. Mrs. Cavins was assisted by her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Rankin, served chicken patties, hot rolls and butter, fruit salad( which contained nuts and red cherries), pickles, red jelly, brick ice cream of red containing green Xmas trees, cake and coffee.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: John Lant finished his 71st milestone of life Dec. 17th at his home near Olena. Mrs. Mary Jacobs is reported very critically ill with little hope of recovery in the Burlington Hospital. Mrs. Vern Likely was called to Little York by the serious illness of her father. The recent box supper given by the Olena S. S. netted about $30 which will be used to order new song books for divine worship.