The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: April 17, 1924
HONORS PIONEERS: The home of Dr. and Mrs. I. F. Harter in Stronghurst was the scene of a very pleasant social gathering last Friday evening when a score or more of the first settlers of Stronghurst assembled to attend a party given in honor of Mrs. R. C. Henry who was soon to leave for Calgary, Alberta, Canada, after having spent the winter at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. R. Kaiser. Mrs. Henry was one of the first residents of Stronghurst, her husband R. C. Henry, being a member of the firm of Henry & King, who were engaged in the lumber business here about 35 years ago.
All guests having been residents of the village at that early period and in some way actively connected with the development of the town; it was very natural that thoughts should go back to those stirring times when life was new and hopes were high. It is useless to say that the evening was spent in a most delightful manner. The guests finally were all assembled in a circle about a large room and an hour was spent in reciting incidents of the early days, much after the manner in which the soldiers indulge in what they call "camp fire" stories. Those who contributed to the entertainment were William Graham, Walter Dobbin, Miss Naomi Cooper, Mrs. Henry, J. F. Mains and Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ivins. The latter read an original poem written for the occasion and it was composed in Mrs. Ivins' best vein of humor. Dr. Harter broke away from traditions and displayed his histrionic ability by reciting a poem.
A delicious luncheon was then served and after the singing of one of the old time songs by a quartet composed of W. C. Ivins, C. E. Fort, W. J. McElhinney and J. R. Mains, the guests departed for their home. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Dee Headen, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Fort, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dobbin, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. McElhinney, Mr. and Mrs. Will Graham, Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Kaiser, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Mains, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ivins, the Misses Hortie (Hortense) Harbinson, Grace Salter, Naomi Cooper and Mrs. R. C. Henry. (All of those present had a part in settling early Stronghurst.)
***OBITUARIES***CHARLES O'GREN: Charles O'Gren, who has been a resident of Stronghurst for a number of years, died at his home in the east part of the village April 16th at about 10:00 o'clock. While it was generally known that Mr. O'Gren was in failing health, the seriousness of his condition was not realized by many and the news of his death came as somewhat of a shock to the community. The deceased was 66 years, 10 months and 6 days old. Funeral services will be conducted at the Swedish Lutheran Church with the remains interred in the village cemetery.
***ANNA WEIR***Mrs. Anna C Weir, wife of W. T. Weir, owner of the Oak Grove Fruit Farm in Gladstone Township, died at her home on the farm on April 16th at about 9:15 o'clock following a long illness from tuberculosis. Mrs. Weir was 55 years, 3 months and 5 days old at the time of her death. She was the daughter of John and Christina (Fost) Knutstrom of Gladstone and had been a lifelong resident of the community. She is survived by her husband and three children, Hazel, Bessie and William, Jr., all of the home. Funeral services will be conducted at the home with interment in the Biggsville Cemetery.
***JOHN A. EDMUNDS***John A. Edmunds, a well known and highly respected farmer of the Terre Haute neighborhood, passed away at his home on April 9th at the age of 60 years, 3 months and 21 days. He is survived by his wife who was formerly Miss Laura Squires of LaCrosse, Ill. and by three sons: John E. of Galva, Ill.; Gene S. of LaHarpe; and Lester A. at home. Two brothers, Sherman of Bulges, Sask., Can., and Bert of Lomax Ill. survive him. Funeral services were held at the Terre Haute M. E. Church with interment in the Terre Haute Cemetery.
***MRS. J. E. SPIKER***Mrs. J. E. Spiker, a former Raritan resident where her husband was a merchant and also postmaster for a time, died at the home of the family in Bushnell, Ill. on April 12th. Funeral services were held at the home and the remains entombed in the Bushnell mausoleum.
A RUNAWAY: A very exciting runaway was staged in the east part of town in which Harold Allison and a span of young mules were the principal actors. The team was hitched to a lumber wagon and in passing a home where some rugs were hanging on a clothesline and flapping in the wind, the team became frightened and started to give an exhibition of their speed. One line broke at the beginning and Harold's pulling the other line caused the team to circle around Dave Stewart's house and across his garden once or twice, upsetting a building and finally coming to a stop when they ran against Dave's store house. Harold jumped out in the early part of the game and escaped injury. The team also escaped serious injury.
NOTED FOR HIS VOICE: A Bloomington, Ill. daily paper in an account of a concert given in that city by the Illinois Wesleyan Glee Club made note of the part taken by Mr. Herbert Fitz of Decorra. "The seventh number was a Spanish episode, Miss Emily Frazier was the willing to be wooed senorita and after her song, the caballero in the person of Herbert Fitz appeared and pleaded for her favor. Mr. Fitz's voice is very well suited to the dramatic form of singing and he ably upheld his place. He sings freely and evenly with a quiet control that is exceptionally pleasing."
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The Earl G. Gordinier Stock Co. is playing a six day engagement at the Lyric Theater presenting a repertoire of unusually clever and entertaining plays. The play, "A Full House," given at the Lyric theatre by local talent under the auspices of the Women's Community Club was a very successful affair both from an artistic and financial standpoint. The cast, which was composed of Mrs. George Widney, Mrs. W. C. Regan, Mrs. L. O. Dawson, Mrs. Maxine Simpson, Mrs. Nellie Hollingsworth, Mrs. J. W. Decker, Clidean Simpson, Chas. Fort, L. O. Dawson, James Curtis, Manly Staley, Ray Salter, Dixson Jones and Harry Gilliland rendered their respective parts in a manner which evidenced natural ability combined with careful training.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Miss Holstein, who has rooms in the C. H. Curry home during time she is not engaged in nursing, went back to her home in Burlington. Words were received of the death of her brother-in-law, John Forney of Burlington. Miss Gladys Shaw of Gladstone who teaches the Union District School in the south neighborhood came to town to have an X-ray picture taken of her arm which was fractured recently while she was cranking her car. Mrs. Elmer Davis is quite sick at her home near Decorra. Lem Logan with his team has kept quite busy this spring plowing gardens. Peter Curtis of this village has purchased a restaurant in Alpha, Henry County, and is preparing to move there. Joe Woodward and Abe Magee with their teams and road implements are doing some good work on the road that enters town from the southwest. Alta Mae Reynolds, who is employed at the Peacock Beauty Shop in Galesburg, visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Reynolds. Roy Mudd accompanied his brother, John, to Burlington to seek medical advice on his limb, which has given him so much trouble in the past and is again causing him anxiety. Mary Dixson is at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Dixson, recovering from the nervous breakdown she suffered recently owing to the unusual amount of work she was carrying at the University at Urbana; she expects to return to the university next week. Aunt Cinda Thrush, living south of town who is practically a shut-in owing to her advanced age and crippled condition, enjoyed a visit from friends and neighbors who spent the day with her and enjoyed a noon-day meal. Alfred Shallenberger went to Chicago to be fitted for an artificial limb so that he may dispense with crutches which he has had to use since the unfortunate accident which befell him last fall at the rail road crossing. Mrs. Pearl Drain, living on the Chandler farm north of Terre Haute, is in very poor health.
Contractor A. E. Moore and hired men are engaged in doing some repair work on the old Isaiah Brook home which, by the way, has quite a history as it was at this house where the older people of Henderson County will recall, occurred the extermination of a band of outlaws years ago who came at night to raid the home but were frustrated in the attempt, some being killed and the balance captured. (Today we know this happening as "The Olena Tragedy.") Thos. McClinton, an old resident of Oquawka, died at his home on April 12th after a long illness. He was 93 years of age and a Civil War veteran. Mrs. Henry Simmons, who has been at the bedside of her daughter Edith since she has been in the Burlington Hospital recently suffered a fall there, injuring her ankle.
Four Monmouth Men have organized a new transportation company known as the Canon Ball Motor Transportation Co. with offices in Monmouth. The capital stock is $25,000. The company expects to transport passengers and freight by motor busses along the Canon Ball Trail from Burlington to Chicago. Phillip Mains has accepted a position with the tent force of the Redpath Chautauqua Bureau and has gone to Waycross, Ga. to join the 1924 season. Miss Maxine Mains is filling the position in the local post office vacated by her brother. Weekly band concerts will be resumed shortly; subscription pledges are needed to defray the expense.
METHODIST WOMEN MEET: The Women's Foreign Missionary Society met at the home of Mrs. Johanna Wheeler. An interesting lesson on Africa was conducted by Miss Galbraith. Short talks on the work the society is doing in Africa were given by Mrs. Gilliland and Mrs. Dawson. Leaflets were read by Mrs. Staley and Miss Slater. The Mystery Box questions were led by Mrs. Chant. Delicious refreshments were served by the hostess to the 25 members present.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mrs. Elizabeth Rankin is having a large boulder erected on the southwest corner of Wever Academy lawn in memory of her son, Bruce, who gave his life for his country during the world war. The boulder is to be set upon a concrete foundation and to bear two bronze plates, one to be inscribed with the name "Rankin" while the other one furnished by the community, will have engraved thereon the names of all the boys who were in the war from Media Township. It is the plan to erect a similar boulder on the southeast lawn in the near future to the memory of Nathan Wever, the founder of Wever Academy.
The operetta given by the high school girls was a great success yielding $47.70. The Senior Class had its first rehearsal of their class play, "And Home Come Ted." The auditing board of Media Township appointed H.R. Rankin as assessor replacing D. L. Frye who moved to Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Moon traveled to the Macomb hospital to see their son Joe who underwent an operation for appendicitis. Prof. Jasper Shoemaker, principal of the grade school, cannot be at his desk due to tonsillitis. Ninety-three year old Mrs. A. J. Bacon living with her daughter, Mrs. Florence Mathers, suffered a slight stroke of apoplexy. The M. E. Sunday School is sending an entire case of eggs to the M. E. Children's Hospital at Peoria.
CARMAN CONCERNS: The Sunday school class of young boys is having an ice cream social at the hall; proceeds will go to pay on the piano. Mrs. Edward Kemp and daughter, Betty Jane of West Branch, Iowa, spent the weekend at the home of her mother, Mrs. Anna Gillis. Mrs. Liza Pendry has been feeling quite poorly. having a bad cold. At the school election 50 votes were cast electing Mr. Archie Vaughn, trustee, and Oscar Dillon, director. The Lomax home talent play will be given here on April 22nd; proceeds will go to help the Sunday school on making payment on the piano. Some local citizens are attending the series of meetings held at the Remey Hall in Burlington featuring evangelist Nelson and his assistants. The crowds are large nearly every night.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Norm Wiegand met with a very painful accident while doing his chores at the barn, one of the horses getting loose and Norm attempting to head it. The horse turned on him knocking him over and stepped on his limb near the ankle causing a dislocation and three fractures. He was taken to Burlington where the X-ray was used and is now at the hospital. Mrs. Mary Edwards has been quite ill at her home east of town with neuralgia of the stomach. Mrs. Alma Taylor of Buffalo, New York is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Ericson. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Liby are now at home in the Jud Huff house on west hill. Mrs. Dave Shook entertained a number of friends at an all day quilting. A delicious chicken dinner was served at the noon hour and ten ladies did justice both at the dinner and the quilting.
LOMAX LINGERINGS; Geo. Reams and wife who sold their property to V. P. Hopkins, loaded their household goods and will make their future home on a small farm near Mill Springs, Mo. Mrs. Ream's father, J. L. Paul, will make his home with them in their new location. F. A. Strickler is taking a short vacation and rest from the bank; James Kirkland of Burlington will take his place. Roy Moore and family have moved back to the village. Col. Williams and family, who have been living on the Fisher farm, moved to the Pence place east of town.