The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: Jan. 22, 1925
***OBITUARIES***MRS. SARAH E. GAUMER From the Galesburg paper: "Mrs. Emily (Francis) Gaumer Mrs. Sarah Emily Gaumer, 618 East South Street, Galesburg, passed away at St. Mary's Hospital in Galesburg last Sunday evening at 10:15 o'clock, terminating an illness of eight months. Eight weeks this summer she was patient at the hospital but was taken to her house when a slight improvement in her condition occurred. The past three months she has been confined to St. Mary's.
Mrs. Gaumer was born in Henderson County on June 1, 1858. She married William N. Gaumer in August 1875; he died in 1893. She had resided in Galesburg about 26 years coming here from La Harpe where she had lived for many years.
Surviving children are Lewis L. Gaumer, Mrs. G. G. Bradley, Mrs. Elisle Holt, Mrs. J. E. Paul, all of Galesburg, and Miss Clara E. Gaumer of New York. There are three grandchildren, two brothers, Lewis Francis of Red Cliff, Colo. and J. W. Francis of La Harpe plus one sister, Mrs. John Kitch, Pratt, Kans. Mr. Gaumer was a member of the La Harpe Methodist Church and was a charter member of the Rebekah lodge of La Harpe. Funeral services were held at the home of a daughter, Mrs. J. E. Paul with interment at La Harpe."
JAMES BABCOOK: James Babcook, who in the late 70's of the last century settled on the present site of Stronghurst and lived here for a number of years, died at his home in Durham Township, Hancock county last Sunday night Jan. 18th at the age of 75 years, 2 months and 16 days. Mr. Babcook was prominent in farming and business circles in his locality and was one of the organizers and the first vice president of the Farmers State Exchange Bank of Dallas City
A KID PARTY: Miss Phyllis Steffey entertained a number of her girl fiends at a "Kid" party Wednesday evening. The guests came dressed as kids and many amusing caricatures were present. Some of the "little" girls brought their dollies and teddy bears, etc. The evening was spent in kiddish games and dancing. A bib was provided for each guest and ice cream cones and animal cookies, chocolate and stick candy were served:The party was given in honor of Miss Esther Marshall of Stronghurst who will leave in a few days for New York City where she is enrolled as a student in Columbia University-Dallas City Review
SCOUT CONTEST ENDS: The Boy Scout advancement contest which had been going on since the first of November of last year closed officially Tuesday evening when the Scouts met at the home of Rev. Myers for their jubilee evening. Kenneth Sanderson, the high point man with 51 points, won the prize which was a fine Scout knife given by George Dixson. Vincent Upton was close behind with 45 points while Richard Myers and William Lukens made third and fourth place
A custom originated by a former Scoutmaster is that of making the fifth Tuesday of any month "jubilee" night. This should have been observed in December but because of sickness it was postponed until this week. On such a night the scoutmaster must provide a treat. So the scouts were served meat sandwiches, pickles, cocoa and cakes. Each scout was instructed to bring a musical instrument of his own make. Some of these were fearfully and wonderfully made. The music made was lively if not harmonious. Also, each scout had to provide an original stunt. The evening was very happily spent.
It is now about a year since the scouts were re-organized and the boys have made remarkable advancement when we consider that this is an independent troop with only a slight part of the facilities enjoyed by troops under council. Herbert Brook, Everett Upton and Richard Myers began as candidate scouts and have completed their tenderfoot, second class and most of their first-class tests. Charles Davis has passed from candidate to first class scout. Kenneth Sanderson advanced from tenderfoot to first class with four merit badges to his credit. Raymond Walker, Frederick Gibb and Chalmers Vaughn moved from candidates to second class scouts. William Lukens advanced from second class scout to first class, life scout and star scout. Lester McKeown went from first class to life scout. He has also been voted the high honor of becoming the Senior Patrol Leader of the troop. Vincent Upton has advanced from second class to first class, life scout, star scout and is well on his way to be an Eagle scout which is the highest class in scouting. Vincent is the honor man in matter of advancement. Scoutmaster Myers is highly pleased with the work of Stronghurst scouts and together with the scouts is planning to celebrate in some suitable fashion the Anniversary Week of National Scouting in February.
TEMPORARILY CLOSED: Signs have been placed on the doors of the George Dixson Hardware and Implement establishment in the village announcing that the business will be suspended until further notice. Mr. Dixson contemplates either a retirement or a re-organization of his business upon a basis which will insure more adequate returns from the investment than he had been realizing.
SEARCHING FOR OIL: Oil prospectors are engaged in sinking a hole on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River opposite Pontoosuc, Ill. where 5,000 acres of land have been optioned under the belief that there is a large oil pool of natural gas deposit located beneath the surface.
CONDITIONS IN THE NEAR EAST APPALLING: "At least 55,000 orphans in the refugee camps of Greece will surely starve this winter unless immediate aid come from the United States," declared Frank America, representative of the Near East Relief to the League of Nations at a conference of Near East Relief directors in western states hastily summed at Chicago last week to meet the urgent situation overseas:(This is the aftermath of W.W. I.)
AFTER HOMEMADE HOOTCH: Hancock County officials in a raid on the cellars of John Sherman a farmer living near Niota, Ill. captured seven barrels and two kegs of wine and a still for the manufacture of hootch. Sherman was arrested and taken to Carthage where he plead guilty to the charge brought against him and was fined $200 ($2,906 in today's values) and sentenced to six months in the county jail. The 300 gallons of wine confiscated were emptied into a sewer back of the Hancock County jail filling it to overflowing. Alec Marshall also of Niota neighborhood, who was caught transporting some of the wine from the Sherman farm, was also arrested and given the same sentence as Sherman.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Roland Davidson has accepted a position in the engineering department of the Missouri Pacific Railroad at St. Louis. Mrs. Davidson and the children will follow him later. Mr. and Mrs. Doug Steffey returned from a six-day visit with old friends and neighbors at Basco, Ill. While there, they attended the dedication of the recently remodeled M. E. Church. A. S. McElhinney, Licensed Real Estate Broker, reports the sale of the J.B. Milliken property in town to Mrs. Carrie Simsonson. L.E. Andrews and family have moved to St. Louis where he will seek employment. John Hazelwood, whose home is in Raritan Township, has signed a two-year contract to represent the Moline Plow Co. in South Africa and expects to sail for that country within a few days. At the annual meeting of the Media State Bank, Norman Beresford and S. N. Mathers were elected directors and no other changes were made in the directorate or management of the bank. Mrs. Freeman Doak entertained the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the M.E. Church. It was a splendid meeting with a goodly number present, many from out of town. Mrs. Gilbert Simpson and Mrs. Ray Wolfe assisted Mrs. Doak. Mrs. Maxine Flanegin is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Mains. She and her husband expect to leave Galesburg next Saturday for Ithaca, N.Y., where he will take a finish course in engineering at Cornell University.
Bob and Cliff Shafer have purchased a brand-new delivery truck for use in delivering groceries from the different stores to their customers. Morgan Parish, who is a student at the Quincy Business College and his friend Harold Neil are enjoying a short vacation here. The directors of the State Bank chose Wm. Hartquist for vice-president of that institution to take the place of G. Henry Annegers, deceased. John Brook, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Brook of Raritan township, underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Burlington Hospital. R.N. Marshall shipped three carloads of cattle and one carload of hogs and Frank Johnson one car load of hogs for the Shipping Association. R. N. Marshall accompanied the shipment.
The village of Mendon in Adams County lays claim to the state record in the matter of rabbit shipments for the season. A dispatch, dated Jan. 10th, states that a total of a ton and a half of dressed rabbits have been shipped from that point in five weeks' time. While Max and Kenneth Veech were driving to school here in a sleigh one day last week, their horse became frightened at something and ran away. The shafts became detached from the sleigh and the boys were left stranded in the road. The horse was caught by other parties and the boys escaped without injury. W. L. Spiker celebrated his 78th birthday in a quiet way at his home. Mrs. Sam Leinbach has been a victim of the Grippe at her home and very miserable for several days. Some are taking advantage of the splendid sleighing to haul their summer's supply of wood from the timber near town. Joe Stewart and his wife of La Harpe have secured rooms over the Curry and Lukens barber ship. Mr. Stewart is a member of the gang employed in the construction of the high-power electric line that passes through here. Aunt Lydia Stewart who is nearly 86 years of age has been unfortunate in falling twice since the icy period began. Luckily, no more serious injury resulted than a severe shaking up and bruises on her arm and shoulder making her unable to get about for a few days. Gail Chase of Galesburg visited his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Spiker before going to Great Lakes to assume his naval duty. He is of a rather tender age for position of that kind, being only seventeen. Plans are being made to erect a monument next summer to mark the site of the pioneer Swedish Methodist Church at Victoria, oldest Swedish Methodist Church in the world. It was sold recently; the congregation having united with the other Methodist church in Victoria.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Miss Bertha Hayslip is the new teacher in the Keithsburg high school. It has become an annual affair to have a rabbit hunt and feed among some of the good people in the South Henderson neighborhood. Those who enjoyed the supper were Mr. and Mrs. Jim Kilgore and little daughter and their house guest, John Kilgore of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Russell Erickson and sister, Miss Alice; John Bigger and sisters, Agnes, Mary and Lucile; Mr. and Mrs. Page Randall ad two children; Mrs. Mary Sandy and son Jackie; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bigger; Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cleek and small son; Mr. and. J. C. Painter; and Steve Graham and son Stephen. The good time was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Bigger. George Millen, who has been confined to his bed with the flu, is some better. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde McMullen and son who have resided on the farm north of town the past two years, left for Galesburg where they will make their home. Mrs. Miles Oaks and two children north of town have been ill with the flu. Helen Stewart, the 12-year-old daughter of Mrs. Ivabelle Stewart, formerly of the Biggsville neighborhood and now living in Burlington, died from scarlet fever at Mercy Hospital last Sunday evening. Helen took worse Friday evening and was rushed to the hospital where later she was operated on for sinus in her head from which she never rallied, dying Sabbath morning. She was removed to the Underkircher undertaking rooms where short services were held. A short service was held at the Biggsville cemetery by Rev. Graham of Monmouth. Ted, John, Harold and Jean were the only family members able to accompany the body for burial as the mother and little son Wisdom are still under quarantine. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Stewart of Monmouth were present at the burial.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stanbary drove to Glasford, Ill. called by the death of her father, Mr. Frank Sonnemaker who passed away at his home at the age of 67 years after have been ill of cancer of the stomach for a year or more& Those of the sick list of colds and flu are little Miss Evelyn White, Mrs. W. W. Murtland and her father, M. D. Allton; they are improving, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sullivan are the proud parents of a baby girl who made her arrival Friday morning. Waldo Erickson left on a business trip to Ft. Dodge, Iowa. Mrs. Elmer Powell will go to Monmouth Hospital where she will undergo an operation for the removal of gall stones. She expects to have several minor operations also. Some of the high school students were bobsled riding and also attended the movies at Raritan. C. R. Pendarvis left for Washington, D.C. to deliver the 29 electoral votes which were cast by the electors of the state at Springfield last week. Quite a number were privileged of seeing the envelope which contained the vote and the signatures of the electors written upon the back of it. The high school and grade school pupils were especially remembered and showed great interest in the credential Mr. Pendarvis carried as well as the envelope. He expects to remain in Washington and assist in the official exercise of the announcement of the election of President of the United States.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Kenneth Mead, who has been confined at home with chicken pox returned to his school at Lomax. There are several cases of chicken pox in and surrounding community here and it makes it bad for school as there were only eight scholars in the lower room this week. Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Gillis and daughter, Mildred, are much better; they had been suffering with Grippe. One sign of spring this morning a gang of gypsies went through here going north. The Masonic Lodge had a father and son banquet with installation followed by an oyster supper and ice cream. Wm. Babcook is busy buying corn. Several are cutting and hauling wood while the roads are good for bobsleds.
LOMAX LINGERINGS Preparations are under way to establish an airplane landing field between the tracks east of town. There was regular preaching at the Nazarene church Sunday and another trial sermon was preached by Rev. Willy of Missouri at the Christian Church, who was hired after the close of the sermon to preach full time the remainder of the year, commencing in 60 days.