The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: Dec. 11, 1924
FINALLY SETTLED: "Late Tuesday afternoon the decree was issued out of the circuit court of Hancock Count which gives LaHarpe full possession of the 2,200 acres of land bequeathed to the City for school purposes by the will of Benjamin F. Johnson some 18 years ago and the extensive litigation which has occupied the attention of various courts since that time was bought to an abrupt and final termination.
The city takes over the estate with a debt of approximately $35,000 which is to be paid out of the rents of the lands before any school money will be available. With the right kind of management this should not take very many years and our people are rejoicing that the big fight has ended. An impromptu celebration of no small proportions was held in the city Wednesday, the schools being dismissed for the day and the students paraded the streets for hours, ringing bells and waving flags. A huge bonfire was built at the corner of Main and Center Streets and everybody is happy."-LaHarpe Quill
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Rev. K. R. Anderson of Oregon, Mo., former pastor of the local U.P. Church, stepped off here on his way to Chicago to attend the National Inspirational Conference of Workers in the Presbyterian Church. T. R. Marshall of the country northwest of Stronghurst recently found one of his milk cows suffering from a bullet wound in the neck evidently the result of carelessness or maliciousness on the part of some trespassing hunter on his farm. Last Monday the men of the Christian Church gathered at the church for the purpose of changing the furnace and to make other necessary repairs about the building. The ladies came and prepared a substantial lunch for those present.
Mrs. Julia Livermore, an aged lady who came with her husband to Lomax from Maryland several months ago, died at her home in Lomax. Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Garrity of Biggsville observed the 55th anniversary of their marriage in a quiet manner at their home last Monday. Mrs. Garrity's brother and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Buchanan of Minden, Nebr. were present for the happy occasion. The big force of workmen who are engaged in the construction of the new High Tension line of the Illinois Power and Light Co. between Keokuk and Galesburg, Ill., have moved from Dallas City to Stronghurst and have begun work on the line at the point east of Media.
Lem Ditto of Gladstone, who went on a rampage last week and preceded to carve up Constable Sam Duncan of that village with a knife, languished in the county jail until Tuesday when he was released by Judge Huey of Monmouth on a bond of $2,300 following a hearing of the case. The James P. Meyers home near Biggsville was broken into a few nights ago while the family was absent attending church and a gold watch, two guns, 12 lbs. of butter and some other articles stolen. Finger prints left on a ten-gallon stone jar in the home may lead to the detection of the guilty parties.
There are some very attractive window displays being made by Stronghurst merchants at present. One which attracts much favorable comment is that of Simpson Bros., dealers in Auto Accessories, Radio Sets, etc. The display is a representation of an old-fashioned log church in a woodland clearing and is very realistic. The city of Blandinsville had another bad fire last Monday night when the Daniels Building on the east side of the Main St. occupied by Henry Gordon's Cafˇ was burned out. The night of the fire was bitterly cold and it was only b heroic efforts on the part of the volunteer fire department that the remainder of the business houses on the east side of Main St. escaped destruction.
JOHN ANDERSON DIES: John E. Anderson of Gladstone neighborhood whose survival and prospects for recovery from a fractured vertebra were dim, died at the Burlington Hospital. Physicians state that in case he had lived, his recovery would have required months and that in order to give sufficient rigidity in his neck, a piece of shin bone would have had to be grafted in.
***OBITUARY***MRS. J. A. JOHNSON: Mrs. Amanda Augusta Johnson died at her home north of Stronghurst on Dec. 7th at about 10 o'clock. She had been in failing health for several years and her death was not unexpected. Mrs. Johnson's maiden name was Amanda Augusta Carlson and she was born in Sweden on March 18, 1861, making her 63 years, 8 months, and 18 days old at the time of her death. She came to American in 1882 and on Feb. 26, 1883 married at Burlington, Ia. John A. Johnson. The home of the family has been the vicinity of Stronghurst ever since that time. Mr. Johnson died April 26, 1917. Five children also preceded their mother in death. The surviving children are Charles W. Johnson of the Olena neighborhood and John and Oscar Johnson, who lived at home with their mother. There are three surviving grandchildren. Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Lutheran congregation and funeral services were conducted at that church with interment in the local cemetery.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: A birthday party was celebrated at the house of George Millen in honor of Mrs. Millen's brother, Steven Graham. Those present were Mr. Graham's children: Mr. and Mrs. Page Randall and children; Mrs. Mary Sandy and little son; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Swedland and daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cleek and baby; Mr. and Mrs. George Millen and family. Oysters were served during the evening. John Dixon left for California where he goes for an indefinite stay at the home of his son Pearlie and family. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hull who have made their home at Carthage for several months have become residents of this vicinity and are now at home of the Henderson Sloan farm west of town. Mr. and Mrs. John Gridley and little son Jack leave soon for California where they will spend the winter months with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cliff West. George Jamison has been suffering with blood poisoning in his left hand. Mrs. Will Whiteman who has been in the Burlington Hospital the past two weeks for treatment for a breaking in her head, is to undergo an operation. Mrs. Lena Kilgore and daughter, Jane visited her brother Luther Graham's son at the Burlington Hospital. The young man, while coon hunting some weeks ago, fell from a tree some 40 feet and broke some vertebrae. He was brought to the hospital and put in a cast and they have some encouragement of his recovery.
CARMAN CONCERNS: The Farmers Union are unloading coal here this week. Dannenburg Bros. are shelling corn for W. H. Babcook this week. A Corn Social, Bazaar and 8 o'clock dinner at the Ladies Aid room will be on Dec. 17th. Anyone wishing to donate an article for the Bazaar or bushel of corn will be appreciated. Mrs. Martha Mains has been on the sick list for 12 days. Revival meetings started last Sunday by Rev. J. B. Seble. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Iserman, 1504 Jefferson St., Burlington, Iowa, are the parents of a son born at St. Francis Hospital Monday evening. Mrs. Iserman was formerly known as Francis McIntire. Ruby and Celia Coffman are mourning the loss of their pet dog, Snow, which was lost in Burlington a week ago. Abe Babcook's dog, Sport, went astray while out coon hunting Saturday evening.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Cal Williams, who has pneumonia is improving. Ernie Baker and family expect to leave soon for Oklahoma. John Kiling of Canton, Mo. has opened a garage in the Arnold Building vacated by Ernie Baker. Mrs. Livermore, wife of H. H. Livermore, took seriously sick and passed away Thursday evening. While her condition was considered only as ordinary, it was the outcome of along continued sickness. The body was shipped to Wisconsin for burial. These people were new comers and came here from Maryland. Mr. Livermore conducts a grocery store in the south part of town. Rev. Porter preached at the Christian Church and Leo Smiddy preached at the Nazarene Church.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The members of the Community Club and their families will have a Xmas tree(this is the first year that the use of "Xmas" appears in this newspaper) and social time at the high school on Dec. 13th. The Men's Bible Class of the United Church have issued invitations for a social gathering at the U.P. Church with community invited. A program has been arranged for part of the entertainment. The little son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Lawyer who was too frail to live was interred in Walnut Grove Cemetery. Mrs. Lawyer has been quite ill, having had the flu at the time of his birth; however, she is getting along nicely at present. Bennie Heap, a teacher in Lomax High School, came home and was taken back by his brother Archie and "Mike" Horrell Sunday evening. Mis Gwendolyn Hixson is expected home from the Burlington Hospital soon. Clifford Adair, a student at the Macomb Teachers College visited friends and relatives here and Roseville. Mrs. Adams who is spending the winter with her daughter, Mrs. Frank Moon, has been quite ill at the Macomb Hospital but is recovering. Archie Heap is riding in a new Ford sedan. A Xmas pageant, "The Nativity' will be given in the high school auditorium on Dec. 23 by the high school students under the direction of Miss Mary Dixson who is the musical instructor. A three-act farce, "Engaged by Wednesday," is to be given by the high school pupils at the Academy Thursday evening, Dec. 18th.