The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: Jan. 1, 1925
(the left side of the front page of the microfilm of this Issue is missing part of the stories; therefore, I have not tried to guess exactly what was said. An article from J. Peasley reminiscing about the Peasley house and the marriage of Stronghurst high school teacher, Miss Corinne Elizabeth Mc Gee, are incomplete. Go to the library and try to read them on microfilm if you are interested.)
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY: DEC. 30TH was the 45th wedding anniversary of the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. I. F. Harter. The couple was surprised by the gathering of their relatives and intimate friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Dobbin with the doctor and wife as invited guests. Those assembled to offer congratulations were Mr. and Mrs. W. J. McElhinney, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ivins, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Mains, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Fort, Mrs. Zula Allison, Miss Hattie Taylor and Miss Grace Slater.
A delicious four course dinner was served at 7 o'clock and the remainder of the evening spent in a delightful social manner. Before their departure the guests presented to Dr. and Mrs. Harter through Mr. W. C. Ivins, as spokesman, a beautiful bouquet of flowers as a memento of the occasion. Mrs. Harter responded to this expression of good will and esteem by a few appropriate words of appreciation. The guests on their departure expressed the wish and hope that the doctor and his wife might live to enjoy many more happy returns of their wedding day.
COMMUNITY CLUB MEETING: The next meeting of the Stronghurst Community Club will be held at the club rooms on Jan.2 at 2:30 o'clock. The leaders will be Miss Lucretia Bruen and Mrs. Ruby Butler. The subject will be The Value of Art. All nature is but art, unknown to thee. All chance, direction which thou cans't not see. -Alex Pope. The following program will be carried out: Paper by Mrs. Ruby Butler on The Madonna in Art; instrumental musical selection by Miss Evelyn Fort and a reading by John Stine.
WEDDING BELLS: MAGEE AND MCPEEK: Mr. Ervan Magee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Abe Magee of Stronghurst and Miss Emma Mc Peek of near LaHarpe were quietly married last Wednesday at Oquawka with the Rev. Rose of the M.E. Church officiating. The happy couple spent Christmas at the home of Mr. Magee s sister, Mrs. James Good of Carman, coming to Stronghurst on Saturday and spending the weekend with Mr. Magee's parents. After a few days visit at Oneida, they expect to return and begin housekeeping in Stronghurst.
SHIPPERS ASSOCIATION MEETING: The annual meeting of the Stronghurst Shippers Association was held in the Community Club room in the village last Monday afternoon. The report of the past year's business was presented by manager, Frank Johnson, and showed that during the year 172 livestock cars had been shipped to the Chicago market. In this total was 127 cars of hogs, 24 cars of cattle and 21 cars of mixed stuff. Total number of animals shipped was 12, 308 consisting of 10,812 hogs, 1085 head of cattle and 411 head of sheep. The gross amount realized from the shipments was $238,289.17. The net amount realized was $223,080.52; the marketing expense of $15, 208.65 being about 6 ½ % of the gross amount received for the stock. Ed Links was re-elected and Otto Steffey elected as directors of the association for the ensuing term.
ANNUAL SPELLING CONTEST: The annual spelling contest for Henderson County was held at the Oquawka grade school on Dec. 20th. On account of the extreme cold weather there were representatives from the following townships only present at the contest: Media, Faye Lawyer of Media school; Biggsville, Herschel Moffit, Cowden school; Rozetta, Stephen Martin, Liberty school; Stronghurst, Dayle Grandey; Gladstone, Virginia Turley, Coloma school and Carman, Dorothy Woodall, Crystal Lake school; Ruby Dowell of Lomax school won the Township contest for Lomax Township and Jeanette Johnson of Belmont School won the contest in Bald Bluff Township. It is very likely there were other township contests held. The winner of each township contest was entitled to a gold and enamel pin. The winner of the first prize, Virginia Turley, will represent the county at the state spelling contest that is to be held at Springfield. She received a gold medal at the county contest missing but the one word, eligible. Herschel Moffit, won a silver medal, having missed fiftieth, italicize and acquisition. Dayle Grandey won the bronze medal, she missed eleven words. Two hundred words chosen by the county superintendent from Cavins' Orthography were used in the contest.
DEATH OF FRANK KEENER: Frank Keener, who was a resident of Stronghurst previous to about 5 years ago, died in the St. Francis Hospital in Burlington Dec. 27 following an attack of illness which he suffered the previous Saturday. Frank A. Keener was born in York, Pa. Sept.11, 1867 and passed away on Dec.29th of paralysis and other complications. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Keener, former residents of Stronghurst. Five years ago, he and his mother moved to the old home farm 2 ½ miles southeast of Biggsville where they resided together until July 8th when the mother passed away. He leaves to mourn his death five brothers and two sisters, namely: Willis Keener of Stronghurst; martin keener of West Burlington, Ia.; Ben Keener of Grinnell, Iowa; Grover Keener of Prairie City, Ill; Walter Keener of Ozark, Ill; Mrs. Lord of Norrisville, Ill. and Mrs. Eaton of Burlington, Iowa. Funeral services were conducted at the Biggsville M.E. Church with the remains laid to rest in the Biggsville Cemetery. (Date dates included in this article are recorded as written; anyway, poor Frank is dead.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Beardsley, Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Lovitt and Mrs. Lois Tulson were guests at a family Christmas dinner given by Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Lovitt. H. D. Lovitt was called to Gravity, Ia. by the death of his sister, Mrs. C. F. Chandler. Irvin Milliken, who has been living with his family in Mrs. Susie Baxter's house for the past few months, has secured employment in Burlington and the family moved there last Friday.
County Treasurer Frank E. Painter of Terre Haute Township suffered a light paralytic stroke at his home and since that time he has been confined to his bed. Mr. Painter's right side was slightly affected by the stroke, but it is hoped that complete rest for a time and careful nursing will result in his recovery. The Janet Marshall family enjoyed a family Christmas dinner at the W. A. Spears home. Frederick, Herbert, Herman and Mrs. Frances Fitz were house guests at the F. A. Annegers home. The new year was ushered in this morning with a driving snowstorm from the northeast which promises to be the largest snow fall for the season thus far. The continuing low temperature of the past week has enabled C. E. Fort, Jr. to finish his ice harvesting and the big ice house at the lake is now filled with fine ice in cakes of desirable size. A picture of Miss Clara Smith of Chicago, daughter of Mrs. Dora Smith of this place, appeared in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune on the page devoted to character analysis from photographs and conducted by Doris Blake. Dickey Ferguson of Chicago, a nephew of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Kaiser of LaHarpe, won the first prize in the Chester Gump letter writing contest recently conducted by the Chicago Tribune. The Ferguson lad, who is only nine ears old, won over about 3,000 competitors.
Miss Nellie Bowen, who holds a nice position in a bank at Aledo, spent a few days with relatives and friends. Aunt Cinda Thrush, wife of Isaac Thrush living 6 ½ miles south of town who has been an invalid for several years, took suddenly worse last Sunday and passed away Tuesday morning at 7 o'clock. Grandpa Colyer, who lives with his wife in the home of their daughter, Mrs. Charles Lukens, has been bedfast since September and does not show improvement, being a constant care to those in attendance. Miss Florence Cortelyou was taken sick and on the advice of her physician was taken to the Burlington hospital. Her trouble is the same as that for which she was operated on before and the doctors at the hospital are delaying a second operation in the hope that it will not be necessary.
Local radio fans had the pleasure last Monday night of hearing several vocal numbers rendered by our former townsman, George Widney at the WOC studio at Davenport, Ia. Mr. Widney's selections were given in connection with a program put on by the Casey Jones Orchestra of Galesburg at the broadcasting station. James Dobbs, who is employed the Santa Fe R. R. Co. at Leeds, Ill. stopped here while on his way to the hospital at Topeka, Kansas. (Railroads had their own company hospitals.) He has been troubled for some time with an infection of the lip caused, it is thought, from handling creosoted railroad ties. He had been treated at the Topeka hospital some time ago for the infection and was returning for another examination.
SUFFERED FRACTURED LIMB: Mrs. J. N. Salter was the victim of a painful accident his morning when she fell and dislocated the large bone of her left lower limb at the ankle and also fractured the small bone near the ankle. She was on her way to the home of Mrs. Zoe Salter, who lives next door to her when she slipped on some ice in the yard and fell in such a manner as to cause the injuries. Medical aid was summoned and prompt attention given to her injuries. She is reported resting but will no doubt be laid up for some time by the accident.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Crane were dinner guests at the home of Lincoln Logan in Dallas City. Mr. and Mrs. Robt. A. Gillis and daughter, Mildred and sons Cecil and Glen were recent guests at the Chester Gillis home in Burlington. For Christmas, Doren Tharpe returned home from Peoria where he attended Bradley College. Mr. E. Glieson, northeast of the village, has been hauling shelled corn the past three days to our grain buyer, W.H. Babcook. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Crane received word that their son Frederick who attends Stanford University at California, was down with typhoid fever. Mrs. Crane left for there where she will remain with him until his condition is better. Mr. Earl Stout, principal of the school here, is spending his vacation at the home of his parents near Terre Haute. Harold Booten of Burlington is visiting the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Sines. Miss Mary Babcook and Gene Babcook attended the alumni Banquet at Dallas City. Mr. Golden Babcook and W. S. Vaughn took a rabbit hunt and returned with 30 rabbits. Abraham Babcook purchased a fine four tube radio for the A.C. Babcook home; they are enjoying it very much. Mrs. Eliza Brown received word that her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Harsch, fell and broke her arm. The C.B. & Q and T.P. & W. freight trains are having an increase in business during holiday week as they have been carrying heavy loads of coal, hogs and cattle.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Clarence Johnson, who has been in the employ of Swift & Co. in Peoria where he acts as cashier, was over Sabbath guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Johnson north of town. Clarence has been transferred with an increase in salary to the main office in Chicago and left for his new work. He is a graduate of the Biggsville High School and is climbing the ladder of success. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Moffett south of town are the parents of a baby girl that arrived last Sabbath. The little one has been named Louise. Harry Rankin has been down from Monmouth since the latter part of the week helping to care for his uncle H. G. Garrity, who is now confined to his bed.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. Laura Knuisley return home from Roseville called by the illness of her son Ross who had been suffering with the grip. Miss Emma Rankin who teaches at South Bend, Ind., spent the holidays with home folks. Word from Burlington has been received that Ted Stewart who is in the hospital is suffering from pneumonia. Alexis Baker, teacher of history and chemistry in the high school at Bloomington spent his vacation with his mother, Mrs. N. P. Baker of Decatur. Mr. and Mrs. N. Q. Welch expect to leave soon for California to spend four months with their daughter, Mrs. Harley Hutchinson and family.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Miss E. Shepard has moved to the flat over the Searchlight office. Clarence Ramsey and family have moved to the rooms vacated by her. Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Vaughn are now listening in on a new five tube Neutrodyne radio set. Mrs. T. A. Howard is quite sick. A nurse is caring for her.