The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: May 28, 1925
MEMORIAL SERVICE: All of the churches in the village united in a memorial service in honor of our country's defenders last Sabbath morning at the M.E. Church. The edifice was filled to its capacity and the audience had the privilege of listening to a splendid discourse delivered by rev. E J. Holt, pastor of the Lutheran congregation, based of the concluding verses of Hebrews 12 "Wherefore we receiving the kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace where we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."
NARROW ESCAPE: George Scott and Ed Miller of Lomax had a narrow escape from death at Gladstone Monday afternoon when the Ford car in which they were driving home from Oquawka crashed into a passenger train on the main street crossing of the C.B. & Q. Railroad. The men claim to have been looking for a train from the west and failed to note the approach of the east bound train until it was too late to stop. Their car struck the first coach of the passing train and was completely wrecked. Miller, who was driving, escaped with slight injuries, but Scott suffered two broken ribs and a number of severe cuts and bruises.
HE's DEAD: Robert Rankin, one of the best-known farmers of Raritan Township died at the St. Francis Hospital in Macomb at about 10:40 pm May 24th from injuries received about 12 hours earlier when the wheels of a wagon loaded with cord wood passed over him, crushing his chest. Mr. Rankin had joined with a number of other members of the Raritan Reformed Church congregation Monday in hauling wood for the church from the Jos. Grate timber south of Raritan. The wagon had been loaded and the journey to Raritan started when the driver of one of the wagons looked back and saw Mr. Rankin's team coming on without a diver. He stopped and went back to investigate and found Mr. Rankin lying in the road, evidently terribly injured and unable to give a coherent account of what had happened. It was seen, however, that he had in some manner fallen beneath the wagon while it was in motion and that a wheel had passed over his body. An ambulance was quickly summoned and the injured man rushed to the hospital; but medical skill proved unavailing in his case and he passed away the same evening.
The deceased was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rankin of Media Township and was born Sept 2, 1857, being in his 68th year at the time of his death. His wife, who survives him, was Margaret King, daughter of the late Joseph King and wife of Raritan Township. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rankin took up residence on the farm 1 ½ miles north of Raritan where they have lived ever since.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Rankin is survived by five children: Charles of Raritan, Roy of Media and Elmer, living at home; Mrs. Lois Wetterling of Raritan and Mrs. Grace Hulet of Stronghurst. He is also survived by one brother, Samuel Rankin of Media Township and by two sisters, Mrs. Jennie King of Media Township and Mrs. Martha Campbell of Galesburg, Ill. Mr. Rankin was a man held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. He was a faithful member and officer of the Raritan Reformed Church and funeral services will be conducted there with interment in the Raritan Cemetery.
OLD LANDMARK TO BE RAISED: The old Hughes Hotel, a block north of the railroad station, which has been occupied for the past few years by Marion Smith and family, passed this week into the possession of W. R. Gregory, who, we understand, will tear the structure down. This is one of the oldest buildings in the village and in the earlier days of Stronghurst was a well patronized hostelry and the center of much of the activity connected with the development of the village. With the passing of the years and the changing of the business center of the place, it gradually lost its prestige as an inn and will now soon be only a memory. Mr. Gregory expects to hold a public sale of the fixtures and equipment of the hotel on Saturday afternoon. (Anyone have memorabilia from the hotel?)
MEMORIAL DAY PLANS: Believing that a proper sense of patriotism forbade the idea of neglecting the observance of Memorial Day in Stronghurst this year, members of the Better Stronghurst League met at the State Bank and arranged for memorial services to be held on Saturday afternoon, May 30th, at 2 pm at the Lyric Theatre. Committees on music, children’s drill, decorations, speaker and program were appointed and these various committees are now at work planning for the event which promises to be one worthy of the occasion
The service of Rev. E. E. Atherton of Joy, Ill. have been secured as orator of the day. C. E. Fort, Jr., chairman of the music committee, is arranging for some good vocal selections and Prof. Dawson has promised to enlist the services of his high school orchestra in helping out with this part of the program. Rev. Myers will also have his Boy Scout troop participate in the parade which will be a feature of the occasion and the school children under the direction of Mrs. Boyd, Miss Mary Morgan and Miss Hazel Kirby will perform their usual offices at the cemetery in the matter of placing flags and wreathes upon the graves of fallen heroes.
Mrs. J. F. Murphy, assisted by Mrs. J. S. McMillan, Mrs. W. C. Regan, Mrs. C. R. Kaiser, Mrs. J. W. Decker, Mrs. N. E.Curry and Mrs. E. Crapnell, will act as the flower and wreath committee. This committee requests that all those who can furnish flowers for the occasion report to some member of the committee as soon as possible. The business places of the village are all asked to close from 1:45 to 4 pm out of respect for the memory of those in whose honor the services are held.
JUNIOR-SENIOR BANQUEST: (This is a step back in time when special occasions were planned locally.) The annual Junior-Senior Banquet of the Stronghurst High School was held in the dining room of the U.P. Church last Saturday evening. In addition to the 18 Seniors and 24 Juniors there were present members of the faculty of the school and one or two invited guests. The menu which was prepared by Mrs. Johanna Wheeling and served by girls from the Sophomore class was as follows: Strawberry Entrée; Fruit Punch; Chicken Loaf; Creamed Potatoes; Pea Patties; S.H.S. Salad; Lime ice, Olives; Radishes, Parker Rolls, ’26 Special, Coffee, and Mints.
After full justice had been done to the menu, short addresses were given as follows: "Farewell, Seniors by Irene Kershaw; "Vale" by Doris Dixson; "Loyalty" by Supt. L.O. Dawson. Part II of the program was designated on the menu cards as a "Junior Vaudeville Circuit." It consisted of four numbers: "Just Kids"-Anderson, Brook, Findley and Marsden; "The Crystal Ball"-Junior Stock Co.; "Six Syncopators"-Burrell, Curry, Findley, Jones, Knutstrom and Moore: and Feb 24, 2021 "1926"-Junior Opera Troup. It is needless to say that there was more or less merriment connected with the latter part of the program and that the entire affair was one if which all present obtained much enjoyment.
$300 ASKED: In the Henderson County Salvation Army home service appeal which is now being made, the quota assigned is $1,500 and of this amount, Stronghurst is asked to raise the sum of $300 as her portion of the goal…All the secretaries of the lodges, clubs and societies are presenting the matter of a contribution to be voted by members from organization treasuries. Individual will be given the opportunity to contribute and school girls later will put on a tag day for the worthy cause…Checks for this appeal may be left with Mr. B. G. Widney at the First National Bank, who is treasurer for the campaign.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Everett Strawn and daughters, Wilda and Rosemary, of Ormonde, were callers at the home of Mrs. Juna Green. The ladies of the Stronghurst Christian Church will serve ice cream and cake at the Community club room the evening of July 13th. A representative of the Fuller Brush Co. from Burlington while making a call at the James Brewer home north of town was attacked by a vicious dog in the yard and severely bitten in two places on the leg. He came to town and had the wounds dressed by a physician. A huge bill board, consisting of three 11 by 25 ft. sections set at oblique angles and including a large space on the Regan lot on Broadway south of the Co-operative store building is being erected this week by a Fort Madison, Iowa bill posting company. (Doesn’t say what is on it.) Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Flanegin of Peoria drove over and took dinner with their son Hurif Flanegin and wife at the J.F.Mains home. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Brooks are expected to arrive from Benson, Ill. where he has just concluded a term as superintendent of the city schools. He has been re-employed in the same capacity for next year with an increase in salary. (Local boy succeeds.) Class Day exercises will be held by the Senior Class at the Lyric Theatre at 9 o’clock following which the members of the two higher classes will make a trip to Crapo Park for a picnic given by the Seniors.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Miss Naomi Cooper reports that her brother Perry at Crandon, Wisconsin is improving from a severe illness. Mrs. Ed Wanders and her daughter, Rozella, who have been making their home with the lady's parents, Mr. and Mr. John Staley left with their household goods for Streator, Ill. where Mr. Wanders is employed in a pickle factory and where the family will make their home. Mr. and Mrs. Staley accompanied Mrs. Wanders and her daughter to Streator by truck. Mrs. Kate Barnett, daughter of Mrs. John Barnett, early settlers of Henderson County, died at her home at Red Oak, Ia. Last week. Congressman J. C. Allen, postmaster James Scott, E. C. Hardin and another gentleman stopped in Stronghurst for a short visit with friends on the way to Carthage. J. O. Randall, who has been in the U.S. Navy for the past year and recently stationed at Pearl Harbor in the Pacific, was on leave visiting with his father, C. M. Randall and his sister, Miss Fleda. The bills for the licensing of Chiropractors were defeated in the lower house at Springfield. The Warren County Sheriff and several deputies raided a dozen places in Swan Creek early last Sunday morning and rounded up nine men who were taken to Monmouth and jailed on charges of violation of the prohibition laws. Several gallons of hootch, a still, gambling paraphernalia and fourteen men playing poker were found at a rooming house conduced by Clarence Murphy, while booze and gambling tools were discovered in various other places visited. The crowd of men taken into custody have been under suspicion for a long time.
KILLING FROST: Winter took what it is sincerely hoped will be its final slap at this section of the state last Monday night when the mercury took a swift decent to a point below the freezing mark. Ice of the considerable thickness formed and the tender leaves of all vegetation in unprotected areas were frozen stiff. Within a few hours after the sun came up on Tuesday morning, corn fields and gardens presented a sorry spectacle with their blackened dropping vegetation and expressions of lamentation were heard on every hand. Many farmers at once began preparations for replanting their corn, which in most cases was showing nicely in the row while other decided to wait a few das to see when the ultimate effect of the freeze would be. The Lewis Seed Co. of Media was deluged with orders for seed corn from this and the surrounding area before the day was over. A car load of corn which had been consigned to Chicago seed market was diverted to Media in order to partially meet this sudden demand.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. and Mrs. J. Ben Hurrell of Burlington attended the track meet here and spent the night with Mr. and Mrs. Eldon White. A district Sunday School Convention will be held at the Raritan Reformed Church on Sunday and the congregation of the United Church will attend and remain for the union services of the two Raritan churches. Miss Faree Mathers closed a very successful term of school as primary teacher at Smithshire. Mrs. Norman Grossman who has been quite ill with the flu is better. Mr. and Mrs. Winifred Keith are the parents of a baby girl born Wednesday morning. Mrs. Mildred Beall was appointed by the county to fill the office of County Supt. of Schools made vacant by the death of her husband, A. L. Beall; she entered upon her duties at once. Members of the Community Club will give a home talent play, "Black Mammy Judy or A Southern Cinderell" at the Academy Thursday evening, Mary 28th.The Ladies of the U.P. Church missionary Society will meet the first Thursday in June at the home of Mrs. Lewis Cavins. Mrs. Elizabeth Rankin will assist her daughter, Mrs. Cavins in entertaining.
Commencement exercises for the graduating class of Media Wever Academy and Media Community High School will be held Saturday evening at the auditorium of Wever Academy beginning at 8 pm. The class is composed of Mildred Lant, Roy Cavins, Zelma Campbell, LaVerne Gilliland and Agnes Erickson. Dr. John L. Conger, head of the Dept. of History at Knox College will deliver the address. He is much in demand for lectures throughout Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa. During the seventeen years that he had been professor of History at Knox College, he has spent several of his vacations at the summer session of the Universities of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and California. Only last year while on leave, he spent the entire year in teaching at Harvard University. He is democratic and direct in his addresses. Having been raised on a farm in Iowa, he is in sympathy with what people in rural communities are doing to do.
Baccalaureate services for the grading class were held at the U.P. Church with Rev. W. H. Cross, pastor of the United Church, delivered the sermon "Work in Your Own Garden," giving splendid suggestions and advice to the class. Rev. Mr. Cross was assisted by Rev. Riddington, pastor of the Raritan Baptist Church. The church had been decorated in the class colors, pink and orchid by the junior class with some serving as ushers during the evening.
The musical comedy presented Thursday and Friday evening by members of the high school directed by Miss Mary Dixson was attended by a large crowd on Thursday but a storm diminished Friday's attendance. Everyone was patience after the lights went off, but the players proceeded with difficulties. Flashlights were substituted and the show went on. The amount cleared was $43.33 which was used to establish a music fund at the high school. Miss Dixson had several friends from distan
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: James McDill of Bushnell was called here by the serious illness of his brother, Wm. McDill. A. P. McHenry and family spent the week end with relatives at Table Grove. Miss Lucille Lorimer attended a Sorority party at Alexis Saturday and her sisters, the Misses Jean and Helen Lorimer, who are students at Monmouth College, returned with her to spend the weekend at home. Mrs. Tom Zimmerman, Mrs. Bessie and Mr. and Mrs. John Keener drove to Peoria Sunday to visit Louise Hoffman who is in a tuberculosis sanitarium there. Mr. Hoffman was one of the state engineers on the hard road work through here last summer and his many friends here will be glad to know that he is holding his own. Clark Kelly and Holman Beebe are building an oil station for J. Y. Whiteman on his land near the east end of the Burlington bridge. Mrs. Clara Ericson and Misses Mary, Dorothy and Verna Millen attended the May pole weave in Monmouth at the college last Friday afternoon.
The Senior Class will give their play, "The House Next Door," tonight at the high school. School friends of Miss Madeline Campbell gave a party in her honor last Friday evening at the home of Miss Lelah Kilgore. Mildred with her mother and brother, who have been keeping home of Mr. and Mrs. N. Q. Welch, will leave for their home near Reed after the school closes. The Welches will be home next week. Carl Hector entered the Burlington Hospital with an infected hand. Miss Dema Stevenson is able to be out again after her operation for appendicitis. The baccalaureate service was held at the United Presbyterian Church last Sabbath night.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Mrs. John Clark, who has been quite sick the past week, is slowly improving. Jess Clark and family moved to Dallas City last week where he has employment in the Handle Factory. F.G. Miesner, who went to St. Louis several months ago, is here to take charge of the Broom Factory. Mr. Tannus left last week for Europe and will be gone several months. A large crowd attended the funeral of the three months old baby of Wm. Smelcher and wife at the home of Mrs. Smelcher's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Orange Hazen Sunday afternoon. Interment was in Crane Cemetery.