The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
A GOOD WOMAN CALLED TO HER REWARD: Mrs. John McKeown passed away at the family home one mile southwest of Stronghurst last Saturday morning, Nov. 21st at about 2:30 o’clock at the age of 73 years, 6 mons and 24 days. She had been in failing health for a number of months and her decease was not unexpected by her family and friends. Isabelle Stevenson, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Gibb) Stevenson, was born in Belfast, Ireland, April 27, 1852. She came with her parents to Biggsville, Ill. in March 1871. On March 7, 1870 she was united in marriage to John McKeown also of Biggsville. She was quiet and unostentatious in her life and enjoyed the loving esteem nor only of her immediate family but a large circle of acquaintances as well. All of her married life was spent in the vicinity of Stronghurst. To them were born nine children: a daughter passed away in infancy. The children who survive are Mrs. Walter Salter and Mrs. Fred Ackerman of Kirkwood, Ill.; John McKeown, Jr. of Stronghurst; Mrs. Wm. Lauver of Raritan; Jennie, Elizabeth, Robert, Mary and Orville McKeown at home. In addition, she is survived by nine grandchildren, two brothers, William and John; two sisters Mrs. Mary Gibb and Mrs. Ellen Gibb of Biggsville; also, by numerous relatives and friends.
Mrs. McKeown untied with the United Presbyterian Church in her girlhood and was always a faithful attendant at divine services so long as her health permitted. Funeral services were conducted in the U.P. Church with the remains laid to rest in Hope Abbey Mausoleum in the local cemetery.
ANNUAL OYTER SUPPER: The ladies of the Willing Workers society will hold their annual Oyster Supper in the dining room of the Stronghurst U.P. Church on Friday evening.
CORNHUSKING CHAMPIONS: The Illinois agricultural Association News Service reports the recent Midwest Corn Husting Contest held at Burgess, Ill in the following descriptive language:
“With two airplanes hovering above them, a pair of movie cameras grinding at them, corn to the front of them, their wagons to the right of them, gleaners behind them, and the whole gawking crowd around them, the eight best corn huskers of the corn belt banged Reid’s Elbow Dent against the hangbroads for 80 minutes in the Midwest Corn Husking contest held on Frank Cole’s farm adjacent to Burgess, Mercer County, Thursday, November 19th.
When the corn was weighed and penalties deducted for corn left behind and for too many “ribbons,” it was found that Elmer Williams, the Illinois champion of Toulon, Stark County, not only had won but had established an official world’s record of 35.9 bushels in the 80 minutes which is equivalent to 269 bushels for a ten-hour day. Amid cheers of Stark County’s loyal rooters and of others of the estimated 7,000 who keenly followed the contest, Williams was crowned as corn belt, national and world champion.
Illinois won second also. Walter W. Olson of Rio, Knox County, weighted in 2776 pounds of gleanings and when a penalty of 30.25 lbs of gleanings was deducted as well as a penalty of three per cent from the total weight for each of his four ounces of excess shucks found on the sample taken from his load, he had a net weight of 2416.6 pounds, which figures out into 34, 70-pound bushels. Olson also placed second in the Illinois State Contest which was held in Montgomery County held on Nov. 12th. In that day he also had the most pounds, but penalties forced him into second.
Nebraska took third and fourth, Iowa fifth and sixth, Indiana seven and Minnesota eight. Last year’s champion corn belt was Fed Stanek of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was completely dethroned but he gave a good account of himself….”
A BIG BIRTHDAY BASH: The South Country Birthday Club held their monthly birthday party at the Russell Woodward home on Saturday night. The hostesses were Mrs. Marice Lee, Mrs. Percy Veech, Mrs. Russell Woodward and Miss Lena C. Ahlers. Seventy-six guests were present and birthday favors were given to twelve persons; those honored were the following: Mrs. Harold Simonson, Mrs. Judd Wetterling, Miss Frances Lind, Ella Ahlers, Lucile Nolen, Lucille Simsonson, Jessie Veech, Mr. Fred Brokaw, James Lindburg, Peter Voorhees, Harold Nolen, William Reddy and Gale Ross. The house was nicely decorated with crepe paper, day cake trimmed with turkeys and flowers. A palatable-looking birthday cake trimmed with turkeys, and a boat tagged the “Mayflower” decorated the buffet.
A special corner was decorated with banners and paper in which corner the birthday guests ate their suppers. They were graciously waited upon by the Misses Helena Barry, Mary Hayes and Esther Lind while the tiny folks had their suppers brought to them by Miss Helen Reedy and Agnes Ahlers. Each of the birthday guests was required to do a stunt as their part of the evening’s amusement. Two of the boys and one of girls represented peaceful Indians carrying bows and arrows and smoking pipes. Mr. and Mrs. Roger Williams and their child all in Puritan clothes were especially appropriate for the occasion. John Smith, the settler of Virginia, was present for a short time. The amusement part of the program was excellently arranged by Mrs. Asa Worthington, who has won the title of being the star entertainer of the club. The food served was as nearly as possible with the exception of a dessert and cake, a “Mayflower feast” served cafeteria style. Popcorn balls were passed after supper. (Celebration 1925 style with the neighbors.)
STAGE SET FOR GREATEST SHOW: The twenty-sixth anniversary International Live Stock Exposition is ready to open its gates to the public on Nov. 28th for what promises to go down in history as the greatest of all agricultural and live stock gatherings. According to Secretary B.H. Heide, the International has never before had such a splendid array of educational and entertaining features to offer to its visitors. No matter whether one is directly interested in agriculture or not, there will be mush amongst the numerous displays and events to make a trip to the show well worth the time and effort.
The International Grain and Hay Show has established a new record this year with 5,089 samples of grain, small seeds and hay. There will be 3,212 ten ear samples and 1,124 single ears of corn in the show…Over 200 carloads of fat and feeder cattle, swine and sheep had been entered five days before the books closed, assuring the strongest display of market animals ever brought together.. The International Horse Show will include jumping, riding, and driving horses from more stables in all part of the country than any previous session of the Exposition…( In 1925 this was the big deal! Train trips to Chicago made attending easy and offered a chance for farmers and friends to visit the big city for $2.00 roundtrip-today’s prices $48.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Leon LaBounta and son John Worley LaBounta and Mrs. Belle Worley of Kewanee, Ill. spent the weekend at the home of their uncle, G.W.Worley. A yield of 83 ½ bushels of corn per acres is reported to have been taken from a plat of ground on the experiment farm at Oquawka this summer. The result was obtained from common “blow sand” land which had previously been in alfalfa. Seven young lady members of an Oquawka M.E. Sunday School class adopted an offer from Dan Fryrear, a farmer of that vicinity, and went out to his corn field one day last week and in two hours shucked 40 bushels of corn, which they took to town and sold at 60 Cents per bushel and turned the money into their class treasury. (In $382 in today’s values) James Curtis, who is the employ of the W.N. Telegraph Co. at Chicago, came down to visit home folks. The sum of $170 (in today’s prices $2,708) was contributed to the cause of the Women’s work in the U.P. Church at the annual thanks offering. A fine double garage costing between $600 and $700 (in today’s prices $9,558-$11,151) has just been completed on the local Lutheran church property though the efforts of the Men’s Society of the congregation
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The condition of Grandma Mink, who makes her home with her son John, remains very critical her affliction being a cancerous growth in her mouth. W. H. White who in addition to his work as Justice of the Peace, also does collections, draw deeds, wills and contracts, etc. Mrs. Orville Boyd entertained pupils of the 3rd and 4th grades in the village school last Thursday evening with a wienie roast at her home. Afterward games were played. The series of special services held in connection with “Win My Chum” at the local M.E. Church were brought to a close Sunday evening. Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Fort arrived home from their auto trip of several weeks through Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. They visited Olathe, Emporia, Wichita, Anson, Winfield and other places. Miss Ida Davis, who accompanied them on their journey remained at Anson, Kansas for a longer visit at the R.S. Humphrey home.
C. M. Lieurance, an aged inmate of the Warren County home, was instantly killed last Saturday afternoon when he was run down by a Chicago motor bus on the concrete road about a mile south of the Home. The victim of the accident seems, according to the evidence presented at the inquest, to have walked deliberately from the side of the road in front of the motor bus. The driver turned the vehicle into the ditch in order to avoid striking the pedestrian. C. A. Litchfield, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Oquawka for three years, has resigned his charge and accepted a call to Burgess, Illinois.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The Junior Christian Endeavor Society of the United Church held a social Monday evening in the church with a large crowd attending. The children enjoyed a program, games and refreshments. Daisy Beall and Dorothy Dixon, as the program committee, prepared a most interesting number of selections consisting of readings, solos and numbers by the junior choir. Each member brought something different for the lunch thereby making variety of spice of the party. Mrs. Mildred Beall, Mrs. Eva Gilliland and Mrs. Clyde Stanberry have charge of the department. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Frye of Lomax visited in the Scott White home and attended the Harvest Home cantata and services in the morning at the United Church. Misses Goldie Heap and Lillian Mink visited different classes at Monmouth College.