The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
GOOD BUSINESS AT THE POST OFFICE: Increasing post office receipts are usually accepted as an indication of an increasing tide of business in a community. According to figures just compiled by Postmaster J. F. Mains, there is no reason to be discouraged with business conditions in Stronghurst…It may be a surprise too many to know that the business of the last three months on 1926 was the largest for a quarter in the history of the office…During the last three months of 1926, the office issued 1,276 domestic money orders and three international ones. The total receipt in this department including box rents, excess on sales of stamped paper and newspaper postage was $8,857.36, which is the record for any three-months period in the history of the office. The total cash receipts of the office for the quarter were $10,229.34.
ANNUAL MEETING OF GRAIN & MDSE. CO.: The Stronghurst Grain & Merchandise Co. met in the Community room at Stronghurst. The manager’s report showed the company to be in a prosperous condition. The shareholders were presented with a 7% dividend. C. H. Curry, O. W. Beckett and C.R.A. Marshall were elected to succeed themselves as directors for a period of three years. At the director’s meeting, O.J. Sanderson was elected president’ Wm. Hartquist, Vice-president; C. H. Curry, second vice-president’ C.R.A. Marshall, secretary and treasurer; and O. W. Beckett assistant secretary and treasurer. Glenn D. Marshall was retained for another year as manager of the company at a previous meeting of the directors.
POULTRY SCHOOL: The evening poultry school class met for its second lesson last night at the high school. The attendance showed a remarkable increase over the previous meeting as there were 41 present compared to 26 at the first meeting. Mr. Homer Kipling of La Harpe gave a very interesting talk on “Incubation.” He emphasized the importance of having eggs from hens in a strong, healthy and vigorous condition for hatching purposes…The film, “Selecting a Laying Hen,” was used as an illustrated lecture on culling. (Long list of attendees included in article.)
DOUBLE HEADER AT HIGH SCHOOL: A splendid crowd of rooter from both Stronghurst and Media gathered at the Stronghurst gymnasium last Friday night to witness the basketball engagements between the high school and independent teams of those two places. About equal enthusiasm was displaced over both games, but with a change in personnel of the “crowers” during the two contests. The Media High school quintet proved too much for the local high school boys defeating them by a score of 54 to 5. The Stronghurst Indees showed a very great improvement over their actions in earlier games of the season. Pete Hamilton kept his opponents in constant fear by repeatedly tossing the ball in the basket. He was the high point man for the Indees and the chief point getter in the game. Clifton Regan at guard proved a great asset to the Indees and prevented the Media boys from scoring many a point. Donald Chandler starred at center and played a very good game. James Sanderson was very fast on the floor and has a good eye for the basket. Mills also showed some very fast work, dribbling the ball down the floor several times and making a basket almost unaided. Few substitutions were made and these seemed to have no effect on the Indees commendable playing. The Media Independents did work which they need not be ashamed of. Playing in the large gymnasium seemed to bother them a great deal. Fans on both sdes will be looking forward to the third encounter with this team when the Indees play them in Media in the near futures. (Both Independent teams were made up of alumni for the schools.)
WILLS FILED LATELY: According to latest reports a total of six will have been recently filled for probate in the Henderson County Probate Court as follows: Lizzie J. Garrity, late of Biggsville; Rev. Harry T. Russell, late of Annawan, Ill., Mary C. Carothers, late of Stronghurst; William H. Myers, late of Terre Haute, Rev. Jacob Barr King, late of Lomax; and Sarah Louck, late of Oquawka.
PAINFUL ACCIDENT: little John Edward, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Albert Peterson of the Carman neighborhood met with a painful accident last Saturday when he fell under the wheel of his father’s light truck. Mr. Peterson was hauling a load of corn for a neighbor and was passing through the home yard. Like all active boys of his age, little John Edward ran to get ride with his daddy. He seems to have been warned to be careful, but mistaking Mr. Peterson’s intention about stopping, which the latter intended to do, he very unexpectedly jumped for the seat and with the above result. A physician was on the scene very quickly to examine the boy, but, although the truck apparently ran over the child in the region of the hips, no bones could be found to be broken. Naturally, there were severe bruises and a great shock, which cause him to be confined to his bed. It is though the little fellow well-nigh miraculously escaped permanent internal injuries. One factor in his favor was that the soil on the spot where the accident happened is very sandy so that it gave way, leaving an impression from the little boy.
BOY TRAPPER GETS STRANGE ANIMAL: Arthur, young son of Merlin Greening, who makes his home with his grandfather, George Greenig, east of La Harpe, and attends school in LaHarpe, is somewhat of a hunter and trapper in his idle moments. Last Saturday he brought to town the hide of a creature resembling a house cat, but so much larger than the ordinary than the ordinary feline that it put folks to guessing just what kind of mixed breed it represented. In color it resembled the ordinary tiger-stripped cat and also a coon. The skin from tip to tip measured 40 inches. The ears were short and stood up straight and it had a long-ringed tail. Arthur trapped the animal at the opening of a den where he had previously caught two skunks, and it was a fighting son-of-gun when cornered. A dog on the place that is a real cat killer would not tackle it. The boy had to shoot several times to kill the animal.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Both Ruby Coffman because of eye trouble and Thema Pendry with a sore throat were absent from school. Rev. Rostrum gave a very interesting sermon last Sunday on “Christian Amusements.” Edward McIntire was shelling corn and delivering it to W. H. Babcook, grain merchant. Miss Judith Graham will work in the Brokaw home in Stronghurst. Several of our citizens are lamenting the plans of the T.P. & W. to halt service between Iowa Junction and Burlington after Feb. 15th. If that decision holds good, the three trains a week service now in effect will be cut off. The road has been purchased by George F. McNear who announced that circumstances make it necessary to eliminate this section of the road. Mrs. Lottie Dixon is bedfast with a bad cold. She is being cared for by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Charles Dixon. Johnnie Dannenburg was seriously burnt Monday evening by a gasoline explosion caused by drawing gasoline out of a tank which splashed over on a lantern. Dr. Emerson of Lomax is caring for him.
OBITUARY-OTIS MORRISON ERVIN: Otis Morrison Ervin was born in Statesville, North Carolina on July 25, 1868. When a child, he came with his parents to Warren County where they lived for two years. Then they came to Henderson County in the vicinity of Biggsville. Later they moved to town where he has lived continuously ever since with the exception of a short time in Stronghurst. On June 12, 1895 he married Miss Florence Ward of Biggsville. Survivors include the widow, two sons-Paul and Joe of Biggsville, Mrs. Amos Forgey of near Gladstone and Mrs. E. B. Tapper of Cedar Rapids, Ia. and one grandchild, Bonnie Jean Forgey. One son died in infancy. There are also two brothers, Clyde Irvin of Emerson, Ia. and Aubrey Irvin of McCook, Nebr., and six sisters: Mrs. D. B. Edwards of Galesburg; Mrs. S. C. Whiteman, Mrs. A. A. Renwick, Mrs. Clarence McCormick, Mrs. Will Milligan and Mrs. Clark Kelley of Biggsville. Funeral services were held at the United Presbyterian Church with burial in the Biggsville Cemetery. Pallbearers were Will Whiteman, George McLain, Dave Gibb, R.J. Talbot, Walter South and Vern Blust.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Mrs. Emma Cook was called to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa where her daughter, Mrs. Albert Johnson underwent an operation for appendicitis. Mrs. Thos. Gray had dental work done in Burlington on Monday. Mrs. J. Hubbs conducted church services at the M.E. Church Sunday morning because of the illness of her husband, Rev. J. Hubbs. LeRoy Whitmore is quite sick with a cold. The January committee of the Ladies Aid Society of the M.E. Church will hold a bake sale at the town hall Saturday; they will sell sandwiches and coffee too. Mrs. H. Dennison and son returned to their home in Fairfield after a few days visit at the Jesse Smith home. The ladies of the U.P. church held a food sale at the post office Saturday. The Sunday School class, “Happy Hustlers,” were delightfully entertained at the Mrs. Harry Warner home with Miss Lucille Warner as assisting hostess last Tuesday eve. Some time was spent on the study of the Bible followed by a social time. Those present were the following, Miss Iva Cisna, Ruth Shaw, Gladys Grate, Ruth Forward, Bivian Graham, Eula Burrell, Cora Thomas, Florence Whitmore, Veda James, Ruth Babcook, Goldies Warner, Lucille Warner, Eva Cisna, Ruby Colley, Beth Gray, Virginia Thomas, Marie Colley, Vinnie Colley, Ione Warner.
INTERESTING ILLINOIS FACTS OF 1927: The largest woodworking plant in the world in the Kroehler factory of Kankakee, Illinois. Illinois operates more telephones than the total used in 23 other states on the country where 62% of all telephone are in use. There is more farm land worked in Illinois than in the continent of Australia. A class in manufactured glass has been inaugurated at the College of Commerce of Northwestern University in Chicago. Shipments from Illinois to foreign countries during the past year amounted to approximately 230 million dollars.
W. W. Bell, a farmer near Hoopeston, 77 years of age, makes a lot of the young set take a backseat in a recent shoot when he first broke 50 clay birds and then 110 straight and then 122 straight. He now lays claim to being the champion shot of the nation’s farmers.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Lawrence Duncan is in the Burlington Hospital where he underwent a tonsil operation. Dr. R. I. Findley returned home from Pittsburgh, Pa. where he was called by the death of his mother. State’s attorney Chas. E. Fort, Jr. underwent a nasal operation at the Burlington Hospital. Mrs. Mary Kern returned to her duties at the telephone office. Glen Carlson who has farmed the I. H. Brokaw farm, southwest of Stronghurst for the past three years has moved his family to Fort Madison, Iowa and has entered the business college there. Auto curtains repaired at Huppert’s. Forrest Roberts has purchased the J. F. Highfield residence in the east part of town. Dr. Highfield is rooming at the Meredith Lovitt home. Chester Brokaw, who attends the Fort Madison Business College, came home with a severe cold and ear trouble, He and his father, Mr. I. H. Brokaw, consulted an ear specialist in Burlington.
Guy Stine returned to Chicago where he has employment. W.J. Clemmons left for Hot Springs, Ark. where he has secured employment at the carpenter trade. Mrs. Nannie Starkey received word of the sudden death of her brother-in-law, Geor. B. Starkey at his home at Farnum, Nebr. Mrs. Will Hicks of Olena spent a few days with her mother, Mrs. Green Fryrear at Oquawka who has been quite sick with a bilious attack. Mrs. Hugh Allsion does not improve as her friends would like to see her since her recent illness.
VOICE OF S.H.S (high school paper): Mr. Koerner, music teacher from Burlington gave a short recital played on the violin. The school is grateful to Mrs. Kaiser for the donation of a base violin and a collection of books among which were some valuable classics. Hugh Yaley took violently sick before school started. A doctor was called and he was taken home. He is reported to be much improved.
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL NEWS: Mrs. Wm. Cross will host the Women’s Home Missionary Society at her home on Thursday afternoon. Mrs. Cleve Hickman has volunteered to let the Arnici Bible Class use her home for part Tuesday evening in honor of the young men’s Bible Class and their teacher, Mrs. Lewis Cavins. The Media people who accompanied the high school boys to Stronghurst last Friday night were well repaid for their efforts b being able to witness the splendid victory over Nichols’s team with a score of 54 to 5. Harry Norville and family moved last week to the place just west of Heap’s farm. Dorothy Adair, the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Adair, has been seriously ill for the past two weeks. The E. G. Lewis Seed Co. began shelling and grading corn this week preparatory to the early sprint trade.