The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
TRAGIC ACCIDENT: Clifton Duffy, the 15-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Duffy of near Fountain Green, suffered a very serious accident on the way to school when he was riding through a swinging gate on horseback. His stirrup caught on the gate and threw him; the horse either stepped on or kicked him in the face. He was immediately rushed to the Phelps Hospital at Macomb, Ill. where five or six doctors were called to care for him. The upper jaw bone was broken on both sides with all the teeth and a two-inch silver of bone gone from the left side. The soft palate of throat was torn from center out into the tonsil, the cheek bone crushed through into the roof of the mouth, a large gash two inches long torn in the corner of his mouth, the left side of his nose torn off and a small wound made on his cheek and another on his left limb.
ROSEVILLE BOY SEVERED LEG: Upon jumping from a fast Santa Fe freight train near Smithshire at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon, Fred Gossard caught his right foot under the wheel which mangled it so badly that after being rushed to the Monmouth Hospital, the doctors were forced to amputate it just below the ankle. Fred is the 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. U. C. Gossard of Roseville. He and a friend, Clifton Manuel, had been employed since the first of last week on the Santa Fe Railroad at Chillicothe and were coming home to spend Sunday when the accident happened.
ON THE RADIO: The Misses Dorothy Davis, Winibeth Rankin and Edyth Salter of Stronghurst and who for the past few months have been under the musical supervision of Mrs. Fern Strickler Rice, were heard yesterday evening in a concert broadcasted from Station WIAS in Burlington, Ia. Each of the young ladies played several beautiful, well rendered piano solos and Miss Davis sang some pleasing vocal selections. Many of their friends report that they heard and enjoyed the program. The Misses Duncan and Campbell and George Barker of LaHarpe and Miss Bennington of Dallas City and Miss Fern Strickler Rice of Lomax also appeared on the program contributing greatly to its success.
ENJOYS 69TH BIRTHDAY: Mr. Doug Steffey celebrated his 69th birthday March 23 with friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. John Layton, former residents of Stronghurst were present from Dallas City. Mr. and Mrs. John Gilliland and Mr. and Mrs. D. Headen were invited guests. His sons, Arthur of Knoxville, Iowa and Chester of Basco, Ill. planned to be present but found it impossible but would visit later. Mr. Steffey and his wife came from Basco, Ill. on March 6, 1881 and for the past 36 years have resided at the same location on the northwest edge of town.
WEDDING BELLS- On Saturday, March 17th at Oquawka, Miss Esther Johnson of near Olena and Mr. Arnold Pence of Lomax were joined in hold bonds of wedlock. Mr. Pence’s mother accompanied them. The new Mrs. Pence, who is teaching in the Marshall District, will remain at the home of her parents and finish her term at school.
BEST CHAUTAUQUA EVER: The Five Day Chautauqua given last Friday night at the Stronghurst High School auditorium proved to be one the best ever given in Stronghurst. About some 250-300 people, in spite of the almost impassible condition of the roads making it impossible for many country people to attend. All of the nights were so good that it would be hard to determine which was really the best. Play night is always a big event and the moving picture in which the actors appeared in person on the last night was well received.
The Junior Chautauqua was the first night’s attraction. After opening remarks, the curtains were drawn apart and the audience received a great surprise. The women had dressed as little boys and girls and under the direction of Mrs. Robert Gray, the playground superintendent, proceeded to entertain their audience. Vocal duets by Liza and Sambo (Mrs. Roy Mudd and Mrs. Drewis Kern), two colored artists, were greatly enjoyed between the first and second nights. The Hawaiian Entertainers from the immortalized land of sunshine and hard roads gave a very bounteous musical feast on the second night. The company was composed of three young lady ukulele artists, the first Oola Ooo and other two (Misses Helen Foster, Lucile Rice and Adeline Stevenson of Biggsville). Miss Hazel Stine gave some very entertaining readings.
The Apt Entertainers gave the program for the third night. Their songs and recitations were enjoyed and decidedly worthwhile. Willie, Phronie and Priscilla Apt were the personnel of the company. Jennie Lynn and Gali Curchi II (Misses Agnes Mudd and Ina Nordstrum) rendered some very beautiful and entertaining duets on the Fourth night receiving much applause as well as pretty bouquets of roses handed them by a little messenger (Kenneth Mudd) dressed in white. The moving picture “Not B Dam Site” was given as the concluding entertainment. Mrs. Robert Gray, Mrs. Wm. Potts, Mrs. Ralph Staley, Mrs. Drewis Kern and Mrs. Lester Gerbert were the cast. If any community in the vicinity which desires a good Five Day Chautauqua, do not hesitate to contact the recommended Loyal Women of the Christian Church of Stronghurst; if properly approached, they might consent to comply with such a request.
FATHER-SON BANQUET: The first annual Father-Son banquet of the high school agricultural club was held Friday night at the NuVon Hotel. The program was characterized by several good responses by the boys and their dads. Mr. Walker, farm adviser, spoke of the cooperation which exists between the high school agricultural department and the Henderson County Farm Bureau. Professor Dawson told the dads why the agricultural department was established in the high school. Mr. Regan, after forgetting the most important part of his speech, succeeded in emphasizing the need of agricultural courses taught in this high school. Kenneth Veech in outlining the activities of the department proved to be a better speaker than the dads surmised. Frank G. Makepeace, assistant State Supervisor of agricultural education in Illinois, gave the principal talk outling present tends in teaching of vocational subjects such as vocational agriculture…Music was furnished during the meal by a girls ‘quartet and two girls playing saxophones.
KIRKWOOD CAF: BURNS: One of the most serious fires the town has had for many years visited Kirkwood at about 5:30 last Monday morning, destroying the John Bowen café and damaging the contents of adjacent buildings causing a total loss estimated at $10,000. The blaze was believed to have originated in the kitchen of the restaurant and when discovered had gained sufficient headway that the destruction of the café was inevitable.
Fortunately, a thick 18-inch wall between the restaurant and the Robert Gamble grocery store to the south helped shut off the flames in that direction. The Gamble building was but slightly damaged but the stock was lessened in value by smoke and water. The buildings to the north, however, did not escape so easily. The post office building joining the restaurant suffered considerable damage and the Daley and Ditto barber shop north of the post office also was damaged by smoke and water. Mrs. Roy Capron, owner of the post office and barber shop building is said to have carried sufficient insurance to cover all losses on her properties.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. J. W. McKee received some 71 cards from her friends in remembrance of her birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Menchoff, son Lee and Miss Hazel Weir motored to Canton Sunday where they were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Menchoff. Mrs. M. J. Babcook attended a district board meeting of the 14th district of the Illinois Federated Women’s Club at Monmouth. Glen Pickens resumed his duties as teacher in the high school after being absent the past week on account of Illness. Walter Kilgore moved the household goods of Marshall McKeown to Olena. Charles Martin has accepted a position with the Roxanna Schell Oil Co. of Burlington, Iowa. The household goods of the late Mrs. H. O. Garrity will be offered for sale Thursday at her residence. The annual meeting the Women’s Cemetery Society was held Wednesday afternoon at the home of Miss Mary Stevenson. Mrs. Adam Sloan, the vice-president presided and officers were elected: president-Mrs. Dave Shook; Vice-President-Mrs. John Boyd; Secretary-Mrs. Charles Graham; Treasurer-A.P. McHenry (list of committee members included in article) The “Teas” will be given on the first Tuesday of each month.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: The Loyal Daughters Sunday School Class gave a shower for Mrs. Snyder at their parents’ home Wednesday evening. The Crane Cemetery officers held their annual meeting at the local bank. Rev. Keel of Iowa is holding revival meeting at the Nazarene Church and having splendid attendance. Willard Eckhardt returned from the Burlington hospital having underwent an operation. Mr. and Mrs. Merwyn Kimball moved to the apartment above the bank. Joe Walker and family have moved to a farm near Durham, Ill. Otto Rice is quite sick at this time I. P. Bowlin and family are moving to Wm. Freeland’s new bungalow.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Miss Genevieve Whitmyer is attending Monmouth High School. The Sewing Circle served lunch at the Hedge sale; a net sum of money was taken in and will be used for church purposes. The community Bible class conducted by Dr. Rena Rezner will meet at the home of Mrs. Lena Pence Thursday evening. The King’s Heralds will meet with Miss Elizaeth Hames this evening after school. Miss Fern Mills is employed in Burlington.
RARITAN REPORTS: Percy Veech shipped hogs to Chicago. On account of illness of the teacher, Miss Mary Hayes of Blandinsville, no school was held at the Stanley School. Misses Elsie and Ella Ahlers are attending school at the Macomb Normal. Wayne Wetterling, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Judd Wetterling, was brought back from the Burlington Hospital where he had been taken for treatment and died on seven O’clock Saturday morning. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon and interment was in the Raritan Cemetery. An eight-pound son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald McDonald at the Lofftis Bros. home the evening of March 14, 1927.
AREA NEWS: Mr. Lyman Fort, principal of the high school at Mitchell, South Dakota, visited his parents Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Fort, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. A. G .Sillars of St. Louis, Mo. motored to Stronghurst for a visit with the lady’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Fort, Sr. Frank Johnson was taken to Burlington where he underwent an operation for appendicitis. Mrs. Maggie Anderson will leave for Canton, Ohio, where she will take a course in Nurses’ training in the Aultman Hospital. Her sister is one of the superintendents in that hospital. Alice Marie Mathers, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Mathers of Media, underwent an operation for mastoid on her right ear last week at Mercy Hospital in Burlington. She is now able to sit up in bed. Mr. Henry Adair and family are now located in their new home at Tolona, Ill. in Champaign County. Richard Howell and Meryl Yaeger are busy working at the pumping station at Carthage Lake.
FROM VOICE OF SHS, high school paper: Auld Lang Syne, March 20, 1902-At the residence of Dr. C. B. Wilcox, Colorado Springs March 11, 1902, Peter Groome, Jr. and Miss Elizabeth Higgenbotham were married. A. E. Jones, recently retired from the grocery business, was planning to spend the summer in parts of his native heath in Wales, Wm. Wilsher will accompany him as far as England and Charles Kaiser was going to visit relatives in Germany. The term of court was probably the shortest ever held. But one jury trail was heard, that of the right of property of two hogs in which F. Sandstrom and S. Musgove were contestants. It was decided in favor of Sandstrom. The case was somewhat complicated and the jury was out all night. Nate Groome, who spent the winter in Butler County, Kansas reported the wheat in fine condition. Stock was subscribed for Raritan’s new opera house and work was to commence shortly. H. A. Epping had put in a fine refrigerator in his meat market. Willis Keener of Hopper had rented and moved upon the David L. Good farm near Shokokon. Duck hunting was reported to be the favorite amusement at Lomax.