The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
BALL DIAMOND TO BE CONSTRUCTED HERE: A baseball diamond is to be constructed on Sanderson’s field at the southeast edge of town where the Bi-County and County track meets were held this year. The field will be prepared for the use of the Henderson County Farm Bureau Baseball team in practice and in home games. A number of good games are scheduled here this summer and Stronghurst may consider itself fortunate that the diamond is to be located here. The games were played at Biggsville last year.
SHE’S PERFECTION: In a recent physical perfection and beauty contest held at Monmouth College, Miss Doris Dixson, a sophomore, won first place. She was selected by a committee composed of a nurse, doctor and physical director. Miss Dixson’s picture appears in the year book of the College Ravelings and also in the Chicago Sunday Tribute of May 29th. Doris is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Del Dixson of this place and of course, Stronghurst is proud of such an honor being bestowed upon one of its citizens.
TRAVELING SALES JOB: E. R. Grandey, dry goods merchant in Stronghurst, has accepted a position as traveling salesman with territory in the western part of the state for the Caradine Hat Co. of St. Louis, Mo. The Caradine Hat Co. is a big concern. Mr. Caradine, its founder, started the business in a small Texas town. At that time straw hat for work was simply a head covering; older men can all remember old hickory hat around which a shoe string was drawn to make it fit the head. Mr. Caradine was the originator of the blocked straw hat for work and of the name “Harvest Hats.” Today, Caradine hats are sold in more than 30,000 retail stores and has concern is rated at over $500,000. Within the past four years, semi-dress straw hats, dress and work caps, have been added to the line and it is now one of the largest concerns of its kind in the United States.
Mr. Grandy, accompanied by Jack Regan, left Monday by auto for St. Louis where he will attend a big convention of the company’s representatives which is now going on. Word was received from Mr. Grandey on Tuesday stated that the river at Beardstown was so high that it took four hours for them to be ferried across.
Miss Mildred Grandy will have charge of the store while her father is away and will be assisted b Mrs. Frances Harbour. Miss Grandey has had much experience in this line of work and will conduct the business very capably.(A woman in charge!)
LATER WORD FROM Mr. Grandey from St. Louis: “Not sorry we came by was of Beardstown as we probably will never see a sight or have an experience like that again. We arrived at the end of the pavement at Beardstown at 11 a.m. John and Ruth Mudd passed us on the hard road just south of Roseville and when we arrived at the flood, they were there. The ferry returned about noon but could take only 16 cars so we had to wait. The ferry consisted of a Rover steamer with barges. When we went across, they brought three barges instead of two and that trip took 22 cars across. All cars going into Beardstown were placed on one barge. Cars going beyond drive on the other two. They went across to the city unloaded and picked up cars from the city going on East and then swung back into the river and landed us two miles upstream right at the edge of Route No. 3. It was 3:45 p.m. when we were again on our way; we had a five-hour delay at Beardstown. Using a taxi, we went across Beardstown to get our dinner. Taxies were boats of all kinds with Tail-end motors.
SHE ACCEPT A FINE POSITION: Miss Frances Worley of this place has accepted the position as nurse at Monmouth College for the next school year. Miss Worley is a graduate of the Burlington Hospital and has proved an unusually applicable nurse.
BAND CONCERT SEASON BEGINS SATURDAY EVENING: The band concert season will officially open her Saturday evening, June 4th at 8 pm from the stand downtown with Stronghurst’ s 23-piece band under the leadership of J. H. Koerner of Burlington. The personnel of the band have changed but little since year: Cornets-Frederick Rehling, Herbert Brook, Hobert Musser and Clarence Musser; Clarinets-Lester McKeown, Pauline Stine, Blanche Beardsley and Paul Bell; Trombones-Vincent Upton, Lester Gerber and Eloise McMillan; Altos-J S. McMillan and Ernest Walker; Saxophones-Eileen Jones, Erma Curry, Lucille Rehling and Ralph Davies; Baritone-Estel Mudd; Tuba-Everett Upton; Bass Drum-Elzie Gilliland; Snare Drums- Ernest Spiker and William Lukens.
All music lovers and especially those of the surrounding community are invited to attend these free concerts at Stronghurst. Tell your friends. Come early so as to get a good parking place. We feel sure you will find that when Stronghurst invites you to anything you will be made WELCOME.
CANNING FACTORY WORK ADVANCING: The various phases of the work connected with the canning factory being constructed here by the United Food Co. New Boston, Illinois is progressing nicely. The carpenters started work on the building and the masons have already gotten the wall up to a good height. The building will be very substantial and absolutely fire proof. Tomato planting started last week and the weather has been very favorable for such work. From 60,000 to 75,000 tomato plants arrive daily from the New Boston green house. 150,000 plants are on their way here from the South. About 21,000 plants are used to the acre.
Some 40 or 50 men, women, boys and girls have answered the call for employment in the factory, but about as many more will be needed, as we are informed by Mr. H. O. Lawrance, company’s bookkeeper. Anyone over 16 years of age desiring employment should make application at the office in the Chant Building on Broadway.
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE: The Memorial Day services held Monday afternoon at the High School Auditorium and the local cemetery were held in a creditable manner and a large crowd attended. Vocal music was furnished by a male quartet composed of Albert Nichols, Estel Mudd, Harry Painter and Doug Prescott. The memorial address was given by the Rev. Dr. C. S. McClure of the Stronghurst M.E. Church. A pleasant surprise of the day was the appearance of the Stronghurst Band which placed several selections at the auditorium and on the march to and from the school house to the cemetery. But three Civil War veterans now remain in the community: George Fort, Hugh M. Allison and Hezikiah Butler. Mr. Fort was the only one present.
A splendid program was given at the cemetery by the grade school children under the direction of Mrs. Orville Boyd. After the 15 graves of the Civil War Veterans and the six resting places of the World War Veterans were decorated. Stronghurst was glad to welcome many of its former residences who had returned to attend these services.
OBITUARY: LYMAN TAYLOR-Lyman Taylor was born at Marietta, Ohio and passed away at Oquawka, Illinois, May 28, 1927 following an illness of several months, his age being about 60 years. Most of his life was spent in Henderson County, Ill. where he followed the trade of painter and decorator, making his home at alternating periods at Raritan and Stronghurst. He was a skillful workman, intelligent and industrious and generous impulses. Those who knew him best will cherish the memory of the virtues he possessed, leaving judgment of the frailties of the flesh which may have been his to Him who knows the hearts of all men. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the local mausoleum conducted by Rev. Lester Gerber. Interment was in the local cemetery.
S.H.S. NEWS: The Junior-Senior banquet was acclaimed a great success by Seniors, Faculty and Board of Education. Long streamers of pink and white clear across the gymnasium with large bouquets of pink and white roses and other flowers were the decorations. It was one of the best banquets if not the best in history, for several reasons. First, Mrs. Wheeling was the cateress and as usual provided a wonderful menu. Second, the banquet was held in the High School for the first time. Third, the members of the board were present. Fourth, the present Junior class put on the banquet and last but not least, the Seniors furnished most of the dishes which were recently donated to the school. (The Menu-fruit cocktail, veal birds, potatoes Au Gratin, Spaghetti with tomatoes, peach ice, stuffed apple salad, radishes, stuffed olives, French rolls, brick ice cream, cake, coffee and mints.)
The program was as follows: Welcome by Pauline Stine, Junior; Response by Kenneth Sanderson, Senior; Vocal solo-Mrs. Dawson; Piano solo-Dorothy Davis; Address-Mr. L.O. Dawson; Vocal duet-Agnes Mudd and Kenneth Veech; Saxophone duet-Eileen Jones and Erma Curry; and Verses and Illustrations-the Juniors.
BACCALAUREATE: Services were held in the Auditorium with Rev. Elmer J. Holt, pastor of the Lutheran Church, preaching a very appropriate sermon. The Seniors and Juniors, numbering 47, marched to their places at the front of the auditorium as Mrs. Dawson played the processional. A special choir furnished appropriate music.
Gifts: S.H.S. is very thankful for the receipt of 60 new sherbert glasses from Mrs. Johanna Wheeling. Mrs. Wheeling has for several years acted as cateress for different functions and to show her appreciation, she very thoughtfully made a gift useful as well as ornamental. Dr. Ney Salter, an alumnus of S.H.S. presented the school two very unique gifts. He was a member of the graduating class of 1902 and now a prominent citizen of Willliams, California. As only the pictures of the late class appear in the halls, he is going to present the school with a picture of this class. Dr Salter is also presenting the school with a picture of a castle in California which was tinted by himself. Dr. Salter on Monday morning gave a very interesting talk on “Citizenship of Young America” after which he passed out booklets on California.
COLOMA COMMENTS: Mrs. Ethel Cook Weston and little daughter, Juanita June, have returned to their home in Champaign after visiting several days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lou Cook and her sister, Mrs. Fern Erwin of Burlington. Miss Hazel Weir will leave Wednesday morning for Denver, Colorado, where she will spend the summer months. John Dubal and George Furnald of Gladstone have been working the roads in this vicinity for the past several days. Miss Avodia Malmburg of Rock Island is spending several days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Malmburg. Miss Malmburg will act as bride’s maid for Miss Helen Clauson, a bride-to-be in Burlington June 1st. Mr. Charles McMillan left for Washington, D.C. to attend the General Assembly of the U.P. Church. Alice Kemp, oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. F. Kemp, was operated on for appendicitis at Burlington Hospital. The Bluffdale School, west of here, taught by Mrs. Mae Sandstrom, closed Friday with a picnic at The Elms.
Word has been received from W. F. Weir who is spending the year in Long Beach, Calif., that he recently underwent an operation for kidney trouble. Last reports, he is getting along as well as could be expected. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Sandberg and children of Marsh, Minn. visited the weekend with friends here. Mr. Sandburg has recently sold his farm there and they are on their way to Pasadena, Calif., to make their home. Herman Ronquist of Mitchell, So. Dak.. and who has been attending Augustana Colle at Rock Island came to spend his vacation with his uncle, Oscar Malburg. Word was received of the marriage of Carl H. Cook to Miss Lucille Frank at New Orleans, Louisiana on last Tuesday. The groom is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Lou Cook, and was a resident of this community until he enlisted in the Navy four years ago. He received his honorable discharge last December and since that time has been engaged in carpenter work in New Orleans, which will be their future home.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. Alma Ericson Tyler of Buffalo, N.Y. arrived Saturday to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Ericson. Dr. and Mrs. Rex Mudd returned their Lewiston home on Sunday evening. Mrs. Mudd has been with her father, Chas. Essex, while her mother is a patient in the Burlington Hospital. Miss Arline Dixon who closed her school at Fairview, Ill., Friday, She has accepted the same position in the school again next year. She remained there and underwent an operation for the removal of her tonsils on Saturday noon. Chas. Sterret, who injured his back while loading a reel of corn planter wire, is slowly improving.
RARITAN REPORTS: The Mother and Daughter Banquet given by the Raritan community women Saturday night in the basement of the Baptist Church was well attended and proved to be quite an agreeable affair. “Shorty” Taylor, a one-time resident of Raritan, died at the County Home on Saturday morning. Miss Anna Ahler left for Macomb where she will attend the graduating exercises of the Normal on Thursday for her sister, Miss Ella, being one of the graduates. They both will remain there for the next session of school. Mr. Max Veech is attending Monmouth College.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mrs. Mattie Gillis and daughter Mildred have returned from Chicago where they have been spending a few days at the home of her son Chester and family. Her little grandson accompanied them home to spent his summer vacation. Ross and Rollin Harvey who have been away for the winter taking treatments for tuberculosis have returned and report their health much better. Mr. and Mrs. Golden Babcock have gone to Kentucky to spend the summer with her relatives. More than 250 people of nearby towns and our community called at the cemetery Sunday and Monday and decorated graves of their loved ones.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: A farewell party was given Prof. Apt and family at the Christian Church sponsored by the LW Club. Ice cream and cake were served by the hostesses and a social evening was enjoyed by all present. Prof. Apt and family are moving to Oquawka as he has taken the County Superintendent of Schools position the first of August. Mrs. Mary Bradley suffered a light stroke of paralysis affecting her face and fingers. She is some improved and her many friends hope for a speedy recovery. Mr. and Vern Nixon are the proud parents of a daughter born to them on May 27th. Lomax has sent $53 for the relief of the flood sufferers. Anyone wishing to contribute to the Red Cross for this worthy cause may leave their donation with Mrs. Dr. Eaton. Ernest Staley is working for the Santa Fe force at present. He reports Mrs. Staley recovering rapidly from her recent operation and will soon be ale to return home.
CORRECTION: Since publishing an account of Raymond C. Johnson being awarded a research fellowship in Metallurgy and Mining at Carnegie Institute of Technology, it was learned from a reliable source that the winner of this award was not Mr. Raymond Johnson of Stronghurst but a fellow student bearing the same name. Mr. Johnson of Stronghurst is a Junior and will therefore not be eligible to compete for this award until next year.
MISSIONARY TO SPEAK AT CHRISTIAN CHURCH: Dr. E.B. Pearson will give the sermon at the Christian Church Sunday morning, June 5th. Dr. Pearson, who is a medical missionary serving at Mondombe, Africa under the United Christian Missionary Society of the Disciples of Christ, and has spent 11 years on that continent. Mondombe is the most distant station from civilization of the Disciples of Christ in Africa and on the night before this station was opened, the natives of the district held a cannibal feast on the mission site. When the missionaries arrived, the chief was wearing for a necklace the toasted fingers of the victim of the feast for a souvenir of the occasion. Later, the Belgian government requested this mission to send evangelists into the surrounding back country as the fierce natives refused to pay tax. After these evangelists had preached through that country, the people paid their taxes.
NEW VET IN TOWN: Dr. C. C. Massie and family of Toledo, Illinois have moved in the Mary Morgan residence in the east part of town. Dr. Massie is the new Veterinarian hired by Henderson County.
LOCAL AND COMMUNITY NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Taylor and family moved to Ormonda, Ill. where they will make their home for the summer. Miss Abbie Drew, a one-time resident of Stronghurst and now of Peoria visited friends for Decoration Day. Mr. and Mrs. John Mudd of Virginia, Illinois visited his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Mudd. Mr. Lester Gerber spent Saturday with his father, who is in the Bloomington Hospital recuperating from a gall bladder operation which he underwent on May 17th. Robert Gerber suffered a severe attack of appendicitis on Sunday evening and in two hours’ time was in the Burlington Hospital where an operation was immediately performed; he is reported recovering very satisfactorily. Mrs. Johanna Wheeler and Mrs. John Salter will leave by train for San Antonio, Texas to visit relatives.
A number of Mrs. Fern Strickler Rice’s Stronghurst music pupils will broadcast from station WIAS at Burlington, Iowa Monday evening, June 6th. A varied instrumental and vocal program will be given and every Stronghurst radio fan will want to tune in. The young ladies who will take part are Edythe Salter, Kathryn Anderson, Winibeth Rankin, Dorothy Davis and Eileen Jones.
HOPES TO BLAZE A NEW TRAIL BY AIR: “Don S. Phillips, secretary of the Aero Club of Oregon, has been here and is preparing to blaze a new and shorter air route between Minneapolis, Minn., and Portland, Oregon in a new Air-King plane manufactured in the Lomax factory. He believes he can shorten the present route by near 225 miles between those two cities and thus, assure faster mail or other air service. He has taken the Air-King agency for his state and will start soon on his flight to Portland in his first Lomax made ship. He will probably stop at several places along the way, advertising his ship and a new landing field at Portland, which has just been made available for public use by the Port of Portland Commission. He intends to visit Aberdeen, Miles City, Billings, Butte, Pendleton and numerous intermediate points. The flight will take place in a few days, according to present plans. Mr. Phillips is highly pleased with the Air-King and says it is a “knock out.” Lomax Searchlight. (It is hard for us today to realize how exciting this venture was. Airplanes and flying were a daring novelty.)