The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
This year, The Quill is celebrating 100 years of publication. Though the paper’s roots go deeper than 100 years, 2026 marks the 100th year of ownership over five generations of our family. We have been honored to serve the community over the years and look forward to continuing to bring you your local news as we move into our second century of ownership.
The history of The Quill begins with the Stronghurst Graphic. The Stronghurst Graphic was first published in September 1888 by J. M. Thornber.
In April 1889, Frank Mains purchased half interest in the Graphic and eventually became the sole owner. In 1910, (the papers 22nd year of existence) Mains sold the paper to A. H. Kershaw.
Charles M. Bell was employed by Mr. Kershaw as a printer. In April 1926, Charles purchased the paper and ran it with his son, Paul, who graduated from Stronghurst High School that same year.
Three years later, in 1929, (after Paul had attended Monmouth College) Charles brought Paul on as part owner, forming C. M. Bell & Son.
C. M. and son Paul went on to acquire the Henderson County News of Lomax and the Roseville Press and its printing plant in Roseville.
In 1942, they acquired the Henderson County Journal of Oquawka. The Journal was started in 1878 by Eugene A. Hail, who ran the paper until 1923, when it was purchased by Ray E. Booking.
Booking, looking to retire from the newspaper business, sold the paper in 1942 to C. M. Bell & Son. With this purchase, the print work was moved to the Oquawka plant on Schuyler Street.
In January 1946, the Roseville Press and printing plant were sold to Gerald Swanson. Mr. Swanson acquired the Raritan Reporter in January 1948 from the E. O. Barnes family, who had owned the paper since its inception in 1884.
In May 1949, Mr. Swanson sold the Raritan Reporter to C. M. Bell & Son who continued to publish the three Henderson County newspapers through 1953.
On September 17, 1953, C. M. Bell passed away at the age of 71 at Burlington Hospital.
In January 1954, the Stronghurst Graphic, Henderson County News, and Raritan Reporter were merged into the Henderson County Graphic Reporter.
The Henderson County Journal remained unchanged, but printing was moved to Stronghurst. A new plant was built at 111 S. Broadway (just south of present-day Stronghurst Foods) and was equipped with equipment from the shuttered Carthage Republican plant after that paper was purchased by the Hancock County Journal.
Around 1968, the paper changed to offset printing, and printing was moved to a third party, first in Morton and then at K. K. Stevens in Astoria, where the paper is still printed today.
In 1972, The Quill office was moved to its present location, 102 N. Broadway in Stronghurst. The two Henderson County papers continued to be published this way until June 1973.
The Quill was started in La Harpe in 1892 by Sam McDonald and quickly sold to Dr. I. M. Martin and Charles Comstock.
In 1897, Fred A. Wilkinson and James E. Morford purchased the paper. Harry W. Bradshaw purchased Morford’s half-interest in 1904. H.W. Bradshaw, Wilkinson’s nephew, acquired his uncle’s half following his death in 1927.
Bradshaw was joined by his two sons, first H. Byers Bradshaw in 1925 and later William E. Bradshaw in 1936.
In 1943, the Bradshaws purchased the LaHarper and merged the two papers.
H. W. Bradshaw passed away in 1950 at the age of 69, leaving the paper to his two sons. In 1968, William E. Bradshaw sold his shares to his brother H. Byers Bradshaw, who was then joined by his wife Eileen and son Dan, who ran the paper until 1972.
In June of that year, Paul Bell, owner of C. M. Bell & Son, partnered with his son Charles G. Bell and purchased The Quill. The Bell family was back to printing three papers a week until June 1973.
On May 18, 1973, Paul Bell passed suddenly of a heart attack. The following June, Paul’s widow Belva Bell and their son Charles formed Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The Henderson County Journal and the Henderson County Graphic Reporter were discontinued and replaced with The Henderson County Quill, which serves all of Henderson County.
The Quill was renamed The Hancock County Quill and continues to serve La Harpe and northern Hancock County.
In October 1991, Paul and Belva’s daughter, Dessa Rodeffer, who had become editor in 1985, acquired Charles’s share of The Quill.
Belva remained publisher until August 1998. Dessa Rodeffer became publisher and, following her mother’s death in 2005, became sole owner.
In 2025, Dessa’s oldest grandson Andrew S. Postle became publisher, becoming the fifth generation to work for the newspaper. Today, the Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc. continues to proudly serves the community as a weekly, legal newspaper, committed to delivering trusted local news and upholding a century-long tradition of independent journalism.