Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.
Stronghurst Graphic, Sept. 12, 1912
HARTQUIST RUNS FOR LEGISLATURE: Wm. Hartquist of Stronghurst was named as a candidate for the lower house of the General Assembly at a Progressive senatorial convention held at Moline. In accordance with instructions from Bull Moose Party national headquarters, only one candidate was named for the lower house from each senatorial district and in this case they were Mr. William Hartquist of Stronghurst, Henderson County, and J. Howard Jayne of Monmouth, Warren County.
Mr. Hartquist was born in Sweden in 1860 and came to this country in 1880. He settled in Henderson County where he has since lived and where he is looked upon as one of the most prominent of that county's citizens. He lives on his half-section farm one mile from Stronghurst and is generally regarded as a successful man of affairs. He is one of the largest cattle feeders and one of the most able stockmen in the state...
GOLDEN YEARS: Fifty years ago, Sept. 4, 1862, Mr. Samuel W. Black and Miss Catherine Zelina Hinman were married near where Stronghurst now stands. Of course, no town was then on that spot. It was known far and near as "South Prairie." All these 50 years they have lived in this neighborhood and have reared an intelligent family of five daughters and three sons. These are widely scattered, living in New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois and Ohio. For about twenty years Mr. Black conducted a general store in Olena, but when the post office was removed and rural delivery took its place, he sold the store and moved back to his 800-acre farm, one mile south of Olena, where he now resides. The event of 50 years ago was not forgotten and on Sept. 4th, a goodly number of friends gathered at their home to congratulate the aged couple. Of their children from a distance who came were Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Watson of Ft. Collins, Colo., and Mrs. Etta Lant of Lincoln, Neb...
JOSEPH GIBSON DEAD: Joseph T. Gibson was born near Charleston, Clarke Co., Indiana, Sept. 8, 1823, died Sept. 7, 1912, aged 89 years, 11 months and 29 days. He was married to Eliza Jane Busick on June 7, 1848, she having passed away 22 1/2 years ago. Nine children were born to this union, all being dead except one, Mrs. Melvina Headley Thrift.
Mr. Gibson lived a few years in Indiana and after his marriage moved to Illinois. In the spring of 1855, he settled in what was then known as Hoppers Mills, making Henderson county his permanent home ever since. Besides the daughter, he is survived by two grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Interment was made in the cemetery at Hopper.
WHO IS HE, GIRLS? A Raritan boy says that a great many of the Stronghurst girls are "first nighters." When asked for an explanation, he said you can hold their hands on the first night you call on them. ÑRaritan Reporter
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Fred Kern went to North Dakota with a party of four land speculators. Buzz Hughes has a grading outfit at work at the C.B. & Q. tie treating plant at Galesburg. Misses LaVerna Dixson and Mary Monteith departed for Oxford, Ohio, where they will attend college. Miss Hazel Doty leaves for Des Moines, Ia., where she will take a supervisor's course in music at the Drake University. Mrs. Ed Harden was unfortunate enough to clip the end of a finger while handling an ax at their home; the services of a physician were necessary to dress the wound. A combination sale will be held at Keener Bros. implement store just east of the Werner Hotel. Anyone wishing to bring sale goods, please bring in a list. Oscar Ramberg, a young man who is employed at the Wm. Hartquist farm north of town, was dragged around the barn lot by a horse he was trying to mount. Clifford Marshall of Holley, Colo., is visiting with his father, J.R. Marshall. He is afflicted with lung trouble and the present dry, warm weather affords him an opportunity to be in this locality. (Many suffered from tuberculosis and sought relief in the drier areas of the West.) Will Stine, Tom Dodds and George Annegers were in Canada with Will Babcook and Chas. Gerber of Carman. They report the weather damp and so cool that they had to wear their overcoats while traveling over the prairies. They saw enormous crops, which have, thus far, escaped disastrous frosts. While there they saw Jay Foote, Russell Enwall and Judd Wetterling all at the same farm near Wilcox.
Mrs. Newton Vaughn, her son, Chalmer, and Miss Esther Johnson, had a most fortunate escape from injury in a runaway while driving out to their home two miles southwest of town. Their horse was hitched too short and when they were descending the hill below the Will Davis residence, the buggy struck his heels and he started to run and kick. All stayed with the ship, however, until the corner south of Joe Dixson's new residence was reached when the buggy turned over on one side, spilling out the occupants. It then righted itself, and the horse and vehicle showed up at the farm in a few minutes not the worst for the experience. No one was greatly hurt.
Leonard Brokaw and Will Allison are both sporting new automobiles. George Peasley has gone to Boonville, Mo., to continue his studies at Kemper Military School. Chet Brown is employed at Hotel Davenport at Davenport. Dug Wassom has sold the buildings from another of his farms to Clem Burrus and George Brewer and is now moving them over to the Burrus farm. The farm thus denuded is where Sam Claybaugh formerly resided.
The sixth annual picnic given by Virginians and Tennesseeneans at Smithshire tallied about 1500 people. Music was furnished by the Stronghurst Band. Gus Nixon and Geo. Hunter of Lomax are both in Canada. The property in Lomax belonging to the Waterman heirs was sold to the highest bidder, Mrs. Lewis Wyatt, for a price of $228. Dr. Gay is presently situated at Winfield, Kan. Willie Ackerman and sister have returned to their home in Havelock, Neb. (this area is now part of Lincoln), after visiting the Rehling families. Two weddings occurred in Olena: Mr. Lowell Booten to Miss Bessie Sines of Carman and John Hicks to Miss Nora Booten of Olena. Quite a bit of road work has been done on the road between Hopper and Olena the past two weeks. H.S. Lant is teaching the upper room of the Biggsville Public School.