The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1913
Stronghurst Graphic, July 13, 1913
SOCIETY WEDDING: Miss Gertrude Rankin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Rankin who recently moved to Monmouth from their farm northeast of Stronghurst was married Wednesday evening of last week at the family residence to Mr. Ralph Millen of San Fernando, Calif. About 100 guest were present and the wedding was very impressive in all its appointments. The ceremony was performed by Rev. McElree, formerly of Media but now pastor of a church at Keokuk, Ia. After the ceremony a fine dinner was served by seven young ladies: Mildred Rankin, Vern Moore, Harriet Troxel, Miriam Dougherty, Esther Richey, Lois Spears, and Marjorie Thompson. The matron of honor was Mrs. Walter Rankin. Miss Nell Fee of Clarksburg, Ind. and Miss Margaret Rankin of Monmouth acted as bridesmaids and Carl Gridley of Biggsville as best man. Miss Marie Kettering played the wedding march.
The groom was a former resident of Biggsville and attended college at Monmouth and later took a course in the manual training at Bradley Polytechnic school in Peoria. At present he is professor of manual training in the high school at San Fernando, Calif., and after a wedding tour through the Yellowstone park, the couple will make their home in that city.
DROUGHT SERIOUS: This locality is facing one of the most serious droughts it has passed through for over a decade. The fierce heat is intensifying the effect of the dry weather, and vegetation is fast burning up. The farmers predict that much of the corn will fail to set, as it is "firing" badly, and the tassels dying from the effect of the heat. The absence of morning dews makes matters worse. The drought seems extensive and is having the effect of sending the price of corn soaring on the Board of Trade. The cattle market is also being affected as the shortage of feed especially in the West is forcing large shipments of cattle on the market.
ANOTHER SEPARATOR FIRE: The separator of the threshing outfit belonging to James Campbell was destroyed by fire last Friday while at work on the old Robert Mathers farm, 2 miles north of Raritan. The fire started from the inside of the machine in the straw and is supposed to have been caused by a heated journal. Smoke was seen issuing from the machine and when it was opened up to locate the cause, the draft fanned the fire into a fierce blaze which soon reduced the separator to a heap of ruins. By strenuous effort the fire was prevented from communicating with the straw pile and from spreading to the shocked grain in the field.
***OBITUARIES***MARY ELLEN SMITH: Mary Ellen Smith, sister of Mr. Isaac Smith of this place and the youngest of 8 children of which 3 brothers and one sister are still living died recently at Bothell, Washington at the age of 69 years...She was born in Illinois and devoted 35 years of her life to the sacred calling of school teaching having prepared herself for it by attending Grace College, a Methodist institution in Quincy. She joined the Methodist Church early in life and remained a consistent worker till she joined the Church Triumphant.
During the early years of her teaching she adopted a homeless young boy who is now known to us as W.F.Hollingsworth and with his family she remained till the day of her death. In 1897 she came with them to California where she lived till 1907 when she came to Bothell...The funeral was held in the Methodist church and burial was in the Bothell cemetery. (This is an extensive obituary extolling her Christian life of service and her worth to the community.)
***SAMUEL WILSON BLACK***Samuel Wilson Black was born Nov.8, 1835 near Xenia, Greene Co., Ohio. At the age of 6 years he came to Illinois with his parents who settled on a farm in the Marshall neighborhood, four miles northwest of Stronghurst. Here he grew to manhood and on Sept.4, 1863 married Miss Catherine Hinman. He then purchased the old homestead one mile south of Olena where he there after lived until 1883 when he moved to Olena and kept a general store for 19 years. In 1902 he sold his store and moved back to his 300 acre farm where he died July 23, 1913, aged 77 years, 8 months and 15 days. His disease was hardening of the arteries. He is survived by his wife and the following children: Mrs. Etta Lant of Lincoln, Neb.; Mrs. Elizabeth Watson of Ft.Collins, Colo.; Mrs. Nellie Lant of Stronghurst; Mrs. Ida Aikin of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Mrs. Florence Marshall of Stronghurst; Samuel Black, Jr. of Littleton, Colo.; Dr. A.E. Black of Mountain Air, N. Mex.; and Wilbur Black who lives at home. The deceased is also survived by 14 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He was a good citizen, a kind hearted neighbor and a regular attendant upon he Sabbath services of the U.P. congregation in Olena of which he was a member. Funeral services were held at the church.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The township Sabbath school convention held in Stronghurst last Sabbath afternoon and evening proved interesting and profitable. A good representation from various schools in the township heard many topics of vital interest. In the evening a large audience assembled at the park to listen to Dr. Kyle of Biggsville who spoke upon the importance of the study of the Bible and the need to apply the principles taught there in to daily life. The Stronghurst band made an automobile tour of several neighboring town advertising the I.O.O.F. picnic. John Simonson was on the Chicago market with 5 1/2 loads of cattle and 1 1/2 loads of hogs. C.A.Floyd had 3 loads of cattle and J.W.Stine took one. W.H.Penny shipped a load of hogs and I.H.Brokaw one load of cattle.
Biggsville will hold its third annual Harvest Home picnic on Aug.14. The 7th regiment band of Monmouth has been engaged to furnish the music for the occasion and Dr. T.H. McMichael of Monmouth College will be the speaker. J. Clyde McCoy, the entertainer, and Prof. Will Nicol, the magician, are also among the attractions billed.
OQUAWKA OCCURRENCES: The case of Roy Matthews, who has been confined in the county jail for horse stealing awaiting the action of the grand jury was dismissed. Matthews pleaded guilty to a minor charge and was given a 30 days sentence by Judge L.E.Murphy. The I.O.O.F. excursion to Keokuk was a great success financially and otherwise. Total receipts were $465.05 of which the Odd Fellows netted $125.83. Edward Camp was doing deputy sheriff work at Carthage Lake. Frequent excursions from this Port leave daily for Fox Island, a fashionable resort in Prohibition Iowa.(Was this a notice to the travelers that they were being observed?) The button factory started up with 40 men at work.
Judge L.E.Murphy, sitting in county court in absence of Judge Robinson, approved the contract entered into between Henderson County Drainage Districts No. 1 & 2 providing for the erection of a joint pumping station to be erected for the purpose of pumping the waters of the two districts.
COUNTY NEWS: Ray McIntyre of Carman area left for a visit with his brother Ed at Halfa, Ia.; from there he intends to go on to Canada. Harry Morgan and wife of Kansas City are visiting her parents Mr. and Mrs. Commodore Evans. A goodly number from Gladstone attended the annual Swedish picnic at the South Henderson church grounds.
John Christian of Media has purchased a four passenger Overland auto. Fred Wilcox family have moved into the W.T.Frye residence south of the academy. Misses Katie and Lucy Bice have installed a new little gasoline engine to aid them in their washing. In Olena Charles Heisler is laying a new floor on the bridge that spans Wolf Creek west of town.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Paul E. Wasson, Nixa, Mo. will assist J.W.Murphy in his hardware store. The Lomax baseball team came out Sunday arrayed in new suits, the result of the kindness of Mr. C.G.Davis, one of the biggest boosters of the New City. Mr. Davis informed the boys that if they would organize, practice and get results, he would see that they got the suits. The boys made good and so did Mr. Davis. They are neat, serviceable bluish gray, woolen suits and the boys look proud in them. C. E.Brakensick of Good Hope, Ill. was given work by the Town Co.
Mr. F.G.Cotrell of San Franciso, Calif., a distinguished visitor who is the director of the San Francisco office of the Research Corporation under the charge of the Smithsonian Institute, came to look over the plans of the city building of the Town Co. Ray Kirby is one of the stenographers in the Town Co's office in Lomax and will now assist Mr. Love in the Chicago office.
The teams are busy hauling sand and gravel on the streets where the improving is going onÑsidewalks, curbing and graveling. Current was sent out for the first time from the new lighting plant down at the planing mill. The walls of the Howell-Gilmore harrow factory are about up and the other work is being rushed as rapidly as possible. From 30-40 new houses which the Town Co. are building are under new roof.
Roy Stromquist is breaking ground on the corner of Aviston and Second Street for a two story and basement concrete block store building. The first floor will be used as a store room with a room in the rear opening on Aviston Street. The second floor will be used as living rooms and several bedrooms which can be rented. The building erected in this way will bring in a handsome income for the start. It is to be under roof in 60 days and is to be finished in 120 days.
Mr. and Mrs. J.C.White, living in the White City, are having more than their share of trouble. Monday the baby Edward Evan White, aged one year and nine months, died. They were preparing to take the body to Homer, Ill.on Tuesday when at noon another of the children, Arthur L. White, aged 3 years, passed away and both bodies were prepared and the family departed on the 4 o'clock train. Another of the children is sick and Mr. White has been ill for about a week. The cause is what is known as summer complaint. The citizens of the New City assisted the family to bear their expense by raising a fund of over $50. There has been very little sickness in the New City but this extremely hot weather one must be very careful about what is eaten.