The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1913
by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, April 10, 1913
MISSIONARY TO INDIA: The following letter from Mary J. Campbell, formerly of this vicinity and a missionary of the United Presbyterian Church in India was in response to the ladies of the Stronghurst U.P.Church sending a life membership fee of $25 [a lot on money in 1913] to the Women's General Missionary Society for Miss Campbell.
"You dear people certainly gave me a lovely Xmas gift and I do appreciate it very very much...I came to India, a young girl of nineteen, with hair as black as coal, my Aunt Jessie Richey said and now I've reached for 47th birthday and my hair shows the wear and tear of work and climate. I can truly say that my heart is still young.
How good God is to me! Just think! He has allowed me to build up our first Girl's High School." As I stand over my workmen and watch the beautiful structure slowly rising on the spot that was roamed over only a few years ago by wild animals, it seems to be only a beautiful dream.
Your first one thousand started the ball rolling and God has given me eleven thousand dollars for the building. When this is finished, I want to raise enough for a school house for oh! I do need class rooms so badly, but God will give that in good time, too.
Do you know that I am also having the privilege of starting a dispensary for women and girls in Pathanknot. It has long been on my heart to do something for the poor suffering ones of our town and district.
I talked to the town people about it and they wanted medical aid so much. Just think! There is absolutely no one here to help a woman at the time when she needs help most. Not one person of any kind of training and the result is so many many die.
Now, our town people, all non Christians, have come nobly to the rescue and have given 2000 rupees t0 a building fund and 600 rupees per annum for running expenses. (3 rupees make $1).
Our Women's Board is sending me another $1,000 annually and my brother, Frank, is trying to raise another one thousand out in Topeka, so I feel encouraged...My two schools with their 110 girls and the building of school and dispensary keep me pretty busy...Mary J. Campbell [This letter is quite lengthy, but this short excerpt shows what can be done even by someone from a rural area. The values and work ethics instilled while growing up enable anyone to challenge the world.]
A NEW RAILROAD? The Henderson Co. Journal says that articles of incorporation have been filed with circuit clerk Martin for the Lomax Terminal R.R.Co., running through Hancock and Henderson Counties, beginning at Nauvoo and running through or near Dallas city, LaHarpe, Stronghurst, Gladstone, and Lomax. The capital stock is placed at $25,000, and the incorporators named are W.T.Love, C.H. Kistner, H.W.Beardsley, J.F.Smith, and L.O. Beardsley, all of Lomax.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: In Carman a masquerade dance will be given at the M.W.A. hall with the Griezel's orchestra of Burlington furnishing the music.
In Media Henry White has bought two lots north of the Sullivan property and is preparing to build a new house with modern conveniences.
The public in general is somewhat encouraged over the prospect of re-opening the academy and turning it into an agricultural school provided the case now pending should be won by that Institution.
John S. Lant suffered a painful injury something over a week ago. With two other men, he was carrying a heavy log to the wood pile at his home north of town and in dropping the same, the end which John was carrying tilted upwards and struck him a severe blow in the face. His cheek was laid open to the bone from the inside corner of one eye to his mouth and several stitches were required to close the wound.
The Dallas City Enterprise stated last week that I.B. Johnson of that place and H.L.Doty of Stronghurst had purchased the Crystal Spring soda water factory in Dallas City from Mr. Ed Hubner and that they will continue the business, making such improvements as will increase the output in order to meet the demands of the trade. (Does anyone have a bottle from this establishment?)
C.G.Norton has exchanged his dry goods and grocery store in Kirkwood for a Minnesota farm and will become a granger.[farmer] Frank Gustafson seized the opportunity to make hay while the sun shone and the result is that he has 130 acres of oats seeded.
Lack of building lots has been an impediment to the growth of Bushnell for a long time. The outskirts are now to be enlarged and the town will be able to take greater strides. A new addition of 100 lots is soon to be put on the market.
George Curry has sold his holdings in the sand hills and the family has returned to Litchfield, Nebraska. M.E.Beardsley received a consignment of opera chairs for the Lyric theater. The shipment had been delayed enroute by the floods which prevailed recently in the states east of us and from appearances, the cases in which the chairs were packed had been submerged in the waters as the wood work of the chairs was thoroughly soaked and the iron work badly rusted.
"Dick" Barney was arrested by village marshal Putney on the charge of being drunk and disorderly and using profane and vile language upon the streets. He was lodged in the village calaboose until Monday when he was tried before a jury of his peers in Justice Morgan's court and found guilty. A fine of ninety dollars and costs was imposed and as the prisoner was unable to produce the amount, he will be called upon to furnish the equivalent in labor for the village.
George T. Nicholson, vice-president of the Santa Fe and one of the best known railroad men in the country, died at Los Angeles, Calif., a few days ago and the funeral services were held at Lawrence, Kansas. A special train of railway people en route there passed through here from Chicago.
The remains of Morgan McKim, who died in Newton, Kan., were shipped into Lomax and taken to the W.Q.Crane home and the funeral was held at the Christian Church. He was laid to rest in the Crane Cemetery at the age of 79 years.