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, March 6, 1913
A REAL BRONCHO BUSTER: The Lyric Theater had as vaudeville attraction last Friday and Saturday evenings, Sam and Goldie Scoville, two representatives of a type of character developed in our western country in the days of the open range and the cattle raising on an extensive scale.
Sam Scoville enjoys the reputation of having three times won the first prize in broncho busting at the great annual Frontier Day celebrations at Cheyenne, Wyo., and holds the world's championship in that line. He is also remarkably expert in handling the lariat and gave some pretty exhibitions of rope spinning at the Lyric.
The limited size of the stage, however, precluded the showing of his real skill in handling the rope. He is also a great rifle shot and gave a pretty exhibition of shooting through small paper targets while holding the rifle in various unusual positions, his wife holding the targets between her fingers and in one case between her lips. The rest of the exhibition consisted of ordinary vaudeville sketch work and singing.
Sam, a well known character in Wyoming where he was raised ,has figured in a number of exciting escapades there. During his earlier days he was the protege of U. S. Senator Warren on whose immense ranch he was employed and whose influence more than once extricated Sam from serious difficulty with the legal authorities. He was raised near the town of Wheatland, Wyo...Mr. and Mrs. Scoville are members of the famous 101 Wild West Show and have traveled to all parts of this country and Europe.
BAD PIECE OF ROAD: Several accidents have occurred recently on the road running north from town past the Crane farm and the people who are obliged to use that highway are complaining of the dangerous condition of the grade in places. That grade is so narrow that if a vehicle gets out of the track it is pretty liable to start sliding and be overturned.
Last Friday evening a sled load of young people, who were on their way to a surprise party at the Fordyce home, was overturned and several of the occupants bruised up and injured. The worst injury was sustained by Miss Mary Hicks who had thought to have broken her arm. The physician's examination revealed that the ligaments of the wrist had been badly strained and torn creating a condition almost as painful as a broken bone. The horses became detached from the sled and ran away being caught in the vicinity of Olena.
Last Monday evening John Fordyce and wife with three children were on their way home from town in a buggy and in the darkness, the rig was driven slightly out of the track and overturned in a twinkling. Although closely wrapped up with robes and holding two of the children on his knees, John managed to land on his feet and retain his hold on the lines, preventing what might have been a runaway with serious results.
The road commissioners should see that this road is put in passable shape before some worse accident than those recorded takes place. (This is the road that goes north out of Stronghurst past the old dump.)
DEATH OF MRS. CHARLOTTE STRAND: Mrs. Charlotte Strand, widow of the late Gus Strand, died at the family home 6 miles northeast of La Harpe Friday, Feb.28, 1913, aged 68 years, 11 months and 24 days. Mrs. Strand was born in Sweden; her maiden name being Charlotte Johnson.
She came to this country in 1869 and married Mr. Strand on July 4, 1870. He died in 1910 and since that time the widow has lived with her children Daniel and Mary. Three other children are living: Mrs. Josephine Gittings of Lomax, Mrs. Hattie Johnson of Blandinsville and David who lives south of Stronghurst. She is survived by one brother, Alfred Johnson who is a resident of this county and two sisters in Sweden...Interment was at Terre Haute.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: W.E.Salter has been in Roseville for a number of weeks taking care of Lucien Watson, an invalid. Bert Watson of Ft. Collins, Colo., stopped here on his way to Chicago with a load of sheep for a short visit. Will Powell has moved his family back from Carson, Iowa, and they will take charge of the old Powell homestead. Charley came with them for a visit. Brother Ben who had a tussle with pneumonia, has recovered.
C. H. McWilliams of Johnson Co., Wyo., is visiting at the G.W.Barnett home north of town; Mrs. Barnett is his sister whom he has not seen in 25 years. He was a resident of Warren County, Ill., before moving west. He is extensively engaged in ranching and stock raising in Wyoming, being located a few miles south of Sheridan.
The Pogue and Park sale at Media was very successful; about $20,000 worth of stock was disposed of in three hours. The German measles are said to be prevalent in the village. John M. Brown has gone to Davenport where he has secured employment in an insurance office. A large gray wolf was caught in a trap on the Elmer Davis farm by W. S. Vaughn, who took the animal to Oquawka and received the bounty on it.
E.A. Root, a well known and highly respected resident of Monmouth, committed suicide by hanging himself in the loft of a barn at his home. Despondency on account of ill health is supposed to have been the reason for the act. He was the founder of the Root Photograph Gallery in Monmouth and followed the photography business for 40 years or more.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: L. A. Wiegand and family expect to move to Regina, Canada soon. Mr. Dolphus Stanley, an old time resident of Media, died at the home of his son George in Roseville, aged 87 years. Interment was at Raritan. He is Mrs. Chas. Knustrum's grandfather. Dr. Daniel McMillan of Sunbean, Ill. died Tuesday morning. Chas. McMillan of Gladstone went to his brother Jim's sale at Aledo and brought home a fine driving horse; Jim is moving to Choteau Co., Montana, where he has bought a farm.
In the Decorra area, Mr. Roy Moore has bought the John Halbasch house and will take possession soon. George Kemp will move to Mrs. Evans'. Mrs. Elmer Davis was thrown out of her buggy while waiting for her sister. The horse was caught and nothing was broken except the shaft; she was not hurt.