The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1915
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec. 2, 1915
CELEBRATES 50 YEARS: In answer to 100 invitations, a large number of friends congregated at the home of Lewis B. Jenkins and wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. On Nov. 24, 1865 Lewis B. Jenkins and Miss Josephine M. Hubbard of Terre Haute were married at the county seat and ever since have lived in the same old town, Terre Haute.
Father Jenkins came there with his parents before the war and in March 1862 enlisted in Co.B, 91st Reg. Of Ill. boys. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins have raised nine girls, seven of whom are married. They have 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The children are Lena and Ethel Jenkins, Mesdames Jos. Negley, Wm. P. Moore, Harry Lovitt, C.A.McCoy-all of Terre Haute; Mrs. C.E.Moore of Cherryvale, Kan., Mrs. Arthur Cassingham of Memphis, Mo.; and Mrs. Robt. McKim of Riceton, Sask., Canada. The grandchildren are Vernon and Josephine Cassingham and sister, Mrs. Beulah Rush, Harold Negley, Lyell, Twila and Viola Moore, Vesper Lovitt, Frank and Irma McKim; great grandchildren are Zelma and Lewis Rush.
In the afternoon friends began to arrive and at 7 pm the ladies of the Thursday Club presented the Jenkins' with a gold headed umbrella. The home was beautifully decorated with chrysanthemums and house plants. A color scheme of gold and white was used in the table decorations and refreshments-yellow and white chrysanthemums and individual mint baskets of white with yellow ribbon streamers attached to the light above. The brides cake designed and decorated by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murphy of Stronghurst, was decorated with 50 candles and also 11 dolls, represent father, mother, and the nine girls. All the children and their families were present except Mr. McKim and two children and Miss Josephine Cassingham...
1890 Graphic: A reporter for the Monmouth Review visited the village and wrote his impressions "Though not yet 3 year old, the town contains over 300 inhabitants and the future of the place looks very bright indeed. There are many handsome stores and elegant residences, everything of modern design, making it an ideal town and a pleasant place in which to dwell." Mrs. Alice Curry was here from Cherry County, Nebr. Visiting relatives.
She reported a threatened outbreak of Indians in the section of her home and stated that the women and children had all left that part of the country and gone to seek places of safety. The marriage of Minnie Nevius to Mr. W. J. McElhinney took place at the home of the bride's parents. (The home of Tony Griepentrog family today. The house was built when cattails were still growing on the site of the former Ivan Jacobs Hardware Building on Broadway.
This building was recently purchased by the American Legion who are seeking funds for its remodeling.)
In Hopper's Mill area G.W.Holley met his death at the hands of his brother-in-law Barnum Brown on Dec.1st. Mrs. Amanda Milligan died at her home one mile east of town on Nov. 27th. S. P. Finch and Miss Lulu Louden were married on Nov. 27th. The Wm. Thayer family departed for Greeley, Colo. School "took up" in the new school building, described as an "elegant building and a model of completion in its line," on Nov.1st. (It was located where the Presbyterian Manse now stands.) The teaching corps consisted of W. C. Ivins, principal; Miss Flo Spangler, intermediate and Miss Bessie Graham, primary grades.
WEDDING BELLS ***Riggs-Wilson*** Mr. Clarence Riggs and Miss Lulu Wilson were married at the home of the bride's mother in Stronghurst Nov. 28th at noon.
***Stewart-Akers*** On Nov.24th at 2 pm David Stewart who lives with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.B. Stewart on their farm south of town was married to Mrs. Citie Virginia Akers, who has been living on a farm near Old Bedford church, were married by the pastor of the M.E.Church of Oquawka in the parsonage.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Rev. Blount, the new M.E. pastor, has purchased a new automobile and has been making pastoral calls in the community. Robert Gibson, who has been visiting family, returned to Broken Bow, Neb. Ira Peterson who broke his left limb and arm is recovering nicely. Will Fisher met with quite an accident when he was returning from Stronghurst to the Harvey Lant home where he was husking corn. It seems his young horse which he had just had shod and was hitched to a cart became frightened at something near Oscar Marshall's place. He was thrown out and his face so badly cut and bruised that a physician was called and took 6 stitches to close the facial wound. He returned home in Hopper the next day. The harness and cart were badly damaged. A new player piano has been placed in the U.S.Burrell home and a new piano in the John Dowell home. (Times were good; extra money was available for luxuries.)
WHAT TO DO WITH THE OLENA U. P. CHURCH? The United Presbyterian people had a congregational meeting to make some disposition of the church property and parsonage. Mr. Cecil Brook acted as chairman and C.E.Lant as secretary. A committee had previously sought legal advise and learned that to make the sale of the property legal, it would be necessary to incorporate which they proceeded to do by asking the resignation of the board of directors and electing a new one. Mr. White, Mr. Charles Heisler and Mr. Charles Lant were duly elected and then came the tug of war as the congregation seemed quite divided as to the disposition they wished to make of it. Rev. Kyle of Biggsville and two others represented Monmouth Presbytery. Mr. Kyle put in a very strong plea for giving of the church building and furnishings to the people of the river bottom as a mission church. Mr. Whiteman would give the ground and he and others would remove the building without cost to congregation. This motion was twice put before the house and each time met with defeat. Some wished the building to remain and be offered to the Olena M.E.congregation on liberal terms to be put in repair and used as a community church. This congregation was not in readiness to compromise themselves. One trustee thought best to put the property up at public sale and give one half discount to any religious order over other bidders. This motion was also lost so at the late hour nothing definite had been done in regard to sale of the property. Some difference of opinion as to what should be done with proceeds of the sale arose. Mr. Kyle put in a strong plea for the recent pastor, Rev. Jackson. Mr. Carothers for the U.P. Church of Stronghurst, Monmouth College wished to be remembered and one young lady who was too timid to express herself thought it might be turned into the cemetery fund. No decision was made. -later in local news: After the newspaper correspondent left the meeting, the congregation voted for a motion giving the board of trustees authority to dispose of the property either at public or private sale at their option, one half to be given to the former pastor, Rev. H.P.Jackson of Cedarville, Ohio, and the other half to be divided equally between the home and foreign mission boards of the church.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The Sabbath School of the U.P. Church is preparing to give a Christmas cantata. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Steffey spent Thanksgiving with relatives in Queen City, Mo. J.S.Sloan has been appointed game warden for the district including Henderson and Hancock Counties. A.S. McElhinney has opened a real estate office in the building formerly occupied by Shook's restaurant four doors north of the post office.(Post Office was then one block south of the Santa Fe tracks on the west side of the street.) Through the efforts of Mrs. Harriet Drew the sum of $6.50 was collected here and sent to the Christian Home Orphanage at Council Bluffs.
An interesting question has been raised in Galesburg growing out of the recent killing of the Chief of Police Matthews in a raid upon a disreputable resort in that city. Matthews carried an accident policy amounting to $5,000 and the insurance company is resisting the claim of his wife for payment on the ground that as the Negro who shot the chief did so with the deliberate purpose of killing him, the death of the latter was not accidental. (Bet no one bought that company's insurance when they wouldn't pay up.)
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Chas. Rockel of Lomax and Miss Bessie Dobbs of Stronghurst were married in Galesburg; they will reside in Stronghurst. The plastering of the Emerson building was completed last week. A.T.Vaughn's new bungalow is rapidly nearing completion.