The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1916
Stronghurst Graphic, Sept. 14, 1916
FOOTE CEMETERY EXHUMED: Last week Frank Murphy of Stronghurst exhumed the remains of five person buried in the old Foote family graveyard on the farm now owned by Mrs. Sarah Y.Evans, about three miles southwest of Stronghurst and removed them to the cemetery in town where they were reinterred in the lot in which the remains of Mrs. Margaret Foote were laid to rest on August 30th.
The remains removed were those of B.F.Foote, his first two wives, his daughter Miranda and Mr. and Mrs. John Burditt, the parents of Mrs. Margaret Foote. The remains of the first two women had been interred for 54 and 55 years respectively and those of Miranda Foote, the last one to be buried in the family burying ground about 18 years ago. Nothing but the skeletons of any of the bodies remained and these seemed to be all in about the same state of preservation.
***OBITUARY*** CARL L. GRIDLEY: Carl L. Gridley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gridley of Biggsville died at the home of his parents after an illness of about a month. The deceased was 28 years of age and had received his education at Monmouth College and the Illinois University at Champaign. At the time of his death he was engaged in farming near Biggsville. He is survived by his parents, one brother and one sister, both living at home.
***TRUMAN C. ALLEN***After a fight of more than a year against the ravages of cancer of the throat, Ex-Sheriff Truman C. Allen passed away at the Burlington Hospital. Mr. Allen was 73 years of age and spent the greater part of his life in Oquawka. He was born in Genesee County, New York, Jan 4, 1843 and moved with his parents to Indiana when a small lad. His mother died shortly thereafter and he was reared by a family neamed McEntarfer living in Steuben County, Ind.
August 12th, 1861 he enlisted in Co. G. 30th Ind. Inf. and served three years participating in the battles of Stone River, Chicamaugua, Lookout Mountain, Missionary, Ridge, Kennesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro and Lovejoy. He was honorable discharged in Oct. 1864.
In 1866 Mr. Allen came to Henderson County locating at Oquawka working as a farm hand and afterwards conducting a billiard hall. Later he entered the sheriff' office as deputy which position he filled until 1886 when he was elected sheriff of the county. After serving four years, he took a trip to California where he remained for about eight months. On his return he embarked in the mercantile business in Oquawka as a partner of John McFarland.
In 1894 he was again elected sheriff for four years and 1902 was elected for the third time, his terms of service in this office thus covering 12 years. Since 1906 when he retired from that office, he engaged in various lines of business in Oquawka. Mr. Allen was married in 1865 to Miss Laura McFarland of Oquawka who died about a year later. In 1891 he married Mollie Macklin, who with two daughtersöMrs. Lee Gordon of Keithsburg and Miss Rhea Allen at home) survive him. Funeral services were conducted at the home with interment in the Oquawka Cemetery.
PAPER DIES: After a more or less precarious existence of exactly two years, the Henderson County Progress published at Oquawka seems to have foundered upon the rocks of financial difficulty. A mortgage on the property was foreclosed and it is now in the hands of the sheriff. Last week's paper, which was published in Burlington was marked "Vol. 3, No. 1," but the editor and publisher, E.L.Moffett admitted that he was uncertain whether another edition would be forthcoming.
When the paper started in 1914, a number of the members of the Progressive party in the county financed the enterprise and took a mortgage on the plant. W.H.Moore of Monmouth was installed as editor and publisher and it was lunched for the purpose of promoting the cause of the Progressive Party. When that group disintegrated, the paper became Republican; but after a few weeks of struggle the publisher gave up the job and left it upon its promoters hands.
When E.L.Moffett assumed editorial control, he announced that its policies would again become Progressive and he soon began to lambast unmercifully the former members of that party who had returned to the Republican fold. This created an anomalous situation with the newspaper fighting those who had brought it into existence and who were receiving no financial returns from their investment which no doubt hastened its demise. (Anyone have old copies? The library now has a Local and Family History Room to store such items.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reynolds and children motored to Keokuk where they viewed the big dam and other sights. Mr. H.R.Kinson, wife and son arrived from Chebanse, Ill. and will become permanent residents of the village as Mr. Kinson has been selected as manager of the recently organized Farmers' Grain and Merchandise Co. and will have charge of the elevator at this point. Frank Gustafson shipped from this station to the Chicago market two car loads of cattle consisting of 40 head averaging 1539 lbs. each. He had purchased them only about two months ago and during the intervening time they made an average increase in weight of nearly 200 lbs. each. At present prices the two loads were worth something like $6,000.
Nauvoo grape growers expect to ship 100 car loads of grapes from that point this season. A.E.Jones (grocer) announced that as the result of the recent visit of pure food inspector in the village, he has been directed by that state authorities to candle all eggs as they are received and turn back at once all found to be bad. (Dallas City grocers were found to have some bad eggs and were called to Galesburg for sanctions.)
Joe Greening arrived from Tulsa, Okla., and informs us that he is still kept busy at the window dresser's art, but he has recently started in the cartoonist work and will supply the papers of Tulsa as well as a local magazine that has been started there. Dallas City Review
A number of the young people of the community attended a party in honor of Miss Ethel Schierbaum who will depart for Monmouth to attend college. J.W.Stine went to Peoria to purchase a number of Ford autos for his trade. Mr. and Mrs. I.V.D.Perrine of the south country will visit relatives in Effingham, Kans. Miss Vera Mudd went to Chicago where she will enter a school for nurses, which profession she has chosen to follow in the future. 221 vehicles were in line in a parade of the Sunday Schools of McDonough County at Macomb recently; the parade was the longest one ever seen there.
While in Burlington one day during fair week, Earl Mahnesmith found a wallet containing a gold watch and a sum of money which a passenger had left lying on the seat of a street car. Being in a hurry to catch a train for home, (no bridge at this time), Earl had no time to report his find to the authorities. On his return to the city the next day he did so and the Burlington police soon located the owner at Fairfield, Ia.
One of the Burlington papers in writing up the affair suggests that if old Diogenes should return to earth with his lantern and resume his search for an honest man, his quest would be rewarded by a visit to Stronghurst.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Elmer Pence has sold the place on which he lives to some Burlington lumbermen who have begun building dry sheds and will start a lumberyard. He hopes to move into his new modern home soon. The Sabbath School picnic in the South Henderson church yard was quite a success; all report a good time an plenty to eat. Robert Trimble of Oquawka was the instructor for the band last Monday evening. Dan Logan shelled corn on his farm and hauled it here to a car for the market. Willis Law moved from the west part of town into the Mrs. Chas. Freed house.
OQUAWKA OCCURRENCES: Mr. and Mrs. C. F. W. Schell attended the G.A.R. encampment in Springfield. The friends of Mr. Wm.Pence and Miss Myra Thomas were surprised when they received word of their marriage.
Attended by the bride's parents, they were married in Burlington. The bride is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Thomas, who for many years made their home in Oquawka, but who have in recent years lived on the Alex Moir farm across the river. The groom is a son of James Pence of this place and was born and reared to manhood here. He is employed at present at the local button factory. The wedded pair will make their home on the James Pence property.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. George Durham and family motored home from Chicago and are now staying at Hotel Brown. A picnic will be held at Clear Lake Saturday, Sept. 23 under the auspices of the R.N.A. and the Sunday School to which all are cordially invited to come and bring their baskets. Miss Bertha Coen expects to leave for Macomb to attend school. The moving picture show given by Mr. Bliss on the school yard is fine the best that has ever been given here; he expects to be here all week and probably longer.
The little nine year old girl of Mr. George McQueen who has been suffering from lock jaw is reported to be some better.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: No ball game Sunday, Burnside failed to come. The Lomax schools opened with a fair enrollment in all grades. George Hoover has opened a new grocery store in the L.W.Porter building.