The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1916
Stronghurst Graphic, March 30, 1916
CALLED TO HIS REWARD: Silently and swiftly the death angel entered the community March24th and removed therefrom one of its best known and most highly esteemed citizen, Mr. John Carothers, who passed away at his home 2 miles northwest of Stronghurst about 5 o'clock on Friday morning following an apoplectic stroke which came upon him as he slept.
While the call was sudden and came as a shock to most people in the community, it was known to a few of Mr. Carother's intimate friends and to his physician that he was in a somewhat precarious condition physically as the result of a slight stroke which he suffered about the middle of last January and from which he had not fully recovered...Funeral services were conducted at the Olena U.P.Church with interment in the North Olena Cemetery.
LOST A THUMB: Joe Peasley, who is engaged with his father, C.E.Peasley, in the operation of the latter's farm near Decorra, had his right thumb sawn off close to the hand while engaged in sawing wood with a circular saw. One of the iron braces supporting the frame work had become bent so that there was danger of its coming in contact with the saw and without stopping the machinery, Joe attempted to drive the brace back in place with a sledge.
In swinging the sledge he miscalculated the distance which his hand gripping the same would have to travel and his thumb came in contact with the teeth of the swiftly revolving saw. In a twinkling the member was severed from the hand and left hanging by a small strip of skin.
Joe was hurriedly brought to Stronghurst where Doctors Bond and Huston attended to the injury. The fact that the thumb was not completely severed proved a fortunate circumstance as it enabled the physicians to make use of some live tissue to sew over the stump of the thumb as a covering. The wound is said to be healing nicely .
DEATH NOTICES: Robert McMillan of Biggsville, former sheriff of Henderson County, died March 29th. He was an uncle of Mrs. O.J. Sanderson of Stronghurst.
Margaret Keane of Raritan Township died at Rochester, Minn. She was the daughter of Mrs. Mary Keane of the Raritan vicinity and sister of Mrs. A.F.Kaiser of Stronghurst.
TURNS 100: John Williams of Warsaw, Ill., rounded out a full century of earth's existence last Tuesday. He is a great uncle of Mrs. Douglas Steffey of Stronghurst and the Steffey family remembered their aged relative by each one sending him a birthday card. (Sending mail was done judicially so to send several cards from the same family would have been considered extravagant.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Ed Fort and family are moving in from the farm to the house recently occupied by Ed Hurd and family. The Ray Nordstrom family are moving to the Thomas Nichols farm near Mendon. The community regrets losing one of it most estimable citizens in the person of Mr. John S. Lant who left for the Red River Valley district in Minnesota where he recently purchased a farm. C.C.Butler has so far recovered from the effects of the breaking of his hip last winter as to be able to make daily trips down town with the aid of crutches. R.W.Upton reports the sale of what is known as the Barney property in the west part of town to Gerald Fort.
The house on the lots had been sold to Del Fernald who will move it to the north part of town while Mr. Fort will build on the lots vacated. The Martha Society of the Lutheran Church cleared $38 at their recent social in the church basement. Mrs. Anderson, the pastor's wife gave a social at the parsonage for the benefit of the Home and Foreign Mission Fund and received $10. T.N.Hardin, the popular painter and paper hanger, purchased the Wesley Trimmer home. Mr. and Mrs. J. A.Curry of Media are the parents of a daughter, Grace Lucile.
Mrs. Nancy Graham of Gladstone went to Carman called by the death of her sister-in-law, Mrs. Warren Kemp. She had done her usual work about the house, stepped out on the porch and fell dead.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: The auction of the U.P. parsonage and the M.E.Church, grounds and some of its furnishing together with some of the furnishings of the U.P. church were sold to the highest bidder. Mrs. Helen Burrell bid in the parsonage at $405. Mr. and Mrs. Allen the church building and foundation at $200. The land belonging to same at $52.50. They also purchased chain and posts enclosing this property.
The good people of the entire community are congratulating each other that the church building will not leave the village and neither will it be used for immoral purposes as the purchasers expect to use it for a general store.
Miss Leone Burrell has been at the home of her sister, Mrs. Erlin Lant near Doliver, Iowa. Mr. Fort is moving to the farm of Mrs. C.H.Curry near the village formerly occupied by Mr. Gid Bailey. Mr. Wm. Brown moved to what was formerly known as the Swank farm. The village store will have a grocery wagon started on the road in the near future. (Home delivery 1916 style)
CARMAN CONCERNS: Ed Babcook is improving his home by remodeling the one of the farm he recently bought. Mr. Hunler and his crew from Lomax are doing the carpentry. During the electric storm Sabbath morning about 6 o'clock lightning struck Mr. Adam Park's barn and burned it to the ground. He lost the corn, wheat, oats and hay that were in it, but luckily they got the horses out. Miss Katie Finch, the primary teacher, is confined at home with measles.
DIES INSTANTLY: Mrs. Warren Kemp of Carman died quite suddenly at her home of heart trouble only being sick about one hour and a half, age 75 years, 6 months and 21 days. She leaves to mourn her departure an aged husband, who is confined to his bed and nine children: George, Briggs, John, Jess, Pete, Mrs. Ben Dowell, Mrs. Al Peasley, Mrs. Lillus Royce and Mrs. Joe Lynch. The funeral was preached by the Lomax Christian minister after which the body was laid to rest in the Carman Cemetery.
OQUAWKA OCCURRENCES: James DeHague was adjudged insane and committed to the Watertown Hospital. Arthur Leroy Peters returned home from Burlington where he was receiving treatment for an affected eye. Mrs. S. Lunbeck and daughter of Burlington were in town. Her husband will bring their household goods and they will make their home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank McOlgan. The ladies of the M.E.Church served an all day chicken dinner in the church basement.