The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1917
Stronghurst Graphic, March 22, 1917
DEATH VISITS TWO HOMES WITHIN AN HOUR: The community was sadden Thursday morning when the word was passed around that the death angel had visited the village during the night and called home two of its well known citizens. The shock to the community was all the more severe from the fact that comparatively few knew that either were seriously ill.
Mr. George Cooper passed away at his home about 12:30 a.m. following a week's illness from pneumonia and the summons came to Mr. James Coats, better known to everyone as "Dad" Coats" at 11:30 p.m. or just one hour earlier.
Mr. Coats had been making his home recently with his daughter, Mrs. Roy Houtchens in this village.Funeral services for Mr. Coats will be held at the home of Mrs. Rettie Houtchins in Stronghurst Friday morning with the remains taken to the Carman Cemetery. The funeral for Mr. Cooper will be held in the Stronghurst M.E.Church on Saturday.
LUMBER YARD ABLAZE: The clanging of the village fire bell at 7 o'clock Friday morning brought a large share of the village population out in the streets and hurrying toward the Stronghurst Lumber Company's yards from which a fire alarm had been sent. Those who were first on the scene found the roof of the small building used by the company for an office burning briskly about the chimney.
The blaze was extinguished, however, by the application of a few buckets of water. The firemen were on hand with engine and hose prepared to put up a stiff battle with the flames if necessary, but their services were not needed. The fire originated from a red hot stove pipe setting fire to the wall board lining the office through which it passed and from which point it quickly communicated with the outside inclosure and roof of the building.
1892 GRAPHIC: Prof. McClanahan of Monmouth was in town making a survey of the James Thompson addition to Stronghurst consisting of 20 acres lying on the east side of the village. Wm Woodside of Old Bedford purchased four lots in the village. Joseph Covert of Topeka, Kans. was visiting in the Bowen neighborhood south of town.
New residences were being constructed for Ed West, Lafe Simpson, Geo. Evans, Jas. Atkinson, S.D.Parsons and A.H.Silsbee. Joshua Rankin had just returned from trip to Virginia where he went to investigate the farming possibilities; he came back convinced that it was more profitable to raise corn and hogs in Illinois than to raise peanuts in Virginia. J.H.Warner and family arrived from Leland, Ill. to establish a new grocery.
***OBITUARY***JAMES M. REYNOLDS: Mr. Reynolds, who was a resident of Stronghurst some twenty or more years ago and whose home has been at LaHarpe for many years died at the home of his daughter Mrs. R.A.Alton there at the age of 71 years. He was the son of Louis and Polly Reynolds and was born in Monroe County, Mo. In 1845. He married March 10, 1868 Mary Liza Dickinson and to this union seven children were born, four of those together with the wife and mother survive: Mrs. R.A.Alton and Mrs. Henry Ketcham of LaHarpe, Mrs. R.A.Schussler of Peoria, and Mrs. C.N. Smith of Chicago.
The deceased was one of a family of four brothers and four sisters, he being the second one of this family to answer the summons of death. Those remaining are Henry and Jeff Reynolds, Mrs. Hutchings and Mrs. Melvin, all of this vicinity, Mrs. Kincaid of Stottsville, Mo. And Mrs. Grimes of St.Louis.Funeral services were held at the Alton home in LaHarpe with the brothers and sisters from this place attending.
MULES IN DEMAND: Since February 16th Mr. Andrew Davis has disposed of 77 head of Missouri mules for which he received a total of $13,067 or $169.70 per head. Nearly all of these mules have been sold to farmers living in a territory extending from Crawfordsville and Oakland, Iowa on the west to Abingdon and Monmouth, Ill. on the east.
BUYS PRIZE STALLION: Mr. M.G.Lovitt, one of the industrious and ambitious young farmers of Stronghurst has imported from the Lefebure Belgian Horse Breeding Establishment of Iowa one of their prize colts, Britton No. 9198. This horse is a strawberry roan, 30 months old and weighs 1800 lbs. He is very richly bred and of good weight for his age and also possesses quality such as is rarely found in a colt so young.Mr. Lefebure notes that they have 150 head of pure bred Belgian horses upon their farms and believes the future of the horse business brighter right now than that of any other bred of livestock.
ANOTHER CHANCE FOR AUTO TRAIL: An invitation has been extended to Stronghurst to send representatives to Petersburg, Ill. to help organize what is to be known as the :Abe Lincoln" trail connecting the city of Springfield with either Burlington or Rock Island. It has been practically decided that the trail shall run from Springfield to Havana by way of Athens and Petersburg.
The route from Havana to the Mississippi River will depend upon the amount of interest shown by the cities and villages in the intervening territory. If it should be decided to make Burlington the river point to be reached by the trail, Stronghurst would be in a direct line from Havana. Those who are promoting the organization of the trail are very enthusiastic over the prospects of its becoming a reality and also one of the most popular highways in the state.
The businessmen of the village are urged to cooperate in the movement and to select one or more of their number to attend the meeting. Nationwide the businessmen of communities are waking up to the importance of the improved highways movement in the state and an apathetic attitude here may easily result in retarding the town's development.
OBITUARY***MRS. J. A. WILSON***Mrs. Sarah J. Wilson, widow of the late John A. Wilson of the Biggsville neighborhood, died at her home on Tuesday, March 13th following a brief illness. The former Sarah Jane Thompson was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1833. In 1855 the family came to Warren County, Ill., locating near Monmouth.
At the age of 16 years by the death of both parents, the care of the family of five brothers and two sisters devolved upon the deceased. (For nine years she kept her family together somehow.) With the exception of one sister, Mrs. Margaret McDougal, all these have passed on to their reward.
The marriage of the subject of this sketch to John A. Wilson occurred Oct.28, 1858 and to this union were born five children, all whom survive: Mrs. Retta W. Brooks of Stronghurst; Elizabeth A. Stewart of Gladstone; James A. Wilson and Edith Wilson of Biggsville and Hiram Wilson of Uraguay, South America. The husband and father died Oct.1, 1910. Mrs. Wilson was a loving and affectionate mother and friend who spent the greater part of her life looking after the welfare of those who were near and dear to her. She was a faithful member of the U.P. Church of Biggsville. Funeral services were conducted at the home with interment in the Kirkwood Cemetery.
***OBITUARY***ALLEN BOOTEN: Allen Booten passed away at his home at Olena Tuesday morning of this week after an illness extending over several months. Mr. Booten was 35 years, 4 months, 5 days old at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife and three children, all boys, the oldest being 14 years of age. Funeral services will be conducted at the Olena Church.
LOCAL AND AND HAPPENINGS: Mr. Noah Billups of Burlington has been visiting his brothers, Dudley and R.M. Billups this past week. Little Dorothy Woodall, daughter of Tom Woodall, who live north of town, fell and broke her leg a few days ago. Mr. Chas. Huggins has rented his property in the east part of town to Mr. Dudley Billups and is moving his family to Smithshire where he has employment on the railroad. The Loyal Women of the Christian Church were entertained at the home of Mrs. Wilsher with 22 ladies present for a social afternoon. Both Gilbert Simpson and Mrs. Ralph Staley are on the sick list. Mrs. Becktel of Galesburg has been secured to train the contestants who expect to compete in the literary contest this spring.
She will also aid in the training of the senior play cast. Bertie Russell is attending the Chicago Technical College. The local auto dealers say that the season promises to bring a number of trucks into service in our vicinity. In fact, Charles Forbes is replacing the trusty old dray and team with a new Ford auto truck and Mr. Taylor, the local distributor for the Standard Oil people, has installed a new International auto truck in his services for John D. Rockefellar. Mrs. Ross Peterman of East For Madison is visiting at her parents home, Mr. And Mrs. George Hoffeditz.
John Lant is returning to his farm in Minnesota after spending the winter with his mother. County Surveyor Rankin has been working in the Mississippi bottoms near Burlington the past week. Miss Daisy Trimmer and Mr. Clarence Weddington were married at Ft.Madison last Saturday.
Mr. And Mrs. Ed Hurd and daughter Ruby left for Kansas hoping that the change in climate will benefit Mrs. Hurd's very poor health. Miss Vera Mudd, who has been at a hospital in Chicago taking training for a nurse, has returned home; she was not physically able to continue the work prescribed in the nurse's course by that institution.
A son was born Tuesday morning to Mr. And Mrs. Guy Little at the home of Mrs. Little's sister, Mrs. Elmer Davis. Mr. Little is a guard at the state prison at Ft.Madison and Mrs. Little will be remembered as Miss Marie Hutson, who formerly taught the Maple Grove School. Tunis Foote has disposed of his farming interests in Colorado and returned home. Dr. John Gray, the "hobo expert" will give the season's last lecture in the lyceum course at the U.P.Church.
Little Francis Gearhart of Raritan, the grand daughter of Mr. And Mrs. A.C.Allison of this place, fell from a chair on March 9th and broke a bone in her left arm. The fact that the bone was fractured was not discovered until last Saturday and it then became necessary to break it again in order to have it set properly. The little patient is recovering nicely.
It looks as though Stronghurst will have its share of new modern residences erected this summer. The workmen are placing the brick on the ground for the C.E.Fort home. Mrs. Mary Thompson expects to commence building in the block just south of Division St. Contractor J.Q.Fort has begun a new brick veneer bungalow on the corner of Dixson and Elizabeth streets and several other new residences are contemplated but definite plans have not been made.
Mr. Campbell of Enid, Okla, who purchased a number of registered Percheron horses with the expectation of shipping them to his home city the latter part of last week, was compelled to abandon the shipment for a few days owing to the threatening railroad strike and the embargo on shipments of that character. Since the strike was cancelled, he was able to move the carload this week. Mr. Campbell was a former resident of Henderson County, having been raised in the east Rozetta country and has each spring for several years imported horses from Henderson County's fine stable to Oklahoma breeders.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. Chester Gibb of Biggsville has been visiting his sister, Mrs. George Marsden and family. Mrs. Lynn Paul of Lomax spent the day with her daughter, Mrs. Will Babcook. Frank Moore left for Mt. Sterling, Iowa to do some carpenter work for Mr. Axil Hamburg who moved from this place recently. A box supper will be held Saturday night at the M.W.A. hall; old and young are to take a box. Proceeds will go toward church expenses; those not wishing to bring a box kindly bring a package for the parcel post sale. The Reno Vaudeville and moving picture show are billed for Lomax; they had a good full house every night while here and Mrs. Jennie McGinnis won the "diamond ring." The Modern Woodmen lodge initiated five candidates at their hall: Earl Marsden, William Coen, John and Arthur Guinn and Edwin Peterson.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Mr. Albert Swedlund of Coloma and Miss Jessie Graham of Gladstone were recently married in Biggsville at the M.E.parsonage; they will make their home on the Andrew Renwick farm east of town. The M.E. Church ladies gave a shower in the new Mrs. Swedlund's honor and presented a sum of money in lieu of the usual gifts.
Gladstone showed much interest in the road meeting held in the Commercial Exchange rooms in Burlington, a large delegation from the village and surrounding country being present. The location of the Blue Grass Trail was the matter to be decided and it was routed to go through Gladstone south to Wm. Galbraith's past the Wm. Lukens place and west to Burlington. Chas. Hedges was chosen local director for this village.
This arrangement insures a good road to Burlington and the people of Gladstone congratulate themselves that they secured the location of the trail through the village. Some 50+ men were present at the meeting and much rivalry was displayed.The state engineer was in Gladstone and Mr. Chas. Hedges took him over the routes which had been proposed for the Blue Grass Trail.