The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.19
Stronghurst Graphic, May 31, 1917
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Another barrel of Holland Herring is at Lovitt's grocery.
OLENA:Rev. Blout preached a very earnest patriotic sermon Sabbath afternoon and urged his people to be often on their knees in prayer for their country during this greatest of all crises in its history and also urged all who possible could to subscribe to the "war loan." Charles Lant's home is under quarantine as their daughter, Mrs. Browning who makes her home with them, is sorely afflicted as two of her children are suffering with scarlet fever. Mr. John Dowell is riding in a spick and span new Ford.
REMEMBERED THE DEAD: A sky obscured by heavy clouds from which rain fell at frequent intervals in copious quantities with few intermittent periods of sunshine were features which marked Memorial Day in the vicinity. On account of these unfavorable weather condition, plans were altered; the flag raising on the public school grounds was abandoned as were the exercises which were planned as an accompaniment to the decorating of the soldiers' graves at the cemetery. However, the flags and the wreaths were taken to the cemetery after the exercises at the Lyric theatre and tenderly placed over the graves of the departed heroes by a company of young girls.
The program at the Lyric was opened by the Camp Fire Girls of Stronghurst with the song, "The Red, White and Blue." Miss Marjorie Gibb with the American flag. draped about her and wearing a "liberty cap" represented "Columbia." The rest of the music was under the direction of Mr. W.J. McElhinney and consisted of patriotic songs in which the audience joined a company of selected singers upon a platform. Judge Schofield's address was one of the most eloquent patriotic and inspiring ever delivered here on any occasion. Following this, the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung followed by "Tenting Tonight," sung by Miss Sarah McElhinney with the audience joining in the chorus. Services were closed with a prayer and benediction by the Rev. K.R.Anderson. Both preceding and following the services, the Stronghurst Band rendered a number of patriotic selections.
***MRS. J.A. WIDNEY*** Mrs. J.A.Widney, mother of cashier of the First National Bank of Stronghurst, passed away at her home in Alpha, Ill. Last Sabbath afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The summons came suddenly while Mrs. Widney was sitting in an easy chair reading and she passed away before medical assistance could be called.
From the Galesburg Republican-Register: "Sarah Gillette was the daughter of Mr. and.d Mrs. D Gillette and was born in Neversink, Sullivan County, N.Y., where she spent her girlhood. One of seven children she moved with the family to LaFayette in Stark County in 1852 and then on to Galva a year later where the father met an accidental death.
Mrs. Widney prepared herself for teaching and taught in the Kewanee Schools. While she was spending her holidays with Harvey Slater of Woodhull, she met Mr. Widney and there formed the acquaintanceship that subsequently ripened into love and were to be married on Oct.26, 1862, but in August Mr. Widney enlisted in the Union Army and the wedding was postponed until after the war.
The couple lived for a number of years on the old home farm and then moved to Alpha in 1891. Mrs. Widney has been especially active in religious matters and for 26 years served as Methodist Sunday School Superintendent. She has an extensive acquaintance through Henry County and for a number of years was the county president of the W.C.T.U.
She is survived by her husband now 77 yrs. old together with the following children: Mrs. Robinson of Reynold, Ill.; Mrs. W.E.Mabee of Los Angeles; Mrs. E.B.Conant of Boston, S.W.Widney of Chicago; B.G.Widney of Stronghurst and Leo Widney of San Francisco.
***MRS. BEN C. DUKE*** Mrs. Ben C. Duke, a highly respected resident of the Rozetta neighborhood, died at her home last Saturday night after an illness of more than a year and a half. Anna Gertrude Green was born in Rozetta Township in 1873 and spent almost her entire life in Henderson County. In 1894 she united in married to Ben C. Duke and to this union two children were born and both survive: Edyth Catherine and Mildred Louise. She is also survived by her husband and one brother, George C. Green of Oquawka.
GUILTY AS CHARGED: The jury in the case of Bert Sapp, charged with the murder of Emma Larkins on the Aledo Fairgrounds last fall, returned a verdict last Saturday night at 11:55 o'clock finding the accused man guilty and fixing the penalty at 22 years imprisonment in Joliet prison. The case attracted wide attention and an imposing array of legal talent on both sides. It is reported that a motion for a new trial will be made and that if the same is denied, the case will be taken to the Supreme Court.
1892 GRAPHIC: A curiosity in the shape of a sheet of American made tin was on exhibition at the Graphic office. G.M.Evans had just moved from his home in Olena to Stronghurst. A.H.Silsbee moved to his new residence just north of the depot. Memorial Day was observed at Olena with appropriate services and featured a welcome by A.H.Silsbee, a reading of the roll of honor by Geo. W.Fernon, responded by J.F. Mains and a presentation by a flag drill by young ladies under the direction of Miss Effie Slater. The oration was preached by Rev. E.C.Wayman of Ransom, Ill. Charles Painter, an old resident of Terre Haute, died at his home two miles northeast of Terre Haute on the evening of May 30th.
LOCAL AND ARE HAPPENINGS: A very attractive steel flag pole has been erected on the public school grounds as a gift of the class of 1916 as a memorial. It has been set in a substantial solid block of concrete four feet square and eight feet deep. The Annual Teachers' Institute will be held in Oquawka in the public school building. Monmouth College has received a donation of $60,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation Fund toward an additional endowment fund now being raised by the College. James a Patten, the Chicago grain man recently made a donation of $50,000 to the same fund. Lorenzo Foote, a student at the University of Illinois, was a visitor at the home of his parents. Carroll Wax is home from the Missouri Military Academy at Mexico, Mo. and has been engaged to drill the local band of boy scouts and teach them the manual of arms.
The Dallas City Creamery made a shipment of 5,238 lbs. to Chicago receiving a check for approximately $2,000. Both Russell Brooks and Miss Esther Richey will graduate from Monmouth College this year in June.
The streets of the village were crowded with autos last Saturday evening as a large number of people were trading with the merchants, listening to the first band concert of the season and attending the picture show. (How to have fun on Saturday 1917) M.G.Lovitt and wife, Mrs. W.H.Bainter and Mrs. R.A.McKeown made an auto trip to Burlington. Tom Morgan who rode along purchased a quantity of flags to be used for decorating on Memorial day.
Two auto loads of members of the Masonic lodge of Stronghurst motored to Burlington to witness the conferring of the third degree upon a candidate by the lodge of that city. The Rebekah Lodge of Stronghurst received an accession of 13 new members and about 89 visitors were present to see the ceremony. Dale Davis shipped a fine Hereford bull to the Allison and Richey ranch in Butler County, Mo. The alumni association has arranged to hold its annual banquet at the school building the evening of June 9th. Lieut. Eaton of Co.I of Burlington accompanied by a corporal and several privates were in Stronghurst on their way to Media with the monthly pay for the soldier boys guarding the high bridge east of that place.
BRAWL IN OLENA: As a result of a visit to East Burlington (Gulfport) Saturday evening by a number of young men from the northwest part of the township, the main street of Olena was on Sunday afternoon a scene which in no small degree resembled the battle front of Eastern France. It may be that the numbers of the belligerents engaged in the conflict is not comparable, but the fierceness of attack and resistance displayed, if reports are true, would entitle the candidates to a place in the "first rank" where fighting men are needed. The services of one of the loca physicians and a dentist were required to set a jaw after things had quieted down.