The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.19
Stronghurst Graphic, April 26, 1917
FATAL RUNAWAY: John Johnson, a well known farmer living in Media Township, 4 1/2 miles northeast of Stronghurst, died Thursday morning at about 4 o'clock as the result of injuries received in a runaway accident which occurred last Monday. That evening Mr. Johnson and his two sons started to go to Gladstone to take the evening train for Burlington. They were driving a spirited team of horses hitched to a buggy. When but a short distance from home, the team took fright at some object by the roadside and began running.
In attempting to check the flight of the team, all three men began pulling on the lines. While they were so engaged, the bit of the bridle on one of the horses broke and the team became unmanageable. After they had run for a short distance the buggy pole dropped to the ground which resulted in the vehicle being wrecked and the occupants thrown out with terrific force.
The two sons of Mr. Johnson escaped with only slight bruises, but on going to the assistance of their father, found him unconscious and evidently very badly hurt. Medical aid was summoned from Stronghurst by telephone from the T.J.Shaw home nearby and Dr. Marshall who responded was soon on the scene. He found that both of Mr. Johnson' legs had been broken below the knees and that he was also suffering from injuries of the head and other places.
First aid methods were employed in relieving the patient after which he was placed in an automobile which had stopped at the scene of the accident and taken to his home where he received all the care and attention possible. His injuries were of such a nature, however, as to render his case practically hopeless and he lingered in a condition hovering between life and death until Thursday morning about 4 o'clock when he quietly passed away.
Funeral services were held over his remains at the Stronghurst Swedish Lutheran church Sunday afternoon.
MOVING TO MCLEAN COUNTY: Mr. Wm. Daugherty expects to leave Stronghurst for Downs, Ill, a village on the Big Four Railroad in McLean County, a few miles southeast of Bloomington where he will take charge of an elevator in which he recently acquired an interest. Since the transfer of the Perrine elevator to the Farmer's Elevator Co., Mr. Daugherty has been looking for another location in which to engage in the grain buying business.
1892 Graphic: The Henderson County Republican convention assembled at Gladstone to elect delegates to the state, congressional and senatorial conventions. R.P.Randall was appointed postmaster at Raritan. Grove Foote and Miss Myrtle Seybold, both of Stronghurst, were married in Oquawka. A.L.Beaver had began the erection of a new barber shop in the village. A big reunion of Odd Fellows participated in by all the lodges from the surrounding vicinity was held here.
KILLED BY FARM TRACTOR: Hugh Olson, a young farmer living four miles southwest of Roseville, was found crushed to death between the steering wheel and the steps of a farm tractor which he had been operation on the farm he rented. There were no witnesses and the unfortunate man had been dead for some time when found. He was the son of Mr .and Mrs. Henry Olson of Roseville and was about 23 years of age. His death is the fourth one of a tragic nature which has occurred near Roseville within the last few days.
TRAGEDY NEAR ROSEVILLE: George Staat, a prominent farmer and stockman living in Berwick Township, four miles east of Roseville, and Leland Tarpley, his hired man, were killed by the explosion of an acetylene lighting tank on the Staat farm. The two men were engaged in charging the tank, which had been out of commission for several months, and the explosion occurred while they were tightening the cap on the top of the steel clinker. It is not known what caused the explosion, but the theory advanced is that the gas generated by the fresh carbide which had been placed in the tank was ignited by a spark from the chisel which was being used in tightening the cap of the drum.
The tank was situated about 15 feet from the house and the force of the explosion hurled Mr. Staat over a fence some distance away where he was found badly mutilated and in a dying condition a few minutes later.The body of the hired man, Mr. Tarpley, was found close to the tank and several gaping wounds were found in his head and face. Tarpley's home is in the state of Tennessee.
A remarkable feature of the case is that Mr. Staat's little 8 year old son, who was sitting on an empty carbide can only 10 feet away, was unharmed by the explosion although the concussion blew him backwards off the can. He was the only eye witness of the tragedy and stated at the inquest that the two men both had their heads directly over the tank when the explosion occurred.
LIGHTNING STRIKES IN BIGGSVILLE: During the electrical storm about 9 o'clock yesterday morning lightning struck the J.W.Dixon home in the east part of town and started a fire which was put out before it gained much headway. The lightning itself played some freakish pranks. It struck the north gable on the house, ran down between the bedroom, burned a hole in the bed clothes on a bed which stood by the north window, and jumped to the bed standing at the west side of the room.
It splintered part of the bed stead, drove a piece of it into the west wall and another piece into the room adjoining. It then trailed downstairs to the parlor where it ran along the baseboard and damaged the paper to some extent and also tore the foundation loose under the north side of the house. Mrs. Dixon was in the kitchen and did not know that the house had been struck, but a few minutes later found the fire in the bedroom where it had evidently started in the lace curtains hanging in the west window. She went to the door and called for help which soon arrived and the fire was extinguished after the burning the bed clothes had been carried out by Lou Dyson, who was first to arrive on the scene.
***OBITUARY***MRS. SARAH CATHERINE( DANNERS) COWAN: Sarah Danners was born at West Moorland, Va.. In 1842 and died at the home of her daughter in Oquawka. When just a child she came to Illinois with her parents where she spent the early part of her life in and around Oquawka. In 1866 she married Thomas Cowan and to this union eight children were born: five boys and three girls, the boys all proceeding her to the better world. The children left to mourn are Mrs. Alfred Smith and Miss Emma Cowan of Aledo and Mrs. Wm Webb of Oquawka.
After her marriage to Mr. Cowan they moved to Sunbean, Ill., where they made their home until Mr. Cowan's death when she moved to Aledo where she has lived the past eight years. About 3 weeks ago she came to Oquawka where she thought the move would benefit her health. She gained strength rapidly for two weeks when she began to fail and passed away on Monday morning at 3 a.m. Services were held at the Aledo home and interment in the Sunbeam U.P. Cemetery beside her husband.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS-STRONG-HURST: Mrs. George Curry of Dutchville, Neb. is visiting relatives. Mrs. John Gilliland broke one of the bones in her right arm by falling over some object in her door yard. Earl Beardsley is erecting a new modern home in Tulsa, Okla. Robert Begley has purchased the Mayfield property opposite the Methodist Church. W.B.Towler has purchased four lots in Dixson's addition on the east side of Division street south of the Swedish Church.
He has begun improvements with workmen digging a well and excavating for a dwelling. Sam Schierbaum, a brother of M.F.T.Schierbaum of Stronghurst has gone from his home at Hebron, N. Dakota to Annapolis to offer his services to the navy department. Alvah Putney, Ernest Foote, Weddington Bros., Frederick Salter and other Stronghurst boys who recently enlisted for military service at Burlington, have been home on a few hours leave.
The boys already show the effect of military drill and discipline which surely speaks well for the service. There are other young men in the community who could do a worse thing than offer their services to their country in this trying hour. Mrs. Jane Curry of Litchfield, Neb. is visiting friends here. David Pendry is moving his family to the Huggins property in the east part of town. Mr. And Mrs. T.N. Hardin are rejoicing over the advent of a fine 8 ¸ lb. boy at their home in the village.
At Roseville village election the proposition to issue bonds for oiling the streets was carried by a majority of 288 votes, but the proposition to license pool rooms was defeated by a majority of 111.
CARMAN: Most have their gardens planted. Some believe to make their crops fruitful, they have to plant on some certain time of the moon. This is mostly with the older people, for the young people are better educated and we find where education begins superstition ends. (Not so, even today (2003) some farmers consult the signs of the moon.) Willis Dowell have moved to the country to the farm vacated by Pete Good and family. The members of the R.N.A. lodge will give an ice cream social at the M. W. A. Hall.
The little two year old daughter of Mr. John Dowell fell off a chair and broke her collar bone. At the school election, August Rehling was re-elected director. The seventh and eighth grade pupils attending the final examination at Lomax were Misses Marguerite Vaughan of the 8th grade and Helen Babcook, Grace Gillis, Emegene Gittings, Cecil Gillis, Don Williamson, Paul Marsden, Abe Babcook, Frederick Crane of the 7th grade.
LOMAX: A parcel post entertainment and sale will be held at the Christian Church. A treating plant is being installed at the water service station on the Santa Fe. The Town company is installing a large concrete vault at their office rooms. The district school election was won by Fred F. Rehling for a full term and L.M.Neff for part term of two years. Some 50 students from various school participated in the central examination here.