The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, March 21, 191
FIRE IN OLENA: About 11 o'clock a.m. the report came by telephone from Olena that the town was burning up. The word passed quickly about the business section and within ten minutes a half dozen or more automobiles were loaded with men and went speeding away to the scene.
The fire started in the Robert McCartney barn. He had been clearing off his garden and burning trash. He noted that the fire had about burned out in the trash pile and he was working in his strawberry patch. Chancing to look toward the barn, he discovered it ablaze inside. He hastened to the door and pulled his buggy out but got his face almost blistered in doing so.
A moment later the blaze burst through the roof and then spread to Mrs. Allen Booten's barn and chicken house across the alley and then to a small building at the rear of Mr. McCartney's residence. The property owned by Mr. McCartney was formerly the United Presbyterian parsonage. The small building only a few feet to the rear was built of logs and then later covered with lumber and shingles and had a good cellar under it. This also was consumed and as it stood not more than six or seven feet from the residence, it required strenuous efforts to save the latter.
Neighbors rushed in and a bucket brigade was formed. Men stood and work in terrific heat to save the McCartney residence and John, a son of Robert McCartney, was overcome and had to be carried away and a physician called. Several wells in the vicinity were pumped dry before the fire was subdued. Mrs. Allen Booten lost her barn and chicken house and had no insurance. She had eighteen chickens and only two of them escaped the flames.
A small barn or building belonging to Grandma Booten was badly scorched, but the fire was extinguished before serious damage had been done.
Mr. McCartney stated that no great amount of property was consumed with his building, most of their fruit and supplies still being kept out at the farm northwest of town. His buildings were insured, but he was unable to state just how much was on the building consumed.
MURDER AT BIGGSVILLE: Robert O'Connor was shot and instantly killed at Biggsville by William Marsden, the shooting occurring near the home of Mrs. Marsden, the latter's wife. Five shots in all are said to have been fired at the victim of the affair, one of which pierced his heart.
It appears that Mrs. Marsden had a horse in pasture near Gladstone and that O'Connor had brought the animal to her home in the evening so that she might drive to Stronghurst the following day and see her mother who is sick. Marsden, who was employed on the Chester Gibb place south of Biggsville, happened to be in the village and shadowed O'Connor hiding behind the barn when the latter put the horse within it.Mrs. Marsden is said to have come out of the house and as O'Connor was walking towards her after stabling the horse, Marsden suddenly appeared and began pumping lead at him. O'Connor started to run but soon dropped dead with a bullet in his heart. Marsden at once went to the village marshal and gave himself up. He was taken to Oquawka and ordered held to the Grand Jury without bail.
Both parties of the shooting are well known here. O'Connor having spent a considerable portion of his life in this vicinity and Marsden also being a frequent visitor in the village while Mrs. Marsden was living here. The latter moved from here with her family of four children to Biggsville last fall.
BUYS DAIRY HERD: Roy Mudd was in Wisconsin and purchased a herd of 11 head of Holstein-Friesland cows from one of the most prominent breeders of this class of cattle. Mr. Mudd states he intends going into the dairying business and will establish a milk route in the village soon. The cattle he has purchased have been tested and pronounced free from tuberculosis and other diseases; it is his intention to have yearly tests in order to keep his heard healthy.
BARN BURNED: The barn on the J.O. Anderson farm now property of the Evans estate was destroyed by fire last Monday night. Alvah Anderson lives on the place and suffered quite a heavy loss. The fire started between midnight and 1 a.m. and was first seen by Bert Walker, who had spent the evening at the home of his brother-in-law near Terre Haute, Mr. Lebeck. Bert was in his auto and made a quick run to the place and aroused the occupants. The flames had then made such rapid progress that it was too late to save the building or any of the contents. The barn contained five good horses, four of which belonged to Mr. Anderson and the fifth was owned by Elmer Davis. Alvah had been accustomed to turning the horses out in the barn lot at night but, on this occasion they were left in the barn. Other property consumed consisted of between 400 and 500 bushels of corn, about five tons of hay, a small quantity of oats, three sets of good harness, a buggy, gang plow and some other articles. Unfortunately there was no insurance on either the building or its contests.
Mr. Anderson says that no one about the place was in the barn after 6:30 and that Volney Evans passed the place at midnight on his way home and there was no indication of a fire then. In view of these circumstances, it looks very much as if it were a case of incendiarism.
***WEDDINGS***BALDRIDGE-RICHEY: On Wednesday evening, March13th at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. And Mrs. C.G.Richey, northeast of Stronghurst occurred the marriage of Miss Esther Richey to Lieut. John Baldridge of the U.S.Cavalry, stationed at Camp Stanley, Texas.
The ceremony was performed by Rev. Yarnell of Media. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Evelyn Richey as maid of honor, Miss Viola Conn of Monmouth as bridesmaid, and Mrs. Thomas Spicer as matron of honor. Pressley Baldridge, a brother of the groom acted as best man and
Master Lawrence Pogue and little Jessie Clark, cousins of the bride were ribbon bearers. The color scheme was yellow and white and carried throughout the house. A two course luncheon was served following the ceremony. The bride was attired in a simple gown of white organdy and wore a veil of tulle; she carried a bouquet of bride roses and lilies of the valley. The groom wore his miliary uniform.
The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.G.Richey and received her education in Stronghurst and Monmouth high schools as well as graduating in Monmouth College in 1917. Lieut. Baldridge is also a 1917 graduate of Monmouth College. He enlisted in the Iowa Cavalry at the beginning of the war and attained his present rank through promotion. His former home was at Des Moines, Iowa. The couple left the morning following for Camp Stanley, Texas where they will make their home temporarily.
***COOK-KEITH: Arthur cook married Miss Mae Keith at the M.E. parson in Galesburg, March 20th. The bride is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Keith of Indian Valley, Virginia, where she lived until five years ago when she came to Illinois to nurse Mrs. Robert Mathers. The groom, a son of Thomas Cook of Raritan, is one of the most prosperous young farmers in this community. They will reside on a farm three miles northwest of Stronghurst after a wedding trip to Chicago.
***SMITH-GUNKEL: Miss Bernice Smith, daughter of Mrs. Anna Smith of Stronghurst, and Mr. V.F.Gunkel of Galesburg were married in Moline. The couple will be at home in Galesburg.
1895 GRAPHIC: The Santa Fe R.R. had purchased 10,000 acres of coal lands near Toluca, Ill. Robert Chase had returned from New York where he was in employed by the N.Y.Central. The crokinole rage had reached this section of the country and crokinole parties were the rage. (Anyone know what this is?) The Magic City Cigar Factory with James Anderson as proprietor was a new Stronghurst industry. (Stronghurst was called the "Magic City" because it literally rose from nothing in the middle of a swamp.) The Frank Peasley residence near Decorra burned to the ground.
VILLAGE BOARD NOTES: At their regular session, the village board heard from Trustee Wolf concerning street oiling. He reported that he had obtain a legal opinion which said that a levy not to exceed .003 per hundred for the oiling purposes could be extended. A motion was passed to place on the ballot a levy for that purpose. The board agreed to buy lumber for the temporary walk on the southside of G.Q.Fort's premises on Dixson St. with Mr. Fort agreeing to lay said walk.
CARMAN CONCERNS: A car load of horses was delivered for Andrew Davis near Decorra. The Red Cross had an all day sewing at the home of Mrs. Eliza Brown. A new fence is being added to the Clover Cemetery south of Carman. Mr. Tink Hand and family, who lost their home and contents by fire a couple of weeks ago, have gone to Burlington, Wisconsin. Mr. Harry Dowell is the owner of a new Ford. Now girls is your chance for a ride! Mr. George Clover, east of town, shipped out a load of hogs and two of cattle. The social given by the Sunday school cleared $16.53. Mr. Paul Crose was home after dropping a 14 lb. shell on his foot resulting in a bursted knee cap. (Obviously, Mr. Crose is in the service, but how does dropping a shell on the foot result in a bursted knee cap????)
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Everett Lewis has moved into the house near the lumberyard. The stork called at the W.M.Connor home and left them a fine baby boy. While helping fight a fire down in Eagle timber in the river bottoms, Greenie Jacobs was seriously injured by a tree falling on him.
He was first taken home, but when it was learned that his injuries were of a serious nature, he was taken to Burlington Hospital. Mr. Jacobs is 58 years old.
OQUAWKA OCCURRENCES: Mrs. Rosa Stults left to finish her class of surgical dressing at Raritan. William Shorts returned home from the Burlington Hospital where he underwent an operation which took off his fingers on both hands; he is getting along nicely.
DEATH Mrs. Martha Gibson passed away at here home Sunday evening; she was 93 years of age. She had been very ill for some time and of late months not able to leave her bed. Her eyesight had failed some 15 years ago. Her two sons, Joseph and Gil, cared for her faithfully during this time. She was a good Christian woman and a church worker up to the time her health failed. Funeral services were held at the M.E.Church with interment in Fall Creek Cemetery.
Avril Merrifield of Davenport was called her by the death of her grandmother, Mrs. Gibson. Mrs. Ida Scull of Little York attended the funeral of her grandmother, Mrs. Gibson.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Miss Erma Kaiser has been quite ill with tonsilitis. Having decided to go to Wyoming, I offer for sale my house and three lots in the village of StronghurstT.C.Foote. The Odd Fellows are putting a new roof on and otherwise improving their building. While down in Adams County, Richard Marshall purchased a farm of 230 acres. Miss Mattie Brokaw left for Washington, D.C. where she has secured employment as a clerk in one of the departments. Her sister, Miss Della, who went there a month ago, is greatly pleased with her work and the capital city. Mrs. Carrie Berg who was taken seriously ill with appendicitis and was taken to the Galesburg hospital where she underwent an operation. Although her condition was at first thought to be quite serious, the reports coming from the hospital are now of an encouraging nature.
Earl Beardsley and wife returned here from Tulsa, Okla., where they lived for ten or a dozen years. Tulsa is one of the most prosperous cities in the oil section and they enjoyed sharing that prosperity, but it was never quite like home. They have now disposed of their interests there and have returned to Stronghurst to make their home. Walter Dobbin and wife received a letter from Dr. and Mrs. I.F.Harter, who have spend the winter in St. Petersburg, Fla. When written, the temperature was 100 degrees in the shade. Mrs. Harter has been quite active in the Red Cross work. Thomas G. Harper, the widely known and popular restaurant man of Burlington, died at his home in that city March 18th. Johnson Garage delivered five new Ford cars to people in this section: a sedan went to Allen Annegers of Decorra and touring cars went to Leonard Brokaw of Stronghurst, G.I. Melvin and Joe Gustafson of Raritan, and Rush Leftwich of Carman.
MEDIA: Some farmers around here expect to finish husking their corn this week. The parent teachers association met at the public school. Mr. David Alderton was unable to teach school on account of having the pink eye. The E.G. Lewis Seed Co. received a carload of seed wheat from the North. Mr. E.G.Lewis is now riding in a fine new seven passenger Buick that he purchased of T.C.Knutstrom.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest South was placed under quarantined as Mr. Rolley Summer, a brother of the latter, was sick with the measles. Mr. Len Steele took his engine and moved what is known as the Bert Gibson house to the C.R.Pendarvis farm; Mr. Pendarvis expects to use it as a tenant house. The ladies of the Red Cross took lessons in surgical dressings and are anxious to start a class. About forty married couples enjoyed a party given in the public school building. In Galesburg occurred the marriage of Mr. Harry Winders of this place to Miss Prudence Strong.
Media had the first fire it has had in a couple of years last Monday afternoon when the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Stansberry in the west part of town was completely destroyed. Mrs. Stansberry was burning the grass off the yard and the fire got out of her control and set the house on fire. As the wind was blowing quite strongly, it was useless to try to save the building and all attention was turned to getting out the furniture, nearly all of which was saved. A new house is to be built to replace the burned one.