The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, July 25, 1918
OAK GROVE STATE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION: Committees have been appointed in every township and all are working to make it a notable day. The program will open at 11 a.m. with a patriotic address given by a noted orator. Following the afternoon program will be a basket supper. A pageant will be staged in which each township is to have a part. It will consist of scenes of historic interest and representing some epoch in the history of the state.
Refreshment booths will give any profit to the Red Cross. Oak Grove farm is a central point in the county and few people will need directions so well is its location known. All schools will dismiss for the day so that students may attend the celebration. The date is now scheduled for September 6th. The Orchard City Band of Burlington will furnish music for the occasion. As this is to be a purely patriotic demonstration and the Red Cross is to receive all net proceeds, it is expected that the people will unite to make the celebration one of the most notable events in the history of the county.
***OBITUARY***MRS. JESSE L. FORT: Romana Elizabeth Hulet was born in Greencastle, Ind, Putman County on Feb.14, 1847 and passed away July 16, 1918 in the Burlington Hospital where she had been a little more than three weeks. Miss Hulet came to Henderson County in 1868 and on Oct. 22, 1868 she married Jesse L. Fort. One little daughter, Ora born Nov. 9, 1880 blessed this union. For only twelve years she added sunshine to the home and it is said of her "She is not for God hath taken her to him."
When Mrs. Fort was to depart for the hospital her pastor spoke to her of her contentment in all suffering and wherever she was and she said, "I try to be contented." She leaves evidence that power was given her to be thus submissive.
Her husband and two brothers, Madison Hulet of Henderson County and John Hulet of St.Louis, Mo., and many nieces and nephews remain at the parting of the ways. Funeral services were conducted at Olena on July 18th by her pastor, Rev. Russell.
***FRANK HENRICKSON*** Frank Gustaf Henrickson was born in Saby, Province of Jankoping, Sweden, Jan.8, 1837 and died in Stronghurst, Ill. July 21, 1918 at the advanced age of 81 years, 6 months and 13 days. He married Hedda Maria Swenson Nov.9, 1863 and this union was blessed with four children of whom one son, Carl Gustaf, died at the age of 7 years.
Mr. Henrickson came to America in 1869 leaving his family in Sweden. After short residences in Chicago and in Missouri, he came to Illinois settling in this vicinity where he has lived ever since. In 1872 he sent for his family in Sweden. After several years of hard labor assisted by his wife, he accumulated enough to enable him to purchase a farm in Media Township. He retired from this farm in 1907 and bought a home in Stronghurst where he died.
Mr. Henrickson had been ailing for several years during which time his wife stood faithfully by his side administering what aid and care possible. He is mourned by his wife and the following children: Mrs. Anna Charlotte Gustafson; Mrs. Christina Josephine Fernell and Frank Emil Henrickson, all of this vicinity. He is survived by 15 grandchildren and 4 great grand children.
Funeral services were conducted at the Stronghurst Lutheran Church on July24th by Rev. W.P.Anderson with the remains laid to rest in the village cemetery.
CHAUTAUQUA COMING TO TOWN: You're invited to a great big patriotic community affair for Stronghurst and the surrounding country. It will be held in a big tent in a shady spot adjacent to the Stronghurst village park, a location that is easily accessible to everyone. It will be mainly an afternoon and evening affair, but a Youth's Chautauqua will be held a week in advance of the adult program. Music will be a big feature with an entirely different musical company each day. No two days will be at all alike.
Lecturers: Dr. Lincoln McConnell, Lieut. W.R.MacDonald, Reno B. Welbourn, Chief Tahan, Dr. C.C. Mitchell, Smith Damron, Mr. And Mrs. C. Rucker Adams.
Entertainers: Reno. B. Welbourn, Smith Damron, Mrs. Pauline Marston, Jennie Bowmar Ricketts, Francis I. Hendry.
Musical Numbers: Craven family orchestra, Mme. Riheldaffer, Princess Necomee, Hadley Concert Co., Orphaeum Trio, Chicago Concert Artist. (This was one of the biggest events of the year and brought culture to small towns.)
NEWS OF THE SOLDIERS: Dr. E.E.Bond went to Chicago to make arrangements for entering the hospital service in the army. Joe Baxter writes that he was granted leave a short time ago to go to Paris and soon after arriving there met Bert Putney on the street. It was no clammy handshake; they simply ran into each others arms and hugged. That is what sharing danger together does with the boys' emotions. Glen Marshall was at Camp Merritt in New Jersey but may be on his way across the pond. Will Marshall who has been in France since February was unable to receive any mail from home until a short time ago and then he received 60 letters all in a bundle.
Mrs. Roxella Wanders, who has been staying with her husband at Ft. Morgan, Ala. for several weeks arrived home. She states that the contingent of boys from this locality who went to Fort Morgan left for New York expecting to be sent overseas at once. This included Mr. Wanders, Harry Ballard, Lawrence Duncan, Ross Harvey, Fred Johnson, Frank Lauber, Heinie Matzka, Chester Trimmer and Chas. Wheeling.
RACES IN LAHARPE: The opening of the Great Western Circuit, the second largest racing circuit in the world, is announced to take place at LaHarpe, Ill. beginning July 30th and continuing until Aug.2nd. The LaHarpe colt race, in which there are already 12 entries, expects to bring out a new world's record. A new grandstand with a capacity for seating 3,000 people has been erected on the grounds and two famous musical organizations, the Orchard City Band of Burlington and the Girls Band of Plymouth, Ill. have been engaged to furnish music.
1893 GRAPHIC: The country as a whole was passing through an unusual stagnation in business; mines and factories were shutting down and hundreds of thousands of laborers were out of employment. The bakery firm of Chase & Oakman was dissolved with Mr. Chase purchasing Mr. Oakman's interest. The harvesting of oats was pushed with unusual activity on account of the loss caused by the ravages of the army worm. While driving to church at Olena on Sabbath afternoon, the family of Mr. Joseph Thompson met with an unfortunate accident. On crossing a bridge near the Marsden place, the occupants of the back seat of the carriage were thrown out backwards. Mrs. McMillan, a cousin of Mrs. Thompson, was rendered unconscious and Omah McGaw, who was with the party, received a number of bad bruises. Mrs. Alice Crownover of Lomax married Charles Reynolds of Terre Haute on July 19th. Ed Lant and Miss Nellie Black of Olena were united in marriage at the U.P. parsonage in Stronghurst on July 19th.
The Carman correspondent for the Graphic "roasted" the local ball players in the following item: "A delegation of young men from Stronghurst, claiming to be baseball players struck our town last Saturday. Our boys went out and played them 7 innings at which time the score stood 52 to 8 in favor of Carman and the Stronghurst boys were convinced that they had missed their calling."
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS-Stronghurst: The Community Women's Club will meet on Saturday Aug. 3rd with Grace DeEtte Taylor of the Household Science Department of the State University will present a practical demonstration in the latest scientific methods of canning and preserving fruits and vegetables. The residence of Gear Peterson at the foot of the bluff east of Hopper was destroyed by fire about 2 o'clock Monday morning. The Peterson family barely had time to make their escape and about all the household goods were destroyed with the building.
Miss Hazel Weir of Oak Grove farm has been the guest of Miss Opal Stine. Roy Spiker of Hartford, Wis. has given up the barber business and is now conducting an amusement park there. Mr. F.Allen Annegers purchased a fine 2 year old Registered Short-Horn bull of Fred Chandler, paying an even $1,000 for the animal. Mr. Annegers already has a nice herd of this breed and his new purchase will make a valuable addition. Miss Omega Lefler, who has been employed to teach the Hopper district next school year, went to Normal, Ill to take a summer course of training. Miss Grace Marshall of Stronghurst, her uncle, W.T.Marshall of Red Oak, Ia., her aunt, Mrs. Coppage of Emerson, Ia., her cousins, Mary Marshall and Marshall Taylor have been doing the Yellowstone Park.
Miss Gail Brook, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Cecil Brook, has been awarded the Lindley scholarship prize for Raritan Township. This entitles her to a free four years course in any of the state Normal schools and is a distinction to be proud of. George Hunter returned to his home at Algonquin, Ill. after a visit with relatives. He was accompanied as far as Peoria by his sister, Mrs. Mae Hunter Morgan who visited her father at the sanitarium there; his condition is considerably improved. Clarence Richey returned from Rich Hill, Mo., where he has an interest with the Allison brothers in a large farming enterprise. They have just finished threshing 250 acres of fall wheat that averaged 35 bushels per acre. Part of the crop has been sold at Kansas City at $2.30 per bushel. They are carrying on a large amount of tiling and levying. The Nauvoo and Montrose fruit growers shipped out 35 carloads of strawberries this season. A fire at Carthage destroyed a big elevator with 1,200 bushels of wheat besides a car of wheat and 2 cars of rye which were standing on a side track.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Misses Opal and Ruth Wilson visited the home of John Magee in Fairfield, Iowa returning home yesterday. The marriage of C.E.Dixon and Miss Nina Dixon of Chicago occurred July 17th at their new home in the west part of town. Attendants were Miss Fern Heichel and George Jamison. At a business meeting of the Biggsville Red Cross the treasury was announced to hold $3,000. The park seats have been treated to a much needed coat of paint by Mr. John Pearson. Former Biggsville boy, Lieut. Raymond Ralston, married Miss Esther Johnson of Minneapolis. Raymond received his commission last fall at the officers training school at Ft. Snelling and has been stationed there since that time. The Dyson brothers and P.M.Dixon improved the looks of the district school building with a new coat of paint.
SMITHSHIRE SMATTERINGS: Mrs. Mary Kilgore and her sister, Miss Ruby Hazen, who have been suffering with typhoid fever for several weeks, were able to return home from the hospital. Don McCartney is improving slowly but is still in the Monmouth Hospital. Threshing began in the community and the grain is turning out well and of fairly good quality.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Sam Duncan and Marcellus Galbraith accompanied several car loads of stock to Chicago. Mrs. Clair White and daughter are visiting her brothers, Clyde and Will Galbraith and families. Robert Beck is riding around in a fine new Overland automobile which he bought last week. Misses Iva Cisney, Virginia Lewis and Hazel Graham came home from Macomb where they had attended the summer term of school at the State Normal. Fred Ward has arrived safely overseas. Mr. David Cook died at the Burlington Hospital from a complication of diseases. The remains will be brought here and taken to his late home west of town two miles. He was a prosperous farmer and leaves a wife, two sons and seven daughters to mourn. Funeral will be at the M.E.Church with burial in Oquawka Cemetery. Mr. Cook was 55 years old.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mrs. Eliza Brown entertained her cousins, Mrs. Maude Hall of Omaha, Neb. and Mrs. M.Dain of Shenandoah, Iowa, Mrs. Sadie Furnald of Oquawka and Mr. and Mrs. Sandy and son of Gladstone; these ladies are also a cousin to Mr. Thomas Clark of Carman. Charles Kirby and wife are riding in a new Ford Sedan. Clayton Finch has been called to the colors. The first organization to help the Red Cross has been the Cascade Fishing and Hunting Club which donated $25. Mr. Will Altman has sold his harness shop and other business to a man in Minnesota who take possession of part of it by Sept. 1st.
CHARMED LIVES: Clarence Moreland and Harry Gilliland have demonstrated that they have charmed lives and should be able to go against the Huns with absolute assurance of immunity from all harm. Last Friday evening they had completed their day's work for the telephone company and were returning to town in the company truck. Losing control of the machine, they veered off to the roadside, snapped a telephone pole off and tore up more than a rod of green hedge. The truck was badly damaged but the boys escaped practically unharmed.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Alphso Beall left for Camp Grant training station. Several from town are going to the woods and bringing back large quantities of fine blackberries. Mr. G. Swanson recently purchased a Case separator; he expects to do his own threshing by using his tractor
engine. Mrs. W.P.Terry recently sold three of her New Zealand red rabbits at a fancy price; one of the rabbits went to parties at Biggsville and two to Kirkwood. The Women's Community Club met at the Academy and sewed on comfort kits. The Community Club has taken upon themselves to support a French war orphan and to see to and pay for the mowing of the Academy lawn.
A surprise birthday party was given Mrs. William McIntyre at her home in the north part of town; fifty relatives and friends were present to help celebrate with cake and ice cream. The ladies of the Media community are planning a big social and ice cream supper to be held on the Academy lawn to pay for comfort its for the soldiers. Several of the boys gone from here didn't receive a kit as there was no money nor material to make them.