The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, Nov 7, 1918
PRAISES OAK GROVE FARM: A.J. Gunderson, state departmental advisor in Horticulture, was a visitor in Stronghurst yesterday and accompanied by County Farm Advisor J. Howard Miner. They visited the Gregg fruit farm near Carman for the purpose of advising the proprietor in regard to the treatment of his orchards for the eradication of the San Jose scale. On their return trip the gentlemen paid a visit of inspection at the Oak Grove Fruit Farm.
Mr. Gunderson expressed great surprise at finding in Henderson County an extensive and up-to-date commercial fruit growing enterprise as that conducted by Mr. Weir.
He stated that in his travels over the state he had never visited a fruit farm which showed greater evidence of judicious management, care and intelligent handling. He thinks that the Oak Grove Fruit farm deserves to be more widely known as an example of what can be accomplished along horticultural lines in Illinois and says that he expects to make future visits here in order that he may keep in touch with the things being accomplished on this farm. The gentlemen did not have the pleasure of meeting the genial proprietor of the farm as he is now spending a season of recreation in the Pacific coast states.
GOOD ROADS COMING: The $60,000,000 bond issue proposition for the construction of a system of hard roads in Illinois seems to have carried by a big majority in the recent election.
SPECIAL CHURCH SERVICE: The pastors of the various churches throughout the land have been asked to call the attention of their people next Sabbath Nov.10th to the United War Work drive which is to begin on Nov.11th. In accordance with this request arrangements have been made to hold special union services in the M.E.church at the regular hour for evening worship next Sabbath.
***OBITUARY***MRS. CLIFFORD FURRER 1898-1918: Edith Leone Carothers Furrer, the eldest and only daughter of Samuel and Nora Carothers, was born in Stronghurst on June 7, 1898 and died at Dallas City on Oct. 20, 1918 at the age of twenty years, four months and thirteen days. Leone, as she was affectionately known, was of a sunny, genial and winning disposition. She came with her parents to Dallas City when she was nine years old. She passed through the public schools and afterwards took up the study of music becoming a very fine soprano vocalist and an accomplished pianist. Leone at a very early age knelt at the Methodist altar, gave her heart to God and united in membership with the church of which her parents were members ever after that her chief joy and pleasure was in her choir work, Sunday school and church duties.
Early in 1915 Miss Carothers formed the acquaintance of Clifton Tucker Furrer at that time a superintendent at the state penitentiary at Fort Madison, Iowa. The friendship ripened into love and on 23rd Dec 1917 in the M.E. church at Spokane, Wash., the young couple were united in marriage. After a short honeymoon they settled at Marshfield, Ore. In July Mr. Furrer was called to the military service of his country and left for Camp Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. Afterward he was sent to Camp Fremont, Calif. His young bride of seven months returned to her parents' home to begin the long wait for the war to end and dreamed of the time when she should be reunited to her soldier husband, a vision that was not to materialize. For the inscrutable hand of destiny has intervened and prevented the realization of this fondly cherished hope on earth.
Mrs. Furrer found a host of friends to welcome her home and soon her life was filled with social activities and church duties. Her last Sabbath in church was on Oct.6th when she received Holy Communion from the hands of her pastor. Returning home after evening service, Mrs. Furrer complained of feeling chilly and a severe headache; the family physician was called and diagnosed her case as one of Spanish Influenza and ordered her to bed. In less than a week the dread pneumonia developed, a trained nurse was obtained and all that medical skill, scientific nursing and parental solicitude and prayers could do was done, but all to no avail and in the presence of her parents, and brother, Robert, at fifteen minutes past twelve on Sabbath morning, Mrs. Clinton Furrer answered the summons and passed into the Eternal Presence in the Great Beyond, not without hope but in the calm, sweet assurance of which she gave expression in her last conscious moments that heaven was opening for her.
Funeral services were held at the home of her parents in the presence of her husband who had traveled night and day from his camp at Fremont, California, the parents Mr. and Mrs. S.W.Carothers, brother, Robert and other relative and friends. A young ladies quartette consisting of Mrs. C.L.Shain, Mrs. Claude Turner, Miss Lydia Hupfer and Miss Bernice Payne, all lifelong companions of Mrs. Furrer sang sweetly and tenderly: "Asleep in Jesus," Beautiful Land," and "In the Sweet Bye and Bye." The pastor read the obituary and spoke briefly from Revelations.
In pouring rain the body was borne to the beautiful city of the silent dead by Messrs. Doty, Ellison, Hupfer, Moline, Butler and Kurrle under the able conductership of E.D. Martin of Mrs. Koll's undertaking establishment there to rest in unbroken repose "until the morning breaks and the shadows flee away." (What a sad tale told with heartfelt sorrow!)
1893 GRAPHIC: J.F.Mains, W.H.Dean, Z.T.Baxter and Amos Rensberger spent a day on the island opposite Shokokon searching for the body of Robert H. Rankin, which Rensberger said he had learned from a fellow prisoner in the county jail, had been buried on the island following his murder several months before near Burlington. The search proved fruitless and the mystery concerning Rankin's disappearance was never cleared up.
The worst fire in Keithsburg's history occurred during the week; property to the amount of $50,000 (worth $1,026,254.25 today) being destroyed and 40 families made homeless. A plan to organize a stock company for the development of the natural gas field which was supposed to exist in this section was being pushed; the plan included the sinking of a deep well. Mrs. Wm. Kemp, Jr. died on Nov.3rd. Sam Lisenbee was hauled into Justice Morgan's court charged with stealing a coat and two pairs of pants from Henry Foote, a horse belonging to Lee Shaw, a $25.00 note and threshing account and a valise from other parties, all during the same evening. He plead guilty to the charge of stealing the clothes and was sent to jail in default of bond.