The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1919
STRONGHURST GRAPHIC, Sept. 4, 1919
CELEBRATION AT OAK GROVE FARM HONORS HEROES: In a big public demonstration, Henderson County paid tribute to her living and dead heroes of the late world war last Thursday at Oak Grove Farm. The celebration was held under the management of the Henderson County War Service League and marked the end of the league's faithful and loyal service as an organization.
An ideal and central location for holding the celebration and almost perfect weather conditions were features which contributed to the success of the affair. While there have been perhaps but few occasions in the history of the county when a larger number of people were assembled, the hopes of those who planned the celebration were not fully realized in the matter of attendance. More would have been present if the affair had been given wider publicity by means of poster and newspaper advertisement. While this and adjoining counties gave considerable space to preliminary write-ups, the publicity committee of the league did not seem to consider it necessary to use display space in the papers nor large poster advertising as a means of attracting people to the celebration. (Newspaper editor was in the business of selling space and printing posters so probably was giving a bias opinion.)
A conservative estimate of people in attendance would be between five and six thousand. Something over 600 auto parking checks were issued while there were perhaps as many more autos which were not parked on the grounds.
The program for the day was carried out in a highly satisfactory manner and every one present seemed to enter into the spirit of the occasion. A registration booth had been provided and each soldier or sailor who registered was presented with a silver signet ring to serve as a memento of the occasion. Gold signet rings were also presented to the next of kin of the boys from the county who laid down their lives while in their country's service. A souvenir program booklet containing the "Honor Roll" of the county and an admission ticket to the play which was staged in the evening also was presented to the veterans.
The day's program began at 11 o'clock with music by the Stronghurst band. Judge J.W.Gordon, chairman of the day, followed with a short speech of welcome. More music and an exhibition drill by the Oquawka Boy Scout troop under the command of Rev. Sailor concluded the morning program. An old fashioned picnic dinner was enjoyed at noon and at 2 p.m. the crowd was again summoned by band music to the natural amphitheatre facing speaker's stand. A double quartette from Gladstone, dressed in costume, opened the afternoon exercises after which Circuit Clerk John Lugg of Monmouth delivered a brief address on the American Legion. More music by some Terre Haute people followed and County Chairman Ivins of the War Service League made a brief address in which he stated that the expenses of the celebration including the cost of the souvenirs presented to the veterans had been assumed by the league and urged it a the patriotic duty of every one present to assist in returning this amount by purchasing a ticket for the play which was to be put on in the evening.
Chairman Gordon then introduced the principal speaker for the day, Ex-Governor and present Congressman, Richard Yates. The speaker, whose reputation as an orator is very extensive, was at his best on this occasion. . .Following his address the people enjoyed several hours of visiting previous to the closing event, the presentation of the play, "Sergeant Jim" by a company of Stronghurst talent. Over 1,000 tickets had been sold and the performance was thoroughly enjoyed by the immense audience.
Probably 300 uniformed soldiers and sailors from the county present at the celebration were registered during the day. The committee, however, purchased enough souvenir rings to furnish one to each of the veterans in the county and also one to each Red Cross nurse who served during the war. Those who were not present will receive their rings just the same.
NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES: A farm of 135 acres and eighteen business and residence properties in LaHarpe belonging to the estate of the late J.M. Campbell were sold at public auction for $46,885. LaHarpe's Chaut-auqua closed with a slight deficit which will be covered by the promoters, but this fact was not allowed to deter them for launching a project for an assembly next year. Sharon H. Dixon, village marshal of New Boston, Ill. was found dead in his auto near that place; circumstances surrounding the case seem to point to murder. Twenty-six cars of fruit were wrecked on the Santa Fe R.R. near Wyaconda, Mo. The fruit is said to have been piled up as high as a house and many wagon loads were carted away by the natives. Lee Heller, a Raritan youth, is languishing in jail at Oquawka charged with the theft of a Ford car belonging to Jake Waymack of Raritan. He is also wanted by the Iowa authorities for stealing a Ford car belonging to Irving Thompson of Mediapolis, Ia. The Way-mack car was stolen at Monmouth, Ill. and the Thompson car at Burlington, Ia. The largest land sale in the history of Knox County, the 1551 acres belonging to the estate of W.H.Reynolds, sold at the court house in Galesburg for $395,500. The land was first put up in eight separate tracts and then the entire property was put up and bid in by Mrs. A.E. Werts and Frank Reynolds, two of the heirs to the estate.
***OBITUARY***DAVID BARRY: David Barry, a well known and highly respected citizen of Henderson County whose home was in the northeast corner of Raritan Township, died from heart failure last Saturday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J.B.Smithwick at Wood River, Nebr. where he was visiting. The remains arrived at the home of the deceased last Monday evening and funeral services were conducted at St. Patrick's chapel northeast of Raritan. Interment of the remains was made in the St. Patrick's Cemetery.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Rev. Russell returned from the Evanston Biblical Institute and delivered an interesting sermon to his congregation Sabbath afternoon. Grant White's threshing machine with its complement of men finished up threshing in this neighborhood the first of the week. The social given in Olena for raising funds for sidewalk crossings was quite well attended and $30 was cleared making a sum of $80 now in the treasury for that purpose. The Olena School opened with Miss LaVelle as teacher. Miss Milligan began her term in the Heisler district, Miss Burrell in the South Prairie school, Miss Shaw in the Evans district and Miss Lefler in the Marshall district. Mr. Morgan and wife are preparing to build a house on land west of the village which he recently purchased. Mr. and Mrs. Lovitt and family of Chillicothe, Ill. and Arthur Biddenstatt of Flint, Mich. were recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Dye.