The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.


The 1920 Graphic

Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1920

Stronghurst Graphic, March 18, 1920

COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL Acting on the petition of 50 legal voters residing in the territory involved, County Superintendent Beal has ordered an election to be held in the school building in Stronghurst on March 20th to decided for or against the proposition to create a community high school district which shall include within its boundaries all of Stronghurst Township with the exception of 5 sections of the west, and a small corner from Media, Raritan and Terre Haute Townships, respectively. 

All of Media Township with the exception of a small portion contiguous to Stronghurst, and all of Terre Haute Township with the exception of about two sections of land in the northeast corner, is already high school territory. . .

MARRIED IN OQUAW-KA: Archie Lant, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Lant and Miss Ada Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Brown of Monmouth were married by Judge J. W. Gordon at Oquawka on March 6th.  The groom, who was one of our overseas soldier boys, now has employment as brakeman with the B. and M. Railroad running between Lincoln and Hastings.  He and his new bride left for their new home in Lincoln, Neb. shortly after the marriage.

SEEN MUCH OF THE WORLD: Benjamin Hamilton, a former Stronghurst boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hamilton, has seen much of the world and passed through many interesting experiences since he left Stronghurst as a lad of 10 years.  He studied wireless telegraphy and previous to the war held an important position at the big wireless station at Astoria, Ore. While there he attained a proficiency which enabled him to pass an examination which gave him the distinction of being classed as one of the three most expert wireless men on the Pacific coast. 

When the war broke out, he joined the navy and rendered valuable service as wireless operator on a number of Uncle Sam's fighting ships.  During this time he visited many interesting, out of the way places and profited by the educational opportunities afforded by military life.  Since the close of his naval service, he had been touring the war devastated sections of Europe and is now on his way back to the Pacific coast where he can probably have his pick of any of the choice positions in the field of wireless telegraphy.

1895 GRAPHIC: Maurice Lovitt of Stronghurst and Tacie Freeland of Lomax were married in Burlington March 13th.  Dick Stanley and Chas. Wickham embarked in the implement business in Stronghurst.  Dasher Island in the Mississippi River was sold by the Henderson County Commissioners at public auction to a group of Stronghurst, Biggsville and Gladstone men for $204.  The question of a public park for the village was being agitated, the Santa Fe Land Co. having agreed to put a neat fence around the vacant block bounded by Dixson, Mary, Court and Broadway streets provided the village agrees to plant trees and otherwise beautify the block. 

Ira Day of the vicinity of Phelps in Warren County was killed near Oquawka by the accidental discharge of a shot gun which he was pulling by the muzzle from a skiff in the river.

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY SOCIAL: The St. Patrick's Day Social given by the Stronghurst Women's Community Club in the club room was a success socially and financially. The room was filled until standing room was at a premium a short time after the doors opened and the room above was used by the younger people during the evening.

The trading of swapping game with parcels brought as admission caused great merriment amongst old and young as did also the "fish pond"; the "Blarney Stone, " however, was neglected on account of the crowded conditions. A mixed program of songs and readings in the Irish dialect and pantomime under the direction of Mrs. W. C. Ivins was highly entertaining.

The "Irish Stew" concocted by Mrs. Frank Murphy was all that could be desired from the standpoint of the Epicurean. The refreshments wrapped in packing were in great demand as were also the wares offered in the candy and popcorn booths. The "Green" was prominent in all the decorations, which were very attractive and unique; and if there was a dear heart present who had a yearning for the scenes of "Old Erin," fancy, no doubt, dealt kindly with them.

The costuming was good and early in the day the spirit of the occasion was shown by the appearance of the "green" and by evening many were out in full regalia. Judge Ivins looked the part and would have made Pat himself jealous. Again, the crowded conditions prevented judging the costumes.

The receipts from various sources were about $50, which will go to benefit the library department of the club's work. Much credit goes to Mrs. J. W. Decker, the librarian who had charge of the arrangements. The old style sociability has not passed away with the changing times except by neglect and if the money which goes out of the community for other attractions, some of them expensive or questionable, could be used for providing and maintaining such a place of common social interaction, the morality of the community might be preserved.

BANK ROBBERY AT KIRKWOOD: The vault in the First National Bank at Kirkwood was blown by yegg men some time in early morning and 29 or 30 safety deposit boxes of the bank's customers rifled of their contents. The burglars were evidently after Liberty Bonds only as they paid but little attention to the silver plate, jewelry and other valuables which the deposit boxes contained. The number and amount of Liberty Bonds obtained is not known since bank officials have no record of the securities placed in the boxes for safe keeping.

The robbers gained entrance by forcing the front door and after entering, closed and locked this door and provided for their get-a-way by opening the rear door of the bank near which it is purported they had an auto in waiting. The tools for the job were taken from the Steele wagon shop in the village. The whole job was conducted in a manner which indicates the men engaged in it were experts in their profession. They seemed to made little noise and none of the villagers were even awakened by the explosion which wrecked the vault door.

In the morning bank officials sent for the Monmouth bloodhounds, but the dogs were unable to follow the trail from where the men had evidently entered their waiting automobile. With the start secured, the yeggs were no doubt able to place a considerable distance between themselves and the officers and the chances for their apprehension are not considered very promising. ("yegg" is slang for safe breaker or burglar.)

***OBITUARY***JOEL MASON: Joe Mason was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 29, 1842 and departed this life Feb. 13, 1920, aged 77 years, 4 months and 15 days. He took sick with a severe cold and succumbed to double pneumonia. He had been sick for the past five days and while his death was a great shock to his wife and friends, it was not altogether unexpected. He united in marriage July 5, 1894 to Miss A.L. Ingerson of Ellison Township, he being the youngest and last of the Mason family. He is survived by the widow, one nephew, Harry Demand of Oxford, Ohio, and one niece and several cousins. Services were conducted at the home two miles south of Smithshire with interment in the Roseville mausoleum.

LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Marion Smith and family moved to the Tinkham farm and Ralph Rankin and family moved to the former David Lant farm. Chas. Lind was on the Chicago market with two loads of cattle and one of hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Judd Wetterling of southeast country are rejoicing over the arrival of a baby daughter born March 9th. Miss Jennie Galbraith suffered a severe attack of neuralgia of the heart; she is recovering rapidly. Leslie King of Oquawka was found guilty of larceny and given a fine of $50 and 30 days in jail at a session of circuit court. Ass't State's Atty Fawley of Henderson County conducted the prosecution. Clem Perrine, son of C.E. Perrine of Raritan and Miss Freda Josephine Richey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Richey of Galesburg were married on March 9th at the home of the bride. The couple will make their home at Kirkwood where the groom is employed in a bank. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Staley at their home near Lomax on March 15th. Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Tracy left for Tulare, Calif. with the idea of locating here permanently. An alarm of fire shortly after noon called the fire department and many citizens to the C. M. Bell residence in the east part of town where a flue was burning out. No damage was sustained to the home. A timber fire in the north part of the county is said to have burned over something like 2,000 acres and for a time serious endangered a number of farm homes. It was said to have started from burning brush piles on the Hanna and Hodson ranch and was only extinguished after an all day fight by the farmers of the vicinity.

Norton Marshall loaded a car of stock and farm implements at Carman and departed to take charge of a farm about 40 miles south of Quincy, Ill. recently purchased by Samuel Mathers and H.L. Marshall. He was accompanied by "Happy Walker," who will work for him this summer. Norton's father, J. R. Marshall will leave to help the boys get settled in their new location.

OLENA OBSERVATIONS: On account of road conditions no services were held in the church on Sabbath day. Wm. Hicks is out dragging the roads.

Mrs. Alyce Schroeder of Media has been at the Charles Lyons home caring for Mr. and Mrs. Lyons who have LaGrippe; both are slightly improved.  Ruth Heisler has been employed to teach Miss LaVelle's term in the village as she has been quite sick.  Floyd Burrell has rented a farm in Green Bay, Iowa. Roscoe Deitrick sold off his horses and purchased another team, one from Peter Dahl and one from John Lant.  Oscar White and daughter, Miss Ethyl spent several days in Oquawka where Mr. White had filed charges against Smith and Garrett for burglary.  He won his suit and the offenders were sentenced to Joliet for from one to twenty years. Sheriff McDill was in Gladstone on his way with the prisoners for the penitentiary.  Calvin Lant and family have located two miles east of Olena and he will farm his father's place this coming season.  Leslie Marshall has gone to northern Minnesota for the summer.  Miss Mabel White is employed in a desk factory at Burlington, Iowa at $18.00 ($214+ today) a week with a raise expected in the very near future. A pair of child's shoes was found on the road west of Olena and left for identification at the Robert McCartney home. (Shoes were expensive and their lost not to be treated lightly.)

MEDIA MEANDER-INGS: The Community Club met at the home of Mrs. Harry Winders and new officers were elected. Mrs. John Suydan and Mrs. Bacon celebrated their birthdays: Grandma Bacon was 89th years old.  Mr. and Mrs. Rezner of Biggsville have returned home from California where they spent several months. Miss Bessie Pend-arvis sold her house in the west part of town to Mrs. VanAlstine.