The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.


The 1921 Graphic

Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross

Stronghurst Graphic, April 14, 1921 

400th Anniversary: Luther at Worms: This memorable event will be observed at the Swedish Lutheran Church next Sunday at the 11 a.m. service. At the Diet of Worms , an assembly o German states, Luther appeared on April 17 and 18, 1521 for the purpose of defending the stand that he had taken in regard to the Truth as revealed in God's Word.

We have received an open Bible and the Augustana Synod is now as one man marching forward to victory in gathering $400,000 for a seminary building at Rock island to the end that the Synod might be equip trained workers to give our people the Bread of Life. Next Sunday, our two congregations together with all the congregations within the Synod will subscribe to this most worthy cause. Prof. I. M. Anderson from Augustana College will be the speaker. An evening service in English will be at 7:30 p.m. The Martha Society meets next Saturday at the home of Miss Evelyn Hartquist.

WANT QUAIL SAVED, BUT NOT DAYLIGHT: At the regular meeting of the directors of the Henderson County Farm Bureau the directors resolved to support the "quail bill" purposed for the protection of these birds in Illinois for the next five years, but they disapproved of the so-called Daylight Saving Law.

MARRIED 62 YEARS: Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Johnson of Raritan celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on April 6th. This venerable couple both enjoy a reasonable measure of health and received the congratulations of numerous friends.

Mr. Johnson is a carpenter and completed the erection of the Raritan Reform Church in 1858 soon after his arrival in Illinois from his native state of New Jersey. By industry and frugality he and his good wife have acquired this world's goods enabling them to spend their declining years in comfort. Although the possessor of several large tracts of land, Mr. Johnson has never owned a horse and in former days often walked many miles over the country on trips connected with his business. He is one of the very few surviving Civil War veterans of Henderson County.

Mrs. Johnson was the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Corzatt, pioneer settlers of this part of Illinois. Two children have been born to them: Mrs. Lydia Duncan of Raritan and Minnie, deceased. There are 3 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren in the family circle.

COUNTY PIONEER DIES: JOHN S. COOK: John S. Cook, one of the early settlers of the county, whose home until some 20 years ago was in Raritan Township, died at the home of his son, F. M. Cooke at Winfield, Kans. on April 8th, aged 96 years, 7 months and 25 days. The remains arrived in Stronghurst and were taken to the home of Leslie Lovitt, 6 miles south of Stronghurst where funeral service will be held on April 12th. Interment of the remains was made in the Old Liberty Cemetery, northeast of Blandinsville. The deceased was a member of the Masonic fraternity and the services at the cemetery were conducted by the Blandinsville Masonic lodge. Mr. Cook's two sons, F. M. Cooke of Winfield and Wesley Cook of Ottawa, Kans. accompanied the remains to this place.

COMMITTED SUICIDE: Fred Sandstrom, who ran a butcher shop in Oquawka, committed suicide last Friday afternoon by hanging himself in his barn. Recent financial loses arising from livestock deals are thought to have affected his mind and induced him to commit the rash act.

After taking all the money out of the cash register in his shop and giving his wife his money in two pocketbooks, he left and stated that he was going out. About an hour and a half later, his wife, who had become uneasy about him, found his lifeless body hanging in the barn at the rear of the house. Besides his wife, he leaves two daughters, aged 8 and 10 years.

TRADED HIS HOUSE: A deal was consummated during the past week by which Mr. J. W. Stine disposed of his fine residence on the corner of Mary and Court Street in Stronghurst to Mr. H.N. Vaughan. The house was built by Mr. Stine last year and is one of the finest in the village. The consideration was $17,000 and in that deal Mr. Vaughan traded to Mr. Stine the property in the east part of the village, now occupied by Dr. J. H. Highfield, a small residence property in Kirkwood, and 62 _ acres of land in the northeast corner of Section 17 in Stronghurst Township, one mile southeast of the village of Hopper. Mr. Vaughan intended to move from his farm west of town into his newly acquired home.

CELEBRATED BIRTHDAY: A family reunion was held at the James Milliken home, 4 _ miles northeast of town on April 10th, celebrating the 63rd birthday anniversary of Mr. Milliken. Among the guests were the George Henry family of Point Pleasant; George Patch family of Old Bedford; Mrs. Nettie Groome family, London Mills; Cornelius Norval family, Rapatee; Mrs. Simon Simonson, daughter and sister, Miss Pearl Henry of Sask. Can. and Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Millliken of Stronghurst. Mr. Milliken has spent his entire life at this place and with his sisters, Mrs. Nettie Groome and Mrs. Carrie Henry and brother J.B. Milliken, are the survivors of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Milliken, who were among the early settlers of Media Township.

VALUABLE STOCK POISONED: Otto Steffey, who recently returned from Mason, Mich. and took up his residence on the C. H. Davis farm west of town, lost two valuable Jersey heifers which he had just purchased from his father, from what was at first supposed to be "blackleg.'

Later investigation revealed the cause to be lead poisoning, evidently caused by the heifers licking the inside of some empty paint cans which had been thrown with some other garbage in a ditch in the pasture. Mr. Will McKeown also lost two calves from this same cause last year when they had access to the village garbage dump in his field north of town.

PRICES CHANGED: The Farmers' Cooperative Store is illustrating through its window display the reduction in the cost of living which has taken place within a year. A year ago sugar was selling at $30 per 100 lbs. and potatoes at $7 per bushel. This display shows what the $37 represented will purchase in 1921. In addition to the 100 lb. sack of sugar and the bushel of potatoes, the window contains 1 barrel of flour; 10 lbs. of cornmeal; 4 packages of oatmeal; 10 lbs. of rice; 10 lbs. of lima beans; 10 lbs. of coffee; 1 gal. of syrup; 12 cans of tomatoes; 8 loaves of bread, 7 dozen eggs and 1 ham. (Farming was in a depression and a farmer had little to show for his work.)

ROUSING PLAY AT LYRIC THEATRE: Stronghurst is perpetuating its reputation for historic events. For year W.C. Ivins has been the local Nat Goodwin and many local improvements have been made possible by the enterprise of home dramatic companies. Last week a new constellation made its appearance in the local firmament and we are beginning to think we have only struck the "first sand," and in the language of Al Jolson, we "haven't heard nothin yet."

The play given by local talent at the theatre was given as a benefit for the Women's community club and netted a goodly sum. "Her Honor, the Mayor" featured Mrs. Geo. Widney as the mayor and she carried her honors splendidly and kept the municipality free from graft. . .The fun provoking opportunities in a transformation that made men the custodians of the home and all its domestic affairs and made women the dictators of business and politics were abundant. Although proving a surprise to the audience, nothing detracted from the pleasure of the occasion when the star aroused from her slumber and it developed that it all was a dream. Costuming was particularly attractive and special thanks to Mrs. Hollingsworth for the millinery creations donated for the occasion. (This is a much longer detailed article; read it on microfilm at the Henderson County Public Library.)

LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Friends of Roland Davidson learned of the announcement by Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Channing of Niagara Falls, N.Y. of the engagement of their daughter, Edith Clara Channing, to Mr. Davidson; the marriage will take place at the home of the bride's parents on May 18th. The many friends of Mrs. Math Huston will be grieved to learn that the lady suffered a paralytic stroke at her home in Blandinsville; the stroke has deprived her of the power of speech and the use of her right side. Hopes are entertained, however, of her recovery. Miss Susie Voorhees, who teaches the Stanley School southeast of Stronghurst, suffered an attack of Ptomaine poisoning and her school has been dismissed pending her recovery. Jess Wilson who has been in failing health for the past year or more, is lying critically ill at the home of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Wilson. Margaret Francis is the name bestowed by the happy parents upon a fine 8 _ lb. daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Sterling Simpson at the Macomb hospital.

The Lee Livestock Commission Co. of Kansas City bought a shipment of steers for Mr. M. L. Evans of Decorra. No doubt his friends and neighbors will be interested in seeing this stock when it arrives. Very little interest was manifested by the voters of the district last Saturday in the election of two members of the board of education of Stronghurst Community High School. Ten votes in all were cast and W. C. Regan and Frank Johnson were re-elected. The Graphic editor and his foreman, Mr. Bell, attended the meeting of the Hancock county Editorial Association at La Harpe. A fine dinner was provided by the Tri-County Fair Association and served by the ladies in the Union Church. On account of the muddy roads, the attendance was somewhat limited.

Work on the pipeline west of town has been resumed after having been suspended for several weeks, pending important court decisions. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Barry of Media are the happy parents of twin boys. The children in the home now number 13 and consist of 11 boys and 2 girls. Rev. W. J. VanKersen of Holland, Mich., former pastor of the Reformed church at Raritan, recently underwent a serious surgical operation at Mayo Bros. hospital at Rochester, Minn. A number of friends of Mrs. Kate Hunt of Raritan met at her home and helped her celebrate her 71st birthday. Dainty refreshments were served. Miss Ellen Johnson, who spent the past year with relative in Raritan left for her New Jersey home. Preceding her departure, she was honored at a gathering of friends at the P.H. Voorhees home in Raritan.

Dick Abbey, who with his family lives on the Elmer Simonson farm near Roseville, was filling the gasoline tank on his car with the aid of a lighted lantern one evening when an explosion occurred which set fire to and destroyed the car and also burned up the building in which it was housed together with a quantity of farm machinery. Three small children who were in the car narrowly escaped being burned to death.

1896 GRAPHIC: Edwin L. Kirby died at his home 2 _ miles northwest of Terre Haute on April 7th, aged 35 years. Lottie E. Brown, 12 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John M. Brown, passed away at her parents' home in Stronghurst on April 14th. George Coffin started up a completely equipped and up-to-date steam laundry in Stronghurst. John Gilliland had purchased A. Hillman's stock of restaurant goods and was preparing to engage in the manufacture of cigars.

An exciting baseball game between the village band boys and the hook and ladder company was staged here and in the school notes it stated that Geo. Dixson, Clifton Doty, Fred McKinley, Roy Kline, Perce Penny, Del Dixson, Frank Wilsher, Roy Spiker, Bert Moore, Earl Edwards, Nettie Wilsher, Nora Pendarvis and Susie Leinbach were absent from school that afternoon.

WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT LOW: The west side of the village was in semi-darkness Wednesday night on account of some trouble with the wiring at the new substation which the Light Company recently installed. As there is no local man to take care of matters of this kind, it was necessary to telephone to the main office at La Harpe and have workmen come from there to put the line in working order.

It was quite late in the evening before this was done and the merchants on the west side of Broadway and the residents of that section of the village affected were quite free in their expressions of criticism regarding the policy of the Light Company in not keeping someone here to look after its system and equipment. While majority of the patrons realize that the company could not afford to keep a "trouble" man here on full pay, they are inclined to the opinion that they should be willing to pay someone here who is competent to take care of the line and equipment trouble of an ordinary nature, a reasonable price for the time actually employed in such work.

MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The Media Township High School election was held and Mr. Gust. Swanson replaces Mr. Garret. Mr. and Mrs. Raus Lefler are the proud parents of a son which they named Kenneth Eugene. The boys at the high school are busy practicing for the Henderson County track meet to be held at Terre Haute. Mr. Jim Tate, who has been helping at the depot here, returned to Marceline, Mo. on account of ill health. The Community Club has good ice cream for sale every Saturday afternoon at the club room. The Junior Boy Scouts was organized and Mr. John Lawyer was appointed Scout Master. On Monday evening they hiked down to the big bridge. Miss Augusta Cub of Lomax is staying at the home of Mrs. Joe Cromwell and attending school here. Mrs. Clyde Stanberry is numbered among the sick and Mr. William Lewis is having a siege of the measles. Mr. Dan Campbell has been quite poorly suffering with lumbago.

GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: The Galesburg District Women's Foreign Missionary Society Institute met here; the topic was "Africa" with the speaker and instructor being Edith Mae Bell, a retired Missionary from Africa. Lunch was served in the church basement. Delegates were in attendance from Kirkwood, Biggsville, Oquawka, Olena and Stronghurst. Mrs. John Knutstrom went to Mt. Union, Iowa, to visit several days with Mr. and Mrs. Albert Lauer and family. Mrs. Marion Cleek came home from visiting her sister, Mrs. Page Randall at Kingston, Ia. F.E. Abbey of Biggsville area had his barn torn down and is having a garage put up.