The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic July 14, 1921
OBITUARY---MRS. J. H. VOORHEES: Mrs. John H. Voorhees passed away at her home four miles southeast of Stronghurst on July 10th, her death resulting from the effects of an attack of Pleurisy which she suffered in early June. The deceased was formerly Miss Ella Elizabeth Groome, the youngest daughter of Peter and Sarah Wilson Groome. She was born Sept. 20, 1869 on the Groome homestead farm where she passed away and where her entire life was spent. She united in marriage with John H. Voorhees on Feb. 14, 1888 and five children were born, namely, Peter, William and Susie Groome and Mrs. Irwin Milliken of this vicinity and Mrs. Sarah Carter of Springfield, Mo. She is also survived by one sister, Miss Mary Simonson of Halstead, Kans., two brothers, Nate Groome of Media and Peter Groome, Jr. of Denver, Colo. and two little grandchildren. The life of the deceased was one of quiet usefulness and service and while ever devoted to the care and well being of the members of her own household, she yet found time to assist in ministering to the needs of her neighbors in times of trouble or sorrow. In early life Mrs. Voorhees professed her faith in Christ and became a member of the Reformed church at Raritan. A very unusual circumstance in connection with her death was that she closed her eyes upon earthy scenes in the same room in which she was born and in which in young womanhood she also took the sacred vows of wifehood. Funeral services were conducted at the home and following that the remains were brought to Stronghurst and laid to rest in Hope Abbey Mausoleum.
CLEAN UP THOSE WEEDS, ETC.:All weeds growing on occupied or vacant lots within the corporate limits of the Village of Stronghurst or in alley adjacent thereto must be cut; and all rubbish, trash or noise-some substances found on such lots or in such alleys must be removed. In case property owners fail to comply with this order, the work of cutting the weeds and removing the rubbish will be undertaken by the Village Board and the cost there of assessed against the property owners. As most property owners can probably do the work indicated at less expense than the village can, it behooves them to heed and obey this notice. By order of the Village Board and Board of Health of the Village of Stronghurst.
TUBERCULOSIS SURVEY TO BE MADE IN HENDERSON COUNTY: Through the efforts of Mrs. J. Y. Whiteman, county chairman, a total of $568.06 was raised and remitted to the State Tuberculosis Association at Springfield; about $300 will be available for use in this county. Miss Alma Hurley, field Sec'y of Illinois Tuberculosis Association, arrived in Oquawka and will make a Tuberculosis Survey of the county. She expects to remain here for a month making a study of death records for the past five years and visiting all physicians securing a list of active tuberculosis cases and will conduct other work in combating this dread disease. The object of the survey is to find out what the tuberculosis situation is in this county and to combat the disease as effectively as possible. 1896 GRAPHIC: A fight occurred at the home of Ed Dodds in the Old Bedford neighborhood on the night of July 7th where William Spiker, Jr. was killed by being stuck in the neck with a knife in the hands of Charles Collins who was brother of the young lady to whom Spiker was engaged to be married. The Simon Starkey grocery stock in Stronghurst was taken over by George J. Morgan. Miss Ivy Brook died at the home of her father, J.W. Brook, north of Stronghurst on July 14th at the age of 19 years. O. L. Dunsworth closed out his mercantile interests in Stronghurst to I.N. Jones. James Strickland had just moved here from Burlington and had been employed by S. W. Carothers to help run the electric light plant.
DECLAMATION CONTEST: The silver medal declamation contest held by the local Women's Christian Temperance Union at the Lyric theatre was won by John Stine whose selection "Wounded" was rendered very effectively. Harold Lukens who recited "Young Fellow, My Lad" was a close second in the judge's scoring and Fort Hicks was awarded third place on his recitation of "Pro Patria." The other contestants, Manly Staley, Dixson Jones and Joseph Dixson were all commended by the judge for the excellent manner in which they rendered their selections. Solos by Miss Sara McElhinney, Mrs. George Widney and Mr. Chas. Fort added much to the enjoyment of the evening's program by the audience, which on account of the oppressive heat, was rather limited in size. The judging of the contest was done by Miss Gebhart, a professional reader and musician from Galesburg.
THEY BROKE HIS NOSE: G.W.Williams, an itinerate peddler upwards of 70 years of age and who applied for and received a license from the village clerk to sell "unbreakable" combs on the streets is at the Shook Hotel in the village suffering from a broken nose, a badly injured jaw and a number of severe contusions and bruises received at the hands of Allie Bruce in an altercation in which the two men engaged in front of the Bruce's restaurant Wednesday evening. It appears from the evidence of bystanders that the trouble between the two men arose during an argument in regard to a comb which Bruce had bought and which he had broken by putting it to some severe test. He is alleged to have called Williams a vile name after which the two mixed with the result as stated above. The extent of Bruce's injuries was confined to a contusion on the forehead which he claims is the result of a blow from a hammer wielded by his antagonist during the fray. Williams is an old man of rather frail physique and was no match in size or strength for his opponent. The physician who attended him expressed the fear that the injuries and nervous shock which he received might result seriously, but we understand that he is resting quite comfortably at present at the hotel where he is being cared for by the village authorities. State's Attorney Nolan has been notified of the occurrence and a legal investigation of the affair is likely to follow.
FETE CHAMPETRE: The ladies of the Stronghurst Community Club will hold a moonlight Fete Champetre or Summer Festival in the village park and vacant lots adjoining on the west side of Broadway on July 22th. Plans are being made to make this an event of unusual interest. Committees have been appointed to have charge of the various features, which will include a program of games, contests and sports, such as horseshoe pitching, fat men's, boys and girls, and obstacle races, etc. with prizes for the winners contributed by the Stronghurst business men. There will be side shows and other features usually connected with outdoor festivals; but nothing of an objectionable character. ( Obviously, no dancing girls or burlesque shows.) Refreshment booths will offer hot wiennies and buns, ice cream, lemonade and other cold drinks, candy, pop corn, etc. Reserved seats will be provided from which the games and contests may be witnessed under comfortable conditions.
FAMOUS MAN SPEAKS AT DALLAS CITY: On July 18th will be "Bryan Day" at Dallas City Chautauqua. That evening the great "commoner" will give his famous lecture on the topic "Back to God." Mr. Bryran is one of very few men who have aspired to national leadership in the past and who is prominent in national affairs today. He places fidelity to the teachings of the Bible first in dealing with the great problems which face our nation and the world.
He has been willing in the past to sacrifice political ambitions for the sake of loyalty to his moral and religious convictions and the cause of true righteousness in all human affairs never had a truer advocate or more eloquent champion. All are urged to hear this noted man at Dallas City.
William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 - July 26, 1925) was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States (1896, 1900 and 1908). He served in the United States Congress briefly as a Representative from Nebraska and was the 41st United States Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1915. Bryan was a devout Presbyterian, a supporter of popular democracy, an enemy of the Gold Standard as well as banks and railroads. He was a leader of the silverite movement in the 1890s, a peace advocate, a prohibitionist, and an opponent of Darwinism on religious grounds. With his deep, commanding voice and wide travels, he was one of the best known orators and lecturers of the era. Because of his faith in the goodness and rightness of the common people, he was called "The Great Commoner."
In the intensely fought 1896 and 1900 elections, he was defeated by William McKinley but retained control of the Democratic Party. With over 500 speeches in 1896, Bryan invented the national stumping tour, in an era when other presidential candidates stayed home. In his three presidential bids, he promoted Free Silver in 1896, anti-imperialism in 1900, and trust-busting in 1908, calling on Democrats to fight the trusts (big corporations) and big banks, and embrace anti-elitist ideals of republicanism. President Wilson appointed him Secretary of State in 1913, but Wilson's strong demands on Germany after the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915 caused Bryan to resign in protest. After 1920 he was a strong supporter of Prohibition and energetically attacked Darwinism and evolution, most famously at the Scopes Trial in 1925. Five days after Bryan had won the case, he died in his sleep.[2]) article from Wikipedia
MEN'S BIBLE CLASS: The "Men's League for Bible Study, " which has been meeting at the Community Club room every Sunday morning since February voted to take a vacation until the first Sunday in September. The class began with ten members and attendance ranged from eight to twenty-one with a total of 345 men making an average attendance of fifteen per Sunday. The names of 35 men appear on the roll. It is anticipated that after the vacation the men will all return with renewed interest and a much larger number than already secured will be the result.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. Agnes Adair and daughter Miss Hazel of Biggsville spent last week at the Lloyd Rankin home east of town. Mrs. G.W. Van Doran of Raritan has been helping at the Enchol Houtchens home helping to care for her latest grandson. Mrs. D. N. Simonson of Halstead, Kans. and Peter Groome, Jr. of Denver, Colo. arrived here called by the death of their sister, Mrs. J. H. Voorhees. C. Norval spent several days with his daughter, Mrs. J.P. Milliken and family and returned to his home in London Mills, Ill. last Sunday. The Milliken family accompanied him home and joined with other relatives in celebrating Mr. Norval's 83rd birthday with a picnic dinner at the natural park adjoining London Mills. Max Sanderson has been the victim of a deep cut and severe bruises on the leg received while he was engaged in trucking a binder. Miss Anna Ahlers has a very bad hand as the result of a scratch received from a piece of steel wool used for cleaning purposes. Mrs. John Alexander who lives on the R.N. Marshall farm returned from the Macomb Hospital where she underwent a surgical operation. John Johnson made a truck delivery of a car load of alfalfa meal from Stronghurst to the John Simonson farm southeast of town. Misses Sarah and Edith Brook of the east country returned from a week's visit at the T. A. Nichols home in Burlington.
Elzie Drain, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Drain of Terre Haute neighborhood is critically ill from peritonitis at the Burlington Hospital. Emil Peterson was obliged to go about on crutches several days recently because of a bruise sustained while running a binder on the Chas. Lind farm. Albert Pendarvis and family, formerly of Media and now living in Des Moines, Ia., have been visiting the Ed Keane home for two weeks. Geo. K. Peasley, who has been in the employ of a railroad company in the Southwest, arrived her for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Peasley near Decorra.
While helping unload hay on his farm north of Stronghurst, Geo. W. Barnett received a severe flesh wound on the arm when the hay fork dropped from the track and struck him in its descent. The point of the fork entered the arm just below the shoulder and ploughed its way down the arm for several inches making an ugly and painful wound which required surgical attention. A card received by Mrs. C. H. Davis stated that Mr. Davis and Gid Bailey were camping for the night at Lyman, Wyo. about 45 miles from the Utah line. The tourists report having encountered several stretches of very bad roads, but say that they have had but little car trouble. They were camping in a school yard in Lyman by permission of the village marshal, who told them to select any spot that looked good to them.
RODEO AND HOMECOMING AT MUSCATINE: The American Legion cowboys Rodeo and Home Coming will be staged Aug. 3-5th. Prizes aggregating a total of $6,000 in cash have been hung up for the winners of daring cowboys stunts and invitations are being sent to cowboys and cowgirls of the larger ranches of the West. Fog Horn Clancy and California Frank Hafley, two noted westerners, have been engaged to supervise the production and to make arrangements for 300 head of outlaw bucking horses and wild long horn Mexican and Brahma steers which will be gathered up from the open ranges of the West and shipped here for use in the contest of bronco busting, bareback bronco riding, wild steer riding, steer bulldogging and kindred sports of the plains county.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Miss Louise Whitman left in company with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Nesbit for Hannah, N. Dakota, where she will spend several weeks with relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Dave Beebe left with their household goods for Burlington where he has accepted a position. Oquawka will soon been furnished with the electric light current of D.W. Lee of this place. Gladys Stevenson has accepted a position at the Penny store in Galesburg.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Ward Gibson who has been sick was unable to resume his job as clerk at the Co-op Store for the past four or five days. James Callow, Jr. was taken to Roseville where he underwent an operation for the removal of his tonsils at Dr. Clark's office. On account of sickness, the play to be given by the young people of the M. E. Church was cancelled. Dr. P. E. Kimnery of Smithshire paid a professional call here. Preaching services were held on the Academy lawn Sabbath evening. The Y.P.C.U. of the United Presbyterian Church will have an ice cream social Saturday evening on the Academy lawn. Besides ice cream, peaches, cake, orange-ade, lemonade and home made candy will be for sale. Miss Margaret Rankin returned home from a California and Arizona trip where she visited relatives. The E. G. Lewis Seed Co. enlarged their board of directors. The following men are now members: E. G. Lewis, S. N. Mathers, J.J. Mathers, C.R. Pendarvis, Charles E. Pendarvis, C. J. Heisler, J.Y. Gearhart, C. F. Heisler and O. W. Beckett. This represents somewhat of a change in policy and indicates that the field of service for the local company is broadening and extending its advantages to other communities.
DECORRA DRIPPLING: James Cargill, Sr. left for Halfa, Iowa with his brother; he will stay and work through harvest. Zelma Cargill had the misfortune of burning her feet, but is reported getting along nicely. Geo. Nichols is suffering with a knee which he cut while cutting hedge and will probably be unable to work for a few weeks. Arlis Chambers left for his home in Maywood, Mo. after helping at the Bert Walker farm for a few weeks. A new school house is being started where the Peasley stone schoolhouse used to stand. A baseball game between Carman and Decorra resulted in an 11 to 14 win for Carman. Harold Best and family, Fred Fitz, Geo. Seigworth, Wilbur Fordyce, Frank Cherry and families picnicked at Honey Creek all day Sunday.