The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, May 11, 1922
MARRIED IN GALESBURG: Mr. F.G. Simpson and Miss Maxine Lovitt, two of Stronghurst s popular and estimable young people, quietly took their departure yesterday for Galesburg where they were united in the holy bonds of matrimony.
The bride is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Lovitt who reside on a farm south of Stronghurst. She attended and completed her education in the Stronghurst schools and later taught in the Cork and Stine Schools. She is an accomplished young lady and by her winsome manner and affability has won a host of friends.
The groom is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Simpson of Stronghurst. He completed his education in the public schools of Stronghurst and a few years later formed a partnership with Edward Logan in the business firm known as Logan and Simpson Tire and Battery Service. Being industrious and of good business judgment, combined with an excellent character, he has contributed his part in making the firm an established business asset to Stronghurst.
OIL DRILL ARRIVES: The large oil drill, property of Irwin and Irwin, contractors of Robinson, Ill. arrived last Saturday afternoon. The outfit was loaded on two flat cars and will be unloaded sometime during the week.
FORMER PASTOR DIES IN CALIFORNIA: An account from the Los Angeles Times contains an account of the death and burial of the Rev. James T. Wornom, who will be remembered by the older residents of Ellison, near Smithshire, where Mr. Wornom was born and spent his childhood. His father was a resident there at the time of the great storm more than 60 years ago. Mr. Wornom was a veteran of the Civil War and at his funeral members of the American Legion fired a volley over his grave. He was a member of the 83rd Illinois and is said to have been a gallant soldier. He and his wife located in Simland, California 20 years ago and he was known as The Parson of the Green Verdugo Hills. Judged by the article appearing in the Times, he must have been a genuine Shepherd of the Hills. He had a house wagon in which he and his wife traveled about apparently doing evangelistic work. After his death the neighbors made a trail to a spot on top of a hill, which was one of his favorite resorts and there his grave was made far away from any cemetery...The body was taken to the foot of the winding trail in the parson s house wagon and drawn by his own team. It was then carried up the trail to its last resting place, followed by a long procession of devoted friends. A well known newspaper writer and theatre manager of that locality then delivered a touching tribute to the memory of the departed. Dr. Harter, who sent the article, states that the deceased was a brother-in-law of Mrs. Kate Tharpe Wornom, who resided at Culver City and who will be recalled possibly by several Stronghurst people, who were former residents of Raritan. Mrs. Kate Wornom has been ill and is one of Dr. Harter s patients while he is temporarily located there.
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: The Chas. Peasley farm was the scene of a lively commotion for a few minutes during the storm yesterday afternoon. After dinner Joe and a man working for him by the name of Nichols started out for the field with a gang plow pulled by five horses. They were in the field only a short time when it started to rain and they beat a hasty retreat for shelter. They were in the act of driving the horses in a corn crib when a bolt of lightning struck a cottonwood tree nearby and Nichols who was standing back of the plow was thrown to the ground. The horses became frightened and bolted. Nichols attempted to rise to help hold them, but being so weak from shock again collapsed. Dr. Emerson was called and gave aid to Nichols who, while not suffering any ill effects from being stunned, no doubt does not care to go through the same experience again.
PRISON BOUND: Fred Rusk, charged with the manufacture of intoxicating liquor was sentenced to Joliet penitentiary for a term of not less than a year or more than two years. Monmouth Review
QUEEN OF MAY: The queen of May is the lady that is now busily engaged in rolling up the rugs, running the vacuum cleaner or to make a long story short, cleaning house. It is the time of the year that the masculine gender is busy making excuses of important engagements elsewhere. As the idea of house cleaning to a man seems to be an unnecessary evil that should be abolished, man is a satisfied being and does not like his daily routine disorganized, even if the rugs do need a beating or the curtains have changed somewhat in color from the smoke of the furnace or stove. But as house cleaning is now an established custom, we will have to take our medicine and lean heavy on the rug beater. (No wall to wall rugs back then. Rugs would be draped across the clothes line and attacked with a wire hoop affair attached to a handle.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Work on improving the main streets in Stronghurst started Tuesday morning, it being necessary to plow them up in order to eliminate the mud holes that had formed in the last couple of years and which were beyond repair as far as filling them up. The work is in charge of W. B. Gregory. Sunday services in Swedish at the Evangelical Lutheran Church will be at 11 a.m.; those in English will be at 8 p.m. The M.E. Church will celebrate Mother s Day next Sunday with the pastor s subject being The Ideal Mother. Special music features a piano solo, Bells of Evening by Paul Sullins and vocal solo Dear Little Mother of Mine by Mrs. Neil Widney. Old time memory hymns will be sung. Mr. Ridge, agent for the Curtis Publishing Co., offered the high school the following proposition: He would give them 50 cents in cash for each Country Gentleman subscription they sold for one year. The S.H.S. athletic fund is in dire need of about $100 before the Bi-County meet so they have set their goal at 200 subscriptions or more. (Fund raiser 1922 style)
Mrs. Evelyn Richey Spruit of Traverse, Mich. is visiting the home of her father, Clarence Richey. Mr. and Mr. Clyde Anderson are rejoicing over the arrival of a 7 ½ lb. baby boy born April 29th named Thomas Wayne. The steamer Majestic with a capacity of 2,600 was burned Sunday at Havana on the Illinois River. It ran last year on the Mississippi up on this end of the river. It was the property of the Wisherd Co. of Quincy.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. S. S. Slater, nieces, Minnie and Abbie Moore of Richfort, Vermont, will arrive this afternoon for a visit with Miss Grace Slater; they are enroute to their home from St. Petersburg, Florida, where they have been spending the winter. David Dobbins, for many years a very highly respected citizen of this community, sustained a badly fractured hip by a fall when arising from his bed at the family residence north of town. His advanced age makes the accident a very serious one for Mr. Dobbin. The Allison School closed a very successful term with a picnic on the lawn under the supervision of the teacher, Miss Margaruite Wheeling. About 70 guests attended; Miss Wheeling will teach there next year. The electric current was shut off all but a few hours yesterday afternoon. Miss Hazel Dodds and Lawrence Duncan were Cameron visitors. Culhane's vaudeville show staged a wonderful act at the Lyric Theatre by sawing a woman into two parts. When all was over, she came up smiling. Miss Ruth Heisler entertained several of her school pupils at her country home. (2-story brick house on northwest corner of Highway 94 and Olena Road). Dr. J.F. Highfield left for the State Dental Convention in Springfield, Ill. Dr. H.L. Marshall, who is attending the Medical Officers Reserve School in Chicago, spent Sunday at home; he expects to be gone about 10 more days.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Mr. Love of Chicago and a former resident of Henderson County moved here occupying the George Jacob house near the school building. Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Pence went to Oquawka to attend the funeral of Mrs. Pence's uncle, Early Blackman, who died in Chicago. James Sandy has purchased the A. L. Runyon garage and took possession of it. He is an expert mechanic. A male quartet from Keithsburg gave some excellent singing Sunday evening at the M. E. Church and Rev. and Mrs. Doder occupied the pulpit to a large congregation. A chorus of 35 from Oak Street Baptist Church of Burlington appeared in sacred concert before a large audience at the M.E. Church on Wednesday night.
May 18, 1922 HELD FROM ATTEMPTED BIGGSVILLE BANK ROBBERY: Sheriff McDill gave to the Graphic details of the attempted bank robbery at Biggsville. The men now held in custody at the county jail were with their families camped out near Biggsville and posed as scavengers and did a little of that work in Biggsville.
The morning after the attempted robbery the outfit broke camp and headed for Gladstone. McDill and a Burn's operative, who was called on the case, suspicioned the outfit and kept close tab on their whereabouts. McDill wanted to take the party in custody at once, but the Burn's operative thought it best to wait until they had gathered more information. Sunday they camped on the bottom road and Monday they moved to Burlington.
McDill swore out a warrant, went to Burlington and took the two men into custody. The women and children with seven head of horses followed later and are now camped near the county jail. The men claimed to be brothers, giving their names as Alva and William Piercefield. Descriptions and photographs were then sent out to numerous penal institutions throughout the country to see if they had any record of the men.
A letter was soon received from Indiana State Penitentiary containing a photograph, finger prints, etc. which was the exact likeness of the one claiming to be William Piercefield. The letter stated that he entered that institution as John Piercefield and in case he was not convicted of this charge, to hold him as he was wanted back there for breaking parole. He had also served a term in Chester Penitentiary as Curtis Piercefield. So far nothing has been received on Alva Piercefield, but he may be held as an accomplice.
HE KILLED HIM: One robber suspect is dead and Frank Vlandingham, his companion of Oquawka, Ill. is in jail as the result of a duel at an early hour Thursday morning in a coal car on the M. & St.L. train between Keithsburg Marshal John Alberston and an unknown tramp.
Marshal Albertson had received word from the authorities of Monmouth to be on the lookout for the man who had blown the safe in the McCullough Lumber office in that city and advised him to search the train that would soon pull into Keithsburg. Deputizing a man by the name of Campbell, they started for the yards. The train pulled in, the men were spied in a coal car. Albertson climbed up in the car, drew his gun and ordered them to throw up their hands. Instead of obeying, they both pulled their guns and started firing. Albertson returned the fire and one man fell mortally wounded. Vlandingham then jumped from the car and attempted to escape but was captured by Campbell. The wounded man died without revealing his identity although conscious for an hour or more before dying. He was about 45 years old. Frank Vlandingham was about 25 and identified as a resident of Oquawka, but who had been making his home in Monmouth and was former employee of the McCullough Lumber Co. He probably fell in with the yegg who offered his experience and the former the layout. They were also suspected of cracking two more safes in Monmouth, the total loot amounting to less then seven dollars.
MOVED HIS OFFICE: O.R. Gent has moved his office from the Newt Vaughan house and will occupy part of the A.S. McElhinney building next to the Johnson & Co. Garage.
ASSEMBLING OIL DRILL: The big oil drill was hauled out to the Van Brokaw farm and work of putting it up has started. With favorable conditions it will be ready for operation in a short time.
(Long article about the Terre Haute Track Meet and Literary Contest in this edition)