The 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.

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.