It Happened HereApril 8, 2015

Eighty Years Ago

1935

Erwin Marquard of Venedy won the grand prize of $5 in The Nashville News subscription contest.

The Pecan Grove Creamery in Okawville opened after being idle for more than four years.

John Lorenz retired from the Lorenz Bottling Co.

Albert Eigenrauch assumed charge of the grocery store formerly known as G.R. Hasemeier and Co.

Democrats won five of eight places at stake in the County Board of Supervisors’ elections, but the Republicans still held a 10-6 majority on the Board.

Magdalena Berger received straight A’s in all four subjects to lead the Nashville High School honor roll.

There were 102 residents signed up for free waterworks connections. The rate for service was not to be over $1.20 for the first 2,000 gallons of water used per month.

Deaths: William Finke of Addieville; and Charles Hahne, formerly of Nashville.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

1940

A 17-year-old boy from East St. Louis was arrested by Sheriff H.C. Anderson, in the act of robbing the Hoepker Tavern in Addieville. The boy had earlier robbed Philip Kryger’s service station and a tavern east of Beaucoup.

The State Theatre in Nashville featured “Virginia City” with Randolph Scott, Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart.

Kroger advertised Florida oranges at 20 cents a dozen and Armour franks at 10 cents a pound.

County records for 1939 showed 171 births, 137 deaths and 56 marriages.

Deaths: John Decker of Nashville; Philip Engel, formerly of Nashville; Sophia Koenig of Okawville; and Margaret Boyle of Oakdale.

Seventy Years Ago

1945

Washington County Farm Bureau purchased the Washington Hotel at 133 W. St. Louis St. to be used as a home office.

Mike Banaszek of near Okawville received word that his son, Sgt. Felix Banaszek, was missing over England.

Henry Holzhauer purchased the Marathon service station from Paul Broyles.

Brothers Sgt. Louis and T/4 Sylvester Bochantin met in Belgium. It was the first time in over three years that they had seen each other.

Mr. and Mrs. Herman Eigenrauch received a telegram informing them that their son, Pvt. Rudy Eigenrauch, had been wounded in Germany.

Robert Frese of Ashley was wounded while fighting with Patton’s army in Germany.

Mr. and Mrs. V.R. Voltmer of New Minden were informed that their son, Marine Sgt. Elmer Voltmer, was killed in action on the island of Iwo Jima.

Other deaths: Mrs. Herbert Westerfeld of Hoyleton; Scott Blackburn, formerly of Nashville; Joseph Sonnek, formerly of Radom; Fred Melrose of Plum Hill; and William Westermeyer of Hoyleton.

Sixty-Five Years Ago

1950

Daniel Food Stores advertised Easter hams at 48 cents a pound.

Caroline Wilkie, 67, and her daughter, Bertha Hackstadt, 37, were fatally burned in a fire at their farm home near Addieville. An explosion near the gas stove was the cause.

Deaths: Edward Brink, a native of New Minden; Edward Schwankhaus, formerly of Okawville; Arthur Schlinger, formerly of Nashville; and Walter Stricker, formerly of Washington County.

Sixty Years Ago

1955

Republican C.H. Schlueter was re-elected Nashville Township Supervisor, defeating Howard Fox.

Pat Schwengels was hired to succeed Doris Prasuhn as Selective Service clerk in Nashville.

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Luebke bought the Ben Franklin Store from Gerhardt Schneider.

John “Jack” Shreeman of near Nashville was hospitalized in East St. Louis for gunshot wounds, received when he was accidentally shot by the owner of an East St. Louis junk yard.

Mary Ann Randoll was crowned Nashville Grade School basketball queen and first place in the tournament went to Jerry Frieman and his team.

Snowfall on March 26 was about equal to the total that fell all winter.

Gerhard Miessner, a native of New Minden, died of burns received in a fire at his home in Newhall, Iowa.

Other deaths: Henry Wolf of Stone Church; Raymond Lunte, formerly of Okawville; Brian Eldon, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith of Nashville; and Bernice Goodale, formerly of Irvington.

Fifty-Five Years Ago

1960

Bolo Township became the fifth township since an election one month earlier to petition for severence from the Washington County Hospital District.

John Groennert, 69, of Addieville, was awaiting test results for rabies after he and his dog were attacked by a mink.

Deaths: William Rockaman of Okawville; Frank Mierkowski of Du Bois; Anna Deuel, a native of Plum Hill; Susie Foster of near Posey; and Louise Sieving of Hoyleton.

Fifty Years Ago

1965

Lawrence House incorporated his insurance agency with James Baldwin and began operating under the name of Baldwin House Agency, Inc.

Susan Doelling was crowned queen at Nashville Grade School. She was escorted by the winning basketball captain, Marty Kemper.

Gean Hessley, 34, of Ashley was found dead in his auto near his apartment. His death was attributed to natural causes.

Other deaths: Leroy Schmidt, 48, of Nashville; Irma Harris, 86; Edith Dennis, 57, of Beaucoup; Emma Kleiboeker, 86, of Carlyle; Edwin Ellerbusch, 61, formerly of Okawville; Alba Hale, 79, of Grand Tower; Dr. B.F. Keller, 73, formerly of the Irvington area; and Harmon Nowland, 73, of Waltonville.

Forty-Five Years Ago

1970

A near capacity crowd was present at Grace United Methodist Church to hear the Union Choir present Handel’s Messiah as a memorial to the late Lula Mae Schorfheide.

Norbert Oltmann and two of his children, Bradley and Carol, were seriously injured when their car struck a bridge abutment on Route 177, west of Mascoutah.

The Washington County Republican Central Committee re-elected Alvin Ostendorf of Plum Hill for a two-year term as chairman and re-elected secretary-treasurer Edward Kemper of Nashville. The following delegates to the Republican state convention were appointed: Albert Gorman, William Boeschen and Lloyd Setzekorn of Nashville; Stanley Going of Covington; and Rosemary Wilkas of Springfield to serve with Chairman Ostendorf.

The largest chocolate rabbit in the world, made by Rob Adams, Gil Adams and Ken Junge Sr., was given away in a drawing at Martie’s Memory Shop. Joey Hish of Okawville won the bunny.

Deaths: Joseph Haas, 76, a native of Bolo Township; Frank, Krus, 66, of Nashville; Bonnie Lemke, 73, formerly of Marissa; Mrs. Oliver Scheurer of Rock Island; and Kenneth Milliken, 39, formerly of the Rice area.

Forty Years Ago

1975

Lee’s Variety featured chocolate covered peanut clusters for $1.29 a pound.

Christy Tabacchi was crowned queen at the Nashville Grade School basketball tournament. The winning captain was John Jankowski.

The market report showed soybeans at $5.50 per bushel.

Deaths: Frank Kasban, 92, of Radom; Ruth Pries, 71, of St. Louis; Roy Funke, 50, of Nashville; Helen Toedte, 71, of Belleville; Albert Oexeman, 56, of Nashville; George Buss, 77, of Nashville; Homer Nelson, 73, of Belleville; and William Redus, 79, of Centralia.

For More, Please Read The April 8 Edition Of The Nashville News.

It Happened Here