It Happened HereApril 15, 2015

It Happened Here

Eighty Years Ago

1935

A deputy sheriff was hired for all league softball games to enforce order during the upcoming season.

For the second time in recent months, Illinois Power and Light was ordered to reduce its electric rates by 10 percent.

Charles Capps purchased the Roadview Tavern from Walter Wiese.

Wheat was selling for 86 cents a bushel and eggs were 20 cents a dozen.

Triple funeral services were held in Elkton for Charles Ronnenberg, his wife, Margaret, and their daughter, Garnet, 11. They were killed in an auto accident in East Alton.

Other deaths: George Slahetka of Bolo Township; Mrs. William Carson of Pinckneyville; Mark Sonnek of Radom; and Mary Tacharner of Okawville.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

1940

Elsie Nottmeyer of Irvington, Washington County’s first peach queen, was selected as one of the best dressed women in the Palm Sunday parade at Atlantic City, NJ.

The State Theatre in Nashville featured “Ride ‘Em Cowboy” with John Wayne.

C.A. Reeder advertised the New Merchants Hotel as the home of friendly service.

Rev. L. Rauch retired as pastor at St. John Evangelical Church in Plum Hill after serving the congregation for 17 1/2 years.

Deaths: Mrs. Martin Sterna of Nashville; Mrs. Louis Heinrichsmeyer of New Minden; and Alvina Bolm of Nashville.

Seventy Years Ago

1945

The village election ticket in Venedy had Adolph Brockschmidt for president; Irwin Marquard for clerk; William Sieving for treasurer; Julius Going, Hugo Boecklen and B.K. Oetterson for trustees; William Hoetemeyer for street commissioner; John Jasper for police magistrate; and Herbert Schuetz for marshal.

Ray Porter was on the ticket for village clerk in Hoyleton.

Henry Jankowski of Nashville received his commission as a second lieutenant for outstanding work on the battlefield in norhtern Luzon.

Mrs. F. H. Eastman of Nashville received word that her nephew, Sgt. John Fitzgerald, was missing in action over in Italy.

Staff Sgt. Albert Schmidt was injured in action in the Philippines.

Mr. and Mrs. Ignatz Szperra of Du Bois received a letter from their son, Pvt. Ernest Szperra, 19, stating that he was a prisoner of the Germans.

Word was received that Stanley Pedtke of Nashville was killed in action in the Pacific.

William Segelhorst, 78, of Venedy was killed when he was hit by an L and N passenger train in Venedy.

Deaths: Margaret Vernon, formerly of Nashville; Dora Shelton of Belleville; Rev. Theodore Sieving of New Minden; and Mrs. Fred Toensing of Okawville.

Sixty-Five Years Ago

1950

Plans were announced for a new United Presbyterian Church in Oakdale.

High winds destroyed a machine shed and garage at the home of Mrs. Elmer Morris in Beaucoup. An uprooted tree damaged the home of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Chwascinski and windows on the church were blown in.

Dr. Allen Shirley defeated Karl Dunia for president of the grade school board in Nashville.

Mr. and Mrs. Warren Donnerman of Nashville escaped injury when their auto struck a piano on the highway between Nashville and Mt. Vernon.

Oscar and Richard Ellerbusch of New Minden barely escaped drowning when their boat sank in the Okaw River.

Deaths: Anna Hogshead, formerly of Washington County; Ida Burgess, formerly of Nashville; Joe Koelling of Centralia; and Fred Kaufman, a native of Oakdale.

Sixty Years Ago

1955

Stanley Coulter of Oakdale, Raymond Pitchford and Charles Briner of Nashville were elected to Nashville Community High School Board.

An earthquake between four and five on the Richter scale was recorded in Nashville.

Mr. and Mrs. E.D. Edwards of Beaucoup were notified that the body of their son, Lt. William Edwards, who was killed when his plane and another collided over Tokyo Bay in Japan in January, was found and was being forwarded home.

Other deaths: Dorothea Hellmeyer of Addieville; Henry Steinkamp of Plum Hill; Frank Helms, formerly of Addieville; Mrs. Walter Case; Rev. William Meyer, a native of Hoyleton; and Minnie Holtgrewe of Okawville.

Fifty-Five Years Ago

1960

The Schwering School District was annexed to the Addieville and Okawville districts.

Eggs were 27 cents a dozen and wheat was selling for $1.98 a bushel.

Kroger advertised four cans of Del Monte peaches for $1 and Wesson Oil at 49 cents a quart.

A study showed Washington County cancer rates were above the national average.

Burglars broke into the Oakdale State Bank and forced open an old safe which contained $157 and records. A new safe containing an undisclosed amount of money was overlooked.

Deaths: Julie Adams of Nashville; Edward Lincoln of Nashville; Jacop Polczynski of Nashville; Melvin Mueller, 18, of Okawville; and Gus Tielemann of Darmstadt.

Fifty Years Ago

1965

Curt Flanagan was named manager of the new Irvington Water District.

William Hohman was named vice president of the First Union National Bank of North Carolina.

Raymon Koontz of Harrisburg joined the staff of the Washington County Soil Conservation District.

Wayne Moehlenkamp, 26, of Des Plaines lost his life when he was electrocuted while at work.

Deaths: Gerhardt Schneider, 73, of Nashville; Emma Weeke of Nashville; Sophia Brammeier of Nashville; John Ehlers, 87, of Addieville; James Thurston, 86, formerly of Nashville; Lawrence William Bauer, 48, of Centralia; and John Henry Brun, 80, of Centralia.

Forty-Five Years Ago

1970

A shotgun blast was fired into an Illinois Central train carrying mourners to Chicago from services in Memphis in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The blast injured an employee of the railroad.

Several farms applied nitrate and clover on unusually wet fields by plane at a cost of $2 per acre.

Deaths: Mrs. Otto Buhrman, formerly of Nashville; Rose Wetzel, 74, of Ashley; Dora Barry, 79, of California; Mary Anderson, 81, of California; Theodore Lehde, 68, of Nashville; Dr. L.G. Springer, 78, of Okawville; Rosella Rinne, 81, of Nashville; Henrietta Meyer, 93, lifetime area resident; John Damazyn, 61, of Bolo Township; Theresa Hoffman, 80, a native of Rice; Dollie Schlimme, 85, of Ashley; Rita McDonald, 87, of Richview; Mrs. Ray Klimbler, 81, of Leroy; Melvin Brugere Sr., 64; Ida Belle Morgan, 91, formerly of this area; and Leon Penland, 61, formerly of Okawville.

Forty Years Ago

1975

Everett Smith of Addieville submitted an article, “The 3 Litre Bentley,” to a monthly magazine “Cars and Parts”. The article was published and the publisher requested another article form Mr. Smith.

Kenneth McKenzie accepted a three-year contract as superintendent of Bethel School in Mt. Vernon.

While fishing in Memorial Park Lake, Gary Zimmerman of Nashville saw a huge fish floating in the water. It weighed 30 pounds, was 35 inches long and was believed to be an Israeli carp.

Schorfheide Construction began work on the new Washington County Vocational Workshop at the fairgrounds.

Deaths: Henry Harre, 79, of Nashville; Joseph Strauss, 68, of Florissant, MO; Sophia Schroeder, 86, of Nashville; Anna Buchholz, 89, of Centralia; Paul Roesener, 71, of Nashville; Amanda Hohman, 75, of Nashville; Elmer Dick, 78, of Okawville; Valentine Gajewski, 81, of Granite City; Ruth H. Pries, 71, of Dellwood, MO; Ella Schumacher, 72, of Venedy; Victoria Nowak, 91, of Nashville; Theodore Zelasko, 67, of St. Louis; Edward Albright, 76, of Worden; and Sophie Dippel of Nashville.

Thirty-Five Years Ago

1980

Named as cheerleaders at Nashville High School were Anne Tabacchi, Kathy Ruggles, Stacee Bowlin, Cathy Cripe, Crystal Kirgan, Clara Petot and Stephanie Stiegman.

16 people, including 10 students, were injured in a school bus-car accident on Route 15 at the Venedy Road.

Deaths: Louis Barczewski, 44, of Nashville; Anna Belle Morcherding, 94, formerly of Oakdale; Harry Brinkman, 82, of Belleville; Elmer Schmidt, 62, of Plum Hill Township; Minnie Ellerbusch, 78, of Okawville; Thomas Cook, 61, of Belleville; Josephine Hathaway, 85, of Radom; Anna McCullough, 81, of Okawville; Veva Powell, 85, formerly of Washington County; and Eddie Newcomb, 58, a native of Washington County.

Thirty Years Ago

1985

Du Bois approved annexation of several parcels of land west of the village.

Washington County’s unemployment rate was 14.2 percent.

One person was killed and damage was estimated at $100,000 after a tornado skipped across Washington County. Hardest hit was the Clarmin area where Charles E. Meinecke, 48, died when winds crumpled his mobile home.

Leonard Lamczyk Jr., 21, Mark Walker, 23, and Russell Borowiak, 26, all of Ashley, were killed when Lamczyk’s car collided with an auto driven by Charles Buss, 47, of St. Libory on Route 15 near Ashley. Buss was injured.

Other deaths: Edward Huck, 82, of Nashville; Lorene Stiegman, 66, of Nashville; Russell Prasuhn, 63, of Hoyleton; Ervin “Shorty” Gibson, 57, of Okawville; Alice Bower, 70, formerly of Ashley; George Raines of Centralia; Darleen Muelken, 63, of Okawville; Charles Meinecke, 48, of Marissa; Orval Battoe, 65, of Okawville; Vera Fulton, 88, of Pinckneyville; Clyde Day, 77, of West Frankfort; Beulah Mae Bowles, 84, of Chester; Earline Wise, 52, of Tamaroa; and George Smith, 34, of Centralia.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

1990

Senator Paul Simon announced a Farmers Home Administration grant and loan package to expand water service to 460 homes and businesses in the county.

Deaths: Joesphine Wisniewski, 80, of Nashville; Orvy Isringhaus, 72, of Okawville; Charles Sensel Jr., 82, of Ashley; Cecile Royster, 99, of Robards, KY; Father Thomas Bruns, 70, of Fairview Heights; Percy Zumwalt, 82, of O’Fallon.

Twenty Years Ago

1995

A barn owned by Richard and Alice Green of rural Venedy was recognized as a historic structure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and successful Farming magazine.

Nashville City Council heard a proposal by Bob Voelkel for a subdivision near the city reservoir.

An estimated 2,250 people attended the Oakdale Eggstravaganza.

Easter hams were $1.69 a pound and turkeys were 69 cents a pound at Kroger.

Deaths: Methee Vanadilo9k,, MD, 53, of Nashville; Orlee Hoepker, 78, of Nashville; Olivia Wendler, 83, of Okawville; Paul Banaszek, 70, of St. Louis; Herman Habrock Jr., 61, of St. Libory; Heddi Haley, 16, of Nashville; Dorothy Kickey, 72, of Hoyleton; Felix Banaszek, 80, of St. Peters, MO; Edgar Zotz, 78, of Lebanon; and Jewell Thurness, 83, of Centralia.

Fifteen Years Ago

2000

A 24-year-old Nashville man was charged with stabbing Ben Mayville.

Golf-ball size hail pelted Okawville, doing many thousands of dollars in damage.

The Village of Richview was proceeding with plans to install a $2.3 million sewer system after receiving a $400,000 grant.

Orvill Lester Jr. and Brian Flethcer were hired as sheriff’s deputies.

Cadbury Eggs were $1.37 for a package of four and plastic Easter eggs were 79 cents a package at Lee’s Variety.

Deaths: Esther Kuhn, 78, of Okawville; Joan Niedzwiecki, 58,k of New Baden; Paul Knolhoff, 73, of Centralia; John Hampton, 52, of Ashley; Frank Andrews, 90, of Chicago; Thelma Yanczak, 73, of Sparta; August Timmermann Jr. 60, of St. Rose; Florence Brown, 102, of Richview; and Rev. Herman Backs, 95, of Ft. Wayne, IN.

Ten Years Ago

2005

Washington County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency was developing a search and rescue team under the direction of Rick Greten.

Gerri Philipps received 56 write-in votes to unseat incumbent Mayor Kenneth Sodko.

Jasper Construction was preparing a meeting room for Memorial Park Board in the utility building at a cost of $8,250.

Dave Erlinger was recognized for 16 years as secretary of Memorial Park Board of Directors.

Geraniums were $3.95 at Meyer’s Greenhouse & Nursery.

Deaths: Rhea Cameron, 99, of Ashley; Betty Goforth, 77, of Tamaroa; Jaunita “Skeeter” Campbell, 74, of Nashville; Jerry Fortag, 64, of Ashley; Robert “Lloyd” Middleton, 95, of Pinckneyville; and Eveyl Wernke, 88, of Nashville.

Five Years Ago

2010

The efforts of Okawville girl Scout volunteer Tammy Klapetzky were recognized by the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois.

Washington County Vocational Workshop was recognized by the Army base in Schweinfurt, Germany, for the coupons they sent to military families.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department sought a suspect in connection with a robbery that occurred at Rush Inn 2 Jollys.

Births: Grady Varel, born March 31, to Dan and Cassie Varel; Ella Maschhoff, born April 1, to Patrick and Jennifer Maschhoff.

Anniversary: William and Marilyn Kennedy of Crowley, Texas, formerly of Oakdale, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on April 22.

Deaths: Floyd Decker, 73, of St. Peters, Mo., April 10; Leonard Konkel, 86, of Nashville, April 12; Frances Hutchings, 90, of Pinckneyville, April 7; Edward Szramkowski, 82, of Radom, April 7; Scott Heseman, 56, of New Minden, April 11; Frank Waier, Jr., 85, of Ashley, April 9; Betty Sanborn, 76, of Centralia, April 2; Donald Gill, 76, of Melbourne, Fla., March 29.