It Happened HereNovember 11, 2015
It Happened Here
Eighty Years Ago
(1935)
Arthur Shubert of Oakdale was elected president of Washington County Farm Bureau.
A bid of $56,000 was accepted for construction of an all-weather gravel road to connect St. Libory with Route 153 at Stone Church.
The Washington County Emergency Relief Committee served 271 cases in October representing 1,074 persons and a total of $5,612.62. Although 25 WPA project workers were needed to begin County projects next month, only 12 applications had been received from welfare recipients.
Joe Chambers, 35, of Nashville was killed when he was struck by a Louisville and Nashville train, east of Woodlawn.
Other deaths: Mrs. Frank Beatch of Mt. Olive, mother of Mrs. Harry Duckworth of Nashville; and August Sternberg of Nashville.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1940)
Republican candidates were successful in Washington County elections. Elmo Hassebrock won the circuit clerk’s job. Ralph Maxwell was elected state’s attorney and George Green was elected coroner. Franklin Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented third term as president.
Supt. F.R. Singer was granted one year’s leave to fulfill a military obligation as captain in the Army Reserves.
The law firm of House and House offered a $100 reward for the arrest of persons convicted of breaking into their office and stealing cash from a safe.
Deaths: Martha Stieg of Nashville; Harriet Bowers, formerly of Nashville; and Mike Ronznowski of Radom.
Seventy Years Ago
(1945)
Nashville Chamber of Commerce authorized its building committee to take subscriptions for bonds to erect a industrial structure which would be available to house a manufacturing firm.
Boy back from the battle fronts were: Everett Mayer, Navy; Staff Sgt. Herbert Baker; Sgt. First Class Rufus Hoffman; Sgt. Roy Nehrt; T/5 M. Lunte; Pvt. Howard Brink; Master Sgt. Robert Ochs; E/4 Emil Naliborski; Staff Sgt. Perry Collie; Cpl. Lewis Peeck; Sgt. Clinton Garbs; Pvt. James Evilsizer; Sgt. Arthur Shubert; Joseph Wienstroer; Staff Sgt. Howard R. Brink; Pvt. Joe Bonk; Pvt. Berthal Thompson; Pvt. Edward Nadler; and Jack Foehr, Ph M 3/C.
Pvt. Casimir Bauza, stationed at Yokohama, was recovering from wounds received from a Japanese sniper.
Deaths: Alberta Ernst, 22, formerly of Nashville; Hattie Weed of Nashville; Joseph Heine of Nashville; and Carl Pruehsner of Nashville.
Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1950)
Republicans were victors in Washington County elections with one exception. Joseph Maxwell, a Democrat, was elected county judge. Republican Paul Johnson won the county clerk’s post. Albert Gorman was elected sheriff. Ted Lehde was elected treasurer and Kenneth Frieman was re-elected superintendent of schools.
Cheerleaders for the Nashville High School basketball season were Joyce Berry, Margie Gewe, Lorna Junge, Pat Miller, Betty Murasky and Joan Spenner.
Deaths: Emma Schneider, a native of Nashville; and Charles Brownfield of DuBois.
Sixty Years Ago
(1955)
Dr. P.B. Rabennek of Nashville was elected president of the Southern Illinois Medical Association.
Rev. Alvin Marquardt, former pastor of Hahlen Lutheran Church, was installed as a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Henderson, KY.
I.H. Bernard and Associates of St. Louis announced the selection of the Kirchhoefer building for a new factory which would manufacture aluminum shower curtains.
Deaths: Ella Buhrman of Nashville; Minna Prasuhn of Nashville; Anna Beckmann of New Minden; and Herman Mattlage of Addieville.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1960)
John F. Kennedy was elected president. In Washington County 90 percent of the voters turned out to give Republican candidates comfortable margins. Elmo Hassebrock was elected circuit clerk, Wilbert Hohlt was elected state’s attorney and Dr. Charles W. Longwell was elected corner. All were incumbents.
Judge J.D. Maxwell reported killing 230 groundhogs during 1960.
Gaffner Jewelry in Nashville advertised its annual layaway sale.
Deaths: William Paeper of Nashville; Mrs. Dick Heggemeier, formerly of Okawville; Katie Rohde of Nashville; John Dober of DuBois; and William R. Bierman of Centralia.
Fifty Years Ago
(1965)
Doyle Cohlmeyer of Beaucoup Township entered a contract with the U.S. Weather Bureau to take over the duties of rain gauger, a position held by the late Robert Schleifer.
Paulette Ladendecker of Nashville was crowned Homecoming queen at NCHS. Her escort was Bob Wilkey.
Don Meinert of Nashville was appointed to the National Membership and Post Activities Committee of the American Legion.
Deaths: Wilbert Maschhoff, 51, of Nashville; Frank Petrashek, 76, of Coulterville; F.A. Ahring, 72, a native of Okawville; Frances Mashek, 75, of Lively Grove; Gustav Boecklen, 73, of Venedy; Fred Twenhafel, 73, of Irvington; Edwin Oswald, 64, of Crystal City, MO; and William Kuhl, 93, of Todd’s Mill.
Forty-Five Years Ago
(1970)
David Rybacki of Nashville was one of 18 outstanding Illinois FFA members who received the American Farmer degree, the organization’s highest honor.
Dianne Brinkman, Carol Rueter, Mrs. Kenneth Twenhafel, leader, Kathy Sachtleben, and Candi Meier were honored at a banquet in Highland for having had the outstanding 4-H dairy promotion in Washington County.
Illinois Bell Telephone took the first step to introduce commercial picture phone service in Illinois.
Deaths: Mary Torbeck, 90, of Nashville; Sophia Pytlinski, 89, of Nashville; Andrew Niedbalski, 88, of Nashville, Elmer Seitz, 69, of Mascoutah; Millie Wilson, 90, of Nashville; Joan Nowicki, 87, of DuBois; James Fox, 46, of Villa Ridge, MO; William Brinkmann, 82, of Okawville; Clint Breese, 72, formerly of Richview; Thomas Sabo Sr., 70, formerly of Biddleborn-St. Libory area; and Stephen Koenig, 55, formerly of Elkton.
Forty Years Ago
(1975)
Lt. Col. Elmer Freimuth of Springfield retired from the Illinois Army National Guard after 32 years of military service.
Lee’s in Nashville advertised Posh Puffs for 39 cents.
Deaths: George Cruse, 81, of Nashville; Frank Palek, 91, of CA; Leo Damazyn, 52, of Nashville; and Ruth Panzau, 79, of Centralia.
Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1980)
County voters gave Republican candidates victories in Washington County elections. In the only race, incumbent Edward Meinert defeated F.W. “Fritz” Sperhe for circuit clerk, 5,295 to 2,154.
Delores Schwartzkopf and daughters, Patty and Tammy, were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a faulty furnace at their Nashville home.
Kevin Waller qualified for state in the high school cross country meet.
Deaths: Frank Kabat, 76, of Waltonville; Elsie Dixon, 84, of Scheller; Walter Thiele, 77, of St. Louis; Henrietta Seibert, 87, of Carbondale; Frank Sigman, 49, of Hecker; N. Faye Adomat, 63, of Woodlawn; Esther Steinkamp, 58, of Centralia; Harry Nolte, 95, a native of Nashville; and Thomas Self, 52, a native of Irvington.
Weddings: Nancy Kracht and Jay Baker; and Donna Nail and Dennis Huckaba.
Thirty Years Ago
(1985)
Voters in Nashville Grade School District defeated a proposed 8 cent tax increase in the education fund, 613 to 590.
The villages of DuBois and Radom received $350,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs for a $1.3 million joint sewer project.
Judge Francis Maxwell, 62, submitted his resignation as circuit court judge. He was first elected as judge in 1966.
The NCHS girl’s volleyball team won the regional tournament by defeating Marissa 15-7, 15-11.
Alan Hohlt purchased Cripe Distributing in Nashville.
Deaths: Robert Adams, 52, of Nashville; Georgia Dintelman, 79, of Coulterville; Elda Schneider, 71, of Ferrin; Erna Fiedler, 74, of Hillsboro, MO; and William Holle, 97, a native of Hoyleton.
Weddings: Tina Williams and Daniel Schmidt; and Karen Konkel and David Blumhorst.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1990)
Nashville police officer John Mierkowski became the first Democrat elected to the Washington County Sheriff’s office in almost 30 years when he outpolled incumbent Brain McGee Jr. and Republican Harry Jankowski. Mierkowski polled 2,356 votes to 2,193 for Jankowski and 1,660 for McGee.
Democrat Thomas Ganz upset Republican Rhonda Reuter for county clerk and recorder 3,286 to 2,879.
Barbra Mill was honored as the Business and Professional Women’s Club Woman of the Year.
The body of Nashville man was found in a corn field near Ashley. Andrew Barciszewski, 30, had been shot multiple times.
Other deaths: Leo Matecki, 74, of Nashville; Harold Draege, 60, of Ashley; James Corboy, 74, of Arlington, TX; Bryan Maser, 27, of St. Charles, MO; Cornelius Rakers, 67, of Freeburg; Rev. John Bergman, 97, of Du Quoin; and Raymond Pille, 72, of Okawville.
Weddings: Richelle Williamson and Matthew Heggemeier.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Sensemeyer of Addieville, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Hank Borrenpohl of Okawville, a son; Mr. and Mrs. Russell Renth of New Baden, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Siegel of Mascoutah, a son; Susan and Jon Everett of Santa Ana CA, a son; Mr and Mrs. Lynn Cazier of Bement, a daughter.
Twenty Years Ago
(1995)
Irvington School District voters rejected a $1 increase in the tax rate.
Glen Snead, Leland Wells and Leroy Bartling were elected to the NCHS Board of Education.
Nashville City Council approved rezoning for the Holzhauer development north of Nashville for auto sales, a body shop and other buildings.
Richview Village Board was in the process of designing a sewer system. Construction was said to be a least two years away.
Deaths: Raymond Fredericking, 89, of Nashville; Esther Walker, 80, of Mt. Vernon; Kevin Loos, 22, of Pinckneyville; James Holtgrewe, 34, of Belleville; Fred Christian, 49, of Norman, OK.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Dave Holland of Cuba, MO, a son; Mr. and Mrs. John Szopinski of Oakdale, a daughter.
Fifteen Years Ago
(2000)
Democrats Arlene Skibinski and Robert Gill retained their seats on the county board in the only local election contest. Harry Jankowski was defeated in a bid for the 116th District state representative.
Nashville City Council looked at an ordinance regulation the building of demolition derby cars in the city.
A ribbon was cut at Wulf’s Red Riding Hood Inn, owned by Ray and Janet Wulf.
Paul Droste, 72, of Nashville was killed when a tractor he was driving overturned.
Other deaths: Cecilia Kozuszek, 84, of Nashville; Darlene Biggs, 66, of Centralia; Clyde Voelkel, 66, of Belleville; Irene Morgan, 76, of Du Quoin, Mary Finke, 78, of Rockford; Sally Buss, 64, of Okawville; Clara Luechtefeld, 96, of St. Louis.
Weddings: Jessica Hoffman and Brandon Prenger; Tracy Brand and Kevin Kurtz; LeAnn Leutner and John Maggio; Erica Jack and Andy Wofford; Jeff Luechtefeld and Tammy Jones.
Births: Steven and Jennifer Kujawa of Dix, a daughter; Mark Hicks and Jessica Voss of Nashville, a son; Dan and Kelly Tomaszewski of New Baden, a daughter.
Ten Years Ago
(2005)
The bell from the old Addieville Grade School was made part of a permanent monument at the village park in a project conducted by Addieville Area Jaycees and Addieville Community Club.
NCHS senior Charlie Hatch placed second at the state cross country meet.
October 2005 was the driest since 1968 with only .87 of an inch of rain.
Farmers and Merchants National Bank opened a branch in Ashley.
Oakdale resident Charles Auld said a radio message he transmitted during WWII was the first to alert the Allies about the German offense that became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Deaths: Ronald Leffner, 61, of Ashley; Earl McNeal, 68, of Johnston City; Ronald Gossman, 48, of Du Quoin; Ennis Houston, 83, of Salem; Oren Setzekorn, 89, of St. Louis; Orvel “Butch” Zink, 86, of Centralia.
Weddings: Charlotte Stieg and Daniel Simonton.
Five Years Ago
(2010)
The city of Nashville went to war with skunks, with Police Chief Brian Fletcher stating that 58 of the smelly critters had been trapped within city limits. The city was approved a nuisance permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after skunks had been seen (and smelled) at Hornets football games.
The results from the early November election showed that Sheriff Charlie Parker had won reelection and that voters approved the annexation of the DuBois library system into the Ashley Library system.
Hoyleton native Marine Staff Segeant Jordan Emrick was killed in action in a firefight in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice and Nashville native Lloyd Karmeier administered the attorney’s oath to 149 new lawyers in Carbondale.
Washington County Water Company CEO and Manager Steve Fletcher was elected treasurer of the National Rural Water Association.
Birth: Madison Mae Niedbalski was born on September 6 to Brian and Ellyn Niedbalski of Nashville.
Brandy Couleas and Wesley Cullen were wed on September 4; Henry “Hank” and Betty Setzekorn celebrated their 45th anniversary. Kenneth and Helen Kurtz celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
Deaths: Merrie Mead, 52, of Nashville, Nov. 1; Richard Schindelar, 67, of Mt. Vernon, Nov. 4; Donald Chesnek, 87, of Mt. Vernon, formerly of Ashley, Nov. 8; Bonnie Campbell, 66, of Nashville, formerly of Okawville, Nov. 2; Glen Hardin, 75, of Okawville, Nov. 5; Evelyn Fuhrhop, 89, of Steeleville, Nov. 2; Jeffrey Collins, 44, of Okawville, Nov. 6; Barbara Kaufman, 75, of Nashville, Nov. 1; Gertrude Smelter, 96, of Tamaroa, Nov. 6; Arnold Rueter, 69, of Nashville, Nov. 5; Larry Short, 49, of Irvington, Oct. 31.
