It Happened HereMArch 23, 2016
Eighty Years Ago
(1936)
Everett Smith, former publisher of the Washington County Gazette in Ashley, was named editor of the New Albany, IN, daily paper.
Deaths: Rachel Stonum, 79, of Nashville; Lillie Wagner, 80, of Nashville; John Paszkiewicz, 74, of Bolo Township; John Chwasczinski, 58, of Ashley Township; Kenneth Kraudel, 16, of Ashley Township; William Knollman, 39, formerly of Nashville; Martha Brown, 75, of Richview; Mrs. O.H. Free, 47; and Henry Boeseman, 79, of Irvington.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1941)
Henry Redeker, owner of the local pool room, was robbed of $28 cash.
Seventy-five White-Rock hens were stolen from the George Hoffman farm south of Hoyleton; cigarettes and tobacco were stolen in a break-in at Albert Ibendahl’s tavern in the oil field; and a truck was hi-jacked north of Carlyle with 24 cases of whiskey taken.
Oscar Luessenheide was appointed supervisor of Johannisburg Township.
Bologna was 12 ½ cents a pound and bread was 25 cents for three loaves.
Death: Mrs. Bruno Shubert, 69, of Elkton; and Fred Hartnagel, 92, of Belleville.
Seventy Years Ago
(1946)
Washington County officials raided Herb Mellein’s tavern at Venedy Station and Frank Kryger’s tavern east of Beaucoup and confiscated several coin slot machines.
A brakeman and three passengers were slightly injured when a L and N freight train crashed into a stopped passenger train in Okawville.
Deaths: Mrs. James Todd, 84, of Okawville; Mrs. W.H. Reeder, 77, of Garrett, IN; Elizabeth Deiss, 86, of Johannisburg Township; and Fred Weber, 83, of Irvington.
Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1951)
L.A. Joiner sold his ice and coal business to Malachi Melvin.
Applications for female employment were being taken by the Forrest City Manufacturing Co. in anticipation of locating a dress factory in Nashville.
Berry’s Coffee Shop in Nashville featured coconut fudge eclairs from Sealtest ice cream.
Deaths: Christian Dotze, 79, of Addieville; Lewis Livesay, 71, of Irvington; Ann Palek, 70, of Okawville; Henry Mueller, 76, of Nashville; and Lawrence Gerber, 54.
Sixty Years Ago
(1956)
The Maple Grove Methodist Church closed its doors after 65 years of service.
Members of the confirmation class at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Covington were: Darlene Daum; Mary Lou Grefe, Donald Harre, Kay Karmeier and Harold Kottmeyer.
George Graf resigned as teller at First National Bank to become office manager of Robert Miller Plumbing and Heating.
Ray Milland and Joan Collins were featured in “The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing” at the State Theater in Nashville.
Deaths: George Frederking, 62, of Nashville; Emma Stuehlmeyer, 74, formerly of New Minden; Helen Kraft of Bloomington; and Hedwig Czajcinski of Radom.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1961)
Washington County Board of Supervisors sold a farm in Lively Grove to August Voytas for $9,120, the highest bid.
Mrs. Frank Lietz of Okawville had her photo in Life Magazine.
Members of the confirmation class at St. Paul Church were: Carol Ann Beek, Larry Ray Boreup, Laverne Elsie Diegel, Katherine Ann Driskill, Marvin Elwood Decker, Thomas Scott Evans, Connie Lee Hassler, Ann Kay Hoffman, Polly Sue Hohlt, Claude Lowell Jones, Cynthia Sue Kirchhoefer, Mary Beth Lund, Gail Elizabeth Meyer, Terry Lee Moeller, Mark Alan Reves, Cecil Allen Voss and Robert Richard Nicholas Wises.
Deaths: Henry Randoll, 69, of Okawville; Emma Suedmeyer, 80, of Nashville; Charles and Casimir Damazyn, twin infant sons of Mr. and Mrs. David Damazyn of Du Bois; Viva Jackson, 88, formerly of Nashville; and Katherine Kirchhoefer of Marissa.
Fifty Years Ago
(1966)
The Nashville High School concert band received a superior rating at the annual Class A state music contest in St. Elmo.
Voters in the Addieville grade school district approved an addition to the school for two new classrooms by a vote of 175 to 15. Estimated cost was $98,500.
Deaths: Josephine Sharkowski, 79, of Nashville; Sophia Obermann, 79, of Okawville; Ella Casetta, 67, formerly of Addieville; August Hassebrock, 75, of Okawville; Rev. John Kreuzer, 68, of Nashville; Herbert Nickel, 63, of Nashville; Lula Crews, 71, of Ashley; and Joseph Lamke, 66, of Scheller.
Forty-Five Years Ago
(1971)
Arnold Reuter was named chairman of the Red Cross Fund Drive in Washington County.
Fire of an undetermined origin destroyed the home of Leo Pieszchalski north of Du Bois.
Ralph Bartelsmeyer, Deputy Federal Highway Administrator and a native of Washington County, was the recipient of the George S. Bartlett Award for outstanding contribution to highway progress.
Patricia Sue Snead, Patrick Povolish and Patrick Forys were selected Outstanding Teenagers of America at NCHS.
Mrs. Arthur Drummond, student at Quincy Beauty Academy, was awarded second place in the student competition at the 48th annual Midwest Beauty Trade Show in Chicago.
Deaths: Ferdinand Sensmeyer, 73, of Nashville; Rose Kellerman, 74, of Pinckneyville; Charles Seifert, 69, Of Du Quoin; Rollo Johnson, 81, of Woodlawn; Mrs. Charles Hartman, 67, of Palestine; Theodore Funke, 76, a native of New Minden; Anna Hohman, 77, of Irvington; Andy Ferguson, 93, of Woodlawn; and Julian Chesnek Sr., 91, of Woodlawn.
Forty Years Ago
(1976)
Dr. F.W. Shroeder of Nashville was a recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Dental Alumni Association of Washington University.
Henry Niederhofer was recognized for being a 50-year member of the Washington Lodge of A.F. And A.M.
Deaths: Laura Schmidt, 77, of Nashville; Walter Grzegorek, 86, of Nashville; Seth David Suedmeyer, infant son of Gerald and Judith Suedmeyer of Nashville; Ila Beadle, 98, of Irvington; Emma Hoef, 80, of Nashville; Anna Beck, 77, of Pinckneyville; Kermit Jausel, 65, of Swanwick; Clara Kellerman, 77, of Pinckneyville; and Fred Howard, 88, of Ashley.
Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1981)
The 1980 census showed Washington County’s population increased by 1,557 to 15,337 in the last 10 years.
Fire destroyed approximately 665 Christmas trees at the Alfeldt Tree Farm in Oakdale and 80 wooded acres on the Ed Stern estate.
Firemen from Nashville and Okawville battled a fire in a semi-tractor trailer truck which crashed into the back of another semi on Interstate 64.
Fire destroyed 15 acres of clover in a field on the Syl Kozuszek farm south of Posen.
NCHS’ boys basketball team won the regional Class A tournament defeating Carlyle 50-42.
Sliced bacon was 99 cents a pound and naval oranges were 9 cents each.
Cecil Crews, Larry Maschhoff and Elmer Oleze Jr. were elected directors of the First National Bank in Nashville.
Deaths: William Fricke, 88, of Okawville; Mabel Schuetz, 74, of Plum Hill; James Baker, 69, of Marion; Esther Collmeyer, 78, of Hoyleton; Wesley Bartimus, 69, formerly of Nashville; Edna Bowers, a native of Washington County; Alma Zerbst, 74, of Jacob; Louise Friend, 93, formerly of Irvington; Paul Klein, 63, of Seymour; and Jody Bodine, four, of Mt. Vernon, killed when struck by car on Route 51, north of Interstate 64.
Wedding: Karen Kirgan and Eric Loagn; and Nanette LaFrance and Arnold Smith.
Thirty Years Ago
(1986)
Voters approved a 48 cents per $100 assessed valuation increase in the education fund of Nashville Grade School 1,162 to 799.
Thomas Hale defeated Harry Jankowski Jr., Donald Roethemeyer and Charles Mathus for the Republican nomination for Washington County Sheriff. Incumbent Virgil May defeated Rosalee Boreup for the Republican nomination for County Clerk and Glen harmening defeated Roy Brammeier and Melvin Schindelar for the Republican nomination for County Treasurer.
Ashley City Council agreed to purchase the former Hollywood Candy Co. water tower for $15,000.
Deaths: Anna Kasten, 82, of Hoyleton; Raymond Boswell, 90, of Ashley; William Stepson, 72, formerly of Tamaroa; Dwaine Kinzel, 55, of Freeburg; Waltena Wisely, 79, of Oakdale; Alexander Hutchins Jr., 78, of Tyler, TX; Loraine Sensel, 80, a native of Washington County; maime Bollinger, 96, of Glen Carbon Crossing; Christ Meyer, 88, of Addieville; George Buescher, 82, of St. Libory; Louis Cias, 69, formerly of Nashville; Rosie Jebron, 88, of Coulterville; Virdell Gribbins, 70, a native of Okawville; Viola Davis, 78, of New Minden; Bessie Thompson, 79, of Richview; and Emma Farrington, 96, of Covington.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1991)
Roger Schmitt, the last full-time founding family employee of the Nashville News, went into retirement, and planned to be back from a fishing trip to work part-time in the printing department.
Boester’s was running a ½ off recession buster sale.
The Nashville City Council voted to close the landfill.
Deaths: Mary Czerniejewski, 89, of Ashley; Virginia Eater, 77, of Pinckneyville; Edith Garbs, 78, of Nashville; Anna Wiggins, 72, of Ashley; Mickey Zouglas, 78, of St. Louis; Williard Krohne, 77, of Okawville; Thomas Czajkowski, 72, of Lebanon, MO; Stephanie Ann Arning, stillborn, of Centralia; Everette Wright, 77, of Coulterville; and Mary Fenton, 81, of Carlyle.
Births: Kyle and Rhonda Hunter of Okawville, a son; Steve and Jo Lynn Paszkiewicz of Urbandale, IA, a daughter; Larry and Kathryn Wesselman of Mascoutah, a daughter; Ronald and Janet Mozelewski of Hazelwood, MO, a son; Tom and Kim Funke of Mascoutah, a daughter; and Ernie and Donna Shopinski of Ashley, a daughter.
Twenty Years Ago
(1996)
Voters approved an 85 cents tax increase for Irvington Grade School.
Ashley Grade School Superintendent Bille Hubbell announced plans to retire.
Residents were circulating petitions in opposition to Growmark’s plan to locate a large hog facility near Oakdale.
When Denise Durr’s auto ran out of gas on Interstate 64 while rushing her son, Brandon, to the hospital to be treated for a spider bite, Dan Scott stopped and took the boy to the hospital.
A 1996 GMC Sonoma was $10,388, and a ‘96 Dodge Dakota was $11,988 at Holzhauer Auto and Truck Sales.
Deaths: Jerome Lisk, 62, of Nashville; Bernadine Jankowski, 77, of Evansville, IN; Irvin Haake, 88, of Hoyleton; Ethel Jones, 88, of Nashville; Alice Ashmore, 90, of Okawville; Marvin Cohlmeyer, 70, of Granbury; Ethel Dalman, 81, of Sesser; John Hottes, 85, of Pinckneyville; Alline Heberer, 88, of Okawville; Fern Prange, 93, of Radom; Raymond Owens, 58, of Salem.
Weddings: Ann Sutphin and James Turner; Jennifer Wagner and Steve Kujawa; Stephanie McKinney and Anthony Schaff; and Pamela Stearns and Michael Brown.
Births: Nathan and Cindy Kasten of Hoyleton, a son; Mike and Kay Stearns of Oakdale, a daughter.
Fifteen Years Ago
(2001)
Washington County’s population rose by 183 to 15,148, according to U.S. Census data. Nashville’s population declined by 55 to 3,148, Okawville’s was up 81 to 1,355 and Ashley grew by 30 to 613.
Nashville Public Library purchased two computers and a printer with a donation of $3,591 from Ed Boehning.
Fr. Paul Wienhoff blessed the addition to the parish center that was under construction at St. Ann.
Okawville Athletic Booster Club offered to pay $8,000 to strip and refinish the floor at Luechtefeld Gym.
A fish dinner cost $5.95 at the Eagle’s Nest.
Deaths: Melroy Rennegarbe, 65, of Addieville; Lydia Hemminghaus, 89, of New Minden; Virginia Thomson, 74, of Ashley; and Clara Varone, 87, of Florissant, MO.
Weddings: Polly Curry and Micheal Miller; Donna Dalman and Tim Hicks.
Births: James and Lois Kellerman of Hoyleton, a daugher; Carrie and Myron McCowen of Scheller, a daughter; Bob and Diane Bierman of Hoyleton, a daugher; and Jeff and Annette Higgins of Highland, a daughter.
Ten Years Ago
(2006)
In the Primary election for county treasurer, Rhonda Groennert outpolled Dennis Haake for the Republican nomination and Ken Kania topped Brent Schorfheide for the Democrats.
Ron and Madonna Williams of Oakdale were gathering donations for residents of St. Mary, MO, which was hit by a tornado. The same storm passed over Washington County and scattered debris here from the Missouri town.
Prairie State Energy Co. obtained a building permit for a coal mine/power plant in Lively Grove Township, a sign that construction might begin soon.
Turkey breasts were $1.49 a pound and seedless grapes were 99 cents a pound.
Deaths: Leo Dalman, 90, of Nashville; and Dennis Wiese Sr., 60, of Okawville.
Five Years Ago
(2011)
The local recycling program was growing in use by residents, with over 4,000 pounds of recyclables being collected per week.
Mike Kottmeyer was named Junior High Boys Basketball Co-Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.
The Nashville Family Health Center held their grand opening.
The NCHS Music Program was ranked 10th in the state
Births: Leah Kleiboeker was born on March 11 to Steven and Linda Kleiboeker of Hoyleton; Gene Haynes was born on March 11 to Kevin and Chrissy Haynes of O’Fallon; Connor Jack was born on March 2 to Jarrett and Amy Jack of Clovis, N.M.; Molly Freund was born February 25 to Brad and Sherry Freund of Flora; Matthew Roethemeyer was born on March 20 to Matt and Diana Roethemeyer; Delaney Dagner was born February 23 to Andrew and Mandy Dagner of Nashville.Amber Malick and Keith Markwardt of Nashville were engaged; Alicia Matecki and Earl Lucci, Jr., were engagedl; Kevin Toomey and Megan Snead were wed on March 12; Dewey and Lori Groennert celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on April 4; Paul and Cloena (Mannen) Kiselewski celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on March 26.
Deaths: LaVerne Borowiak Drobick, 69, of Mokena, March 14; James Morgan, 55, of Nashville, March 20; Clarence Roznowski, 62, of Beaucoup, March 19.
It Happened Here
