It Happened HereApril 13, 2016

It Happened Here

Eighty Years Ago

(1936)

Lawrence Mille of Pilot Knob Township resigned as commercial subjects instructor at Nashville High School.

Harry and Paul Kasten of Hoyleton purchased the D.S. Staniger Funeral Home in Summer.

Fire completely destroyed the Fairview school house near Tuckerville.

You could buy three pounds of Quaker Oats for 19 cents and one pound of Forbes coffee for 19 cents at the local grocery stores.

Deaths: Carroll Watts Gholson, 33, of Nashville; Mary R. Buhrman, 66, of Delray Beach, FL; Mary Elizabeth Meyer, 83, of Nashville; Alexander Hodge, 90, of Pilot Knob Township; Herman Ebeling, 79, of Washington County; and Will Jasper, 58, of St. Louis.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

(1941)

Paul Simmons, an instructor of commercial subjects at NCHS, resigned to accept a similar position in Morris.

The Nashville Lions baseball team was organized for the summer season. Players were Gunner Dunn, Jess Gibson, Edward Cook, Glenn Snyder, Jimmy Davis, Carl Hildebrand, Christy Finke, Wayne Daughterty, Ernie Langa, James Zink, Richard Snyder, Moose Gaebe, Tommy McFeron and Eddie Kramper.

The Department of Agriculture announced it would attempt to maintain price levels of nine cents per pound for hogs, 15 cents per pound for hens, 22 cents per dozen for eggs and 31 cents per pound for butter.

Deaths: Sarah Catherine Hoffman, 88, retired Nashville milliner; George A. Lyons, 75, of Nashville; Mrs. Christ Toedte, 82, of Hoyleton; Vernon Massmann, 18, of Venedy; Hannah Lutz of St. Louis, sister of William Wagner of Nashville; and Caroline Koester, 81, of Okawville.

Seventy Years Ago

(1946)

Ralph R. Bartelsmeyer resigned after 12 years as Washington County Highway Superintendent.

A small cyclone struck DuBois unroofing Alex Bendrick’s tavern and grocery and also damaging three small out-buildings. One resident of Nashville said she had chickens knocked unconscious by the accompanying hail storm.

Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Jones opened a new cocktail lounge in the Scheurer building, formerly the White Way Barbecue on West Main Street.

The local Post Office announced that letters could again be sent to Germany. The cost was 5 cents each.

Henry Keil opened an auto repair shop in the west part of Pinckneyville.

Members of the confirmation class at Trinity Lutheran Church were Waldo Hildebrand, Lorna Jean Junge, Malvern Kurtz, Harold Reinhardt, Dylane Marie Scanlon, Nola Schuette, William Vogt Jr. and LaVern Wreath.

Washington County soldiers discharged included: MM/3 Roland F. Luessehneide; Aviation Radioman William Ernst Cortelyou; Staff Sgt. John I. Williams; Radioman Max E. Smith; James Louis Watts; Pvt. Thomas N. Campbell; Pvt. Paul Banaszek; T/4 Frank Anderjeski; Mailman Joseph Cross Anderson; Tech Sgt. Oren H. Legendre; Marine Cpl. Louis Mike Waier; Sgt. George B. Kretz; Seaman William Charles Skillman; Pvt. Orland E. Edwards; and John Adrian Frese.

Naval discharges from Washington County included: Bobby L. Small; William J. Wilke; and Joseph V. Kruczek.

Deaths: William Holzhauer Sr., 87, of Nashville; Pvt. Robert Frese of Ashley; H. Spencer Anderson of Girard and formerly of Nashville; Arthur W. Webster, 80, of Centralia; Mattie Frederking of Detroit, MI; and Nettie Metelmann, 77, of Biddleborn.

Sixty-Five Years Ago

(1951)

Milk production at the Nashville Milk Company averaged 4,500 cans per hour.

Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria advertised job openings for men of Washington County.

Official census figures showed the 1950 population of Washington County was 14,460.

Norman Karg of Okawville and Elroy Fortmeyer of Nashville signed professional baseball contracts with the Centralia Zeros.

Deaths: Mrs. George Borchelt, 65, of New Minden; and Joseph Henderson Kerr, 70, of Oakdale.

Sixty Years Ago

(1956)

The Car Breeze Drive-In on Route 50, west of Carlyle, was announcing its gala reopening April 14. Featured on the screen was “The Last Hunt” with Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger and Debra Paget.

Three pounds of ground beef cost 95 cents and bananas were 10 cents a pound at Bracy’s store.

Deaths: Emil Helms, 82, of Okawville; Bema Jones Pickens, 67, of Guthrie, OK; Anna Kitowski, 76, formerly of Washington County; and Ella Callaway of St. Louis, mother of Esta Martin of Nashville.

Fifty-Five Years Ago

(1961)

Robert W. Ullom was rehired as principal of NCHS for the 1961-62 school year.

Marvin Peithman of Richview, Arnold Harre and Merill Kirchhoefer of Nashville defeated incumbents Stanley Coulter, Oliver Hale and Russell Johnson for seats on the high school board of education.

William Beckmeyer and Paul Silgar were elected to the Hoyleton school board.

Deaths: Engelhardt B. Strate, 15, of Okawville; Mary Juenger, 84, of Okawville; Clyde R. Dahncke, 64, a native of Elkton; Teofil S. Kujawa, 82, of Ashley; Mary Smelter, 87, of Tamaroa; and George Laskowski, 86, of Du Bois.

Fifty Years Ago

(1966)

The Board of Directors of the Friendship Manor Nursing Home voted to build a 43-bed addition to the facility.

Only 1.16 inches of rain fell in Washington County during the month of March.

Confirmation class members of the Grace Methodist Church were Barbara Dueker, Debra May, Sandra Perkey, Gary Clark and John Absher.

Raymond and Charles May purchased a 1928 Hudson Super Sports Coupe with rumble seats and hoped to have it restored.

Deaths: Mary Jane Fowler, 62, of Nashville; Amos H. Oelze, 67, of Nashville; Marion J. Kurtz, 31, of Du Quoin and formerly from Du Bois; Oscar Roethemeyer, 69, of Centralia; and Emma Maschhoff, 75, of Hoyleton.

Forty-Five Years Ago

(1971)

Ella Mueller, a native of Nashville and former teacher in the local public school, was honored by Republican Central Committee of Los Angeles, California, with a trophy presented by former U.S. Senator George Murphy on behalf of the Twenty-ninth District, inscribed “Miss Ella Mueller – Dedicated Republican.”

For the second year in a row, all four organizations entered in the state music contest by NCHS were awarded Division I (Superior) ratings. The Nashville Music Department was the Sweepstakes Trophy winner for the third year in a row and the seventh in the last 10 years.

A forest fire devastated a strip of woods and pasture northwest of Beaucoup for a distance of 1 ½ miles.

Oscar F. Ellerbusch of New Minden was honored by the New Minden-Hoyleton Township Mutual Fire Insurance Company and Pana-Hillsboro Mutual Wind Company for his 33 years of service.

The total snowfall during the winter was less than a foot, but was made up by a 13-inch snowfall which was the heaviest April snowfall on record.

Miss Corboy, daughter of the former Elsie Jean Poirot and granddaughter of Mrs. E.W. Poirot of Nashville, was the first known woman in Texas history to finish the annual White Rock Marathon race.

The golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Weihe was celebrated with an open house in Austin, TX.

Rev. Jerome Hibber, F.D.P., a native of Zdunske Wola, Poland, arrived to assume his duty as Rector of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish at Posen.

Mr. and Mrs. Gus C. Unverfehrt of Unverfehrt Farm Supply in Hoyleton were presented the President’s Honor Council (PHC) plaque by the Allied Mills, the company’s highest award, and an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas for their outstanding feed merchandising and service to livestock and poultry farmers.

Albert Mozelewski of O’Fallon received a Department of the Army certificate commending his outstanding work in technical data, cataloging and standardization at the Army Aviation Systems Command in St. Louis.

Deaths: Arthur C. Shubert, 79, retired Elkton farmer; Alvina Moehlenkamp, 75, of Nashville; Ralph Huge, 49, of Ashley; Paul Zacheis, 72, of Oakdale; Emma Ostendorf, 81, of Okawville; Olga Suedmeyer, 85, of Nashville; and Elmer Tonsing, 63, of St. Louis.

Forty Years Ago

(1976)

Sandra Backs of Okawville High School was the recipient of the D.A.R. Good Citizen Award.

Dorothy Harmening, officer in charge of the New Minden Post Office, received orders to discontinue operations on June 4.

King and Queen of the 1976 Ashley Grade School Carnival were Jeffrey Evans and Charolette Setzekorn.

Karen Richter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Richter of Aviston, was crowned Dairy Princess of Clinton-Washington Counties.

Deaths: Blanche Lee, 73, of Nashville; Clara Struckmeyer, 76, a former Dupo resident; Katharine Maschhoff, 72, of Florida, a native of Chicago; Alfred Tyberendt, 57, of Huey; George Keller, 50, of Pinckneyville; Evelyn Hicks, 75, of Pinckneyville.

Thirty-Five Years Ago

(1981)

Washington County Water Company received an $800,000 grant to increase service in the county.

William J. Hair of South Carolina was shot during a burglary at Brammeier’s Garage in Oakdale. An accomplice, Mary Margaret Guy, was taken to the Washington County Jail.

A satellite dish was installed at The Place in Nashville. It was one of only a few in southern Illinois.

Rodney Boruff won the race for Okawville village president. In Ashley Michael Hogan won the mayoral race.

Advertisements were run by Cousin Fred’s, Prestige Motors, Inc., Franklin’s Jewelry, Ziegler’s Flowers, The Shoe Mart, Borowiak’s Department Store, Gaffner’s Fine Jewelry, Mode O’Day and W.C. Niermann, Inc.

Deaths: Anna M. Kurwicki, 83, of Nashville; Ida Struckmeyer, 80, of Hoyleton; Andrew Sroka, 58, of Pinckneyville; Carl Wiechert, 81, of Nashville; Alvina W. “Ollie” Hildebrand, 78, of Nashville; Mary E. Campbell, 43, of Mt. Vernon; Iva Martin, 78, of Mt. Vernon; Leo Deering, 82, of St. Louis; Marie Bauza, 57, of Cahokia; Wilhelmine Hawkins, 86, of Dix; Helen Fegiel, 84, of Pinckneyville; Lulu Bell George, 90, Tamaroa; Vesta Hartley, 80, of rural Centralia; and Mary Helen Pries, 54, of St. Louis.

Thirty Years Ago

(1986)

City of Nashville officials visited Magna International offices in Canada.

A hail storm damaged most of the cars at dealerships in Nashville.

Reel Tyme Video opened at 127 East St. Louis Street in Nashville.

Deaths: Pauline Steinkamp, 76, of Okawville; Robert Mueller, 58, of Belleville; Christine Bernthal, 92, widow of Rev. Otto Bernthal; Wilma Reimer, 78, of Ashley; Emilie Meier, 89, of New Memphis; Ewald Detering, 74, of Okawville; Harlan Gerstkemper, 62, of Hoyleton; Leo Jonas, 102, of Centralia; Lela Martin, 79, of Hoyleton; Mildred Krughoff, 85, of Rockford; Henry Kuhlengel, 70, of St. Louis; Louise Sherman, 98, of Ashley; and Alvin Buchholz, 73, of Hoyleton.

Wedding: Monica Konkel and Michael O’Rear.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

(1991)

Reservist Major Agnes Boehning described turning 50 while on duty in the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia, riding a refueling plane and flying up to the Kuwaiti border where the oil well fires were visible.

The Nashville City Council refused to reverse an earlier decision opposing a proposed motorcycle fest, rally and swap meet at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

The Washington County Board voted 14-0 to spend $153,000 to purchase four parcels of land for a proposed new County Jail in the 200 block of North Kaskaskia Street and West Court Street in Nashville. The facility would allow the sheriff to move from a building on the west side of the main courthouse.

Eleanor Kozuszek, 65, wife of Sylvester Kozuszek of rural Nashville, was killed in a fire which severely damaged her Bolo Township home on April 9.

Other deaths: Irene Wulf, 77, of Addieville; Robert K. Torrens, 86, of Oakdale; Ester R. Kasier, 56, of Florissant, MO; James M. Taylor, 101, of Tamaroa; Fred Ledendecker, 77, of Pinckneyville; Thersea Lorene Ziarnek, 78, of Scheller; Edwin A. Steinkamp, 73, of Centralia; and Ada Prasuhn Helms, 90, of Belleville.

Weddings: Lori Ann Miessner and Scott Allen Felts; and Saundra Nierman and Brian Banning.

Births: Mike and Susan Presswood of Coulterville, a son; Steven and Terri Lohman of Nashville, a son; Jeffrey and Jeanine Jablonski of Waterloo, a son; John and Marcia Kabat of Scheller, a son; Andy and Sherry Dodd of Port Charlotte, FL, a daughter.

Twenty Years Ago

(1996)

Wanda Goodner earned some free publicity for Farmers and Merchants National Bank when imprinted coffee mugs she had sent to a St. Louis TV station were seen on a morning news broadcast.

Electricity was knocked out for a portion of Nashville after a truck knocked down a utility pole.

A 12-ounce Blizzard was $1.19 at Dairy Queen.

Keith Pierce, 22, died in a fire that destroyed the home of Larry and Peggy Pierce in rural Addieville.

Other deaths: Dorothy Taft, 71, of Oakdale; Manley Edmonds, 76, of Ashley; Hubert Reinhardt, 92, of Nashville; Barbara Fortag, 71, of Ashley; Leo Heck, 69, of Waterloo; Lydia Barkau, 92, of St. Louis; Meta Flasterer, 90, of Marissa; Trellie Atchison, 88, of Centralia; Raymond Konkel, 78, of St. Louis; Helen Gill, 78, DuQuoin; Rev. Charles McIntyre, 80, of Carbondale; Elsa Kisro, 88, of University City, MO; Adolph Frisch, 82, of Scheller; Madine Stewart, 78, of Belleville.

Births: John and Diane Schwankhaus of Okawville, a son; and Charles and Lisa Doty of Okawville, a daughter.

Fifteen Years Ago

(2001)

Steve Haertling told the Nashville City Council he would oversee the 4th of July fireworks display after the annual event was discontinued the previous year.

IDOT announced plans to install traffic lights at the intersection of State Route 127 and Enterprise Avenue and a left turn lane a the Mockingbird Road intersection.

Death threats scrawled on bathroom walls at Okwaville Junior/Senior High School prompted a response from several police agencies.

A three-way tie among candidates for two DuBois Village Board seats was decided when Stanley Kostecki drew an ace and Anthony Urbanski drew a king.

Ryan Ford was hired as manager of Farm Bureau offices in Washington and Perry Counties.

Chocolate bunnies were $1.44 and Easter lily bushes were 99 cents at Lee’s Variety Store.

Deaths: Viola Ceglenske, 89, of Nashville; Ethel Nash, 74, of Caseyville; Robert Meyer, 76, of Okawville; Sophia Zimmerman, 89, of Nashville; Lola Murry, 82, of Nashville; Lee Rather, 85, of Pontiac; and Frances Cahill of Mesa, Arizona.

Births: Duane and Sara Green of Venedy, a son; Peter and Jean Orr of Nashville, a son; Chuck and Kelly Melton of Benton, KY, a daughter.

Ten Years Ago

(2006)

Nashville Fire Protection District purchased 2.5 acres on South Mill Street as the intended site of a new fire station.

The name of Nashville Police Officer Kyle Haslett, who died of a heart attack at the scene of a traffic accident in 2001, was to be added to the Illinois Police Memorial in Springfield.

Guns, knives and fishing gear were stolen from Eugene Kania’s rural Nashville home.

Azaleas were $5.75 at Meyer’s Greenhouse & Nursery.

Deaths: Louis Meier Jr., 83, of Okawville; Rose Wuehler, 85, of St. Peter; Arlene Rensing, 73, of New Baden; Molly Cassity, 66, of Hoyleton; Vicky Searing, 37, of Cadiz, KY; and Annabelle Hamilton, 86, of Scheller.

Wedding: Jessica Cook and Blake Moore.

Five Years Ago

(2011)

A lack of races for many municipalities and school boards kept voter turnout low in the Tuesday, April 5 election.

Irvington teachers Beth Ballantini, Dee Borland and Angie Smith all dyed their hair in support of Seth Lange, a seventh grader battling leukemia, after their classes won a fundraising contest.

The annual English Honors IV program at NCHS was scheduled, with 1994 Rwandan genocide survivor and later, St. Louis resident Dan Rugomba set to speak at the event.

The average price of gas in Illinois was over $4.

Births: Sydnie Abernathy was born on March 30 to Kaci Wreatha and Sean Abernathy of Nashville; Briley Fletcher was born on March 30 to Brian and Kristen Fletcher of Nashville.

Sarah Wiesner and Tyler Bullock announced their engagement. Amy Harre and Ryan Cross were married.Deborah Hunt, 53, of Grand Junction, Colo., April 1; Gerald Mattingly, 69, of Evansville, Ind., April 2.