It Happened HereJune 1, 2016

It Happened Here

Eighty Years Ago

(1936)

May water bills in Nashville were sent to 465 households. Only 31 were for more than the monthly minimum of $1.20 for 2,000 gallons of water.

Grocery prices included two large packages of Jersey Corn Flakes for 19 cents and longhorn cheese for 19 cents a pound.

Deaths: Henry Klauke, 95, of Okawville.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

(1941)

Dr. Charles Longwell, a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps Reserves, was called to a year’s active duty in the Army.

Vandals felled eight poles on the Illinois-Iowa Power Company’s service line near Ashley disrupting service in Richview and Irvington.

St. Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy celebrated its 75th anniversary.

The last of the local strawberries were due to be picked this weekend.

Deaths: Mrs. Fred Reinhardt, 68, of Nashville.

Seventy Years Ago

(1946)

A bus carrying 30 Ashley High School students returning from an outing to St. Louis crashed and burned at a bridge bannister on Route 15 near Okawville. Seven students and two adults were treated for minor injuries.

Eugene Shelton purchased the Red and White grocery store in Ashley from Martin Stockton.

Nashville High School tracksters won the Tri-County meet for the third consecutive year.

Area soldiers discharged included: Pvt. Oliver Keller of Nashville; Pvt. Homer Keil of Nashville; Seaman Ralph Boeschen of Addieville; Pvt. Henry Malawy of Nashville; Gunner’s Mate Raymond Malawy of Du Bois; Cpl. Charles Lilienkamp of Nashville; Lt. Gerald Spear of Ashley; Seaman Max Henson of Ashley; Herman Wisniewski of Ashley; Electrician’s Mate Walter Oltman Jr.; and Quartermaster Conrad Rueter of Nashville.

Area grocery prices included Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mix for 15 cents a box and Kellogg’s variety package of 10 cereals for 25 cents.

Market prices had cattle at $17.30 per hundred pounds.

Deaths: Monroe Skorch, 44, of Du Bois; and Thomas McDonald, 60, of Hoyleton Township.

Sixty-Five Years Ago

(1951)

Small and Sons advertised a 1941 Studebaker for $345 and a 1940 Ford Coupe for $375.

Pick your own strawberries at Alvin and Ray Dodillet’s farm north of Irvington were 15 cents a quart.

Deaths: Mary Caruth of Beaucoup; Emil Mottert of Hoyleton; and Corrie Racine.

Sixty Years Ago

(1956)

Two hobos were captured by a posse in the Buddy Nowicki wheat field south of Du Bois after another traveling companion accused the two of robbing him of $9.96 as the trio were riding an Illinois Central freight train. The argument climaxed in Du Bois when the train was brought to an emergency stop and the two fled. The trio was brought to the Washington County Jail where the dispute was resolved.

Surveys indicated the cost of raising a Holstein heifer from birth to first calving was $200.

Chester McFeron was reappointed utility superintendent in Nashville at a salary of $325 per month. Phillip Neuhaus was street overseers at $200 pre month and Freeman Kaser was city marshal at $250 per month.

Denver Clark closed the Cities Service Station in Nashville.

Deaths: Laura Lutz, 78, of Nashville; Frances O’Brien, 64, of Nashville; Keith John Gale, 3 ½ month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn Gal of Webster Groves, MO; and Laura O’Donnell, 74.

Fifty-Five Years Ago

(1961)

Thieves stole approximately $250 worth of merchandise from the Aut Grocery Store in Ashley.

The Washington County Service Co. assumed operation of the Huegely Elevators in Nashville, Beaucoup and Venedy.

New seven-digit phone numbers were scheduled to go in to effect for all Nashville telephones beginning in July.

C.E. Williamson moved his saw mill from Carlyle to north of Nashville.

The Washington County Board erected a 40-foot flag pole at the entrance to the courthouse.

With a $10 purchase at the local IGA store, you could buy a Yogi Bear tray for 99 cents.

Deaths: Loren Haun, 47, of Richview; Frank Antkowiak, 47, of Posen; William Twenhafel, 54, of Hoyleton; and William Young, 59, of Ashley.

Fifty Years Ago

(1966)

City boys and girls were warned not to ride bicycles in the fog created by the city’s mosquito spraying machine because of reduced visibility, inviting accidents.

Pilot Knob, Bolo and Oakdale townships along with part of Du Bois Township voted to join the Kaskaskia College District, 98-65.

Stephen Pero graduated from the St. Louis University School of Dentistry.

State conservation agents killed a large bear near Waltonville.

Work was scheduled to begin on widening and straightening Route 127 north of Nashville.

Deaths: Rosina Peithmann, 86, of North Prairie; Emilie Segelhorst, 62, of Venedy; Conrad Stumpf, 72, of Centralia; Lora Taft, 64, of Oakdale; Alvina Garling, 87, of Covington; Amelia Sprehe, 84, of New Minden; Ralph Washburn, 51, a native of Ashley; Bernard McManus, 61; Emmaline Hausschild, 83, of Nashville; John Setzekorn, 69, of Du Bois; and Julie Novak.

Forty-Five Years Ago

(1971)

Neil Baldridge of Ashley was appointed to the Illinois Oil and Gas Board.

The Nashville High School baseball team defeated Centralia, 10-9, to win the regional championship.

Ron’s Gulf Service celebrated its open house with free gifts of glasses.

Deaths: Marie Sproul, 76, of Nashville; Margaret Koenig, 72, formerly of Washington County; and Charles Vogt, 71, of Centralia.

Forty Years Ago

(1976)

Harold Absher retired after serving a superintendent of highways for 30 years.

The Washington County Bicentennial Monumnet on the east side of the courthouse was dedicated.

Parasitic wasps were released on two Illinois farms in Washington and Mason counties by entomologists as an aid to destroy alfalfa weevils.

Weddings: Jim Bathon and Jan Yarbrough.

Deaths: Attorney Howard Hosmer, 84, of Washington DC; Karl Kahre, 79, of Centralia; John Budina, 89, of Sparta; Ruth Carrick, 86, of Oakdale; Ocie Woodside, 85, of Du Quoin; and Florence Leach of Nashville.

Thirty-Five Years Ago

(1981)

Lee Burgess was appointed Washington County Assistant State’s Attorney under William Pearcy.

Heavy rains caused water to run over the spillway at the Washington County Lake for the first time in over a year. Volunteers were also called to sandbag a leak in the Ashley Reservoir dam.

Sandwich bread was two, 24-ounce loaves for $1.09 and turkey was 59 cents a pound at local grocery stores.

Deaths: Walter Buhrmester, 73, of Nashville; Dorothy Meyer, 73, of Centralia; Mrs. Fred Jenkins, 81, of New Minden; Irene Zortman, 70, of Bloomington; Tallie Calvin Wall, 77, of Mt. Vernon; Gwenliean Friend, 86, of St. Louis; Justin Christ, four-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Christ of Okawville; and Bessie Lee, 78, of Tamaroa.

Wedding: Rosemary Bartnicki and David Wojtowicz.

Thirty Years Ago

(1986)

Ralph Korte Construction Co. was named the general contractor for construction of an auto parts plant in Nashville.

Richard Harris of Mascoutah was named Nashville Police Chief.

Yellow Onions were 76 cents for a three-pound bag and peaches were 67 cents a pound at the Save-a-Lot Store in Nashville.

Deaths: Debra Wolske, 27, of Nashville; Joseph Malinski, 63, a native of Tamaroa; Rosalie Klock, 90, of Summerfield; Lydia “Anna” Johnson, 83, of Winter Park, FL; Delmar Haun, 75, of Nashville; Alice Meyer, 83, of Addieville; R.C. Fincher, 47, of St. Louis; and Flora Laudon, 70, a native of Cordes.

Wedding: Pamela Shaw and Dean Jacobs.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

(1991)

Troops who served in Operation Desert Storm took part in the Memorial Day service in Memorial Park in Nashville.

A Washington County jury found Ronald Fleener, 18, formerly of Ashley, guilty of first degree murder in the death of Paul A. Barciszewski.

James Bain, 26, of Mt. Vernon had his 60-year sentence in the Barciszewski murder reduced for 55 years by Judge Lloyd Karmeier.

The Maifest in Nashville had rain, crowds, delayed softball games and new features like Sunday bingo and a craft fair area.

Whole fryers were selling for 49 cents a pound, with a limit of three; watermelons were 25 cents a pound and both sausage and sliced bacon were $1.99 a pound.

Deaths: Courtic Bowman, 58, of Nashville; Theodore Kozuszek, 76, of Du Bois; Thomas Toennis, 49, of New Baden; Joseph Poiter, 83, of Pinckneyville; Sam Rothstein II, 56, of Addieville; Margaret Lovan, 91, of Murphysboro; John Wildgen, 86, and Florence Wildgen, 83, of Missouri; Elmer Hangsleben. 49, of Mascoutah; and John Burns, 76, of Freeburg.

Wedding: Carmalee Kabat and Donnie Kroll.

Births: Brad and Kathy Viermann of Hoyleton, a daughter; Scott and Rebecca Ruehl of Nashville, a daughter; and Mark and Karen Henss of Trenton, a son.

Twenty Years Ago

(1996)

A benefit dinner raised $10,000 for the Okawville Village Library.

Farmers and Merchants National Bank offered 5.25 percent on seven month CDs and 5.45 percent for 12 months.

A deer was injured when it crashed into the door of the Washington County Sheriff’s Dept. it was killed by a police officer.

The Jaycee’s Maifest, which usually attracts rain, enjoyed beautiful weather.

Deaths: Hazel Pries, 77, of New Minden; Leo Pylinski 93, of Indio, CA; Permelia Murphy, 89, of Nashville; Delbert Bartels, 72, of Jerseyville; Sarah Edwards, 46, of Royalton; and Mary Robbins, 68, of Centralia.

Weddings: Debra Plakowski and Shawn McCool; Sherry Schnake and Bryan Skillman; Kristina Brockman and James Joest.

Births: Rick and Barbara Reidelberger of Du Bois, a daughter; Wade and Monica Evans, a daughter; Steven and Janice Friedrich of Oakdale, a son; Dr. Kevin and Jo Lynn Lamczyk of Mt. Vernon, a daughter.

Fifteen Years Ago

(2001)

Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Morris, a Gulf War veteran, was the Memorial Day speaker in Nashville.

Former Okawville police chief Anthony Thompson was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of mail fraud for allegedly submitting false payroll information while working in Okawville.

Carl Otten was installed as principal of Trinity-St. John Lutheran School.

The Hornettes advanced to the state softball tournament in East Peoria with a 6-0 win over Pinckneyville.

John Schmale capped his NCHS career by taking a bronze metal in the pole vault at the state track meet.

Miller Plumbing and Heating offered to perform a central air conditioning checkup for $39.

Deaths: Theodore Brammeier, 99, of Oakdale; Pina Skabialka, 79, of Du Bois; Lewis Shuetz, 72, of Tilden; Rose Rohnenstiehl, 76, of Collinsville.

Weddings: Deborah Frazier and Stephen Frazier; Priscilla Johnson and Rev. Howard Self.

Births: Jeffrey and Wendy Bergmann of Oakdale, a son; Kevin and Melinda Lane, a son.

Ten Years Ago

(2006)

NCHS senior Charlie Hatch closed his stellar track career by placing second in the 1600-meter run at the state track finals.

Lt. Col. Nathan Kiker (ret.), a native of Okawville, spoke at the Memorial Day service.

A grave maker was placed at Locust Creek Cemetery to remember Conrad Goodner, a Revolutionary War soldier buried there.

Nashville Dist. 49 Superintendent Don Miller closed out his 34-year career in education.

Cheryl Denton, 41, of Oakdale was killed in a single-vehicle accident on Elkton Road.

Other deaths: Joe Kasban, 79, of Ashley; Virgina Coulter, 87, of Oakdale; Louis Bochantin, 88, of Du Bois; Wanda Buretta, 95, of St. Louis; Andrew Guest, one-year-old son of Jason and Tricia Guest of Nashville; Florence Palm, 94, of St. Louis; Keagan Poggemoeller, infant son of David and Tina Poggemoeller of Sorento; Alberta Gire, 73, of Anchorage, AK; Hope Davison, infant daughter of Richard and Carrie Davison Jr. of Belleville; Anna Kabat, 99, of Scheller; and Elnor Helms, 95, of Okawville.

Births: Stephen and Lisa Clark of Addieville, a son; Jay and Stephanie Bethel of Granite City, a daughter; Jeremy and Kelly May of Nashville, a son.

Five Years Ago

(2011)

Washington County Hospital finished its fiscal year with losses totaling almost $900,000.

District 49 voted to keep its pre-k program despite worries that state funding would be disrupted.

Maifest had warm, sunny, “perfect” weather.

NCHS Track athletes Zack Fieber, Alex Lietz, Gannon Mamell and Daniel Huge won gold in the 1,600 M relay at the Class A State Track meet – their time of 3:21:58 was the speediest in the state.

Sally Moulton, sister of Rick Harris of Nashville, was killed after a tornado struck Joplin, Mo.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier gave the keynote speech at the Memorial Day observances.

Births: Brady Szopinski, born February 1, to Jared and Kristin Szopinski, of Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Grady Meinert, born May 2, to Matthew and Ann Meinert.

Jared Kellerman and Whitney Wojtowicz exchanged vows on April 30; Jame and Frieda Feig celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 5.

Deaths: Glen Marquard, 52, of Venedy, May 22; Cecelia, Kitowski, 92, of Nashville, May 23; Sylvester Lamke, 83, of Scheller, May 30; Mary (Kane) Elliott, 76, of Aviston, May 28; Stacey Fox, 43, of Tamaroa, May 19.