It Happened Here – August 3, 2016
It Happened Here
Eighty Years Ago
(1936)
Joe Ruchaj suffered severe lacerations to his right arm that required its amputation while working with a cutting box on his farm south of Nashville.
Oscar Decker was selling apples for 50 cents a bushel.
Local grocery stores had Big Ben Soap at six bars for 25 cents and two packages of Jersey Corn Flakes for 19 cents.
Deaths: Louise Eigenrauch, 78, of Nashville; William Bierman, formerly of Centralia; Ralph Pokorney, 66, of Nashville; and Anna Gibbs of Okawville.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1941)
An aluminum defense drive in Nashville netted 530 pounds.
K.A. Steinhauser retired after 35 years as manager of the Illinois-Iowa Power Co.
Hoyleton celebrated its sixtieth anniversary as an incorporated village with a picnic.
Deaths: Amanda Hawkins of Nashville; and Carl Hanke, 61, of Okawville.
Seventy Years Ago
(1946)
The third case of infantile paralysis in Nashville was reported for the year.
Hi Ho crackers were 19 cents for a one-pound package and Maxwell House coffee as 36 cents for a one-pound tin.
Area soldiers discharged included: Pvt. Edward Rybacki of Ashley; Msgt. Theodore Toensing of Nashville; Ensign Louis Frank of Okawville; Seaman Earl Martens of Venedy; Electrician Mate Maurice Benedict of Nashville; Seaman Frank Berkemeier of Okawville; Pvt. Arnold Klingenberg of Nashville; Pvt. George Malick of Ashley; Cpl. Wesley Dintleman of Nashville; and Cpl. Ardell Albers of Lenzburg.
Deaths: K.A. Steinhauser of Nashville; Henry Hollman, 78, of Nashville; and Sophia Dunnerman of Elkton.
Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1951)
Nashville Memorial Park Board offered a $25 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who stole a complete set of newly installed playground equipment from the park.
Petitions were being circulated in Nashville Township to increase the road and bridge fund tax to 33 cents per $100 assessed valuation from its present 14 cents.
Death: Mae Stonecipher, 71, of Richview.
Sixty Years Ago
(1956)
Gov. William Stratton released funds for a proposed Washington County Lake south of Nashville.
Nashville was selected as the site for a 1,500 member Square Deal Milk Producers meeting.
Martha Vaughn of Ashley was crowned queen of the 1956 water carnival in Nashville.
Washington County farm income amounted to $1,900 for each man, woman and child living on the farms during the past year, above the national average.
Deaths: Clara Krueger, 72; Elizabeth Mueller, 75, of Okawville; and Walter Steinwald, 59, a native of Washington County.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1961)
Sarah Small was one of 12 ladies in the annual Hambletonian Court of Honor at the Du Quoin State Fair.
Reo Haun was appointed postmaster in Nashville.
Pvt. Charles Parker graduated from airborne jump school at Fort Campbell, KY.
A six-foot high gold leaf cross was mounted atop the 100-foot steeple of the Zion Evangelical Church in Hoyleton.
Deaths: Roy Wilkerson, 4, of Stone Church; Susan Brammeier, 84, of Oakdale; Enoch Marshalek, 81, of Tamaroa; Robert Borrenpohl, 19, of Venedy; Louise Greimann, 80, of Washington County; Lydia Persson, 79, of Nashville; Minnie Martens, 90, of Okawville; Edna May Sugg, 62, of Nashville; Victoria Sikorski, 72, formerly of Washington County; and Della Johnson of Okawville.
Fifty Years Ago
(1966)
Candidates for Miss Washington County were Phyllis Malick of Ashley; Geraldine Newcomb of Ashley; Susan Perschbacher of Okawville; Patricia Ann Borrenpohl of Okawville; Julie Ann Hale of Nashville; and Judith Skabialka of Du Bois.
A site near Shattuc was selected as the campus of Kaskaskia Junior College.
John Spanley, 62, and his wife, Ruth, 58, of Mascoutah were killed in a one-car accident west of Okawville.
Other deaths: Mabel Leibrock, 88, of Nashville; Bertha Pries, 77, of New Minden; Joseph Kraudel, 80, a native of Beaucoup; Richard Newman, 64, of Richview; Sadie Peithman, 87, of Richview; J.B. Smith, 66; John Broviak, 66, of Radom; Amelia Randoll, 84, a native of Okawville; and Rev. Roy Chesney, 44.
Forty-Five Years Ago
(1971)
St. John Lutheran Church in New Minden was set to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the congregation.
Deborah Willis was crowned Miss Washington County.
Nancy Poirot-Uselmann was hired by Delta Airlines as a flight attendant.
A small plane was forced to land in a field on the Walter Rybacki farm southeast of Nashville.
Lee’s featured bathing suits for ladies starting at $3.38 and mens and ladies sunglasses for 74 cents a pair.
Deaths: Rose Dreas, 90, a native of Du Bois; Elizabeth Schlich, 78, of Okawville; Homer Eyre, 70, of Mt. Vernon; Catherine Nowak, 91, formerly of Ashley; George Hall, 70, formerly of Ashley; and Mae Junge, 61.
Forty Years Ago
(1976)
Freelance writer Grover Brinkmann of Okawville wrote the novel “Night of the Blood Moon,” and was published by Herald House of Independence, MO.
St. Mark’s United Church of Christ in Du Bois did extensive remodeling in preparation of its 100th anniversary.
In the spring, Mrs. Forrest Caswell of Oakdale was informed that one of her poems was to be published in the “Biannual Anthology of College Poetry.” Now she was asked permission to publish her poem, “So Alone,” in another volume entitled “Pegasus,” made of the better selections from various poetry reviews.
Okawville updated its sewage disposal system and a new water treatment plant was nearing completion.
Deaths: Laura Karolczak, 83, of Nashville; Michael Kubiak, 57, of Ashley; Dora Krewinghaus, 87, of Venedy; George Hanenberger, 72, of Hoyleton; Wilma Soulsby, 57, of West Frankfort; and Frances Sharrock, 69, of New Memphis.
Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1981)
Vandals opened three fire hydrants in Nashville resulting in the loss of about a third of the city’s water tower pressure.
Illinois State Trooper Ralph Leonard was promoted to trooper first class.
Deaths: John Jankowski, 89, of Du Bois; Reinholdt Kroener, 90, formerly of Oakdale; rose Jaroszewski, 61, of Nashville; Vivian Hug, 41, of Radom; Anna Kroeger, 91, of Nashville; Karen Mueller, 14, of St. Louis; Florence Pries, 70, of New Minden; Edwin Moehlmann, 85, of Nashville; Maude Dublo, 85, of Tamaroa; Herbert Heberer, 65, of Mascoutah; Amanda Schulik, 88, a native of Woodlawn; Sophia Robins, 82, of Ashley; John Schultze Sr., 74, of Glen Carbon; Alice Jury, 94, a native of Woodlawn; Billy VanBuskirk, 61, of Centralia; and Meta Dickhaut, 71, of Mascoutah.
Wedding: Edith Boehning and Keith Grote.
Thirty Years Ago
(1986)
Father Al Jerome was installed a pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Posen.
Larry Maschhoff, president of Eagle Bank of Washington County, accepted a position with Nascote Industries, Inc.
Eagle Bancorporation’s new chief operating officer, Thomas H. Brouster, vowed to uphold the company’s reputation for conservative lending practices after the resignations of previous chairman Rayhill J. Hagist and president Elmer Austermann Jr.
Deaths: Bertha Reuter, 82, of Nashville; Bertha Little, 92, of Marissa; Monica Aydt, 78, of Dahlgren; Erwin Busekrus, 84, of Okawville; Jacob Wagner, 74, of Du Bois; John Tierney, 66, of St. Louis; Rufus Hoffman, 75, of New Minden; and Otto Draege, 61, of Richview.
Wedding: Arlene Foris and Al Czajkowski.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1991)
Okawville Jaycees met with Okawville Police Chief Roy Glasscock, Village Board President Rodney Boruff and the police committee to work out conflicts between the department and the organization.
No opposition was voiced at a hearing on creating a second lake at the Washington County Conservation Area.
The Nashville Lions Benefit Broom Sale was to raise money to purchase Life Line Units at the Washington County Hospital.
The WILY “Polka Party” hosted by Nashville’s Al Dreas was planning to broadcast “live” from the Centralia Balloon Fest. Dreas had hosted the program for over 17 years.
Deaths: Lawrence Jasper, 65, of Stone Church; Adolph Schuetz, 76, of Venedy; Catherine Bartnicki, 84, of Du Bois; Bert Haines, 62, of Marissa; Erwin Luebke, 82, of Nashville; Jake Bower, 77, of Shelbyville; Leona Rinne, 76, of St. Louis; Norman Wheelan, 56, of Beckemeyer; and Maybelle Koch, 94, of Ft. Wayne, IN.
Weddings: Donna Epplin and Michael Johannes; John Agnew and Teresia Bowers.
Births: Jason and Kimberly King, a son; Kenneth and LaDonna Kabat of Du Bois, a son; Barry and Gigi Baker of Centralia, twin daughters; Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Sizemore of Port Orchard, WA, a son; and Lt. And Mrs. James C. Eswald of Osan AFB, South Korea, a daughter.
Twenty Years Ago
(1996)
Radom residents were up in arms about a village board decision to ban parking at the village park.
Washington County Board discussed the purchase of a computerized system for the supervisor of assessments office, estimated to cost $100,000.
Vandals wreaked havoc on the ball diamond, swimming pool and golf course at Memorial Park.
Nashville Chamber of Commerce was soliciting applications for its first executive director.
Back to school specials at Lee’s Variety Store included 64 crayons for $2.88, Elmer’s Glue for 59 cents, and theme books for 29 cents.
Deaths: Gertrude Hogshead, 85, of St. Louis; Leroy Schultz, 63, of St. Louis; Carl Kirkpatrick, 51, of Prescott Valley, AR; Taleda Schickedanz, 79, of Marissa; and Ralph Howel Sr., 68, of St. Peterzburg, FL.
Weddings: Kimberly Woker and Andrew Alfeldt; Marjorie Hasheider and Geoffrey Pearce; Karen Kremmer and Chris Middendorf.
Births: David and Ruth Lake of Lively Grove, a son; Paul and Angela Kirk of Woodlawn, a daughter; Todd and Cheryl Kinzel of Marissa, a daughter; John and Carol Newcomb of Richview, a daughter.
Fifteen Years Ago
(2001)
Steve Launius returned from a 10-day Farm Bureau tour of China, saying opening markets there would be a long-term process.
Carroll and Betty Sinks sold their All-Mart store to Karen and David Droste.
Nashville police offered a $200 reward for information on a rash of flag thefts.
A broken water pump closed Memorial Park Pool as temperatures sizzled.
Electrical fires damaged the homes of John Kelley and Mrs. Ted Dlubala.
Superior Lumber announced the closing of its store in Nashville.
Deaths: Emma Lichtenfels, 90, of Nashville; Charles Meier, 74, of Hoffman; Eldred Mueller, 65, of Okawville; Lloyd “Red” Hardesty, 83, of Nashville; Ralph Offenbach, 77, of Marissa; Dolores “Sis” Knope, 68, of Coulterville; Velma Arnette, 91, of Cahokia; Walter Liszewski, 68, of Nashville; Ruth Ibendahl, 80, of Nashville; and Eileen Smith, 78, of Tamaroa.
Wedding: Christine Cirrincione and Brandon Auld.
Births: Todd and Tiffany Parker of Nashville, a son; Mark and Yvonne McClintock of Nashville, a daughter; Michael and Jamie Windler of New Minden, a daughter; Melanie Caplinger and Jason Baugh of Hoyleton, a son; Tonya Easton of Du Bois and Terrance Hooper of Mt. Vernon, a son.
Ten Years Ago
(2006)
With temperatures in the 90s, a power outage forced evacuation of Friendship Manor residents to the Community Center of Nashville until air conditioning could be restored.
Washington County Animal Shelter was operating from an expanded facility.
Washington County Hospital’s budget predicted a revenue shortfall of over $1.3 million, due mainly to a continuing decline in outpatient visits.
The county’s jobless rate was 4.0 percent.
Si Vallet Auto Sales offered to wash and vacuum vehicles for $19.95.
Birth: Jami and Spring Lueking of Richview, a daughter.
Deaths: Richard Hall, 73, of Carbondale; Alfreda Boczek, 92, of Du Bois; Robert Rynski, 71, of Ashley; Maynard “Mac” McCleary, 92, of Nashville; Alvatine York, 77, of Hoyleton; Sophia Ratajczyk, 94, of Scheller.
Wedding: Lacey Langenfeld and Christopher Gelsinger.
Five Years Ago
(2011)
The State Theater kept the films rolling with $5,600 in 1970s-era-equipment, purchased with the aid of local businesses and banks.
Washington County Hospital announced that they were eligible for a $347,000 grant, to be used for capital reinvestment.
The Radom and Scheller Post Offices were placed on a short list for possible closure by the United States Postal Service.
The Stingers dance team and GDB International cooperated together to do renovation work at Nashville Community High School.
Kevin and Janet Unverfehrt celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary; Kelly Stalnaker and Bret Prange, announced their plans for a November 5 wedding; Megan Newby and Adam Stanley were married on May 31.
Deaths: Berneda Campbell, 88, of Nashville, July 29; Anita Twenhafel, 74, of Parker, Colo., formerly of Hoffman, July 26; Lois Payne, 96, of Centralia, formerly of Irvington, July 31; Martin Suchomski, 48, of Highland, August 1; James Dozier, 95, July 10.
