It Happened Here: August 2, 2017

Eighty Years Ago

(1937)

A building crew was erecting an electric power line from Okawville to Venedy.

State highway patrolman Walter Jankowski was injured when his motorcycle struck a truck on Route 153.

Plans were received for improvements at the Nashville Grade School, including indoor toilets.

An L&N freight train struck and killed two cows on the Meier farm near Okawville.

A round-trip ticket to Chicago on the C&EI railway from Mt. Vernon was $5.75.

Bananas were 10 cents a dozen.

Robert Turner, 23, of St. Louis, MO drowned in the Kaskaskia River near Covington when he dove from atop the steel bridge.

Other deaths: Susan Huegely, 86, of Nashville; and Edward W. Doelling, formerly of Okawville.

Seventy-Five Years Ago

(1942)

Featured at the State Theater in Nashville was “Sing Your Worries Away” with Bert Lahr and Buddy Ebsen.

Deaths: Mary Reither, 83, of Nashville; Doris Fae Christensen, 27, a native of Nashville; and Reverend Marion Jackson, 71, of Mt. Vernon.

Seventy Years Ago

(1947)

George Kuhn Jr. of Okawville signed a contract with the New York Yankees major league baseball team.

Deaths: Mrs. J. O. Fieschute, 74, of Nashville; Frank Kowalski, 73, of Nashville; Fred Koepker Sr., 74, of Plum Hill Township; Emma Schmulbach, 77, of Du Bois; Lily Hopkins, 76, of Rolla, MO; Pauline Malinowski, 39, of St. Louis, MO; and Nellie Elvis, 63, of Lively Grove Township.

Sixty-Five Years Ago

(1952)

A survey indicated each American family owed $5,700 as its share of the national debt.

Mrs. Charles Palmer, 39, formerly Marjorie Foehr of Ashley, was killed by her husband during a domestic dispute in Belleville.

The Bottom Prairie No. 65 School District was joined with the Okawville District No. 61.

Other deaths: David G. Morrison, 84, of rural Nashville; William S. Hoffman, 43, of Nashville; Henry Gerding, 65, of North Prairie; John Suchomski, 73, of Todd’s Mill; Ada Maude Wright, 75, of Washington County; William Sieving, 78, of Venedy; and Engelhart Carl Moeller, 63, of rural Plum Hill.

Sixty Years Ago

(1957)

Williamson Park, a new playground, was opened in the southwest part of Nashville.

A 14-ounce bottle of catsup was 15 cents and hamburger was 39 cents a pound.

The Beaucoup post office closed after nearly 100 years of operation.

Bill and Lester Segelhorst of Venedy took over operation of the Renken garage in Addieville.

Deaths: Walter C. Harris, 67, of Nashville; Polly G. Collier, 70, of Centralia; Adolph Krietemeyer, 72, of Ocala, FL; and Henry C. Perdue, 74, formerly of Nashville.

Fifty-Five Years Ago

(1962)

Harlan A. Schnake of rural Hoyleton was re-elected chairman of the Washington County ASC Committee.

Deaths: Lydia Carson Eise, 66, of rural Nashville; B. G. Shubert, 69, a native of Coulterville; Edward S. Garnholz, 69, a native of North Prairie; W. R. Hassebrock, 70, a native of Okawville; and William B. Johnston of Springfield.

Fifty Years Ago

(1967)

The state sales tax rate rose from 3 1/2 cents to 4 1/2 cents. Local sales taxes were increased from a half cent to three quarters of a cent. The state cigarette tax increased from seven to nine cents per pack.

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Washington County was holding its annual convention in Ashley.

Nashville was to be the site of one of five Interstate Commerce Commission hearings on the proposed discontinuance of two Louisville and Nashville passenger trains between St. Louis and Nashville.

Sirloin steaks were 99 cents a pound.

Candidates for Miss Washington County were Ruth Berkemeier, Mary Beth Folsom, Mary Rokicki, Barbara Grzegorek, Ruth Ann Jeffries, Sharon Meier, Sharon Windler, Barbara Ann Reitz, Julie Hale, Susan Heberer and Cindy Schmale.

Albert Behrman of Coulterville purchased Aut’s Food Store in Ashley and renamed it the Ashley IGA.

Deaths: Martha Sophie (Decker) Beckman, 81, of Cordes; Lawrence H. Maschhoff, 47, of China Lake, CA; Laura (Wynn) Hinkley, 70, formerly of Ashley; Loy M. Baldridge, 66, of Grand Prairie Township; Friederich Henry Helms, 71, of rural Nashville; Harvey E. Risley, 58, of Clarmin; Louie Meffert, 67, a native of Ashley; Henry E. Hugo, 85, a native of Hoyleton; Ruth Hookwalter Hummel, 79, formerly of Nashville; and Theodore W. Lueking, 56, of rural Centralia.

Forty-Five Years Ago

(1972)

Reinholdt Sprehe reported the theft of 19 head of market-size hogs from his residence west of New Minden.

Deaths: Arthur H. Riechmann, 72, a native of Plum Hill; Emma Eigenrauch, 88, of Addieville; Dorothy F. Wernsing, 65, of Richview; Ina E. Bartle, 81, a native of Nashville; A. Paul Schmidt, 76, of rural Nashville; Julia Wayer, 70, a native of Radom; and Alvina Keller, 86, a native of Addieville.

Forty Years Ago

(1977)

The District No. 49 Board of Education was told that the proposed school year budget would operate $191,000 in the red, including all funds.

Deaths: Frank Louis Vanagas, 63, of rural Nashville; William C. Ostendorf, 87, of rural Addieville; Lillie Racherbaumer, 87, of Hoyleton; Joseph Broviak, 70, of rural Ashley; John Schwartz, 75, of rural Marissa; and Anna W. Frederking, 79, of Okawville.

Thirty-Five Years Ago

(1982)

The State Theater in Nashville featured “Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan.”

The City of Nashville was removed from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s restricted status list which kept the City from adding new customers to its sewer system.

Deaths: Mildred Lucille (Richards) Toon, 51, of rural Okawville; Anna (Skortz) Kwiatkowski, 79, a native of Ashley; Hilda (Brockmann) Saur, 72, a native of Venedy; Lieutenant Colonel Donald Eugene Keen, 54, of rural Woodlawn; Rose E. (Nikrant) Prusacki, 78, of rural Du Quoin; and Charles Merle Stieg, 64, a native of Washington County.

Weddings: Donna Kathryn Bonk of Nashville and David Dale Jones of St. Louis, MO; and Jayne Annette Hartley of Beardstown and William Eugene Pinkley of Barrington.

Thirty Years Ago

(1987)

Nashville Laborers Local No. 548 set up picket lines at the site of a proposed drive-in restaurant and ice cream manufacturing plant at Route 127 and Interstate 64 claiming a contract violation.

Deaths: Julia A. (Gajewski) Skowron, 80, of Nashville; Rose Frances (Mueller) Whitson, 81, formerly of Nashville; William R. “Pete” Stover, 71, of rural Centralia; Bertha Caroline (Meier) Beek, 87, of Nashville; Ida Rosina (Nicholson) Croan, 81, of Irvington; Helen Elizabeth (Nowland) Trader, 69, of rural Scheller; Orville A. Schief, 89, of Okawville; and Paul F. Reeves, 72, of Tamaroa.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

(1992)

Four scientists from the Soviet Space Exhibit at the St. Louis Science Center paid a visit to Nashville.

The Oakdale Nutrition Site closed due to lack of funding.

Bill Clinton brought his presidential campaign to Centralia.

A Hoover upright vacuum cleaner cost $99 at Williamson Hardware.

Deaths: Robert Landers Jr., 7, of Nashville; Martha Chapman, 91, of Tamaroa; Esther Hollman, 85, of Mascoutah; and Loren Young, 79, of Morrison.

Wedding: Jodi Michael and Douglas Palm.

Births: Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Kirgan (Angela Zacheis) of Oakdale, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. James McMillian (Terrie Dyck) of Venedy, a son; Mr. and Mrs. Clay Maxwell (Becky Davis) of Hoyleton, a son; and Mr. and Mrs. John Gaston (Nancy Deason) of Salem, a son.

Twenty Years Ago

(1997)

Washington County Hospital accepted a bid of $994,000 for renovations and a 1,400-square-foot addition on the west side of the building. Outpatient clinics were to be moved to the front, and administrative offices to the lower level.

A proposal to introduce elk into Southern Illinois was put on hold by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Dan and Cecile Krus were celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Flower Shop Hallmark Cards and Gifts.

Dale Wagner of Nashville was found shot to death at his business, Broadway Pawn and Loan Co. in Mt. Vernon.

Other deaths: Barbara Kroener, 95, of Oakdale; Dorothy Josten, 77, of Nashville; Norman Randoll, 74, of Okawville; Catherine Grace, 63, of Springfield; Ronald Rakers, 36, of Trenton; Bernice Richert, 86, of Belvidere; and Angel Miller, infant daughter of Amy Miller of Tamaroa.

Weddings: Kelly Boyd and Charles Williamson; Tanja Reynolds and Bret Prange; and Kristina Ross and Greg Hemminghaus.

Births: Michael and Tracey (Shelby) Marlow of Dupo, a son; John Foster and Michelle Borrenpohl, a son; Daniel and Jennifer (Levitt) Fowler of New Athens, a son; and Sam and Angelia (Tepe) Ebley of Huey, a son.

Fifteen Years Ago

(2002)

Oakdale’s Easter Eggstravaganza was a winner of the 21st Annual Governor’s Home Town Award in the under-1,300 population division.

Construction was nearly complete on the new emergency room at Washington County Hospital.

John Wall’s 1959 racing kart won Best of Show honors at the shows in Quincy and Chicago.

A ribbon was cut to mark the opening of Nashville Outdoor Power Equipment, owned by Kevin and Janet Sabo.

Tuition at Kaskaskia College was $43 per credit hour.

Legion Post 110, coached by Eric Cameron, finished the baseball season at 17-14.

Deaths: Raymond Dinkelman, 89, of Nashville; Elmo Feltmeyer, 91, of Tamaroa; Minnie Richardson, 96, of Richview; Leona Koenig, 86, of Trenton; Homer Meentemeyer, 91, of Nashville; Charlie Schaefer, 93, of Okawville; and Walter Jankowski Sr., 85, of Evansville, IN.

Weddings: Stephanie Rusiewski and Calvin Engele; Melissa Rich and David House; Rebecca Jack and Howard Davis Jr.; Cecilia Worley and Ryan Shea; and Elisha Huelsmann and Corey Behrman.

Births: Matt Kessler and Gina Aussieker of Hoyleton, a daughter; Travis and Heather (Peters) Stiegman of Spring, TX, a son; and Jeff and Kelly (Peeck) Paskiewicz of St. Peters, MO, a son.

Ten Years Ago

(2007)

Andrew Lunneman of Pinckneyville was taken into custody without incident after a manhunt involving state police and officers from three counties.

“License To Wed” was playing at the State Theatre in Nashville.

The ball was rolling on Nashville Middle School Athletic Fields. It was to feature baseball, softball and soccer fields.

Deaths: Henry “Hank” Wyciskalla, 75, of Scheller; Lynn A. Kamadulski Sr., 41, of Granite City; Elroy C. Steinkamp, 85, of rural Addieville; Howard Davis Sr., 69, of Alma; Willard W. Borrenpohl, 84, of Freeburg; N. Louise Johnson, 73, of Mt. Vernon; and Francis A. Luitjohan, 84, of Damiansville.

Births: Patrick and Jennifer (Rolf) Maschhoff of Nashville, a daughter; Richard and Ann Marie (Lukasik) DeFend of Woodbury, MN, a daughter; and Peter and Janna Lynn Ciesielski, a son.

Wedding: Julia Kay Albers and Jeremy Scott Richter.

Five Years Ago

(2012)

Washington County Hospital reported at their July board meeting that the month of June was their sixth consecutive profitable month. They reported $173,843 in profits for the month.

The county’s property tax multiplier was set for the year at 0.9780, by the Illinois Department of Revenue.

Summer music program participants performed a musical with an anti-bullying theme at the Community Center.

Diego Borja of Okawville received word that he would get to meet U.S. President Barack Obama at his second term inauguration as part of the National Young Scholars Program.

Farmers began cutting crops down for salvage due to the summer’s drought, one of the most severe on record.

Births: Halle Lynn Wietfeldt was born July 8 to Rev. Matthew and Jenna Wietfeldt of Nashville; Easton Andrew Glaenzer was born June 24 to Jason and Stacey Glaenzer of Waterloo; twins Benson Keith and Winston David Renth were born July 19 to Shane and Sarah (Doelling) Renth; Riley Claire Wilson was born July 17 to Joshua and Lindsay Wilson of Belleville.

Society: Dolores M. Hake of Hoyleton celebrated her 90th birthday. Andrew Schaltenbrand and Nicole Schroer were married on May 19. Jason Lee Mewes and Daniela Natasha Feeny announced their engagement. Megan Habbe and Nicholas Rosa announced their engagement. Beckmeyer Family Reunion was held July 21 at the Hoyleton Community Center.

Deaths: Bernadine Bauza, 66, of Marion, formerly of Centralia, July 30.