It Happened Here – August 23, 2017
Eighty Years Ago
(1937)
At the end of the first enrollment period, Nashville High School recorded 55 seniors, 48 juniors, 43 sophomores and 65 freshmen.
William Kleinschmidt sold his stock of merchandise to Woodside Brothers and retired after 35 years in business in Oakdale.
William Hoffman purchased the Boester Tavern just west of Nashville.
The Du Bois State Bank announced it was closing after 30 years in business.
Deaths: Fred Breuer, 73, of Hoyleton; Barbara Ann Perry, 10-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Perry of East St. Louis; Alice Jolliff, 78, a native of Richview; and
Arthur Shadie, 37, formerly of Du Bois.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1942)
Reverend and Mrs. Elmer C. Zimmermann and four children were reported safe aboard a refugee ship bringing U.S. citizens back from Japanese held territory.
Enrollment at Nashville High School was 53 seniors, 73 juniors, 76 sophomores and 83 freshmen.
Oswald W. Hoelscher, 39, of Okawville was killed by a westbound L&N freight train near the Okawville depot.
Other deaths: Bernard Bochantin Sr. of Du Bois; Martha Campbell, 52, of Irvington; Emily Buck of Johannisburg; and Irvin Schultz, 50, of Springfield.
Seventy Years Ago
(1947)
One man was killed and another seriously injured when a truck crashed into a west-bound L&N passenger train shortly after dawn at the Huegely Elevator crossing in Nashville.
The first rainfall in a month failed to break a heat wave in which temperatures remained near 100 degrees F.
Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1952)
James W. Jones bought the Slade School at a sale for $1,050.
The Washington County School Board denied a petition seeking to detach a section of Oakdale Township from Okawville and annex it to Coulterville and a petition from the
Village of Du Bois to detach from the Ashley district and annex to Nashville.
Rain on two nights was blamed for a $500 loss incurred by the Washington County Fair.
The State Sanitary Water Board ordered the Nashville Milk Company to quit polluting streams north of its plant.
Deaths: Fred E. Pruehsner, 78, of Pilot Knob Township; Frank Dawicki, 62, of Radom; and Fred W. Kuekelhan, 61, of Okawville.
Sixty Years Ago
(1957)
Lightning caused a fire which destroyed approximately 20 tons of baled straw on the Ralph Habbe farm.
A total of 115 residents from the Du Bois area appeared before the Board of Review to protest an increase in personal property valuations.
Beckmeyer’s Store in Nashville advertised all wool turtle neck sweaters for $8.95. Slim Jims were $4.95.
Deaths: Forrest Oates, 51, of Nashville; Harry Lewis, 45, formerly of Nashville; Mrs. E. A. Stewart, formerly of rural Nashville; and Bertha Wheeles, 65, of Centralia.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1962)
Thomas Manwaring, 54, of New Memphis was seriously injured while working at the Venedy coal mine.
Father Paulin Dobkowski was assigned to St. Charles parish in Du Bois.
Deaths: Henry William Stiegman Sr., 95, of Nashville; Mrs. Edward Maschhoff, 76, of Nashville; Caroline Strieker of Nashville; August F. Marquard, 77, of Venedy; Henry A. Ostendorf, 76, of rural Okawville; Lee E. McKinney, 72, of Carbondale; Viola Hincke, 88, of Pinckneyville; Arnold Marquard of Venedy; Dr. Carl L. Glenn, 79, of Marissa; Pauline Zelasko, 78, of Tamaroa; and Floyd Cook, 57, a native of Nashville.
Fifty Years Ago
(1967)
Records showed 20 households in Washington County purchased $1,079 in food stamps during July up from 14 households and $646 in March.
Dr. Arnold Thompson of Witt opened an office in Okawville.
Pork chops were 79 cents a pound and a half gallon of ice cream sherbert was 49 cents at the local Kroger store.
Scheller led the Tri-County softball league with a 13-0 record.
Deaths: William G. Patton, 86, of Nashville; Ethel (Stull) Waldman, 84, of Du Bois; Cora (Hemminghaus) Theil, 80, a native of rural Addieville; Mrs. Elroy Brammeyer (nee Maschhoff), 47, of Nashville; Elsie (Brandhorst) Schuette, 67, of Hoyleton; John Coburn Knox, 77, of Ashley; Major General Walter Krueger, 86, formerly of Stone Church; Ralph E. Loos, 21, of Cutler; David Kozuszek, 41, of Todd’s Mill; and Mrs. George Majewski (nee Eater), 55, of Tamaroa.
Forty-Five Years Ago
(1972)
The Nashville City Council authorized preparation of a $450,000 bond issue for updating its sewage disposal system.
Nashville was fined $250 by the Illinois Pollution Control Board for improperly operating its landfill.
A rabid red fox was killed near the Nashville sewer plant by policeman Charles Davis.
Almost 500 pounds of honey was removed from the steeple at St. Peter United Church of Christ in Okawville after 50,000 bees were destroyed so workers could paint the structure.
Darlene Boester won a car at the Hoyleton Hofbraufest.
Deaths: Reverend Paul Harre of Nashville; Elda E. Hoops, 80, of Nashville; Pearl Darmstatter, 75, a native of Nashville; Henry Baehr, 76, of rural Okawville; Gus Krietemeyer, 70, a native of Hoyleton; Anna Louise Frederking, 52, of rural Pinckneyville; Leo C. Richards, 78, of Nashville; Marilyn Skibinski, 38, of Woodlawn; Mrs. Jessie V. Quinn, 75, a native of Oakdale; and Oris Shirley, 86, of Akin.
Forty Years Ago
(1977)
Fire damaged the upstairs apartment inhabited by Ed and Barbara Askew in the 100 block of Lebanon Street.
Arson was suspected in a fire that destroyed a barn at the Raymond Schmersahl farm near Biddleborn.
Don Hawkins began his football coaching career at Nashville High School after five successful years at Mascoutah.
Burglars stole more than $5,000 worth of boat motors and other equipment from the Washington County Lake concession stand.
According to the Coast and Geodetic Survey, the lowest spot in Washington County was the Big Open Pond southwest of Venedy Station with an elevation of 395 feet above sea level. The highest spot was near the Fairview Church on the north edge of Du Bois Township with an elevation of 591 feet.
The Washington County Board established zoning in unincorporated areas of the County.
Deaths: George Edward Jones, 69, of Ashley; Victor Piasecki, 88, of rural Nashville; Norman G. Radake, 39, of rural Tamaroa; Carl F. Kubicki, 64, formerly of Radom; Robert Jason Hawkins, infant son of Barbara and Robert Hawkins of Nashville; Thomas J. Nowakowski, 54, of rural Tamaroa; George A. Irwin, 53, of rural Pinckneyville; and Grace Brinkmann, 44, of rural Carlyle.
Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1982)
Father Frank Wagner celebrated his silver jubilee at St. Barbara in Scheller.
Leonard Haertling won the annual washer tournament for the second straight year.
Enrollment for the first day of classes at Nashville High School was 136 freshmen, 127 sophomores, 126 juniors and 138 seniors.
Deaths: Anna (Kroeger) Meier, 81, a native of Hoyleton; Howard Reves, 71, of Nashville; Alice E. (Huelskoetter) Pettersen, 78, of Venedy; Alvina W. (Harre) Reinkensmeyer, 90, of Ferrin; George L. Lisk, 85, of Nashville; Jeffrey P. Ogrezewella, two, of Steeleville, MO; Reverend Joe W. Treat, 68, formerly of Ashley; and Lola Wheeles Block, 75, a native of Ashley.
Weddings: Jodi Louise Habbe and Curtis Wilmer Harre, both of Nashville; Michelle Aubel of Addieville and Steven Paul Meentemeyer of Okawville; and Marlene G. Ruehl of Nashville and William P. Davis of Carbondale.
Thirty Years Ago
(1987)
The State of Illinois revoked the operating license of St. Mary’s Square Living Center in Irvington and fined the facility $48,000 for physical, sexual and verbal abuse and neglect of residents.
Steve Launius was named Superintendent of the Hoyleton Community Consolidated School District No. 29.
Irvington teachers were granted a $500 across-the-board pay rise.
Nashville High School teachers approved a contract calling for a six percent increase in salaries and benefits.
Ellen Krohne was elected a Director of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank in Nashville.
Twins Restaurant opened north of Nashville.
Deaths: Margaret B. (Trost) Hawkins, 74, of Nashville; Edwin C. Jording, 78, of Hoyleton; Daniel D. Cahill, 81, of Ashley; and Agnes Louise (Dueker) Opp, 96, a native of North Prairie.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1992)
A wagon train from Clinton County passed through Washington County on the way to the Thresherman’s show in Pinckneyville.
Washington County’s 175th Anniversary Planning Committee endorsed the concept of a pictorial history of the county to be sold during the anniversary celebration.
Veterans of the 45th Transportation Army Aircraft Company held a reunion at Nashville Memorial Park.
Construction began for the new 72,000-square-foot terminal and warehouse for Norrenberns Trucking Co. on Route 127.
Vandals broke windows at Quick Pick, NAPA Auto Parts and at the Niermann Building.
Deaths: Hattie Wojtowicz, 89, of Nashville; Augusta Husmann, 96, of Centralia; William Brinkman Jr., 89, of Nashville; Laura Wessel, 81, of Centralia; Veronica Bielatowicz, 89, of St. Louis, MO; Dale Hilt, 71, of Du Bois; Everett Jones, 73, of Mt. Vernon; Lester Meyer, 76, of Irvington; William Boyd, 85, of Coulterville.
Weddings: Allison Amelia Haake of Carbondale and John Paul Brase of St. Louis, MO; and Becka Spinnie of Stone Church and Brandon Louveau of Sparta.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. David Middendorf (Donna Kellerman) of Okawville, a son and a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. David Caplinger (Karla Cowen) of Irvine, CA, a son; and Mr. and Mrs. Brian Davison (Darla Fansler) of Okawville, a daughter.
Twenty Years Ago
(1997)
NCHS teachers got a six percent raise in the first year of a three-year pact. Non-certified and salaried personnel got the same increase.
Irvington School Board lowered the textbook rental fee from $45 to $35.
Glenda Frazier was named postmaster at Opdyke after six years at Nashville Post Office.
Deaths: Carrie Ruchaj, 86, of Nashville; Anna Louise Kroener, 74, of Oakdale; Sophia Hake, 90, of Nashville; William Sensel, 79, of Crossville; Albert Lukehart Jr., 64, of Carbondale; Florence Bleamer, 88, of Grayville; Mary Mays, 77, of Centralia; Catherine Grassi, 74; and George Bringle, 80, of Newell, IA.
Weddings: Janel Fruend and Michael Mueller; and Heather Peters and Travis Stiegman.
Births: Brian Pedtke and Christy Rokicki, a daughter; David and Theresa (Hagene) Seeman of Red Bud, a son; and Julia and Kevin Witges of Scheller, a son.
Fifteen Years Ago
(2002)
Despite objections from some residents, Nashville City Council voted to raze the old city hall to make way for a new structure.
Dave Liske told of his job as a welder, which had taken him to Europe, South America and to construction sites in over a dozen states.
Deaths: Urban Hundelt, 79, of St. Libory; Jesse Weisel, 87, of Tamaroa; Ferdinand Pommer, 72, of Carlyle; and Josephine Raeber, 84, of St. Louis.
Births: Marc and Tiffany Dahncke of Vienna, a son; Amy Johnson and Wesley Pigg of Junction City, a daughter; Kevin and JoLynn Lamczyk of Mt. Vernon, a daughter; Jason and Renee Valentine of Tamaroa, a daughter; and Jamie Pate and Jason Renth of Beckemeyer, a son.
Ten Years Ago
(2007)
Crops in this part of the state were suffering under severe heat and drought conditions.
A brief storm with strong winds and rain passed through Nashville and peeled a portion of the roof off at Gutzler’s Furniture.
“The Simpsons Movie” was the feature playing at the State Theatre.
Deaths: Nola J. Haynes, 64, of Nashville; George William “Bill” Gooden, 73; Agnes Anna Maria Penland, 97, of Belleville, formerly of the Okawville area; Norbert E. Milloshewski, Master Chief, USN, 69, of Mascoutah; Darlene Virginia Storment, 76, of rural Centralia; Marvine Curl, 77, of Texico; Raymond G. Tielemann, 88, of Oakdale; Opal Jennings, 80, of Centralia; Edward H. Riechmann, 82, of Okawville; Robert E. Klamm, 82, of Huegely; and Paul W. Streuter, 73, formerly of Okawville.
Birth: Ryan and Deneane Wiedwilt of Addieville, a daughter.
Wedding: Katherine Sophia Beer of Bartelso and Rodney Michael Ratermann of Breese.
Five Years Ago
(2012)
A radio-based tone alert was approved to help cover Nashville’s north side in the case of weather or other emergency.
The Washington County Board approved a bid for construction of the Judicial Center.
Eugene Matthews of Addieville displayed a portrait of the Prussian royal family prior to the First World War.
State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka recognized Rainbow Ranch owner Allan Blumhorst for his contributions to agritourism in Illinois.
Births: Fletcher Thessing, born August 3 to Ben and Tracy Thessing of Mascoutah; Lillian Cook, born July 21 to Ryan and Erin Cook of Chicago; Brantley Rulevish, born July 31 to Keith and Andrea Rulevish of Ashley; Tynleigh Pool was born July 23 to Michael and Ashleigh Pool of Montgomery; Jozlynn Palm, born on July 3 Justin and Christy (Stieg) Palm of Red Bud are announcing the birth of their daughter, Jozlynn LaFern Palm. She was born at 7:07 p.m. on July 3.
Society: Alison Bustard and Andrew Shubert announced their engagement; Sarah Ibendahl and Austin Schuster announced their engagement; Dana Fischer and Eric Mammoser announced their engagement; Jim and Mary McQuaid of New Minden celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on August 25.
Deaths: Julia T. Barciszewski (nee Stanioch), 97, of Marion, Ky., formerly of Arnold, Mo., July 27; Vera Luechtefeld, 97, of Lively Grove, August 19; Mary E. McCormack, 101, of Hoyleton, August 17; Mark Stephen Kuzemka, 50, of St. Charles, August 4.
