It Happened Here – January 3, 2018

Eighty Years Ago
(1938)

Roy Stonecipher, 41, of Centralia was killed in a slate fall at the No. 5 coal mine south of Centralia.
Other deaths: Frank W. Driskill, 50, of Nashville; Mary Stanford Lewis, 66, of Du Bois; Mrs. Marion Lancaster, 79, formerly of Nashville; Laura Belle Bryan, 76, of Belleville; and George Arnold of Evansville, Indiana.

Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1943)

The federal government urged owners of oil heating stoves to convert to coal due to the wartime heating oil shortage. Plans were also announced to ration all canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables, including soups.
A two-car collision at the intersection of Route 15 and the Black Diamond Trail resulted in extensive damage to the Shell Station at that location. One woman was seriously injured.
Deaths: Ethel Brin, 44, a native of Nashville; Ephraim Furby, 79, formerly of Nashville; August Schultz Sr., 91, of Nashville; Arthur “Bud” Dempsey, 67, of Centralia; and Minnie Spencer Edler, 63, a native of Hoyleton.

Seventy Years Ago
(1948)

Nashville High School’s varsity basketball team won the Tri-County Tournament at Carlyle with a 70-41 victory over Okawville.
Heckert District No. 77, St. Joseph District No. 79 and District No. 33 in St. Clair County voted for consolidation of their school districts. The vote in District No. 77 was 23 to 21 while all over districts approved by overwhelming margins.
A 40-pound tin of lard was $12.25 at the Daniel Food Store.
Deaths: Fred W. Prasuhn of Nashville; Ann Hawkins, 41, of Nashville; Edward F. Beckmeyer, 67, a native of Hoyleton; Joseph C. Steiner, 68, of St. Louis, Missouri; Anna Marie Palm, 60, a native of Hoyleton; James Melvin Ferguson, 78, of Irvington; Mary Hanenberger, 83, of rural Hoyleton; Maria Dickey, 85, a native of Washington County; Mary Zewiske, 86, formerly of Radom; Martha Ann Brownfield, 77, of rural Sparta; Frank Claywell Blankenship, a native of Ashley; Rose Marion Boyland of East St. Louis; and Anna Schnitker, 47, of New Minden.

Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1953)

Most Nashville businesses announced they would retain the custom of closing at noon on Wednesday until the next Christmas season.
Fire heavily damaged the Harry Smith residence on West Main Street in Nashville the day before Christmas.
Deaths: Mary Kemnitz, 78, of rural Radom; Louise DeFend, of Hoffman; and Judge Dick Mudge, 73, of Edwardsville.

Sixty Years Ago
(1958)

Percy Peeck retired after 50 years of service with the L&N railroad as a station agent in Ashley and Nashville.
According to records of the County Clerk, there were 135 marriages and 117 deaths in Washington County in 1957. There were also recorded 59 deaths of Washington County residents which took place outside the County. There were only 12 births recorded.
Martin L. Mappes was installed as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoyleton.
A 125-foot roll of wax paper was 27 cents and Comet cleanser was two cans for 29 cents at Eigenrauch’s Tom Boy Market.
Deaths: William R. Chambers, 88, of Beaucoup; Mattie Frederking, 84, of Nashville; Homer Keil, 44, of Nashville; Pauline Kowalski, 84, formerly of Scheller; Mrs. O. K. Allen, 71, formerly of Nashville; Martha Agnes Taylor, 68, of Homer; Denton Austin Kell, 69, of Irvington; and Wallace D. “Pete” Martin, 60, of Centralia.

Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1963)

Appointed to an industrial promotion committee in Nashville were, Mrs. Charles Meier, Mrs. Estelle Gewe, Gus Backs, Oren L. Meyer, Albert Dreas and Lee Borowiak.
First class postage stamps were increased to 5 cents each.
Shareholders of the Okaw Commercial Telephone Company voted to merge with the Fieldon Telephone Company and the Marion Telephone Company to form the Illinois State Telephone Company.
A five-pound bag of sugar was 39 cents. Hi-C drink was three, 46-ounce cans for $1.
Deaths: Emily Lane, 69, of Nashville; Fronie Sharkowski, 76, of Nashville; Henry W, Collmeyer, 77, of rural New Minden; Louise Henrietta Wulf, 87, of Okawville; Judge Alfred D. Riess, 88, if Red Bud; Mabel E. Huck of Peru, Nebraska; and Louise Eggerding of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Fifty Years Ago
(1968)

Backs Department Store in Nashville was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Borowiak.
New Year’s baby honors in Nashville went to Thomas Dean Bovay on January 2. He was the son of Mrs. Joan Bovay.
The Lorenz Bottling Company in Nashville discontinued the manufacture of soft drinks and bacame a Pepsi Cola distributorship.
First class postage was increased to 6 cents.
Four Michigan men were arrested by Mt. Vernon police and $140 was recovered in the burglary of the Nashville Kroger Store.
Ten days of rain filled the Carlyle Lake and flooded the Kaskaskia River Basin in western Washington County.
Deaths: Minnie (Sensemeier) Grefe, 89, formerly of Covington; Lillian (Hasemeier) Steinhauser, 76, a native of Nashville; Lizzie (Wetzel) Reynolds, 93, of Nashville; Noble Seyler, 61, a native of Hoyleton; Theodore J. Kitowski Sr., 85, of Nashville; Louis C. Stark, 87, of Nashville; Mary Hake, 90, of Hoyleton; Albert F. Remmert, 72, a native of Plum Hill; Henry Triefenback, 83, of Marissa; Harold R. Zink, 53, a native of Irvington; Anton Giacomo, 78, of Pinckneyville; Joe H. Fannin, 75, of Vandalia; and the infant twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Collmeyer of rural Nashville.

Forty-Five Years Ago
(1973)

Howard Frederking won first place in the Nashville outdoor Christmas lighting contest.
Harry Homberg announced he would not seek re-election as Nashville City Treasurer after 32 years of service. Larry Maschhoff announced he would be a candidate for the post.
George Nadolski won first place in the Christmas lighting contest in Ashley.
Ashley hired Ray Mitchell as a full-time police officer.
Deaths: Emil H. Lehr, 72, of New Athens; Arthur Schillinger, 69, of Elkton; Helen Hohman, 78, of Evanston; Elvin H. Riechman, 67, of Mascoutah; and Hardin Hoops, 54, of Steeleville.

Forty Years Ago
(1978)

Ron Struckmeyer of Oakdale and Jim Schomaker of New Baden bought the John Dreas and Son Electric Service in Nashville and renamed it J&R Appliances.
Burglars stole about $14 in cash from the office of The Nashville News.
The Eldred Mueller home in Okawville was heavily damaged by a Christmas afternoon fire.
Irene McCarthy won first place in the Nashville outdoor Christmas lighting contest.
Deaths: Amanda Frederking, 76, of rural Nashville; George D. Small, 75, formerly of Nashville; Mike Ozier, 68, formerly of Nashville; John W. Linze, 68, of DuQuoin; Otto G. Segelhorst, 74, of Venedy; Marie Louise Aldag 80, of rural Richview; Timothy Mark Lathrop, infant son of Robert and Audry Lathrop of Joliet; Reverend J. Glen McCarty of East St. Louis; Leo F. Marcquenski, 77, of Tamaroa; and Ida Mae Weigand, 72, formerly of Nashville.
Wedding: Joann Kinzel of Marissa and Ralph Emge III of Nashville.

Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1983)

More than four inches of rain fell on Washington County in December, the highest total since 1967.
Okawville boys high school basketball team won the championship of the annual Mater Dei Tournament with 77-57 victory over Springfield Griffen. Nashville finished third with a 52-44 win over Mater Dei.
Deaths: Laura C. Karmeier, 64, of Nashville; James Joseph Stein, 23, of rural Lenzburg; Alvina (Moellman) Nolte, 87, of Jahannisburg; John William Schuetz, 83, of rural Nashville; Robert J. Anstedt, 52, of Mascoutah; Arthur F. Stelzriede, 97, of Richview; Jessie McIlrath, 85, of Woodlawn; Stella (Drake) Hohman, of St. Louis, Missouri; and Ollie L. Washburn, 81, a native of Nashville.

Thirty Years Ago
(1988)

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency warned the Village of Okawville that deficiencies in its water treatment program left open the potential for contamination of its water system.
Attorney Jack Green of Nashville retired. He had begun practicing law in Washington County in 1939.
Nearly 3 1/2 inches of rain flooded Middle Creek near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Route 127 just north of Nashville. Town Creek was also above flood stage for 24 hours.
Deaths: Max. M. Tomaszewski, 85, a native of Radom; Lucille C. (Carrell) Baldridge, 87, of Ashley; Ray Long, 78, of Irvington; and Peter T. Gepert, 68, of Lively Grove.
Weddings: Julianna F. Epplin of Du Quoin and James Gerald Dalman of Du Bois; and Donya Kay Davis of Nashville and Darren Lee Eggeman of Addieville.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Alan Hildebrand (Renee Lucier) of Marion, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Steve Frederich (Janice Buss) of Lively Grove, a son; Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Domenech (Lowella Wilson) of Venedy, a son; and Sergeant and Mrs. Ronald Kabat (Vicky Bergmann) of Langenseleold, Germany, a son.

Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1993)

Norrenberns Foods of Mascoutah purchased the Save-A-Lot grocery store and renamed it Cash Saver Food Store.
Marilyn Ross of Ashley was installed as postmaster at Benton.
Alan Joston placed second in the articulated dump truck competition at the International Truck and Equipment Rodeo.
“The Mighty Ducks” was the feature at the State Theatre.
Deaths: Wanda Meyer, 57, of Nashville; Jane Patton, 93, of Oakdale; Regina Going, 72, of Addieville; Clarence Middendorf, 74, of Belleville; Raymond Groff, 33, of Odin; John Bohbrink, 66, of Florissant, Missouri; Margaret Herzog, 90, of Centralia; Cecilia Stoker, 89, of Herrin; Donald Chapman, 72, of Salem.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne Weihe (Stacy Taft) of Nashville, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. William Balley (Chris Abrams) of St. Louis, Missouri, a daughter.

Twenty Years Ago
(1998)

Dennis Hatch was sworn in as associate judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit.
Washington County Hospital Board discussed the need for new computers to replace its 12-year-old system.
The county’s jobless rate was 3.7 percent.
Okawville Village Board purchased 10 acres for a new lagoon system for $35,000.
The Village of Oakdale received a grant for $18,000 for park improvements.
Deaths: Ted Buretta, 89, of Ashley; Billy Juenger, 41, of Oakdale.
Weddings: Margaret Jahnke and Brian Myers; Jennifer Hector and Mark Balch; Mary Slayton and Adrian Johnson.
Births: Dave and Erna (Rheinecker) Barczewski, a daughter; Lori Zeman and Chad Setzekorn, a daughter.

Fifteen Years Ago
(2003)

Those dreaming of a white Christmas were not disappointed as 10 inches of snow fell on Christmas Eve.
The unemployment rate in Washington County was 4.2 percent.
The Cessna airplane in which Sandy Turner’s son and grandson died in an accident on Kentucky Lake was refurbished for humanitarian flights for Wings of Hope Medical Air Transport.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Loos took first in the Oakdale Lighting Contest.
Irvington Fire District received a $33,000 federal grant for training and equipment.
A 19-year-old Salem man was sent to prison for nine years after pleading guilty to burglaries and thefts around Irvington.
Boneless pork loins were $1.79 a pound and ground chuck was 99 cents.
Deaths: Robert Rick, 83, of Freeburg; Barbara Kuberski, 87, of Tamaroa; Gertrude Broviak, 88, Doris Fox, 72, of Coulterville; Casmir Paszkiewicz, 88, of Nashville; Clara Patton, 71, of Freeburg; Nancy Claytor, 65, of Nashville; Bruce Spenner, 50, of Wynne, Arkansas.
Wedding: Jill Tyberendt and Michael Witte.
Births: John and Carolyn Walton of Nashville, a son; Jeff and Christy Oelze of Nashville, a son.

Ten Years Ago
(2008)

Citizens of Oakdale objected to a Verizon cell tower being placed in the town.
Ann Schnitker won $15,000 in Marshall’s Gift Cards through her hobby of sweepstaking.
A new Illinois law went into effect which made smoking illegal indoors in Illinois and within 15 feet of an entrance to a business or public building.
The Nashville Cheerleaders came in second at the Mater Dei Tournament Cheerleading Contest.

Five Years Ago
(2013)

The first edition of The Nashville News for 2013 featured the paper’s annual Year in Review, covering the events of 2012.
For the Spring consolidated election, Nashville City Council incumbents Dean Huge, Doug Hargan and Josh Fark petitioned to run, along with new candidate Victor Lopez.
Mayor Raymond Kolweier elected to run again, as did treasurer Rose Ann Hunter and City Clerk Joyce Sheridan.
Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka warned state residents that the federal “Fiscal Cliff” fiasco could cost Illinoisans $1-Billion.
Nashville Primary School District 49 announced enhanced security plans, including keyless entry at doors and a check-in station for any parents or visitors.
Society: Mallory Ruggles announced her engagement to Ray Kauling; Kathleen Silvey and Jacob Kobus exchanged vows on October 20, 2012.
Deaths: Roger Allen Dumond, 62, of Altoona, Wis., December 16; Dorothy Kurwicki, 84, of Coulterville, formerly of Nashville, December 25; Darrell L. Thomas, 77, of Ashley, December 21; Ernest L. “Bud” Schindelar, 73, of Ashley, December 24.