It Happened Here – April 25, 2018

Eighty Years Ago
(1938)

Dr. Charles Longwell moved his offices from the Beckmeyer property on East Main Street to rooms adjoining Dr. S.S. Pero’s dental offices in the Meyer’s Building on East Main Street in Nashville.
Charles Huegely, who had been employed for six years by the First National Bank in Nashville, accepted a position with the Farmers and Merchants Bank.
Deaths: Mrs. Mary Schaeffer, William Brandt, Mrs. Agatha Maszka.
Weddings: Charlotte McDonald and Waldo Houser, Florence Yoder and Harold Zapp.

Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1943)

Flames of an undetermined origin caused several thousand dollars damage and destroyed a barn, granary, pig pen, and tool shed on the Joe Hass farm ten miles southeast of Nashville. Four cows, four pigs, and fifteen chickens were lost.
Nashville Grade School teachers received a ten percent pay increase for the next school year.
Proprietors of every public eating and drinking establishment were notified that they must file price list on menu items with the War Price and Rationing Board.
The State Theater in Nashville featured “Cinderella Swings It” with Guy Kibbee and Gloria Warren.
Deaths: Mrs. Sophia Julie Giles, Conrad Kinzel, and Mrs. Josephine Szramkowski.
Weddings: Kathryn Hope Porter and Delbert Draskey

Seventy Years Ago
(1948)

County Board of Supervisor Chairman Ernest Michael raided ten Washington County taverns not in municipalities and found gambling in all of them. The raid included Club 21 in Lively Grove, Curve Inn at Ashley, Triangle Inn at Ashley, Virgil White’s Place east of Ashley, Paramount near Centralia, Cloverleaf Tavern west of Nashville, Travelers’ Inn near Du Bois, Edward Nagel’s west of Du Bois, Herb Mellein’s near Venedy and Blue Moon in Ashley.
Cod Fillets were 39 cents a pound and Mackerel Fillets were 49 cents a pound at the local Daniel Food Store.
Death: Edward Rouricke; Miss Lorraine Koch; Marine Sergeant Elmer Voltmeyer, among the country’s war dead; Theodore Lucks.
Weddings: Erna Templemeier and Harold Reinhardt; Helen Borowiak and Martin Kwiatkowski; Marcella Burzinski and Frank Kalas.

Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1953)

James K. Williamson was elected Mayor of Nashville, defeating Harry Bronstein 760 to 380.
A weekend snow storm caused numerous auto wrecks in the area. No major injuries were reported.
Stanley G. Berry was elected Mayor in Ashley.
Ted Grabowski was elected Town Clerk in Du Bois.
Deaths: Mrs. Mary Kwiatkowski; John Henry Helms; Sylvan “ Red” Fietsam; Mrs. Emma Ward; Mrs. Bertha Stolz.

Sixty Years Ago
(1958)

Monsignor Joseph Ceranski, 84, was preparing to celebrate 60 years as pastor of Du Bois parish.
Dr. Charles Hagebush of Ashley was elected County Republican Chairman and Verne Frieman of Oakdale was elected County Democratic Chairman.
Women’s clutch bags were on sale for 67 cents at Richard Luebke’s Ben Franklin Store in Nashville.
A world globe and 21 pints of chocolate milk were taken in a burglary at the Gravel Hill School in Lively Grove Township.
Mills Modular Homes in Nashville advertised a three-bedroom brick veneer home for $7,809.
Spareribs were 49 cents a pound and eggs were 45 cents a dozen at Kuhlman’s IGA in Nashville.
Deaths: Harry Moore Driskill; Dr. Arnold W. Brandhorst; Mrs. Rose Niedbalski; Frank Gottlieb Schlake; Louis N. Snyder; George J. Hardekoph Jr.

Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1963)

Earl Rich of McLeansboro planned to offer a taxicab service in Nashville.
Ralston Purina Company purchased the Nashville egg warehouse from A & P Stores.
The City of Nashville purchased 74 acres of land at $200 per acre for a new oxidation lagoon for sewage disposal.
Deaths: Mrs. Anna Elizabeth Ksycki; Raymond Hasheider; Henry Weeke.

Fifty Years Ago
(1968)

Nancy Green of Nashville was chosen to attend Illini Girls State.
The state authorized $5,000 for the purchase of land for the erection of a division highway maintenance storage building near Nashville.
Albert Kaser and Arthur Kottmeyer were elected to Nashville High School Board of Education without opposition.
Cecil Wetzel retired as foreman of the Washington County Highway Department, ending a 45-year career.
Darrell Eggeman, four, of rural Addieville was injured when he was attacked by a German Shepard dog while visiting his grandparents’ home.
Kroger opened a new store in the 200 block of East St. Louis Street in Nashville.
Deaths: Owen S. Berry; Julius P. Reither; Harlan K. Etling; Mrs. Matilda Wehmer; John Hunter; Charles Ernst Heck; Mrs. Cora E. Somers, Doris Beckmeyer.

Forty-Five Years Ago
(1973)

Three Nashville women escaped injury when the auto they were riding in was struck by a caboose of a backing L & N freight train at the North Kaskaskia crossing in Nashville.
Thomas Cahill defeated F.M. Dawkins for Mayor in Ashley 252 to162.
Oswald H. Steinkamp, 65, retired after 20 years as an officer with the Illinois Department of Conservation.
Dennis Frieman, Roger E. Schmitt and Albert Frederking were elected to the Memorial Park District.
Eugene Waldman was Elected Village President in Du Bois.
Marvin Piethman, Lyle Kirgan and James McClay were elected to the Nashville Community High School Board of Education.
A fire of undetermined origin destroyed a large shed, two tractors, a disk, and 60 bales of hay at the Darrell Eggeman farm in rural Addieville.
Pamela Shopinski was crowned queen of Ashley Grade School Carnival which was held in Richview.
Deaths: Dr. Allen J. Shirley; Mrs. Louise M. Alexander; Adalbertus George Gezella; Frances W. Lively; Miss Sarah Bartlesmeyer; George Dewey Rickling; Pauline Hincke Cawvey; Mrs. Anna C. Gilbert.

Forty Years Ago
(1978)

James L. McClay of Oakdale was elected president of the Nashville High School Board of Education.
A 24-year old Damiansville man was arrested and charged with the $4,000 armed robbery of the Old Exchange National Bank in Okawville on December 13.
George Setzkorn, 29, formerly of Ashley, pled guilty in Menard County Circuit Court to the murder of his wife Verna.
The Nashville Theater Association raised adult ticket prices at the local movie house to $2.00. Student tickets were $1.50 and children’s tickets were $1.00.
Gary Sturgeon, 31, and his wife, Patricia, 28, former residents of Washington County, both died of smoke inhalation in a fire at their home in Summerfield.
Other Deaths: Robert H. Blackburn; Fred H. Reinhardt; William C. Schwettman; Mary Robbins; J.R.Moss.

Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1983)

Baking and stewing hens were 48 cents a pound and a gallon of low-fat two percent milk was $1.79 at the local Kroger Store.
Celebrating their First Communion at St. Ann Catholic Church in Nashville were: Mikal Czajkowski, Matthew Harre, Tara Giger, Shawn Kabat, and Stacey Lynch.
Members of the Confirmation class at Oakdale United Presbyterian Church were: Leah Sronce, Wendy Patton, Tracey Hutchings, Fern Auld, Jason Moore, Jason Alfeldt, and Tim Alfeldt.
Deaths: George H. Woker, Clara Bell Matson, Francis “Red” Dawkins, and Mrs. Hattie Lucinda Doolin.

Thirty Years Ago
(1988)

The Washington County Extension Service held an AIDS seminar.
Janel Fruend of Nashville was chosen to attend Illini Girls State.
Deaths: Lena M. Sprehe, Bertha S. Koester, Kathryn Hagist, Nedra M. Smith, Howard Farthing, Olinda Kult, Helen C. Jacob, Ariah I. Miller, Julie Zielinksi, Clifford C. Grieman, Bertha Estes, and Albert Martens.

Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1993)

Ray Kolweier was elected Mayor of Nashville by a 484-425 vote over Steven Tomaszewski. Other successful village presidents candidates in contested races include Mike Garrison in Irvington, Dale Beimfohr in Okawville, Len Piasecki in Ashley, Rebecca Nowakowski in Du Bois, Willis Aubel in Addieville and Richard Karmeier in New Minden.
Irvington voters approved a continued ban on sale of packaged liquor in that community.
Paul Wilkey was recognized for his 24 years of service to the City of Nashville, the last eight as Mayor.
Washington County’s median family income was $31,535 ranked 46th of the 102 counties in Illinois.
Washington County Historical Society was taking orders at $45 each for 175th Anniversary commemorative afghans.
Deaths: Gwendolyn Jackson, Irene Nierman, Tedward Gajewski, Dorothy Wilson, Marcella Kalas, Majorie Frank.

Twenty Years Ago
(1998)

Nashville High School Board voted to stop freshmen from leaving the campus for lunch.
A public hearing was held to inform voters about the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL).
Lightning knocked out power to the courthouse and many downtown businesses, damaging computers and phones.
Donations were being solicited for an all-weather track at NCHS.
The innovative Sewage Treatment Effluent Flow System was dedicated in New Minden with a host of local, state and federal officials. The new system was being tried in three communities in Illinois.
Titanic was the feature at State Theater.
Deaths: Viola Hoepker, Cleve Reuter, Francis Windler, Gladys Gray

Fifteen Years Ago
(2003)

Nashville Community High School Board committed funds to construct a new varsity softball field.
Nashville City Council recognized Kurt Elsesser for 10 years of service as a councilman and Charles Parker for eight years.
The mansion on South Mill Street built by Julius Huegely in 1915 was to be auctioned by Jerry and Jan Winters.
Local grocery prices included pork chops for $1.29 per pound and a half-gallon of orange juice for 99 cents.
Deaths: Alois Brammeier, Evelyn Green, Lucy Stonecipher, Mary Lou Beckmeyer, Leona Kroeger, Bessie Rheinecker, Mark Thomas, Leonard Hupp, Betty Jo Johnson, and Charlene Lewis.

Ten Years Ago
(2008)

The Washington County Ministerial Alliance sponsored a drug awareness and aversion program called “Even One Time Is Too Many.” The program was held at area schools and was funded by a grant from a private donor.
People were getting flocked in the area, waking up to see scores of flamingoes put out on their lawn, in exchange for donations benefitting Relay For Life.
Judy Crask, diagnosed with cancer and given six months to live, said that the Relay For Life represented hope for her.
Nashville resident Larry Hoffman spoke to the City Council about how a 2,000 square foot parking garage being built next to his home by neighbor Sharon Mewes violated zoning restrictions in his interpretation.
The Nashville News sought the help of its readers in designing a new flag for the paper.
In sports, the Nashville Hornet track team disappointed their rivals by taking first place at the Nashville Invitational Tournament.
Anniversary: Les and GeorgieAnn Rick of Nashville celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 20.
Births: Mackenna Grace Wesseln, born on April 9, to John and Tabatha Wesseln of Pinckneyville; Nathanael Dennis Delaney, born Feb. 13, to Mr. and Mrs. Terry Delaney of Louisville, Ky.; Miranda Lynn Birkner, born on April 7, to Doug and Stephanie Birkner of Nashville; Landan Pierce, born April 15, to Molly Nobe and Kevin Pierce of Okawville.
Deaths: Richard Baehr, 72, of Okawville, April 18; Elda R. Beek, 92, of Nashville, on April 17; Paul Maschhoff, 83, of Hoyleton, on April 16.

Five Years Ago
(2013)

The City of Nashville accepted bids for an extensive manhole renovation project, approving a bid of $104,142.60 from Ace Pipe Cleaning, Inc.
Members of the Trinity Lutheran–Hoyleton Men’s Club brought tons and tons of paper to be recycled in Mt. Vernon as part of their club’s fundraising efforts.
New electrical rates were expected for the area by some time in July after Electrical Aggregation Amendments were approved in numerous local municipalities.
The NCHS HiQ quiz team competed in the WSIU quiz show’s quarter-finals.
Brittney Lance of Nashville received an $8,000 scholarship to WIU.
Katie Kesel and Christian Kinder announced their engagement.
Deaths: Pauline Bergmann, 86, of Addieville, April 16; Dale Edward Rybacki, 48, of Tamaroa, April 15; Frances Gajewski, 83, of Belleville, April 18; Eugene Rabenort, 82, of Okawville, April 21; Helen (Heck) Kurtz, 90, of Du Bois, April 18; da Evelyn Kohring, 92, of Oakdale, April 21; Jennifer Ann Czerniejewski, 26, of Ashley, April 21.