It Happened Here – May 6, 2020
Eighty-Five Years Ago
(1935)
Separate fires destroyed the house on a farm occupied by Paul Schmidt north of Nashville; a barn at the Elliot Evilsizer home in Nashville; and burned a hole in the roof of the Washington County jail.
Rev. C.H. Kluge, a pastor of St. Paul Evangelical Church, was elected president of the Southern Illinois District of Evangelical Churches.
The Nashville City Council increased the City Attorney’s fee from $12.50 to $25 per month.
Backs Department Store was selling men’s tennis shoes for 79 cents and mens dress straw hats for 75 cents.
Deaths: Carrie Marquard of Venedy; J>F. Parlier of Nashville; and Clara Twenhafel, 32, a native of Okawville.
EightyYears Ago
(1940)
Mrs. Byron House and Mrs. C. Russell Hielman won first place in a Belleville Bridge Tournament.
Wheat was selling for 98 cents a bushel and corn was 65 cents a bushel.
Three S Markets advertised 10 bars of Crystal White laundry soap for 32 cents and bananas at five cents per pound.
A Nashville bowling team won first place in the Greater St. Louis Bowling Association Handicap Tournament. The team was composed of Carl Hildebrand, Christy Finke, Elmer and Wilbert Junge, and Elmer Michael. A New Minden team of Walter Niermann, Bertram Collmeyer, Willard Rueter, Rufus Hoffman and Authur Vogt took second place.
Deaths: John McCarrey Sr. of Richview; Carl Henery Sprehe of Hoyleton; Bertha Bollmeier, 29, of Elkton; and August Selle of Hoyleton.
Seventy Five Years Ago
(1945)
A proclamation by Mayor Wallace Huegely urged Nashville citi- zens to attend church somewhere as soon as official proclamation of Victory in Europe was made. He also requested all taverns to close.
The Washington County Coon Hunters Association sponsored a coon chase.
Pvt. Homer Keller of Nashville was wounded in action in the Southwest Pacific.
Pvt. Delio Helbig of Oakdale was wounded in Germany.
Sgt. Howard Brink, 27, of Ir- vington and Sgt. Clifford Emrick, 25, of Richview were home on leave after being liberated from a German prison camp by the Russian army.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Povolish Sr. of Beaucoup were notified that their son, Pvt. Virgil Hoelscher, 26, lost his life in Germany.
Clyde Droege, 24, of Rich- view died of injuries received while stationed in Germany. His brother, Otto, was prisoner of the Germans.
Floyd Griffin of Richview was killed in action in Germany.
Other deaths: Otto Cohlmey- er, 53, of Nashville; Mathilda Leibrock, mother of Dr. J.P. Lei- brock of Nashville; Louis Ochs of Okawville; Clarence Hoff, 27, of Lively Grove; Amelia Kurtz of Venedy; and Rev. John Gaebe, formerly of Addieville.
Seventy Years Ago
(1950)
Vernon Boeschen of Stone Church signed a contract to play with the Paducah Chiefs baseball team in Kentucky.
W.F. Boeschen of Johannisburg Township was elected chairman of the County Board of Supervisors.
Shirley Ann Helbig, two-year- old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Helbig of Biddleborn, died of polio.
Other deaths: William Owen of Okawville; Margaret Gill of St. Louis; August Koenemann of Okawville; Katherine Midler of Du Bois; Mrs. William Ledendecker of Okawville; and Mrs. Clifford Russell, formerly of Okawville.
Sixty Five Years Ago
(1955)
Six wolves were turned into the county treasurer’s office earning $90 in bounty for three area residents.
A cow belonging to Ed Kasban of Ashley gave birth to triplet calves.
Al Dodillet expected at least 7,000 16-quart crates of straw- berries from his 36 acres near Irvington, Dodillet kept a flock of 300 Chinese geese to “degrass” his fields.
Eigenrauch’s Tom Boy Market advertised 12 rolls of Charmin tis- sue for 89 cents and a 12 ounce jar of Smucker’s strawberry preserves for 28 cents.
The State Theater in Nashville featured “A Star is Born” featuring Judy Garland.
Deaths: Henry Holston of Nashville; Robert Frost of Du Bois; Edmund Meentemeyer of Radom; Albert Ibendahl of Oakdale; Mary Fietsam of Okawville; Ernst Schrieber of Nashville; and Mathilda Boyle, a native of Oakdale.
Sixty Years Ago
(1960)
Burglars stole an estimated $3,500 in cash and checks from Behrman’s IGA store in Okawville.
Ernst Michael of Hoyleton was elected to a fifth term as chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors.
Bids were to be opened for a new Hoyleton post office.
Rev. Leonard Bernthall was installed as pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Covington.
Deaths: Lydia Schorfheide of Nashville; Dennis Ledendecker, 15, of Addieville; Mrs. Herman Temme of Okawville; Ben Michael, a native of Hoyleton; Agnes Wisniewski of Du Bois; Herman Schreiber of Covington; John David, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Kult of Kingston; Emma Dries of Hoyleton; and Minnie Brink of Hoyleton.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1960)
Frances Dawkins and Oren “Ben” Legendre, candidates for mayor of Ashley, received an equal number of votes. A coin was flipped and Dawkins became the winner.
Eugene Allen of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation County Committee, resigned to accept a position as area manager from Shrock Fertilizer Company.
Mrs. Harry Bergmann was honored in a special service commemorating 20 years of continuous service as the organist at St. Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy.
Fifty Years Ago
(1970)
Ray Francis was elected school board president in Nashville District 19. P.E. Green was elected president of the Nashville High School Board.
Sue Schmale, a high school junior, was named to Illini Girls State from Nashville.
Gilbert Cameron, alias James Shannon, pleaded guilty to attempted burgulary of the IGA store in Okawville.
Two young Christian converts came through Nashville carrying a cross on a journey from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC by foot.
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Harre of Harre’s Hatchery were named to the President’s Honor Council for outstanding marketing services and won an all-expense paid, five- day tour of Spain and Africa.
Wendi Hish of Okawville was crowned queen of the Kaskaskia College Spring Formal by retiring Queen Patricia Borrenpohl, also of Okawville. Miss Hish’s escort was Glen Bening of Okawville. One of the pages was Sheila Barczewski of Beaucoup.
Ruth Ann Kolweier started working at the law office of Hohlt, House, DeMoss & Johnson. She continues to work there (now Hohlt, House, DeMoss and Epplin).
Deaths: Vilas Schleifer, 64, of Nashville; Lawrence Karolczak, 70, of Pilot Knob Township; Stanley Schott, 54, formerly of Woodlawn; Harold Richmond, 61, formerly Nashville; Mrs. Martian Buchholz of St. Louis; Mark Perjak, 28, of Sesser; Edna Ahlf of Nashville; Eva Matychowiak, 80, a native of Du Bois; Anna Piermann, 90, of Nashville; and Harold McCoy, formerly of Nashville.
Forty Five Years Ago
(1975)
The king and queen of the Ashley Grade School Carnival were Robert Boldt and Hollee Bowlin.
John Boeschen of Addieville was honored for 25 years of em- ployment with Tri-County Electric Cooperative.
Deaths: Theodore Kitowski Jr., 57, of Nashville; Ernest Martin, 68, of Irvington; Helen Zachies, 64, formerly of Plum Hill; Florence Stimpson of Artesia Mexico; Ted Novak of St. Louis; Bill Kruse, 50 of Nashville; Mrs. James Mc- Coy, 82, of Billings, MT; Mary Nagel, 87, of Campbell Hill; and Charles Simmons, 86, of Carbondale.
Forty Years Ago
(1980)
Barbara Hays, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmo Baldridge, was chosen to attend Illini Girls State.
Price of an in-county subscription to The Nashville News was increased to $7 per year.
Wedding: Deanne Prest and John Dill.
Deaths: Laura Rinne, 75. Of Nashville, Donald Richert, 67, of Belvidere; Theresa Leffner, 61, of St. Louis; Lydia Fark, 82, of Hoyleton; Frances “Bell” Siliven, 81, of Frederickstown, MO; Lillian Rudolph, 81, of Nashville; and Marion George Jr., 55, a native of Richview.
Thirty Five Years Ago
(1985)
Stockholders of the State Theater in Nashville voted not to sell the theater.
Kevin Brink of rural Hoyleton was chosen to attend Premier Boys State.
A federal study proposed closing post offices in Radom, Richview, Du Bois, Hoyleton, Irvington, and Oakdale.
Deaths: Ted Janoski 69, of Nashville; Francis Williams, 63, of Centralia; Raymond Edmonds, 62, of Ashley; Albert Schnitzmeyer, 85, of rural Centralia; and Harry Pranga, 73, a native of Ashley.
Thirty Years Ago
(1990)
Property owners along Route 51 got their first look at two pro- posed routes for the four-lane, partially controlled route in Centralia.
The new drivers license facility in Nashville opened.
Don and Mary Rennegarbe became the new operators of the Original Springs Hotel and Bath House in Okawville.
The second day of the Gladys Harre estate sale brought $781,772.50. The first day total in April was $599,000.
Deaths: Helena Peeck, 97, of Nashville; Francis Schierbecker, 75 of Hoyleton; Rita Kassenborg, 76, of Hemet, CA; Billy McCandrew, 52, of Mt. Vernon; Gladys Brown, 85, formerly of Hoyleton; Hugo Pries, 68, of St. Louis, formerly of Hoyleton; Jenny Hearty, 26, of Oakdale; Edna Swinney, 73, of New Baden; Wanda Cameron, 63, of Ashley; Veda Ripperda, 56, of Beckemeyer; and Barbara Strake, 52, of Carlyle.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Joel Spen- ner (Becky Conner) of Hoyleton, a daughter; and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Alli (Lori Aydt) of Irvington, a daughter.
Twenty Five Years Ago
(1995)
VFW Post 4082 marked its 50th Anniversary by recognizing charter members Bill Wilkey, Reinhold Maschhoff, Elmer Toedte, Paul Habbe and Perley Toedte.
Dick Ruggles, Dave Luec- htefeld, and Deb Twenhafel were inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. Ruggles, already a mem- ber as a coach, was inducted as an official. Luechtfeld, an inductee as a player, was induct- ed as a coach. Twenhafel was named a Friend of Basketball.
A Eureka Upright Vacuum was $69.99 at Kesel Hardware.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Mark Snead (Evie Wisely) of Nash- ville, a son; Mr. and Mrs. Michel Buss (Janice Kroll) of Oakdale, a son; Mr. and Mrs. Brian Puetz (Diane Boar) of Nashville, a daughter; Waynee and Sonja Jurkowski of Herculaneum, MO, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hamlin (Paulette Kabat) of Du Quoin, a son.
Deaths: Martin Anielak, 94, of Radom; Nick Stanick, 81, of Mt.Vernon; Leo Povolish, 80, of Coulterville; Edith Pick, 67, of Pinckneyville; Gladys Gewe, 85, of Springfield; Elizabeth Koelling, 81, of Irvington.
Weddings: Jennifer Fromme and David Roesener; Sandra Spenner and Allen Martin.
Twenty Years Ago
(2000)
Lacey Baldwin was selected to be a St. Louis Rams Cheer- leader.
Nashville City Council voted to appeal a recent court decision allowing police officers to live outside the city limits.
Ashley Grade School was set to spend $70,000 on a new gym floor.
Pamela Neuhaus ran into Hoyleton Market for five min- utes and when she returned her auto had been stolen.
Mission to Mars was the feature at the State Theatre.
Deaths: Myrl Schnake, 80, of Richview; James Hill, 75, of Pinckneyville; Howard Brink, 83, of Irvington; Theresa May- er, 72, of Cahokia; Virginia Hoover, 93, of Chicago; John Chlopecki Jr., 80, of Hanover Park.
Births: Becky Troutt of Centralia and Rob Sexe of Mt. Vernon, a son; Michael and Tracy (Shelby) Marlow of Waterloo, a son; Joe and Kim (Hodapp) Goff of Point Mugu, California, a daughter.
Fifthteen Years Ago
(2005)
Washington County Farm Bureau conducted a meeting to discuss the methamphetamine plague and ways to stop illegal drug makers from stealing anhydrous ammonia, a key ingredient in the highly addictive drug.
The county’s jobless rate stood at 4.2 percent.
Winners of cars at the NCHS Principal Brad Weathers was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as coach at Carlyle High School, where he won a state championship. Darin Lee, boys coach, and Wayne Harre, girls coach, were named District 21 coaches of the Year.
Birth: Kathy and Charles Lister of Hoyleton, a daughter.
Deaths: Hubert Vogt, 84, of Nashville; Viola Harre, 95, of Nashville; Rev. John Lobos, 80, of New Athens; Beth Utke, 97, of Stone Church; Alwin “Major” Sprehe, 80, of Bowie, MD; Phillip Lincoln, 70, of Evansville, IN.
Wedding: Jessica Potter and Curtis Skiles.
Ten Years Ago
(2010)
The month of March helped to boost Washington County Hospital’s bottom line for the year.
Washington County Relay for Life for 2010 had a goal of $85,000.
Bonnie Phillips Kindergarten class visited Rainbow Ranch and got to see some animals, including an ostrich, a fallow deer and more.
A funnel cloud was spotted in the skies above Nashville during heavy rains.
The book “Venne In America” by Udo Thoerner detailed the history of German peoples from Venne, Germany, including those who moved to Okawville, Venedy, and Addieville.
Births: Trace Kirgan was born on March 24, to Kevin and Sarah Kirgan ; Miles Dinkelman was born April 29, to Martha and Todd Dinkelman of Boise, Idaho; Dylan Seaton was born on April 24, to eric and Jennifer Seaton of Ashland, Mo.
Deaths: Melba Hudspeth, 89, of Nashville, April 27; Bernice Beard, 68, of Patoka, born in Nashville, April 26.
Five Years Ago
(2015)
Area first responders, responded to a house fire at 442 W. St. Louis St. in Nashville on Thurs- day, April 30. the re was caused by a motorcycle battery, damage was limited to the exterior of the residence.
At a meeting on Wednesday, April 29, the NCHS Board swore in new members Paul Barczewski, John Hallock and Tom Speedie.
Deaths: Germain M. Geppert, 79, of El Segundo, CA, formerly of Nashville; Agnes F. Smalley, 94, of Tamaroa; John G. Graboowski, 57, of Tamaroa.
