UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGIN iu.rNO«s HfsraRfCAL su?v£y BUSHNELU ILLINOIS, CENTENNIAL 1854 - 1954 i i 5 iw M :iii;'/'«i^'iiii»-.*iin*.^:.' ^-v'*':-:- THE COTTONWOOD TREE I A LETTER ABOUT THE BUSHNELLS July 4, 1954 Mr. H. W. Fitch BushneU, Illinois Dear Mr. Fitch: All of the Bushnell family records, along with some of the family tin-types, were destroyed in a fire in the early twenties. And thus the history I have for you was given me by my grandfather. I was born in 1893 in Hoopeston, Illinois. My father, William Isaac Bushnell, was born in 1868 in Terre Haute, Indiana. My father died in 1906 and I went to live with my grandfather, Heneiy Leroy Bushnell in Hoopeston, which is probably the main reason I can trace the family so clearly as I spent many a long winter evening listening to family history. My grandfather was bom in Chicago in 1841 on a farm which is now the site of the Corn Ex- change Nat'l Bank His father was Isaac Bushnell who was the brother of Wehenriah Bushnell, they having migrated to Chicago from Connecti- cut in about 1815. Their father's uncle was David Bushnell, the inventor of the submarine and for whom I am n^med. My grandfather had some drawings of the original submarine which he showed me on many occasions and which I remember quite distinctly. It was shaped like an egg, with propellors on the top and sides, which were turned by a hand crank, from the inside, by the operator. But to return to my great grandfather's bro- ther Wehenriah, My grandfather was named af- ter him, but after he returned from the Civil War he had it changed to plain Henry to please my grandmother. My older brother, Henry, was named for my grandfather. Grandfather used to say there had always been a David and Henry in our branch of the family. Mr. D. S. Bushnell I can remember my grandfather discussing his uncle Wehenriah as an important railroad man and how the city of Bushnell was named after him. But just what his position in the railroad world was, I do not know, he passed on before I was born I am sorry I cannot be more specific and give you detailed information about Wehenriah, as far as I know he did not have a family to perpetuate his name. Time obliterates us all, I am sure one hundred years front now there will be few if any, able to recall my name. It sounds like it would be great fun to be there for your celebration and to ride in the parade. I am sure Uncle Wehenriah would be pleased to think that one of his descendants had survived to be at the Bushnell centennial. If I am unable to come, I am sure our son, David, will be able to come and i know he will be fully capable of representing the Bushnell family. Thanking you again for your letter calling my attention to the "Bushnell" Centennial, and assuring you of my interest in any future developments, I am. Sincerely, DAVID S. BUSHWELL PREFACE This book is dedicated to those persons, who in the first twenty years of the city's existence had the courage and foresight to see into the future and lay a founda- tion 'lor a community that would survive and prosper down through the years. Bushnell has never had a pariod in its existence when the population grew too rapidly unless it was in the first twenty years, for since that time the city has grown normally, with a growth of some 18% between 1910 and 1950 and with the same percentage since that census is now about 3800. We appreciate the help given us by many in the way of data and pictures, who allowed us to use this material, in anticipation of writing a history of Bushnell. We realize that much will be left out, because we were not informed of the facts, or for lack ocE room, but we hope the edition is broad enough to cover most of the important history and highlights of the city's existence. GEO. L. CHAIN , f ;" l>». * Vl? ?■ 5ft I* flitf-^"^ I r f ■ ^A' if ■yt THE BEGINNING A Story Worth the Saving, by all Our Readers (The following article is from the pen of Miss Florence Williams, written in 1913. Miss Williams is a daughter of the late F. M. Williams, for years an advocate of residents of Bushnell and vicinity. She is a member of one of the old families of this community, was a teacher in the Bushnell Public Schools and this history will be read with interest and profit, to her is extended our thanks — Editor's Note) Bushnell, a town of not quite 4,000, is situated at the junction of the Burlington, T. P. & W. and St. Louis branch of the Burlington. Bushnell was laid out in 1854 before the completion of the Northern Cross railroad. John D. Hall of Macomb, sold a two-third interest in northeast quarter of section 33 to D. P. Wells and Iverson L. Twyman, also of Macomb. Wm. H. Rile, County surveyor, assisted these men in laying out the twon, running the streets parallel with the railroad. The quarter was divided into forty-eight blocks of 12 lots each, the blocks being 360 ft. square. Two streets running parallel with the railroad, one on either side were made seventy feet wide, with all others sixty. The town was named in honor of I. N. Bushnell, at that time president of the Northern Cross railroad, the name by which the Burlington was then known. When the town was laid out, there was nothing on its proposed site, but a large "wolf pole." A pole erected on the highest eminence in the neighborhood, on what is now the home of the writer, where it could be seen by parties engaging in the wolf hunt, it forming a common center. The nearest houses to this site were those of M. B. Robinson, Joseph Crawford and J. H. Spicer, some three miles west. For miles around, not a rod of land was fenced and not a road was located and in many places the prairie grass was so tall you could not see a man on horseback. As soon as the town was laid out, the proprietors built a small store of slabs, en the lot at the corner of E. Main and Wells Streets owned by Mrs. Carlock, which they sold to Hiram Markham and he and his brother, Daniel, put in a small stock of goods. Shortly after this, or early in 1855 Hiram Conover, John Beach, Wm. Ervin, and Wm. Vickers made settlement here. John Crawford commenced the erection of the first hotel but sold it to John D. Hall who completed it. The Markhams built a store building where the Opp Garage now stands, living above the store. Jas. Cole was Bushnell's second merchant, commencing business in December, 1855. In April, 1856, Negley and Angle of Canton opened a store here and Wyckoff and Shreeves located the same year where the Style Shop now is. When Bushnell was laid out the proprietors gave two blocks of land for parks, one on each side of the railroad. Soft maple trees were set in these parks (by Elias Beaver who later moved to Falls City, Nebr.) which soon furnished ample shade for recreational purposes. A band stand was erected in the East park and here band concerts. Fourth of July celebrations, political rallies and other gatherings were held. Early in 1906 the ladies of the Carnegie Club desiring to add to the beauty of the town, placed foun- tains in the parks and for a time the water was turned on. After a few years the city council in reducing the city expenses, cut off the water and after a time the statuary which was designed by Georgia Harris, now Mrs. Dick Bradley of Peoria, was junked. Some years later a landscape project was started and work was begun in the East park by removing a number of trees and filling the spaces with shrubbery. The attempt was so strenuously objected to by residents adjoining that the West park was left unmolested. At an election held March 24, 1869, Bushnell received a charter and J. B. Cum- mings was elected the first mayor. The town was divided into four wards which in later years was reduced to three, which is the number at the present time. James Kelly and Manning West were elected aldermen in ward one; Jas. Cole and James Ayres in ward two; Wm. Oglesby and J. N. McElvain, ward three and Fisher Brown and A. E. Barnes, ward four. M. A. Luce was the first city attorney and clerk; Joe Parks, treasurer. One of the first houses built in Bushnell, but not identified. The vocations of the people of Bushnell have been many and varied — The Bush- nell Pump Co., the oldest in point of years was established in 1867 by Nelson, La- Tourette & Co., later owned by Wheeler & Duntley. A little later that year Pierpont and Tuttle manufactured cultivators and plows. The first barbed wire factory in the United States was erected in Bushnell by Jas. Aryes and Decker on the lot where the Kroger Store is now located. Ball & Sons were the first wagon and carriage makers in Bushnell and to own a Ball-made buggy was to be considered in the well-to-do class. E. E. Hall and H. Smith came later. Jas. Miner was the first agriculture implement dealer in the town. J. V. and G. Oblander were the first furniture dealers in Bushnell. Cigar factories were operated by Davey, Gardinier, Kreig, Angle and Krauser. Livery stables were owned by Chandler & Sperling, G. W. Wood, and for years John Roach, bought, sold and shipped many horses from Bushnell. Bushnell's first marble cutters were Hume & Katchler. The Farmers National Bank was organized in 1870 with Chas. Wilson, unanimously elected its first president. Jas Cole, after some years as a grain dealer and merchant, organized and operated the First National Bank. Alexander & Heaton, John Neune- maker and Mack Pinckley followed down the line, and at this time, the Farmers and Merchants State Bank is the only bank located here. S. A. Hendee, merchant, grain dealer and hotel owner, was active in the early days of Bushnell. The first drug store in Bushnell, was owned by B. F. Pinckley. A. S. Clark was Bushnell's first doctor and he was also a druggist and for many years Clark's Drug and Book Store conducted by his sons, Edward and Clarence, was one of the best. Drs. Markham, Morgan, Beadles, E. K. Westfall, Kay, Scroggs and Haines were health dispensors in the passing years. It was in 1882 that Miss Ella McGee's fly-net industries gave employment to 200 persons. J. M. McGehe, P. Hersey and son, Albrecht and sons looked to the shoeing of horses and the sharpening of plows. Bushnell's legal advisors in its earlier years were W. H. Oglesby, Sanders & McKinney, Joe Connell, Barnes and Fox, E. E. Chesney, Solon Banfil and Tom Sparks. The first wedding in Bushnell was on November 6, 1858 when Martha Lindsey and Augustus Downey were married by Justice W. H. Downey. The first death was that of Edward Cole, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Cole. The first birth was in the Mark- ham family in 1855. The first well dug in Bushnell is on the lot now owned by Kate Klein. The first postmaster of Bushnell was named Markham. Reed and Shafer opened the first meat market, and Nessel and Klein entered the meat business in 1869. Among the many persons who have achieved more than honorable mention we note: Chas. M. Hayes, president af the Grand Trunk railroad who went down with the Titanic; A. D. Bethard, general manager of the M. K. & T. R. R.; Vic West, Dept. of Political Science Leland Stanford, University; Howard Silberer, Chicago, musician and composer, son of Louis Silberer. Doc Kuhn, now of Indianapolis, Indiana, is a noted cartoonist. Dr. James and Dr. Murphy were early dentists. Early in the history of Bushnell, the making of pressed brick was an important in- dustry and for years the E. Lauterbach brickyard, west of town, was a successful business, but later this was abandoned and Mr. Lauterbach devoted his time to his greenhouse, which for years was his delight. Martin Schulze was for years a dealer in poultry. The original Cole building at the corner of East Main Street and Hail. The bricks for this building were manufactured by James Cole, himself, in the 1860's and the clay was taken from the land where the pond is now located just north of the cemetery. Mr. Cole also put up some ice out of the pond and probably was the first ice man in town, he later sold out to George Schaefer, who lived there 'for many years near the pond in the house still there and he was in the ice business for many years. The Truman Pioneer Stud Farm was organized by J. H. Truman of Whittlesea, England, and his four sons, in 1885. Importers of Shire, Hackney, Percheron and Bel- gian horses perhaps placed Bushnell on the map of the world more than any other industry Bushnell has ever had. J. G. Truman was president of the firm from its organization. As early as 1869 a library association was formed and was approved by the legis- lature. Largely through the untiring efforts of the Woman's Club this institution has been kept growing and Bushnell today is proud of her library. Miss Marjorie Elliott was the first paid librarian, followed by Miss E. Mabel Miner who for many years most efficiently served until failing health compelled her to resign. Since that time Mrs. Grace Cleveland, and Mrs. Robert Newell have very capably filled that position. The first hotel was built by John Crawford in 1855, and the National Hotel built by the Negleys and later owned and operated by A. Hess on Crafford Street, op- posite the East park. The St. Charles, operated by L. H. Green on Hurst Street, The Sorter House, opposite the T. P. & W. station. The Bushnell House, opposite the Q Station, The Hendee House on West Main Street, known as the New Alexander today, have come down through the years. Goeppinger, Leib, Schnarr and Beaver were early saddle and harness makers. Sperling, Schnarr, Winkler, and Bursts made boots and shoes for the early in- habitants of Bushnell. In the year 1868, the first newspaper in Bushnell was established by D. G. Swan and was called the Union Press. He soon sold his business to Andrew Hagaman, who changed the name to The Bushnell Record. It was largely through the efforts of this editor in 1870 that Bushnell succeeded in routing the R. I. & St. L. railroad through Bushnell instead of Macomb. In 1871 Mr. Hagaman sold The Record to A. W. VanDyke, who in 1873 sold out to Epperson & Spencer. In the year 1874 Epperson became the sole owner. Next Tom Camp and Chas. Taylor took over the paper and in 1882 John Camp took Taylor's place and Camp Bros, controlled the paper until Tom became States Attorney for McDonough County, when John had complete control until his death in 1915. The Record was controlled by his widow until purchased by J. E. Dertinger. It had always been of the Republican faith. The Gleaner, an independent paper, published by A. W. Van Dyke was burned in 1884 and in that same year the McDonough Democrat was started, and through all the years, until his death, was owned, controlled and edited by Chas. C. Chain and his staff. It was along in the 80's that it was considered quite proper to go to the depot to see the evening trains come in, and one evening by actual count, there were 211 people on the platform and they didn't come in automobiles either. The American House, one of Bushnell's first hotels and stood on East Hurst Street where Rawls Furniture Store now stands. WAY BACK WHEN I wonder if anybody remembers when the Clevelands had a pottery on the back of the lot where Jess Darst now lives, just off the hard road on E. Hail Street. Well, they did; Wm. Cleveland, the father, was foreman; Lon Cleveland was a workman; Charles Cleveland, another son, was a workman as well as Clayte and Bob. With some help that was the outfit, and still they made all sorts of pots and crocks and such things as were made by hand in that year of about 1880. I do not know whether any of the old buildings are standing, but it was quite an out- fit right on the alley and they made many crocks, jugs, etc., for they were adept at the work. Now the old brick yards were located in the southeast part of town £ nd at one time was one of the largest establishments in this part of the country. The Kaisers, Katzensteins and others were leaders in this work. They made pressed brick and it was all of a good quality and sold all over the country until the brick trust heads which were in St. Louis went after them and broke th^- outfit. In the long ago, there was a dance club in Bushnell whose membership was limit- ed to thirty and there was always a waiting :ist. The orchestra started playing at eight o'clock, and quit at Twelve promptly. AH the dances were held in t le Render House and they had some fine dances. During the season, they got fifty cents a dance end there was enough extra to have two more riaking seven dances du ing tho season. They all worked and had to get to work at seven o'clock :n the morr.ir ; so you can understand why they did not stay out too late. The dances were held every Fri- day night. Following that was what was known as the Union Cub end v as com- posed of young men oif the town who had thoir lOoms over where the old post office was, occupying the entire floor. At that time the American House, or the remains of the American House was next door with a stairway between the two. That was the way we got into the better location. It was a very popular club while it lasted but finally broke up because so manv of the members died, got married and a lot of things like that. The American Hotel was an old frame building which stood where Rawls Furni- ture Store now is and S. Bradfield ran the Bushnell House right across the street south from where Varner's Grocery is. It was a frame building still remembered by the older ones. W. F. Davey and Company were cigar makers in Bushnell, having an establish- ment with offices, work rooms, etc., over where the Bank of Bushnell used to be and Doug now has his drug store. This establishment ran clear through to the alley and there were about one hundred and fifty employees of all kinds and character in this establishment. That was along about the year 1880, but Mr. Davey concluded that he would quit his establishment here and go down to New York, which he did, and information is that he did not succeed very well in New York. K. Kreig and half a dozen others made cigars in those days and pi'ospered, but cigar making came to be another thing after awhile when cigars were made by machinery and so all of those cigar makers were driven out of business. Pierpont and Tuttle were the originators of the cultivator works, where Nichols & Co. now have their poultry house and they were a very prosperous firm, making plows of all sorts and kinds and about a hundred and !ifty men worked for them, but they went broke or quit and others followed them down to the present, all of which is spoken of in another article. Does anybody remember when we had two flour milL in Bushnell? Well, we did. The Depot Mill was right across the street from the Vaughan & Bushnell Manu- facturing building and was owned by M. H. Hicks. The Excelsior Mills stood on the corner right west of where the Depot Mills were, and was run, owned and operated by G. S. Nevious. '^wm M, In this building the first rolled oats ever manufactured without steaming the oats were made. The process was invented by Nagel Brothers and later sold to the Quarker Oats Co. It is the old Nagel Roller Mills, and was located where the Mc- Donough Grain and Milling is now located. I wonder how many of you can remember the old elevator that stood on the rail- road track across the street from the Opera House. It was owned by Jas. Cole. It burned down one night, and it was only by the hardest work that the Opera House was saved. The Opera House has been greatly changed since its building in 1882 by R. S. Randall and others. It was a popular place and the opening night was made of some importance in the town, although the troup who presented various plays did not amount to very much, and just a little story about Chas. Chain, to the effect that he and Curt Wann were chief ushers and the affair was supposed to be so good that the programs were printed and perfumed. The house was full, holding six hundred-ten people, that is to say that many could be seated. The Opera House succeeded the only public house we had in Bushnell at that time, the old Union Hall. It was the hall which is now known as the Odd Fellows Hall or lodge room. It had floor seats and a gallery and would probably accommodate two or three hundred people. It was owned and operated by the Clarke family. Do any of you remember when the girls wore bustles and long skirts and the women of the town passed resolutions in their clubs about spitting on the side- walks as the skirts were so long that they swept all that up? S. Ostesetter and Mr. Myers were pop makers in Bushnell several years ago, doing a very thriving business. I wonder if many people can remember when Tim Downey was alderman of the third ward and was on the street and alley committee; when A. D. Bethard was alderman and the father of the drainage system of Bushnell. They both did well, especially Mr. Bethard who built many and many a mile of tile, but he did not see that Bushnell would grow and much of his work has had to be done over, increasing the size of the tile to accomodate the town of Bushnell. James Cole was mayor several times and one term established a datum plane and the first pavement was the block rr.r.nin2 east from the corner of East Main and Hail Streets. It is worth mentioning the fact that John Frank at one time ran the most popular restaurant in Bushnell, located just west of the Sperling restaurant. John Frank's restaurant was a popular place for young folks and he did a thriving business so long as he lived. His brother, Ed, also ran a restaurant underneath the Doug Drug Store. —^m .'sAi^A^i-. . . •^.- ..■rf^^5^.-iA--. The Meat Market pictured above was taken in 1879 and the men out in front of the shop are Frank, Philip and Conrad Nessel. They had the second meat market in town. The building stood where the Adams Cleaners building now stands on the alley and in those days was Lincoln Avenue. Later Eugene Durst had his shoe repair shop in the building. , There were a number of meat markets in town at that time, but one of them was owned by Gillam Hall and John Mull with Sam Norcross as worker. They occupied the old frame building where the Democrat now stands and next door was Bert Applegate with a ten-cent store. Next to that was John Lieb, All of this was seventy years ago. The Hendee House was then running and was the largest hotel in Bushnell and you might say the surrounding towns. The Sorter House was opposite the T. P. & W. depot and Wanns Foundry was on the corner at the end of West Main Street. Both burned down one night and it was with difficulty that the Bushnell Pump House was saved. It might be interesting in this connection to note that Curt Wann, the son of the Wann who owned this foundry, went from here to Hays City, Kansas, and there ac- cumulated a considerable fortune. ,In sports, Bushnell had in about those years what was known as the Clippers. They won many games about the country. The list of them I cannot remember, but I do remember a young fellow we called Dummy because he was deaf and dumb. Dummy James was the first man in this part of the country to pitch what was known as a curve ball. He had just two curves, an in and an out, but his playing helped the boys win a good many games. ' i .^-'^^ The Meat Market shown above was run by John Mull, who is standing in front of the building, along with William Silberer, who worked for him. The shop was on the corner where the Democrat Office now stands. Bushnell had a paid baseba'l team in the early 1900's, with such players as Oscar Denny, Curt Westfall, Dr. Claude Thomas, Bert Newby, Squirely West, Faulkner and Spec Ballard. They played where the Veterans Park is now located, with bleachers and grandstand with cover. The local team at the end of one season defeated Cedar Rapids, Iowa, winners of the Three I League, who had just defeated the Chicago White Sox, World's Champions that year. Spec Ballard, a cigar maker here, was a foot racer, who ran the 100 yards dash in ten seconds, which was fast in the old days. Frank Lomax also ran the 100 yards near 10 seconds in his younger days. William Hood and Forrest Greenup were the angels for a baseball team in about 1915-1917, with Howe, catching; Swanson, pitching; Newby, at first; Chain, at second; Mott, at short; Dave King, at third; Alva Ford was one outfielder. The first three mail carriers after free delivery was instituted in the city were Frank Lomax, Forrest Greenup and Forrest Titchner. That the high school football team of the Fall of 1931, from the local high school, set a record in making more scores in one year than any other team in the State, and this still stands. The above picture was taken in the Harris home, that stood where the Post Office is now located. The occasion was the ninetieth birthday of Mr. John Harris, father of Ed Harris, for many terms Mayor of Bushnell, and grandfather of Lee Harris. The combined ages of the group was 1271 years. The names, left to right back row standing, are: Wiley, a lawyer and real estate dealer; Spicer, lawyer; Scott, carpenter; James Cole, merchant and banker; Diltz, janitor at Methodist Church; Wetzel, farmer, and J. H. Johnson, druggist. Sitting, Murphy, farmer; Ellerbach, minister; Hawn; Shank; John Harris, farmer, retired; Predmore; James Miner, implement dealer; A. Copeland and Dr. Clarke, doctor and druggist. The Lincoln Electric Works was operating in Bushnell in 1916-17, in the building now occupied by Nichols Co., enployed over seventy-five people and made electric irons, having a complete nickel-plating plant. Ray Cowperthwaite sold Hudson cars in the east side of the building now occupied by Krogers. Harry Albrecht and Rex Lomax ran an auto repair shop in the west side. S. M. Talbot built the building at the corner of E. Main and Davis Streets, last used by Swift & Co., and he ran a Ford Garage there. Madison Wyles took over the agency later and Bennett Brant later in the building, now where Vaughan & Bush- nell Manufacturing Co. are located. Rex Lomax ran a restaurant in the Chain building ,and Earl Fisk ran a jewelry store where the Nessel Dairy is now located. Harry Nessel and Blaine Smith ran a meat market in a building near where Brew- baker-Ewan now have their office. Balls ran a skating rink on the lower floor of where the Recreation Center is now located, and the independent basketball team played their games there at one time. The high school basketball team played their games in the opera house and the girls also had a team. The boys team was composed of Kemper Westfall, William Rose, James Garretson, Forrest Titchner, Dwight Hall and Clarence Krauser. Some of the girls were Miss Clara Ball, Reta Yockey and Ula Olson. The Bushnell Golf Club was started about 1917, just east of the Cemetery and ran for several years. We had several professional football teams here with Stu Clarke, brother of Potsy Clarke, and Roon Clarke as coach, with the latter playing on the team. Cal Horn- baker, A. Brady, Roy Stine, John Kipling, John Nagel, Hub Nagel, Pickel Sowers, Henry Gorke, Bill Strickland, Paul Madison, Dwight Hall, B. Brant, and the writer were among the players. The "Fats" and "Leans" had benefit baseball games during the time that paid baseball was in Bushnell and the Merchants divided into teams according to weight, and put un quite a show. Some of the big fires in the city were, the burning of two large school buildings, the loss of several large elevators, two where the McDonough Grain & Milling now operates, one owned by Nagel Bros., another by George Weirather; a large elevator across from the Alexander Hcjtel, another in front of the opera House block. The Methodist Church, the Truman Barns on West Main, the White Way Block twice, first on the south end and the second where Penney's are now located, the Cole Flat fire, the canning factory fire, the brickyard and Martin Schulze fire near where the warehouse is now located, and recently the Catholic Church, Keigwins and the Assembly of God Church. Mike Merrow had a skating rink in his building, also a dance floor. Fred Spiker sold Buicks, the Balls sold Studebakers, and Dwight Caruthers sold Packards in the Ball building, and Frank Smith was his main salesman. The first Telephone Company was started in 1896 and 1897, and some seventy-five were subscribers at first. Bushnell's first electric plant was a steam plant and was located on West Main Street where the C. I. P. S. Co now has its sub-station, south of the T. P. & W. tracks, Charles Duntley was manager for some time and this supplied the city until the C. I. P. S. Co. bought out the holdings. The first waterworks was started in 1894 and Lou Cleveland was the engineer that dug the first well and distribution system. ^5? This picture shows the children of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Silberer and their trained goats, which they drove on the streets quite frequently. The little girl is Mrs. Harris Mowrey, the driver Louis Silberer and the little fellow standing is Howard Sil- brer. It was taken by the Presbyterian Church and shows a part cxf the old Christian Church, which stood where the 'fire house is now standing at the corner of Hurst and Dean Streets. Harry Doner, would come to town in the winter with his mules hitched to a bob- sled and haul the children to school, much to their delight. Dave Buntin and Clarence Myers ran a jewelry store where Payne's Shoe Store is located. There would be many boys downtown when sleighing was good and hitch rides on the back of horse-drawn vehicles with their sleds. The old swimming hole was at second creek, west of town, about a quarter of a mile south of where the Walnut Grove road now meets State Route 9. THE BIG 25c FAIR " ^--^--'l!,. A view of the finish of a race at the Big 25c Fair, showing the grandstand and judges' stand. Away back in 1879, when Ed Chandler was at his best in building up Bushnell, he and a corporation organized and launched the Big 25c Fair which was a BIG event and with the best one-half mile track in the military district, some real races were to be seen in Bushnell when Walter Palmer of Princeton, George Osgood of Quincy, Enock Hall, Mr. Ivy of Roseville, Dan Zook, Abe Sperling, Ike Hanks, and Pratt Dimmitt drove their horses around the track. Bushnell jockeys who rode into honor- able mention, were Willie Sutherland and Louis Silberer. Stalls of horses and mules, pens of sheep and hogs, coops of chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and rabbits. The Womens' Building filled with needlework, flowers, culinary products, canned fruits and vegetables. The merry-go-round, pink lemon- ade, Charlie Cole's famous cream candy and popcorn bricks; the One-Baby Down concession, the Robbing of the U. S. Mail and Wild West show put on by Jasper Foster, Sam Wallick, Henry Tainter, Pratt Dimmitt, Tom Malloy, Clarence Bell, made one day too short to see them all. After the last race was over whole families climbed into their wagons and buggies and started for home. It was an event where the whole family attended. Ed Chandler, Louis and Gus Kaiser, Charles Cline, F. M. Williams, John Roach, John Johnson and John Brant were some of the presidents while Jim Campbell was a busy secretary and Bill Hornbuckle, Rob. Sperry, Pete Albrecht, Warren Parliman, Ben Tainter and Albert Sperry served as marshals during the time as the years passed by. The steam boiler on a horse drawn popcorn and peanut roasting machine, blew up on the Bank of Bushnell corner in the evening of August 14th, just after the big fair had closed and although the streets were crowded with people, no one was hurt. THE LAST FIFTY YEARS m^'. ^!^-^; P- The above picture is a birds-eye view of Bushnell taken from the old water tower in 1898. In the foreground is the Kathcart Hotel, the old Transfer Building, and in the center of the city can be seen the two grain elevators, that were there at that time. The matter of locating the Western Normal College by the State as a State In- stitution, was the big talk about town, and Macomb was selected in August, 1900. In September, 1900 the council was petitioned to put in four blocks of pavement, along German row, which was on Hail Street, from East Main to Crafford, and on East Main from Ball's Carriage Shop to the Bank of Bushnell, and on West Main from Hail to Hurst. In October, 1900, Superintendent of Schools, W. H. Miller, was informed that students from the local high school would be admitted to the University of Illinois without examination. , Benjamine Nickey died in October, 1900. He came to Bushnell in 1856. A frame building, between where the Gamble Store is now located, and then oc- cupied by O. B. Rose, and the Clements building now owned by the Legion, burned. It caught fire from a peanut machine owned by J. L. Frank. Frank Dodge and Chas. Dodge were in the buildings destroyed, running a cigar store and variety store, respectively. In November 1900 Chas Clements was acquitted of the murder of Chas. Davidson. In December of 1900. John D. Nagel and Henry Nagel announced they had com- pleted the process of taking the hulls off of oats without steam-heating, the first in the country and over six hundred grocers were selling the product. Mr. Henry Nagel's wife is still living here. In January, 1901, W. H. Whittlesey was superintendent of waterworks, and his son, Bill, is present superintendent. The city officers elected, in 1901 were: J. E. Harris, mayor; W. H. Dawson, clerk; Jas. E. Voorhees, treasurer; J. C. Miner, police magistrate; Jas Katenstein, Martin Schulze and Clarence Clarke, aldermen. For license 331, against 269. The city mar- shal was John Mull; Supt. of Streets, Peter Klein and Merchants' Police, D. B. Mowrey. A view looking west from the corner of Hurst and Main, showin: which the railroad gates were opened and the West Grain Office. tower from In 1901 the tuition at the college, here, was $10 per term of ten weeks, board $2.00 per week, room rent $3.00 to 5.00 per term. Priebe, Simater & Co., which was located where the Spoon River Farm Products Co. is now located, put in the first cold storage in the city for poultry and eggs. J. H. Spiker bought out his brother, Fred, in the grocery business, in the Summer of 1901. James Moore was shot and killed by James Sparks in August, 1901. The "Woman In Black" story was going the rounds, and many who had seen her carried wierd tales about her actions. The tax rate in Bushnell in 1902 was $5.86. There were 101 water users in the city and the water works superintendent com- plained many were using water from hydrants and not paying. The Trumans were importing many horses from England in these days. A smallpox scare was on and the Mayor issued a quarantine on the homes of Bert King, David Mowrey, Isaac Hanks, James Barcus, J. R. Camp and W. S. Throck- morton. In March, 1902, Hoover and Voorhees dissolved partnership with Jas. E. Voorhees, taking over the business. The college had decided to quit an J offered their school buildings to the local school district for $5000, but the voters turned it down in an election in April, 1902. Bushnell suffered its worst windstorm in its history on June 10, 1902, when trees were torn out by the roots and many roofs were blown off the store buildings in the downtown area. The Chain building was built in this yecr and The Democrat moved in its present location in that year. The old board walks downtown ware fast disappearing and brick walks were petitioned for at each council meeting. James Cole had asked for a stone walks a- round his building, now being torn out as he was doing extensive work at the bank corner. i r W» ■-'*•. "■'..--iiV^. . This picture was taken looking southeast from the Alexander Hotel an'l show3 the end of the elevator that stood just across the street from the hotel and run by S. A. Hendee, father of Mrs. Bert Roach and grandfather of Albert Clarke. On down the street south can be seen the old stockyards that stood across from the Simpson Lumber Yard. On September 1st, 1902 the city council passed the first paving ordinance, which called for the paving of the block from East Main to Crafford Streets on Hail Street. It was district one. The total cost was about $3000 and was finished in April, 1903. In the Fall of 1902 the high school football team consisted of Miller, C. Sperry, Watson, Hollister, Murphy, V. Sperry, E. Smick, Chidester. L. McDonald, C. Smick and Myers. The Bushnell Tank Works, which W. J. Vertrees ran here, was given approval to make mail boxes for rural use by the government. In November, 1902, John M. Brant Co. started their brick building on West Main Street, now the south part of the Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. J. E. Manlove, prominent fur dealer here, who built a building where the Swift & Co. office now stands, disappeared mysteriously and at the same time owing several about town considerable money. A fifteen month old son of Mrs. Kate Woody was burned to death in the kitchen at the Bushnell House. Martin West, another prominent business man here, disappeared. He was in the grocery business, having bought out Seibert and McDowell. In February, 1903, the citizens voted to build a new school on the east side, which is the grade school building there now. At that time it was a combined grade and high school building. An item in March 5, 1903 paper, states a boy with a new pair of boots started sink- ing out of sight at the Barber Clothing Store corner in the mud and was rescued by Ben Tainter. A meeting was held March 9, 1903 to consider the paving of East and West Main Streets from Gridley to Barnes Streets. Glee Palmeter was killed when he attempted to hop a freight and missed the step March 13, 1903. On May 7, 1903 Miss Ethel Brant was giving piano recital at St. Mary's Academy in Nauvoo, assisted by her sister, Miss Jennie Brant. Dr. Westfall. father of Dr. Kemper Westfall and now husband of Miss Jennie Brant, was celebrating his 36th year of practice in Bushnell. This picture is of the original Hendee building at the corner of Hurst and West Main Streets, and housed the Chandler Bank and Hendee's Store. The brick walks were laid in the parks in the summer of 1903. T. F. Seibert retired from active business after thirty years. In August, 1903 the surveyor started work on the paving of East and West Main Streets. In December, 1903 the Reform Church building was ordered sold. In February, 1904, bonds amounting to $15,000 were voted for a new school build- ing on the East Side. In March, 1904, an unknown man burned to death on top of the boiler at the light plant. The Carnegie Club of Bushnell received permission of the city council to install fountains in the parks at the June meeting in 1904. Frank James, of the famous James Brothers, was starter at the races of the Bushnell Fair. J. E. Harris was selected as a candidate for the Legislature by the Senatorial com- mittee in convention in Bushnell, Tuesday, August 9, 1904 and that Fall was elected to that position. Bruce Pierson was a cigar dealer in the Cole building on East Hail Street. oV.- The Truman Pioneer Stud Farm was winning many prizes during this period at the National and Inter-National Horse Shows. The pavement on East and West Main Streets from Gridley Street, south, and comprising fourteen blocks, was finished in the summer of 1904. The total cost of the Main Street pavement was $43,800. Bushnell's orchestra was organized in the Fall of 1904, and the players were: Di- rector, C. A. Duntley; A. S. Yearick, H. C. Yearick, Miss Zoe Walker, Geo. Ball, Jay Dertinger, A. E. Chiles, Geo. C. Klein, J. E. Lagel and E. M. Wyckoff. The East Side school was opened in the Winter of 1904, just before Christmas. Walter S. Sheley was owner of a grocery store, which was on East Hurst Street, next to the Post Office. Advertisers in The Democrat in December, 1904, were: Jas. E. Voorhees, hardware; Martin Schulze, located at the old brick yard; The Boston Store, with C. A. Hunt manager; C. E. Hicks and N. H. Ervin in The Big Store, furniture and undertaking; Swift & Co., Roger's Meat Market, Corner Jewelry Store, Nessel's Bakery, Lauter- bach's Greenhouse, Campbell's Jewelry Store, Red Men's band fair, Yearick the Shoemaker, J. C. Simpson & Co., J. V. Oblander & Co., H. A. Kaiser, L Barber Walter Sheley, Bruce Pierson, Logan and Gossard, "Bee Hive" restaurant, I. A. LeMaster, The Grocer, James P. Moore & Son, Poland China Shop, Dr. B. E. Le- Master, Miss Frances L. Patrick, M. D., Dr. J. P. Roark, Dr. E. K Westfsll, Attorney T. J. Sparks, Dr. J. A. James, Dentist, Dr. J. C. Griffith, Frisbee's Pharmacy, C. E. Oblander's Dry Goods, Kuhn's Novelty Store, Crandaland Mitchell Shoes, J. F. Spiker, grocer, Zook's Pharmacy. The home of Rev. E. P. Livingston on North Crafford Street and stood on the west side of the street at the end of Crafford. Charles M. Says, vice president of Grand Trunk railroad was knighted by King Edward VH. Hays' grandfather, Samuel Hays, ran a drug store here which he sold ' 3 Dr. A. S. Clarke. The chicken industry was a big one in those days with the concerns picking and packing chickens. Wm. Mason and Earl Gardner were killed when a train hit their buggy south of the city in February, 1905. J. L. Shoemaker, Jr., escaped with a broken leg. He was in the buggy with them. Someone counted 178 horses tied to hitchracks in Bushnell on a Saturday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Russler celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in April, 1905. They moved to near Bushnell in 1855. They are the grandparents of Ralph Russler, Earl Brown, Mrs. Jack McHendry, William Kessler, Chester Kessler. William "Billy" Sunday spoke in the East Park in Bushnell, Monday, May 27, 1905, at a meeting of the County Institute of W.C.T.U. The sermon was to have been in the Presbyterian Church, but the crowd was so large the meeting had to be moved to the park. C. S. Norcross and Sons let their contract for their building in May, 1906, and were moving here from Walnut Grove. It is the building of concrete blocks at the corner of Davis and Dean Streets, which they still use. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Murphy celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. They were the grandparents of J. D. Murphy of south of Bushnell. The affair was in October, 1905. "Eastview" came into being in November, 1905, and the sale of lots started No- vember 24. The lots sold for one dollar down and fifty cents a week. The price of the lots were $25.00 to $150.00 each. A free hack ran to the sub-division every thirty minutes from the First National Bank at the corner of Hail and East Main Streets. The coal chute south of Bushnell, was built by the railroad in late 1905. :-^.rK'riVSinVie<<'ii»-ims^:iis\ati.<^^^Si^^ The home of W . H. Hunt in 1865 on Rile Street and now occupied by A. Brady. H. A. Kaiser, the last of the Kaiser family to do business here, sold ,QUt in Decem- ber, 1905. The name had been prominent in business circles here since the sixties. Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Wyckoff, who for many years taught piano and vocal music in Bushnell, presented in recital at their home, in August, 1906, the following pupils: Bernice Allen, Grace Aughinbaugh, Myrtle Bernhill, Violet Coleman, Mamie Cole- man, Ray Copeland, Clara Chidester, Mildred Drake, Jennie Douglas, Nelle Durst, Goldie Edmonson, Lucy Ellis, Louise Elliott, Irma Freed, Mrs. Hattie Griffith, Harry Griffith, Glenna Griffith, Gretchen Grimm, Rosa Goeke, Pauline Goeppinger, Ger- trude Garretson, Bernice Hannan, Leona Herring, Elva Hurst, Verna Haines, Grace Hays, Floy Hockenberry, Ruby Harris, lone Jackson, Lena Korn, Tena Kostinec, Zoe Kline, Edna Kemp, Walter Lauterbach, Edward Lauterbach, Mrs. Ernie Lowe, Grace Lafrenz, Lelia Larkin, Maia Miles, Ruth Moore, Rita Markham, Blanch McDonald, Louie McDonald, Dora Mott, Mrs. Chas. Melvin, Rodney Medus, Ckrrie Mowrey, Mabel Mowrey, Josie Norcross, Lillian Norcross, Florence Nessel," Henry Nagel, Johanna Nagel, Fanny Nagel, Louis Oblander, Helen Oblander, Laivell Powellson, Bert Reipen, Anna Rose, Ruth Rose, Mrs. Dr. Roark, Dorotha Roark, Edward Spang- ler, Earl Spangler, Inez Simonson, Bertha Vansycle, Lillian Vertree% Anna Williams, Edna White, Myrtle Weber, Clementine Wolfe, Ida Wheeler, Zelpha Wyckoff and Mabel Ziegler. The Wyckoffs moved to California where they continued teaching music until they retired. Cole's Savings Bank has started in January, 1906, in the building now being torn down at the corner of Hail and East Main Streets. Bushnell was having a coal famine in 1906, and so Mayor Harris just took over a carload of coal standing on the C. B. & Q. tracks and let people come and get it. The coal belonged to the railroad and was paid for by those who came with small wagons, wheelbarrows and drays, to get it. William S. LeMaster had just started his clothing store in October, 1906. It is the store now being run by his son, Paul LeMaster. The city council in March, 1907. passed an ordinance prohibiting spitting on the sidewalks in the city, and it is still on the books. J. H. Johnson was elected mayor in 1907. J. E. Harris had held the office for over six years before this, but he had gone to the legislature. This was the second time for Mr. Johnson and during his term of office many concrete walks were laid down- town. Bushnell's paid ball team in 1907 was Dr. Thomas, Burdette, Frish, McKoene, Den- ney, Clarke, Hartman, Chabeck, Croake, West, Lyons, Ballard, Quin and Doyle. S. J. Alexander gave the Presbyterian Church a pipe organ. In August, 1907, the First National Bank bought out the Citizens Bank and W. H. Heaton retired from the banking business. Clark Hanks was appointed chief of police by Mayor Johnson in August, 1907. Two paving districts were voted by the council in 1907, one on Crafford Street from Hail Street north five blocks and the other the block from East Main to Crafford Streets on Hurst Street. The M. Humes home in 1870 and is now occupied by Miss Zoe Sperry. M» Truman's famous Hackney mare, "Queen of Diamonds," was winning in every show at which she appeared. A. H. Korn made a record run to Peoria in an auto by driving in three hours. He took Dr. Haines to see Mr. Katzenstein. The Democrat bought the first type-setting machine in the city, in October, 1907. Mrs. James Cole died in December, 1907 at the age of eighty years. She and Mr. Cole were married on March 25, 1854, and came to Bushnell in 1855. To this union eight children were born seven boys and one daughter. One son, Harry of California and the daughter, Mrs. Luella French of this city, are still living. A headon collision between a passenger and freight train occurred here in the T. P. & W. yards in February, 1908. Al Sperry was training horses owned by Frank Kramer, Carl Sperry and Pete Albrecht. Robert Cain died here on March 27, 1908 at the age of 104, ■ 3 eg W 3 W 3" w >-! fD o 3 : a o m 0) o m o cr fU N D- o 3- 3 fD 3 3 a o rD W fD i-i < ro 3 3" o 3- fD 3 3 3 OTQ W "a fD fD ?^ fD 03 o oT 3 a fD ■-! fD fD c 1^ ° 03 a 3" '-i n o c I-! Vi fD cr (7+ 3" fD o 3; o' &3 CTQ o .^3 o fD *-< i-j W fD P 03 - p fD >-^ r*- fD 3 P a - (D OTQ > >-! fD n 3^ C/2 o 3 n p 3- o 3 P a CTQ 03 ■-! 3. p 3 a 3" O •-i w fD 3 S HH |-( P 3^ O ^ 03 3 S.3 y '^ "S. H 3 3 en a- o 3 3- o ^< ^ ? C/3 P •-i O S; 3 2^ fD t3 p (^ O) 3 Ci- p 3 r+ 3 ft> o 2 ■-< f the Vaughan & Bushnall main building and forge shop. Allen Sparks, father of Burrell "Pete" Sparks, died in September, 1910, afior living in Bushnell over fifty years. He was county clerk in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. John V. Oblander celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in October, 1910. Paving districts seven and eight were let to Pat Tiernan, father of the present city engineer for the sum of $11,210.34, which included two blocks on Crafford Street from the Methodist Church south and three on Dean Street, from Hail Street to the schoolhouse. The Bushnell Homestead and Loan Association was organized in the Fall of 1910, by the following men: J. R. Miller, C. E. Oblander, J. H. Spiker, A. P. Landers, Bert Roach, Lute Barber and Chas. E. Chain. It was chai'tered in January, 1911 The Bank of Bushnell was purchased by Edward and Clarence Clarke and Bert Roach in March, 1911. Bushnell's baseball park was out in East View in 1911 with grandstand and high board fence around a block square. A new society was organized in Bushnell in June, 1911. The Yeomen of America, and Earl Morris was elected president, others in the order as officers were: Clare Smick, Miss B. Brewbaker, Bert West, Dr. and Mrs. C. R. Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. D. Ross, Roy Herring, Mrs. Otis Beckner. Geo. West took his own life in September, 1911 by hanging. He was forty-eight years old and had lived in Bushnell all his life. His father, S. West, was one of Bushnell's pioneers. , In the Fall of 1911 Geo. Weirather was Chief of the Fire Department and after the resignation of Fitch, Mamrose resigned as night police, Willard Waltman was named in his place. Willard Waltman was late Superintendent of the Water Works. The George Long elevator burned on Sunday, September 10, 1911. Charles Goeppinger, brother of the Goeppingcr sisters, was drowned in Spoon River near Bernadotte dam on September 8, 1911. In the years 1900 to 1912 the names of all the students neither absent or tardy from school were published each month. The Chicago Live Stock World after the 1911 Horse Show, wrote a column about the show calling it a thing apart and was duplicated nowhere in the country. There were 641 entries that year and $4000 in prizes. Dr. J. D. Murphy died here in Nove.. be •, 1911. He had been a dentist in Bushnell since 1876. The Bushnell Club was organized in the Fall of 1911, and its opening was in March, 1912, with the following officors: Presilent, Bort Roach; Vice President, John R. Camp; Secretary, Dr. J. E. Ohon: Ass't. Secy, L. R. Norcross; Treasurer, J. E. Voorhees. Board of Governors, W. J. Nessel, R. E. Lybarger, W. S. LeMaster, V. V. Hall and Dr. C. L. Cleveland. T'le club thi'ved through many years and was one of the finest social activities evar 'nfi in th? city. uHr.-v. .•■.•■■'V,'-N ^^. ■'*fe3Li*&^..asass*iste'*5A<*«^^^.^^^^^ The B. F. Pinkley home in 1865 and stood on the lot at the corner of Hail and Dean Streets. Mr. Pinkley was connected with the Bushnell Pump Co. The Bushnell Horse Show Association sponsored a special train to Chicago in December, 1911, to attend the International Stock Show. City Attorney Lybaiger was elected to that office in April, 1911, over David Chambei's and J. H. Spiker defeated M. M. Pinckly for Mayor, and the Democrats announced the taking over the Mayor's seat at the first meeting in May, as it was the first time the Democrats had been in power for about forty years. Roy Hunt was appointed City Tapper. Geo. Weirather's elevator burned to the ground for the second time in March, 1912. In July, 1912, there were 35 automobiles assessed in the city. Dr. E. K. Westfall died in July, 1912 after practicing medicine here since 1867. He not only served the community as their doctor, but held many elective offices as well as serving as postmaster. C. E. Heister built the mausoleum here in the Summer of 1913. V. V. Hall and Clay Orum started in the grocery business in 1911 and 1912, and Simonson and Pittenger were selling Overlands, Reo, linterstate and Moline Auto- mobiles. The Bushnell House was torn down in the summer of 1912, and the Herring Bros, were preparing to build their garage, just south of where Mayor Varner now has his grocery. The Cannonball Trail from Chicago to Quincy was laid out through Bushnell. It was an automobile route. The Bushnell Fair Association was dissolved in the Spring of 1913 after running for twenty years and the money in the treasury divided. A new association was formed at once. A cyclone hit south of Bushnell in April, 1913, causing considerable damage. The sale of lots in the Northwest Edition was held on Monday, June 2, 1913, with a free band concert and $50.00 in Gold was given away. The next week the tract was voted into the city. A six oxen team hitch at the Bushnell Horse Show during the parade in 1910. The C.I.P.S. Co. had purchased the local light plant and were trying to get a franchise from the city. In the meantime a group of local men were talking of building a plant and the fur was flying in a short time. Henry Diltz, died July 2, 1913. He came to near Bushnell in 1859 and lived here until his death. The C.I.P.S. Co. was given a ten year contract to light the streets in July, 1913. David Doner died in July, 1913. He came to near Bushnell in 1868 and his children Ray and two daughters, still live in Bushnell. The Bushnell Library was started in the Dr. Griffith building in the Summer of 1913. Philip Doll passed away on August 6, 1913. He came to near Bushnell in 1868. He was the father of George, Carl and Harvey Doll. The Farmers and Merchants State Bank was formed by J. H. Spiker, B. H. Alex- ander, and L. E. Brewbaker. They purchased the Coles Trust and Savings Bank. W. M. Crosthwaite died suddenly as he was purchasing a ticket at the T. P. & W. depot on November 13, 1913. He was a prominent lawyer here for many years. John Roach passed away March 18, 1914. He came to Bushnell in 1876. He was the father of Bert Roach. The women of Bushnell voted for the first time in the Spring of 1914, and they voted out saloons. The Nagel Bros. Mill burned in May, 1914. Dr. A. S. Clarke died May 13, 1914. He came to Bushnell in 1857 and was a leading citizen and doctor until his death. He was the grandfather of Albert Clarke. Roy Predmore passed away May 11, 1914. He came to Bushnell in 1855. The contract for a new water tower was let in June, 1914. Jas. J. Campbell died in August, 1914. He came to Bushnell in 1882 and was a jeweler here for many years. During this time he handled guns, and many other kinds of merchandise. The hoof and mouth disease started in this community in the Winter of 1914 and was to become a real disaster to the farmers. Ball Bros, sold out their garage to D. B. Carithers in January, 1914. Mrs. J. G. Truman and Miss E. Mabel Miner were the first women to be elected to the school board in the Spring of 1915. John R. Camp died in the Spring of 1915. He was editor of the Bushnell Record and a member of the Camp Bros., who had been prominent in Bushnell for many years. W. N. Walthers, father of C. H. Walthers, was Chief of the Fire Department in 1915. Eugene Durst died June 8, 1915. He came to Bushnell in 1868 and was in the business of making and repairing shoes. His daughters, Nell and Cora, still live here in their home on Cole Street. West Main Street in 1900. Lloyd Sanders was running a grocery store at the southeast corner of Hail and East Main in 1915. A. B. Peckenbaugh and Son, were grocers in Bushnell during this time. John Pool and Sons were in the jewelry business. Bushnell had its first Chautauqua in July, 1915, on the West Side school grounds. Lepird and Blough were in the shoe business here in 1915. J. F. Varner, father of Mayor Varner, was in the grocery business on East Main. The Airdome Theatre was running a picture show in an open-air theatre on the lot just north of where Stratton's Garage is now located. There was no Bushnell Horse Show in 1915, due to the spread of the Hoof and Mouth Disease. The petition for the curb lights on East and West Main Streets was taken before the council and passed. The merchants were to buy the lights and have them installed. The city council, after years of suits against the C. B. & Q. railroad, to make them move the side tracks and freight depot from the center of the city gave up and so notified the proper authorities. Bushnell High School's basketball team was doing alright in the 1915-1916 season the coach was Paul Benjamin and the players were Schaible, Van Meter, Rider, Lau- terbach, Beckner and Simonson. The Alexander Hotel had been completely remodeled at the end of 1915. The C.I.P.S. Co. was given its first franchise by the city council in February of 1916. George Bayne of Quincy was coming to Bushnell to start a new factory in the Spring of 1916. J. V. Oblander died suddenly in March of 1916. He had been a furniture dealer here since 1865. Walter Palmeter was electricuted in July, 1916. The Presbyterian Church started the addition called Smith Memorial Hall, in the Summer of 1916 and actual work was started the next Spring. Clarke Hanks, city policeman, was circulating petitions asking for money to build the swimming pool, which was operated so successfully just south of the John M. Brant building for many years. Roy Hunt was a big aid and factor in the success of this project, also. The Bushnell Golf Club was going strong in the Summer of 1916 under the lead- ership of Mr. Soderstrom. The Bushnell Horse Show was started again in the Fall of 1916. C. E. Dodge sold his 5 and 10c Store to Roy Hey in the Fall of 1916. S. B. Russler of this city was elected county coroner in the Fall of 1916. In 1917 the war and draft were the chief topics, with heatless Mondays, etc. C. Oblander had a bad fire in his dry goods store in February, 1917. They were having big tabernacle meetings in the building located where the Mike Merrow building is now located. The Cole Block in the early 1900's. D. B. Carithers started a canning factory in a building that burned later, near where the Hummel and Gray Lumber Co. is now located. The business men of the city had raised $6000 to bring the Lincoln Electric Works to Bushnell. It was located in the old Tank Works building now occupied by Nichols & Co. The Bushnell Fire Department were hosts to the Illinois Firemen's Association at their 29th annual state convention in January, 1917. The Military Track Meet was held in Bushnell in May, 1917, and Elmwood High won the meet. The next week Bushnell High won the county meet. All schools, churches, lodges, clubs, picture shows and all public gatherings were closed by Mayor M. M. Pinckly and Dr. J. P. Roark, chairman of the Board of Health, in October, 1918, on account of the flu. Melvin Bros, bought out the Bernhill Hardware in the Fall of 1918. The old town celebrated right when the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918 and it would hardly do to repeat some of the tales told about some of the re- spected citizens of that day. The 60 million dollar bond issue for hard roads carried in the state and at once all the towns started to work to get theirs. Bushnell was interested in one coming from the east, from Peoria and Canton. iMax Pierce passed away on his return from France in February, 1919. The local V.F.W. Post bears his name. Ira Means was elected Mayor in the Spring of 1919. In July, 1919 Coroner Sam B. Russler started the famous Dr. Alverson case, after the death of Lawrence Clugston, here and in August the doctor and Clugston's wife were arrested for murder. Noah H. Everly died in July, 1919. He came to near Cuba in 1860 and later to east of Bushnell in Lee Township and in 1901 to Bushnell. Peter Bosier, for years known about Bushnell as "Nigger Pete" was seriously in- jured in September, 1919, when he drove his Ford car into a train on the C. B. & Q. crossing just west of Bushnell. William Short was running a grocery here in 1918 and Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Lewis were undertakers. Alva Ford was killed while participating in an automobile race in Carthage on July 4th, 1918. He had played ball with the Bushnell Independents the past three secisons. Fred Neuneker was reported missing in action in July, 1918. He was in France. The Campbell Jewelry Store was sold in 1918 after being one of Bushnell's leading stores for thirty-six years. This picture was the rebuilding of Nagels Mills after their lire, and many in this picture were old-timers here, the ones we recognize are: Mr. Ervin, one of the first boys to come to Bushnell, third from left; John Paul, fifth from left; Carl Nagel, Harry Nagel, John Nagel, Sr., Mrs. McGinney and Henry Nagel. Car owners were asked by the government to quit using their automobiles on Sundays so as to save the gasoline and oil for the army. The flu had started to take its toll, both among soldiers and civilians and Harry Sperry and Clarence Korn were among the servicemen in October, 1918. John C. Goeppinger died Thursday, August 12, 1920. He came to Bushnell in 1865 and was engaged in the harness and hide business until 1910 when he retired. He was the father of the Goeppinger sisters of this city. Peter Klein died on September 5, 1920. He came to Bushnell with his parents in 1855, being one of the first families to settle here, after serving in the Civil War, he married and returned to Bushnell where he served as town collector for one year, eleven years as assessor, ten years as superintendent of streets and two years as alderman. He was the father of Kate Klein of this city. The Bushnell Athletic Association after a successful year at football held a turkey banquet at Barnhart Rock Camp on Spoon River, and what a feed. W. O. Rose was manager and secretary of the group. Geo. L. Chain, president, and Red Runyan, coach. The John M. Brant Co. built the north part of their building in 1920, taking in approximately one-half block of space. The John Roach barn was purchased by the Sales Pavilion Directors and later many high priced hogs and other animals were sold in the building. It is the build- ing now occupied by Swartzbaugh and O'Herron. The addition to the old high school building was approved by the voters in April, 1920. The Globe Shirt and Overall factory opened a branch here in the Ball building and operated for a few months. The famous Earl G. Gordinier Show was showing in Bushnell in the Summer of 1920. The board of supervisors of the county voted to build a sanatorium in the Fall of 1919. Isaac Hanks and one of his fine race horses. The children spent hours watching him drive his fast horses and see his flowing beard part as he spend along. His barn was on Cleveland Street near Wells. The city bought a new chemical fire truck in October, 1919. It had two twenty-five gallon soda and acid tanks mounted on it and carried a goodly amount of hose and other equipment. The Bushnell Presbyterian Church celebrated its 50th anniversary in November, 1919. Roy R. Barnes was operating a Drug Store in Bushnell in 1918 and 1919. In the Winter of 1919 the coal situation grew serious, because of a strike of the coal miners, and store hours were set from 9:00 a. m. to 6:00 p. m. and a committee was set up to dispense coal in the city. H. J. Cleary was a shoe dealer in Bushnell in 1921. Bushnell High School won the county track meet in the Spring of 1921. Geo. Hillyer, Bushnell lawyer, was elected to the circuit bench in 1921. The contract for the addition to the High School was let in August, 1921. The county sanatorium was finished in the Summer of 1921, but the opening of the building was held up because of lack of funds for equipment. H. S. Bobbitt, present circuit clerk, was a photographer in Bushnell in 1922. A note in The Democrat of April, 1922, talks of Ross Ballard and family getting a fine musical entertainment by wireless telephone, radio. The A & P Store started in the grocery business here and F. V. Shryock bought out the Dickson Hardware on the White Way in April, 1922. The merchants of Bushnell gave the children of the community a free picnic on August 2, 1922, and over three thousand ice cream cones were consumed. The Bushnell Oddfellows Lodge exemplified the second degree at the Grand Lodge meeting in Springfield in October, 1922. In November of 1922, Bushnell had a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan and several meetings were held here later. A big fire occurred in the White Way block in December, 1922, with the follow- ing businesses affected. Pearce and Winget barbershop, W. J. Kessler apartment and shop, H. Hopkins restaurant, Monroe Motor Co., R. F. Heckle shoe store and Wm. Hood's pool hall. The Bushnell Rotary Club received its charter in January, 1923 and John M. Brant was its first president. W. A. H. Miller, former superintendent of the Bushnell schools and R. R. Barnes local druggist, were charged with bribing and selling liscenses to pharacists, but Barnes was never found guilty. The Hotel block in the Gay Nineties. The Methodist Church burned in February, 1923. It was thirty-seven years old. The Bushnell Motor Co. was advertising Ford touring cars for $298 F.O.B., Detroit. Borgelt was running a variety store in the Chain building in 1923, buying out R. H. Viall. Bushnell High School were hosts to the State District basketball tournament in 1923. T. H. Jackson was elected supervisor of Bushnell Township in the Spring of 1923. W. J. Frisbee, for many years a prominent druggist in Bushnell, died in April, 1923. His father was in the drug business here before him. The paving ordinance to pave from the Presbyterian Church south one block and then east a block, was passed in 1923. The First National Bank changed the exterior of their building considerably in the Summer of 1923 and O. B. Rose and Co. remodeled the two south rooms of the Opera House building into a very up-to-date store. The hard road from Canton to Bushnell was staked out in the Summer of 1923, and it looked like the city was to get some state road. The Bushnell merchants put on a big barbecue on September 6, 1923, in the east park. John Leib died in Bushnell, November 13, 1923. He came to Bushnell in 1871 and engaged in the harness and buggy business here, being located where Kugler and Seek now have their furniture business. D. C. Neff died at his home here in December, 1923. He married Miss Frances Cole, daughter of James Cole, in 1866. He ran a grocery here for several years, then bought his father's farm east of Bushnell and moved there, moving back to Bushnell in 1913. Mrs. Ira Phillips was his daughter. Newt McClaren died in January, 1924. He was a drayman here for years and a faithful member of the Fire Department for a long time. W. A. Gibson of this city disappeared in February, 1924, and an extensive search was being made for him. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Hunt celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary at their home on the East Park, the same house in which they started house keeping, on March 6, 1924. The house is now occupied by A. Brady. At a city election in April, 1924, the voters approved Sunday movies, but beat a wheel tax ordinance three to one. The Bushnell Farm Products Plant burned in June, 1924. The tornado of June, 1924, did much damage here and south of Bushnell. The Verne Thompson home was completelj' wrecked as were many buildings near the Cottonwood School, south of the city. Frank Specht was awarded the contract for the West Main Street paving from Gridley Street north for $24,308.91 in July, 1924. The State was cutting out all the common barberry bushes in the county. The pavement on Washington Street was set up by ordinance in August, 1924, and in September the contract was let to Frank Specht. J. F. G. Oblander died in September, 1924. He was born in Bushnell in 1868 and was a prominent undertaker here for years. The Bushnell Rotary Club heard about city ownership of light plants and also suggested the running of the State hard road on Cole Street. The Rotary Club was taking an active part in the hard road situation. White Way Block in 1905. The Clarke Drug Store was sold to Sam Stephens in October, 1924. It was es- tablished in Bushnell in 1857 by Dr. Clarke and ran for ten years on East Main Street where Robert's Stationery Store is now located and then moved to the west side in the building now used by the Light Company. O. B. Rose died November 5, 1924, after being in the Dry Goods business in Bushnell many years. The hard road from Bushnell to Macomb was opened in the Fall of 1924, except the gap at the railroads south of town. W. E. Spicer, father of Guy Spicer, of west of Bushnell, won many ribbons with his fourteen hogs at the International in Chicago. H. B. Primm bought the Oblander Furniture Co. in February, 1925. The State Convention of P.E.O. was held in Bushnell in April, 1925. Chas. Williams was elected Mayor in April, 1925. Victoria Ball, daughter of Ross Ball, was selected as "Miss Macomb" and entered a state contest. The Methodists dedicated their new church on Sunday, July 12, 1925. James Hudson died July 20, 1925. He was prominent in Walnut Grove Township and in Bushnell through his long life in this community. A DeMolay Lodge was organized here, called the Frisbee Chapter. P. C. Hoover died in Bushncll in October, 1925. He had been a prominent hard- ware merchant here for several years. Walter Trout shot himself and his wife because she bobbed her hair, according to the testimony following their death in September, 1925. Dr. C. H. Cable was hired as the f i. st superintendent of the Elmgrove Sanatorium in the Fall of 1925. The Elmgrove Sanatorium was opened with a dc dication ceremony on January 14, 1926, after being built and then closed for years, while a way was found to equip it, which was done by the voters of the county by voting a tax levy. Josephine Totten tied for second with Miss Pekin in a beauty contest at Quiver Beach, near Havana, in the Summer cf 1926. She later won a state-wide contest con- ducted by the Peoria Star. The large cement posts that had stood in the intersections of Hail and Hurst Streets on both East and West Main Streets, were to be removed and mushroom lights put in their place. The city council passed an ordinence to pave from the East Park, east, on both Hail and Hurst Streets to the new State road en Cole Street in September, 1926. The exterior of the C. B. & Q. depot was r'^modeled in the Fall of 1926. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Madison celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in Oc- tober, 1926. Mr. Madison came to Bushnell when a boy. The Firemen's Fair was held in the Rose Garden, a name then being u£:d f:r the skating rink and dance hall, run by Mike Merrow in his buildir^ on Hurst Street in 1926. A scene in the parks when the fountains were in the center. Mrs. Mary Korn passed away in Bushnell in March, 1927. She came here in the year 1856 and the Korn family has played a prominent part in the history of Bush- nell since that time. The merchants of Bushell gave away five and one-half tons of sugar during April, May, and June in 1927, in a big sales event. Larkins were running a grocery here at the northeast corner of Hail and East Main and Tuckers had a variety store on West Main. Kroger's had come to town and the Rialto Theatre had started in their new building in the White Way Block. Ernest Sowers was elected supervisor for the first time in the Spring of 1927. The wheel tax was in force in Bushnell in 1927. James P. Moore died September 4, 1927. He came to this community at the age of six in 1856. L. Barber died September 28, 1927. He had been a successful clothing merchant here for many years. A Corn show was held in the Fall of 1927, with many displays of corn on hand. Thieves stole most of the clothing from the Barber Clothing House in October, 1927. J, C. Young died on November 1. 1927. He came here in 1875 and for years had charge of the cemetery as Sexton. Edward Burke died in November, 1927. The J. C. Penney Store was opened here in the Spring of 1928. The Bushnell Business Bureau was organized in the Summer of 1928 and has been in existence ever since. The first officers were William Rose, president; Paul Madison, vice president; Albert Clarke, sec'y and treasurer and Bennett Brant and Harry Nessel, directors. Bank of Bushnell corner in the 90's. The Bushnell Stockyards Co. was formed in May, 1928. The contract for the hard road to Marietta was let in the summer of 1928 and the Good Hope road assured. Dr. Ben LeMaster died in May, 1928. C. S. Norcross passed away October 17, 1928. He moved his factory to Bushnell in 1903. Bennett Brant was elected Mayor in April, 1929. The paving running to the cemetery and two blocks on Rile and two on Davis Streets were laid in 1928. Mack M. Pinckly passed away in July, 1929. He had served as President of the First National Bank for many years. R. R. Barnes was elected to the Legislature in the Spring of 1930. J. E. Harris, for many terms Mayor of Bushnell, a member of the State Legislature and always strong in local and state politics, died May 16, 1930. In 1891 the Harris family moved to Bushnell and lived in the big house where the Post Office now stands. The last of the Big 25c Fair came to an end for good, when the big barn on the grounds burned in July, 1930. Elizabeth Bobbitt, who had been sitting in a tree across from the Copeland Phar- macy, was asked to come down by the Mayor, Brant. Bert Silberer and Emmett Lantz were also trying the stunt. Emnor Roberts died in Bushnell, September 19, 1930. He was born in Bardolph in 1868 and was a brick mason for many years. His wife, Sophia Roberts, is living in Bushnell. William Rose was killed on October 4, 1930 at Trivoli, Illinois, in an automobile accident. Bill Rose had established a fine large retail store here and was working to improve the city in many ways. His loss was great to Bushnell. The Bushnell High School football team was the first that started the teams of the few years to follow into state recognition. The team was composed of Morrow, Ha- vens, Ball, Cadwalader, Bricker, Jones, Langley, E. Gordinier, Pensinger, Dimmitt and Young. They won the second Spoon River Conference title in a row. Dr. C. L. Cleveland died in 1930. He had been a dentist here for many years. They came here in 1878. The city was lighted at Christmas time with strings of lights across the Main Streets. Bushnell officers shot at some bank robbers in Bushnell in December, 1930. The officers were Stine, Hanks and Turner. The Golden Wedding Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. John Coleman was held in January, 1931. Ludwig Street was opened east from Sperry Street so the hard road could run thru to Cole Street. Roy Stine, Pink Kirtley and Art Normandin were doing considerable boxing in 1930 and 1931 and each was doing fine. Left to Right, (Standing): Mrs. Ed Hendee, Mrs. Chas. Duntley. Mrs. C. A. Hunt, Mrs. T. H. Wheeler, Mrs. Henry Yearick, Mrs. Ben Tainter. (Seated): Mrs. W. J. Frisbee, Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. C. C. Chain, Mrs. Milan Jacobs, Mrs. W. J. Fultz. The picture was taken on June 16, 1899, and the babies were all in their first year. The Spiker Grocery had been sold to Walter Eades and his mother. The city was remodeling the water works and planned to electrify it and new pump- installed. The contract for the East Side Sewage Disposal Plant was let in September, 1931. Bushnell High School's football team defeated Kewanee in 1931, 13 to 0. Frank Carideo was the speaker at the annual football banquet for the high school team, which had not lost a game in the 1931 season. The total score for the year was 506 for Bushnell to 6 points for their opponents. A high school record for points in one season for the State that has never been broken. The Bushnell Athletic Club started in rooms in the Korn building on the White Way in January, 1932, In March, 1932, the Bank of Bushnell was sold to the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. The Bank of Bushnell was organized on March 1, 1892, by Haines, Neuneker and Co., and started business in the Opera House block, it later moved to the corner of Hurst and East Main, and the officers, when sold, included: C. S. Clarke, Bert Roach and Albert Clarke and W. J. Fultz. Not a cent was lost by the depositors. The teachers' salaries were slashed in the Spring of 1932, with the grade teachers getting from $720 to $800 for the year, and the high school teachers from $1000 to $1800. Bushnell High School won the county track meet in 1932, also winning the Decla- mation and Music. Grace Aughinbaugh died in July, 1932. She graduated from the local high school in 1894 and taught school near and in Bushnell until 1930. The Bushnell Athletic Club moved to the Chain building and put on a big boxing show the first night of the Corn Show in 1932. The original Norcross Factory at the corner of Dean and Davis Streets. Bushnell again had a horse show in 1932, adding horses to the annual Corn Show that year. After winning twenty-two football games in a row, the local high school team was held to a tie in the Fall of 1932, and later in the season lost their first conference game to Rushville in three years. In November, 1932, the First National Bank announced they were making plans to liquidate. So Bushnell, after having three Banks for over forty years, was to have but one. The Banks all over the nation were closed March 3, 1933, for one week. This was done to stop runs on banks until an acute situation could be stopped. The State Sales Tax was put on April 1, 1933, and the local merchants worked out a token to be used to pay the new tax. Walter Spicer died in March, 1933. He was born west of Bushnell near the Cotton- wood tree in 1863, and lived there all his life. Rex Lomax was elected city clerk for the first time in 1933, beating Lou Klein who had held the office many years. A. Brady was elected Mayor. The canning factory burned to the ground in May, 1933. Hub Nagel gave his life trying to save a friend who had been electrocuted, by go- ing to his aid in June, 1933. The councU started work on paving projects on Hurst Street, Davis Street and the south end of West Main Street, using relief work in the construction, July, 1933. The city council started investigating the paving of streets with government aid in November, 1933. Bushnell was the first township to get approval for projects under C.W.A. which was Civil Works Administration. Which was money from the government to help labor, and the work was cleaning ditches, brush and like from country roads. The city had three projects okayed under the government relief system in December, 1933. The Farmers and Merchants State Bank took over the Prairie City Bank in January, 1934. H. E. Woods and John E. Woods purchased the local stockyards in March, 1934. Edward Johnson, President of Rotary International, was the speaker at an inter- city meeting held in March, 1934, by the local club at the High School. He was a cousin of L. J. Barber of this city. In July, 1934 the city started paving the city streets under W.P.A. They were having a bad drouth in the Summer of 1934. The electors of the City of Bushnell voted to build a gas plant in September, 1934 The Bushnell Homestead and Loan Association was changed from a State to Federal unit in December, 1934. The city had to cut out several street lights in the Winter of 1934 from lack of funds. Mr. and Mrs. John M. Brant celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on New Year's, 1935. Ed Heister was elected Mayor in 1935 and Harry Albrecht was appointed Chief of the Fire Department, following E. W. B. Sparks in that job. '">T"'-'^^''*-v.-' "•■ i: - • >• ■■ ■' .<\. "'*■►'.» ...r.-^.' X ?;■■•■-■• fm^ ■x^r-. » ;— ~wl jii,:'/Z^'J i*; Cjifci'ii^elWvX— ^Tii^Vi**:.*! Home of J. H. Smith in the 70's. G«o. Smith of the city was born while this house was being built and his parents were living in the barn at the rear at the time. Miss Florence Williams has owned the home for many years. In July, 1935, the city started electing their officers for four years, the city clerk's office was moved to the city hall, the Greenhouse was moved down on the hard road and they were making surveys for R.E.A. Jas. J. Ball died in July, 1935. He had been in business here many years as a man- ufacturer of carriages with his brother, and later in the automobile business. Old Age Pension Plan was set up in 1935. In September, 1935, the Bushnell Business Bureau, which had been working on the Recreation Center project, reported it was a sure thing, the city council asked for a grant for a storm water system for the city and the bids were opened for the new Post Office. And all of these were in the process of being built in 1936. C. S. Clarke passed away in February, 1936. He was born in Bushnell in 1862 and lived here his entire life, being a druggist and banker, and did much for the welfare of the city. He was the father of. Albert Clarke. Stryke Simonson was killed while working at his elevator in February, 1936. The old Transfer Building burned in March, 1936. It was located where Brant's Filling Station is now located. A & P opened their store here in June, 1936. John M. Brant passed away in June, 1936. He had been head of the John M. Brant Co., here, for nearly forty years. His interest in all branches of the city's affairs was shown by being selected as head of all worthwhile projects. He was President of the Horse Show during its existence and he gave freely of his time and money toward getting State hard roads for Bushnell. Geo. Weirather died suddenly in July, 1936. He had been a grain dealer here and lost two elevators by fire. He had served as Chief of the Fire Department. At a school election in July, 1936, during the depression period, the school tax was raised from $1.38 per hundred to $2.00. The West Side School burned in August, 1936, and in January, 1937, the contract for the new school was let to Clarence Renigar. Bushnell had their first Town Fair in 1936. At that time the merchants had win- dow displays of old relics brought in and shown by the folks of the community. W. J. Vertrees, Bushnell's last Civil War veteran, died in December, 1936. He had headed the Bushnell Tank Works here when it was at its peak. ti- The home of J. Ford Morris in 1870, at the corner of Crafford and Harris Streets, later the home of D. F. Chidester and now owned by B. L. Kearns. George Porter was elected Mayor in 1937, and the city voted wet, and Dave Shu- maker was appointed Chief of Fire Department. The first talk of a city-owned light plant was in May, 1937. A. S. Nichols was the new superintendent of schools in 1937. Chas. C. Chain passed away here July 20, 1937. He had been the Publisher of the McDonough Democrat for fifty-three years. He had served as Postmaster here from 1894 to 1898 and he had been active in Fire Department matters all his life, serving as President of the National Firefighters' Association, three times President of the Illinois Firemen's Association and wrote the 2% Insurance Law, which has been a great help to Firemen throughout the State for fifty years. The present Editor of the Democrat took over the publishing of the Paper at his father's death and in 1954 is celebrating seventy years of father and son Editorship of the Paper. M. M. White had started work with the Paper several months before. Eugene Solomon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Solomon, was the first child to die of polio in the county after the disease was known as such, in September, 1937. The street drawings were started in 1936 and some discussion was had on whether they should be stopped on account of polio, but they have been continued until this date without a break. In November, 1937, Robert Kikendall moved into his present location in the Opera House block. Judge George Hillyer passed away in February, 1938. Fire destroyed the Illinois Tank Co. here in March, 1937 and left little industry in the city, as most had ceased and gone out of business during the depression. Several men, headed by A. W. Kukuk. went to the timber in the Spring of 1938 and cut poles to put lights on to light the softball diamond at the new Recreation Center. ''*^''»ii^i»iaiSK4>^'S#??*5?®-5« The residence of S. R. Hendee in 1870. It stood where the Albert Clarke resi- dence now stands on Hurst Street. The Carrier Equipment Co. leased the Bayne Factory in the Spring of 1938 to make "The Areo Mail Car." They made the wheels of the Model T Ford big so mail car- riers could pull the mud easier. The city in June, 1938 was awarded $138,644 under W.P.A. for city streets and other improvements, and from here on all of Bushnell's main streets that were not already paved were black-topped, with curb and gutter on sides and with gravel base. The Belmont Club was held up here in a daylight robbery and about one thousand dollars was taken from the club owners and nine or ten men in the club. The first election on the Municipal Light Plant was defeated on August 9, 1938 by 61 votes. The total vote was 1513. The second election was September 29 and the proposition won by 39 votes. The C.I.P.S. Co. ordered the sheriff to take over the bal- lots as soon as the election was over and keep them under guard for three days. The total vote at the second election was 1825. The Fire Department bought a new fire truck on an International chassis in February, 1939. Dr. J. P. Roark was given a 50-year medal by the Illinois Medical Society, for fifty years service in the medical profession in June, 1939. All fifty years were spent in Bushnell. The American Legion bought the Clements building in September, 1939. The Bushnell Federal Savings and Loan Association moved to their present build- ing in February, 1940. The McDonough Democrat bought the Bushnell Record in February, 1940, and Bushnell had but one Paper. The Mickelberry Food Products Co. moved their processing plant here in June, 1940. The first peace time conscription registration was held at the Fire Department building in October, 1940, and Aubrey Miller's number was the first drawn in the draft lottery from Bushnell. Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. started production here in October, 1940, as did Mickelberry's. y^y'^iiiiJill Hmi itl ttittlttttftttfti+mW'R^^ ^^«^^^i; *s#< ^v "^^i^^^^^^^^^^^^fei^is^&^^^teS^^^^M^isi^^S The residence of D. M. Wyckoff in 1870. It stood at the north end of Rile Street. Bennett Brant opened his new garage in February, 1941. The first men leaving here under the draft and by enlistment in February, 1941, were Gerald Swartzbaugh, Aubrey Miller, George Spangler, Leland McMahill and Allen Collins. Dr. Bert Roan was elected Mayor in April, 1941. The city Municipal Light Plant was dedicated May 2, 1941. Geo. L. Chain was selected Chief of the Fire Department in May, 1941. October 15, 1941 the W.P.A. school lunch program was started in the schools. December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and all thoughts turned to war, and Robert Young ,son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Young, was the first local casualty of the war, losing his life at Pearl Harbor. A local Civil Defense Board was set up in January, 1942. Sugar rationing started in April, 1942. Bushnell voted in a Community High School here July 7, 1942. Camp Ellis was to be started in the Fall of 1942. The U.S.O. established rooms here in December, 1943, and by July were organ- izing Junior hostesses to aid in entertaining the servicemen who called at the center. The Korn block burned in February, 1944. The city was drilling a new well. Chas. L. Harrah died in July, 1944. He had been city clerk here for two terms and was associated with Art Kukuk in the Bushnell Personal Co., before moving to Morris, Illinois. Harry Lorance resigned as Superintendent of Schools in the Spring of 1944, and Paul Crafton was hired to take his place. John D. Nagel died August 13, 1944. He came to Bushnell in 1891 and had been prominent in the milling and elevator business here. The Bushnell Co-operative Co. was sold to the Farm Bureau in October, 1944. The first Hog Show and Sale for 4-H and Vocational Ag. boys and girls was held at the Stockyards in the Fall of 1944. The U.S.O. announced that they were closing their rooms here and the community organized to see if they could take it over. This was in December, 1944. Byard Wills Ervin died in January, 1945. He came to Bushnell when a boy of six years and was 95 years of age at his death. He was the father of Lulu Wells of this city. J. C. Penney Co. moved from the West Side to the White Way block in the Sprmg of 1945. The honor roll was placed opposite the Post Office in the East Park during March, 1945. Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Spiker celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in April, 1945. V-E Day was a quiet one in Bushnell with a service at the Methodist Church in the evening. The Blansett murder caused quite a stir here when the body of a woman was found in a burned car at the south edge of the city on June 13th, 1945. It was the end of the war in August, 1945, and while it was not like the end of the first World War, all let down their hair and breathed a sigh of relief. The county survey board for the schools of the county was set up in November, 1945, and this was really the beginning of the Unit system in the schools. The City council started to plan for post war work. Cowperthwaites built the Super-Market in the Summer of 1946. ;rt^t»H%r '^1^*-:i 1 k y^a^^l JUST BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY A boy about ten years of age comes down town as they phrased it in those days. He had to be washed and had a clothes change, as someone might notice him. He was with his pals the Chatterton boys, Kemper or Claude; or maybe the Swartz kids, Toner and Eldridge; or maybe Navy Wheeler, or Arthur Nebergall, or Davie King and Art Smith or some of the Arthurs. When they arrive on East Main Street at the corner of E. Hail, who are some of the men in business there? First there is a wooden building, where the Style Shop is now located, and there is a grocery but later, Clarence Renigar will open a barbershop before it is to be torn down for a modern brick and the Kroger Store will begin. They tell us L. Barber ran a clothing store there at one time. Along this East Main Street, J. L. Griffith has a hardware store, he is the great grandfather of John Norcross, and the grandfather of Mrs. Hal Norcross. The Boston Store has general merchandise, so does T. F. Seibert, and Jay Frisbee is running a drug store, one his father had before him. The Yearicks have a shoe store and both father and son play in the city's famed orchestra. O. B. Rose has a dry goods store, where the Gamble Store is located, and Charles Cole has a candy store, where the Stationery Store is located. The Clements Sisters have a millinery store, in the present Legion building, and a grocery is next door, with the C & G Bakery next. Mrs. Emma Carpenter was one of the owners. Jas. Campbell ran the Campbell's Jewelry Store, father of Miss Mary Campbell and Mrs. L. J. Barber, Sperlings Drug Store was next door and the famous old Opera House was upstairs. J. H. Rogers ran a meat market, where Hulett's are now located, and J. H. Johnson had a Drug Store between there and Barber's Clothing House. The Bank of Bushnell was on the corner and there was a Barbershop in the basement. East on Hurst Street was a cigar store and later it was owned by Hunt & McCance and Bert Newby worked there and played ball with the local team. Harry Hunt later ran a news stand next door and then the Post Office, where everyone went for their mail in the morning and especially after the four seven o'clock trains came in. In the store now housing Rawl's, Duntley and Hall ran a furniture store. V. V. Hall was Robert Hall's father. In the building where Daniels has his office was the Telephone Co. In the building where the Telephone Company is now located was a roller skating rink. To the north of this was the Hess House, a hotel with a large wooden porch. On Crafford Street, just south of where the Methodist Church now stands, was the McGee Blacksmith Shop and factory. Here Perry Opp's grandfather manufactured a garden wheel plow, the first of its kind and many were sold throughout the country. Back on the south side of Hurst Street Frank Krauser, father of Mrs. Harvey Doll, ran a cigar factory, where the Davis' have their warehouse. Pete Albrecht had a blacksmith shop across the alley to the west and next to that was a barbershop, ran by William Mott and Charles Madison, brother of Ed Madison was a barber there. On the corner was a jewelry store ran by Ed Cochran, next to the corner going south, on East Main, was the Aller Store, next a pool hall, ran at times by William Rutledge and later by William and Claude Duncan, William Titchner ran a barbershop in this block for years, Korns saloon was near the center of the block and here it is re- ported some of the men of the city dreamed up a large amphitheatre in which to hold the famous Horse Show. On down the street was the C. Goeppinger harness shop, he was the father of the Goeppinger Sisters and a Bushnell pioneer, next was Ed Frank's restaurant, father of Charles Frank, the White Elephant saloon, the William Gipps saloon and William Hood had a barbershop and pool hall. The Bushnell House hotel was on the comer, where the armory was housed, and is now used by Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing Co. for storage. Mr. Hostetter ran a bottling works in a frame building back of where Mrs. Ethel Heister now lives on Davis Street. At the C B & Q station one of the best eating houses in this section was ran by "Bish Hughs," Across the tracks the T. P. & W. station stood just east of where the Bu.shnell Materials Co. now has its plant. Across the tracks from this station was a restaurant and small hotel. John M. Brant had just completed a new building, which is the south part of what is now the Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing Co., and was known throughout the Midwest as the largest distributors of heavy and farm machinery and supplies. In the same block was the Heister Marble Works, run by C. E. Heister, a saloon ran by Jas. Keith at one time and the Kathcart Hotel and a small restaurant in con- junction, ran by a man by the name of Shanks. On the corner now occupied by the Bennett Brant Garage and Filling Station, was the old transfer building, and here farm implements and other appliances were sold by George Bell, father of Mrs. Georgia Wells, to the west of this building where the Main Hotel building is located by a laundry, and across the street was the William Ellis blacksmith shop, father of Mrs. James Jones. Back on West Main Street, John Roach, father of Bert Roach, ran a livery stable and sale barn in the building now occupied by Swartzbaugh & O'Herron, and J. C. Simpson had a new lumber yard in their present location. Trumans had a sales bam at one time, where Stratton's are now located, but after a fire destroyed the property a garage, operated by Fred Sperry, Fred Spiker, Stryke Simonson and others was started there. At one time an outdoor theatre was run in the lot to the north by Frank Jackson's father. There were saloons in the next buildings, and there was a bowling alley at one time in a [frame building in the block as well as a newspaper office. In a frame building located where the Parson's Shoe Shop is, was the McDonald barbershop and the McDonald boys, Lonnie, Charles, Sa mand Clarence, all worked there. Sam studied to be a Chiropractor and made a success in his practice here as well as in Evanston, where he now lives. The Alexander Hotel was next door and was built by S. A. Hendee at a cost of $25,000. Next was the store of S. A. Hendee, father of Mrs. Bert Roach and grand- father of Albert Clarke. He was a big figure in Bushnell's business world at that time, with a grain elevator on the railroad grounds in front of the hotel, and a stockyards to the south in front of what is now Stratton's. A blacksmith shop stood where Dr. Schafer's office is now located and was run at one one time by Chas. Hockinberry. Mid Black ran a livery stable on the lot back of the new fire station and recently torn down and the building that stood to the east and torn down recently was used as a cabinet repair shop and ran by William Oblander, uncle of the writer. C. L. Harrah and Son had an implement store in the Parker Garage building and here J. C. Miner, who built the building, had previously ran the same sort of busi- ness, and John M. Brant and John R. Miller when they first started in Bushnell, in 1898 started there. Jos. Katzenstein had a clothing store on the corner where Brown Lynch Scott is now located and before that Kaiser Bros, across the street to the south, where the Building and Loan building is located was the Citizens Bank. Ralph McDonald had a shoe store where Hall's Grocery is now located at one time and the Clarke's Drug Store was next door. This was started by Dr. Clarke, one of Bushnell's pioneers and later his sons, Clarence and Edward, took over. Clar- ence was Albert Clarke's father and they later, closing the Drug Store, took over the Bank of Bushnell, toigether with Bert Roach, with W. J. Fultz and Jas. Garretson as- sisting. Both Mr. Fultz and Mr. Garretson had been in the grocery business in the early 90's, Mr. Fultz where the Myers Barbershop is now located. Back on the west side, a hardware store was in where the Bushnell Electric is now located, and was operated by Hoover and Bemhill at one time and later by Mr. J. H. Bernhill, father of Jess Bemhill and Jess did the tin work, and J. H. Spiker soon came with a meat market and grocery, being in with his father at first. Fred Spiker took over after James went into the bank. Hoover and Voorhees were the hardware dealers where Oblander's Hardware is now located. Mr. Hoover was the father of Mrs. Lee Harris and Mr. Voorhees the father of Harry Voorhees, who with his father ran the store for many years after Mr. Hoover retired. Mr. Jas. Madison worked as tinner in this store for years and was one of Bushnell's pioneers. He built a telephone at one time, before that instru- ment was invented, and talked from the store to the Hoover residence. J. B. Kuhn ran a restaurant next door and later Felix North had a motion picture show in the McHendry Electric building. C. E. Oblander ran a dry goods store next door, north, this business was 70 years old in February, with only two owners, C. E. Oblander and his cousin, Wm. Oblan- der, who had worked there after coming here from Germany when a boy. J. V. Oblander and son, Gus, ran a furniture store in the building where LeMasters Store is now, but they soon moved next door to the north and Mr. William LeMaster started a clothing store, which his son, Paul, now operates. In the Kugler and Seek building, John Leib, father of Ella Leib and Mrs. Gus Hartrick, ran a buggy and harness sales room and in 1902 the Democrat building was built, before that two frame buildings stood on the corner, where Gilliam Hall, grandfather of Robert Hall, Mr. Lou Silberer, who has many relatives still living in Bushnell, including a daughter, Mrs. Sophia Roberts, and another daughter, Mrs. William Rutledge of Prairie City, ran a meat market and a notion store was in the other building. Mrs. Davidson ran in millinery across the street and Mack Pinkley had a lumber yard at the corner of West Main and Hail, on the railroad grounds. Going east on Hail Street as we return home, as us kids were East Siders, at the corner of East Main we past the First National Bank, which was run by Jas. Cole. He was the second merchant in town, and by this time owned several buildings, especially the Cole Block, which was just recently torn down. We pass S. T. Henry's fruit store, Bill Spiegel's barbershop and Franks' restaurant as we go west, and looking across the street see Nessel's bakery, run by William Nes- sel, Logston's grocery and Eugene Durst shoe shop. Mr. Durst was the father of Cora and Nell Durst. The Record Office is on the alley, where Cowperthwaite's are now located, and across the street John Albrecht and his son, John, husband of Mrs. Dora Albrecht, were running a blacksmith shop. CORN SHOW For several years people were so busy learning to go and come with automobiles and tractors that the horses and mules of the country were almost forgotten, but with agriculture, economics and animal industry in our high schools, the youngsters were becoming more and more interested in 4-H Clubs and farm projects. In the year 1927, The Rotary and Commercial Clubs, co-operating with these clubs, held a Corn and Project Show which was pronounced a success. The original Roach Livery Stables at the southwest corner of West Main and Barnes Streets. REFORMED CHURCH This church was organized October 19, 1856, by a committee consisting of Rev. A. Wilson and S. B. Ayres. The original members were Frederick Cruser, Thomas Plotts and wife, Aaron Sperling and D. M. Wyckoff. The church edifice was erected in 1860 or '61 and dedicated May 1, 1861. It was located at the northwest corner of the intersections of East Gridley and Crafford Streets. The first meetings were held in a schoolhouse and afterwards in a carpenter shop which later was purchased, attached to the church and fitted up as a chapel. The first consistory was composed of Elders, John Wyckoff, Thomas Plotts and Frederick K. Cruser; Deacons, D. M. Wyckoff and Aaron Sperling. THE GERMAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH In July, 1857, a congregation of this denomination was formed with the following members: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wesier, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Miller, Mr. and Mrs. George Ludwig, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ludwig, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bertz, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wilmasshans, Mr. and Mrs. Christ Wiseman and Mr. and Mrs. John Ewald. The first minister was the Rev. Peter Hehner. This organization at once began to look for a place and means with which to build a house of worship and a board of trustees was formed to advance the proposition. The trustees were Henry Meiser, George Ludwig, Michael Miller, Andrew Ludwig and Henry Bertz. They at once set to work and in the same year (1857) the church building was completed and ready for occupancy. It still stands at the southwest corner of the intersection of West Hail and Jackson Streets. Rev. Hehner was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. C. Johnson and he by Rev .John Saiser. In 1885 the membership was about 60 under the ministation of the Rev. John C. Rapp. At that time the officers were Henry Rogers, elder; C. Nessel, deacon; C. Goeppinger, John Oblander and Frank Kramer, trustees. The church was disbanded in March, 1906. , ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH About forty-three years ago Father John M. Sheedy, then pastor of Lewistown and its missions, moved to Bushnell and took up residence here as the first residence pastor of St. Bernard's Church in Bushnell. Up to this time the Catholic life of Bush- nell had been that of a mission served by various parishes in the district. At the pre- sent time it is a fairly well established parish, increasing in number and irifluence in this northeast comer of McDonough county. The first record of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered in Bushnell goes back to the year of 1857, not long after the founding of the village of Bushnell. At This fine edifice burned on December 20, 1951, and at once plans were made for a new church, and it was completed in 1953. this time Father Schilling came from Nauvoo and held Catholic services in one of the Catholic homes of the community. From this time on until 1877 the Catholic people were frequently visited by priests from neighboring settlements but they had no regular services scheduled. When a priest came the people assembled at one of their homes or at a hall which was rented for this purpose. In 1877, the same year in which Bishop Spaulding came to Peoria as its first bishop, the Catholics of Bushnell purchased the old third ward school house, a frame build- ing which stood on the corner occupied by the present church edifice. During the next thirty years the people of Bushnell had the privilege of attending Catholic serv- ices in their own church. Mass was celebrated in the little frame church once each month, the priest coming from Macomb or Lewistown. In 1906 under the direction of Father T. E. Madden, the church that burnt recently, was built. By the generous and whole-hearted cooperation of the little group of peo- ple sufficient funds were raised to transform the little school house into a small but dignified and worthy place for the housing of the Blessed Sacrament and the offer- ing of the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar. The new building with its beautiful windows and substantial brick exterior was dedicated by Bishop O'Reilly of Peoria on May 15 1907. It was dedicated to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the great Cistersian monk whom the Church has honored as the last of its doctors. St. Bernard is mentioned by historians as the great light which shone in the Church's life during the twelfth cen- tury. On the occasion of the dedication Father Libert, then pastor of St. Mary's Church in Canton, celebrated Mass and Bishop O'Reilly administered the sacrament of Confirmation. The congregation of Bushnell continued to have the limited services of an out- mission until the Autumn of 1916. At this time the people were called upon to make sacrifices in order that with their small numbers they might raise funds sufficient to erect a parish house. Father John M. Sheedy directed the building of the rectory and moved from Lewistown to occupy it in 1916. He served the people here as well as cared for the out-missions of Rushville and Table Grove until 1925 when he was forc- ed to resign because of ill health. He was succeeded by the Rev. A. L. Necasek, who remained here as pastor until 1934. At this time Father Necasek became pastor of St. Mary's of Canton and Father John P. Farrell became pastor of Bushnell. After only two years in Bushnell Father Farrell was transferred to the chaplaincy at the State Penitentiary at Pontiac. At this time Father Basil J. Doyle, came to Bushnell from Streator where he had been serving as an assistant pastor. At the time of the building of both the church and rectory many remarked that they would stand as monuments to sacrifices made foolishly because the prospect was that after a few years they might be deserted. However, God in His Divine Providence, has been good to the little parish of Bushnell. Each year has found new parishoners moving into the city or entering through the avenue of conversion so that the church which seemed almost empty at Mass time when it was built was taxed to its capacity. At the present time Bushnell serves the out-mission of St. Rose in Rushville. In the past it has served Table Grove and Raritan. , The priests whose names are remembered as having served Bushnell as an out- mission or parish are as follows: Fathers Schilling, Phillip Allbright, Manning, Cog- han, Tuohy, Max Albright, O'Brien, Callaghan, Corley, Jansen, Libert, Finn, Flynn, Madden, Fitzgerald, Sheedy, Necasek, Farrell, Doyle and Gordon. THE PRESENT CHURCH Pastor: Rev. Michael Van Raes. Trustees: T. F. Burke and B. L. Kearns. 81 families, a total of 238 souls, make up the membership of St. Bernard Church. Also attached to the parish is an out-mission in Rushville, St. Rose Church. Assisting at Mass and other religious exercises as Altar Boys are Pete Ghiglieri, Richard Kirtley, Tony McCleary, Larry Bell, Pat Bell, and Larry Dilts. Organ accompaniment and singing is provided by Mrs. Shirley Cortelyou, Miss Patricia Kirtley and Mrs. Lois Hood. John Mallon and Ted Spangler serve as ushers. Under the leadership of Mrs. Bennett Brant, President, Mrs. Kate Henry, vice- president, and Miss Helen Carley, secretary-treasurer, the Altar Society is active in maintaining the appearance of the church interior as well as in promoting parish affairs and activities. Its affiliation with the National Council of Catholic Women is under the guidance of Mrs. Lois Hood, President; Miss Helen Carley, Vice-President, and Mrs. Gertrude Jones, Secretary. The men of the Parish are united in the Holy Name Society, with George Bucher serving as President; John Burke as Vice-President; Clarence Clary as Secretary, and Ted Spangler as Treasurer. Two Study Clubs, the St. Bernard, under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Clar- ence Clary; and the Ave Maria with Miss Helen Carley as President, provide opportunity for informative discussion. A third Study Club, the St. Thomas, is conducted for residents of the Table Grove vicinity. Instruction for the children of the parish is provided each Saturday of the school year and during a two week's Summer School by Franciscan Sisters, coming in from Macomb and Peoria. D D n METHODIST CHURCH During the year 1856, although the people of the village were few, the always present desire for a place of worship prompted the gathering together of a few who espoused the Methodist Church. The initial members included Mr. and Mrs. James Cole, Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Diltz, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Tharke who met for the first time in organization, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cole. They worshiped for a time in the building that had been erected by the German Methodists but in 1863 built a frame building 36 by 56 feet ground space and continued to use this until the spring of 1883 when it was razed and the new church that was to serve the congregation for forty years was built and dedicated in May, 1884. This splendid edifice was destroyed by fire February 4, 1923. Pending the erection of a new building, the congregation, demonstrating a won- derful spirit of cooperation and devotedness to their Christian duty, erected a taber- nacle on an adjacent block where meetings were held until the present attractive and convenient building was erected, in 1925 during the pastorate of the Rev. Chas. Van- dettum, D. D. The dedicatory service was on Sunday, July 12, 1925, the dedicator be- ing the Rev. George L. Snively of Lewistown, Illinois. At the time of the dedication the Board of Trustees consisted of B. W. Ervin, President; T. H. Jackson, E. G. Russler, F. E. Hummel, Guy Ventres and J. N. Mc- Fadden. The building committee was F. E. Hummel, Ben C. Rogers, L. E. Brew- baker, E. G. Russler and T. H. Jackson. The board of stewards were R. J. Ewan, Ella Leib, Ethel Heister, Angie McElvain, Emma Auld, J. M. Gale, G. K. Cooper, Willard Smith, Ben C. Rogers and A. W. Hartrick. A. W. Hartrick was superintendent of the Sunday School. The first pastor to minister to the congregation in 1856 was the Rev. William Under- wood. The organization was completed in 1857. The Methodist Church has been signally honored. In 1928 L. E. Brewbaker and Rev. David Wilson, pastor of the church, were named as delegates from Illinois to attend the General Conference this being the world-wide conference whose duty is the administration and legislation governing the entire ^'lir ^m^ ',y^- church. This recognition was unusual in that with only five laymen and five minis- ters from Illinois, the Bushnell church sent two of them. In 1936 Dr. Harold Fitch was a delegate to the General Conference in Columbus, Ohio, where plans were completed to merge the three churches, the Methodist Episcopal, North, the Methodist Episcopal, South, and the Methodist Protestants into one church body, and at this conference called the Uniting Conference, the new dis- cipline of the church was written. » In 1940, Dr. Fitch was delegate to the General Conference at Atlantic City, the first conference of the United Churches. Thus Dr. Fitch has the distinction of attending the last general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the first of the United Churches. There were seven laymen and seven ministers from Illinois at Atlantic City. To be selected as a lay delegate to these conferences is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a layman. Former Pastors and Years: Wm. Underwood, 1856; Carton Springer, 1857-58; W. G. Peterson, 1859-60; M. S. Haney. 1861; Richard Haney, 1862; B. B. Kennedy, 1863; G. C. Woodruff, 1864; J. C. Rybolt, 1865; Peter Warmer, 1866-67; J. P. Brook, 1868; W. J. Beck, 1869; A. Magee, 1870-71; A. C. Price, 1872-73; R. A. Cowan, 1874; B. F. Tollman, 1875-77; G. W. Arnold, 1878-79; J. E. Taylor, 1880-81; W. F. Wilson, 1882-83; G. C. Shafer, 1884; F. H. Cumming, 1885-87; R. Russell, 1888; R. E. Buckey, 1889-92; H. K. Metcalf, 1893-94; Wm. Woolley, 1895-97; J. D. Smith, 1898-99; J. S. White, 1900-02; W. D. Benjamin, 1903-05; J. W. Ferris, 1906-10; J. L. Shively 1911-14; F. J. Giddings, 1915-16; Chas. Vandettum, 1917-25; D. F. Wilson, 1926-28; L. J. Sailor, 1929-33; Richard I. Stone, 1934-37; V. W. Elston, 1938-40; Claude M. Temple, 1941-45; Kenneth E. Knox, 1946-49; A. J. Copeland, 1950—. THE PRESENT CHURCH ;•>*,!:? •'V-;- ««».«»< ;.»_c^.^'^-; ■-••.— =»r-rssible to put a graded system into operation and a high school department was added. Al- though no definite information has been discovered, it appears that this was a two- year high school course. The first class to graduate from high school in this part of the county consisted of six students - one boy and five girls. They graduated in 1878. Abram Neff was superintendent. That was 76 years ago. Bushnell's high school course had been extended to three years sometime before 1889. Only one course - the classical course - was offered and the superintendent and the principal handled all the high school classes. Then in 1896 the large brick structure of which Bushnell had been so proud, was destroyed by fire. Fire from a defective flue leveled it to the ground. But in nine months a new structure of buff brick and ornamental design was erected to replace it. The cost was approximately $15,000. By 1904 the educational needs of Bushnell had so expanded that a new brick building - now the East Side Grade School - was constructed on the comer of Cole and Hurst Streets, at a cost of $25,000. This became the new home of the high school. Grades one to seven were divided, those living on the West Side V- !* of Main Street attending the West Side School and those on the East Side of Main Street going to the new building. "^rTigOl, the high school course at Bushnell was extended to four years. This major development took place under the administration of Superintendent W. H. Miller. Not long afterward the high school was accredited by the University of Illinois. ■<>P||#' W^*^'"^ ■v.* - l^W^"^^ )M/}S^ 4l^B^^\i' V '^^^^m *\' y/ ';|f ''V ■,' • .^ ^^^K^K^^L^UbkB^^ " -^^^^ Vlr IM "t'-i^ ^Hk^ *^^H|^^^^^L.j^^H^^B|^Ba|^^ ^^^'x --^j^ . vfl / ) ' jfl ^If ^^S^HbI^^^^I^HB^m ^\ \ )^' / lii^l ^^Hii . . - ' ^^^HBS^MII^T^fww^^BKS^B^S n. w;^ '/t' ^^^^^1 ^KKSfi^^fl^^'^ff^ti^S^tfw^^m^f-J^SVWt^^VT^^TSK^^K ■ v%4^L^^^| 4 9| |^^MHi# Oi ^t|^^ ^^^^i!^. \. ,' ' feriariSfm'Itt '''ii'':^CT.T mi'-' ' r Hffl M^^^SB^^mSt^^^i^f^^ ;-? aCrffl -lBt jSMKMw mi . JBI 'SSk ■&ilB\ iPtfr ■ ' ^ J^g^ B^^^^^MJ^lR^^^flfll^BF^^t^^tS^iB^H^^^I^^^^^^^^^^^^Hl^B^^^^^I IH^H ^^Tviil.jdriii'i^'i^HH^^^^^^^^^^BBI^I^^I^I^HH^HH^^H West Side School, built in 1896-97, destroyed by fire in 1936. Courses of study in high schools were still very limited, but very intensive at this time. In 1906 the students of Bushnell High School had the choice of two courses - the Latin Scientific Course and the English Scientific Course. In either case lOVz units of work were required and only SVz elective. Required were: One and one-half units of Algebra; One unit of English composition; Two units of Eng- lish literature; One unit of Plane Geometry; Two units of History, and Three units of Latin, including Caesar and Cicero. The history of high school curriculum since East Side Grade and High School Building in 1905. that time has been one of expansion to include subjects that suited the particular abilities or fitted the needs of most of the pupils attending high school. As more and more of the area's youth were enrolled, the need for greater variety grew. Typewriting was introduced in 1915, and became so popular that the class doubled in size the next year. By 1915, the curriculum had been expanded to include a Classical, English, Reg- ular Business, or a Short Two-Year Business Course. It included much more than Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. But the expansion of the curriculum continued. Home Economics, or rather Domestic Science, as it was called then - was introduced in Bushnell High School in 1923. The teacher was Dorothy Fultz Newby. Vocational Agriculture was introduced in Bushnell High School in 1930. A. L. Canterbury was the Instructor; Maurice White was the Superintendent. Public school music was added in Bushnell sometime during the late 1920's. While musical organizations existed in the high school earlier, public school music was extended to include the high school in 1932. Doris Ritchey Scholes was the first instructor. A chemistry de- partment was added in Bushnell High School in 1937. The first teacher is also the present teacher. Miss Leila Warfel. Driver Training was added in Bushnell in 1947, and in Prairie City in 1949. Mr. Bertolino and Mr. Gibson were the first in- structors, respectively. And so the curriculum grew until today's student has a choice of 5 courses: The College Preparatory Course; The Business Course; The Vocational Agriculture Course, The Homemaking Course, and the General Course. Next year's students will have the opportunity to take the Industrial Arts Course. Sometime after the turn of the century extra-curricular activities began to take their place as a necessary part of high school life. While basketball, baseball, and football teams are known to have existed as early as 1900, it is difficult to tell when they ceased to be town teams and became purely high school teams, on which only regularly enrolled high school students could play. An early Yearbook indi- cates that the first Bushnell High School basketball team was organized in 1910, while the first official baseball team may have been organized in 1913. Class plays are known to have been presented as early as 1913. In Bushnell it is said that Junior-Senior banquets have been a custom since the early 1900's. Here, the juniors and seniors were often entertained in the home of one of the teachers or pupils. The first high school Yearbook was Bushnell's Codax. The Yearbook was revived in 1926 under another name, The Replica, which was published until 1951 with only a few years interruptions. The first high school band in the area was started in Bushnell in 1932 under Mr. Bunnell's instruction. Mr. Maurice White was Superintendent. I In 1922 a two-story brick addition to the East Side School was erected in Bush- nell. This is the present high school building. At the time it was built it presented fine facilities for the one hundred twenty-five students then in High School. These included a gymnasium, an auditorium with a staee. and home economics laborator- ies. The West Side School burned in August, 1936, and in January, 1937, the contract for the present school was let to Clarence Renigar, at the same location. The high school population was growing. In addition to the increase in the num- ber of town pupils, more and more rural pupils were demanding high school educa- tions. Therefore, the school districts were enlarged to include rural areas. These new units were known as community high school districts. Bushnell's community high school district was not formed until 1942. Mr. Lorrance was the superinten- dent. The formation of community high school districts eventually led to trans- portation of students by buses. To Prairie City goes the credit for the first bus transportation route. Not only the first in the area, but also the first in the county. The date was 1941. The community high school units had helped the high schools by providing more revenue, but the grade schools also needed help. A broader tax base was necessary and educational opportunities needed to be equalized. The trend toward consoli- dation continued and finally culminated in the establishment of Community Unit Districts. In March of 1948, residents of Prairie City and Bushnell communities went to the polls and voted to form a new school district - Community Unit No. 170 - and become a part of it. From many school districts we became - one school district with a single purpose - with equal educational opportunities for all school children. For three years, both high schools were operated independently, but in 1951 they were consolidated in the present Bushnell High School building. Now all high school pupils of th Unit have equal opportunities in sports, extra-curricular activi- ties. They could all play in the same band, have equal opportunities in education, and all could elect chemistry, home economics and trigonometry. Next year an- other step in the education of the students of this Community Unit will be taken when the high school moves into its fine new quarters built and equipped by the taxpayers at a cost of $750,000. There, many of the problems that have plagued our high school the past few years will be eliminated and the Class of 1954 looks for another period of growth in the educational history of the Bushnell and Prairie City communities. It took 76 years to bring us to this development. H. A. Renwick, Superintendent of Unit District. "■* Myron Armstrong, Principle of West Side Grades, Prairie City Grade Schools and Rural Schools. Denton White, Principle of High School and East Side Grades. East Side School - First Grade— First Row (Left to Right): Linda Lorton, Steven Sperry, Lloyd McCleery, Larry Shepard, Vera Seaman, Deloris Barger, Cheryl Thomas. Middle Row (Left to Right): Carl Wright, Martha Jane Moore, Danny Wilson, Ken Goodman, Billy Griffith, Carl Hunter, Mary Beth Peterson, Larry Schiffler, Karen Malott, Ronnie Goff, Earl Wier, Donald McCormick Rose- mary Ruark. Back Row (Left to Right): Elaine Farrar, Linda Albright, Carolyn Serven, Tommy Coplin, Stephenie Geeves, Larry Raymond, Roger Forrest, Earl Dodson, Larry Howard, Anita Geer, Linda Nicholas, Stephania KrigloWitz (absent), Verna Hammon, Teacher. East Side School - Second Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Bert Parker, Rob- ert Hammon, Linda Selby, Gene Markley, Barbara McCleery, Denise Mason, Elaine Welch, Pam Terry, Leslie Morss, Carl Wagner, Maria Dahlgren, Mary Campbell. Center Row (Left to Right): Lana Smith, Bonnie Jo Kirby, Sharon Hobbs, Ricky Jo Raby, Johnny Peterson, Jane Anne Farrenkopf, Peggy Shaffer, Gary Elwood, Howard McNeeley, Melvina Johnson, Allen White, Carolyn Wagner, Bobbie Bart- lett, Buddy Jordan. Back Row (Left to Right): Kenneth Hiermeier, Richard Goff, Sharon Johnson, Virgil Hollaway, Sharon Wishon, Leland Hoyle, Gerald DeRenzy, Robert Martin, Sherri Wagner, Freddie Smith, Jerry Fitch, Harold Coates, Essie Brown, Teacher. East Side School - Third Grade— Bottom Row (Left to Right): Judy Malott, Larry Raby, Teddy Williams, Nancy Spencer, Danny Myers, Connie Kreps, Erlena Mae King, Billy Lewis. Second Row (Left to Right): Mrs. Lane, Teacher; Jerry Ruark, Sally Robinson, Ruthie Bolton, Gary Ebert, Jimmy Farrenkopf, Dianne Harris, Peggy Clayton, Terry McDonough, Diana Coombs, Donald Hanson. Top Row (Left to Right): Dianne Moore, Thelma Scott, Zelma Scott, Janet Raymond, Lynda Cox, Delberta Howard, Gerald Smith, Marie Ridle, Pegigy Pickett, Gary Schmalshof. East Side School - Fourth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Erma Brush, John Kelly, Dennis Perry, Nancy Goodman, Janet Melvin, Karen Flewellen, Linda Payne, Janet Hammond. Middle Row (Left to Right): Lynn Hood, Gary Carey, Ronald Cox, David Chambers, Clara Welch, Sharon Weaver, Larry Myers, James McCormick, Kenneth DeRenzy, James Wells. Back Row (Left to Right): Mrs. Hen- derson, Teacher; June Kirby, Linda Snowman, Patricia Scholes, Mary K. Ault, Debrah Morrow, Patricia Terry, Dale Wright, Joe Parker, Johnny Friend, Martha King. East Side School - Fifth Grade — Front Row (Left to Right): Stevie Lovell, Janice Avery, David Seek, Sara Barger, Arthur Harris, Janet Cox, Jerry McDonald, Sandy Wells, Roberta Miller. Middle Row (Left to Right): Miss Keithley, Teacher; Robert Wilson, Betty Lou Pickett, Judith Goodman, Marcia Kirby, Bonnie Taylor, Diane Philbrick, Jean Morss, Janet Morss, Judy Ann Graves, Sharon Head, and Bobby Joe Fitch. Back Row (Left to Right): Carl Erwin, Mary Ellen Payne, Mar- lene Fitch, Pat Bell, Jerry Joe Jordan, Virgil Bankes, Melvin Scott, Jimmy Scott, Ruth Ann Ault, Beverly Carey, and Rose Ann Reed. East Side School - Sixth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Judith Babbitt, James Cox, Ronnie Hummell, Marilyn Malott, Peggy Flewellen, Bonnie Jackson, Jack Kirby, Zonia Williams, Shirley Phillips, Carole White. Middle Row (Left to Right): Virginia Harris, Teacher; Judy Harris, Mike Garrett, Gerald Kreps, Don Seek, Sue Ann Cox, Bernice Vancil, Clyde Parker, Darryl Kane, Marjorie Phillips, Gloria Wilson, Danny Johnson, Bernard Vancil, Leland Fitch, Larry DeRenzy. Back Row (Left to Right): Sandra Hammond, Patricia Perry, Dottie Dodson, George Brush, Charles Whitten, Charley Dillenbeck, Melvina Campbell, Joyce Mason, Peggy White, Mary Ann Sperry, David Wells. East Side School - Seventh Grade — Bottom Row (Left to Right): Sue Kirby, Elda Bartlett, Georgia Nicholas, John Henry Phillips, Richard McCann, Gary Reed, Naomi Young, Nancy Lewis. Middle Row (Left to Right): Charles Friedel, Teacher; Gloria Dimmitt, James Brown, Mary Lee Nicholas, Gloria Graves, John White, Buddy Lewis, Marvin Barger, Mickey Hammond, Dean Coates. Top Row (Left to Right): Bill Shaffer, Roy Dimmitt, Janet Ault, Laverne Fryrearer, John Scholes, Howard Johnston, Calvin Frank, Patty McDonald, Elgin Everly, Larry Bell. &■> ^sy*;tiS^-ii,' ,.', East Side School - Eighth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Dale Cleveland, Dorothy Chambers, Sandra Young, Darlene Scott, Christine Friend, Shirley Per- ry, Paul Stoddard, James Nicholas, Judy Johnson. Second Row (Left to Right: Don- ald Beard, Larry Hopper, Sally Sperry, Ronnie Dennis, Margaret Pyles, Ruth Ann Kelly, Phyllis Miller, George Mason, Hazel Whittles. Third Row (Left or Right): Larry Payne, Donna Harlan, Dixie Havens, Nancy Dimmitt, John Wilson, Donald Ford, Donald Markley, Donald Kreps, Billy Gibson, Ronnie Graves, Miss Bessie Miner, Teacher. West Side School - First Grade — Front Row (Left to Right): Gary Bggers, Wanda Mason, Dennis Wilson, Philip Kreps, Marsha Talley, Frederick Coombs. Middle Row (Left to Right): Bob Kidder, Donna Freburg, Jane Seek, Sue Herrin, Middle Row ( Left to Right): Bob Kidder, Donna Freburg, Jane Seek, Sue Herron, Marjorie Jackson, Elaine Norcross, Donald Jordan, Robert Smith, Michael Ebben, Philip Combites, Mary Jo Graham, Craig Paul, Gene Hummel, Sandra Freer, George Mills, Mrs. Oathout, Teacher. West Side School - First Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): John Faulhaber, Billy Fryrear, Rex McCrery, Dickie Franck, Alan Robinson, Danny Brush, Dixie Glaze. Second Row (Left to Right): Ronnie Rhodes, Marvin Walters, Ronnie Rein- ing, Gene Trout, Terry Crank, Gary Abernathy, Aleta Lockwood, Linda Webb. Back Row (Left to Right): Jim Robbins, Ralph Schoonover, Diana Cramblet, Linda White, Michael Ewing, Kenny Powell, Gary Bradford, Lois Wood, Teacher. West Side School - Second Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Walter Heagy, Ronnie Cramblett, Tommy Perkins, Michael McGough, Jeffrey Roan, David Owen, Robbie Roark. David Bertolino, Clarence Davis. Second Row (Left to Right): Patri- cia Goddard, Gregory McCleary, Karen Caylor, Dotty Lawson, Charles Whittier, Dana McCance, Diana McCance, Darrel Hendrickson, Charles Paul, Kathy Jones. Thiixi Row (Left to Right): Sharon Cox, Robert Haulk, Mary Rita Bucher, Joseph Spangler, Sandra Miller, Russell Melvin, Patricia King, Gene Wilson, David Cameron, Steven Kreps, Glen Redding. Fourth Row (Left to Right): Mrs. Veva Kuehn, Teacher; Judy Dilts, Phyllis Bollinger, Billy Kitch, Zelda Gibboney, Rod- ney Vaughn, Kenneth Fisk, Gene Jones, Norma Jean Walls, Bob Morris, Lenora Faler. West Side School Third Grade — Front Row (Left to Right): Jimmy Feaster, Ella Mae Haskins, Charles Waller, Evelyn Davis, Sharon Talley, Connie Talley, Paula Kaye Kidder, Cynthia Strode. Second Row (Left to Right): Voyde White, Dickie Ray, Billy Brush, Dennis Smith, Gloria Wilson, Bonnie Mason, Mary Mor- ris, Jessie Campbell, Nancy Franck, Gaye Mikesell, Robert LeMaster, John Jones. Back Row (Left to Right): Tom Mason, David Webb, Charles Powell, James Beaird, Gerald Silberer, Don Roberts, Sandra Babbitt, Kathleen Ewing, Sue Schafer, Roberta Roan, Danny Webb, Mrs. Good, Teacher. ^ West Side School - Fourth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Mary Beth Combites, Carol Williamson, Willa Ewing, Peggy Jo Melvin, Lana Jo McElvain, Cheryl Lay, Kathy Jo Swanson, Susan Wise, Vicki Lomax. Middle Row (Left to Right): Randy Utter, Robert Campbell, Roscoe Redding, Donald Lomax, Roy Kitch, Stanford Collins, Patricia Ann Roark, Sandra Kilbourne, Bonnie Cameron, Dallas Campbell, Fred Bertolino. Back Row (Left to Right): Jimmie Stewart, Douglas Smith, Larry Brown, Roger White, Paul Howerter, Kenneth Freburg, Ken- neth Goff, Willa Ewing, Darlene Hoffman, Mary Margaret Hoffman, Linda Kreps, Nellie Jones, Teacher. West Side School - Fifth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Sharon Jones, Betty Mason, Judith Wise, Dora Faler, Sandra Arnold, Donna Gibboney, Janice Feaster, Sharon Arnold, Grace Griffith, Gae McGinley. Middle Row (Left to Right): Billy Craycraft, Barbara Webb, Linda Farrenkopf, Linda Robbins, Carolyn Reno, Shirley Yocum, Sally Swartzbaugh, Judy Paul, Susan Welch, Kent Pierce. Back Row (Left to Right): Larry Hoover, Raymond Talley, Paul Swanson, Larry Dilts, Larry Hoover, Earl Morris, Lee White, Darwyn Hiel, Kenneth Wise, Larry Rodda, John Mowrey, Miss Burke, Teacher. >^ West Side School - Sixth Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Katherine Waller, Sally Mills, Mildred Morris, Susan King, Sandra Oblander, Bruce Paul, James Brush, Bernard McCance, Gary Paul Antoine, Delbert Thompson. Second Row (Left to Right): Mrs. Evelyn White, Teacher; Karen Haffner, Judy Roan, Judy Filbert, Evelyn Ewing, Jerry Mason, Philip Shriver. Larry Blagden, Billy Trout, Tommy Furniss, Danny Wagle, Tony McCleary, Larry Cramblet, Howard Tally, George Spangler. Third Row (Left to Right): Janice Curfman, Rebeccah Norcross, Teresa Holcomb, Robert McCleery, Schuyler Campbell, Charles Campbell, Dick Morris, Gary Fisk, Larry Shumaker, Jack Abernathy, Marvin Pestle, John Millard, Eugene Widger, James Faulhaber. (Eileen Murfin, absent.) West Side School - Seventh Grade— Front Row (Left to Right): Mary Ann Hovell, Linda Reno, Judith Kuehn, Edna Hinman, Teacher; Jim Peek,, Jack Persh- ing, Bert Lowe, Middle Row (Left to Right): Patrick Elting, Guy Wilson, Connie Stewart, Anna Louise Walls, Barbara Robinson, Mary Lou Craycraft, Norman Gib- boney, Ted Williamson. Back Row (Left to Right): Leann Wagle, Patricia Kirtley, Kay Vincent, Barbara Wier, Helen Benkendorf, Lyle Hickman. West Side School - Eighth Grade— First Row (Left to Right): Evelyn Hart, Karen Paul, Pat Schmalshof, Roberta Waller, Alma Sue Craycraft, Karen Trout, Judy Curtis, Linda Strode. Second Row (Left to Right): Mr. George Laird, Teacher; Gail Faulhaber, Mary Benkendorf, Pat Melvin, Barbara Herron, Sandra Sammons, Janice Wise, Virginia Orwig, Sharon Haulk, James Rule. Third Row (Left to Right): Roger Cameron, Joyce Faler, Evelyn Stoller, Bob Bunch, Dale Curfman, Gene Hoffman, Linda Swartzbaugh. nan BUSHNELL-PRAIRIE CITY HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY Clara A'Hearn Adele Armstrong John Brophy Philip Garinger Janice Heffner Bernice Hook Richard Jensen John Lawson Raymond Melody Leland Price Leila Warfel Lois Shanklin George Trotter William Thornton D D D SENIORS Class Sponsors: Miss A'Hearn, Mr. White, Mrs. Armstrong Class Officers: Joyce Worthington, Bob Emory, Carol Formhals, Clarabeth Pestle Gordon Ault Sara Bartlett Lorene Bagley , David Brown Barbara Buchen Dorotha Cox Anna Chambers Carl Coates Charles Conner Jerry Curtis Donna Edwards !'■ Bob Emory Frank Everly Betty Faler Pete Ghiglieri James Havens Ruth Ann Heagy Wayne Howard Peggy Jennings Shelba Hensley John Bob Fitch Jay Dee Kipling Beverly Kreider Wiliadene Lovell Margaret McCleery Evelyn McCormick Clair Myers Joan Myers Rena Mae Parker Wanda Jo Payne Melvin Pershing Clarabeth Pestle Doris Smith Kathryn Scholes Homer Quigle Betty Reining Carolyne Rogers Eddie Sammons Carol Formhals Joyce Worthington Shirley Worthington m. Pat Smith v.>: : Li nJ^ m W^^m r I- ' n^umm^m^. y : ■^^ Connie Stenger Verle Thurman , D D D JUNIORS Left to Right, Class Officers, Mr. Garinger, Mr. Lawson, Ross Coons, Mrs. Shank- lin, Patty Myers, Patty Lay, Mary Waller. Class: Louis Bankes, Lari^y Bradford, Diana Bryan. Second Row: Gerald Calhoun, Judy Combites, Cornelia Coombs. Third Row: Ross Coons, Gene Cooper, Raymond Curfman, Dee Dillenbeck, Doris Doyle. Left to Right: Eugene Filbert, Connie Friend, Robert Hammond, Richard Hart, Robert Herron. Second Row: Janet Havens, Ruth Havens, Barbaralou Helle, Ruth Ann Hoover, Bob Hummell. Third Row: Frank Johnson, Richie Kirtley, Kenny Kreps, Patty Lay, Jim Leighty. First Row: Robert Lewis, Myrna Lindner, Juanita Lockwood, Carl Lovell, Clair Lovell. Second Row: Beverly iMcDonald, Bonnie Melvin, Bob Morris, Dean Mullenix, Janet Mullinax. ^i I Pendarvis. . Virgil Murfin, Patty Myers, Ronnie Oakman, Merrill Pershing, Dan Top Row: Tom Pratt, Alice Ruark, Tom Rule, Robert Runyan, Jim Smith. Second Row: Jerry Stoller, Ann Stotler, Mary Taft, Carl Tread way, Barbara Van Syckel. Third Row: Mary Waller, Alice Wilson, Ladd Wilson, Joan Winter, Roger Young. SOPHOMORES Class Officers: Roger Smith, Roberta Baer, Ray Pensinger, Judy Feaster. Spon- sors: Wm. Thornton, Miss Warfel. Class, Left to Right: Jim Ashton, Lyman Avery, Roberta Baer. Second Row: Josephine Bearce, Harold Beaty. Third Row: Leon Bricker, Gretchen Berry, Dellann Brown, Martha Brown, Donna Buchen, Marshall Buchen. First Row: Judy Bunch, Ronnie Calhoun, Idella Coates, Larry Combites, Sylvia Combites, Beverly Cox. Second Row: Eileen Cox, Jeannette D'Camp, Gale DeRenzy, Marvin Drury, Jim Evans, Judy Feaster. ^JBmE^-[ -X V."(^ Robert Fitch, Gary Formhals, Richard Forinhals, Robert Gingerich, Marjorie Griffeth, Marcia Hammond. . Velda Hendrickson, Bill Herron, Shirley Hilton, Larry Hood, Janice Hopper, Dick Hovell. First Row: Dellann Howe, Lawrence Hoyle, Lyle Huffman, Linda Hutchins, Joyce Johnson, Bill Jones. Second Row: Gary Kane, Elwin Kessler, Rosalie Learned, Sharon Lewis, Donna Mason, Bernard McCance. Third Row: Larry McCoy, Larry Mead, Jim Miller, Terry Murphy, Kenny Nelson, Jerry Norris. First Row: Alan Payne, Fred Payne, Ray Pensinger, Elizabeth Perry, Larry Perry, Elaine Phillips. Second Row: Betty Pieper, Jim Reeder, Galen Renwicl^, David Runyan, Bud Schoonover, Chas. Serven. Third Row: Betty Sinnett, Richard Smith, Roger Smith, Norma Spangler, George Stambaugh, Marvin Stewart. Fourth Row: Donna Sweney, Martha Taft, Verla Thurman, RoUie Westlake, Jo Ann Wilson, Rosa Lee Wise. D D n FRESHMEN Larry Carley, Eugene Carnes, Wayne Chambers, Donna Chapman, Gerald Dean, Peggy DeRenzy. Class Officers: Mrs. Wilcox, Mr. 'iiuUer; Tom McGiew, Lois Thompson, Janet Evans, Jim Hughbanks. Class, Left to Right: Gaylord Ackerson, Kenneth Ashby, Roberta Bearce. Second Row: John Bradshaw, Robert Brown, Viva Brown. — W .« & »!?'. First Row: Donna Elting, Janet Evans, Ronnie Filbert, Robert Fisk, Stan Formhals, Georgia Faught. Second Row: Donnie Hart, Lonnie Havens, Phyllis Head, Jan Hensley, Patty Hobbs, Faye Howard. Third Row: Jim Hughbanks, Mary Lou Jarvis, Bill Jenkins, Hildred Jones, Sherry Kille, Dean King. Fourth Row: Wayne King, Ronnie Larner, Jimmy Lovell, Martha Lowe, Elmer Malott, Fern McGrew. Top Row: Garry McNeely, Joyce Melvin, Sharon Miller, Larry Moore, Kay Mor- row, Neil Parker. Second Row: Andrew Payne, Joyce Pershing, Sharon Peters, Molly Phillips, Kathryn Reno, Richard Rock. Third Row: Henry Rogers, Robert Ruark, Richard Schmidt. Carol Smith, Dwight Smith, Bruce Spangler. Top Row: Jimmy Sperry, Mary Lou Sperry, Karen Stehl, Joan Talley, Lois Thompson, Lynda Tudeen. Second Row: Larry Waller, Hugh Walters, Paul Wells, John Williams, Marcella Willhite, Nelson Wilkey. Third Row: Evelyn Wilson, Bernadine Worthington, Shirley Yocum, Danny Zook. WESTERN NORMAL In all the State of Illinois there was no better institution for learning than the Western Normal College, located in this city, and the most of the people felt a just pride in the fact that it was located here. lightning in 1882; also three halls in Cole's blck, which together with Christian lished a normal college. They had been in many of the cities of the State, looking up a location, and chose this city because of its many advantages, its central location and its railroad facilities, making it easily accessible from all directions, and so it was selected as the location for the Western Normal College. The Dormitories of the Western Normal School still standing on East Twyman Street. There was then no college building, but the citizens generously secured and donat- ed the use of the south public school building, then vacant, afterwards destroyed by lightning in 1882; also three halls in Cole's block, which together with the Christian Church, formed the college buildings. This was done with the understanding that if the college proved a success that they would give it substantial aid toward erecting a college building. The college was a private enterprise and therefore did not have the good will and nourishing care of any church or corporation, but notwithstanding this, the school opened July 20, 1881, with about fifteen pupils in attendance. Before the close of therm there were about twenty. Teachers were I. E. Wilson, J. A. Lyons, E. P. Farr and W. E. Vaughn. Those not familiar with the circumstances, can hardly realize the difficulties under which the college labored, but before the year closed it had enrolled about 300 different students. About this time the proprietor concluded to locate elsewhere, and the school was taken in hand by J. E. Chandler, and some- time in the latter part of 1882 a site was purchased and building begun, but owing to the severity of the weather, the walls were raised to but two stories that Fall. Early the next Spring the work was taken up and the building was completed the following Fall. To the erection of the building, the citizens again contributed several thousand dollars. The college building proper was a commodious three-story brick, containing a chapel, a reading room, public and private offices, six recitation rooms, besides a chemical laboratory and twenty dormitory rooms. Prof J. A. Lyons was principal of the school a while, and after a while closed altogether. The Main building of the Western Normal School. In the year 1888, however, two young men came up from Macoupin County and again opened up the school. They brought energy with them, and were workers all the time. They were educated men, and knew thoroughly all the workings of the normal methods of teaching. They prospered from the start, and soon the town was pleased to see the college filled with students. The school had, before Messrs. Evans and Earnest came, through the failure of the Farmers National Bank, passed into the hands of a number of people, being turned over to depositors of that bank in part paym.ent of their deposits. The school was therefore yet a corporation, and the or- ganization was as follows: Board of Directors — J. W. Earnest, T. J. Sparks, W. M. Evans, W. W. Earnest, James Cole, John R. Camp, Chas. C. Chain. The officers of the board were: James Cole, President; W. W. Earnest, Secretary, and Chas. C. Chain, Treasurer. The main building contained recitation rooms, laboratory, studio, reading room, public and private offices, the chapel and many student's rooms 9x17 and 9x15. The commercial building, just back of the main building, contained the commercial hall, fitted up for bookkeeping, business practice, and penmanship work, and a large dining room and kitchen. The telegraphy building, next, north of the main building, contained some choice rooms for students. The corner dormitory, across the street north 'from the last named, was occupied by suites of rooms for ladies' residences, each suite consisting of a corner sitting room 12xlOV2 and an adjacent bedroom 12x7 1/2. The dining hall domitory, just east of the corner dormitory, had in the first story a large dining room and kitchen, and two dormitories above, with rooms 13xlOy2 with closets 3x6 feet adjoining. I SCHOOLS, IN BUSHNELL-PRAIRIE CITY SCHOOL UNIT. IN RURAL AREA AND PRAIRIE CITY ■vvt ^ ^ aww ayc*- ".^^^mr.'^. i n nji m iii«i>WWW No. 4 School - Grades 1 & 2— Front Row (Left to Right): Rebecca Cheek, Ellen Smith, Terry Curtis, George Thompson, Lyle Paul, Ronald Howard, Mike McElvain, Vern Haffner, Alberta Nelson. Back Row (Left to Right): Carol Jean Nelson, Shir- ley Ervin, Mike Zuspann, Mike Combs, Eddie McMillan, Francis Chase, Ruth Chase, Cynthia Rexroat, Judy Banner. (Absent - Dannie Paul, Clinton Faught.) Mrs. Westerdale, Teacher. No. 4 Intermediate Room — Front Row (Left to Right): Janet Ginther, Wayne Haffner, Mary Combs, Benny Cheek, Marcia Foster, Helen Roberts, Barbara Hall, Carroll Faught. Back Row (Left to Right): Marvin Hobbs, Martha Pahl, Alan Crum, Patty Cox, Mrs. Frowein, Teacher; Nila Parker, Diane Curtis, Philip Zimmerman, Roger Runyan. (Not present - Allen Paul and Donna Varvel.) No. 4 School - 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Grades— Seated (Left to Right): Sonny Faught, James Bricker, Duane Howard. Kneeling (Left to Right): Kenny McMillian,- Larry Haffner, John Combites, Janene Walter, Barbara Zimmerman, Thomas Cur- tis, Ronald Conner, Gerald Banner, Paul Runyan. Standing: (Left to Right): Lar- ry Banner, Barbara Lantz, Earlene B'Camp, Marilyn Conner, Jerry Walter, Ban- ny Combites, Thomas Combites. (Not in picture - Wendell Howe, Ludmilla Pahl.) Leroy Crum, Teacher. Sperry School - Lower Grades — Front Row (Left to Right): Joyce Still, Eliza- beth Hensley, Susan Creek, Karma Havens, "Penny", school dog, Marsha Crowl, John Bricker, Janet Smith. Middle Row (Seated at Table, Left to Right): Jimmy Miller, Armand Havens, Ellen Lou Johnson, Bernita Havens, Luan Boden, Teacher; Cathy Firebaugh, Eldon Livingston, Paul Murphy, Raymond Stotler, Junior Kreps, Back Row (Standing, Left to Right): Carroll Hensley, Bonna Car ley, Harriet Hen- derson, Kathleen Murphy, Marilyn Boll, Bonnie Chapman, Ronnie Chapman, John Kelly, Larry Chapman, Biana Benham. ^Cffl Sperry School - Upper Grades — Front Row (Reading, Left to Right): Shirley Chapman, Betty Ann Sperry, Jill Gallehue, Gordon Havens, John Creek, Bruce Sperry, Mary Lee Miller, Judy Yocum, Ginger Benham. Second Row (Back of desk. Left to Right): Sally Stambaugh, Judy Gallehue, Mrs. Ruth Henderson, Teacher; Donna Yocum. Back Row (Standing, Left to Right): Gary Havens, Jean Smith, Tommy Stotler, Benny Hilton, Jeanne Ann Miller, Sharon Miller, Charles Ben- ham, Larry Livingston, Carol Beth Markley, Ruth Ann Kelly, Ruth Ann Stam- baugh, Cheryl Havens, Betty Carley. "^'^ "sA^iiJscJ New Philadelphia School — Front Row (Left to Right): Johnny Howard, Linda Jennings, Jackie Murphy, Harold Ford, Kenny Pratt, Joan Curless. Second Row (Left to Right): Ronnie Swartzbaugh, Roberta Cromer, Lynn Chenoweth, Carolyn Howard. Back Row (Left to Right): Terry Pratt, Jerry Pratt, Dorothy Dennison, Sally Bohon. Mrs. Bohon, Teacher. I New Philadelphia School — Front Row (Left to Right): Sandra Curless, Irene Howard, Harrison Hendee, Josephine Cromer, Dorothy Chenoweth. Second Row (Left to Right): Locie Pensinger, Kent Shaver, Loren Mullenix, Herbert Hendee. Back Row (Left to Right): Patricia Cromer, Shirley Curless, Max Guilliams, Mar- ion Osborn, Ronney Paul. Joan T. Clary, Teacher. \ Checkrow Primary School - 1st & 2nd Grades — First Row (Left to Right): Janet Myers, Cynthia Keener, Larry Longcor, Jerry Wilson, Johnny Myers, Arly Rock, Andy Rock. Second Row (Left to Right): Danny Turner, Jimmy Ashby, Les- ter Ridle, Roger Schmidt, Billy Riley, Edith Bird, Linda Riley. Third Row (Left to Right): Joan Wheatley, Curtis Strode, Ronald Schmidt, Sharon Strode, Frances Haffey, Teacher. Checkrow School - Intermediate Grades — Front Row (Left to Right): Dale Bird, Russell Graves, Bob Douglas, Dale Treadway, Harold Ashby, James Hinchee. ■Second Row (Left to Right): Bonnie Arnold, Clarelene Roberts, Lorene Longcor, -Sharon Bird, Judy Rock, Rodney Ruberg Jr., Robert Wheatley. Third Row (Left to Right): Jack Sinnett, Russell Wells, Sharon Schmidt, Janice Schmidt, Peggy Hin- chee, Frank Beaty, Boyd Wilson, Ronnie Turner. Back Row (Left to Right): Mrs. Ava Boyce, Teacher; Judy Wheeler, Frances Sinnett, Margo Keener, Glenda Riley, Raymond Ashby, Keith Ashby, Gene Wheatley, Checkrow School - 6th, 7th & 8th Grades— Front Row (Right to Left): Garry Pickel, Larry Ashby, Shirley Graves, Judy Camp, Barbara Bird. Second Row (Right to Left): Gregory Leigh, Rosetta Wheatley, Clyde Wheatley, Bert Wilson, Shirley Bird. Back Row (Right to Left): Richard Keener, Wayne Smith, Garry Grove, Ronnie Formhals, Bonita Rock, Eva Newell, Teacher; Josephine Myers, Rosemary Robbins, Claudette Yocum, Sharon Ruberg. STUDENTS IN PRAIRIE CITY SCHOOL i / a i .J. , ad\.. . . k J: FIRST GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Lynn Harding, Anita Weilbaker, Larry Graham, Flor- ence Hickey, Teacher; Esther Williams, Jean Curtis. Second Row (Left to Right): Kerry Copeland, LeRoy Fender, Dennis Fayhee, Mar- garet Fender, Glen Wilson, Janice Buchen. Third Row (Left to Right): Dick Evans, John Varner, Patty Jennings, Karen Day, Michael Harsbarger, Mark Peterson. Fourth Row (Left to Right): Terry Flynn, James Sloan, Jimmy Sloan, Larry Hawkins, David Sorrells, Linda Jones. First Row (Left to Right): Teresa Phillips, Barbara Williams, Lynn Wilson, Mar- cia Boyd. I 1^ ■■:%* % ■ ^^'^^j^^ !^a¥ 1^ f^i k^i <^ ■'^ -J # 1 SECOND GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Jean Yocum, Nancy Emory, Donna Emory, Johnny Arnold, Nancy McNeely, Ivan Aldridge, Judy Flynn. Second Row (Left to Right) : Alice Blagden, Kenny Day, Wendell Simmons, Patrica Smith, Charles Garnett, Cynthia Taft, Pearl Campbell, Teacher. Third Row (Left to Right): Grant Williams, Larry McMahon, Jimmy Yocum, Gary Jones, Lana Arter, Roger Sloan. 1 n NtoB'- THIRD GRADE First Row (Left to Right) : Dean Fender, Alma Graham, Judy Morgan, Gene Wilson, Wayne Hornbaker, Barbara Balagna, Charles Williams. Seond Row (Left to Right): Jimmy Vollbracht, Lyle Worthington, Kay Perry, Barbara Sloan, Terry Copeland, Sam McGrew, Michael Heap. Third Row (Left to Right): Mary Ellen Thurman, Diane Spurgeon, David Berry, Shan Varner, Michael Young, David Mead. ^ o CI ^ '^ FOURTH GRADE First Row (Left to Right) : Ann Evans, Janet Avery, Mary Lou Hornbaker, Michael Emory, Freeman Swift, Rex Freburg, Jeannette Avery. Second Row (Left to Right): Linda Balagna, Romona Wise, Patricia Dixon, Bobby Jones, Juanita Sorrells, Barbara Bearce, Jane Smith. Third Row (Left to Right): Jerry Copeland, Eugene Roberts, Charles Keithley, Juanita Jones, Lind Jones, Sandra McGrew, Sherry Simmons. Fourth Row (Left to Right): Gary Paul, Eldon White, Charles Campbell, Charles Sloan. ^ FIFTH GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Deana Jo Hughbanks, Don Long, Kenney Wise, Billy Wilson, Judy Wise, Louise Aldridge. f^f) a First Row (Left to Right): John McGrew, Billy Wells, r:r,nklin Ha-ffner, Mona Lou McCone, Nancy Hornbaker, Patricia Gingerich. Second Row (Left to Right): Richard Keithley, Larry Yocum, Larry Paul, Marcia Yocum, Diane Rose, Beverly McNeely. ^^9»*K, ^■^^ A . _ - J.- _ . 'l ' ^>..~- SIXTH GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Bud Mead, Jackie Garrett, Jerry Arnold, Harold Spur- geon, Roger Campbell, Phyllis Wells. Second Row (Left to Right): Linda White, Dave Skean, Marilee Smith, Donna Jen- kins, Leland Thurman, Kathleen Roberts. Third Row ( Left to Right): Judy Balagna, Eugene Graham, Nancy Taft, Carl Buchen. <^ ^' ^j i^S^ij^ i SEa^tS * WKKKKMm- ^1 m f> A -- SEVENTH GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Billy Blunt, Linda Arnold, Billy McGrew, John man, Linda Worthington, Jane Pendarvis, Gloria Taft. Second Row (Left to Right): Dan Wilson, Dorothy Bearce, William Bearce, sell McNeely, Mary Frances Freburg, Marilyn Paul, Donna Hite. Third Row (Left to Right): LeRoy Graham, Caroline Serven, Max Hammond, Evans, Marlene Varner, Markay Simmons. Den- Rus- Kent \MS^. ^S W t 'J- r k n; fV. ^ii^ EIGHTH GRADE First Row (Left to Right): Jerry Luper, Jim McCone, Mary McNeely, Shirley Ellis, Betty Bearce, Janice Wise. Second Row (Left to Right): Donald Wilson, Jerry Zuspann, Sandra Balagna, Betty Yocum, Virginia Lockwood, Jean Wagner. Third Row (Left to Right): Eugene Berry, Eugene McGrew, Marie Orwig, Betty White, Darlene Haffner, Evelyn Wilson. In the Fall of 1911 the Macomb Presbyterian men challenged the men of the local church to a contest to run six weeks, the object to see who could have the largest attendance at Sunday School. idigebi It started in a mild way but on the last Sunday there were over 1164 in Sundav School with 788 present in this division, at the local Presbyterian Church. Bushnell won handily and a special train took the local group to Macomb to en- joy a dmner, a reward for the winner. The picture of this Company, which was part of the Presbyterian Sunday School in the Fall of 1911. contained several hundred men, many we recognize, but many more we do not. Starting from the left of the picture we will name those we recognize and in these names, many remembrances will come back to many who read this, and many will be relatives of those now living in this community. Rufus Lybarger, prominent local Attorney; Oscar Hartman, Sam Sharp, Bent Firebaugh, Glenn Swartzbaugh, Hi Clem, for years high school janitor; Dr. Sammie McDonald of Evanston, Wm. Wolfe's father; John Hunt, Elva Ford, Tea Ford, Mr. Shanks, P. C. Hoover, one of Bushnell's earliest hardware men; Henry Silberer, King, Mr. Faust, Geo. Black, Edgar Frye, Don Crosswaight, Frank Ball, Jack Nagel, Frankie Sperling, Lee Crabtree, J. F. Dertinger, Ben LaFrenz, John Nagel, T. H. Jackson George Douglas, Ira Crabtree, George Stambaugh, "Fid" Kramer, Billy McGee, William McDonald, Barney Palmeter, Art Chatterton, Art Cole, Roy Hey, Frank Nessel, Si Perkins, John Clem, Jonas McGrew, Roy Williams, Martin Schulze, Ulrich Juneman, E. D. Lauterbach, Boyd Griffith, J. C. Griffith, Dr. J. C. Griffith, Ervin, J. G. Truman, J. B. Brant in front center of picture. Captain of the Com- pany; Sam B. Russler, James Madison, Enoch Hall, J. H. Johnson, holiday banner and Mayor of Bushnell, Doc Kuhn, famous cartoonist of Indianapolis, Dr. B. E. LeMaster; Earl Morris, Walter Pinckly, Charles Mariner, Milton Chambers, James Keith, Tuffy South, Ben Chidester, Dr. Hamilton, S. E. Henry, John Paul, William Hornbuckle, Rev. John Pool, Peter Newell, famous New York cartoonist; Mr. Bed- well, John Bernhill, Harry Boden, David Watson, Harry Lantz, W. J. Fultz, teacher of the class; B. H. Alexander, J. E. Dertinger, Frank Jones, Bruce Pearson, William 4\ Cadwalader, Frank Markley, James Turner, Mat McDonald, Art Mummert, Jess Bernhill, Louis McDonald, Flem Tannehill, Seibert, Jackson, Claude Chatterton, Ira Chandler, Ed Lambert, Ells McGee, Floyd Newell, Clem Paul, Taylor, John Mummert, John Cox, Pearce, Clarence Krauser, Wilson West, Hazen Crabtree, Vern Newell, John King, Ray Clupper, Charles Williams, Ira Ball, Clarke Sperry, George Rogers, Harry Doner, All Sperry, George Hulick, Wes Weigert, Carpenter. The C. E. Oblander Store in the early Ninteen Hundreds. Mr. Oblander ran a dry goods business here from 1884 until his death in September, 1948. This was the longest any store was ever run in Bushnell under the same owner. Eh 6 CO w Si CO 0) CO o o 4-1 o C3 o C o x; CO CO c o o CO !-. c fcJO CO CO x; S o Si c a; CO CO Si CO a; 0) C X CO 3 ?> CO CO CO Si FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS A. F. & A. M. T. J. Pickett Lodge No. 307, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was organized January 15, 1857, with the following members: J. H. Smith, J. Seaborn, Hiram Con- over, J. W. Kelly, J. Ewald, J. Wells, William Keims, R. Lindsay and E. P. Living- ston. J. H. Smith was the first Worshipful Master. The lodge has been outstanding in proficiency through all the years, many of their members being recognized as Grand Instructors, which means that these so recognized have learned the entire ritualistic work letter perfect. The lodge, early in its existance purchased their lodge room which they still occupy. A room 45 x 40 feet in size and ample anti rooms. It is one of the finest lodge rooms in the state in smaller cities. , Present Officers: Rufus Jarvis, Worshipful Master; Garnet Sammons, Senior Warden; Irl LeMaster, Jr. Warden; Jay Cheek, Secretary; Wayne Opp, Treasurer; A. W. Hartrick, Chaplain; Robert Cheek, Senior Deacon; Bernard Brillhart, Jr. Deacon; Harry Crank, Senior Stewart; Arnold Lomax, Jr. Stewart; Bill Jenkins, Marshal; Chas. Baughman, Tyler. West Main Street 1954 - Hail to Hurst Streets I. O. O. F. Bushnell Lodge, No. 332, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in November, 1865, with the following twelve original members: G. C. Ridings, J. B. Cummings, I. N. Pearson, Charles West, W. W. Travis, John Willis, Fred Seibert, E. J. Dunlap, George Schaffer, F. C. Grimm, Thomas Fairman and John Stokoe. The first officers were J. B. Cummings, Noble Grand; G. C. Ridings, Vice Grand; I. N. Pearson, R. S.; Charles West, L. S.; and John Willis, Treasurer. The lodge has occupied their own rooms for many years, and it too, is one of the most commodious and convenient fraternal quarters in the state. McDonough Encampment, No. 79, I.O.O.F. was organized October 23, 1867, with the following charter members: J. B. Cummings, J. P. Dimmitt, G. C. Ridings, I. N. Pearson, S. L. Abbott, J. A. James, G. A. Kaiser, F. C. Grimm, James Cole and J. E. Miller. The first officers were J. B. Cummings, Chief Priest; G. C. Ridings, High Priest; J. P. Dimmitt, Senior Warden; I. N. Pearson, Junior Warden; J. A. James, Scribe; and S. L. Abbott, Treasurer. Bushnell Uniform degree encampment No. 15 of the I.O.O.F. had its initial meeting in January, 1883. Its first officers were: J. B. Pearson, Commander; Thomas Fair- man, Vice-Commander; J. D. Murphy, Officer of the Guard; J. B. Cummings, Sec- retary and G. A. Kaiser, Treasurer. Present Officers: Noble Grand. Randall Paul; Vice Grand, Keith McMillan; Recording Secretary, Lyndall Pigg; Financial Secretary, Gifford Yocum; Treasurer, Ezra Huffman; Warden, Jr. Doll; Conductor, Ross Van Syckel; Chaplain, Gordon Weber; Inside Guard, Don Crowl: Outside Guard, John Ridle; R.S.S.. Verlan Yocum; L.S.S., Lyman Avery; R.S.N.G., Myron Creek; L.S.N.G., W. J. Roethe; R.S.V.G., Gail Miller; L.S.V.G., Harvey Doll; Past Noble Grand, Hubert Miller; Deputy, Dale Havens. , Encampment: Chief Patriarch, Maurice Chatterton; High Priest, Randall Paul; Senior Warden, Ross Van Syckel; Junior Warden, Clarence Mayo; Scribe, Cephas Hering; Treasurer, Roy Conn; Past Chief Patriarch, John Ridle. •j2C ^\-. •5»f Ulll Hill illlli lilill ■■■■■! W:s:£j5^i^n; •^ „ The picture above is of the new Fire House. first foreman. Mr. Pontifex was a horse man, a trainer of horses, and that seems to have been his business although he passed away years ago. Tom Camp was in the Going back it might be interesting for you to know who were officers in the company in 1880. The foreman was George R. Epperson, first assistant was M. M. AUer, second assistant O. C. Sprague, secretary was Tom H. B. Camp, financial sec- retary Harvey Wells, treasurer John H. Davidson. Members were H. T. Walters, M. L. Hoover, J. E. Cumm.ings, O. W. Cowgill, Stewart Sperling, Frank McElvain, E. E. McKinney, John Miller, E. E. Varner, J. M. Varner, H. Lichendahl, A. Renigar, Lute M. Seibert, James Richards, Samuel Pertes, J. McGehe, William Pontifex, W. H. Walters, R. G. Nebergall, E. D. Calaway, William Mills, Jr., Russell Ditmars, Wm. Oblander, J. H. Seibert, L. R. McCoy, and T. H. McCoy. This then was the first company the records show. It has been changed a great deal since that until now, the company is limited to twenty men. In after years, the company became more or less prominent in state affairs. In fact, a meeting of the State Association was once held in Bushnell. That was during the time the old Opera House was open and they met there. However, that was in 1917. Tournaments have been held on the part of the State Association, at which time the Bushnell Fire Department made a display and a good one. It might be well to say that in past years, the Bushnell Fire Department occupied quite a position in the State Association. For three years, Chas. C. Chain was presi- dent. For a number of years before that and after his incumbancy as president, he was on what was known as the Executive Committee made up of nine men besides four officers, making thirteen in all and they were the real governors — the main officers in the association. John Albrecht was for years a member of that board. During the time the association met in Bushnell, J. P. Albrecht was Vice President. Various other members of the department have held offices in the association. George L. Chain was president of the Central Illinois Firemen Association, and was historian of the State Association for seventeen years. The present Fire Department is run by a board of trustees, under the State laws relative to Fire Protection Districts, and financed by taxes, from the territory cover- ed. The present trustees are J. B. Meloan, J. B. Brant and Donald Lantz. The district has in the past two years built a new Fire House and purchased equipment to bring the department up to a standing with the better departments in the State. The equipment includes a thousand gallon tanker with front-mount pump, a 750 gallon pumper on a Ford chassis, a 500 gallon pumper on an International chassis, a 350 gallon pumper on a Reo chassis and a utility truck on a Chevrolet chassis. There is all the necessary minor equipment on the several rigs. The officers in the department are: Ed Stoller, Chief; George Mills, Assistant Chief; and the members are, Arthur Hoyle, Gordon Roberts, Rex Lomax, Clinton Griffith, John Lyons, Kenneth Kirby, Harry Crank, Phil Haymaker, Orth Mikesell, Bernard Brillhart, Garnet Sammons, Gerald Morrow, Charles Brant, Glen McCance, George Chain, Marvin Moore, John Geeves, Joe Winter, Orion Young, Merle Wilson. The City Hall and Fire Department, for many years. THE CITY ADMINISTRATION The city is run by the Aldermanic form of government, and the present city of- ficials are: Mayor, Ross M. Varner; City Clerk, Rex Lomax; City Treasurer, Lester E. Ever- ly; City Attorney, R. E. Lybarger; Aldermen: From Ward One, Geo. Bertolino, and J. D. Haymaker; Ward Two, Henry Wilson and T. E. Samuelson; Ward Three, Edwin Laux and Claire Curtis. Of this group Mayor Varner served many terms as Alderman before becoming Mayor; Edwin Laux has served as Alderman more terms than any other person and Henry Wilson has been on the council many years as has T. E. Samuelson, 3. E. Harris probably served more terms as Mayor than any other person in the history of the city, unless it be Jas. Cole. Some of the city's Mayors since the turn oif the century, besides Mr. Harris, are: J. H. Johnson, M. M. Pinckly, J. H. Spiker, Ira Means, J. B. Brant, C. C. Williams, L. S. Mills, John Severns, A. Brady, Ed. Heister, Geo. Porter, Dr. Bert Roan, and L. A. Gray. Some of the City Clerks are: W. H. Dawson, B. S. Harris, Ed Dertinger, C. L. Harrah, Lou Klein, and Rex Lomax. All but Mr. Harris served many years. We can name only a few of the Aldermen: Ed Russler, S. B. Russler, Jas. McDill, Robert Sperry, T. H. Jackson, James Hudson, L. F. Oblander, Jake Markley, John Markley, Emerson Huffman, Ed Heister, Geo. Porter, J. H. Spiker, S. E. Mowrey, Floyd Newell, Dr. J. P. Roark, John Snell, William Mallon, L. A. Gray, Tipton Peek, W. J. Fultz, H. D. Voorhees, A. M. Shaw, Jas. Madison, A. Brady, J. E. Voor- hees, Martin Schulze, L. J. Barber, Clarence Renigar. The City Treasurers have included: Mr. McElvain, Harry Voorhees, Bert Roach, Chas. Henry, L. J. Barber, A. W. Kukuk, Geo. L. Chain, L. S. Oblander, Ross Varner, and Mrs. William Mallon. , Some of the Chiefs of the Fire Department under city appointment are: Geo. Weirather, W. H. Walthers, Nick Breasaw, Pete Albrecht, E. W. B. Sparks, Harry Albrecht, Dave Shumaker, Geo. L. Chain and Milton Sherwood. W. H. Walthers served several different times. R. E. Lybarger has served as City Attorney for over thirty years, and was elected to the office at first, and since that time has been appointed by both Republican and Democratic mayors. Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Co. ITEMS OF INTEREST Frank Kramer bought a bicycle and Frank (Spud) Sexton told all the neighbors how the would-be bicyclist tore down fences and bumped into walls learning to ride the dam thing. "Chuckle" Depue's little dog, Tokio, ran to all the fires, starting for the fire house with the first tap of the bell. C. H. Wood opened a bicycle repair shop on West Main Street. There were 241 bicycle owners in the city. As far as could be ascertained the first bicycle in Bush- nell was owned by Milt Curtis in the year 1879. It was made from a buggy wheel for the front and a small wheel of like material at the rear and weighed 180 pounds. In 1880, iMilt Curtis, Ben Clarke, Tom Wheeler, John and Will Camp were riding I wheels and organized a club. Their meeting place being the third floor in the Cole Block which was the sleeping room of Curtis and John Camp. The wheels were the high front wheel type and cost from $100.00 to $150.00 each. Tom Camp bought the first safety bicycle such as are in use today. The first lady cyclists were Misses Maude Sparks and Effie Justice. Tom Wheeler was the veteran rider, having used the wheel for 17 years. He had three ordinaries and six safeties. R. W. Wheeler was the most persistent rider, using his wheel all kinds of weather from summer heat to zero winter. Tim Downey was rated second. Five aldermen in the year 1897 were riders. They were aldermen, Nagel, Dunlavy, Downey, McCabe and Hughes. — Published 1937. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS In November, 1899, President McKinley and members of his cabinet visited Bushnell. A platform was built near the Q passenger station, from which the President spoke. A committee, headed by Mayor Montgomery, met the special train at Macomb, and rode with them to Bushnell. Following his address, the President introduced the members of his cabinet: Sec- retary of State, Hay; Secretary of War, Root; Attorney General, Knox; Postmaster General, Smith; Secretary of Navy, Long; Secretary of Interior, Hitchcock; and Secretary of Agriculture, Wilson. •■91- y— ym.», ' v .' ^-^j^k-^'JW. ii, o''^.-'-*;wr«