Pickings from Pike’s Past 12.20.23

By Editor | December 19, 2023 |

75 YEARS AGO: 10-POINT BUCK DISTURBING CATTLE IN EAST PIKE COUNTY

150 Years Ago

Dec. 25, 1873

The weather as we go to print is mild, with the ground frozen slightly and the roads rough. A snowstorm is threatened from the west.

“We the undersigned merchants of Pittsfield do hereby agree to close our respective places of business from 9 o’clock a.m. sharp Christmas Day until 5 o’clock in the evening, showing people from a distance that no business will be transacted on that day, provided that all the merchants of the town sign the same.” (The notice was signed by twenty business houses, including the Bank of Pike County.)

Elder H. D. Clark will deliver a discourse at the Methodist Episcopal Church at 11 a.m. Christmas Day. All are welcome to attend.

Rev. W. W. Rose will be speaking at the Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. Christmas morning. All are welcome to attend.

The Pittsfield Odd Fellows will have a ball Christmas night at Bush’s Hall, and another is planned for New Year’s Eve at the same location.

The railroad bridge at Louisiana is largely completed, except for the turning engine.

125 Years Ago

Dec. 23, 1898

There is snow on the ground today, but the sun is shining brightly and snow melting. It is anything but Christmas weather.

There are 100 or more children in Pittsfield who will not have a very happy Christmas unless some outside help is received. The committee assigned to the task of helping children at this season will be unable to do justice to the undertaking with the funds at hand.

There is but one sovereign remedy for hard times and that is to trade at home, first, last and all the time.

Our merchant, F. G. Turner, has secured a large Graphaphone with which he entertains his customers while they inspect his elegant stock of holiday goods. It talks and sings for the public every morning and evening.

The Congregational Church will have a New England meal served during the holidays, including chicken pie, turkey, Boston brown bread, baked beans, vegetables and pastries. Dinner 35 cents, supper 25 cents.

100 Years Ago

Dec. 26, 1923

“Good Fellows” distributed 55 baskets of groceries to needy families in Pittsfield. Twenty-two families were given clothing or coal. Children were remembered with toys. The Lions Club, which sponsored the “Good Fellow” movement, had a “toy night” at which each member brought a toy. Money was raised by subscriptions from churches, lodges, other organizations and individuals.

The Pittsfield Christian Church reported an attendance of 210 in Bible school Sunday, Dec. 23, and an offering of $19.43. Special features at the Sunday church service were “wonderful Christmas solos by Miss Helen Margaret Burbridge and Miss Irene Stone.” At the evening service the choir rendered a fine anthem.

Every class in the Pittsfield grade schools had a Christmas program last Thursday and Friday.

By a decision of the Illinois Supreme Court, police officers do not require a search warrant in bootleg liquor cases, but are free to search for evidence where they have reasonable grounds for believing it may be found.

The ladies of the Montezuma Community Club had a wood chopping for Mr. Israel Gaunt of that township. The men of the club who helped are: Virgil Parks, Ben Wheeler, Judson Hoover, George Battershell, John Denison, Wm Hall, Wright Hoover, Russell Scranton, James Dillon, Russell Fulmer, Tom Robinson and John Chandler. They chopped and hauled six or seven loads and have three or four loads ready to haul.

75 Years Ago

Dec. 22, 1948

Jolly old Santa Claus literally came to town, dropping from the skies last Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock sharp in his fancy helicopter. He landed in a roped-off part of the business district near the Farmers State Bank amid the cheering welcome of a crowd estimated at upwards of 4000.

A 10-point buck has been creating considerable disturbance among some of the cattle herds on farms in east Pike County. There are said to be a number of deer across the Illinois River. Deputy Sheriff Hubert Peebles says the deer in the Illinois River bottoms probably got their start from four deer that were sent out by the state a few years ago and placed in the keeping of Sam Wade, an ardent wild life conservationist.

Paul Warwick of the district soil conservation office in Quincy addressed the Pittsfield Rotary Club Thursday at the Cardinal Inn. He said, “He is the greatest patriot who stops the most gullies.” He said, “The soil is a heritage. We will never get any more. What we have and can keep is all we will ever have.”

Miss Evelyn Benson became the bride of Albert Ransom in a lovely home ceremony Sunday afternoon at four o’clock in the presence of a number of friends and relatives. Mrs. Ransom is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Benson of Pittsfield. Mr. Ransom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ransom, also of Pittsfield.

50 Years Ago

Dec. 24, 1973

Snow fell in abundance all night Tuesday, a week before Christmas, and ended late Wednesday evening, leaving a blanket six to eight inches deep throughout the county. Roads were slick and hazardous, schools closed, and people had a difficult time getting to their jobs. It was a common sight to see cars stuck in snowdrifts along the roadways and in towns, and snow scoops being handled by men and women alike. Supt. Robert Woodward said Brown Shoe Company was “hard hit.” As of Thursday, 89 of the over 450 employees had not reported for work.

Many churches throughout the county are having Christmas Eve services. St. Mary’s Church in Pittsfield will have a Christmas concert at 11:40 p.m. presented by the adult choir. Midnight mass will follow. Children’s choir will give a concert at St. Mary’s in Pittsfield at 9:40 a.m., with Christmas Day mass at 10 a.m. Holy Redeemer Church in Barry will have a Christmas Day mass at 8 a.m.

Ben Roberts, recently elected chairman of the Pittsfield American Legion Post building committee, said the post is anxious to get started on its new building to be erected in West Pittsfield near the Illinois Department of Public Aid building. Other members on the building committee are John Gleckler, James R. Griffeth, Clayton Allen, Wilburt Bartlett, Joe Butler, Jr., Gary Capps, and Post Commander Wes Iftner is an ex-officio member.

Penny Moss and Susan Knipmeyer portrayed Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus at last Monday night’s party given for senior citizens at Landess Terrace. The program was planned by the Pittsfield FHA girls who wanted to bring Christmas joy to the older citizens.

25 Years Ago

Dec. 23, 1998

Pike County lost one of its more prominent citizens Monday night when Judge Cecil Burrows died unexpectedly in the emergency room at Illini Community Hospital. Burrows, 76, moved to Pittsfield with his wife and three daughters in 1956. He was elected Pike County State’s Attorney in 1964 and was elected resident judge of the eighth judicial circuit in 1970, where he served until his retirement in 1990.

The Pittsfield Rotary Club honored Carolyn Casteel and her late husband, Jean, for many years of community service and generosity, Wednesday at a ceremony on the courthouse lawn. The Casteels have been providing lighting of the courthouse dome since 1991.

Last Thursday was the annual Rodhouse cattle drive. Jerry Rodhouse moved approximately 120 head of cattle from his farm up Six Mile road to his home place in the Pleasant Hill bottoms. Rodhouse said his father and grandfather before him moved cattle the same way. “I’m 57 years old and they’ve been doing it as long as I can remember.”

10 Years Ago

Dec. 25, 2013

The Pikeland school board discussed possible funding for various projects around the district, including the possibility of air conditioning South School and Pittsfield High School. Paula Hawley, district superintendent said, “We need to air condition South and PHS.” She said the building committee, consisting of Phil Hoover, Brian Daniel and David Barton, will meet after the first of the year and ponder three scenarios as well as another possibility.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Borrowman Chiropractic Friday, Dec. 20. Among those pictured are Jessica and Jon Borrowman and their children, Frank and Finley.

• Compiled by Michael Boren