Pickings from Pike’s Past: 125 YEARS AGO: PIKE FARMER A. S. ARCHER EXPERIMENTS WITH “SOJA BEANS”
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
150 Years Ago
Sept. 17, 1874
The total enrollment in the Pittsfield schools this fall is 395, including 40 enrolled in the high school.
Among the bills presented at the annual meeting of the Pike County Board of Supervisors were $16 coffins for the poor; $7, funeral expense for poor child; $1, tobacco for the poor.
125 Years Ago
Sept. 19, 1899
There was a glorious rainfall, an inch and a half or so, on Sunday and Sunday night, and the wheat is going in in fine order.
A little fire in the heating stove has been a very pleasant thing for the past few nights and mornings.
GAR reunion at Nebo was not as well attended as formerly, although it slopped all over with oratory.
High School needs a musical instrument very much. Tuition is $15 per year or $2 per month.
Sept. 22, 1899
A vigorous stalk of the soja bean, of which A. S. Archer has two acres, has been brought into this office and illustrates the wonderful growth and abundance of the foliage. It was sown July 7, came up in three days, and is now nearly matured with many pods and abundant foliage. Its use for stock seems to be spreading considerably.
Don’t miss chicken by the ladies of the Pittsfield Christian Church in the courtyard park Sept. 23. Fried chicken, coffee, bread, butter, etc. 15 cents.
The Perry Enterprise has joined the “innumerable caravan” of newspapers that put forth tender leaves, but soon were nipped by financial frost.
100 Years Ago
Sept. 17, 1924
Illinois is making marked progress in road construction. A total of 796 miles of pavement have been completed thus far, 115 miles more than at this time in 1923.
The American Legion Homecoming and National Defense celebration drew big crowds on the Bates lot, but their expenses exceeded their intake by about $500. They charged 25 cents admission for those 16 and older. Supt. of Schools John B. Gragg and Will Thompson, both past three score and ten years, took an aeroplane flight at the event, and enjoyed it immensely.
Former governor Charles S. Deneen, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, will be in Pittsfield Saturday afternoon, Sept. 20 as part of his downstate campaign.
75 Years Ago
Sept. 14, 1949
During the recent Labor Day holiday traffic over the Champ Clark bridge at Louisiana broke all records since it opened for traffic May 12, 1928. Toll receipts during the four day period totaled $3.400. The bridge is scheduled to be toll-free in 1953.
Frank Lewis is pictured presenting Eldon Fesler the keys to a new 1949 Ford Eight 4-door custom sedan which will be used for driver’s training at Pittsfield High School. Fesler is instructor in driving at the school.
The new Bader building is under construction at Pleasant Hill. It will have a branch for Home Furnishers of Pittsfield on the ground floor and several modern apartments on the second floor.
A son, Phillip Mark, was born Sept. 12 at Illini Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Boren (Juanita McCann) of Nebo.
Sept. 16, 1949
First Christian Church of Pittsfield has adopted a five-year “Church Beautiful program,” which calls for many physical improvements, including new doors to the sanctuary, a second new furnace, rebuilding the organ and redecorating the interior. Members of the building committee include Charles A. Barber, James Clark, Earl Ransom, Berlin Curfman, Theo. Dell, Arthur Foreman, Robert Brown and Mrs. Elizabeth Hoover.
50 Years Ago
Sept. 18, 1974
At a special called meeting of the board of directors of Illini Hospital, Tuesday, the board voted 14-10 against a motion which would have prohibited elective abortions from being performed at the hospital. Dr. T. C. Bunting stated that the medical staff voted 8-2 to recommend the continuance of elective and therapeutic abortions, adding that physicians and medical personnel may refuse to participate in abortion procedures as dictated by their conscience.
Ron Dell, perhaps the first Vietnam veteran American Legion commander in the 20th District, was recently installed as head of Pittsfield Post 152. Other new officers are Paul Clem, first vice commander; Gary Capps, second vice commander; Jim Griffeth, chaplain; Clayton Allen, adjutant; Wilbur Bartlett, finance officer; and John Gleckler, sergeant-at-arms.
Arsa Galloway, well-known businessman in Pleasant Hill, has announced the sale of his hardware business and building to Arnold Gene Guthrie, also of Pleasant Hill.
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Zimmerman have moved from Quincy to Jacksonville. They are both teaching and coaching in the school district there.
Mr. and Mrs. George Garner of rural New Salem have announced the engagement of their daughter, Wyvetta Mary, to Steven Wayne Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Davis of Waynesfield, Ohio. A mid-October wedding is being planned.
The Pittsfield Saukees earned a full measure of sweet revenge at Winchester Friday night, 27-0. The Wildcats pulled off the major upset a year ago which ended the 64-game winning streak.
Don Snyder of Pittsfield was presented a diamond tie tack last Friday by Ivan Knapp, honoring Snyder’s 15 years of service as a salesman with Kamar Construction Co.
25 Years Ago
Sept. 15, 1999
Funding to fix a three-mile stretch of Sny Island Levee Drainage District in southern Pike County is snagged in negotiations between the U. S. House of Representatives, which approved $6 million and the Senate, which only approved $4.5 million.
When Sharon Springer started her day care 20 years ago, it was mainly a way to supplement the family’s income. Today Springer’s is the first licensed day care group home in the area. “I’m the experiment,” said Springer. “The thought has always been that a day care and a pre-school can’t be combined. I’m the experiment.” Springer’s home became a licensed group home last month after meeting the several points of criteria needed for the designation.
10 Years Ago
Sept. 17, 2014
Additional structural deficiencies were recently discovered on the Champ Clark bridge at Louisiana, Mo. during a routine inspection and the bridge now has a strict load limit. It is now posted at 40 tons or 80,000 pounds.
Don Hannel of the Pleasant Hill First Baptist Church and Pastor Ken Parker of the Talbotton, Ga. First Baptist Church, are pictured placing the last two bricks on the façade of the Pleasant Hill FBC’s new building. The new church has 22,000 bricks. Work on the church continues with work days scheduled for each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon or thereabouts.
–Compiled by Michael Boren
