Pickings from Pike’s Past: 50 YEARS AGO: DEATH OF DEMOCRAT LEADER DON IRVING
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125 Years Ago
May 2, 1900
Some corn was planted last week and considerable will be planted this week. There must be quite a demand for frogs the way people from Pike Station are hunting and selling them.
The ferry boat to Louisiana is now making regular trips seven days a week.
The Splatter Dock Fishing club was to have a house raising yesterday on the Mississippi.
The new Pittsfield City Council met last night and selected officers. No superintendent of streets was appointed and it is understood that the chief of police will be required to fill this position in connection with his other duties.
The Pittsfield Fire Department has rented the third story of the Lovell building on the north side of the square and are having it all fixed up for occupancy of the department.
George Shaw of Shaw’s laundry came out Monday morning with a brand speck new laundry wagon with a closed box and all painted and fixed up in style for delivering and collecting laundry. While he was driving around the square, showing it off, some boys put a big “Fresh Fish” sign on the back of the laundry box and had a lot of fun at his expense.
The new citizens telephone line is being put up in Griggsville and numerous poles, with the large number of lines, will make our city look quite metropolitan.
A fine gypsy turnout was on Griggsville streets Friday. The neat covered wagon had oil painting and fancy work. A fine pair of black horses was hitched to the vehicle with a fine set of ornamental harness.
The rain that has fallen over the state of Texas during the past 24 hours is the heaviest every known, and has not yet abated. No trains have left Houston since yesterday morning. The flooding is the worst in central Texas.
100 Years Ago
April 29, 1925
Tom Troutner has the contract for erecting a new parsonage for St. Mary’s Church in Pittsfield. The building’s total cost, with plumbing and heating, is estimated to be around $14,000.
A total of over $2000 has been secured for the anti-T. B. fund. It is the largest amount ever raised in Pike County for health work.
Fifteen cars of gypsies passed through Pittsfield shortly after noon one day last week. They parked on the south side of the square, but were ordered by Sheriff Troutner to move on. They told the sheriff they were enroute from Chicago to Mexico. The city of Barry was warned of their route through that place.
David Lewis Brunswick of Pittsfield was married to Miss Clara June Hadley of Decatur Saturday evening. Rev. W. H. Hill, pastor of the Congregational Church, officiated with the solemn ring ceremony. Dave is the third oldest of the four sons of Mrs. Hyman Brunswick and is a salesman for the firm of Sam H. Brunswick and Bros. of Pittsfield.
Rev. Bowling Green Reavis is holding a revival at the Nebo Christian Church. A monster basket dinner was part of Sunday’s enjoyment.
75 Years Ago
April 25, 1950
William J. Thornton of Nebo, who has served four years as chairman of the Pike County Republican Committee was recently re-elected chairman. He is one of the two Republican nominees for State Representative from the 36th senatorial district.
The fifth state convention of Army Mothers was held at the American Legion Building in Pittsfield Thursday, April 20, with a fair representation of the Pike County posts, of which there are three, Pittsfield, Barry and New Salem. Members from Decatur and St. Louis and members of the Navy Club of Louisiana, Mo. also attended. Rev. Joe Maynard addressed the meeting.
Word has been received of the death of Dr. R. J. Pollock of Quincy. Mr. Pollock was born and raised in Nebo and practiced his profession in that village before moving to Quincy. He is the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. R. R. Pollock. He leaves two brothers, Ralph of Nebo and Cleon of Washington, D.C. and sisters Nellie Mayes of Nebo and Alice Pence of Joliet.
J. Harold Voshall, superintendent of Pittsfield school district no. 10 spoke recently of some of needs of the school district. He said, “There is a need for a school auditorium. A gym-auditorium is bad. There is no time for dramatics and music also suffers.”
April 27, 1950
The Cardinal Inn now offers drive-In curb service. Open 24 hours.
Miss Bona Boren, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Boren of Nebo and Levoy Coultas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Coultas of Pittsfield, were united in marriage at 4 p.m. Saturday April 22 in the home of the bride’s parents. The double-ring ceremony was pronounced by Evangelist J. W. Gallagher of Barnesville, Ohio.
The Mississippi Valley Christian Service Camp at Rock Hill has just completed two dining halls with a kitchen and will soon start the erection of a shower building.
50 Years Ago
April 23, 1975
Funeral services for Don Irving, prominent Pike County political leader, were held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Chambersburg Christian Church with Rev. Joe T. Maynard officiating. Irving, was 76 years of age, born at Chambersburg in 1898. Mr. Irving was a member of the Illinois Democratic Central Committee and was Democratic nominee for Congress in 1944 and 1946. He was chairman of the Pike County Democratic Central Committee from 1949-1973 and chairman of the Pike County Board of Supervisors from 1937-1952. He was a World War I veteran, was involved in many local organizations, and wrote a column called “Chambersburg Hash” for many years, first for the Pike County Democrat-Times and later for the Pike Press.
The Home Extension officers for 1975-76 were installed April 22 in Pittsfield. Among the new officers were Mrs. Lowell Durall, second vice-chairman and Mrs. Gale Boren, treasurer.
Chester Bauer and Mrs. Gladys Fitch both retired from the board of Illini Hospital this year after 30 years of serving on the board. They each received a plaque from board president Bill McCartney.
Watch for these pretty faces. They’re the 1975-1976 cheerleaders at Pittsfield High School, chosen recently by the student body. The girls are Jonie Frazier, Gina Prentice, Julie Frazier, Terri O’Brien, Anita Strother and Joyce Griggs. Mrs. Donna Smith and Miss Rhonda Vinyard are their co-sponsors.
25 Years Ago
April 26, 2000
The Pike County Board Monday night directed State’s Attorney Brett Irving to draft a resolution to be placed on the November ballot that would make the supervisor of assessments an elected, rather than an appointed, position.
Pittsfield High School principal Andy Carmitchel informed his staff that he will be vacating his post at the end of the school year. He has accepted a post at another school. Carmitchel has served as PHS principal for the past nine years. His wife, Marty, has also been employed in the Pikeland district. Two of their children, Ben and Jessica, graduated from PHS.
An early morning storm swept across Pike County around 4:30 a.m. Thursday morning, leaving widespread damage, but no reported injuries. Damage was reported from nearly every corner of the county.
10 Years Ago
April 29, 2015
The Pike County Board is strongly considering building a new facility to house the county ambulances west of Pittsfield about halfway to the former “Y,” which would place it closer to the center of the county.
Twenty-eight members of the Pittsfield High School class of 1963 gathered at the Pike County Senior Citizens Center to celebrate their 70th birthday, as most of them were born in 1945.
Compiled by Michael Boren.
