Pickings from Pike’s Past: 10 YEARS AGO: FINDLEY PLACE APARTMENTS OPEN

By Editor | November 5, 2024 |

150 Years Ago

Nov. 12, 1874

Last spring J. A. Dean traveled for miles around to hunting buckwheat for seed, and finally succeeded in procuring one pint, which he planted with a corn planter. It came up well this fall and he cut 40 shock which threshed out three and a half bushels. This we believe, is the largest yield on record.

Our county jail was cleared of all prisoners last Tuesday.

The street overseer or somebody else has erected one of those infernal embankments, for the purpose of turning water, across a street we travel to and from home. Where are the Sni levee cutters? We want to charter a steamboat and hands to cut it out. Such obstacles ought not to be put in the streets of our villages.

Lost on the road between Pittsfield and Pleasant Hill, a black cloth circular cape for a gentleman’s cloak.

125 Years Ago

Nov. 16, 1899

J. L. Field has purchased the stock of jewelry of Lovell and Crane and is moving the same to the new store room of Strauss and Bros.

The Pike County Democrat wants a live correspondent in every town in the county.

So far as returns have reached this office from star gazers the meteoric shower expected between 1 and 5 a.m. today was the grandest fizzle of the age.

100 Years ago

Nov. 12, 1924

Twin sons, born two days before election day to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Simms of New Canton, have been named Calvin and Coolidge.

The women of St. Mary’s Catholic Church cleared $400 at their recent annual bazaar.

At the election Pike County voters approved by a splendid majority Gov. Len Small’s bond issue for hard roads.

Pupils of the Honey Creek School gave a program and pie supper last Friday night. Miss Thelma Walk of Milton is the teacher.

Miss Fern Ransom and her pupils of Martinsburg School will have a pie supper Friday night.

There was no happier man in Pike County last Tuesday night than M. D. King, when returns began to show the election of Coolidge, Governor Len Small, Charles S. Deneen and the entire state Republican ticket. King attended the Republican National convention in Cleveland as a delegate from Illinois, and is a personal friend of practically all the state officers. His home precinct of Newburg went strongly Republican as it has almost invariably done.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Penstone of South Memorial will celebrate their 58th anniversary next Saturday by serving a dinner to their close relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Penstone were married the year after Mr. Penstone returned from the Civil War and started housekeeping upon the farm in Newburg which he still owns. Mrs. Penstone is in quite feeble health, but Mr. Penstone is quite spry and enjoys his daily trips down town.

75 Years Ago

Nov. 8, 1949

One of the most delightful days of the fall season filled Pittsfield with women, Friday. It was county home bureau day and the ladies flocked in from all sections of Pike County for this annual meeting. Miss Helen Hackman, county home advisor since 1942, and her efficient and hard-working office secretary and assistant, Miss Dorothy Goodin, had worked hard to make the meeting a success. Mrs. June Dean of Griggsvile is the new county chairman of Home Bureau.

A new business in Pearl will open in less than two weeks. It is Clyde Holloway’s locker plant, located in a new concrete block building adjoining the Holloway grocery store on the east. It has 150 lockers, and will be operated by A. C. Holloway & Son.

Nov. 9, 1949

A big county road maintainer caused the collapse of the first Honey Creek bridge south of town on the Pittsfield-Nebo road last Friday morning. Road Commissioner Ira Dyer of Hardin Township helped get the big maintainer off the bridge with his tractor. A temporary crossing was made immediately and work started on repairing the bridge. The creek is not deep at this point which has only been bridged in recent years.

H. E. Stevens, capable and well-liked superintendent of the Brown Shoe Factory for the past 15 years, has tendered his resignation, effective Dec. 1. His resignation is due to his wife’s ill health. They are moving to Florida and her many friends hope the change is beneficial to her. They have already located their commodious trailer on the banks of Lake Eustice.

50 Years Ago

Nov. 13, 1974

Baylis is building a new fire house, retaining three standing walls of a former Standard Oil bulk station, it will be approximately 35 by 44 feet. The department has 12-15 volunteer firemen. The chief is Rober Stevens. Assistant chief is Omar Bridgeman, who served as chief for 23 years.

Tim Belford and Gale Boren of the First National Bank in Pittsfield demonstrate a new state auto license application processing machine, soon to be in operation at the bank as a public service to local car owners. The new license service will be offered in Pike County only by First National and is claimed as another “first” by that bank.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Long of rural Pittsfield have announced the engagement of their daughter, Kathy, to Brad Willman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo R. Willman of Pleasant Hill. Both the bride-elect and the prospective bridegroom are students at Ozark Bible College, Joplin, Mo. A late June wedding is planned.

Miss Wyvetta Mary Garner became the bride of Steven Wayne Davis in a 7 p.m. ceremony Oct. 19 at the New Hartford Christian Church. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. George Garner of rural New Salem and Mr. and Mrs. George E. Davis of Waynesfield, Ohio.

25 Years Ago

Nov. 10, 1999

Students at Barry Community Unit School have finally moved into new rooms. This is the first phase of new rooms being inhabited since construction began last school year. Students from Mrs. Wolf’s and Mrs. Hagenah’s special education classes have moved into the new pre-kindergarten addition on the south end of the high school.

Board members unanimously selected David Barton of rural Nebo as president of the Pikeland Unit 10 school board. He replaces Harry Gleckler of New Salem who retired from the board Monday after 27 ½ years on the board, the past 14 as president. He did not seek re-election in last spring’s school board race. Barton was serving in the capacity as secretary. He was replaced on the job by Fred Ruzich of Pittsfield, also unanimously. Three newly-seated board members, Alan Brokaw, Bill Ferguson and Mike Gerard opted to go with the four continuing board members for all offices, including Frank Heavner, Pearl, as vice president and Dennis Wade, Nebo, as secretary pro temp.

Governor George Ryan confirmed the appointment of Ronald L. Johnson, M. D., to the State of Illinois Department of Professional Regulations’ Board of Medical Licensing. Also, the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians elected Dr. Johnson president-elect for the 1999-2000 year at its annual meeting in Oakbrook.

10 Years Ago

Nov. 12, 2014

Occupants could start moving into Findley Place Apartments this week after the building was officially opened with a ribbon cutting Monday evening. The building is located in the 400 block of West Jefferson Street in Pittsfield. Former U. S. Congressman from this area, Paul Findley, for whom the building is named, did the official honors.

Pittsfield’s Bob Norris was recently honored with selection to the all-time football teams at Eastern Illinois University. Norris was a Pittsfield High School star lineman.

Compiled by Michael Boren

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