June 8, 2017
Watseka Sesquicentennial
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Looking back , looking forward
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150 years in Watseka...
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2017 Souvenir Edition
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From adventurous beginnings to today’s hometown pride, Watseka has been a driving force in the area.
This year the city celebrates its Sesquicentennial — 150 years. That’s 150 years of hard work and community spirit. Through the years the city has been home to many wonderful people who have made their mark in society. The city has also through the years been a place where people would gather to live, work, and socialize. It would be nearly impossible to highlight each milestone the city has had, or each special event that helped shape the city into the community it is today. We have found a few stories that highlight the city and its rich heritage. While there is much that happened in 150 years to shape Watseka, these pages focus on a glimpse into the traditions, the culture and the history of our community. To start - we’ve included a timeline of each of the 36 mayors who have served Watseka through that 150 years: from the beginning to current Mayor John Allhands. Some served several years while others served just a few months. They all were elected to serve the community and its citizens to the best of their ability. They are shown as they are depicted on the walls of the council chambers at city hall. The front cover shows a picture of Watseka in its beginnings and then a more recent photo taken by reporter/photographer Wendy Davis from high atop the Old Courthouse Museum. Designed by graphic artist Paul Laue, it depicts the Looking Back, Looking Forward aspect of celebrating 150 years, with the looking glass on the “looking back” side showing the past and the looking glass on the “looking forward” side depicting the future in a photo taken by news clerk Zack Waters showing local construction. Inside you’ll find a history that was compiled by former alderman and mayor Ted Horner from the first minutes of city government. There’s also a glimpse of what life was like in Watseka in 1942. We came across an entire year of newspaper articles from that year published by a predecessor of the Times-Republic, the Watseka Republican. There were some interesting stories of that time. We also will focus on some of the city’s more famous people and stories: Princess Watch-e-Kee, Katharine Clifton and Henry Bacon to name a few. Another focus in these pages is a history of Legion Park and some information about the Legion. Throughout this publication there are also a variety of photos from different eras. Helping with some gathering of information and photos has been the staff at the Old Courthouse Museum and the Iroquois County Genealogical Society. We also look at some of the more recent stories and reflect on some of the sports teams through the years in a piece contributed by David Mitchell. We finish up with a quick look at the city today. That includes some of the wonderful advertisements from local businesses, which incorporates some of the history of those businesses as well as a look at their current operations.
Watseka has always been a great place to live, work and call home. We believe in that sentiment today and are proud to
be able to share in this Sesquicentennial celebration. We hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed compiling them for you.
Carla Waters
Managing Editor
CONGRATULATIONS
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF YOUR AMAZING HISTORY! 1152 E. WALNUT ST. 815-432-0902
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Micajah Stanley 1868-1879
The history of Watseka The First Decade
By Ted Horner This is a history of the City of Watseka, as recorded in the Watseka City Council minutes that were discovered in 1997. The minutes of the meetings were found tucked away in the basement of the first City Hall building currently located on the corner of Walnut and Fifth Streets. The minutes are in order beginning August 17, 1863 through 1946. The minutes confirm many of the events described in the Beckwith History of Iroquois County. There were more than 200 documented meetings during the decade beginning August 17, 1863. The minutes in this story reflect the most significant events of that decade. The roots of Watseka are etched in a stone located at the corner of Smith and Monroe Streets. Those streets are near the confluence of Sugar Creek and the Iroquois River. The stone marks the location of a log cabin erected by Gurdon S. Hubbard in 1821. He used the cabin as a trading post with the Potawatomi Indians. Hubbard later married Watch-E-Kee (daughter of the evening star) the niece of Potawatomi Chief Tomin. She was 14 or 15 years of age at the time of her marriage. She bore him one child who died at birth. They remained married for two years and mutually agreed to part company with no hard feelings. Watch-E-Kee later married a trader named Noel Le Vasseur and bore him
Photo contributed Undated photo of downtown Watseka. several children. The Potawatomi Indians departed as settlers began to arrive, and the Town of Middleport was built in the vicinity of the trading post. David and Oliver Bookless were
among the first settlers to arrive in 1833, followed by Micajah Stanley (great grandfather of John Stanton) in 1835. Stanley built a log house in March, 1835. The Town of MiddleSee HISTORY, page 4
A group of Illinois farmers got together in 1925 and formed a lightning and fire insurance company. A year later they expanded and began to offer coverage for crop, hail and farm equipment. The group of companies now known as Country Financial has continued to grow, providing a full range of products and services to meet your insurance and financial needs. Bob Burd joined the Country Financial more than 23 years ago. He has helped countless individuals and families reach their dreams. Being prepared for what the future can hold is just a small part of the services Bob has to offer. Whether you are looking for home, auto, farm or business insurance; seeking advice on retirement or estate planning, annuities or investment management, get together with Bob and talk about your present and future plans.
If you are looking for a church home, we invite you to consider joining our family here at Calvary or just stop sometime and visit us as we strive to grow in God’s Word, and an ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and love for one another.
– Proud to call Watseka ‘home’ –
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History, from page 3 port was laid out August 27, 1835, and became the county seat. Little is known about the growth and development of the Town of Middleport other than what is recorded in The History of Iroquois County by Beckwith. The Beckwith History names many settlers who came to the area, and they are familiar family names to this day. According to the history, the Town of Middleport grew as a result of the establishment of the Hubbard Trading Post. The town was well located, and once a prosperous and thriving village of about 800 people, with stores, hotels, a shoe maker, harness maker, wagon maker and doctors and lawyers. In 1840 the Courthouse was erected on land now occupied by West Side Park, and burned on February 25, 1862. As a result of the fire, the county seat was moved to Watseka in April, 1865. As the town grew in an easterly direction, residents founded a new town known as the Town of South Middleport. *The demise of the Town of Middleport is attributed to the loss of the County Seat to South Middleport and the failure to secure the location of the TP & W railway from the lack of liberality and management on the part of its citizens. Most of the buildings worth removing were moved to South
the public posting of ordinances 1, 2, and 3. A publication printed in 1887 states Ordinance #1 was to restrain animals and certain fowl from running at large, and concerning the confinement of same. Ordinance #2 was an ordinance concerning the granting of licenses to keep billiard or pool halls or ten pin alleys. Ordinance #3 authorized the construction of a Calaboose on lot 9 in block nine of Stanley’s First Addition. On November 14, 1863, a liquor license was issued to Umberfield and Sinmmons of the Stanley House for Photo contributed the term of three months. The next recorded meeting was Photo shows the south side of Cherry Street circa 1880. The area January 20, 1864 to post Ordiburned in 1886, according to the photo. nance #4, Affecting Carters and Draymen. Ordinance # 5 was for Middleport in 1866 and 1867. being in favor and one vote the Licensing of Circuses, Menagcould not be determined. One eries, Side-shows, Etc. Ordinance The first official meeting of the of the persons voting was Thomas #6, It shall be unlawful for any Town of South Middleport was Horner, the great grandfather of dog or dogs to run at large within August 17, 1863. It was held at the author. Perhaps this was the the corporate limits of the City of the store of John L. Donovan and undetermined vote. Watseka, without first being carethere is no written subject matter On August 29, 1863, a meetfully and effectually muzzled. Any of the meeting. ing was held to elect officers of dog so found running at large in On August 28, 1863, a meeting the town of South Middleport. violation of Section One of this was held at the South Middleport Five board members were elected Ordinance shall be shot immediSchool to certify that an election with C. Secrest becoming the ately, by the Marshal of the City, or held on that day for the purpose president of the board. They other City officer, or in any other of determining for or against inwere sworn into office on Sepmanner killed or disposed of. Orcorporation of said town of South tember 7, 1863. dinance #7, That all the Tile Drains Middleport. There were twenty The next recorded meeting was nine votes cast with twenty eight not until November 2, 1863 for See WATSEKA, page 5
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Watseka, from page 4 or Ditches constructed or laid by the City, or by permission of the City, and the outlets to the same, or which may hereafter be constructed or laid within the City, shall be under the care and supervision of the Street Commissioner. Adopted Ordinance #8, Relating to the Granting of Licenses for Keeping Dram Shops in the City of Watseka. There was also audited the account of Robert Doyle, Clerk amounting to $21.30 embracing from September 25 to December 2, 1863. A meeting was held August 8, 1864, requiring the Street Commissioner to file a report of the condition of the streets and a list of delinquent parties on their road tax (the people that were delinquent were allowed to do manual maintenance to the road in front of their property in lieu of paying the tax). At the same meeting, A. B. Thompson was sworn in a constable. His oath of office included stating he **has never fought a duel, accepted a challenge to fight a duel to the death nor been a second to a duel. On August 10, 1864, a notable incident occurred that was not a part of the Watseka
Photo contributed Undated photo of downtown Watseka. City Council records, but was a part of the history. On that date Daniel Peitz, a resident of the Town of Middleport, poisoned his wife a few days after she had given birth to a child. He purchased a quantity of arsenic and served it to her in a tea-cup of port wine on the morning of August 10, 1864. She was immediately taken violently ill and died the next day. Daniel Peitz was committed to jail. There being no jail in the county, he was taken to Kankakee city for safe keeping. He soon escaped from jail and was
never heard of again. Another extended period of time occurred before the next meeting of April 10, 1865 for the purpose of appointing election judges. The History of Iroquois County by Beckwith states the county seat was moved from Middleport to South Middleport on April 4, 1865. This could possibly account for the absence of meeting documentation. The county seat was moved to South Middleport due to the burning of the court house in 1862. *On the 20th day of February
1862, Henry Davis was sentenced to 3 years in prison for larceny. On the 25th day of February 1862, he undertook to break jail. Contrary to custom, he had not been locked in his cell, and this circumstance gave him opportunity to attempt to escape. Not knowing that the hall door was iron lined, he built a fire against it, designing to burn through into the passage where he could get out by way of the window. The fire was discovered about 2 o’clock in the morning. See DECADE, page 6
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Decade, from page 5 Some person broke the window in the west end of the jail, but the flames poured out so that no entrance could be made. There was barely time to remove the records, which were in the east end, and the building was in ruins. Davis’ body was found on the floor of his cell lying upon the breast with the head and limbs totally consumed. His mattress, burned off at both ends, covered the charred trunk. Between January 20, 1864 and October 3, 1865, Ordinance #9 Druggist’s Permits; Ordinance #10, Relative to the Collection and Commutation of Fines, and Payment of same
to City Treasurer; Ordinance #11, Provide Against Dangers From Fires; Ordinance # 12, Defining Fire Limits and Prescribing Regulations Within Said Limits. The meeting of October 23, 1865 was for the purpose of repealing an ordinance regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages and replacing it with another similar ordinance. The first mention of Watseka appeared in the minutes of May 28, 1866. On June 11, 1866, Trustees of Watseka were sworn into office. Dueling continued to be a segment of the oath of office. The name
Watseka was used in all meeting subsequent to this meeting instead of South Middleport. A Special Meeting was held June 16, 1866, for submission of a Charter and Resolution for the incorporation of City of Watseka At the July 19, 1866 meeting, the **street commissioner was ordered to proceed at once to cause all persons liable therefore to labor three days or procure a laborer to be done on the streets of this town. On September 5, 1866, a Special Meeting was held to review a list of delinquent Road See MORE, page 7
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More, from page 6 Laborers for the previous year to be furnished to Corporate Attorney for collection. Many county records were destroyed when a rented building being used as a temporary court house burned on October 16, 1866. A Special Meeting was held on February 9, 1867, to appoint judges for an election for incorporating the City of Watseka and to elect officers. According to The History of Iroquois County by Beckwith, the City of Watseka was incorporated under Charter by the State of Illinois on February 19, 1867. There is no mention of this date in the city council minutes. The meeting of March 11, 1867 was to canvas election for city officers under the Charter of the City of Watseka. A meeting on March 18, 1867 was for the appointment of officers of newly elected mayor and council. The Charter was acknowledged as approved in the election of March 11, 1867. The April 1, 1867 meeting was conducted requesting copies of the Charter by the council. May 23, 1867, Special Meeting to be held June 5, 1867, for the purpose of being for or against the City of Watseka appropriating the sum of $5,000.00 to the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad Company for the construction of a railroad through Watseka. A Special Meeting was held June 6, 1867, to canvas the election to grant $5,000.00 to the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad. The monthly meetings during the year of 1868 dealt with infrastructure improvements
dleport, and also a majority of the legal voters have petitioned the Council of the city of Watseka to be received into and made a part of said city under the provisions of the Fourth (4) Section of Article One (1) of the charter of said City, therefore. On July 19, 1869, a Special Meeting was called to establish borrowing rate for construction of a new street. Adopted Ordinance #34 prohibiting young men and boys from being on or about railroad cars at the time of arrival or departure of trains or while cars are being in motion. Adopted Ordinance #35 prohibiting Photo contributed bathing in the rivers within the city limits. The earliest photo found of a church in Watse- November 3, 1869, Meeting to issue licenses ka, the photo is of a Methodist church, looking and pay bills. Enoch Wilson $17.25 for street southwest in 1864. labor, A.H. South $10.00 for boarding prisoners, Sam Hannah $1.00 for burying two dogs, George Harrington$2.80 for installation of a and general business. There were no recorded culvert. incidents of significance. On March 8, 1870, there was a meeting to February 1, 1869, Regular Meeting for gen- canvas votes of election for Mayor and City eral business and the adoption of an ordinance Council. George C. Hamilton declared Mayor. to prevent trains from running more than 6 May 12, 1870, Special Meeting **to accept miles per hour in the City limits. a petition presented by Franklin Blade stating March 1, 1869, Regular Meeting called for the citizens of Watseka desired that an electhe adoption of Ordinance #30 For a Street to tion be called to vote for or against a proposibe called Belmont Avenue. tion to donate to the Chicago, Danville, VinMarch 19, 1869, Special Meeting called to cennes Railroad the sum of $6,000.00 for the receive a petition from the citizens of Middle- extension of the railroad across the T P & W port for annexation to the city of Watseka. Railroad with the election to be held May 24, April 5, 1869, a Regular Meeting was held 1870. to pay bills and discuss sidewalks. Ordinance June 6, 1870, Regular Meeting to canvas #31 was adopted to open a Street called Meelection held May 24, 1870, for the donation chanics Street. Adopted Ordinance #32 was of $6,000.00 to the railroad. There were 291 adopted annexing the Town of Middleport to votes for the proposition and 38 against. the City of Watseka. **Whereas, a majority of the adult actual residents of the Town of MidSee AGAIN, page 8
Congratulations Watseka! You became our home in 1879 When you were only 12 years old! Blessings to all our neighbors, The St. Edmund Family
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Again, from page 7 A Special Meeting was called on June 22, 1870. **Franklin Blade representing many citizens of the City of Watseka that they had determined upon the with drawl of the proposition to appropriate $50,000.00 to the Railroad in the construction of their machine shops and substitute in place the sum of $25,000.00 or $30,000.00 as an appropriation for said purpose of aiding the Railroad to construct machine shops and car constructing shops. The shops are to cost $100,000.00 with bonds being issued. June 26, 1870, Special Meeting to grant 1st Street as a right of way for the Chicago, Danville, Vincennes Railroad. (There is no documented record as to how this arrangement came about between the railroad and The City of Watseka, but folk-lore has it that Mrs. Chamberlain lived in the two story house currently located at 219 West Mulberry Street and had a disdain for railroads. She would not sell the land needed for a railroad right-of-way. The City of Watseka persuaded her to donate a strip of her land 87 feet in width for First Street. She consented and the City immediately gave it to the railroad. The decision by the City prompted her to sell her house and build a new one a few blocks to the east.) June 27, 1870, Special Meeting to approve the actions of the June 26, 1870 meeting authorizing the railroad to run tracks on 1st Street or 2nd Street as they may desire. On September 5, 1870, a Regular Meeting was called to discuss agreement with Railroad regarding stopping more than five minutes. Construct culvert under the railroad at First Street. Construct a railroad crossing and limit the speed of railroad trains to eight miles per hour when traveling through the City. November 21, 1870, Special Meeting for issuance of City bonds for money donated to the railroad. January 30, 1871, was a Special Meeting to review the bond agreement for money donated to the railroad. February 16, Regular Meeting to issue bond payment to the railroad. On March 21, 1871, there was a Special Meeting to discuss finances for railroad. June 5, 1871, Regular Meeting to a hear complaint by a resident about her hogs being impounded for running at large. Another incident not recorded in the minutes but of significance was the hanging of Martin Meara by a mob. *Martin Meara, an Irishman and a farmer, who resided between Onarga and Gilman, was charged with having, about June 15,1871, whipped his son, a lad of about eleven years of age, to death. The body of the boy was found and Meara arrested, about the first of July, and upon examination he was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury upon the matter. On Sunday morning July 2, 1871, Meara was brought to the jail, and at his request Roff & Doyle visited him as counsel. On Tuesday, July 4th, there was a celebration at Milford,
which many citizen of Watseka attended. That evening, the sheriff was informed that Luther T. Clark, of Onarga, had arrived and had intimated that a mob might be expected that night to hang Meara. For the safety of the prisoner, he was taken to a wood nearby and returned to jail the next day. This did not quiet the mob and it gathered again about two o’clock in the timber at the mouth of Sugar Creek, just west of the “Old Town”. They came on horseback and in wagons, with arms and bludgeons, sledges and crowbars. They then made a dash upon the court-house, about six o’clock, and just after the court had adjourned, and were met at the gate by Sheriff South, who commanded them to “halt!” The mob disregarded his command and wrested the arms from the hands of the guard. They battered down the outside door which had been barred, demanded the keys of the jail of the sheriff, who refused to give them up, and then with sledges battered down the door to the jail and also the cell containing Meara. Meara was both handcuffed and shackled and utterly defenseless, and in this condition he was dragged out of jail and court-house, and thus to a wagon, over one hundred yards distant, into which he was thrown. Meara was then driven to the timber west of Sugar creek, and under a leaning mulberry tree. In the meantime, a rope had been prepared with a hangman’s knot upon it. Meara had been for a very short time in an attitude of prayer when he was told to stand up, which he did, and the rope was passed to B.J. Daniels, who placed the noose around Meara’s neck and tied a handkerchief over his face, and the wagon was then driven out and Meara launched into eternity. After he had been hanging but for a short time Daniels shot two balls through his body, out of a revolver. The crowd then dispersed and the body was left hanging over night. A short time after the crowd had dispersed, which was after dark, a family of emigrants with a wagon came along and camped near the place. They had heard nothing of the affair, and the first they knew of it was in the morning when they discovered Meara hanging upon a tree! More details of this event can be found in The Beckwith History of Iroquois County. A meeting was called June 5, 1872, to authorize the opening of Third Street across the TPW Railroad. On June 28, 1872, the meeting was to determine the tax assessment for the coming year, and approve the bond payment to the railroad. The July 1, 1872, meeting was called to address certain excavations that were done by the railroad on private property. The August 15, 1872, meeting was to receive a petition for an election called for the purpose of determining the question of reorganizing the City of Watseka under the general law of the State of Illinois. A Special Meeting was called August 19, 1872, **to receive a
Photo contributed Watseka City Hall, circa 1947 petition asking the Council to call an election for the purpose of voting upon a proposition to donate to R. Doyle Esquire, the sum of $5,000.00 to aid him in the manufacture of wagons and plows within the City of Watseka. The money would be paid to R. Doyle one half on February 1, 1873, and one half paid February 1, 1874. Doyle was required to finance $20,000.00 of his own funds within the next two years, and provide a bond to the City of Watseka. On September 9, 1872, a meeting was called to accept a bond in the amount of $10,000.00 from R. Doyle to the City of Watseka. On September 18, 1872, a
meeting was held to canvas returns of an election held September 14, 1872, of proposition of organizing under the general law of the State of Illinois. There were 142 yes votes and 70 no votes. During the December 2, 1872, meeting, Ordinance #44 was approved relative to the sale, manufacture and transfer of liquor. The meeting of December 17, 1872, was the last meeting of this decade. The meeting was to discuss certain contributions to the railroad regarding the acquisition of First Street, and fixing the rate of license fees for saloons. See LAST, page 9
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Photo contributed The depot in Watseka in an undated photo. Today, after it was saved from demolition, it was placed on the historical register and is a small museum and serves as celebration center.
Last, from page 8 Some of the folk-lore handed down through the generations; tell of an overnight visit by Abraham Lincoln in the early days of the Town of Middleport. The home he visited was located at the corner of Market and Washington Streets. The house had a second story balcony and Lincoln supposedly gave a speech from the balcony. Batt Masterson was to have lived in Middleport for a short time before making his trek west. Many of the deeds to property in Watseka are shown to be in the Stanley Addition and the Chamberlain Addition.
Notable persons of record that were born in Watseka or resided in Watseka are: Fern Andrews Andra, a stage and film actress and film director. Henry Bacon (1866-1924, architect of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DS.C., and other notable buildings Sam Campbell (1895-1962), popular author and nature enthusiast. Rex Everhart (1920-2000), musical theatre and voice actor (Beauty and The Beast). Mike L. Fry, the original Happy the Hobo on the nationally syndicated children’s televi-
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sion series Happy’s Place. Sam Rice, Hall of Fame baseball outfielder. Vaughn R. Walker (born 1944), chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Noted for presiding over Perry vs. Schwarzenegger. Gordon Windhorn (born 1933), former major league baseball player. *Direct quote from the Beckwith History of Iroquois County. **Direct quote from the minutes of the Watseka City Council.
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Watseka Sesquicentennial
June 8, 2017
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World famous architect hails from Watseka By WENDY DAVIS, Reporter wdavis@intranix.com In 2016 the Iroquois County Historical Society took steps in honoring a native son who took his own steps in honoring a great Illinois man. Lincoln Memorial designer Henry Bacon was born in 1866 in Middleport Township. Bacon, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Kelton Bacon, spent just the first 18 months of his life in Iroquois County, but he always acknowledged Watseka as his birthplace. According to information from the Iroquois County Historical Society, it’s probable he was born slightly outside of the present city limits, west of Division Street today, on 40 acres bisected by Sugar Creek in Section 31 there. This land his father acquired in May of 1863 from Micajah Stanley. His family had lived in the county for 18 years, and his older brother Francis, whom he idolized, moved with the family when he was 13. His father was a civil engineer who came to Iroquois County as an engineer employed in the survey for the route of the Illinois Central Railroad through the area in 1852. He purchased a number of parcels of Iroquois County land. Among the sites included a steam saw and grist mill which had been established on Spring Creek in 1850 by James B. Matlock. The purchase was made in March of 1853 for $2,400; and later he also
arranged for Spring Creek water rights for the mill from John Miller. He operated the mill for several years before it dismantled, as he was acquiring additional adjacent acreage. In May of 1856 he had a settlement platted on his land, which he named Del Rey, as it’s also known today. He also owned 80 acres northwest of Milford, 38 acres east of Watseka and a track northwest of Middleport. Bacon grew up on the east coast, North
Carolina, but moved back to Illinois to attend the University of Illinois for a year. Then, he went to work in one of the most prestigious architectural firms in the country, McKim, Mead & White (MMW). He worked closely with Charles McKim in designing Chicago’s cityscape after he represented the firm at the 1883 Chicago World’s Fair, having designed many temporary structures. Bacon left to See BACON, page 13
CELEBRATING WATSEKA’S SESQUICENTENNIAL
THE BEST THINGS AROUND CAME FROM SMALL TOWNS & BIG DREAMS. —PAUL BRANDT
IROQUOISFED.COM
June 8, 2017
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Bacon, from page 12 make his own firm, named Brite and Bacon. Bacon wanted to design public, low profit, projects and the duo split. In 1902, Charles McKim advocated for Bacon to the McMillian Commission, which wanted the Washington mall designed and a monument dedicated to Lincoln. It took 10 years to be awarded the job and another 10 years to complete it. “He was selected because of his skill, not because he was lucky.” Though “Uncle Joe” Cannon, U.S. Speaker of the House and a Danville native, did try to get him on the short list of designers. Bacon was known as a good collaborator, and his designs worked well with sculptors. The Lincoln Memorial, Bacon was noted for saying, is an American temple dedicated to a man who kept the country together. He earned a Gold Medal of Architecture. At the Lincoln Memorial on the evening of May 18, 1923, Chief Justice and former President William H. Taft escorted Bacon to then President Warren G. Harding.
In presenting the rare medal to Bacon, Harding noted “the nobility of design, the purity of detail, and perfection of execution of the monument’s design”, which he declared, “uniquely reflected the genius, character, simple aims, and unquestioning integrity of Lincoln the Emancipator”. Bacon died Feb. 16, 1924, just two years after the completion of the Lincoln Memorial. He is buried in North Carolina. Wesleyan University in Connecticut houses Bacon’s entire library with plans, drawings, etc. and is “a repository for Bacon’s heritage”. He designed many of its buildings still in use today. His works also included New York’s Penn Station, the World War I Memorial at Yale University and the Confederate Memorial in Wilmington, N.C., as well as the American Revolutionary War Memorial in Danville. Other prominent buildings include Hall of History at the American University in Washington D.C. in 1891; La Fetra Mansion, Summit, N.J., in 1897; Chesterwood, the home and studio of Daniel Chester French, who designed the 19 foot tall Abraham Lincoln
within the Memorial, in Berkshires, Mass., in 1897-1901; Public Library in Jersey City, N.J., in 1898; Danforth Memorial Library in Paterson, N.J., in 1906; and Court of Four Seasons, Pan-Pacific Exposition, in San Francisco, Calif., in 1915. (Photo, page 12) Henry Bacon was the architect for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., which is visited by hundreds of people each year. (Photo, this page) Henry Bacon was born in Watseka in 1866. (Photo, this page, inset) Henry Bacon designed the American Revolutionary War Memorial in Danville. Photos contributed
Congratulations on 150 Years! Proud to be a part of the Watseka Community then!
At one time the Watseka calaboose and pound was located on the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets. The calaboose was used to confine minor lawbreakers and those who had liberally imbibed of alcoholic spirits; the pound was used to confine stray hogs and cattle picked up by the poundmaster. By 1917 a Standard Service Station was located on this corner facing the northwest when it was thought the Dixie Highway was going to turn south of Fifth Street. In 1929 bids were taken for a new facility on the site with the new station facing the north. Vince O’Brien, Kenneth Hill and Robert Adams each operated this station before Jim and Lucille Pence, Amoco agents from 1965 to 1975, purchased the bulk route and service station from Standard Oil in 1975. They began operating as independents under the name Pence Oil Company and from 1975 to 1978, they operated from the former Marathon Bulk Pant on the west side of Watseka. Pence Oil Servicenter began operating on the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets in 1978. By 1980, the company moved its offices into the adjacent brick building at 313 E. Walnut St. where Shonkwiler Motors and the TimesRepublic newspaper each had been located. Son Terry Pence and sonin-law Rich Moyer purchased the business in 2005 when Jim and Lucille Pence retired.
First Presbyterian Church The First Presbyterian Church of Watseka is one of the oldest churches in Watseka. In October of 1853, the Presbyterian Church of Middleport was organized with 13 charter members. Plans to construct a church moved slowly and were delayed even more by the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, but finally in 1864, a small frame church was dedicated, located on the northeast corner of Jefferson (now Illinois Route 1) and Pleasant Streets in Middleport. When the Middleport Courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1862, the county seat was moved to South Middleport, by that time called Watseka. In 1872, the First Presbyterian Church in Watseka was organized. In 1884, a single room brick building was dedicated on the site of the present church on East Cherry Street. In 1898 this first brick structure was enlarged and the large art glass window “Christ Knocking at the Door” was added. As the church continued to grow, the women of the church started a building fund, and in 1914 the new and present structure was dedicated. Other Watseka churches canceled their services on Dedication Sunday so their congregations could attend the Presbyterian ceremonies. From 600 to 700 people occupied the Church that Sunday.
Pence Oil carries a full line of BP fuels and Mobil lubricants as well as industrial oils for farm, commercial and industrial use. The Pence Service Center is a full-service BP gasoline and automotive repair station with 24 hour road and towing service and snack shop. A familyowned, family-run operation, at Pence Oil Company, the standard is quality customer service.
Proud to be a part of the Watseka Community now!
313 E. Walnut St. Watseka, IL
815-432-3282
The First Presbyterian Church is located at 215 E. Cherry Street in Watseka. Phone 815-432-3096. Pastor Tom McCann leads a Bible study at 9 a.m. on Sundays, with Worship Services at 10:15 a.m. Fellowship Hour follows the church service.
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Legion Park offers recreation opportunities By WENDY DAVIS, Reporter wdavis@intranix.com Watseka has Legion Park. It’s been part of the city for 65 years. It’s been a site for swimming, family get togethers, baseball, fishing and flooding. It was developed into a park in 1952, when the American Legion Post 23 purchased 60 acres on the south edge for the purpose of creating a community park. It was financed in part by subdividing 10 acres which were sold as building lots, according to information found by Dr. Al Day, past commander and current adjutant of Post 23. Day’s information came from previous histories written about Legion Park by the late Sherry Waters, editor for the Iroquois County Times-Republic, the late Victor Koester, past commander, Post 23, and Russell Wessels, past commander and past adjutant, Post 23. A pool opened in the park June 6, two years later. On opening day there were 400 swimmers who took their first dip in the new pool. Since 1973 the city has run the pool, now contracting the responsibilities to the Watseka Park District. It also has about two acres around the pool deeded to it from the Post to the city when the Legion’s finances were dwindling. In 1955 a baseball diamond and two softball diamonds were constructed on the east side of the park, along Belmont Avenue. The Watseka Girls Softball League had used the softball fields but have since built its own complex behind the high school These fields are now used by the Watseka Little League as practice fields. The baseball diamond is used by the high school boys team, and the Post’s own American Legion team, when it can be fielded, Day said. “More recently, a semi-pro team played there for a couple of years. We have been told by players, coaches and parents of visiting teams that we have the best baseball facility within 50 miles of Watseka.” South of the fields a lagoon was dug in 1958. It’s been used as a fishing pond and is stocked with fish periodically. For many years the Iroquois Valley Shrine
See LEGION, page 15
Travel Discoveries II 129 E. Walnut St. Watseka, IL 60970
Dick and Andrew Arie
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Joan Cook, of Watseka, opened Travel Discoveries in May 1981. Many dramatic changes have taken place in the travel industry over the years, especially with the birth of the internet. In the early 80’s, Travel Discoveries was mostly booking airline tickets. The business then moved into booking honeymoons and international travel and then focusing on group travel. In January 2016, Joan and John Cook were looking towards retirement and decided to sell the business to Julie Morgeson and Amy Reetz. Julie and Amy felt very blessed to purchase a well-established and well respected business. They were comfortable in their new role as they had escorted trips for Travel Discoveries in previous years. Julie and Amy are also very knowledgeable about travel destinations having visited over 30 countries spanning 6 continents. After 36 years, Travel Discoveries II remains a full service travel agency that has thrived given hard work, dedicated staff, and loyal customers.
“Have You Been Everywhere Yet?” Call Travel Discoveries II at 815-432-6121
June 8, 2017
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(Photos, page 14) Legion Park provides recreation opportunities such as the city swimming pool, and a lagoon, walking bridge, playground equipment and other amenities. (Photo, this page) The Veterans Memorial is located in Legion Park, where the annual Memorial Day ceremony is conducted. Photos by Wendy Davis
Legion, from page 14
Club had an annual fishing derby at the pond in July. A foot bridge was constructed in 1988-89 to provide better access to all part of the park. “Sixteen members of our Post donated 4,000 hours of time to remove old trees, plant new trees and construct the bridge. Iroquois Paving donated the use of construction equipment to be used on this job. The lagoon was also cleaned and enlarged at that time.” The lagoon was dredged in 2014; white rock was placed around its banks and it was restocked with fish. In the early days of the park Legion members built a wooden bridge which crossed the ravine south of the memorial. In 2016 a new weathering steel walk bridge was constructed to replace the previous bridge. At the same time the banks were shaped and new grass seed was sown. Both bridges have been used by wedding parties, prom groups and other photo takers to pose on to commemorate special events. 5 The south edge of the park is bounded by Sugar Creek. The Watseka Community High
School Ecology Club has used the creek for its studies and the biology class has used the park to learn to identify various species of trees. Throughout the park there were picnic shelters and individual picnic tables placed. Many of the newer tables are plastic coated metal with attached benches. Many of these have been donated by local residents in memory of loved ones. There’s three playground areas. “Some of the playground equipment dates back to the early days of the park.” These pieces are at the east and west parts of Legion Park. The newest equipment was placed on the east side near the current Post home. In 1969 a Veterans Memorial dedicated to “all the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces” was built in the park. In 2006 it underwent extensive repairs costing $45,000, money that was donated by the Post members, business owners and people of the city of Watseka. This memorial is the site of the Legion’s Memorial Day service each year.
The Legion takes pride in its Memorial Day services, as well as its Veterans Day services. “I’m proud of the American Legion,” Day said. “In the future we hope to continue to make new park improvements and acquire more new playground.” Unfortunately, he said, “as with other civic minded organizations, our older members are passing on and we need an infusion of new blood to continue the traditions of the American Legion. We need younger members to become members of our Honor Guard, which serves at the funeral of any veteran whose family makes such a request. We need younger members to participate in Poppy Day, where all the money collected goes to help hospitalized veterans. We need younger members to help place flags on the graves of deceased veterans. We need younger members to march in parades and carry our flag. We need younger members to participate in all the things we do to serve our city, state, and nation.”
219 S. 4th St., Watseka, IL 815-432-2406
3 Generations Proud to Serve the Watseka Community
Congratulations on 150 Years!
Our History
It all began with Bishop and LaRouche, a couple of cabinetmakers turned carpenters turned undertakers. In 1897, L.B. Segur bought out John Bishop’s interest in the furniture and undertaking business, and by the next year, he’d bought out Mr. LaRouche. According to newspaper accounts, the Segur name was growing to be synonymous with quality merchandise and fair business practices. In 1899 Segur experienced a real calamity. A fire destroyed almost all of his possessions and ruined the interior of his building. He chose a temporary place to relocate until he was able to purchase the lower portion of the old Odd Fellows Hall. He was there for a number of years while eventually buying out the rest of the building. In 1928, he built the permanent quarters for the Segur Furniture and Undertaking establishment. By now, Mr. And Mrs. Segur had three sons joining them in the business, but only one, Kenny, handled the funeral home. By 1933, funeral homes were moving from back rooms of furniture stores and into quarters of their own. L.B. Segur was looking ahead when he purchased the George Keath home located at 219 South 4th St. in Watseka. Before he could complete the remodeling of the home for his mortuary, he passed away. Kenny and his brothers carried out the plans of their father in the next few years, and soon ended up with a well equipped and efficiently arranged mortuary. By 1947, the local papers were reporting that the well-designed business was being used as a model for many other funeral homes in Illinois and Indiana. In 1969, nearly forty years after Kenny had joined the business, Wayne D. Knapp bought Back Row: Adam Knapp, Steve Knapp, the business and merged to form Segur-Knapp Funeral Home. Wayne had graduated from a Andrew Knapp. Seated: Wayne Knapp Chicago mortuary school in 1952, worked in Europe for two years as a mobile embalmer while serving in the Army, and then came back to work in Danville. Wayne had several locations in Iroquois county at the time, and thought it would work out well to come to Watseka. At this time, Mr. Knapp was also the Iroquois County Coroner, an elected position he held for 16 years. In 1970, Knapp completed a brand new facility that still exists on the original 219 South 4th St. location. The older facility that was used for many years by the Segur family was then moved to the far western part of the lot. The business was able to remain open throughout all of the construction, in the year it took to build the new facility. In 1979, Knapp’s son, Steven W. Knapp, joined the firm after graduating from Southern Illinois University with a B.S. in Mortuary Management. And in 2007, Steve’s son, Adam J. Knapp joined the family business after graduating from Southern Illinois University with a B.S. degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service. There has been many upgrades and remodeling efforts done to all of the facilities over the years by the Knapp Family. In addition, many locations have been added to cover several counties, including, Iroquois, Ford, and Vermillion Counties. To have Three Generations of funeral directors working together is a rare and proud accomplishment by the Knapp Family. Knapp Funeral Homes is built on the service and care we give to our families. The firm has earned its Centennial place in the State of Illinois Historical Society. In 1997, Knapp Funeral Homes celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Considering Bishop and LaRouche started the firm, its probably been in existence for over 150 years...but whose counting!
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Reflections on growing up in Watseka The Times-Republic asked people to write about growing up in Watseka. Here are a few of the responses we received.
Russell Bills
Occupation: Owner of Watseka Suzuki Honda Kawasaki How long have you worked here? 40 years Did you grow up in Watseka? Yes Did you go to high school here? Yes Did you stay in Watseka after high school? yes Thoughts, reflections, memories, special places? When I was a kid, we weren’t allowed to cross any hard roads. That was the rule. Living on the Westside, that left a large timber to explore in the back yard. The natural resources were abundant back then. The photo (left) is of a 2 year old Russ, with his dad, John and his brother, Ron. Russ is holding his Red Ryder BB gun. Russ doesn’t remember any details of that day other than his dad looks happy and his mother, Ellen was probably giving birth to his oldest sister, Regina. The photo was taken around 1957 at his childhood home at 908 N. Virginia, Watseka, IL. (Right) Russell Bills in Watseka today.
Stacy Beam
Occupation: Marketing, advertising and sales at Watseka Suzuki Honda Kawasaki Start date: July 2016 Did you grow up in Watseka? Yes, except for 1991-1994 I lived over in Stuttgart, Germany. (dad was stationed there) Did you go to high school here? Yes Class of 2001 Did you stay after high school? No. I moved to Carbondale for college, and then up to Dekalb in 2002 where I stayed until 2009. I then decided to moved to northern California and live in the coastal Redwoods. In 2010, I came back home to help my Grandma, Doris Bitzel after a hand surgery, then decided to stay, and go back to school. I ran into a high school sweetheart, Josh Siebert at KCC, we started dating, and live happily ever after. Our daughter Scarlett Jean is 4 years old. Thoughts, reflections, memories: I spent a lot of time hanging out at East Side Bowl. For lack of anything better to do under the age of 21 in this town, I spent a lot of time “cruising the strip” in my 1994 yellow Geo Tracker. In high school, I loved marching in all of the parades with the WCHS Marching Warriors. I played the alto and baritone saxophone. I worked at Subway all through high school. (Photo, above) Stacy Beam today. (Photo, above, right) Stacy and her mother around 1985 at the Hungry House Restaurant.
Congratulations Watseka! 150 years and growing!
Susan Elliot Allhands
Occupation: office manager for 23 years at Watseka Suzuki Honda Kawasaki. She up in Watseka, went to WCHS, and graduated in 1969. She stayed in Watseka after graduating. When she was a kid, her aunt and uncle ran the Porky Barn. She remembers that the roller rink had a dance every week, and when it was over, it was safe for the kids to walk home at night. (Photo, above) Susan Allhands and Russell Bills work at Watseka Suzuki Honda.
H&R Block is growing with you. Founded in 1955 by brothers Henry W. and Richard Block, H&R Block has grown from a small bookkeeping business in downtown Kansas City to over 12,000 retail tax offices worldwide. Watseka H&R Block opened their doors in 1974 under the leadership of Ed Rulison. Mr. Rulison retired at the age of 84 and Grace Carmichael took control of the reins. Grace has been with H&R Block since 1978. Together with her staff they have over 75 years experience. When it comes to tax preparation services, the H&R Block professionals are here to meet your tax needs.
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Katharine Clifton helped shape Iroquois County By WENDY DAVIS, Reporter wdavis@intranix.com Katharine Clifton is woman who has helped shape Iroquois County. She was a world traveler and philanthropist. She decided to leave most of her estate to build the community she called home. Clifton and her mother, Grace, traveled the world from the time when she was in her teens. She celebrated her 13th birthday in Quebec, her 14th in Indian Territory now Oklahoma, 15th at Yellowstone Park, 16th on the S.S. Rhein, a North German Lloyd liner in the North Atlantic bound for Bremen, Germany, 17th at Trossachs Pass, Perth County Scotland. She studied at the Sorbonne, new and corresponded with Rudyard Kipling, was an accomplished concert violinist, studied astronomy, was fluent in Spanish, French and German, was an accomplished private pilot with more than 3,000 hours logged. She flew her own airplane almost daily until the time of her death. She was also a licensed glider pilot. She flew her plane solo as far as California. She was quiet and unassuming, yet adventuresome. The world traveler, with her mother, had established residences in New York, Paris, New Orleans, California, and Hawaii, but it was Watseka which she made her permanent home. As the weather was “invigorating” and the seasons “renewing of the interest in life”. She didn’t watch television, but she’d read several books a week, with a favorite being Greek philosopher Epictetus, listen to clas-
sical music, practice the violin, manage her property, and spend several hours everyday at her desk on business paperwork. It was a presence which didn’t begin with her. It was her grandfather who rooted his family in the area. Josiah Matzenbaugh was 25-years-old in 1857. He was farming 160 acres seven miles north of Watseka, near Pittwood. He was a settler from the east and “entered” government land to break it for cultivation and purchasing title. That year he bought that acreage from the government, obtaining the original land patent issued April 15, 1857, by President James Buchanan. The price was $1.25 per acre. Matzenbaugh married in 1857 and in the first six years of marriage, three children were born, but all died between the ages of 1 1/2 and 5 from childhood diseases. His daughter Grace was born March 12, 1871, who was the only child to survive into adulthood. His wife, and Grace’s mother, died in 1889. Matzenbaugh was an industrious and thrifty farmer. He saved what little money he could make and soon demonstrated his business ability by loaning money to other residents. After several years of careful judgement in making loans had increased his net worth to the point where he quit farming, he moved to Watseka to continue his financial business under the name of J. Matzenbaugh and Co. The last Watseka residence of the Matzenbaugh family was at 116 E. Oak St. and was
Saluting Watseka on 150 Years!
For more than 98 years, the Watseka American Legion Post 23 has been part of the largest wartime veterans service organization. Advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security and continued devotion to their fellow service members and veterans are just a small part of their mission. If you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces during any of the war eras, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving -- you are eligible for membership in the American Legion! Meetings are held second Monday of every month at 6 p.m. The American Legion Auxiliary, the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization, supports the American Legion and embodies the spirit of America that has prevailed through war and peace. Along with The American Legion, it solidly stands behind America and her ideals. Post 23 has owned and maintained Legion Park for more than 60 years. Pavilions and playground equipment are for public use and enjoyment.
Looking for a meeting hall or banquet facility? Our home has seating for 100 plus full kitchen.
Watseka American Legion Post 23 968 S. 4th St., Watseka, IL
815-432-4442
KATHARINE CLIFTON purchased in April 13, 1883, for $1,550. In November of 1874 he and Henry Skeels purchased the private bank of Donovan, Woodford and Co., which they renamed the Watseka Bank. In 1887, he sold out to Skeels, who continued the bank until it failed in 1879. Matzenbaugh continued to make sound business loans and to invest in Iroquois County farmland. He took a train ride to southern Texas lookSee CLIFTON, page 18
When in 1925 a group of independent auto part sellers formed the National Automotive Parts Association - their mission was simple: Improve the distribution of auto parts to serve the people and businesses who increasingly relied on cars and trucks for their transportation needs. Watseka NAPA is proud to daily carry on this tradition. Local faces greet you when you walk in the door or call on the phone. These knowledgeable individuals go out of their way to make sure you get the correct part of application to get the job done right. Watseka NAPA was the first store Roger Dittrich opened in November, 2003. Since that time the number of stores has grown to 11 stores in Illinois plus an additional 9 in neighboring Indiana. A large warehouse in Watseka serves as the distribution center for the 20 locations. The warehouse carries an extensive inventory of parts for automobile and industrial applications. When you need to know how, seek the professionals at NAPA Know How and get the job done right.
Auto Parts 701 E. Walnut, Watseka, IL
815-432-2000
7am-5:30pm Mon.-Fri. 8am-2pm Saturday
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Clifton, from page 17 ing for other investments. This was in 1900 and he was 68-years-old. He purchased a tract with 11,797 acres of extremely flat land with deep, black topsoil. It was all rangeland, containing scrub growth and cactus. He paid $32,500 dollars for it. It is located about 40 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and Corpus Christi, and occupied all the land along the east side of the present Texas State Route 359 between the towns of Mathis and Tynan, a distance of six miles. He deeded it to Grace in 1903. Grace married in 1892 and in 1893 he died in a flu epidemic. Four months later, Katherine was born Aug. 22. Grace would go on to marry Charles W. Raymond of Watseka, a Federal District Judge in the Indian Territory by appointment of President William McKinley. They were married Jan. 5, 1902, at Mathis, Texas. After that judgeship expired Dec. 14, 1905, the two moved back to Watseka. Raymond managed to grow Matzenbaugh’s 1,000 acres to more than 5,000 acres. One of Matzenbaugh’s reasons for seeking investments outside of Iroquois County maybe in the fact he was summoned to appear before the Board of Review of Iroquois County at its session in 1900 to answer why he should not make a report of personal property for assessment for that year. He appeared and pleaded that prior to the first day of April in 1900 he removed from the state of Illinois to the state of Texas and at the same time removed his personal property to the state of Texas. He never resided in Iroquois County after 1900. He died July 24, 1904, at a San Antonio hospital. He was temporarily entombed in a cemetery in St. Louis before taken to the Matzenbaugh Mausoleum in Oak Hill Cemetery Sept. 13, 1906. Grace died in 1935 and Charles Raymond died in 1939. Clifton was the only descendant of Josiah Matzenbaugh. And she had no children herself. She had her own ranch in Texas, collecting only grazing payment of 60 cents per acre and mineral lease payment of $1 per acre for many years. She had no desire to grow her estate, nor did she attempt to devel-
104 E. Walnut St., Watseka, IL
815-432-5423
Imperial Hairstyling first opened in the Value Village Mall in the early fall of 1972. We are in our third location inside Watseka, IL.
Photos contributed (Above) Josiah Matzenbaugh made his home on Oak Street near Second Street. (Above, inset) A plaque dedicated to Katharine Clifton hangs at the Iroquois County Courthouse. op the Matzenbaugh ranch. Oil holes went dry. In 1939 the town of Mathis, Texas, needed room for expansion and Clifton sold off 162 acres adjacent to the town to make expansion and subdivision possible. In 1949-50 she sold the ranch in two transaction to a group of about 14 persons for about $120 an acre. The ranch was cleared and irrigated. Water wells and ditches allowed for the production of melons, eventually. The sale accrued her about $1 million, which she invested in stocks and bonds through an agency account at the First National Bank of Chicago. Clifton’s death was the end of the family linage. She had no children nor close relatives. Her will gave Iroquois County $1.5 million for the purpose of building the new courthouse building on 10th Street. There were numerous other charities and individuals which received gifts. She left about $2 million in a trust to pay $10,000 per year to a former employee for the remainder of his life, with the balance of income each year to the Iroquois Hospital and Resident Home, and the trust fund itself to be distributed to charities in Iroquois County at the death of the former employee. — Information in this story was found in the Glimpses of the Past publication from 1967.
Congratulations on 150 years Watseka! Iroquois Farmers State Bank
Carl “Whitey” Davis has both a barber license and a cosmetology license. Additionally, for twelve years, Mr. Davis worked as a guest artist for Redken Laboratories primarily demonstrating hair cutting and perm waving. Our mission inside Imperial Hairstyling is to help you to look and feel extra special. Our work areas are semi private so the stylist and the guest can work closely together to determine what must be done to make you as happy as we can make you. We use and recommend both Redken and Pureology products. The services currently being offered inside Imperial Hairstyling are hair cutting and styling for men, women and children, perm waving and color. We also do waxing and have available hair replacements for men and women. We have a public fax service and we can make copies for you. We have been renting tuxedos and suits for all of your special functions since the late 1980’s. We also have two sun tanning beds available to you. We pride ourselves in the way that we treat our guests and we look forward to serving you. We are always looking for talented professionals that would like to join our team. If you are one of those or you know someone that is, we would like to talk to them. We are here from 8 am to 6 pm Monday thru Saturday noon. We are closed all day Thursday and Sunday. Try something out of your normal routine, call us for your next appointment at 815-432-5423.
Congratulations Watseka ~ 150 Years ~
Iroquois - Main office (815) 429-3337
Beaverville (815) 435-2036
Sheldon (815) 429-3331
Ashkum (815) 698-2346
Gilman (815) 265-4707
Watseka (815) 432-4198
www.iroqbank.com History Iroquois Farmers State Bank (IFSB) opened in 1919 with capital and surplus of $25,000 and assets of $400,000. When the Bank opened in Iroquois, it was the first and remains the only bank to operate in Iroquois. The Bank has continued to expand both services and locations over the years. In 1980, S & H Holdings, Inc., a bank holding company, was formed and wholly owns IFSB. In 1982, the bank opened a branch in Beaverville, IL to serve the many customers of that area. In 1988, S & H Holdings, Inc. purchased Central Bank of Ashkum and Gilman. Central Bank, like Iroquois, had a rich history in agriculture and serving local communities. In 2016, S & H Holdings, Inc. purchased Sumner National Bank (SNB), a bank which was owned and operated by the Sumner family since 1902. SNB had locations in both Sheldon and Watseka. IFSB continues its local focus lending to area residents and businesses, providing local college scholarships, and donating to local causes. Being family owned and operated, IFSB prides itself on exceptional customer service and separating itself from the megabank mentality of banking.
June 8, 2017
Watseka Sesquicentennial
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The story of Watch-e-kee By WENDY DAVIS, Reporter wdavis@intranix.com There is only one Watseka, and it’s name is from the the Potawatomi woman Watch-e-kee. Col. Gurdon S. Hubbard was traveling through the area in the early 1800s. He set up trading posts along the Iroquois River. He came upon Native Americans and found that he needed to build solid relations with the group to guarantee his safety. This ultimately led to his marriage to a native woman. Pottawatomie Chief Tamin had a niece, Watch-e-kee. She was called “Watseka” by the whites at the time. Hubbard wrote a letter explaining his eventual relationship. “I have no wish to deny the fact of her being my wife, given me by her uncle (the chief) when she was about 10, in the place of his grown daughter whom he presented to me, and whom I declined. This little girl was to take her place, and was, under my pledge to make her my wife, brought to me by her mother at the age of 14 or 15. She bore me a daughter who died at about eight-months-old. I lived with this Indian woman about two years in harmony. Our separation was by mutual agreement, in perfect friendship, and because I was about to abandon the Indian trade, and of course my connection with her tribe.” She was born near “Buncome”, today’s Bunkum or Iroquois, about the year 1810. She was known to be handsome, intelligent and a superior Indian woman. After the separation from Hubbard she returned to her tribe, later marrying Noel Le Vasseur in 1828, who had been left in charge of the area’s post. The tribe were removed west after the treaty of October 1833. She and Le Vasseur moved to Bourbonnais Grove on the Kankakee River. The couple had several children. Her husband took her in a carriage as far as the Mississippi River, and it’s said that he made ample provision for her and that she was in comfortable circumstances until her death. She went in 1837 with the remnant of her tribe, locating near Council Bluffs. Here she married a Frenchman named Bergeron. Around 1863 she returned on a visit to Le Vasseur at Bourbonnais Grove. At this time also she walked alone to visit the graves of her kindred and tribe near Middleport and Buncombe. She left the area then as the last Pottawatomie to set foot upon the soil of Iroquois County. She returned to Kansas. About the year 1878 in the Pottawatomie Reservation in Kansas she died. — Information from this story was found in Glimpses of the Past published in 1967, which featured the story from the History of Iroquois County, written by H.W. Beckwith in 1880.
WATCH-E-KEE Photo contributed
Celebrate Watseka Celebrate Main Street Gifts
Carma and her girls are happy to be able to serve the community for the past 30 years. Main Street Gifts has been your go-to-place for decorating and gift-giving needs.
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June 8, 2017
The Dralle Family of Auto Dealerships: A Proud Heritage Our story starts with Dave Dralle Sr., company founder and father of the Dralle brothers who currently own and operate the family’s auto dealerships.
Dave Dralle married his high school sweetheart, Irma, 11 days after high school graduation. They lived on the home farm in south central Will County for 17 years, where they raised their four sons. Dralle love farming, it is there where he passed along his unwavering work ethic to his sons, who were active in 4-H and Future Farmers of America. It seemed a natural extension of farming was to expand into selling John Deere equipment to other farmers throughout the area. Dave was a natural entrepreneur and his John Deere dealership was very successful. The experience opened the door for what became the family’s destiny: cars.
Dave Dralle jumped at the opportunity to buy the Chevrolet Buick dealership in downtown Peotone in 1960. The business grew rapidly under his skilled management and with the help of his hardworking and honest employees. At one point or another, everyone in the family has worked in the dealerships. Irma attended the GM School of Accounting and helped out by managing the company’s books. Three of the couple’s four sons – Dave Jr., Greg and John – worked their way up and now own dealerships in Watseka and Peotone. In 1982, Dave Jr. and Greg teamed up to buy their Dad’s business, Dralle Chevrolet and Buick in Peotone. In 1991, they expanded their operation to Watseka opening Dralle Chevrolet Cadillac Oldsmobile with John as the general manager. In 1996, John further expanded their presence in Watseka by acquiring the Buick Pontiac and GMC Cadillac. And, the next generation is entering the family business as well, with several of the late founder’s grandchildren now working at the dealerships. After selling to his sons, Dave Dralle returned to farming full time. He passed away in 1992, leaving a tremendous family legacy. The Dralles have successfully adapted to shifts in the auto industry over the decades, including economic downturns and major technological advances that changed the way people shop for and purchase vehicles.
Technology revolutionized the industry as more people turned to the Internet to shop for - and compare - automobiles. Prior to that, people visited an average of seven car dealerships to “kick the tires” and compare cars and prices before making a purchase. Today, car buyers do most of their shopping before ever leaving home. The average buyer only visits 1.6 car dealers before purchasing. To adapt, the Dralles have considerably changed their marketing approach to reach the online shopper. They also have made significant investments to improve and modernize the look and feel of their facilities to ensure shoppers and owners who are in for service feel comfortable and welcome. Dralle values its community of owners, which is why the dealerships have many repeat buyers. The business also survived and even thrived through difficult times, including the recession of the last decade. The Dralle family buckled down and cut expenses. Car dealers were in survival mode and many went out of business. The Dralles sharpened their operational skills and emerged from the economic turmoil as better car dealers. They were ready to meet market demand when it returned. Dralle’s commitment to customer service garners many awards. Dralle is considered to be among the top dealers in the Greater Chicago area, having won awards for both sales and customer service. We are especially proud to have been awarded numerous Mark of Excellence Awards from General Motors.
Milestones • David Dralle Sr. and his father Ed started a John Deere dealership in Peotone in 1953. • David Dralle Sr. and his wife Irma purchased the Chevrolet Buick dealership in downtown Peotone in 1960, establishing Dralle Chevrolet and Buick. • The Dralles constructed a new building on Route 50 to house the growing dealership and the John Deere business. The grand opening was in 1963. • In 1973 sons Dave Dralle Jr. and Greg joined the business full-time, with Greg working in the service department and Dave Dralle Jr. in the sales department. • By 1975 the car business was so successful the building could no longer house both the auto dealership and the John Deere business. Dave Dralle Sr. sold his share of the John Deere dealership and focused solely on the auto dealership. • Sons Dave and Greg purchased the Peotone dealership from their bather in 1982. They upgraded the interior and exterior of the building to expand to a nine-car showroom from a five-car showroom. • The Dralles expanded to a second location in Watseka in 1991. They purchased another nearby dealership in 1996 and combined it into what is now Dralle Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac in Watseka. • in 1999, a brand new 18,000 square foot facility was built in Watseka. This addition included 2lane service drive and an 8-car showroom. • In 2013 and 2014, both the Peotone and Watseka dealerships were significantly upgraded and remodeled to better serve our customers.
1090 E. Walnut St., Watseka, IL
815-432-4948 DralleWatseka.com
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City leaders welcome everyone to celebration By CARLA WATERS, Managing Editor cwaters@intranix.com With the city’s 150th celebration imminent, two men at the forefront of this year’s celebration are the latest two mayors: Bob Harwood, who served the city for eight years, and John Allhands who took office in May. The two men have committed themselves to the well-being of the city, and both are welcoming everyone to this year’s celebration. “On behalf of the city government and both of us, we wish to welcome everyone to Watseka to celebrate our 150th birthday,” Allhands said. “As we celebrate the city, its people and its history, there are a variety of events for people to enjoy,” Harwood said. Harwood said it grew from a two-day event to now spanning four and many people have worked hard to get the events in place. Most of the events are free, something Harwood said was wanted from the beginning. The city put a budget of $70,000 on the event, and the committee has been able to stay within that budget while bringing several concerts, food vendors, car shows, kids games, and other activities to the city for not only the the citizens of Watseka, but for everyone in the area to enjoy. “We invite everyone to come to the city to help Watseka celebrate,” Allhands said. “We wish to bring back former residents and invite people from the surrounding communities so we can celebrate Watseka in unity, fellowship Photo by Carla Waters and camaraderie, he said. “We hope you all share in this celebration of Mayor John Allhands honors Mayor Bob Harwood during the the city’s history. “The city takes pride in being the county seat and we feel this should change of mayorship in May. The two men have worked together on be a county-wide celebration,” he said. “We wish to share this with the a number of issues, including the Watseka Sesquicentennial. They entire area. We want everyone to come to Watseka and enjoy the activi- invite everyone in the area to Watseka to celebrate June 8-11. ties.” Harwood and Allhands each said, too, that the city has a bright future. Watseka, county seat of Iroquois County, has a retail center that gives people from the region opportunities to shop for items they need. Watseka also has job opportunities in the business sector, and city officials continue to work with local businesses to help them grow as well as talking with representatives of new business ventures when those arise. The 150th is a time for everyone to reflect on the history of Watseka and to look ahead to the future. Both men believe in the bright future Watseka has. “There’s no place like Watseka,” Allhands said. The celebration begins June 8 and runs through June 11.
– Serving the area since 1916 – The Iroquois Hospital (the original name) was founded in 1913 through a generous $50,000 donation from Anna Donovan in honor of her husband John L. Donovan. The donation covered the cost of the land, the building and the equipment. On February 25, 1916 the hospital was open for public inspection and on February 28, 1916 with a staff of twelve employees, three patients were admitted. Today with over 425 employees, Iroquois Memorial Hospital and the Satellite Clinics have over 75,000 patient visits annually. Expansion of the campus began in 1952 with a two story wing that was added to the north and to the west of the original building. In 1958 the Iroquois Resident Home was built. It was the first nursing home attached to a hospital in the State of Illinois. In 1961 a third floor was added to the 1952 west wing addition. In 1971 a large three story addition was built on the east end of the hospital. This allowed IMH to expand to accommodate ninety-four patients. The new addition also included space for an Emergency Department, Surgery, X-Ray, Laboratory, Physical Therapy and Purchasing. In 1996 the IMH Specialty Clinic and North Entrance were completed as the first phase of a three phase construction project. The second phase, opened in 2001, was a rooftop helipad, patient transfer elevator, ambulance entrance, and back hallway connecting the Emergency Department to Medical imaging. The third and final phase was a new surgery center with four state of the art surgical suites and two procedure rooms. Iroquois Memorial Hospital’s growth also included clinics in various communities providing healthcare close to home. They included the IMH Milford Clinic in 1986, the IMH Gilman Clinic in 1989, the IMH Kentland Clinic in 1990, the Iroquois Regional Health Center in 2007, the IMH Multi Specialty Physicians Clinic in 2010, and the Iroquois Women’s Health Clinic in 2012. Over the years Iroquois Memorial has received numerous awards. The most recent awards include in 2001 Helipad of the Year by the Illinois Aviation Administration, 2005 a top 100 hospital by Solucient, and in 2015 the Iroquois Resident Home was named on of America’s Best Nursing Homes by U.S. News & World Report.
There has also been a commitment to technology with a 160 slice CT, Nuclear Medicine Camera, 3D Mammography, Ultrasound, and MRI all accredited by the American College of Radiology, IMH also has expanded into telemedicine with Telestroke and TeleICU. In 2017, IMH launched a new logo. Tim Smith, IMH CEO described the logo as “The trunk of the tree is
made up of people. These people represent our employees and the community that we care for. People are what makes IMH strong. The tree trunk is made up of 3 people which represent our past, our present, and our future. The tree has roots. IMH is deeply rooted in our community. We are here to stay. The tree has colorful leaves. IMH is alive and growing. The word believe is carved in our bark. We believe that together we will be successful.”
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Tugboat named U.S.S. Watseka served during World War II By CARLA WATERS, Managing Editor cwaters@intranix.com The Watseka Republican, a predecessor newspaper to the Times-Republic, wrote twice about a tug boat named for Watseka. On Oct. 25, 1945, Harry S. Streeter wrote a letter about seeing the tug boat in Saipan Harbor. “Early in the war Judge Roscoe C. South in a discussion at the Lions Club in Watseka, suggested that perhaps the Navy department might be prevailed upon to name some sort of a vessel after the city of Watseka. At the request of the club, he wrote to the Navy headquarters, suggesting this, and received a reply that the size of this city precluded any possibility of naming a large vessel “Watseka”, but that some smaller one might be so named,” wrote the Watseka Republican. “Melvin Stone had seen the name of a vessel named “Watseka” at one time when he was looking over some naval records. He could not find out just what it was however, this week, the matter was cleared up in the following letter from Attorney Harry S. Streeter of Kankakee.” The letter is from Streeter Photo contributed to South. An undated photo shows a vessel named “Watseka” behind a “Dear Judge, group of sailors. “It occurred to me you might be interesting in knowing that Watseka is really doing its part in the Pacific. The U.S.S. Watseka is a tugboat located in Saipan. Our son, who is a fireman first class (electrician mate) on the Sea-plane tender, U.S.S. Cumberland Sound (flagship of Fleet Air Wing 17) writes us under date of October first that in two recent trips to Saipan, the U.S.S. Watseka guided the U.S.S. Cumberland Sound into the harbor at Saipan. At Tokyo Bay on August 28th the boy spotted the U.S.S. Kankakee, this ship being a navy tanker, rather old, operating out of Pearl Harbor for some time past. “You see it takes both Watseka and Kankakee to make the Navy click. “Very truly yours, Harry S. Streeter” On May 2, 1946, the U.S.S. Watseka was again mentioned in the Watseka Republican. That paper had a picture of the vessel at Saipan. The Times-Republic has not been able to find a clear picture to reproduce from that time. The cutline under the photo reads “This is a picture of the U.S.S. Watseka taken by Lloyd Sorenson while he was in the Navy at Saipan. Last October we carried a story about this vessel and how it happened to be named “Watseka”. To refresh our readers memories, it was named at the suggestion of Judge Roscoe C. South, who wrote to the Navy department at the request of the Watseka Lions Club. Judge South had a letter from Harry S. Streeter, Kankakee, who told this his son had seen the “Watseka” at Saipan. A search on the internet shows that the “Watseka” appears to still be operational, though not with the military. It was placed in reserve, out of service and berthed with the Columbia River, Oregon, group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet from March 1946, and then sold July 1, 1972, according to The Nauticapedia Project at nauticapedia.ca. According to information from that website, the “Watseka” was purchased in 1943 from Ira S. Bushey and Sons, Brooklyn, N.Y. It was assigned to the 8th Naval District, New Orleans, La.. The vessel’s designation was changed from YTB-387 to YTN0387 on May 15 1944. It is now owned, according to the information, by Dale A.S. Romagnoli and Lori Teather, from 2008 to 2017, of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, and is still afloat as of this writing.
Congratulations Watseka On 150 Years
Proudly Serving
Watseka & The Surrounding Communities Since 1965 www.bigr.com •Burlington •McHenry •Rochelle
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ILLINOIS
Danville 3363 N. Vermilion 217-442-5800 Gibson City 623 E. First St. 217-784-4825 Homer Glen 15830 S. Bell Rd. 708-645-0805
INDIANA
McHenry 1860 N. Richmond Rd. 815-385-0606 Morris 2655 Sycamore Dr. 815-942-2153 Pekin 3315 Court St. 309-620-8378
Crawfordsville 1601 US Highway 231 765-362-0802 Elkhart 3501 S. Main St. 574-333-3887 Marion 1401 W. 26th St. 765-662-9163
Pontiac 1027 W. Reynolds 815-844-7000 Rochelle 1240 N. 7th St. 815-561-6622 Tilton 1625 S. Georgetown Rd. 217-446-0800
Michigan City 4301 S. Franklin St. 219-879-8317 North Elkhart 3101 Northview Dr. 574-264-6191 Rochester 2100 Peace Tree Village 574-223-2447
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Wabash 1550 N. Cass St. 260-569-6700 Warsaw 3660 Commerce Dr. 574-269-9303
Washington 70 Cherry Tree Shopping Center 309-481-5009 Watseka 1200 E. Walnut St. 815-432-4504
OHIO
Lima 975 North Cable Rd. 419-223-0113 Findlay 1800 Tiffin Rd. 419-425-8643
OPENING 2017 Big R of Streator, Illinois & Big R of Burlington, Wisconsin
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Sports teams have prevailed through the years Watseka has rich sports history, and someone who has kept up with that history is David A. Mitchell, who provided a few glimpses into athletics in Watseka through the years. By DAVID A. MITCHELL BOYS BASEBALL 2008-2009 24-7 4th-place 2A Head Coach: Darin Hartman Captains: Joey Benner, Dylan Defauw, Spencer Harris, Drew Watts, Seth Woods Season Highlight: 15-game winning streak Regional Championships: 2 – 2007-08 & 2008-09 (Darin Hartman)
Redeker); 1978-79 & 1979-80 (Marilyn Mauer); 1983-84 (Joe Sutfin); 2001-02 (Darin Hartman); 2012-13 & 2013-14 (Rebecca Swigert); 2014-15 (Barry Bauer) Top 5 Season Records: 2012-13 26-7 Rebecca Swigert 2013-14 24-6 Rebecca Swigert 2016-17 23-8 Barry Bauer 2011-13 23-9 Rebecca Swigert 2014-15 21-9 Barry Bauer BOYS FOOTBALL (See later information)
BOYS BASKETBALL (See later information) GIRLS BASKETBALL First year: 1977-78 Regional Championships: 8 -- 1977-78 (Barb
GIRLS SOFTBALL Regional Championship: 1 – 2006-07 Top 4 Season Records: 2013-14 24-6 Barry Bauer 2009-10 23-11 Barry Bauer 2015-16 22-8 Barry Bauer 2016-17 21-7 Barry Bauer
BOYS TRACK & FIELD First-place Medalists: Morris 1931-32 Pole Vault (11’ 6”, 3-way tie) Jeff Wood 1984-85 Shot Put (181’ 10”) Jeff Stone 1986-87 Long Jump (22’ 7 ¼”) GIRLS TRACK & FIELD First-place Medalists: Patty Carrell 1976-77 2-mile Run (10:41.3, National Record) 1978-79 1-mile Run (5:17.5) & 2-mile Run (11:17.3) 1979-80 1600-meter Run (5:07.6) & 3200-meter Run (11:16.7) Kendra German 1976-77 Shot Put (42’ 51/2”) Veronica Gadbois 1992-93 300-meter Low Hurdles (:45.62) GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
First Year: 1973-74 District Championships: 7 1974-75 to 198081 (Barb Redeker) Regional Championships: 16 1982-83 to 1987-88; 1989-90 to 1990-91; 1995-96 to 1996-97 (Barb Redeker); 2011-12 to 2016-17 (Krista Pufahl) Sectional Championships: 7 1985-86 & 1996-97 (Barb Redeker); 2011-12 & 2012-13, 2014-15 to 2016-17 (Krista Pufahl) Super-Sectional Championships: 1 – 2014-15 3rd-place 36-4 Krista Pufahl Top 5 Season Records: 2016-17 36-3 Krista Pufahl 2014-15 36-4 Krista Pufahl 2011-12 32-4 Krista Pufahl 2012-13 32-4 Krista Pufahl 2013-14 32-4 Krista Pufahl
Football scores through the years have been kept through efforts of Coaches Gordon McKenzie and Rick Odgers, said David A. Mitchell, who provided this information. 1898 - Campbell L Hoopeston L 8-11 Goodland (IN) L Milford 1899 – Campbell 1900 – Burnham (?) 1901 – Braden (?) W 5-0 Chicago Heights Bloom 1902 – Harrell (?) W 11-0 Sheldon W 12-0 Hoopeston W 12-5 Kankakee W 6-5 Kankakee W 6-0 Danville W 33-12 Hoopeston W 39-0 Harvey 1903 – George H. Hamilton W 34-0 Hyde Park L 0-6 Pontiac W 16-0 Grand Prairie Seminary/Onarga W 11-0 Hoopeston W 17-0 Danville T 5-5 Kankakee
W 34-0 Hoopeston W 18-0 Lafayette (IN) W 11-0 Alumni 1904 – George H. Hamilton W 22-0 Bloomington W 10-6 Hoopeston W 23-0 Pontiac W 71-0 Kankakee W 10-0 Hoopeston W 23-0 Grand Prairie Seminary/Onarga L 0-6 Grand Prairie Seminary/Onarga 1905 1906 1907 L 5-10 Momence L 0-30 Rossville W 119-0 Gilman 1908 W 9-6 Momence W 6-0 Kankakee W 80-0 Onarga 1909 W 23-0
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L 0-12 Danville L 0-16 Kankakee T 12-12 Hoopeston W 6-0 Kankakee L 6-28 Hoopeston W 6-0 Kentland (IN) 1910 1911 – Ellis L 0-14 Kentland (IN) Hoopeston Morocco (IN) Danville T 0-0 Kankakee L 0-18 Kentland (IN) 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 L 0-53 Kentland (IN) W 13-6 Hoopeston (Note: Remaining scheduled cancelled – flu epidemic) 1919
The great town of Watseka Celebrates 150 wonderful Years & the Watseka Theatre looks forward to bringing you great entertainment for the next 150! Join us for these upcoming shows:
1920 – C. Glenn Kaiser W 26-0 Hoopeston W 39-0 Rossville L 3-14 Danville W 15-0 Rensselaer (IN) W 7-0 Momence L 0-77 Gridley W 19-6 Fairbury W 27-0 Momence 1921 1922 – Manly Ross Petty W 45-0 Paxton L 0-12 Onarga Military School L 0-26 Kentland (IN) W 7-0 Gibson City L 6-51 Kankakee W 30-0 Wellington L 6-7 Milford L 3-29 Hoopeston Forrest Momence 1923 – Manly Ross Petty L 0-18 Rensselaer (IN) L 7-24 Onarga Military School
Cancelled Kankakee L 7-13 Kentland (IN) L 19-24 Hoopeston L 0-6 Gridley W 34-0 Milford W 36-7 Forrest W 18-0 Momence 1924 – Manly Ross Petty W 56-0 Gilman L 0-12 Rensselaer (IN) L 0-3 Onarga Military School L 12-21 Kankakee W 26-6 Momence L 0-28 Georgetown L 6-9 Milford L 0-32 Hoopeston L 0-31 Danville W 14-6 Kentland (IN) 1925 – Manly Ross Petty L 6-38 Rensselaer (IN) W 26-0 Momence L 2-7 Kankakee L 6-19 Hoopeston W 7-3 Georgetown L 0-44 Westville
L 2-6 Milford L 0-6 Kentland (IN) 1926 – Manly Ross Petty L 0-7 Danville L 0-25 Westville L 6-16 Hoopeston L 0-7 Momence L 0-30 Chicago Heights Bloom W 6-0 Onarga Cancelled Kankakee L 0-21 Georgetown W 6-0 Milford 1927 – Manly Ross Petty L 0-6 Westville L 0-13 Georgetown L 0-6 Melvin L 0-31 Hoopeston W 19-0 Onarga L 0-53 Chicago Heights Bloom W 7-6 Momence T 0-0 Milford 1928 – (5-2-1, 3-0-1
See BALL, page 24
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Ball, from page 23 Wauseca) Coach Vaughn Gill W 22-6 Gilman* L 0-38 Westville L 0-30 Georgetown W 19-0 Onarga* T 0-0 Melvin* W 18-6 Hoopeston W 12-0 Momence W 12-0 Milford* 1929 – E.G. Harrison L 7-34 Danville W 14-0 Gilman* L 0-53 Westville L 6-13 Gibson City* L 0-19 Rantoul* L 6-15 Onarga* L 0-47 Momence Cancelled Georgetown L 6-14 Milford* L 6-44 Hoopeston 1930 – E.G. Harrison W 12-0 Gilman* L 0-12 Chatsworth L 6-13 Rantoul* L 7-13 Gibson City* L 7-59 Hoopeston L 0-26 Momence* W 20-0 Milford* L 0-4 Onarga* 1931 – Leroy “Stix” Morley L 6-18 Hoopeston W 44-13 Chatsworth W 13-0 Gilman* L 25-26 Momence* W 33-0 Paxton* L 0-14 Onarga* W 7-0 Milford T 6-6 Gibson City* 1932 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 33-0 Chatsworth T 0-0 Gilman* W 20-0 Momence* T 0-0 Onarga* W 19-7 Paxton* L 6-7 Rossville L 2-7 Hoopeston W 12-0 Milford* L 6-38 Danville 1933 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 0-18 Danville W 20-13 Kentland (IN) W 26-6 Gilman* W 13-6 Momence*
L 0-18 Onarga* W 19-7 Paxton* W 20-0 Rantoul* W 13-0 Hoopeston W 32-0 Milford* 1934 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 0-6 Danville W 26-0 Kentland (IN) W 46-7 Gilman* W 34-0 Onarga* W 32-7 Paxton* W 38-6 Rantoul* W 19-0 Momence* W 53-0 Gibson City* W 80-0 Milford* 1935 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 0-6 Danville W 20-0 Kentland (IN) W 14-0 Hoopeston W 19-0 Onarga* W 6-0 Pontiac W 31-0 Paxton* W 59-0 Rantoul* W 19-0 Gibson City* W 26-0 Milford W 44-0 Gilman* 1936 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 12-0 Dwight W 39-0 Kentland (IN) W 19-0 Bradley W 6-0 Onarga* T 0-0 Hoopeston L 0-14 Paxton* W 6-0 Rantoul* W 19-14 Gibson City* T 6-6 Milford 1937 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 13-0 Gilman* L 0-13 Dwight L 0-21 Danville W 26-0 Onarga* L 0-35 Hoopeston T 0-0 Rantoul* W 13-0 Paxton* L 0-12 Gibson City* W 12-7 Milford 1938 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 0-20 Danville L 6-27 Dwight L 7-20 Momence W 18-13 Hoopeston W 20-0 Onarga* L 19-20 Paxton* W 13-0 Gibson City*
W L W
7-0 Rantoul* 6-7 Gilman* 12-6 Milford
1939 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 6-7 Dwight T 0-0 Hoopeston L 0-7 Momence W 52-0 Onarga* T 0-0 Paxton* W 19-0 Rantoul* L 0-6 Gibson City* W 25-0 Gilman* W 25-6 Milford 1940 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 24-7 Dwight L 6-12 Hoopeston W 30-0 Onarga* W 12-6 Momence L 6-27 Paxton* W 7-0 Gibson City* W 20-0 Gilman* W 13-7 Rantoul* L 4-7 Milford* 1941 - Leroy “Stix” Morley T 0-0 Dwight W 7-0 Hoopeston L 0-13 Momence W 7-6 Paxton* L 0-13 Rantoul* W 7-0 Gibson City* W 22-0 Gilman* L 7-12 Milford* 1942 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 14-13 Dwight L 0-12 Momence L 0-13 Hoopeston W 39-7 Paxton* W 35-7 Gilman* W 18-6 Gibson City* W 20-6 Rantoul* T 13-13 Milford* 1943 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 2-0 Dwight L 7-12 Hoopeston W 6-0 Momence W 33-7 Paxton* W 24-7 Rantoul* W 49-0 Gibson City* W 12-0 Onarga Military School T 6-6 Milford* 1944 - Leroy “Stix” Morley
Congratulations on 150 Years! Proud to be a part of the Watseka Community then!
At one time the Watseka calaboose and pound was located on the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets. The calaboose was used to confine minor lawbreakers and those who had liberally imbibed of alcoholic spirits; the pound was used to confine stray hogs and cattle picked up by the poundmaster. By 1917 a Standard Service Station was located on this corner facing the northwest when it was thought the Dixie Highway was going to turn south of Fifth Street. In 1929 bids were taken for a new facility on the site with the new station facing the north. Vince O’Brien, Kenneth Hill and Robert Adams each operated this station before Jim and Lucille Pence, Amoco agents from 1965 to 1975, purchased the bulk route and service station from Standard Oil in 1975. They began operating as independents under the name Pence Oil Company and from 1975 to 1978, they operated from the former Marathon Bulk Pant on the west side of Watseka. Pence Oil Servicenter began operating on the southeast corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets in 1978. By 1980, the company moved its offices into the adjacent brick building at 313 E. Walnut St. where Shonkwiler Motors and the TimesRepublic newspaper each had been located. Son Terry Pence and sonin-law Rich Moyer purchased the business in 2005 when Jim and Lucille Pence retired.
L 6-7 Momence L 0-7 Onarga Military School W 33-0 Paxton* L 0-20 Rantoul* W 59-0 Gibson City* T 7-7 Hoopeston W 18-0 Dwight W 12-6 Milford* 1945 - Leroy “Stix” Morley L 0-34 Momence L 0-7 Onarga Military School W 12-6 Paxton L 0-20 Rantoul L 0-38 Gibson City L 0-21 Hoopeston W 19-6 Dwight W 13-6 Milford (NOTE: Wauseca Conference not in operation) 1946 - Leroy “Stix” Morley W 29-0 Momence W 19-13 Onarga Military School W 20-0 Paxton W 20-0 Rantoul W 12-0 Gibson City W 12-0 Hoopeston W 41-0 Dwight W 45-0 Milford (NOTE: Wauseca Conference not in operation) 1947 – Donald Corry W 38-6 Momence W 21-14 Onarga Military School* W 40-0 Paxton* T 7-7 Rantoul* L 0-25 Gibson City* L 7-27 Hoopeston W 12-0 Dwight W 26-7 Milford 1948 – Donald Corry W 25-6 Momence L 7-12 Onarga Military School* W 6-0 Paxton* L 20-29 Rantoul* W 34-7 LeRoy* T 12-12 Gibson City* L 14-26 Hoopeston W 26-18 Milford 1949 – Donald Corry
T 0-0 Milford W 15-0 Onarga Military School* W 25-0 LeRoy L 7-47 Rantoul* L 0-53 Paxton* L 0-40 Gibson City* L 0-54 Hoopeston* 1950 – Robert Prymuski W 35-0 Milford W 12-6 Onarga Military School* L 16-33 Gibson City* T 7-7 Momence L 0-6 Gilman T 6-6 Rantoul* L 0-12 Paxton* L 7-20 Hoopeston* 1951 – Robert Prymuski L 0-12 Momence W 26-0 Milford W 7-2 Gilman L 12-27 Rantoul* L 0-6 Paxton* L 6-13 Onarga Military School* L 0-34 Gibson City* L 13-27 Hoopeston* 1952 – Gordon McKenzie T 7-7 Momence W 14-0 Milford L 0-19 Gilman L 12-13 Rantoul* W 14-13 Paxton* W 21-6 Onarga Military School* L 0-41 Gibson City* L 2-6 Hoopeston* 1953 – Gordon McKenzie W 7-0 Momence W 13-0 Milford W 19-12 Gilman T 7-7 Rantoul* L 12-13 Paxton* W 7-0 Onarga Military School* L 3-7 Gibson City* W 19-13 Hoopeston* 1954 – Gordon McKenzie W 13-6 Momence W 12-7 Milford W 13-12 Gilman L 0-33 Rantoul* L 6-8 Paxton*
W 64-7 Onarga Military School* W 9-0 Gibson City* L 0-28 Hoopeston* 1955 – Gordon McKenzie W 20-0 Momence T 0-0 Milford W 26-6 Gilman L 8-21 Rantoul* W 12-7 Paxton* L 12-13 Oakwood W 7-0 Gibson City* L 7-19 Hoopeston* W 31-12 Tolono Unity 1956 – Gordon McKenzie W 26-7 Momence W 39-0 Milford W 31-6 Paxton* W 39-0 Gilman L 0-6 Rantoul* L 0-27 Gibson City* L 14-21 Hoopeston* W 14-6 Oakwood* 1957 – Gordon McKenzie W 19-7 Momence W 47-13 Milford W 60-6 Gilman W 32-7 Clifton Central W 40-13 Paxton* W 26-0 Hoopeston* W 25-6 Rantoul* W 29-0 Oakwood* L 7-14 Gibson City* 1958 – Gordon McKenzie W 27-0 Momence W 7-6 Gibson City* W 51-0 Gilman L 6-19 Clifton Central W 33-15 Paxton* W 34-12 Hoopeston* L 7-34 Rantoul* L 6-13 Oakwood* W 21-18 Milford 1959 – Gordon McKenzie W 61-13 Momence W 24-7 Gibson City* W 34-0 Gilman W 34-6 Clifton Central W 27-6 Paxton* W 26-6 Hoopeston* W 55-0 Rantoul* W 76-0 Oakwood*
See TEAM, page 25
Gary’s Barber Shop Proud to be a Watseka business for 45 years! Gary Cahoe, Owner
Pence Oil carries a full line of BP fuels and Mobil lubricants as well as industrial oils for farm, commercial and industrial use. The Pence Service Center is a full-service BP gasoline and automotive repair station with 24 hour road and towing service and snack shop. A familyowned, family-run operation, at Pence Oil Company, the standard is quality customer service.
Proud to be a part of the Watseka Community now! Walk-Ins Welcome! 313 E. Walnut St. Watseka, IL
815-432-3282
134 E. WALNUT, WATSEKA, IL 815-471-4870
June 8, 2017
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1997-2001
Team, from page 24 Cancelled Milford 1960 – Gordon McKenzie L 6-13 Clifton Central L 13-19 Gibson City* W 26-7 Gilman L 0-12 Bradley W 21-7 Paxton* W 27-13 Hoopeston* L 13-39 Rantoul* W 38-0 Oakwood* W 25-13 Milford 1961 – Gordon McKenzie L 6-39 Clifton Central L 7-20 Gibson City* T 0-0 Georgetown L 19-32 Bradley W 7-6 Paxton* W 26-7 Hoopeston* W 19-0 Rantoul* W 45-13 Oakwood* W 51-13 Milford 1962 – Gordon McKenzie W 24-20 Clifton Central L 0-20 Gibson City* W 13-7 Georgetown T 6-6 Kankakee St. Patrick W 41-15 Paxton* W 26-6 Hoopeston* W 20-6 Rantoul* W 55-13 Oakwood* W 33-13 Milford 1963 – Gordon McKenzie L 13-34 Clifton Central L 6-20 Hoopeston* W 38-35 Gibson City* L 0-47 Kankakee St. Patrick W 27-14 Oakwood* L 0-6 Paxton* L 0-33 Rantoul* L 0-13 Milford L 0-27 Danville Schlarman* 1964 – Gordon McKenzie L 0-33 Clifton Central W 25-20 Hoopeston* L 0-12 Gibson City* L 7-21 Kankakee McNamara W 36-0 Oakwood* L 19-20 Paxton* L 0-33 Rantoul*
W 6-0 Milford L 0-32 Danville Schlarman* 1965 – Gordon McKenzie L 6-32 Clifton Central W 20-12 Hoopeston* L 0-31 Gibson City* L 12-13 Kankakee McNamara W 38-12 Oakwood* W 32-6 Paxton* W 14-0 Rantoul* W 37-6 Milford W 12-6 Danville Schlarman* 1966 – Gordon McKenzie L 6-7 Clifton Central L 6-34 Hoopeston* W 13-6 Gibson City* W 20-6 Herscher L 12-13 Oakwood* L 7-18 Paxton* W 39-18 Rantoul* W 31-0 Milford L 0-14 Danville Schlarman* 1967 – Gordon McKenzie W 7-0 Clifton Central W 14-7 Hoopeston* T 0-0 Gibson City* L 14-20 Herscher W 25-13 Oakwood* L 0-34 Paxton* L 0-13 Rantoul* W 21-0 Milford L 0-6 Danville Schlarman* 1968 – Gordon McKenzie L 0-41 Clifton Central L 6-19 Hoopeston* W 26-0 Gibson City* W 25-12 Herscher W 28-13 Oakwood* L 0-14 Paxton* W 13-7 Rantoul* W 31-6 Milford L 13-25 Danville Schlarman* 1969 – Gordon McKenzie W 22-12 Clifton Central W 34-14 Hoopeston* W 46-8 Gibson City*
W 26-0 Herscher W 51-11 Oakwood* L 7-12 Paxton* L 19-20 Rantoul* W 38-14 Milford W 20-18 Danville Schlarman* 1970 – Gordon McKenzie W 28-20 Clifton Central W 30-16 Hoopeston* W 14-6 Gibson City* W 28-14 Herscher W 54-12 Oakwood* W 18-14 Paxton* L 8-20 Rantoul* W 44-8 Milford W 42-27 Danville Schlarman* 1971 – Gordon McKenzie W 30-20 Clifton Central W 32-7 Hoopeston* W 24-17 Gibson City* W 36-18 Herscher L 2-26 Westview L 12-20 Paxton* T 6-6 Rantoul* W 38-8 Milford W 20-14 Danville Schlarman* 1972 – Gordon McKenzie L 6-7 Clifton Central T 14-14 Hoopeston* W 2-0 Gibson City* W 42-20 Herscher W 22-20 Westview L 6-12 Paxton* L 0-14 Rantoul* W 22-12 Danville Schlarman* 1973 – Gordon McKenzie L 8-21 Normal University High L 6-19 Clifton Central W 16-8 Hoopeston* W 28-12 Gibson City* W 34-16 Herscher W 42-6 Westville L 12-15 Paxton* L 20-41 Rantoul* W 36-30 Danville Schlarman* L 0-24 Momence 1974 - Gordon McKenzie
(10-2, 6-0 Wauseca) W 28-12 Clifton Central W 42-8 Herscher W 22-0 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 48-30 Gibson City* W 34-7 Danville Schlarman* W 42-28 Westville* W 40-8 Paxton* W 18-8 Georgetown* L 6-26 Momence IHSA 2A Playoffs W 51-7 LeRoy W 60-8 Petersburg PORTA L 8-20 Decatur St. Teresa 1975 – Gordon McKenzie W 34-14 Clifton Central W 14-13 Herscher W 36-16 Hoopeston* W 32-19 Gibson City* W 28-14 Danville Schlarman* W 25-0 Westville* L 0-12 Paxton* L 0-12 Georgetown* L 14-18 Momence 1976 – Gordon McKenzie W 14-8 Clifton Central L 3-7 Herscher W 78-13 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 36-43 Gibson City* W 14-12 Danville Schlarman* W 33-22 Westville* L 27-35 Paxton* W 21-20 Georgetown* L 7-47 Momence 1977- John Vogelsang W 16-7 Clifton Central L 0-19 Herscher W 7-6 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 0-20 Gibson City* L 18-26 Danville Schlarman* L 0-28 Westville* L 9-39 Paxton* W 14-7 Georgetown* L 6-26 Momence
1978- Ron Goodwin L 12-13 Clifton Central L 0-7 Herscher W 27-12 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 0-13 Gibson City* W 13-7 Danville Schlarman* L 12-13 Westville* L 0-22 Paxton* W 7-6 Georgetown* L 8-29 Momence 1979 – Ron Goodwin L 0-2 Clifton Central L 0-21 Herscher L 6-8 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 12-13 Gibson City* W 14-6 Danville Schlarman L 8-14 Westville* L 9-12 Paxton* W 20-8 Georgetown* L 0-28 Bethalto Civic Memorial 1980 – Ron Goodwin W 16-14 Evergreen Park L 13-20 Herscher W 24-12 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 21-6 Gibson City* L 19-21 Westville* L 14-27 Paxton* L 15-36 Danville Schlarman* W 35-6 Georgetown* L 27-47 Clifton Central* 1981 – Ron Goodwin W 26-14 Evergreen Park L 7-18 Herscher W 22-14 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 26-0 Gibson City* W 2-0 Westville* L 7-29 Paxton* L 6-26 Danville Schlarman* W 26-0 Georgetown* L 6-7 Clifton Central* 1982 – Tom Dubois L 0-24 Evergreen Park L 0-47 Herscher W 28-0 Hoopeston-East
Lynn* L 0-6 Gibson City* W 50-0 Westville* W 20-12 Paxton* L 0-46 Danville Schlarman* L 7-35 Georgetown* L 6-37 Clifton Central* 1983 – Tom Dubois L 0-6 Pontiac L 22-38 Herscher W 12-0 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 20-36 Gibson City* W 57-14 Westville* W 26-20 Paxton* (3 OT) L 8-14 Danville Schlarman* L 14-28 Georgetown* L 6-31 Clifton Central* 1984 – Tom Dubois W 20-6 Pontiac W 20-14 Herscher W 47-6 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 22-8 Gibson City* W 40-0 Westville* L 30-31 Paxton* L 12-14 Danville Schlarman* W 24-0 Georgetown* L 8-43 Clifton Central 1985– Tom Dubois (3-6) W 20-13 Pontiac L 0-41 Herscher W 53-0 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 12-8 Peotone L 0-15 Clifton Central* L 6-14 Paxton* L 0-27 Gibson City* L 6-34 Gilman Iroquois West* L 19-21 Eureka 1986 – Rick Elliott (6-5) L 0-6 Pontiac L 0-25 Herscher W 39-6 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 26-7 Gibson City*
See STATS, page 26
Congratulations on 150 Years, Watseka! Iroquois County Historical Society
OLD COURTHOUSE MUSEUM WATSEKA, IL
The Old Iroquois County Courthouse was constructed in 1866, with two additions built in 1881 and 1927. In the early 1960’s an Iroquois County resident, Mrs. Katherine Clifton, bequeathed to the county in her will a large sum of money and a site upon which to build a new courthouse. The old courthouse was advertised for sale and fell into disuse. In 1967, during the Centennial Celebration of Watseka, the Iroquois County Historical Society was organized and circulated petitions throughout the county not to sell the Old Courthouse. The petitions were approved by the County Board of Supervisors, and the Old Courthouse re-opened as a museum that same year. Today, a visit to the Old Courthouse is a step back in time where you can visit the old County Jail, see recreations of an oldtime back porch, a Victorian parlor, old time general store, post office, one-room schoolhouse, and much more. It is a place where you can stroll past showcase after showcase featuring one-of-a-kind treasures of a bygone era, with something to interest nearly everyone: fossil and mineral collections, Indian artifacts, the latest fashions of the Victoria era, a collection of over a hundred antique dolls, medical instruments from the pioneer days, and much more. Even though the Old Courthouse is a storehouse of things past, the present is well represented also. Reknowned for its wonderful acoustics, the Old Courtroom now resounds with applause at the many concerts, programs and weddings held there each year. We invite you to visit our art exhibitions featuring talented local artists, along with collections and hobbies in the gallery showcase. Our genealogical research library is famous throughout the country, and our natural history area displays animals of our area in a lifelike setting. The Country Store stocks books about Iroquois County,postcards, T-shirts & sweatshirts and pecans. This year, 2017, marks the Old Courthouse Museum’s 50th anniversary. A 50th anniversary membership drive is going on through Dec. 31, 2017. Special membership rates apply. Purchase an annual membership for $15 and get an additional year free (2 years for $15). Purchase a lifetime membership and save $50 ($100 instead of $150). Call 815-432-2215 for details.
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Stats, from page 25 L 0-14 Momence L 12-14 Paxton* W 25-13 Fairbury Prairie Central* W 40-14 Gilman Iroquois West* W 18-11 Clifton Central* IHSA State Playoffs W 9-0 Bismarck-Henning L 0-6 Argenta-Oreana (OT) 1987 – Rick Odgers (3-6) L 6-12 Pontiac (OT) L 0-14 Herscher W 30-8 Hoopeston-East Lynn* W 14-10 Gibson City* L 12-35 Momence L 14-23 Paxton* L 7-19 Fairbury Prairie Central* W 20-13 Gilman Iroquois West* (OT) L 7-13 Clifton Central* 1988 – Rick Odgers (5-4) W 18-12 Pontiac (OT) L 6-7 Oakwood W 19-0 Hoopeston-East Lynn* L 14-21 Gibson City* W 18-13 Peotone L 0-7 Paxton* W 21-0 Fairbury Prairie Central* W 13-7 Gilman Iroquois West* L 14-34 Clifton Central* 1989 (5-5) – Rick Odgers L 0-14 Westville L 13-26 Oakwood L 20-23 Hoopeston-East Lynn* (2 OT) W 21-8 Gibson City* L 6-8 Peotone W 14-7 Paxton* W 13-6 Fairbury Prairie Central* W 27-0 Gilman Iroquois West* W 20-17 Clifton Central* IHSA State Playoffs L 0-28 Herscher 1990 – (7-3, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers
W 21-6 Georgetown W 28-13 Paxton W 18-15 Hoopeston-East Lynn L 6-26 Momence W 27-0 Peotone W 23-8 Fairbury Prairie Central L 20-22 Marshall W 30-6 Gilman Iroquois West W 28-17 Clifton Central IHSA Playoffs L 3-26 Monticello 1991 – (8-2, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers W 20-0 GeorgetownRidge Farm W 47-28 Paxton W 18-0 Hoopeston-East Lynn W 35-14 Momence L 6-9 Peotone W 38-22 Fairbury Prairie Central W 20-7 WyomingPrinceville L 28-35 Gilman Iroquois West W 32-8 Clifton Central IHSA 3A Playoffs L 6-34 MahometSeymour (NOTE: Registered as Win; M-S forfeited game; ineligible player) 1992 – (3-6, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers L 12-22 GeorgetownRidge Farm L 20-35 Paxton-BuckleyLoda L 14-20 Hoopeston Area W 22-6 Momence W 13-6 Peotone L 6-26 Dunlap W 28-6 Cullom Tri-Point L 6-14 Gilman Iroquois West L 8-35 Clifton Central 1993 – (7-3, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers W 12-6 GeorgetownRidge Farm L 12-28 Paxton-Buckley-
Loda W 12-0 Hoopeston Area W 42-18 Momence W 34-6 Peotone W 19-13 Dunlap W 33-8 Cullom Tri-Point W 21-0 Pittsfield L 13-27 Clifton Central IHSA Playoffs L 8-35 Coal City 1994 – (8-2, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers W 18-12 GeorgetownRidge Farm W 35-21 Paxton-BuckleyLoda W 34-6 Hoopeston Area W 37-34 Momence W 45-21 Peotone W 21-20 Sullivan W 40-0 Cullom Tri-Point W 42-30 Pittsfield L 22-26 Clifton Central IHSA 3A Playoffs L 21-34 Lombard Montini 1995 – (5-4, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers W 14-7 GeorgetownRidge Farm L 17-18 Paxton-BuckleyLoda W 17-6 Hoopeston Area W 12-0 Momence L 13-27 Peotone W 49-6 Rossville-Alvin L 7-21 Bloomington Central Catholic W 35-8 Pittsfield L 6-34 Clifton Central 1996 – (6-4, Independent) Coach Rick Odgers L 22-30 GeorgetownRidge Farm W 35-20 Paxton-BuckleyLoda W 41-19 Hoopeston Area W 35-8 Momence L 24-25 Peotone W 42-21 Rossville-Alvin L 21-28 Bloomington Central Catholic W 36-6 Pittsfield W 21-20 Clifton Central (2 OT)
3APlayoffs L 12-36 Spring Valley Hall 1997 – (1-8, 1-4 Sangamon Valley Red) Coach Rick Odgers L 9-16 GeorgetownRidge Farm L 0-14 Tolono Unity W 3-0 LeRoy* W^ 37-20 Momence* W^ 35-7 Milford W^ 38-14 Fisher W^ 43-16 Hoopeston Area* L 20-28 Paxton-BuckleyLoda* L 27-35 Clifton Central* (NOTE: ^ Forfeited game, ineligible player) 1998 (5-4) – Rick Odgers 1999 (2-7) – Rick Odgers L 7-12 Danville Schlarman L 7-20 Gilman Iroquois West L 0-28 Paxton-BuckleyLoda W 10-7 Hoopeston Area W 20-0 GeorgetownRidge Farm L 15-29 LeRoy L 6-55 St. Joseph-Ogden L 0-45 Tolono Unity L 14-21 Clifton Central 2000 (1-8) 2001 (3-6) 2002 (5-5, x-x) 2003 (7-4, x-x ) 2004 (5-4, 3-2 SVC Blue) L 18-35 LeRoy W 34-6 Milford W 33-7 Clifton Central* L 15-48 Momence* W 14-7 Champaign St. Thomas More* L 7-25 PaxtonBuckley-Loda* W 26-0 Gilman Iroquois West* 2005 (5-5, x-x SVC Blue) W 42-20 GeorgetownRidge Farm Clifton Central*
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Momence* Champaign St. Thomas More* Paxton-BuckleyLoda* Gilman Iroquois West* L 0-48 Auburn (2A Playoffs) 2006 (4-5, 3-4 SVC) 153243 L 6-32 GeorgetownRidge Farm W 35-14 Hoopeston Area W 8-0 Champaign St. Thomas More* L 13-25 Paxton-BuckleyLoda* L 6-29 Momence* W 38-22 Cullom TriPoint* L 12-55 St. JosephOgden* L 14-46 Clifton Central* W 21-20 Gilman Iroquois West* 2007 (5-5, 3-4 SVC) W 46-7 GeorgetownRidge Farm W 60-0 Hoopeston Area W 28-24 Champaign St. Thomas More* W 56-19 Paxton-BuckleyLoda* L 28-47 Momence* W 62-0 Cullom Tri-Point* L 13-53 St. JosephOgden* L 20-26 Clifton Central* L 14-16 Gilman Iroquois West-Crescent-Iroquois* L 21-28 FlanaganCornell-Woodland (Class 2A Playoffs) 2008 (6-4, x-x SVC) 2009 (4-5, x-x SVC) 2010 (2-7, x-x SVC) 2011 (7-3, x-x SVC) 2012 (6-4, x-x SVC) 2013 2014 2015 2016 – Aaron Hilgendorf (55, 3-3 SVC) W 30-23 v. Bismarck-
Henning L 6-20 @ Catlin Salt Fork W 40-6 @ South Newton/Kentland (IN)* W 49-6 v. GeorgetownRidge Farm W 27-14 @ Dwight* L 26-35 v. Momence* L 14-21 v. Clifton Central* L 20-42 @ Paxton-BuckleyLoda* W v. Gilman Iroquois West* 4A Playoffs L @ Herrin 2017 - Chad Hilgendorf W 30-23 @ BismarckHenning L 20-6 v. Salt Fork W 40-6 v. South Newton/ Kentland (IN)* W 49-6 @ GeorgetownRidge Farm W 27-14 v. Dwight* L 35-26 @ Momence* L 21-16 @ Clifton Central* L 42-20 v. Paxton-Buckley-Loda* W 41-24 @ Gilman Iroquois West* Playoffs L 41-7 Herrin For 2018 the team’s schedule is: @ Oakwood @ Salt Fork v Momence* 9/14/18 v Milford @ Dwight* v Clifton Central* @ South Newton/Kentland (IN)* v Paxton-Buckley-Loda* @ Gilman Iroquois West* 2019 v. Oakwood v. Salt Fork @ Momence* 9/20/19 @ Milford v. Dwight* @ Clifton Central v. South Newton* @ Paxton-Buckley-Loda* v. Gilman Iroquois West*
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2005-2009
Basketball coaches and records listed through the years Submitted by David A. Mitchell ’20-21 H. R. Gerhardt 15 2 ’21-22 H. R. Gerhardt ’22-23 M. R. (Ross) Petty ’23-24 M. R. (Ross) Petty ’24-25 M. R. (Ross) Petty 9 8 .529 ‘25-26 M. R. (Ross) Petty 8 8 .500 ‘26-27 M. R. (Ross) Petty 0 17 .000 ‘27-28 M. R. (Ross) Petty 1 4 .200 ‘28-29 Vaughn Gill 2 12 .143 ‘29-30 E. G. Harrison 6 12 .333 ‘30-31 E. G. Harrison 16 7 .696 ‘31-32 Leroy (Stix) Morley 23 3 .885 ‘32-33 Leroy (Stix) Morley 19 8 .704 ‘33-34 Leroy (Stix) Morley 18 5 .783 ‘34-35 Leroy (Stix) Morley 17 9 .654 ‘35-36 Leroy (Stix) Morley 15 14 .517 ‘36-37 Leroy (Stix) Morley 17 12 .586 ‘37-38 Leroy (Stix) Morley 17 12 .586 ‘38-39 Leroy (Stix) Morley 28 7 .800 ‘39-40 Leroy (Stix) Morley 25 6 .806 ‘40-41 Leroy (Stix) Morley 18 11 .621 ‘41-42 Leroy (Stix) Morley 19 5 .792 ‘42-43 Leroy (Stix) Morley 24 2 .923 ‘43-44 Donald Wene 15 9 .625 ‘44-45 Leroy (Stix) Morley 11 15 .423 ‘45-46 Leroy (Stix) Morley 21 7 .750 ‘46-47 Leroy (Stix) Morley 21 6 .778 ‘47-48 Donald Wene 5 18 .217 ‘48-49 Donald Wene 11 12 .478 ‘49-50 Donald Wene 20 8 .714 ‘50-51 Donald Wene 8 15 .348 51-52 Donald Wene 20 9 .690 ‘52-53 Gordon McKenzie 19 9 .679 ‘53-54 Gordon McKenzie 21 8 .724 ‘54-55 Gordon McKenzie 16 9 .640 ‘55-56 Gordon McKenzie 20 9 .690 ‘56-57 Gordon McKenzie 23 6 .793 ‘57-58 Herb Gerecke 17 11 .607 ‘58-59 Herb Gerecke 23 6 .793 ‘59-60 Herb Gerecke 2 20 .091 ‘60-61 Arnold Stahl 16 10 . 615 ‘61-62 Arnold Stahl 25 4 .862 ‘62-63 Arnold Stahl 13 13 .500 ‘63-64 Arnold Stahl 10 13 .435 ‘64-65 Arnold Stahl 17 8 .680 ‘65-66 Arnold Stahl 8 18 .308 ‘66-67 Arnold Stahl 5 19 .208 ‘67-68 Bill Gibbs
12 12 10 20 16 19 25 27 15 13 24 23 14 15 15 12 24 16 25 28 14 19 9 12 19 28 20 17 8 13 10 15 13 3 15 19 21 11 13 17 15 20 19 13 14 7 9 21 22
12 .500 ‘68-69 Bill Gibbs 14 .462 ‘69-70 Bill Gibbs 13 .435 ‘70-71 Bill Gibbs 7 .741 ‘71-72 Keith Baldwin 10 .615 ‘72-73 Keith Baldwin 9 .679 ‘73-74 Keith Baldwin 8 .758 ‘74-75 Keith Baldwin 4 .871 ‘75-76 Keith Baldwin 13 .536 ‘76-77 Keith Baldwin 15 .464 ‘77-78 Keith Baldwin 5 .828 ‘78-79 Keith Baldwin 5 .821 ‘79-80 Keith Baldwin 15 .483 ‘80-81 Keith Baldwin 11 .577 ‘81-82 Keith Baldwin 10 .600 ‘82-83 Keith Baldwin 13 .480 ‘83-84 Keith Baldwin 5 .828 ‘84-85 Keith Baldwin 8 .667 ‘85-86 Keith Baldwin 5 .833 ‘86-87 Keith Baldwin 3 .903 ‘87-88 Keith Baldwin 12 .538 ‘88-89 Keith Baldwin 7 .731 ‘89-90 Keith Baldwin 16 .360 ‘90-91 Keith Baldwin 13 .480 ‘91-92 Richard Reynolds 7 .730 ‘92-93 Richard Reynolds 2 .933 ‘93-94 Richard Reynolds 8 .714 ‘94-95 Richard Reynolds 9 .654 ‘95-96 Richard Reynolds 17 .320 ‘96-97 Richard Reynolds 14 .481 ‘97-’98 Richard Reynolds 17 .370 ‘98-’99 Rich Dickte 14 .517 ‘99-’00 Dave Chandler 14 .481 ‘00-’01 Dave Chandler 22 .120 ‘01-’02 Dave Chandler 14 .517 ‘02-’03 Barry Bauer 10 .655 ‘03-’04 Barry Bauer 8 .724 ‘04-’05 Barry Bauer 18 .379 ‘05-’06 Barry Bauer 12 .520 ‘06-’07 Barry Bauer 13 .567 ’07-’08 Barry Bauer 12 .555 ’08-’09 Barry Bauer 7 .741 ’09-’10 Barry Bauer 9 .679 ’10-’11 Barry Bauer 17 .433 ’11-’12 Barry Bauer 16 .467 ’12-’13 Anthony Videka 20 .259 ’13-’14 Anthony Videka 20 .310 ’14-‘15 BarryBauer 9 .700 ’15-’16 Chad Cluver 9 .710 ’16-’17 Chad Cluver
File photo Drew Watts goes for the basket in 2009. DISTRICT CHAMPS: 1922, 1923, 1925 REGIONAL CHAMPS: 1939, 1947, 1948, 1959, 1963, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 2008, 2017 SECTIONAL CHAMPS: 1963, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1987, 1988, 1994 ELITE EIGHT: 1922, 1975, 1987, 1988 3RD PLACE: 1975 IROQUOIS COUNTY TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1954,
1955, 1963, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987 WAUSECA CONFERENCE CHAMPS: 1937-38 (T), 1939-40, 1940-41 (T), 1942-43, 1943-44, 1947-48 (T3), 1950-51, 1954-55, 1957-58, 1959-60, 1962-63, 1978-79, 1979-80, 198687, 1987-88 SANGAMON VALLEY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: 2005, 2017 SANGAMON VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPS: 2004-05 (T) WATSEKA HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT: 200203, 2009-10, 2015-16
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Watseka Sesquicentennial
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June 8, 2017
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Robert Harwood 2009-2017
John Allhands 2017-
Newspaper clippings from a few years ago From an unnamed newspaper clipping, July 17, 1929: Standard Oil Co., to build new station Blue prints have been made and bids asked by the Standard Oil Co., for a new building on the site of their present location at the corner of Walnut and Fifth streets. The present building was erected about twelve years ago when it was thought the Di-
xie Highway was going to turn south on Fifth Street and faces northeast and southwest. The new building will face north and will be larger than the present one. The driveway is to be enlarged to quite an extent, starting at Fifth and running east on Walnut.” A portion of the article is not readable, but has to do with the driveway taking away some of the trees along the street.
From the May 3, 1920 edition of the Iroquois County Times Times free all-electric cooking school for all will be presented May 21, 22 and 23 All women of Iroquois County who are interested in improved methods of preparing food and in more attractive ways to serve it, or who have any questions relative to cooking will be welcomed at the Iroquois County Times Free All-Electric Cooking School to be presented each afternoon for three days, May 21, 22, and 23 in Odd Fellow Temple, Watseka. Miss Elizabeth Fox, nationally known home economist and food expert, will be in charge of the school. Miss Fox not only will demonstrate the most approved ways of cooking food, but she will teach how it may be served most attractively. She will answer any questions about kitchen practice and food preparation, and the dishes which are made during the classes will be served to the ladies present. MISS Entertainment features are to be provided and a number of prizes to be disELIZABETH FOX tributed. The Times has been informed that several organizations of women, rural and urban, are planning to attend the school in groups and that there is a possibility of attendance by home economics classes from some of the high schools. This is pleasing news. Every effort is being put forth to make the school the most valuable to the ladies of any ever held in the county, and the greater the attendance the more widespread will be the benefits. One interested woman after reading the preliminary announcement in the Times last week has asked whether everything is to be free or whether it is a free admission after which those attending would have to make some expenditure to get such information as they might want. If that question has arisen in the minds of any others, the Times is pleased to answer that everything is to be free — entertainment, demonstrations, advice, recipes and the other features. No charge is to be made for any part of the school. Others are to cooperate with the Times in presentation and all will be given due credit when the three programs are completely arranged. From the Jan. 21, 1977 edition of the Times-Republic Pumper No. 2 departs “All good things must come to an end” and “time marches on”. Cliches, perhaps, but there are times when cliches are the only means of communicating our feelings. On Wednesday, Jan 19, Pump No. 2 left Watseka’s No. 1 fire station for the last time. Her old friends came to bid her goodbye and spent a few moments praising her. Pumper No. 2 was already a year old when she arrived in Watseka in the summer of 1946. The 1945 model truck was purchased Pumper No. 2 leaves Fire Station from W.S. Darley Company in Chicago, and Loren Dearth and No. 1 for the last time. Rex Garfield were dispatched to the windy city to pick her up. Rex Garfield smiled as he remembered that day, “Loren wouldn’t drive her in the city, but his fondest wish was to drive into Watseka with the siren on.” The two men arrived back in Watseka. in the early evening with the voice of Pumper No. 2 proclaiming her arrival. The new truck made her first run to a fire along the railroad tracks just off West Mulberry Street. In the early morning hours, a signal shanty belonging to the railroad caught fire. The blaze was great enough to cause the train to stop, and it totally destroyed a warehouse located there. Since that time Pumper No. 2 has been taken on over 1,500 outings. A lot of new firemen “cut their teeth” on this vehicle and learned what being a fireman entailed. The men smiled about the fact there was no heater in the truck and commented on the number of cold rides she’d given them. One of the men remarked “Not only is there no heater, she’s only got one 7-inch windshield wiper blade.” When Pumper No. 2 arrived in Watseka, Dr. G. W. Ross was Mayor of the city. Roy Ferry was Fire Chief, and she has carried Chief Ferry, Chief Eastburn, and Chief Cahoe to the scene of many fires. She has been utilized constantly due to the fact she was an all-purpose truck. The firemen have taken her out to the country, have raced her to grass fires, and have driven her to drowning scenes. She has seen nearly every type of action a small town has to offer. During the thirty years she’s been in action she has had only one new engine and one new set of tires. Considering she was purchased for $4,500 (which was a sizable sum in 1946) it seems safe to say she was a wise investment. And what will become of our dignified lady in read? At this time her fate is unknown. She will be placed in storage until she is sold, or until a definite decision is made in regard to her destiny.
“The building is to be of brick, with a finish inside of white enamel brick and al appliances are to be of the latest and most up-to-date kind. The Standard’s business has been growing, and the present proposed enlargement of their plant is really necessary to take care of their increasing trade,” the article reads. From the 1967 Centennial special section in the Watseka Republican: First census in 1840, area population 1,695 The first census of Iroquois County was taken in 1840. The following figures exhibit the population at the periods indicated; 1840, 1,695; 1850, 4,149; 1860, 12,325; 1870, 26,782; 1880, 35,458. Also from that section: Zed Watkins’ livery largest, most elaborate Three years ago Zed Watkins started the livery business in a small building across the street from his present premises. The now owns the largest and most elaborate livery barn in town. It measures 80 x 100 feet and has a stabling capacity for 65 head. A most up-to-date carriage room and modern offices give an idea of the volume of the business. It is a sanitary stable in the best sense, and such care is taken that every animal is in perfect health.
Arthur & Gustie Berry started out processing eggs and chickens. Son George quickly saw the need to expand into processing beef & pork. In 1956, George A. Berry opened Berry’s Meat Processing at their current location in Watseka, processing local beef and pork for area farmers. Bringing in the live animal to slaughter, cure and process, Berry’s Processing is a complete processing plant. Specializing in cutting and wrapping meat to customers requests quickly made Berry’s the go-to place for custom cut meats. Packaging meat in proportions to meet the size of the area families makes each order unique. Lowell Berry took over the business when his father retired and carried on the family tradition. When Lowell passed away his wife, Kat became the owner of the business and continues to carry on the tradition. In addition to processing beef and pork for area farmers, Berry’s Processing also has individual cuts available to the public. Kat and her husband, Tim Thiele, have added many varieties of brats (both links and patties).
Whether you want a side, quarter, half or just want to pick up a few steaks, burgers, chops or brats for your weekend cook-out, Berry’s Processing has it.
BERRY’S PROCESSING PLANT 522 E. Elm St.. Watseka, IL 60970
Ph. 815-432-3264
June 8, 2017
Watseka Sesquicentennial
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A glimpse into 1942 Watseka By CARLA WATERS, Managing Editor cwaters@intranix.com Browsing through old newspapers can give one a look back at a time long forgotten. I recently went through a year’s worth of The Watseka Republican, a predecessor to the Times-Republic. The year was 1942. I was struck by many things of that era. Of course there were many mentions of the war, with several advertisements and stories ranging from promoting patriotism to saving silk stockings (I’ll get to that later). There were also many more personal stories from the day that we focus on in today’s journalism. Several accounts were given of divorces, which went before a judge. Much of the time one side or the other charged cruelty. There were also accounts of what was happening in agriculture, schools and business. For example: The front page of the Jan. 1, 1942 edition: — Local Defense Stamp Committee — State Administrator Appoints Retail ComA 1942 full page ad in the Watseka Republican mittee Heads. Norman B. Collins, State advertises the cleanup day in Watseka. Administrator of the Defense Savings staff, has announced the appointment of Mr. Fay Plankael, of the Plankael-Goezt Co., as chair- had its basis, no doubt, in his father’s military man and Mr. Chalmers Giffen, manager of the career. The father, Dr. C. Leonard Cassell, of J.C. Penney Co., store here, as co-chairman of Decatur, served in France with an engineering the Retailers Advisory Committee for Watseunit during the first world war. Dr. Cassel is ka. These men were named to this important now a reserve lieutenant. colonel, and awaits National Defense work in this community call to active service with a dental unit. through the recommendation of Mr. HJ.C. Capt. Cassell received his reserve commisPolitz, president of the Watseka Business sion as a second lieutenant of infantry upon Men’s Association. graduating from the Illinois Military Academy This local Retailers Advisory committee in 1926. He was called to active service two will have as its principal duty the promotion years ago, and since that time served at Ft. of the sale of Defense Savings Stamps in the Benning, Ga., and Ft. Lewis, Wash., before retail stores of Watseka. Major Benjamin H. going on foreign duty. Namm, Brooklyn merchant and a director of He was a regimental supply officer, servthe United States Chamber of Commerce, is ing as “S-4” at Ft. Lewis when transferred to National Chairman of the Retailers Advisory the Philippines. He and Mrs. Cassell left their Committee. In due course, chairmen of other Olympia, Wash., home in October, Mrs. Casbusiness classifications will be named for sell coming to Watseka, to make her home Watseka, as well as an over-all chairman. with her parents. Mr. Collins says, “With the United States Capt. Cassell reached the Philippines on now at war, the work of national financing, Thanksgiving Day. of course becomes more important than ever. Before hew as called to active duty, two The sale of Defense Savings Stamps in retail years ago, he did engineering work in the stores throughout the state offers Illinois mer- Great Lakes area, then served as project engichants an opportunity to only to serve their neer for the WPA in Kankakee. In November, country, but also to help write another bright 1936, he came to Watseka to serve as WPA page in the history of American retailing.” area superintendent for this county. He held All Watseka merchants are asked to do this position until August, 1938, when the Irotheir part in the National Defense work by quois County office was combined with that selling Defense Savings Stamps in their stores. of Kankakee county. — 770 in County Get Old Age Payments Capt. Cassell was born March 6, 1909, in — December old age assistance payments in Decatur, where his childhood was spent. He Iroquois County totaled $18,383, paid to 770 is survived by his parents, Dr. and Mrs. C. recipients. Leonard Cassell of Decatur, his widow, the Payments in the state reached a new high former Lila Wilson of Watseka, and a daughin December, with 149,198 Illinoisians, 65 ter, Sharon Lee, age 3 1/2. years of age or over, receiving $3,677,964. Amounts paid in nearby counties inThe front page of the Jan. 22, 1942 edition: clude: Ford, $5,299 to 254 persons; Kanka— Death takes Daily Times co-publisher — kee, $28,689 to 1,047 persons; Livingston, Cerebral hemorrhage fatal to Ralph T. (Gus) $17,662 to 752 persons; Vermilion, $64,101 Giles — Born in Gilman — Death came at to 2,793 persons. 4:45 a.m. Tuesday to Ralph (Gus) Gilesl 39, The newspaper and several other busiadvertising manager and co-publisher of the nesses promoted a First Baby Contest in that Iroquois County Times. edition. The winner would receive several The untimely “30” written across his career prizes including a a baby diary from Barnett marks the third death among publishers of Drug Company, an 8x10 photograph from the Times within a period of nine months. His Lohmiller’s Studio, an electric baby bottle mother, Maude T. Kelley, died April 18, 1941, warmer from R.H. Weaver, a hand-embroiand the paper’s editor, Clarence W. Hinton, dered baby dress from Pollitz, Inc.; a folding succumbed last Sept..25. nursery training set from L. B. Segur Co.; baby News of Ralph Giles’ sudden passing was bunting from Korrect Style Shop; a butterfly received with shocked disbelief Tuesday blanket from Haffner Store; and an unspecimorning up and down Watseka’s business fied gift from J.C. Penney Co. district, where, as his paper’s advertising manThe front page of the Jan. 15, 1942 edition: — Capt. L. K. Cassel Killed in Philippines — Capt. Leonard K. Cassell, USA, former county WPA supervisor, was killed in action Dec. 24, 1941, in the Philippine Islands. Word of his death, the first known county casualty of the war, was received Friday night by his widow, the former Lila Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Van. B Wilson, Watseka. Memorial services for Capt. Cassell were held yesterday (Wednesday) in Decatur, the home of his parents. Similar services are planned for Sunday in Watseka but details have not yet be completed. Capt. Cassel’s pride in his army service
ager, he had for years made his daily routine. Advertiser and non-advertiser, business associate and business competitor — all paused out of respect to a man whose friends were legion. His death was the more shocking because he had seemed in excellent health and had worked as usual Monday. He was ill only a few hours. Death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Funeral services are being conducted this (Thursday) afternoon at 1 o’clock from the Segur funeral home. The Rev. Basil A. Murray, pastor of the Watseka Presbyterian Church will officiate. Internment will be at Oak Hill. Pallbearers are to be John Maloney, S.L.
Martin, Bernard White, William M. Coney, Jack Casey, and Edward Braden. In charge of flowers are Miss Catherine Coney and Mmes. John Moloney, S.L. Martin, William Coney and Jack Casey. Ralph Thompson Giles was born in Gilman, May 3, 1902, the son of William W. and Maude Thompson Giles. His early childhood was spent in Gilman. He attended school in Natchez, Miss., graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute, Lyndon Ky., in 1921, and was a student at the University of Illinois from 1922 to 1924. Leaving the University of Illinois, he became associated with the Iroquois County Times, eventually becoming that paper’s advertising manager and, upon the death of his mother, co-publisher. He is survived by his wife, the former June A. Phelps, to whom he was married June, 23, 1926, in Lafayette, Ind., and three children, Gloria June, 14; Sue Ellen, 11; and David Phelps, 10. Other relatives include two uncles, A.D. Thompson of Los Angeles and Levi D. Thompson of St. Louis, and an aunt, Mrs. Grace Coleman of Peoria. — To Give Travel Talk — Mrs. Julia Bock Harwood of Decatur will present a travel talk, illustrated with technicolor movies, Friday afternoon at 2:45 o’clock in the Watseka Community High School gymnasium. Her program is entitled “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”. — Girl Scouts to present demonstration of work — Demonstrations of girl scout work by girls from brownie and intermediate troops will feature the January meeting of the home and garden department of the Watseka Woman’s club. Mrs. Clara Knisely will lead the meeting, to be held next Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 27, in Library hall. Hostesses are Mmes Mary Hamilton, Clara Knisely, Roseman Malo and Lou Gillam. — Watseka Markets for Thursday, Jan. 22 — White corn - 79 cents; yellow corn - 73 cents; oats - 54 cents; beans - $1.75; hens 19 cents; springs - 20 cents; eggs - 28 cents; and butterfat - 33 cents. The front page of the Jan. 29, 1942 edition: — Local merchant wins award for years of selling — with it receives letter of appreciation from Goodyear executive — In recognition of 25 years of pleasant dealings with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Hansen Motor Sales, local dealer for the rubber company, this week received an attractive plaque, which now hangs in a conspicuous place in the dealer’s office. Accompanying the plaque was a personal letter from P.W. Litchfield, chairman of the board of Goodyear, expressing the company’s appreciation of the loyalty maintained by the dealer through the years, together with the hope that the pleasant relations may continue indefinitely. Proud of the plaque and the letter is Mr. Hansen. Made of bronze, with the name of the dealer and that of the company appearing in raised letters on the lower portion, the foreground of the plaque portrays various modes of transportation - automobile, bus, truck, railway train, steamship, airplane and airship. In the center of the plaque’s background are shown the main plant of the Goodyear company and its huge airship dock, largest building in the world without interior supports. There also appears in an attractive arrangement a Goodyear All-Weather Tread tire encircling the company’s house flag. In so effectively symbolizing the progress of transportation facilities the plaque brings to mind the important part Goodyear has played in giving ready stimulus to all, and in this cooperative effort the local dealer has reason to be proud of the fact that he has been, and still is a participating factor. — School children collect books and waste paper — Principal W. L. Adams has announced that the pupils of the Watseka grade schools are collecting books, magazines and newspapers for national defense. The students are bringing the material to the schools for further disposal. The books will go to the Watseka Public Library for use in the Victory Book campaign. Anyone having any of this material that they wish to dispose of may do so by calling any of the grade school pupils.
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Watseka Sesquicentennial
June 8, 2017
Today Watseka continues to be a center of business, agriculture and social climate in the area. There are many things to see and do in this area, and Watseka is at the forefront of many of them. As the county seat of Iroquois County, Watseka continues to be a place to live, work, raise families, go to school, worship, and conduct business. In 2017 Watseka: Mayor: John Allhands City Clerk: Amanda Hibbs City Treasurer: Carolyn DeLahr Aldermen: Mark Garfield, Brandon Barragree, Charles DeWitt, Dennis Cahoe, Rick Elliott, Rob Hoffman,Bev Foster, Mary “Monna� Ulfers Population: 5070 Electricity supplier: Ameren Natural gas supplier: Nicor Telephone/internet supplier: Ameritec, MediaCom Garbage: Republic Services, with recycling Water system: city owned, ERH Enterprises services Police department: 10 full-time, with part-time officers and auxiliary Fire department: 25 volunteer firefighters Businesses: 200+ Parks: 6 Churches: 10 Residents line the street for the annual lighted Christmas parade.
(Above) People gather at one of the many events conducted in the Riverside parking lot each year. (Below) Watseka Farmers Market is conducted throughout the summer months in downtown Watseka.
The Watseka Public Library hosts summer reading programs for children each year.
Businesses like Dollar General support the local school district in a variety of ways, such as decorating their windows in support of the sports teams.
(Left) The bands and choirs at the schools perform a number of concerts each year. Here Superintendent James Bunting talks to the audience as Director Erik Parmenter and band get ready to perform. (Above) The Legion Honor Guard takes part in a Memorial Day service. Staff photos
June 8, 2017
Watseka Sesquicentennial
• Free Checking • Savings Accounts • Money Markets • CD’s • Starphire Rewards • Auto Loans • Personal Loans
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• Home Mortgages • Business Loans • Visa Credit Cards • Online Banking • Mobile Banking • Mobile Deposit Capture
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Watseka Sesquicentennial
Important Events You May Have Missed If You Did Not Read Newspapers 1870 Brooklyn Bridge began construction Donkey was used as symbol of Democratic party Author Charles Dickens dies Cincinnati Red Stockings suffer first loss in 130 games 15th Amendment passes
1917 US pays $25 million to Denmark for Virgin Islands President Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Germany, enter World War 1 First Jazz record released 10 million US men begin registering for draft in WW1 Boys Town Founded First NHL game played on artificial ice Russian secret police formed
1967 Newlywed game premieres Rolling Stones appear on Ed Sullivan Show Apollo 1 fire kills astronauts Grissom, White and Chaffee 25,000 US and South Vietnamese troops launched Operation Junction City World Ladies Figure Skating Champion in Vienna won by Peggy Fleming Rocky Marciano retires Elvis Presley weds Pricilla Beaulieu Chicago Cubs (7) and New York Mets (4) tie record of 11 homeruns in a game Thurgood Marshall sworn in as first black Supreme Court Justice US population reaches 200 million First human heart transplant performed
2017 Donald J Trump inaugurated as 45th President of the United States of America Watseka celebrates Sesquicentennial Total Solar Eclipse Star Wars Episode VIII
Since 1870 we have been delivering the news and happenings of world and surrounding areas to readers. Good news - bad news; happy news - sad news; wins - losses; we report it all. We have been and continue to be your trusted source for news in Iroquois County. When you want the unbiased story based on factual information you will find it in the Times-Republic.
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June 8, 2017