Full text of "St. Joseph, Illinois, 1972 centennial"

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ST. JOSEPH,
ILLINOIS

1972

CENTENNIAL

UNIVERSITY OF

ILLINOIS LIBRARY

AT URBANACHAMPAIGN

fLLlNOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY

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Written by Donna Smalling

Limited Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Centennial Plate Design 4

Centennial Poems ^'6

Early History and Facts 7

1856-1899 11-20

1870 Village Plat Maps 14-15

1881 Village Organization 16

1900-1909 20

1910-1919 38

1913 Village Plat Map 48

1920-1929 67

1929 Village Plat Map 79

1930-1939 81

1940-1949 100

1943 Village Plat Map 102

1943 St. Joseph Township Plat 104

1950-1959 108

1960-1972 116

Do You Remember 118

Autobiographies 119

Organizational Histories 130

Centennial Board 146

Centennial Schedule of Events 148

Mr. Pioneer and Mrs. Pioneer 149

Honorary Awards 1^0

Source of Material 1^3

1972 154

DEDICATION

We dedicate this book to the farmer. Without
him the village of Saint Joseph and others like it
would never have existed.

From the time the first pioneers arrived to
develop this new frontier, to the present time, the
wealth of our community has been in the soil aided
by those who tilled it. The first farmers started in
an uncivilized land, settled it, improved it with
drainage ditches to relieve the wet and unhealthy
conditions and made it productive.

It was because of the farmers need to ship his
products that the first roads and railroads came
into being. With the railroads came the railroad
depot and the grain elevators. This was the nucleus
with which our present village began.

To those early farmers and those who fol-
lowed we dedicate this book in appreciation of all
the work and foresight they used to make this
county one of the richest counties in the United
States, and St. Joseph one of a still growing
community.

"Our Strength is in the Soil" and those who
work it.

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Centennial Plate Design

MEMORY LANE

Why is it that memories

of the many by-gone years

Return to be remembered

With smiles and with tears?

I remember all the benches

That stood along the walks

Where many of the old friends
In summer came to talk.

The arguments were "heated"

But friendships stayed the same

For to argue and re-argue
Was just a happy game.

As they sat there and chatted

And whittled their cares away

The piles of shavings grew high
Each pleasant summer day.

They knew all the answers

And you may be very sure

For all our country's problems
They knew the only cure.

Thinking of the old town pump

Where the children had their fun

Working the handle up and down
Just to see the water run.

The squeals of delight

As they cooled their bare feet
When it was "ninety" in the shade

That surely was a treat.

The tin cup was dented

And very rusty too,
If it carried any germs

They neither cared or knew.

Today in Memory Lane, 1 walked
And the time that 1 remain

I'll count the many memories
As links in Life's long chain.

-Anna Brash

Compliments of

The Smalling's

Dean, Donna, Keri, Mark

St. Joseph, Illinois

OUR CENTENNIAL

1872-1972

'Tis time for remembrance

So bow your head and say

A grateful humble "Thank You"
To those who have gone away.

The pioneers were hardy folk

In number a very few
But they had the vim and vigor

To make their dreams come true.

To-day it is Centennial time

We have come a long, long way

Be thankful that we "made it"
And be happy, glad and gay.

It was a great undertaking

But we knew it could be done

With the desire in each heart
And the help of everyone.

Put on your old sunbonnet

Have skirts down to the floor

Men with beards; huge mustaches
Girls in pantalettes galore.

Say "Hi" to friends and neighbors
Who came from far and near

To be with us and celebrate

Our first one hundredth year.

May it all come back to memory
As with happiness we recall

The plans, work and time we shared
For our Saint Joseph Centennial.

With faith in our future

And tasks to be done
Don't rest upon your laurels

There is work for everyone.

-Anna Brash

Compliments of

St. Joseph

Community Consolidated School

District 169, Champaign County

St. Joseph, Illinois

Early History and Facts

History of St. Joseph Township

The early history of St. Joseph is identical
with that of the whole county. As late as the Black
Hawk Wars in 1832, scattered bands of Kickapoos,
Pottawattamies and Delewares were still roaming
central and eastern Illinois. The site of the present
village of St. Joseph was frequently a burial ground
for their dead braves. Several mounds are still
visible and from some of them have been exhumed
the bones of human beings as well as many
artifacts of their way of life. But then the Indians
yielded the territory and it was opened to settle-
ment for the white man.

Like all new countries blessed with a soil
holding the elements of wealth, this country when
first settled, and until by cultivation and artificial
drainage facilities were afforded for the surface
water to pass rapidly away, was the home and
nursery of malarial diseases. They appeared in the
form of ague, chills and fever, fiux and other bowel
complaints, and were a great hindrance to the rapid
settlement of the country. These diseases were
universal and the later part of every summer and
every fall people looked for a visitation from these
diseases as much as they looked for the ripening of
their crops. It was understood that unless the work
of the season was completed before the sickly
season came on, it had to go over, for during that
period all would be sick, or if some were spared,
their time would be monopolized in the care of
their sick.

Townships of Land

Townships are the largest sub-divisions of land
nm out by the U.S. Surveyors. In the Govern-
mental Surveyors Township Lines are the first to
be run, and a Township Comer is established every
six miles and marked. This is called Townshipping.
Each Township is divided into 36 squares, which
are called Sections. These sections are intended to
be one mile, or 320 rods square and contain 640
acres of land. Sections are numbered consecutively
from 1 to 36. Beginning with Section I in the
Northeast corner, they run West to 6, then East to
12, then West to 18, and so on, until they end with
Section 36 in the Southwest comer.

The original survey of St. Joseph Township
was made in 1821 by Jacob Judy, deputy surveyor
general.

The first white settler in St. Joseph Township
was one Nicholas Yount, who in the year 1828
built a log cabin in the timber on section 26, and
began improving the farm. The next year Yount's
son-in-law, Jonathon Cazard, settled farther north
on the northeast quarter of the same section. Both
Yount and Cazard were from Ohio and moved
away from Champaign County in the spring of
1831.

Cazard built a house of peeled poles, covered
with clap boards, on which a pole was laid to keep
them from blowing off, and broke ten acres of
ground. This improvement he sold to Joseph
Stayton, the father of David B. Stayton, who came
to the township in October, 1830, and was the first
permanent settler in this area.

In the spring of 1831 Yount sold his improve-
ment to William Peters, who settled in the town-
ship at that date. Peters acted as justice of the
peace for many years.

The third cabin erected was on section 1 1 , by
a man named Clay. He came to the county on foot
late in the fall of 1830, and he cut the poles with
which to build his house in the timber and carried
it on his back. He remained only one year, selling
his improvement to Robert Prather.

In the fall of 1831 other settlers began to
arrive in the township.

Cyrus Strong was among the first settlers. He
settled on section 23, east of the Salt Fork, at the
old town of St. Joseph, and kept the first tavern
stand ever in existence in the township. This was a
house built of split logs, and contained about four
rooms. It accommodated quite an amount of
travelers, standing as it did on the old state road,
which in those days was largely traveled by
emigrants seeking homes farther west. From
Strong's hands it passed into the possession of
Joseph Kelley.

These settlements were all made in the neigh-
borhood of Salt Fork and its branches in the edge
of the timber which lines the banks of that stream.

Compliments of

Coeval, Inc.

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Courtesy of
Sumner Hardware
St. Joseph, Illinois

Fords

There were also fords across the streams
where early roads, in default of bridges, led the
traveler through deep waters. The two most com-
monly used to cross the Salt Fork were Strong's
Ford and Prather's Ford. Strong's Ford being
about one mile north and Prather's about one mile
south of the village of St. Joseph. At a later time
Strong's Ford became known to many as Kelley's
Ford. Both fords received their distinctive names
from nearby dwellers. A ferry was maintained by
Joseph T. Kelley during his reign on the river.

In September of 1837 the state ordered that a
bridge be constructed over the Salt Fork at
Strong's crossing. An ad for bids was to be placed
in the Danville Enquirer. In October 1837 the
building of this bridge was given to Wm. I. Peters
for the sum of $426.00 with one year to build.
According to the stories told this bridge lasted less
than one year, going down stream due to high
waters.

Roads

When the first settlers came no roads existed.
Along the trail which was first marked out by the
footsteps of the buffalo, the wily Indian pursued
his aimless wanderings.

The first road was laid out and later surveyed
as a legal road by authority of a special act of the
legislature, although greatly traveled for many
years before that time. It was known as the "Fort
Clark Road," leading from Danville to Fort Clark
on the site of Peoria.

Until farms were fenced up, and the roads
confined to their legal bounds, no work was done
upon the prairie roads whatever. When a rut was
made, or a mud hole got too deep for comfort, all
the traveler had to do was to travel elsewhere
where there was no mud. In this way the roads
often attained a great width and were always good.

Drainage Ditch

The first organized drainage ditch in the state
under the new law, was in St. Joseph Township,
and under the head of public improvements.

The first poor farm or garden was in St.
Joseph township, and was purchased by the county
in 1858. The farm was situated too far from the
county seat to be convenient, and hence was
appointed, in 1865, a committee to select a piece
of land, not to exceed ten acres. The committee
purchased a tract of forty-two acres, lying one mile
east of Urbana at $50.00 per acre.

Railroads

The Illinois, Bloomington and Western Rail-
way ran a main line, twenty-eight miles of which
was, and is, in Champaign county and a division
known as the Extension which measures over
eleven miles.

This road had an excellent road-bed ballasted
with coarse gravel, and the rolling stock was in
good condition. This road passed through the
central portion of the county from west to east,
supplying accommodations to the cities of Cham-
paign and Urbana, and the villages of Mahomet, St.
Joseph and Ogden. This road is still in operation
today, although under a different name.

St. Joseph township donated $25,000.00 for
the construction of the Illinois, Bloomington and
Western Railway.

Early Settlers

The following list of names include some of
the Salt Fork Settlement pioneers. Coming to our
township in the year 1830 were, Harrison Drul-
linger, David Stayton, James Hoyt, William Peters,
Joseph and Robert Peters, and in 1831, David
Swearingen and Joseph T. Kelley. The year 1832
brought us James and Benjamin Bartley. John
Strong, Ambrose Strong and Orison Shreeve came
about 1834. In 1835 Moses, Benjamin, David, and
Alexander Argo arrived along with Thomas Swear-
ingen. One of the latest settlers to join us in 1839
was J.J. Swearingen.

Jacob Bartley, Joseph Stayton and William
Peters, each planted an orchard in 1835, the first in
the town and among the first in the county. That
year there were, in aU, ten families in the township,
which did not increase much beyond that for many
years.

Compliments of

Ralph E. Woodard, Realtor

Real Estate & Insurance

St. Joseph, Illinois

Courtesy of

Boise's Sanitary Hauling

St. Joseph, Illinois

The first person ever buried in the township
was the mother of Nicholas Yount. She died in the
month of March, 1831, and the ground at that
season of the year was soaked with water. The
neighbors dug at several places in their efforts to
find a spot sufficiently dry for purposes of burial,
but water was found everywhere on digging down a
few feet, till at last a dry grave was dug in a knoll
in the timber on the land formerly owned by
Joseph Stayton. Mrs. Yount was quietly laid to rest
by the rough, but kindly hands of these early
pioneers, without a sermon or religious service of
any kind, from the fact that there was no one near
to conduct it. Afterwards others of the pioneer
settlers were buried here.

The first school was taught in the township
about the year 1833, on the farm of Squire Peters.
John Lard was the teacher, and had charge of the
school for three months. This school was kept in
the kitchen.

The second school named Hickory Grove was
taught by Moses Argo. This school was a log hut on
Wm. Peters place. School continued for three years
when it was moved to the Rankin place.

There was no post office in the township, till
perhaps about the year 1850. The mail was carried
on horseback, west along the state road, through
the township, from Danville to Urbana, and letters
for persons residing in the township, were some-
times left at Robert Prather's house.
"Uncle Billy"

"Uncle Billy," of Salt Fork, used to preach
much over the county. He bought whiskey by the
barrel on the Wabash at 20^ per gallon, and retailed
so as to clear 30^ per gallon. The people not only
regarded his practice as unobjectionable, but
thought it a reUgious duty to buy their whiskey
from "Uncle Billy," thereby assisting to spread the
gospel and secure a good article of whiskey at the
same time.

Old St. Joseph

The old town of St. Joseph stood on the east
side of the Salt Fork, where it was crossed by the
state road, some distance from the stream. The

traveler going east, after crossing the iron bridge,
comes upon a church-like building, and farther on,
saw, on either side of the road, a few houses. This
is the site of the old town of "St. Jo," the first
town and post office in the township.

The town seems to have been started by the
building of a house and the opening of a small
store, by Paul Blaker, perhaps about the year 1856.
Blaker sold out to Benjamin Morris, who made
some additions to the stock of goods, and kept the
store on a larger scale, he sold dry goods, groceries,
and a little whiskey.

"When the store first started, a sign on the
east side of the building, in big letters of black
paint, spelling "STOR," announced the
character of the building, and invited custom.
Another sign, "KORN," was supposed to
convey the information to "movers," who at
that date were traveling in great numbers
westward, that here they could supply them-
selves with food for their horses."
This building was known as the "Crooked
House," not so much from the fact that here a
little crooked whiskey was occasionally dispensed,
nor from the circumstance that many a man after a
visit to the "store," walked home a little more
crooked than he came, but because the building
itself was twisted out of all shape and proportion,
and slanted in every direction. Blaker, who be-
lieved in doing everything himself, had himself
framed the building. He was so poor a carpenter
that he had hard work to get it together, and when
it was finally completed, it is said to have slanted
forty different ways.

The second store was built on the opposite
side of the road. The town in the days of its
highest prosperity, could boast of three stores at
the same time. There were also two blacksmith
shops.

The first post office in the township was
established here, and the first to act as postmaster
was Joseph Kelley. The post office was kept at the
old tavern stand, and was called St. Joseph. The
town was accordingly called by that name, and
then the township. The reason the post office was
called St. Joseph, is said by some of the old

Courtesy of

Ernest Hartman

St. Joseph, Illinois

Courtesy of

St. Joseph IGA

St. Joseph, Illinois

residents of the township, to have been as follows:
"It appears that at one time a stranger cajne
along and stopped with Joseph Kelley, the
landlord, and the two became quite agreeable
friends, and for several days had a jovial time
together. When the stranger departed, Kelley,
out of consideration for the good time they
had had in company, refused to charge him
anything, whereupon, the mysterious stranger
told the landlord that he would "do some-
thing for him" for hi* kindness. Soon after-
ward, the stranger, who it seems, was some
pohtician of more than ordinary influence,
and in some way connected with the adminis-
tration at Washington, secured the establish-
ment of a post office, the need of which,
during his stay at Kelley's he had perhaps
learned; Kelley was appointed postmaster,
and in his honor it was called "St. Joseph,"
from Kelley's first name.
Kelley's was the scene of many gatherings of
the sages and wiseacres of the village, and "rendez-
voused" here to talk over war, politics, and to
Usten to arguments diverse and numerous.

The first physician to locate at Old St. Joseph
was Dr. James Gillespie and the next, Dr. Anthony
Doyle, and a Uttle later Dr. George Doyle. Dr.
William Goodwin was also there for a time. Later
came Dr. David Jennings.

St. Joseph

The first settler on the site of the town was
Catharine Hoss, who entered forty acres of land in
November 1 839. Land on wliich the eastern part of
the town was buUt was entered by John Hoss. The
west part of the town was laid off by John H.
Strong and Christopher Hoss, and the east part, by
Griggs and Smith.

The first business house was opened in the
west part of the town, in the spring of 1870. A
store building from the old town of St. Joseph was
moved up to the "new" town. The stores in the
east part of the town were built in 1872. The first
drug store was opened soon after only to be
followed by a second one.

The growth of the town was strong and
healthy, and it commanded the trade of a large
extent of the country. A list of business houses at
that time is as follows:

OLD SAINT JOSEPH

That old Kelly Tavern

Which 1 saw years ago
As 1 rode along with mother

On our way to "new" St. Joe.

The roof was sagging badly

And boards were weather-beaten
Abe Lincoln often stayed at night

And many meals had eaten.

I'm glad I remember it

As part of the "old" town

It should have been restored
Instead 'twas taken down.

Now we have a "new" one

And we think it's mighty great

So lets have our Centennial
And really celebrate.

-Anna Brash

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General Stores-Shreve and Swearingen, John Dresback

Drug Stores-S.L. Ketterman, Stevenson & Sim

Hardware-Michael Miller

Harness and Saddles— Christopher Kienzle

Wagon Shop-Nelson B. Irons

Blacksmith Shops-Christopher Reed, Fox & M'Adams

Boot and Shoe Maker-Peter Althous

Brick makers-John Dresback, Sylvester Patent

Postmaster-Christopher Kienzle

The town contained a handsome two story
school building. Two teachers were employed at
that time. The building cost about two thousand
dollars, which to our ancestors was a very vast sum
of money.

On the 25th day of February 1881, in the
Clerk's office of our village an election was held for
the purpose of voting for or against village organi-
zation. Judge J.W. Langley, C.L. Nicolet and A.C.
Bryan, Justices of the peace were responsible for
examining the returns, poll list and tally sheets.
The vote showed fifty-five votes for and six votes
against organization.

Compliments of
Ray G. Peters Family

Courtesy of

Ernie's Auto & Truck Repair

Route 150

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Village Plat of April 1870.

Compliments of

Freese Funeral Service

St. Joseph, Illinois

Copy of Village Organizational Recorded at County Court House, Urbana.

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One act of the first Board which has lasted
down through the years, was setting the time of
the regular Board meetings. At the first meeting
the time was set at "7 and one-half o'clock on the
first Monday of each month."

Among the first ordinances passed- was one on
peddlers and the presumption is that their success
along this line was not any better than later

Boards, for a search through the ordinance books
will reveal many ordinances on this same subject.
Another early ordinance was one on pool tables.

As with any new organization which wishes to
build permanently, there were many special meet-
mgs during 1881, as much new business of neces-
sity came to Ught.

Compliments .of

1r. and Mrs. Drew Butzow & Family

St. Joseph, Illinois

Owner John Dresback on the right. First brick building erected, it is still standing today.

In the good old days, instead of worries about
how automobiles should be parked to avoid con-
gestion, the running loose of livestock was a major
issue. Tliis problem led to the establishing of a
Village Pound which was located on property in
the western part of the village.

If anyone was willing to pay a fine of three to
twenty dollars all one had to do was "play ball or
pitch or throw any ball or other thing, or play any
other game in any public street or alley". They
surely were hard on the young lads of yesteryear.

Another "boy" or other person ordinance
said it was unlawful to have in his possession any
sling or other implement or device for the casting
or throwing of stones, bullets, etc. If cauglit for
this misdemeanor persons could be taken into
custody and brought before the pohce magistrate
or other competent court.

The good old days must not have been always
good for we find on August 1 , 1 88 1 , the Board of
Trustees asking for bids for the construction of a
Village Prison. The lowest bid was $92.00 by one
E.T. Engle, but he failed to fill the contract, so the
second contract was let to S. Irons, for $114.75.
The first record of any inmate of this prison was
on December 5, 1881, and as a result of this
inmate, the village became involved in a lawsuit for
the amount of the prisoner's board.

The Trustees operated on a policy of eco-
nomy from the first and as a result of this.
Attorney fees were limited to $2.00 per case and
each member of the Village Board received 75
cents for each meeting he attended.

Compliments of

St. Joseph Lodge, No. 970

A. F. & A. M.

St. Joseph, Illinois

It has been noted that any up-to-date town,
city or village must maintain good sidewalks and a
great deal of the money spent from 1881 to 1885
was for lumber to be used in the construction of
sidewalks. Much of this material was purchased
from nearby saw mills.

Many people are of the idea that the liquor
problem has only been a problem since the passage
of the 18th Amendment, but locally we find it
appearing in 1885 when the Village Board refused
a liquor permit to a local druggist.

The first fire ordinance of the Village was also
passed in 1885.

From the time of the first meeting until 1886
the Board of Trustees had no regular meeting
place, but in this year it is found that a place was

rented for this purpose over Swearingen & Co.
Drug Store and the rental fee was $1.50 per
month.

A newspaper is a great asset to any com-
munity, and we find the initial copy of the Record,
Volurne 1, Number 1, was a four-page edition
owned by Mr. Gallion. The size of each page was
only seven inches by ten and one-half inches. This
first publication of a newspaper in St. Joseph was
started on September 8, 1883. Next in about 1890
Mr. Wyninger purchased the pubUcation and
changed the name to "The St. Joseph Eagle." In
1893 he sold out to J. H. Noble who changed the
publication's name to the presently known "St.
Joseph Record." Mr. Noble continued in the news
world until 1897, selling to E. L. and C. W. Dale.

Fred Kieiizle on Far Right - Circa 1890.

Compliments of

St. Joseph Sportsman Club

St. Joseph, Illinois

•"•frtwi^u

Very Early Photo Southwest Corner of "Square"

In 1888 we find the liquor question coming
up again when the Board is petitioned to ask the
restaurant owners to refrain from selling hard cider
on election days. The petition was refused at this
time but the next year our Village officials refused
to allow the restaurants to sell hard cider at any
time.

"Many a boy skinned his shins on loose
boards on tiie old board walks of early St. Joseph
and it must have been that about 1894 some of
these boys had become Village Dads, for the first
bill for bricks, for sidewalk purposes was presented
in that year."

The officers of our Village have always been
of a progressive nature and street lights were first
purchased in 1894. They were a step forward but

were not very efficient in comparison to our
electric lights of today, for often these oil lights
would flicker and go out just when they were
needed most. The oil lights were improvement
enough, that many people petitioned the Board to
place one or more near their homes or place of
business.

There may have been many Village Board
meetings where there was a vast difference of
opinion among the Trustees, but the one held in
1895 when the liquor ordinance was up before the
Village Dads, will stand out as the most bitter. As
the records show the ordinance was opposed by
the ministers of both churches who were present
and made talks, and also many other citizens of the
village. The plan of adoption was to adopt or reject

Compliments of

Sister's Shoppe

St. Joseph, Illinois

each section, separately. The vote was always 4 for
and 2 against; with a motion for adjournment
injected into the debate between the voting of the
ordinance. The adjournment motions always lost
by a vote of 4 to 2. The question was a very
popular one and even the Halloween pranksters
erected a saloon in the "square."

Another hark back to the GOOD old days will
be made when we find that the Village Constable
was instructed to meet the midnight train, and, for
why, if not to keep order?

In 1897 the board was ready to remove the
hitching racks on Fourth Street along side the
Church of Christ, the church petitioned for them
to be left standing and won.

In 1897 the right was granted to the. Central
Union Telephone Company, its successors and
assigns to place and maintain upon the streets and
highways, the poles, wires and fixtures necessary
for supplying communication by telephone. The
village kept the right to string along the phone
company's top cross bar their fire alarm wires and
police wires.

During mid- 1898 a contract was made to
contact Schoonover and Borders to construct four
concrete sidewalks of five feet width around the
square. Tliis was the first local concrete sidewalk
considered by the board.

The first plan for the new concept in lighting
was September, 1898. The village agreed to put in
an electric plant and issue bonds to the amount of
5% of assigned valuation-bonds to bear not more
than 5% interest. The village voted to put in the
incandescent system of liglits. A committee was
appointed for construction of the plant and an
electrical engineer was hired. The same month the
Electric Light Ordinance was passed.

During October 1898 the liglit committee
presented the proposition and specifications of the
T.C. Reed & Company of Chicago, Illinois, for an
electric light and power plant. The contract was
accepted with the voting showing four (4) "ayes"
and two (2) "nays." The ordinance was passed and
approved for the securing of bonds in order to get
the funds needed.

In November, 1898, a special committee
reported on the electric light. An attorney was
consulted in regard to the legality of the contract
made with T.C. Reed and Company. After confer-
ing with a representative of the Western Engineer-
ing and Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois,
to whom the contract was assigned, we find the
contract to be illegal and void. The committee
recommended that this contract be abandoned in
toto. The committee report was accepted and
electric hghts became a thing for the future.

In the summer of 1899 permission was given
for the village park to be used for summer band
concerts. Many pleasant hours were then spent
there.

Fireworks displays were to be on the old ball
ground west of the "calaboos" in 1899.

In June 1900, the city calaboose was moved,
but where located, the records fail to state. It was
first constructed along the south side of the Big
Four right-of-way about two blocks west of the
"square" and was made of two by fours laid one
on top of the other, making a wall of four inch
thickness. Who remembers the story of the inmate
who set fire to the prison so as to escape? His
efforts were futile and there were no casualties.

Also in 1900 a petition was presented for a
franchise for a period of fifty years to construct
and operate a telephone exchange, in connection
with rural lines, within the village limits. Seems the
village dads could not quite come to terms over
this new development. The petition was finally
granted after deleting wiring for electrical purposes
and shortening the time element to twenty-five
years. After much ado an ordinance was written
and approved, giving many restrictions and giving
the village dads the right to communicate village
business free of charge.

One of St. Joseph's prosperous businesses in
1 900 was a tile factory located at the south edge of
town, but this business brouglit some grief, as some
of the citizens objected to the smoke from the tile
kilns.

Courtesy of

Selfservice Laundromat & Drycleaning

East Lincoln Street

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Village Plat of 1893

Compliments of

Mennenga Construction Corporation

Box 372

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Courtesy of

Champaign County Grain Assn.

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Compliments of

St. Joseph Lions Club

St. Joseph, Illinois

In the early part of the present century, the
land mark of any up-to-date town, was a town
well, and St. Joseph wished to be in that class, so
the Board of Trustees voted to drill a well in the
center of the square formed by Main and Lincoln
streets. The people rose up on their dignity and
objected very strenuously to the location decided
upon, so the well was later put alongside of the
Exchange Bank. The total cost of this well and
trough totaled $161.60.

At the September meeting in 1902, a petition
was presented by the Champaign, Urbana and
Danville Interurban Co., for a franchise for the use
of certain streets in our Village for track purposes.
This method of transportation was a wonderful

step forward but the company referred to was not
unanimously welcomed for one dissenting vote was
recorded.

Previously we referred to the fact that any
municipality to be up-to-date, must have good
sidewalks, and it was in 1903 that concrete
material was first considered for walk purposes and
in 1904 the first concrete walk in St. Joseph was
laid. It ran along the east side of Main Street
between Sherman and Lincoln streets.

In 1903 a communication was received from
the Chicago Liglit Company expounding on the
merits of their electrical ligliting system. The letter
was discussed and filed away for many years.

Swinging Foot Bridge over the Salt Fork.

Courtesy of

St. Joseph Supply Co.

St. Joseph, Illinois

■S
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Compliments of

St. Joseph Data Service

St. Joseph, Illinois

Now they found the need for steel jail cages,
things must not have been as "good" as they would
have us believe. A communication was received and
put away for the time being.

The Interurban company requested placing a
steam engine on their track to be of use in hauling
materials for repairs. They were refused and the
steam engine remained on the commons for almost
a month. Guess the villagers preferred slow work
instead of "full steam ahead."

The village dads set aside $3.00 for a new
stove for the "Bum-de-Hotel" if one can be found
"worth the money."

From the early Board we see that members

were very busy.

In the fall of 1903 a committee was ap-
pointed to secure a curfew bell and confer with the
telephone company to see if they could make

arrangements with them to attend to the ringing.
The bell also was to be used as the fire alarm and
police call signal.

Again we wonder just how the GOOD old
days would fit in with our present time, for in
1904 we find each member of the Village Board
was given a star and a club. It was in this year, too,
that the heavy foot of the law was to be placed on
the necks of the Halloween pranksters and as a
result of this determination, one young man was
placed in the city jail for a short time, and OH, the
storm that must have resulted, for this said young
man happened to be the son of one of the
Trustees, and although this official was very much
opposed to Halloween pranks, he did not want his
heir placed in the city lock-up. He has remained
nameless for the records.

Looking West along Big Four Tracks - Circa 1900

Courtesy of

B. J. Beauty Shop

B. J. and Dixie Hackler

Bandstand located in Village Park.

^ - ■ " .^ V

Businesses in 1 900

Lennington Lumber Company

B. F. Boggs & Sons - dry goods

J. M. Gault - grocery store

John J. VVoodin grain

Robert Baumann - meat market

Swearingen's - undertakers and embalmers

James Reese - restaurant

Kirkpatrick & Somers - farm implements

Old Reliable Butcher Shop - Geo. Zimmermen

Stevenson — wallpaper &. window shades
J. H. Schuman - hardware
William Reese - medical doctor
George Schuman - livery & feed stables
W. Albert Dukes - jewelry
Swearingen & Walker - elevator
J. A. Gillis — elevator
Exchange Bank
St. Joseph Bank

Compliments of

State Bank of St. Joseph

Your bank in your Community

Member F.D.I.C.

In the spring of 1904 it was reported that the
bridge near the J.T. Woodin residence was in bad
shape. A bill from Illinois Bridge and Machine Co.,
Jacksonville, Illinois, was accepted in the amount
of $280.00 for repairs.

In August 1904 a petition was received from
Farmer's Telephone Company asking for a fran-
chise to erect poles and string wires in the city
limits. The plea was tabled for the time being. A
Volunteer Fire Company was discussed and too
many pros and cons arose, so they put the idea
away.

In November 1904, the first village Medical
Board was set up. Their purpose was to report all
contagious diseases to the council as soon as
possible.

The question of building a village and town-
ship hall arose in early 1905. The Village Dads
decided this should be voted on at the spring
election. The building and lot is to cost no more

than $3,000, with the village paying half and the
township outside of the village to pay the other
half. The building contract was placed with C.C.
Fenwick for $2,680.71.

It was also in the year 1905 that the President
of the Board was elected for two years for the first
time and a year later the clerk was first elected for
a period of two years.

Also in 1905 a pefition from the Danville-
Urbana-Champaign interurban railway company
asking for a franchise and ordinance to be granted
them to operate an electric railroad througli St.
Joseph with the right to haul coal, and other
freight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and express at all
times.

September 1905 shows J. P. McPherrin agreed
to put concrete sidewalks in for \0i per foot, and
Mi a foot where sides are to be finished. The
villagers thouglit these prices were pretty high, but
by today's standards they were remarkably low.

Circa 1905 - The Laying of Concrete Sidewalks.

Courtesy of
Lewis Barber Shop
St. Joseph, Illinois

Early Aerial View looking Southeast of Main.

In 1905 St. Joseph was to have another two
story building on the corner of Main and Lincoln
streets. The interurban company had at last de-
cided to erect a handsome two story brick build-
ing. They will join with Busey, Swearingen & Co.,
who would put the second story on their bank
building, and the two buildings were erected
together. The interurban people put up a $10,000
building, using the lower part for a ticket office,
express, freight and power room and the upper
rooms were occupied by the man, and his family,
who would look after the business. Steam heat was
used and all the conveniences of the times were
supplied.

North and south baseball teams were formed.
Ball games were played in earnest with the losers
receiving words of less than a complimentary
nature from the winners.

Local sports teams provided much entertain-
ment in those years, through competition between
teams within the town and with teams of the
neighboring villages.

When the dredge boat started the work of
dredging the Salt Fork in 1905 everyone predicted
that the boys would be without a swimming place
in the future. But, you should have seen the place
the boys fixed up just north of the bridge. They
put in ladders and spring boards, with lines across
the stream as safe guards and everything was fixed
up in good shape. There was a sandy bottom and
the boys were having the time of their lives. So
perhaps the "ole swimmin' hole" had just given
way to bigger and better things.

Courtesy of

Wright Sanitary Service

Urbane & St. Joseph, Illinois

Compliments of

St. Joseph Drug Co.

St. Joseph, Illinois

The Dredge Machine and Workmen's Quarters.

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Compliments of

Champaign County Seed Co.

St. Joseph, Illinois

January 1906 shows $175.00 was taken from
funds to pay for jail cells when they arrive.

The fall of 1 906 shows the old tool house was
sold for $ 15.50, providing the new owner "move it
immediately."

In February 1907 it seems the villagers are
complaining about all the standing water. So a
rough estimate of 20" drainage tile for the north
side would cost about $1,100, and the south side
$1,700. For a 30" tile through the village about
$700. A motion was made to concur as a village
and citizens in formmg their first drainage district.

With half the town developing south of the
tracks and the rest north a rivalry developed
between the townspeople that lasted for years.

They even had their own separate town pumps, the
fu-st being located on the east side of Main_ Street
just north of Lincoln and Main. This intersection
was commonly referred to as the "square." The
other town well was located in front of the K P
Hall which was about one half block north of the
Big Four tracks on Main Street.

In 1907 several citizens mentioned the fact
that this town needed an opera house, a place
where public entertainments could be held. Their
dreams came true at a later date.

St. Joseph held its first Com Carnival and Fair
in 1907. The premium Ust occupied leading space,
and the front page of the Record was given over to
the story of the carnival amusements and parade.

Laying of Local Drainage Tile — Circa 1907

Courtesy of

St. Joseph Auto Wash

Route 150

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Compliments of

Champaign County Seed Company

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Courtesy of

De Kalb Hybrid Seed

Arnold Hawk

St. Joseph, Illinois

In April 1908 F. A. Rice erected a tent on the
north side of town, which he planned to use during
the summer as a photograph gallery. He was
reputed to be quite an artist in photography.

During January 1909, a new switchboard had
been installed in the St. Joseph telephone exchange
with accommodations for 700 patrons, the old one
which cared for 300 having been outgrown. The
exchange, which had started with 100 subscribers,
then numbered over 300.

The old school building located on Second
Street was moved to a lot in the northeast part of
town. It was to be fitted up for a dwelling.

The gradual increase in the expenses of the
Village can be noted by the fact that in 1882 the

appropriation ordinance called for $500.00 and in

1908 it had mounted to the sum of $1,700.00. It
was also in the year 1908 that most of our board
walks still in use were replaced by ones constructed
of concrete.

March 1909 shows the note on the village hall
was paid in full. This means the village hall is
finally paid for.

"A Farmer" had written to the Record in

1909 calling attention to the fact that there was
not a sufficient number of hitching places or tie-ins
for their horses when they came to St. Joseph to
trade. Now we complain about automobile parking
facilities.

Line drawing of First School house.

Courtesy of

Raintree Stables

St. Joseph, Illinois

Local Creamery - Circa 1 909.

A representative from an Ohio company had
been about town, the last of August 1 909, trying
to interest the business men and farmers of the
community in a creamery and butter factory. In
this effort he was successful. Since nearly all the
required shares for the proposed creamery in St.
Joseph had been sold, the 'promoter expressed
himself as certain of the success of the venture.
The site for the new creamery had been selected at
the comer of Sixth and Grant streets, the requked
lots being purchased from Lew. E. Stevenson for
$200.

An expensive but useless item in our Village
expenses was instituted in the year 1909. In

defense of our officials, it was not originated by
them, but by the State Legislature and the item
referred to was the holding of a Village Primary for
the purposes of nominating candidates for Village
offices. This political experiment lasted a great
while and the last primary was held in 1928 as at
that time the State Legislature passed a bill making
the holding of primaries in Villages of this size,
unnecessary.

One of the first co-operatives in this vicinity
was brought to the notice of our Village Trustees
when the Farmer's Elevator Company petitioned
for permission to erect a new elevator. The petition
was presented and duly granted in 1909.

Compliments of

Dairy Lane Drive In

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Courtesy of

Funks G. Hybrid Seed

John L. & Lynn Huls

St. Joseph, Illinois

The St. Joseph Co-operation Creamery was
formally opened with a day of celebration for the
citizens of St. Joseph and the farmers of the area
generally. A big churning of 300 pounds of butter
of excellent quality was churned in about 20
minutes and the butter milk was drawn into a great
vat for free drinking purposes all day or sold at 1
cents a gallon to those who wished to carry it
away. The butter was served at the big noon day
basket dinner. Later a milk route was also estab-
Ushed. In May of 1910 the creamery announced its
biggest day's churning of 637 pounds of butter.

The spring of 1910 the citizens and visitors
were given a pleasing improvement by the I.T.S.
They constructed concrete platforms in front of
the station, replacing worn and sometimes dan-
gerous wooden planks.

A July 22, 1910, article read as follows: "A
giant oak tree he had been growing to its present
size since he settled 75 years ago on the farm
where he died, now encases the body of Cary
Fenwick, 77 years old, of Muncie, Ind. His sons cut
down the tree that grew in the dooryard of the
homestead and fashioned it into a coffin. The
aforesaid Mr. Fenwick is a brother to M. Fenwick
of this place and C. C. Fenwick, the latter's son,
was named for him. It was his request that he be
buried in this tree and his sons carried out his
wishes. The tree was cut down, split in two,
hollowed out, and then bolted back together, and
in the grave was placed in cement."

C C. Fenwick's father seated in background. The Carving of a Casket from a tree.

Courtesy of

Lincoln Land Foods, Inc.

Home of Teen- Rite Pizza

St. Joseph, Illinois

The finished casket.

"The Current Elevator had burned to the
ground the evening of June 28, 1910. With no fire
fighting equipment, the townsmen formed a
bucket brigade and succeeded in saving the sur-
rounding buildings. The heat was intense and it
required great courage and endurance to fight the
flames from the roof of the Dexter lumber office
and sheds, the Big Four Depot, and the St. Joseph
grain company office. A part of the time the two
pumps on Main Street were "manned" by young
ladies. The fire was started, it was surmised, by a

switching freight train. The damage was estimated
at $7,000. Mr. Current planned to reouild."

One of the irritating things to every Trustee
representing the Village, not to say anything about
the citizens, was the levying and collection of a
poll tax. What a time the collectors of this tax
must have had, if the reports only give part of their
troubles. The proposition was finally placed upon
an election ballot and the poll tax was given its
first and last defeat in 1910.

Courtesy of

St. Joseph Oil Company

St. Joseph, Illinois

"An Ordinance for weeds requires all persons,
owning real estate within the limits of said Village,
are hereby required to exterminate all burdock,
wild lettuce, cockle burrs, Canada thistles, and
other noxious weeds, before any such weeds
mature seeds. In case of failure, neglect or refusal
to do so, they shall be liable to a penalty of not
less than three nor more than ten dollars, for each
offense upon conviction." Passed and approved on
August 1, 1910.

Take note of this, in September 1910, noise
pollution was not a new innovation. Many citizens
complained to the board that the noise caused by
the gasoUne engine exhaust pipe of the St. Joseph

Grain Company's elevator should be stopped. It
took awhile but in January 1911 the whole matter
is completed and forgotten, with the desired
results— quiet!

October 1910 should be a date remembered
as a representative of Pitner Gasoline Street Light-
ing Systems told of the merits of his lights. He
offered to install one light free of charge for a trial.
His efforts, alas, were in vain. The village dads
actually said no to something free.

The first carload of automobiles ever shipped
to St. Joseph was received in December 1910 by
the Davis Garage. The "Flanders 20" sold at $700
and the "E-M-F" at $1,000.

Current Elevator Fire, located West of Main and North of Tracks - Circa 1910.

Courtesy of

Rudicil's Garage

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Compliments of

J. Proctor

Real Estate — Insurance

St. Joseph, Illinois

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Courtesy of

Richard Bartlow Excavating

St. Joseph, Illinois

The light question, like all other good things,
continued to arise and in 1911 a committee was
appointed to investigate the lighting problem. The
efforts of this committee produced a franchise to
the Central Illinois Electric Light Company of
Buffalo, Illinois. The first contract signed with this
company was dated August 21, 1911. This com-
pany was the forerunner of our present light and
power company.

The President of the board is to notify Test
and Webb to stop butchering within the corporate
Umits for mercantile purposes. The reason was not
stated, so we can only guess as to the possible
complaints.

Who of those that were young in 1911
remember the curfew law of that time and how the
constable rang that old bell that hung under the
portico of the village hall.

Old State Road Bridge - Circa 1 91

Courtesy of

Eastern Illinois Bowl

Owner— R. D. Havener

Si.

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Courtesy of

Underwood Sales & Service

BMW Motorcycles Exclusively

St. Joseph, Illinois

October 1911 was a year for business building
improvements as Kienzle Bros., razed the frame
building on the southeast corner of the square. In
it's place was constructed a one-story brick build-
ing, which is still in use today.

Our Spit Ordinance states that whoever shall
spit on, upon or against any sidewalk of said village
shall be subject to a penalty of not less than Two
Dollars nor more than Twenty-Five dollars. Dated
Julys, 1911.

There was a limited amount of interesting
events happening in 1912. The village had ap-
parently reached its limits for now on making new
laws. A committee was appointed to meet with the
Township committee to see about obtaining a
vault. The village will stand its portion of the
expense, providing the vault does not exceed the
cost of $500.

Circa 1910

Compliments of

Red Barn Workshop

R. J. Trippy

Watch & Clock Repair

St. Joseph, Illinois

area 1911

In early 1912 the electric light company
installed a transformer and supplied forty lights for
our streets. They estimated installing at least five
more in the near future. In the fall of this same
year Mrs. Jennie Dresback was the first resident to
have electric power in a private dwelling. The same
week of installation she purchased the first (in
town) electric toaster. Imagine the visitors she
must have had to view this new modern appliance.

The high water of 1913 filled about all of the
cellars in town, and for a time it was thought the

Big Four, the I.T.S. and the wagon bridges would
all go downstream. Both railroads kept crews of
men on the job for three or four days to protect
their property. Passengers on the interurban had to
transfer, as it was too dangerous to run cars across
the bridge.

The four mail carriers out of St. Joseph
reported a total of 44,958 pieces of mail through
October and November of 1913. The total
poundage for the two months was 9,516 pounds
and 1 3 ounces.

Courtesy of

The Firemen of

St. Joseph-Stanton Fire

Protection District

Passengers walking across I. T.S. bridge due to high waters.

Jim Swearingen. Deana McCown, Charlie Mapes, Ross Swearingen, Bruce McCarty, "Shorty " Richardson

Courtesy of
Taylor Enterprises
St. Joseph, Illinois

Village Plat of 1913

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Compliments of

Taylor Enterprises-Westinghouse

Major Appliances

St. Joseph, Illinois

Now in 1 9 1 3 we note some problems with the
local pool hall manager. It seems he must close
down or be arrested for violating a local ordinance.

July 1913 a gentleman came forward to ask
for damages of $75.00 for getting a horse's leg hurt
in a hole in the road at the northern limits of the
village. The matter was taken under consideration.
A committee was appointed to investigate and they
decided S50.00 would be enough. The gentleman
refused the settlement of S 5 0.00, so more investi-
gation and negotiation. Finally in October the
matter was settled for $62.50.

Also in early 1914 a united meeting of the
various women's groups met for the purpose of
receiving voting instructions. A mock voting area
was set up and explained. "It is noteworthy that at
the next election in St. Joseph, there were several
spoiled ballots, but they were not women's bal-
lots." quoted from the Record. Although ballots
were identical in context, there was discrimination
between the sexes.

1914 was a year for electrical gadgets as the
telephone company installed a fan and Cook's
restaurant a new electric player piano.

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East side of North Main Street - Circa 1912

Courtesy of

Whittaker's Jewelry Store

Urbane, Illinois

Lincoln and Main looking West. Circa 1912.

I.T.S. Station. 1913.

Courtesy of

P.D.Q. Printing

1802 N. Lincoln Avenue

Urbana, Illinois

Circa 1913 - Note livery bam at the end of Main Street.

Northwest Corner - Main and Lincoln. Circa 1912.

Compliments of

C. Deane Phares

Best Auto Trim & Upholstery Shop

18 Logan Street

Champaign, Illinois 61820

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Courtesy of

First National Bank

Homer, Illinois

The election held to decide the question of
erecting a new grade school building in 1914 had
been declared illegal on several technical points. No
separate ballot box had been provided for women
voters, as was plainly required by law. Also the
location of the proposed new building had not
been specified.

In October 1914 new steel post office boxes
had been installed. They replaced those that were
in a dilapidated condition. Big double boxes were
the newest feature.

In January of 1914 it was reported that a
huge snowball had been rolled into the street at the
school house. The village board ordered policeman
F.A. Rice to notify Prof. Albner Silkey to have the
boys who put it there remove it at once. Always
someone around to spoil the boys' fun.

Trash could be hauled out of town in 1 914 for
15i a light load and heavy things for 30^ a load.
What an example of the good old days. At least
their prices sure sound good.

Construction of Elevator on Main Street. Circa 1914.

Courtesy of

Driscoll Pharmacy

Honner, Illinois

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Compliments of

Blossom Basket Florist

Urbana, Illinois

After 19} 2

This empty lot is now the home of the High School. Circa 1912.

Compliments of

Article 1 1 Gun Shop & Police Supply

Urbana, Illinois

Who around town knows where the local
Bench Mark is? The ordinance dated July 1914
stated in part will disclose it's location.

"Shall be the surface of the southeast comer
of the stone window sill of the west basement
window on the south side of the Village Hall, the
same being the west basement window fronting on
Lincoln Street."

"That the elevation of the above ordained
Village Datum or Bench Mark shall be taken as six
hundred seventy five, being approximately six
hundred and seventy five (675) feet above the sea
level as established by government surveys from
Biloxi, Mississippi."

"That all future surveys or grades will be
established in reference to the Village Datum or
Bench Mark."

A communication from J. Rollin Gray of
Chicago in May 1915, asked permission to meet
and discuss the various phases of a Water Works
Installations. The communication was accepted as
read and placed on file.

Permission was granted to the M.E. church to
use half the street east and north of them to store
building materials during their rebuilding.

Thanksgiving Day in 1915 should have been a
busy one as there was a bazaar in the town hall.

February 1916 shows the first building permit
being issued to erect a private garage of frame
construction on the rear of a private lot. It
appeared the automobile was fast becoming an
accepted means of transportation.

No one can question the patriotism of our
Board of Trustees, for in the year 1917 we find
them barring German films in our local movie
theatre and decreeing that patriotic music must be
played at the flag raising in our pubUc square.

Also in 1917 the band boys were notified to
stop cigarette smoking in the village building or use
of the premises would cease. The Town Marshall
was given the power to enforce the state law of
June 3, 1907, after December 10, relative to the
manufacture, sale, giving away and use of cigarettes
within the village illegally, and that notices were to
be placed in public places to that effect.

Northwest side of Main — Circa 1916

Compliments of

McCown Gun Club

Newman, Illinois

(open for practice Saturday afternoons)

Circa 1912

Lincoln and Main looking East. Circa 1912.

Courtesy of
Robbin's Mobil
Ogden, Illinois

The village ordered three "Keep to the Right"
signs at $8.00 each in early 1918, proof of the
auto's established position in the community.

A fee of $5.00 to parties desiring the privilege
to tap a private drain tile onto a village drain was
now being charged.

The year 1918 was one many may remember
hearing stories about, as the flu had reached
epidemic stages. Most families experienced this
disease, and many loved ones were lost to them
forever.

After a fifteen day strike in December 1918
the cars of the Ilhnois Traction System started
running. The trainmen's committee signed an
agreement to accept a wage scale which will give
motormen and conductors 50 cents an hour and
brakemen 37-1/2 cents. Nine hours constituted a
regular day.

One could attend the Franklin Theatre in
1919 to see a three act comedy performed by a
local group for 15, 25, or 35 cents.

Southeast Corner of "square. " Circa 1912.

Courtesy of
Vere M. Shepherd
Insurance Agency
Oakwood, Illinois

Looking South from Warren - Circa 1912

Comer of Main and Lincoln looking North. Circa 1913.

Courtesy of

I. R. Lockingbill

Fertilizer Lime Spreading

Broadiands, Illinois

CA. Peabody prop. -East side of No. Main Circa 1913

A wage scale of 50 cents per hour for ditching
was submitted but the village dads seemed to think
this was a little too higli and allowed 40 cents
which was accepted by all concerned.

The matter of appointing a poundmaster and
finding a suitable place for a pound was taken up
in 1919. It was decided that the Town Clerk
should get up suitable laws and by-laws for the
governing of the same. The next election offered
the position of pound master for the first time.

Village dads decided to make an appropria-
tion for the building of a vault in the town hall for

the protection of books, legal papers, etc. The idea
was to make a like appropriation for a few years,
thereby creating a sinking fund so that the same
could be put in in a few years. This was to prevent
the taxation from becoming burdensome all at one
time.

Riglit now seemed to be a good time to put a
stop to the speeding of automobiles and motor-
cycles on the streets of St. Joseph. Seemed like a
good idea then and now.

Compliments of

Woodworth & Sons

Tolono, Illinois

Snow Removal on Lincoln Street - Circa 1912

Main and Lincoln looking North - Circa 1912.

Compliments of

Case Power & Equipment

Danville, Illinois

Elevator and Office on North Main Street Circa 1916

Villagers were warned about pasturing and
feeding stock in the streets of the village. "This is
in direct violation of the Village ordinances and
will not be tolerated in the future. All hog pens
within the village positively must be kept clean lest
they become a nuisance in which case they would
have to be moved."

September 1919, according to advice received
here from Springfield, the state highway commis-
sion has selected the route thru Mayview, St.
Joseph, Ogden and Fithian for the state bond issue
hard road, over which there has been much

controversy. Residents along this Hne were hoping
this report was authentic.

Quite a number of people had been burning
trash and leaves after dark, which was strictly '
against the village ordinances and the State Board
of Health rulings, especially since there was so
much scarlet fever prevalent. The request was made
for all to bum their trash and leaves as near the
middle of the day as possible. By order of the
Village and Township Boards the above request
was made in order to prevent another epidemic of
the "flu."

Courtesy of

Jim's Barber Shop

Ogden, Illinois

Raising the Local Service Flag Liberty Day 1918

West side of North Main — Circa 1916

Courtesy of

Hunter - Webb Lumber Company

Office & Wholesale

Ogden, Illinois

Drilling of the North Side Town Well - Circa 1915

Courtesy of

Courson Hardware

Homer, Illinois

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Compliments of

WRTL

AM 1460 - FM 95.3

Rantoul, Illinois

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Compliments of

Stallings Motor Company

Fithian, Illinois

The Board of Education of the new Com-
munity High School, District No. 305, met at the
town hall to receive options for a site for the new
school building. There were four splendid sites for
the voters to choose from when voting on the pro-
position.

A hard road contractor was here looking over
the proposed route of the sixty million dollar state
bond issue road through here.

There were so many dogs running loose in St.
Joseph in 1920 that you had to have a Ucense and
a tag for them. Parties having stray dogs around
their home who wanted them killed were to notify
the village president.

Funeral services were held most often at the
home of the deceased. After the service the casket
would be placed aboard special I.T.S. cars and the
party of mourners would then board the inter-
urban cars and proceed to Mt. Olive Cemetery,
located about a mile west of Mayview. After the
graveside services everyone would reboard for the
return trip to St. Joseph. When the state bond issue
road was paved in 1922 this practice gave way to
motor hearses.

An assistant state engineer was present in
April 1920 advising what would be necessary to do
in obtaining the right-of-way and additional width
of the road. There would be no construction work
through here now on account of the contract
prices being too high. When that time did come the
localities who had the right-of-way ready for the
state would be the first to have the roads con-
structed. The state asked for a 56 foot road all the
way from Urbana to Danville as they need this
width in order to get the dirt to make the grades.
The right-of-way had to be obtained by the local
people, as that was the rule adhered to all over the
state.

The Champaign County board of supervisors
appropriated $5,000 for construction of the state
bond issue road eastward, to connect Urbana and
Danville. This route necessitated the purchase of
$17,000 worth of right-of-way and the county's
$5,000 is to apply on that, the remainder to be
raised by farmers benefited. A new bridge was to
be built just west of St. Joseph at a cost of
$20,000, to be paid by the state. It will replace a
bridge that was condemned.

The village dads appointed a committee to
confer with the St. Joseph Community High
School Board of Directors in regard to preparing
the town and village hall for high school purposes
in May 1920.

The village also decided to oil the streets again
in order to keep down the dust and also stop them
from getting so muddy.

Notice to Auto Drivers in August 1920 read:
"This is to warn all autoists to keep their cut outs
closed while driving through the corporate limits of
the village of St. Joseph. It is against the law to
have your cut outs working in the village limits and
the noise is most distracting to residents, especially
so to those who are sick. We hope this warning will
be sufficient. However, if it is not heeded arrests
will foUow."

The village council voted to draft an ordi-
nance repealing the old one prohibiting the sale of
cigarettes in this village by merchants or anyone.
This action probably stirred up a hornets nest and
a right lively time was expected and received. Some
145 residents of the community signed a petition
•"praying" the action taken be repealed. Much to the
chagrin of many the petition request was refused
and the ordinance passed in January 1921.

At about the same time the St. Joseph
Community High School case came up for hearing
in the Circuit court before Judge Boggs, in which
by quo warranto proceedings, several gentlemen
were trying to annul the district claiming it to be
illegally organized because the women voted at the
election to organize the same. After hearing argu-
ments by the lawyers which took up all day Judge
Boggs took the matter under advisement and made
his decision later. In the meantime both sides sat
on the anxious seat.

The big concrete bridge was completed in
June 1921. The bridge spans the Salt Fork just
west of St. Joseph and was a mammoth structure
for the times. It was probably the biggest structure
of its kind in the county then, and presented a
most imposing sight. It now behooved the Cham-
paign County people to get busy and see that this
end of the state bond issue road was finished. This
bridge was closed officially in 1972.

Compliments of

Fithian Grain Company

Fithian, Illinois

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Courtesy of

The Royal Insurance Agency

R. H. Shortsleeve

Insurance, Real Estate & Farm Loans

Royal, Illinois

The right-of-way on the state bond issue road
was now cleared up and if all are secured by the
first of February the contract will be let on the
15th of February for the completion of the road
between Urbana and Danville.

"June 17, 1921— Notice is hereby given that
no swimming will be allowed at the place known as
the Kilbury swimming hole. Prosecutions will
follow if this is not adhered to."

The following Motor Vehicle Ordinance of
1921 proved autos to be very dangerous to all.

"Section 1-lt is hereby decreed unlawful for
any person to drive or operate a motor vehicle or
motor bicycle upon the public streets of the village
of St. Joseph, Illinois through the closely built up

business portions of said vUlage, at a greater speed
than ten miles an hour, or if such street passes
through the residence portion of said village at a
speed greater than fifteen miles an hour, or if such
street passes outside the closely built up business
portions and the residence portions with the village
at a greater speed than twenty miles an hour, or in
going around a comer or curve in such street where
the operators view of the road traffic is obstructed,
at a speed greater than six miles an hour, and
whoever shall be found guilty of exceeding the
speed limits as designated in this section shall be on
conviction thereof pay a fine of not exceeding two
hundred dollars."

Inside of elevator office, seated from left Clay Test, Clarence Test, standing far right Chris Denhart.

Courtesy of

Collins Grocery

Royal, Illinois

A quarantine rule had been enforced against
public gatherings as a prevention for the spread of
a smallpox epidemic in early 1922.

A hog sale, held in 1922, gives the average
price of $53. One animal brought $70.00.

A smallpox quarantine was lifted in early
1922 from a local hotel after thorough fumigation.
The hotel was under quarantine for about four
weeks.

A public survey was taken in the village on
having the library housed in the town hall. All
responses were in favor of such a move. Books
were to be loaned free of charge, with the hours of
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

The new hard road east of St. Joseph from
Glover was nearing completion on May 26, 1922.

It was hoped to have it ready for traffic within six
weeks.

Through traffic from St. Joseph to Danville
was able to use the highway on July 1, 1922. Work
on the St. Joseph-Urbana link was now being
rushed.

On Wednesday, September 29, 1922, a formal
opening of the new state highway connecting
Champaign and Danville was held. A request was
made that all who possibly could attend and
participate in the celebration in order to make the
event a memorable one for the community should
do so. There was a parade starting in Champaign
and stopping at each village along the way.

East Elevator - Circa 1912.

Compliments of

Shaft Implt. Co.

Oliver - M & M - New Idea

Urbana, Illinois

Paving of Main Street - Circa J 925

One of the Village's greatest improvements
began to take form at the regular monthly meeting
in March, 1924. It was at this time that a Board of
Local Improvements was formed and the first steps
taken toward the construction of our paved streets.
The paving contract was let in February, 1925.

The board decided to draft a resolution
against a petition from the Wabash Transit Com-
pany to run a motor bus line through here as
transportation facilities were adequate for the
present.

Illinois Bell Telephone Company had now
taken over and requested a new franchise.

A notice was published to the effect that
according to a new ruling by "Uncle Sam" all mail
carriers on rural routes must carry a United States
flag on their cars.

J. G. Cook had installed a new Frigidaire ice
cream cabinet in his restaurant and confectionary
store in 1925. Ice was not used in this cabinet. The
ice cream was kept solid by an electrically operated
refrigeration system. Another sign of the then
modern times.

The pavement dedication was staged by mer-
chants, professional men and others in September,
1925. It was estimated that 5,000 people were
present and on our streets for this event. Free
movies, band concert, and a big square dance on
the new pavement were featured.

Compliments of

Champaign County Farm Service

Urbana, Illinois

The Salt Fork drainage district was being
formed with plans and estimates to be completed
soon. It was hoped to have all the technicalities out
of the way so that work could start early in the
spring of 1926. The ditch was to be the largest in
the county. It was to start at St. Joseph and go
south to the stone bridge north of Sidney, a
distance of about seven miles. This was for the
purpose of taking care of the higli waters that
made St. Joseph the wettest spot in the county at
certain seasons of the year, particularly when the
numerous drainage ditches that empty near the
triple bridges become filled without an adequate
outlet.

May of 1926 the committee on Program
Planning for Decoration Day exercises announced
that the Royal Band had been engaged along with
the Boy Scout Band. Most of these special days
events were held in the village park.

One of the village's most important business
changes took place during 1926. The bank estab-
Ushed here 45 years before by M. W. Busey of
Urbana and John W. Somers of St. Joseph was to
be known as the Exchange Bank of St. Joseph.

SM^Biii^:i^i

1 1

State Bond Issue Road Route 10 - Circa 1922.

Courtesy of

Busey 1st National Bank

Race & Main

Urbana, Illinois

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Courtesy of

Busey 1st National Bank

Race & Main

Urbana, Illinois

The following Ordinance on Dogs dated
March 22, 1926 reads: "Section 1-That it shall be
unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
permit any dog to run at large unmuzzled within
the corporate limits of the village of St. Joseph,
Illinois.

Section 2-The owner or any person having the
custody of any dog within the corporate limits of
the village of St. Joseph, Illinois, shall at all times
cause said dog to be properly and securely
muzzled, or shall cause said dog at all times to be
securely chained, in such a manner as to prevent
said dog from being able to bite any person or
other dog.

Section 3-That on and after March 27, 1926, any
dog found unmuzzled or improperly muzzled or
unchained or improperly chained within the cor-
porate limits of the village of St. Joseph, Illinois,
shall be killed.

Section 4-The president of the village of St.
Joseph, Illinois, shall be and is hereby empowered
to appoint special police officers for the purpose of
carrying this ordinance into effect."

Here is a story about how boys were boys on
Halloween.

"A village square decked with wagons, sulkies,
baled hay, barbed wire, junk, an old tank, a
smokestack, a miniature stockyards in which a
lonely cow mooed mournfully. Irate citizens whose
anger slowly cooled as the pranks of which they
had been victims recalled to them the days when
they as boys were the perpetrators instead of the
victims of Halloween devilment.

Search for missing movable enUvened by
chuckles of remembrance as one or another of the
grumblers recalled the days of his boyhood. The
night on which a gang-including one then a
leading citizen of the county, unconsciously
dragged 300 pounds of dynamite around the town
was recalled.

Likewise the night on which another who was
then a leader in the community helped remove the
nuts from the wagon of the village butcher with
the result that that genial soul was spilled into the
street when he hitched up for his drive next day.
And too, there were those who remembered the
night on which a man who probably has forgotten
his boyhood entertained the populace by partici-
pation in a prize fight.

It all came out the next morning-in the
harvest of Halloween.

A cow was found in the school house. Her
owner, 'tis said, found solace in kidding the man
whose cow provided the atmosphere for the
stockyards in the square. He is said to have replied,
"Well, I wish they'd put my cow in the school
house with yours-where she'd get a Uttle educa-
tion."

The city fathers looked over the debris in the
square, guessed they'd have to coax the boys to
remove it and heaved a sigh of relief that Hal-
loween was over with no great damage done."

The village purchased one model H.B.S.
Pumping Fire Engine mounted upon a Ford truck
together with the apparatus and equipment neces-
sary. This included one fire siren at a purchase
price of $3,500 in 1927.

Do you tell fortunes? Better read the ordi-
nance to see if your methods are legal. "Section
1— No person or persons shall follow the trade or
professions of fortune telling, either by cards or
other means in the village without first having
applied to the Village Clerk for a license to do so.
Upon application, accompanied by the Hcense fee
the Clerk will issue same. The fee of the license is
$2.00 per day.

"Section 2— Any person or persons who shall
follow the trade or profession of fortune telling
without complying with Section 1 shall be liable to
a fine of not more than $25.00 nor less than $5.00
for each and every day said person or persons
violate the said Section 1. Approved August 1,
1927."

At a meeting of the County Board of Super-
visors in March 1929, Supervisor E. R. Peters
presented a resolution asking that a hard road
running from St. Joseph five miles north into
Stanton township be the first to be paved. The
road work began as soon as the weather conditions
were favorable. The road is an important factor in
the unification of the community, socially and
commercially.

A committee was appointed in May 1929 to
purchase one acre of ground north of the bridge on
Route 1 to be used as a dumping ground for the
village trash. To purchase the land pending certain
necessary action from the state highway authori-
ties.

Compliments of
Pierce Fertilizer
Sidney, Illinois

Halloween pranks preserved on film.

Compliments of

Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc.

508 South Broadway Street

Urbana, Illinois

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Courtesy of

E. Z. Spread Fertilizer Co.

Ogden Grain Company

Ogden, Illinois

Memorial Day Ceremonies in Village Park - 1920

On May 10, 1929 the land along the Big Four
right-of-way on the south side of the tracks
between Main and Third Streets was leased for the
sum of $1.00 for the purpose of erecting a
permanent bandstand and improving the appear-
ance of the plot The Chamber of Commerce and
the St. Joseph Womens Club acted as co-sponsors.
It was proposed to level the ground, plant shrubs
to conceal the rear of the buildings bordering the
tract, and otherwise to beautify the place, which is

so prominently located. The .dimensions of the
bandstand were 24 feet each way. It was supported
by 26 concrete posts. Beams were two-by-eights,
the flooring was of 1-inch fir. The shape was an
irregular octagon. This new permanent bandstand
furnished a suitable place for the Saturday evening
concerts and our new summer community gather-
ing place was praised by most citizens of our village
as well as visitors.

Courtesy of

Sadler Feed Mill

Ogden. Illinois

St. Joseph had a three day fair, October 9, 10,
11, 1929. The decision to do this came at a
community meeting held at the High School. St.
Joseph was practically assured of state aid in this
venture. This was a regular county fair including
everything in its exhibits that an ordinary county
farir had, thus making it very attractive to the
exhibitors as well as the patrons.

There was no horse racing, but all other fair
attractions were present. Premiums were given for
all kinds of livestock: horses, colts, cattle, hogs.

sheep, poultry, rabbits, domestic art, fruit canned,
pastries, etc. There was $1,000.00 set aside for the
above premiums.

There was also entertainment of all kinds for
both old and young during day and night for the
entire three days.

The Village of St. Joseph has prospered and
advanced during the first years of its existence, and
no httle credit is due the various members of the
Village Boards in all of these years.

The Ice Men - Fred W. Lambdin and William Meese

Compliments of

Sohigro Service Co.

Sidney, Illinois

Compliments of

Hesterberg Electric

Electrical Contracting & Heating

Gifford, Illinois

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Courtesy of

The Royal Insurance Agency

R. H. Shortsleeve

Insurance, Real Estate & Farm Loans

Royal, Illinois

The work on the big dredge ditch known as
the Upper Salt Fork, progressed nicely and the
contractor hoped to have the work done by June
1931. This work began in July 1930, and the big
boat worked night, day and also Sundays. In
January 1931 the work was about three miles
north of the starting point and near the outlet of
the Spoon River drainage ditch. When this was
reached, the work was speeded up as the ditch was
quite a little narrower from then on.

A contract between the village and the St.
Joseph-Oakwood Electric Company was entered
into with the contract allowed to any other
company who might take over. The new company
complying with the contract was called Central
Illinois Electric and Gas Company, dated Septem-
ber 8, 1931.

A December 4, 1931, quote from the St.
Joseph Record published stories about conditions
during this depression period. For example-"The
worst story of the depression that has come to this
office was told yesterday by a man who stopped in
to tell us to change the address of his paper. "I had
to send my wife back to her folks," he said, "and
put my kids in the orphans home-and on top of it
all I blamed near lost my car."

The upper Salt Fork Drainage District re-
ceived word that the state had decided to contri-
bute $25,000.00 toward the expense of continuing
the dredging on south in January 1932. This meant
that instead of going about two miles south of St.
Joseph, it would go about three and one-half miles
south, stopping at the St. Joseph-Sidney township
line. The state had a fund for work of that kind,
but that was the first time Champaign County ever
asked for any state assistance.

When bigger and better fish were caught, St.
Joseph anglers were there to catch them. Two
gentlemen reported the capture of an eiglit pound,
6 ounce (notice the exactness of that weight) carp
out of the Salt Fork. However, their ecstacy was of
short duration for two other men also captured an
eight pound carp that same night. Then a few short
hours came the electrifying news that another pair
of anglers ventured to the Salt Fork and came
back, claiming the "belt," as they had caught an
eight and fourteen pound carp, respectively. Now,
who could beat that?

Bids were opened around July 1932, for the
extension work to be done on the Upper Salt Fork.
The bid of Nelson & Son was 4.69 cents a yard for
dirt removed. Tliis was the lowest bid on work of
this kind for years, as it was only a few years back
that ditchers were getting 25 cents per yard for this
kind of work. The stream was a mass of curves and
little below ground level in many places. The new
one was to eliminate the curves and lower the
bottom about ten feet. It was to be 80 feet wide at
the bottom and 100 feet wide at the top, becoming
the largest artificial drainage ditch in this part of
IHinois.

Many of our citizens made trips in late
September to Deers Station to view the large
machine which dredged the ditch running from St.
Joseph to the Sidney township line. The equip-
ment arrived over the Wabash with seven cars being
necessary for its transportation. A force of seven
trained mechanics was needed to assemble the
machine. The derrick had a reach of 80 feet and
the bucket had a capacity of three and one-half
yards. Unlike most machines which do this kind of
work, it traveled on two feet, one on each side of
the machine. It operated with a powerful Diesel
engine. A dynamo was on board which furnished
electric lights and the movement of the machine
was by electricity. A machine of this kind would
cost around $45,000 when new in 1932. Many
men were employed to clear the way through the
timber, ahead of the dredge on its way to the Salt
Fork. What effects this would have on the land
along the Salt Fork in Sidney township below the
ditch remained to be seen. Some claimed the ditch
would bring the flood waters down from above in a
hurry and flood the entire low country, others said
no. Does anyone today know the answer?

An ordinance on Waste Paper, Bills and
Rubbish was approved in 1932. Section 2 provided
all trash was to go in suitable containers with lids.

The Red Cross Emergency Rehef Committee
was busy in 1932. They served many families with
clothing, shoes and food stuffs. Depression showed
everywhere.

Compliments of

L. J. White RFG & Lumber Co.

Sidney, Illinois

Early Farm Machinery

During a storm in December 1932, lightning
or a short circuit set the roof of the I.T.S. station
on fire. The shock disabled the wires so that the
fire siren could not be sounded and members of
the fire department had to be summoned other-
wise. The firemen arrived and set to work. The
Urbana Fire Department was also called and they
arrived on the scene soon after the fire was
extinguished. The damage was not heavy, but
necessitated some repairs to the roof and the
electric wires, which had to be cut in order to
prevent danger from them to the fire fighters.

"Rabbit Fever" had flared up again, the state
department of public health announced. In issuing
a warning against this infection, public health
authorities stated that there was no danger of
contracting this disease by eating game, even if the

animal was infected. The danger was that germs
from a diseased rabbit may enter the bloodstream
of an individual engaged in dressing rabbits,
through a slight cut on the hands.

The Illinois Emergency Relief Commission of
Champaign County granted $600 to the village in
January 1933, to be used in raising our old
sidewalks. All that the village had to do was furnish
the material and employ a foreman, as the money
that came from the Relief Fund had to be spent
for labor. The project to be taken up first was the
raising of our old brick sidewalks, which had been
sadly in need of repair for some time. Many of
them were sunk down so far that instead of being
sidewalks they were veritable ditches, and in places
during rainy spells, were almost impassable.

Courtesy of

Clark Shelter Care Home

811 W. Oregon

Urbana, Illinois

The heavy rainfall of May 1933 caused old
man Salt Fork to get on a rampage and run wild.
The high waters came up to the braces of the
railroad bridge and the company had a force of
men there watching and keeping it cleared of
floating debris. This was one of the most

backward springs for road work that had been
known for many years. It was also true for farm
work, too.

For all practical purposes in 1933 the village
was "wet." In May 1934 the village dads voted no
liquor other than beer was to be sold until the
citizens could vote on the issue.

Tuesday, June 28, 1933, the E. R. Peters
grain elevator burned. This was a most disastrous
fire and burned completely to the ground at an

estimated loss of about $18,000.00. The village
sent letters of appreciation to the Champaign,
Urbana and Ogden firemen for helping during the
burning of the elevator. This was one of the largest
fires here for many years.

July 28, 1933 the Big Four had it's work train
on the siding for several days while the men were
engaged in reinforcing the bridge over the Salt
Fork so that the dredge people could excavate
beneath it. To see the small amount of water going
down the river now, one would hardly believe it
was necessary to have had the channel widened or
deepened. The "of swimmin' hole" that the boys
had in the past years was now in the "remember
when" category.

Early Farm Machinery — Note Tinder wagon on right.

Compliments of

Lincoln House Restaurant

Ogden, Illinois

Early Farm Machinery

The November 1933 Hog Ordinance read in
part as follows. "Section 1 -It is hereby declared to
be a nuisance for any person within the jurisdiction
of the President and Board of Trustees of the
Village of St. Joseph, Illinois to locate or maintain
a stable, bam, pig sty, or plot of ground in which
swine are kept within fifty feet of any public street
or alley, avenue or park, or within 100 feet of any
residence, or within 100 feet of any well and to
suffer or permit any such stable, bam or pig sty to
become from any cause foul or offensive or
injurious to public health. Section 3-Shall upon
conviction be punished by a fine of not less than
one dollar nor more than two hundred dollars for
such offense."

This ordinance repealed any others of its
kind.

May 3, 1934 shows the village having dog
problems again, we quote "If You Have A Dog
This Means You-Owing to the many complaints
received by the village board concerning the large
number of dogs running astray in the village of St.
Joseph and doing damage to gardens, and lawns,
notice is hereby given to all owners of dogs, who
desire to keep them, that they must keep their pets
on a leash or penned up, as all stray dogs within
the limits of the village of St. Joseph will be killed.
By Order of the Village Board."

Compliments of

Ray's Market

Ogden, Illinois

Courtesy of

Kirby's Firestone Dealer Store

Urbana, Illinois

Compliments of

Richards Hardware

Ogden, lilinois

• A-1

Courtesy of

Rademacker Brothers

Lumber Company

Gifford, Illinois

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Early Farm Scene

The village council had under advisement for
some time in 1934, a plan to provide w^ater for
protection from fire in the business district of St.
Joseph. The burning of the Peter's elevator proved
that it was impossible to get an adequate supply of
water from existing sources, in fighting a blaze of
such proportions. It was decided to dig four wells,
distributed so as to be available in each of the four
sections of the business district. The plan was to
dig a pit 20 feet deep and 1 1 feet in diameter,
which was to be walled like a cistern. In the center
of this was to be drilled a well down to a vein of
running water which would supply the area in the
vicinity of the well in case of fire. Under the
federal PWA plan, all labor would be furnished if
the village supplied materials. The brick from the

engine house of the destroyed Peter's elevator had
been purchased and the building was torn down by
PWA workmen. These bricks would wall one
cistern it was estimated.

Due to finances in early 1934 the village dads
did not appoint a village marshall.

In May 1934, a petition signed by 26 resi-
dents asked that a night man be on duty at the
I.T.S. sub-station. The citizens felt much more at
ease, as the fire risk was less with an attendant
present.

The Motor Fuel Tax Law provided day labor
wages to be used for local labor. This was a way of
employing the unemployed during the depression.
These workers earned their wages repairing the
village streets.

Compliments of

Cole's True Value Hardware

Sidney, Illinois

St. Joseph farmers fought with every resource
available the plague of chinch bugs in 1934. For
several weeks they had been on the defensive,
creating • barriers, keeping up a dust mulch boun-
dary, constructing creosote barriers, dragging roads
between fields, and very little good had been
accomplished.

Wheat, oats, barley, all small grains, were
practically a dead loss, and the pests were invading
the corn fields, in spite of the day and night fight
to stop them. No one could blame the farmer for
being discouraged that season. The drought of the
past months prevented germination of the seed and
literally burned such vegetation. Many fields vvere
replanted to com because of the "spotty" germi-
nation, and still the rain failed to come. The oil
barrier seemed to be the only effectual method and
it required constant vigilance.

The village dads met in January 1935, to
discuss ways and means of adjusting finances to
meet the current demands. A resolution was
adopted providing for immediate demands and
made arrangements for defering payments.

A force of five men was engaged in drilling in
the vicinity of the proposed overhead crossing at
Glover for the purpose of discovering the nature of
the soil at various depths to determine how deep
the abutment foundations must be placed. Holes
were drilled at eleven different locations to the
depth of 50 feet. The result of their findings was
that the piling for the abutments must be sunk at
least 35 feet.

Snow fell in this community to an average
depth of 12 inches during a storm on February 15
and 16.

Early Farm Machinery— Note water wagon on left.

Compliments of

Dick & Joyce Tavern

Royal, Illinois

Bridges under water, a common scene.

A "Currency Exchange" was known as the St.
Joseph Exchange in the building formerly occupied
by the Exchange Bank. According to a ruling of
the State Auditor this exchange could be of service
to the business men and citizens of the community
as a substitute for a bank in the transaction of
general business. It could give every banking service
except the lending of money. The Exchange could
not lend, invest, or do anything with monies
entrusted to them other than to put it in a
designated bank and be ready, on three days notice
to pay out every cent of the depositors money. It
was hoped that this exchange would fill a need of
business interests in St. Joseph.

If you wanted used sidewalk brick in 1935
they were available at one cent apiece from the
village.

During July the first unit of the street
graveling project was approved. The labor wages
were to be paid from the Motor Fuel Tax.

It was approved that the fire truck be used in
washing down the paved streets. The distance to be
washed was only as far as the hoses would reach
from the wells.

The heavy steel beams under laying the
superstructural work on the Glover viaduct were
being put into place on the piers at the east side.
The steel pieces, 40 feet long, were carried to the
locations on a spur of the Illinois Terminal and
then, by a most ingenious system, raised into
position. A goodly crowd assembled daily to watch
the workmen and the machinery perform the
herculean task. The grading and the steel work
were both in progress at the same time.

The total cost of graveling a street for a
distance of two blocks in 1935 was $868.89.

Courtesy of

Homer Grain & Fertilizer Co.

Glover, Illinois

"Arky" the Arkansas Woodchopper and many
other WLS radio stars were featured during the St.
Joseph Agriculture Fair in 1935.

Work was finally completed in November
1935 on the overhead roadway at Glover. Touring
cars, trucks, and coaches were now whizzing over
the mammoth new overhead roadway. This was
one of the finest pieces of road engineering in the
state. The grade was an easy one and heavily
loaded trucks seemed to have no trouble whatever
in pulling up the incline. Many tourists and
sightseers were taking the trip just for the ex-
perience of "going over."

The governments new dollar bill was put into
circulation in January 1936. The bill, a silver
certificate, carries the great seal of the United
States on one side and a latin inscription meaning,
"A New Order of the Ages" on the other. The new
bill did not marie a change in the monetary poUcy,
it represented the same money in different dress.

A new contract with Central Illinois Gas and
Electric Company for the coming year of 1936 was
accepted at the rate of $62.00 per month for the
village. This contract provided 50 one hundred
candlepower lights and all night service.

Grades Dale on Left. The Old Record Office on South Main Street.

Courtesy of

Homer Grain Company

Homer, Illinois

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Courtesy of

The Gifford State Bank

Gifford, Illinois

With the outbreak of several new cases of
scarlet fever in February, the first since the
holidays, health authorities had again taken charge
of the situation and the state health laws were
being complied with to avert a second epidemic.
The school house was thoroughly scrubbed and all
desks, blackboards, tables and equipment washed,
after which all books were spread open on the
desks and the entire building and contents fumi-
gated with formaldehyde fumes the required length
of time. A thorough airing and reheating prepared
the rooms for occupancy of the pupils. The fear of
a new epidemic was only a scare as all precau-
tionary measures paid off.

Around June 15, 1936 the lllini Coach
Company, Inc., applied to the Ilhnois Commerce
Commission to run a bus service. After a viUage
study it was decided it would tend to impair the
then present services. Resulting in loss, damage and

injury to the existing rail carriers and the applica-
tion was denied.

Illinois Bell Telephone applied for a permit to
erect a plant in the village. Their appUcation was
accepted.

The graveling of the village streets were
completed in July 1936. Although, the village had
aided considerably its physical progress with the
completion of this project, including about a mile
of its streets heretofore classed as dirt streets that
were muddy during the rainy seasons and dusty
during dry seasons. It was expected that when
these streets became more thoroughly traffic
bound the mud and dust would have been largely
eliminated. Some maintenance of course, would be
necessary to bind and crown this material before it
was in first class condition and some maintenance
would always be necessary until the surface was
finally paved with some firmer surface.

Gypsy train going thru town. Circa 1910

Compliments of

Arnold's Urbane Furniture

Urbane, Illinois

Circa late 1930's

Seems in January 1937 the Fire Company did
good deeds, other than extinguish fires. A service
provided, apparently during slack times was pump-
ing out local basements. They must have had quite
a business since St. Joseph is always wet.

A letter from Illinois Bell Telephone Com-
pany was received canceling their agreement to
handle the fire alarm phone calls. This took effect
April 28, 1938. Now a new system of turning in an
alarm had to be devised.

March 12, 1937 shows the following article in
the St. Joseph Record. "Requests are beginning to
reach this office asking for the publication of the

law governing the keeping of chickens out of the
gardens. We know of the law, but the following
plan works to perfection and is much faster than
the law will work: Get a few shipping tags, tie a
strong thread to each of them about 12 inches
long, and on the other end of the thread attach a
grain of com. Now write on the tags, "Please keep
your chickens at home." Scatter some com around
the bait and in a short time you will see an old hen
or a rooster going home with a tag dangling out of
its bill. It is a little hard on the fowls, but it is
wonderful for the garden."

Courtesy of

First National Bank

Ogden, Illinois

Stars of the 1937 Fair were Lulu BeUe, and
Skyland Scotty and Bill McClusky, Red Foley and
Eva, Lily Mae and the Girls of the Golden West, to
name a few.

Some 1937 prices were 10 pounds of sugar 52
cents, cottage cheese one pound 10 cents, beef
roast per pound 17'/2 cents, fresh lettuce 6 cents
per head, round steak 30 cents per pound. Oh, for
the good old days.

"The com picker was now busy in many
fields of com all over the broad prairies of this
state. The result of the invasion of these pickers
could easily be noted. No, we do not mean the
old-fashioned corn husker with his husking peg, or
hook as some of the boys used, but it is the new
machine pulled by a tractor. The com pickers, as

they were called, make the gathering of the white
and yellow ears a short task and what used to be a
long tedious job is accomplished in a few days
time. Do you remember how the young men from
Indiana and the southern part of this state would
gather in here by the hundreds seeking a job of
com husking? Then on Saturday nights in the
barber shops and in the stores you could hear of
the hundred-bushel shucker, oh, even as high as the
150-bushel shucker. We can still almost hear the
rumble of the wagons with their "knock-boards,"
sometimes called "bump-boards." They were
known by various other names and these wagons
rolled out to the field early in the morning. That
day seems to be past history now.

TOWN HALL
ST.X>SEPH.ILL

area late 1930-s

Courtesy of

Armstrong Cash & Carry Lumber Co.

Urbane, Illinois

IppLi -Hi^Lrticl ^&ed(-o

St. Joseph, III.

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C/rcfl /are 1930's

The Fisher feed and livery bam, an old
landmark at the south end of Main Street, used for
many years also as an auction bam, was torn down
in January 1938.

The new dial system of telephone was put
into operation here by the Ilhnois Bell Telephone
Company in April 1938. The new directories and
instruction cards reached subscribers so they could
adjust to another new innovation of the times. The
work of installation had been going on for the past
several months, with crews of men on special
assignments here the greater part of the winter and
spring. The local telephone office was no longer
required, as the equipment installed was com-
pletely automatic. The citizens were a bit con-

cerned and wondered who would tell them what
time it was when the clock stopped.

The first building to be condemned by the
village dads was announced in 1938. So the old
must go, in order to make way for the new.

June 6, 1938 shows a motion carried to hire
one man to do all the general maintenance work,
weed cutting, etc. Also to be the Town Marshall.
This was more economical than hiring day laborers
and a marshall separately. The salary paid was
$70.00 per month. This was a trial agreement and
could be terminated by either party at any time.
July shows the general maintenance man received a
salary cut to $65.00 per month for an indefinite
period.

Courtesy of

Allerton Supply Co., Inc. & Dealers

Allerton, Illinois

Circa late 1930's

"^*-CORN?ft'GR<

Kenny Sanders - Circa 1930's

PS 66 STATION ST. JOSEPH, ILL.

Compliments of

Sidney Grain Co.

Sidney, Illinois

GRADE schdou^st: JOSePH,1tl.:

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Circa late 1930's

It was rumored that, because of numerous
accidents at the curve on Route 10 west of town,
the state highway department might take steps to
ehminate the hazards by changing the road.
Nothing definite had been officially announced,
but it was understood that investigations had been
made by the department. So the autos were
proving as unsafe (mainly the drivers) as horses.

The bandstand erected about 1913 in the
village park on the railroad right-of-way was being
torn down upon orders from the village council
and the lumber was being used for construction of
bleacher seats to accommodate patrons of the free
movie shows in the fall of 1938. Since the

discontinuance of the band concerts there was
little use for the edifice and it was being torn apart
and destroyed by irresponsible parties. It provided
a "roosting place" for some small urchins (and
some larger ones) during the free picture shows,
obstructing the view of those who stood on the
ground or sat in cars. The bleachers in the movie
park were apparently much appreciated as they
always filled up fast. A fence was strung from
north to south about midway of the block to keep
autos from parking so close to the screen. So in
August 1938 the outdoor movie theatre was a
reality in our small village.

Courtesy of

First National Bank

Ogden, Illinois

February 6, 1939 a petition was signed by
208 legal voters of the village, asking for prohibi-
tion of the sale at retail of alcoholic liquors. A
canvas was taken and showed a survey of 265
"yes" and 130 "no." With this action the village
was on the road to "dryness."

Probably because of the "wet and dry" fight
in the local option issue in April 1939, the village
election was a keen contest all the way, with a
total of 413 ballots being cast. Many have said they
cannot remember a larger vote than that at any
election in this village. The "drys" were successful
in winning their cause by a majority of 134 votes.

In March 1939 a representative of Building &
Engineering Service Corp., of Decatur spoke on the

merits of a water system. Again the village main-
tained no interest due to the lack of finances.
Some of the water system advantages were

(1) Federal W.P.A. money was available,

(2) public health sanitation, (3) increased income
to the village, (4) indirect increase to property
values, (5) better rental opportunities, (6) fire
protection (pumping 100 gallons per minute)
making an approximate 20% reduction in insurance
rates. This was put to the public for approval or
refusal, during the fall of 1939. By August no new
developments on the water system were reported
and not much was said or heard from the residents.

'S^^sO

ILLINOIS TERMINAL R.R.
ST.JOSEPHJLL.

Circa late 1930's

Courtesy of

Jeannine's Ceramics

Urbane, Illinois

The entire water works system would cost in
the neighborhood of $70,000.00 and of this
amount the government would give outright
$34,615.00 which would be handled by the Work
Projects Administration.

Due to the war conditions in Europe, with a
rising need for civilian relief, the call was being
issued by the American Red Cross for additional
funds. St. Joseph community was being asked for
$150, as a voluntary offering in May 1940.

In July the new concrete slab, making the
straight cutoff on Route 10 was connected with
the main road at the west end.

The special election held in the village of St.
Joseph for the purpose of voting on the "proposi-
tion to Ope'rate a Waterworks System" brought out
a total vote of 182. This was considered a hght
vote as there were some 400 voters in the village,
and this was less than half of them. The only
interpretation one could put on this is that those
who did not go to the polls and vote were for it
anyway and felt their votes were not necessary
during the summer of 1940.

October 1 940 young men between the ages of
21 and 36 were to register for Mihtary training.
The election judges were the registrars and the
place for St. Joseph township young men to
register was in the town hall. There were 1 28 from
precinct one and 22 from precinct two, making a
total for the township of 150.

"St. Joseph had a 'place in the sun' when the
special train bearing presidential candidate Wendell
L. Willkie and his campaign party, without pre-
vious announcement trundled slowly around the
curve, up to the station and stopped. Willkie
himself and his brother appeared on the rear
platform and the big man smiled, waved and shook
hands with a number who were able to reach the
platform through the crowd. The high school
pupils were at the station with the teachers and
100 or more had gathered with the hope of getting
a glimpse of the celebrity, but so stupefied were
they with surprise when the train stopped that no
one knew what to do. As the train left one Uttle
enthusiast ran down the track trailing the train to
the Third Street crossing."

The village paid $160.00 for drilling the first
test well in the Village Park totahng 100 feet of 6"
pipe for $1.60 per foot. The next few months
showed many called meetings and the letting of
bids. In the final analysis several firms were
awarded contracts in order to have the finest
consumer goods.

In January 1941 work on the water works
system was moving along rapidly. The big tank had
been assembled at the top of the tower, the top
placed, the tank weatherproofed and painted, and
the name "St. Joseph" painted in white letters on
the east and west sides of the reservoir. A big crew
of laborers had worked steadily at the excavation
for mains in different parts of the village without
interruption, so that the mains would soon be laid.
Also during this time the village paid $9,478.00 of
the water expenses.

The village hired a Master Plumber to inspect
all connections made into the water works system
in April 1941. The following June the board hired
the first Water Superintendent for $30.00 a month.

May 1, 1941, Sugar Registration Facts were
Usted as follows: "All citizens of St. Joseph,
domestic users of sugar, must register at St. Joseph
Grade School. School will be dismissed on these
days. After May 7 no sugar can be purchased
without a ration book. Each person in the family is
entitled to two pounds of sugar on hand, if there is
in excess of that amount one stamp will be
detached for each pound of the excess. When the
amounts on hand exceed six pounds no ration
book will be issued until the supply is used at the
proper rate. If registered, the person will then
receive a ration book promptly. A ration book
contains 28 stamps, each authorizing the purchase
of one pound of sugar. One person may register for
all members of a family unit. Books must be
preserved, and books found must be returned at
once to the rationing board at the court house,
Urbana."

In June 1941, the sale of the fair associations
effects brought a large crowd to St. Joseph and in
spite of the rain, the buyers stayed until everything
was sold. Sales articles sold well, although there
was an appreciable sacrifice. All good things must
come to an end it seems.

100

Compliments of

Molt Service Shop

Ogden, Illinois

Circa 1972

A new midget racing track just west of St.
Joseph was built in October 1941. While it was not
a regular event there were six cars from the twin
cities which came down to compete against each
other and to settle what was purported to be an
argument that had existed between some of them
all summer. Wonder if they solved their disagree-
ments?

At this time twenty-four trains a day passed
through this town in 24 hours, but in November
1941 a communication was received from the Big
Four R.R. announcing the discontinuance of pas-
senger train service.

To us, who lived here in quiet, peaceful
Illinois, it seemed almost incredible that we should
be plunged into a horrible war. Japan attacked the
United States possessions, in the Pacific Ocean.
The island of Oahu seemed to bear the brunt of the
attack, airplanes bombed fourteen different points
with casualties placed at 3,000. Guam was also
bombed and heavily strafed by dive bombers who
reached almost ground level. Congress declared war
on Japan with only one dissenting vote and that
was Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, of
Wyoming. Yes, we were in war— there seemed to be
no other way.

Courtesy of

Kopy K\N\k

1804 N. Lincoln Avenue

Urbane, Illinois

101

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102

Courtesy of

Denny's Professional Cleaners & Launderers

Champaign and Urbana

August 7, 1942, "Junk Needed for War" was
the Record's headline. Junk made fighting wea-
pons. One old disc would provide enough scrap
steel for 210 semi-automatic light carbines. One
useless old tire provided as much rubber as was
used in 12 gas masks. One old plow would help
make one hundred 75-mm armor-piercing projec-
tiles. One old shovel would help make four hand
grenades. A list of materials needed follows: scrap
iron and steel, other metals of all kinds, old rubber,
rags, manilla rope and burlap bags. Waste cooking
fats, when you had collected a pound or more, it
was strained into a large tin can and sold to the
local meat dealer.

"The Red Cross is also asking for knitters.
The boys are in need of service sweaters. St.
Joseph's quota was 220 turtle-neck sweaters, and
at present only 1 10 of these are finished or being
knit. Anyone who can knit and will give of her
time is asked to please contact one of the
committee. All of this work helps in the war effort
and all applies to the winning of Red Cross pins."
Even in our small town everyone had a job to do in
order to win the war.

The opening of the drive to salvage waste
kitchen fats, would find Illinois ready to go all out
to furnish our fighting forces with explosives.
Wives were ready to begin to strain the fat from
the breakfast bacon, roasts, and other meats, and
pour it into tin cans to take to a butcher. Butchers
were ready to store the cans until the rendering
company truck arrived to take them to a soap
plant. There the vital glycerin was extracted and
was soon on the way to a munitions plant, to load
shells and bombs. Every pound of fat salvaged
made nearly two ounces of glycerin, enough to
load a dozen cartridges.

In regard to the taking over of parts of the
Illinois Terminal Railroad by the War Production
Board in October, 1942. The following rule was
set: All passenger train service would be suspended,
thereby eliminating all faciUties for the handUng of
passengers, United States mail, express, milk,
cream and newspapers.

The Record, with other newspapers of the
country, had been asked not to publish lists of men
of the community who were serving in the armed
forces. To comply with this request, publishing the
roster of St. Joseph's "Boys Away" was discon-
tinued during the late part of 1942. Pride in the

community's impressive list of fighting men had to
give way to measures designed to aid the country's
war effort and add to the safety of its defenders.

July 9, 1943, showed a contract was made in
which C. C. Fenwick became the owner of the old
Church of Christ building at the corner of Lincoln
and Fourth Streets. It was understood that Mr.
Fenwick planned to raze the building and use the
material salvaged in other work, thus another old
landmark was erased from the St. Joseph scene.

In April of 1944 a committee was named to
locate and investigate all possibilities of a local
service memorial. In August, a suitable design on
granite stone was erected as soon as the money was
raised. The exact cost could not be estimated, but
it was believed that the type of memorial planned
would cost about $ 1 ,000 or $ 1 , 1 00.

President Truman at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 8,
1945, officially announced V-E Day in Eur6pe.
The news of peace terms with Germany was
welcomed soberly and quietly in St. Joseph and
surrounding communities. A community service of
Thanksgiving and prayer was held at a mass
meeting in St. Joseph High School that evening.
Germany's capitulation came at 2:41 a.m. Monday,
May 7, 1945.

A committee was named to place ads in the
St. Joseph Record advertising the excellent water
of the village water system. This was in an attempt
to secure new water users. The board was ready
and so was the water, apparently the citizens
weren't.

The village street surfaces were changing from
an oil base to asphalt and buck shot gravel in June
1945. This gave the roadbeds a much harder and
more durable surface.

Captain Gayle Laymon, M.D. of the Army
Medical Corps, who was serving in the Aleutians at
the time of his death, was the only casualty from
this community during World War II. The service
memorial by now was completed and is of poUshed
granite and bears the names of 293 service men and
women embossed on a bronze plaque on the south
side of the memorial located at the High School. It
is a very beautiful stone and will endure for ages as
a constant reminder of the fact that this com-
munity did its part in all of the great conflicts of
our country.

Compliments of

Glenn Poor's TV

609 W. Springfield

Urbana, Illinois

103

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STANTON

ST JOSEPH /9'/3

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St. Joseph Township Plat of 1943

104

Courtesy of

Brewer Chevrolet Company

Homer, Illinois

Northwest Comer of "square" -1972

May 10, 1946, Central Illinois Electric and
Gas Company issued "the following curtailment of
electricity. "1— For All such purposes as decorative
or ornamental ^nd flood lighting, sign lighting,
window and showcase lighting, compact air condi-
tioning, car heating and interior lighting in excess
of minimum requirements. 2-For industrial use
except for an aggregate of 24 hours during the
Monday through Friday inclusive. 3-For com-
mercial use, except the 4-hour period between 2 to
6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, inclusive.

The Commission further ordered the exception for
curtailment, so far as possible, of the uses of
electricity which are immediately essential to
public health and safety and protection of proper-
ty. Comphance with this order is vital in this
emergency. Everything possible is being done to
protect and continue the supply of electricity. As
soon as deliveries of coal are received, these
restrictions will be released and you will be
immediately notified."

Courtesy of

Sidney Community Bank

Your Community Bank of Good Service

Sidney, Illinois

105

A motion was made and seconded that we
hire a Meter Superintendent and Village Mainte-
nance employee at $90.00 per month out of the
Water Works Fund, and $50.00 per month out of
the Village funds to pay the salary. All voted "aye"
in June 1946. Another motion was made and
carried to remove from the village payroll the
office of Village Marshall.

A talk was given to the board regarding the
organizing of a fire protective district for the
Village and the surrounding rural community. A
meeting was to be held at the auditorium of the St.
Joseph Community High School building for all

persons interested in the organization of a fire
protection district in the township in the latter
part of 1946.

April 28, 1947 shows there was some discus-
sion in regard to the changing of the time to
Daylight Savings Time. A motion was made to
remain on Central Standard Time and all present
voted "yea." The "time" change was quite a
matter for discussion every year. It was difficult to
go into the twin cities some years, as one town
went on Daylight time and the other remained on
Standard. Guess that's how we might account for
"My, how time flies."

Aerial View looking Northeast -1972

106

Compliments of

Busboom Grain Co., Inc.

Royal, Illinois

Aerial view looking East —1972

The St. Joseph Record of November 7, 1947
read: "Trick Play Works Perfectly -Fans are still
talking about the trick play which woriced per-
fectly in the closing minutes of the game against
Redmon. St. Joseph was trailing Redmon 14-12
with six minutes to play when the home team was
penalized five yards for backs in motion. That put
the ball on the St. Joseph 20-yard line. Art
McElwee, St. Joseph back, shouted, "Hey, you
officials, what do you mean? That penalty was for
clipping against Redmon. We're not supposed to
get penalized. I'm just going to take it." Quarter-

back Bill Knott took the ball from Center Russ
Yeazel and tossed it to McElwee. "Mac" strode
through the middle of the Redmon line and when a
Redmon back started to move toward him, he
shouted, "Stay away from me; I'm gonna get those
15 yards." Fifteen yards past the line of scrim-
mage, McElwee kept walking; on he walked past
the 20, and then he broke into a dead run. He
crossed the goal line while the Redmon players
stood at the line of scrimmage and asked each
other if it could be done."

'G^^^O

Compliments of

Lloyd Cole

Auctioneer

Sidney, Illinois

107

The village was sprayed from the ground by
mini Pest Control Company of Urbana, Illinois in
1949. A public notice went up reading: "All social
gatherings of the Village of St. Joseph be cancelled
until further notice for the purpose of controlling
polio. Churches will be held for adults only. All
parents with children under the age of 10 years are
urged to keep them at home."

September 16, 1949, Charles Dale published
his last issue of the Record. He sold the papers
together with all shop equipment to Messrs.
Edward L. Cavitt and R. J. Shaffer.

April 14, 1950 Robert Weaver assumed the
duties as acting postmaster of St. Joseph, succeed-
ing J. Roy Byerly who served as postmaster since
January 1. Mr. Byerly had replaced Banks Lambdin
who was then a rural route carrier.

Building of our New Water Tower

108

Courtesy of

Wolohan Lumber Company

R. R. No. 1

Urbana, Illinois

a
^

o
Co

o
o

Compliments of

James L. Myers, Insurance

Ogden, Illinois

109

Aerial View looking Southwest — 1972.

A television set had been installed at Jarrett
Hardware in 1951. A 42-foot tower was erected on
the roof of the building for the aerial. Reception
was reported as "not too good."

The Dale Publications consisting of three
weekly newspapers and job printing plant was sold
to Robert Butler of Gloversville, N. Y. during the
summer of 1951.

St. Joseph and vicinity had become one of the
hardest hit communities in the nation during the

1951 polio epidemic. Eight cases of polio were
diagnosed in the area. A total of 63 cases had been
reported in Champaign County, heavily taxing
hospital facilities.

May 11, 1951, permission was given to build
and operate a turkey-slaughter house within the
village limits providing the proper method of
disposing of waste, except down the drain tile, was
utilized.

110

Courtesy of

Hunter-Webb Lumber Company

Ogden, Illinois

Aerial view looking South - 1972.

Aerial View looking Southeast - 1972.

Courtesy of

Gifford Locker Company

Gifford, Illinois

111

Aerial View looking West - 1972.

The October 18, 1951 village minutes state:
"Be it ordained that it shall hereby be made a
misdemeanor and unlawful act for any person or
persons to discharge or fire any type of gun in the
village of St. Joseph, Illinois, regardless of whether
that charge be propelled by compressed air, gas,
powder, spring or any other means unless permis-
sion is granted verbally or in writing by an official
of said village."

April 26, 1952 was scheduled to be the last
time the I.T.R.R. would have a car running from
Champaign to Danville. The tracks west of Fithian
were due to be removed immediately after the final
run.

The Village Board had ordered their attorney
to draw up the necessary resolutions for a public
hearing on rent control in the village in 1952. Rent
control in the village had died two years before
when the board failed to act to keep it alive as then
required by Federal Statute. But an act of Congress
provided that rent control must again be in effect
unless a public hearing be held by the board and a
resolution adopted calling for an end to controls.
This was to be the end of rent control in our area.

112

Compliments of

Colberts

Champaign, Illinois

July of 1952 plans called for the spraying of
the village against flies and mosquitoes, if enough
volunteers and equipment were available.

The board was to provide "some" money
toward the street marking project of the Com-
munity Council. Some of the residents were
surprised to find out the exact name of the street
they lived on in 1953. This project was to be
financed by contributions from organizations and
private citizens.

The grade school building was damaged by
fire in January 1954, with an estimated damage

cost of from $250,000 to $300,000. The shell of
the building was all that was standing, the east wall
collapsed during the fire. Wooden floors and
interior walls burned quickly and fell into the
basement. Firemen from Urbana came and assisted
the local group. The cold hampered the efforts of
all as the pumpers kept freezing up and had to be
taken in to the station to be thawed out. School
was then held in any available space that could be
found in town.

Aerial View looking Northwest — 1972.

Compliments of

Fisherman's Lodge

Homer, Illinois

Charles & Betty Ridinger

113

View of the Village Park -1972

During July 1956 new mercury vapor street
lights were turned on. They were operated by
photo-electric cells and automatically came on at
dusk or during a dark day.

The old Route 10 was named Monroe Street
and the street running west from the high school
was named Orchard Street in 1954.

In May 1954, there was a request from a
mother that the bars be removed from the old
village jail. The matter was referred to the public
building committee and carried out at a later date.

August 9, 1955, Mr. Enos Phillips presented
the plans of Mrs. Davis to build a public library.
Mrs. Davis would purchase the lot, build and equip
the building. The library was presented to the
community with members of the St. Joseph
Women's Club as Trustees. The library to be
known as Swearingen Memorial Library for all
time.

114

Compliments of
Twin City Sheetmetai & Roofing Co.
24 East Green Street
Champaign, Illinois

Laying of Sewer Tile - 1972.

The following are suggestions taken from the
Public Suggestion box for village improvements-
fix rough streets, parking on Route 150, public rest
rooms, and a youth center in April 1956.

The village board went on record as being
opposed to the proposed closing of the State Aid
Road Number 12, commonly known as the Flat-
ville Road. This was in advance of the new
interstate highway coming through later in 1956.

The St. Joseph Post Office moved September
1, 1956 into the old I.T.R.R. building, from the
Masonic building.

An account of cards received from the poll
made on the Sewerage Disposal System in 1958
was made and found there were 192 for and 200
against. Once again progress was slowed down by
the voters. Again in April 1959 the sewerage bond
issue was officially defeated 229 to 1 94.

Courtesy of

Strohl's Bar& Grill

Bob & Gene

Ogden, Illinois

115

Laying of Sewer Tile — 1972.

In January 1962 the contract was let for the
removal of rails and ties on Lincoln Street. This
was the last reminder of the days of the interurban.

The sport of "rat shooting" at the village
dump was ordered to be stopped in June 1962. So
goes another favorite pastime of many.

The Civil Defense unit came to life in early
1963, aided by the village and township funds.
This new group was first headed by Robert Jessup.

Plans were also taking shape to erect a new
water storage tank for the village. This new tank
can be seen from many miles away and is an asset
to the village's appearance.

During late 1965 the Zoning Commission
requested a need for a building code for the village.
A committee was named and the business of
defining building restrictions and standards was put
in motion.

116

Courtesy of

Harshbarger Building & Supply Co.

Urbana, Illinois

It was in February 1968 the new Flouridation
System was installed. The village was one of the
first its size in the state to comply with a state law
requiring this additive to the present water supply.
One of the most recent fires was the burning
of Hunter Lumber Company in 1969. Many
citizens were awakened from a sound sleep by
sirens and the smell* of smoke. Then again some
slept soundly througli the whole event.

Now today we see the village putting in the
Sewer System, as required by state law. Many have
grumbled about the conditions of the streets, the
dust, etc. Instead of a forward move it almost takes
you back to "The Good Old Days."
Our present board members are:
President:

H. J. Kolb, M.D.
Trustees: Ray G. Peters, Amos G. Motsinger, Jr..

Delmar Williams, B. J. Hackler, Donald Appl,

Richard Watson
Treasurer: Gladys Huffman
Clerk: Wilham L. Sebert

The residential growth of our community is
vast. Who fifty years ago would have thought there
would be houses as far north or south of the town
as there are now? We have become a commuter's
town, but by this means our village has not
withered away as have many small communities.
We are still, as in the past, blessed with people who
say St. Joseph is "A Small Town with a Big
Future."

'S^^sO

Back: B. J. Hackler, Richard Watson. Amos Motsinger. Jr. Donald Appl.
W'iUiam L. Sebert. H J. Kolb. M.D.. Gladys Huffman. Rav G. Peters.

Front: Delmar Williams,

Compliments of

Hart Oil Company

Urbana, Illinois

117

DO YOU REMEMBER?

When the village band gave concerts in the band stand at the village park?

When there were three drug stores in St. Joe?

When the Big Four depot was the scene of daily gatherings to see the trains come in, especially on Sunday

afternoons?

When the square dance was all the rage?

When C. C. Fenwick was a budding young architect?

When St. Joe had an opera house and many road shows stopped here?

When you could buy a tire for your car for $4.05 to $ 1 2.75 depending on size?

When you could get a one year subscription of the "Record" plus 4 national magazines for $2.50?

When Schuman's Grocery ran week end specials, Com Flakes (large box) 10(;^?

When The Henderson Beauty Shop made all the ladies fashionable?

When Everybody's Market was here?

When the John M. Lang "Cash Store" offered groceries plus shoes?

When Frank Kuder lost 105 turkeys to invading dogs?

When free "Talking Motion Pictures" were shown every Wed. and Sat. nights?

When Duke's Drug Store ran a 10^ special in Indo-Vin?

When "Rhyming Riddles" from the Record were great fun?

When the 40 foot steel beams were raised into position at the Glover viaduct?

When tokens were used to pay sales tax?

When the threshing rings were common?

When taffy apples cost 5^? (Big ones at that!)

When bowling was 10^ a line at Sara's?

When a good horse was almost one of the family?

When picnics were held at Kilbury Woods?

When C. W. Dale published all letters from servicemen of W.W. II?

When in 1 947 the roof of the Methodist Church caught fire and everyone helped carry out furniture?

When boys used the poles in front of the I.T.S. station to perform acrobatics?

When the croquet courts were busy places?

When Charlie Routh used steam engines to bring in his crops?

When Mrs. Lang's two Java Rice birds were saved by Bill Lang from the grade school fire?

When Frank Rice wrapped seedlings in newspaper and tied them with binder twine?

When Woodin Park was the only place to have a gathering?

When Blacksmith's were in competition across tlie street from one another?

When there was a ball park where the High School is now?

When there was a ball park at Seventh and Lincoln Streets?

When the Klu Klux Klan was active here?

When you had to go west across the wagon bridge to go south?

When Mrs. F. E. Jarrett answered the Betty Crocker "Riddle Griddle" question?

When in 1 949 the fire siren started ringing at noon every day except Sunday?

When the Chautauqua came to town?

When all homes had out-door plumbing?

When eggs were your shopping money?

118

Courtesy of

Jewell's

Southern Pit B-B-Q

Ogden, Illinois

THE KIENZLE FAMILY

The Kienzle family came to St. Joseph from
Madison, Indiana in 1874. The father, Christopher
and his wife Sophia Gray Kienzle, had come to
America from Wuertemburg, Germany in 1854.
Their seven children were bom in Madison:
George, Charles, Fred, Lulu, Sophia, Amelia, and
Carrie. Having relatives who had settled in Illinois,
the large family came to St. Joseph, where the
father carried on his trade of harness making.
Christopher died in 1884 and Sophia in 1905.

The sons, George, Fred, and Charles, being
industrious and having good business judgment,
worked long hours all their lives to establish
themselves. Fred in early life became a clerk in the
store of W. O. Shreve and also the John Dresback
store. In the year 1885 he and George engaged in
the general merchandising business on their own
account, continuing together until the latter's
death in 1921; after that time Fred continued the
business alone until liis death in 1925. The brick
store building erected in 1912 and now occupied
by the St. Joseph Record and Weinke Cleaners
replaced the old wooden structure.

Fred was united in marriage June 5, 1900
with Miss Lucy Belle Lawrence of Coshocton
County, Ohio and were the parents of two child-
ren, Lawrence, who died in 1952, and Georgia,
now Mrs. R. Wayne Winters of Champaign. Fred's
life was one of usefulness to his community. He
was a member of the Methodist Church and a
member of the building committee which planned
and supervised the work of erecting the Methodist
Church as it now stands. He also served on the
Grade School Board and was a trustee of Ml. Olive
Cemetery Association. His wife taught a Sunday
School class at the Methodist Church for many
years and took a very active part in the Mizpah
Circle of that church, serving as president for
several years.

Charles was an attorney, having read law in
the Green Law Offices in Urbana. His specialty was
settlement of estates. He died in 1936. The wife of

Charles was Sue Tiffin of Paris, Illinois and their
sons were Raymond and Paul, both deceased.

George married Mollie Woodin of St. Joseph.
Their daughters were Edna, and Clair, both de-
ceased.

The Kienzle brothers bought land in the
county as they could, some in partnership and
other parcels of their own. Fred was especially
proud of the land near Tipton acquired from the
Bradley-Lorenson families on which stood a unique
large log house.

Lawrence Kienzle lived in the house for many
years and farmed the land. The house was razed in
1965 due to the general deterioration of the
structure and the land has been farmed since 1962
by Gene Fisher of St. Joseph.

THE FISHER FAMILY

The Fisher family came from Ireland and
became one of the first families to settle as farmers
in St. Joseph. On February 23, 1865, WiUiam C.
Fisher donated some of his farm land for the Grade
school to be built in St. Joseph. The present St.
Joseph Grade School is located on the original site.
One of his sons, Adam and his wife Catherine
James Fisher were farmers in the west part of St.
Joseph. He sold part of his land for lots near the
Grade School and it was called the Fisher First
Addition. Their children were William Fisher (who
later moved to Nebraska), Oran Fisher (who settled
on a farm in Michigan), Mary Fisher Moorhous,
Jacob (Wesley) who ran the livery stable, Adam
(Dick), and David (who later served as Mayor of St.
Joseph and President of the Champaign County
Fair for many years). They remained in St. Joseph
to farm and raise their children, and several of their
children and grandchildren still live in the St.
Joseph area.

Courtesy of

Barb's Beauty Salon

Urbana, Illinois

119

PETERS FAMILY HISTORY

In 1831, William Peters and his wife, Sarah
McNutt, came from Kentucky and Indiana and
purchased 40 acres south of St. Joseph from
Nicholas Yount. William prospered in his under-
takings until he became the owner of more than
400 acres and was acknowledged to be one of the
best farmers in the area.

After his first purchase, he put up a substan-
tial hewed-log house of two rooms and this
structure, with comfortable additions, remained his
home for the rest of his life. He died in 1864 and
his wife survived until 1873.

William and Sarah were the parents of thir-
teen children, including one son, Robert. Robert
was bom in Rushville, Indiana, and moved to St.
Joe when a small child. At this time there were
about 900 Indians camped near the Peters' farm.
Robert helped his father on the farm, hauUng all
their grain to Chicago and growing aU their flax for
the family's clothing. Part of this time, the first
school in St. Joe was held in the kitchen of his
father's house.

Robert married Mary E. Swearingen in 1848
and they had eleven children. Robert was a
well-known and respected citizen of Champaign
County and Uved on the old farm just south of
town until his death in 1 894.

Isaac S. Peters, the second child of Robert,
was born in 1853. He lived on the old homestead
until the age of 28, with the exception of two
years, during which time he went West through the
states and territories. He married Mary F.
McCullom in March, 1882, and they became the
parents of five children. In 1885, Isaac went into
the grain and coal business and carried on a
lucrative and extensive trade. He also purchased a
large farm just south of St. Joseph and raised cattle
and hogs. He was an industrious and well-known
businessman in St. Joseph until the time of his
death in 1916.

Everett Robert Peters was the only son of
Isaac and Mary and he was bom in January, 1894.
Everett started in politics in St. Joseph as town
clerk and township supervisor in the early 1920's.
He went on to the state legislature in 1934 and
served three terms as state representative. In 1 940,
he was elected state senator and served con-
tinuously until he retired in 1970, completing a
full half-century of public service.

Everett married Evelyn Messinger in Decem-
ber 1920 and they had five children. Evelyn, or
"Dot" as she was familiarly known, died in 1966.
Everett still resides in the family home in St.
Joseph. Their children are: Mary Frances (Molly)
and Barbara who Uve in Champaign, Everett
Robert Jr. and Gene who live in San Diego,
California, and Gene's twin. Dean, who Uves in
Charleston, South CaroUna.

NOTE: While this book was at press, Senator E. R.
Peters passed away on June 25, 1972.

DAVID B. STAYTON

This gentleman was bom June 3, 1818, in
Mason County, Kentucky, nine miles above Mays-
vUle. Joseph Stayton, his father, came to this
county October 10th, 1830, with his family,
including young David, a lad of eleven years, and
settled on section twenty-six, St. Joseph township.
The father died in 1858. David B. received a fair
education such as he could get in that day. As Mr.
Stayton remembered that the country in his
boyhood days was wild indeed. His first playmates
were Indians who used to camp on the east bank of
the Salt Fork during the winter about five hundred
strong, a little below where the state road now
crosses the stream. He left home at the age of
twenty-one and worked by the month for about
six months; he then worked his father's farm on
shares till 1848. He was married December 28,
1847, to Sarah Bartley, daughter of Joseph Bart-
ley. They had four children: Elizabeth, the only
daughter, married John S. McElwee, David was a
merchant in St. Joseph; and James. Mr. Stayton
was supervisor of his township and collector for 23
years— ever since the township was organized. He
held other offices from time to time, besides being
assessor for several years. He used to make annual
trips to Chicago to take grain and bring back
provisions. He was first a democrat, casting his first
vote for James K. Polk. He remained such until in
1860 he voted for Abraham Lincoln. He was
always consulted about county as well as township
matters. He was one of the leaders of the party in
the county. He owned over 600 acres of fine
farming and stock land. Mr. Stayton was highly
respected and beloved by all his neighbors. He was
known well by the people of the country as one of
our most reliable and substantial citizens.

120

Courtesy of

S & A Building Specialties

3006 Valleybrook Drive

Champaign, Illinois

Catharine Hoss was the first settler of the land
which later became part of the site of the present
town of St. Joseph. Thirty-three years earher, in
1839 she left Brown County, Ohio, with her
fourteen year old daughter Sarah, and two younger
sons, Christopher and John. Her husband Daniel
Hoss had just died. The Hoss family came in a
covered wagon with a sheep-drive to Chicago and
then south, to settle in the timber on the east side
of the Salt Fork River. This was on the north side
of what became Route 150. Mrs. Hoss considered
the country wild and pioneer life was hard. Girls
thought they were well paid at 50(^ per week when
working for others. Land on which the eastern part
of the town was built was entered by John Hoss.
The west part of towm was laid off by John
H. Strong and Christopher Hoss.

As a teacher, Sarah Hoss rode a horse daily
through the swamp to and from her school. Aunt
Sally, as she was known to her friends, married
James Hoyt April 5, 1849. George was born the
following summer and her second son Norman J.
was bom June 6, 1863. She had no medical
training in the accepted sense but for miles around
people had faith in her knowledge of herbs and
home remedies. She was brought up in the Chris-

tian Church and was active in the congregation at
old St. Joe along with her mother and two
brothers.

Norman Hoyt married Mary E. Walker in
1895. To this union was bom Dollie (Roney),
Anson, Ethyl (Jones), Ralph, Mildred (Phenicie),
Ealy, Nealy (twins), Lorree (Phenicie), and Zella
(Fears). In 1 9 1 Mr. Hoyt "on the old homestead
adjacent to St. Joseph village built the fine
residence which he occupies. As a background to
his residence there is a dense woods of large elms
and oaks which have stood there for generations."
(History of Champaign County 1918). This is
known as the Clark addition today. All of the
children became members of the local Church of
Christ. Ethyl married Frank Jones in 1917. Their
two daughters Frances and Mary Fern are residing
near St. Joseph. Mary Fern is the wife of Richard
E. Wolfe and their children are Allen, Kathryn
(Kibler), James and Rex. Frances married E.A.
Barcus in 1940. Their children are Daniel and
David (twins) and Barbara (Shoup). David married
Sandra Pinaire in 1963. Their daughters Amy and
Beth are the sixth generation of Catharine Hoss to
reside in St. Joe township.

Courtesy of

Champaign County Bank & Trust Co.

Urbane, Illinois

121

FAMILY OF
JOHN BARTLEY SWEARINGEN

John Bartley Swearingen-(Feb. 1842-
September 18, 1980) was the son of John J.
Swearingen-(bom Peru, Kans.-died Oct. 23,
1880) and Hannah Wright Swearingen-(bom
1825-died Mar. 18, 1887). John Bartley Swearin-
gen married Minnie Dodge (Jan. 28, 1848-Dec. 2,
1914) daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.K. Dodge of
Marysville, Ohio. Minnie, who was a school
teacher, came to St. Joseph at the age of seventeen.
John Bartley and Minnie were married on October
28, 1 866. They had nine children who lived and a
pair of twins who died at birth.

John B. Swearingen was a farmer and at one
time owned the farm at the crossroads of "Old St.
Joseph." Upon this farm stood the Old KeUy
Tavern, famous as the stopping place of Abraham
Lincobi as he covered this part of the judicial
circuit in the county. John B. Swearingen con-
verted the old tavern into a home and it was here
that a number of his children were bom.

The oldest daughter, Alta (September 13,
1868- Aug. 28, 1904) was married to Grant
Glascock, farmer and banker. They had no child-
ren. A son Thomas, married Bertha Doyle, daugh-
ter of a local doctor, there were two daughters,
Faye and Thelma. A daughter Pearl, married
Qarence W. Kirkpatrick, an implement dealer and
a farmer north of St. Joseph. Pearl and Clarence
had a daughter, Vera, and a son Kenneth. Another
son of John B. and Minnie was James, a rurai mail
carrier, who married Jessie Doyle, another of Dr.
Doyle's daughters, thus making the children of
Thomas and James double cousins. James and
Jessie had seven children, Bess (who married Fay
Fisher), Gladys, Vaun, Ruby, Glenn, Maxine and
Robert.

A daughter Grace, married Austin B. You-
mans and they had two daughters, Ella Norvelle
and Helen. A daughter Ada, married Walter S. Roe
and they had two sons, Victor and Stirling. Walter
S. Roe was a farmer and horse trainer. A daughter
Estella, married J.D. Henderson, who helped to
build the first telephone exchange in St. Joseph.
They had four children, Charlotte, Geraldine,

Justus and Dickie Lee. The youngest son of John
B. and Minnie, Roscoe (Ross), long a rural mail
carrier, married OUve Halton of Urbana. They had
two sons, Duane and Earl. The youngest daughter
Daisy, married Paul C. Kienzle, lawyer with one
daughter, Betty Sue. John B. and Minnie Swearin-
gen had 22 grandchildren.

DAVID B. STAYTON

David B. Stayton came to Illinois in the fall of
1830 and settled in St. Joseph Township at the age
of thirteen.

He married Sarah Bartley on December 1847.
Five children were born to this marriage as follows:
Amos G., Elizabeth, Joseph H., David and WilUam.

In the spring of 1 848, he bought 1 60 acres in
Section 16 of St. Joseph Township, where he
farmed and traded in stock.

Mr. Stayton was elected Supervisor of St.
Joseph Township in the spring of 1874. In addition
he served as Collector of St. Joseph Township for
12 years and three years as Assessor.

David earned an enviable reputation as a
reliable citizen and an honest man.

ABNER F. LEAS

Abner F. Leas was bom in October 1838 in
Fountain County, Indiana. He was raised and
received his education in that part of the state. He
lived at home until he was 21 years of age.

In 1861, he came to Champaign County and
settled on 160 acres of land in Section 9, Township
19, Range 10.

Mr. Leas made many improvements on the
land. He erected several substantial buildings.

He was married March 1867 to Lydia E.
Patton. He believed in surrounding his family,
including four children, with the comforts and
opportunities to enjoy the advantages of life.

122

Courtesy of
Wienke's Shoes
Homer, Illinois

DAVID WILSON

Mr. David Wilson was a native of Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he was bom March 17, 1851, a son of
Samuel and Rebecca (Laird) Wilson. His parents
were bom in Ireland, came to America about 1 836,
were married in Cincinnati, and spent the rest of
their lives there. They had six children, five sons
and one daughter.

David Wilson with his brothers and sister
attended public schools of Cincinnati. He came to
Illinois at the age of thirteen with his uncle, David
Wilson, for whom he was named. David Wilson and
his brother Samuel had bouglit from the Govern-
ment at $1.25 an acre two sections of land in
Champaign County, in St. Joseph Township. David
Wilson, Jr., remained a year with his uncle and
helped with the land.

He then returned to Cincinnati. In 1877 Mr.
Wilson married Lessetta Lorenz. She was bom at
Cincinnati, daughter of Nicholas and Catherine
(Klei) Lorenz. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson located in Cincinnati, where he continued
the business of his father, a Uvery and teaming
enterprise, for several years.

In 1888 Mr. Wilson retumed to Illinois,
locating in Stanton Township. To Mr. and Mrs.
Wilson were bom six children, Clarence, Edward,
Warren, Rebecca, Edna and Maijorie. They at-
tended District School No. 176. In 1913 he
suffered his greatest bereavement in the death of
his wife.

For twenty-two years he served as a director
of the local schools. He also served as tovmship
supervisor for four years. Mr. Wilson passed away
in 1927.

After the death of their father, Clarence, Ed
and Warren known as the Wilson Bros, continued
farming and custom machinery business for many
years. Of the three sons only Clarence married. He
married Gertmde Stevenson and she died in 1943.
He later married Sadie Morgan. Warren died in
1953, Clarence in 1958 and Ed in 1967.

Rebecca married Harley Sanders and they had
two children, Russell and Marie. She passed away
in 1958. Russell married Leona Peterson and they
reside in Danville where he operates Sanders Real

Estate Agency. They have one son, Paul. Marie
married Joe Flynn and they are engaged in farming
in Stanton township. They have two children,
Roger and Ruth Ann.

Marjorie married Jason Crider and they were
engaged in farming in Stanton township until his
death in 1964. Marjorie still lives on the farm.
They had three children, Lavonne, Cleo and Dean.
Lavonne married Richard Plotner and they live in
Homer. She is employed at Cap & Gown and her
husband at Clifford-Jacobs. They have five chil-
dren, Charles, Mary Katherine, Earl, Patricia and
Carl. Cleo married Dorothy Slater and they Jived in
Michigan until 1959 when they retumed to St.
Joseph and farmed until his death in 1968. They
have three sons, Rodney, Lynn and Duane. Dean
married Lois Boyd and they are engaged in farming
in Stanton township. They have three children,
Terry, Danny and Suzanne.

JOSEPH RULON WALKER

Joseph Rulon Walker, his wife and six child-
ren moved to this township in the year 1872.

He bought a farm a mile and 3/4 northeast of
St. Joseph.

Later one of his sons, Nathan L. Walker,
became owner of the same farm. Nathan moved
into St. Joseph in the spring of 1 910, living at 301
E. Lincoln.

His son Chester Joseph Walker farmed the
same farm, later becoming the owner. Chester had
six children.

Of the children, two still hve in St. Joseph.
Mrs. Hazel (Walker) Underwood, 301 Ethel St.,
and Chester Nathan Walker, 23 Woodland.

Great-great-grandchildren include Richard
Wayne Denhart, of 303 W. James; Priscilla Walker,
23 Woodland; and a great-great-great-grand-
daughter, Rene Denhart, daughter of Richard
Denhart.

Compliments of

Wienke & Taylor Cleaners

Homer, Illinois

123

CHARLES W. DALE

Bom January 16, 1873 on a farm south of
Mahomet, Mr. Dale was the son of Thomas and
Mary Meade Dale, members of pioneer Champaign
County families.

After graduation from high school, he worked
two years as a plumber and tinner at a hardware
store in Herington, Kansas. He returned to Illinois
in the depression days of 1894. His brother, F. L.
Dale, who worked on a newspaper at Kenny, found
a job for him as an apprentice printer.

In 1896, the Dale brothers bought the
Banner, a weekly paper at Hebron, Indiana, but
they soon sold it and bought the St. Joseph
Record. Their first edition was published October
1897. Charles later bought his brother's interest in
the business.

On August 8, 1 900, he was married to Myrta
E. Morehouse of Homer. They were the parents of
two sons, Ralph and Kent, (both deceased) and a
daughter, Mrs. Virginia Haworth of Des Moines,
Iowa. Mr. Dale edited and pubUshed the St. Joseph
Record for 52 years from 1897 to 1949 with the
assistance of his family. Mrs. Dale was associated

with her husband in the Dale Publications and had
complete charge of the newspapers from 1926 to
1942, while Mr. Dale was serving in the Champaign
County Treasurer's office. After selling his news-
papers, he sold real estate and insurance. Mrs. Dale
died in January 1953. He was married to Nettie
Rogers of Oakwood in June 1954. She died April
1970.

Mr. Dale was very active in pubhc service.
Among the many pubUc offices he held were
treasurer and deputy treasurer of Champaign
County, St. Joseph Township supervisor, chairman
of the county board of supervisors, township and
village clerk and village trustee. Mr. Dale was
county Red Cross chairman for many years. He
was active in St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce,
Lion Club, St. Joseph Lodge AF&AM and was a
former superintendent of the St. Joseph United
Methodist Sunday School and taught a Sunday
School Class.

Music was his hobby for many years. He
directed and played in bands in Mahomet, St.
Joseph and other neighboring towns. He was
known as a fine cornetist. He taught music at one
time and composed several pieces of band music.

124

Compliments of

Homer Grain Company

Homer, Illinois

THE KETTERMAN FAMILY

A few of the living descendents of John
Ketterman, who settled in old St. Joseph before
the Civil War, are Richard Dunkman of St. Joseph,
Carol Dunkman of Champaign, Ethel Stevenson of
Urbana, and Wendell White of Chicago. John's son,
Salem L. and his daughter Blanche Ketterman
White, will still be remembered by some of the
older residents of the village. Almost everyone in
the village will remember Richard's and Carol's
mother, Pauline Dunkman, who lived in St. Joseph
all her hfe prior to her untimely death.

Salem L. Ketterman was eleven when his
family moved from Virginia in 1858, crossed the
Cumberland Gap in a covered wagon, and came up
through Kentucky and Indiana to settle in Cham-
paign County, Illinois at old St. Joseph. Belinda
(Full) Ketterman, mother of Salem L. and his sister
Hannah, died when the children were young. In
time, John remarried. Five children were born of
the second marriage, one of which was Lucy, the
mother of Ethel Stevenson.

The first American Ketterman was Chris-
topher who migrated from Germany about the
year 1760. His oldest son, Daniel, served through
the Revolutionary War and was present at the
British surrender at Yorktown.

After the age of eleven, Salem L. lived all his
life in old and new St. Joseph until his death in
1922. He had a great fondness for learning and for
reading. Over the years he acquired a fine library of
the classics of literature, history and philosophy.
For twelve years he taught school in the county.
Later he opened the first drug store in the new
town of St. Joseph. In his old age he earned his
living by house decorating and painting.

Salem L. and Millie were married in 1875,
bearing one child, Blanche, who grew up and was
educated in St. Joseph. As a young lady she was a
member of the Women's Rights movement. She
must have been an effective advocate as she won
several prizes for elocution on the subject.

Blanche taught school at Bowers and Hunt
District and, also, at Ogden High School. She then
married Arthur E. White, the proprietor of a grain
business at Ogden. He later acquired the lumber
business ?t St. Joseph and the family moved into

the Ketterman house, a block north of the grade
school. Pauline was born May 14, 1908 when the
family was living for a short time in East Lynn.
Wendell was born August 3, 1913 in Ogden.

Blanche Ketterman White was a woman of
considerable ability. She was a leader in the
Methodist Church Circle, the Women's Club and in
social and community affairs. Her life span, how-
ever, was relatively short. She died in 1930, only
seven years after the death of her father, Salem L.
Her daughter, Pauline, married Edward Dunkman
of St. Joseph and they raised in St. Joseph a son,
Richard, and a daughter, Carol. Richard is married
to Norma (Jones) Dunkman and lives with his
family in St. Joseph. Blanche and Arthur White's
son, Wendell, married Elizabeth Willerton of Chi-
cago in 1937. They have two children, Kenneth
and Mary Ann (Read). Both children at present are
living in San Francisco.

JOHN DRESBACK

John Dresback was bom twelve miles west of
Bellefontaine, in Logan County, Ohio, February
15, 1843. He and his family moved to this county
in 1853, and settled in Section 17, of St. Joseph
township. John attended the common schools, and
for several years was a student at a seminary in
Urbana.

He started a small store at the old town of St.
Joseph in 1868. He started with a stock of goods
worth three hundred dollars, in a store twelve by
fourteen feet in dimensions. In the summer of
1872 he completed the first business house ever
erected in the new St. Joseph. He had three
children, Oran B., born in 1866; Alfred L., bom
1871, deceased 1872; and Pearl Gertrude, bom
1877.

John served as township treasurer, town clerk
and commissioner of highways.

Compliments of

Petrolane Gas Service

Urbana, Illinois

125

Ora Clarence Huffman, known as "Obe,"
lived his entire life in St. Joseph Township, born
near Mayview February 20, 1885 and died at his
home in St. Joseph February 4, 1956. His father,
Joseph Huffman, settling in St. Joseph Township
around 1870 was bom in Butler County, Ohio
June 20, 1851, and passed away the 3rd of January
1901. The mother Eliza Ann Rice was bom in St.
Joseph Township Sept. 13, 1850, her death being
on December 24, 1913. Their marriage took place
Sept. 27, 1877. The grandparents were ElUt Huff-
man, bom January 10, 1802 and brought to
America from Germany when 9 years old and
Rachel Conarroe, bom January 25, 1808. Their
marriage taking place on the 5th of April 1827.
The mother's parents were Saint Clair Rice, son of
Lewis Rice, who migrated from Virginia on horse-
back about the year 1800, and Elizabeth J. Peters,
daughter of William and Sarah (McNutt) Peters of
St. Joseph Township, bom December 14, 1840 and
died on August 5th, 1903,

"Obe" Huffman married Channie May Ross
on Febmary 18, 1909 at the home of her father,
Mr. Wm. Jacob Ross. Rev. J.T. Davis, pastor of the
Christian Church, performed the ceremony. The
bride's parents were William Jacob Ross, who died
at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Penny,
south of St. Joseph on June 29, 1933, at the age of
82 years, 5 months and 1 9 days. His early Ufe was
spent in Kansas, where he followed the occupation
of freighting between the towns of Wichita and
Sun City. He was a Deputy Sheriff there while
Uving in Kansas. He returned to Illinois and had
lived the past thirty years in this community. He
united with the Presbyterian Church at Pleasant
Ridge, near Newman, at the age of 22 years. The
Ross Family lineage has been traced back to
George Ross 1630, death January 1705 in Eliza-
bethtown, N.J., place of birth in Scotland. He
married Rachel Elizabeth Reed Ross of Fredonia,
Kansas. She passed away in St. Joseph July 11,
1908, in her home.

Mr. and Mrs. Huffman had three children:
Nellie Mae, April 11, 1910 near Mayview, St.
Joseph Township; Joseph Ross, November 10,
1911 in St. Joseph; Kenneth Guy, October 25,
1913 near Glover east of St. Joseph. Mr. Huffman
farmed until his daughter started to school and
moved into town, when he worked as a mechanic
for "Doc" Davis in his garage. Years later he

bought a meat market and worked in it until selling
it to Wm. J. Wolfe. He became a carpenter and
continued this trade till his retirement. Both sons
followed this trade also. He attended grade school
in St. Joseph Township, was member of St. Joseph
Church of Christ, St. Joseph Lodge 220, Knights of
Pythias and Carpenter Local 44, Champaign, 111.
Mrs. Huffman was born at Revanna, Kansas Feb-
mary 16, 1887 and passed away in her home Feb.

26, 1954. She attended grade school at Mt.
Vemon, Illinois, member of the Church of Christ
and of the Gleaners Class of the church of St.
Joseph. Nellie Mae married Gale Stevens Henry,
son of Ira Edmund and Lulu V. Stevens Henry of
Homer, 111. on May 9, 1939 at the Church of Christ
Parsonage in St. Joseph. She graduated from the
St. Joseph High School in 1928. Attended Cham-
paign Commercial Business College, in Champaign,
111. Employee of 111. Bell Telephone Co., in the St.
Joseph office 1928-1938. Member of Church of
Christ of St. Joseph October 1923— transferring
membership March 29, 1950 into the Presbyterian
Church and member of Hoffman Rebekah Lodge
198 of Homer. Joseph Ross graduated from St.
Joseph Community High School in 1931. Married
Nellie Mae Linton of Danville October 12, 1 94 1 in
Danville, 111. They had one son, John Ross Huff-
man. The mother passed away January 5, 1956.
John Ross married Mary Rosella Hathaway and are
parents of four children. He graduated from
Danville High School and works for A&P Food
Store in Champaign, 111. Ross is a member of the
St. Joseph Church of Christ, Carpenter Local 269
and Moose Lodge 1001 of Danville. Kenneth Guy
married Mildred Irene Evans of Rantoul December
30, 1935 at Catlin, 111. They have 2 daughters-
Shirley Jean and Jo Ann, both graduated from St.
Joseph Community High School, Shirley as Co-
Salutatorian of the class of 1955 and Jo Ann
ranked 3rd in the class of 1956. Shirley Jean
married Donald Eugene Woodward May 12, 1956
in St. Joseph Methodist Church. Donald graduated
from Champaign High School in 1951. U.S. Army
from Febmary 1953 to Febmary 1955— Sergeant.
Employed in the Housing Division, University of
111. They have four children. Jo Ann married
Richard Townsley December 16, 1956 in St.
Joseph Methodist Church. Richard graduated from
Champaign High School 1953. Army from April

27, 1954 to April 26, 1956-Sergeant. Employed

126

Courtesy of

Worden & Martin

Champaign, Illinois

in the Office of Investigation of the University of
Ulinois Police Department. They have four chil-
dren. Guy attended St. Joseph Community High
School from 1928 to 1932. Member of Methodist
Church of St. Joseph. Joined C.C.C. April 1934 at
Leroy, 111. as a work foreman. Served in World War
II— Engineering Battahon, serving in England. Mem-
ber of Carpenter Local 44 in Champaign and of St.
Joseph American Legion Post 634. Irene Huffman
graduated from Rantoul High School in 1932.
Family moved from Toledo to Rantoul, 111. when
she was four years old. Member of St. Joseph
Methodist Church and St. Joseph American Legion
Auxiliary.

WILLIAM O. SHREVE

The first fifteen years of his hfe were spent in
Brown County, Ohio. He was born on November
28, 1840. He came to Illinois in 1856 and three
years later moved to St. Joseph Township.

In August 1861, he enhsted with the 26th
Illinois Regiment in which he served three years.
He was wounded severely and was mustered out of
service September 1864.

In partnership with Van B. Swearingen, he
opened the first store ever estabhshed in the
present town of St. Joseph. He was a popular and
successful merchant.

William was elected Supervisor of St. Joseph
Township in 1875 and re-elected several times.

He was married to Martha Swafford in July
1871.

He married Lydia Bartley in 1860. She died in
April of 1867. In March 1872, he was married to
Amanda Patterson of St. Joseph Township.

Van was elected Supervisor of St. Joseph
Township in 1866.

A. B. GLASCOCK

His boyhood and youth were passed upon his
father's farm in St. Joseph Township. The farm
was located principally on Sections 24 and 25 and
consisted of five hundred acres. On the 30th of
September, 1861, although only sixteen years of
age, he entered the Union Army for service in the
Civil War, as a member of Company E, Fifty-first
Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He received two severe
wounds which incapacitated him from active duty
for some time, but he remained in the service unfil.
January 16, 1865.

Returning home he farmed with his father. In
1895 he was elected supervisor, and most ably and
satisfactorily represented his township on the
county board for three consecutive terms. During
the erection of the new court house he was a
member of the committee on grounds and
building.

A man of pronounced character, he had his
likes and dislikes, and had the courage of his
convictions.

HARRISON W. DRULLINGER

VAN B. SWEARINGEN

Mr. Swearingen was one of the most active
and successful business men of St. Joseph.

He was born in Adams County, Ohio in June
1837. He remained in Ohio until 1847 when he
came to St. Joseph to live with his father.

Van was naturally gifted with shrewd business
qualities. In 1870, with William O. Sheve as his
partner, he engaged in the mercantile business at
St. Joseph and started the first store in the town.
He was also in the general grain and stock business.

Harrison W. Drullinger was bom in Butler
County, Ohio in August 1819. As a child, he
attended school in Union County, Indiana.

In 1839, he came to IlHnois, where he farmed.
He married Mary Bartley in 1840. She died in 1848
and he married Elizabeth Whiting in May 1849.
There were two children born to the first marriage
and seven in the second marriage.

In the spring of 1866 he was elected Super-
visor of St. Joseph Township and was re-elected
the following year. While holding this office, the
Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad
Bonds were issued.

Compliments of

Plotner Ford Tractor, Inc.

504 Commercial Street

Thomasboro, Illinois

127

JOHN C. KIRKPATRICK

LEONARD McELWEE

John C. Kirkpatrick was born in Rockaway
County, Ohio in October 1825. He obtained his
education in the ordinary subscription schools.

In the fall of 1843, his father moved the
family to Tippecanoe County, Indiana. He lived at
home until he was 24 years of age, and then in
1850 came to this county and settled on the site of
the present town of Champaign.

In 1860 he moved to Section 5 of St. Joseph
Township. He married Mary C. Busey in October
1849. They had eight children.

DR. WILLIAM B. SIMS

His father's name was William G. Sims and his
mother's maiden name was Mary E. Cusick. He was
one of twelve children. William was born April 14,
1836 in Blount County, Tennessee.

Dr. Sims enlisted in the 4th Illinois Cavalry
and served in the Union Army until the fall of
1864. After returning home from the army, he
prepared himself as a physician. He began his
practice in St. Joseph in 1870 and was the first
physician to locate in the town.

He started a drug store in 1875 and was the
proprietor untU 1877; the sales for the last year
that he had charge of the store amounted to
$20,000.00.

He was married March 1855 to Sarah J.
Bedley. There were eight children bom to this
marriage-Samuel N., Joseph M., William P., David
M., George E., Charles B., Safie P., and Oran B.

JAMES & SARAH HOYT

Sarah Hoyt, one of the oldest settlers of St.
Joseph Township, was bom January 1825 in
Brown County, Ohio. She came to Illinois in the
fall of 1836 with her mother.

James was born in Saratoga County, New
York in May 1824. At the age of 18, he came to
Illinois with his father. In December 1847 he
moved to St. Joseph Township and he and Sarah
were married in April 1849.

After their marriage, they settled on a farm in
Section 1 1 of St. Joseph Township. Their two sons
were named George and Norman.

Leonard McElwee was born November 29,
1837 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His family
moved to Indiana in 1840. In the year 1856, his
family moved to St. Joseph Township and settled
on a farm in the northeast corner of the township.

In March 1859, he was married to Anna A.
Simons at Pountain County, Indiana. Listed in
order of age are the names of his six children:
Samirah J., Charies P., Eliza D., James C, Aderson
C, and Orpha L. They farmed in Indiana for
several years until 1874 when he purchased his
father's farm consisting of 120 acres.

His first vote for President was cast for
General Grant in 1868. He was one of the first to
vote the nafional ticket in St. Joseph Township.

HIRAM PEABODY

Hiram lived on a farm in Section 12 and 13 of
St. Joseph Township coming to this county in
1857.

He was bom at Lake Grove, Wabash County,
Indiana, in October 1835. He lived with his father
in that county until he was 21 years old and then
came to Champaign County.

In December 1858, he was married to Hester
A. Broderick. After their marriage, he farmed in
Condit and Ogden Townships and in the spring of
1866, he moved to a farm in St. Joseph Township.

They had two children, Cyms A., bom in
1859 and Lorin W., bom in 1864.

He was a progressive farmer living on 172
acres on which he erected substantial and com-
fortable buildings.

L. WILSON PORTERPIELD

In September, 1892, he purchased the eleva-
tor and grain business. Soon after locafing here his
elevator was destroyed by fire, but with charac-
teristic energy he at once rebuilt, and now has a
substanfial elevator with a capacity of thirty-five
thousand bushels and equipped with facilities for
handling grain to the best advantage.

128

Courtesy of

Fntz Flower Shop

512 N. Cunningham

(next door to Town & Country Steak House)

Urbana, Illinois

ANNA BRASH

Anna Brash, a daughter of the late Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Witt, was born in Sidney township July
20, 1892. She attended Sidney schools and gradu-
ated there in May 1910. She taught school for a
time at Silver Rill, a small rural school and later
tauglit the intermediate grades in Sidney Grade
School.

Mrs. Brash has been confined in her home
most of the time since the death of her husband,
Frank, in 1961.

She makes the long hours less lonely by
reading, writing many letters and short poems. She
receives much personal pleasure, however, by
reading the diaries she has kept continuously for
31 years. She enjoys the visits of her 3 children, 10
grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and a host of
friends who often come to call. For it is through
their visits that she is able to keep in touch with
people and the outside world.

FRANK A. RICE

Was bom November 9, 1867, on a farm near
St. Joseph. His parents were George W. and Mary
C. (Argo) Rice. He did the usual work as a farm lad
and attended Argo district school.

April 15, 1891 he wed Rosa A. McNeil. This
union bore two children: Clarel, wife of A.S.
Phenicie and Clarence.

During 1890-1899 he operated a steam
thresliing business, followed by com shelling.

In 1892 he was elected constable of Ayers
TowTiship for four years. Upon his return to St.
Joseph he was elected constable for the township,
serving over 45 years. Also served as village
marshall an equal amount of time or more.

As Marshall his most exciting experience took
place on August 26, 1913. He was wounded while
attempting to arrest three bank robbers. After they
shot him they did escape until 1914 when they
were finally arrested and sent to prison. He had
received two bullet wounds while trying to prevent
the escape.

Some of the various businesses he engaged in
were: coal and feed mUl, livery stable, movie
theatre, nursery, repair man, and general handy
man. Others knew him for his peach seed carvings,
winning of fair premiums and a connoisseur of
relics.

The following is a short story told by Mr.
Rice.

"Take the time I was running the moving
picture theatre," he said. "Playin' a Jack Holt
picture. I'd stuffed some overalls in a hole in the
screen to keep the moth millers out. Well, sir, the
film caught fire and exploded. Blowed me right out
through the front of the theatre."

"Everett Peters was standin' over by the
interurban tracks when them overalls went by his
head. 'Well,' he said, 'there goes old Frank.' Never
could convince him that wasn't me in the overalls."

One of his more prominent businesses was
photography. He had a studio of sorts and took
portraits of many. Around the village everything he
was was captured on film.

The stories of his work and experience are
legion— only these few can be mentioned here but
I'm sure as many read these stories they will
remember many other anecdotes and facts about
this exceptional man.

'S^O

Compliments of

Country Health, Inc.

Gifford, Illinois

Your Area's Newest Skilled Care

Nursing Home

129

Members of Club in 1907-1908.

ST. JOSEPH WOMEN'S CLUB

The St. Joseph Women's Club was organized
on October 7, 1903, with 27 members.

Records held in the library indicate members'
interest in local activities, national and inter-
national affairs and in the fine arts.

In March of 1911 members petitioned the
village for Hitching Posts for Lady Drivers. Spots
were selected and cleaned at two places and racks
were duly erected.

In November 1912 they petitioned the school
board for sidewalks at the school site, which were
installed.

In February of 1917 the club had a full
program of Red Cross work and is known to have
made the first Red Cross Drives for both World
War I and World War II. They established and
operated a large Red Cross workshop during the
latter period.

It was the Women's Club which started the
ball rolling for the building of the community high
school in the 1920's. This project wound up with
seven years of legal entanglements. Not to be
daunted, members joined the Lions Club in raising
money for the purchase of the first stage curtain.
Apparently first suggestions for the club's
most rewarding project began in 1929 or 1930.
This resulted in the local hbrary, started in 1934 in
the home of a member and staffed, as today, by
volunteers.

A Youth Center was planned in 1 943 and was
a club project for several years.

In 1939-41 the club circulated petitions for a
school flasher or stop sign at intersection R. 150
and Main. They received help from the Lions Club,
the lodges, schools and churches. A registered
letter containing the petitions was sent to Highway
Headquarters at Paris. Reduced speed signs were
installed at the entrances to the village and their
efforts were finally realized in 1972 by the
installation of 4 way stop signs at this intersection.

In 1940 a committee of the club arranged for
sponsoring and providing leaders for the first Girl
Scout Troop. This has been a continuing project.
The P.T.A. was also started by Women's Club.

On a county wdde basis the club solicited and
donated for Bumham Hospital, Outlook Sani-
tarium, and the first Chest X-ray Clinic.

A club member served as chairman for the
National Food and Clothing drive for Overseas
ReUef-1945.

Cooperation with the Lions Club resulted in
erection of an Honor Roll for St. Joseph Boys. The
club has always been active in both Community
Councils.

Members in the early years gave papers on
selected subjects. Most oi' these are timely subjects
for the present. A listing of some follows:

1912- Is American Homehfe Disappearing?
Eyestrain and Immorality.

Sexual Hygiene.

1913- Womans Fight for Equal Pay.

Disposal of Waste (59 years later we are
putting in a Sewage System)

130

Courtesy of

C & U Poster Advertising Co.

Champaign Signs

Clyde I. Welker

Champaign, Illinois

1914— Minimum Wage.

Work of Dr. Montessori.

Choice of Social Companionship for the

Young.
1916- What the Woman did during the Civil War.

1918- Current Events Program -Russian Women
Warriors.

1919— Function and Placing of Sculpture.
Life of Verdi.

Career of Chopin.

In 1942 the club established open member-
ship. Up until this time membership was Umited to
25 and a woman had to spend one year as associate
member without voting privilege and with higher
dues.

The club marked its 50th year at a special
meeting in 1953. Mrs. Maude Davis, only remaining
charter member, and thirteen past presidents were
in attendance.

The club is continuing its interest and work in
projects for community betterment with a menv
bership of 39.

SWEARINGEN MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The St. Joseph PubUc Library first opened
April 14, 1934 at the Henderson Beauty Shop
room as a project of the women's Qub with
members alternating as librarians. Started entirely
from donations of the Club and interested friends,
the nucleus of the Ubrary numbered between 400
and 500 volumes. At this early date it was open on
Saturday afternoon. The Library, by then grown to
1 1 00 volumes, was moved to the High School in
early November, 1 934.

During the first year the club membership
divided into three groups to raise funds for books,
a few Ubrary tools and a very modest pay for a
librarian. One group gave two card benefits during
the year. The second group sold popcorn at
community-sponsored movies and gave a silver tea
at which 332 volumes were presented for the
shelves. The third group tried to individually devise
a plan to raise a sum and on second project they
put on a two-act farce, "Aunt Billie from Texas"
which netted $45.25. The library has faltered
many times through the years but with the Club
sponsoring benefits, book drives, teas, birthday

parties, newspaper drives, food sales, and with
many personal gifts and donations from other
organizations it has managed to grow.

Two years after opening, a proposition to
have a free pubUc library was presented to the
public at the spring election. It was not accepted.

The Club was always seeking ways to supple-
ment the book collection and in 1936 first
borrowed a collection of books from the Illinois
State Library, continuing this practice as long as
state regulations permitted.

The Ubrary continued in the High School
untU June, 1950 when it was moved into one room
of the Town Hall where it remained until March of
1956.

In 1955 Mrs. Maude Davis purchased a site
and made arrangements for building a new Ubrary
to be known as the Swearingen Memorial Library
honoring her parents, a pioneer St. Joseph family.
She announced her intention of presenting the
Ubrary to the St. Joseph community, with the
Ubrary committee of the St. Joseph Women's Club
as trustees and of setting up an endowment to help
provide funds for its operation and maintenance.

In March of 1956 the Ubrary of over 2500
volumes was moved into the new building. Hours
were extended to two afternoons and one evening
a week. An open house was held in October of
1956 to dedicate the beautiful new faciUty for the
community.

Today the Ubrary has a coUection in excess of
8500 volumes. Volunteers from St. Joseph
Women's Club and other interested persons stUl
provide the staff.

ST. JOSEPH
EVENING WOMEN'S CLUB

The St. Joseph Evening Women's Club began
as a Junior Women's Club in September of 1944.
The club was affiUated with county, district and
national Federation of Women's Clubs in that same
year.

Active charter members are Mrs. Robert
Maddock, Mrs. Lorin Wood and Mrs. Wallace Mills,
who served as the club's first president.

In May of 1952 the Club was changed from
St. Joseph Junior Women's Club to the present St.
Joseph Evening Women's Club.

Compliments of

The R & L Rock Shop

Roscoe and Lois Knott

Route 2

Urbana, Illinois

131

5
c

■S

132

Compliments of

Race Inn

Restaurant and Catering Service

115 South Race Street

Urbana, Illinois

The club's biggest project each year is a style
show. This has been an annual event for the last 20
years, with proceeds being used for scholarships
and community improvements. A contribution was
made toward the purchase of property for the park
as well as playground equipment for the children's
enjoyment.

The St. Joseph Evening Women's Club has the
distinction of being one of the first women's clubs
in the nation to sponsor a Senior Citizens group.
Some of the activities enjoyed by our community
Senior Citizens are monthly dinners, field trips
and an annual Spring banquet.

ST. JOSEPH
SENIOR CITIZEN'S CLUB

The St. Joseph Evening Women's Club de-
cided there was a need for a Senior Citizen's Club.

The president of the Women's Club appointed
a committee whose members were Mrs. William Jay
Freese, Mrs. Orval Maddock, Mrs. Kenneth Idle-
man, Mrs. Harold Schmidt, Mrs. Robert Widick,
and Mrs. Robert Dirks.

The club sent out hand-written invitations for
a potluck on May 18, 1967. Those present chose a
board whose members were Mr. and Mrs. G. Y.
Trimbill, Mrs. Zaye Percival, and Mr. Roila
Freeman.

The Board met June 1 , 1 967 at the home of a
board member. They chose a name for themselves
(St. Joseph Senior Citizens), and set up a program
for the next six months. Each month's activities
consisted of a potluck and entertainment or
program on the third Thursday of each month, and
a field trip on another date. It was also decided to
pass the sugar bowl each time so to have money in
their club.

The present committee board includes: Mr.
and Mrs. Henry Siewart, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Denhart, Mrs. Mabel McGee, Mr. Frank Jones.
Chairman and Co-Chairman-Mrs. John Gones,
Mrs. Wanda Havener. First Chairman and Co-Chair-
man-Mrs. William Jay Freese and Mrs. Harold
Schmidt.

The Spring Banquet sponsored by the St.
Joseph Evening Women's Club is held close to the
anniversary date of the Senior Citizens Club.

HISTORY OF
AMERICAN LEGION POST 634

On May 8, 1920 an application was indorsed
for formation of a Post at St. Joseph, Illinois to be
known as the St. Joseph Post, Department of
Illinois, Number 634. There were 25 Charter
members, with a total membership of 30 members
for the year 1920. T.G. Knappenberger served as
the first Commander and Emery R. Chase served as
the first Adjutant. Mr. Everett Peters and Mr. Fred
Lambdin, the only two living charter members,
both served as Commanders of the Post. Mr. Peters
in 1923 and Mr. Lambdin in 1924.

The Legion met in the east room in the
basement of the Town Hall until it purchased the
present sight which was remodeled by the Post.

William J. Freese, Jr., was the first World War
II veteran to serve as Commander of the Post in
1947.

L.B. Walton, Ray Gene Peters, Claybom
M. Lofton and Robert Bauman, all Past Com-
manders of the Post, also served as Champaign
County Commanders and Mr. Lofton is Past
Commander of the 19th District. Richard Roark is
currently serving as Commander.

In 1967-1968 under the Commandership of
Robert Williams, the Post reached an all time high
in membership of one hundred. At present the Post
has a membership of ninety.

Each year the Post sends a boy and girl from
the liigh school junior class to Boy's State and
Girl's State, held in Springfield. They also give
annually the school medal award to a student from
the high school and grade school. Each year a
basketball free-throw award is given to a student
from each school. For several years they sponsored
a baseball team.

Each fall the Legion sponsors the Fall Festival
and at Halloween awards prizes to different mas-
queraders. It has also been a poUcy of the Post to
place flags on the graves of Veterans on Memorial
Day in the Post area.

Courtesy of

Lutheran Brotherhood

Life & Health Insurance for Lutherans

Kent Stonestreet

Rantoul, Illinois

133

McLionLC lemple
St. Joseph .III.

134

Courtesy of

Allerton Implement Company

Allerton, Illinois

A HISTORY OF

ST. JOSEPH LODGE 970

A.F. & A.M.

The St. Joseph Lodge was instituted October
18, 1913. under special dispensation and received
its charter October 14, 1914.

The following were elected to serve as first
officials under the charter for St. Joseph Lodge
No. 970 A.F. & A.M.

John D. Lester, Worshipful Master

Dr. H. E. Davis, Senior Warden

W. C. Peters, Junior Warden

A. W. Firebaugh, Senior Deacon

M. Walker, Junior Deacon

Asa Kilbury, Chaplin

Roscoe E. Perry, Senior Steward

Foster McCarty, Junior Steward

U. G. Swearingen, Treasurer

Larry Hall, Secretary

Cady L. HaU, MarshaU

A. B. Glascock, Tyler

The meetings were held in the Knights of
Pythias Hall until a new Temple could be buUt.

A building committee consisting of Dr. H.E.
Davis, U.G. Swearingen, and U.G. Glascock was
appointed and C.C. Fenwick, a brother Mason,
drew plans for the building. Ground was purchased
from Norman C. Hoyt. The temple was dedicated
November 17, 1914.

Charter members were John D. Lester, Henry
Elmer Davis, Walter Cleveland Peters, Nathan Levi
Walker, Joshua Douglas Henderson, Carey C. Fen-
wick, Lawrence Lewellyn Hall, John Grant Cook,
Charles Byerley, Lew E. Stevenson, Foster
McCarty, Charles M. Walker, Cady L. Hall, Albert
Warren Firebaugh, Roscoe Samuel Perry, Benjamin
F. Youmans, John Benjamin Dunn, Mortimer
Kilbury, Christian Peter Jacobson, Ulysses Grant
Richardson, Alexander Burr Glascock, Ulysses G.
Glascock, Austin Bowers Youmans, Charles Wilson
Dale, Isaac Newton Walker, Robert E. Mathis, Asa
Kilbury, Chester Joseph Walker, William F. Fen-
wick, Mattison Fenwick, Nathan Arnold, Ulysses
Grant Jones, Arthur John Dalton, T. Gaillard
Knappenberger, Charles Barcus, George Newton
Leas, Ulysses Grant Swearingen, John Thomas
Pence, Milford Henry Johnson, Guy Nathan
Walker, Albert Green, Thomas J. Woodin, Brent
Calvin Green, and Clyde Hildebrand Walker.

All charter members are deceased.

Present officers are C.I. Welker, Worshipful
Master; L. Allen Menges, Senior Warden; Forrest
Chism, Junior Warden; R.E. Roark, Treasurer;
Eldon E. Boatz, Secretary; William D. Risley,
Chaplin; Carrol C. Taylor, Senior Deacon; George
Boise, Junior Deacon; Wendell C. Fiscus, Senior
Steward; WiUiam T. Trumbull, Junior Steward;
Elmer Woodard, Marshall; and Orval Peters, Tyler.

ST. JOSEPH
MUSTANGS 4-H CLUB

An agricultural 4-H Club known as the St.
Joseph 4-H Gallopers was organized in the St.
Joseph area in 1934. They were led by Frank
Kuder in 1934 and 1935. Claude Lindsey became
leader in 1936 for 3 years. At this time there were
37 members. According to records the club was
made standard in com the first and second year
and in beef the 3rd year.

Five years after its formation the name was
changed to St. Joseph Mustangs 4-H Club. It was
chartered September 7, 1939 with J. Edward Appl
as leader. There were 28 members. He continued as
leader through 1 947. Other leaders during the '40's
were Lowell Johnson, Ralph Guthrie, Fred Hixson,
William Richards, Fred Lubben, Robert Maddock,
Heye R. Busboom, and Robert Kraehenbuhl.

During the 1950's the names of the following
people served as leaders: Heye Busboom, Robert
Maddock, Clark Youmans, C.G. Butzow, Dale
Busboom, and J.R. Pickard. Junior leaders during
this time were Wilbert Fruhling, Dale Busboom,
Russell Youmans, Dean Busboom, Cecil Busboom,
Donald Flessner, Danny Mills, Drew Butzow,
Ronald Hawk, and Bob Kibler.

Leaders in the 1960's were Dewey Werts,
Gene Fisher, and James Baird. St. Joseph Mustangs
have continued and at the present time are led by
Robert Widick with Terry Crider as assistant
leader. David Widick and John Vinson are junior
leaders. Officers are president, David Waters; vice-
president. Ken McKenry; secretary, Ed Clem;
treasurer, Suzanne Crider; and reporter, John
Vinson.

Compliments of

Vilven Tire Company

Royal, Illinois

135

Top Row: Anna Fiock Brittingham, Julia Johnson. Center Row: Viola Sperry, E. C. Sinks,
Sophia Denhart, Ella Hill, Susan Woodard. Front Row: Sally Frankenberger, Martha Van
Landingham, Clare McCarty, Martha Phillips, Marie Wood.

Summer of 1899-Eucala Camp 1340

RNA Drill Team - St. Joseph

1st place winners at County Fair— Urbana, Illinois

ROYAL NEIGHBOR

The Royal Neighbor Charter was signed
January 23, 1899 by Mrs. Barbara E. Massey,
Deputy Supreme Oracle for Eucala Camp 1340 for
St. Joseph, Illinois. Camp consisted of 31 charter
members. First official officers were:

Oracle— Anna L. Reed

Recorder— Alta M. Peters

Receiver— Viola Sperry

Vice Oracle— Annie L. Kellogg

Chancellor— Sarah E. Hill

Inner Sentinel-Martha E. Phillips

Outer Sentinel— Alfred Cole

This picture was taken in Urbana after the
drill team won first prize at the County Fair in the
Summer of 1899.

The local recorder services Longview and
Ogden members since they no longer have active
chapters.

The 1972 officers are:

Oracle— Zaye Percival

Recorder— Vinnie Varvel

Receiver-Audrey Kibler

Chaplain-Mabel Sadler

136

'We appreciate your Business"

Ingram's Nursery

and Landscaping

Homer, Illinois, Route 2

FIRE DEPARTMENT HISTORY

Before 1922 St. Joseph was like many other
towns, using only a barrel on two wheels and a
supply of metal buckets for fire protection.

In 1922 the Village board purchased a new
Ford fire truck with pump and hose. This truck
served for nearly 26 years.

On May 5, 1948 the St. Joseph-Stanton Fire
Protection District-Volunteer Fire Dept. was or-
ganized and became the third in the State of
Illinois to do so.

Trustees for the new district were Warren
Wilson, Hie R. Busboom and Mayor Youmans. The
first fire chief was Russell Maddock and Asst. Chief
Glen Sumner.

It was at this time a new truck was purchased
from the John Bean Mfg. Co., Lansing, Mich, and
driven home to St. Joseph. This truck is still serving
today.

In August, 1949 the fire siren which now sits
atop a pole in front of the fire station on Lincoln
St. was purchased and installed on the Village
water tower.

The district's second fire truck, a Jeep was
purchased in October, 1949 and served until 1969
when it was sold to Fithian.

In 1955 a new CMC tank truck was purchased
to assist in rural fires where it was necessary to
carry all water used by truck.

In 1969 a John Bean truck was purchased;
this modern piece of fire fighting equipment is able
to' pump volume and high pressure lines simul-
taneously and carry 750 gallons of water with over
5,000 feet of hose.

In 1971 the department purchased a 1971
Dodge Van in which the firemen installed the latest
in fire fighting, first aid, and entry equipment. This
truck is normally first on the scene for traffic
control evaluation and supply of lifesaving equip-
ment to officers.

It is interesting to note that the department
has only had 3 fire chiefs since its founding.
RusseU Maddock, 1948 to 1964; Glen Sumner
1964 to 1970; Jack Coleman 1970 to present.

Since the protection district was formed, it
has been the responsibility of one local business to
answer the fire phone and sound the alert 24 hours
a day 7 days a week. Also testing the siren every
day at noon for 24 years.

It would be impossible to determine how
many lives have been saved and how many dollars
worth of property have been saved by their
volunteer work.

The fire department wishes to thank Freese
Funeral Home and say job very well done.

Present officers are Chief Jack Coleman, Asst.
Chief Dick Butler, Captain Amos Motsinger, 1st
Lieutenant Forrest Chism, 2nd Lieutenant Merl
Mennenga, and 3rd Lieutenant Bob Hillesland.

HISTORY AND HIGHLIGHTS

of the
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

On February 3, 1953, a group of 46 persons
met at the Legion Hall for the purpose of forming
some type of Business Men's Association.

On March 23 with 20 businesses represented,
it was voted to organize as a Chamber of Com-
merce.

During the first year, projects undertaken and
accomplished were clean-up fix-up week, welcome
booklets, street lights, Santa Claus, member of
Community Council, community slogan contest—
which was won by Tom Friel for his slogan "A
Small Town with a Big Future." Projects discussed
were a new bank, theater, and an ordinance against
peddlers and auctioneers.

During the next five years, 1954-1959, the
Chamber grew to a total of 32 members. Projects
sponsored during these years were the village
entrance signs, band concerts, free movies, Santa
Claus, street dances. Newcomer's Greeter, and a
business survey; projects supported were the Har-
vest Festival, Little League, youth recreation pro-
gram, Community Council; and they contacted the
Village Board regarding the spraying of the village
for mosquitoes, police protection, and improving
the power supply. In 1955 the efforts to obtain
new street lights in the business district and to
estabhsh a bank became a reality. In 1957, the
Chamber went on record as favoring a zoning law
and a sewage disposal plant.

The following five years, 1959-1964, 35
businesses were represented in the Chamber of
Commerce. The possibility of natural gas was
investigated for the city. New signs were sponsored
at the village entrance; Hatchet Days, Annual

137

Meeting, a gift of flowers to new businesses, and
placement of street refuse cans were started in
1960; also Christmas tree & decorations, Santa
Claus, Welcome Wagon, free movies, clean-up
fix-up week were continued from previous years;
and continued support was given to Jr.-Sr. break-
fast, Fall Festival, Community Council, the Lion's
Park Fund, the Band Booster's Club, and all efforts
to get new businesses. Also during this time
proposals for a new Post Office site and law
enforcement were made.

1964-1969-The Chamber was represented
by 32 businesses during these years. With financial
help from other organizations, the Chamber re-
placed Christmas lights and decorations which were
destroyed in the lumber yard fire. Sponsored
Student Band Scholarship, planted a live Christmas
tree, and continued to sponsor Welcome Wagon,
Santa Claus, clean-up fix-up week. Fall Festival,
Community Council, and Band Boosters; also went
on record as approving a new water tower and new
sidewalks in the business area.

1969— 1972— Chamber representation in-
creased to 34 members. All previously sponsored
and supported activities were continued with some
new ones added. These included the High School
Sports Banquet, Miss Merry Christmas, Christmas
parade. House Decorating Contest, Easter Egg
Hunt; supported Boy Scouts in their Twelfth Night
program; and went on record as supporting the
zoning board; also discussed the possibility of a
Mini-Park and rebuilding of the old Kelly Tavern.

ST. JOSEPH METHODIST
CHURCH HISTORY

The Illinois Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church was organized in St. Clair
County October 23, 1824 and it then included all
of Illinois as well as charges in Indiana. This large
area was served by fifty-five ministers and it was at
this conference that Peter Cartright was received
by transfer from Kentucky.

Methodism in St. Joseph started about 1856,
as near as authentic information can be obtained.
Religious pioneer settlers congregated as a union
body for service in the school house that was most
central, and also in the various homes for a time. It
is probable that infrequent meetings were also held
in the forties and fifties by regular appointed
preachers from Danville circuit and Urbana.

138

In 1867 the Methodist families predominating
decided to organize and adopted the name Botkin
Chapel. They were served by a circuit-riding
Minister, Reverend J.T. Botkin, of Danville. The
trustees were named as William B. Sims, Harrison
W. Drullinger, William O. Shreve, Valentine J.
GaUion and Lew E. Stevenson.

The membership, as nearly as can be con-
firmed, consisted of Mr. and Mrs. V.J. Gallion, Mr.
and Mrs. B.F. McCown, Mr. and Mrs. W.W.
O'Bryant, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Drulhnger, Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph Stayton (in whose home the first
meetings were held). Mrs. N.B. Irons, Mrs. Sally
Irons, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nichols, The Rankins,
Glascocks and Bartleys. Either Harrison Drullinger
or Lew E. Stevenson was the first Sunday school
superintendent, foUowed by W.W. O'Bryant, a
great uncle of Lloyd Woody, who later served as
superintendent in his generation.

The St. Joseph appointment from about 1840
until 1875 was included in the Urbana district;
then temporarily in Champaign-DanviUe district
and was served by either local preachers or
circuit-riding ministers from Danville. Outstanding
among these were William Phillips and James
Holmes.

St. Joseph circuit, consisting of St. Joseph
and Mayview, began its independent existence in
1877 when the first church building was erected on
the present location. Before the building was
completed services were held in the old village of
St. Joseph on the state road, but with the coming
of the Big Four railroad, services were transferred
to the new town in 1871 during the pastorate of
Reverend Isaac Groves, and on removal to the
village two miles north, the new railroad depot, the
school house and private homes were used until the
new building could be occupied. This edifice
burned September 5, 1 893, but was rebuilt in the
following year. "The Methodist (Episcopal) held
first church services in the new town and theirs was
the first church built in the new town." This house
of worship, following several remodelings and
improvements, was finally declared inadequate and
the present building was erected in 1915-16. It was
dedicated March 26, 1916, by Bishop WiUiam F.
McDowell. Rev. Leo Howard was the Pastor of the
churches here and at Mayview.

In 1942 by vote of the membership of both
the St. Joseph and Mayview churches and by the
consent of the Conference they became separate
charges. Rev. Dale E. Pitcher was the first pastor of
the St. Joseph Church as a separate unit. Also

during his pastorate the Dr. Laymon Memorial
organ was installed, adding much to the beauty and
solemnity of the music of the church service.

According to the conference minutes since
1863 there has been a regular succession of
ministers. Before that time minutes are not avail-
able.

The list of ministers serving this charge (as
available) includes: J.D. Botkin, George W. Draper,
W.J. Tull, Frank Poorman, W.H. Davis, Frank
Homey, T.E. Madden, E.M. Jeffe, J.O. CoUins,
W.H. Swartz, A.N. Simmons, D.G. Duboise, Carlos,

B.D. WUey, J.F. Harvey, T.O. Batey, J.C. Enninger,
A.H. Reat, C.W. Casely, R.E. Mathis, Leo Howard,
E.B. Houck, T. Lee Knotts, Jesse L. Murrell, A.P.
Jordan, Laren Spear, Presley P. Carson, OUn Lee,
K.F. Krughoff, Oscar B. Hess, Gordon Waggoner,
Dale E. Pitcher, Carl J. Jensen, Charles H. Junk,
Carol V. Lanius, Garland J. Dillon, S.H. Huber,
W.D. Mcintosh, C.R. Morrison, A.M. WeUs, Harold
A. Pruyn, John H. Genn, Harold Halfyard, Harold
Sheldon, Charles E. Hale, and our present minister,
John R. Seed.

Prior to 1915

After 1915

139

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140

History of
St. Joseph Church of Christ

The first meetings of the church were in
private homes; as the congregation grew too large
for this, school houses were used, including several
south of St. Joseph. One was on the east bank of
the Salt Fork South of State Road. The Salt Fork
was used for baptism. Tliis church was called the
Hickory Grove Church.

In the 1830's three men were prominent as
preachers of the gospel: William Peters, who
arrived from Kentucky, Uterally preached "free
salvation" for he never asked any compensation;
Cyrus Strong built and operated a hotel. He
performed many marriages in Champaign County.
He was an active leader in religious meetings in the
Salt Fork neighborhood before a meeting house
was erected; and Samuel Mapes, who usually rode
an ox to the meeting place and preached in his bare
feet, often walking 30 or 40 miles between
preaching engagements, but always preaching free
of charge.

The first record of purchase of land for a
permanent meeting house was Wi acres southeast
of Joe Kelley's bridge (Salt Fork on old State
Road) for S75 in 1858. Soon after a frame building
was erected as the first meeting house of the
congregation.

With the coming of the railroad two miles
north of this settlement, people began moving to
what is now our present town of St. Joseph.

The first meeting place in this new town was a
school house built in 1872. In 1880 the congre-
gation built a frame building, with the baptistry
concealed by a trap door in the floor. It had two
heating stoves and kerosene lamps hung from the
ceiling and from brackets on the walls

This building was sold and the congregation
moved across the street in 1908. The two uphol-
stered chairs in T.T.A. class were in this building.

It was around this time that Bible School or
Sunday School was held in the afternoons. For
several years the children of St. Joseph knew but
one Bible School, supported as an undenomina-
tional study of the Bible by both the Christian
Church and the Methodist Episcopal congregations.

The first organ was purchased in the early
1890's. It was a one manual reed organ with two
foot pedals for pumping the air through the reeds
to produce the sound. A Wicks pipe organ was
installed in November 1946 at a cost of over
."R4,000.

In the 1880's and into the 1900's the com-
munion table was spread with two silver goblets, a
silver pitcher and two plates. In the early 1900's
Mrs. Fenwick assumed the weekly task of prepar-
ing the table. The changing of the service from
goblets to individual glasses increased the work of
preparation and deaconesses were elected to pre-
pare the table. The earliest record of elections was
in 1922.

In 1906 the consideration of extensive repairs
to the frame building led to a canvass of members,
collecting $7,000 for a new building instead of
repairs to the old one. C.C. Fenwick was named
the builder. Dr. H.E. Davis also contributed his
experience and knowledge. He personally selected
the church bell in 1914. It weighed 2100 pounds,
and for years it tolled the approaching hour of
worship over a radius of four miles. Its deep,
mellow tones have not been heard since 1935; no
welder guaranteed to reproduce its tone. After the
Christian Church in Tipton disbanded in 193-7,
their beU was offered for our belfry, and it is still
in use today.

The present brick building, excepting the
addition to the north, was dedicated June 29,
1909. About 500 people packed the auditorium,
and a choir numbering more than sixty sang. In the
fall of 1919 the present parsonage was built by
C.C. Fenwick at a cost of about $10,000.

The "downstairs" departments of the Bible
School were not organized until 1920. Mae Lang
was the first superintendent of the Beginners
Department, from 1920-1930. She remembers
teaching about thirty children of less than five
years old, and boosting out the window for the
helper to take them to the "potty" out back.

The new addition to the north of the original
church building was built in 1952. Mr. Fenwick
also designed and was the builder for the addition.
The old Eisner building was purchased in 1966 and
is referred to as "the annex." After extensive
remodeling, it was also used for Sunday School.

141

Circa 1880
CHURCH OF CHRIST

142

Circa 1972

ST. JOSEPH
HOMEMAKER'S EXTENSION ASSOCIATION

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
SEED COMPANY

The Champaign County Home Economics
Extension Service was organized in 1918 at a
meeting held in the home of Senator Dunlap on
Route 45, south of Champaign. This home has
since been incorporated into a motel. The name
until 1962 was Champaign County Home Bureau,
but in that year it was voted to change to
Champaign County Home Economics Extension
Service, to signify its connection with the Coopera-
tive Extension service of the University of IlUnois.

Champaign County Home Economics Exten-
sion Service is the parent organization from which
many units were formed throughout the county.
The St. Joseph Unit was organized on March 13,
1925, at the home of Emma Reese. The Charter
members were: Juanita Kuder, president; Alice
Finney, vice-president; Grace Denhart, secretary-
treasurer; Lizzie Meese, Rosa Hoyt, Virgie Leigh,
Zora Butzow, Daisy Parker, Emma Reese, Pearl
Walker, Ethel Wolfe, Ethyl Jones, and Gena
Rudicil.

4-H clubs in the area are sponsored by
Homemakers Extension Association. A 4-H
Achievement meeting is held in conjunction with
the July Homemaker's meeting each year. At this
time the 4-H members give demonstrations and
talks and display the work they have completed.

Over the years, the unit has contributed
numerous books to the St. Joseph Library and to
the one in the county extension office. During
World War II women of the St. Joseph unit
collected used kitchen fat which was turned in to
be reprocessed, thus helping in the war effort.
There had been meetings for interested members to
study pattern fitting and alteration. Many of our
membership are engaged in arts and crafts. For
several years the Homemakers Extension unit
served the local Lions Club at their twice monthly
meetings. Style Shows at the Fall Festivals were
also handled by this unit. Baking Christmas cookies
for the U.S.O. at Rantoul has been a yearly
project.

From the thirteen Charter Members we have
grown through the years. At times we had as many
as sixty members, but during the depression years
there were so few that St. Joseph and Ogden
combined to have enough members for a unit. At
the present time we have 27 members.

Lester Pfister, a young farmer near El Paso,
Illinois, had developed a method of growing
Hybrid Seed Com prior to 1937. The farmers who
purchased grain from him were so pleased their
demands exceeded his capability to supply.

In the spring of 1937 Mr. Steve Turner was
employed by Mr. Pfister and contacted Prof.
H.C.M. Case of the College of Agriculture to see if
any local farmers might be interested in this form
of business.

Prof. Case contacted Oscar Krumm of
Sadorus, a well known com judge; Burdette Grif-
fith of Dewey, whose father W.G. Griffith had
been in the seed com business for years; Vincent
Esery,who fanned Prof. Case's farm; Roy Edwards,
a past president of Champaign County Farm
Bureau and an excellent fanner; Arthur Burwash, a
prominent local farmer; and C.P. Mills, a local
fanner who also had served as manager of the St.
Joseph Seed Association.

From these six local farmers who owned and
operated about 2,500 acres was formed the Cham-
paign County Seed Company. They grew their first
hybrid com in 1937 from foundations stock from
Lester Pfister.

The business has grown greatly and now has
customers in nine central Illinois counties.

143

SCHOOLS

The history of the St. Joseph schools began
with a building located on the old State Road
between the St. Joseph- Sidney highway and the
Salt Fork in old St. Joseph. This building, used also
as a place of worship, was on the south side of the
road just west of the old Kelley Tavern. This same
building was later moved to a location in the new
town on a site two blocks south of what was
known as the public square. This move was made
in the late 1860's or early 1870's. The building
now stands one block west, that is, on the
southwest comer of the same block. It has been
remodeled and used as a residence since about
1885.

The next buUding to be used was built near
the south corporation line on South Fifth Street
around 1885. There were two rooms on the first
floor housing grades, 1,2,3 and 4,5,6. One room on
the second floor was known as the grammer room
(grades 7 and 8) and apparently the other housed
the secondary program. The first graduating class
(1886) included Ida PurceU Peck, Charles GaUion,
Abe Bowers*, Effie Whitzell Peters and Irven
Outcolt. This school, as was the case wdth most
small high schools of the time, was not accredited
and an examination was required for entrance into
most schools of higher education. In the earlier
days teachers were given an examination by the
County Superintendent for certification purposes.
He also mailed out student examination questions
each month for all eight elementary grades. A few
of the remembered names of teachers prior to and
just following the turn of the century are Ella
Bowers Youmans, Wallace Clark, Charles Byerley,
Charles Hayworth, Jennie Dwellinger Freese,
Charles Wagoner, and W.J. Freese.

The High School was established at its present
location in 1926. The new addition was then added
in 1962. In 1963 the High School District was
combined with the Ogden District and the St.
Joseph-Ogden Community High School came into
being. Records of the tenure of the older "profes-

Ida PurceU Peck, Charles Gallion, Abe Bowers,
Effie Whitzell Peters, Class of 1886.

sors" is sketchy but the approximate times and
sequence of administration is as follows: William
Davis 1897-1906, Charles Condit 1906-1908, Bas-
com French 1908-1910, William Fisher 1910-?,
E.W. Matoon 7-1928, Con HamUton 1928-1938, G.
Y. Trimble 1938-1956, George Miller 1956-1960,
Raymond Stutz 1960-1961, Tom Goins
1961-1964, Henry Berry 1 964-present.

*Abe Bowers was among the first 100 registrants
and entered with the first class in the then new
University of Chicago.

144

area 1900's
Location of present Grade School

Circa 1972
Current High School

145

Standing: Jack Knott, Dean Crider, B.J. Hackler, Betty Logue, Ernie Hartman, Pauline Walker,
Robert Hitt, Sandra Barcus, Bonnie Hitt, Glenn Gebbink, Richard Denhart, Scott Hunter. Seated:
Donna Smalling, Linda Sheets, Lois Crider.

ST. JOSEPH CENTENNIAL CORPORATION BOARD

CoChairman-Jack Knott and Mrs. Norman Logue

Deputy Chairman— George Crawford

Finance— B. J. Hackler

Horse and Pony Show-Mr. and Mrs. Dean Crider, Ernest Hartman

History Book -Mrs. Dean Smalling

Advertising— Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sheets

Parade- Richard Denhart

Concessions— Glenn Gebbink

Pioneer Days— Mrs. Nate Walker

Entertainment— Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hitt

Contest— Mr. and Mrs. David Barcus

Grounds and Location-Mr. Scott Hunter

146

ST. JOSEPH CENTENNIAL CORPORATION
August 25-26-27, 1972

1872

To the Members of Our Community:

The idea of having a Centennial was bom among the members of the
Community Council. This body is composed of all organizations and businesses
throughout the community. A chairman was announced in February, 1972, and
plans for a Centennial Celebration began. Among the first phases of planning for a
Centennial is to become a Corporation; thus the St. Joseph Centennial
Corporation was founded on March 20, 1972. The duration of this corporation is
for three years.

Many people participated in making the Centennial a success. To those
people the members of the board extend their heartfelt "Thanks" for a job well
done.

Numerous events were held prior to the Centennial to help raise funds so
that a wider variety of displays and events might be presented. Those activities
were: Share of the Shares Potluck, Lee Mace Ozark Opry, Clark & Walters Circus,
and an Ice Cream and Pie Social.

The Centennial Corporation sold shares, plates, coins, key chains, ash trays
and a fine historical book to aid in the celebrafion.

We wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the board
members who helped establish, conduct and stage the entire Centennial
Celebration. A special "Thanks" to our Deputy Chairman Mr. George Crawford.

Jack Knott, Centennial Chairman

Mrs. Norman (Betty) Logue, Co-Chairman

147

Friday, August 25

Sunday, August 27

12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m.
5:45 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.

8:00 p.m.
11:00 p.m.

Rides — Concessions 9:00 a.m.

Judging of Culinary Arts, Floral Ar- 11:30 a.m.

rangements, etc. — downtown
Official Opening of Centennial. All
Church bells will ring along with the 12:30 p.m.

Fire Siren

Opening Remarks by Sen. Stanley B. 3:30 p.m.

Weaver and Mayor H. J. Kolb.

Honorary Awards to Mrs. Margaret 6:15 p.m.

Lambdin and Sen. Everett Peters —
downtown.

Brothers of Brush Judging, Sisters of
the Swish Judging, Introduction of 6:30 p.m.

Miss Centennial, Introduction of Mr.
and Mrs. Pioneer — all events down-
town.

Pageant — downtown
Tent Revival - Football field at High
School
Rock Band - IGA Parking Lot

Flea Market— Bank Parking Lot

Community B-B-Que Dinner Starts.

Music by Sonny Norman and the

Drifting Playboys- Village Park

Fire Fighters Water Fight— local men

and opponents

Dottie West Show-High School Foot-

baU Field

Fireman Raffle Drawing

Guest Registry Drawing-$ 100.00,

$50.00, $25.00 U.S. Government

Savings Bonds

Official Closing— All Church bells and

fire siren wall ring.

Thank you for helping us celebrate
during our Centennial.

Saturday, August 26

8:00 a.m. General Concessions and Booths
9:00 a.m. Flea Market opens - Bank parking lot
10:00 a.m. Parade

12:00 p.m. Indian Powwow - Joel Hendricks
1:00 p.m. Horse and Poney Show-South Main

Street; Children's Games- Village

Park; Indian Powwow— Joel Hendricks
2:00 p.m. Indian Powwow — Joel Hendricks'
3:00 p.m. Indian Powwow - Joel Hendricks
4: 00 p.m. Garden Tractor PuU
5:30 p.m. Box Social— downtown
7:00 p.m. Variety Show-Football field at High

School
7:30 p.m. Tent Revival— Football field at High

School
8:30 p.m. Square Dance-IGA Parking Lot

148

MRS. PIONEER

MR. PIONEER
ft.

MRS. MARY HASTY

Mrs. Mary Hasty of 204 S. Market Street, St. Joseph,
is our active Senior Citizen to be honored during the
Centennial Celebration. Mrs. Hasty started life as the husky
2H pound daughter of Joseph and Angeline Ems Lang on
March 30, 1882 at Ramsey, Indiana. Her mother didn't
have glass jars so stone jugs were filled with hot water,
wrapped and Uned a box that served as this premature
baby's crib. Nursing bottles had not been invented yet so
feedings were painstakingly done by small amounts from a
teaspoon. Eleven children made up this farm family, three
of whom died in one week from a diphtheria epidemic.
Two sisters and a brother survive.

Mary Lang married George Sattler, a painter and as
young parents they came to St. Joseph in 1904. Two sons
were born to this union. Ivan, now of YpsUanti, Michigan
and Bill at home with his mother. After the death of Mr.
Sattler she married Bert Hasty. The house by the park has
been her home since 1913.

Mrs. Hasty is a very active, young looking 90 years
old. On the day of this interview she had picked straw-
berries and made jam. She energetically keeps house and
helps with the care of a large yard, flower beds and garden.
She winters in Florida and enjoys the fishing tliere.

Six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren are
her pride and joy.

ROLLA W. FREEMAN

Our Gentleman Senior Citizen to be feted at our
Centennial is Rolla W. Freeman who was born in Ogden
Township September 30, 1885. He was born southeast of
Ogden to William L. and Eva Anderson Freeman, the oldest
of four children and the only one still living.

He was married in 1907 in Urbana to Bertha Elliott.
Three children were born to them, two of whom died in
infancy. A son, Roland Freeman who lives at R.R., St.
Joseph has two children, a daughter Mrs. George Crawford
and a son Dennis Freeman. There are seven great grand-
children.

He was married to Ollie Hartman in 1954. He also has
four step children, 14 step grandchildren and 14 step great
grandchildren.

He farmed in Ogden Township until 1951, when he
moved to Urbana and lived there until 1953. He moved to
St. Joseph to his present home at 228 E. Warren.

He has always had an interest in livestock and
particularly horses, which have been a hobby since he was
knee-high. He does not need glasses and is thankful for
good health which allows him to spend every day on the
farm, mending fences, tending horses, etc.

He has never retired and does not plan to.

149

HONORARY AWARDS

MARGARET BAILEY LAMBDIN

EVERETT R. PETERS

Margaret Bailey Lambdin was bom in April
1904 to Margaret and William Bailey. She has one
brother, Sidney, of Rock Island, Illinois. Margaret
started her teaching career in 1926 at Urbana,
Iowa, remaining there for five years. Her next post
was in St. Joseph in 1931, continuing until 1934,
at which time she married Fred W. Lambdin.
Teachers then, according to law, could not work
and be married. They had one daughter. Margaret
resumed teaching in St. Joseph in 1942, continuing
until retirement in 1972.

Everett Robert Peters was the only son of
Isaac and Mary and he was bom in January, 1894.
Everett started in politics in St. Joseph as tovm
clerk and township supervisor in the early 1920's.
He went on to the state legislature in 1934 and
served three terms as state representative. In 1940,
he was elected state senator and served con-
tinuously until he retired in 1970, completing a
full half-century of pubUc service.

Everett married Evelyn Messinger in Decem-
ber 1920 and they had five children. Everett still
resides in the family home in St. Joseph.

150

ED. NOTE: Senator E. R. Peters died June 25,
1972 while this book was at press.