Need a Guide in St. F?

The Rural Republican, published in Lawrenceville, Illinois on Friday, February 11th, 1881 

The editor said that while the new bell on the Christian Church rang in soft tones, the weather was still bad.  “The Groundhog did it--saw his shadow and now we have cold weather for six more weeks.” Having had three months of regular old- style winter, the streets were muddy, and there were about a dozen cases of measles in town that had already resulted in one death.  

Will M Garrad, aged thirty years, previously editor of The Herald newspaper, died February 6th from congestion of the brain. He was a kindhearted, genial gentleman and enjoyed an extensive acquaintance and warm friendship with scores of people.  The deceased was the youngest son of Dr W M Garrad. His brother Coburn was unable to make it here to the funeral.

The Angel of death again visited the family of William Robinson and took from the parents their infant daughter Lila. This little one was a very bright baby and was almost idolized by all of her kin.

Obituary: “Died of consumption at his mother's residence in Lawrenceville, February 7th Mark Ryan, age 24 years one month and eight days. For months and months the destroyer has been wasting the vitality of this young man.  In March of last year, his brothers, hoping to rescue him from its snare, sent him to the far West. For a time, he seemed to improve but the following June he returned home, and from that time we all saw the slow but sure approach of death. His sufferings were great, yet with all, he was patient, believing that when the end came, he would be called to the beautiful Land where he would be free from all pain so long endured here.  Mark leaves a fine mother and three loving brothers to mourn his loss; to them he was a devoted brother and affectionate son, and with them as with all of us such an affliction fills the home with gloom and shuts out all life’s sunshine.”

After last week’s newspaper published an obituary for Walter Buchanan who died January 31, 1881, his grandchildren decided to write another obituary about his health.  “During the early portion of his life, he was remarkably strong and healthy until he was about 60 years old.  The last few years of his life, and more especially the last two or three, had been years of sore affliction for him. Although he suffered excruciating pain during his last illness and every movement of his body was torture to him, his last few moments were moments of peace and his friends who stood around his bedside and saw him calmly breath his last were ready to exclaim, “he has died the death of the righteous. Our loss has been his eternal gain.”  (Not sure why the grandkids felt that his health and suffering was the most important part of his obituary but there you have it.)

Circuit Clerk Barnes selected John Calvert of Allison as his deputy. Till A Curry would continue until April 1st when he would leave to sell agricultural implements. On Monday the Honorable William C Jones appeared upon the judicial bench and instructed Sheriff Ryan to open the Circuit Court.  The jurors were duly impaneled and charged as to their duties. William T Buchanan Esquire was appointed foreman of the grand jury and 23 good men were speedily in secret conclave. The case of the people versus John Richardville of St Francisville charged with riot was tried and John was found to have rioted $23 worth.  The rape case from Crawford County vs. Silas Rich occupied most of Tuesday and Wednesday. The jury, after an absence of about 6 hours, returned a verdict of guilty and sentenced Rich to wear a suit of striped clothes for five years. The People vs. Gosnell resulted in releasing Mr. Gardner but Lincoln Gosnell, William Gosnell, James Sandiford and Jim Dixon were each invited to pay $10 to the court.  Several common law cases were heard by his Honor, Judge Jones who presided with his accustomed dignity and added daily to his reputation as a discreet, firm judge, yet always disposed to temper the hand of the law with wise leniency where admissible.

 John Buchanan's team ran away a few days ago demolishing the wagon, broke James Murray's arm and inflicted severe injuries upon Mr. Buchanan. His wife who was along escaped miraculously.

Mr. A H Hidgy  of Russellville succeeded in getting his pension papers and would in a few days received $1885 in arrears as well as $12.00 a month thereafter.

A Delinquent tax sale notice was filed against Hamilton Cunningham by William Lagow.  James Dickerson, Clerk of Lawrence County, personally purchased a bell for the Lawrenceville Christian Church paying the sum of $150.00.

The Bridgeport correspondent wrote that there was lots of mud in Bridgeport.  Paupers in the poor house numbered fourteen, with the majority coming from Christy and Denison townships. Charles O'Donnell, Jr. shipped a train car of stock hogs from Bridgeport to Vincennes. The mumps were making their appearance, after the measles had taken leave, in the vicinity of Cross Roads school. Harrison Milburn, one of the best blacksmiths in the area, had shod 316 horses this winter. Ed Abernathy had typhoid fever. William Williamson of Bridgeport moved to Vincennes where he would keep a boarding house on the corner of 3rd and Button Street with his charming daughter, Maddie as hostess. Mr. Williamson was well- known in Knox County, having been its treasurer about 25 years ago and afterwards was in the saddle and harness business there. On January 23rd Mrs. Rose Shassere presented her husband with two baby boys.

The Denison correspondent noted that there were a few cases of mumps around there. William Gillespie sold $150.00 worth of steers. The sleighs had been put away, too much mud. Mrs. Dean is going to get her deceased husband’s pension. Harriet Potts was to be the teacher at Fillmore school the following summer. Paul Tugaw is going to open a livery stable in St Francisville.

The Bird Station correspondent said John Steffy was putting up a fine house. Mrs. George Johnson moved her store to town. The health of that part of the country was tolerably good. Mr. GP Clayton put up a house in town.

Both the editors of the Lawrenceville Rural Republican and the Lawrenceville Herald acknowledged and thanked the editor of the Vincennes Weekly Western Sun for the Calendar and Almanac that they had presented to all cash patrons.

Dexter Garner, the well-known undertaker in Vincennes, went to St Francisville to officiate as undertaker at a funeral in that village. After the ceremony was over Deck went to a grocery in town to wait till the 7:00 freight came along. It was awfully dark and as the alleged streets were poor guidance for the undertaker, he floundered around in the mud till he became alarmed lest he miss the train. Making his way back to the town, Deck encountered a citizen on the street whom he enlisted in his services, and the two were soon safely on the depot platform. They then found that the train was half an hour late and went back to the grocery.  When they got into the light and looked at each other, Deck made the humiliating discovery that he had given a blind man twenty-five cents to pilot him around the village. (oops!)