Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - May 6, 1896

McClellan Township Sunday School Convention was held in the grove near West Long Prairie Church yesterday and was attended by between 300 and 400 people. Among the many Sunday School workers present were Rev. F. L. LAWRENCE, township president; R. A. DALE, town president Dodds Township; S. T. MAXEY, ex-county secretary; Superintendents Stella KEMP of Wolf Prairie school, S. S. HOWE of Long Prairie school, Eva DAVIS of Soloman school and R. L. LACEY of Woodlawn, Rev. CRAIN of Woodlawn, Bud PIERCY of Shiloh, Mrs. Geo. MUCKLEROY, Mrs. LANG and many others.

Three Sunday School choirs were present and furnished excellent music. The township has four Sunday Schools, all in a prosperous condition, and plans were laid for more earnest and thorough work during the coming year. An effort will be made to induce a larger attendance of parents at Sunday School. Rev. LAWRENCE was re-elected president and D. N. MILLINER secretary. The stand erected in the grove was handsomely decorated with flowers, the work of Misses Melzelda RUTHERFORD, Margaret BENNETT, Mary ROSENBERGER, Annie MUCKLEROY, Drusilla SMITH and others. Mr. and Mrs. R. L. LACEY and son Joseph and the writer and his little daughter Ethel were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. James PLOWMAN, who came to this county from Adams County last spring. They are most excellent people, spread a feast fit for a king, and if Adams County has any more like them to spare, Jefferson County will welcome them.

Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - May 6, 1896

Belle Rive, Ill., April 30, 1896 - Editor Register: I wish to tell your readers something about our village and the people that compose it. We have a first class dry goods store, Uncle Jo GUTHRIE, who has been in business in our town twenty-three years: also, Mr. HOWELWELL, who has been in business eight years. We also have two first class physicians, both graduates, one good drug store, one undertaker's establishment, one notion store, one blacksmith shop, one livery stable, and two hotels.

Well, we have had three elections this year in the township, which resulted in the election of three Republicans, three Democrats and one Populist. We also held our village election, which resulted in our town going dry. The Clerks tied and the board decided that they should decide by lot. The contest was between William WILLBANKS and Rufus BOSWELL. Mr. WILLBANKS drew the lucky ticket. Then our school election was next, which was very exciting, W. C. MERRITT, Frank FOSTER and C. C. KNIFFEN being the candidates. The ladies swarmed out in mass. The result showed a tie between MERRITT and FOSTER, so they had to cast lots, MERRITT being the lucky man.

I want to say something about the old people of our town. I believe there are a greater number of very old people in our town than any other town of its size in the state. The first is Uncle Thomas HOLLAND, who is in his 92nd year, who has lived in Jefferson County more than 55 years. He is in good health and walks to town two miles, and seems to enjoy the exercise. Uncle Carroll McCARNER, who is 90 years old, can walk about town, and is very spry for a man of his age. Grandma DAWSON, who is 84 years old, does her own housework and is in good health. Uncle Quince WILLBANKS, who is 72 years old, I believe is the oldest merchant in Jefferson County. Uncle Quince commenced to sell goods in the year 1848. He is postmaster at our village now and is in good health.

We have a first class school in operation. Prof. CROSS of Hamilton County and Miss Maud JONES of Mt. Vernon are the teachers. I consider them as good instructors as the county affords.

Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - June 3, 1896

At Pleasant Grove - EDITOR REGISTER

Pursuant to call the people of Pleasant Grove neighborhood assembled at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery and Church on the 30th and carried out the program as published. The house was filled by 1 o'clock and exercises commenced by Bro. J. W. SUMMERS' choir and prayer by Capt. S. T. MAXEY. The object of the meeting was stated and we proceeded to the cemetery and strewed flowers upon the graves of our deceased comrades, after which they were called by the drum corps. Comrade Rev. H. B. DOUGLASS, of Mt. Vernon, was then introduced and gave one of his characteristic soldier talks that went deep into the hearts of old soldiers and the congregation. At the close of the talk the dinner call was heard and those that wished stayed for dinner, while others went to Mt. Vernon to attend services there.

Pleasant Grove was the honor of being the only cemetery in the county so far as heard from, containing the remains of soldiers of every war in which the nation has ever engaged in. An honor that we, as a neighborhood, should be proud of. They are as follows: War of 1776, Loyd WARD and Peter OWEN. Second war with England, A. B. BRUCE, Bennet N. MAXEY, Ashel BATEMAN, Thos. BADGET, Joe McMEEN, Zachariah HARVEY, Nathaniel PARKER. War of 1812 or Black Hawk War, Gilbert LANE, Franklin S. CASEY, Joshua OWEN, Geo. BULLOCK, Peter OWEN. War with Mexico 1846-8, Chas. STEARNS. War of the Rebellion 1861-5. Chas. MAXEY, Mark HAILS, J. S. GALBRAITH, Benjamin JOHNSON, Monroe GALBRAITH, Dr. MURPHY, Logan McGREW (Navy), Hardin WOOD, John Y. SHELTON, Geo. A. COLLINS, Jas. S. SATTERFIELD, Hiram LINSLEY, Green W. BISHOP, Jas. C. GALBRAITH, Frank WILLIAMSON, Thos. MADDOX, John HARLOW, Harrison J. TYLER, Geo. J. PETTIT, Samuel T. BRUCE, Thos. F. MATTOCKS, Thos. Merritt BULLOCK, a total of 37, a grand record for old Pleasant Grove and the descendants of these old veterans are all around us yet today. In the evening several comrades gave their experience in time of war, giving the pathetic as well as the funny incidents of camp life. An able and interesting recitation describing an incident that occurred at the battle of Fredricksburg, was rendered by Mrs. John PEARCE, which was received with applause, after which a rising vote of thanks was voted unanimously to Comrade DOUGLAS and Bro. SUMMERS and committee on decorations. It was then announced that hereafter, Decoration Day would be observed at Pleasant Grove every year. After singing the "Red, White and Blue" the meeting adjourned to meet May 30th, 1897.

Mt. Vernon Register (Weekly) - June 10, 1996

A fair day and an affectionate reverence for the men who laid the foundation of the prosperity that now blesses the people of Jefferson County, brought many of those people to the city today to participate in the annual reunion of the old settlers. To these were added many of the townspeople and the whole filled comfortable the circuit court room.

Preliminarily the meeting was called to order by Captain MOSS. Cornation was sung by the choir. A scripture lesson was read by Rev. J. W. WEBSTER and the invocation made by Jas. E. FERGERSON. In the forenoon addresses were delivered by Rev. J. W. VanCLEVE and Judge E. D. YOUNGBLOOD, and the afternoon by Revs. H. B. DOUGLAS and R. F. CASEY. We regret that lack of space precludes our giving attention to these addresses that the known ability of the several gentlemen deserves.

From the report of the secretary we glean that this was the twenty-fifth annual meeting, the society having been organized June 7, 1892 (1872?). Of those who became members then there were 45 persons who had resided in the county fifty years or more. Of those, eight are living today: Robert HARLOW, Clinton M. CASEY, Isaac HICKS, Joshua C. MAXEY, Lewis JOHNSON, Celia P. HICKS, Elizabeth P. SATTERFIELD and Joel F. WATSON.

Since the last meeting these have died: Mrs. Angeline GIBSON, William CLAYBORN, Mrs. Katy TYLER, Mrs. Ann M. HALE, Mrs. Eva POOLE, Mrs. Margaret CORRELL, John H. IRVIN, Mrs. Martha OLLOMAN, Jeremiah TAYLOR, and Burton ALLEN.

The pioneer element of the organization is rapidly disappearing. There were numerous frosted heads among those attending the meeting today, but it was only at rare intervals that here and there could be discerned heads whose snowy whiteness was evidence that there were those present whose memories carried them back to the time when Indians were their neighbors. Today's meeting was most heartily enjoyed by all who were present.

Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - July 29, 1896

James FRIZZELL married Nora FIELDS last night. Guests: Mr. and Mrs. Mack HALL of Evansville; Mr. and Mrs. M. A. IGLEHART; Mr. and Mrs. Charles VAUGHN; Mr. and Mrs. John G. VARNELL; Mr. and Mrs. W. A. JOYCE; Miss Minnie MICK; Miss Daisy FRIZZELL; Will WOOD; Allen BROWDER and Rev. BROWDER and wife; Mr. and Mrs. FRIZZELL will leave on Wednesday for Longview, Texas where they wil make their future home.

Mt. Vernon, IL Register (Weekly) - September 2, 1896

Duff WEBB attended the annual reunion of the WEBB family near Ewing yesterday. He reports the attendance this year at about 800, a very much smaller number than usual, which he attributes to the prevalent sickness in Franklin County. Addresses were delivered by W. H. GREEN of this city, Captain Thomas SHERIDAN of Enfield, and Judges STELLE and EDWARDS of McLeansboro. Elijah T. WEBB was elected president and Charlie BRITTON secretary of the association for the current year.