I'm certain if economic times were better many people would have stayed in Olney. We left when the oilfields were closing down and the shift to Arab oil was contemporary in the mid 80's. Go figure --Shawneetown, IL was one of the largest cities in Illinois at one time. Madison, IN was the largest city in Indiana at one time. South Fairmount was the gateway to the West from Cincinnati, OH.
To recapture some of the past, Olney needs four lane highway from Vincennes to St Louis
The transportation systems built Olney, especially Oil, Gas, Railroad and US 50. Farming was an independent operation that was self supporting livelihoods, until the export of livestock and grains to worldwide markets. There's still people in Olney who never shop at Walmart or IGA if only to buy canning goods or essentials for basic living.
Did you know that one of the Worlds largest railroad projects was from Vincennes to St Louis when they in one day moved one rail over from the wide old gauge to current standard gauge. Men were lined up along the tracks and did this manually It’s an interesting story I had found a couple of years ago.
I think it was in the Sumner Press/Publisher's Guest column. Now when you see the B & O railroad in another light now when you cross the tracks.
On Paul Harvey the rest of the story I heard that the width of all railroads is the same width of the wheels/tracking of the Roman chariots. Seems some things are hand me downs from ancient origins.
Whenever you visit Monicals I have placed two pictures there for Renee, the manager, for her collection. One is Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and another is a record that was probably Olney's resident doctor's WWII tribute to the naval ship USS Olney. Dr.Will Moore had a popular song that sold several copies and I had this one to be in working condition but told the Monical's manger that someday someone will want to hear and place this in a Richland County historical museum.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of ‘73
In OM#50, you ask about the name of the poultry company before it was Kralis. The GW Blackburn Poultry Company, based in Fairfield, IL, owned it before selling it to Kralis. George Washington Blackburn is my great grandfather. GW and his son, Lawrence, operated the business. GW's son (with his second wife), Clarence Blackburn, is my grandfather, and my father is Richard Blackburn. My father still lives in Olney.
I enjoy reading OM and glad to contribute in a small way. Thanks
Dale Blackburn
Class of 1976
Recently a reader of Olney Memories, Marvin Doolin, wrote and asked me if I would like to have a small book about the History of Olney written by Bert Michels. Of course I said I would love to read it, so Marvin sent it to me. The book was so interesting and so good that I could hardly wait to turn the next page. Rather than send it as an attachment which might be a problem on some computers, I will type it out and include it in the next few Olney Memories, a few pages at a time.
I was not sure when it was written, but I believed it was probably in the early 1950’s. And later it was brought to my attention it probably was written around 1955. Quotes from the book:
"J.R. Murvin passed away on March of this year after reaching his 100th birthday on December 11, 1955." My assumption was that Mr. Murvin had not yet reached his 101st birthday at the time of the writing.
The book was printed by the Taylor Print Shop in Olney.
I thank Marvin for thinking of the Olney Memories and sharing the book so we all may enjoy it.
Ann Weesner King
Class of 1960
HISTORY OF OLNEY
Editors Foreword
We are reprinting the following history of Olney, which was written a few months ago by Bert Michels, local historian and former printer, newspaper man and school teacher, who was requested to write a brief history for the radio script used by the recent appearance of the Don McNeil Breakfast Club program in Olney. This history mentions only many of the highlights of events of Olney and is not complete in every detail. A more extended and detailed history of Olney for over 115 years would take up several volumes.
Because of the requests of several persons to have this history printed, the publishers are having copies made and presented to the Olney Chamber of Commerce and for the citizens of Olney, who may wish a copy.
Mr. Michels has lived in Olney for over 40 years and is a native of Noble. He has witnessed many of the events mentioned as well as knowing many of the pioneer settlers of the county and by talking to many of them and their descendants.
Mr. Michels was a history major in Olney high school and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale many years ago and has always been interested in local history. He also taught in former years in the schools at Parkersburg and Olney. For the past 22 years he has been County Welfare Director, but still continues his interest in local history and in try to answer inquiries of a local historical nature.
The Publishers
Chapter 1
Olney, county seat of Richland County, is a unique town from several standpoints. Where Olney is now located, prior to the time Richland County became a county, there was no town. The first semblance of a town near Olney was Waterton, located one mile west on Fox Creek. It was made up in to village lots about 1835. The town, Waterton, could not grow for the reason that it was located on the west bank of Fox Creek and was too swampy. Early pioneers took boats loaded with pork, furs, and other commodities from Waterton down Fox Creek by the way of horses on the banks. Trips were made down the Little and Big Wabash, the Ohio River and the Mississippi to New Orleans.
Where the city of Olney now lies, the county seat was authorized by vote of the people living in what is now Richland County. Richland County was formed from parts of Lawrence and Clay counties and Fox Creek, west of Olney, was the county line between those two counties. When the state legislature gave it’s consent for Richland County to be formed from these two counties, subject to the favorable vote of the people, the name of Olney was not given after any local name but was given the name of Olney by Judge Aaron Shaw, one of the pioneer settlers of Olney who was a good friend to a banker of Lawrenceville named “Nathan Olney.” Judge Shaw’s old home is located at 607 South Elliott Street in Olney. The City of Olney was established on August 4, 1841 as the county seat and won out by only three votes over two other places.
The first building used as a court house was the home of Benjamin Bogard who lived in the extreme east part of Olney near Bogard’s Run. The newly organized county board paid Mr. Bogard $1.00 per month rent for the use of one of his rooms for the county officials He was also to furnish wood for heating the room (quite a contrast to rentals of today.)
The first court house was erected in 1842, three blocks north of the present court house. It not only served as the first court house but was the first school house and also the first church in Olney. The Methodist church was organized in September, 1841 and is the oldest church in Olney. The first settler was Elijah Nelson, who settled in 1820 from Virginia on a farm two miles west of Olney. He was the grandfather of Marion Nelson who lives in Olney. T.W. Lilley gave the land to the county for the court house without charge. He also gave 13 lots to the City of Olney on the north side of the court house free, for building purposes. The first two merchants in Olney were John H. Gunn and Henry Spring. Henry Spring came to Olney in 1842 and organized a store where he dealt in wool, pork, seed and general merchandise. He helped organize the First National Bank in 1866. He died in 1890 after many years residence. He came to Olney from Vermont and lived on North Boone Street where his home is still in existence. The northeast part of Olney as called “Little Vermont” because families like the Springs, the Gunns, the Powers and Morehouses’s came to Olney from Vermont. The Spring home, now owned by Dr. Paul C. Weber of Olney is one of the oldest houses in Olney.
More next time…………………
Ann Weesner King
Class of 1960
It's possible one of the readers would remember when the Breakfast Club was
in Olney. That would be an even better clue of when this book by Bert Michels was actually written.
Marvin Doolin
Class of ‘62
I was happy to see the reply from Carol Vaughn about her father. I thought the remarks odd and had never heard that before. Perhaps Curtis has Charles Vaughn mixed up with another person. One thing I will agree on though is that he was the best State's Attorney Richland County ever had. Besides that, he was also a pretty good country lawyer!
Also, I take exception to Curtis's comments about Rock Hudson being born in Olney. He was born in Winnetka, Il, near Chicago. His birth name was Leroy Harold Scherer Jr and his stepfather adopted him and he grew up as Roy Fitzgerald. I cannot recall and do not want to waste space on it, but he was probably related to the Scherer Family in Richland County. I do seem to remember an article in the Daily Mail that he visited Olney.
I also remember when Clint Walker (Cheyenne) visited Olney for some parade or function. My brother Bob always made light of it. There was this big burly guy standing on the street corner near the Arcadia all alone, and not a damn sole was paying any attention to him.
Bud Varner
Class of '66
Just a little information regarding the "white squirrel" stories that were written in some of the early OM issues (around #14-15-16)... as I've been told; my father wanted to present the White House with a pair of Olney White Squirrels for the White House lawn. President Eisenhower was in the White House at the time when my father was elected to Congress. Eisenhower was a golfer and had a golf course of some type or putting greens on the White House lawn. My father had offered the squirrels but the White House had turned down the offer because they feared the squirrels would dig up and destroy the golf course/putting greens that President Eisenhower had on the grounds at the White House. At approximately the same time, the request was made to the City of Olney for a pair of the squirrels, but the City decided that the squirrels could not be trapped and donated and thus denied my father's request for a pair of the squirrels. Shortly after that, an Illinois State Legislator introduced a bill protecting the squirrels from being trapped, confined, harmed in any way, etc. Of course I wish dad was here to tell me the complete story but I got this information from my uncle, Don Watson, who was dad's administrative assistant the 20 years dad was in office. And yes, he was re-elected, nine times.
I got to thinking about the county fairs back in the 60's and 70's and they were much different than today's fairs. I would assume that fairs were invented to bring the country folks together with their animals, produce, pies, canned goods, crafts and much more. Much of that still exists today with programs like 4-H; and I always look forward to getting my lemon shake up from the 4-H stand at the fair. But the "fair" part of it was much different.... there were side shows... the game booths that were really games of skill back then but many times rigged so you couldn't win (I remember dad telling stories of how they'd have to go out to the fair when he was deputy sheriff or sheriff and shut down some booth for ripping people off).....the bearded lady, the tattoo man, the guy with alligator skin, Mr. Voltage that could withstand being hooked up to electrical current, fortune tellers, the lady that was locked up in a cage and she'd turn into a gorilla right before your eyes... and of course she would break out of the cage and everyone would run in panic from the tent back into the midway. There used to be the girlie shows which I remember being called a "hoot show" and the thrill of trying to get into that tent! I remember one year they even had siamese twins on display in a trailer that had a picture window and they would open a curtain so you could see them in their room. Of course, all politically incorrect these days or a violation of one's civil rights. There used to be a huge bingo tent and they would use corn kernels as bingo card markers. My older sister sat in mom's lap one night while she played bingo and stuffed the corn kernels up her nose. There were "real" crane machines and you could get really neat stuff out of them. No one could pass up the booth where you could throw your money at plates and glasses and cups and maybe even an ashtray. Lots of fun days to remember... thanks for starting this and thanks to all those that have added to the memories.
George "Buddy" Shipley Jr.
Class of 1971
I am having so much fun reading the past issues my brother sent. Am sorry I didn't know about this before!
I chuckled at the story entered by Harvey Zimmerle about the white squirrels at the White House~~and I'd love to clarify, and confirm that it was in 1958, and it was President Eisenhower. As my father, George Shipley was the youngest member to be elected to U.S. Congress at that time, Pres. Eisenhower invited him (among many others) to the White House. When introduced to him, Eisenhower stated "Olney, Il ... that's the home of the white squirel, correct?" Obviously his staff had done their homework. As the conversation went on, he told my dad he would like to have a pair of them to put on the White House lawn. My dad, eager to please, said "Sure, let me see what I can do." Coming back home that weekend, he made his calls and found out there was no way. There were no laws prohibiting it at that time, but it was under discussion to save and protect the little things even in 1958 and dad certainly wasn't going to buck the system. Returning to Washington the following Monday, he was wracking his brain how to tell the President of the United States....NO. He got busy in the office, the day turned into afternoon, and he was still trying to figure out how to respond. His secretary gave him a message saying..."you're off the hook, the President's office just called and the White House Groundskeepers nixed the whole idea. Till the day he died, this would still bring a laugh. He had some wonderful stories to tell.
Cindy (Shipley) Lewis
Class of ‘66
I finally finished reading all the back issues of the Olney Memories and have enjoyed them very much. I've shared them with family and friends and they have become interested in them too. I was surprised that no one has ever mentioned Green Light Road.
Green Light Road was north of town before East Fork Lake was ever thought of. For those that remember and I'm sure that many of you reading this will, you went north on N. East Street past where Weber Clinic is now, past Miller's Grove, down the hill through the bottoms and as you came back up the hill on the other side there was a road that turned east just at the top of the hill. Years later I realized that road also intersected another road that ran north and past the round barn towards what is now Borah Lake and by what I believe may have been referred to as Schmoker's Woods. When I was in Cub Scouts, Troop 311 (now 211) with Kenny Haines as the Scoutmaster we used to camp sometimes back there. His wife Marjorie was an English teacher if my memory is right, but can't remember if it was Jr. or Sr. High. Now, that road is the one that takes you back by the round barn and around to the boat ramps and park area at East Fork Lake. They were all gravel or dirt roads and it seems that Green Light Road got pretty muddy and bad when it was a heavy rain or in the winter.
The story I remember and I'm sure there were many versions, was that a young couple was out there parking and they heard a noise outside the car door. They panicked, the car wouldn't start, it finally did and when they got back to town they found a hand hook hanging on the car door handle that had been pulled from the old scary guy that lived out there. I think there was another version about someone hanging above the car or something like that... any one remember those stories? Thanks to all of those that have brought back some great memories.
George "Buddy" Shipley Jr.
Class of 1971
I have been away from Olney for many years and noticed Olney named their high school gym after Ron Herrin. I would like to know the details about his passing.
Thanks,
Pat Totten
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Issue 50
Thanks! Enjoyed as usual, even though I couldn't identify with any of the people or events mentioned. I wondered about James Findley who wrote the poem about the history of Olney. There was a very nice couple named Findley who worked with the youth group at the Olney Methodist Church.
Linda (Stanford) Petterson
Class of ‘51
Hello, This is Una Tarpley in Olney Illinois. I graduated 1956 and got married April 19th 1957 to Raymond Tarpley in Olney Ill., which will soon be 50 years in 2007. I have worked at Burgin Manor since 1952 and still at Burgin Manor.
Raymond worked at AMF & Road Master since 1960. He was in the Air Force 4 years.
We moved to the Olney Borah Lake 1967 and still here on the Lake. It is a beautiful retirement place. We have one daughter, Rose Mann. She and Ron live in Odem, Texas and we have 2 grandchildren, Jack Allen and Brittney.
My hobby is playing music --- Piano and Guitar and now learning the Mandolin at age 68! Wow ha ha
My favorite song is "One Day At A Time". That is what we have to learn right?
We attend the Calvary Baptist Church in Olney. One other thing we have 2 new 4 wheelers to ride on our 40 acres in Berryville. At our age, can you believe!! We got a 4 wheeler to ride on flat ground only. haha No hills. My twin sister is Alice Brooks we sing together at Church and at Burgin Manor.
I can remember all the Olney Memories 1952- 1957. 1962 was a good year and Olney is changing a lot. In 1964 the building a new Nursing Home in Olney was keeping Mother and Dad busy. Burgin Manor opened up 1965 and is still 1 block behind the Olney High School. It is now 2006 and time marches on and we can keep all the old memories alive and not forgotten.
Una Burgin Tarpley
1952-1956 Olney High School
Television today has Judge Judy, but Olney had Honorable Carrie Winters. I think more scared straight citizens found their peace with God when they stepped into Miss Carrie Winters courtroom. Just thought I would mention a notable icon in Richland county government.
Of course Rock Hudson was born in Olney but never got the heroes welcome after he faded away with AIDS.
Who could never forget WVLN-WSEI's own, Jimmy Clinton on "SWAP Shop" who I thought was everyones neighbor in Olney.
I was your friendly Kroger cashier and carryout boy from 1971 to 1974. Bill Simpson was the manager then who closed the store and moved it to Vincennes Superstore at Kmart plaza off the Vincennes bypass. Bill Simpson lives near Louisville, KY and still manages to yuk it up on his Ham radio.
I will name some of my co-workers which many of you may remember. Twitter Bunting, Evelyn Bowlby, Joanie Robinson, Floyd Yingst, Bob Brady, Homer Reed, Jerry Boley, Jay Sizer, James Judge, Wayne Hahn, Jeff Kocher — sorry if I couldn’t recall everyone. We had a couple of Kroger/A&P reunions since the closing of the Olney store. The First Kroger store was across the street from the Courthouse on Main St. The second store was built just North about two blocks then moved to East Main or the A&P store consolidated then further out east till it moved to Vincennes.
My uncle, Hack Mitchell, opened the first Sears store on East Main then moved into old A&P store currently Bobe's Pizza behind the old Carnegie Library. His wife Margaret and him still reside in the Watergate addition at East Fork Lake.
His son, Loren Ray Mitchell, grew up there till they moved to Defiance, OH, to open up a new store. Loren Ray had a soap box derby car he raced on Elliot St. railroad bridge when I was very small. I remember how many people turned out for the Soapbox racing in Olney back then, Even the White Squirrel Raceway can still be seen from US 50 bypass near B&O Railroad overpass. I remember watching the men unload the wrecked train cars in the big train derailment just west of the Whittle St. Station.
I remember the '60s-era dance hall "The Cellar" across from the Avalon. My grandfather Lewis was a tough challenger at the Richland County Fair in the sled pulling contests. Before tractor pulls they had a team of horses or several types of livestock that pulled sleds in serious competition. I think there were goats that pulled sleds, I think the expression "I got your goat" was said there often. All my family there were in oilfield, farming, teaching, nursing. I was the guy who delivered your pizza products to Monical's, Bobe's and Joe's until recently. Every 7th person you meet in Olney - rather the entire Southeastern Illinois region- is my cousin My father delivered Texaco gasoline throughout the area. We are a family of Freemasons who still have family ties to Richland County.
My great ancestors who migrated from Deutshelund are buried in Stoltz Cemetary north of Bob Ulm's store or just atop the big hill north of the German Township town hall. On Prairie Hall Rd. My lil’ brother Dana worked for Racklin Paint for many years. My brother David worked at AMF and my sister Libby was the receptionist at Weber Eye Clinic for many years. She married Gary Lathrop who was the strict Math teacher at Junior High. I left the area in 1985 moving my young family to Indianapolis.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of 1973
I have already learned some things from the past editions of OM. I worked at the White Spot on 130 during my junior and senior years in high school, but I never knew how that restaurant got started. Also, reading OM brought back more memories for me from way back in the 1960s. I had forgotten that Weber Medical Clinic used to be up on Main Street back then, but I was only about 10 or so when we used to go there to see Dr. Benson. Then my older brother, Bill Keller, got his foot crushed by a tree when he was 12 years old and thank God for Dr. Frank Weber (I think). Anyway, Bill almost lost his foot, but Dr. Weber took care of him and he healed and went on to play football at ERHS for a couple of years. Needless to say my mother's favorite doctor in the whole world was Dr. Frank Weber. Thanks for all the Olney history and memories, they are so very interesting.
My favorites are from 1970 to 1976, dragging Main, eating pizza burgers for lunch at the Tiger's Den (I wonder where they got those things, they were so GOOD), and no weekend was complete without going to the skating rink even if you didn't stay and skate. One final mention, the Richland County Fair in July was the highlight of my summers back then. Those were the days, no worries except how to get gas money for the weekend. I grew up out near Calhoun, so I had to figure a way to get to Olney before I could have any fun.
Thanks for coming up with this neat idea. It is always nice to take a minute now and then to reminisce. I love reading the stories from past years, and trying to figure out who all the people mentioned in them are or who they are related to.
Kay Sumpter
DST Systems, Inc.
Legal Assistant
I grew up in Olney but left in 1975. I was in the class of 1973. I live in Nashville, TN but I still come to Olney as I have a lot of family there. I was there when the fall festival was going on this year. This was the first one I had been too. Thanks for the memories.
Cathy (Gantenbein) King
Class of 1973
I'm certain many of your readers would enjoy getting information about Olney from my perspective.
I have a special story about Charles Vaughn, Sr., he was self admitted to Anna for whatever that had ailed him, many intelligent minds have a fine line between normal and indifference in society.
I saw an article in the Sumner Press about his stay at Anna from Roscoe Cunningham another lawyer and legislator who owns the Sumner Press.
About sending cards to him while he was dealing or recuperating from whatever.
I sent a card showing a picture of my family and thanked him for his tireless efforts to give citizens for a special break in small matters of the law. Without his honorable duties as States attorney under the rigid domain of Hon. Carrie Winters many young men and women would have been lost to the court system and sad lives dues to infractions that could have ruint many Richland county homes and families without his honorable efforts.
I never heard anything until later when I got a letter from his daughter in Newton thanking me for unlocking his mind with my heartfelt story of gratitude. It was my story she said that he broke down in tears and began his reverse turn and she told me that she brought him home to Newton to stay with her and praised me for giving her father back. I'm certain that the entire Vaughn family was grateful for my simple act or gift that caught his attention and re-awaken his knotted up mind.
You should read the story of J.C.Penney, he experienced similar situation at an young age and left the hospital to embark on his fame and fortune, where 90 cents on every dollar of profit went to a worth while charity. After a local church choir came and sang to the residents, Mr. Penney was hearing the music from his padded room when he thought he heard angels singing and had a reversal of his illness or I say a brush with God or a hindsight view just like Moses at the burning bush at 76 yrs.
The same goodness with Mrs. Ray Croc of McDonalds does amazing philanthropies as well as Mrs. Sam Walton of Walmart fame. The Hershey family of Hershey, Pennsylvania is another worthy philanthropy
So I haven’ t gotten back much to Olney except when I visit my in-laws or family but haven’t had any time to visit the old regulars at Olney unless I go to McDonalds for Breakfast or the Hovey's is back open but not the same when it was when Mrs. Michels was leading the charge with her husband.
Kora & Kora Bakery were my favorites too.
Madeira, OH you could be shopping at Krogers and bump shoulders with Neil Armstrong or see him jogging around the neighborhood. Many of those old neighborhoods off US 50 in Cincinnati, OH metro look like Olney did in the '50s and '60s.Some restaurants are still there just as they were then.
I think one of the very first Skyline chili and Big Boy restaurants are on US 50.
One of the most Beautiful water fountains in the world is downtown Cincinnati at Fountain square. It’s a woman, I think its Queen Cincinnati holding up one hand above her head and the other by her side in a gracious pose with water coming out of both hands. My god I never knew such beauty was resting on US 50. The same with the White House. Before 9-11-01 you could actually drive by the White House and Washington Mall area in a truck. So when you are walking down Main Street Olney you are walking on Main Street USA or old US 50.
Fairmount in Cincinnati has a sign and memorial "Gateway to the West" when I see that I think someone probably didn’t even think of St Louis existed yet. The Bridge at Vincennes says the same on it on US 50. The farms of Bob Evans are not far away from US 50.
Larry Sonka has a restaurant in his hometown where US 50 and US 35 intersect.
If you ever get to Washington, DC, one of the most breathtaking bridges takes you from Annapolis to Queenstown on US 50 across the Cheakepeake Bay. You can over look the Naval Academy at Annapolis before and from the bridge on US 50. Doris Day got her first start in showbiz under aged in club at Cincinnati on US 50.
Roy Rogers was born on US 50 just west of Cincinnati. He was a flatbed truck driver on US 50, probably driven to St Louis points west many times before he changed his name to Roy Rogers and divorced his first wife. Many old truck drivers lost their wives and families back in the old days due to long trips, weeks or months away from family and home.
There's a small sign telling his real name and the town is about three to four miles east of the Indiana state line.
Seagram’s distillery is on US 50. Bicycle Playing cards is on US 50. The new Freedom center is on the Riverfront at Cincinnati.
If you ever get to Union Station shopping mall in St Louis there's a beautiful stained glass motif of two Grecian era women sitting on a bouffant couch touching each others hands with the words, "East meets the West" above it. There's some really cool celebrity photos posted through out the mall and interesting factoids.
For many years the "Bluebird" flew through Olney taking celebrities and notables to points east and west. The Bluebird is still seen at the B&O Museum in Baltimore, MD to date. I remember a 1972 article about many Shoe factory workers will have to drive to work since they closed passenger service through Olney. I remember President Eisenhower’s funeral train passing through too.
Are there still taxi cabs in Olney?
The first operational US Jet fighter was built in Evansville where the Whirlpool building exists today. Republic Aviation off US 41.Of Course Charles Lindbergh was born on US 50 too.
Red Skelton was born on US 50, the one of very few comedians who never used profanity to get a laugh in public.
My friend Ann, when you step on the sidewalks of Main street of Olney you are walking on hallow ground.
Even Arlington National Cemetery touches US 50.
The Cross at Red Hill State park was started by local teenagers who prayed from the mount to a wooden cross to end World War II.
I've seen the sign at both ends of US 50 where it ends and begins. At Miami beach/South Beach at a ritzy pier US 41 ends. It’s an amazing moment when you see a sign that denotes an end of a famous highway.
Let’s not forget one of my all time favorite cowboys from Richland County, Otis Easterday of Calhoun, Illinois who had the Shetland show ponies and the pony rides. Everyone enjoyed getting to ride his ponies at the fairs, festivals and chowders, etc. I had family who attended many of the Horse shows throughout the area.
My son loved Boxcar Willie at the 1983 (?) Richland County Fair. Jim Ed Brown was there too as well as one of my favorites, Joey Chitwood and his Thrill ride show. Some of the best racing and fist fighting in the pits were at the Richland county fair and White Squirrel raceway with Harry McPheron at the Flag Podium. That was my father's neighborhood friend growing up with him and his brothers up by the Boy Scout Camp at Camp Em Wa Ko. Now church camp.
My grandfather gave that acreage to the Boy Scouts to build their scout camp there. I vaguely remember my father taking us over to watch the activities when I was real small.
My great grandfather had lost the 10 acres of river when they passed the Intercoastal-water ways act. The story is that my grandfather Samuel made much of his living from trappers and river rats who mined the 10 acres where these blonde back mussels/clams were found to be premium price for button making at Mt. Carmel, IL which were found on Arrow men's shirts and fashion dresses of the Victorian era.
Somewhere, not never certain, the Blue Pearl in the Crown Jewels of England was found by Franciscan monks on one of the big rivers — White, Wabash or Embarras. They say you can find pearls in clams there but I'm certain nobody traps or hunts clams like they did back then. There's a small rest area south of Mt. Carmel, IL on Rte 1 detailing the story of the Blue Pearl.
My all time favorite TV show Route 66 crosses US 50 at St Louis.
Oh well I think I may have wore out a few minutes of your day with this info but I enjoy, genealogy and history.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of ‘73
My sister-in-law just sent me this link to old-picture postcards of Olney from a genealogy site Thought you might enjoy it, or maybe want to add the link to your next "Olney Memories"
Marilyn (Fawkes) Dilly
Class of 1960
I really like reading about Olney. Maybe there well be someone on it that I went to school in 1956 with that I can read about. My Mom (Ruth Nelson) ran the tiny dinner on Whittle Ave. At the little restaurant we were famous for the fish sandwiches. I helped out before I went to school.
I remember Bud Fessel from the Cleaners just 2 doors down, coming in for coffee. He was a real nice man. I must have been 14 at the time and he would come in for coffee and I would ask him if he wanted sugar in his coffee. He would say, “just stick your finger in it and that will be sweet enough.” I would get red as a beet but I loved it.
The cab company was across the street from us. It was run by Gordon Anderson in a little old building. The Seven Hills (Road) was fun! Who knew the danger at 15!! The highlight of the evening for us was being at the old drive-inn show out on West Main. The chicken house I worked there 1 day and I was out of there. But my mom & sister worked there for years. At the egg plant I cracked eggs all day long out on Whittle Ave. separating the yoke from the white. I wonder if anyone remembers the name of it ? The egg plant wasn't Kralis. It was in front of the ice house on Whittle that use to be there. I don't remember what it was called but maybe someone reading this will know.
Marilyn Sue Nelson Brock
Class of 1956
In reading through the Olney Memories, the mill in question west of Whittle on the B&O tracks was BOWER MILLS the owner( Frank Bower), I believe ended up being mayor of Olney in the late '60s.
Terry Willis
Class of ‘73
Recently someone wrote and asked me if I knew how Goosenibble got it’s name. I have had a lot of people ask me about how Goosenibble got that name. My mother told us when there was hardly anyone living in that area. Several people raised geese for one reason or another in that area. Many of the geese were free to nibble on the grass all day long and would return home at night. That is the only thing I ever heard about it.
Do you know of any other reason it was called, "Goosenibble"?
As I am sending this to others, maybe someone has a better explanation how "Goosenibble" got its name.
ANYONE CARE TO TRY?
George Roth
Does anyone remember Ralph Carter? (Class of 67) When I was 16 yrs old I met Ralph, he was fresh out of Viet Nam and was dating Pam Stacey ( class of 70). Ralph had a brand new 1970 Roadrunner and man-o-man would that thing run!! Back in those days draggin main was a MAIN EVENT. Sometimes it would take as long as a minute or two just to pull off of a side street onto Main!! And to be just 15 yrs old and draggin Main in a new Roadrunner was every young gear heads dream!!
Ralph hadn't driven anything faster than a military Jeep in over two years, so he really made up for lost time in the Roadrunner. When he turned around at Dog-N-Suds everybody knew he was gonna be fishtailing all the way past the hotel out on West Main going East!!! That of course got all the other muscle at the restaurant going , of course there was always the guy that had a nice car that had a girlfriend that wouldn't allow him to show off-- POOR GUY!! Ralph was kind of a modern day JAMES DEAN back then, always a string of guys waiting to cruise with him, if you weren't in his car by 6 or 7 in the evening, chances are you weren't gonna be cruisin that night with him!! People used to actually come from Salem, Centralia, Vincennes, Robinson and all over just to drag Main back then. Nowadays the cruise does a partial drag down Main and cuts off onto Whittle AAAAHHHHH, FORGET THAT, whenever I get one of my cars out to cruise, I STILL go the FULL LENGTH of Main-- thanks to Ralph I've been a die hard MOPAR fan since I was 15 way back in "70"----- THANKS RALPH!!!! More on this subject later!!!!
Terry Willis
Class of ‘73
I think 1958 was some of the peak years for Olney, Oil Booms and Rock n Roll, US 50 was busy as well as Downtown Olney was bustling.
I remember dancing in front of the jukebox at Mike's West Side parlor across from Prairie Farms when the Neon lights dazzled Downtown Olney. Lights at the Avalon sparkled and the Dog n Suds neon actually was the mark for the west-side dragging Main turnaround to the Tip Top Motel East side turnaround. Doo Wop was king on the radio.
In NYC they still have the original Doo Wop station that plays Doo Wop since the late 50's when you visit there today.
I missed the radio shows that they replayed religiously in the 50's and early 60's,Especially the Lone Ranger on radio had a be spelling effect on the mind. I buy many and rent old radio shows just to capture the era of pre-television.
I remember watching Bobby Helms singing "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" on TV and my sister Libby going ape over Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
I remember meeting Lyndon Johnson at the Airport on a campaign spin at Lawrenceville Georgefield airport. He, Lady Bird, and Lynda Bird were walking along the fence shaking hands.
I saw the Glenn Miller Band perform at ERHS in 1978 and many of the older crowd couldn’t understand that I had such interest as well as Bob Ulm's Travelogue series of his narration.
Miss Coan was one of my music teachers and had high hopes for myself. My daughter Ginger is 6 time State champion, 3 times vocalist and 3 times pianist in the Indiana ISMAA music finals and scored perfect in all her districts. She will be the music director next season at Ben Davis High School summer Westside Community players version of "Jesus Christ Superstar".
Ginger has performed the Wizard of Oz, The King and I at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre/civic theatre.org as well as Carmel Community players "Bye Bye Birdie" and Madhatters in Lebanon, IN Jesus Christ Superstar and Once upon a Mattress. She's been pinned as one of Indianapolis's Top ten Pianist. She performed on the keyboards on the Canal walk with the IUPUI Jazz band during Summer series and Indy Jazz festivals.
One of my favorite sets was Indiana Artists such as Hoagy Carmicheal, Count basie and Dorsey Brothers. You should have seen her do TD's Boogie Woogie. Wow it was crisp through the whole set. Her Director Jack Gilfoy is an Indiana icon who played drums for thirty years with Henry Mancini and behind Sonny and Cher on their Show. Jack was a student with Al Cobaine of Indiana University fame and had worked with Hoagie Carmichael and many other greats
Ginger also studies through her six year stint with Indianapolis Children’s choir at Butler University in the Jordan school of Music. Ginger can pick up any piece of music and play it for you on the spot. She's currently a student at IUP UI Bio Sciences and will graduate this spring with Biology and Chemistry major, Minor in Math and Music, 2002 Ben Davis HS Directors award winner, French honors and one of thirty top students in her class of nearly 600 students.
Her cousin is Jamie Stoltz who's teaching/coaching at St. Joseph parish in Olney. Ginger spent her first 16 months in Olney before we moved to Indianapolis in 1985.
Mrs. Coan did so much with me, who I read about her family being such a profound influence in Olney in your Olney memories. One of my best friends will be in Vincennes signing books. Dr. Lee Martin who's married to Debra Goss of Olney heritage. His Book is nominated for 2006 Pulitzer Prize and was the 2006 Sumner Parade marshal at the fall festival last September. Dr. Lee Martin grew up near Berryville, IL and currently teaches Creative writing for Ohio State University in Columbus, OH
Look up at the header on this message, I will send him a copy too so you can email him directly and inquire about his literary career. As well as Rod Harmon, Olney Daily Mail alumni/ writer-editor. Currently Entertainment writer for Sarasota, New York Times.
Pam Frazier-Evans from Sumner/Evansville/Lawrenceville who just had a book signing at Lawrenceville Library on 9-9-06 releasing her current publication.
Ann Weesner King has taken a venture in writing and has taken off like wildfire of interest and curiosity among citizens of Richland county hopefully spilling this enthusiasm over into Lawrence county. With her Olney Memories written by many citizens and shared like at a social or chowder. It’s a great usage of the internet and a delight to read.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of ‘73
I'm from the ERHS Class of 1971.George E Shipley Jr (aka: Buddy). For those that are old enough to remember, I come from a long time Olney/Richland County family. My grandmother, Mamie Jones was born in Bonpas Township in 1895 and married Jesse Shipley in Aug. 1913. Some of you may remember my grandma Mamie was the salad lady in the kitchen at the Elks for years. My grandfather, Jesse Shipley, was a teacher and a preacher back in the early years. Later he became a motorcycle officer for the Illinois State Police and was also Sheriff of Richland County, I believe in the '40s. My father, George E Shipley, would have graduated about 1945 had he stayed in school but as mom tells me, the war was going on and he and six of his friends went to Chicago to join the Navy. (A few of those friends were George Brinkley, Gus Stoltz and John Mundy, mom said she'll think of who else was along) and somehow dad wound up in the Marines. Dad served as a Deputy Sheriff of Richland County for his father Jesse and was elected to Sheriff in 1954. I remember the old Richland County Jail which was next to the hospital and right behind the courthouse. We (mom & dad, my older sister Cindy and myself) lived in the jail during some of the four years dad was sheriff. I remember it being much like "Mayberry" in that we had our town drunk who always had to come in and "check on his kids" (my sister and I) before he would go to his cell to sleep it off. Dad often got calls from the local taverns to come pick up the guy. One time it was my sister's birthday and he asked dad to let him out so he could get her a present with a little money he had saved up. My sister Cindy got a nice new camera that year for her birthday. A few hours later, Gaffner's called dad and said they had a camera missing and that the guy had taken it. Of course dad paid for it so that my sister's present didn't get taken away from her. I also remember the blind man that sold the newspapers. I remember his name as Rollie and I've often been told a story of how I used to take a stick and walk up and down the street tapping it on the ground and yelling papers for sale. Someone, probably my Grandpa Jesse, had my own little bamboo cane made with my name on it so I could go "sell papers" with Rollie. One time there was a bad storm and it was tornado season. Mom took us to the basement and thought, if this old building falls we'll be buried, then would drag us up to the 3rd floor, where women prisoners were kept, and think, now if this building gets blown away, we'll be out in the open on top and then drag us back to the basement. I think we spent the night going up and down stairs. My father. George, was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1958, retired in 1978 and I know that he was very grateful for the support that he received all those years he was chosen to serve the people of SE Illinois. In 1978, mom and dad moved to the Florida Keys and he and my younger brother Robb started a lobster/stone crab fishing business for 18 years. Dad passed away from lung cancer in June, 2003. Mom still lives in Olney in the building downtown that we lived in when I was in high school my senior year. That building now houses Stiver's Barber Shop in the front on the corner of Boone & Main. I believe that building may have been a Kroger or IGA store at one time when my dad was in his teens because I remember him telling me he worked there. He was born in 1927.
My mom's family came from Higginsville MO in 1941 when my grandfather, Hugh Watson, was transferred to Olney by the Shoe Factory to be the third floor foreman. Mom, Gloria Ann (Watson) Shipley, graduated from Olney HS in 1948. She remembers moving in their brand new house on Monroe Street on Halloween night 1942. My Grandpa Watson served on the Olney City Council at one time and was owner of the Little Farm Market for several years. I remember how the store had great big windows that opened up and all the produce was in boxes and placed in front along the sidewalk in front of the windows. The two old ladies (they were old to me back then anyway... were known as Butch and Toots and were from the Kapper family. They had a brother Neil. I also remember the TV tube tester machine that was mentioned in an earlier story and the penny candy and the big case full of cigars and how they smelled. Someone mentioned Allen Welker in an early issue, he was my uncle and Postmaster for some years. Also Charlie Jones ... I got my first bicycle at Jones Cycle Shop on Whittle. Believe it or not, it was a purple sting ray with a leopard seat.
I remember Tressler's and running down there for lunch when we were in Jr. High... and that was usually only when we missed getting a table at Hovey's. Many of the things mentioned I remember... Sherman's, Penny's (and the way they made change), Dale's Office Supplies (where we bought all of our school supplies), the Oasis, New Yorker, Charlie's Pool Hall that was next to the Oasis, Montgomery Ward's, Bower's, Schmalhausen's, Merle Norman and the Baby Shop, Ealy's Jewelry, Gaffner's, and the Pure gas station at the corner of Main St and 130... and I can only remember his first name, Russ, that was the owner.
Charge cards... didn't exist in those days. We had charge accounts that were as someone recalled, written in a tablet book and each month dad got a statement from whoever it was. I remember the old hardware store with wood floors next to Eaely's Jewelry. They had a giant ladder that went to the ceiling and rolled across the floor when they moved it. I also remember my mom waking us kids up one night very late because she wanted us to come outside and watch, Olney was burning. We lived in the house that dad built on what is now Shipley Road, 3 miles west of town off old 250. We could see the glow from the fire and mom got us all in the station wagon and brought us to town in the middle of the night to watch the fire. It was Dever's Men's Wear (?) and the hardware store (which I want to call Bauman's Hardware but that may have been the name in later years).
Olney was a wonderful place to grow up. I'll never forget when I was in sixth grade, we sat down for dinner one night and my dad asked, did you go feed the ponies? Of course my answer was no and his reply was "don't touch one piece of food on that plate until you've taken care of those ponies". I had to ride my bike from the house we lived in at the corner of Cherry & Morgan all the way out on S. East Street past Monroe... in the dark! Most parents would never think of sending a child out to do that today. But I learned a very important lesson and my pets have always had the best care they deserved. Speaking of the ponies... I attended Cherry Street School for most of elementary. I remember playing with our little cars (someone told a story earlier about knives and cars at school) around the big old tree that had roots coming out of it and we would "drive" in and out of the roots and make them stores and garages and homes. The boys had their playground and the girls had their playground back in those days. In fifth grade I had Earl Holtz for a teacher. He made a very lasting impression on my life and I wanted to be a teacher because of him. And I did even though I only taught four years. It was lunch hour when JFK was assassinated and I remember him coming to me and telling me that I needed to go home as my family would want me there. I guess because of my dad being the congressman. Mr. Holtz would take the kids out to his farm west of town for hay rides and to collect pumpkins and watermelons. We'd come back to the house and have watermelon and ride his two ponies: Fritz and Jackie. Back in those days our family would start school in Olney and then at the Christmas break we would move to Washington DC (actually the suburbs) and finish the school year there. When we were leaving that year, Mr. Holtz asked my dad to bring me out to the farm, he had a present for me. It was his pony Jackie.
So, I've rambled on enough for this time and will share the copies of the past memories issues with my family. I know that my mom will enjoy reading them and telling me some stories to send in and share. And thanks to all of you who have shared your memories as it has been a real pleasure to read these. I have a lot of reading to catch up as I'm only on issue #11 but I'm looking forward to it. Yes, Olney was a wonderful place to grow up, we never locked our doors, the keys to the car were in the ignition, you sent your kid across town at night without worry, and you knew your butt had better be in the house when the curfew siren went off or Neal Beamont was gonna get ya! If you got in trouble at school that was nothing compared to what trouble you would be in when you got home; and they knew already when you got home what you had done at school. I've noticed some of the high school class years around my older sister's age and will pass these along to her also. She was Lucinda (Cindy) Shipley and would have graduated in 1966. Those were wonderful days to remember. Thank You!
George E Shipley Jr (Buddy)
Class of 1971
Linda (Stanford) Petterson
Class of ‘51
Hello, This is Una Tarpley in Olney Illinois. I graduated 1956 and got married April 19th 1957 to Raymond Tarpley in Olney Ill., which will soon be 50 years in 2007. I have worked at Burgin Manor since 1952 and still at Burgin Manor.
Raymond worked at AMF & Road Master since 1960. He was in the Air Force 4 years.
We moved to the Olney Borah Lake 1967 and still here on the Lake. It is a beautiful retirement place. We have one daughter, Rose Mann. She and Ron live in Odem, Texas and we have 2 grandchildren, Jack Allen and Brittney.
My hobby is playing music --- Piano and Guitar and now learning the Mandolin at age 68! Wow ha ha
My favorite song is "One Day At A Time". That is what we have to learn right?
We attend the Calvary Baptist Church in Olney. One other thing we have 2 new 4 wheelers to ride on our 40 acres in Berryville. At our age, can you believe!! We got a 4 wheeler to ride on flat ground only. haha No hills. My twin sister is Alice Brooks we sing together at Church and at Burgin Manor.
I can remember all the Olney Memories 1952- 1957. 1962 was a good year and Olney is changing a lot. In 1964 the building a new Nursing Home in Olney was keeping Mother and Dad busy. Burgin Manor opened up 1965 and is still 1 block behind the Olney High School. It is now 2006 and time marches on and we can keep all the old memories alive and not forgotten.
Una Burgin Tarpley
1952-1956 Olney High School
Television today has Judge Judy, but Olney had Honorable Carrie Winters. I think more scared straight citizens found their peace with God when they stepped into Miss Carrie Winters courtroom. Just thought I would mention a notable icon in Richland county government.
Of course Rock Hudson was born in Olney but never got the heroes welcome after he faded away with AIDS.
Who could never forget WVLN-WSEI's own, Jimmy Clinton on "SWAP Shop" who I thought was everyones neighbor in Olney.
I was your friendly Kroger cashier and carryout boy from 1971 to 1974. Bill Simpson was the manager then who closed the store and moved it to Vincennes Superstore at Kmart plaza off the Vincennes bypass. Bill Simpson lives near Louisville, KY and still manages to yuk it up on his Ham radio.
I will name some of my co-workers which many of you may remember. Twitter Bunting, Evelyn Bowlby, Joanie Robinson, Floyd Yingst, Bob Brady, Homer Reed, Jerry Boley, Jay Sizer, James Judge, Wayne Hahn, Jeff Kocher — sorry if I couldn’t recall everyone. We had a couple of Kroger/A&P reunions since the closing of the Olney store. The First Kroger store was across the street from the Courthouse on Main St. The second store was built just North about two blocks then moved to East Main or the A&P store consolidated then further out east till it moved to Vincennes.
My uncle, Hack Mitchell, opened the first Sears store on East Main then moved into old A&P store currently Bobe's Pizza behind the old Carnegie Library. His wife Margaret and him still reside in the Watergate addition at East Fork Lake.
His son, Loren Ray Mitchell, grew up there till they moved to Defiance, OH, to open up a new store. Loren Ray had a soap box derby car he raced on Elliot St. railroad bridge when I was very small. I remember how many people turned out for the Soapbox racing in Olney back then, Even the White Squirrel Raceway can still be seen from US 50 bypass near B&O Railroad overpass. I remember watching the men unload the wrecked train cars in the big train derailment just west of the Whittle St. Station.
I remember the '60s-era dance hall "The Cellar" across from the Avalon. My grandfather Lewis was a tough challenger at the Richland County Fair in the sled pulling contests. Before tractor pulls they had a team of horses or several types of livestock that pulled sleds in serious competition. I think there were goats that pulled sleds, I think the expression "I got your goat" was said there often. All my family there were in oilfield, farming, teaching, nursing. I was the guy who delivered your pizza products to Monical's, Bobe's and Joe's until recently. Every 7th person you meet in Olney - rather the entire Southeastern Illinois region- is my cousin My father delivered Texaco gasoline throughout the area. We are a family of Freemasons who still have family ties to Richland County.
My great ancestors who migrated from Deutshelund are buried in Stoltz Cemetary north of Bob Ulm's store or just atop the big hill north of the German Township town hall. On Prairie Hall Rd. My lil’ brother Dana worked for Racklin Paint for many years. My brother David worked at AMF and my sister Libby was the receptionist at Weber Eye Clinic for many years. She married Gary Lathrop who was the strict Math teacher at Junior High. I left the area in 1985 moving my young family to Indianapolis.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of 1973
I have already learned some things from the past editions of OM. I worked at the White Spot on 130 during my junior and senior years in high school, but I never knew how that restaurant got started. Also, reading OM brought back more memories for me from way back in the 1960s. I had forgotten that Weber Medical Clinic used to be up on Main Street back then, but I was only about 10 or so when we used to go there to see Dr. Benson. Then my older brother, Bill Keller, got his foot crushed by a tree when he was 12 years old and thank God for Dr. Frank Weber (I think). Anyway, Bill almost lost his foot, but Dr. Weber took care of him and he healed and went on to play football at ERHS for a couple of years. Needless to say my mother's favorite doctor in the whole world was Dr. Frank Weber. Thanks for all the Olney history and memories, they are so very interesting.
My favorites are from 1970 to 1976, dragging Main, eating pizza burgers for lunch at the Tiger's Den (I wonder where they got those things, they were so GOOD), and no weekend was complete without going to the skating rink even if you didn't stay and skate. One final mention, the Richland County Fair in July was the highlight of my summers back then. Those were the days, no worries except how to get gas money for the weekend. I grew up out near Calhoun, so I had to figure a way to get to Olney before I could have any fun.
Thanks for coming up with this neat idea. It is always nice to take a minute now and then to reminisce. I love reading the stories from past years, and trying to figure out who all the people mentioned in them are or who they are related to.
Kay Sumpter
DST Systems, Inc.
Legal Assistant
I grew up in Olney but left in 1975. I was in the class of 1973. I live in Nashville, TN but I still come to Olney as I have a lot of family there. I was there when the fall festival was going on this year. This was the first one I had been too. Thanks for the memories.
Cathy (Gantenbein) King
Class of 1973
I'm certain many of your readers would enjoy getting information about Olney from my perspective.
I have a special story about Charles Vaughn, Sr., he was self admitted to Anna for whatever that had ailed him, many intelligent minds have a fine line between normal and indifference in society.
I saw an article in the Sumner Press about his stay at Anna from Roscoe Cunningham another lawyer and legislator who owns the Sumner Press.
About sending cards to him while he was dealing or recuperating from whatever.
I sent a card showing a picture of my family and thanked him for his tireless efforts to give citizens for a special break in small matters of the law. Without his honorable duties as States attorney under the rigid domain of Hon. Carrie Winters many young men and women would have been lost to the court system and sad lives dues to infractions that could have ruint many Richland county homes and families without his honorable efforts.
I never heard anything until later when I got a letter from his daughter in Newton thanking me for unlocking his mind with my heartfelt story of gratitude. It was my story she said that he broke down in tears and began his reverse turn and she told me that she brought him home to Newton to stay with her and praised me for giving her father back. I'm certain that the entire Vaughn family was grateful for my simple act or gift that caught his attention and re-awaken his knotted up mind.
You should read the story of J.C.Penney, he experienced similar situation at an young age and left the hospital to embark on his fame and fortune, where 90 cents on every dollar of profit went to a worth while charity. After a local church choir came and sang to the residents, Mr. Penney was hearing the music from his padded room when he thought he heard angels singing and had a reversal of his illness or I say a brush with God or a hindsight view just like Moses at the burning bush at 76 yrs.
The same goodness with Mrs. Ray Croc of McDonalds does amazing philanthropies as well as Mrs. Sam Walton of Walmart fame. The Hershey family of Hershey, Pennsylvania is another worthy philanthropy
So I haven’ t gotten back much to Olney except when I visit my in-laws or family but haven’t had any time to visit the old regulars at Olney unless I go to McDonalds for Breakfast or the Hovey's is back open but not the same when it was when Mrs. Michels was leading the charge with her husband.
Kora & Kora Bakery were my favorites too.
Madeira, OH you could be shopping at Krogers and bump shoulders with Neil Armstrong or see him jogging around the neighborhood. Many of those old neighborhoods off US 50 in Cincinnati, OH metro look like Olney did in the '50s and '60s.Some restaurants are still there just as they were then.
I think one of the very first Skyline chili and Big Boy restaurants are on US 50.
One of the most Beautiful water fountains in the world is downtown Cincinnati at Fountain square. It’s a woman, I think its Queen Cincinnati holding up one hand above her head and the other by her side in a gracious pose with water coming out of both hands. My god I never knew such beauty was resting on US 50. The same with the White House. Before 9-11-01 you could actually drive by the White House and Washington Mall area in a truck. So when you are walking down Main Street Olney you are walking on Main Street USA or old US 50.
Fairmount in Cincinnati has a sign and memorial "Gateway to the West" when I see that I think someone probably didn’t even think of St Louis existed yet. The Bridge at Vincennes says the same on it on US 50. The farms of Bob Evans are not far away from US 50.
Larry Sonka has a restaurant in his hometown where US 50 and US 35 intersect.
If you ever get to Washington, DC, one of the most breathtaking bridges takes you from Annapolis to Queenstown on US 50 across the Cheakepeake Bay. You can over look the Naval Academy at Annapolis before and from the bridge on US 50. Doris Day got her first start in showbiz under aged in club at Cincinnati on US 50.
Roy Rogers was born on US 50 just west of Cincinnati. He was a flatbed truck driver on US 50, probably driven to St Louis points west many times before he changed his name to Roy Rogers and divorced his first wife. Many old truck drivers lost their wives and families back in the old days due to long trips, weeks or months away from family and home.
There's a small sign telling his real name and the town is about three to four miles east of the Indiana state line.
Seagram’s distillery is on US 50. Bicycle Playing cards is on US 50. The new Freedom center is on the Riverfront at Cincinnati.
If you ever get to Union Station shopping mall in St Louis there's a beautiful stained glass motif of two Grecian era women sitting on a bouffant couch touching each others hands with the words, "East meets the West" above it. There's some really cool celebrity photos posted through out the mall and interesting factoids.
For many years the "Bluebird" flew through Olney taking celebrities and notables to points east and west. The Bluebird is still seen at the B&O Museum in Baltimore, MD to date. I remember a 1972 article about many Shoe factory workers will have to drive to work since they closed passenger service through Olney. I remember President Eisenhower’s funeral train passing through too.
Are there still taxi cabs in Olney?
The first operational US Jet fighter was built in Evansville where the Whirlpool building exists today. Republic Aviation off US 41.Of Course Charles Lindbergh was born on US 50 too.
Red Skelton was born on US 50, the one of very few comedians who never used profanity to get a laugh in public.
My friend Ann, when you step on the sidewalks of Main street of Olney you are walking on hallow ground.
Even Arlington National Cemetery touches US 50.
The Cross at Red Hill State park was started by local teenagers who prayed from the mount to a wooden cross to end World War II.
I've seen the sign at both ends of US 50 where it ends and begins. At Miami beach/South Beach at a ritzy pier US 41 ends. It’s an amazing moment when you see a sign that denotes an end of a famous highway.
Let’s not forget one of my all time favorite cowboys from Richland County, Otis Easterday of Calhoun, Illinois who had the Shetland show ponies and the pony rides. Everyone enjoyed getting to ride his ponies at the fairs, festivals and chowders, etc. I had family who attended many of the Horse shows throughout the area.
My son loved Boxcar Willie at the 1983 (?) Richland County Fair. Jim Ed Brown was there too as well as one of my favorites, Joey Chitwood and his Thrill ride show. Some of the best racing and fist fighting in the pits were at the Richland county fair and White Squirrel raceway with Harry McPheron at the Flag Podium. That was my father's neighborhood friend growing up with him and his brothers up by the Boy Scout Camp at Camp Em Wa Ko. Now church camp.
My grandfather gave that acreage to the Boy Scouts to build their scout camp there. I vaguely remember my father taking us over to watch the activities when I was real small.
My great grandfather had lost the 10 acres of river when they passed the Intercoastal-water ways act. The story is that my grandfather Samuel made much of his living from trappers and river rats who mined the 10 acres where these blonde back mussels/clams were found to be premium price for button making at Mt. Carmel, IL which were found on Arrow men's shirts and fashion dresses of the Victorian era.
Somewhere, not never certain, the Blue Pearl in the Crown Jewels of England was found by Franciscan monks on one of the big rivers — White, Wabash or Embarras. They say you can find pearls in clams there but I'm certain nobody traps or hunts clams like they did back then. There's a small rest area south of Mt. Carmel, IL on Rte 1 detailing the story of the Blue Pearl.
My all time favorite TV show Route 66 crosses US 50 at St Louis.
Oh well I think I may have wore out a few minutes of your day with this info but I enjoy, genealogy and history.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of ‘73
My sister-in-law just sent me this link to old-picture postcards of Olney from a genealogy site Thought you might enjoy it, or maybe want to add the link to your next "Olney Memories"
Marilyn (Fawkes) Dilly
Class of 1960
I really like reading about Olney. Maybe there well be someone on it that I went to school in 1956 with that I can read about. My Mom (Ruth Nelson) ran the tiny dinner on Whittle Ave. At the little restaurant we were famous for the fish sandwiches. I helped out before I went to school.
I remember Bud Fessel from the Cleaners just 2 doors down, coming in for coffee. He was a real nice man. I must have been 14 at the time and he would come in for coffee and I would ask him if he wanted sugar in his coffee. He would say, “just stick your finger in it and that will be sweet enough.” I would get red as a beet but I loved it.
The cab company was across the street from us. It was run by Gordon Anderson in a little old building. The Seven Hills (Road) was fun! Who knew the danger at 15!! The highlight of the evening for us was being at the old drive-inn show out on West Main. The chicken house I worked there 1 day and I was out of there. But my mom & sister worked there for years. At the egg plant I cracked eggs all day long out on Whittle Ave. separating the yoke from the white. I wonder if anyone remembers the name of it ? The egg plant wasn't Kralis. It was in front of the ice house on Whittle that use to be there. I don't remember what it was called but maybe someone reading this will know.
Marilyn Sue Nelson Brock
Class of 1956
In reading through the Olney Memories, the mill in question west of Whittle on the B&O tracks was BOWER MILLS the owner( Frank Bower), I believe ended up being mayor of Olney in the late '60s.
Terry Willis
Class of ‘73
Recently someone wrote and asked me if I knew how Goosenibble got it’s name. I have had a lot of people ask me about how Goosenibble got that name. My mother told us when there was hardly anyone living in that area. Several people raised geese for one reason or another in that area. Many of the geese were free to nibble on the grass all day long and would return home at night. That is the only thing I ever heard about it.
Do you know of any other reason it was called, "Goosenibble"?
As I am sending this to others, maybe someone has a better explanation how "Goosenibble" got its name.
ANYONE CARE TO TRY?
George Roth
Does anyone remember Ralph Carter? (Class of 67) When I was 16 yrs old I met Ralph, he was fresh out of Viet Nam and was dating Pam Stacey ( class of 70). Ralph had a brand new 1970 Roadrunner and man-o-man would that thing run!! Back in those days draggin main was a MAIN EVENT. Sometimes it would take as long as a minute or two just to pull off of a side street onto Main!! And to be just 15 yrs old and draggin Main in a new Roadrunner was every young gear heads dream!!
Ralph hadn't driven anything faster than a military Jeep in over two years, so he really made up for lost time in the Roadrunner. When he turned around at Dog-N-Suds everybody knew he was gonna be fishtailing all the way past the hotel out on West Main going East!!! That of course got all the other muscle at the restaurant going , of course there was always the guy that had a nice car that had a girlfriend that wouldn't allow him to show off-- POOR GUY!! Ralph was kind of a modern day JAMES DEAN back then, always a string of guys waiting to cruise with him, if you weren't in his car by 6 or 7 in the evening, chances are you weren't gonna be cruisin that night with him!! People used to actually come from Salem, Centralia, Vincennes, Robinson and all over just to drag Main back then. Nowadays the cruise does a partial drag down Main and cuts off onto Whittle AAAAHHHHH, FORGET THAT, whenever I get one of my cars out to cruise, I STILL go the FULL LENGTH of Main-- thanks to Ralph I've been a die hard MOPAR fan since I was 15 way back in "70"----- THANKS RALPH!!!! More on this subject later!!!!
Terry Willis
Class of ‘73
I think 1958 was some of the peak years for Olney, Oil Booms and Rock n Roll, US 50 was busy as well as Downtown Olney was bustling.
I remember dancing in front of the jukebox at Mike's West Side parlor across from Prairie Farms when the Neon lights dazzled Downtown Olney. Lights at the Avalon sparkled and the Dog n Suds neon actually was the mark for the west-side dragging Main turnaround to the Tip Top Motel East side turnaround. Doo Wop was king on the radio.
In NYC they still have the original Doo Wop station that plays Doo Wop since the late 50's when you visit there today.
I missed the radio shows that they replayed religiously in the 50's and early 60's,Especially the Lone Ranger on radio had a be spelling effect on the mind. I buy many and rent old radio shows just to capture the era of pre-television.
I remember watching Bobby Helms singing "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" on TV and my sister Libby going ape over Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
I remember meeting Lyndon Johnson at the Airport on a campaign spin at Lawrenceville Georgefield airport. He, Lady Bird, and Lynda Bird were walking along the fence shaking hands.
I saw the Glenn Miller Band perform at ERHS in 1978 and many of the older crowd couldn’t understand that I had such interest as well as Bob Ulm's Travelogue series of his narration.
Miss Coan was one of my music teachers and had high hopes for myself. My daughter Ginger is 6 time State champion, 3 times vocalist and 3 times pianist in the Indiana ISMAA music finals and scored perfect in all her districts. She will be the music director next season at Ben Davis High School summer Westside Community players version of "Jesus Christ Superstar".
Ginger has performed the Wizard of Oz, The King and I at the Indianapolis Civic Theatre/civic theatre.org as well as Carmel Community players "Bye Bye Birdie" and Madhatters in Lebanon, IN Jesus Christ Superstar and Once upon a Mattress. She's been pinned as one of Indianapolis's Top ten Pianist. She performed on the keyboards on the Canal walk with the IUPUI Jazz band during Summer series and Indy Jazz festivals.
One of my favorite sets was Indiana Artists such as Hoagy Carmicheal, Count basie and Dorsey Brothers. You should have seen her do TD's Boogie Woogie. Wow it was crisp through the whole set. Her Director Jack Gilfoy is an Indiana icon who played drums for thirty years with Henry Mancini and behind Sonny and Cher on their Show. Jack was a student with Al Cobaine of Indiana University fame and had worked with Hoagie Carmichael and many other greats
Ginger also studies through her six year stint with Indianapolis Children’s choir at Butler University in the Jordan school of Music. Ginger can pick up any piece of music and play it for you on the spot. She's currently a student at IUP UI Bio Sciences and will graduate this spring with Biology and Chemistry major, Minor in Math and Music, 2002 Ben Davis HS Directors award winner, French honors and one of thirty top students in her class of nearly 600 students.
Her cousin is Jamie Stoltz who's teaching/coaching at St. Joseph parish in Olney. Ginger spent her first 16 months in Olney before we moved to Indianapolis in 1985.
Mrs. Coan did so much with me, who I read about her family being such a profound influence in Olney in your Olney memories. One of my best friends will be in Vincennes signing books. Dr. Lee Martin who's married to Debra Goss of Olney heritage. His Book is nominated for 2006 Pulitzer Prize and was the 2006 Sumner Parade marshal at the fall festival last September. Dr. Lee Martin grew up near Berryville, IL and currently teaches Creative writing for Ohio State University in Columbus, OH
Look up at the header on this message, I will send him a copy too so you can email him directly and inquire about his literary career. As well as Rod Harmon, Olney Daily Mail alumni/ writer-editor. Currently Entertainment writer for Sarasota, New York Times.
Pam Frazier-Evans from Sumner/Evansville/Lawrenceville who just had a book signing at Lawrenceville Library on 9-9-06 releasing her current publication.
Ann Weesner King has taken a venture in writing and has taken off like wildfire of interest and curiosity among citizens of Richland county hopefully spilling this enthusiasm over into Lawrence county. With her Olney Memories written by many citizens and shared like at a social or chowder. It’s a great usage of the internet and a delight to read.
Curtis Stoltz
Class of ‘73
I'm from the ERHS Class of 1971.George E Shipley Jr (aka: Buddy). For those that are old enough to remember, I come from a long time Olney/Richland County family. My grandmother, Mamie Jones was born in Bonpas Township in 1895 and married Jesse Shipley in Aug. 1913. Some of you may remember my grandma Mamie was the salad lady in the kitchen at the Elks for years. My grandfather, Jesse Shipley, was a teacher and a preacher back in the early years. Later he became a motorcycle officer for the Illinois State Police and was also Sheriff of Richland County, I believe in the '40s. My father, George E Shipley, would have graduated about 1945 had he stayed in school but as mom tells me, the war was going on and he and six of his friends went to Chicago to join the Navy. (A few of those friends were George Brinkley, Gus Stoltz and John Mundy, mom said she'll think of who else was along) and somehow dad wound up in the Marines. Dad served as a Deputy Sheriff of Richland County for his father Jesse and was elected to Sheriff in 1954. I remember the old Richland County Jail which was next to the hospital and right behind the courthouse. We (mom & dad, my older sister Cindy and myself) lived in the jail during some of the four years dad was sheriff. I remember it being much like "Mayberry" in that we had our town drunk who always had to come in and "check on his kids" (my sister and I) before he would go to his cell to sleep it off. Dad often got calls from the local taverns to come pick up the guy. One time it was my sister's birthday and he asked dad to let him out so he could get her a present with a little money he had saved up. My sister Cindy got a nice new camera that year for her birthday. A few hours later, Gaffner's called dad and said they had a camera missing and that the guy had taken it. Of course dad paid for it so that my sister's present didn't get taken away from her. I also remember the blind man that sold the newspapers. I remember his name as Rollie and I've often been told a story of how I used to take a stick and walk up and down the street tapping it on the ground and yelling papers for sale. Someone, probably my Grandpa Jesse, had my own little bamboo cane made with my name on it so I could go "sell papers" with Rollie. One time there was a bad storm and it was tornado season. Mom took us to the basement and thought, if this old building falls we'll be buried, then would drag us up to the 3rd floor, where women prisoners were kept, and think, now if this building gets blown away, we'll be out in the open on top and then drag us back to the basement. I think we spent the night going up and down stairs. My father. George, was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1958, retired in 1978 and I know that he was very grateful for the support that he received all those years he was chosen to serve the people of SE Illinois. In 1978, mom and dad moved to the Florida Keys and he and my younger brother Robb started a lobster/stone crab fishing business for 18 years. Dad passed away from lung cancer in June, 2003. Mom still lives in Olney in the building downtown that we lived in when I was in high school my senior year. That building now houses Stiver's Barber Shop in the front on the corner of Boone & Main. I believe that building may have been a Kroger or IGA store at one time when my dad was in his teens because I remember him telling me he worked there. He was born in 1927.
My mom's family came from Higginsville MO in 1941 when my grandfather, Hugh Watson, was transferred to Olney by the Shoe Factory to be the third floor foreman. Mom, Gloria Ann (Watson) Shipley, graduated from Olney HS in 1948. She remembers moving in their brand new house on Monroe Street on Halloween night 1942. My Grandpa Watson served on the Olney City Council at one time and was owner of the Little Farm Market for several years. I remember how the store had great big windows that opened up and all the produce was in boxes and placed in front along the sidewalk in front of the windows. The two old ladies (they were old to me back then anyway... were known as Butch and Toots and were from the Kapper family. They had a brother Neil. I also remember the TV tube tester machine that was mentioned in an earlier story and the penny candy and the big case full of cigars and how they smelled. Someone mentioned Allen Welker in an early issue, he was my uncle and Postmaster for some years. Also Charlie Jones ... I got my first bicycle at Jones Cycle Shop on Whittle. Believe it or not, it was a purple sting ray with a leopard seat.
I remember Tressler's and running down there for lunch when we were in Jr. High... and that was usually only when we missed getting a table at Hovey's. Many of the things mentioned I remember... Sherman's, Penny's (and the way they made change), Dale's Office Supplies (where we bought all of our school supplies), the Oasis, New Yorker, Charlie's Pool Hall that was next to the Oasis, Montgomery Ward's, Bower's, Schmalhausen's, Merle Norman and the Baby Shop, Ealy's Jewelry, Gaffner's, and the Pure gas station at the corner of Main St and 130... and I can only remember his first name, Russ, that was the owner.
Charge cards... didn't exist in those days. We had charge accounts that were as someone recalled, written in a tablet book and each month dad got a statement from whoever it was. I remember the old hardware store with wood floors next to Eaely's Jewelry. They had a giant ladder that went to the ceiling and rolled across the floor when they moved it. I also remember my mom waking us kids up one night very late because she wanted us to come outside and watch, Olney was burning. We lived in the house that dad built on what is now Shipley Road, 3 miles west of town off old 250. We could see the glow from the fire and mom got us all in the station wagon and brought us to town in the middle of the night to watch the fire. It was Dever's Men's Wear (?) and the hardware store (which I want to call Bauman's Hardware but that may have been the name in later years).
Olney was a wonderful place to grow up. I'll never forget when I was in sixth grade, we sat down for dinner one night and my dad asked, did you go feed the ponies? Of course my answer was no and his reply was "don't touch one piece of food on that plate until you've taken care of those ponies". I had to ride my bike from the house we lived in at the corner of Cherry & Morgan all the way out on S. East Street past Monroe... in the dark! Most parents would never think of sending a child out to do that today. But I learned a very important lesson and my pets have always had the best care they deserved. Speaking of the ponies... I attended Cherry Street School for most of elementary. I remember playing with our little cars (someone told a story earlier about knives and cars at school) around the big old tree that had roots coming out of it and we would "drive" in and out of the roots and make them stores and garages and homes. The boys had their playground and the girls had their playground back in those days. In fifth grade I had Earl Holtz for a teacher. He made a very lasting impression on my life and I wanted to be a teacher because of him. And I did even though I only taught four years. It was lunch hour when JFK was assassinated and I remember him coming to me and telling me that I needed to go home as my family would want me there. I guess because of my dad being the congressman. Mr. Holtz would take the kids out to his farm west of town for hay rides and to collect pumpkins and watermelons. We'd come back to the house and have watermelon and ride his two ponies: Fritz and Jackie. Back in those days our family would start school in Olney and then at the Christmas break we would move to Washington DC (actually the suburbs) and finish the school year there. When we were leaving that year, Mr. Holtz asked my dad to bring me out to the farm, he had a present for me. It was his pony Jackie.
So, I've rambled on enough for this time and will share the copies of the past memories issues with my family. I know that my mom will enjoy reading them and telling me some stories to send in and share. And thanks to all of you who have shared your memories as it has been a real pleasure to read these. I have a lot of reading to catch up as I'm only on issue #11 but I'm looking forward to it. Yes, Olney was a wonderful place to grow up, we never locked our doors, the keys to the car were in the ignition, you sent your kid across town at night without worry, and you knew your butt had better be in the house when the curfew siren went off or Neal Beamont was gonna get ya! If you got in trouble at school that was nothing compared to what trouble you would be in when you got home; and they knew already when you got home what you had done at school. I've noticed some of the high school class years around my older sister's age and will pass these along to her also. She was Lucinda (Cindy) Shipley and would have graduated in 1966. Those were wonderful days to remember. Thank You!
George E Shipley Jr (Buddy)
Class of 1971
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Issue 49
Thanks to the readers who sent me the new address of the reader whose address had changed. This time there are two more addresses that are needed. One is Larry Nelson and the other one is Gaylord Scherer. If any of you know the current e-address of these two people, please pass it on to me so the current OM's can be sent to them. Thank you.
We are still growing in numbers!! There is a total of 446 people that are on the address list to receive these Olney Memories. If you know of others who might be interested, be sure and pass their name & e-address along to me.
Thanks to all who make this a success! I hope you enjoy reading # 49!
Ann Weesner King
pianoann97@aol.com
Class of 1960
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Olney Memories # 49
Ann Hill
anthill3@hotmail.com
Good memories!!! There was a drugstore across the street from the "show" on the corner. There was always a BIG black dog lying on the terrazo (black and white) entrance floor. Was called Bond's - I think!!!
Ann Hill
Class of ‘53
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Ruth Wrinkler Reckling
rareckling@peoplepc.com
I was recently in Olney to visit with my mom who still lives on Boone Street. As I drove around looking to refresh my memories I found so few things that I could point to and say, "I remember when", there is little left of old memories. Although there are all the same old houses on my mom's block there is no one living in those houses that were there when I lived there.
I cruised by friends houses, schools, stores on Main and Whittle but almost all things I held dear were no longer there. Hovey's and the high school are there but looking different. I know, of course, that things have to change, even need to change but I didn't feel at home anymore. I will continue to visit my mother but I think I won't drive around anymore looking for past memories.
Has anyone else gone home?
Ruth Reckling
Class of ’59
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Ron Smith
rls2324@verizon.net
In regards to Helen (Eagleson) McGlone's question about the drug store at Main and Fair Streets in Olney, I know it was owned by a man named Bert Luvman, in the forties and early fifties. I'm not sure of the correct spelling of the last name, but I do know that was his name.
Ron Smith
Class of '58
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Ron Moore
Mimidot52@aol.com
My wife Dorothy [Tice] Moore, class of 1950, and I were married in 1952 and shortly after, while, still in the USAF, we made a visit to Olney. This was to be the first of many over the ensuing years. So, from the perspective of one who came from the "big city' I thought it might be of some interest to share some of my recollections of the Olney experiences. In no particular order;--the ham salad from Maas' Market; the sight of those unique white rodents, oops sorry, squirrels;--the news outlet at the corner Whittle and Fair St. the ice cream parlor [is that what they're still called?] on West Main [I'm told that was Mike's]; the shoe factory also on Whittle--incidentally, I've often wondered who was Whittle?
Must not forget the annual chowder at Miller's Grove, and picnics at the City Park where it seemed all the flies in the county also gathered for some sort of an insect convention. Still, it just made the experience all the more memorable.
And how about the movies at the Arcadia and Elks theatres. I still remember the first film I saw at the latter, "The Desert Fox" with James Mason. I don't believe the seats were cushioned, but then again, neither was I at that time.
From an outsider looking in it was a real delight to see, no matter how briefly, what growing up in Olney was all about.
Ron Moore
Tampa, Fla.
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Dannee Newton
dukeandfang@yahoo.com
I am in Iceland now, reading my emails. I saw where someone talked about a tavern on Whittle Ave. My great uncle and aunt, Clare and Jenny Bentz, owned it at one time. I think their last name was Bentz, but I can´t remember for sure. They had an apartment in the back of the tavern. I hope you receive this message. The keyboard has some different alphabet letters on it.
Best wishes.
Dannee Newton
Class of ‘58
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Michelle Smith Swanson
michelleswanson@hotmail.com
Regarding the white squirrel in the article in Olney Memories # 48, did you know there is also an Olney, Texas?
There's also one in Maryland, Missouri, and Buckinghamshire in England. I wonder if they ALL have white squirrels? :) Of course, they may, as albinoism is a genetic aberration that can occur anywhere, but I bet they don't have 'em like OUR Olney does.
In the meantime, I've also learned that there was, at least in 1904, an Olney Springs in Colorado. Apparently there used to be a surveyor/cartographer in the early 1800s named Olney who made LOTS of maps (or so it appears from all the maps that pop up on eBay). I think most of the other towns were named after him. I am woefully ignorant of where our Olney got its name. I should know this, but I don't.
Michelle (Smith) Swanson
Class of '83 (though I graduated in Northern Michigan)
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George Roth
gsroth2@verizon.net
What a difference a Century makes!
This started out to be an email about, "What a difference a Century makes”. But I found some 1876 information about Olney and a map of Richland County showing Watertown, Hadley Station and names of the railroads different than we knew them.
The following poem tells some history of Olney and also relates to Watertown in the paragraph above. This poem might have been in the OM’s at an earlier date, but it really ties in with the story at hand, and didn’t want anyone to miss it.
THE HISTORY OF OLNEY, ILLINOIS
Have you ever thought of Olneytown
In quite an early day,
Ere Thadeus Moorehouse settled down
And helped to pave the way.
When he moved in, he drove his team
Where none had been before.
There were no engines run by steam
Nor tracks to run them o’er.
T’was eighteen hundred and fifteen
When first he did appear,
And only redskins could be seen
As people living here.
It did not even have name,
T’was just a wild frontier,
Though it was overrun with game,
Bear, bison, elk and deer.
For three long years of grief and joy
Old Thadeus had to wait
‘Til this new land call Illinois
Became a legal state.
And farther south there sprang a town
Quite near where Calhoun stands.
They started cutting forest down
And cultivating lands.
Elijah Nelson settled down
On Fox, some two miles west
And founded there, old Watertown
Which now, has gone to rest.
And then in eighteen forty one
A greater thing was planned.
This famous county was begun
And given name “Richland.”
The county had to have a seat,
But where, nobody knew.
Its every hamlet wished to greet
The county courthouse, too.
And thus began a tug of war
For site of county seat,
And each advantage to and for
The settlers did repeat.
At last the matter simmered down,
A vote was later planned,
‘Twould either be at Watertown
Or on this center land.
The site selected by Judge Shaw,
The voters chose it too
And thus the will of learned law
Came proudly into view.
The new town had to have a name.
‘Tis Olney, said Judge Shaw.
And after contest it became
Another will of law.
Sir Olney was a friend, renown
Of Shaw, who had is will.
He ne’er resided in this town
But lived in Lawrenceville.
And when once started, Olney grew
Unto its present size,
And what it may be coming to,
We only can surmise.
I’ve lived here twice, before this day
And shall not let it down,
And so, in closing, I shall say
“It’s just a darned good town.”
James M. Findley,
Flora, Illinois
6-9-1950
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We lived five miles southeast of Olney or two and a half miles north of Calhoun. The poem, “The History of Olney Illinois “ tells about a town near Calhoun.
When we moved there in 1936 there was an old road that went through our farm running east and west along a creek. Remnants of a couple home sites were there. A cemetery was south of our property line that disappeared long ago. We think this may be the location of the town mentioned in the story.
There were five of us Roth children, Charles, Jim, Joan, Pauline and George. Our loving parents were Jack and Florence Roth. We had a house with no insulation in the walls. You could feel the cold winter wind blow through the cracks. No heating except a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the living room. The fire went out each night. I remember getting up many mornings and there would be ice frozen in the water bucket in the kitchen.
Our bathtub was a #3 washtub. We took a bath every Saturday whether we needed one or not. We had no electricity, no running water except when you pumped the bucket full and was running back into the house. Therefore we had no indoor bathroom. We heated water to bathe with and wash clothes with. We had an old washing machine that had an old gasoline engine, and then hung all the clothes out on a clothesline, summer and winter.
We walked to Bird school one mile west of our house. One teacher taught all eight grades.
My children like to jokingly tell people we walked at least five miles to school and back home each day. It was up hill both ways (aahhmmm) in the winter we would wrap our bare feet with barbwire so we didn't slip and fall on the ice. (I may be stretching this a little)
No one took their children to school unless they were going by the school on their way delivering something in a wagon. Our dirt and gravel roads would be impassible many times in the winter. The mailman would deliver the mail to our house. My brother would mount a horse and deliver the mail to the people that lived on the roads that the mailman could not traverse. (Pony Express)
In the winter you might not go to town to buy groceries for 2 or 3 weeks. We sawed down trees in the months that you were not farming. When you had a big pile of wood you would get together with two or three neighbors to help each other to buzz saw the wood into chunks about 16 inches long. You had to have enough wood sawed to last through the winter to heat your house and use in a stove to cook your food.
We farmed with horses, shucked corn by hand. Cut wheat, beans, and redtop hay with a binder pulled by horses. The hay, straw or stalks came out in bundles that you made into shocks to dry. There was only one thrashing machine in the country. It was pulled by a Rumley Steam Engine steel-wheeled tractor. He used wood in the fire chamber to heat the water, to make the steam, to drive the tractor. It was enormous compared to today’s farm tractors for no more power than it had. It would pull the thrashing machine about two to three miles an hour top speed.
The thrashing machine was about thirty-five feet long and eight eight feet wide. You would park the thrashing machine beside your barn. A man driving a team of horses and a flat wagon would drive to the field where the grain was shocked. A man on the ground would use a pitchfork to throw each bundle up to the man loading the wagon. When the wagon was full he would haul the load up beside the thrashing machine, throw each bundle of grain into the separator that would cut the hay into short pieces, shake the seed out of each stalk where it fell into a sack and the straw was blown into the barn by a long chute.
All the neighbors helped each other on thrashing days. The women would help each other when they had to feed the thrashing crews at each other’s house. We had a wood burning cook stove that they built a fire in to cook the meals. If it was 90 degrees outside, it was probably 105 degrees inside the kitchens; the women served meals that were fit for a president. Made pies of every kind. Dad would go into town and buy a 50-pound block of ice to have cold tea and lemonade.
We all survived what we thought was a rough life and made us appreciate life more when we got older. In comparison to what my grandparents went through, we had it pretty easy.
My grandfather Anthony Roth was born in 1860. He married Ottilia Schneider Feb.4, 1882. He was a farmer, blacksmith, and shoemaker, one of the first directors of The German Township Insurance Co., first director of The Township Telephone Co. He taught grade school three terms at Stringtown, IL. Records show he taught school February 16, 1886, for three months, March 1, 1887, for three months and February 18, 1889, for three months. School started when the teacher was available and the majority of students were not needed on the farm.
First teacher of record was 1883, none in 1884, 1888, 1892. In 1893 they went to school for 1 & 1/2 mos., 1894 for 2 & 1/2 mos., 1895 for 1 & 1/2 mos., 1896 for 2 mos. Between 1896 and 1909 no records were found. In 1910, The Catholic Nuns started teaching every year but it doesn't show how many months they went to school each year.
This is the Good Old Days you hear so much about.
On February 2,1951, we had one of the coldest days in history in Olney. It had been a very wet fall season. Many of the farmers were not able to get their crops out of the field because of the rains. About Christmas it had turned bitter cold. The ground froze several inches deep. I was helping Leo Ritter get his corn picked. He had the next farm south of us. We didn't have enclosed tractors and almost froze trying to shell and haul the corn out of the field. One day we decided it was too cold to work. It was 25 degrees below zero. So I went to Olney. In the 400 block of East Main St. a fire started and was burning in the Olney Cleaners. On the east side of the Cleaners was a grocery store named VanMatre and Pauleys. The fire trucks came, hooked up to the fire hydrants and turned them on. The water froze in the hoses and the buildings were severely damaged. The Olney Cleaners rebuilt and are still there today. VanMatre and Pauleys did not rebuild. The building sat empty for some time. Albert and Myrtle Michel’s were the owners of Mike's Restaurant on West Main St., across from the Prairie Farms Creamery. They decided to buy the VanMatre and Pauleys building and opened Mikes East Side, now known as Hovey's.
My sister, Pauline and I were working at the West Side. When Hovey's opened I went to work there as assistant manager two nights each week and two nights at the West Side
My sister and I were usually working at night by ourselves at Mike’s West side. Many times busloads of ball players and students came there before and after games. Many times all the tables were full and people were standing to be served. We waited on all the customers, fixed all the food, operated the cash register and washed all the dishes, sometimes for hours by ourselves. When we closed, we would restock all the food we had used, finish washing all the dishes and put them away and then clean up the place and have it ready to open and serve breakfast early the next morning. It was hot and without air conditioning.
I was usually there to open the next morning. When the rush hour was over I would start other projects. I froze all the ice cream for both places and several places around the country sold our ice cream. In the summer of 1953 I averaged freezing more than 1000 gallons of ice cream every week. This was made in a ten-gallon freezer in the basement of Mike's West Side. The starting wage at Mike's was 50 cents per hour, no overtime and seldom a tip.
The hours of work and lack of sleep finally caught up with me. On October 19, 1953, Pauline took me to Jackson’s Hospital with severe rheumatic fever. It was the second time I had it. I survived but had several months of therapy.
Working at Mikes was some of the best training anyone could want to prepare them for the future. We met thousands of people and almost all of them were nice, courteous and thankful if you treated them the same way.
Most people thought Pauline and I were married. We went everywhere together, usually with a group to Beal’s Skating Rink or dancing somewhere. We each had an apartment at Barkley’s ½ block west of Mikes.
We continue to be referred to as husband and wife because we still do so many things together. One of the reasons is because we married a brother and sister, Carl and Sue Frohning.
Two years ago Pauline and I were volunteering to entertain the patients in Long Term Care at the Richland Memorial Hospital. One day Mary Margaret (Michels) Hovey joined us and we had a “Mike’s” day with Chili, ice cream and 10-4’s.
Hopefully some of this will bring back some good Olney Memories.
ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE YOU HAVE NOW AND REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE.
GEORGE Roth
gsroth2@psbnewton.com
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Una Burgin Tarpley
rayuna@wabash.net
I have lots of memories of Olney and old places. We did not get to go much as we worked at Nursing Home every day for our mom and dad and not much time for playing around (boring I guess) some said-- but we had a new car to drive each year and money to spend and were happy growing up working for our parents. I remember all those places in Olney and can remember good old days as we use to call them 1952-1956 High School days- I married Ray Tarpley in 1957.
I had a new Buick and a new Mercury and a Ford convertible in high school. Wow -- did we have fun dragging Main Street. And at the Olney Park a lot fun fun we did have too!!
I am 68 years old and still kicking! Ha I graduated 50 years ago in 1956 still working at Burgin Manor. I started working 1952 just out of 8th grade. Love the elderly people and learn so much from them.
See you later…
Una Marie Burgin Tarpley
Class of 1956
We are still growing in numbers!! There is a total of 446 people that are on the address list to receive these Olney Memories. If you know of others who might be interested, be sure and pass their name & e-address along to me.
Thanks to all who make this a success! I hope you enjoy reading # 49!
Ann Weesner King
pianoann97@aol.com
Class of 1960
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Olney Memories # 49
Ann Hill
anthill3@hotmail.com
Good memories!!! There was a drugstore across the street from the "show" on the corner. There was always a BIG black dog lying on the terrazo (black and white) entrance floor. Was called Bond's - I think!!!
Ann Hill
Class of ‘53
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Ruth Wrinkler Reckling
rareckling@peoplepc.com
I was recently in Olney to visit with my mom who still lives on Boone Street. As I drove around looking to refresh my memories I found so few things that I could point to and say, "I remember when", there is little left of old memories. Although there are all the same old houses on my mom's block there is no one living in those houses that were there when I lived there.
I cruised by friends houses, schools, stores on Main and Whittle but almost all things I held dear were no longer there. Hovey's and the high school are there but looking different. I know, of course, that things have to change, even need to change but I didn't feel at home anymore. I will continue to visit my mother but I think I won't drive around anymore looking for past memories.
Has anyone else gone home?
Ruth Reckling
Class of ’59
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Ron Smith
rls2324@verizon.net
In regards to Helen (Eagleson) McGlone's question about the drug store at Main and Fair Streets in Olney, I know it was owned by a man named Bert Luvman, in the forties and early fifties. I'm not sure of the correct spelling of the last name, but I do know that was his name.
Ron Smith
Class of '58
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Moore
Mimidot52@aol.com
My wife Dorothy [Tice] Moore, class of 1950, and I were married in 1952 and shortly after, while, still in the USAF, we made a visit to Olney. This was to be the first of many over the ensuing years. So, from the perspective of one who came from the "big city' I thought it might be of some interest to share some of my recollections of the Olney experiences. In no particular order;--the ham salad from Maas' Market; the sight of those unique white rodents, oops sorry, squirrels;--the news outlet at the corner Whittle and Fair St. the ice cream parlor [is that what they're still called?] on West Main [I'm told that was Mike's]; the shoe factory also on Whittle--incidentally, I've often wondered who was Whittle?
Must not forget the annual chowder at Miller's Grove, and picnics at the City Park where it seemed all the flies in the county also gathered for some sort of an insect convention. Still, it just made the experience all the more memorable.
And how about the movies at the Arcadia and Elks theatres. I still remember the first film I saw at the latter, "The Desert Fox" with James Mason. I don't believe the seats were cushioned, but then again, neither was I at that time.
From an outsider looking in it was a real delight to see, no matter how briefly, what growing up in Olney was all about.
Ron Moore
Tampa, Fla.
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Dannee Newton
dukeandfang@yahoo.com
I am in Iceland now, reading my emails. I saw where someone talked about a tavern on Whittle Ave. My great uncle and aunt, Clare and Jenny Bentz, owned it at one time. I think their last name was Bentz, but I can´t remember for sure. They had an apartment in the back of the tavern. I hope you receive this message. The keyboard has some different alphabet letters on it.
Best wishes.
Dannee Newton
Class of ‘58
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Michelle Smith Swanson
michelleswanson@hotmail.com
Regarding the white squirrel in the article in Olney Memories # 48, did you know there is also an Olney, Texas?
There's also one in Maryland, Missouri, and Buckinghamshire in England. I wonder if they ALL have white squirrels? :) Of course, they may, as albinoism is a genetic aberration that can occur anywhere, but I bet they don't have 'em like OUR Olney does.
In the meantime, I've also learned that there was, at least in 1904, an Olney Springs in Colorado. Apparently there used to be a surveyor/cartographer in the early 1800s named Olney who made LOTS of maps (or so it appears from all the maps that pop up on eBay). I think most of the other towns were named after him. I am woefully ignorant of where our Olney got its name. I should know this, but I don't.
Michelle (Smith) Swanson
Class of '83 (though I graduated in Northern Michigan)
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George Roth
gsroth2@verizon.net
What a difference a Century makes!
This started out to be an email about, "What a difference a Century makes”. But I found some 1876 information about Olney and a map of Richland County showing Watertown, Hadley Station and names of the railroads different than we knew them.
The following poem tells some history of Olney and also relates to Watertown in the paragraph above. This poem might have been in the OM’s at an earlier date, but it really ties in with the story at hand, and didn’t want anyone to miss it.
THE HISTORY OF OLNEY, ILLINOIS
Have you ever thought of Olneytown
In quite an early day,
Ere Thadeus Moorehouse settled down
And helped to pave the way.
When he moved in, he drove his team
Where none had been before.
There were no engines run by steam
Nor tracks to run them o’er.
T’was eighteen hundred and fifteen
When first he did appear,
And only redskins could be seen
As people living here.
It did not even have name,
T’was just a wild frontier,
Though it was overrun with game,
Bear, bison, elk and deer.
For three long years of grief and joy
Old Thadeus had to wait
‘Til this new land call Illinois
Became a legal state.
And farther south there sprang a town
Quite near where Calhoun stands.
They started cutting forest down
And cultivating lands.
Elijah Nelson settled down
On Fox, some two miles west
And founded there, old Watertown
Which now, has gone to rest.
And then in eighteen forty one
A greater thing was planned.
This famous county was begun
And given name “Richland.”
The county had to have a seat,
But where, nobody knew.
Its every hamlet wished to greet
The county courthouse, too.
And thus began a tug of war
For site of county seat,
And each advantage to and for
The settlers did repeat.
At last the matter simmered down,
A vote was later planned,
‘Twould either be at Watertown
Or on this center land.
The site selected by Judge Shaw,
The voters chose it too
And thus the will of learned law
Came proudly into view.
The new town had to have a name.
‘Tis Olney, said Judge Shaw.
And after contest it became
Another will of law.
Sir Olney was a friend, renown
Of Shaw, who had is will.
He ne’er resided in this town
But lived in Lawrenceville.
And when once started, Olney grew
Unto its present size,
And what it may be coming to,
We only can surmise.
I’ve lived here twice, before this day
And shall not let it down,
And so, in closing, I shall say
“It’s just a darned good town.”
James M. Findley,
Flora, Illinois
6-9-1950
---------
We lived five miles southeast of Olney or two and a half miles north of Calhoun. The poem, “The History of Olney Illinois “ tells about a town near Calhoun.
When we moved there in 1936 there was an old road that went through our farm running east and west along a creek. Remnants of a couple home sites were there. A cemetery was south of our property line that disappeared long ago. We think this may be the location of the town mentioned in the story.
There were five of us Roth children, Charles, Jim, Joan, Pauline and George. Our loving parents were Jack and Florence Roth. We had a house with no insulation in the walls. You could feel the cold winter wind blow through the cracks. No heating except a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the living room. The fire went out each night. I remember getting up many mornings and there would be ice frozen in the water bucket in the kitchen.
Our bathtub was a #3 washtub. We took a bath every Saturday whether we needed one or not. We had no electricity, no running water except when you pumped the bucket full and was running back into the house. Therefore we had no indoor bathroom. We heated water to bathe with and wash clothes with. We had an old washing machine that had an old gasoline engine, and then hung all the clothes out on a clothesline, summer and winter.
We walked to Bird school one mile west of our house. One teacher taught all eight grades.
My children like to jokingly tell people we walked at least five miles to school and back home each day. It was up hill both ways (aahhmmm) in the winter we would wrap our bare feet with barbwire so we didn't slip and fall on the ice. (I may be stretching this a little)
No one took their children to school unless they were going by the school on their way delivering something in a wagon. Our dirt and gravel roads would be impassible many times in the winter. The mailman would deliver the mail to our house. My brother would mount a horse and deliver the mail to the people that lived on the roads that the mailman could not traverse. (Pony Express)
In the winter you might not go to town to buy groceries for 2 or 3 weeks. We sawed down trees in the months that you were not farming. When you had a big pile of wood you would get together with two or three neighbors to help each other to buzz saw the wood into chunks about 16 inches long. You had to have enough wood sawed to last through the winter to heat your house and use in a stove to cook your food.
We farmed with horses, shucked corn by hand. Cut wheat, beans, and redtop hay with a binder pulled by horses. The hay, straw or stalks came out in bundles that you made into shocks to dry. There was only one thrashing machine in the country. It was pulled by a Rumley Steam Engine steel-wheeled tractor. He used wood in the fire chamber to heat the water, to make the steam, to drive the tractor. It was enormous compared to today’s farm tractors for no more power than it had. It would pull the thrashing machine about two to three miles an hour top speed.
The thrashing machine was about thirty-five feet long and eight eight feet wide. You would park the thrashing machine beside your barn. A man driving a team of horses and a flat wagon would drive to the field where the grain was shocked. A man on the ground would use a pitchfork to throw each bundle up to the man loading the wagon. When the wagon was full he would haul the load up beside the thrashing machine, throw each bundle of grain into the separator that would cut the hay into short pieces, shake the seed out of each stalk where it fell into a sack and the straw was blown into the barn by a long chute.
All the neighbors helped each other on thrashing days. The women would help each other when they had to feed the thrashing crews at each other’s house. We had a wood burning cook stove that they built a fire in to cook the meals. If it was 90 degrees outside, it was probably 105 degrees inside the kitchens; the women served meals that were fit for a president. Made pies of every kind. Dad would go into town and buy a 50-pound block of ice to have cold tea and lemonade.
We all survived what we thought was a rough life and made us appreciate life more when we got older. In comparison to what my grandparents went through, we had it pretty easy.
My grandfather Anthony Roth was born in 1860. He married Ottilia Schneider Feb.4, 1882. He was a farmer, blacksmith, and shoemaker, one of the first directors of The German Township Insurance Co., first director of The Township Telephone Co. He taught grade school three terms at Stringtown, IL. Records show he taught school February 16, 1886, for three months, March 1, 1887, for three months and February 18, 1889, for three months. School started when the teacher was available and the majority of students were not needed on the farm.
First teacher of record was 1883, none in 1884, 1888, 1892. In 1893 they went to school for 1 & 1/2 mos., 1894 for 2 & 1/2 mos., 1895 for 1 & 1/2 mos., 1896 for 2 mos. Between 1896 and 1909 no records were found. In 1910, The Catholic Nuns started teaching every year but it doesn't show how many months they went to school each year.
This is the Good Old Days you hear so much about.
On February 2,1951, we had one of the coldest days in history in Olney. It had been a very wet fall season. Many of the farmers were not able to get their crops out of the field because of the rains. About Christmas it had turned bitter cold. The ground froze several inches deep. I was helping Leo Ritter get his corn picked. He had the next farm south of us. We didn't have enclosed tractors and almost froze trying to shell and haul the corn out of the field. One day we decided it was too cold to work. It was 25 degrees below zero. So I went to Olney. In the 400 block of East Main St. a fire started and was burning in the Olney Cleaners. On the east side of the Cleaners was a grocery store named VanMatre and Pauleys. The fire trucks came, hooked up to the fire hydrants and turned them on. The water froze in the hoses and the buildings were severely damaged. The Olney Cleaners rebuilt and are still there today. VanMatre and Pauleys did not rebuild. The building sat empty for some time. Albert and Myrtle Michel’s were the owners of Mike's Restaurant on West Main St., across from the Prairie Farms Creamery. They decided to buy the VanMatre and Pauleys building and opened Mikes East Side, now known as Hovey's.
My sister, Pauline and I were working at the West Side. When Hovey's opened I went to work there as assistant manager two nights each week and two nights at the West Side
My sister and I were usually working at night by ourselves at Mike’s West side. Many times busloads of ball players and students came there before and after games. Many times all the tables were full and people were standing to be served. We waited on all the customers, fixed all the food, operated the cash register and washed all the dishes, sometimes for hours by ourselves. When we closed, we would restock all the food we had used, finish washing all the dishes and put them away and then clean up the place and have it ready to open and serve breakfast early the next morning. It was hot and without air conditioning.
I was usually there to open the next morning. When the rush hour was over I would start other projects. I froze all the ice cream for both places and several places around the country sold our ice cream. In the summer of 1953 I averaged freezing more than 1000 gallons of ice cream every week. This was made in a ten-gallon freezer in the basement of Mike's West Side. The starting wage at Mike's was 50 cents per hour, no overtime and seldom a tip.
The hours of work and lack of sleep finally caught up with me. On October 19, 1953, Pauline took me to Jackson’s Hospital with severe rheumatic fever. It was the second time I had it. I survived but had several months of therapy.
Working at Mikes was some of the best training anyone could want to prepare them for the future. We met thousands of people and almost all of them were nice, courteous and thankful if you treated them the same way.
Most people thought Pauline and I were married. We went everywhere together, usually with a group to Beal’s Skating Rink or dancing somewhere. We each had an apartment at Barkley’s ½ block west of Mikes.
We continue to be referred to as husband and wife because we still do so many things together. One of the reasons is because we married a brother and sister, Carl and Sue Frohning.
Two years ago Pauline and I were volunteering to entertain the patients in Long Term Care at the Richland Memorial Hospital. One day Mary Margaret (Michels) Hovey joined us and we had a “Mike’s” day with Chili, ice cream and 10-4’s.
Hopefully some of this will bring back some good Olney Memories.
ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE YOU HAVE NOW AND REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE.
GEORGE Roth
gsroth2@psbnewton.com
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Una Burgin Tarpley
rayuna@wabash.net
I have lots of memories of Olney and old places. We did not get to go much as we worked at Nursing Home every day for our mom and dad and not much time for playing around (boring I guess) some said-- but we had a new car to drive each year and money to spend and were happy growing up working for our parents. I remember all those places in Olney and can remember good old days as we use to call them 1952-1956 High School days- I married Ray Tarpley in 1957.
I had a new Buick and a new Mercury and a Ford convertible in high school. Wow -- did we have fun dragging Main Street. And at the Olney Park a lot fun fun we did have too!!
I am 68 years old and still kicking! Ha I graduated 50 years ago in 1956 still working at Burgin Manor. I started working 1952 just out of 8th grade. Love the elderly people and learn so much from them.
See you later…
Una Marie Burgin Tarpley
Class of 1956
Saturday, September 9, 2006
Issue 48
This article was sent to Sally by a friend, thinking it would be nice for theOlney Memories ... in connection with the White Squirrels of Olney.
Sally Hunt
Class of ‘51
Just wanted to comment that I enjoyed the Memories article by Iva May Spieth Robinson in which she described the former location of all of the businesses on Whittle Avenue. It appears that she got them all and in the correct places. As I recall, the tavern that she mentioned that was north of the B&O railway station and west of the shoe factory was owned
by Raul Petty. It was a good place for men who worked or lived in that area to get a cold beer after work, or at any time. Its success was reportedly due to an ambiance not possessed by the other taverns in town.
Jim Dale
Class of 1940
I wanted to comment that I thoroughly enjoyed Iva May Spieth Robinson's account of Whittle Avenue in her youth. Her graduation date was a dozen years before my family began its eleven year stay in Olney, so I assume these would have been the businesses before World War II, but a number of them were still there in the fifties and early sixties.
Thanks again for your efforts. I enjoy each "Olney Memories" and look forward to the next.
Marvin Doolin
Class of 1962
Thank you so much for all the memories. I have been reading two or three a day so that I can really enjoy them.
I read one from Dorothy (Tice) Moore asking about the drug store at Main & Fair. Could that have been Behrend and Bridges? I worked for them. I also knew them in Mattoon, IL when I went to High School my Sophomore and Junior years. They had a drug store across from the High School. They were wonderful people.
I am enjoying all the names of people I can remember such as: Dr. Fritschle, Schmalhausen, (I babysat for the Schmalhausen children some). Was one of them Bobbie? Could he have been the one that ran on the dining room table with Kleats on? I also remember fondly Rev. J.B. Farrell and his daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret. I remember Dr. Houchin, he pulled three teeth for me. Ouch is right. I know they didn't have roots (baby teeth) but they were attached to the gum after all. There were many more mentioned but I don't want to drag this out. Thank you so much again for this wonderful journey.
Helen (Eagleson) McGlone
Class of '41
Hobo Art
In a previous Memories article about The Great Depression, there was a paragraph about hoboes. In it there was speculation that the hoboes had secret markings that they used to indicate houses that might be good prospects for a meal, etc. In a recent article of our local newspaper (The Arkansas-Democrat Gazette) there was an article about these markings. These markings are now considered “folk art.”
The signs were drawn or carved onto street curbs, fence posts, and on walls and other objects to let other hoboes know what to expect from the local community. For example: a horizontal zigzag line meant a vicious dog; a triangle with two stick arms extended from it meant mean man; a crude drawing of a cat indicated a kind woman lives here; two interlocking circles meant “don’t give up;” a drawing of a top hat meant gentleman; and a circle with an X in the center indicated that the house was a good place for a meal.
The article said that an Internet search would probably provide other examples. It would be interesting to know whether hoboes used such markings when they traveled through Olney.
Jim Dale
Class of 1940
In Jim Dale’s article above he mentioned, “It would be interesting to know whether hoboes used such markings when they traveled through Olney.”
I remember when I was small my mother told me that there were some hoboes that traveled along the B&O Railroad tracks that was south bordering our small farm acreage. And I do remember her telling me that they had a “way” of letting their other hobo friends know the good places to go for some food. So I would presume that they did use some sort of markings in Olney also.
Ann Weesner King
Class of 1960
After receiving a forward about words and sayings about cars in our past I began to think of some other ones of days gone by. Here are some that crossed my mind. I am sure you have more but maybe some of these will spark some memories and good conversation. At one time I was Activity Director at the Illinois Odd Fellows Home in Mattoon and one day I was stumped for an activity for a women's group. I went in cold and asked "How many of you have ever used a rug beater???" Well - that was all it took and from then on the women wanted this session as a regular activity.
- Market/grocery
- 3 sheets to the wind
- Pie eyed
- Lunch/dinner
- Dinner/supper
- 2bits-4bits-6 bits -a dollar
- Steering know
- Spinner
- Cheese and crackers got all muddy
- Hour glass figure
- Stacked
- Built like a brick outhouse
- Twerp
- Wallflower
- Pitiful Pearl
- Jumpy as a cat on a hot Tim roof
- Scared spitless
- Fly/plays by the seat of your pants
- Cheaters (glasses)
- Piss poor
- Work brittle
- Pretty as a speckled pup
- Peachy keen
- Fly flap
- Skate key
- Rug beater
- Pants stretchers
- Curtain stretchers
- Fly by night
- Root cellar
- Memeograph machine
- Typewriter
- Ink pen
- Lead pencil
- Shut your pie hole
- Poor house
- Slicker than snot
- Knocked up
- Shot gun wedding
- Potter's field
- Gauze or Birdseye diapers
- Diaper pins
- Flyboy
- Dagwood sandwich
- Jiffy
- Puddle jumper
- Ice box
- Ice pick
- Free loader
- Tangee lipstick
- Blue Waltz perfume
- Highball
- zoot suit with a drape shape
- The Ice Man
Class of ‘53
Friday, June 23, 2006
Issue 47
Hello Everyone!
This issue of Olney Memories is a little shorter than some, but
thought it
was time to send it out to all of you anyway. Maybe some of these
memories
that the people have written this time will spur a little memory in
your own
mind and you will have some memories of your own to share.
Wanted to say that my husband and I have been gone on a month-long
vacation
and just in case any of your wrote with a change of address or with
a memory
contribution that is not included below, please resend. I would not
want to
have missed any of your letters while I was away.
Thanks for all your e-mail updates too! Remember, if you know of
others
who would like to be included, just send their names and e-addresses
so I can
add them to the growing list of readers and contributors. We now
have 439 on
the mailing list!! Hope you enjoy this latest issue of Olney
Memories!
Ann Weesner King
_Pianoann97@aol.com_ (mailto:Pianoann97@aol.com)
=============================================================
Olney Memories # 47
Iva May Spieth Robinson
_asamay1@juno.com_ (mailto:asamay1@juno.com)
My memories start with the old Schmauhausen Drug Store on the south
side
of Main St. Also the Bower Drug Store just a few stores away.
Both
were great places to go for a coke, if you can imagine was only 5
cents back in
the 40's.
Mr. Bower who seemed awfully grumpy but was a softy.
The dance hall that was behind a restaurant on the north side of
Main St
west of Walnut St.
The High School at that time was on Main St. near the Old Olney
Sanitarium. In 1940 when I was in High School it was OTHS,
Olney Township High School.
Coming home for lunch. Lunch at school was a sack lunch you brought.
Just for starters.
This issue of Olney Memories is a little shorter than some, but
thought it
was time to send it out to all of you anyway. Maybe some of these
memories
that the people have written this time will spur a little memory in
your own
mind and you will have some memories of your own to share.
Wanted to say that my husband and I have been gone on a month-long
vacation
and just in case any of your wrote with a change of address or with
a memory
contribution that is not included below, please resend. I would not
want to
have missed any of your letters while I was away.
Thanks for all your e-mail updates too! Remember, if you know of
others
who would like to be included, just send their names and e-addresses
so I can
add them to the growing list of readers and contributors. We now
have 439 on
the mailing list!! Hope you enjoy this latest issue of Olney
Memories!
Ann Weesner King
_Pianoann97@aol.com_ (mailto:Pianoann97@aol.com)
=============================================================
Olney Memories # 47
Iva May Spieth Robinson
_asamay1@juno.com_ (mailto:asamay1@juno.com)
My memories start with the old Schmauhausen Drug Store on the south
side
of Main St. Also the Bower Drug Store just a few stores away.
Both
were great places to go for a coke, if you can imagine was only 5
cents back in
the 40's.
Mr. Bower who seemed awfully grumpy but was a softy.
The dance hall that was behind a restaurant on the north side of
Main St
west of Walnut St.
The High School at that time was on Main St. near the Old Olney
Sanitarium. In 1940 when I was in High School it was OTHS,
Olney Township High School.
Coming home for lunch. Lunch at school was a sack lunch you brought.
Just for starters.
Thanks,
Iva May Spieth Robinson
Class of 1940
OK, time to start adding a few to whenever you do the next one.
My family (wife and daughter) live in Springfield, IL. I've been
reading
all the previous memories. What fun and such a lot of history about my
hometown. I look forward to the next installment.
As some of you may recall my family included the Spieth's of
Olney. I grew
up in the Speith Studio under the watchful eye of my grandfather
(Fred Sr.)
and uncles (Jim & Fred Jr.) There were seven of us (cousin's -
my brother
Rix, and cousins Fred, Joe, Mike, John & Tom) that grew up in the
studio and
we've had many fun times exploring the darkroom, working with all the
various machinery and producing our own pictures. When I was
attending OCC, I
was working at the studio in the afternoons and weekends. Part of
my job was
to make 'duplicates' of pictures that were sent in. To do that, I
ran the
stationary camera used to photograph the print and thus make a new
negative so
that more prints could be made.
Now many of you have seen a picture appear annually. Let me tell
you a
little story. During that time in the studio (way before such
useful tools
and Photoshop, Pinnacle Studio or a miriade of other software
programs) I cut
and pasted to put together a print of a squirrel that appeared to be
sitting
the crux of a tree saluting the small American Flag. That picture
was shared
with only a few people, but one of them was one of my teachers at
OCC, Dr
John Spencer. Dr. Spencer is/was (?) a wonderful man and a
wonderful teacher.
I thoroughly enjoyed his classes. He later began doing an
annual 'white
squirrel census' to show growth/decline in the population. He came
to me
one day and asked permission to use that photograph when he was
preparing to
do one of the first surveys. And, in the words of Paul Harvey ...
now you
know the rest of the story of how that photograph came to be that
you have
seen appear in the paper through the years.
I also recall fondly my High School years under the tutelage of Gus
& Mary
Sliva ... among others. But music was my passion at the time. I
was in
the main choir all 4 years. I recall Music Man though I didn't get to
participate in that show and then I did get to participate in Fiddler
on the Roof as
the Rabbi's son. Many, many, many years later I again
participated in that
show but this time in the open theater we fondly enjoy in Springfield
called
the MUNI opera. But that is whole other story and not related to
Olney.
Back to Fiddler on the Roof. The rehearsals were fun. Anne
Weber was
Tzeital in show and was supposed to be kissed. Rumor has it she
had not been
kissed or didn't want to be kissed on stage. Mary suggested to the
young
man, I can't recall his name right now, to surprise her one evening
in a
rehearsal and give her a kiss as she departed the stage without any
announcements.
He did.... she decked him on the spot !!! The show did go on,
and I
think she even allowed a 'stage' kiss to take place after that.
I also fondly recall the annual talent show but can't recall the
name of it.
I remember the auditions in the choral room and then the night of the
performance. Does anyone else remember 'The Vamp' with Cecelia
Hill and Mike
Rumsey? I am going to have to look for my yearbook to see what
other talents
happened that year and try to recall the name of the show.
I hope to get back to Olney again sometime and am curious if the
Xmas show
still has the tradition of the Hallelujah Chorus as its finale with
any and
all willing former choir members invited to join in? That was
always a
delightful show. Gus and May were fantastic teachers that have
shaped the lives of
so many through the years. So many lives have been touched and
it seems
very minimal now to say 'thank you' to them both. I know Gus is
gone and I
don't know about Mary. They were delightful people that loved kids
and
music. Olney was very blessed to have them for so many years.
They enriched
many lives. We love you Gus and Mary.
Another teacher I greatly enjoyed was Mrs. Griffin the French
teacher. She
was extremely kind and to an impressionable young high school
student, very
knowledgeable. I still recall the many days in her French lab
learning to
conjugate verbs and put together sentences. You will also be
missed Mrs.
Griffin.
Mrs. Richardson was in charge of the newspaper. I was able to
participate
in it for at least one year as photographer. Once, a celebrated
organist was
giving a concert. I was trying to be discreet and had very quietly and
unobtrusively slipped from the front row of the auditorium, down into
the
orchestra pit to get some pictures of him for the newspaper. He
stopped his
performance and asked what I was doing and to please stop. I don't
believe his
concert made the school newspaper as a result.
I am encouraging my parents to write in and talk about the Spieth
Studio
(its history) and my fathers shop on Whittle Ave ... The Olney
Printing Co.
It was between the Farmers Market and Jones' As have many before,
I spent
many hours in both places. The Farmers Market for sugar treats and
Jones'
checking out the sporting goods (tennis racquets, fishing gear,
etc.) and the
motorcycles. I wanted a motorcycle for a long time but it wasn't
til many
years later that I finally bought one.
OK, that is all from me for now. Looking forward to responses and
further
additions about choirs, musicals, and the talent show. Take care
everyone.
Kim Robinson
Class of 1973
Springfield, IL
Bud Dodson
_buddodson1@comcast.net_ (mailto:buddodson1@comcast.net)
I guess it's the weather but as I sit here watching the sun set
behind the
Rockies I thought I'm a little lonely so check your E-mail. Dad
was a Scout
Master and we used to go to Slanker's Woods, or go to the dump and
shoot
rats! Most of the memories I've written about so I'll move on.
I remember the many weekends Jimmy Cazel, Bobbie Hearring and I
would sell
War Bonds or stamps in front of the Dime Store on Main St on
Saturdays. I
am not sure of the Car Dealers name that was across from the court
house but I
remember Dad trading in his 29 Dodge for a 35 Dodge plus $350.00 Don
Taylor's Dad at Taylor's Print Shop giving us our picks of a never
ending supply
of stamps (collectors) for our used or old rags. And finally
starting high
school. The last Memories mentioned Freddie Newton whom had a much
more
well known brother named Frank, coach at OTHS who always told me if
I worked
hard and stayed in school he would get me a tryout with his friend
Geo (?) Halas
coach of the Chicago Bears. Playing football with those Olney
stars Dean
or was it Bud Krudwig, Bill Vail, Jack Forrest who went on after
West Point
to become a Lt Gen, Jerry Miller, Don Hinterscher who succumbed to
the Polio
that struck our team in 1945. Olney was a very Patriotic Town
during WW II
I no longer have my 43-44-45 Olneans so I can't look up all the
names of
those classmates and friends.
Things were going pretty good by the time I graduated from St Joe's and
prepared for OTHS. I think there were eight of us that graduated
that year, Don
Blank, Martha Gassman, Frieda Krick, Bernard Herman, "Flit"
Summers, and a
special friend Dick Layman. OTHS was different than St Joe's we
all walked
to school, Schmalhausen's became the place, Model "A"'s were in
style all
with "A" rationing stickers for gas. All (at least some) of the
big boys
smoked so we did too. One of the regular noon time highlights was
held in the
Gym at Lunch Hour. Plays, Skits, various entertainment forums were
always
being held, for three years Jim Welker and I boxed as a regular
event We
always had a POW-WOW. All in all it was a pretty good time even
though money
was scarce, food, shoes and gasoline were all rationed. But we
survived.
Well guess it's time for bed so so-long to all you Olneans.
Bud Dodson
Class of '47
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Iva May Spieth Robinson
asamay1@juno.com
I have been reading all the "Memories" and enjoying them and the
name of "Wide Awake Saloon" finally came to me. It triggered lots of
memories so now it is my turn. First of all I was raised over my Dad's
Studio and my neighborhood was all businesses. My world was the
Methodist
Church to the East, Fred Schneiter Grocery to the North, and Central
School just one block West where I had to cross the IC Railroad tracks
and fortunately a guard was stationed there (in that cute little
building) to help all the children get to school safely. I
attended all
eighth grades there. But what I really want to tell you was of all the
businesses that were on Whittle Ave. Most letters have told of
Main St.
but Whittle was MY street. I will mention lots of businesses in each
block. The order may not be correct but they were there at one time.
Starting with my side of the street (West) at Main was the First
National Bank. At one time Zean Gassmann Insurance,A.C. Roberts
Insurance Agency, Beal's Newstand with an entry on Walnut also, a
stairway up to Dr. Ralph King and Dr. Borah, dentist and Olney
Savings &
Loan on the corner. I remember Dr. King as a short friendly man in a
white suit. He made house calls and was called to the Studio one
evening. There was maybe six of us working on; Christmas orders as
someone needed some medicine for a cold. He ended up seeing everyone
of us and then only charged my Dad about $10. Imagine that today !!!!
The second block south had Geo Wagner Barber Shop, Bourell's Music
Store (later Powhatan's), the New Yorker Tavern (Jim & Hannah Miller),
Kroger's on the corner. More but can't recall now.
The third block had Bower Park (a small public park), Fred Schneiter
Grocery, Town Talk (Tubby Gassmann, homemade ice cream), Pete Dale
Linotype Shop later Zean Gassmann Insurance, a dress shop owned by Jim
Pottorff, Fessel Cleaners, a small Tiny Diner (small hamburgers 5
cents), a private house with a yard and fence, another Wagner Barber
Shop
(brother Al), then Electrolux occupied that spot (Elmer Brookfield and
real estate office), J & J Market, Harold Drew Appliance Store and
on the
corner was a small soda fountain and penny candy booth originally
run by
two couples alternating weeks, the Buddemeyers and Edminstons. Later
taken over by Jim & Claribel Whitaker. I must add at this point
around
the corner on Elm was Leingang's Bakery. The most delicious smell in
the world came from there. Also makers of "Bubby Bread" named for
their
handsome nephew, Bubby Pepple who lived across the alley. Later the
building was made into apartments by the Whitakers.
401 Whittle was Spieth Studio, my home. We had a picture of the
"Wide Awake Saloon" it was on the corner lot with a Schnitzel bench
(whittling bench) in front of it hence the name Whittle Ave. William
Spieth started the studio there and sold it to his brother, Fred.
At the
end of my first grade of school I became very ill with pneumonia and
spent a month at the Olney Sanitarium in the hands of the Weber
Brothers.
I received so many gifts from well wishers and had a large Library
table displaying them. When I recovered and was dismissed we gave the
gifts to my classmates. Speaking of the Weber Brothers Clinic reminds
me of a Dr. Hall that was hired on the Clinic. He married while in
Olney and had wedding pictures taken at the Studio. My Dad got a visit
from the FBI one day and asked for any negatives of the Doctor
(?). He
was all too glad to give them the negatives and get rid of the men.
Then
to find out that the Doctor was a fake and had delivered one of his
grandson's David.
Next to the Studio was the annex of King's Furniture Store later to
become (Charlie) Jones Cycle Shop, Midwest Ice Cream plant, Galen
Bohren
Electric Shop later becoming the Olney Printing Company owned by Arthur
Cox and then my husband Bob Robinson, an empty lot with a large sign,
Hampton's Market later the Little Farm Market, and Cal Kent Filling
Station later Bob Byrne car dealer.
The 500 Block had a Phillip 66 station, Forsyth Lumber Yard, Hocking
Auto Parts, a wholesale grocery store with the Bowling Alley on the
second floor. The last block held Voyles Beauty & Barber Supply with a
school overhead, some restaurants and a Tavern, the rest I don't
remember
to the Railroad Depot.
Starting back at Main St on the East side was Murray Hardware then
later at the end of the block, Dick Fessel Men's Clothes and Anderson
Gift Shop (Emmon and Lil). Willard Forsyth had a Paint Store sometime
in one of these stores. The Olney Trust & Banking original bank
started
the next block with the Olney Daily Mail, a Farm Equipment Building
(Hudson-Hill ?) and Beals Newstand.
The original home of Olney Printing Co started the 300 block,
Hocking Auto Parts, Porter (?) Funeral Home, a Taxi stand, G.E.
Telephone Co and the Post Office completed the three hundred
block. The
New Olney Hotel was across from the Studio, burned down and replace
by an
ATM for the 1st National Bank, Jared's Double R Hatchery, Harry Hillis
Garage, Pete Landis Car Dealership later an Apartment Bldg completed
the
block with offices for Dr. Jim Landis and Dr. Montgomery.
Lastly before the Shoe Factory was another car dealership
(Oldsmobile I think) and Poland Garage.
Incidentally, The 1941 Centennial was for Olney. Big pageant,
parade, beards grown by the men etc.
Bob and I retired to Winter Haven, Florida in 1986. We are in the
phone book if you are in the area.
Hope this is not too long. Thanks Ann for the "Memories."
Iva May Spieth Robinson
Class of '41
Sally Hunt
_SHUNTbirds@webtv.net_ (mailto:SHUNTbirds@webtv.net)
Reunion:
The class of 1951 is going to be having their 55th class reunion on
the 29th
of Sept. and if you haven't notified us would appreciate hearing
from those
planning to attend. If so, do so by writing:
Sammie Fehrenbacher
5376 East Frontage Rd.
Olney, Il. 62450
Thank you!
Sally Dale Hunt
Class of 1951
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--------------
Bud Dodson
_buddodson1@comcast.net_ (mailto:buddodson1@comcast.net)
I've enjoyed both the writing and reading and the memories. I
sometimes
wonder what happened to so many others. Dora Jane Turner, Miss
Borah, Miss
Holmes; all teachers, Richard "Dick" Layman whose father worked for
Axelson
Oil Field Supply (?) and was transferred before graduation. I
expected Dick
to become a classical piano player and the list could go on. As we
grow
older those relationships seem to become more important to us. I
doubt many
people remember the freedoms we had as underage drivers etc. due to
the shortage
of young men in the area due to the war.
Anyhow thank you!!!
Bud Dodson
Class of '47
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