National Defense Class in Electricity Wires Oldest House in Community

 

Pictured is the Joe Jarden Home

From the Bunker Hill Gazette News: February 20, 1941

     The first unit of the National Defense Training Program offered in Farm Mechanics Shop at the local high school completed an eight week course this week with the wiring of a barn and complete layout of out buildings for Frank Gerdes, and the wiring and installation of fixtures in the Al Goodwin farm house.

    According to Edward J. Barnes, instructor, the class gained some valuable experience through difficult wiring in the Al Goodwin Home;  the back part of which was a Drover Hotel on the trail between St. Louis and Springfield.  No one knows what year the hotel was built, however, Goodwin can trace it back to 1834, and it was not a new building at that time.  The part of the dwelling which was the old hotel is of log construction, with the walls packed with mud, bound together by chopped prairie grass and hickory sticks.

    As related to the class by Mr. Goodwin, there are many pioneer stories connected with the old hotel.  Mr. Goodwin has in his possession a tax receipt amounting to forty cents which was the annual property tax on the old hotel and accompanying 160 acre farm.  Taxes at that time were paid in Edwardsville.

    Members of the class wiring the historic building were Oscar Boettger, Melvin Buhs, Harold Brueggeman, Stanley Dana, Victor Dubbelde, Albert Fahrenkrog, Harvey Howerton, Ralph Huette, Alfred Jacobi, Daniel Mancini, Kenneth Mansholt, Arnold Oldenettle, Elmer Oldenettle, Chester Rull, and Leland Scroggins.

    This property was owned by Lillian Goodwin Jarden and is the home of her son, Joe.

...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society. "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, April 28, 2022.  

Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "Bunker Hill History." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, 50. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.

Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1941." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume Seven, 1941-1948, p. 2. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 2007. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.

Bunker Hill Memorial Dedication Ceremony to Truesdale, MO Founder

 

Pictured is the headstone of William Truesdale in the Bunker Hill Cemetery

From the Bunker Hill Gazette:

Truesdale, MO Founder Buried in Bunker Hill     

     On Saturday, April 9, 2022 in the Bunker Hill Cemetery, a memorial headstone was dedicated to honor William Truesdale. 

    Mr. Truesdale was born in Chautauqua County New York on January 9, 1815.  At the age of 12, he was working as an indentured merchant in Erie, PA.  In 1849, he contracted with the Panama Railroad Company to build a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama.

     In 1851, Mr. Truesdale, now married and with a growing family, headed west.  He contracted to build a railroad from Sandoval, IL to St. Louis, MO.  During his years working for the railroad in Missouri, he settled his family in Warren County, MO.  He purchased land (932 acres) and laid out a village.  He made a deal with the North Missouri Railroad to give them land to build a depot and switch yard if they would agree to name the village after him.  In 1857, the first train arrived in Truesdale, MO.

     Although he remained a civilian throughout the Civil War, Mr. Truesdale was referred to as "Colonel" Truesdale.  After the fall of Fort Sumpter, he was appointed as a military superintendent of the North Missouri Railroad.  He was put in charge of the Police and Secret Service under General Rosecrans who was in command of the Army of the Mississippi.

     Mr. Truesdale's 932 acre estate, comprising of most of present Warrenton and Truesdale, MO., was purchased May 19, 1863 by the Methodist Episcopal church as a school and home for orphans of fallen Civil War soldiers.  It was called the Western Orphan Asylum and Educational Institute.  The large house that the Truesdale's lived in became the orphanage.  In 1869, the name changed to Central Wesleyan College and Orphan Asylum.

     In 1864, Mr. Truesdale moved his family to Bunker Hill.  Mr. Truesdale died November 28, 1867.  His wife and children remained here until 1868 when they moved to Pennsylvania to live with her parents.  Buried here in the Bunker Hill Cemetery are Mr. and Mrs. Truesdale, two of their daughters, and three of their grandchildren.

     The city of Truesdale, MO conducted the dedication ceremony.  Guests included the City Hall staff:  Elsa Smith-Fernandez, Missy Bachamp, Elsie Morris, Mark Bennett, and Hal Pherigo. Police Chief Casey Doyle, Truesdale Mayor Chris Watson and Board of Alderman: Joe Brooks, Jerry Cannon, Robert Green, and Mike Thomas.  Mr. Truesdale's ancestor, grandson, Steve Williams from Tennessee and retired Truesdale Administrator and Truesdale Historian Marylou Rainwater.  other guests were also present.

...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society.  "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, April 21, 2022

History of Round Prairie Christian Church

    This is a followup blog to our previous posting at: https://bunkerhillhistory.blogspot.com/2022/02/history-of-round-prairie-church.html

    The Round Prairie Christian Church organized July 1, 1845 by appointing John P. Bayless and Samuel Wood to the office of Eldership.  Hiram Daughterty [Sic], and John Nesbit were appointed as Deacons at the same time.  About 1849, John W. Keller was added to the list of Elders and Johnson McGilvary and W.S. Spruill were ordained Elders.  Levi Miller and William Nesbit were ordained as Deacons at the same time.

    Johnson McGilvary went off to the Army and died.  In 1874, Peter C. Randle and Albert Fairchild were added to the Eldership and Benjamin Mize and Wm. Soapes to the deaconship.

    Elder Fairchild moved his membership and died  March 12, 1881.  Scott Mize was added to the list of Deacons by the church and Sanford Mize, at the same time, was appointed the same time as an assistant clerk for the church at Round Prairie.  The church continued to add persons to the roll until the membership reached 376.  The church was discontinued about 1918.  --Submitted by Helen Mize.

From Bunker Hill Revisited, Vol. 6, 1920-1940 by Carl Stanton

    March 25, 1932: the site of Round Prairie Christian Church located about 5 or 6 miles Southeast of the City was recently sold and the proceeds distributed to the National City Church at Washington, D.C., the neighboring Christian churches, and to missionaries.  

    While a church has passed, its memory and influence still live.  This congregations was organized on July 31, 1845. Its first officers were John P. Bayless, Samuel Wood, elders, Hiram Daugherty and Jon Nesbit, deacons.  Other office bearers remembered are John Keller, 1849; John McGilvery, W.P. Spruill, 1854; Peter Randle, Albert Fairchild, Benjamin Mize, William Soapes, 1874;  Scott Mize, deacon, 1881; Sanford Mize, clerk.  Trustees who served from 1912 to the date propery was disposed of are: R.N. Nesbit, J.R. Coatney and James Richards.  Early members still living are Mrs. C.A. Craw, Wichita, Kans. 95 years, and Mrs. Margaret Mize Teeters, Kansas City, Mo., age 86.  W.H. Groner, one of the ministers long since dead, who served for 37 years and baptized upward of 400 of its members, is lovingly remembered.

...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: The Bunker Hill IL Historical Society. "A Look Back in Bunker Hill History." Bunker Hill Gazette-News, April 7, 2022, February 10, 2022.  

Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1932." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume Six, 1920-1940, p. 120. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 2006. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.

Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "Bunker Hill History." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, p. 123. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.