I spent my barefoot childhood in Lewistown, 5 miles from the Spoon. Nevertheless, as children do get around, I was taught to fear the Spoon. I was cautioned that this innocent looking little stream was full of sinkholes, snags and whirlpools and many people had drowned in the Spoon. It worked, to this day the closest I have come to the Spoon is the fishhouse at Bernadotte. I also remember standing with a cousin somewhere in the countryside watching the Spoon rise. It was coming so fast you could see it. It was quite close when we got in his vehicle and scooted away. I also remember admiring someone's 40 lb catfish, about a yard long, caught in the Spoon. There has long been talk of damming the Spoon. I understand the benefits of flood control, but I would hate to see them kill this wild little stream ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kay Easley" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 8:03 PM Subject: [ILFULTON] Re:Spoon River memories > Like Pj, I didn't grow up in Fulton County, but in my early childhood, my grandparents lived near Avon when Grandpa worked for Lloyd Luper as a farm hand, so I do have a few memories of Spoon River, though most were made in my adult life. I remember going fishing with Grandpa and my Dad in Spoon River, I think near Ellisville, when Grandpa went to visit his first cousin, Flora (Laswell) and her husband, Chester (Chet) Reed. I remember standing on an old tractor and hanging on to the back of the seat while Dad drove it across an old wooden bridge which crossed Spoon River. I could look between the boards and see the muddy river flowing silently by below us. Grandpa lost his bobber and went hurrying down along the river bank trying to catch up with it and retrieve it. I doubt that he was successful. I would spend weeks at a time with my grandparents and aunts, my Mom was the oldest of 7 girls, so three of my aunts and I were very close in age. The two girls just older tha! > n I am tried to convince me that the holes in the bank of the stream that ran through the pasture at Luper's were alligator holes. I wasn't very old, I'm not sure that I was old enough to be in school, but I was determined to prove them wrong. I whipped off my tee shirt and proceeded to catch one of those "alligators."! I got bit for my trouble, but I managed to hold on to that little striped ground squirrel until we got to the house and found a cage for it. Grandpa had other ideas about us keeping it as a pet, however, and we had to let it go. When I was a student at Robert Morris College in Carthage, the school sponsored a canoe trip on Spoon River. The river was a little high, as it had rained quite a bit that spring, but we boarded our rented canoes at Seville, and floated down the river to Bernadotte, where our trip ended. Good thing too, since the dam is right there and the water was really roaring over it. It was such a peaceful trip, very little sound except the ! > voices of the girls in the other canoes. One of my favorite places to pass through is the Spoon River valley on Route 95. It is such a beautiful sight to look out across the valley when you crest the hill on the west side of the valley and start down it. Spring and fall are the prettiest seasons. Mt. Pisgah has a beautiful view, also. These are just some of my special memories. > Kay > > > ==== ILFULTON Mailing List ==== > To post a message (regardless of "mail" or "digest" mode) > to the ILFULTON list just send it to [email protected] > > > >

how about the southern bar-b-que for the old timers, and ice skating on the iced over tennis courts? sallyann harwick freeman

Hi, Does anyone remember a little hot dog stand on a side street downtown? We used to stop after school and have one or two hot dogs, (or coney dogs), and a bag of kitchen cooked potato chips. Only Emos in Peoria has coney dogs that tasted that good! Remember going to Hechts for all the "in" clothes? Not that most of us could afford them. And I remember the thrill of going with my Grandmother to Knepps on the corner of the square. To me, it seemed huge, with the department store bells ringing and the second floor! Wow. And do I ever miss the old John Dean School and beautiful Miss Thixtun who taught first grade. Miss Tostenrud taught 3rd grade, and I believe Miss O'neil taught second or fourth grade. And best of all, I remember the noon whistle blowing at International Harvester. A reassuring sound if ever there was one. It meant lunchtime and all the world was safe. Judi Goodwin

On the date below I sent this query. Is there some reason its not been posted? ----- Original Message ----- From: Alice J Pike To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 1:07 PM Subject: Fw: Re:Mystery Death Hello, I am searching for further information on the death of my greatuncle Lebert Dean. He was living and working in Fulton Co. and died in his boarding house in Canton. We've heard two different stories, One--He was involved in a stabbing. Two--He committed suicide by drinking poison. Could someone help us clear up a family mystery and do a LOOK -UP In the local paper ? His date of death was Sunday Oct. 18, 1903. Thanks a lot, Alice

Not strictly genealogy I guess, but just as a matter of interest, since the Maid-Rite Restaurant subject came up, there are two in Burlington, IA and one in Galesburg, IL that I know of. The one in Burlington is very popular and quite busy. - Marna - ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 5:38 AM Subject: Re: [ILFULTON] Spoon River Memories > Five years ago there were two locations in Peoria, and one location > in Pekin where the Maid-Rite sandwhich was sold. I believe one is > still open. > > Historically speaking, I think it's interesting that Steak& Shake > grew while the Maid-Rite faded. Corporate ownership does make a > difference. > > Pj > > > > ==== ILFULTON Mailing List ==== > To switch from "DIGEST" Mode (mail arrives in batches of 25 max) > to "MAIL" Mode (each message arrives singly) > First subscribe to Mail Mode, then unsubscribe from Digest Mode > >

Like Pj, I didn't grow up in Fulton County, but in my early childhood, my grandparents lived near Avon when Grandpa worked for Lloyd Luper as a farm hand, so I do have a few memories of Spoon River, though most were made in my adult life. I remember going fishing with Grandpa and my Dad in Spoon River, I think near Ellisville, when Grandpa went to visit his first cousin, Flora (Laswell) and her husband, Chester (Chet) Reed. I remember standing on an old tractor and hanging on to the back of the seat while Dad drove it across an old wooden bridge which crossed Spoon River. I could look between the boards and see the muddy river flowing silently by below us. Grandpa lost his bobber and went hurrying down along the river bank trying to catch up with it and retrieve it. I doubt that he was successful. I would spend weeks at a time with my grandparents and aunts, my Mom was the oldest of 7 girls, so three of my aunts and I were very close in age. The two girls just older tha! n I am tried to convince me that the holes in the bank of the stream that ran through the pasture at Luper's were alligator holes. I wasn't very old, I'm not sure that I was old enough to be in school, but I was determined to prove them wrong. I whipped off my tee shirt and proceeded to catch one of those "alligators."! I got bit for my trouble, but I managed to hold on to that little striped ground squirrel until we got to the house and found a cage for it. Grandpa had other ideas about us keeping it as a pet, however, and we had to let it go. When I was a student at Robert Morris College in Carthage, the school sponsored a canoe trip on Spoon River. The river was a little high, as it had rained quite a bit that spring, but we boarded our rented canoes at Seville, and floated down the river to Bernadotte, where our trip ended. Good thing too, since the dam is right there and the water was really roaring over it. It was such a peaceful trip, very little sound except the ! voices of the girls in the other canoes. One of my favorite places to pass through is the Spoon River valley on Route 95. It is such a beautiful sight to look out across the valley when you crest the hill on the west side of the valley and start down it. Spring and fall are the prettiest seasons. Mt. Pisgah has a beautiful view, also. These are just some of my special memories. Kay

Five years ago there were two locations in Peoria, and one location in Pekin where the Maid-Rite sandwhich was sold. I believe one is still open. Historically speaking, I think it's interesting that Steak& Shake grew while the Maid-Rite faded. Corporate ownership does make a difference. Pj

PJ made me really hungry when he mentioned Maid-Rite sandwiches in Canton! Does anyone remember Katie & Torie Petrovich and their little grocery store at the north end of town? There was always a small bag of penny candy given to the young children who visited there. Although Katie & Torie had no children, their house was always filled with young people doing their homework in the kitchen, or when weather permitted, on the front porch. There was a place in their grocery store for the school pictures of all "their kids". There are no grocery stores like that anymore. The A&W and the Dog n Suds Ice skating on the tennis courts the roller-skating rink Sebree & Senn-Soldwedel Dairies The old Parlin Library Driving 'round and 'round the square Princess & Garden Theatres Kresge's & Newberry's dime stores Southern Bar-B-Que...I remember when I was finally old enough to be allowed to go there after ballgames. Life-lesson learned there: Mrs. Roberts, my 7th grade English teacher, taught me a lesson I'll never forget. She said knowing all the answers wasn't required of anyone. The important part of being educated was to learn where to find the answers. Miss Coty, my sophomore English teacher forced me to lose my fear of speaking in front of others by making me stand by my desk to respond to questions. She also made us memorize 2 speeches from "Julius Ceasar" and deliver them from the podium in the auditorium. Both lessons have served me well! Although I grew up in Canton, my ancestors are not from there. My Fulton Co. roots are from the Astoria-Vermont area. LouAnn

----- Original Message ----- From: "TINA REED" <[email protected]> Hi Ginny, Is this your Oliver DEAN and family? ****************************** Thank you Tina! You've given me much to work on. This just *may* be rellies of Oliver DEAN and Jennie (MITCHELL) DEAN, m. 15 May, 1884 in Knox Co. In Greenwood Cem. I found stones for a "Jennie" et al DEAN's, but the dates were a bit off. Now, will compare my stone photos with the census you sent. Not finding Oliver DEAN's death on IL. Death Index makes me think he *may* have d. before 1916. (Reason for little ' Richard' to be living in another household?) Finding a Death Cert. , again, *may* lead me to some children's names. I really appreciate all this!!!!!! Yours, ginny in WI. **************************************************************************** ************* 1920 census Fulton County IL. St David Villiage Buckheart Twp. > #14 A > > #264 DEAN,Oliver 45 Eng. Eng. Eng. miner coal mine > > 1930 census Peoria County, Peoria City first ward pt.7 > ED-72-30 sh.5 B > > Oliver DEAN 55 Eng. Eng. Eng. miner coal mine

> an Oliver DEAN died Feb 27, 1949 in Cook County per the Illinois Death Index > Which of the Jenkins girls did he marry? > Lyde ________________________ He m. Jennie MITCHELL on 5 May, 1884 in Knox Co. 00F/0104 00007078(license #). ************************ I find THREE Jennie MITCHELL's dying in Cook Co., in the same towns where her sisters, Agnes who m. Fred S. DUNBAR, and Belle who m. Loren DUNBAR, died. If Oliver DEAN d. before 1916 then that may be the reason I don't find him on the IL. Death Index. ********************************* There was an Oliver Dean who m. Susan Shepler in Cook Co. in 1893. That may be the death of same fellow you listed (above)? Thank you Lyde, ginny in Horicon, WI

You meant Seville, not Seaville, right? And by the way, where is/was White's Ferry? And of course you forgot to mention... Little Giants Ellisville Monster Lane Tempo parking lot The "Overall Factory" Dunfermline / St. David / Bryant B.S.A. Creve Coeur Council (now W.D. Boyce Council) Camp Wilderness Louie's Drive-In Restaurant Gilcrest Drive-In Theater (or was it Hillcrest?) Capitol Theatre Norris, Illinois (The town of Norris is north of Canton, but Norris Farms is south of Canton! Named for the same person, I wonder?) Italian Village Drive-through packaged liquor stores Tony's fruitstand Dog n' Suds restaurant Who's got more? --- TINA REED <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Listers, The list is working just fine. I have > received several messages > on and off the list. Seems everyone has been a > little preoccupied with > current events and we all know what time of year it > is.(taxes) > With every thing going on I thought it might be > fun and informative to our > listers to take a trip down memory lane in Spoon > River Country. > This is a list of some of my memories from Fulton > County. :) > I hope it brings back a memory or two and please > feel free to add your > own....... > Murphy Blacktop > 7 Hills > Checkrow > Pole Cat > Cuba-Canton Blacktop > Midway > Teddy Bear Junction > We-Ma-Tuck Hills > Spoon River Colledge "Spoon" > Boden's Amusements > Soldier's and Sailor's Reunion > Day and Palin's > Marietta Fish Fry > The Hero Building > MSD > Truax Mines > Norris Farms > Little America > Breeds > Cuba Cardnials and Valley Vikings(Fairview) now > called the North Fulton > Wildcats > Midland Coal Company > Western (WIU) > Seaville > Spoon River Scenic Drive > Red Brick School > Turkey Creek > Buckheart Station > International Harvester > Big Creek Park > Rt.9 > Seen the Buffalo? > Seen the Lama's? > Wild Boar Hunt > Mt. Piscah > Dickson Mounds > White's Ferry > Banner Marsh > Sandhill > Camp Ellis > Fairview Farmer's Elevator > Canton Square > Cuba Square > Putt Creek Hill > Putt Creek Park > Corn and Soybeans (planting and harvesting) > > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months > FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus > > > ==== ILFULTON Mailing List ==== > To post a message (regardless of "mail" or "digest" > mode) > to the ILFULTON list just send it to > [email protected] > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - File online, calculators, forms, and more http://tax.yahoo.com

I never lived in Fulton County and didn't visit much, so my memories are few. I was over on Maple Street in Canton visiting when a tornado struck. It left a mile wide path and the city in a mess. To hear TV reporters tell it, the storm demolished 50% of Fulton County. It didn't, but I think IH had a lot of damage that year. The thing that amazed me the most was that the hospital was fine - and they had power! About 35 years ago I used to hang out at the home of Hobe and Anna Berry. They lived in Canton not too far from the old Kentucky Fried Chicken building. I don't even remember the route number that ran in front of the KFC store, I just remember the street in front of it was as busy then as it was five years ago. We'd all go fishing in one of the old strip mines. Hobe knew where every fish was biting in the county, and what bait to use in which fishin' hole. Annie hated to take fish off the hook and I hated to touch a worm. Hobe had a wicked sense of humor. If Annie and I went along, we used worms - and he'd laugh. She and I invented the original "bait and switch" scheme. She'd "bait" and I'd remove, and then we'd "switch" poles. Sooner or later we'd go back to their house with a mess of fish. Annie was a fine cook and after dinner we'd sit around outside under the old maple tree and play Pitch until it was too dark to see. It was there in that backyard early one cold spring day that Hobe introduced me to a horseradish root and then took me inside and taught me how to make the stuff. They were just old country folks but there wasn't much those two didn't know how to do. I asked Hobe once why he didn't use the garage. "Can't," he said, "It's filled with newspapers. Sure enough, Annie had newspapers stashed away that were at least 50 years old and filled with Fulton County history. I wish I had them now. I remember Clyde Ludlam's grocery store, and Maid-Rite sandwiches in Canton, and the first time my father took me to the Indian burial grounds in Lewistown when I was a little kid. The dig was under a huge canvas tent then. What I remember was the dank smell, darkness. and I was hot. I didn't understand what the fuss was about, but then, my dad was next to me - and not on public display. I remember the first time I ever met my cousin. She was one of the cooks at the school in Smithfield during Spoon River Drive. I wish I could remember the exact recipe for their noodles that was hanging on the wall. The recipe calls for dozens of eggs, tons of flour, gallons of water, a pound of salt and thirteen women with sharp knives. I left the school with dinner that night for four and stopped at Dairy Queen for a late lunch. Next to Day & Palin's porkchop sandwich, which I worship, I like the Lewistown DQ Pork Tendrloin sandwich best. It was one of those hot fall Illinois days and the AC was running. I was reading the newspaper and resting as I had a long day of shopping at the school. I just finished eating when some foolish girl decided to show her friend how her can of "Pepper Spray" worked. It did. It got stuck and the whole place turned to pandemonium. I couldn't believe how fast the manager moved to open doors and help people outside. The cops came, the fire department came, and then came the ambulance. The girl didn't get a ticket, but she got a lecture from the store manager that she will probably never forget. She had single-handedly managed to empty a nearly full building in less than three minutes. Other than my eyes burning a little I had no ill effects. I was one of the lucky ones sitting up front near the cash register. The manager wasn't so lucky. He had a sick employee, and had to close the store for the rest of the day because the stuff was in his AC system. I remember the fresh pressed applecider for sale at the apple orchard on Waterford Road, Don Tron's animated antique lamp shade, and the first time I realized what the term "feed lot" really meant. I'm a city person. I had the windows down and the dog with me that day. She rooted and rubbed her nose on the seat for thirty minutes. It was the only time in my life that I actually wished I had hit a skunk.

The following was found in Missing Links and may be of interest to someone on the list since McDonough County is so close. If you have any questions, please contact Bob whose e-mail address is at the end. I know nothing more and am just forwarding in case it is of interest to someone. Gloria ******** > >Missing Links, Vol. 8, No. 13, 31 March 2003 > > o I have two cabinet cards photographs, about 4" x 6", that I >purchased in an antique shop in Upper Lake, California. I would >be happy to forward them to family. > -- "Flake (Fred) CRAWFORD." The photographer is Seitz, Denver. > -- "Mary Jane KERN, about 22 yrs old." The photographer is >Gaites, Macomb, Illinois. > Bob [email protected]

Hi Ginny, Is this your Oliver DEAN and family? 1920 census Fulton County IL. St David Villiage Buckheart Twp. #14 A #264 DEAN,Oliver 45 Eng. Eng. Eng. miner coal mine Mary 38 Eng. Eng. Eng. Iandora[?] 15 (da.) Eng. Eng. Eng. Pheobe Olive 12 (da.) IL. Eng. Eng. John T. 9 (son) IL. Eng. Eng. Margaret 7 (da.) IL. Eng. Eng. Richard 7(nephew) Il. Eng. Eng. 1930 census Peoria County, Peoria City first ward pt.7 ED-72-30 sh.5 B Oliver DEAN 55 Eng. Eng. Eng. miner coal mine Mary Ann (wife) 48 Eng. Eng. Eng. Pheobe O. (da) 22 IL. Eng. Eng. stenogapher wholesale drugs John T. (son) 19 IL. Eng. Eng. miner coal mine Margaret (da) 17 Il. Eng. Eng. clerk mail order house Richard H. (son) 17 Il. Eng. Eng. office boy Plumbing shop **note 1920 says Richard is nephew, 1930 says he was son**** _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

Ginney - an Oliver DEAN died Feb 27, 1949 in Cook County per the Illinois Death Index Which of the Jenkins girls did he marry? Lyde

List members I enjoyed Tina's memories and hope that more of you will respond, and in detail. The timing is perfect. I'm currently writing a short biography of a man who died in London Mills. In addition to the basic genealogical information, I'm working on placing him, and his descendants, in the larger social and historical context. My father-in-law and his parents were born and raised in the London Mills area. The same is true for some of the people that they uncles and aunts married. When one gets back to the generations of our grandparents and great grandparents, it is especially true. When mom and dad were starting to get serious, he took her to London Mills to meet his family. She was born in Indianapolis and attended college in Evanston, so this was a bit of reverse culture shock! She heard people talking about having to go to Cuba or Mexico in the next few days on business and couldn't figure out how these farmers could afford to visit such far-off places. Only later did she learn that they were referring to the towns and not the countries. Jim

Hi Listers, The list is working just fine. I have received several messages on and off the list. Seems everyone has been a little preoccupied with current events and we all know what time of year it is.(taxes) With every thing going on I thought it might be fun and informative to our listers to take a trip down memory lane in Spoon River Country. This is a list of some of my memories from Fulton County. :) I hope it brings back a memory or two and please feel free to add your own....... Murphy Blacktop 7 Hills Checkrow Pole Cat Cuba-Canton Blacktop Midway Teddy Bear Junction We-Ma-Tuck Hills Spoon River Colledge "Spoon" Boden's Amusements Soldier's and Sailor's Reunion Day and Palin's Marietta Fish Fry The Hero Building MSD Truax Mines Norris Farms Little America Breeds Cuba Cardnials and Valley Vikings(Fairview) now called the North Fulton Wildcats Midland Coal Company Western (WIU) Seaville Spoon River Scenic Drive Red Brick School Turkey Creek Buckheart Station International Harvester Big Creek Park Rt.9 Seen the Buffalo? Seen the Lama's? Wild Boar Hunt Mt. Piscah Dickson Mounds White's Ferry Banner Marsh Sandhill Camp Ellis Fairview Farmer's Elevator Canton Square Cuba Square Putt Creek Hill Putt Creek Park Corn and Soybeans (planting and harvesting) _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus

Four daughters of James and Elizabeth (REED) MITCHELL, (Dunfermline and Canton area), married men named Alexander JENKINS, Loren DUNBAR, Fred DUNBAR, and Oliver DEAN in Knox and Fulton Counties. They all then lived in Fulton Co. for a time. At the Dunfermline Cemetery I took photos of every stone with those names and trying to put them in some order.<:( Are they any relatives, or anyone who may have had a connection to these families? The DUNBAR's all d. in NE Illinois area, nearer Chicago. I cannot find what happened to the DEAN line. Thank You, ginny seaholm Horicon, Wi

Lyde sent me the above on Glenn REED from Volune 16, published by FCHGS. I'd found his stone in Greenwood Cem. next to his parents, James(LAMB) REED and Margaret (MITCHELL) REED with only his name printed on it. Was there any known "bug" or illness that might have been in the community? He may have worked on a farm or in the coal mines? Can I order his death cert. from Fulton Co. Clerk or will I have to wait for 75 yrs. after death? Thank You, ginny seaholm Horicon, WI

Hi Joyce and Everyone, [The following is a question for our whole ILFulton list, so I am forwarding Joyce's query to all of you.] JOYCE KERNS wrote: >Hi Alice, >I am researching the Moorhouse and Hill lines in Fulton Co. I have watched >the 1908 and 1890 biographies for these names and have wondered if they are >my families. How can I find out. >thanks, joyce > > > Joyce, please write us again with more specifics about your families (first names, dates of birth/marriage/death, maiden names, children, parents, townships they lived in, employment, and the like) to the whole list at: [email protected] Hopefully, someone will have some ideas for you about these 2 surnames MOORHOUSE and HILL in Fulton County. Listers, please write your replies regarding MOORHOUSE and HILL directly to Joyce and/or to our ILFulton list in response to this, rather than replying only to me (I'm just forwarding her message to you). Yours, Alice ILGenWeb Fulton County Coordinator and ILFulton List Admin