MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM 1869 – 1875
Compiled by Bob Marshall
In 1869, a small steamboat, designed for excursions and picnic purposes plied Skunk River between Faulkner’s Ferry and Oakland Mills and back. Mississippi River please take notice – The Skunk River should have a Commercial Convention. July 11th notes that a party of 50 used these facilities, making the trip in two hours.
AD – October 1869 – A NEW STEAMBOAT ON SKUNK RIVER
Faulkner’s Steamboat, the “River Queen” is now in running order and will run for parties any day of the week. [Sundays excepted]
1873 – E.L. Penn was sporting a new Phaeton.
1874 – Root Beer made its first appearance in Mt. Pleasant, labeled as the Great Boston Temperance Drink, and was on sale at Marsh’s Drug Store.
1874 – Dried buffalo meat was on sale in Mt. Pleasant.
July 23, 1874 – An ordinance was introduced by Dr. Lyon to prohibit cattle running loose. Placards around the public square was also prohibited.
1875 – SPELLING BEE –
Spelling Bee held at Union Hall, Captains were: E.A. Vancise, Mr. Babb, Mr. Leach, Mrs. Allie Babb – Pronunciators: Capt. Brooks, Dr. Chas. March, Miss Vantress, and Mrs. Mansfield. Umpires: Prof. Cozier and Miss Sue Sutton.
1875 - SPRING IS HERE
Playing marbles for keeps has broken out to an alarming extent among the juveniles of the town. Ring Marble likewise has its votaries and “you fudged”, “Liner, my two shoots”, “Fat and go Dead”, “Hard From Taw” is what we hear from our window just before we go down for dinner.
ICE WAR IN HENRY COUNTY – O.J. Gimble asserts that his competitor, who is advertising clean ice, cut it from a pond near Forest Home Cemetery and it contains tobacco spit, but that he has a supply of crystal clear ice. Thereupon, M.W. Farber contends that he will offer $5.00 a pound to Mr. Gimble for all the tobacco he can find in Farber’s Ice, because Farber contends his ice comes from a reservoir of spring water, not through filth, maggots and rotten frogs. [Note: Ice went down to $.50 per hundred weight!].
1873 - $21,333.00 was taken in by the County Treasurer on the last day of February, the largest amount in any one day. It took five persons to make receipts and receive money.
Transcribed by Pat Ryan White for Henry County IAGenWeb, December 2018.