|
Roanokes Oldest Residents
taken from the "Roanoke Centennial History"
|
|
Frank Huninger(b. 3/5/1880 d. 9/1979), left, and brother Charles (b. 3/24/1873 d. 1/1977),
right. Frank is Roanoke's oldest living resident. Charles is the only person now alive who lived in
the community in 1874. He now resides in Secor.
Frank Hunzinger of rural Roanoke is shown with his brother, Charles Hunzinger of Secor
just before Frank celebrated his 94th birthday anniversary on March 5, 1974. Charles would celebrate his
101st on March 24. The Centennial Farm emblem was presented to Frank in 1972, as this farm belonged to the
Hunzinger family since 1858. At that time Frank's grandfather, Jacob, his wife and children left Alsace,
a province of France, crossed the Atlantic, came up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and disembarked at Springbay.
He purchased 160 acres of this original farm for $10 an acre. A house was built in 1858; and according to
the records of St. John's Lutheran Church of Secor, services were held here and conducted by the Reverend E. Heid,
a Lutheran pastor from Peoria. In 1865, this congregation built the present church in Secor.
In 1965, Frank was honored for 50 years of voluntary service as a crop and livestock
reporter by the Crop Reporting Service of Illinois and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
He attended Belsley School where he carried water, brought in cobs and coal for the fire,
and shoveled snow for the teacher for five cents a week. Pumping water by hand for stock at home was an early
morning chore as well as walking to a farm a mile south and pumping water there. Cheese-making in molds was
another of his home chores. The surplus milk in the spring was converted to cheese. His brother Samuel,
the well-known naturalist and taxidermist, as well as their sister, Emma, also lived at this farm with him.
Samuel did his first hunting and nature studies in Michigan. He spent his winters
in Winterhaven, Florida, where he built a cottage in 1914. Many of the 120 species of snakes that he mounted
flat on felt were found here. Among his largest are the diamond-back rattlers.
He was fascinated on his trips to the Everglade region and one of his greatest thrills
was bringing back a wild turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner. Night trips were made into the Everglades for
the alligators he caught. These specimens were either mounted or the skins were tanned. Samuel died
in 1957 and left his large collection to his brother. Plans are being made to build a museum in the Roanoke
Park District to display this collection.
|
Edwin Massey Cox Family, 1914
Back row: William (Winnie Cox) and Edwin Cox
Front row: Litta (Cox) Winkler, Mrs. William Cox, Litta (Mrs. William Darnell),
Glady's (Darnell) Grob, Barbara (Mrs. Edwin Cox)
Edwin Massey Cox watched the railroad stakes set for the first rails built in Roanoke. He was born in Agusta
County, Virginia, and came to Roanoke in 1872 when he was 20 years old. In 1880 he married Miss Barbara Ellen
Fauber, a daughter of the David Fauber pioneer family.
Cox was a carpenter by trade and built many of the barns and buildings of various types in the area.
He also served in the capacity of village clerk for many years, justice of the peace, and a member of the village
council.
His son, William, known as "Winnie" was custodian of the grade school for 34 years.
He used to recount stories of finding pupils in the closets of the class rooms. It seems that this was one
form of punishment used. Although the closets were not locked, the teacher in charge had forgotten to dismiss
the pupil.
Edward Earl Cox, living on lots platted at the time of the original surveying of the Fauber Addition,
is a grandson of Edwin M. Cox and a son of William.
|
|
Letter written to T. P. Pettigrew, by Charles F. Yeck,
then editor of the Roanoke Post at the time of Roanoke's Golden Anniversary,
July 1924.
When I came to Roanoke in March of 1889, the population was less than 700. There was only one
house in the Goetzinger addition. It is the one now occupied by G. H. Williams. In the Fauber addition
there were four homes, the old Salathe place, Allen McCord's place, the house occupied by Joe Amigoni and formerly
owned by Samuel Hurtin and F. F. Full residence. W. T. Gish completed the residence that summer now occupied
by Jacob Sand. The next residence was built by John Pettigrew. There were no buildings in Kennell or
Herbst additions. During the years of 1890-1894 there was quite a building boom. On the south side
of Front St. from the bridge east, there were only three residences, E. D. Fauber, Kindigs and Lemons places.
There was only one brick mercantile building, the one now occupied by Jacob Sand and the Roanoke Post. The
Roanoke Hardware building was built in 1889. The dirt removed from excavating for this building was hauled
to lots now occupied by J. B. Snyder and Benj Fehr. During a heavy rain a regular pond always formed extending
north and east to the opera house.
As I remember the town as it was 35 years ago, and that the 4th of July was celebrated each and every
year without fail, it brings to mind the men who were the instigators or boosters of the different celebrations.
I will mention one man who was not only an ideal citizen, but who was a loyal to a town of Roanoke as any man could
be - a man who gave his time and freely of his money. I refer to our late friend and fellow citizen, Timothy
Collins. He was a pioneer in uplifting and infusing patriotism in the Young American. You often hear
the question asked "What is getting to be the matter with this old town," when the fact is, it is not
the town at all, but the people who live here.
Lest you forget, I want to remind you that for the past 35 years Roanoke has always had a band, and
a good one, with the exception perhaps three or four years ago.
As I do not wish to occupy too much space, I will say that I did not take much interest or part in politics
until the year following my arrival here. At that time the town was strongly democratic and in 1892 at the
presidential election the vote stood Cleveland 200 and Harrison 40. It was planned to hold a jollification
meeting after the election that fall, the principal feature of which was to be a barbecue. The arrangements
were made and everything in readiness but the day opened with a nice gentle rain which developed into a downpour
followed by snow, sleet and a cold wave. The meat for the barbeque was roasted by Andrew Rapp and Albert
Thommen. We were also to have a bon fire that night. The wood, over 40 loads, having been secured in
the timber and hauled to the site where the pile of shale now stands or what is commonly known as the Jumbo.
Besides the 40 loads of wood there were some 25-30 tar and oil barrels and a large log about four feet through
and 20 feet long. This immense log was place on end, being sunk several feet in the ground so there was no
danger of it falling. Grover Cleveland and a few other notables were invited to attend this gratification
meeting, but the weather spoiled it all. A week or ten days later the bon fire was started on evening and
Thomas Kennedy, who at that time was a promising young lawyer, delivered an address.
At the general election for congressmen, state and county officers in the fall of 1894, both Republicans
and Democrats met in a frame building where the Nauman restaurant now stands for the purpose of receiving the election
returns. The old building was full of men and the returns showed that the Republicans were carrying everything
all over the country. The Republicans were naturally jubilant; in fact they danced and whooped like a bunch
of Indians, while the Democrats soon got dry or something and gradually left the building. When they did
so the Republicans would try and call them back, saying there goes Weaver or Fisher or who ever it might be and
then let out another yell. The crowd of Democrats had dwindled down to Pat O'Brien and myself. I was
close to the door waiting my chance to slip out unseen, when Pat came over to me and said he didn't believe the
returns were true. He was as mad as a hornet and asked me if he should take a poke at them. I told
him, no, let them have a good time while they can. Pat said the Democrats ain't beat until the votes are
counted and he would be durned if he'd be satisfied until the following morning any way.
The Australian ballot law was given us the following year. We had schools of instructions to educate
us how to properly mark the ballot.
In the year 1889, the men who worked in the mine were composed of Scotch, English, German and Irish,
there being only a few French and Italian. During the four years following there was a large number of French
and Italian who came here to work in the mine.
|
The Carl Schlomers
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schlomer, who moved to Roanoke from a farm in 1966, are two of Roanoke's
older retired citizens. Carl Schlomer born in 1884 in Benson, is 90 years old. He married Minnie Rients
in 1910. They have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. She was born in Benson in 1887.
He farmed for 62 years before he retired, 37 years on a from two miles north of Roanoke. They are members
of Trinity Lutheran Church in Roanoke.
Mrs. Schlomers sister, Gertrude Stunkel, was born before Trinity congregation was organized.
She is 106 years old and came to the 100th anniversary celebration of the church in 1971. She had been a
member of the church for 23 years. She lives in Rockford at the present time.
Mrs. Gertrude Stunkel of Rockford and Mrs. Minnie Schlomer at Trinity Lutheran Church
100th Anniversary Celebration in 1971
|
|
