JCHS’s quarterly dinner and meeting will be

held Tuesday, March 10 at the Schweinfurth

Museum in the Village.

The program will be a discussion by Larry

Periman about the Civil War letters that were

discovered in a barn by his great-great

grandfather, Adam Bingaman. Mr. Periman is

a Civil War buff who has visited many

battlefields and other historical sites. Based

on these letters, Mr. Periman has published a

volume titled “The Bingaman Civil War Letters.”

Copies of his book will be available for

purchase. He is a member of the Jefferson

County Historical Society.

As always, the public is invited to attend, either

for the meal at 6:30, or for the program that

follows. We need reservations for the meal by

Friday, March 6. The cost of the dinner is $7

and is payable at the door.

The Annual Chili Luncheon is on Thursday,

February 26th from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm

at the St. Mary Parish Center. Chili or Pork

Tenderloin, Drink and Dessert for $7.00.

Eat-In or Carry Out. We are having a Bake

Sale too! Come out and support this

fundraiser benefiting the Jefferson County

Historical Society!

All chat sessions are held at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month.

The March chat session will be held March17th. March's topic is entitled “Ghost Towns of Jefferson County” will discuss towns that no longer exist and why they disappeared. The April 21st chat session topic is “Farming” to tie into the new 2015 main display and old tools. The May 19th topic is “What was life like before Air Conditioning and Heating.”

Participants may bring articles, photos, or anything else that reminds them of something in the past and tell about it.

Anyone is invited to attend the chat sessions. Registration is not required. Participants do not need to be a member of the Jefferson County Historical Society to attend, or a native of Jefferson County. Chat sessions will continue through May and then resume in September.

JEFFERSONIAN Published by

Jefferson County Historical Society

1411 North 27th Street

Mt. Vernon, IL 62864

618-246-0033

email: jchsvip14@gmail.com

website: www.jchs.mvn.net

Spring Quarterly Meeting

Chat Sessions

with Lucy Baker

Annual Chili Luncheon

SPRING 2015

“Agriculture”

Our New Exhibit

Our new exhibit “Agriculture” features

antique farming equipment. Visit the

Schweinfurth Museum to learn the

way these tools were used to cultivate

and work the land. Pictured above is

Jack White working on one of the

current displays, which features the

outside of a barn and farming tools.

We are in a competition to receive a $5,000 grant through Republic Services. Voting information is on the enclosed flyer.

Please help us spread the word. There are eight applicants and we need to be in the top five to move forward. Thank you!

The “Agriculture” exhibits in the

museum display individual areas of

agriculture in Jefferson County.

These areas are Horses, Dairy, Fruit,

Livestock, Grain, Chicken Raising,

and Barn Tools. Each display will

feature artifacts and pictures depicting

each area of agriculture.

Vote for Us!

Lorem Ipsum

Dennis Stroughmatt The first program of the year opened up with Dennis Stroughmatt’s program Illinois Cajuns, French Canadians, and Louisiana Cajuns. He performed to a crowd of 135 people. He blended an interesting program of entertainment and history. In addition to singing and playing tunes on his fiddle, he explained the difference between the musical styles and the history of why the French came to the Midwest.

Kid’s Valentine Party

On February 8th the Society hosted a Kid’s Valentine Party with the help of Linda Duncan.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement, award winning Illinois folksinger Chris Vallillo performed pivotal songs from the music that inspired and sustained this landmark movement. Intermixed with the music, Vallillo presented first hand accounts of the historic struggle and discussed the impact of this music to our nation’s most important social cause.

Recap of events.

Mr. Robert Knutson, Assistant Principal from Mt.

Vernon Township High School, visited the monthly

board meeting of the Jefferson County Historical

Society on January 15, 2015. He was there to

inform the Society about Mt. Vernon Township

High School’s efforts to digitally archive all of the

Vernois yearbooks. The archives start in 1908 and

go to 2013. The process to archive these yearbooks

is a tedious process. Hannah Wright, a student

worker, carefully dismantles the yearbook pages

and then digitally scans them. Some yearbook

archives may take two yearbooks to complete one

year due to damage, missing pages, or writings.

Jefferson County Historical Society was able to give

Mr. Knutson duplicates of their collection of

MVTHS Vernois yearbooks to help complete the

archive. There are still volumes missing. If you

have any yearbooks to donate, the MVTHS website

has information on which yearbooks are missing.

These archives can be viewed on the Mt. Vernon

Twp. High School webpage.

Just go to www.mvths.org and click the digital

archive tab, then Vernois on the left, then look

for the link in the middle of the page.

This will take you to the publications that are

available. Just click on the year you want to view.

or go to

http://www.mvths.org/vnews/display.v/S

EC/Publications%7CVernois

Knutson instrumental in archiving Mt. Vernon History

Spring 2015

Surprise Visitor George Opdyke III next to the Opdyke Bell

Every now and then life amazes us with an unforgettable moment in time that we will talk about many times over before we tire of the memorable experience. Such a time occurred on Thursday, January 29, 2015 at the Carl Schweinfurth Museum and Interpretive Center. A man and his wife causally walked in the door and introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. George Opdyke III. He is the great-great-great grandson of George Opdyke, the donor of the historical bell on display in the museum. With great excitement, the first thing we did was to explain the history of the Opdyke Bell on display. This was a surprise to Mr. Opdyke and his wife, Valerie who are from Michigan. He told us the family calls the first George Opdyke “The Mayor” because he was the first Republican Mayor of New York City and he also helped elect Lincoln. Contact information was provided allowing us to invite family members to future events. These contacts could help us find out more about the Opdyke family and about George Opdyke being named “The Mayor.”

Thanks to Nanci Irvin for providing information about the visit and to Lucille White for providing the picture.

Chocolate Festival was held on Thursday, December 11th at the Elk’s Lodge. Contest categories included Cakes, Cookies, Brownies, Candy, and Heritage Recipes. Three judges tasted and scored the entries to determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Judges were Brandon Bullard, Mike Beard, and Ron Neibert. This event is an elegant display of desserts in which each person pays $5.00 to sample a plate full of contest entries. A bake sale and silent auction are also held to provide more fundraising income.

Chris Vallillo performed

Saturday, February 21 with Oh

Freedom! The Songs of the Civil Rights Movement.

3

There are a lot of exciting events going on at the Historical Village in the next few months. Please come

out and support the Village by attending these events and programs.

The Star-Spangled Banner and the Struggle that Forged Two Nations by Lee Murdock Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 in the Schweinfurth Museum

The War of 1812 contributed significantly toward defining the identities of the United States and Canada. The many songs composed during the war and its aftermath (including our own national anthem) express a broad range of Native American, white American, British, and Canadian perspectives. They demonstrate that perceptions of war and its repercussions can vary widely, depending on one's experiences of them. Skilled guitarist and singer Lee Murdock performs several of these songs and provides commentary about them based on his extensive research. Molly Brown Portrayal by Sharon Nichols Saturday, March 21 at 2:00 p.m. in the Schweinfurth Museum

Retired teacher and Jefferson County Historical Society member Sharon Nichols will provide a lively portrayal of Molly Brown, who survived the Titanic in 1912. Afternoon Tea Saturday, April 18 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. $12.00 for Jefferson County Historical Society Members and $15.00 for non-members.

This event will be an elegant, relaxed experience. In addition to a selection of teas and coffee, an abundance of finger sandwiches, sweets and scones will be served. All proceeds raised from this event will go towards programming and upkeep at the Jefferson County Historical Village. To make reservations, purchase a ticket, or for more information, call the Historical Society office at 618-246-0033. The Sinking of the Lusitania by Barbara Kay Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Schweinfurth Museum

Hear about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania from the perspective of one of the survivors. Although this event didn't lead immediately to the US entering World War I it was one of the factors leading into the United States’ involvement. Returning performer Barbara Kay will provide an engaging performance that will educate the audience about this event and its consequences. Jefferson County Historical Village & Museum Opening Weekend Saturday, May 2 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday May 3 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

The Jefferson County Historical Village and Museum will open for the 2015 season. Each weekend through October the Village and Museum are open for guided tours.

Southern Illinois Music by Bill Reynolds Saturday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. in the Schweinfurth Museum

Local musician, music educator, Jefferson County Historical Society member Bill Reynolds, will lead the audience through a historical journey of music in southern Illinois dating back to the Civil War. In 2004, Mr. Reynolds was the person instrumental in the revival of the Independence Silver Band.

Polly Launay Violin Concert Friday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Schweinfurth Museum

Local violinist, Polly Launay, will delight the audience with a variety of musical selections including Cole Porter and George Gershwin.

UPCOMING EVENTS

NEW OFFICERS FOR 2015 President – Nancy Sodders Moved from Vice-President to President Vice-President – Sharon Francois Moved from President to Vice-President Secretary – Linda Duncan Remains as Secretary Treasurer – Kirby Dixon Replaced Joe Ashbrook as Treasurer

Elected by Members at the December 2014 Quarterly Meeting and Dinner.

Thank you to these officers who volunteer their time to run this non-profit organization.

Spring 2015

NEW MEMBERS AND MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Thank you to the following individuals who either renewed their membership

or joined the Historical Society for the first time (* denotes new members)

Everett Atkinson * Jack & Joan Flood * Richard & Carole Keegan Jim & Karen Rozycki

Cornelius & Betty Bergbower Dorothy Folsom * Paul & Roberta Lynch Robert& Dorothy Schalter

Floyd & Sharon Breeze Tom & Sharon Francois Richard Martin Gary & Karen Simmons

Dr. Rebecca Brewer Anne Garrison Ralph McTall Earl Spohr

Paul & Wilma Cross Rodney & Susie Gowler Maxine Modert Meyers Eugene & Cathy Stanford

Hebert & Barbara Dare

Wilbur & Vivian Haley James & Cynthia Montgomery Dorothy Tindle

Jo DeWitt Jerry & Joyce Harpole Tom & Diana Newton Michael & Brenda Warren

Mich Betty Dowell Helen Hassakis Gail Parr Carl & Elizabeth Wilson

Phyllis Dykes Thomas & Wanda Hopkins Jerry & Carol Ritchey Steve & Sharon Yearwood

Norma Fairchild John & Ann Howard Margaret Roderick

Jerry & Bonnie Farthing Edwin & Wilma Karcher Barbara Ross

 If  you  are  uncertain  the  month  your  membership  expires,  feel  free  to  call  the  office.    We  will  be  glad  to  help  you.      

PRINTED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES

SHARON FRANCOIS’ FINAL PRESIDENT’S LETTER, HISTORICAL INFORMATION FROM JOE ASHBROOK,

UPCOMING EVENTS ALONG WITH THE REPUBLIC GRANT VOTING INFORMATION

My name is Joan Flood and I am the new Director of Community Relations. I am definitely excited about the position and I am looking forward to promoting awareness of the Jefferson County Historical Society. There is a lot to learn but I am ready to take on the challenge. I appreciate the opportunity and trust the Society is giving me to do this job. I look forward to meeting all of you! Please mail or email me any information or story that you would like to submit in this newsletter.

Returning Board Members –Jerry Clemens and Kathleen McMurrin

New Board Members – Joe Ashbrook, Carol Ritchey, and Lucille White

BRICK ORDERS

This would be a great time to order new or additional bricks for summer delivery for the Village’s “Walk of Fame” brick path. Bricks can be ordered to honor a person or organization or as a memorial to a loved one. Call the office at 246-0033 for more details or for an order form.