USA > Illinois > Adams County > Liberty > This is Liberty Illinois : a history of the village of Liberty Adams County, Illinois > Part 4
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In 1913, new quarters appearing to be necessary, the directors decided to erect a new building with the bank on the first floor and a community auditorium on the second floor.
The new building was occupied on January 1, 1914.
In 1916 the Liberty Bank opened a branch in Beverly, Illinois. This venture proved to be unsuccessful.
On March 29, 1920, Steven Law less was killed. He was succeeded byhis wife, Anna, in the Liberty Bank. Mrs. Lawless had been assistant cashier of the operation from 1905 until 1907. In that same year, 1920, the bank again became a State bank.
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THIS IS LIBERTY
In recent years the Farmer's Bank of Liberty has prospered. It now enjoys the position of being one of the few surviving small banks in Adams County. Earl Sims was an able cashier until his election to Adams County Treasurer in 1958. At that time Raymond Longlett was named the bank's cashier, and in 1963, he is ably assisted by Mrs. Ruth Walker, assistant cashier.
- Newspaper -
As stated earlier the Commercial Club of Liber- ty in the early 1900's sought a newspaper editor and printer. The village had had several publications before this. In the early 1890's a publication called the Liber- ty Herald had served the community. In the latter part of that decade, the Liberty Bell came into existence. In October, 1895, R. L. Anderson was publisher-editor of a paper which contained local advertising and news on pre-printed sheets which contained much general in- formation. In 1897 Hilland Searswere the listed editor- publishers of the local press.
From what we have been able to ascertain, due to mailing irregularities, the Post Office Department of the United States withdrew the mailing permit and the paper collapsed.
Since each surrounding village, Plainville, Pay- son, Camp Point had a weekly publication, Liberty was indeed at a disadvantage. It is no small wonder that
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CHAPTER 9
THE BELL
The Liberty Bell.
A Live Local, Independent, Weekly Newspaper
VOL. .. LIBERTY. ILLINOIS, THURSDAY APRIL 23, 1896,
No. 30.
Must Sell Quick!
This is the Reason why Wine are
Storms
Grand Opere Lhes Gorts And Milliny
JOSEPH BROS. & DAVIDSON
NOTE A FEW PRICES ..
JOSEPH BROS, & DAVIDSON, Cum UL
Grand Reduction Sale1
MARTIN'S
Every customer re-
purchasing pour bil
Martin's
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THIS IS LIBERTY
THE LIBERTY BEE
VOLUME 7.
LIBERTY ILL., THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1919.
NUMBER 39.
OUR MOTTO;
Ya nacis, and wirte properly to the ad- santagy of ar pestrous.
--------
THE FARMERS BANK LIBERTY, ILL.
STEVEN G, LAWLESS, Casšies,
John Deereand IHO Riding and Walking Cultivators
R IMPLEMENT CO.
Swat the Bugs!
Varix linde of onall versien cause kes Beckssgs xxxkmaches spiders wenns
Menace Your Health
WILL MOET JOLT STO
Mercer Drug Co.
Our Daily Passenger & Package Service
Interurban R. R. Uns H und he convinced
Iske Spanging
WE
Are Headquarters
for EVERYTHING POND BROS.
ASSESSMENT BOLL
--------
FREIGHT LINER And Parcels
Enoch Swisher
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------*
CHAPTER 9 civic-minded business men sought to remedy this situation.
The gentleman who answered the call to the satisfaction of the callers was W. A. Robinson. He served the community long and well from 1912 when he began the publication of the Liberty Bee. He became the voice of Liberty's progress and, despite the back- breaking task of weekly publication, was active in communityaffairs. The hand set type gave way to newer methods of printing.
The depression years were survived by the paper despite the lack of advertising and the fact that sub- scriptions were often paid for with farm produce. A dedicated man did not let even the elements cause him to temporarily fail to publish the weekly "Bee." This is pointed up by the January 14, 1937, edition of the paper which was only an eight by ten inches in size, hand set. The reason for this miniature was a winter storm which had disrupted electric service for a week.
With the close of the second World War, Robert Ehlert of Michigan became editor of the Liberty Bee. An ambitious man, whose wife, Bee, lent personality and talent to the venture, he helped to revive interest in the paper. In 1955 he sold the paper to W. N. and Merle D. Hartsfield, who operated it until June, 1962.
Our pleasure in the people and the community led to the writing of this volume.
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THIS IS LIBERTY
Now, in 1963, the Liberty Bee is owned and operated by Mrs. Flora Brown.
- Restaurants -
Places for the visitor or the resident to eat have always been an essential to a trade center. Liberty's early hotels provided meals for many years. As the need for sleeping accommodations became less, businesses with the sole purpose of serving meals became more evident. The Noftz Restaurant is one well remembered by most old timers, and it was in operation for at least twenty years. Others have opened, served the public for awhile, and then closed.
As this is written, the village of Liberty has not a single public eating facility within her corporate lim- its. Several good country cafes are enjoying the bene- fits of our modern speed, for within minutes they can be reached byauto from the village. Thus these nearby cafes are serving the town as once did the village restaurant.
One of the names on the business register has remained there for the past four generations. That name is Pond. The first Pond, G. P., came to the Liberty area in 1848. He was recorded as a farmer in the 1870 Adams County Atlas.
His sons and daughters became more commerce- minded. One daughter, Laura, married Oliver Collins,
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a Liberty tradesman. A son, George Philip, was engaged in various phases of marketing in early Liberty. On September 17, 1898, he sold his store to his sons, Ed- mond, William and Albert.
A few years later Edmond purchased the business from his brothers and became sole owner of the thriving general store. In 1896, he married Helen Breckenridge, whose family owned the hotel, and his son, Elmo, was born in 1907. In 1928 Elmo joined his father in the mer- cantile business.
This type of business relationship is still in oper- ation. Although the general store, where the needs of the entire family was met, has given way to a modern supermarket, the Pond family still retains proprietorship. Elmo Pond is now in partnership with his son, Wayne.
Wayne Pond and his wife, the former Carolyn Dittmer, have two young sons. This family business re- lationship can proceed for at least another generation.
Liberty's present businesses include appliance, hardware, grocery stores, barber and beauty shops, gar- ages, the bank, newspaper and a coin laundry. Dress making and general repair services are still offered by local entrepreneurs.
One of the more thriving businesses in Liberty today is also one of the most recent in origin. This is
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THIS IS LIBERTY
the Liberty Feed Mill, where livestock feed is ground and mixed for commercial use.
This feed was once handled by the general store. As marketing became more specialized, small stores which handled feed prepared by large manufacturers handled this for the farmer. Some farm equipment dealers sold livestock feed as a complimentary line.
In the late 1950's Earl and John Kroencke, brothers and successful local farmers, decided there was a need for specialization in the livestock feed production.
They built a mill on South Street, got a franchise to handle Ralston Purina products and set out to serve the farmer to his specifications. Their decision has proved prudent.
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CHAPTER 10
CIVIC DEVELOPMENT
- Roads .-
At Liberty's beginning a trail made the site of the village advantageous to the merchants locating here. As Adams County became settled with more villages, trails were cut between these settlements. A main trail became a road leading to Quincy and the Mississippi River. The road between Liberty and Quincy was called the White Star Trail.
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, when the railroads were criss-crossing the country, Liberty hoped that one might go through the village. In 1892 meetings were held between the villagers and the rail- road people. Since Liberty was not on a direct route, the railroad offered to run trains to the village if the people would construct the tract. This seemed unreason- able to the thrifty villagers; thus they were never con- nected to a railroad line.
As long as the horse was the power for transpor- tation, the trails between towns seemed adequate. How- ever, once the automobile was recognized as the perm- anent method for conveying people and merchandise, many of the existing roads were found lacking.
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THIS IS LIBERTY
In 1913 Dr. W. E. Mercer of Liberty's Commer- cial Club attended a Road Meeting in Springfield. He was the only representative from western Illinois.
The Liberty to Quincy White Star Trail or State Street Road, as it came to be called, was the first road selected to be improved under the Tice Road Law.
Having missed the railroad, Liberty was most conscious of having good roads in and out of the village. L. S. Boyer of Liberty was County Road Superintendent for many years.
By 1926 there was talk of a state highway going from Springfield to Quincy. Liberty felt that this road must not by-pass the village. Good road meetings were held in various towns and Liberty was always represented. Then the final road was laid out - Route 105 was to run down the main street of the village. Later the number was changed to State Road 104.
The rural roads into Liberty have been kept in fair condition. The need for roads passable to school buses and farm trucks has kept the issue ever before the public. In the late 1950's a wide black-top road replaced the narrow trail connecting Liberty to her neighbor , Richfield. This link made a trip from Liberty to Hannibal much easier by using the black-topped farm roads from Liberty to Rich- field, to Payson to Fall Creek, thence to Hannibal.
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Fire Department
As more passable roads were constructed in the area, the feasibility of a fire department to serve the vil- lage and the rural homesteads became a reality.
The village had a couple of manually operated pieces of fire fighting equipment. This had to be pulled to the site of the fire; thus was of use in the village but could not serve the nearby farms. Delbert Linnemeyer and Harold Hofmeister were the two early fire chiefs for the village.
Fire has ever been the terror of the farmer who alone cannot cope with the blaze, the wind and the tin- der-like buildings of most farmsteads. In the late 1940's there was hope that in the Liberty area there would be some fire protection.
An election was held on March 23, 1948, for the formation of a Liberty Fire Protection District. The district included all of Liberty township and portions of Gilmer, Columbus, McGee, Richfield, Beverly and Burton townships.
Alva Lierle, Ed Tenhouse and Walter Hofmeister were the first directors of Liberty Fire District. Roy Linnemeyer was the first Fire Chief and he served in this capacity for ten years. The firemen are volunteers who leave their activities and hasten to the conf lagration.
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THIS IS LIBERTY
A building to house the fire equipment became a need that was met in 1952. A fire house was built on Park Street just off Columbus where the fire engines and other equipment are kept in readiness.
For the past few years Delbert Lierle has been Fire Chief for the district.
Liberty Park
From the time Liberty was settled until 1960, it was under the governing body of the township structure. In other words, the town was treated as a rural area. In the early days this was, perhaps, advantageous. The streets were maintained under the provisions for the rural areas, the police protection was on a county basis, and the school was set up on a community basis.
The village fathers were very likely using ex- pediency when they did not incorporate the village. It is found that Liberty Park's existence was brought about by the village's unincorporated status.
Lawless and Enlow agreed to sell the Park site for $800.00 and donated $150.00 towards the establish- ment of a park area. Money was raised by solicitations and the ground purchased circa 1913.
Since Libertywas unincorporated, advantage was taken of the State Park Law. The site was made into a township park, governed by three commissioners and supported by taxation.
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Trees, shrubbery and flowers were gradually planted to improve the appearance of the area. William Keller, an early commissioner, worked hard and many of the present trees were planted by him. The Liberty Garden Club in later years has used beautification of the park as part of their yearly projects.
The chain around the park was put there primar- ily as a hitching rack and to keep roving stock from grazing in the park. The granite boulder near the Han- nibal Street entrance into the park is a glacial stone found on the Henry Clark farm. He donated it to the park.
A band stand was erected around 1920. During the depression of the 1930's, a roof was added to the structure as a W. P.A. project. Some landscaping was also done by that group.
In 1958 the Lions Club and other Liberty organ- izations built a shelter in the park. Workmen installed a large cement slab with a roof so that activities need not be affected by inclement weather .
--- Incorporation
From time to time the question of Liberty's in- corporation was strong enough for a vote, but lethergy set in and the election was never held.
The advantages of incorporation became more
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THIS IS LIBERTY
apparent each year. Streamline automobiles did not propel well on the rutted, muddy gravel streets of the town. The township was not in a position to alleviate this situation. Modern plumbing called for more ade- quate source of water to each homeowner. Unincorpor- ated areas were unable to get any state or federal aid for the fulfillment of this need.
The street lighting system was rather hodge podge since the lights were paid on a subscription basis and the lights were placed near the subscribers. The incor- porated village could negotiate with the power company to establish a rate to be paid by the village, thus enab- ling the extension of illumination to the dimly lit corn- ers of town.
As an incorporated area the village would be abe to get a share of the money from the state gasoline tax and to levy a small sales tax. These monies would provide a means for town improvements.
As the 1950's were drawing to a close the state of Illinois was making provisions for the incorporations of suburban areas in the state. A clause in the law pro- hibited the incorporation of areas with a population of less than 500 inhabitants.
Since Liberty had a static population which had changed little since its origin, it was well under the 500 residents. The law, however, did not take effect
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CHAPTER 10 until January 1, 1960. The decision on incorporation could no longer be shelved until a later date.
Forward looking residents felt that incorporation could help the village catch up with modern progress. Meetings were held and the Liberty Bee encouraged resi- dents to vote for incorporation. The only opposition came from those whose interests were centered on personal monetary concerns. The old tax question was raised and exploited.
The election was held on November 17, 1959, and the villagers voted to incorporate Liberty. The fol- lowing April the first village officers were elected. W. N. Hartsifeld was president of the Village Board; Wilford Clairwas Village Clerk; board members were Elmer Pracht, Howard Buskirk, C. A. Gamble, Joseph Carl and William Kill. Mrs. Wilford Clair was appointed Village Treasur- er.
In 1963 Emmet Lierle is Village President; Earl Kroencke is Village Clerk and Horace Hipkins is Village Treasurer.
--- Telephone ---
The first telephone in Liberty was a homemade affair that T. X. Frey, Sr., had between his house and his store before 1888. He could communicate between the two places with two funnels and an ordinary 1/16th inch wire running from his business to his home.
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THIS IS LIBERTY
A group of farmsteads, north of Liberty, were connected by a telephone system owned by the Grubb Brothers around 1900.
As the need for this means of communication became generally accepted, more groups organized as a telephone line. Liberty being the hub of activity, it naturally became the center of the telephone lines. Dr. W. F. Snider was instrumental in organizing the Liberty telephone exchange.
Herman Kill, who managed the Exchange from 1916-1919, was also one of the original builders.
Thiswas a hand crank, magneto operated instru- ment. A central operator answered the ring and con- nected the lines. This central operator was a very important link in the process of oral communication. When lines were loose or connections faulty, she was able to make connections between the caller and the person called because she knew the whereabouts of her patrons. She frequently functioned as a modern answer- ing service.
This telephone service, with the addition of a long distance switch connection with Bell Telephone in Quincy, served Liberty until 1963. At this time the original Liberty Farmer's Telephone Exchange was sold to Bell Telephone Company. As this is written, a mod- ern telephone system is being designed and built for the Liberty area.
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Mrs. Ralph Hull, who in recent years served the patrons of the Liberty exchange as central operator, will long be remembered for her efforts to match antiquated equipment to jet age business and social telephoning.
Electricity ---
As electricity became the power for night lights, Liberty decided to advance with the times. The Liberty Electric Company was formed about 1919.
A building was built and a 15 horsepower engine was installed to power the electric plant. The houses of Liberty were wired without meters; a flat rate was charged each householder in the village. Engineers for the company were George Browning, William Robbins and Walter Wilkey.
The plant on Hannibal Street furnished electricity to the homes and businesses from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. each day except on special occasions. The consumer agreed not to use electric devices that required more than three and one half amperes.
The electric iron presented special problems to the user as well as to the power company. Certain hours were set aside for the housewife to do her ironing --- Tuesday and Wednesday morning from 7:30 until 11:30 a.m. and on Friday afternoon from 1 until 4 p.m. This must have upset a few household schedules until the lady of the house became accustomed to ironing by the clock.
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This electric system served the village until Cen- tral Illinois Public Utilities began to furnish power for the village. The rural area adjacent to the village received electric power from the Rural Electrification system with headquarters at Camp Point.
--- Water
A third public utility has recently been voted into existence for the town of Liberty. Until 1963 the problem of water was of concern to each individual homeowner. Wells and cisterns provided each dwelling with the necessary water. When these sources ran dry or became low in supply due to the lack of natural origin, water had to be hauled from springs or the city of Quincy.
In the spring of 1963, after much discussion on the subject, an election was held and the resident voters passed the bill to provide for a village water system.
It is, at the present time, under construction. Two wells have been drilled, one at the fire station on Park and Columbus Streets and the second at the south end of the Park.
Crime in Liberty
Liberty, like other small villages, has had her share of petty crimes and perhaps some major ones as
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CHAPTER 10 well. Nonetheless, the only two we shall mention both centered around the Farmer's Bank of Liberty.
The first, which occurred on March 20, 1920, was the murder of Steven G. Lawless, leading citizen of Liberty, by William Elliott, a descendent of a Burton township pioneer family.
On March 20 of that year there was a Klarner sale in the village. The Klarner Implement Company held these sales periodically; this was advertised as a Grand Spring Opening Auction Sale. Farm machinery was to be sold with factory representatives present to demonstrate and explain the operation of the equipment. The ladies of the Lutheran Church prepared and served a lunch.
Steven G. Lawless was cashier of the sale, as was his custom. He was cashier of the Farmer's Bank of Liberty at the time. William (Red) Elliott, without warn- ing, walked up to Lawless and fired three shots. One lodged in his abdomen and caused his death a week later.
The only explanation printed of the shooting suggested Mr. Elliott, a thirty-year-old farmer of Burton Township, was mentally ill and had delusions concerning Mr. Lawless's part in local wartime affairs.
Steven Law less was selected by the state governor as Clerk of Adams County Exemption Board during World
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THIS IS LIBERTY
Grand Spring Opering AUCTION SALE! NEW FARM MACHINERY
LIBERTY, ILL. THURSDAY. MARCH 11, 1920 Beginning at 10 o'clock A. M. Sharp
This sale will consist of New and Up-to-dale Farm Machinery as follows: John Deere Gang and Sulky Plows, Riding and Walking Cultivators, John Deere Manure Spreaders, Dain 8-fl. Hay Loaders, Collins Rididg and Walking Cultivators, 12-Inch and 13-inch Walking Plows, 10-11. and 12-n. pey tooth Harrows, International, Osborne and Deering Disc Harrows, Deering Mowers and Sulky Hay Rakes, Riding Cultivators, Garden Cultivators, Van Brunt Dise Drills, Deere-Hayes 4-wheel, I. H. C. and Peters' Corn Planters, 8-ft. Culli-Packers, 12-ft. Can't Sag and Iron Frame Gates, Hog Oilers, New Tread #x10 Knapheide Farm Wagon, Cut-under Harper and Rubber Tire Buggles.
WE WILL SELL A NEW CHEVROLET CAR AT AUCTION ON THIS DAY
We Will Sell in This Sale 40 Rods Each 3-6, 39-6 and 32-6 of Our Celebrated Lion Fencing
Representatives From the Dille enl Factories Will Be Present on ThatDay to Demonstrate and Explain the Various Machines to You
TERMS WILL BE MADE KNOWN ON DAY OF SALE
Lunch Will Be Served by the Ladles" Aid Society of the Lutheran Church
The Klarner Implement Co.
COLS. DEETER LAWLESS and HENDRICKS, Auctioneers S. G. LAWLESS, Clerk
Klarner Sale Bill, March 1920
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War I. The first 100 men from Adams County to leave for military service were inducted into that service from the Farmer's Bank of Liberty building.
Mr. Lawless's funeral was attended by nearly 1,000 mourners fromall over the county. He was sorely missed in Liberty; his foresight and progressive determ- ination had carried the village through the horse and buggy days into the Roaring '20's.
The second, less brutal, crime was a bank rob- bery committed on June 8, 1953. Earl Sims was cashier of the Farmer's Bank at that time with C. A. Gamble as assistant cashier and Miss Imogene Ormond, teller.
During the noon hour while Mr. Sims and Miss Ormond were out to lunch, leaving Mr. Gamble alone in the bank, an unknown masked man entered. The bandit was carrying a flour sack which he ordered Mr. Gamble tofill with money. Mr. Gamble complied with the request made at gun point and placed $6,208.00 into the bag.
Before the thief could escape, Miss Ormond re- turned and Mr. Fred Frey, a customer, also came into the bank lobby. The masked man ordered all three, Mr. Gamble, Miss Ormond and Mr. Frey, into the confer- ence room behind the lobby where they were to lie down on the floor. The thief then escaped in a green car and no trace was ever found of him or the money.
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The total amount was covered by insurance so that the misfortune was probably harder on the nerves of those involved than it was on the bank's finances.
Both of these crimes are still topics for conver- sation in Liberty today.
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POSTSCRIPT
I have attempted to trace the history of the village of Liberty from its first settler, Daniel Lisle, to the present day.
In the process I learned much about the sturdy ancestors who lived in Liberty in days gone by. Some of this knowledge was inconsequential, but none the less interesting. I learned, for instance, that Ladd Grubb had the first high wheeler bicycle and that C. H. Mer- cer and Harry Collins were the first to ride safety bicy- cles in Liberty. I know that an airplane flew over Lib- erty during World War I and dropped Liberty Bond pam- phlets. The first all-modern house in the village was completed in 1917 and had not only a bath but also steam heat. It was built by Dr. W. E. Mercer on the corner of Main and Quincy Streets.
I hope I have not omitted any pertinent detail of Liberty's history. Undoubtedly each reader will recall an incident that should have been included. I'm sorry that it wasn't, but time became an enemy to be reckoned with and the final book had to be printed.
This endeavor, however unworthy, could not have been done at all without the tremendous help of many Liberty people. Miss Freda Mercer gave generously
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of her family treasures; Mrs. Delbert Linnemeyer was equally generous with both time and materials.
Each of you who loaned me your books, your pictures, your memories and your time, I wish to say a sincere -- Thank You.
Some things have been consciously omitted. The race track that Shaw Buttz had on the northwest edge of town was mentioned many times. However I could never find anything tangible to describe the track or the races held there.
Also a branch of the Klu Klux Klan has been whispered about, but these murmurs have been too brief and too uncertain to include.
I have enjoyed the task of setting down something of Liberty's past for the interest of Liberty's present and perhaps for Liberty's future.
As Thomas Paine said of an earlier period of crisis in our country: "These are times that try men's souls. " Whether these souls dwell in the urbanite or the villager, the trying is no less painful. Each must look to his sal- vation. In Liberty, as all over the country, fallout shel- ters have been builtby those who felt that this might aid in his and his family's salvation. The men of God in Liberty, as in the entire world, are searching, if not for
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answers, at least for spiritual aid for their parishioners. Only the stability of national leaders here and abroad will tell whether more history is in store for Liberty, Illinois, or whether this little bit of Americana will disappear in the total destruction by nuclear warfare.
Merle Hartsfield
November 2, 1963 Orlando, Florida
Shaw Buttz Home. The race track was located near here.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Church of the Brethern in Southern Illinois, Minnie S. Buckingham, Brethern Publishing House, Elgin, III., 1950
Atlas May of Adams County Illinois, Andress, Lyter & Co., Davenport, lowa, 1872
The History of Adams County, Illinois, Murray, William- son & Phelps, Chicago, 1879
Quincy and Adams County History and Representative Men, David F. Wilcox & Judge Lyman McCarl, The Lewis Publishing Co. , Chicago and New York, 1919
Stand Atlas of Adams Co., III., Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1901
75th Anniversary of Liberty Picnic Pamphlet, 1940
100th Anniversary of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Booklet, 1954
25th Anniversary Farmer's Bank of Liberty, 1903-28 Biography of Capt. John J. Mercer & Lieut. Philip Mer- cer, 78th III. Vol. Infantry
Scrapbooks of Mrs. Earl Longlett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, (Ga. ) August 5, 1960 The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bee
The American Peoples Encyclopedia
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 3 0112 050742375
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