Palestine Preferred -- Residents of interest around 1900.
By Katie Thompson
From the files of the Crawford County Illinois Historical Society Museum
- The Hasketts, three sets of children who lived together in an old storybook house.
- Grandma Mauzee, very small and dainty.
- Uncle "Ed" Haskett, who seemed to love to preside at funerals
- "Ed Jr.", witty, kind and everyone’s friend.
- John Kitchell, who loved the woods, I can hear him yet say when he would meet me on the street or anywhere "Katie Purcell Thompson, Palestine, Illinois, Crawford Co., United States of Americy."
- Amanda Kitchell, a lavender and old lace lady.
- Henry Smith, lawyer, orator "supreme", editor of the colorful "Wabash Pearl."
- Bob Plunkett, overbearing, owner of Plunketts "Opry" House with its chicken roost.
- "Swift" Alexander, hated work, but always got by.
- Grandma Alexander, a happy person, whose whole interest seemed to be in her children and grandchildren.
- Grandma Miesenhelder, quaint, and had a brogue.
- Ed Elliott, a village halfwit.
- Finley Elliott, who married (2nd) a young woman. He was pale as death always.
- "Uncle" Billy Thompson, who got all steamed up at Methodist revivals, and who for years delivered "Dr. Miles Almanac". No president was ever prouder of his job.
- Lem Beam, who got his words mixed sometimes. He at one time rushed up to a bunch of the fellows with the announcement "Oh Boys, They have taken Vanilla." (Spanish American War.)
- Lon Corbin, village undertaker. He got fun even out of his funerals.
- Uncle John Shannon, west of town, with his squeaky voice. Regular hillbilly. It was said he could make a fortune on the stage just acting and talking natural. He sounded much like Abner of Lum and Abner fame.
- Quill York, with his queer speech, who carried the mail.
- Isaac Robiason, a character who was always a mystery. Kind to his family and everyone. Owner of a little tin shop and the kids called him "Jackie Solder Pot".
- "Dad" Catterton, who kept the village hotel so long.
- Mr. Bedwell, proprietor of the "livery stable". When autos were new, he rode with Charlie, who had one of the first there, on a trip across the river. On the ferryboat he called out to Charlie to "hold back on the lines!"
- Old Mrs. Lewis at her loom.
- Martin Woodworth and Aunt Mary, "rich" for Palestine. Strict and staid in their habits. Young Blanche, their niece, lived with them. She always spoke of "Aunt" with awe. Someone asked Blanche why she ever let a lovely old whatnot get out of her possession, and she said if that person had had to dust it as many times as she had, she wouldn’t have wanted to keep it either.
- Leander Woodworth, who got one cornered on the street and talked for hours.
- Ferryman Taylor, an old man down the river who came to town with his whiskers curled or braided.
- Hannah French, who ran the ferryboat and swore like a man.
- Al Shipman and his wife "Dode" saloon keepers.
- Dolly Nogle, a carpet weaver.
- Lide Maddox, deaf and impediment in her speech, and not too bright.
- Virey Hadden, also deaf and dumb, who cooked for the Hasketts.
- Em Taylor, another book could be written about her. Cleaned house for a living and would take home all rubbish thrown out, little ribbons, etc. could tell you just how many handkerchiefs, shirts, towels, etc. each one of her "patrons" had. Who could tell down to the penny just how much she ever made. Collected garbage and "gossip". Hardworking, good hearted old Em.
- Abe MacHatton, village lawyer, with his box-toed boots.
- Philip MacHatton, who knows everyone’s age, and who tells folks when they kindly pick him up in an auto, that he will sue them if there is an accident.
- Uncle Abe Brown, who always made me think of Uncle Tom, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, had he been black. A kind old soul who when he prayed in church, started real soft and low and worked up to a great crescendo at the last.
- Old Mrs. Johns , it is said she used to chew tobacco, then dried it and smoked it in her pipe.
- Mr. Perry Brimberry, whose voice at lodge could be heard for blocks singing Auld Lang Syne.
- Mose Mullins who got so scared when Haley’s comet was to appear. Afraid it was the end of the world.
- Chauncey Cobb, bald as could be.
- Uncle Tom Allen, who "chewed" tobacco as no one ever chewed it before.
- Lucy McGahey, who talked in a whisper so mysteriously.
- Frank Dietz, who made the best chocolate sodas in the world for 5c. And made the best taffy. At one time he pulled it over huge hooks attached to a tree down at Leaverton’s Grove, before it got the dignified name of park.
- The Highsmiths with Julia the adopted daughter.
- Uncle Lindsay Malone. He was in Chicago when a patient of my father’s whom father had taken him there for an operation. Was so fascinated with the elevators that he fed the elevator boy fruit to take him up and down.
- Fred Shears, who when I worked in the Post Office, told me the amount was a "quart" when I asked him how much his money order was for.
- John Miller, long whiskered, soft voiced, Christian man, who always made me think of Moses.
- Dignified old Mr. Garrard, who had one son a saloon-keeper and one a fine minister.
- Little Billy Fife, town lawn mower and proud of it.
- Dave Fife, undertaker, whose attitude at a funeral was so polite and quiet, and typically "undertaker".
- Mrs. Griffin, who herself said she talked so much she wore "corns" on her tongue.