Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
William Barlow Hurst was born April 3, 1850m in Hutsonville, on the site of the brick building erected in later years by Mr., Hurst and occupied as a clothing store. He attended the village school and later entered Westfield College at Westfield, Illinois. He also attended the commercial College at Terre Haute, Indiana. Upon completion of his education in 1871, he returned to Hutsonville and associated himself with the Hurst & Olwin general merchants and grain dealers, the firm composed of his father John R. Hurst and a brother-in-law John Olwin. Before the railroads came into the county or steamboats made regular trips on the Wabash, Mr. Hurst would drive a team to Terre Haute for merchandise to supply his father's store, two or three days and nights being required for the round trip. In 1880, John R. Hurst retired and L.C. Hurst and J.M. McNutt became partners. This firm was known as Hurst, Olwin & Co. In 1883 Mr. McNutt and Mr. Olwin withdrew from the partnership and went into other lines of business. The form continued under the name of Hurst Bros., until the death of L.C. Hurst in 1913, when Mrs. L.C. Hurst assumed the operation and ownership of the general merchandise, while W.B. Hurst carried on the clothing business until his death in 1940. His son, J. Noble Hurst and son-in-law C.L. Douglas were associated with him in this business for many years. In 1895 a grain elevator was erected by Hurst Bros. & McNutt, and later Mr. Hurst purchased the interests if the other members of the firm and continued this business until the time of his death.
W.B. Hurst had extensive farming interests, the earliest piece of land acquired by him is the 140 acres bordering on route one and the spur into Hutsonville. This farm came into his possession in 1886 and is still owned by his heirs. He was a promoter of a brick and tile factory which was successfully operated for several years. For many years he was also associated with his brother-in-law, Hamilton Holderman, in the flour, feed, ice and poultry exchange business. He was a businessman in Hutsonville for almost seventy years, and his integrity and steadfastness in his business life were outstanding.
Mr. Hurst was married April 11, 1875 to Clara Elnora Holderman, daughter of Jacob Hamilton and Lydia Ann Repp Holderman. Mrs. Hurst was born in Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 16, 1852 and came to Illinois with her parents in 1865. She lived to be ninety-two years of age, passing away May 17, 1945.
Mr. and Mrs. Hurst were members of the Hutsonville Methodist Church for more than half a century and for the greater portion of that time Mr. Hurst served as trustee and member of the official board. He knew the value of true religion and the influence of the church in the community, and he fully met his responsibility in maintaining its service.
W.B. Hurst died August 7, 1940 at the age of ninety years. His best and truest eulogy is that he had a vigorous intellect, sustained by lofty purposes and based upon an honest and feeling heart.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, Lois Blanche, wife of C.L. Douglas, deceased, J. Noble, Straud E., Bnoid and Adelia.
Lois Blanche Hurst was born March 16, 1876. She attended school in Hutsonville and Wiley High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1896 she was graduated from Mrs. Sewell's Classical School in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was married in 1902 to Chas. LaGrange Douglas, who was born in Paris, Illinois, June 1, 1869, the son of John Tipton and Almira LaGrange Douglas. When but a boy, Chas. worked in the store of Bradshaw & Co. of Paris, learning the jewelry trade, which business he followed for several years. After leaving Paris, he went to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where he continued to work as a jeweler. Later he located in Palestine and Robinson for a short time continuing the jewelry trade. He came to Hutsonville about the year 1895, but later he accepted a position as traveling salesman for McCord & Co. of Chicago, which he held until 1903 when he returned to Hutsonville. After his marriage he was associated in different ways in business with his father-in-law, W.B. Hurst. Chas. Douglas was a man of much musical ability and he directed the Hutsonville band for a number of years. He died in December 1937.
To this union two children were born, Morrill E. in June 1903 and Philip H. in Oct. 1916. Morrill graduated from the Hutsonville High School and entered Northwestern University. After two years she transferred to Madison University, Madison, Wisconsin, where she graduated in 1925. She is by profession a teacher and her first teaching experience was in the schools of St. Petersburg, Florida. Later she returned to Hutsonville where she taught in both high and elementary schools. She inherited much of he ability and talent of music found in her father and her work in this field with children is of much value. She is also a talented whistler.
In 1942 Morrill was married to William G. Rigby, a Virginian by birth, and for the next few years they made their home in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where Mr. Rigby was connected with the Atomic Energy Plant. While living here, their daughter and only child, Morrill Adelia was born Sept. 22, 1944.
Mr. and Mrs. Rigby are now living in Hutsonville, where Mrs. Rigby is teaching and Mr. Rigby is a salesman for the Chicago Motor Club.
Philip H. Douglas graduated from the Hutsonville High School and spent a short time in Evansville Business College. In 1941 he joined the Illinois National Guards and served four years in the army. He was married June 1943 to Margie Cline of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and since his marriage Philip has lived in Colorado, first in Colorado Springs, then in Denver and at present in Grand Junction, Colorado. He opened and operated, with the help of Mrs. Douglas, as employment agency, in Grand Junction, and for the past three years he has been distributor and salesman for the Audovox Hearing Aid Co., for western Colorado. Philip and Margie have two children, Romona Kay born May 2, 1951 and Jeffery Chas. Born April 19, 1954.
J. Noble Hurst, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Hurst, was born Oct. 3, 1884. He attended Bunker Hill Military Academy of Bunker Hill, Illinois, Depauw and Notre Dame Universities. He was associated with father in the clothing business in Hutsonville and later he procured the Hutsonville dealership for the Buick car and still later he accepted the Ford agency for this territory, which business he was operating at the time of his death. Noble was a quiet, unassuming person, but with a vast circle of friends.
He married Louise V. Weger, daughter of John P. and Lavina Jones Weger, of Flat Rock, Illinois, May 21, 1908. Mrs. Hurst attended teacher's college at Charleston, Illinois, and taught in the public schools in Crawford County for a number of years. She was Democratic chairman of Crawford County and served as State Parole Officer in the State Welfare Department under the Democratic administration. She was very active in the Royal Neighbor Lodge, having served thirteen years as district deputy and fifteen years as Oracle of the order.
Noble met his untimely death, at the hands of a careless driver, on the highway just south of Trimble, Illinois, June 6, 1940. Louise V. Hurst died Oct. 16, 1953.
To them four children were born, Dorothy Owen, William Barlow, John Weger and Donald Randolph.
Dorothy was born July 1, 1909. After she finished school in Hutsonville, she entered the university of Madison, at Madison, Wisconsin, where she graduated in 1931. She then went to the University of Illinois, where she received her degree in library work. She held a position in the State Library at Indianapolis, Indiana, and later held a similar position in Illinois State Library at Springfield, Illinois.
She married John J. Watt, a druggist of Springfield and has continued to make her home there. They have two children, John J. Watt III and Vicki Lou.
William Barlow Hurst was born June 23, 1911. Upon completion of his school years in Hutsonville, he entered the University of Chicago. Shortly before the death of his father, he returned to Hutsonville and entered the automobile business with his father, where he remained until he was called into the army. He served overseas in Africa and Europe for more than three years. Upon his return home, he and his brother John reopened the Ford business and they have continued it to the present time. William Barlow was married Oct. 16, 1942 to Alica Patricia Armstrong, of Long Island, New York, and to this union one son William Barlow III was born June 1, 1948.
John Weger Hurst was born Nov. 23, 1912. He graduated from the Hutsonville High School and attended Evansville College at Evansville, Indiana. After his school years, John was associated with his father in business. He was called into service and served in Italy at Anzio Beach Head. Upon his discharge he returned to Hutsonville to assume his duties at the Ford garage.
Donald was born Oct. 26, 1915 and after completing his education in Hutsonville, entered Earlham College, at Richmond, Indiana. He graduated here in 1939 and the following year entered Notre Dame University, where he graduated in law school. He is a practicing attorney in Indianapolis, Indiana. He married Alice Ann Woodard, of Indianapolis, Indiana and they have three children, Diana, Donna and Randy.
Straud Elizabeth Hurst was born in Hutsonville, Illinois February 17, 1888. She attended the elementary and high schools of Hutsonville, and was graduated from Depauw University, Greencastle, Indiana June 10, 1909. Later, she did graduate work at Oberlin Business College. During the period of World War I, Miss Hurst was in the Commandant's Office of the School of Aeronautics at Champaign, Illinois. Following this she accepted the position of Business and Industrial Secretary in the Young Woman's Christian Association of Aurora, Illinois. She held this position in the Y.W.C.A. in Aurora three years, and then went to the Danville Y.W.C.A., Danville, Illinois, where she continued in the same work for the following four years. For a few months during the years 1929 and '30, Miss Hurst substituted on the staff of the Y.W.C.A. at Bloomington, Illinois.
In 1927 Miss Hurst left the work of the Y.W. Association to become a representative of the New York Like Insurance Company. After many years' affiliation with this Company, she tool a leave of absence from the work, and in 1947 took a contract with the Mutual Benefit of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, with which company she is at the present time affiliated.
Juanita Bnoid Hurst was born October 29, 1891. She attended elementary school in Hutsonville and after completing two years in the high school she entered Illinois Woman's College at Jacksonville, Illinois, and graduated from the academy there in 1911. During the time Miss Hurst was completing her work in the academy, she was enrolled in the School of Music; and immediately upon her graduation from the academy, she entered the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin, Ohio. Completing two years in music school, she enrolled in Oberlin College and obtained her degree in liberal arts. Her teaching profession covered a period of several years, in the Marshall, Robinson and Naperville, Illinois high schools. Later, she was associated with her sister Straud in the insurance business.
Clara Adelia Hurst was born October 13, 1893. Upon completing her education in the Hutsonville schools, she spent two years at Illinois Woman's College in Jacksonville, Illinois. From there, she enrolled in the Oberlin Kindergarten Training School, Oberlin, Ohio, and was graduated there in 1916. She spent three years in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in the kindergarten department of the public schools. Leaving the teaching profession for business, she completed work in Danville Business School, Danville, Illinois, and accepted the position as bookkeeper with her father and brother, Noble.
Lucius Caswell Hurts was born in Hutsonville, March 16, 1854, the son of John R. and Nancy Owen Hurst. He attended the district school in his native town and later entered Earlham College at Richmond, Indiana, from which college he was graduated at the age of twenty-one years. At this time he became a member of the old established firm of Hurst & Olwin, the firm name becoming Hurst Brothers in 1880. This business was devoted to general merchandising and grain trade, and commanded a large patronage throughout Crawford County. Mr. Hurst held the patent and owned the tract of land, 140 acres, entered by his grandfather, Major John W. Barlow and located on the site of the Hutson Massacre. Later, this land was the farm of Dr. W.R. Hurst of Evansville, Indiana, son of L.C. Hurst, and is now owned by his daughter, Alberta Hurst of Monrovia, California.
On November 11, 1880, Mr. Hurst was married to Minnie Patterson at the residence of his bride's father, at York, Clark County, Illinois. Minnie Patterson was born in Nelson County, Kentucky September 19, 1860, a daughter of John and Susan Gibbs Paterson, natives of the State of Maine. They were the parents of three sons, Roscoe and Wilbur, and one son who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Hurst were members of the First Baptist Church in Hutsonville.
If there be any living today who remember "Lush Hurst", it will be to picture him on the seat of his one-seated "trap" driving a bay horse called "Old Tom", wending his way dreamily in and about the country roads surrounding the village of Hutsonville.
Mr. Hurst passed away on November 18, 1913 after a long illness. And with the passing of L.C. Hurst, the entire community mourned the loss of a friend and regretted the departure of one of the most unique characters in the history of Hutsonville.
The prosperity of any community is measured by the standing and reliability of its representative men, and such may be said of Mr. Hurst who for more than a quarter of a century in business, built up a large trade and firmly established himself in the confidence of his fellow citizens.
Wilbur Randolph Hurst, M.D., the second son of Lucius Caswell Hurst, was born in Hutsonville, Illinois November 11, 1885. He attended the Hutsonville elementary and high schools, and was graduated from Union Christian College, Merom, Indiana, June 12, 1906. He entered Rush Medical College, Chicago, and was graduated from medical school in 1910. Internship at that time in Cook County Hospital, Chicago, was a greatly coveted honor, acceptance determined by high scholastic rating; Dr. Hurst was one of his class to intern here, and the work de did was of such high quality he was invited to remain another year beyond the usual term of internship. He accepted the offer, and it was 1914 before he began the actual practice of medicine.
Dr. Hurst located in Evansville, Indiana, where he was associated with Dr. P.Y. McCoy until the death of the latter. A tireless practitioner and fine surgeon -- he was a member of the College of Surgeons -- Dr. Hurst gave twenty intensive years to his professional duties. In the last few years of his practice in Evansville, he entered into partnership with Dr. Minton Hartz. Eventually, ill health forced him to give up his work completely, and in order to do this it was necessary to leave Evansville. In 932, with his family, he removed to Pasadena, California. The greater part of his time was spent in outdoor pursuits, and he became an expert flower grower. The family affiliated with the First Methodist Church of Pasadena and Dr. Hurst became one of the Trustees of the Church. Beginning in 1942, his health steadily declined, and he died March 6, 1946.
November 11, 1914, Dr. Hurst married Gertrude Rosencranz of Evansville. They had two daughters, Alberta Rosencranz, born January 1916, and Betty Patterson, born February 1918. Alberta graduated from Occidental College, California. She specialized in music and is an outstanding cellist; she has been associated with the Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington symphonies, and is at present doing concert work in California. Her home at the present is Monrovia, California.
Betsy, the second daughter, was graduated from Leland Stanford University. In December 1939, she was married to Ellis Roberts of Houghton, Michigan. During the war Mr. Roberts served with the Navy Seabees and Navy Ordinance. In 1949 Mr. and Mrs. Roberts adopted Linda Roberts, then two years of age, and in 1952, Mary Eileen, at the time four months old. Mr. Roberts is a Geologist and teachers at San Diego State College, San Diego, California. They are owners of a large orange ranch and reside at 9131 Johnson Drive, LaMesa, California.
Just last December 1955 Mrs. Gertrude Hurst, wife of Dr. Hurst, passed away at her home in Pasadena.
Roscoe Patterson Hurst, son of Lucius C. and Minnie Patterson Hurst, attended the District School in Hutsonville; Terre Haute, Indiana High School; DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana; and earned his Bachelor of Laws and Letters degree from University of Notre Dame in 1906. He started his practice in Portland, Oregon the same year. On August 19, 1911 he married Sarah Elizabeth Whittlesey, the daughter of Elisha and Edith Whittlesey of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Roscoe and Elizabeth Hurst were the parents of three children -- Ruth Dudley, Nancy Owen and Roscoe Patterson, Jr.
Ruth Dudley was born in Portland on May 11, 1912. She completed elementary and secondary school there and graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles in 1933. She was married in 1946 to Henri Arcand, a native of Canada and Portland. They now reside in Sacramento, California where she is manager of the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra and he continues his work as a concert pianist. Both are extremely well known in music circles. For many years, prior to and after her marriage, Ruth enjoyed a noteworthy success as a teacher of piano and as President of the Oregon Music Teachers Association.
Nancy Owen was born in Portland on March 23, 1919 and graduated from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California in 1940. She was married on June 21, 1941 to Dr. George C. Downing of Palo Alto, a fellow of the Mayo Clinic and presently a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at the Palo Alto Clinic. Dr. and Mrs. Downing are the parents of five children -- Nancy, Earl, Lucy, Virginia and George. [Correction: Nancy Owen and George Downing had six children, the youngest of whom is Marylou.] Prior to her marriage, Nancy held numerous golf titles in Oregon and later at Stanford. She retired from active competition in 1940 and did not play tournament golf again until 1956 when she was runner-up in the California State Amateur Tournament in San Francisco.
Roscoe Patterson, Jr. was born in Portland on December 10, 1924 and was graduated from the University of Oregon at Eugene in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. He was married on August 19, 1950 to Margery Ann Hammond of Medford, Oregon. They are the parents of two girls, Sarah Elizabeth II and Janette Ruth. The family resides in Redwood City, California. In 1943 he entered the Army and served in the 7th Armored Division in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. After his graduation from college he worked for a year on the daily newspaper in Pendleton, Oregon, for six months as an advertising representative in Portland, and then joined the marketing staff of Standard Oil Company of California. He was promoted to their public relations department in San Francisco in 1955.
Roscoe, Sr. retired from his law practice in 1941 and passed away at the age of 70 on November 24, 1952. His ashes rest in the family plot at Hutsonville. Elizabeth Hurst now resides in Palo Alto where she is in active association with the registrar's department at Stanford University.