Notes from the White County Historical Society as they appear in "The Carmi Times."

Copyright ©2000 by "The Carmi Times" Permission to reprint granted to Cindy Birk Conley and the ILGenWeb by Tammy Knox, editor, "The Carmi Times."

Traffic at the Genealogy Library has definitely picked up this summer.
In glancing at our guest register yesterday, I noted during June there
had been researchers from Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia,
as well as from several areas of Illinois. Also, on two occasions,
there were researchers from London, England.
........
A FLAG STORY: Before the Battle of Gettysburg, on June 28, 1863, Rebel
troops led by General Jubal Early marched through York, Pa. on their way
to Wrightsville. A volunteer nurse, affectionately know as Mammy
Ruggles, was caring for wounded soldiers in a Federal hospital at Penn
Commons. She feared the Rebels would capture the American flag as they
had previously done at the county courthouse. She decided to try to save
the flag. She wrapped it around her waist, under her skirts, and walked
to her home on Washington Street without being discovered.
It is said the flag raised in Center Square York on July 4, 1863, was
the same American flag Mammy Ruggles had saved.
........
Synopsis of the news from The Independent (Grayville):

May 1886: Two saloon keepers offer to pay $2,400 for the exclusive
privilege of retailing liquors in Grayville for one year...C.C. Martin
and Eva Bailey married...Spelling match at the opera house by scholars
of the public schools...Lodge of Independent Order of Good Templars
organized with 17 charter members...Fred Groff purchased the two-story
residence of Benj. Batson on North Street.

June 1886: Steps toward building a city hall taken by city
council...C.P. Staley, while burning brush, dropped his gold watch into
the fire and ruined it...Lodge of the Order of Iron Hall organized with
16 members.

July 1886: Fourth of July celebration a success. ..First annual
reunion of the alumni of Grayville High School...Starlight baseball
club defeats the Vincennes Athletics...Mrs. Fanny Moss died...F.M.
Lanterman, surviving partner of Lanterman and Stewart, assigned...George
W. Hill died.
.........
COAT OF ARMS: Many companies have catalogues offering hand-painted
pictures of coats of arms for many surnames. Actually, one may claim a
coat of arms only if he can authentically trace back to an ancestor who
earned one. Otherwise, a coat of arms is just something which may add
to the decor but cannot legally be claimed just because of the same
surname.
........
The Genealogy Library is open Wednesdays 11 to 5.

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The Coordinator for the White County, Illinois ILGenWeb page is Cindy Birk Conley

Copyright © 2000 by Cindy Birk Conley, all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.