White County memories span two eras in a single letter
Bertha Endicott Smith recalls life in White County Illinois from 1884 to 1919 and earlier childhood near Mill Shoals. She describes family work on railroads farms and schools, highlights kinship with notable figures, and notes links to Burnt Prairie Carmi Enfield and Poseyville along with dramatic family losses and migrations.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
White County
Winois
Mill Shoals
B&o
Tlinois
Evansville
Indiana
Grayville
Skillet Fork Bottoms
Mud Creek
Dell
Sam
Allie
George Carter
Ethel Hopkins
Joseph Rose
Ashland Christian Church
Ashland
Paner
Mr. Clippinger
Liberty
Burnt Prairie
Enfield
William Borth
Illinois
Wesley Jones
Washington
Armilda
Armilda Nelson
Carmi
New York
Paris
Morrisons
Shin
Chicago
Frank Boze
Mills Shoals
Maunie
France
W. C
Jessie Kennett
Smith
Lauramoore
N. W
5Th St
Richmond
Sacramento
Calif
Carmi Times
Ill
Tam
Moses M. Endicott
Sarah Williams Endicott
Poseyville
Ind
Walter G. Smith
Hugh Smith
Lina
Muspraves) Smith
Smiths
Alexander Stewart
New Harmony
Scotland
Owens
Stewar
Mary Morrison
Belle Miller
Lillian Fenton
Joseph Endicott
Bunker Hill
Kellogg
Idaho
Thomas E
Valley Park
Harry
Catherine
James Gwaltney
Sydney P
Joshua Gwaltney
Maria Frances
Sue Davis
Victoria Davis
Orlando
Florida
The
Times
Newby
Bill Newby
Dan Benton
Mt. Vernon
William Curd
Bertha (Endicott) Smith
54Th Street
Carol Jean Bailey
Old Carmi memories preserved in family photos
Harriett B Vaught writes of Carmi days with Claude M Barnes photos. The memoir recalls Sunday church, Stinnett bridge near Carmi Airport, skating on a pond by the tile factory, porch lines with grandchildren, Girl Scouts outings, River swims, summer parties, and cross state trips. Names of friends and neighbors appear amid nostalgic scenes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carmi
Stinnett Bridge
Grandfather
Velda
Burrell’s Woods
West Main Street
Wabash
Grayville
West Bank
Maud Huffstetler
Emma Stokes
Ellen Conger
Fiddie McKinney
Brown
Veatrice Carr Lee
Ted Puntney
Hal Rice
James Saunders
Duke Pyle
Sam Stokes
St. Louis
Shawneetown
Katherine Dill
Helen Hanna Pearce
Round Pond
Breger
Harriet B. Vaught
I Remember Carmi by Bonnie Good
A reflective poem recalling Carmi childhood in North Side and South Side schools, family readings from The Democrat, summer stock, river mill games, Gypsy Camp rumors, Grandpa tales of farming near Trumbull’s Bend, and World War One impact on local life.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bonnie (Smith
North Fifth Street
Carmi, Illinois
Carmi
Bonnie Good
Democrat
Grandpa
Roe
Trumbull’s Bend
Old Rock Road
Main Street
Maggie James
Third Street
Church Street
Main
St. Louis
Rudy Blair
Cameron Hotel
Scotty” Wolfe
Main Cross
Cherry Streets
South Side School
Washington School
Plum
Walnut
Nancy Hanks Tavern
Trammel's
Rickenbach Jewelry
Dale's Drug
White County Bank
Dietz Confectionery
Blasker’s Men's
L. Hains Dry Goods
Schoemann
Archer Furniture and Funeral Parlor
Land’s Hardware
Zak Boyer Harness
Neeley Bros
Ball's Drug
Drs. Rudolph and Boyer
Stitch’ Heller Tailor Shop
Ratcliff Inn
Presley Society
Josiah Stewart
James
Margaret Ratcliff
The Good Old Days in White County Remembered
Grace Margrave Norris City and Dirk Young recall sesquicentennial memories, local history, and early community figures. They celebrate family farms, schools, oil era growth, and civic service shaping Carmi and White County enduring values.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
White County
Carmi
United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
United States
House of Representatives
Roy Clippinger
Congress
Dirk Young
Illinois
Carmi Memories Chronicle a Town’s Growth and People
Gladys Pomeroy Williams recalls Carmi Illinois a farming rooted town that grew with oil industry banks bridges and shops She remembers ground breaking moments 1894 water system 1902 light plant 1906 first ice plant and a pontoon bridge opening with parades and balloon ascensions She notes local shops Rickenbachs Haas Neeley and Schoemanns and personal anecdotes from Grandmother and Granny including spun cloth and subscription school memories.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Carmi
Noah Weigant
Ben Kokal
Fikert and
Stinsons
Neeley Brothers
Rickenbachs
Schoemanns
Haas
Margery Weigant Rice
North McKinley
Harrisburg
Illinois
Orlando Burrell Young Lived White County Political Trailblazer
Orlando Burrell, born 1826 in Bradford County Pennsylvania, served Illinois 20th District in the 54th Congress starting March 4 1896. A Civil era judge and sheriff, he was Carmi mayor for three terms and contributed a White County farm woods to a city park with a $9000 trust for upkeep.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lucy Burrell
Orlando Burrell
Illinois
Bradford County
Pennsylvania
White County
Burrell
Maple Ridge Cemetery
California
Panama
New Orleans
Mississippi River
Thlinois
Lacey Ann Trapp
Rosie Young
Carmi
Third Ward
United States
House of Representatives
Congressman Burrell
Washington
St. Louis
Mermod King
Also Mentioned on This Page
Sesqui Letters
Brook's Grocery
Archives of History
Sum
Wesley
Ruth Hanks Edwards
Westbrook Lane
Missouri
Brothers of the Brush
Viola Stabley
Smith Baptist Children's Home
Carms
Union Church
Buck Rogers
Ford
Grandpa Hanks
White
Earl
Uncle Rube
Gertie
Jim
John Brown
Beta Sigma Phi
Dad
Crossville High
Roustabout
Spudder
Jersey
Angus
Crossville
Mets
Leh
Laurabelle
Grandad
Big Prairie
Joseph Pomeroy
Bashy
Logan
Pomeroy
Cairo
Lincoln
Mountainview
Grandmother's
Ozarks
Rebecca Bryant
W. O. Walker
McLeansboro
Grace (Davis
Margrave
Norris City
Phillipstown
Granny
Gladys Pomeroy Willams
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!