 Joyce Skelton, co-chairwoman, says: "We trust all are pleased with
our beautifully bound book detailing historic highlights of the
village and including many family histories."Copies are still
available at the Knapp Library, 101 S. Clinton, P.O. Box 266,
Middletown, IL 62656; phone 217-445-2050, Tuesday 2-5 p.m.,
Wednesday 1-4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-noon; or call 217-445-2708.
Prairie House: Alexander Chestnut Stage Coach Inn
Ray Ryan of Mason City has provided further details on the
Prairie House Stage Coach Inn, located about 3 1/2 miles north of
the present site of New Holland. Ryan tore down the barn in 1980 for
Wendell Evers.
Ryan has given the Knapp Museum a 6-foot solid oak beam and a
solid oak candleholder from the old barn.
John Chestnut of New Holland tells us that his
great-grandfather's family came to the Prairie Creek area and built
the inn on Feb. 6, 1851, along with a stable and a boarding house
for help.
Entries in the ledger of Prairie House list the following:
"purchased from Middletown" (assuming this was the Davis Stage Coach
Inn): one-half ounce tea, 50 cents, on Feb. 2, 1853; sundries,
$1.80, on April 12, 1853; expenses, 50 cents, July 1854.
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Alexander Chestnut was a fervent supporter of Abe Lincoln. He
attended the huge Whig event in Chicago in 1860 when Lincoln was
nominated for president of the United States.
John says, "The family moved to Morgan County, Ill., in 1869, and
this was probably the end of the Prairie House."
Honor for Dobey
Good news from Tennessee -- Shelly Dobey, Middletown native and
former resident, has been awarded the title of Ambassador and given
a full-year's scholarship at Volunteer State Community College,
Gallatin, Tenn. This is the President's Ambassador Scholarship. Only
38 have been given in the three decades the college has been in
operation. Dobey is majoring in health information technology and
will graduate in May. She is the wife of Brian Dobey, and they have
two children, Camden and Carson.
Upcoming event
Oct. 21 -- Knapp-Chesnut-Becker's annual dinner, Lincoln
Community High School, Lincoln, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
[Text from news release received]
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