Wants more info on family history
Your website on Minonk and its history is wonderful...so much information in
such good order. I really enjoyed reading all about your town and its people.
I checked it out because of a family connection. My daughter's Great-Great-Grandparents
were Joseph and Mary Elizabeth (BRUNT) HILL who once lived in Minonk. We do
not know much about them and are hoping to add to our information. They were
born shortly before the Civil War. They had a formal portrait made in Minonk
in 1888. There is a picture of a large brick (farm?) home that may be related
to them in some way. Family tradition says that he "ran" the Brick Kiln
(but that may be a bit strong.)
Joseph and Mary Elizabeth had two daughters. Sarah Margaret "Mae" HILL,
1886-1960, married in DeKalb to John Francis "Jack" TWOMBLY. They raised
two boys and a girl as they farmed near DeKalb.
The second daughter, Florence, married William "Will" HUGGINS. She may have
lived in Dixon at one time, and by 1942 they were in Elmhurst. They had a
daughter and a son, as far as I know.
If anyone recognizes this difficult to locate family, I would certainly be
pleased to be contacted about them.
Kristy Lawrie Gravlin
Banks OR 97106-0755
Why so much litter?
Hi, Dave,
For such a small town with so many nice houses we sure have a lot of drinking
containers floating around town. Everyday I can go out in front of my house
and pick up a milk shake container or a pop can or bottle. The only thing I
can think is that it is school kids throwing this stuff out of there cars or
dropping it on the way home. The back road ditches running in and out of
town are covered in garbage. I can at least understand seeing beer can and
bottles but why do people throw out pop containers? Maybe we should talk to
the schools and have them put a note in the school papers or bulletins.
John Hawk
Wants to learn more about ancestors
Very much enjoyed the website. I am a ggg grandson of James Parker, Sr.,
(1771-1861) who was an early settler. He and his wife Frances Settle Parker
are buried in the Minonk City Cemetery. Their son, James Parker Jr. married
Achsah Bruce, stepdaughter of Jonathon Macey, whom I understand from the
History page, is credited with being the first family in Minonk. James Jr.
and Achsah farmed in Dana until they moved on to Washington State in 1876.
Another son, Jackson Parker farmed on the north end of town and was active
in civic affairs in the mid to late 1800s. Would appreciate learning any more
about these early settlers that anyone might forward to me.
Thanks very much,
Doug Parker
Anchorage, Alaska
Found home again
Just a note to say, I found home again. Thanks for the great "web site."
Someone just passed this on to me and it was fun "running the streets" again.
Even though, I only live 60 miles away and I drive by, on 39, it is good to
have an anchor like this site.
I look forward to coming home on a regular basis. See you on the street.
Warm Regards,
Bill Barr
Resident 4/12/51 - 9/30/74
Volunteers for landscaping
I would like to volunteer to help on planting and preparing grounds for
landscaping at the Carolyn Development. I have a friend who has offered me
all kinds of tulips that I may go and dig up. I would gladly in fall go dig
these and plant them at the Carolyn Development this fall. Come next spring
they would be a pretty sight.
Also SMF has alot of ground out there that has
no trees or such, maybe they would plant some to help shade the building plus
certain trees make great wind blocks.I know the employees wouldn't mind
having a nice shade tree to sit and eat lunch under in the summer since the
building it's self gets rather warm.
Sheila Crosby
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Enjoys memories from web site
Congratulations on having created a top quality web site. I stumbled
across it while "surfing" the net a bit. My wife (Karen Ford Vallow)
and I are a couple of Minonk Exiles, having lived in Virginia for the
past 32 years. We attended the old MDR high school (class of 1965) and
the University of Illinois (class of 1969).
We enjoy looking over your site and reading some of the articles. Some
of the history articles and pictures bring back good memories, so maybe
I am getting old! My Dad was Joe Vallow, the local photographer for
30-some years; and I expect many of the pictures were taken by him.
Karen's Dad ran Ford's electric shop for many years. When we get back
to visit, it looks like the business district is a bit picked-over, so I
hope some of the rennovation efforts under consideration are successful.
Again, thanks for the neat web site.
Joe A. Vallow
Grafton, VA
Litter not helping Minonk's name
The litter and looks of the Shell/Feeney truck stop is not helping Minonk's name
for sure. I feel if the law for litter and junk in town are enforced, the same should go for the
truck stop..more so even actually...what a name it will get will spread fast among the truck
drivers. I know as I was married to one. I also know the truck stop in El Paso does look
better, not landscaping but the litter isn't as bad there.
Maybe Minonk could hire a gardner/cleanup person and charge Feeney. Would that work? Could they
legally do this? I would think so if he doesn't comply at a reasonable amount of time. I know
in town if one doesn't mow their yards, the city will mow it and add it to your water bill...so what's
the difference? Maybe Feeney could afford it a lot easier than the average person.
Wanda Patterson
Omission on bakery article
Just a question. Why was my Dad (Nick Butera) not mentioned concerning the
bakery closing? He was.. the Minonk Bakery, Basically it was his legacy.
As you know, he passed away last August 22, also, he was a past Mayor of
Minonk. I would like to see something mentioned about him if possible.
Thanks,
Dan Valentino
Editor's note: We originally put out a brief history of the bakery and failed to
include the managers. We apologize and realize that Mr. Butera was The Minonk Bakery and
added him to the article. A more detailed article is forthcoming.
High School Trophies update
On August 1, 1996, the following headline appeared in the Minonk News-Dispatch.
"Trophies closer to finding a home.". According to the article the Minonk Businessmen
Association and the Minonk City Council stated that a placement of the trophies will be
answered before the end of the year.
At a July council meeting the MBA approached the council and proposed building a trophy case
in which to house the trophies and placed in the city hall. The council approved the MBA request
if no space was available at the library. Also, according to Craig Meyer, a member of MBA, Kevin
Glowacki had volunteeered to build a trophy case.
A quote by superintendent John Capasso stated that the trophies would be displayed in a short term.
It seems Mr. Capasso does not know what a short term means. Now, 5 years later, no solution
has been found. Another quote by Mr. Capasso stated the major reason why the trophies are not
displayed is because the trophies are of the past and this is the present. I wonder if
the trophies earned in 1993-94-95, etc. will be boxed up and hauled out to the bus barn
for storage as these trophies are from past years and not the present. Also, why did they continue to display the Minonk
High School trophies when Rutland and Dana merged into the school district if forgetting the past is
such a big deal?
It is a shame we have a superintendent who has such an attitude toward a school history.
Also, why has the MBA and the city council dropped the ball on this subject? I as well as many other
people believe that trophies should be displayed where the trophies were earned and
not boxed up and stored in a bus barn. I know there is room for displaying the past as well
as the present in our gym. Would it not be a shame if everyone had this attitude that forgets the past and focuses only on the present?
Bob Cufaude
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