Once Upon a Time: Stories from Adams County
Every Sunday, the Herald-Whig features fascinating glimpses into Adams County's past through our "Once Upon a Time" column. HSQAC members research and share compelling narratives about the people, places, and moments that built our community. Browse our collection of articles from August 2011 to present using our searchable database by title, subject, or author.
If you are interested in submitting an article for consideration for the Once Upon a Time column, please email us or call the HSQAC Office at 217-222-1835.
Quincy Man Survives Nearly 4-year Internment as Japanese POW
The aged man appeared to be in his early eighties, but graying and frail were not the first words you would use to describe him. The bounce in his step…
Pioneer Trials
History is not always what it seems. It appears tidy but upon closer inspection the neatness unravels. People had ambitions, agendas, and dysfunctional families. The line between the good guys…
Early Pioneer Life
What was it like to be a pioneer? In the 1830s and 1840s Illinois was considered the West described as an “unbroken wilderness.” Settlers moved to this part of the…
The Notorious Pfanschmidt Murder Case
In an Illinois Supreme Court case, People v. Cruz (1994), the Court referred to an earlier case, People v. Pfanschmidt (1914). The reference was to the Pfanschmidt murder case out…
Tom Jasper Steamboat: Quincy on the Move in the Mid-1800s
From the founding of Quincy in 1822 by John Wood, the town grew tremendously. By the 1840 census 2,300 people had braved the trip from the east to settle the…
Eliza Browning: As Outspoken As She Was Respected
In the mid nineteenth century, when refined ladies were not outspoken, a well-known Quincy lady extended her voice and influence into the political arena. Eliza Caldwell Browning had arrived in…
