Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

University of Illinois 1921-22 Student Handbook: a little baseball, a lot of romance

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
This was an interesting purchase I made this past weekend, thought I'd share it even though it only has a little baseball significance. It's a 1921-1922 University of Illinois Student Handbook. Small 4.5" x 2.5" pocket-size leather daily planner that's filled with half campus info and half calendar pages.

uofi_handbook3.jpg


The reason I bought it was that it has a nice picture of Carl Lundgren, who pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 1902-1909 and was born in Marengo, IL, the town next to mine. I have a very small Lundgren collection but am looking to add more items. Carl was a star athlete at U. of I., then signed by the Cubs right after graduating and went straight to the majors. In his retirement, he was a very successful college baseball manager at Michigan and then Illinois, winning numerous Big 10 titles for his squads. He died young and unexpectedly in 1934. So that's the baseball connection.

uofi_handbook1.jpg


But there's some other interesting items in the book, including an architectural rendering of the soon-to-be-built Memorial Stadium. It was one of the largest stadiums in the world at the time, opening in 1923. I was surprised by the tall "lighthouse" in the drawing, as it was never built. I see that it was supposed to be a campanile - or in other words, a bell tower. I tried to look up information about it and why it was abandoned, but couldn't find any reference to it. I did however learn that it rained alot during the construction of the stadium, and a bulldozer got trapped in the mud. It was less expensive to just bury it that pull it out, so there's a bulldozer still under the field at U. of I.!

uofi_handbook2.jpg


I then brushed up on the fight songs of 1921, many of which were still in use when I graduated from U. of I. in 1994. They still have sand!

uofi_handbook4.jpg


The most interesting aspect of the handbook was its previous owner. The first page has space for the owner to write their name and ID information. The book was owned by one Edna Mougin of Elizabeth IL. I had a great time reading the daily entries in the calendar pages. Seems Edna was a Junior, and spent most of her free time dating two boys - identified as J.D. and Justin. Numerous dates are recorded, with such entries as:

Nov. 4 - Freshman Frolic with J.D.
Nov. 15 - Movies with J.D. "This has been worth the whole evening."
Nov. 18 - Rain, Dance at Bradley, Justin
Nov. 19 - Beat Ohio 7-0. Dance after. Bought a new coat. J.D. walked me home.
Nov. 25 - Senior Informal. Wonderful times! Stair steps. Uhm Boy!
Dec. 12 - Justin and I walk. Moonlight
Dec. 13 - Justin walks home from breakfast with me.
Dec. 24 - My heart is torn between my 2 loves. Which do I like better - Brown or Blue eyes?
Dec. 29 - Letter from J.D. Mom finds cigarette.

Then, no more entries after the winter break, until:

Mar. 1 - Engaged! As the girls predicted!!

And that's it! I don't know who Edna ended up with, and it's killing me. I've Google researched her and found her parents, her high scool graduation, but no records of a marriage. Totally bummed, I'll have to keep digging. It's a cliff-hanger.

uofi_handbook5.jpg
 
Last edited:

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Woah woah woah. For the time - she sounds like quite the floozie!

Oh them Roaring Twenties! I do know she came from a prominent and respected farm family in small town NW Illinois, so probably not the floozie type, but hey, you get away from the farm and you get a little crazy. Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "There's a time and a place for everything, and that's called college."
 

IUjapander

New member
Jan 28, 2011
1,003
0
Indianapolis
I don't know if this answers your question, but it appears she died in 1934, and didn't marry either of them!

Robert A. Brown ELIZABETH - Funeral service for Robert A. Brown, 80, of Dubuque, Iowa, who formerly resided in Elizabeth, was held this afternoon in Egelhof-Casper Funeral Home, Dubuque. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery, Hanover. Mr. Brown died Sunday morning in his home. He was a retired businessman, a World War I veteran and member of Summit Congregational Church of Dubuque and the American Legion. A 50- year member of Elizabeth Masonic Lodge, he also was a 33rd Degree Mason and a Shriner. • Born in Woodbine, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Brown. Surviving are a son, William R. of Evanston; a grandson; and two brothers, Raymond of Galena and Harry of Elizabeth. He was preceded in death by his first wife, the former Edna Mougin of Elizabeth in 1934, and by his second wife, Delors in 1963.


http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/3383087/







Celebrate Taday Elizabeth, 111.. Sept. 12.--Mr. and Mrs. A. X. Mougin, residents of Elisabeth for more than 30 yean are observing their golden wedding anniversary at their home on Catlin street today. Mrs. Mougin is the daughter of the Jo Daviess pioneer settlers, John and Cathryn Colonlcey Hodden, for whom the town of Rodden was named. Mr. Mougin is the son of Augustus E. and Catherine Gammon Mougin, whose homestead farm near Rice, has been In the family for more than 100 years. The early years of their married life were spent on the Mougin farm In Rice, and in 1882 Mr. Mougin began work for the Great Western Railroad company. He was agent at North Hanover and Elizabeth prior to entering into the banking business in Elisabeth in 1B10 . The Mougiris have three children, Miss Gladys C. Mougin, a teacher at the Irving school, Dubuque, la., F. J. Mougin, cashier of the Bremen State- bank, Bremen. Ind.. and W. D Mougin, of the firm of Harms-Kan- Dairy and Ice Cream company, Ro- ehelle. Two daughters. Bile and Mrs. Edna Mougin Brown, have passed away. They have four grandchildren. Mrs. Mougin s mother is Mrs. Catherine Rodden, who is M years old. Her sisters are Mrs. Effie Dresser, of Elizabeth, and Mrs. Hattle Potter, Detroit. Mich. She also has a brother. John Rodden of Galena. Mr. Mougin has two brothers, George of Madrid, la, and William of Rice.

http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38723748/


Elizabeth Elizabeth, 111., ' Dee. 27—Private funeral services were conducted here Wednesday afternoon for Mrs. Edna Harriett Brown, wife of Robert A, Brown, who died suddenly at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs, A.. E. Mougln In this city Monday afternoon. The services were held from the Mougln residence on West Catlln street at 1:30 o'clock with the relatives and close friends present. The services were conducted by the Rev. John E. Robeson, pastor of the Elizabeth Methodist Episcopal church, assisted by the Rev. H. C. Montanus of the First Presbyterian church of Elizabeth. There was no singing in connection wlUi the sad rllefl. Five cousins, namely Arthur, Orville and Alvin Rodden, and Marshall Dresser of Elizabeth, and Raymond Mougin of Rice township were pall bearers, assisted by Albert E. McKIIllps of Elizabeth. Burial was made in the lot at the Evergreen cemetery at Hanover.

http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/3238580/
 
Last edited:

tpeichel

Well-known member
Oct 10, 2008
15,639
119
So she married Robert Brown, not Justin or JD? Perhaps this was a second marriage or the initial engagement was called off? More mysteries.
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Edna's father, Augustus (A.E.) Mougin, sounded like quite the guy. A real-life 49er!

From "Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings" (Clipping Collection of Regina Atz Dittmar)

In 1849 Augustus Mougin and Charley Motley, his sister’s husband, with some other men, joined in the Gold Rush to California. They traveled overland on the outward trip. The men separated in California while they were prospecting, and Augustus Mougin lost track of his brother-in-law. Motley simply disappeared; the only clue was a rumor that he had been killed for his gold as he knelt over a spring. Finally Augustus Mougin started back home, traveling southward by boat this time to the coast of Panama. Beset by fevers and the danger of the jungle, he made his way across the isthmus, and took a boat to New Orleans. Another steamer brought him up the Mississippi homeward bound. His father, Joseph died April 14, 1857, willing his farm to Augustus. Augustus Mougin planted an orchard upon his farm, and a vineyard of grapes. The country there was growing up in timber, now, more thickly settled than when his father had come there. But there was still an abundance of game. Along the ridge were wild turkeys, plenty of deer, and wolves to harass the farmer. In the spring and fall the flights of the wild pigeons darkened the skies. Indians never came to trouble the farm, but the horse thieves were an even greater nuisance. Jim Gammon, Augustus’ brother-in-law, lost a fine horse one night, and the following day took after the thief in furious pursuit. He was fortunate to catch up with the thief before the horse had changed hands in the robber ring which dominated the whole Mississippi Valley at that time. He captured the thief and started back toward justice; but the thief managed to break away from him. The domination of this ring was broken shortly afterward, when the leaders were chased down by government agents, and peace came again to the river valley.
 

rlarkin

New member
Mar 4, 2020
2
0
Hello gracecollector,

I found your post through a google search of the owner of the book you are referring to. Edna Harriett Mougin was a sister of a former next door neighbor of mine in Elizabeth, IL (near Galena). I was researching her sister, Gladys, and got interested in her family. There was also a photo of Edna in a recent Facebook post by one of our historians in Elizabeth. Anyway, Edna was born in 1900 and it turns out she didn't marry Justin OR J.D.......she married a Robert Anderson Brown in about 1920 and had a son in 1926. Sadly, Edna died suddenly at the age of 34 at her parents house (which was the house next door to us). I've been trying to find the reason for her death, but have not been successful in finding anything other than "died suddenly as a young mother". I found your article very enlightening as far as Edna's personality. Thank you for submitting it, and I hope i satisfied your curiosity about Edna, although it is sad that she died so young. Rhonda Larkin
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
Hello gracecollector,

I found your post through a google search of the owner of the book you are referring to. Edna Harriett Mougin was a sister of a former next door neighbor of mine in Elizabeth, IL (near Galena). I was researching her sister, Gladys, and got interested in her family. There was also a photo of Edna in a recent Facebook post by one of our historians in Elizabeth. Anyway, Edna was born in 1900 and it turns out she didn't marry Justin OR J.D.......she married a Robert Anderson Brown in about 1920 and had a son in 1926. Sadly, Edna died suddenly at the age of 34 at her parents house (which was the house next door to us). I've been trying to find the reason for her death, but have not been successful in finding anything other than "died suddenly as a young mother". I found your article very enlightening as far as Edna's personality. Thank you for submitting it, and I hope i satisfied your curiosity about Edna, although it is sad that she died so young. Rhonda Larkin


Rhonda - how kind of you to share this information with me. Thanks for taking the time to reach out and post here. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the entries from Edna. I found the picture you mention. Unfortunately although the names of the six women are known, only 2 were identified by position. Edna is either 1, 2, 5 or 6. But this is great I can add the photo to my handbook!

edna.jpg


In the handbook, the entry announcing her engagement was on Wed. March 1, 1922. So her marriage to Robert Anderson Brown was most likely in 1922 or 23.

Here's to the wild lasses of Jo Davies county! I myself dated a girl from Stockton in my youth. Good times at Apple River Canyon!
 
Last edited:
Top