Newspaper, The Sterling Standard (Sterling, Illinois) September 8, 1892:
Old Girls"On Friday afternoon Mrs. Moses Dillon entertained a party of charming old ladies at Hawthorne Villa. Seven ladies were present whose ages aggregated 526 years, and whose weights figured up 1125 pounds. They were: Mrs. C. M. Worthington, Mrs. Mary Wallace, Mrs. S. R. Davis, Mrs. Eliza Miller, Mrs. James Manahan, Mrs. Mary Donichy and Mrs. Amanda Crawford. An artist was present with his camera and succeeded in getting the "giddy girls" quiet long enough to get a good picture of the party. An elegant supper was served and each of the guests presented with a pretty hand painted card, bearing her name and age, as a souvenir of the occasion. The ladies present enjoyed the delightful event to the fullest extent."
Comment: These "old girls" represent the true spirit of women pioneers in the Sterling-Rock Falls area. Mrs. Worthington was the first teacher. Mrs. Manahan entertained Abraham Lincoln in her home in 1856.
