From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Joe Blackstock, Our Past
Created: 05/11/2006 09:34:10 PM PDT
L.C. and Lucy Wilhoite lived their lives deeply devoted to combating one of society’s evils — demon rum — and they weren’t shy about getting into a fight about it.Before they came to live in Upland in the 1920s and 1930s, Lucy Wilhoite was twice jailed in Kansas with prohibitionist Carrie Nation, after they used hatchets to break up saloons in Wichita.
Lucy Wilhoite later came West and became a minister, still continuing the fight against booze as president of San Bernardino County’s Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.
One day in 1932, her 83-year-old husband got into an argument with a man about Prohibition and was arrested for threatening him and using profane language. City Attorney Edward E. Gray said Wilhoite was ‘‘intoxicated with anger.”
Given the choice of a $60 fine or 30 days in jail, he stubbornly chose the latter.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/family/ci_3812989
5 comments
Comment by Suzanne Cummins on July 25, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Our family also has lineal descendants of Lucy Wilhoite. There were three daughters – Jasmine (oldest, and involved in temperance with her mom according to Lucy Wilhoite’s book), Florence (my husband’s grandmother), and Gladys, who was my father-in-law’s primary caregiver because Florence was so sick with multiple sclerosis which killed her at a young age. Aunt Glady also died young after losing her two beloved children (Lucy Dew died of blood poisoning – but her other child died as did her first husband, and finally she committed suicide). This was a family with a long tale of sadness – my father-in-law knew that there were likely descendants of Jasmine still in the world but he didn’t know how to reach them. He died at 95, just a few years ago, living by us in Tucson, Arizona.
I have one copy of the REv. Lucy Wilhoite’s book, and I found one on the internet for my neice so that generation also has the story. My father-in-law remembered his grandmother with unequivocal affection – as the most gentlest of souls. He knew of her temperance movement years, but he could not picture her in that role (although he hid using alcohol from her). He remembers building chicken coops and working hard and having a strong family structure while she lived.
Comment by Ann Lara on September 10, 2013 at 4:39 am
I am putting together a walking tour of downtown Upland and will be mention your great grandmother. Do you happen to have a photo of her that I could share?
Comment by Anne Marie Jackson on June 28, 2015 at 6:33 am
Lucy Wilhoite is also my great-grandmother. My grandmother was Jasmine Jackson, and my father Edmond Jackson born in Portland, OR. I am Annamarie Jackson. I would love to know of any further details of my family.
Comment by Kelly (Irwin) Burchett on July 10, 2023 at 8:50 pm
I believe we are also related. Louise (Jackson) Mann was my great grandmother.
Comment by Kelly Burchett on July 10, 2023 at 8:52 pm
…and I also have a copy of her book from my grandmother who received it from Louise. We are all from the center valley, CA