130 Years Ago
December 15, 1894
A party of young people perpetuated a surprise party upon Miss Lillie Patterson and her cousin, Gibson Harris, Monday evening. Miss Patterson and Mr. Harris, left on Thursday to spend the winter with relatives in Virginia.
Miss Nellie Wiley gave the unmarried clerks of Walton's dry goods department a roast duck supper Wednesday evening.
The Christian church has voted to re-engage Rev. J. W. Porter for another year.
Cropsey — Since the Alford store was broken open last week, Meeker Brothers are fitting a burglar alarm in their store. Barnes has the foundation down for his elevator and the lumber has commenced to come.
120 Years Ago
December 16, 1904
Walter and Joseph Kessler this week sold 160 acres of their land, southwest of Fairbury, to Joseph Householder for $150 per acre.
It is probable that Fairbury and Strawn will have direct telephone connections in the near future. The Fairbury Telephone Company is figuring on building a line to connect with Strawn, and if the weather permits it may be put through this winter.
The workmen will almost finish putting the slate roof on the Dominy Memorial Library this week. The furnace also arrived Thursday.
Officer Cully Huntoon of the State Reformatory at Pontiac spent Sunday with his parents here.
110 Years Ago
December 18, 1914
The Bon Ton Limits played their first game of the season Wednesday night, defeating the Forrest team by a score of 42 to 17. The line-ups: Forrest — C. Ives, c; R. Ives, f; Wallace, f; Steidinger g; Lampson, g. Fairbury — Wilken, c; P. Keck, f; Hanson, f; Fugate, g; Joda, g.
Clyde Shearer is expected here from Jackson, Minn., the latter part of this week to spend a few weeks with old friends.
Frank Compton, brother of W. W. and E. P. Compton, of this city, is Chicago city salesman for the Dodge Bros. auto, one of the newest makes of cars on the market.
There will be a wrestling match at the Central Opera House next Wednesday night between Walter Evans, of El Paso, and Roy Moore, Springfield. There will be a preliminary match between Fey Jockisch, of Lincoln, Neb., and Robert Kammerman, of Forrest.
100 Years Ago
December 19, 1924
This city has, for the past two days and nights, been in the grip of the worst sleet storm it has ever experienced. The height of its damage was reached last night when the rain and sleet, freezing to the trees, caused them to give way, and this morning the city looks as though a cyclone had struck it. All night long the cracking and crashing of falling limbs could be heard, and this morning it is almost impossible to get through the streets, while other streets are blocked altogether. Trees that are not down are bending under their load of ice. As far as the outside world is concerned, Fairbury is practically isolated, as most every telephone and telegraph communication is cut off.
The light snow of last Sunday morning caused a number of automobile accidents during the day, when cars skidded. One car, a Hudson sedan belonging to Dick Shilts, of this city, skidded off the hard road about a half mile west of Weston on Sunday evening about 8:30 o'clock, turned over and burned up. Mr. Shilts had barely time to get out. What was left of the car was sold to Mr. Lebovitz for junk. There was no insurance on the car.
Jack Thompson, president of the Fairbury Fair Association, is getting around with the aid of crutches. Mr. Thompson was hauling grain to town last Saturday and when he got down off the load to walk alongside, his foot got caught in the dragging lines and was pulled under the rear wheel, breaking a couple of bones.
90 Years Ago
December 14, 1934
Last Friday evening as H. W. Pence, Will C. Schmidt and Marshall Gordon, officers of the Walton Department Store, left that place following the day's work, they got into Mr. Schmidt's car presumably with the idea that Mr. Schmidt was to let the other two out at their respective homes. When they arrived in front of the Pence home, both Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Gordon got out of the car and walked into the house with Mr. Pence. Here it was disclosed that the wives and sister of the gentlemen had prepared a sumptuous dinner in honor of their birthdays, which fell respectively on December 5th, 5th and 6th. The party was a complete surprise on Hugh, who says he quit having birthdays long ago.
Sam Kaisner and H. Bushman, employees of the Wiedman Store, and Bob Stiver, had quite an experience loading a tractor Sunday afternoon. The gentlemen had gone to a farm southwest of Chatsworth and were loading the tractor on Mr. Stiver's truck, using the usual method of placing two heavy planks from the ground to the bed of the truck. Mr. Kaisner was driving and had the tractor almost on the truck, when the boards slipped out from under the truck, dropping the rear wheels to the ground. The seat on the tractor broke and Mr. Kaisner was thrown a distance of some ten feet. With the front wheels on the truck, the tractor was in an almost perpendicular position with the engine still going and the rear wheels still trying to do what they started out to do.
Although it is a week since the Central Theatre was robbed, no clue as to who the robber might be has been unearthed. However, the manager, Mr. Nelson, and the officers called in the case are satisfied that it is local talent. The amount taken was between $200 and $250 in cash, and four $15 checks that were not endorsed.
80 Years Ago
December 15, 1944
When Herman Wilken, who lives north of town, got ready to come to town Wednesday his dog was right there ready to go along, but Mr. Wilken decided otherwise – or so he thought. When Mr. Wilken arrived in town he parked his car in front of the A. & P. Store. Not long after he was talking to Mr. Fosdick of the Fosdick Produce Company, just across the street from the car, when they noticed the Wilken dog, coming down the street, sniffling each car until he came to the Wilken car, where he stopped. While the two men were discussing whether or not they would let the dog in the car, the dog went around to the side of the car and getting hold of the door handle with his teeth, opened the door and nosed himself in. The door then went shut and the dog was out of the cold until Mr. Wilken was ready to return home.
Dan Neth was at Joliet the first of the week visiting his son, Orville, who was badly burned Wednesday of last week at the ordnance plant at Wilmington, when the bucket on a crane with which he was working came in contact with an electric cable carrying 6,900 volts. Mr. Neth had hold of the bucket or shovel when it came in contact with the wire. His fingers were burned to the bone. Even his feet were burned, there being numerous small holes in them, made when the electricity came in contact with the nails in the soles of his shoes. He also received a bad burn on one hip, where he carried a pair of steel pliers. A resuscitating squad worked over him 45 minutes before his breathing became normal, and before he regained consciousness.
About 700 students and citizens met the Wabash southbound train Friday afternoon to welcome home Col. Alison J. Shambrook of the U. S. Marines, who had been for 28 months with the 9th division overseas during which time he took part in the battles on the Marshall Islands and Guam. Following a 30-day leave, he will report for orders at Parris Island, S. C. January 6. The corporal is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Shambrook, of Forrest, and one of three sons in the service.
70 Years Ago
December 16, 1954
Lloyd Shoemaker, owner of the new Loy-Ola Theatre here, said today that a movie has been booked for Sunday, Jan. 2 and that they will definitely open on that date, providing of course, no major emergencies arise. Shoemaker further stated that it was his hope to show the first movie here on Friday, Dec. 31, as a sort of preliminary "warm-up" to the featured opening, but that this plan was based on the supposition that needed projector equipment could be installed by that time.
Early mailings at the post office here have indicated another record year in making for holiday mail volume. F. M. Masterson, postmaster, disclosed that on Monday – the first day that mailings were recorded – 7,050 pieces of first class matter was cancelled. "This is about 1,000 pieces more than was mailed on the same date last year," Masterson said. Last Christmas was one of the heaviest in local post office history in regard to mailings of first class mail. Nearly 70,000 pieces were dispatched in the ten days preceding Christmas.
Police are still looking for the burglars who broke into the Kemnetz Garage and Hardware, Post Office and Meyers Service Station at Strawn Dec. 5. The Strawn Independent Oil Company was entered through a rear window. Some change was taken from drawers, and the premises showed signs of looking, although nothing was taken except the money. The Post Office was ransacked. An old safe, ruined in an earlier break-in, and now used for a storage cabinet, indicated that the burglars searched through it for cash. Appliances in the building had been set on the floor, indicating that the burglars fled before their activities were completed.
60 Years Ago
December 17, 1964
Dense fog and a would-be good Samaritan resulted in a five-car crash at about 7 a.m. Saturday on U.S. 24, about 2½ miles east of Fairbury. Mrs. Lauretta Shell, of Strawn, stopped on the highway alongside a motorist who was on the shoulder. While she inquired to see if aid was needed, her car was struck from the rear by Donald Perkins of Chatsworth; and his by Robert Blagg of Forrest. A fourth car approached, driven by Frank Livingston of Chatsworth. It managed to stop, but was struck from behind by the auto of Harold Dellinger of Fairbury, and pushed into the Blagg car. Mrs. Shell was ticketed for improper parking on a highway.
An unknown auto thief who was afoot almost more than he was riding, left a trail of three stolen vehicles through the Fairbury area Friday morning. A 1962 Oldsmobile from Wyoming became disabled and the driver left the car. He tried to use a car belonging to Marshall Vitzthum of Owego to tow the car, using a chain stolen from the Country Corners Service Station which was broken into. When this failed, he used a car belonging to Anton Popp to drive to Fairbury. The Popp car was recovered in the K & S Sales parking lot in Fairbury, where a wrecker was reported stolen. The K & S wrecker was used to tow the Wyoming car to a point four miles south and 1¼ miles west of Pontiac, where the car was abandoned. The wrecker was found abandoned a half-mile south of Colfax. He was last seen hitchhiking a ride to Bloomington.
50 Years Ago
December 19, 1974
Hummel's Grocery at 403 South Webster in Fairbury, victim just a week ago of a $700 armed robbery, this week encountered more trouble. Owner Bud Hummel told The Blade Monday that he had been given notice to evacuate the premises by January 1. The building, in a residential neighborhood, is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Giancarli of Fairbury and has been a grocery location for decades. There is strong speculation that the building will be occupied by Fairbury Manufacturing Company, the local dress factory which was burned out in a Nov. 10 fire.
Gene Metz of Forrest was the successful bidder on two tracts of farmland sold at public auction Saturday afternoon at Fairbury city hall. Both pieces of ground, located north of Forrest in Pleasant Ridge Township, were in the estate of Silas Nussbaum. Selling first was a tract of 40 acres, for which Metz had the final bid of $2,000 per acre. Then an 80-acre tract, which has the Vermilion river running through it, brought $1,720. After the sale, it was disclosed that on the latter piece, Metz was acting as agent for Ralph Harms, who becomes the new owner. Col. Ivan Metz of Forrest cried the sale, and Neale Hanley was the attorney for the estate.
Fairbury chief of police Maurice Cox told The Blade this week that some of the property taken in last week's armed robbery of Hummel's Grocery in Fairbury has been recovered and new developments in the case are expected shortly. Cox said that in connection with another case, Elgin police arrested a suspect and found in his possession a billfold taken from Vincent Endres Sr., of Forrest, last Tuesday night during the robbery.
40 Years Ago
December 13, 1984
Eight persons have filed petitions of candidacy seeking election to the first board of education for the newly consolidated school district and claiming spots on the February ballot. Seven of the eight candidates were slated by the current boards of education themselves, based on a gentleman's agreement that the new board would consist of three residents from the Fairbury-Cropsey district, and two apiece from Forrest-Strawn-Wing and Chatsworth. The slated candidates include Richard Zehr, Cindy Helmers and Jim Paternoster from Fairbury-Cropsey, Roger Brown and Art Lehmann from FSW and Francis Haberkorn and Keith Henrichs from Chatsworth. Also filing a petition Monday was Stan Etter, a current member of the FSW school board.
An explosion at Meadows Co-Op fertilizer plant at rural Chenoa Thursday morning injured two Co-Op workers. Todd Rhoda, 21, of rural Chenoa was taken to Springfield's Memorial Center late that night in serious condition. He has since improved to good condition. A second worker, Dan Richards, 23, of rural Towanda, was treated at Brokaw Hospital and released. The impact of the explosion blew Rhoda against the wall and the east side of the metal building caught fire. The two men were using a cutting torch to dismantle a conveyor belt about 9:30 a.m. when the explosion occurred.
The Fairbury Prairie Farmers 4-H club welcomed ten new members November 26 at their first meeting of the 84-85 year. Jennifer Beyer called the meeting to order where 42 members prepared for the new 4-H year. This year's officers are president, Janet Hoffman; vice-president, Jennifer Beyer; secretary, Stacy Ambrose; vice-secretary, Kelly Mies; scrap book, Mike Hoffman; and reporter, Alicia Thompson.
30 Years Ago
December 14, 1994
Bluestem National Bank of Fairbury announced Monday night that they are pledging $21,000 to the Prairie Central School District, forming what bank president Bud Gerber referred to as a "Pride in Excellence” partnership. The monies are to be distributed in allotments of $3,500 annually, beginning in 1995. The monies are to be used for academic purposes only, determined by school staff and administration. The presentation was made near the end of the bank's hosting of a buffet dinner, which was served by Robin Pearson and associates, owner of the Rose Pedal Tea Room in downtown Fairbury.
There may not be an emergency room at Fairbury Hospital after January 15, but ambulance service from rented property at the facility will continue to serve the surrounding communities. The recent announcement that Fairbury Hospital will be closing the emergency room and no longer admitting in-patients has raised a flurry of concern among the public. Director of Ambulance Services for SELCAS Roger Braun stated that SELCAS is and always has been a separate entity. "We signed a 99-year lease when we put this building up in '85, so we're not going anywhere," Braun said.
The Prairie Central High School girls basketball team beat state-ranked Eureka to take their 4th consecutive U-High tourney title. "We certainly didn't have an easy time of it," coach Joe Oprondek Jr. said of his varsity girls' basketball team's fourth consecutive title win at Normal/University High's annual tournament. "We were seeded fifth in the tournament and had to beat the fourth seed Clinton, the third seed U-High and the number one seed Eureka, who was 10-0 and ranked eighth in the state," said Oprondek. Addie Ahlemeyer was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament and the team brought home the championship trophy.
20 Years Ago
December 15, 2004
Mark Edwards, an employee of Scotty's Place of Pontiac, presented a check of $2,500 to the Forrest Village board to be used as a memorial for Jimmy Scola. Scola, 46, was killed as the result of an automobile accident almost a year ago. Edwards introduced Paula Scott, the proprietor of Scotty's, where Scola did deliveries for the tavern. All tips were collected for the memorial. A $500 check for the Needy kids Fund was also presented to the Daily Leader in memory of Scola. Also participating in the project was the Horseshoe Saloon in Forrest.
The Prairie Central High School FFA Dairy Products Judging team recently placed first at the state judging contest in Champaign. The team will now represent Illinois at the national FFA Convention next fall in Louisville, Ky. Reid Zehr was high individual and Bradley Kahle placed sixth. Other team members are Julie Steidinger, Jenna Honegger and Adam Cavanagh. The team is coached by FFA Advisor Kyle Miller.
Thomas and Jill Jenks of Monmouth are parents of their first child, a boy, born at 2:18 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2004 at Cottage Hospital in Galesburg. Aidan Thomas is the grandson of Tom and Mary Lou Culkin of Fairbury and Dave and Alyce Jenks of Monmouth. Great-grandparents are Clarence and Elizabeth Culkin of Hudson, Albert and Marjorie Meyer of Fairbury, Beulah Jenks of Monmouth and Ernest and Mary K. Robinson of Camen.
10 Years Ago
December 17, 2014
Emily Rieger and Nathan Wenger, both of Forrest, are announcing their engagement and approaching marriage. The bride-to-be is the daughter of James Rieger of Forrest and the late Christina Rieger. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2011 with a degree in middle level education and currently teaches at Prairie Central Upper Elementary School. The future bridegroom is the son of Dennis and Carol Wenger of Fairbury. He graduated from Illinois State University in 2009 with a degree in ag business and currently works at Bluestem Bank, Branch of Bank of Pontiac. The couple is planning a July 4, 2015 wedding at Saint Rose Catholic Church in Strawn.
Jean Jensen will mark her 90th birthday on Dec. 27 with a family dinner and a card shower. Mrs. Jensen was born Dec. 27, 1924 in South Bend, Ind., to Virginia and Harold Edwards. She married James E. Moore on Aug. 6, 1943. The couple took up farming and milking Holsteins until they moved to Illinois in 1962. Jim passed away in 1975. Jean then married Bud Jensen and spent many years working flea markets and consignment shops with antiques and brass. Bud passed away in 2001. Her children are Robert (Dorothy) Moore, Florida; Thomas (Pam) Moore, Florida; Daniel (Arlene) Moore, Minnesota; Sandra (Bill) Ingram, Tennessee; and Pam (David) Soper, Fairbury. She also has eight grandchildren.
(Kari Kamrath's "Looking Back" on Fairbury News is sponsored each week by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home)
