130 Years Ago
December 22, 1894
Tuesday, December 18, the friends of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Longbottom to the number of about sixty, gave them a wedding anniversary surprise at their home in this city. It was the tenth anniversary of their marriage and the guests came well supplied with various presents in the tin line.
The West End Restaurant has changed hands, Mrs. Auspurger having sold out to Messrs. A. C. and G. W. Monroe, of near Wing, who will continue the business.
Somebody burglarized Bethard's store, getting in by a rear window. All that was missing was an overcoat, a hat and two dozen woolen socks.
Four pastors of the Fairbury churches changed pulpits on Sunday evening without any previous announcement to the congregations. Simply when the hour for services arrived, Rev. Sharpless, Presbyterian, appeared at the Methodist Church, Rev. Porter of the Christian Church, was in the Baptist pulpit, Rev. Riley of the Baptist Church was at the Christian Church.
There does not appear to be any good reason why Fairbury should forever rank as a village when smaller and less important places have the prestige and benefits of city organization.
120 Years Ago
December 23, 1904
Ralph Pool, of Chicago, spent part of the week here. While here he sold his 40 acres of land near Weston to J. G. Anderson for $115 per acre.
The coal miners at the south shaft are working but half time at present, the demand for coal not being near equal to their output.
Rev. J. W. Bailey, who has been filling the pulpit at the Baptist Church for the past two Sundays, has accepted this charge.
"Under Southern Skies," which was given at the Central Opera House on Monday evening, proved to be one of the best, if not the the best, show ever witnessed by a Fairbury audience.
C. E. Gregg, who is now in the employ of the Pantagraph Printing and Stationery Company at Bloomington, spent Sunday here with his parents.
110 Years Ago
December 25, 1914
Rev. C. D. Rasp, who has been pastor of the Baptist Church for several years past, will preach his farewell sermon Sunday evening.
The Sunday School Association basketball season opened Tuesday evening, a crowd of 250 being present to give the teams a good sendoff. The first game was between the Christians and the Baptists, the former winning 40 to 12. Joda of the Limits played with the Christians. The second game was between the Methodists and the Presbyterians and was as good a game as one could wish to see. Both teams contain members of the Limits team, Hanson playing with the Methodists, and Keck and Fugate with the Presbyterians. The final score was: Presbyterians 35, Methodists 28.
Walter Somers, who is attending St. Bede's College, is home to spend the holidays. Arthur Somers, who is farming a half section near Grand Meadows, Minn., is also home.
100 Years Ago
December 26, 1924
Fairbury is slowly crawling out from under its sheet of ice, although the ice is still there, clinging to the trees, poles, electric light and telephone wires. Gradually the telephone service is being broadened, and roads have been cut through the heavy brush and trees that littered the streets. Practically every home in Fairbury has electric service although the street lights are still out. Fairbury seemed to be in the center of the storm, as it did not extend any further east than La Hogue, or any further west than Eureka.
Mr. Blaisdell, owner of the Fairbury Telephone Company, places the damage done by the rain and sleet storm of last week at $10,000. Not only is his immediate damage great but his source of revenue is probably cut 75 percent. Of the seven or eight hundred telephones in the Fairbury system there are probably only 200 or 300 in use. In addition to this all toll service is cut off. Mr. Blaisdell has a force of men at work and is making some progress in restoring telephone service to his patrons, but it is slow work, as the lines are broken in many places.
Ernest Bess had a large sale. It was held on Monday and amounted to $4,800. As may be surmised, everything sold well. Cows from $75 to $100; one team of horses sold for $300, and the farm machinery went for a higher price than Mr. Bess paid for it four years ago. Mr. Baily, the auctioneer, said it was one of the best sales he ever had. Not in point of crowd particularly, but the bidding was brisk.
90 Years Ago
December 21, 1934
The slot machine received its full share of consideration at the meeting of the city council Wednesday evening. These fascinating little (and big) gambling devices are decidedly unpopular with the council – in fact, they have no standing at all, and the council is determined to exterminate them. Mayor Franzen stated that while the machines had a short time ago been cleaned out of all the seven or eight business houses which had been operating them, one of the houses had reinstalled them and was busy again taking in the nickels and dimes of that unfortunate class who are always hoping to get something for nothing, or much for little. Mayor Franzen stated very emphatically that slot machines would not be operated in this city so long as he was its mayor, and that henceforth they would not be tolerated.
The choirs of the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches will unite in a sacred concert of Christmas music next Sunday evening, at the Presbyterian Church. The united choirs will sing three anthems under the direction of Mrs. Voorhees. There will be vocal solos by Mrs. Roberts, Miss Kring and Mrs. Voorhees, and a cello solo by Miss Colburn. There will be a quartette from the Methodist Church and Mr. and Mrs. Roberts will sing a duet. John Rockenbach will be at the organ.
The next thief that attempts to rob the Central Theatre will find the job a little more complicated. This week a safe with a time lock was installed in the office of the theatre. It is one that was formerly used in the Wing bank.
80 Years Ago
December 22, 1944
We have used our entire quota of ice cream for the month of December. Our ice cream parlor will be closed from Friday, December 22, to January 2, 1945. —Andy's Ice Cream Parlor
While washing Saturday morning, Miss Myrtle Stephens got her right hand caught in the wringer. She was taken to the Fairbury Hospital where four stitches were required to close the wound. It is very painful but she is doing as well as can be expected. Miss Elsie Stephens, of Bloomington, came Saturday evening and remained until Monday evening.
The chicken house on the Harold Elliott farm, burned Saturday morning. Bert Taylor was passing and saw the fire. No one was at home. He called a couple of neighbors who kept the fire under control. Mrs. Dooley thought there were about 60 chickens in the house at the time. Mr. and Mrs. Dooley had left for Bloomington about 30 minutes before the fire was discovered.
Lt. Commander Don Karnes has been assigned to SS Frank Knox, a destroyer. In a letter to his parents, he said he would tell them the port from which they sailed after he returns.
70 Years Ago
December 23, 1954
Firemen responded to a call to the Headley garage on East Walnut Street Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. Some gasoline-soaked rags became ignited while Gilbert Headley and Ivan Fosdick were over-hauling a car. They had the fire under control when firemen arrived.
According to the 1950 census, there are 2,430 persons within the city limits of Fairbury. Ever wonder how many worked for a living in Fairbury stores and businesses, and how many places of business there are here? It is interesting to note that of the 2,430 men, women and children who live in Fairbury, only about a third are gainfully employed in the commerce of the city. The exact figure is 927. The number of retail businesses of Fairbury which employ those persons is 191.
Over 650 youngsters from this and surrounding communities gathered on Main Street here Saturday afternoon to tell Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas. Santa, possibly a little hoarse but nonetheless cheerful as the last child slipped away, listened intently as the wishes of the tykes were amplified through the business district by a loud speaker. Sacks containing candy treats, contributed by the Chamber of Commerce, were dispensed by the jolly man in red. Santa departed quickly following his interviews, but before he did so, he was heard to remark, "A mighty fine group of youngsters here. I must be sure to make this one of my earlier stops on Christmas Eve." We'll all be waiting!
60 Years Ago
December 24, 1964
Fairbury stores Saturday reeled under a massive surge of Christmas shoppers, which assumed record-breaking proportions. All three off-street parking lots were jammed, and curbside spaces were hard to come by. Traffic was so heavy throughout most of the afternoon that there were lines of cars backed up as much as one and a half blocks all four ways from the stoplights at Locust and Third streets. Most stores were unanimous that not only Saturday, but the entire month of December had seen a high volume of traffic that for most was going at a record-clip.
David Kelson of Los Angeles, Calif., son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Kelson of Fairbury, has been accepted by the Producers Motion Picture Studio for their Screen Actors Workshop. Under the direction of Stacy Harris and Mike Pate, familiar faces on television, the workshop is conducted for a select few who pass a rigid audition. A senior major in Speech and Drama at Columbia College in Los Angeles, Kelson will be attending classes in television production. David will be spending the Christmas holidays with his parents in Fairbury.
Mrs. J. N. Bach, one of the older citizens and probably the oldest native Fairburian, notes her 90th birthdate Tuesday, December 22. She had nine children (eight of whom are living), 24 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Born in the residence which is now the home of C. Edward Bach and family, she then moved across the alley into her present residence in 1907. She has often made the remark that she was never out of block, but that statement is only true concerning her residence.
50 Years Ago
December 26, 1974
Three high school bands will play for crowds at Illinois State University basketball games in late December and early January. The games come during the break period at ISU when members of the pep band directed by Rex Benson will be on vacation, along with other students. Kewanee High School's band, directed by Terry Dillar, will play when Illinois State meets San Francisco State Dec. 26. The Fairbury-Cropsey band, directed by Bruce Hammitt, will provide the music as ISU meets Southern Illinois on Jan. 4. Eureka High School's band, directed by George York, will play for the game with Oral Roberts University on Jan. 6.
Alan Nussbaum, rural Forrest, has completed his student teaching assignment at Mahomet-Seymour High School as part of the University of Illinois teacher training program. All of the students just completing student teaching assignments worked under the supervision of experienced teachers and university faculty members. All had studied psychology, teaching methods and learning theory as well as individual subject matter areas before going into the field.
The racing days of Mulie Magoo, the great four-year-old trotter owned by Frankie Vaughan of Fairbury, are over. The mare suffered a break in the coffin bone in a front leg recently. She had just been brought back to Chicago's Balmoral track from the east coast and was being exercised when she was hurt. She will now become a brood mare for Vaughan, who in recent months has turned down several lucrative offers for Mulie.
40 Years Ago
December 20, 1984
Robert Bullard of Odell, and Fairbury attorneys Gordon Kinate and Randell Morgan are the principals in the electronic manufacturing firm, U.S. Cotronics, Inc., which has announced plans to open a plant in Fairbury by spring. In 1965, Bullard, with Gene and the late Herman Rieger, organized Rieger Coil and operated it in Forrest. That firm was later sold and moved to Fairbury a decade ago. It is reported the new firm would not compete for the same market as Rieger. U.S. Cotronics, Inc. plans to employ between 50 and 75 persons from the area on start-up, and as many as 150 to 200 within two years.
One of the most legendary names in Fairbury High School athletic history, Don Karnes, will be inducted posthumously into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame next April. After a career as a multi-sport varsity star at Fairbury High School, Karnes went on to the University of Illinois where he played on the Illini's only unbeaten Big 10 championship cage team. He was also a varsity football player on the same Illini team as the immortal "Red" Grange. In the mid-1920s, Karnes coached the ISU basketball team for two years. He also coached football for five years at Bloomington's Trinity (now Central Catholic) High School and served as a track coach at Illinois Wesleyan University.
The combination of oxidized road salt, paint and heat from a welder's torch are believed responsible for the fumes which caused two men at Klitzing Welding to encounter breathing difficulties Monday afternoon. One of them, Kenneth McClellan, 58, was taken by a SELCAS crew to Fairbury Hospital's emergency room, where he was then admitted for observation. Keith Klitzing felt "much better" when he got out in the fresh air and declined treatment. The two had been working all day on a snow-plow blade from Yates Yownship.
30 Years Ago
December 21, 1994
For the first time since its doors opened in 1988, the Prairie Central unit of the Boys and Girls Club of Livingston County will stand on its own feet, becoming known simply as the Prairie Central Boys and Girls Club. On January 1, 1995, the Prairie Central-based club will open its doors without the financial or management aid shared in the past with the Pontiac unit of the club. Up until January 1, both units of the club will share payment of bills. After that date, all proceeds – and bills – going to the Prairie Central club will be solely those of the local club.
Maynard Schleeter of Colfax recently won the State Seniors All Events in Class A bowling tournament which was held in November for two weekends at Rock Island. In addition to the prize money, Schleeter also received paid expenses for the national tournament. He will be representing the State of Illinois at the National Senior Tournament in Reno, NE in May 1995 He and his wife, Shirley, are retired farmers.
Dan Galloway, Chatsworth native, was recently honored with the 1994-95 Illinois State Board of Education's "Those Who Excel" award. Galloway, son of Berdell and Annetta Galloway of Chatsworth, is association principal of Adlai E. Stevenson High School of Lincolnshire. He was one of 217 educators honored statewide who have gone above and beyond what is required of them in their educational careers. Galloway, who has been at Stevenson High School since 1977, oversees the day-to-day operation of the nearly 2,800 student enrollment.
20 Years Ago
December 22, 2004
Prairie Central High School head wrestling Coach Joe Cliffe was honored by the Prairie Central Board of Education on Monday night. Coach Cliffe obtained his 400th win last Thursday night at a home quadrangular meet. Before the night was over it was 401. Cliffe has been coaching wrestling for the past 27 years, four at Georgetown, 14 years at Plano and nine at PC. Cliffe thanked the board for their support and also mentioned that a member of the wrestling team, Luke Taylor, attained his 100th career victory that same night.
Jean Jensen will mark her 80th birthday on Dec. 27. Her five children will be home for a birthday dinner with her. Mrs. Jensen's children are Robert (Dorothy) Moore, Bloomington; Thomas (Pam) Moore, Fairbury; Daniel (Arlene) Moore, Minnesota; Sandra (Bill) Ingram and Pam (Dave) Soper, both of Fairbury. She also has eight grandchildren.
The J. A. Folwell American Legion Post #174 in Forrest has recently published a member history book. This book is over 300 pages containing service records, pictures, letters, personal narratives and award citations from almost 200 past and present post members. This book was started to capture the individual post member's military service records, not only for preservation, but also to inspire future generations.
10 Years Ago
December 24, 2014
An extremely sad week for Fairbury culminated in a moment of silence at Wednesday's regular meeting of the Fairbury City Council. At the start of the meeting Mayor Lynn Dameron remembered Planning Commission Chairman Norm Rittenhouse and Alderman Doug Hibsch who both passed away in recent days. Rittenhouse was remembered as someone always looking for ways to improve Fairbury while Hibsch was described as a dedicated alderman always working tirelessly for the betterment of the city.
At the Livingston County Achievement Night Renae Steffen of Fairbury was recipient of the I DARE YOU Award. This award is given to young 4-Hers who show outstanding leadership. Steffen, 16, is the daughter of Corey and Beth Steffen of Fairbury. She is a born leader who has held many offices, is the current president and a nine-year member of the Forrest Fireflies 4-H Club.
Thadd and Tamra Zimmerman of Chatsworth are the parents of a baby girl born at 12:07 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014. Abigail Renee weighed 9 pounds 4 ounces and was 21½ inches long at birth. Paternal grandparents are Jeff and Stephanie Zimmerman of Forrest. Maternal grandparents are Paul and Dawn Stork of Chatsworth. Abigail Renee was middled named after her mother.
("Looking Back" from Kari Kamrath is sponsored each week on Fairbury News by Duffy-Pils Memorial Homes)
