130 Years Ago
April 28, 1894
T. A. McKenzie has begun to clear away the ground to build a two-story brick shop on his lot made vacant by the recent fire.
W. J. Bethard was buying goods in Chicago the first of the week for the East End Emporium.
John Hagen was shoeing a horse last Monday when the animal threw him down and stepped on his leg. The accident has kept him from work.
Fairbury hung out her banners and welcomed a host of visitors who came to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of Odd Fellowship in America.
120 Years Ago
April 29, 1904
Attorney Robert Henning was severely bitten by a savage bull dog belonging to John Gagnon while walking by Gagnon's house in the west part of town Wednesday. The dog has a bad reputation and should have been killed long ago. The fact is there are a number of worthless dogs around Fairbury which could be spared. As the city is low in finances it would be a good idea to put a tax of five or ten dollars a head on all dogs within the corporate limits of the city.
The services of the Fairbury band have been secured by the committee on music for the fair next September and this excellent musical organization will furnish music throughout the week. The band will be strengthened by the addition of some of the best soloists in the state and the musical feature will be better than ever.
Sam Wilkinson, a passenger brakeman on the Wabash, gave up his run one day last week on account of sickness and was taken to the hospital at Decatur, where he was examined and it was found that he had cancer of the stomach. The doctors did what they could for the unfortunate man but it was no use. He died Tuesday morning and was taken to Chicago for burial.
110 Years Ago
May 1, 1914
One of the most devastating cyclones that has ever visited this section occurred south of Fairbury last Friday afternoon, and did great damages. Edward Zook, E. C. Meeker and Ray Cox, who were near the John Fry farm, saw the storm approaching and stopped their team to watch it. They stated that the gigantic whirl of intense blackness would dip down to the earth and then go up again. The storm occurred about 4:30 o'clock and its width was about 150 feet. The first nearby damage was at the home of Ben Bose, the G. C. Lewis farm. Here trees were uprooted and outbuildings destroyed. Mr. Bose's mother, who was out in the yard, was blown against a separator and her arm badly cut.
A special meeting of the city council was held this morning to decide on whether the saloons should have the extra seven days in which to dispose of their stocks. The local option law says the law shall become effective 30 days after election. As the election was held April 7, the saloon men had until May 7 to run their business should the city council see fit to grant them a license. The new city council did not see fit to grant them licenses, and the saloons in this city are no more.
Stanley Thayer has accepted a position with the Commercial National Bank, of Decatur, and left Saturday for that city. Since graduating from Millikin Mr. Thayer has been in the employ of Walton Bros. Co.
100 Years Ago
April 25, 1924
Frank Ross this week purchased the city meat market from Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. Ross has been associated with Mr. Wilkinson for some time and is well acquainted with the trade and the business. Mr. Wilkinson will return to his home in Pekin.
The farmers' market will be in operation again tomorrow, starting at one o'clock, and this time will be held in the old Walton building, where the farmers may bring cottage cheese, eggs, butter or any other produce and sell it. Any organization wishing to conduct a bake sale in connection with this market may do so. There was only one marketeer last Saturday, but the produce she had to sell was gobbled up in a very short time, and there were many more customers who wanted to buy, but the produce wasn't there.
Mrs. Dilla Carter this week secured by replevin a piano, which was in the custody of her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have not been living together, Mr. Carter having most of the household goods in his possession, including the piano. The first of the week Mrs. Carter went before Police Magistrate Voorhees and secured a writ of replevin, which she put in the hands of Constable Duzenbgery, who went and got the piano and delivered it to Mrs. Carter. At the hearing Tuesday afternoon before Police Magistrate Voorhees Mr. Carter produced some receipts which showed that he had made some payments on the piano, but Mrs. Carter produced the books belonging to the late James Woods, which showed the piano had been purchased by Mrs. Carter. Magistrate Voorhees ruled that the piano was the property of Mrs. Carter.
90 Years Ago
April 27, 1934
Miss Lillie Craig and son Marvin have leased of Miss Georgianna Brown what is known as the John Woods property on South First street, and will move there as soon as some improvements are made. Mr. and Mrs. Woods have moved into the Mrs. Beggs house on West Hickory street.
Mrs. Gregory Decker received a letter yesterday from her son, "Bud," who with several other young men left here two weeks ago on a hitch-hiking trip to the west. Among other things that Bud wrote was that one of their party, Louis Kaisner, was ill in a Los Angeles (Calif.) hospital. A diagnosis did not reveal clearly just what his ailment might be, but the attending physician believed it was appendicitis and that an operation may be necessary.
The Garber school closed Thursday evening with a picnic supper and program. Miss Elfrink, of Chenoa, who has been the teacher for the past two years, will return next year. She is a talented young woman and possesses a charming personality. After graduating in an eastern college she traveled extensively abroad. The district has an organization of parents and pupils under the leadership of Miss Elfrink, and her return next year is welcomed by the entire membership.
80 Years Ago
April 28, 1944
John Wenger is recovering at the Fairbury Hospital from injuries received Monday afternoon about 4:30 o'clock at the Honegger Feed Mills, when a pile of sacks filled with ingredients for feed toppled over on him. Mr. Wenger was injured about the back, one side and one leg. He and another employee, noticing that the pile of sacks was leaning were trying to prop them up when the accident occurred.
Marian Bachtold, four and a half year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bachtold, residing northeast of Fairbury, is recovering at the Fairbury Hospital from serious injuries about the head received on Monday afternoon when a truck operated by Mr. Bachtold backed over her. The wheels did not pass over her, but possibly just grazed her head. Mr. Bachtold was going to put the truck in the shed and had backed up a short distance to line it up with the door and did not see his daughter. She is making a satisfactory recovery.
Tuesday night was "liars" night at the Fairbury Rotary Club when members of the club in a half-hour or more of unusual frivolity engaged in a contest to determine who could tell the most colossal lie. Many masterpieces of prevarication were produced, and when all who wished had told a tale, a vote was taken to determine who was the winner of the (questionable) honor of being champion. When the ballots were counted it was found that T. D. Karnes and W. W. Walker had tied for first place. Each was required to tell an additional falsehood and when the club balloted on their second effort Mr. Karnes proved to be the winner.
70 Years Ago
April 29, 1954
Have you looked at your farm since the spring rains? If you haven't, you will have a great opportunity to do so next Sunday, May 2, 1954. The Livingston County Soil Conservation District and the Flying Farmers are sponsoring their second Air Lift. The planes will take off from the Chatsworth Airport, located at the southeast edge of Chatsworth. The planes will be ready to take you over your farm from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The Flying Farmers will appreciate a donation to help pay for the gasoline.
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Hofmann of Fairbury have announced the engagement of their daughter, Janet Lee, to Richard F. Steidinger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Steidinger of Fairbury. A June date has been set.
Two Chatsworth men who fell 800 feet in their stalled airplane and crashed into a field near Forrest Thursday afternoon were still confined to the Fairbury Hospital yesterday, but their conditions were reported as "improving." Leslie Schade and Keith Bouhl, both about 28 years of age, now have stories to go along with the best escape yarns of fact and fiction as they escaped serious injury when their Taylor-craft plane went into a spin after the motor stalled, and dropped 800 feet into a field on the Ernest Taylor farm about three miles northwest of Forrest. The accident happened about 5 p.m.
60 Years Ago
April 30, 1964
Indian Trail Motel of Fairbury is undergoing a face lifting. New owners, Mr. and Mrs. Merlin Harris, are adding 235 feet of aluminum canopy over motel entrances, a water fountain, insulated stone siding, vertical aluminum siding and a new bath in one unit. In addition, the entire motel is being carpeted and new TV sets are being installed. Each unit will have a private phone with a switchboard at the office. An open house will be held in June and Fairbury area people will be invited to attend. There are 15 units at the motel.
Approximately 1,600 people watched Illinois State University's famed Gamma Phi Circus present a variety of fast-moving acts in the new gym here Friday night. Receipts totaled $1,185.01. P.T.A. officials scheduled the show as the top money-making project of the year. Under the direction of Dr. Arley Gillett and Wayne Truex, gymnastic fans saw a total of 18 events, ranging from trapeze, to parallel bars and trampoline, to knife throwing, tumbling and rings. As true in any circus atmosphere, the clowns almost stole the show before it ever started. Crowning of the queen was part of the ceremonies when Janet Drew, freshman at the university, was named queen of the circus by an all-school vote. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Drew of rural Fairbury.
The Larry Sohns of Fairbury returned Tuesday from a whirl-wind three-day trip to Las Vegas, Nev. Leaving from Chicago Sunday at 11 a.m. via jet, the couple arrived in Vegas just three hours later. They stayed at the Stardust Hotel. The all-expense paid trip was awarded Sohn by his employer, Life of Kentucky. Sohn out-sold his fellow workers in this district and thus earned the vacation. While in Vegas, the pair saw the Jerry Lewis show, Dinah Shore show, Phil Harris show and a show direct from Paris, France. They also saw Johnny Desmond. They had breakfast Monday morning at the Stardust golf course, where the "champions of champions" are playing this week.
50 Years Ago
May 2, 1974
Replacement of a long popular Fairbury night spot and bowling alley, Old Susannah, remained in doubt today following a disastrous fire early Sunday which, driven by a 20 mph wind, needed only 50 minutes to completely wipe out the food and beverage sections of the "L" shaped building. Six fire companies with 16 pieces of equipment responded in a futile effort to combat the combination of wind and fire at the site, on U. S. 24 just outside the city limits. The bowling alley suffered only smoke and water damage as the flames were kept out of that area. Sunday morning, bowlers were retrieving balls and shoes from their lockers and some fanciers of the sport reportedly used the salvaged equipment in a tournament at Gibson City that evening!
For directing two fund drives in consecutive months that raised more than $35,000 last fall, Si L. Moser, on Monday night, was named Fairbury's Man of the Year in Making "A Better Community." The award was presented before a record-sized crowd attending the annual banquet of the Fairbury Association of Commerce. A veteran of more than 40 years in business as a petroleum distributor, Moser recalled the days exactly 20 years ago "when we had trouble getting 20 or 30 people to these annual meetings. In those days, your dinner was included in your dues, and no one came. Now you have to pay for it, and make a reservation, and 265 of you come!"
Fairbury's first "Walk for Mankind," sponsored by the Junior Woman's Club, attracted 132 walkers Saturday and earned a net profit of $2,060. All of this money, less 20 percent that is being donated to local non-profit organizations, will be sent to Project Concern. Project Concern aids countless thousands of sick, hungry, impoverished people in the United States and around the world.
National Bank of Fairbury, 106 East Locust, is one of 17 structures cited as historical monuments by Illinois Historical Society.
40 Years Ago
April 26, 1984
Fairburian Scott Stephens, advertising manager for the Illinois State University student daily newspaper, has been elected to a national office by the College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers Association. Stephens was selected to serve as student advisor to the CNBAM national board of directors last week during the group's annual convention in Nashville, Tenn. Stephens is currently wrapping up his first semester as ad manager for The Daily Vidette at ISU, where his sales staff is running about 10 percent ahead of projected sales for the semester.
About 70 employees of Fairbury Hospital will be eligible to vote in elections regarding unionization today at Fairbury Hospital. The balloting is under the auspices of the National Labor Relations Board, to whom a petition was submitted about a month ago asking that the Illinois Nurses Association be recognized as a bargaining agent. If the proposal passes, Fairbury would become the only public hospital outside of Chicago to become unionized.
One of the legendary figures in Fairbury-Cropsey High School athletic history, Dick Doran, was inducted posthumously into the FCHS Hall of Fame Tuesday night. Doran's former football and basketball coach, George Fyke, did the honors in a touching ceremony held as part of the high school's annual athletic banquet. Fyke recited some of the many records Doran established during his 15-letter, four-year varsity career. He was a varsity starter for every football game for four years and started all but his first varsity basketball game his freshman year. Doran also excelled in baseball and track. Doran earned all-conference honors and was voted his team's MVP his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
30 Years Ago
April 27, 1994
Though it was last February when the Illinois Department of Transportation came out with solid plans for routing its proposed high-speed passenger train, it was only recently that Mayor Lynn Dameron said he received notification of details on the "southern route." That proposed southern route would take the high-speed train through Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth, and Fairbury city aldermen were not pleased upon hearing Dameron's version of the plan. "There would be grade separations at First and Seventh Streets with an overpass over the railroad track (at those streets), and Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Streets would be closed," Dameron told the council. A motion stating "Thanks, but no thanks for the high-speed rail route through Fairbury, registering our opposition to it" was passed unanimously.
Prairie Central High School's Kristel Monroe has decided to attend Illinois Wesleyan University to continue her athletic and academic career, IWU head basketball coach Mandy Neal recently announced. Monroe, a 5-foot-9 forward, was the Hawks' most valuable player and was named to the first team of the all-Corn Belt Conference squad in both her junior and senior seasons. Monroe is in the upper five percent of her high school class and is an Illinois State Scholar. She plans to major in graphic design at IWU and, in addition to basketball, may also participate in softball at Wesleyan. She is the daughter of Ron and Sharon Monroe, rural Fairbury.
Air Force Airman Nathaniel J. Runyon has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, he studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs and received special training in human relations. Runyon, a 1992 graduate of Prairie Central High School, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Randy S. Runyon, Chatsworth.
20 Years Ago
April 28, 2004
After almost 40 years of service to his community, James Steidinger is retiring from his position as Zoning Administrator for the City of Fairbury. In 1965, Steidinger, James Roberts, Warren Olson, Silas Moser, Roy Melvin, Reuben Huber, John Wade and Carlos Thompson were appointed by Mayor Roy Taylor to write a viable zoning ordinance for Fairbury. The Fairbury Zoning Ordinances were passed by the council in 1968. From 1968 to 1976 Steidinger served as Chair of the Fairbury Zoning Board of Zoning Appeals. He then resigned to become an Alderman. From 1976 to 1981, he served as Alderman for the city, the last four years as Mayor Pro-Tem. He was then elected as Mayor of Fairbury from 1981 to 1985. After taking a few years off, he was an Alderman once again from 1989 to 1995. In 1996 he was appointed as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. From 1999 to April of 2004 he was Fairbury's Zoning Administrator.
The J. A. Folwell Unit #174 of the Legion Auxiliary will sponsor Amber Lehmann as a delegate to Illinois Girls State. Amber is a Junior at Prairie Central High School and participates in C.A.P.T.A.I.N.S., Interact, her church youth group and a mentoring program for Meadowbrook students. Her parents are Ken and Mary Lehmann of Strawn. Sarah Harms, a daughter of Neil and Norma Harms of Forrest was selected as alternate.
10 Years Ago
April 30, 2014
Nathan Wenger has been named Branch Manager to Bank of Pontiac's Bluestem Bank in Forrest. He will oversee the daily branch operations and will coordinate new accounts, teller and online banking activities for the branch while continuing to work with agricultural, consumer and mortgage lending in addition to farm management. Jean Rabe has been named Branch Manager to Bank of Pontiac's Bluestem Bank in Fairbury. She will oversee the daily branch operations and will coordinate new accounts, teller and online banking activities for the branch while continuing to work with consumer and mortgage lending.
Donald “Duke” and Patricia Harms of Fairbury will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. Harms and the former Patricia Hatfield were married May 8, 1949 at First United Methodist Church in Forrest. They have eight children, 21 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
The Second Quarter Achievers In Mission (AIM) for Excellence Award recipient for 2014 is Becky Wahls, of Fairbury, a registered nurse at the OSF Medical Group clinic in Chatsworth. Wahls has been an OSF employee for 29 years and was selected for this honor due to her any wonderful and caring qualities.
("Looking Back" from Kari Kamrath is sponsored each week by Duffy-Pils Memorial Homes with locations in Fairbury, Chenoa and Colfax)
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