130 Years Ago
September 1, 1894
There will be three shows in town next week. James H. Brown Dramatic Company will appear at the Fairbury Opera House; the Lyceam Theatre Company will be at Mapel Bros. Hall, and the Welsh & Kent Novelty Company are to show in a tent on the lot back of the T. P. & W. depot.
The eighteenth annual fair will be held next week. On account of the fair, the T. P. & W. will run a special train Wednesday and Thursday from Gilman to Fairbury.
Oats threshing in this vicinity is finished. Tip Cox, the famous thresher from Belle Prairie, is the man who finished. The reason for this rapid progress is that Tip's men must always have lunch, which gives them energy and they always work twice as fast as ordinary men.
120 Years Ago
September 2, 1904
On account of the Fairbury Fair, the T. P. & W. will sell excursion tickets from their stations to Fairbury at one and one-third fare for the round trip. A special train will leave Gilman at 8:35 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, arriving at Fairbury at 9:35 a.m. Returning, a special train will leave Fairbury for Gilman at 6:00 p.m.
The temperature averaged below normal throughout the week, the nights, especially, being very cool. Only scattered local showers occurred, but the heavy rainfall of the previous week put the ground in excellent condition for plowing, and that work made rapid progress. Threshing was suspended during the first three days, but was resumed, under favorable conditions, the latter half, and is now practically finished.
It may be of some interest to farmers to know that the post office department does not require rural carriers to deliver mail where vicious dogs are kept. In such cases the animals must be removed or delivery will be discontinued.
110 Years Ago
September 4, 1914
Miss Harriett Hurd, who for the past two years has been librarian at the Dominy Memorial Library, has resigned, the resignation taking effect Monday.
Forty babies were in the baby contest held in connection with the fair. John Andrew Moore, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Moore, of Fairbury, aged six months, made a perfect score of 1,000 points. Margaret Louise Vail, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vail Jr., was second with 950. The above two babies were given medals by the Woman's Home Companion.
Joseph Denarske and family are obliged to vacate the living quarters on the ground floor of the south side school, the district being short of rooms. These rooms have been used by the families of janitors ever since the building was built.
100 Years Ago
August 29, 1924
Ray Melvin, of near Forrest, has accepted the position of manager of the Claudon Motor Mart, taking the place of Van Wharton, resigned. Mr. Melvin is a man of hustle and ability, a most pleasing and agreeable gentleman to meet and will make a first-class man for Mr. Claudon and the Claudon Motor Mart. He will move his family to this city, having made partial arrangements towards leasing the McKee property on West Chestnut Street.
Van Wharton will open his new filling station at the northeast corner of First and Oak streets next Tuesday. Work has progressed rapidly on the new station and while all the details will not be completed by next Tuesday, the work on the station will be far enough along that Mr. Wharton can serve his patrons promptly.
In speaking of the fight last week between H. L. Howling and Charles Fayson, The Blade stated that they made their home in the basement of the G. Y. McDowell building. Mr. McDowell informs us that they do not make their home in his basement, but just happened to meet there and the fight took place.
90 Years Ago
August 31, 1934
Dorothy Nugent and Imogene McKown, little tumblers from Clinton, were the final winners in the Central Theatre's "Search for Talent" contest, winning the grand final prize of a three-day vacation at the Chicago World's Fair. Fairbury's entry, Dorothy June Robb, toe and tap dancer, placed second, and Dickie Knudsen, singer from Dwight, took third place.
Fairbury has been selected as one of five canning centers to be located in this county by the Illinois Relief Commission, and it is already in operation. The other cities in the county in which canning centers are located are Dwight, Odell, Pontiac and Chatsworth. The Fairbury cannery is located in the John Hibsch building on East Locust Street, formerly occupied by the cheese factory. The building is well fitted for the purpose, being well lighted and ventilated. Mrs. Fred Cooper is in charge.
A check forger was in town last Saturday night and before he left had gathered in some 30 odd dollars in cash. The places he visited were Lyons Clothes Shop, the Claudon Motor Mart and Hurt's Tavern. The checks were made out on the Farmers State Bank and were in favor of Robert Coultras and had the name of Alfred M. Wessels, residing west of Fairbury, signed to them. The signature was forged. Each check was for $12.
80 Years Ago
September 1, 1944
For the second year straight a rainy weekend greeted the visitors to the sixth annual Townsend Homecoming held in this city last Saturday and Sunday, the principal day being Sunday. Although the rain made things rather uncomfortable it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the visitors or change the program as outlined. However, the rain and transportation problem did keep thousands away. In Chicago, where at one bus station alone, close to one hundred Fairbury-bound people were left because there was not room on the buses for them. Dr. and Ms. Townsend arrived in Fairbury Sunday morning.
Cpl. Leslie Hansen of this city is a member of the 82nd Airborne Division that was in the Normandy invasion, and the officers in charge are still singing the praises of this versatile fighting unit. The unit went in by glider two and a half hours before H-hour and experienced the same difficulties as the airborne infantry. They often landed in a hail of fire and many were compelled to fight immediately, before their equipment could be assembled.
A four-engined bomber, one of a formation of 12 out on a training flight from Chanute field, crashed in a field at the southeast edge of Paxton, Wednesday morning. In spite of the fact that, in making a crash landing, the bomber sheared off a large tree, cut a patch through a hedge fence going into another field, and cut off a telephone pole, only one of the crew was seriously hurt. The plane was badly damaged, the nose, a wing and a wheel being torn away. Engine trouble caused the forced landing.
70 Years Ago
September 2, 1954
The Livingston County Tuberculosis Association has just completed a chest X-ray survey in Fairbury. During the week of the Fairbury Fair there were 1,129 persons given free chest X-rays. On Monday 41 men from the Honegger plant were given X-rays, and on Tuesday 169 persons were X-rayed in down-town Fairbury, making a total of 1,339. A chest X-ray serves a double purpose: First it protects the individual, and second it protects your family and community, said Mrs. Pearl Allen, executive director of the association. The mobile unit will spend one day each in Forrest, Chatsworth and Saunemin, then will be at the Odell Centennial.
One of Fairbury's golfing "old pro's" and a tournament dark horse will match clubs here Labor Day for the championship of the Indian Creek Golf Club golf tournament. C. C. Thompson, seeking to retire the trophy with his third city championship after winning the crown in 1949 and 1950, must get past Perry Munz to turn the trick. Perry, who only once before has advanced as far as the semi-finals, will be attempting to keep alive the success of the dark horse aspirant which was felt so heavily in last year's tourney. A year ago, Sam Runyon came from nowhere after seriously taking up the game only last spring to win the close one and capture the crown.
The running of the 78th annual Fairbury Fair here last week was a study in contrasts. For the first time in many years, rain seriously interfered, sending attendance figures dropping to the lowest in the past seven years. Contrasting with this was the fact that exhibits reached their highest total of the past six years. The rains came on Wednesday evening and continued off and on, through Thursday and Friday. Skies cleared on Saturday, and with them brought almost a steady flow of people into the grounds. Almost one-third of the total paid attendance of the fair was realized on Saturday.
60 Years Ago
September 3, 1964
The 88th Fairbury Fair closed on the plus side Saturday night as an over-flow crowd jammed all available space for the concluding stock and rail racing program. Final figures showed main gate paid admissions for adults at 14,931, up 214 from last year's 14,716; children 2,301, off 122 from last year's 2,433; and grandstand 15,026, an increase of 752 over last year's 14,264. Treasurer Elmer Hallock pointed out that the 1964 main gate admissions do not yet reflect the inclusion of season ticket receipts, and this will add another 800 tickets or more when they are tabulated. On that basis, the fair just concluded will probably show a record attendance for the exposition's history.
"My felt hat felt funny, and probably looked that way in Chicago's 100-degree temperatures when we left O'Hare field, but 12 hours later, in Juneau, Alaska, it felt pretty good," said Frank Pratt as he told fellow Rotarians of the two-week vacation trip he and his wife made to the 49th state last month. They were guests of former Fairburians, the Bill Pritchards, and divided their time in fishing and sight-seeing, traveling through the rugged state by ferry-boat, car and train.
Fairbury police are investigating an apparent burglary attempt, discovered Tuesday morning at Hallock's Standard Service on West Oak Street. Sometime between 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday morning, a window was smashed on the west side, near the wash-rack, but it is believed that whoever broke it was scared away without gaining entry. As of late Tuesday, Hallock had discovered nothing missing.
50 Years Ago
September 5, 1974
Official enrollment figures for the Fairbury-Cropsey school district show a decrease in students for the new school year. Figures gathered Tuesday reveal a total district enrollment of 1,302 students a decrease of 15 from last year's total of 1,317. The drop of 15 students is largely reflected in the difference in class size between last year's graduating seniors and the new kindergarten class. A breakdown of enrollment by attendance center shows 642 students in grades seven through 12; 524 students in grades one through five and one EMH class at Westview; and 132 students in grade six and two EMH classes at Cropsey.
A really gigantic sunflower that presently measures 12 foot 10 inches, and seems to be continuing to push even higher into the wild blue yonder, may be viewed in the garden of Mrs. Ada Hartman on E. Ash Street. There are also several smaller sunflowers, which stand between 8 foot and 10 foot high. Mrs. Hartman and Melvin Hartman maintain a huge garden plot every year.
Dan Meiss of rural Fairbury sold his entire Holstein herd at a dispersal sale held August 29. The sale attracted buyers from four states, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. Bidding on the 97 head was very good and the top female sold for $1,650, while several milkers sold in the price range of $800 to $1,200. Meiss said that the herd was sold because he plans to retire from farming in the near future. He has had a dairy herd since about 1942 and has had Holsteins for about 20 years.
40 Years Ago
August 30, 1984
Contract talks between the Fairbury-Cropsey Education Association and the Board of Education have reached an impasse with both sides Tuesday afternoon signing papers seeking a federal mediator. Money and teacher's rights as spelled out through contract language are the major unresolved issues, according to Phil Tetley, lead negotiator for the FCEA, and board negotiator Jerry Fairclough. A mediator is expected to begin familiarizing himself with the Unit 3 contract talks within two or three weeks.
Ned V. Whitesell, 88, who began his coaching career in Fairbury more than six decades ago and became a legend in Illinois High school basketball, died Aug. 11, 1984. Mr. Whitesell was raised and educated in Bloomington. He graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University, where he was an outstanding athlete in football, basketball and track. He was a successful and well-known coach in Illinois, and is a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. His teaching career began in Fairbury, where he coached football and basketball from 1920-24. His salary at that time was a meager $190 per month. He later held positions at Pekin (1924-27) and at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1927-30, where he was the first graduate who came back to coach.
Art Walter, president of the Fairbury Fair, was all smiles Sunday evening when he learned that attendance at the 108th renewal of the fair was going to exceed last year, despite a new policy this year of a free gate on the opening Wednesday. Secretary Elmer Hallock's records showed 11,839 adults and 2,809 children bought single admission tickets to the grounds and 9,562 paid grandstand admission, totaling 14,648. Those figures do not include season tickets or exhibitor's tickets which are required with all entries.
30 Years Ago
August 31, 1994
Eleanor Hayden Roberts, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, celebrated her 100th birthday. As she speaks of the reasons for her continued good health for over a century, much credit is given to her mother, Adelaide James, who, she says, made her children eat their fruit and vegetables. Eleanor was born in 1894 at Manistee, Michigan, the daughter of James Hayden, who was a blacksmith at the time, making buggies and wagons, and Adelaide, who had taught school. Eleanor, too, was a teacher when she married William S. Roberts on May 1, 1918. As a teacher at a village school in Michigan, she received "$40 every fourth Friday night" to teach 49 students from all eight grades and nine "beginners." She has three sons, Jim, Don and Bill, who she proudly proclaims were all taught to "tell the truth" and to do the "right thing."
Two Fairbury residents walked away from the 1994 Illinois State Fair with top prizes in the livestock division. Lena Oldfather, 12, daughter of Mark and Penny Oldfather came home with Best Doe of Show honors in the Junior Dairy Goat Show with "Cassette." Winning Early Junior Champion Heifer in the State Fair Junior Angus Show was Betsey Hankes, daughter of Ellen and Ray Hankes of Fairbury. She exhibited Forsythe Blackbird 3011 to take the honor.
Edyie Baker, former Advertising Director of The Blade, Fairbury, has been added to the National Bank of Fairbury's staff as Vice President of Marketing. Ms. Baker has been selected to be on the board of several community organizations, including the Association of Commerce, where she has been active in promoting Business After Hours and the FunFest. She is also on the board of the Fairbury Chapter of Rotary International.
20 Years Ago
September 1, 2004
Mike and Jean Ann Wenger of Fairbury are observing their 25th wedding anniversary today, Wednesday, Sept. 1. Wenger and Jean Ann Friedman were married Sept. 1, 1979 at St. John's Catholic Church in Fairbury. Their attendants were Teri Friedman and Ben Meister. They are the parents of Amy (Brad) Underwood, Normal; Luke of Ft. Riley, Kan., currently stationed in Iraq; and Kate, a student at Maryville University, St. Louis, Mo. Wenger is employed as a masonry foreman with Otto Baum Company of Morton. Mrs. Wenger is a registered nurse, employed at OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac.
The Livingston County Relay For Life Committee chairs held a 'wrap up' meeting to go over the 2004 event and start making plans for the 2005 Relay. The final total for this 8th Annual Relay was $253,000 which will be used for research, education, advocacy and service for those dealing with cancer. Included in this total was $11,000 from the sale of 2,200 Luminaria which were displayed around the track at the Pontiac Township High School the night of Aug. 13. There were a total of 42 teams and approximately 250 survivors walking the Survivor Lap.
Kurt and Kristen Slagel of Leo, Ind., are parents of a baby boy, born at 12:57 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2004. Josiah Ray weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 inches long at birth. He has an older sister, Michaela, who is 3 years old. Grandparents are Barry and Rosemary Koehl of Forrest and Ray and Gladys Slagel of Chenoa. Great-grandmothers are Velma Koehl of Forrest and Martha Fehr of Fairbury.
10 Years Ago
September 3, 2014
A Livingston County family has received the Illinois 4-H Foundation Family Spirit Award for its long 4-H membership and volunteer service. The Harry and Mabel Pratt family received the honor Saturday, Aug. 9 at ceremonies during the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. The Harry and Mabel Pratt family has had 80 years of continuous 4-H membership and involvement. All five of Harry and Mabel's children were 4-Hers, and four of the five also served as club leaders. Fourteen of the 15 grandchildren were members as youth, and over half served as 4-H volunteers or leaders as adults. The family legacy continues as 57 percent of the great-grandchildren are also club members. In total, 49 people achieved 367 years of membership over the course of four generations.
Elery Perkins of Chatsworth will celebrate his 99th birthday on Sept. 9. Perkins was born in Chatsworth on Sept. 9, 1915 to Elisha and Ida Perkins. He married Margery Hoff on March 29, 1941. They had two children, Ronald and Judy. Perkins farmed for several years around the Chatsworth area. Following his retirement from farming, he continued working by helping local farmers in the spring and fall. He also drove school buses part-time for Dehm Bus Service for a few years. In 2013 he finally “truly” retired when he discontinued being a crossing guard for the Town of Chatsworth at the age of 97. He has four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner told a group of farmers gathered at an area grain elevator last week that he wants to go to work for the citizens of the state. During a brief campaign stop at the Prairie Central Co-op Pontiac location, Rauner expressed frustration with the way state government currently operates. Rauner told the crowd he raised his kids in Illinois and built his business here. His grandparents were dairy and corn farmers and his aunt and uncle were ranchers. Rauner expressed a fondness for agriculture and small communities.
(Looking Back from Kari Kamrath is sponsored each week by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home)
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