
130 Years Ago
January 19, 1895
There is going to be an election to decide whether or not Fairbury will be incorporated as a city or continue as a village. A petition to the village trustees to call such an election was circulated by Attorney Carrithers on Wednesday, and in a short time was signed by 96 voters.
Willis Compton was pleasantly surprised last Saturday evening by a number of his lady and gentleman friends, the event being his 21st birthday. The party assembled while he was absent, but soon his familiar voice was sounding "rubber" through the window. After a splendid lap supper, Mr. Hollenback, in a well chosen speech, presented Mr. Compton with a handsome watch chain. Prof. Vaughan, of Peoria, Miss Lilly Werling and Miss Deane Earnheart, of this place, furnished good music.
Sol Allen was out with his cutter Saturday, true to his record of being the first sleigh rider.
H. C. Amsbary attended the bicycle show in Chicago last week, getting pointers for Walton Bros. bicycle trade.
120 Years Ago
January 20, 1905
A rumor has been circulated in Fairbury that Frank Moran was sick with the small pox. Investigation proves the rumor to be totally without foundation. Mr. Moran has been ill for several weeks with stomach trouble.
The post office at Colfax was broken into last Tuesday night, the safe blown open and robbed of about $300 in money and stamps. A constable from Colfax was in Fairbury Wednesday evening in hope of gaining a clue but was unsuccessful. They have a meager description of the men who did the work. It seems that they were on the Illinois Central freight and dropped off at Anchor and walked from there to Colfax. The conductor and brakeman both gave a description of the men, there being three of them. This is the second time the Colfax post office has been robbed within a year.
The Lakeside basket social held on the evening of Jan. 13, was a grand success, the proceeds amounted to nearly $42. The program was exceptionally fine, the school children's part in the program was highly commented upon by the older people. It should be stated that the pupils had to do the drilling of themselves in their own sweet ways and they proved themselves to be most charming young artists. The Lakeside school has many thanks to express to the many people who came and helped the scholars both financially and friendly.
110 Years Ago
January 22, 1915
The building in the east business block on Main Street, known as the "old Henry building" was totally destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning and the building adjoining it on the west was so badly damaged that it will likely be torn down. The fire was discovered by J. P. Cook at 1:55. The building in which the fire started was owned by Mrs. Edward Kring and was occupied by Ora Thomas with a restaurant. The contents of the building were destroyed, including the masquerade suits of a number of people who had attended a Court of Honor masquerade dance, and who had stopped in the restaurant for a lunch. The destruction of these two buildings marks the last of the old wooden buildings in the business district.
C. A. Myers, who conducted the Clondyke Hotel several years ago, has leased the west end restaurant room that has been occupied by the Woods Restaurant and will start a restaurant about February 1.
Harley B. Bedell has purchased the Charles Sterns property on the north side of town and will move into it the coming spring.
100 Years Ago
January 23, 1925
A final check of the amount taken by the two "bank examiners" who on Tuesday of last week looted the Farmers State Bank of Chenoa, puts the amount at $180,000. A very small percentage of the bonds were registered. The loss is largely personal to J. F. Kelley, the aged president of the bank, and the directors of the institution. The entirety with which the deposited papers and the cash of the bank was taken is attributed to the complete knowledge of bank procedure known to the robbers. One of the first acts of the sheriff after the robbery was to check up with the state banking office at Peoria. The description and location of every bank examiner in Illinois for the last five years was looked over, but in no instance did the description correspond with that of the men in Chenoa.
The S. A. Demler home was the scene of a merry gathering last Saturday evening. The occasion was the joint celebration of the birthdays of Rose Demler and Carl Herndon which were January 17 and 19 respectively. Rose was selected to be the victim of a surprise. When she returned from the picture show and turned on the light in the darkened room she was speechless with amazement to find about twenty-five of her friends gathered to help celebrate her natal day. After a season of games and music Mrs. Demler and Mrs. Herndon piloted the party to the Empress Confectionery where refreshments were served.
Edw. Purdum, of Piper City, who several weeks ago passed out some forged checks to Fairbury merchants and who was caught at Bloomington after passing some forged checks there, will make the checks good, or rather some of his relatives will make them good for him.
90 Years Ago
January 18, 1935
Joe Shults, local manager of the A. & P. Store, was minus the services of his Chevrolet coach for several hours the latter part of last week. Mr. and Mrs. Shults had motored to Bloomington last Thursday evening for a visit with his sister. They had intended staying only a short time, so he left the key in the car. When they came out the car had disappeared. A call was put in to police, but the car was not recovered until the next morning. It had been driven about 100 miles and an attempt had been made to steal the spare tire and rim. However, the gasoline tank had been refilled by the party or parties taking the car.
On January 15, 1885, Miss Jennie Robinson and A. W. Morris were united in marriage by the Rev. W. L. Riley, of the Baptist Church. In observance of the 40th anniversary of this event, their daughters, Mrs. Marshall Fitzgerald and Mrs. Kenneth Tyler, invited a company of relatives and friends to spend Tuesday evening with their parents. They served a luncheon in which the color scheme was white and gold. The favors, yellow chrysanthemums and an important item on the menu was a three-tiered bride's cake.
Two Chicago girls wanted to see cowboys as they really grow on the western plains, put their desires into action, but got no farther than Pontiac. The two girls boarded the Alton Hummer in Chicago Monday night without tickets. The conductor did not discover that they lacked tickets until the train had passed Joliet. When the train stopped at Pontiac the girls were turned over to Policeman James Burke, who took them to the city jail. The father of one of the girls was notified and he came to Pontiac after them.
80 Years Ago
January 19, 1945
Miss Lucie Marie Carrithers, member of the WAVES, stationed at Memphis, Tenn., was recently advanced in grade from seaman first class to yeoman third class. Miss Carrithers has been court reporter for the Board of Inquiry, including general courts martial, and will continue in this work.
About thirty-five friends of Mrs. Hazel Gauger invited themselves to a birthday supper, which they brought with them, at her home on Saturday evening. As a reminder of their visit they brought her a telephone stand. Her uncle, E. F. Farney, or Peoria, was an out-of-town guest.
A mounted sailfish 7 feet 8 inches long arrived at the Martin Flanagan home Tuesday from Miami, Fla. It was a catch that their daughter, Lt. Julia, had made last summer, while stationed at Miami. It weighed 45 pounds.
Mrs. C. F. Heins received a letter from her son, Sgt. Charles, who is with the Headquarters Company of General Hodges' first army, now in Belgium, in which he told her he had been awarded the purple heart. He received an eye injury from a piece of shrapnel on December 16th, when his battalion repulsed the German counter attack.
70 Years Ago
January 20, 1955
Local residents and other shoppers in the Fairbury business district filled the American Legion sponsored "Block of Dimes" to overflowing in less than eight hours to launch the local 1955 March of Dimes on a spectacular note. A total of $584.60 was donated.
Approximately 120 Future Farmers, parents, and interested persons, gathered last Thursday at the Fairbury High School gymnasium to honor the Fairbury Chapter of Future Farmers in their annual family night.
Robert Maurer of Fairbury was re-elected President of the Livingston County Pacemakers Corn Club for another year at an organization meeting held in Pontiac last Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Millard Ferguson, former Fairbury residents now living in Pontiac, will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary Jan. 20.
60 Years Ago
January 21, 1965
Fairbury's 14th annual Community Sale will be held Wednesday, March 3, it was announced today by the Association of Commerce. On Tuesday, Dan Schlipf accepted re-appointment as sale manager and said he would immediately begin lining up his staff. Last year's Fairbury sale was by far the largest in the community's history, both as to merchandise offered and also as to the crowd which turned out, estimated at more than 5,000 persons by conservative standards.
Maurice Cox, a native of Cropsey and former Livingston County Circuit Clerk, this week moved his family to Fairbury from Pontiac, and will represent an insurance company. Cox, who said he had been assigned four townships for territory, will reside with his family on East Maple for the next 607 days until they can obtain possession of their future home. He and his wife, Dorothy, have three children, J. T., Warren and Judy, all of school age.
Nine area residents, four of them from Fairbury, are among 7,402 Illinois students who have qualified as semi-finalists in the 1965-66 state scholarship program on the basis of high school academic records and performance in the competitive examination which was taken by 33,900 students. On the list from Fairbury are Samuel Bachtold, Terry Lyn Bruley, Ellen Rae Fugate and Gary M. Yergler. Cropsey is represented by Larry Gray; Colfax by Danton Mulcahey; Forrest by Elaine Honegger; and Chenoa by William Kennedy and Karlene Lou Mays.
50 Years Ago
January 23, 1975
Motorists are hereby advised that the traffic signals at the corner of Third and Locust have been repaired. During the three week period that the signals were broke, motorists had to stop at the intersection, check the traffic and then proceed, with Locust Street traffic having the right-of-way. Monday morning the signals were in proper working order, but area drivers failed to take note of that and proceeded in the "stop & go" manner to which they had become accustomed.
The Fairbury Auto Company, dealership for Buick and Chevrolet automobiles, has been sold to Wayne Petersen of Anchor. The retiring owner, Eli "Spud" Schlipf, who has been associated with Fairbury Auto for 50 years, said that General Motors Corp. had given approval to transfer of the franchise last week, and that he would turn the firm over to Petersen effective Feb. 1.
Anchor — Dogs invaded a sheep lot on the Louis Lage farm near Anchor Thursday night. They mauled five sheep so badly they had to be destroyed. On Sunday night, the pack attacked hogs belonging to Mike Eyer. There, they killed two hogs and inured about 15; some of which will have to be destroyed.
40 Years Ago
January 17, 1985
Boundaries for 19 of 30 townships in Livingston County will have to be redrawn prior to Jan. 1, 1986, unless the Illinois General Assembly acts this session to repeal an amendment tacked onto a piece of 1983 legislation. The amendment, which originated in the Illinois Senate's Local Government Committee, mandates that each county board in the state redraw township boundaries so that no township will have an assessed valuation of less than $10 million, based on 1982 assessments. Supervisor of Assessments Duane Kiesewetter said the process of redrawing township lines would "create chaos."
Blue Grass and Country music will prevail when the "Pine 40" band plays for the Firemen's Ball, sponsored by members of the Fairbury Volunteer Fire Department Saturday, Feb. 23 at Indian Creek Country Club. Chief Keith Klitzing said this week that his men, who have been selling tickets for the past month, hope that this will be the first of what will become an annual affair. Proceeds from the ball will be used for the purchase of what the chief termed "lesser items."
Approximately 75 interested teachers and parents attended a special meeting Tuesday night at Fairbury-Cropsey High School to discuss the possibility of forming a parent-teacher group for the new consolidated school district. Dr. Calvin Jackson addressed the group, which expressed interest in taking a further step to form a group. The eight candidates for the new consolidated board of education were also introduced.
30 Years Ago
January 18, 1995
Craig Schlatter, son of Thomas Schlatter of Chatsworth and Annie Johnson of Fairbury, has been selected to perform with a national performing organization known as THE SOUND OF AMERICA CHORUS. Schlatter, who is an accomplished pianist, has served as a tenor saxophonist with the Prairie Central High School band and jazz band and was also selected to participate in the All State Honors Chorus performance at the Illinois Capital in Springfield this March. He will join other student singers chosen from applicants representing nearly every state when the SOUND OF AMERICA HONOR BAND and CHORUS begins its 1995 European Concert Tour next July.
A 22-year-old man being sought on Indiana warrants, charging attempted murder and arson, was arrested and taken into custody early Thursday evening in Chatsworth by Livingston County Sheriff's Police and Hammond, IN police. The man, Paul Westerfield, was arrested at 7:11 p.m. Thursday as he returned to the home of a relative in Chatsworth, where he had reportedly been living the past month. In early December it is alleged that Westerfield doused his girlfriend, Kathryn Budjak, with gasoline and then set her on fire. She remains hospitalized, recovering from severe burns on her face and back.
At the Old Hatchery Mall, south of Forrest on Illinois Route 47, women are discovering a whole new world of surprises. The latest dazzling, eye-popping surprise is the recent addition of Juliette's Clothing Boutique on an upper level of the antique mall. On display is an impressive collection of imported women's wear not likely found in many other shops this side of Chicago. Everything from "casuals to dressy," from denims to wool to 100 percent silk pantsuits. Visitors who discover the shop agree that it truly is "upper class" in every respect, with prices ranging from low to medium high.
20 Years Ago
January 19, 2005
What a difference a day makes when you're in Illinois and it's January! From this . . . temperatures hovering around the 60 degree mark, prompting Prairie Central School bus driver Bud Kelson to wash the windows on his bus. To this . . . rainfall totaling about 2½ inches overnight Wednesday and during the day on Thursday, causing flooding of fields and creeks and rivers in the area. To this . . . Snow beginning to fall about mid-morning Thursday, making visibility extremely tough, resulting in early dismissal for school students and cancellation of many community activities. Temperatures for the week ranged from a high of 63 degrees on Jan. 12 to a low of 9 degrees on Jan. 16.
In an interview Friday with the superintendent of Prairie Central School District, Dr. John Capasso said, "We are happy it's almost here." He was speaking about the almost $600,000 that was promised to the district as an incentive with the merger of Prairie Central and Chenoa schools. The Illinois House and Senate in lame duck sessions have approved the spending bill of $1.87 million for the school consolidation grant program. Capasso is now waiting for the governor's signature to make it happen.
Legislation protecting the age-old tradition of potluck dinners from unnecessary regulation became law on Jan. 1, 2005. State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac), chief sponsor of the measure, introduced Senate Bill 2944 after several community potlucks were shut down by the local health department, which alleged the potlucks were a violation of food-safety regulations. The new law specifies that neither the Illinois Department of Health, nor a local health department, can regulate potluck dinners sponsored by a group of individuals or a religious, charitable or nonprofit organization if the event is a free, non-commercial gathering.
10 Years Ago
January 21, 2015
A Fairbury couple is home after winning national recognition from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Matt and Jenna Kilgus were awarded one of the three runners-up awards for the National Achievement Awards for Young Farmers and Ranchers at the annual national meeting in San Diego, Calif. The Kilguses won the state-level award in the fall. They and 33 other state winners competed on the national level. On Friday, they learned they were in the top 10 of those 34 state winners before finding out they were in the top four. Kilgus Farms is a family operated business in rural Fairbury. Jason Bunting, Livingston County Farm Bureau president, who was also in San Diego for the convention, said the Kilguses were instrumental in helping the LCFB restart the Young Leaders group back in 2002.
Matt Curl and Gunner Sullivan were named UMP Dirtcar Promoters of the Year at the UMP National Awards banquet held at the Crown Plaza in Springfield on Saturday, Jan. 10. Just under 1,000 drivers, crews, promoters, sponsors and fans packed the ballroom for the annual event. Curl is race director for the Fairbury American Legion Speedway and Sullivan is marketing director.
The PCJH cheerleaders placed first last month at the cheerleading competition at the Twin County Conference Basketball tournament in Gibson City. Cheerleaders on the junior high team are Paige Glowacki, Rachel McGreal, Jennifer Caton, Madison McBride, Sydney Wenger, Kelsie Lewis, Madison Catton, Vivian Walter, Tiffani Rieger, Ashley Hamilton, Natalie Summers and Rachel Hankes.
"Looking Back" from Kari Kamrath is sponsored each week by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home with locations in Fairbury, Chenoa and Colfax.
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