Looking Back 10-16-25

130 Years Ago

October 12, 1895

The Chicago Times-Herald is putting up $5,000 hard cash in prizes for a "moto-cycle" prize contest to take place on November 2 over the road Chicago to Milwaukee. A moto-cycle is a vehicle that runs without horses.

The Free Methodist Conference has sent Rev. H. O. Hubard from this city to Aurora, and Rev. R. F. Brothers, of Sheffield, is the newly appointed minister for this place.

School will not commence Monday as the new school building will not be ready at that time.

Births — to Mr. and Mrs. David Price, Sunday, October 6, a girl; to Mr. and Mrs. Edward O'Malley, Tuesday, October 8, a boy.

120 Years Ago

October 13, 1905

The fine weather we have been having was broken Monday, when a heavy rain fell. There was a killing frost Wednesday morning.

O'Connell, the day operator at Piper City, has a strong vein of humor, which gets into action occasionally. On Tuesday of this week he went to Chatsworth for a shipping box for a casket, taking it to Piper City on train No. 2. He pasted shipping directions on the lid and then crawled in and had the lid screwed down. The box was taken off the train by the night operator at Piper City and put in the baggage room. A little later the operator and night police took a lantern and went in to see who the dead person was. They were trying to decipher the name when O'Connell emitted a groan that would have done justice to the ghost of Hamlet, and then there was a great disappearing scene participated in by the policeman and night operator. The policeman headed for town and the night man headed for the woods and it is said he will never work nights any more.

Miss Louise Von Tobel left Tuesday for Las Vegas, Nev., where her brother, Edward Von Tobel, is engaged in the lumber business.

110 Years Ago

October 15, 1915

The wireless receiving station A. H. Mundt is having installed, has been completed, but as yet no message has been received over it. The aerial is 200 feet long and extends from a pole on the city hall to the scenery loft of the Central Opera House. It is connected with the receiving instrument in Mudnt's jewelry store. The system was installed by Louie Dirks.

Mrs. J. F. O'Brien and daughter, Miss Agnes, will pack their household goods next week and move to Detroit, Mich. Mrs. O'Brien's son, Dr. William O'Brien, has also recently accepted a position there. Miss Coentha O'Brien, who teaches the Bee Hive school, will not go to Detroit, until next spring.

Will C. Mundt left Wednesday for Peoria, where he will enter Bradley Polytechnical College to take an eight weeks course in engraving.

John W. Carrington, who is attending school in Bloomington, spent the day Sunday with Fairbury friends. Mr. Carrington was principal of the south side school here last year.

100 Years Ago

October 16, 1925

Owen L. Veatch, who had spent his entire life in Fairbury and vicinity, passed away at the home of his niece, Mrs. Grant Duzenbery, on east Walnut Street, Tuesday morning at 5:30 o'clock. His death followed an illness of over two months' duration. He was aged 63 years, 7 months and 28 days. He was born in Indian Grove Township, south of this city, February 15, 1862. He spent the younger years of his life on the farm, later coming to Fairbury to live.

This vicinity was visited by some real winter weather the latter part of last week. On Friday morning it started to rain, but before noon it changed to snow, which came down in regular winter fashion. At times the snow came down so fast it was difficult to see any distance. However, most of it melted as it fell. That evening it turned considerable colder, and by Saturday morning the thermometer registered 24 above zero, or eight degrees below freezing. Naturally most all the vegetation was killed. Some of the old-timers say that this is the first time they can remember seeing a snow come before a frost.

Workmen are this week tearing down the big scenery loft at the Central Opera House that was badly damaged by fire some time ago. With the removal of the scenery loft the manner of handling the new scenery will naturally have to be changed. In place of being lowered as heretofore it will come in from the sides.

90 Years Ago

October 11, 1935

Frank Merrill returned on Sunday with the Willis Rowe string of harness horses with which he had been attending race meets in Indiana and Michigan. Wallace Hemphill, who had attended most of the same meets as Mr. Merrill, also returned home the first of the week with his horses. While at the Centerville, Michigan Fair, which was held three weeks ago, the barns where the race horses were kept caught on fire. The fire spread so rapidly after being discovered, that the horses had to be turned loose with no one to hold or watch them. During this confusion one of the horses in care of Trainer Merrill was kicked by another horse and one of its legs badly injured. Another one of his horses had a tendon partly severed. Up to the time of the fire they had enjoyed a very successful season.

The history of embalming from the days of King Tut up to the present time, was the subject of a very interesting, albeit somewhat gruesome discussion by Carlos Thompson, local mortician, at the meeting of the Rotary Club Tuesday evening. The many and varied methods employed by man up through the ages in his effort to preserve the bodies of deceased relatives and friends, as told by Mr. Thompson, is a story that can hold the attention of any audience.

The miners at the Co-Operative Coal Company mine walked out Monday, tying up the work. However, they and the manager, W. H. Martin, adjusted what differences there were and they went back to work Tuesday.

80 Years Ago

October 12, 1945

Mrs. Kenneth Huette has resigned her position as teller at the First National Bank to take effect October 20, and is leaving soon for Monterrey, Calif. to join her husband, Pfc. Huette, who is stationed at the Presidio there. Mrs. Huette has been with the First National Bank for the past eight years, starting as a stenographer, and advanced to the position of teller when Mrs. Lura Westervelt resigned.

No trains have run over the road since a week ago Sunday, when Mr. McNear took over the road from the government and at the same time a strike was called by the employees. The Honegger Mills of this city, which was one of the firms greatly inconvenienced by the strike, are again operating, only on a reduced scale. When the strike came, they started trucking their feed to Forrest and loading it on Wabash cars.

In an impressive ceremony, twenty-five World War II veterans, among them six men still in the Armed Forces, were initiated into the various Livingston County Posts, American Legion, Wednesday evening at the Livingston County Council meeting held at the Odd Fellows Hall in Fairbury. Eighteen of the men were inducted into John Joda Post, Fairbury. The ceremony was conducted by a competent initiation team from the American Legion Post, Dwight.

70 Years Ago

October 13, 1955

The Fairbury Chapter of the Future Farmers of America Tuesday became one of the three chapters in the state to be awarded the National Gold Emblem award. The presentation was made at the 28^th annual National FFA Convention in Kansas City.

Sam Walter & Sons has been appointed dealer for Ford tractors and equipment. Schrof Brothers formerly held the franchise here.

The activities of the Fairbury Fair Association during the past year netted a profit of $6,895.60.

Fairbury's annual Halloween carnival will be held in the old high school gym October 29. The event is being sponsored by the Band Boosters, and the goal this year is to raise at least $500 for the purchase of additional uniforms for the high school band.

60 Years Ago

October 14, 1965

Leonard F. Fergusen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Fergusen of Fairbury, has enlisted in the Air Force. Airman Ferguson is now undergoing the six weeks basic indoctrination training course at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Tex. Upon completion of this training, he will be trained in the general career area which he chose prior to enlisting. Airman Fergusen was commended by the local recruiter for attaining almost perfect scores on the airman qualifying examination.

Farmers Grain Company of Fairbury received a federal warehousing license from the United States Department of Agriculture office in Kansas City, Mo., this week. The new license entitles the holder of a warehouse receipt to treat that receipt as negotiable paper. Farmers Grain and Honeggers' & Co., Inc., are the only two grain dealers in this general area that possess this license. Farmers Grain is also licensed by the federal government as a grain inspector and weigher.

Announcement of a seven member zoning committee was made by Mayor Roy Taylor at Wednesday night's regular City Council meeting. Serving on the commission, whose function it will be to set up a zoning ordinance for the City of Fairbury, will by Jim Steidinger, chairman; Jim Roberts, Carlos Thompson, R. A. Melvin, Warren Olson, Perry Burroughs and John Wade. A meeting of the committee with the City Engineer has been called for next week.

50 Years Ago

October 16, 1975

Homecoming activities, which will feature Friday night's Sangamon Valley football clash with Mahomet-Seymour and culminate with Saturday night's dance and coronation, have actually been going on all week, as students worked to prepare floats for the parade and the gym for the dance. Queen candidates are Geri Reis, Betty Curtiss, Charlene Brown, Wendy Timmons and Lisa Maley. The queen will be announced at the pep rally on Thursday. Class attendants are freshman, Tina Hobart; sophomore, Crystal King; and Junior, Susan Huber.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ifft of Strawn purchased the residence of the late E. L. and Velma J. Payne, located on West Hickory, Fairbury, for $51,500 at public auction on Saturday. Auctioneer J. C. Ebach and his assistant Le Rolf said it was the largest estate sale they have conducted. One salad bowl went for $170.

H-W Systems, Inc., a Fairbury-based business previously incorporated in Deleware, has been granted a charter in Illinois by the office of Michael Howlett, Secretary of State. The firm lists James B. Walter of Chatsworth as president and Lyle Honegger of Fairbury as secretary. Harvey S. Traub of Hanley, Phillips and Traub is listed as the corporation attorney. H-W Systems, Inc., is chartered to manufacture and sell livestock confinement systems, livestock and poultry equipment and all types of farm agricultural buildings.

40 Years Ago

October 10, 1985

Teachers in the Prairie Central School District will receive an average pay increase of 7.14 percent as a result of a contract agreement reached this week. Blaise DeMuth, president of the Prairie Central Education Association, and Jim Paternoster, School Board president, made the joint announcement of the new contract Tuesday morning. The new base salary for beginning teachers is $14,700. PCEA members had approved the package last Wednesday evening and school board members ratified the pact Monday night.

Press conferences in Normal, Chicago and Detroit Monday morning confirmed what has been a poorly kept secret of the past few weeks: that a $680 million automotive assembly plant would be built on a 636-acre site just west of Interstate 74 in Normal. The plant will be a joint venture of Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors of Japan, and will employ an estimated 2,500 workers while turning out 18,000 small cars per year, stating in the latter part of 1988.

Army Private Kenneth D. Friant, son of Elmer H. and Suzanne I. Friant of Fairbury, has completed the Army automotive repair course at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. The course included troubleshooting, repair, replacing, adjusting and maintaining the mechanical, electrical, air and hydraulic systems plus other major components and assemblies of wheeled and tracked vehicles. Instruction was also given on the performance of maintenance operations in a field environment. He is a 1979 graduate of Fairbury-Cropsey High School, Fairbury.

30 Years Ago

October 11, 1995

A 126-year-old Fairbury business will soon be sold, close, and then reopen under new ownership and a new name, The Stage. Walton's which has been a landmark of the downtown area, serving area communities, will close its doors for the last time by Jan. 31, or sooner. Fred Katz, President of Szold's, which is the Peoria firm that purchased Walton's in 1969, announced Thursday the company will be sold to Specialty Retailers, Inc., of Houston, Texas. As the store reopens in early spring as The Stage, items like furniture, appliances, housewares and carpet will no longer be available there.

A social studies classroom at Ridgeview High School sustained smoke and minor fire damage on Saturday. The fire was apparently caused by a portable fan which ignited the carpeting, but burned itself out before doing serious damage. A teacher was in the room around 11 a.m., and saw nothing unusual. The damage was discovered around 6 p.m. on Saturday when another teacher and students were in the building preparing for the homecoming coronation. Estimated damages and clean-up costs are approximately $5,000.

Elvin "Shorty" and Edna "Tiny" Skinner, of Forrest, will celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary on Oct. 15 with a family dinner. The couple was married Oct. 15, 1945 at the Methodist parsonage in Pontiac by the Rev. C. H. Young. The bride's sister, Alice Haab, and the late Lewis Haab, attended the couple during the ceremony. Mr. Skinner is retired from the fertilizer business, and Mrs. Skinner is retired from Nichols-Homeshield, Inc. They have one daughter and two grandchildren.

20 Years Ago

October 12, 2005

Senior class king and queen candidates for the 2005 Prairie Central High School Homecoming this coming weekend are Tyler Wahls, Thomas Harrison, Andrew Ehrhardt, Cody Freed, Cory Peters, Kelli Coldren, Amber Culkin, Jessica Delaney, Addie Nussbaum and Kiley Corban. Class attendants are freshmen Seth Welch and Shari Steidinger, sophomores Joel King and Kati Rathbun and juniors Ben Herr and Tessa Nussbaum.

Jeff and Janis Potter of Fairbury will mark their 25^th wedding anniversary on Oct. 17. The couple will celebrate by taking a trip at a later date. Potter and the former Janis Wells were married at the home of the bride on Oct. 17, 1980. Their attendants were Mike Potter and Lorri Wells Potter. They are parents of Sara Potter, a student at Heartland College, and Jeffrey Potter, a senior at Prairie Central High School. Potter is employed at Selig Sealing in Forrest and is also a Flight Instructor at Pontiac Airport. Mrs. Potter is employed at First State Bank of Forrest in Fairbury.

Prairie Central High School junior, Alex Diller, has been chosen to represent the USA and Chatsworth as part on an elite baseball team traveling to Puerto Rico next summer. As a member of Coast to Coast Baseball, he will compete in the Island Challenge Baseball Series (June 21-27, 2006) against top amateur teams from Puerto Rico. Diller showcased his skills for the Coast to Coast staff at a recent tryout held at the Ho Chuck Indoor Facility in Grant Park.

10 Years Ago

October 14, 2015

Chatsworth was alive with activities on Saturday, Sept. 19, with the fire department's Patriot Day. The water ball tournament is always exciting to watch, as the local firefighters battle it out to the end for the top spot. This year, Zach Gerdes of Chatsworth took first place, Josh Eighner of the Rankin Fire Department held second and Fire Chief Galen Schaffer of Chatsworth was third. The Patriot Day car show displayed pristine antique cars, trucks, motorcycles and golf carts. Best in Show was won by Mick Lee with his 1954 Chevy. The Fireman's Choice award was won by Rick Harn with his 1967 Charger. The Chatsworth Advisory Board served grilled pork chop sandwiches and hot dogs for lunch. The Walter Clemon's American Legion Post #613 Auxiliary provided home-baked desserts to compliment the meal. Proceeds from Patriot Day will be applied to the town's Sesquicentennial Celebration scheduled for June of 2017.

Prairie Central boys golf team advanced to Sectionals after placing third in the Class 2A Regionals with a 348. Pontiac came in 1^st with a 332 and Morris was 2^nd with 345. The top medaling individual score for Prairie Central was Alex Duffy in 4^th place with an 84. Other PC scores were Brock Honegger 85, Cooper Frambes 88, Karson Kafer 91, Carter Nowak 96 and Jake Fogal 100.

On Friday, Oct. 9, Invenergy LLC filed a formal appeal to the Livingston County Board's vote to reject the Pleasant Ridge zoning and special use application, releasing the following statement: “Invenergy has developed 58 wind projects and 76 total clean and renewable energy projects across 17 North American states and nine countries since 2001. We have never experienced such disregard for factual evidence and expert testimony as experienced during the 34 hearings on Pleasant Ridge. We presented direct and substantial evidence from expert witnesses confirming Pleasant Ridge met every requirement established by the County's wind ordinance and special use criteria, similar to the three wind projects the County had previously approved. Invenergy virtually never considers an appeal except in the most egregious and obvious situations where we have no other choice. Rather than relying on factual evidence and expert testimony, the Livingston County Zoning Board of Appeals and Livingston County Board cited false and falsified information presented by Pleasant Ridge opponents with ties to the national anti-wind energy movement as justification for opposing the project.”

"Looking Back" is sponsored each week on Fairbury News by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home.