130 Years Ago
October 27, 1894
A. B. Carrithers, brother of Attorney Carrithers, of this place, and a telegraph operator at 47th street, Chicago, has accepted the position of manager of the grain interests of Dr. Barnes, at Weston.
Codlin Bros. have moved their livestock to the stable at the rear of Parson's drug store. The Odd Fellows are at work demolishing the old stand.
Hugh Salmon, who is attending the Chicago Dental College, will graduate in April. He has been chosen historian, which is the second highest officer in the class.
The Order of the Eastern Star had a busy and pleasant session Tuesday evening. There were eight invitations, the candidates being Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bethard, J. H. Worthington, Misses Gertie Gregg, Mary Young, Lizzie Burch, Ella Hayes and Mrs. Margaret Bangs.
120 Years Ago
October 28, 1904
There will be a special train to Forrest and return tonight on account of the Republican rally.
Contractor J. A. Snyder has the walls of the new Dominy Memorial Library almost up and next week the slaters will be here to put on the roof.
Burch's orchestra furnished music for the leap year dance at Pontiac Thursday night.
Weston — G.E. Wild, of Pekin, has purchased the Ledgerwood property and will move his family here. He will open a bank here.
110 Years Ago
October 30, 1914
Lloyd Borngasser and Warren E. Stephey of this city, were among the 12 postulants upon which the Order of the Red Cross was conferred Monday evening by St. Paul Commandery, No. 34, K.T. Several others from Chenoa and Chatsworth also received the degree.
We had our first frost Saturday night. In fact, it was a freeze.
Miss Hazel Frye, who is attending the University of Illinois, was home over Sunday.
Several automobile loads went out to Swift Dawson's west of town Saturday night, giving him the surprise of his life, it being his birthday.
100 Years Ago
October 31, 1924
Last Saturday evening a car from Massachusetts bumped into a horse and buggy belonging to Julius Gahweiler, residing near Forrest, and driven by Don Dexter, of this city. The accident occurred on the hard road east of this city, and the horse and buggy were pushed into the ditch. Both Don and the horse escaped injury.
As an added attraction to their program of pictures, the Central Theatre is presenting next Monday and Tuesday evenings, Mysterious Pelkin the magician, in "A Night in Wonderland."
Miss Phoebe Merit celebrated her tenth birthday yesterday evening by inviting in a dozen of her little girl friends. The house was gay with Halloween decorations and Halloween games whiled away a jolly evening. Refreshments were served at the close of the party.
Some old rags that had been thrown into a closet in the city hall ignited on Tuesday afternoon and filled the building with smoke. The fire was put out with a few buckets of water.
90 Years Ago
October 26, 1934
The ominous clanging of the fire bell Wednesday afternoon sent little thrills chasing up and down the spines of citizens who were within hearing distance. This time it was the old Lytle homestead on North Seventh Street, which is occupied by Mrs. Ada Kerr and Mrs. Bertha Gallaher. The fire was caused by a kerosene stove which Mrs. Gallaher was using. Just what happened is not quite clear, but there was an explosion and the room was full of flame in a flash. The fire was confined to the one room, and the firemen had it out in a reasonable short time without the use of water, although they were handicapped considerably by two breaks in the chemical hose, which they just learned at that time had become unsafe because of its advanced age.
Herbert Bellot, of Pontiac, has leased the Phillips 66 Service Station and lunch room on West Oak Street, and has opened the station for business and solicits a share of the motor service and lunch room business. Mr. and Mrs. Bellot and their three children will reside in the Mrs. Mary Hanna house on West Walnut Street.
Thurman T. Raridon, town constable at Long Beach, Ind., and cousin of the Myron Fuller and Frank Haner families here, and who visited here about ten days ago, figured in a prominent front page news item in yesterday evening's Chicago Daily News. Mr. Raridon was kidnapped and used as a decoy by a gang of robbers who took $50,000 in cash and $13,000 in jewelry from the summer home of Thomas Malloy, head of the Motion Picture Operators Union.
80 Years Ago
October 27, 1944
When the planned program failed to materialize at the Rotary Club session on Tuesday evening, Program Chairman M. F. Fullmer introduced a quiz contest that pleased the fellows who knew the answers, slightly disconcerted the fellows who didn't and amused everybody. R. B. Westfall and C. J. Claudon kept the score, which wasn't so good. C. R. Voris gave a report of the local War Fund drive, which went "over the top," and resulted in more cash collected than was required.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Henning, son Donald, of this city, and Miss Irene Meeker, Cropsey, drove to Chicago yesterday morning to meet the Hennings' daughter, Marion, who arrived at the Municipal airport by plane. When the Hennings arrived at the airport they found that due to weather conditions their daughter's plane was three hours late; but this time was filled in enjoyably watching the planes arrive. At times eight or ten big planes would be standing on the runways at the same time, discharging passengers and baggage, some of the passengers appearing as if they might really be somebody.
There were two lively pigskins at Lewis Field last Friday afternoon. One was filled with air and was handled rather roughly by the Pontiac and Fairbury elevens. The other pigskin had been greased and was already filled with pork. It was turned loose on the playing field between halves and it also got a roughin'. In fact the one filled with pork had more people pile on it than the one filled with air. When they were unraveled it was found that "Huck" Price had a strangle hold on the animal and it was awarded to him.
70 Years Ago
November 4, 1954
Something entirely different in the way of theatrical presentations by the local high school will be presented here Thursday and Friday evenings, Nov. 18 and 19, when the senior class enacts its version of "Night of January 16th." Billed as a three-act comedy-drama, the play is based upon a murder and the ensuing trial. The intriguing part of the play is that the jury which sits during the trial is chosen from the audience, and is given complete latitude in returning either a "guilty" or not guilty" verdict. The cast will have learned two short endings to the play, and will continue from the time the verdict is announced with the applicable completion.
Lester M. Travis and Edward D. Zimmerman, both of Fairbury, and both volunteers, were among ten men who left Pontiac, Monday morning for induction into the armed service.
Below freezing temperatures and the first snowfall of the season arrived within four days of each other here this week. Snow began falling here about 1 a.m. Monday and continued until shortly after 8 a.m. The government precipitation gauge at the waterworks indicated a fall of 2.5 inches, although much of the snow melted quickly, leaving a little better than an inch on the ground at any time. Most of the fall had entirely disappeared by noon, although a little was still in evidence yesterday as temperatures dived to a season low of 24 degrees on Monday night and have failed to climb over 38 since then.
60 Years Ago
October 29, 1964
Representing 500 years of marriage, five Cropsey couples who live in the same block, make Yates St. better known as "Anniversary Avenue." Two couples have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, one will note it this week and the other two couples will be celebrating their 50th year of marriage in 1965 and 1966. They are Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bennett, who observed their 50th anniversary on Sept. 1, 1962; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Ward on Dec. 30, 1963; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Ward on Dec. 30, 1964; Mr. and Mrs. V. B. Weatherford will celebrate their golden marriage date on Aug. 26, 1965; and Mr. and Mrs. Lubert Hamilton on Oct. 19, 1966.
Two carloads of huge laminated wooden beams for the Apostolic Christian Church's new building in Fairbury arrived on the T. P. and W. siding Tuesday night. Wednesday, the contractors, Stoller and Maurer, moved them to the construction site, north of Fairview Haven, where the sidewalls have been erected.
Three buses filled to capacity and carrying 109 Fairburians, left Fairbury at 7:15 Saturday morning for Chicago and the Ice Follies held at McCormick Place. The group arrived back in Fairbury at 9 o'clock after a busy day of shopping, sight-seeing and attending the Follies.
50 Years Ago
October 31, 1974
Mulie Magoo, the outstanding young trotter of the Frank Vaughans of Fairbury, was shipped by air last week to New York, where she will compete during the winter. Vaughan, who has had the mare with the Stan Banks stable in Chicago where she has won a pile of money, reportedly sent her east because of two things, the lack of trotting events in Chicago, and the higher east coast purses.
In conjunction with the Nov. 5 general election, voters in five southeast Livingston County townships will decide whether these townships should be merged into two new ones. Residents in Belle Prairie, Fayette and Germanville townships will vote on consolidating their townships, while voters in Pleasant Ridge and Charlotte townships will decide whether their townships should be merged. The referenda are being held in compliance with a 1972 state statute which called for 1974 consolidation votes for all townships in the state with less than $6 million assessed valuation. It appears as though the referenda will lose in all five townships as county board members and township supervisors alike oppose the proposed mergers.
Marcello Martinocic, #24 on the Fairbury-Cropsey Tartars' roster, came to this country from Argentina as an AFS student knowing nothing about the American game of football. Three months later, he still knows very little about it, except that he and some of his newly made FCHS friends get together every Friday night and play the game. Marcello has joined with his teammates to put 17 points on the board in eight games, all on extra-point conversions with his soccer-style kicking.
40 Years Ago
October 25, 1984
Bicycle riding on the sidewalks in the business district drew the ire of the Fairbury City Council Wednesday night, fanned by a report from Mayor Jim Steidinger that a group of eight youngsters, when warned by a merchant about the practice, challenged "What are you going to do about it?" What the council is going to do is to invoke a state statute which, if the council so desires, prohibits it. The state law also provides for a $50 fine. The council also ordered preparation of a city ordinance which would also authorize confiscation of the offending bikes, to be released to the parents at city hall, and for a $10 fine on the second confiscation.
Someone wise in the tactics of football once said the game boils down to blocking and tackling. The team that performs those tasks better than its opponent will win most of the time. He should have said something about fumbles. Thou shalt not lay the football on the ground. Fairbury-Cropsey football coach Brian Nuss can tell you about fumbles. The first two times his team touched the football last Friday night, the Tartars fumbled it away. The Forrest-Strawn-Wing Eskimo team took control of the pigskin, and ramming across three first period touchdowns, set the stage for an 18-8 win.
For nearly seven decades, the gas station in Cropsey has served as the hub of opinion, comment and maybe even a little gossip for the town's 150 residents. And throughout those years, its appearance has changed little since the days when Model A's and Studebakers gassed up at its pumps and farmers and businessmen met there for a cop of hot coffee and conversation. One thing that has changed is ownership. Evert Crabtree of Cropsey is the present owner. He and Herb Lehmann leased the building from Harry Hall in 1966 and called it C & L Service. Three years later, Crabtree bought out Lehmann's share and ever since the station has been called Crabtree's Garage Service.
30 Years Ago
October 26, 1994
Art and Denise Scharf, new residents of Chatsworth, have assumed ownership of the J & J Food Center on West Walnut Street. The Scharfs, formerly of Joliet and Manteno, were previously engaged in the grocery business with Jewel Brown, former owner of the Chatsworth store. Art says since the age of 16, he has been in the food service business. Married for 21 years, the Scharfs have two children, a daughter in college and a son in the Marines. Aside from the new owners, one full-time worker is employed in the meat department and seven others are part-time clerks and helpers.
Darrell and Rachel Ifft of Chenoa are the parents of a son, born Oct. 10, 1994 at 11:48 a.m. at Bro-Menn Hospital, Normal. Middle named after his uncle, the late Daniel Ifft, Trevor Daniel Ifft weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and was 20¾ inches long. He has two sister, Brittany, 4, and Chelsie, 3 years. Maternal grandparents are Franklin and Joyce Rhoda of Chenoa. Paternal grandparents are Gilbert and Mary Ifft of Fairbury. Maternal great-grandmothers are Nina Trachsel and Marie Rhoda, both of Chenoa.
Being in downtown Fairbury on the evening of October 27 could be a haunting experience this year as people of all ages are planning to don Halloween costumes and to participate in a new community event. The partners in Education organization comprised of educators and parents of Westview Grade School children was only formed a month ago and in that short amount of time, members of that group have organized the First Annual All-Town Halloween Costume parade to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, in downtown Fairbury. Winners in each category will receive a cash prize, and all participants will receive a candy treat upon completion of the parade at City Hall Park.
20 Years Ago
October 27, 2004
Glen and Patricia Waibel of Forrest will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 7. Waibel and the former Patricia Metz were married Nov. 7, 1954 at the Methodist Church in Forrest. Their attendants were Marilyn (Metz) Wyllie and Eldon Waibel. They are parents of Karen Roth of Shelbina, Mo., Phyllis Krippel of Fairbury and David Waibel of Normal. There are 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Waibel retired in 1997 from Alliance Grain Company in Gibson City, and Mrs. Waibel retired from Bachtold Bros., Inc. in Gibson City in 1996.
Fairbury jeweler Keith Hinrichsen, a certified watch builder (a dying breed), told Fairbury Rotarians Tuesday noon of the laborious process involved in repairing and rebuilding the 90-year-old, four-faced clock in the brick tower of historic City Hall, now retired and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The clock, manufactured by the famous Seth Thomas company, has not operated for the past year, time-wise, and the striker quit about 18 months ago. The repair process will involve three steps. One, repair the bell tower gears and levers; two, the four faces with one shaft driving each clock hand; and three, repair the clock itself.
On Monday, Nov. 1 the Westview Elementary School in Fairbury will be transformed into a tropical rain forest. Touring under the name "Live on Stage, The Rain Forest," not only will you think you are right in the middle of the tropical rain forest with the beautiful sounds and sights of the Amazon region, you will also see exotic birds, monkeys, alligators, jungle cats and snakes. This comedy animal show will be at Westview on Nov. 1 for two shows, at 5 and 7 p.m.
10 Years Ago
October 29, 2014
Florence Schmidt of Forrest will celebrate her 100th birthday on Nov. 2 with a card shower. She was born in Romeo, Mich, to Dan and Bessie Bollier Yoder. She married William “Bill” Schmidt and they had four daughters, Kay (Bob) Rinkenberger, Carol Hornickle, Barb Wenger and Marilyn (Dick) Todd; and also nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 1991. Mrs. Schmidt enjoys watching the Cubs.
In 1972, seven businessmen got together and decided to start an ambulance service for this part of Livingston County. SELCAS began operations at the old carriage house building on the north side of the old hospital with an old Pontiac station wagon ambulance. Through donations and careful management, they were able to construct the current facility in 1985. Five years ago, planning and fundraising began for a new, larger facility, as SELCAS had outgrown their current location. Golf cart raffles, breakfasts, memorials and the generous donations of area citizens, allowed the new structure to get started last year. There have been many setbacks, but the project is pushing forward with the erection of the steel skeleton, starting last week.
Kimberly Jo Wenger of Fairbury and Benjamin Allen Diller of Chatsworth are announcing their engagement and approaching marriage. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Samuel D. and Teri Lynn Wenger of Fairbury. She will graduate in May 2015 from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington with degrees in math and risk management. She is employed at COUNTRY Financial in Bloomington. The future future bridegroom is the son of William A. and Jeanette Diller of Chatsworth. He has a degree in industrial electronic control systems from Parkland College in Champaign. He is employed at Prinsco, Inc., in Chatsworth. The couple is planning a Dec. 13, 2014 wedding.
(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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