Looking Back: 11-12-26

130 Years Ago

November 6, 1896

The Blade will hereafter be dated on Friday to correspond with the date of issue. The Blade has heretofore been issued on Friday, but was dated Saturday.

Court of Honor No. 206 was instituted in this city last Friday evening, and the following officers were installed: W. C., H. B. Bull; W. V. C., Mrs. George Enslow; W. P. C., T. D. Karnes; W. R., F. F. Baylor; W. T., W. S. Catton; W. C., N. J. Foster; W. G., A. C. McKenzie; W. S., George Moates; M. E., N. S. Parsons; directors, S. R. Cornish, Milton Veatch, Will Rose. The lodge starts out with a large charter membership.

Rev. C. S. Davies changed his residence this week. He is now nicely located in rooms in the W. R. Bane residence.

William McKinley was elected president of the United States, over William J. Bryan in Tuesday's election. Of the electoral vote, McKinley received 260, and Bryan, 170.

120 Years Ago

November 9, 1906

The date upon which the bazaar, given by the ladies of Fairbury and vicinity, for the benefit of the Dominy Memorial Library, will be held, has been fixed for Saturday, December 8^th; the place, the assembly rooms in the library building. Everyone is urged to remember, that while the women are doing the work, it is your library and your bazaar. Assist in making it a success by attending. It will be a most excellent time and place to purchase your Christmas presents.

The Forrest Rambler changed hands last week, Louis Wingfield succeeding E. A. Eignus in the editorial chair. Mr. Wingfield is a practical newspaper man and has just sold the Journal at Ashkum and enters the new field knowing just what he is doing. He has bought a good property in a good town and we welcome him to Livingston County. Mr. Eignus, who has so ably edited the Rambler for the past seven years, will go to Texas where he will locate on a ranch.

Charles E. Farr, of Saunemin, and Miss Laura F. Gibb, of Fairbury, were united in marriage by the Rev. B. B. Evans, Wednesday, the ceremony taking place at the parsonage in the city of Kankakee. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Gibb of this city and is an excellent young lady and has many friends here who will join in wishing the happy pair a long life.

110 Years Ago

November 10, 1916

Dr. J. H. Hardin, who several weeks ago, sold out his dentistry business here to Dr. J. D. McFarland, has decided to remain in Fairbury and has again taken over his old location and business. Dr. McFarland, together with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. McFarland, left Monday evening for Chicago. The doctor has no location in sight at present. He was a fine young man and made many friends while here.

Straw may soon be a marketable product from central Illinois farms. The scarcity of paper and the demand for straw to manufacture straw board has strengthened the price and there are local instances where $5.50 has been paid for a ton of straw. With the increase in the price of paper will come an increase in the value of straw.

Fairbury Chapter, No. 99, R. A. M., celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last Friday with an afternoon and evening session. During the afternoon, Charles H. Allen and George Bell, of Forrest, received the Royal Arch degree. At 5:30 a banquet under the direction of E. Louie Weber was served. The banquet was a sumptuous one and consisted of turkey with all the necessary trimmings. Following the banquet Emery Gregg gave a history of the Chapter's growth. At eight o'clock another team composed of A. G. Milne,  Louie E. Dirks and James G. Butler, of this city, were given the Royal Arch degree, the Chenoa Chapter, doing the work, with district inspecting officer Jacob Balbach acting as high priest. A social hour followed the work and completed a memorable occasion in the Chapter's history.

100 Years Ago

November 12, 1926

Mrs. Emma Sauer presided over a charmingly appointed dinner Wednesday evening, arranged complimentary to her son Raymond, in celebration of his fifteenth birthday. The table, with its centerpiece of yellow chrysanthemums, was lighted with yellow shaded candles. The guests were boy friends of Raymond and as a climax to the celebration, Mrs. Sauer took the boys to see Red Grange in the screen production of, “One Minute to Play.”

A car driven by Ernest Grace put on a little stunt last Sunday morning, but on account of the early hour – It was about 2 o'clock – not a very large audience was present to witness it. With Mr. Grace at the wheel, the car started up an ornamental light post in front of Wade's Drug Store, and from the looks of the post the car must have gotten almost to the top, as the post was listing at an angle of about 45 degrees when the performance was over. The car was also damaged.

The farmers of Indian Grove and Belle Prairie Townships have banded themselves together in an effort to stop thieving of all kinds and to protect themselves from unscrupulous hunters. Their organization will be known as the Illinois Detective Association. At a meeting held Wednesday evening, the following officers were elected: Pres., Frank Fouts; Vice Pres., W. D. Spence; Sec., Marshall Fitzgerald; Treas., Debold Householder. At the present time the organization has a membership of 26. However, the membership roll is still open and a much larger membership is anticipated and desired.

90 Years Ago

November 6, 1936

Last evening the members of the Baptist Church gave a cafeteria dinner in honor of Rev. and Mrs. Evan Roberts, who are leaving the first of the week for their new home in Akron, Ohio. Rev. and Mrs. Roberts were presented with a gift of appreciation from the members of the church; also a quilt from the ladies of the missionary society. The evening was spent with music and readings consisting of a quartet by Hartford Patterson, Willard Bess, Lucille Gibb and Wilma Bess; a duet by Wilma Bess and Lucille Gibb; a reading by Charlotte Gruber,  also a reading by Helen Craig. The girl's chorus and a trio from the high school, directed by Mr. Kortkamp, entertained with several numbers which were enjoyed.

In compliance with an order from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, G. H. Franzen, mayor and local liquor control commissioner, of this city, has revoked the retail liquor license issued to Mrs. Eunice Billingsley. The order received by Mayor Franzen says: “In accordance with Article VII, Section 8, of the Illinois Liquor Control law, Eunice Billingsley was duly notified to appear before the commission on October 7, 1936, for violation of the Illinois Liquor Control law, and the commission having heard and considered the evidence offered by the parties and the arguments of counsel for the parties, finds: That said Eunice Billingsley did violate the Illinois Liquor Control law, as alleged, and that the Local Liquor Control Commission of the city of Fairbury, revoke the retail liquor license issued to said Eunice Billinsley.

A reunion of the J. J. Goold family was held Sunday at the Goold home, with Miss Rachel Goold home from New York City; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Mumford and daughter, Genevieive, of Washington, D. C.; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Clemens and Miss Gladys Goold from Wellington all present. Miss Rachel arrived Saturday for a two weeks' vacation. She recently gave up her position as dietician in a hospital in Washington, D. C. to accept a similar position in the New York Hospital, the oldest hospital in the United States, the charter having been granted to them by King George III of England. Miss Goold daily supervises the planning and serving of 1,200 meals.

80 Years Ago

November 8, 1946

Idella Santell, of the Livingston County Sanatorium at Pontiac, met with a number of our citizens, representing various organizations of Fairbury at the library Monday night to get their reactions as to whether they thought the people of this community would want to have a mobile X-ray unit visit this city in the near future. The purpose of this X-ray unit would be to take chest pictures of any of our citizens, both young and old, who desired to have them taken. Mrs. Santell explained that pictures of the chest often disclosed diseases that could be stopped, providing they were discovered soon enough. The sentiment of the gathering was that it would be beneficial to have the X-ray unit come here and voted to have it here for a day.

The Local Record newspaper office last evening received a good smoking and some damage by a fire that started around six o'clock. A few minutes more and Fairbury might have had a real fire. The fire was discovered by James Carter, who is employed at the Local Record office. He had left a suit at the office when he quit at about five o'clock, and went back after it an hour or so later, and discovering the fire, turned in the alarm. The fire department soon had the fire out. It is not known for sure how the fire started, but the supposition is that it was caused by some of the electric wiring becoming faulty. One thing is sure, The Blade editor cannot be charged with starting the fire for he was out at Knoll Lodge enjoying supper. That absolves us.

Arthur Cording, a farmer of near Chatsworth, has been a patient at the Fairbury Hospital since Wednesday, suffering from a badly injured right hand, received in a corn picker. A bone in one of his fingers was broken and the fingers and hand badly mutilated back as far as the thumb. Mr. Cording says he doesn't know exactly how the accident occurred, as he was not trying to get any clogged stalks out of the picker. He says he probably got his hand too near the husking rollers and it was caught. Mr. Cording's son, Beryl, was nearby and when Mr. Cording called for help, the son promptly shut off the machinery.

70 Years Ago

November 8, 1956

Mayor Roy E. Taylor indicated that a Community Center building, to be built on city property on West Locust Street, may be a possibility in the near future. Mayor Taylor told Rotarians and a group of teenage guests that a small tax would finance such a general all-purpose building. When the teenagers asked Rotarian help to prepare a club room above the Fairbury Locker, Mr. Taylor suggested that the group could use the upstairs room in the City Hall, with heat, janitor service and water furnished. Toilet facilities could be easily installed by the City, he pointed out. A group of high school pupils, headed by Sherrill Harvey, chairman, appeared before the group and reported that they had formed a club known as the Teen Center.

The Methodists Tuesday noon stood at the $35,000 mark in their march to reach the $73,000 necessary to repair their 54-year-old church building and construct a new education building annex. Most of the amount was in the form of pledges made by members of the congregation which will be paid during the next three years. About 240 Methodists heard fund co-chairmen C. C. Thompson and Keith Anderson explain the fund-raising machinery at a loyalty dinner in the high school gym following services Sunday. When actual work is begun, repair of the present structure will be the first to be undertaken.

Out of train wreck tragedies usually come stories of persons who would have been involved but for missing their train. It happened to a former Fairburian Monday when seven persons were killed and over 160 injured in a collision of a North Shore train and an elevated express train on Chicago's north side. But for being detained at a night school class, Dale Shult would have been a passenger of the “L” train, on which most of those injured were riding. Shult, who is an electronics technician for a Chicago firm, was in the habit of commuting to his Evanston apartment on the wrecked train.

60 Years Ago

November 10, 1966

R. Keith Stiver, owner of the Stiver Home for Funerals, has announced that the Open House of their new rustic ranch style building will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The one-story building, set back on the east side of north First Street, has white stone facing and brown vertical siding. Keith, a native of Fairbury, graduated from Fairbury High School and Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. He was employed several years by the George L. Mowry Funeral Home, and in August, 1962, bought the business from Lee Newland. He operated the funeral home at Third and Oak Streets until moving to the new home on September 17.

Tony Fazio of Fairbury, engineer on the N. and W.'s Streator local through here, entered the railroad's hospital at Decatur this week for surgery to correct ligament damage in a knee.

A half-million-dollar shot in the arm was given Fairbury's economy last Thursday when a new three-year wage contract was negotiated at Fairbury Industries plant of International Tube Company. The contract affects 122 persons in five labor grades, so the raise means almost exactly $500,000 over the length of the contract. In essence, the contract provides 45c in wages, consisting of 27c now, 10c next year and 8c additional per hour the third year of the agreement. The contract also provides another 5c in fringe benefits per hour, consisting of an additional paid holiday, an increase in premium contributions for health and hospitalization insurance, a change in the method of computing vacation pay, and allowance of triple time for all holidays worked.

50 Years Ago

November 11, 1976

Approximately 350 votes were admittedly lost in Indian Grove Precinct One last week when the video voter equipment malfunctioned, and losses might not have been confined to this lone precinct. There is the possibility that more votes may have been lost either by other, lesser instances of electronic mishaps, or because voters were so bewildered by the apparatus they didn't cast votes or were unable to correctly vote on the machines. The possibility of other lost votes throughout the county exists because of large discrepancies between the number of persons requesting ballots and totals actually recorded for President of the United States, the race at the front of the ballot.

A club organized 60 years ago on Oct. 21, the Jolly Girls, celebrated their 60^th anniversary with a dinner held in the Fincham's Steakhaus party room in Colfax, October 28. Members sang the doxology and President Mrs. Verna Schenck, welcomed everyone to the dinner party. After dinner, Mrs. Lillian Hanes gave some “memory highlights” over the past 60 years. Mrs. Louise Yeagle gave the club history covering the first 25 years. The club was organized at the home of Hazel Farley Leffingwell and Lillian Farley Hanes in October 1916. Clare Sneed was the first President. She taught at Garber School. One of their first money making projects was to pass around a little apron and each member put pennies in the pocket for each inch of their waistline. Later they had benefit card parties in Weston Town Hall and were well supported by persons residing in Yates and Eppards Point Townships.

Sam Furrer, a member of the Illinois History Club and a sophomore at Fairbury-Cropsey High School, had his essay, “A Gingerbread House,” published in the November issue of Illinois History. Illinois architecture was featured in the publication. Sam's article was about the Victorian styled home that belongs to Mrs. George Jensen of Fairbury. Sam's article began, “In the years between 1850 and 1900, Victorian style architecture was very popular in Illinois. In the late 1870's, Lorenzo Beach Dominy used this style in building a home in Fairbury. It still stands today at 310 South Third street.”

40 Years Ago

November 6, 1986

Prairie Central High School principal Bill Winn has dismissed “an idle rumor” as speculation that the Hawks were seeking to leave the Wauseca Conference for a berth in the Corn Belt Conference. “This is a Board of Education decision,” Winn said. “I have had no indication from our board that we should even informally pursue membership in the Corn Belt. Speculation popped up recently that Prairie Central had contacted the Corn Belt Conference about joining a membership which includes Pontiac, Mahomet-Seymour, U-High, Central Catholic, Olympia, Clinton and Peru St. Bede. “I would think they would welcome us with open arms,” Winn said of the rumored switch. “But there's nothing to it.”

David L. Zehr and his sister, Linda (Zehr) Meyer, arrived on Oct. 25, for a visit with their grandparents, Ben and Minnie Zehr. David, a Specialist Fourth Class Medical Laboratory Technician in the U.S. Army, has been in West Germany for the past four years and will be reporting to a base near Denver, Colo., on Nov. 21. While visiting in Fairbury, he is staying at the home of his brother, Ed Zehr. Linda, a guest at the Ben Zehr home, owns and operates, along with her husband, a lawn maintenance, janitorial and snow removal service in Springfield, Mo., where they reside. Both are children of the late Ronald G. Zehr. Both David and Linda returned to Springfield on Nov. 1 after visiting many relatives in the area.

The engagement and approaching marriage of Dr. Danielle Grace Jackson, of Arlington Heights, to Dr. Philip Nile Bane, of Fairbury, has been announced. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. David C. Jackson, South Holland, and Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Bane, of Arrowsmith. The bride-to-be is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, having received her degree from the U of I. She is presently practicing at the Eastside Veterinary Clinic, Fairbury. Dr. Bane received his Doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine from the U of I also. He operates the Eastside Veterinary Clinic in Fairbury. The couple is planning a Nov. 29, 1986 wedding.

30 Years Ago

November 6, 1996

This time it wasn't the Big Bad Wolf that huffed and puffed and blew the walls in—it was winds up to 70 and 80 miles per hour that brought down the newly constructed walls of the addition at Prairie Central High School. A 50' x 30' interior wall of the new addition in the north wing collapsed last Tuesday night, Oct. 29, the result of high winds. This was in a section that was to include a physics storage, janitor storage, general science classroom, physics lab and physical science classroom on the ground floor, and three computer classrooms and a mechanical room on the second floor. There was damage done to the pluming, electricity, steel and masonry, all of which had been recently installed.

Popejoy brothers, Ray and Greg, say their new business, appropriately named for its location, West Walnut Warehousing, Fairbury, is completed. Two pole buildings are located on a large lot which Popejoys say is a plus to their storage business. There are 18 units in four sizes: 5'x10', 10'x10', 10'x26' and 10'x36'. The ceilings have been insulated, are lighted and separated by interior walls. The Popejoys have also been in the plumbing, heating and electrical business for 13 years.

Two area Country Companies agents have been awarded the National Quality Award (NQA) for “significant achievement” in life insurance sales. Darryl Tinges, Fairbury, of the Livingston-Grundy Agency; and Curt Johnson, CLU, Colfax, of the McLean Agency are recipients of this award. Tinges has received this award four times and Johnson has received it ten times. To qualify for the NQA, 90% of the life insurance business sold must still be in force over a 13-month period.

20 Years Ago

November 8, 2006

After hearing about a property that councilman Maurice Steidinger called a “disgrace,” the Fairbury City Council discussed enacting an ordinance that will better help it intervene in such situations when grass on private property grows beyond eight inches high. Steidinger described the property, located at the corner of Clay and Ash streets, as a “wild place” with growth “as high as the house.” He said he has received numerous calls from surrounding neighbors complaining about the condition. The current ordinance does not set a height limit for grass, but allows the city to take action when dealing with certain noxious weeds. The area in the ordinance in regard to grass height was never filled in, according to City Superintendent Leroy McPherson. The council then came up with eight inches as a height that the city can take action in dealing with private property, but will still follow proper procedure and only intervene when owners fail to comply after such measures and warnings have been given.

Abbie Moore, the new athletic director at the Boys and Girls Club of Prairie Central, brings a lot of experience and new ideas to the club's sports programs. A 2000 graduate of Tri-Point High School in Cullom, Moore graduated from Illinois State University in 2006 with a degree in Recreation Administration. At the present time she is also the unit director for the Chenoa Unit that opened in August. Moore, who has been involved in sports her entire life, said the opportunity to do what she loved and the location were two factors that drew her to the Fairbury position.

Douglas Miller from the Prairie Central High School graduating class of 1989 has been named the 2006-07 Hall of Fame inductee. Miller will be honored with a plaque and a portrait to be placed in the Hall of Fame display case outside the main office at PCHS. He will be honored by the PCHS student body, staff and members of the community on Wednesday, Nov. 22. The hall of Fame was created to recognize former PCHS students who have demonstrated “Pride in Excellence,” the motto of Prairie Central. During his high school years, Miller was a top participant in athletics as well as academics. His desire to excel led him to the University of Illinois, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1994, a masters degree in 1995 and a Ph.D in animal science in 1998. He is manager of production for food development of animal therapeutics at Elanco Animal Health, a Division of Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, Ind. Dr. Miller is the son of Keith and Sandy Miller of Chatsworth.

10 Years Ago

November 9, 2016

This year, Prairie Central High School's FFA chapter sent seven teams to what could be described as the “Super Bowl” of FFA events, the 89^th National FFA Convention and Expo, which was held Oct. 19-23 in Indianapolis, Ind. During the event, PC's milk quality and products team gave the chapter its sixth national award and FFA members brought home $5,000 in scholarships. The agriculture business management team took second place, the poultry team took third, the agriculture mechanics team took ninth, the meats team took 12^th, as did the agriculture communications team, and the live stock judging team took 19^th.

Valdivino “Gunna” De Souza worked in agriculture for years in South America but never had the chance to ride in a combine. That all changed this fall with a visit to Livingston County. De Souza and his wife, Raquel, visited a cornfield in the process of being harvested north of Pontiac in late October. He heard about central Illinois when visiting Chicago and already knew of the legendary Route 66. The retired seed salesman from Brazil has some friends interested in coming to the United States to see agriculture first hand and he would like to organize farm tours someday.

Jake Maquet will be running for cross country gold at state after qualifying out of the Lisle Sectional with a fourth place finish in the boys' race with a time of 17:20. He paced Prairie Central to a ninth place finish in the boys' standings. Eighteen places and 28 seconds separated PC's other four scoring runners. Carter Evans was second for the Hawks with a time of 19:11. Following behind were Liam Barnes (19:33), Aaron Aberle (19:38) and Aidan Krieger (19:39). Adrien Ruis (20:12) and Jeremiah Dunahee (21:08) also competed.

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