Looking Back: 3-26-26

130 Years Ago

March 21, 1896

C. E. Amsler, of Remington, Ind., made a trade this week whereby he becomes owner of the Swing & Steidinger stock of implements, hardware, etc. also the two-story brick business building and Mr. Steidinger's residence, formerly owned and occupied by T. S. O. McDowell. Swing & Steidinger receive in return Mr. Amsler's farm of 307 acres located near Remington, Ind.

A juvenile band of ten pieces has been organized and is under the tutorship of James Armstrong. They serenaded the business houses Wednesday and certainly did very well.

John "Swy" Thompson received orders on Thursday to join Wilmot's baseball team at Minneapolis, Minn., and will leave Monday for that city.

Married at the residence of the bride's parents, Wednesday, Miss Helen M. Davidson to Jacob Hardman, Rev. I. H. Shover officiating.

120 Years Ago

March 23, 1906

Charles Martin jumped on the rear end of the Wabash passenger Thursday noon to ride down a few blocks. The train was going at a pretty lively clip, when Charles decided to disembark. He landed on his face, mostly. He was picked up and taken to Dr. Kuhn's office and the doctor spent about an hour picking the cinders out of the young man's physiognomy and putting him in presentable shape so that his best friend would half way recognize him. He is not seriously injured, but it is probable he will have something to show for it after the wounds heal. It is also probable he will be asked to contribute a few dollars to the city treasury for jumping on and off trains when he gets able to hold an interview with Magistrate Zimmerman.

The millinery opening at Walton Bros. Co. is attracting a large number of ladies and the beautiful creations in millinery modeled by Mrs. Bass and her assistant, Miss Milne, amply repaid them for their visit. The millinery rooms are artistically decorated and present a very attractive appearance. There is also a display of millinery in the clothing window of Walton Bros. Co., which attracts much attention. The opening continues today and tomorrow.

According to this morning's dispatches, nothing but some unexpected and unforeseen circumstances can prevent a strike of 250,000 coal miners throughout the bituminous coal fields of the country. It looks at this time like a strike of vast proportions is certain to come. It comes at a time when people in this section of the country can get along without coal for heating purposes, but the danger is not in the immediate present. The strike, if it commences, may continue until next winter and every pound of stored coal will be used up. The railroads will probably not suffer as they will confiscate any coal consigned to them which they may need. Factories will be the first to suffer, for without coal, they will be compelled to close down.

110 Years Ago

March 24, 1916

Mrs. C. B. Day and her little son had a very close call to being killed or wounded one day recently. Mrs. Day was out in her yard hanging some clothes on the line and the little boy was standing close by, when a bullet from either a rifle or a revolver came buzzing along and passed between Mrs. Day and the boy. It was so close that they could feel the air from it. Promiscuous shooting of this kind within the corporate limits is dangerous business and strictly against the law.

The directors of the Fairbury Union Agricultural Board held a meeting Wednesday afternoon, at which time a date for the Fairbury Fair was set. The fair this year will come a little earlier than for a number of years past, the date being from August 22ne to 25^th, inclusive.

A chicken thief is still working at his trade in Fairbury, and the fowls owned by Mike Nicholas seem to be the ones he likes best. Four times since last June Mr. Nicholas' chicken roosts have been depleted, the last raid by the thief being last week. Previous to last week Mr. Nicholas had nine chickens left out of a fine bunch of fowls, but now he has only three, the thief taking all but that many last week. Now Mike says the chicken house door is open and that if anyone needs the rest of them worse than he does with his big family, they can come and get them. Mr. Nicholas says he knows the fellow well who has been stealing his chickens and the public will know him too, one of these days.

100 Years Ago

March 26, 1926

Two Watseka women, Mrs. Lucille McCreery and Mrs. Irvin Bury, were badly injured early Sunday morning when the car they were driving ran into a Wabash coal car that a switch engine had left standing on the Corn Belt Crossing. It was very foggy Sunday morning and it was just cold enough for the mist to freeze to the windshield. The ladies had gotten out of the car on several occasions to clean off the windshield, but it had become frosted over again, and they did not see the car that had blocked the roadway. They were taken to the hospital at Watseka.

J. M. Feltzer, a well known resident of this city, received a bad fall last Friday morning, dislocating his right shoulder. Mr. Fetzer was carrying some chairs up into the Commercial Club rooms. He had about reached the top of the step with several chairs when he reached for the hand rail and missed it. he lost his balance and fell down the long flight of stairs. Besides a dislocated shoulder he also received a number of bruises, but is getting along all right.

Miss Viola Rosenboom celebrated her birthday Wednesday evening with a theatre party, having as her guests a group of her high school friends. Refreshments were served at the Bon Ton after the show.

90 Years Ago

March 20, 1936

Mrs. I. S. Carter received a message that her daughter Fern, in care of a nurse and Miss Florence Palmer, of Carthage, a missionary returning home on a furlough, would sail today from Bombay, India, for New York City. She will remain for a time in New York City under the care of a physician. Miss Carter has been a patient in the Baroda, India, hospital since the first of the year, suffering with infantile paralysis.

John Joda Post, No. 54, American Legion, celebrated their 17^th anniversary at the Legion rooms, Tuesday, March 17, when 120 members of the Legion Auxiliary and their families gathered for a 6:30 supper. Mrs. Lange, Mrs. Wince and Mrs. Thomas Milne arranged the program, which was a follows: Group singing, led by P. J. Keck, with Cullie Huntoon at the piano; a play, "The Proposal," by Dora Bennett and Nelle Garber; songs, by Jean Milne, Bobby Steidinger and Doris Meisenhelder; recitation by Doris Meisenhelder; and a reading by Margaret Reavis. Each number was enjoyed.

Henry DeFries, local expressman, formed a one-man fire department on Tuesday morning. He was headed east on Hickory Street in his express truck when he noticed smoke and fire pouring up from a car in front of the Mr. G. C. Lewis residence. Mr. DeFries stepped on the gas a little harder and pulled up in front of the blazing auto. Grabbing the fire extinguisher from his truck, he put the fire out with little damage to the car, before the local fire department arrived. The car belonged to Mrs. Lewis and was driven by her grandson, Robert Ficklin. The car caught fire when it backfired.

80 Years Ago

March 22, 1946

The 1939 Chevrolet sedan belonging to Thomas Bray, who farms a mile north of town on the high school road, was stolen last night while it was parked on the west side of the Porter building at Locust and Second Streets, some time between the hours of 7 and 10 o'clock. The theft has been put on the police radio and state highway police were checking cars on the highways last night.

Bernard Tollensdorf AMM has been spending three weeks' furlough with his parents and family. After four years with the Atlantic Fleet Air Force, Bernard has reenlisted. He will report back for duty March 31 at Norfolk, Va. A dinner for him and a group of friends will be held at his home Sunday evening.

Harry Klopfenstein has contracted with Robert Grusy for the purchase of the land and buildings housing the Hartman Standard Service Station on West Oak Street (Route 24). The transaction includes a tract of land nearly two acres in size and the group of tourist cabins. Mr. Klopfenstein does not plan to occupy the property himself, but will lease it.

70 Years Ago

March 22, 1956

The fire department was called Wednesday afternoon to the Ben Roth lot, south of the Fairbury Hospital, to put out a grass fire, started when the Peter sisters were burning some trash. Two ponies, pastured in the lot, were rescued. The fire spread into the yard of the Donovan Kramers, before the fire department arrived.

The Fairbury Hospital has received its state license, according to word received Monday by Lee Dohleman, hospital manager. The granting of the license culminated several years of work by local people, beginning when William Arends was manager of the hospital. A 1953 act provides for the licensing of hospitals in Illinois which meet state specifications. New hospitals must have a license to begin operation while institutions operating at the time of the passing of the act were given a reasonable time to meet the requirements. The license was granted with the assumption that the Fairbury Hospital would cease to use basement rooms for patients within 2 years. State authorities suggested that a building program should be the corrective measure. At present, there are 13 beds in the basement of the hospital.

Pvt. Carl G. Schrof, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ervin E. Schrof of Forrest, recently arrived in Germany for duty with the 2^nd Armored Division. The 19-year-old soldier, last stationed at Ft. Knox, Ky., is now a crewman in Company D of the division's 57^th Tank Battalion. Schrof was graduated from FSW high school just prior to entering the army last August.

60 Years Ago

March 24, 1966

State farm leaders, friends and suppliers paid tribute Monday night to a Cropsey man, who was named by Ford Motor Company as being among the nation's top farmers. Guest of honor at a dinner was Harold Elliott, one of 15 Ford Farm Efficiency Award winners selected last fall from among farmers throughout the nation. The dinner, attended by 150 persons, was held at the Holiday Inn, Bloomington, where Elliott was cited for superior management ability. He was given a check for $2,000 which he turned over to the agriculture department of Illinois State University for a senior scholarship. He also received telegrams from Senators Douglas and Dirksen, and a plaque from Governor Otto Kerner.

On Friday, Mar. 25, Wallace Alpers of Fairbury will take three purebred Guernsey calves to Champaign to join with 20 other Illinois Guernsey breeders making up a shipment of 33 calves destined via San Francisco for Japan. This will be the first shipment of Guernseys to Japan in over 30 years. Seinosuke Furuya, chief of the technical section of the Koshin Milk Plant, Tokyo, is the purchaser. He stated that they are importing Guernseys to improve their herds and to increase the food value of their milk.

Two Fairburians won honors at the recent conclusion of a Dale Carnegie Institute course in Bloomington. Joe "Little Joe" Oprondek, was termed "most improved speaker" and won a silver pencil, while Warnie Beckley was cited for giving the best impromptu speech at the class' graduation activities. Oprondek was one of eight men from Fairbury Industries enrolled in the course, while Beckley and his wife, who also took the course, operate a floor covering store in Fairbury.

50 Years Ago

March 25, 1976

The 17^th annual Top Teen Talent Show, sponsored by the Fairbury-Cropsey High School Math Club will be held April 3 in the high school gym. At this time there are talent entries from Fairbury, Cropsey, Chenoa, Forrest, Sibley, Chatsworth and Lexington. All contestants in this year's program are between the ages of 13 and 19 and are vying for numerous cash prizes.

Addis Auto Parts this week is in a new 10,000 square foot sales and warehouse facility at the corner of First and Walnut in Fairbury, and owner Chuck Addis is planning for an open house in the near future. The firm, with seven employees, operates three sales and delivery trucks to service area garages and mechanics, and stocks both repair tools and equipment as well as replacement parts for most automobiles. The new building was erected by Stoller & Maurer, general contractors, with Weber Plumbing and Heating of Fairbury doing all the mechanical work. Addis was formerly located in the James building at First and Locust.

Mark Erdman, starting lineman for the Fairbury-Cropsey High School football Tartars, can add a starting berth on the Illinois High School Association all-star football team to his list of credits. Erdman's head coach, Ken Johnson, made the announcement that Mark had been picked to play in the all star game next August. Erdman was one of only two players in the Sangamon Valley named unanimously to both the defensive and offensive first squads of that conference's all-star team.

40 Years Ago

March 20, 1986

Don Wall attracted 68 percent of the vote Tuesday to easily capture the Republican party's nomination for Livingston County Sheriff. Wall, who has announced he will retire from the Illinois State Police now that he has secured the nomination, received 55,317 votes. Current sheriff's detective John Wiles ran second with 1,967 votes. Former state police sergeant Charles Peck came in third with 477 votes. With the Democratic party offering no candidates for the post, winning the Republican primary is tantamount to election. Barring a write-in campaign in November, Wall will run unopposed for sheriff.

Paul Kyburz, photo chief for the Corn Belt newspapers, has left the firm to join Trans World Airlines as a flight attendant, where he reported on March 6. He was first on a standby assignment in San Francisco, and is now temporarily assigned to flights out of Chicago. Kyburz, whose photos in the Fairbury Blade have been consistent winners of state and national prizes, since he joined the papers 6½ years ago after graduating from Fairbury-Cropsey High School, was on a leave of absence for a period in February to attend the TWA Flight Academy in Kansas City.

Charity Home Rebekah Lodge and the International Order of the Oddfellows, Fairbury chapters, have awarded a "UN Pilgrimage for Youth" trip to Heather Dameron, a junior at Prairie Central High School. The annual trip, given by the combined lodges, will take place in July. Heather is the daughter of Lynn and Judy Dameron of Fairbury. In the event that she is unable to take the trip, Joan Cress, runner up, will go in her place. Joan is the daughter of John and LaDell Cress of Fairbury and she is also a junior at PCHS.

30 Years Ago

March 20, 1996

Les Singer will be appearing on Prime Time Country on the Nashville Network TNN television on Friday, at 8 p.m. He plays with the Po Folks Band with Bill Anderson out of Nashville, TN. The show will be taped and air again at midnight. Les plays lead and rhythm guitar and banjo. He is the son of Joe and Margie Singer of Cropsey.

Jerry D. Durham, PhD, RN, FAAN, of Fairbury, has been appointed to the position of Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Nursing at Mennonite College of Nursing, Bloomington. He has served as acting dean in this position since Aug. 1, 1995. Dr. Durham holds six degrees: a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from St. Louis University, a Master of Science in Psychiatric Community Health Nursing from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in Medical-Surgical Nursing from St. Louis University, a Master of Arts in English from Bradley University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University, and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeast Missouri State University.

The Prairie Central Hawks girls basketball team will be well represented at the annual Corn Belt/Sangamon Valley All Star Game. The game will be held this Thursday at Shirk Center on Illinois Wesleyan's campus. The game is for seniors only who have been selected for all-conference honors. Addie Ahlemeyer and Jenny Haab were both first team all conference. Denise Banwart, who missed five conference games due to injury, was named second team all-conference. Sarah Weeks made honorable mention. This group of seniors was responsible for eight school records.

20 Years Ago

March 22, 2006

James Hayden Roberts, former publisher of the Fairbury Blade, died at his home at 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2006, after a lengthy illness. Mr. Roberts' life encompassed 60 years as a widely traveled journalist, during which he was accorded major honors by his fellow editors and publishers, and also by his alma mater, Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. The Fairbury Association of Commerce named him as its first Man of the Year in 1971, and he served as co-chairman of the Economic Committee from 1973-76. He counted his nearly 30 years as a founding trustee of SELCAS as one of his finest civic accomplishments. In 1963, he and his late wife purchased the Fairbury Blade and Forrest News. The Blade eventually became the flagship of a dozen newspapers in his Cornbelt Press, Inc. chain. The couple sold their plant and publication in 1990 and retired.

Monday, March 13, 2006 was the date posted on many cameras in the area as interested citizens captured memories of the wrecking ball dismantling the former First Baptist Church in Fairbury. Those traveling along Route 24, slowed to get a glimpse of the church for one last time. Parishioners built a new church on North Seventh Street in Fairbury and the old structure and property were sold to Casey's General Store, based in Ankeny, Iowa. The company plans to erect a Casey's at the location with a late spring/early summer 2006 opening date targeted.

Special award winners for the high school boys' basketball team were Troy Burgard, Hawk "Desire" award; Jason Williams, Hawk "MVP" award; and Tyler Wahls, Hawk "Spirit" award.

10 Years Ago

March 23, 2016

The Chatsworth Bluebirds are coming back. At least that's the hope of volunteers involved with the town's Bluebird Project. Someone donated over 30 bluebird houses after a young lady wrote a report on the bluebird explaining her dream of consistently seeing the soaring creatures on her family's farm. Chatsworth Mayor Richard Runyon said Joe Steichen of the Livingston County Board and the youngster approached the town about the effort to provide the proper habitat to attract the birds. The Chatsworth Citizen's Advisory Board is involved with the project and has already started putting up bird houses. The houses are on sale at Corner Hardware in Chatsworth.

The primary tally is in and the Livingston County choice for the Republican candidate for state's attorney is Randy Yedinak, making him the heir apparent for the office come the November general election and the Dec. 1 assumption of the office. Yedinak defeated incumbent Seth Uphoff with more than 60 percent of the vote. Yedinak's win follows a hard fought – and occasionally brutal – campaign, which tangled in social media, news articles and more than 50 letters to the editor.

New births — to Chris Haberkorn and Valerie Wahls, a girl, Abigail Jolene Haberkorn, born Feb. 17, 2016, weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces; to Craig Mowery and Echo Cundiff of Forrest, a girl, Leni Paige, born at 8:09 p.m. Friday, March 11, weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces.

(Kari Kamrath's "Looking Back" is sponsored each week on Fairbury News by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home)