Looking Back 5-28-25

130 Years Ago

May 25, 1895

Walton Bros. sold three bicycles on Wednesday, making forty for the year. Two of those sold Wednesday were to Dennis Glinnen, for the use of his many juvenile Glinnens, and one to E. Barber of Strawn.

The Fairbury baseball club is doing good work this year. They played a game with a Saunemin team at the fair grounds last Saturday in which Fairbury came out best by a score of 18 to 4. The members of the club are Pitcher, John Thompson; catcher, James Baird; 1st base, Pat Moran; 2nd base, James Ryan; 3rd base, Robert Baird; shortstop, John Young; left field, Ralph Harris; center field, Frank Karnes; right field, Dave Compton; substitutes John Powley and Alex Skean.

J. D. Weaver and family moved this week to Evanston, where they intend to make their future home. Mr. Weaver has resided here for about 25 years. A.W. Streeper assisted them in moving, going to Chicago to help them with the moving of the household goods.

Miss Mayme Braun is keeping books for Wade Bros.

120 Years Ago

May 26, 1905

The marriage of Mr. Patrick H. Keeley and Miss Winifred A. Kelly was solemnized in the St. John's Catholic Church at Fairbury, Wednesday, May 24 at 8 o'clock, Rev. Father Francis officiating. The bride was handsomely attired in cream albatross over silk and the groom wore the conventional black. They were attended by Miss Mary Kelly, sister of the bride, and Mr. Edward Keeley, nephew of the groom. His sister, Mrs. John Freehill, played the wedding march. The immediate friends of the contracting parties met after the ceremony at the residence of the bride's father, where all partook of a three course breakfast.

Merkle & Sons, of Peoria, have placed another fine shipment of monuments in our cemetery. Among them, a beautiful Sarcophagus monument and markers of Montello Granite for Wm. Gosline, wife and children. Another Quincy Granite monument and marker for Jacob Oppy, is a very handsome and new design. The Thomas Bodley monument was also erected in a massive and substantial design. Bert Carter had the family lot enclosed with neat stone post and piping, including a beautiful granite marker for their little daughter, Ruth. Granite markers were also erected on the family lot of Mr. and Mrs. Abt.

Weston — The Evangelical parsonage and barn have been painted which improves their appearance very much. Rev. La Rosh wields the brush as well as he expounds the gospel from the pulpit. Fred Wernsman was in Lake Co., Ind. the first of the week, where he had sold a Har-Parr gasoline engine for which he has the agency in this section. Our school closes Friday, June 2, and the matter of having a picnic is being considered but not definitely decided on as yet.

110 Years Ago

May 28, 1915

The Phi Chi Psi members had a social time on Tuesday evening. The meeting was primarily to perfect plans for the Decoration Day program and receive T.D. Karnes as a member. Lester Haberkorn was present and sang a number of songs.

Emil Keller has accepted the management of the Farmers elevators at Strawn and Risk. His duties will begin June 1.

Orance Marceau had one leg broken and Clarence Rightsell had both legs broken Sunday afternoon when a motorcycle which they were driving collided head-on with an automobile near El Paso. In both instances, the breaks were bad ones.

The Board of Education of the Fairbury city schools has completed its staff of teachers by hiring Miss Ruth Pate of LaGrange as music supervisor.

100 Years Ago

May 29, 1925

A bad wreck occurred on the Wabash Railroad two and a quarter miles south of Forrest, yesterday morning at 5 o'clock, in which 3 sleepers and a chair car turned over on their side. A broken rail caused by crystallization was the cause of the wreck. That there were no casualties is undoubtedly due to the fact that the coaches were all of steel construction. The one most badly hurt was Mrs. V.R. Hayes (formerly Miss Josephine McMullen of Forrest) of Moberly, Mo. Her back was wrenched and she received many bruises. Mrs. Hayes was on her way to Forrest to visit her sister, Mrs. Jesse Rudd.

Raymond Grover left Wednesday on the train for Indianapolis, Ind., where he is spending several days watching the cars do their stuff, preparatory to the 500-mile race tomorrow. Others who are motoring to Indianapolis today to see the big race tomorrow are Mr. and Mrs. Clark Hanks, Charles Blaisdell, Willis Goembel and Loren Haner.

Horace Bodley, of Chicago, purchased the Hodshire property on West Walnut Street and will move there this week. Ed Thomas went to Chicago this morning with his truck to bring down the household goods. The purchase price of the property was $1,500.

90 Years Ago

May 24, 1935

The American Legion, with the cooperation of the business and professional men of Fairbury, will stage a celebration on the streets of Fairbury come July 4. This will be the first celebration to be held on the streets of Fairbury for a number of years. Plans are being made to have one of the biggest free celebrations to be held in central Illinois.

Dr. C. S. Davies last Sunday completed his 39th anniversary as pastor of the Presbyterian Church. An audience that more than filled the main auditorium of the church was present at the morning service to hear Dr. Davies give his anniversary sermon. Among those present were a number from away who came back especially for the day. An anniversary communion service was held at three-thirty in the afternoon and was also largely attended.

W. C. Nussbaum, who recently opened up a gravel pit on the McDowell farm just east of town, which he recently purchased, is enlarging it. The pit already opened shows a depth of gravel of at least 20 feet. It is especially adapted for graveling roads.

80 Years Ago

May 25, 1945

Miss Fern Kennedy and LaVerne Martin, of north of Fairbury, were married Wednesday, May 16, at the Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, Mo. Present at the wedding were the bride's mother and sister, Mrs. Almira Kennedy and Miss Helen. Following her graduation from the Pontiac Township High School, Mrs. Martin attended I.S.N.U. and for the past three years has taught in the rural schools of the county. Mr. Martin is associated with his father, Ray Martin, in farming northeast of Fairbury, and their home will be made on the farm.

Monday afternoon Rev. W.P. Gauer, and son Paul, drove in the driveway at the V.B. Weatherford home. Rev. Gauer got out, going into the house, leaving Paul in the car. Just as he got to the house a large tree was blown down. By a few minutes he would have been caught, as he was right in line where it fell, the top of the tree striking the car, one limb going through the top of the car over the back seat. The side of the car and fender were caved in. Little Paul was in the front seat of the car unhurt, although it took quite a little time to get him out of the brush.

Considerable excitement was caused at the E. H. Odell farm, three and a half miles southwest of Fairbury, Monday afternoon about two o'clock. J. P. Brickey, the tenant, was shelling corn when in some manner the cob pile caught on fire. The wind was blowing a gale and a call was put in for the Fairbury chemical truck. The men present succeeded in keeping the fire under control and the chemical engine put the finishing touches to the blaze.

70 Years Ago

May 26, 1955

Trucking permits have been authorized to three local truckers – Royce Carter, Albert Tull and John Goold – by the Illinois Commerce Commission, despite protests of a group of local truckers.

Joanne Rathbun, Warren Zehr and Ronald Schlipf tied for valedictorian honors, all being .36 of a point below a straight "A" average. Suzanne Broquard was named salutatorian.

Mrs. Alma Lewis-James has contracted for the purchase of land from William Wessels. The property is in western Indian Grove Township.

Fairbury's Tartars clinched at least a share of their fifth consecutive Midstate Conference baseball championship Thursday by blasting Chenoa 15-5 at the fairgrounds.

60 Years Ago

May 27, 1965

Lightning struck the Meadowbrook Grade School and the Jim Gramowski and Paul Honegger homes during a violent electrical storm which hit Forrest at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 25. Hardest hit was the new home of the Gramowski family where the lightning strike played havoc with their entire wiring system, plumbing, knocked out the phone, gas lines, electricity, ruined their brand new TV and burned paint off the sides of their home. At the Paul Honegger home the lightning came in the electrical service entrance and burned out the kitchen light fixture; however, the fuses were not blown or any other damage received at this location. Meadowbrook School, located directly across the street from the Gramowski home, had all light bulbs blown out in the school kitchen. The children were badly shaken up as they viewed the hit and saw the fire which danced over the Gramowski home. Many cried or yelled in terror.

Miss Laura Barnes, an eighth grade teacher at Fairbury-Cropsey Junior High School, is retiring after 47 years as a teacher. She was honor guest at the Teacher Organization at Old Susannah on Thursday evening, when the unit 3 school faculty, their husbands and wives, numbering nearly 100, met at 6:30 for a smorgasbord dinner. Mrs. Carroll BesGrove furnished piano music during the meal. Leroy Fagot, past president of the organization, presided. New officers were elected for the next year. They are: Erna Winslow, president; Leon Forrestal, vice president; Ruth Ann Grandon, treasurer.

A Piper City lady, Mrs. Dorothy Jehle, was admitted to Fairbury Hospital Saturday morning after she was struck by a bicycle as she stepped from between two parked cars to cross the street in front of Fairbury Locker. Stiver ambulance was called and removed her to the hospital, where she was a patient until Tuesday. The youth on the bicycle was uninjured, although nearly in a state of shock after the experience.

50 Years Ago

May 29, 1975

Selection of the valedictorian and salutatorian of the Class of 1975 at Fairbury-Cropsey High School hung in the balance today, the difference between the two top scholars described by school sources as "two-tenths of a point." The verdict was said to hinge on the outcome of exams being given Wednesday at the school. Locked in the grade-point battle are Rebecca Ulfers and Michael Stoneberger. The school declined to identify which was on top at the moment.

Colfax police said Friday that Vaughn's Pharmacy in Colfax was burglarized late Thursday night or early Friday morning. Entry was gained through a window in the pharmacy's front door. Taken were four handguns, a box of syringe-and-needle kits and $20 in cash. The loss totaled approximately $400.

Jon K. Webber, second grader and member of Calvary Baptist Church, Normal, sent a balloon up into the sky several months ago. Early last week, the deflated balloon was found on the Dale Casson farm, when they were spreading fertilizer. Dale's daughter, Sara, 8, is returning the balloon to Jon with a special message. The attached card said sending the balloon up was part of a Sunday School project.

40 Years Ago

May 23, 1985

Mrs. G.B. (Marie Claudon) Spence, one of three surviving members of the 11 who graduated from Fairbury High School in 1910, will be in attendance at Saturday night's Fairbury-Cropsey Alumni banquet. Mrs. Spence is expected to take the microphone as the spokesman for the 75-year honor class and tell the overflow crowd of her recollections of high school days. The other two surviving members of the class are Mrs. Frances Maple Lindsay and Mrs. Lorene Shepherd Wink. The class has two claims to fame. They were the ones who selected the school colors, green and gold, and they were the first graduating class here to wear caps and gowns.

Fairbury-Cropsey High School senior Debbie Edwards received the National School Choral Award from choral director Mary Lou BesGrove, who presented it to her Friday night at the Chorus and Ensemble Pops Concert held in the Lincoln auditorium. While in chorus, Debbie has participated in the state solo and ensemble contests for the last two years, and was selected to participate in the Sangamon Valley Conference Honor Choir at Farmer City-Mansfield in 1984. She has been junior high choir assistant this year and has coached and accompanied groups and individuals in both junior high and high school.

From the road, the Sheppelman family farm, three miles east of Cropsey, may look like any other farm. But, it's unique because for 100 years the Sheppelmans have cultivated a family heritage with their blood, sweat and tears. And, now in recognition for 100 years of family ownership and dedication to farming, Fred Sheppelman, 89, a resident of the Helen Lewis Smith Pavilion in Fairbury, has been awarded a centennial plaque from the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture for his 160 acres of family owned land. Fred farmed the land for more than half of those 100 years with his father, Rudolph, and then retired, reluctantly, at the age of 84! Fred's son Harold now farms the land.

30 Years Ago

May 24, 1995

Farm fields were saturated last Thursday as rain continued in the area. Nearly six inches of rain has fallen in the Fairbury area so far in the month of May according to Fairbury's water works department. Many acres of corn have yet to be planted, already several weeks past the normal schedule, with chance of rain continuing in the forecast.

Prairie Central will send both their baseball team and softball team into sectional action following dual wins Monday night. The boys baseball team whipped Ridgeview 11-1 in five innings to take the regional game. The girls, behind the pitching of Kelli Gillett, beat Dwight 4-1 for the regional win.

A Bahama cruise last January celebrated the 25th wedding anniversary of Walter and Esther Winterland of Fairbury. The Winterlands were married on June 14, 1970 in Bloomington at the Evangelical United Methodist Church by Rev. Joseph White. Their attendants were Marjorie Schurr, Bloomington, sister of the bride, and Ray Winterland, Pontiac, brother of the bridegroom. Their children are David and Eileen McGregory Donaldson of Hanover Park. They have two granddaughters, Nicole and Jessica Donaldson. Winterland is a retired farmer and Mrs. Winterland is retired from State Farm Life Insurance Co.

20 Years Ago

May 25, 2005

After much discussion among the Prairie Central Board of Education members on Thursday night, the board approved all-day kindergarten for the 2005-2006 school year. There will also be half-day kindergarten offered. Parents of incoming kindergarten students were given a survey. The results noted an all-day kindergarten was favored.

Brian and Cindy Bellot of Westchester are parents of twin girls born on March 25, 2005. Lily Ann was born at 12:28 p.m. and weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces and was 17 inches long at birth. Her sister, Annella (Anna) Bernice, was born at 1:08 p.m. weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces and was 18½ inches long. Paternal grandparents are Jim and Phyllis Bellot of Forrest, and maternal grandparents are Charlie and Judy Tittlebach of Clarendon Hills.

Millikin University softball player Amber Rock, a former Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School standout, was recently selected to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Second Team. She is the granddaughter of Forrest residents, Maurice and Joy Zimmerman. Her parents are Tom and Jill Rock of Roberts. Amber was also inducted into the Millikin University chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon in recognition of outstanding scholastic achievement in mathematics. She is a mathematics secondary teaching major.

10 Years Ago

May 27, 2015

Prairie Central Jr. High athletes advanced to the IESA state track and field meet at East Peoria last week in the following events: 7th grade girls' 4x100 meter relay, Sophia Schuler, Brianna Seeman, Rachelle Pierro, Elly Haberkorn and Gabby Nagel; Connor Haab and Elly Haberkorn, long jump; Brianna Seeman, 200 meter; Addison Casner, shot put; Meagan Raby, discus; Harrison Ifft and Chandlar Ifft, pole vault.

The J. A. Folwell American Legion Auxiliary will sponsor two girls as delegates to Illini Girls State's 75th Golden Jubilee Celebration to be held at Eastern Illinois University at Charleston June 21-27. The delegates are Lexi Beal, daughter of Keith and Denise Beal of Forrest, and Hannah Folwell, daughter of Steven and Donna Folwell of Forrest. Lexi is a junior at Prairie Central High School and has participated in volleyball, basketball, softball, Geography Club and FCCLA. Hannah is a junior at PCHS and has participated in track, volleyball, band and basketball. She has also served on mission trips, the Forrest Food Pantry and is in the Faith in Action ministry.

A group of seventh grade Ag Tech students at Prairie Central Jr. High have been turning pens that will be donated to the Freedom Pen Project. These pens will be going to members of the military stationed around the world. The students turned the pens on lathes in the Agriculture/Industrial Technology shop out of various species of wood. Fifty pens in all were completed and will be sent out along with a note of thanks for the soldiers' service.

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