Looking Back 6-4-25

130 Years Ago

June 1, 1895

The La Perl show, which gave two performances in this city Thursday, was greeted by splendid audiences. The show is a good one, the band being one of the finest ever in the city.

About two o'clock on Wednesday morning, fire was discovered in the basement of Dr. N.S. Parsons' drug store. The firemen responded promptly and by heroic work kept the fire confined to the basement. As it was, the damage was about $1,000. A.H. Mundt, whose jewelry stock occupies part of the building, had some goods in the basement, which were badly damaged by water.

Wednesday morning horse thieves stole the horses of A.B. Claudon and J.J. Pence, a buggy belonging to Dr. H.E. Johnson and a double harness and buggy tongue belonging to Mr. Claudon. The latter gentleman discovered his loss when he got up to go to the fire. Later in the morning two men who had robbed a store at Sibley Sunday night and who had hidden the plunder away, came back after it. When questioned they ran, and later it was found that the horses they were driving belonged to the Fairbury parties.

Ed Van Tobel and Dean Potter rode their wheels to Chicago, by way of Joliet this week.

120 Years Ago

June 2, 1905

Charles A. Swarm of Walton Bros. Co. clothing department has been engaged as principal of the Cullom schools for next year. Mr. Swarm is well up in school work and has been very successful in teaching. In addition to this he is an excellent gentleman and we believe the Cullom people will find in him everything to be desired in a principal. He will move to Cullom the first of August.

Mrs. T.S.O. McDowell, assisted by Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Grivina, Mrs. S. Dixon, Mrs. E.O. Crouch, Mrs. Baylor and Mrs. Davidson, will entertain the ladies of the church and their friends at a ten cent tea at the home of Mrs. McDowell, Tuesday afternoon, June 6. Ladies are requested to bring their fancy work.

Monday afternoon about four o'clock this section was visited by a hail storm, which for the size of the hail storm exceeded anything of the kind that has happened as far back in the past as the recollection of the oldest inhabitant goes. Some of the hail were of wonderful size. Fred Craig, it is said, picked up one that measured 13 inches in diameter. Mel Armstrong said he picked up one that measured 10 inches in diameter. Three were brought into the Blade office after the storm, one of which measured 7½ inches, one measured 7 inches and one 9 inches. The largest one weighed 3 ounces.

110 Years Ago

June 4, 1915

James Lester had his leg broken Sunday afternoon. He had just driven into the yard at the Henry Hildreth home when his horse became unmanageable and ran away. The buggy hit a tree and threw Mr. Lester out, breaking his leg. He had this same leg broken a little over a year ago.

Lloyd Borngasser, who recently purchased a Ford car, and Harvey Phelps, who sold it to him, were out for a little spin one day the first of the week, the former getting a few pointers from Mr. Phelps. They were riding along when they smelled something burning. Although it did not smell like a Ford, both got out and looked the car over and got back in again. The smell got stronger and again they got out. They had just got back into the car again when Mr. Phelps looked up and discovered Lloyd's necktie on fire, and shouted his discovery to Lloyd. Before Lloyd could grab the tie – or what was left of it – It fell off, having burned in two. One of Lloyd's perfecto cigars was the cause of the trouble.

Henry Lower received a fractured hip and numerous other minor injuries last Saturday while at work with a gang tearing down the barn on the G.B. Spence residence lot. He was caught under a falling roof.

100 Years Ago

June 5, 1925

J. P. Cook has plans under way for the complete remodeling of his undertaking parlors on North Third Street. The present front of the building will be torn away and in its stead will be put in a pressed brick and plate-glass front, the brick running up several feet from the bottom. The entrance to the front will also be changed and a hanging awning will also be put up. The improvements which Mr. Cook will make will give him one of the nicest and most up-to-date undertaking parlors in this part of the state.

The farm buildings on the "Maje" Smith farm, seven miles north of town, consisting of a barn, corn crib and granary, together with 900 bushels of corn, a hundred bushels of oats, a large quantity of straw, two and a half sets of new work harness, farm implements, etc., were burned Sunday afternoon. The buildings carried insurance to the amount of $2,000, but the corn and other contents of the buildings were not insured. All of this loss which will amount to several thousand dollars, with the exception of the oats, which belonged to Andrew Kurrigan, who was a tenant on the farm, will fall on Mr. Smith.

Ross Pampiano, of Forrest, arrested recently on a charge of violation of the prohibition act, was arraigned before County Judge Ray Sesler last Friday morning. He entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced by Judge Sesler to 90 days in the county jail and to pay a fine of $200 and costs. Pampiano was arrested on the hard road west of this city a few weeks ago, and when his car was searched a quantity of alcohol was found in it.

90 Years Ago

May 31, 1935

Zircle Bros., who for a number of years conducted a cafe at Chenoa, but who sold out and went to Pontiac, where they engaged in a like business, are again back at Chenoa. Their new location in Chenoa is in the Sweeney Oil Company building at the intersection of Routes 24 and 66.

Fire made it rather uncomfortable for a horse last Saturday, for the reason that they were both in the same trailer. The horse, the trailer and the truck which was pulling them belonged to N.J. Claudon, with John Blair driving. Out south of town a car in which was John and James Langstaff and a Winters boy, came up behind Mr. Blair. Approaching the truck from the rear the young men noticed that the horse was crowding over to one side of the truck as if in fear. Getting a little closer they saw that the straw in the truck was on fire and that the truck was also burning. Going up alongside Mr. Blair they stopped him. While one or two of the party tried to put the fire out, the others went to a nearby farm house and got some water. The truck was not badly damaged.

George Farley will receive his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University at Evanston June 15. The graduation exercises will be held at Dyche Stadium and 1,150 degrees will be awarded.

80 Years Ago

June 1, 1945

Anthony Bellot, of Odell, found out to his sorrow last Saturday morning in Police Magistrate J.G. Rockenbach's court, that you can't climb trees with autos in Fairbury without paying for the fun. The charge against Bellot wasn't exactly one of climbing a tree with an auto, but a fine tree in W. B. Fugate's yard bears mute evidence to the fact that the auto ran into the tree if it didn't get very far up it. Several square feet of bark were knocked off this fine North American elm. The charge against Mr. Bellot was driving over a sidewalk. The cost to the defendant added up as follows: Fine of $50 and $4.50 costs; damage to the tree which was estimated at $200, but which was settled for $50 and that amount paid to Mr. Fugate; $50 paid as attorney's fees to Attorney Dogin, who prosecuted the case for Mr. Fugate. Total $154.40.

Mr. and Mrs. Clark Harris, of this city, received official word from the government on Monday morning that their son, Staff Sgt. Thomas W. Harris, who was shot down over Vienna, Austria, last September 10, is safe. A telegram was received here September 25 last from the War Department, stating their son was reported missing in action, he having been shot down over Austria. Sgt. Harris has been overseas since July, 1943. He was a top turret gunner on a B-17.

T/Sgt. Dick Phelps arrived home Monday for a 30-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Phelps. Dick was overseas more than two years, most of which was spent at Bari, Italy. This completes his circuit of the globe. From San Francisco and points west his itinerary included Wellington, New Zealand, then to Freemantle, southwest Australia; Ceylon, an island off the south coast of India; along southern Asia and through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to Egypt; across Egypt to Alexandria by truck, from there by boat to Tunisia; then to Bari, Italy; across Italy to Naples and from Naples to Newport News, Virginia, and from there by train home.

70 Years Ago

June 2, 1955

Heavy winds accompanied the rain storm which struck Fairbury last Thursday afternoon, sending a large number of branches down within the city and in certain spots in the rural vicinity.

Hartzell Munz was the Fairbury recipient of the "man of the Year" by the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad.

The Livingston County Flying Farmers were guests Memorial Day at a chicken barbecue given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Roth. Over 100 guests were present with 17 airplanes being flown in.

W. B. Decker, Fairbury's oldest resident and the world's oldest living Mason at the age of 100, recently was accepted for an insurance policy. His plan covers hospital, and includes paying for nursing and doctor calls in the home, office or hospital, quite a reflection of his good health.

60 Years Ago

June 3, 1965

Mayor Roy Taylor appointed Maurice Johnson as Fairbury's new chief of police this week. Johnson, who has been on the local force for the past four years, replaces police chief Alton Russell who has moved to Louisville, Ky. Taylor also appointed a new man to the police staff. Harry Page, 36, Pontiac, will work under Johnson. Page is a veteran, a member of the American Legion and presently works at the Pontiac prison. He was a police officer on the Pontiac Police Department for six years and also worked at Statesville and the Arsenal in Joliet.

Herb Dennison, 57, is reported in good condition in Fairbury Hospital this week after being injured in a windstorm last Wednesday afternoon. Dennison was working at Olney with a construction crew headed by Louie Kaisner of Fairbury when a windstorm hit the partially erected structure, demolished it and he was injured by the debris. Dennison's injuries included a fractured vertebrae in his back, and multiple contusions and abrasions over all of his body. The crew was erecting a Honegger-built farm building.

Duane "Buck" Morris, Fairbury rural mail carrier who is a major in the Air Force ready reserve, will leave this afternoon from Kansas City as navigator on a flight to Viet Nam. This is the second trip Morris has made in recent weeks to the Asiatic war zone., ferrying supplies and material. He expects to be gone about two weeks.

50 Years Ago

June 5, 1975

Two vehicles reported stolen Monday night have turned up unharmed, according to Fairbury Police. Authorities received a report that a pickup truck belonging to Howard Arnold had been taken sometime after 6 p.m. Monday. The following morning, the truck was found sitting at the Paternoster garage. In the second case, a 1971 Monte Carlo owned by Dale Rigsby was reported missing around 11 p.m. Police found the auto the next afternoon in an alley behind E. Ash Street. About one quarter tank of gas was consumed after the theft, but no other damage was noted.

Work started last week on expansion of the National Bank of Fairbury's customer service quarters. A crew from Stoller and Maurer contractors is opening the wall between the bank and the former dress shop on the west side. The Fashion Shop had earlier vacated the area when it moved one door farther west, to the corner of the building. John Gerber, bank president, said that while plans for occupying this additional ground-level space were incomplete, it was expected that the farm service and trust departments would be moved into the area.

A Livingston County jury returned guilty verdicts last Thursday against two Elgin men, charged with robbing Hummel's Grocery in Fairbury last December. The jury found Milton Burns, 29, guilty on three counts of armed robbery. Three guilty verdicts on charges of robbery were returned against Henry Payne Jr. Judge William Caisley set sentencing in the case for July 16. The two men were arrested in early January and indicted by the county grand jury Feb. 14 for the mid-December robbery of three persons in the grocery. Mrs. Marilyn Hummel, the store owner, was working at the time of the mishap. Vincent and Verna Endres, Forrest, were shopping when the robbery took place.

40 Years Ago

May 30, 1985

When Fairbury-Cropsey High school seniors get their diplomas Friday night, the ceremony marking the centennial of a four-year high school in the community. It also marks the end of the Fairbury name in the school's designation. But not the high school, for beginning July 1, it will become Prairie Central High, as the three neighboring unit school districts merge. And like Fairbury-Cropsey, which was officially Community Unit District Three, Unit 1 at Chatsworth and Unit Two at Forrest-Strawn-Wing this month also graduated their last classes under those names.

Susan E. Rittenhouse, a 1985 graduate of Illinois State University at Normal, is The Blade's new Lifestyle editor, effective this week. She succeeds Kim Kelly, who has had the position the past two years. With dual majors in mass communications and English, Susan has acquired a wide variety of newspaper experience through work with the student daily, The Vidette and with the Pantagraph and the Pontiac Leader as a summer intern.

Outstanding Air Force ROTC cadets at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale have been recognized for academic and other distinctions. Honors citations were presented at the cadet wing's annual awards banquet on April 27. Mike Ward of Fairbury won the American Legion ROTC award for scholastic excellence. He is a math major and the son of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Ward. AFROTC is a voluntary program that allows selected students to earn commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force while earning their college degrees.

30 Years Ago

May 31, 1995

One person was injured in a three-vehicle accident that occurred Wednesday around 4:05 p.m. at the corner of Third and U.S. Route 24 in Fairbury. Miguel A. Ornelas, 28, of Onarga was eastbound on Route 24, driving a 1988 Ford pickup, with a trailer attached, hauling an endloader, when he observed two cars stopped at the intersection to turn left. He could not stop and so pulled into the left lane to avoid a collision with those vehicles. He then pulled into the path of a truck driven by Vernon Bowman, 37, of Eureka, continued across the intersection and struck a stop sign and a 1993 Buick Regal driven by Virginia Miller, 50, of Forrest.

Tanya Lassiter, a 1995 graduate of Prairie Central High School, received a $500 scholarship for her entry in the 29th annual Illinois Editor's Traffic Safety Seminar essay contest. In her essay, she wrote, "Let's face it – teenagers value a driver's license more than anything else. If they realize that it can be taken away by receiving a ticket, they will be the most conscientious drivers on the road." Ten Illinois high school seniors were honored for their winning essays at a recent luncheon. Presenting the awards were Lionel Kramer, president and chief operating officer of the AAA-Chicago Motor Club, and William Shaw, Seminar president and publisher of the Dixon Telegraph.

James Hartzel and Mary Frances Rigsby, of Fairbury, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with an open reception at St. John's Catholic Parish Hall. Rigsby and Mary Frances Glennon were married June 13, 1945 at St. John's Catholic Church, Fairbury, with Rev. S. F. Kubiak officiating. John P. and Margaret Somers were their attendants. Hartzel owned and operated his own business, Rigsby Electric. Mary Frances taught school for 31 years, retiring in 1992.

20 Years Ago

June 1, 2005

The Prairie Central FFA Chapter has added another team that will be competing at the National Convention in Louisville, Ky. in October, bringing the total to three thus far. The latest team to take first at the state judging contest is the Livestock Judging Team. Team members are Bradley Kahle, Kyle Fosdick, Denver Slagel, Reid Zehr and Brandon Knapp. Kyle Miller is advisor and team coach. Kahle was the overall high individual, Slagel placed fourth, Knapp sixth and Zehr 12th overall.

The Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome new owners to Midwest Upholstery, Brenda and Todd Bullard of Pontiac. The Bullards purchased the business in January of 2004 and have already expanded their business to include computerized embroidery. They have a six-needle embroidery machine to customize shirts, hats, jackets, aprons, baby blankets and any other fabric article. They do monogramming and can digitize your logo for a custom look. They will also continue with the Upholstery side of the business as well, working on chairs, couches, car and truck seats, etc.

St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital announced today the successful completion of the Math-A-Thon at Westview Elementary School. The program is sponsored nationally by Six Flags Theme Parks who provide free tickets to their parks for every student raising $35 or more. The students who participate in the program learn to do more than just math problems; they also learn the importance of helping children who are less fortunate than themselves.

10 Years Ago

June 3, 2015

City students got a taste of life on the farm Tuesday . . . literally. After enjoying some fresh, soft serve ice cream from Kilgus Farmstead of Fairbury and pork burgers at the Blunier hog farm near Forrest, the fourth graders from Calmeca Academy learned all about machinery and livestock. The adopted classroom visit was organized by the Livingston County Farm Bureau Young Leaders and included teachers and parents in addition to the students. The chartered buses departed Chicago early in the morning before arriving in Livingston County two hours later.

On Friday, May 1, Courtyard Estates of Piper City and Piper City Rehab & Living Center came together to honor Ruth Beryl Irwin for her 101st birthday! Mrs. Irwin has had a number of accomplishments over the last century and still manages to check her Facebook status, cheer for her favorite team, the Chicago Clubs, participate in her Germanville Club, keep up with the Methodist Women and enjoy Bingo and table games.

Daniel Costa, former Prairie Central student, teamed with Rajiv Patel-O'Connor of Peoria to win the IHSA Sectional Tennis Championship at Waubonsie High School on May 23. Daniel and Rajiv are students at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora. The boys advanced to the IHSA State Tournament May 28-30 in Arlington Heights.

"Looking Back" from Kari Kamrath is sponsored by Duffy-Pils Memorial Home.