Looking Back

130 Years Ago

August 27, 1892

George H. Franzen has been engaged the past two weeks in traveling "far and near" advertising the Fairbury Fair which opens Sept. 5.

A fire broke out in Jacob Balbach's store at Chenoa about 10 o'clock Tuesday night and spread rapidly to the adjoining buildings. The burned block was situated at the south end of Green street, just east and south of the T. P. & W. and C. & A. crossing. The town has no means of fighting fire other than with buckets.

Strawn — Things were happening on the money market here last Thursday. A stranger entered the store of Hill & Son and asked James if he could change a $10 bill if he bought a plug of tobacco. He presented the bill and got his $9.90 in return. Later on it was discovered that it was a $1 bill he had passed. Scouts were sent out and when he was captured he denied it. Next O. E. Newman tried to be generous by overpaying $10 to M. Garrity, who refunded it. Only a few hours elapsed until Ed Stucky lost $10. It was found afterwards in Richard Staley's wagon bed and turned over to its owner. Before the day was over W. L. Quinn discovered he was $10 short, but this money was also found and turned over to its owner.

120 Years Ago

August 29, 1902

The Fairbury Fair opens next Monday and with favorable weather promises to eclipse all previous fairs. A number of men have been working on the grounds and buildings the past two weeks and everything is in first-class shape. The officers of the fair are leaving no stone unturned to give the people the best fair in the history of the association, and their efforts will undoubtedly prove successful.

Harry Tolbert met with a serious accident Tuesday afternoon while assisting to place the howitzers upon their mountings. He was in the employ of Robt. Harris and with several others was helping with the work of mounting the east cannon when in some unknown manner one of the guy ropes holding the large upright beam slipped off the stake allowing the heavy timber to fall. It struck Harry on the right side of his head knocking him senseless and tearing about half of his right ear off. Dr. Barnes was called and dressed the wound and the young man was taken home on a stretcher in a semiconscious condition. He is improving and was able to be up town today.

E. F. Jones of Union Township has kept a record of the rainfall this season. The rainfall during June was 16 inches, during July 6¼ inches, and for the first twenty days of August 3½ inches, making a total of 25¾ inches from June 1 to August 20. The heaviest rain in July was 2¼ inches on July 2.

110 Years Ago

August 30, 1912

Next week George Carter will open his new bowling alleys which are located over his billiard and pool hall. There are four alleys in the room, and they are as fine as can be built. The alleys are full regulation length with ample runway, all finished in the most up-to-date manner. None but composition balls will be used on the alleys and Mr. Carter has received an entire new set of balls.

Notice to Ladies — Sextone Dress Forms will enable ladies to fit and make their own garments. The form is made on your person and is an exact reproduction of yourself. Mrs. J. F. Goudy will be pleased to explain the merits of the Sextone Dress Form, patented Aug. 23, 1910. Mrs. J. F. Goudy, sole agent for Livingston County.

The management of the fair has been solicited to reserve some of the seats in the grandstand, the same as El Paso and other fairs are doing and have decided to set apart a portion of the grandstand for this purpose. A reserved seat for the week will cost 50 cents extra and for one day 15 cents extra. Patrons of the reserved seat section will thus be sure of getting a seat no matter how late they go to the fair.

100 Years Ago

August 25, 1922

Several gentlemen from Detroit, Mich., were here last Saturday trying to buy William Walker's horse, Cropsey Roach. The horse is a brother of Sir Roach, with a record of 1:59½. The gentlemen offered Mr. Walker $2,000 for the horse, but he declined the offer, he having set his price for the animal at $3,500. Cropsey Roach is the horse that has caused considerable litigation in the county courts as regards to its proper owner.

Some of Mrs. Adam Hoker's friends in some way learned that August 23 was her birthday. So about 6:30 o'clock that evening they very pleasantly surprised her, taking their suppers with them. The evening was spent at games.

A suit has been filed in the circuit court at Pontiac by J. E. Bentley and Stanley Veatch, co-partners under the firm name of Bentley & Veatch, against the Chicago & Alton railroad company. Damages are asked in the sum of $1,000. It is understood that the suit is brought to collect damages incurred when a shipment of two cars of grain by the plaintiffs were delayed, a change in market prices during the delay causing a loss to the shippers.

90 Years Ago

August 26, 1932

The building located between the T. P. & W. tracks and Walnut street just east of First street and known as the old Churchill oats bin, but now owned by J. J. Claudon, was badly damaged by fire about four o'clock this morning. Indications point to the fire as the work of an incendiary. For the past ten years the building has been used by Mr. Claudon as a store room for old cars, tractors, etc., and a number of pieces of machinery were in it at the time of the fire.

Last week Clyde Goodpasture visited at the home of a relative, George Goodpasture, in Forrest. When the visitor departed there was also missing a gold watch and some $45 in cash. The matter was reported to Sheriff Heckman, but no warrant was issued for Goodpasture's arrest. Last Friday Sheriff Heckman was notified that Clyde Goodpasture had been arrested in Peoria, where detectives picked him up in a hotel room with two suitcases full of jewelry, watches, gems and other valuables.

Monday night as Fred Weber was on his way back from Bloomington, his car stalled just south of Lexington. He was unable to remedy the trouble, so decided to leave it where it was, just off of the pavement on Route 4. He got a ride to Chenoa, where his brother came after him. The next morning when he went back after the car he found someone else had been there. The tires and rims and other parts had been stolen, including the license plates. In addition the thieves had shot holes through the doors.

80 Years Ago

August 28, 1942

Illinois Retail Hardware Association sends out a warning that salesmen are canvassing farmers, claiming to be factory repair experts. The Monarch Malleable Range company of Beaver Dam, Wis., is trying to locate a man who has misrepresented himself as their salesman. With new stoves hard to get this repairing racket may become a serious menace.

W. E. Martin, of near Chatsworth, has a week-old calf that would do a pretty good job when it comes to smelling. The calf, normal in every other way, has two perfectly formed noses, one on each side of where the nose normally would be.

Robert Ziegenhorn, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Ziegenhorn, has a broken collarbone, suffered in football practice Wednesday afternoon at Lewis field. His injury will probably keep him out of the lineup the remainder of the season.

Mrs. Ann Mathias, who has conducted the hotel at Chatsworth for the past eight years, is closing that place of business. The loss of business through the taking of the traveling public off the road, caused by the car and rubber shortage, caused Mrs. Mathias to close the hotel. She has purchased a home in Chatsworth and will cater principally to the rooming and boarding of school teachers.

70 Years Ago

August 28, 1952

Despite chilly evenings and a one-inch rainfall which washed away one complete afternoon program, the 76th annual Fairbury Fair closed Saturday only a few hundred short of the 1951 total attendance. With this, plus the fact that livestock entries were the highest in six years, entries in the women's department were very high and the carnival presented more rides and concessions than in the past, the latest edition of the fair must be considered another success in a long line of excellent fairs.

Rep. L. C. Arends gave warm praise for Dwight D. Eisenhhower in a Blade interview Friday, when the Melvin congressman was in Fairbury to attend the Fairbury Fair. Eisenhower was vehement in asserting that he will wage a fighting campaign, with foreign policy and peace as the main issues. The Republican presidential nominee invited Mr. Arends, a personal friend for many years, to Denver recently for a visit.

A/1c Dan Hodges, who for the past 15 months had been stationed in Japan and Korea with the 801^st Air Evacuation Squadron, recently returned to this country and is now at Scott Air Field Base near Belleville. A weekend pass allowed him to visit friends and take in the fair last week.

Cliff Ziegenhorn is "somewhere in Minnesota" this week attempting to affix a fish to the "other end of the line." He will return when his mission is accomplished or on Labor Day, whichever materializes first.

60 Years Ago

August 30, 1962

Thousands of fish in Indian Creek have been killed the past two weeks through accidental silage pollution southeast of Strawn, according to Woodrow Barret, county game warden. The silage is apparently robbing the water of oxygen and killing the fish. Dead fish of all types and sizes can be seen floating past Fairbury in Indian Creek. Reports are that some of the fish have reached as far as Pontiac.

Sometime between Friday and Monday, burglars entered a locked garage at the Oscar Vail home adjoining the fairgrounds, and broke into Mrs. A. H. Stephan's Cadillac automobile. The Stephans have an apartment in the home. All the cushions inside the car were slashed systematically, the ashtrays were broken out, and a transistor radio was stolen from the glove compartment. An attempt had been made to gain access to the trunk through the rear seat.

Two carnival men started fighting in Betz's Tavern about 6 p.m. Thursday and one of them ended up going through a glass in the entrance door. No one was injured. Sheriff Joe Alltop and his deputies, Ed Rapp and Bill Frye, were called to the scene. Fairbury police were not called. Milo Betz, owner of the tavern, would not press charges. John Galligan, owner of Imperial Shows, paid for the window out of one of the men's salary. The window was valued at $15.00.

50 Years Ago

August 31, 1972

Sunday's Flea Market was termed an unqualified success by officials of the 96th Fairbury Fair, with every indication that it would be repeated next year. Since space was on a first-come, first-served basis, Fairbury Police Chief Maurice Cox discovered a substantial traffic jam at the main gate at 5:30 a.m. as he came by on patrol. Fair secretary Bill Fugate told The Blade that most of the exhibitors appeared to be doing a brisk business most of the day as they filled both Floral hall and another exhibit tent, and nearly a dozen were outside under the trees with their tables.

Miss Lynn Haab, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Haab of rural Forrest, has received a $100 scholarship from the Women's League of Forrest. In order to receive the scholarship the applicant must be going into any of these three fields: special education, nursing or health related fields or medical technology. Lynn is enrolled at the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Peoria. She is a 1972 graduate of FSW High School.

Although 881 fewer people passed through the gates at the 96th Fairbury Fair, a combination of things made it more profitable for the promoters. This year, the Fair Board had a policy of free matinee grandstand admission. To make up for the lack of afternoon grandstand receipts, the board raised the gate prices from 75 cents for adults and 30 cents for children to $1.00 and 50 cents respectively. Another change which undoubtedly had a good effect on the statistics was the new policy of continuing the fair over until Sunday. Sunday alone, saw 3,790 adults and 581 children enter Fairbury's annual world of family entertainment.

40 Years Ago

August 26, 1982

Navy Lt. j.g. David K. McCullough, son of Cmdr. and Mrs. Raymond K. McCullough of Cropsey, was designated a naval aviator. Presentation of the "Wings of Gold" marked culmination of 18 months of flight training. The aviation curriculum included basic studies in engineering and navigation; training flights in simulators; aircraft familiarizations; basic and advanced instrument training; extended navigation flights and landings aboard an aircraft carrier.

Electrical service went out 12 times during Tuesday afternoon's heavy rain which dumped almost two inches of rain on the community and as much as three inches south of Fairbury. Locally, there was no apparent electrical storm, but slightly more than a dozen miles south a tornado cut a swath along the county's lower border, starting at Merna in McLean County, where it demolished the cathedral-like Catholic Church; skirting Colfax, doing major damage to farms south of Anchor and going on eastward where it apparently affected the main transmission lines which serve Fairbury.

Jerry Freadhoff blistered the Indian Creek course, winning 10 of the opening 15 holes to build a commanding lead, as he defeated Jerry Stephens seven-and-six Saturday to capture the 1982 club championship. The first-time club champion won in grand style, too, knocking in a dramatic 30-foot uphill birdie putt on the 30th green to close it out.

30 Years Ago

August 27, 1992

Elna Nussbaum of Traub Real Estate, Fairbury, was recently named Livingston County Realtor of the Year. She was honored at an awards banquet held in conjunction with the Illinois Association of Realtors June Business meeting at the Ramada Renaissance in Springfield. The Realtor of the Year award is the highest honor the Illinois Association of Realtors can bestow on a member. It is presented to an individual whose dedication to excellence has most profoundly enhanced the professional image of realtors in the state of Illinois.

In a major effort to keep the doors to Fairbury Hospital open, the Fairbury City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to meet with members of both boards at Fairbury's and John Warner's hospitals, as well as members of the Clinton community "to explore the idea of Fairbury Hospital becoming a municipal hospital." A municipal hospital's physical plant is owned by the city, and management of day-to-day operations and financial operations are controlled by a hospital board that has been appointed by the city's mayor. Municipal taxes are used to finance business operations of the facility, as they are with any other city-owned operation.

Ray Hankes, a pork producer from Fairbury, was recently elected vice-resident of the National Pork Board for the coming year. He was appointed to the Pork Board in 1990 by Clayton Yeutter, who was then Secretary of Agriculture. Hankes previously served as chairman of the Budget Committee.

20 Years Ago

August 28, 2002

Stephanie Wessels, daughter of Dean and Carol Wessels of Fairbury, had her hair cut last week, but it wasn't an ordinary hair cut. Stephanie, who earlier this month took third place in the longest pony tail contest at the Illinois State Fair, decided to have some of the 33 inches of her hair cut, and donate it to Locks of Love, a not-for-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 with medical hair loss.

Arnold Ifft, representing the Fairbury IOOF Lodge, recently presented a $200 check to Wheels for Life Bike-a-thon local chairperson, Karen Steidinger, to kick off the drive that will end with the bike-a-thon on Saturday, Sept. 14. Participants will be eligible to win a bicycle, along with a 9-inch television set.

Work is nearing completion on the First Street railroad crossing at Fairbury. The crossing has been closed to traffic for about three weeks while TP&W railroad workers, assisted by the Fairbury Street Department, make needed repairs to the crossing. According to Fairbury City Superintendent Leroy McPherson, the crossing will remain closed for at least two more weeks.

10 Years Ago

August 29, 2012

Six-year-old Allison Ince of Bloomington is the winner of the 2012 Junior Homemaker Award at the Fairbury Fair. The granddaughter of Dave and Diane Ahlemeyer of Fairbury, Allison won a total of 20 premiums in the Junior Culinary and Junior Textile divisions. The award is based on the total premiums won in those divisions. In addition, she earned the most ribbons in three departments, thus receiving the first annual $25 Floral Hall award. This year marks the third year that Allison has submitted entries for the Fairbury Fair. She enjoys cooking and baking, and is very skilled at both, according to her mother and grandmother.

Raymond and Joyce Brewer of Chatsworth will observe their 25^th wedding anniversary on Sept. 5, 2012. Brewer and the former Joyce Gerdes were married at the United Methodist Church in Chatsworth by the late Rev. Sondra Newman and the Rev. Russell Brewer, brother of the bridegroom. Their attendants were the late Jean Armstrong, daughter of the bride; and Joseph Brewer of Pontiac, brother of the bridegroom. Her children are Larry (Kathy) Gerdes of Chatsworth, and Terry (Beth) Gerdes, of Chenoa. A son, Raymond Gerdes, and a daughter, Jean Armstrong, are deceased. He has one daughter, Robin K. Brewer of Pontiac. They also have 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Terri Wells of Fairbury was giving a radio interview during the 136^th annual Fairbury Fair. She was talking about the sale of cookbooks in which she had compiled recipes from fair exhibitors a couple of years ago. In the middle of her interview, fair board members interrupted and presented her with the “Friend of the Fairbury Fair” award. Terri was selected from nominations by community members that wished to recognize individuals for their support and contributions to the annual event. Those nominations were reviewed by the Board of Directors and voted on at a recent board meeting. Wells had worked in Floral Hall for over 30 years and also served as director during her tenure.

Kari Kamrath

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Looking Back history through the pages of The Blade