January 1908 through December 1908

FEBRUARY 6, 1908

                             OBITUARY

   The following obituary notice of Nelson Biggs, whose death was mentioned in
   the Press last week, is taken from The News published at Sawyer, Kansas.
   Nelson Biggs died at his home just southwest of Sawyer on Jan. 23, 1908, at
   5:30 in the afternoon, from hemorrhage of the brain, at the age of nearly
   65 years. The body was interred in the Goshen cemetery Sunday afternoon, after 
   funeral services at the M.E. church conducted by Rev. Potter. The deceased was 
   born April 2, 1843, in McLean County, Illinois. He served in the Union Army 
   until the close, his discharge being dated July 8, 1865. He suffered injuries 
   from the effect of which he never fully recovered. He was married to Almeda 
   Henline December 29, 1868. To this union three sons and three daughters were 
   born - W.H., J.A. and C.A. Biggs and Mrs. R.E. Williams, all of Sawyer, Kan., 
   and Mrs. M.J. Baughman and Mrs. Geo. Oliver of Colfax, Ill. The family moved to 
   Pratt county in October 1904. Mr. Biggs measured up to the full standard of a 
   good citizen. He served his country as a soldier, his community as an honest, 
   upright, Christian fellow-man, his family as a kind and provident husband and 
   father. He had been a faithful member of the Methodist church for many years, 
   having moved his membership from Illinois to the Sawyer church. He is survived 
   by a widow and all six of his children, also by one brother who lives in Illinois. 
   The two Illinois daughter attended the funeral, but the brother was detained by 
   sickness in his own family.

FEBRUARY 13, 1908

- Issac Wood, of Melvin Called on relatives here Monday and Tuesday.

FEBRUARY 20, 1908

- Perry Bourquin was the guest of Colfax friends several days this week. Perry has 
been with his father at Butler, Mo., ever since leaving here last Christmas.

- A.E. Arnett and children and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Arnett departed the first of the 
week for Blackwell, Okla., where they expect to make their future home.

- Mr. and Mrs. Chas Wills of Fairbury came Saturday to care for Mrs. R. Tolbert, 
who is seriously ill with a complication of diseases.

- Mrs. Don Douglass and Miss Miriam Douglass left Monday for a weeks' visit with 
friends in Chicago and other places.

- William West of Colfax was here several days this week looking after his property 
interests. - Roberts Herald.

- Mrs. Karl Horine of Champaign arrived Monday evening for a visit with J.M. Horinne 
and family.

- Mrs. Perry Crumbaker is confined to her home with an attack of the grip and heart 
trouble.

- Daniel Ashabran, whose illness was mentioned last week, shows considerable improvement 
at this writing (today), but the nature of his ailment makes the outcome very uncertain, 
but it is hoped that he may entirely overcome the disease.

- Sterrett McClellan is announced this week as a candidate for tax collector subject to 
the Republican primary. Mr. McClellan is known to all as a man capable of handling the 
work of the office, is an old soldier and deserving of good support at the primary.

- Prof. Robert Van Petten of New Virginia, Iowa, was the guest of his sister-in-law, 
Mrs. E. Van Petten, and nephew, T.H. Van Petten, in Colfax on Monday  Feb. 10. Prof. 
Van Petten was at the head of the Peoria High School forty years ago and is now 83
years old and travels alone.

- H.B. Downey of Fairbury was here Sunday to see Daniel Ashabran, his brother-in-law, 
whose illness was mentioned in last weeks Press.

- Seth Henline was in Anchor Tuesday to see his brother-in-law, Dr. H.L. Harris who 
is in very poor health.


MARCH 19, 1908

- The Opera House and Barber Shop burned.

MARCH 19, 1908

- Daniel Ashabran who suffered a stroke of apoplexy several weeks ago, has recovered 
sufficiently to be able to be up and around the house a little.

MARCH 26, 1908

- Allie Wood left Monday for Iowa where he will look up a location for a nickelodeon.

- Grant Hare of Bloomington visited at Seth Henlines Saturday. He was accompanied by 
his wife who had been here for some time.

APRIL 2, 1908

- Claude Henline, of Pennsylvania called on his uncle here, Robert Henline, a few 
hours on Monday.

- Mrs. Katie B. Stuckey of Bloomington arrived last evening for a two weeks' visit 
with her daughters, Mesdames John and William McClure.

- Miss Nellie Forsyth returned to her home in Bloomington last Saturday, after a two 
weeks' visit here with her sister, Mrs. Bert Meeker.

- Harold Ashabran, who  has been here the past six weeks assisting in caring for his 
father, went to Chicago last evening for a week's stay.

- Geo. Crump, who formerly lived here, but moved to Streator about five years ago, 
moved back to Colfax again this week. 

- Mrs. Frank Heagler is spending the latter part of the week in Bloomington with her 
mother, Mrs. Eleanor Nye.

- Oscar Anderson and Ed McReynolds spent a few days in Bloomington the first of the week. 

- Miss Amelia Steinlicht, who has been staying at Fairbury, returned to her home Sunday.

- A.L. Hutson went to Chicago Monday evening for a two days' stock buying trip.

- Mesdames Dan Wood and John Pendergast and daughter, Mabel  and Mary, were Bloomington 
callers yesterday.

- Chas. Conklin of Clifton, Ill., came last Saturday for a few days visit with his parents, 
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Conklin, and other relatives.

- Robert Fowler, who has been visiting relatives here for several weeks, went to Kankakee 
this morning for a visit at the home of his son, John.

- W. B. Stoddard of Portage, Wis., was here on a short business trip Monday. He will move 
back to Colfax and occupy his property in the north part of town. The people here will be 
glad to welcome them back again.

- Mrs. J.D. Henline and daughter, China Grending, were in Bloomington Monday and Tuesday 
attending Billy Sunday's lectures and transacting business.

APRIL 30, 1908

- Harold Ashabran, who had been spending the past two weeks in Chicago, returned to Colfax 
last Saturday evening.

- Mrs. Beyers of Chicago is spending a few days here with Mrs. R.E. Meharry and other 
friends. Mrs. Beyers formerly lived here, her son being pastor of the Presbyterian church.

- Daniel Ashabran, who suffered a stroke of apoplexy here in the winter, recovered partly 
and was able to be around some, his son taking him over to his old home in Lexington one 
day last week to visit relatives. Monday night of this week he suffered another stroke and 
has been in a serious condition again. His sons, Ernest and Harold, hurried to his bedside 
as soon as they received the word of his relapse.

- Wm. Boulware departed Tuesday for an indefinite stay with his sister at Springfield, Ill.

- Mrs. Earl Mitchell and little daughter departed last Friday for her new home at Chula, 
Mo. She was accompanied as far as St. Louis by her uncle, J.D. Dameron, who returned to 
Colfax Sunday evening. Mr. Mitchell left here on Tuesday of last week with their car, 
arrived there Thursday, unloaded Friday and commenced farming Saturday.

MAY 1,1908

- W.J. Hamilton entertained his aged father from Chenoa over Sunday.

- A.M. Hester made a business trip to Peoria the first of the week.

- Mrs. A.L. Hutson and little daughter were guests over Sunday of friends in Anchor.

- John Stevens went to Wing, Ill., yesterday morning for a short visit with his 
brother Henry.

- Miss Ola Humphrey visited her mother, Mrs. Geo. Krack of Forrest, the latter 
part of last week.

- Mrs. Orville Horine of Chicago arrived yesterday for a visit at the home of 
her father-in-law, J.M. Horine.

- Mrs. Emma Davis, who assisted in the Bakery the past two weeks, returned 
Tuesday to her home in Indianapolis.

- Mrs. M.F. Anderson is able to be up and around the house again, after 
being confined to her bed for a week by sickness.

- Miss Leura Wood, who has been spending some time in California with the 
family of Dr. Wyman, formerly of Lexington, returned recently with them to 
their home in Danville. She came to Colfax on Tuesday for a short visit 
with relatives and in company with her grandmother, Mrs. Phebe Wood, 
expects to go to Melvin tomorrow for a visit with her parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. Isaac Wood.

- The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Ward, about four months old, died 
last Monday morning at about nine o'clock. The little one never had been 
very strong and its life had been despaired of from the first. Short 
funeral services were held at the home on Tuesday afternoon, conducted 
by Rev. U.Z. Gilmer and the little form was laid to rest in the Wiley 
cemetery.

- Mrs. Wm. Green and little son David of Bloomington visited over Sunday 
here at the home of Mrs. Green's son, Alex Hogarth. Mr. Hogarth is reported 
some better at this writing.

- Little Lola Plott spent Sunday in Bloomington with her school teacher, 
Miss Charlotte Hall.

- Mrs. Lucy Gurnaud is spending a few days at the home of her cousins, 
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Henline, near Towanda.


SEPTEMBER 3, 1908

                               OBITUARY
                             David Waggoner

   David Waggoner, another one of the pioneers of this part of McLean 
County passed away at his home two and a half miles northwest of Colfax, 
at the advanced age of 73 years, 9 months and 5 days. He was born Nov. 
26, 1834, in Indiana and came to Illinois with his parents when only two 
years old and he has lived on the farm where his parents settled and 
where he died for seventy-one years, being one of the very first settlers 
in McLean County. On the first day of April 1855, he was married to Miss 
Mary Henline, who came from another family of pioneers. To this union 
were born twelve children, four sons and eight daughters. Two sons and 
one daughter died in infancy and one son and one daughter died after 
maturity. The living children are Mrs. M.J. Hutson of Colfax, Mrs. 
Belle Hutson of Selma; Mrs. W.H. Reynolds and Mrs. Henry Yardley of 
Elwoood, Neb; Miss Louie, Miss Martha and Harmon are still at home 
to comfort the mother, whose lifelong companion has been taken from her. 
Mr. Waggoner also leaves twelve grandchildren and seven great-
grandchildren. He had lived an honest and upright life, although he 
had never become a member of any church.
   The funeral services were held from the home at 11 am yesterday, 
conducted by Rev. W.D. Evans of Gridley, who was pastor eight years ago 
at Evergreen church, where the family attends. Interment took place at 
Pleasant Hill cemetery.

- Wm. Hurlburt, wife and little son who have been spending the past two 
weeks here at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Woodard, departed 
yesterday for their home at Buchannon, Michigan.

- Mrs. D.A. Wood is visiting her brother Charles Wood in Chicago.