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Stephenson County
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Stephenson County
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JOHN NEY
, 72, of 508 Marion Ave., died Wednesday afternoon at Freeport Memorial Hospital following an extended illness. (Social Security Death Index gives his year of death as 1980.) A self-employed Freeport decorator, he was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of the VFW and Germania Club. Born Jan. 16, 1908 in Dubuque, Iowa, he was the son of Herman and Katherine (Olinger) Ney. He married Irene Wohlford Jan. 28, 1953 in Nashua, Iowa. Surviving are his widow; two stepsons, Willard Wohlford of Janesville, Wis., and Walter Wohlford of Dyersville, Iowa; three brothers, Roy and Ray, both of Dubuque, and Clarence of Woodstock; one sister, Mrs. Lucille (Joseph) McIntyre of Freeport; 10 step-grandchildren; and eight step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers and one sister. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home and 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. Albert F. Rennell officiating. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home where the rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.
Surviving her are one son, Frederick “Fritz” (Alice) Neyhart of Punta Gorda, Fla.; two granddaughters, Carlynn (Douglas) Higbie of Wauwatosa, Wis., and Sarah (Jonathan) McCoy of Tacoma, Wash.; four great-grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren. A memorial service will be 4 p.m. Saturday at Parkview Home with a formal service at Grace Episcopal Church with the Rev. Robert North of Grace Episcopal Church and Rev. Carol Shaffer of First Presbyterian Church officiating. A formal service and interment of the cremains in the City Cemetery will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial funds have been established for Grace Episcopal Church and Highland Community College.
A.J. NILES
father of Homer Niles, of Ridott township, Republican candidate for county treasurer, died Tuesday afternoon at his home in Pecatonica from the effects of a cancer. Mr. Niles was one of the earliest settlers of Stephenson county, but removed to Pecatonica some years ago. He was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, in 1815; came to Illinois in 1835, and settled in Ridott township, this county. He entered land in the timber near the Pecatonica river, and afterwards sold this and moved out onto the prairie and bought 120 acres of land, which he improved, and afterwards purchased a number of acres of timber land, and was known as a successful farmer. The winter of 1835-36 he was in the mines at Galena, but returned to his farm the following spring.
During his residence in Ridott township, Mr. Niles held the offices of justice of the peace, assessor, collector, and was three times elected to the office of supervisor, and was also elected to several offices while a resident of Pecatonica, to which city he removed some twelve years ago. He was a man of the strictest integrity, and leaves an honored name. He was married in Ridott township in 1839 to Miss Nancy A. Farwell, who died several years ago. Mr. Niles was the father of eight children but only five of them survive him, three sons and two daughters.
The funeral will be held from the family residence in Pecatonica at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning, and the body will be interred in the Farwell cemetery in Ridott township.
CELESTA AUGUSTA NILES
died in Harlem Township, on the 23d inst. after a progressing illness of two weeks, Celesta Augusta, daughter of David and Betsey Niles, aged eighteen years and four months.
THOMAS JEFFERSON NILES
died in Ridott on the 7th inst. of lingering consumption, Thomas Jefferson Niles, aged fifty-one years and one month. The deceased was born in Canfield, Prumble [sic, Trumbull] Co, Ohio in the year 1803, and shortly after, his parents moved to Ashtabula Co., where he resided until 1834, when he emigrated to Illinois, and sought a home amid its Prairie and forest wilds. Here, like every pioneer, he suffered many privations and endured many hardships. No friendly head or familiar countenance greeted him upon his arrival; for none but the gaunt form of the swarthy Indian were here to visit him in his lonely retreat. Often as he retired at night, surrounded by a conclave of red men, he feared, lest his waking would be in eternity. But he lived to see the red man of the forest recede from the approach of the white man, and the lowly wigwam give place to the heaven directed spire, and the dreary prairie teeming with the industry and enterprise of his countrymen. After an association of twenty years with him, his neighbors can attest, as a man, a citizen, and a Christian, he had but few equals; though his virtues were not exhibited in a great outward show, or multiplicity of words. His aim was to do good unseen and alone, and his delight was in the law of the Lord. He gave his heart to God in the morning of life, and his confidence in the Redeemer remained unshaken until the day of his death. He bore his last illness with Christian fortitude, and evidently longed to depart and be with his Savior, and his God. His end was peaceful and serene, and now he sleeps in the bosom of his adopted country, to await the call of Gabriel, to arouse his sleeping clay, and clothe it with immortality. He has left numerous relatives and friends to mourn his loss but they sorrow not as those without hope, for we know that those who sleep in Jesus, shall God bring with him.
THOMAS NOBLE
, an old and highly respected citizen of this community departed this life at his home just north of town on Tuesday of last week aged about 68 years. He was born in Ireland in the year 1829 and when a boy of but 16 years came to this country. He at once engaged in the toils of life and was always a hard working man which brought him from a low financial condition to his last enjoyments of a fine farm of 160 acres which he had recently disposed of, and purchased a residence in Lena preparatory to locating there in the spring. Mr. Noble came to this section at the time the railroad was built and held the position as the first section boss which position he held for several years. He was married to Catharine Hughes, unto whom were born three sons and four daughters. The funeral was held on Thursday. Rev. McNamer of Lena, preached an able sermon to a large gathering of relatives and friends. The pallbearers were D. C. Miller, A. A. Stramm, Joseph Hunt, G. J. Toogood, B. A. Turner, and James Smith. The remains were interred in the cemetery at this place. Mrs. Thomas Noble who has been confined to her home by illness is slowly improving.
Those who attended the funeral of the late Thomas Noble, from a distance were: Richard Noble of Baileyville, Kan., Mrs. Thomas Weber, of Summer, Ia, Mr. Mealy and family of Dixon, Mrs. Grant and brother Patrick Hughes of Freeport (The Lena Star.)
Contributed by Alice Horner
LOUISA NEYHART
, 93, of Freeport, a resident of Parkview Home, author, died Wednesday, March 18, 1998 at the home. Daughter of Frederick and Lillian (Fitchner) Albright, she was born Jan. 30, 1905 at Amboy. She and Carl H. Neyhart were married Sept. 26, 1927 in Rockford. He died Aug. 19, 1995. After graduating from Freeport High School, she received a bachelor’s degree in education from National - Louis University and was a teacher in Freeport School District 145. She also was a Cub Scout den mother and president of Freeport Parent-Teacher Association. She was chairman of the first committee that promoted interest in creating a local junior college under the auspices of the Freeport Adult Education Council; was a charter member of the Community College Foundation; and a member of the feasibility study for Class I colleges under the Illinois Junior College Act. Appointed by Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie to the Illinois Community College Board, she also served on the Illinois Community College Guidance and Counseling Task Force. In 1958, she was a board member of the Lincoln-Douglas Society during the centennial of the debate. She was a member and past president of the Freeport Public Library Board; president of Shakespeare Society; member of Amity Society; past president of PEO Sisterhood, Chapter BE; and charter member and past president of Freeport Auxiliary of Children’s Home and Aid Society. For many years she was a member of First Presbyterian Church. She was also currently being served by Grace Episcopal Church. She authored three books, “Henry’s Lincoln,” in 1945; “Henry Ford Engineer,” 1950; and “Giant of the Yards” in 1952.
From the collection of Gloria Moeller, transcribed and contributed by Alice Horner.
Contributed by Carol Page Tilson from the Freeport Journal Standard 8 Aug. 1894 (Note: Andrew Jackson Niles was the son of Leonard H. Niles and his first wife, Polly DeMaranville. Those buried in the family plot in Farwell Bridge Cemetery were Thomas J. Niles [d. 13 Apr 1854]; Nancy A. Niles [7 Nov 1817 - 13 Jan 1891]; Andrew Jackson Niles [8 Sep 1815 - 7 Aug 1894]; Marvin Niles [d. 15 Sep 1840, 9m 8d]; Viola Niles [d. 27 May 1855, 2y 1m 6d].)
Freeport Journal 29 Apr 1853
Contributed by Carol Page Tilson from The Freeport Journal 20 April 1854 (Note: Thomas Jefferson Niles was the son of David Niles, Sr., and Lydia [poss. Barrett] who moved from Rutland Co., VT, to Ohio, about 1802. Stephenson County histories recognize "Jefferson" and his cousin, Andrew Jackson Niles, as the first settlers of Ridott Township)
