CHARLES T. TIMMS
an engine wiper at the Illinois Central roundhouse, met a terrible death in the Illinois Central yards a short distance south of the depot platform about 6 o'clock this morning. The St. Louis special due here from the south at 5:50 o'clock ran Timins down. The pilot of the engine struck the victim at the back of the legs just above the ankle, and threw him up into the air. The body came down head first, struck on the pilot and was whirled off to one side of the track. The first collision broke both of Timins' legs, the bones protruding through the flesh. The fall of the body head foremost, after being tossed up to the stack of the engine, broke the unfortunate man's neck and made two wounds on the top of his head, one a deep fracture of the skull and the other a gash in the scalp. Timins lived for a few minutes after the accident occurred. Timins, who worked at night, lived in the country, about three miles from town, on the Cedarville road. His wife used to drive in to town with him evenings and in the morning she would have a rig waiting for him at the Cedarville bridge to take him home. He had finished his work and was on his way toward the bridge and in the company of several other railroad men when killed. Previous to the accident Timins had been walking on the pathway between the tracks. He was in the clear then, of course, but his companions thought it well to notify him that a train was coming up behind. When they yelled Timins got confused and instead of getting farther out of the way of the train jumped into the center of the track with the engine only six feet behind him. The remains were taken to Koenig's morgue, where the coroner held an inquest at 10:30 o'clock. The jury was composed of Messrs, Jacob Pfender, foreman; F. B. Harris, Frank Becker, Isaiah Best, H. G. Bloom and Daniel Herlocker. The deceased was 42 years of age and was a native of Daylitz, Germany. He emigrated to America in 1882 and had lived in Freeport and vicinity the past sixteen years. He leaves a widow and eight
children, the oldest about fifteen years of age. The funeral will be held Thursday from the Jerusalem church near Damascus. A verdict of accidental death was rendered.
Contributed by Karen Fyock - dated June 7, 1904
Family Photograph
MINNIE TIMMS
, 68, widow of the late Charles F. Timms, passed away at her home, 620 West Cottonwood street, at 2:30 o'clock this morning following an attack of influenza and pneumonia. Funeral services will be conducted at the Walker Mortuary, West Main street, at 1:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Interment will be made in Richland cemetery. Friends may view the body at the Walker Mortuary. Mrs. Timms was born in Germany Jan. 13, 1866. She came to this country with her parents when 13 years of age. Her husband passed away several years ago. The following children survive, William and Charles Timms, Freeport; Herman Timms, Memphis, Tenn.; Mrs. Fred Wachlin, Mrs. James Elliott, Mrs. Mata Jahnke, Freeport; Misses Linda and Irene Timms, at home. There are also nine grandchildren
Contributed by Karen Fyock
Family Photograph
JOHN CHARLES TOBIN
, 7, son of Joseph and Anna (Sieferman) Tobin, of 329 W. Chestnut Street, passed away at a local hospital early Sunday morning (February 16, 1941) following a brief illness. He ws known to his classmates as “Jackie.” Funeral services will be conducted at the house at 9 o’clock Tuesday morning with a requiem mass in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 9:30 o’clock. Rev. N. J. Berg will celebrate the mass and interment will be made in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
Jackie was born in Freeport July 24, 1933. He attended St. Joseph’s parochial school, being a pupil of the second grade. Besides his parents he leaves two sisters, Joanna, aged 10, and Marian, aged 4. His maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sieferman, reside in Freeport, while his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Josephine Tobin, resides in Davenport, Iowa. His maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Martha Minnick, resides in Clarno, Wisconsin.
Contributed by Alice Horner
PHILLIP N. TOWNSEND
, 91, of Hanover , died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007, at Grandview Estates Assisted Living, Elizabeth. Arrangements are being completed by Law-Jones Funeral Home, Hanover.
Contributed by Pat Esterday - The Dixon Telegraph, Sunday, September 16, 2007, Page A2 – Col 1 – 2
MINA TREZONA
, 1115 S. Oak Ave. , Freeport , who taught at First Ward School for many years before retiring in 1962, died Wednesday night, February 15, 1974, in a Stoughton ( Wis. ) nursing home following an extended illness. She was a charter member of the United Methodist Women and a member of the First United Methodist Church , Freeport Women’s Club, Retired Teachers Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma.
Born May 1, 1900 in Scales Mound, she was the daughter of William and Emma (Wharton) Trezona. Surviving are a brother, William of Beloit, Wis.; and two sisters, Mrs. Oscar (Naomi) Gusloff of Stoughton and Mrs. Frank (Dora) Tippett of Elizabeth. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church . The Rev. David Tracy, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery , Scales Mound.
Contributed by Alice Horner
EDWIN J. TRUNK
, 79, of 1450 S. Park Blvd., died after a brief illness Thursday, December 25, 1986 in Naples Community Hospital, Naples, Florida where he had a winter home for the past 13 years. The former owner and president of Intercity Box Company in Freeport and Rockford, he started as a salesman in the printing and plastic business and worked his way up to owner and president of the company until retiring in 1974.
A member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, he was active in many parish and diocese charitable and fund raising projects. Trunck was a 1925 graduate of Freeport High School and member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), Freeport Country Club, and Freeport Rotary Club. During the Joe Shelly city administration, he served on the Water and Sewer Commission. He also was an active member of the Republican Party and served on the election committee for former Cong. John B. Anderson.
Born in Freeport on January 16, 1907, he was the son of John F. and Lucy A. (Grattelo) Trunck. He married Blanche Breyer in 1943. She died in 1961. In 1973, he married Dorothy Anderson in Freeport. Surviving are his widow; a son, James P. of Naperville; two stepsons, William Anderson of Lenoxville, Quebec, Canada, and Donald Anderson of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; and a sister, Margurite Malone Webster of Denver, Colorado. In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home and 10:30 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The Rev. Thomas Dzielak, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, where the scripture will be read at 5 p.m. The family requests that all remembrances be directed to the memorial funds established for the American Cancer Society and the Kidney Foundation.
Contributed by Alice Horner
