In Memoriam August 11th

1713 Elizabeth (?) Blackburn in Loughall, Ireland.  She was the wife of John Blackburn.

1898 Jno. F. Powell died aged 81 y, 10 m, 5 d, Aug. 11, 1898 of chronic nocteas.  He was a merchant born in Richford, VT the son of Jno. & Aurelia (Fassett) Powell.  He was a widower.

1905 Albert Crumbacher age 37 in Wayne Co., IL.  He was born in Wayne Co., IL in 1868 the son of James & Nancy (Gentle) Crumbacher.  He married Ollie Trotter in 1888 and they had three children:  Mabel, Guy and Fred. Albert is buried in Gunion, IL.

1914 John C. Speer, son of Andrew and Nancy Evans Speer, died at the parental home in Jackson township on Tuesday of last week, being a little past forty years of age. While he had been ill for some time, his illness was not known to be of a serious nature until very recently.  He was a young man who was held in high esteem by those of his acquaintances, and his death while in the prime of life, is a deep sorrow to his aged parents, brothers and sisters.  Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Mr. Demgree of Earlham, were held on last Thursday, and burial in the Worthington cemetery.  Besides his parents he leaves four brothers and six sisters.

1919 Charles Speer age 9 ½ months in Oldham Co., KY.  He was the son of Maurice & Jimmie (Doke) Speer and is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Oldham Co., KY.

1920 Andrew Shelton Speer was born February 18, 1830, in Lawrence county, Indiana, son of Andrew and Dicy (Kirby) Speer.  He was of a family of eleven children of which one is still living Jesse Speer of Perkins, Oklahoma who is in very feeble health at the present time.

Mr. Speer received his education in Indiana and taught in the public schools there before coming to Iowa in 1853.  He immediately entered from the government the land on which he has resided continually and the government patent is still in force.  He soon had a log cabin built and set up bachelors hall for a few years until he could build a home for his chosen companion.

In April 1863, Mr. Speer was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Evans.  To this union were born twelve children, six sons and six daughters: James M., who has remained with his parents and helped care for them; Alice Anderson of near Norwalk; Andrew J. who died in 1899; Elizabeth Platt of Jackson township; Robert E. a traveling musician now at home, Dicy McQuee of Penn township; John C., who died August 11, 1914; William G. of Stewart; Charles Darwin, who has remained with his parents; Adela Bloomquist of Jackson township; Blanche White of Dallas Co., and Mabel Bricker of Madison township.

Mr. Speer has lived a long and prosperous life.  He was always interested in his family and their welfare and was a great lover of nature.  The house which he first built in which all the children were born is still standing and in use.

Mrs. Speer preceded Mr. Speer a few weeks, having died July 15, 1920.  Mr. Speer was the oldest resident of Jackson township. 

Mr. Speer passed away August 11, 1920, aged 90 years, 5 months and 21 days, just exactly six years after the death of his son John C.  He had been ailing for about two years and since the death of Mrs. Speer he has not cared to live longer.

He leaves twenty-five grand children, four great grand children, besides a whole host of neighbors and friends.

The funeral services were conducted in the home, August 13, by Walter Girdner and burial was made at Worthington cemetery.

Grace (Butler) Lathrop Lewis

1980 Mrs. Grace E. Lewis, 68, a resident of Wayne City, died in St. Lukes Hospital in St. Louis at 1:20 a.m. Monday (today).

Mrs. Lewis had been in the hospital about eight weeks since it was discovered in mid-April that she was suffering from lymphoma, a type of malignancy.  She had been hospitalized continuously since July 19.

Funeral arrangements have been tentatively set for Wednesday afternoon at the First United Methodist Church in Wayne City.  Richardson's Funeral home is handling the arrangements.

Mrs. Lewis was born in Wayne City May 4, 1912 the daughter of the late Morton and Anna Butler.

She was married in 1931 to the late Albert Lathrop, who taught school in Wayne and Hamilton counties for 44 years.  He died July 18, 1971.  In 1974, she married the late George Lewis of McLeansboro.  He died in May of 1977.

She was a member of the Wayne  City First Methodist Church.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Ivan (Bonnie) Holler, presently of Dacca, Bangladesh; Mrs. Eshmal (Betty) Porter of Creve Coeur, Mo.; Mrs. Robert (Barbara) Bolton, of Fairfield; and Mrs. Phillip (Dorothy) Utley, of Tifton, Ga.; three sons, Bobbie Lathrop of Sterling; and Billy and James, of Wayne City; one sister, Mrs. Paul (Mabel) Robertson, of Sims; two brothers, Edward Butler of Wayne City; Everett, of Evansville, Ind.; 16 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by one sister, Mrs. Ruth Hendershott.

2009 Donovan W. Lathrop, age 77, late of Lockport, died Tuesday August 11, 2009 at his residence.

Born in Claremont, IL, living in the area for 53 years. Retired from Pipefitters Local Union #597. He was a member of the Lockport Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses for which he served as an Elder.

Preceded in death by his parents William and Bonnie (MacWilliams) Lathrop.

Survived by his loving and devoted wife of 55 years, Rowena (Chapman); his children, Douglas (Charity) of Casey, IL, Brad and Pamela (Richard) Soto both of Plainfield; four grandchildren, Mallary (Jason) Wetnight, Cristina (Joe) Eichelkraut, Tamara (Nick) Granath and Daniel Soto; and a sister, Marjorie Gardner. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

A Memorial gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 333 Lois Ave., Lockport with Memorial Services at 3:00 pm.

The Joliet Herald News, Friday, Aug. 14, 2009