Greene County IL Archives Obituaries.....Callaway, John Thomas November 13, 1927
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The Greenfield newspaper, Greene County, IL, Friday Nov. 20, 1927
The Greenfield newspaper, Greene County, IL, Friday Nov. 20, 1927:
John T. Callaway Passes On
The Grim Reaper Cuts Down One of Greenfield's Most Energetic and Best Known 
Business Men.

John T. Callaway, one of Greenfield's most prominent business men and for over 
thirty years the president of the R. L. Metcalf Dry Goods Co., died at the St. 
John hospital in Springfield, IL, Sunday, Nov. 13, 1927, at 3:15 p.m. at the 
age of 72 years, 6 months and 12 days as the result of pneumonia, heart trouble 
and a complications of other diseases.
He was one of four children born to Edwin and Matilda Matlock-Callaway, he 
being the eldest.  Mrs. Minnie McChesney died last August.  Another sister, 
Iola, died in infancy and Mrs. Ella Williams, wife of A. N. Williams, of 
Mobile, Ala. survives.  On Oct. 22, 1879, he united in marriage with Lillian 
May Woolley, also of Greenfield, who survives him.
A week ago last Saturday he was brought home from the store, having contracted 
a bad cold which developed into pneumonia.  In an endeavor to save his life he 
was taken to the St. John hospital in Springfield where despite the best of 
medical skill he passed away as above indicated.
Mr. Callaway was one of the representative business men of Greenfield.   Few 
have done more for his town and community than he.  His father died when he was 
but nine years of age.  His early education was limited, but he supplemented it 
by many valuable lessons in the school of experience and by facts gleaned from 
reading and observation.  He began his business career here in the hardware 
store of N. C. Woolley, the father of his wife, going later into partnership 
with E. K. Metcalf under the firm name of Callaway, Metcalf & Woolley and later 
spent three years in this business at Jerseyville, IL.  Since 1895 he has been 
connected with R. L. Metcalf Dry Goods Co., serving continously as president 
since its organization.  Under his leadership the firm has developed as 
enviable reputation for good goods and fair dealings.  Its success is due 
largely to his enterprise, discernment and unflagging perseverance.
When a young man he developed quite a knack for machinery and did experimental 
work over the state for the Nichols-Shepard Threshing Machine Co.  He has ever 
been interested in civic and community betterment work.  He was instrumental in 
getting the first telephone and oil stations for Greenfield.  He purchased the 
local light plant which was giving but short time service and by a number of 
deals brought about the much improved twenty-four service our city now enjoys.  
When serving as alderman on the street and alley committee he freely gave of 
his time to personally layout and supervise the grading for and the 
construction of the sidewalks reaching out from the square to the various parts 
of the city.  He planned the bridge over which our grade school children walk 
as they go to school each day.  He was a member of the school board when the 
present grade building was constructed and gave much time and thought toward 
its completion.  He was an officer of the Greenfield Coal Co., and gave much 
consideration towards its successful opeartion.  He was interested in good 
roads for the farmer and was one of the leaders in the recent grading of the 
main roads leading to town and contributed liberally toward the same.  He was 
likewise interested in getting a hard road for Greenfield and served on a 
committee to bring its consideration before the proper authorities and made 
several trips on its behalf.  He gave much of his time and energy toward the 
planning and building of the new Woodbine Country club, an organization that 
was very dear to his heart and of which he served as president.  He belonged to 
the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with the Blue Lodge and a chapter at 
Greenfield and the Commandery at Carrollton and was also identified with the 
Mystic Shrine at St. Louis, Mo.  He passed through all the chairs of the lodge 
and chapter and became a past master and a past high priest and is credited 
with conducting the first Masonic funeral on the Isle of Pines.
He was a member of the First M. E. church of Greenfield and served for many 
years as a trustee.  He was a member of the building committee that erected the 
present building and a liberal contributor toward its construction.  He was a 
kind, affectionate man.  He was of sterling honesty and of more than ordinary 
ability, a man of high character who stood for the things that were moral and 
right.  He gained success and still held the confidence and esteem of all who 
knew him intimately.  He was a hard and invererate worker at whatever task he 
set himself.  He insisted on accuracy even to the minutest detail.  All the 
merchandise he handled had to be as represented or it was cheerfully replaced 
or money refunded.  He was charitably inclined and deeply interested in the 
Shriner's Hospital for crippled children and sent many packages to the poor at 
Christmas and in times of need, packages that bore no name but carried the 
spirit of good will and good cheer of the Master to those in need.  In these 
and many other ways he has been one of the fathers of Greenfield and he will be 
much missed in all community activities.
The recent death of his beloved sister, Mrs. Minnie McChesney, was a great blow 
to him.  A few weeks before his death he seemed to have a premonition that it 
was coming soon and expressed himself as ready to go.  The remains were brought 
to the late home Monday and the funeral services were conducted Wesnesday, Nov. 
16, 1927, at 1 p.m. from the First M. E. Church and the remains wer laid to 
rest in Oakwood cemetery, the Rev. Oscar F. Jones, pastor, officiating with 
members of the Masonic fraternity in charge at the graveside.  The floral 
offerings were numerous and very beautiful, the ladies in charge being Mesdames 
C E. Wooley, Dell Duncan, M. B. Metcalf and C. L. Hamilton and Misses Fern 
Crouch and Margaret Burns.  The pallbearers were E. E. Cameron, J. P. 
Roodhouse, E. K. Metcalf, R. R. Richie, C. L. Hamilton and J. F. Duncan.

Additional Comments:
John T. Callaway Funeral Notice
Died at the St. John hospital in Springfield, Ill., on Sunday November 13, 1927 
at 3:15 o'clock p.m.  Aged 72 years, 6 months and 12 days.  Funeral services 
will be condicted at the M. E. church in Greenfield, Ill., Wednesday, November 
16, 1927, at 1 o'clock p.m.  Interment in Oakwood cemetery under auspices of 
the Masonic faternity.   

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