Grundy County, IL

Phoenix Advertiser
Minooka News

August 6, 1903
Vol. 28, No. 32


Markets - Corn 48; oats 26; eggs 16; butter 17.

Mrs. J. J. BRINCHERHOFF has been visiting in Chicago for a 
week as a guest of her sister, Mrs. WALTER.

Mr. and Mrs. George COULEHAN, of Chicago, visited among 
friends here the early part of this week and Mrs. COULEHAN 
is still here.

B. H. SULLIVAN, of Plankington, S. D., came here Monday to 
attend the COMERFORD funeral and returned home the following 
day.

William, son of James McEVILLY, has been sick with appendicitis 
for some time but is now better. An operation may later be 
required.

The Minookas and the Aux Sable nine were the gladiators of the 
local diamond last Sunday and the Aux Sable group demonstrated 
their superiority. The score was 17 to 8.  Will NELSON filled 
the box for the Minookas and did good work for a couple of 
innings after which his arm went wrong and he allowed the 
Aux Sable batters to make some fine connections with the 
ball.  Will GREENBACK was behind the bat for the locals.

Among those from Joliet who came here to attend the funeral 
of Mrs. Catherine COMERFORD last Monday were Attorney and 
Mrs. J. W. DOWNEY, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. BRADY, Attorney J. T. 
DONAHOE, J. A. KINSELLA and daughter, Robert WALSH and family, 
Ald. B. E. BURKE and family, J. E. KINSELLA and family, Mrs. 
T. J. KELLY, Miss Fannie FITZPATRICK (Lockport), Mrs. Jerry 
MAHONEY, Thomas BURKE and family, J. A. McSHERRY and family, 
Michael FEEHAN and family, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. McHUGH, Mrs. 
Edward SCULLY and Mrs. DILLON.

Mrs. Elias PETERSON died at her home about seven miles north 
west of here last Tuesday morning, August 4, 1903, aged 28 
years. Consumption was the cause of death and the disease 
had wasted the form to a mere shadow, although the illness 
was not of long duration. The decedent was a sister of Mrs. 
George BELL, of this place, and was well known here. She was 
the mother of two children, both of whom preceded her into 
death's unknown realm. The husband, parents, and other 
relatives survive. The funeral occurred Thursday morning from 
the Osman church and the burial was in the Osman cemetery.

St. Mary's Catholic Church Destroyed 

St. Mary's Roman Catholic church in this place was struck by 
lightning about two o'clock last Tuesday morning and the 
flames which resulted completely destroyed the edifice.

There were few people in town who were not aroused by the 
terrific crashes of thunder with the storm, but none of the 
townspeople were aware that any place had been struck with 
the continuous screeching of an engine on the E. J. & E. R. 
R. gave notice that something was wrong.  The train crew had 
seen the church struck by the bolt and one of the men 
hastened to the parish house and apprised the pastor, Rev. 
Father Joseph McMAHON, that his church was ablaze.  In a few 
minutes a large crowd of citizens reached the scene and before 
long almost every person in town had turned out.

The lightning had struck and shattered the steeple and had 
set the building afire in the roof at the base of the spire. 
The flames had a good start when the first persons arrived 
and a glance was enough to show that the sanctuary was 
doomed for there was nothing at hand but pails and water 
with which to combat the fire and the high roof made their 
use next to impossible. The work of salvage was therefore 
directed to saving the parish house and to carrying out the 
movable property in the church, all of which was saved except 
the organ.

Most of those present turned in and worked hard and the 
unity of the community was well shown by the sweeping away 
of sectarian lines and the united and heroic efforts of all 
to save property.

St. Mary's church was dedicated in 1865. At that time Minooka
was very small and but little regard was had for the town in 
the erection of the church. Thus it was that the church stood 
half a mile apart from the town and making considerable 
inconvenience for many of the communicants.

The last mass celebrated in the church was a solemn high 
mass over the remains of Mrs. Catherine COMERFORD, who was 
present at the dedicating mass nearly forty years ago.

The church building was insured for $3,800. The work of 
rebuilding will at once be taken up and it is the desire of 
many to have the new church built in the town where it will be 
convenient to all the townspeople. Efforts will be made to 
erect a fine editing.


Death Calls a Pioneer

Mrs. Catherine COMERFORD Passes Away at Her Home in This 
Place.

Mrs. Catherine COMERFORD, widow of the late George COMERFORD, 
mother of N. J. and Thomas COMERFORD, and one of the pioneers 
and best citizens of Grundy county, received the final 
summons at her home in Minooka last Saturday morning, 
August 1, 1903, and with steadfast faith and hope passed 
through the mystic veil that curtains earth from eternity.

Mrs. COMERFORD has been remarkably healthy throughout her 
life until about two years ago when her bodily infirmities 
began, but she was not seriously ill at any time until last 
Thursday morning when acute intestinal trouble developed and 
baffled medical skill to heal. The gravity of the disease was 
at once apparent and a telephone message was hastily sent to 
the son, N. J., who was at Mt. Clemens, Mich., and who arrived 
here Friday morning to be present in the last hours. The other 
son Thomas was also at the bed side, with other relatives and 
friends. Mrs. COMERFORD retained her mental faculties 
unimpaired to the last and within a few minutes of her death
inquired after the welfare of friends, an unselfish 
characteristic of her life and nature which shone out as a 
virtue even in the last hours. Her illness was not marked by 
very severe pain and in the early morning hours she peacefully 
slept into death.

Mrs. COMERFORD was born Catherine SMITH in County Wexford, 
Ireland in 1824 and came with the family to this county in 
1852 when they settled at Lockport, New York. There in 1855 
she became the bride of George COMERFORD and she then came to 
Minooka where her husband was already located. Since then she
had reside here continuously. The husband died here in 1891.

Beside the two sons, N. J., who is a prominent merchant here, 
and Thomas, the well-known and well-to-do farmer, there was 
one daughter, Mary, who died while attending St. Mary's 
college at Notre Dame, Indiana, in 1882. The decedent was a 
sister of George T. SMITH, the well-known Minooka merchant, 
and also of Mrs. F. KINSELLA and Mrs. William COULEHAN, of 
this place, and Mrs. Ellen O'TOOLE, of Tipton, Ind. Two 
brothers, John and William SMITH, died in Lockport, N. Y., 
a few years ago.

Mrs. COMERFORD was a fine type of true christian character of 
unfailing faith and hope in the future, of righteous living 
and charitable deeds, who taught goodness and virtue by 
example rather than by precept, a mother venerated by her 
children a friend, loved by those who knew her and a citizen 
esteemed by all. Truly she died full of years and honor and 
her life of simplicity, and faith is well worthy to receive 
the crown of glory.

The funeral occurred Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock from St. 
Mary's Catholic church in this place. Requiem solemn high 
mass was celebrated by Rev. Father Joseph McMAHON with Rev. 
D. DUNNE of Joliet, and Rev. Thomas WALSH, of Joliet, as 
deacon and sub-deacon. The concourse assembled was the largest 
that ever gathered in Minooka and was a fitting testimony to 
the esteem in which the deceased was held. Rev. DUNNE preached 
the funeral sermon and paid an eloquent tribute to the life 
and character and good works of the dead. The church choir 
sang and was assisted by a quartet from Joliet composed of 
Mrs. Anton SCHAGER, Miss Lulu MABER, Anton SCHAGER and Frank 
ZARLEY. The pall bearers were John W. DWYER, John TALBOTT, 
Martin CLENNON, John CARLIN, J. P. McEVILLY and Edward BRADY. 
Little Mamie COMERFORD, daughter of Thomas COMERFORD, and 
Helen, daughter of N. J. COMERFORD, acted as flower bearers. 
The ushers were W. H. KAFFER and D. A. HENNEBRY.

The interment was in Dresden cemetery a beautiful commitment 
service at the grave side being conducted by the clergy.


Transcribed 11/09/98 by Deb Haines