Menard COUNTY Illinois - Miscellaneous newspaper records - newspapers1.txt ********************************************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: © Matthew ********************************************************************************* unknown newspaper, 1931: Henry Balster, Veteren, is Ninety - Birthday Observed At Home Here Monday; One of Oldest Men In County. - Henry Balster, Sr., one of the few remaining Civil War veterans in Menard County and one of the country's oldest men, celebrated his ninetieth birthday Monday January 19 at his home here, surrounded by his children and grandchildren who treated him to a delightful surprise party. Those in attendance were John Balster, Mr. & Mrs. Ben Balster and daughter Ermal and son, Emmerson, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Balster, Jr. and daughter Velda Mary , Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Balster and daughter Dorothy Jean, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hopwood, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Bennett and daughter Eileen. One son, Harmon, was unable to be present. Four generations were represented at the happy gathering, by Mr. Balster, his son Thomas, Thomas Balster's daughter, Irene Balster Bennett, and her daughter, Eileen, aged 8 months. The four posed for a group picture. Ice cream and cake were served, a huge angel food cake, decorated with the correct number of candles, holding the place of honor at the table. Mr. Balster was born January 19, 1841, in Germany, and came to this country at the age of twenty. He was a member of Co. K, 114th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. He took up farming and lived and reared his family on a farm near Tice, retiring and coming to this city twenty years ago. Mrs. Balster and one daughter, Marie, the wife of Walter Kasten, died several years ago. For many years Mr. Balster has been a communicant of St. Paul's Church, and he is a man who was won an enviable reputation for himself in this community in which he has lived for so many years. He has the best wishes of the entire community for continual health and happiness. unknown newspaper, 1914: Fell Under the Deadly Wheels - Marion Baum of Tice Meets Death by Falling Under Train - His Body is Badly Mutilated - Lives Only a Few Hours After the Accident - Dies Saturday Evening. Marion Baum had one leg severed from his body, the other mashed and his body badly mutilated in attempting to board a moving freight train at Tice last Saturday afternoon, about two o'clock, from the effect of which he died at the Springfield hospital that same evening, where he was taken for treatment. The unfortunate man had often used the freights to ride out a short distance on the way home to the farm, just a little way to the north and east of Tice. It was found in this case that the support which he had grasped, came loose, throwing him under the deadly wheels. The crew picked him up and he was hurried to the Springfield hospital on passenger train No. 1, leaving here at 2:21 p.m. He died at the hospital at a little after 9 o'clock Saturday evening. The coroner's jury assembled at Springfield rendered the verdict that "Marion Baum, a farmer who resided near Tice, came to his death on Saturday night from injuries accidentally received while attempting to board a moving C., P. & St. L. freight train at Tice, the grab-iron on the car breaking loose, causing him to fall beneath the train." The remains were sent to the home of his mother near Tice on Monday. The funeral occurred at 10 o'clock on Tuesday forenoon, conducted by Rev. Love of the Presbyterian church. Interment at Rose Hill cemetery. He leaves to mourn his loss as immediate relatives, his aged mother, Mrs. Margaret Kehl Baum, one brother, Henry Baum, one sister, Mrs. John Rhodes, all of this county. To them the sympathies of the entire community go out in their sudden and awful bereavement. unknown newspaper, 1905: An Aged Menard County Farmer Suicides Wednesday Evening. Henry Reitz, living on his farm four and one-half miles south-east of Petersburg, committed suicide by drowning in a well Wednesday evening at about 8:30 o’clock. His son, son’s wife and daughter left their home that evening after supper for Petersburg and during their absence the deceased arranged his shoes, hat and cane upon the ground near the well and leaped down feet first. The well had but four feet of water in it and the old gentleman was compelled to change his position, which he did, forcing his head under the water. In this position he was found by the family and neighbors. Coroner Wilkins was called and a jury empanelled. The evidence and verdict are as follows: Harmon Reitz being duly sworn, said: At this place I live, occupation farmer. This evening about fifteen minutes of seven my wife, daughter and I went to town, I left father here in good shape, so far as I know and when we returned about eleven o’clock and came in we found father’s bed was not used and we searched the house but could not find anything and then we went to Mr. Will Sampson’s and got them and we went over the same ground again, till Edgar Sampson said we might look in the stock well which we did and finally found the body there, at about 11:15 or judging as far as I can say one-half hour hunt. So far as I can say was well, never said he intended to commit suicide, never said he was tired of living, seemed to be happy and cheerful and could get around fairly well. Henry Herman Reitz Edgar Sampson being duly sworn said: I live in Tice, practicing law, about 7:30 p.m., I was at Baker Prairie church to attend a lecture, I saw Mr. Reitz and family going into town, and was at home when they came to my home and while still awake I gathered from Mr. Reitz’s conversation with my father about that his father could not be found and so father and I came over here and we searched the same ground through barn, hen house, etc. I sent father home as mother was alone, then we found him in the well, the hour when we were coming over was five minutes of eleven or five minutes after eleven and we found the body in about one-half hour. After the body was found I had the family go to our house till I could get help. Do not know that he made any threats to take his life. Was well cared for. William Edgar Sampson Verdict that he came to his death by drowning in a stock well, about 200 feet from the family residence and from all evidence we can find his death suicidal and no one to blame. Death occurred at 8:30 p.m. July 18, 1905, in Menard county, Illinois, about four and one-half miles east of Petersburg. Tom O'Hara, J.O Turner, Louis Stier, Wm. Ensley, B.I. Tice, P.D. Tice. Attest: H.E. Wilkins, Coroner. Henry Reitz was 82 years, 5 months and 13 days old, and came to Illinois in 1846. Jury Rules Tice Man Shot Self Petersburg, May 15 – A verdict of death caused by shooting himself in the head with a .22 caliber rifle while temporarily insane was returned by a coroner’s jury investigating the death of Herman Reitz, prominent farmer living north of Tice, at the inquest held this morning. Reitz’s body was found this morning about 6:30 o’clock by his wife. About 6 o’clock this morning, Mrs. Reitz testified at the inquest, she heard a sound as a falling body, but did not investigate. When she got up half an hour later she saw her husband’s body lying on the floor. From the appearance of the body, it looked as though Mr. Reitz had sit on the edge of the bed when he fired the shot. He was 60 years old. The inquest was conducted by Dr. H.E. Wilkins, coroner of Menard county. The jurors were: Roy Sampson, Richard Garrets, William Stoot, George Robinson, William Sampson, and John Libbons. ‘ In 1905 Mr. Reitz’s father took his own life on the same farm by jumping in a well. No arrangements have been made for the funeral as yet. He is survived by his widow and one daughter, Nellie.