Obituaries

We now have over 7,000 obituaries collected about the interred here at Silverbrook Cemetery.

The obituaries are transcribed by the volunteers of the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery from various sources.  If you see an opportunity for an addition or a correction, please email our obituary editor at obits@friendsofsilverbrook.org.

Hess, Emma W.

Emma W. Hess
March 26, 1876-April 17, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 17, 1945, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Mother of Carl E. Hess Succumbs in Home at St. Joe

Emma W. Hess, 69, the mother of Carl E. Hess, died early today in St. Joseph where she has lived for 33 years.

She was born in  Wayne Center, Ind., on March 26, 1876, and was a widow of Samuel H. Hess who died in 1936.

Surviving, in addition to the son, are two grandchildren and three sisters, Caroline Pries, St. Joseph, and Mrs. John Smith and Mrs. Harry Keck, both of Kendallville, Ind.

The body is at the Beardsley funeral home, St. Joseph, where friends will be received.  Services will be conducted  at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the Trinity Lutheran church, St. Joseph.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

 

Brokaw, Josie (Davidson)

Josie Brokaw
1842-Dec. 12, 1914

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 14, 1914, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS JOSIE BROKAW DIED SATURDAY EVENING IN MINNESOTA

Former Resident of This City Will be Brought for Interment Tomorrow

Mrs. Josie Brokaw passed away Saturday evening in Red Wing, Minnesota.  The body, accompanied by a brother, John Davison, and sister, Mrs. Fannie Scott, will leave Red Wing tonight for Niles, where interment will take place in Silver Brook cemetery, probably some time tomorrow. Funeral services were held in Minnesota and complete arrangements for burial cannot be made here until the arrival of the body.

The deceased was the daughter of the late M.A. Davison, who for a number of years conducted a butcher shop in this city and who constructed the Babcock block at Main and Third streets. They will be well remembered here by the older residents.

Three sisters and one brother survive as follows:  Mrs. Laura B. Henton, Mrs. Gussie Collins of Red Wing, and Mrs. Fannie Scott of Burlington, Ia., and John Davison of Red Wing.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 15, 1914, page 4, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

 The body of Mrs. Josie Brokaw arrived in Niles this afternoon from Red Wing, Minn.  Rev. Wright pronounced commitment services and interment was made at Silver Brook cemetery.  The body was accompanied by a brother, John Davison of Red Wing, and a sister, Mrs. Fannie Scott of Burlington, Ia.

 

Brokaw, William

William Brokaw
1837-Jan. 16, 1887

Niles Republican, Thursday, January 20, 1887, page 5, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

--Wm. Brokaw, formerly of his city, died at his home, in Red Wing, Minn., last Saturday. The body was brought here on Tuesday, and interred in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Niles Republican, Saturday, January 22, 1887, page 5, col. 1, same column but separate items, microfilm Niles District Library

John Davidson, of Red Wing, Minn., accompanied the remains of his brother-in-law, Wm. Brokaw, to this city on Tuesday last.

. . .

Wm. Brokaw, of Red Wing, Minn., for some years a resident of this city, and a son-in-law of M.A. Davidson, died on Saturday last. His remains were brought to this city for burial in Silver Brook cemetery.

Crofoot, Alethia

Alethia Crofoot
Jan. 5, 1887-Jan. 15, 1887

Niles Republican, Saturday, January 22, 1887, page 5, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

An infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Chas W. Crofoot, of Eau Claire, died on Saturday last. The remains were brought here on Monday and committed to their last resting place in Silver Brook cemetery.

Earl, Matilda A.

Matilda A. Earl
Jan 22, 1857-April 19, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Friday, April 20, 1945, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Woman, Long an Invalid, Dies

Mrs. Matilda A. Earl, 88, of 742 Broadway, died at 3 p.m. Thursday, in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bess Augustine, 406 Grant street, where she had spent the winter. An invalid for 13 years, Mrs. Earl had been seriously ill for three weeks.

She was born near Plainfield, Ill., on Jan. 22, 1857 and was married to Benjamin F. Earl in LaGrange, Cass county in 1875. They came to Niles 65 years ago and lived where the Kiger funeral home now stands until 1889 when they built their present home. Earl died in 1912.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Elva Williams, Mrs. Dorothy Smith and Mrs. Augustine, all of Niles; five sons, George W. and John R. Earl, Niles; Bruce F. Earl, South Bend, Theodore R. Earl, St. Joseph, and William A. Earl, Washington, D.C.; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren . . .[illegible] . . . Des Moines, Ia.

Friends may call at the family home on Broadway.  Funeral services will be conducted in the Kiger funeral home at 2 :30 p.m.  Monday by the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church which Mrs. Earl attended. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. William A. Earl and Mrs. Louise Mayes were expected to arrive from Washington, D.C., today.

 

Felhauer, Albert

Albert Felhauer
Jan. 5, 1886-July 18, 1977

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 19, 1977, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Albert Felhauer, 91, 1028 N. 13th st., died at 11:30 p.m  Monday at the Paul Stephan Nursing Home following a short illness.

A member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church and the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge, he retired from the New York Central Railroad in 1952, and from the Tyler Refrigeration Corp. in 1958.

Mr. Felhauer was born Jan. 5, 1886 in Kovan, Russia, and had lived most of his life in this area.

On April 4, 1915, in Niles, he married Ruby H. Horner, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Virgil of South Bend and LeRoy of Niles; a daughter, Mrs. Philip (Edith) Hopper of Osceola, Ind.; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at  1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Cunningham of the First Baptist Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call after 4 p.m.  Thursday at the Pifer Chapel.

Masonic rites will be conducted by the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge.

(Same obit appeared Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 20, 1977, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Foster, Harvey

Harvey Foster
Dec. 13, 1863-May 2, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 3, 1945, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Brother of Niles Woman Succumbs in Dowagiac Home

Harvey Foster, 83, brother of Mrs. Anna Jones, Niles, died at 1:30 p.m Wednesday in his home in Dowagiac, where he had been ill four months.

He was born in Pokagon and had spent most of his life in Dowagiac.

Foster's nieces and nephews in the Niles' area include Mrs. Pearl Jeffries and Henry Jones, Niles; Edward Foster, Pokagon, and Fred and Frank Foster, South Haven.

Funeral services will be conducted in the Pifer funeral home where friends will be recieved[sic]. The Rev. Emory Davis will officiate at services at 2 p.m. Friday in Silverbrook cemetery.