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.

Hansen, Conrad J. Jr.

Conrad Hansen Jr.
1911-July 4, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 5, 1933, page 1, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library


Conrad Hansen Falls Off

Railroad Car, is Killed

Niles Youth Misjudges Distance on Top of Car; Was En Route With Two Companions to Search for Work in California.

 

Conrad Hansen, Jr., 21, 710 Ferry street, was fatally injured early Tuesday morning when he fell from the top of a railroad box car under a moving train on the Rock Island railroad, at Bureau, Ill. Bureau is 125 miles southwest of Chicago.

Young Hansen left Niles Monday accompanied by Jacob Webber and Earl Machow, youths of about his age, for California where Hansen had been advised he could probably obtain employment. The youths left South Bend at noon Monday catching a train from there.  At Bureau, according to the story told by his companions, Hansen mounted to the top of a box car,and seeing his companions a few cars away started toward them, but in the darkness misjudged the distance and fell. His companions notified the railroad authorities. An inquest was held and a verdict of accidental death was returned.

Young Hansen was born in New Salem, N. Dak. His parents came to Niles 18 years years ago. He attended the Niles public schools. After he entered the Senior High school he discontinued his studies but last fall reentered the high school expecting to be graduated with the class of 1933. However, he secured employment and again discontinued his studies.

Previous to last year he was a football and track star of the Niles High school. He was a member of Niles chapter of DeMolay until he retired on reaching the age limit of membership.

Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Hansen, a brother, Edward, and the following sisters: Mrs. Charles Fandre, Mrs. Kenneth Morris, Misses Marie, Olive Louise, Muriel Jane and Annabelle, all of Niles.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Troost and Turner Funeral home. The Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of St. John's Evangelical church, will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 6, 1933, page 3, col. 1, cont. page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

HOLD HANSEN FUNERAL

Funeral services for Conrad Hansen, jr., accidentally killed July 4 at Bureau, Ill., were held this afternoon in the Troost and Turner Funeral chapel. The Rev. Theo. Eisen, pastor of St. John's Evangelical church, officiated. Mr. and Mrs. Rex Leach sang. The following were pallbearers: Jacob Webber, Jo Hand, Theodore Weinke, Lawrence Mantke, John Truesdale and Eugene Ham. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Young Hansen, accompanied by Jacob Webber and Earl Manchow, also of Niles, was on is way to California when the accident occurred. Hansen fell from a box car and under a moving train at Bureau, Ill.

 

 

Higbee, Frank E.

Frank E. Higbee
June 1, 1848*-Dec. 19, 1910


Niles Daily Sun, Monday, December 19, 1910, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

FRANK HIGBEE DIES BY FALL

Fell Down Stairs at Mich. Central Freight House

FOUND UNCONSCIOUS

Never Rallied; Was Resident of Bertrand

 

Frank E. Higby died at 4:30 o'clock at Dr. Van Noppen's  sanitarium as a result of injuries received from a fall.


Frank E. Higbee, aged 65, a well known Bertrand township farmer, was found lying unconscious about 11:30 a.m. today at the bottom of the stairs leading into the basement of the Michigan Central freight house.

Just how Mr. Higbee came to be there is not positively known, but it is presumed that he mistook the door leading into the basement area way for the door going into the office of the freight house, and stepping forward without looking lost his balance and plunged headlong down the stairs to the basement floor, striking on his head.

So far as outward appearances went Mr. Higbee was not seriously injured there being only slight scalp wounds to show for his fall.

Dr. Giddings, regular surgeon for the Michigan Central railroad company, responded to the call and dressed the injured man's wounds and had him removed to Dr. VanNoppen's hospital.

Higbee has not since revived but continues in a state of deep unconsciousness, and both surgeons were of the opinion this afternoon that his injury from concession would be fatal before many hours.

Higbee's wife died several years ago and he has a family of children.

This is the second accident of nearly the same nature that has occurred at the M.C. freight hours.

Dudley Hicks, the milk man was victim of the previous accident.

Hick's injuries however, were far less serious than Higbee's and he recovered promptly.  He sued the railroad company for damages but settled out of court.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 19, 1910, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

FRANK HIGBEE MET SUDDEN DEATH

FOUND AT MICHIGAN CENTRAL FREIGHT HOUSE

FELL DOWN CELLAR STEPS

Came to Niles This Morning and Was Sending a Christmas Present to Chicago


Frank Higbee, 63 years old and a resident of Bertrand was found unconscious and in a dying condition in the basement of the Michigan Central freight office, just before noon today. It is supposed, that he fell down the basement steps. He was taken to Dr. VanNoppen's sanitarium by Dr. Giddings, who was called to attend his injuries. His skull was fractured.
He died at 4:25 this afternoon.
Mr. Higbee came to Niles this morning and purchased a graphaphone and went to the Michigan Central depot about 10 a.m. to lave it sent by freight to his daughter, Mrs. H.L. Barrett of Chicago.
It is supposed that while at the office he wondered about, casually observing the surroundings, when he stepped into the entrance-way of the cellar, which is almost hidden from view by the darkness of that portion of the building, and fell headlong.
One of the office men went to the basement to fix the furnace fire and discovered Mr. Higbee.
He was a farm laborer and had worked for Peter Malone the past summer. The deceased was a son of the late D.C. Higbee of Bertrand, who for many years was postmaster and conducted a general store there.  A brother arrived this afternoon from South Bend.

*DOB/DOD from Michigan Death Certificate

 

Honeywell, Joseph D.

Joseph D. Honeywell
1870-July 23, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 24, 1933, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


Joseph Honeywell Succumbs on Sunday

 

Joseph D. Honeywell, 63, cashier in the freight office for the Michigan Central Railroad company since 1917, died Sunday morning at 11;45 at his home, 1449 Ferry street, after a lingering illness. He had been unable to work since May 23.

Mr. Honeywell is survived by the widow, Mrs. Zesta Honeywell; a daughter, Ruth Margaret, a Niles junior high school student; a sister, Mrs. Lena Cornell, and two brothers, Guy and Robert H. Honeywell, Turlock, calif.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 at the Price & Kiger Funeral home. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 25, 1933, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Joseph H. Honeywell were conducted this afternoon at the Price & Kiger Funeral home by the Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church. The following were pallbearers: A.C. Bornes, James Madden, John Roberts, L. Vosburg, Carl Otteson and Frank Barron. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Mr. Honey well, who was a Michigan Central freight clerk, died Sunday at his home, 1449 Ferry street.

Howard, Avis

Avis Howard
Dec. 12, 1828-Dec. 18, 1898


Niles Weekly Mirror, Wednesday, December 21, 1898, page 1, col. 3. reprinted from Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 19, 1898.

Mrs. Simeon Howard passed away at her home on 13th street yesterday morning at 9 o'clock, aged 70 years.

About 18 months ago Mrs. Howard met with a terrible accident in which she broke her hip. An abcess formed and she had been confined to her bed for 18 long, lingering months.

During this time, Mrs. L. Eggleston, who resides at the court of 13th and Ferry streets, cheerfully attended the invalid sufferer, in addition to performing the duties of her own household.

Mrs. Howard's husband died several years ago. She is an old resident of Niles, having come here about 40 years ago.

She is survived by three children, two boys and one girl, as follows: Jesse, of Niles; Edward, of Chicago; and Mrs. Adam Evick, of Chicago.

Funeral from the house at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Rev. Chapman will officiate. Interment Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Note: Dates from death record, dob from age at dod.

 

Johnson, William

William Johnson
Sept. 3, 1882-June 17, 1964

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 18, 1964, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

William Johnson, 71, of 2601 N. 5th St., died at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday in Berrien General Hospital, where he had been a patient three days.

Mr. Johnson, a retired employe of the Tyler corporation, was born Sept. 3, 1882, in Sheffield, England. He came to Niles from Leeds, England, in 1920.  His wife, Fannie, died Aug. 24, 1956.

Surviving are a son, Herbert, Orlando, Fla.; a daughter, Mrs. Robert Honeycutt, Galien; two brothers, Arthur, Niles, and Harry, Leeds; two sisters, Mrs. Richard Allemby and Mrs. Thomas Patrick, both of Leeds; eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

He was an English veteran of World War I.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home. The Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 19, 1964, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library


JOHNSON SURVIVOR

An additional survivor of William Johnson, 71, of 2601 N. 5th St., who died Wednesday, is another sister, Mrs. Percy Ford, Leeds, England.

Kelley, Harry W.

Harry W. Kelley
June 22, 1886-May 19, 1964


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 18, 1964, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Harry W. Kelley, 77, of 58 Grand Ave., died at 6:25 p.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital, where he had been a patient five days.

Mr. Kelley was born June 22, 1886, in Joliet, Ill.; and came to Niles from there in 1920.

He is survived by his widow, Ada; four children, Miss Janice Kelley and Mrs. Ruth Bowman, both of Niles; Mrs. Joseph Sporting, Michigan City, Ind.; and the Rev. G. Eldred Kelley, Salmon, Ida.; four grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. William Ramsay, South Pasadena, Calif.

Mr. Kelley was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a past Master of Pokagon Masonic Lodge, White Shrine, Order of Eastern Star, and the Golden Age Club.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, at his church. The Rev. Donald Wright, assistant pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery where Masonic commital rite will be conducted.

Friends are being received at the Pifer Funeral Home.

 

Knott, George A.

George A. Knott
Apr. 26, 1888-May 21, 1964

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 22, 1964, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

George A. Knott, 76, of 1614 Eagle St., died at noon Thursday in Pawating Hospital, where he had been a patient since April 27.

Mr. Knott, a retired employe of the New York Central Railroad, was born here April 26, 1888, and was a lifetime resident of the community.  His wife, Martha, died in 1951.

Surviving are a son, Kenneth, and a daughter, Mrs. John McIntyre, both of Niles; a sister, Mrs. Minnie Woodruff, also of Niles; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and the Pioneer's Association.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home. The Rev. Theodore Laesch, pastor of his church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.