Mary Brunk
Oct. 31, 1845-April 30, 1930

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 30, 1930, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: DEATH MRS. CHAS. BRUNK

Carl Brunk received a message at noon today announcing the death of his mother, Mrs. Mary Brunk, widow of Charles Brunk, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C.W. Long in Boone City, Oowa. The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow and taken to the home of Mr. Brunk in West Main street. While the funeral plans are not completed the services will probably be held Friday afternoon in St. John's Evangelical church. Mrs. Brunk was 84 years of age. She had made her home with Mr. and Mrs. Long for 13 years and for 10 years of that time they have lived in Boone City. Mr. Brunk received a message yesterday that his mother had been stricken with paralysis. Mrs. Brunk is survived by four children who are Mrs. Long of Boone City, Carl Brunk of Niles, Miss Marie Brunk of Detroit and Alfred Brunk of Marquette, Kansas. Miss Brunk is expected in Niles tonight.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 1, 1930, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: FUNERAL MRS. BRUNK FRIDAY

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Brunk, widow of Charles Brunk, who body was brought to Niles today from Bonneville, Iowa, where she died on Wednesday, will be held tomorrow afternoon. At 2 o'clock the Rev. Sumner Young, pastor of the Evangelical church in West Niles of which Carl Brunk son of the deceased, is a member, will conduct a service [that] will be held in St. John's Evangelical church of which the deceased was a member for many years. The Rev. G.W. Webbink will conduct the service in the church. Burial will be made in the family lot in Silver brook cemetery. Mrs. Theron Long, a daughter of the deceased and Mr. Long, at whose home Mrs. Brunk died, accompanied the body to Niles today. The body is now at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brunk. Another daughter of the deceased, Mrs. John H. Hawks, of Detroit arrived in Niles last evening. In the notice of Mrs. Brunk's death last evening Mrs. Hawks was incorrectly mentioned by her maiden name, Marie Brunk.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 3, 1930, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: FUNERAL MRS. BRUNK

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Brunk, widow of Charles Brunk were held on Friday afternoon. The Rev. Sumner Young, pastor of the Evangelical church in West Niles conducted a service in the home of Carl Brunk, a son of the deceased, in West Niles and a service was also held in St. John's Evangelical church with the pastor, the Rev. G.W. Webbink in charge. Burial was made in Silver Brook cemetery.

Anna Bannister Brahaney
Feb. 3, 1851-Nov. 26, 1932

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 26, 1932, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. ANNA BRAHANEY, ILL FOR MONTHS, DIES

Widow of Former Niles Merchant Passes Away at 13th St. Home

Mrs. Anna Bannister Brahaney, 81, widow of James Brahaney, died athis morning at 5 o'clock in her home, 27 N. Thirteenth street. She had been in ill health for several years. On Friday, Nov. 18 she lapsed into unconsciousness and was conscious again only for a brief time. Mrs. Brahaney had lived in Niles for more than 30 years.

Mrs. Brahaney was born in Collingwood, Ontario province, Canada, on Feb. 3, 1851. She was married to Mr. Brahaney on Jan. 1, 1865. The early years of their married life were spent in northern Michigan where Mr. Brahaney was in charge of large timber interests.  They came to Niles from Marquette in 1899. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in Niles and each succeeding anniversary until their last. Mr. Brahaney had engaged in busines in Niles but retired several years before his death in 1926.  Mrs. Brahaney was the last of a family of 12 children.

Surviving Mrs. Brahaney are two daughters, Mrs. C.D. Hildebrand, wife of a St. Joseph county commissioner and a resident of South Bend and Mrs. John Perkins of Niles. Mrs. Brahaney had five grandchildren who are Mrs. Marjorie Cavanaugh Sparks, wife of Charles A. Sparks of Goodling, Kans., Furmage Cavanaugh of Coleman, Texas, Stuart B. Brahaney of Miami, Fla., and John and Christine Perkins of Niles.

Mrs. Brahaney was a member of the Presbyterian church. The pastor of that church, the Rev. G.W. Simon, will conduct the funeral services in the home on Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial will be made in the family lot in Silverbrook cemetery. Mrs. Brahaney had spent the years since she came to Niles as a resident of the neighborhood in which she died and was highly respected and esteemed.

Mrs. Charles (Anna Maud Brahaney) Cavanaugh
June 17, 1872-May 8, 1902

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 9, 1902, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. C. CAVANAUGH

Died at St. Paul, Minn., Yesterday

The sad news was flashed over the wire last evening of the death of Mrs. Charles Cavanaugh, who died of pneumonia at St. Paul, Minn., yesterday forenoon at 11 o'clock. It was only three weeks ago that Mrs. Cavanaugh left here, together with her two small children, to join her husband at St. Paul. Three years ago Mr. Cavanaugh left here to accept a position with the Three I as train despatcher, and recently he accepted a position with the Great Western Ry. Co., at St. Paul.  Mrs. Cavanaugh had been sojourning here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Brahaney, both of whom were at their daughter's bedside when the end came.

The deceased was 26 years of age and was the mother of two children, a boy of four years and a ten-months-old daughter. Mrs. Cavanaugh was a charming young woman and a devoted member of the Presbyterian church.

The remains will arrive over the Michigan Central on train No. 14, which arrives here at 5:30 o'clock this afternoon, and will be conveyed to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Brahaney from which place the funeral will occur tomorrow afternoon, Rev. J.G. Lowrie officiating. At this writing the hour of the funeral has not been fixed. Interment will take place at Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Cavanaugh, as well as the parents and other relatives of the deceased, have the entire sympathy of the community.  Mr. and Mrs. James Cavanaugh will arrive here from Detroit tomorrow.

*NOTE: Charles Cavanaugh is not buried at Silverbrook but his death was noted in the Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 5, 1931, page 4, col. 2, as follows:

Death of Chas. Cavanaugh

Word was received in Niles on Saturday of the death in Washington, D.C. of Chicago. Cavanaugh who was found dead in his bed in the home of his daughter who is a granddaughter of Mrs. James Brahemy[sic] of Niles. Mr. Cavanaogh died as he slept. He formerly lived in Niles having been employed as a telegraph operator and later as a train dispatcher by the Michigan Central railroad company. He is survived by two children, a daughter and a son.

Charles Walter
April 30, 1878-July 25, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 25, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Charles Walter, 72, of 1602 North Eleventh street, died at 3:50 a.m. today after being ill for seven weeks.

He was born here on April 30, 1878, and lived here all his life. He retired after working for The Kawneer Company for 33 years. Walter was a member of the Kawneer 25 Year club and of St.  John's Evangelical church.

He is survived by his wife, Augusta; a son, Donald, at home; and two sisters, Mrs. Arthur Lillie, of Niles, and Mrs. Elmer Decker, of Berrien Springs.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer funeral home, with the Rev. Harold Hohman officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Earl L. Whitmore
March 19, 1884-July 17, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 27, 1950, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

DOWAGIAC, July 17--Earl L. Whitmore, 66, prominent politician here, died suddenly at his home this morning.

Born March 19, 1884, in Michigan City, Ind., he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whitmore. He married Minnie Vetterle, on May 5, 1910, in Cassopolis.

Whitmore was a state highway superintendent in the Dowagiac district for 13 years and operated a dairy here at one time.  He was a member of the Dowagiac Elks lodge, of the Sumnerville Community grange, the Dowagiac Conservation club, the DeWitt Clinton consistory of Masons in Grand Rapids, and the Dowagiac Masons.

Surviving are his wife; two half-brothers, Leon C. Cranson, of Niles, and Lester D. Cranson, of Dowagiac; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Lyons and son funeral home in Dowagiac. The Rev. Joseph Fox will conduct services thee at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Masonic rites will be conducted at the grave.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 18, 1950, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Graveside Masonic rites will be conducted at Silverbrook cemetery tomorrow for Earl L. Whitmore, 66, of Dowagiac, prominent Cass county man and former Niles farmer who died early yesterday.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m.  in the Lyons and son funeral home in Dowagiac by the Rev. Joseph Fox.

Whitmore was active in state and Cass county farm and political circles for many years. He was also Cass county superintendent for the state highway department for 13 years. Under the late N.P. Beebe, he managed the section B Beebe mint farm here for some years. Later he bought his own farm north of Niles and raised turkeys.

Gregory Bridges
July 13, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 14, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

INFANT SON DIES

Gregory Bridges, still-born son of Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Bridges, 625 Chicago road, was born at 5 p.m. Thursday in Pawating hospital.

Also surviving is a brother, Shelby, at home.

Services were held at 11 this morning at Silverbrook cemetery. The Rev. Ulysses Hicks, of Buchanan, officiated.