Mrs. John (Caroline Hansler) Nieb
Aug. 2, 1859-July 7, 1916

Niles Daily Sun, Monday, July 10, 1916, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR MRS. JOHN NIEB SUNDAY

Deceased Was Born in Niles and Highly Regarded

Mrs. John Nieb passed away Friday after several years of illness.  Her demise is regretted by a very large number of friends and relatives.  No one in this community enjoyed a reputation of a more true and motherly or neighborly spirit than she. Her nature was one of sweetness and kindness notwithstanding the fact that she managed her household with firmness and ability.

Mrs. Nieb has been a very patient sufferer for some time and passed away July 7.  Her sister, Mrs. George Weigle, of Pomona, Cal., was sent for and assisted in caring for her until she received word of the sudden illness of her husband at home in response to which she left immediately for the west, but arrived too late, Mr. Weigle having passed away the day before she arrived home.

Mrs. Nieb's maiden name was Caroline Hansler. He was born in Niles August 2, 1859. She was married to John Nieb about 37 years ago.  She has always lived in this vicinity excepting short periods in Buchanan, Three Oaks and California. Among those that will miss her most are her husband, sons, Lute and Raymond and daughter, Velma, all at home. She leaves one grand-daughter, Hazel, two sisters, Mrs. George Weigle and Mrs. Hugo Schwichtenberg of Pomona, Cal., and John of Riverside, Cal.

The funeral services were held yesterday at the home, two and a half miles northwest of the city.  Rev. Rahn of the St. John's German church, of which the deceased was a member officiating. The funeral procession consisted of all automobiles, the first of its kind held in Niles.

Those from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. John Siddig, George Siddig, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Nolan and Mrs. Trowbridge of Three Oaks; Mr. and Mrs. August Knott of Holcomb, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Nieb, Mrs. Nora Hyke and son, Irwin, and Mr. and Mrs. Gus Klingbell of Mishawaka, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Dolph Sackman, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Sackman and Mrs. John Wolf of River Park, Ind., and Mr. and Mrs. Chris Koenigshop of Dayton, Mich.

Allizina "Allie" Jennings
Oct. 18, 1893-June 25, 1921

DEATH CLAIMS MISS JENNINGS

Funeral Services for Well Known Young Woman Held This Afternoon at Presbyterian Church.

This afternoon at the Presbyterian church, funeral services were conducted by Rev. H.T. Scherer, for one of the most devoted of its members, Miss Allie Jennings, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Jennings, 311 north Second street, who died Saturday afternoon about 5 o'clock. The body was laid to rest in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery amid a wealth of beautiful floral tributes.

Allizina Jennings was born in Niles Oct. 18, 1893, and had always resided here. She attended the Niles public schools and was graduated with the class of 1915, an event which was saddened for her by the death of her only brother, Jacob Jennings, who died just a few days before the commencement day exercises.

When a very young girl, Miss Jennings, united with the Presbyterian church, and throughout her life she was faithful in attendance and in performing whatever duties devolved upon her.  She was a member of the Sunday school and Westminster Guild, at the time of her death, and had been a member of the Christian Endeavor society of the church and also a member of the large chorus choir which sang for several years in the church, and her death is the first among the members of that choir.     She had been in ill health for a number of years but had bravely fought to regain her health but in spite of the skill of physicians she continued to fail. About three months ago Miss Jennings' condition became alarming, and she grew steadily weaker until the end came. Through her long illness she was patient and cheerful. She was of a happy, hopeful disposition and readily made friends and many mourn her death and sympathize with the stricken parents in the untimely death of their only daughter.

Miss Jennings was a member of the Niles Hive, No. 39, L.O.T.M., and of New Century Rebekah lodge.

Niles Daily Star-Sun, Monday, June 27, 1921, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Earl Roger Woods
Oct. 27, 1881-July 24, 1937

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 26, 1937, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

SERVICE TUESDAY FOR E.R. WOODS, 55

Retired Business Man, Ill and Despondent, Takes Own Life

Final rites or Earl Roger Woods, 55 of 601 North Fourteenth Street, will be held at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Turner and Pifer funeral home. The rites will be conducted by the Rev. H.L. Nicholson of Trinity Episcopal church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Woods, a retired dry cleaner and a resident of Niles for the last 43 years shot himself to death in an upstairs bedroom at his home at 4:50 o'clock Saturday afternoon.

He had been in ill health for the past five years, despondency is believed to have been the cause of this act.

Mr. Woods was a member of the Niles lodge of Elks and the Masonic lodge of Shelby, Ohio. He was born in Quincy, Oct. 27, 1881, and moved to Niles from Chicago at the age of 12.

He leaves his wife, Grace, and one son, Louis, Niles; one brother, George, New Buffalo; two sisters, Mrs. B. Moorehead, Columbus, Ohio, and Mrs. Ruth Archer, Benton Harbor; also two grandchildren, Jack, 7, and Dale, 5.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 27, 1937, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

WOODS RITES HELD

The Rev. H.L. Nicholson conducted funeral services at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Turner and Pifer funeral home for Earl Roger Woods, 55, of 601 North Fourteenth street.  Niles lodge of Elks, of which Mr. Woods was a member, had charge of the committal services at the grave at Silverbrook cemetery. K.B. Schmidt, Frank Early, Clayton Collins, Edward Wurz, Delano Marston and Thomas Swain served as pallbearers.  Mr. Woods committed suicide at his home Saturday afternoon.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 29, 1937, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ATTEND FUNERAL RITES

Those who came from out-of-town to attend funeral services Tuesday afternoon for Earl Roger Woods were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Moorehead, Columbus, O.; Mr. and Mrs. L.W. Archer and daughters, Benton Harbor; Mr.and Mrs. George Woods, New Buffalo; Mr. and Mrs. O.H. Halmeren and daughters, Elgin, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seigel, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hart, Shelby, O.; Mr. and Mrs. O.J. Kenton, Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Kenton, Mr. and Mrs. Glen Swaim, and Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Woods, Buchanan; and Mr.and Mrs. Eliart Zimmerman and Mr. and Mrs. William Zimmerman, Bristol, Ind.

HATTIE A. HESS
abt 1866-Aug. 1, 1937

MRS. HATTIE HESS, MOTHER OF 11, DIES

Prominent Church Worker Succumbs to Five-Year Illness Sunday

Mrs. Hattie A. Hess, 66, mother of 11 children, died at 8:30 o'clock Sunday morning in her home, 915 North Third Street. Mrs. Hess had been in ill health for the past five years, but her condition was not considered serious until six months ago.

She had lived in Niles almost her entire life, having moved here with her parents at the age of two from Saxony, Germany. She was married April 15, 1891, to Richard W. Hess by the late Rev. Rahn in St. John's Evangelical church.

Besides her husband, she leaves four sons, Arthur F., Edward P. and Melvin, all of Niles; Clarence J, Marshall, and William K., Kalamazoo; one daughter, Miss Minnie Hess, Niles; two sisters, Mrs. Adam Kinsel, Three Oaks, and Mrs. Mary Dittmer, Buchanan; a half-brother, Charles Schauber, Niles, and four grandchildren.

Two daughters, Mrs. Hattie Peterson, and Mrs. Esther Kosin, and three sons, Leo, Carl and Harold, preceded their mother in death.

Mrs. Hess was an active member of St. John's Evangelical church and its Ladies' Aid society.

Funeral services will be held in the church at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon with the Rev. Theo Eisen officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

The body will lie in state at the church from 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon until the hour of the funeral .

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 2, 1937, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Joseph S. Tuttle
May 20, 1827-June 24, 1921

Niles Daily Star-Sun, Friday, June 24, 1921, page 1, col. 6-7, microfilm Niles District Library

JOSEPH S. TUTTLE

JOSEPH S. TUTTLE, aged 94, oldest business man in years of service in Niles, having for many years engaged in buying and selling hides and furs, in addition to other interests, passed peacefully away at about 8:30 o'clock this morning at the beautiful, vine-clad home he loved so well, 507 Main street.  Mr. Tuttle underwent a major operation a few weeks ago, as a result of infection, which necessitated the amputation of his left leg above the knee, and the shock, coupled with the infirmities of old age, resulted in his demise. All during his last illness, Mr. Tuttle was hopeful and cheerful, despite his affliction and the last hour of his life was typical of its happiness. Throughout his long life his quiet humor was the continual bubble of joy. As a young man he felt that the church was an agency for helping people to more of life's abundance, and he wanted to help. For many years he taught a class in the Methodist Sunday school, and as the years rolled on and he acquired a beautiful home, which he surrounded with flowers, shrubbery, fish ponds, fountain etc. he used to delight in entertaining his class at this home, and there are some of his pupils living here today who, although aged and grey, recall that Mr. Tuttle taught them the Golden Rule.  The late John Dodge, multi-millionaire motor car manufacturer, was one of Mr. Tuttle's pupils who, when occasion offered about a year ago, paid "the debt immense of endless gratitude," by conferring upon his old Sunday school teacher, a life lease of the grand old home which, after many vicissitudes of fortune, was about to be lost to its owner. This rift in the clouds on a grey day threw a shaft of sunlight into the soul of the old teacher, now flaming in eager joy upon some other dawn; which well repaid him for that portion of his vigorous manhood which he devoted during the golden days of this activity to leading the children under this tutelage in the paths of righteousness.  Mr. Tuttle also served as a member of the board of education, the cause of education being dear to him.

This "grand old man" was born in the village of Northeast, Erie county, Pa., May 20, 1827. The ancestor of the American family of Tuttles was John Tuttle, who came to this country from Herfordshire, England, in the ship "Planter" in 1635, with his wife and four children, one of the latter settling in New Hampshire, another in New Haven and a third in New York. The coat of arms of the family is a hand holding flowers, and it is characteristic of the members of the Tuttle family to be fond of plants and flowers.

Members of the Tuttle family have served their country in various wars.  Joel Tuttle was in the Continental regiment; Lucius Tuttle as an ensign on duty at Fishkill in 1777; Timothy Tuttle, father of the subject of this sketch, served as a sergeant in the Revolutionary war and Jediah Tuttle was a sergeant at Ticonderoga.

The Tuttle family can boast of a sober, temperate lineage and Joseph S. Tuttle was of the original prohibition workers in this county.

Mr. Tuttle served a six-year apprenticeship in a tannery at Erie, Pa., and traveled by stage coach to Niles in 1848, about a year before the Michigan Central railroad was built through to NIles from the east. He was then 21 years old. In 1851, Mr. Tuttle embarked in the business of buying hides and furs. He said that game, including deer, was very plentiful hereabouts in thosr days, and there there were many otter in the St. Joseph river, which teemed with fish.

Mr. Tuttle recalled the immense tide of emigration which started westward through here at the time of the discovery of gold in California in 1848, and said that many of the gold-seeker came her to get shoes for their dogs, as the dogs could not cross the plains barefooted on account of the cactus.

Mr. Tuttle has been a great lover of fish culture, as previously stated, and the spacious grounds surrounding his home used to be dotted with ponds inhabited by trout, gold fish and members of other finny tribes.

There is not a man in business here today who was engaged in commercial pursuits when Mr. Tuttle started here.

Mr. Tuttle is survived by three daughters--Mrs. Anna Bigelow, Niles; Miss Ruth Tuttle, Chicago, and Mrs. V.C. Clealand of Minneapolis.

Mr. Tuttle was married twice. His first wife was Anna Maria Brown, a native of Pennsylvania. His second wife, and the mother of the three surviving daughters, was Miss Nancy Morehead, to whom he was married in 1870. She [was]also a native of Northeast, Pa.

The funeral services will be held at 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon from the residence, Rev. J.R.T. Lathrop, pastor of the Methodist church, will officiate.  Burial will occur at Silver Brook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star-Sun, Monday, June 27, 1921, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

CONSIGN TO EARTH REMAINS OF J.S. TUTTLE

Impressive Funeral Rites Performed at the Home at Sunset Hour, Typical of the Serene Close of a Long Life

"Sunset and evening star,
And after that the dark,
And may there be no sadness of farewell
When I embark"

Peculiarly appropriate was the sunset hour for the holding of the funeral services for the late Joseph S. Tuttle, which were conducted at the home at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon by Rev. Clarke S. Wheeler, pastor of the M.E. church of St. Joseph, who was for years a warm personal friend of the late Mr. Tuttle, and who took occasion to speak in commendation of the character and services of the deceased.

A quartette composed of Mrs. Rolfe Taylor, Gordon Bair, Mrs. C.A. Forburger and Dick Hamilton, sang Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar," and another of the Mr. Tuttle's favorites, entitled, "In the Cross of Christ I Glory."

Rev. J.R. T. Lathrop spoke feelingly of the public life of the deceased, and of his many noble attributes.

At the conclusion of the services the mortal remains of this grand old man were conveyed to their last resting place in Silver Brook cemetery, and "within their narrow cell forever laid."

The pallbearers were E.E. Woodford, Carmi R. Smith, F. Harrington, H.B. Laberteaux, Roy Koontz and A.D. Bartholomew.

Fred J. Dougan
June 8, 1863-July 7, 1897

OBITUARY

Fred J. Dougan died at the residence of his parents Mr. and Mrs. R.F. Dougan in West Niles, July 7, 1897. He was born in Niles June 8, 1863.  In November, 1878 he was employed as fireman in the Michigan Central railroad yards at Chicago; from there he went to firing on the Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan in 1882. In December, 1885, he was promoted to the position of engineer with the same company and remained in their employ until July, 1887, when he decided to go west and in August 1887, he went to work for the Atchison & Santa Fe railroad, and ran the construction train while they were building their road through the Indian Territory. From there he run from Spury to Englewood, Kansas, for the same company until his health began to fail and he went south in September, 1888, and commenced working for the Kansas City, Memphis & Burmingham railroad, and remained in their employ until December, 1896, when his health again failed him and the company gave him one year's leave of absence. Hoping he could regain his health he went to Denver, Colorado.  He seemed to improve for a time, but later began having hemorrhages, and losing strength, he decided to return home. He was home just eight weeks when death relieved him of his sufferings.

He was married May 20, 1885 to Miss Pearl Brown of Benton Harbor, Mich.  There were three children born to them, one of which died in March, 1893. He leaves a wife, a little daughter and an infant son; mother and father and two brothers to mourn his loss.

He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, a Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow and a member of the Ancient Eccenic[sic] Order, of Aberdeen, Mississippi.

Niles Weekly Mirror, Wednesday, July 21, 1897, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library