Mary L. Exner
Sept. 22, 1918-Jan. 11, 1941

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 11, 1941, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library


    Miss Mary Louise Exner, 22, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Exner, 921 Ferry street, died at 5:30 this morning in Pawating hosptial. Death ended an illness of four weeks.
    Miss Exner was a graduate of Niles High school in the class of 1937. She was also active in St. John's Evangelical church where she was confirmed in 1933, and where funeral services will be conducted Monday afternoon at 3.
    Friends of the family may call at the home tonight and Sunday and until noon Monday. [illegible] . . The Rev. Theo. Eisen will officiate.
    Miss Exner leaves besides her parents, two brothers and two sisters, Herman and Gerald, Niles; Mrs. Margaret Mott, Benton Harbor, and Mrs. Janet Zalai, Niles.
    She was born in Niles Sept. 22, 1918 and had spent all her life here.
Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 13, 1941, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


    Services for Miss Mary Louise Exner who died Saturday were conducted this afternoon at 3 in St. John's Evangelical church, of which she was a member.
    The Rev. Theo Eisen officiated and burial was in Silverbrook.
    Casket bearers were Arthur Beckman, John Buheker, Lester Wadel, Donald Whalen, Edward Dobrotka and Gerald Coffman.

Julia Flannery
Sept. 8, 1881-January 10, 1941


    Mrs. Julia Flannery, Route 4, South Bend, died Friday afternoon at 1  in St. Joseph hospital, South Bend, where she was taken for treatment two weeks ago.
    Mrs. Flannery, who is survived by her husband, James Flannery, was the mother of three Niles residents, Mrs. Edwin Port, Mrs. Harley Cole and Orval Flannery. She also leaves another son, Roy Flannery, Muskegon.  She was born in Fulton, Ind., Sept. 8, 1881.
    Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home where services will be conducted Monday afternoon at 3:30.  The Rev. Floyd W. Johnston, pastor of the First Baptist church, will officiate, Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 11, 1941, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Ambrose Mather
June 17, 1863-January 13, 1941

    Ambrose Mather, 77, last member of his family, died at 8;30 this morning at 524 Sycamore street after a week's illness.
    He was born in Niles, near Barron lake, June 17, 1863, and had lived all his life in and near Niles.  He was an employe of the Garden City Fan company for many years.
    Mr. Mather was married Sept. 21, 1887, to Miss Lizzie Miller, Buchanan. Mrs. Mather died June 14, 1939.
    Services will be conducted in the residence where the body will be taken tonight.  They will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2; 30, the Rev. G.W. Simon officiating.  Friends may call at the home Tuesday and Wednesday prior to the funeral.
    Burial will be in Silverbrook.

Source:  Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 13, 1941, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Elizabeth (Miller) Mather
abt. 1867-June 14, 1939


    Ill for the last three years, Mrs. Elizabeth Mather, wife of Ambrose Mather, 524 Sycamore street, died at 6:15 Wednesday night in her home. She was 72 years old.
    Born in Germany, Mrs. Mather came to the United States with her parents when she was six years old.  The family settled in Niles.
    Beside her husband she leaves a sister, Mrs. Ambrose Davis, Niles; also a brother, William Miller, Cudahy, Wis., There are no children.
    Mrs. Mather was an active member of the Presbyterian church and the Royal Neighbors.
    The body is at the Pifer funeral home, but will be removed to the Mather home tonight where friends may call.
    Services will be held in the home at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon with the Rev. Guy W. Simon officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
    Friends are asked to omit flowers.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 15, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library)

Leverett E. Mather
May 19-1832-Aug. 24, 1914

Niles Daily Sun, Tuesday, August 25, 1914, page 1, col. 6 &7, microfilm Niles District Library


    Leveritt E. Mather, a pioneer resident of Howard township, passed away last evening about 9;30 o'clock at his home three miles northeast of Niles on Lake street after a long illness from Bright's disease.
    Mr. Mather has been a familiar figure on the streets of Niles for many years, scarcely missing driving into Niles every day for many years.
    He was stricken with this last fatal illness July 26, and since that time he has been in bed and no hope at any time has been entertained for his recovery.
    Mr. Mather was born in Canton, Conn., May 19, 1832.  He was a direct descendant of Rev. Richard Mather, who came from England to America in 1635, the subject of his sketch being of the ninth generation of the descendants of this distinguished man.
    Cotton Mather, whose name became well known in history as a persecutor of alleged witches in Salem, Mass., was of the fifth generation of the same family.
    Mr. Mather had among his valuable papers an article written by a New England divine in which the actions of Cotton Mather were defended on the ground that he was honest in convictions concerning the reality of witchcraft.
    Mr. Mather and Miss Anna Stubblebeen of Philmont, N.Y., were married in New York, on July 27, 1854.  Two months later Mr.Mather brought his bride to Michigan and purchased the farm in Howard township where they continued to reside in contentment for the 60 years of their married life.  Mrs. Mather survives her husband.  She is 78 years of age.  Her health is in such a precarious condition that she scarcely realized the death of her husband.  The death of Mrs. Mather's mother, Mrs. Stupplebeen occurred recently, at the age of nearly 100 years.
    Mr. and Mrs. Mather were the parents of two children who survive them, Mrs. John Muffley of Kalamazoo and Ambrose Mather of Niles.  Mrs. Muffley has been in Niles since her father was stricken with the fatal illness.
    Mr. Mather was one of the earliest settlers of this section and he has often related how he cleared the ground for the log house which he erected for his first residence, and that from the site of his home there was no other land cleared for many miles due south from Niles.  He watched with interest the work of clearing the land about him for years until he lived to see some of the improved lands become among the best farms in the state.
    Mrs. Mather was highly esteemed in the community and his genial manner made him a welcome visitor at all times.  
    He has not been in good health for many years and suffered from a distressing affliction that often caused him when the death of some younger person occurred to express the wish that he might have been taken instead.. He was, however, uniformly cheerful and a great joker, despite his physical sufferings.
    The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon from the late residence. Rev. R.A. Wright of the Methodist church will officiate.

Niles Daily Sun, Wednesday, August 26, 1914, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

    The funeral services of L.E. Mather will be conducted at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the late residence on Lake street, three miles east of the city. Interment will occur in Silver Brook cemetery.

Ann Janette Mather
Feb. 26, 1837-July 18, 1912


    Mrs. Ann Janette Mather, aged 78 years, died Sunday morning about 2 o'clock at the home of her son, Ambrose Mather, 112 North Sixth street, where she has been for the past few months.  Her death was due to general debility attendant upon old age.
    Mrs. Mather was born in Philmont, N.Y., Feb. 26, 1837. She came to Michigan as a bride, she and her husband, the late L.E. Mather being amount the earliest residents of this section.  Mr. Mather built a home for his bride in Howard township after clearing the place himself. Until a few months ago Mrs. Mather had continued to reside in the old homestead.
    Mrs. Mather is survived by two children, the son, Ambrose Mather of Niles, and one daughter, Mrs. John Muffley, the wife of a Kalamazoo merchant.
    The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home of the son.  Mr. and Mrs. Mather were pioneer members of the Presbyterian church and are well remembered by the older inhabitants of the city for their faithful attendance upon the services for many years until ill health prevented.  Rev. W.J. Phelps, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will conduct the services. Interment will occur at silver Brook cemetery.
    The death of Mrs. Mather removes one of the splendid pioneers who enjoyed the respect and high esteem of all who knew her.

(Source:  Niles Daily Sun, Monday, July 19, 1915, page 4, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library)