George L. Faurote
Sept. 22, 1855-Sept. 27, 1935

Niles Daily Star, Friday, September 27, 1935, page 1, col. 6, cont. page 2, microfilm Niles District Library

GEORGE L. FAUROTE, BORN IN BERRIEN CO. 80 YEARS AGO, DIES

Widely Known Mary Years for Banking and Business Activity

George L. Faurote died at his home on south fifth street this morning, less than a week after he had rallied from a long and serious illness to greet his family an friends on his 80th birthday.

Flowers that had been brought to brighten his rooms on his birthday anniversary brought hope and courage to the invalid during his last hours.  They remained as reminder of his friends, several of whom were with him when the end came.

Summoned to his bedside earlier in the week when Mr. Faurote's condition became grave, his son, Guy,and grandson, Robert, of Detroit, arrived Tuesday and have been here since that time. Another son, Fay L.  of Long Island, is expected at the family home later this week.

Born at Dayton

Mr. Faurote was born in Berrien county Sept. 22, 1855, in Dayton township.  He was widely known throughout the county and had long been a prominent figure in business and banking circles here.  In his early life he taught school in Hamilton township, Indiana, and except for the nine years as an educator, his entire life had been spent in this county.  

In 1893, he left the farm which he had owned and operated near the Brandywine creek and opened a grocery store at Grant street and St. Joseph avenue.  After 12 years in the commercial filed he entered the Niles City bank in 1905.  In 1907, he was elected cashier. He retired from active business life when he left the bank in 1922.

Son's Death Shock

Two tragedies clouded his later years, the death of his wife, Emma Stryker Faurote, Dec. 2, 1915, and the sudden death of his son, Ivo, in Detroit, Feb. 14, 1934.  Friends of Mr. Faurote say that he never recovered from the shock of his son's death, which marked the gradual decline and illness that resulted in his death.

The Faurotes were among the first settlers in the St. Joseph valley. Nathan Faurote, the father of George Faurote, come with his parents in the early part of the last century to clear land in the Terre Coupe prairie, Ind., for his home.

The family later moved to Berrien Where George Faurote was born and where the family has been prominent in the life of the county and city.

Services will be held at the Price and Kiger funeral home.  The hour of he service has not been arranged.  The rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, of which Mr. Faurote was a member, will officiate.  Friends of the family may call at the Price and Kiger chapel until the hour of the funeral.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, September 28, 1935, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

George Faurote Rites Monday at 2 O'clock

Funeral services for George L. Faurote, who died Friday morning at the family home, 228 South Fifth street, will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock (CST) in the Price and Kiger funeral home.

The Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, of which Mr. Faurote was a member, will conduct the service at the chapel and at Silverbrook cemetery where Mr. Faurote will be buried.

Two sons, Guy C. Faurote, of Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, and Fay L. Faurote, of Garden city, Long Island, N.Y., and his grandson, Robert Faurote of Detroit, are in Niles.  Each of th three members of the family was accompanied by his wife. Several other relatives and friends from Michigan and Indiana are expected here Monday.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 30, 1935, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

George Faurote Rites Held Today

Old friends and former business associates of George L. Faurote were pallbearers at his funeral services in the Price and Kiger funeral home this afternoon at 2 o'clock.

The active bearers were Byron Weatherby, William Sortore, Fred R. Eaglesfield, Roy Rice, Thomas Can and Edwin J. Donahue.

Honorary bearers were Harry Mansfield, F.E. Powell, John Renner, Harry L. fox, F.F. Kompass and Matthew Stoll.

The Rev. Harry l. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, officiated and burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Richard Lester Johnson
Jan. 9, 1889-Sept. 8, 1935

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 9, 1935, page 1, col. 6, cont. page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

RICHARD L. JOHNSON

KILLED BY BIG FOUR

TRAIN AT FRONT ST.

Victim a Relief Client; Leaves

Widow and Six Children;

Funeral Tuesday

The mangled body of Richard Lester Johnson, 46, of 1310 North Fifth street, was found early Sunday morning lying near the Big Four tracks on Front street, just north of the crossing.  It had been dragged about 280 feet, apparently by a train that passed through Niles, south bound, about 2 o'clock in the morning. The head was toward the north, which led investigators to believe the body had been struck by the south-bound train.

The victim was accidentally killed while walking or lying on the Big Four tracks, was the verdict of the coroner's jury called by Justice Charles E. Warner, acting coroner. The railroad and train crew were exonerated of all blame in the accident.

Found Early Sunday

Mr. Johnson's body was found on the tracks Sunday morning about 6 o'clock by John Beckner, 810 Howard street, and Frank Patterson, R. @, Niles.  It was discovered just north of the crossing on Front street as the two stopped at the tracks as they were going west on Wayne street.  The headlights of the car revealed the body.  The two got out of the car, examined the body and immediately notified Police Officer Solloway.  The latter called the Rutherford ambulance and the body was taken to the funeral home.  Johnson was a relief client.

Testifying at the inquest were Mr. Beckner, Mr. Patterson, C.R. Kelley, Elkhart, engineer on the Big Four freight train that passed through Niles at 12:45 Sunday morning, Clyde Herrick, Elkhart engineer; L.C. Miller Elkhart, fireman; W.L. Fleshwood,

(Continued on Page Two) Indianapolis, brakeman; B.E. Smith Anderson, Ind., flagman; Curtis Johnson, brother of the dead man, ad Police Officer Solloway.

Crew Testifies

Members of the train crew called at the inquest testified that any object on the track would have been plainly  visible, that th train could not possibly have run down the victim. The gave as their opinion that the man might have been sitting in the grass at the side of the track, that he may have been asleep and when the whistle blew, he awakened, staggered into the side of the train and was thrown under the wheels.

All opinions were conjectures and were not given as proofs of the cause of death. All agreed, however, that one or more of the trainmen would have seen Mr. Johnson had he been on the track ahead of the train.

Curtis Johnson, brother of the dead man, admitted the Mr. Johnson was a drinking man but said that he talked with a friend who had seen his brother at 12:10 Sunday morning and at that time there was no indication of his having been intoxicated.  He said that his brother always followed the path on which he had started when on his way home.

The watch belonging to the dead man had stopped at 11:15 Central Standard time.

Lived Here 7 Years

Mr. Johnson was 46 years old, and had lived in Niles seven years. He . .[illegible] . . He was born in Flat Rock, Ill., and was married in Soals, Ind., to Maude Truelove.

His widow and six children survive:  Mrs. Elsie Smith,  Crown Point, Ind., Clarence, Raymond, Calelah, Delbert and Chrisina, all at home. He leaves two brothers, Curtis and Emory, both of Niles, and two sisters, Mrs. Claude Hert, Vincennes, Ind., and Mrs. Della Walls, Burns City, Ind.

The body is at the Rutherford funeral home.  Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home.

Note:  DOB from Michigan Death record

Elizabeth Bauer
Jan. 25, 1952-Jan. 25, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 26, 1952; page 2, col. 2, microfilm, Niles District Library from K. Alton

A daughter, named Elizabeth, was still-born at 9:11 p.m. Friday at Pawating hospital to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bauer, Jr., of rural route one.

Surviving besides the parents are a paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bauer, Sr., of Dowagiac, and the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dehm, of Niles.

Committal service were to be held at 3 p.m. today at Silverbrook cemetery with the Rev. L George Beacock, Methodist pastor, officiating.

Alma Bishop
1876-March 7, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 8, 1952; page 2, col. 6, microfilm, Niles District Library from K. Alton

Mrs. Alma Bishop, 76, of Cassopolis died Friday afternoon at her home here.  She came to Cassopolis 40 years ago from Vandalia.

She is survived by two brothers, Robert Moody, of Niles; Arthur Moody, of Rockford, Ill., and a sister, Mrs. Elmer Cochran, also of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Connelly funeral home with the Rev. Albert R. Mandigo, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery in Niles.

Amelia Brautigan
April 21, 1870-Nov. 14, 1935

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 14, 1935, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Brief Illness Fatal To Mrs. A. Brautigan

Mrs. Amelia Brautigan, wife of Alois Brautigan, Route 1, Niles, died early this morning at her home near here. Her death followed a brief illness. Mrs. Brautigan was 65 years old.

Mrs. Brautigan was born in Chicago, April 21, 1870, and had lived on the farm near Niles for about 12 years. She is survived by her husband, three brothers, Victor Schacht, Niles, and Bert and George Schacht, Chicago, and two sisters, Mrs. [illegible] and Mrs. Elizabeth Steubenrock, Chicago.

Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Price and Kiger funeral home.  William Putnam will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

B. F. Brottom
May 7, 1875-May 26, 1951

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 28, 1951; page 2, col. 5, microfilm, Niles District Library from K. Alton

Benjamin F. Brottom, 1315 Front avenue, Grand Rapids, died at 2 a.m. Saturday in the Osteopathic hospital at Grand Rapids.  He had been ill for one year.

Surviving are his widow, Lulu, of Grand Rapids; their children, Thurman Brottom, of Niles, Olaf Brottom, of Elkhart, Miss Marie Brottom, of New York City, and Miss Dorothy Brottom, of South Bend, and two grandchildren.

Brottom was born on May 7, 1875, in Harrisburg, Ill., and came to Niles in 1918 from Illinois.  He (illegilble) years before moving to Grand Rapids about five years ago.  He was a retired railroad boilermaker.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until noon on Tuesday, when the body will be taken to Mt. Calvary Baptist church.  Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. R. B. Alexander, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Note:  Name is spelled Brotton in city records.