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.

Patrick Dennis Culp
Feb. 8, 1943-July 6, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 7, 1950, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES BOY, AGE 7, SUFFOCATES IN FIRE

Patrick Culp Is Unable to Escape Blazing House

Digging Prevents Mother From Saving Son in Rear Bedroom of Home

A seven-year-old Niles boy died late last night shortly after he was removed from the smoke-filled bedroom of a blazing home.

The victim was Patrick Dennis Culp, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Culp, 989 South Fourteenth street. He died en route to Pawating hospital. Death was attributed by Coroner William Pifer to carbon-monoxide poisoning.

The boy's mother, who had been asleep in the front part of the house, escaped from the fire but was unable to rescue her son because of a trench that circled the house. The trench apparently had been dug to permit repairs on the foundation of the house.

[Illegible]  . .of the fire and a third son is serving with the army in Texas.

Damage to the six-room bungalow was estimated at $3,000. Cause of the fire has not been determined.

Niles firemen received the alarm at 11:35 and found the house virtually enveloped in flames. Capt. James Robbins bridged the trench and broke in the bedroom window to removed the trapped boy.  Robbins said the boy's position indicated he had attempted to escape through the window but had been overcome.

Pet Dog Also Suffocates

The boy's pet dog also died from suffocation and was found in the bedroom.

The fire was brought under control quickly but the small home was gutted almost completely.

Survivors, in addition to the parents, are two brothers, Walter, of Niles, and David, Camp Hood, Tex., and the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hartman and Mrs. Melroy Culp, all of Niles.

The boy was born Feb. 8, 1943, in Niles, and lived his entire life here. He attended the second grade at Southside school.  Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where the Rev. Theo Eisen will conduct services at 2 p.m.

The death of the Culp boy was the second life lost in Niles in two

Monday. Burial will be in Silver-

William Abshire, 52, Three Riv-

days from fire.

ers, died of carbon monoxide fumes early Wednesday morning at the Broadway Apartment house, 501 Broadway, where flames destroy two downstairs bedrooms and caused an estimiated $5,000 damage.

Note the last paragraph is scrambled in the original.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 8, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

CULP RITES MONDAY

Services for Patrick Dennis Culp, son of Mr.and Mrs. Lewis Culp, 989 South Fourteenth street, who died in the fire at his home late Thursday night, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Pifer funeral home.

The Rev. Theo. Eisen, retired pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, will conduct the service. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home this weekend.

Edward Richard Demske
Nov. 13, 1899-July 1, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 3, 1950, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Rites for Edward Richard Demske, rural route five, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the New Apostolic church by the Rev. Hugh Lee, pastor, and the Rev. Fred W. Busse, of South Bend.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until 2 p.m. Wednesday, when the body will be removed to the church.

Surviving Demske, who died at . . .[illegible] . . .Bend, his wife, Freida; two children, Paul and Edward; two brothers, William, of Detroit, and George, a member fo the FBI, who is stationed in Germany, and two sisters, Mrs. Harry Krueger and Mrs. Margaret McFadden, both of Detroit.

Demske, who was born in Detroit  on Nov. 13, 1899, came here from South Bend last fall. He was employed by the Studebaker corporation in South Bend, and is a member of the New Apostolic church.

Mary Ellen Evers
Nov. 27, 1884-July 14, 1950

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

Mrs. Mary Ellen Evers, 65, of 919 North Fourth street, died at 1 a.m. today in her home after a two weeks' illness

Born Nov. 27, 1884, in Des Moines, Iowa, Mrs. Evers came to Niles in 1918 from Chicago.  Her husband, Frank, died in 1941. She was a member of the Pythian Sisters, Order of the Eastern Star, and Mothers of World War II.

Surviving are five sons, Robert Burch, Norman Burch, George Burch and Gordon Burch, all of Niles, and Charles Burch, of Prescott, Ariz.; a daughter, Mrs. Clifford Stanley, of Niles; a brother, C.H. Innis, and two sisters, Miss Ada Innis and Mrs. Lottie Townsend, all of Chicago.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home, where the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe will conduct services at 2 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.