Obituaries

Chester Powell
Sept. 7, 1877-July 18, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 20, 1953, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Chester Powell,  Niles, died at 6:55 p.m. Saturday at Kalamazoo, where he had been ill for three years.

Surviving are his wife, Alta, Niles; one son, William Powell, of Kalamazoo; a daughter, Mrs. Elden Simpson, of Barrington, Ill., and one sister, Mrs. J.A. Hamilton, Baltimore, Md.

He was born on Sept. 7, 1877, in Jefferston County, O., and came here from Bristol, Ind., in 1919.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Rev. L.George Beacock will officiate, and the Elks will have charge of the committal service at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Edward Arthur Pulver
Sept. 28, 1899-May 23, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 24, 1947, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Edward Arthur Pulver, 74, of rural route two, died yesterday at 3:30 p.m. at his home, where he had been in poor health for seven years.

He is survived by his wife, Anna, whom he married Sept. 12, 1931, in Mishawaka, Ind. Born in New York City, Sept. 28, 1899, he came here from Kansas City, Mo., 17 years ago. He was a veteran of World War I.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted Monday at 2 pm. by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe.  Military rites will be conducted at Silverbrook cemetery, where burial will be.

Alice Howland Quimby
Feb. 7, 1877-May 26, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 26, 1947, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Miss Alice Howland Quimby, 70, of 621 East Main street, died this morning at 12:10 am. in Pawating hospital, where she had been ill since May 5.

Born Feb. 7, 1877, she came here from . . .[illegible] . .years ago and has made her home here since. She was a member of the First Presbyterian church and of the Order of Eastern Star.

Surviving are three cousins, George Dougan, of Berien Springs, and Mrs. Ollie Blackmond and Mrs. Fred Fox, both of Dowagaic.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home where the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe will conduct services on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

John A. Soule
May 15, 1889-May 25, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 26, 1947, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

John A. Soule, 58, retired Niles groceryman, succumbed on Sunday at 10 p.m. at his home, 707 North Fourth street, where he had been ill for several months.

He was born here on May 15, 1889, and spent his entire life in the city. For many years until his retirement  he operated a grocery store, A bachelor, he is survived by one sister, Mrs. Harry Saunders, of Niles. He was a member of the Niles Elks lodge.

The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe will conducted service on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Pifer funeral home.  Interment in Silverbrook cemetery will follow the rites.   Friends may call at the funeral home until the hour of services.

Robert E. Steele
May 27, 1920-July 18, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 20, 1953, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Robert E. Steele, 1737 Ferry street, was found dead at 8:20 p.m. Saturday in the garage of their home at 1737 Ferry street by his wife.

He was found hanging from the rafter of the garage, and the County Coroner Franklyn G. Rice, of Niles, said death was due to intentional strangulation. He was called to the scene by local policemen.

Surviving are his father, Vern Steele, of Niles; his wife, Ella Mae Steele, and two children, Robert Theodore and Chyrel Kay, both at home.

Steele was born on May 27, 1920, in Elkhart, Ind., and had lived here almost all of his life. He was a salesman for the Gilbert's Clothing store in South Bend.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 4 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. Kenneth Bateman of the  Church of the Nazarene, South Cemetery. Bend. [sic}  Burial will be in Silverbrook.

Abigail Cooper Rowley
Oct. 19, 1796-May 22, 1866

Niles Weekly Times, Thursday, May 31, 1866, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

OBITUARY

DIED- in this city, on Tuesday, May 22d, 1866, at one o'clock P.M., after a short illness, ABIGAIL COOPER ROWLEY, wife of Silas Rowley, Esq, aged sixty nine years, seven months, and three days.

The deceased was born in Shoreham, Addison County, Vermont, on the 19th day of October, 1796.  She was the daughter of Jonathan and Mary Cooper.  Her great-grandfather on her father's side was one of three brothers who emigrated from England to this country, from whom also descended James Fenimore Cooper, the distinguished author, and Peter Cooper, the eminent philanthopist[sic] and founder of the Cooper Institute in New York. She became a young lady of great personal attractions, and retained traces of early beauty to the day of her death. At the age of twenty she was married to Silas Rowley, also of Shoreham, with whom she lived an affectionate and happy life for nearly fifty years.  Four sons and three daughters were born to them--all of whom, except one daughter, survive her, and are themselves married and gone from their parental home.  Some years after her marriage, she made a public profession of her faith in Christianity, uniting with the Congregational Church in her native town. Through the remainder of her long life she exemplified the high and holy principles of her religion, living without reproach in all her relations as wife, mother and friend, as member of the church and of society. Quiet, modest, and undemonstrative, she did not live to be spoken of for her devotion, but looked to the rewards of eternity alone. In her daily walk and conversation  she was ever a faithful witness for her Lord, and truly died one of the "Mother's in Israel."

In June, 1857, Mrs. Rowley came with her husband to Niles to join other members of the family already here, where she has since resided. For a number of years she had been afflicted with heart and lung disease, but bore up under her sufferings with a fortitude and  Christian patience and resignation beautiful to see.--Her indomitable will long refused to permit her bodily ailments to triumph, and she continued her visits to relatives until the week before her death. Only three days before her final summons came she gave way and took to her bed, calmly and peacefully awaiting the coming of the death angel. And so her fearless spirit bade farewell to earth, swallowing up death in victory, and giving the best assurance of a glorified Immortality. On a bright spring afternoon, the Thursday following her death, her funeral took place, thirty relatives (among them but one who bore her family name) surrounding her coffin.  The services were conducted by the Rev. T. Dwight Hunt, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, who delivered an address of much impressiveness and beauty.  A long procession accompanied her remains to their resting place in the Silver Brook Cemetery, near this city.