James H. Ferris
Aug. 25, 1892-Aug. 6, 1956

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 7, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

James M. Ferris, 65, of [illegible], for many years owner and operator of his own printing company here, died at 1:15 p.m. Monday in his home following an illness of three years.

Ferris was born Aug. 25, 1892, in Lewistown, Ill., and came to Niles from Chicago in 1935. He was a member of the St. Joseph Valley Lodge No. 4 F. and A.M., the Knights Templar, Order of Eastern Star and White Shrine.

Surviving are: his wife, Hazel; a son, William C. Ferris, of Niles; a daughter, Mrs. Nadine Melberg, of LaGrange, Ill., and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with masonic rites at the graveside.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Clarence G. Finley
Nov. 6, 1874-May 1, 1943

CLARENCE FINLEY TAKEN BY DEATH

Clarence G. Finley, 68, of 1025 Lake street, a life-long resident of Niles, died Saturday afternoon at 4:35 in the Berrien county hospital after an illness of three weeks.

Born in Niles Nov. 6 1874, he was married here in 1897 to the former Ada Mitchell, who survives.

He also leaves eight children--Mrs. Anita Travick, Mrs. Esther Woodford, Mrs. Norma Taylor and Miss Marian Finley, Niles; Lieut. Clarence Finley, Jr. Camp Claiborne, La.; Seth Finley, Fort Benning, Ga.; and Homer and Lester Finley, both of Chicago.

Rites Wednesday

He is also survived by three brothers, Schuyler Finley, Niles; Garfield C. Finley, Wisconsin, and Herbert L. Finley, Inkster, Mich.; a sister, Mrs. Isabel Hill, Kalamazoo, and 10 grandchildren.

Friends may call in the Price and Kiger funeral home until noon Wednesday when the body will be taken to the Full Gospel Assembly church, to lie in state until the funeral at 3:30.

The Rev. Harry Barnett, pastor, will officiate with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

Thomas Fitzgerald
1797-March 25, 1855

Niles Republican, Saturday, March 31, 1855, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

DEATH OF THE HON. THOMAS FITZGERALD

It is with heart felt sorrow we announce the death of our fellow citizen, the Hon. Thomas Fitzgerald, who departed this life on Sunday evening last, at  9 o'clock at the age of 58 years. This melancholy event, sudden and unexpected, has cast a gloom over this community such as we seldom witness.  The Tuesday previous Dr. Meeker of LaPorte visited him and performed a surgical operation supposed to be of a simple character, but it proved fatal.  In relation to it we hear various rumors but we forbear comment.

General Fitzgerald has filled various stations of honor, the duties of which he has always discharged with honor to himself and justice to all. He was a true friend to men, honorable and high-minded and universally tried his earnest best to promote universal good. He has served his country upon the field of battle and in the Senate of the United States, and carried with him to his grave British lead being severely wounded in the battle of Emily's Lane. Whatever may have been his faults, the real man of charity is thrown over there and all who knew him are deeply saddened. Private burial on Wednesday at 11 o'clock, with Masonic honors.

St. Joseph Valley (Indiana) Register, Thursday, April 5, 1855, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

DEATHS: We notice in our recent exchanges, the death of Thomas Fitzgerald of Niles, W.M. Dunham, Mrs. J.E. Brooke, Miss Matilda Fuller, and Edgar Hawley of Plymouth, and Robert Graves of Warsaw.

Nathan Fitzgerald
July 7, 1883-Sept. 12, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 14, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

NATHAN FITZGERALD DIES; RITE TUESDAY

Nathan L. Fitzgerald, 60, Route 3, died Sunday night at 7 in Pawating hospital after a week's illness.

Born in Marshall county, Indiana, July 7, 1883, Mr. Fizgerald came to the Niles community in 1922. He last was employed as a fireman by the Simplicity Pattern company.

Surviving with his wife, Mrs. Emma Fitzgerald, are eight children--Harvey Fitzgerald, Mrs. Rose Hopper, Mrs. Mary Robbins and Mrs. Martha Wideman, all of Route 4; Cecil Fitzgerald, Berrien Springs; Mrs. Millie Houghteling, Warsaw, Ind., Charles Fitzgerald, Battle Creek,and Raymond Fitzgerald, serving in the army.

He also leaves two brothers, Charles and Harvey Fitzgerald, North Manchester, Ind.; a sister, Mrs. Olive Knox, Fort Wayne,and 10 grandchildren.

Friends may call in the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 2. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

John Fitzgerald
June 22, 1828-Dec. 12, 1920

Niles Daily Star-Sun, Monday, December 13, 1920, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

JOHN FITZGERALD, AGE 92, DEAD

Was Veteran of the Civil War; Born in Ireland; Funeral Tomorrow

John Fitzgerald, a resident of Niles for 27 years continuously, and a veteran of the Civil war, died Sunday night at 10 o'clock, at the home of his niece, Mrs. Louise Baker, 699 North Sixth street, at the advanced age of 92 years. In spite of the fact that Mr. Fitzgerald had long since passed the allotted span of three score and ten years, he was remarkably active until recently when he began to fail. His last illness was of about six days' duration. His death is attributed to Bright's disease.

The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the house and will be private. Rev. H.T. Scherer will conduct the services. Burial will occur at Silver Brook cemetery. Friends are requested to omit flowers. The services will be private because of the recent illness of Mrs. Baker.

Mr. Fitzgerald was born in Kilkenny county, Ireland, June 22, 1828. When he was 14 years of age he came to Albany, N.Y., where he resided until he was 25, when he came to Niles to live with his sister, Mrs. Isaac Johnson, mother of Mrs. Baker.  He later returned to New York and when the civil war broke out he enlisted in the First Artillery, and saw active service.  At the close of the war he went to Genesee, Idaho, where he engaged in the occupation of a miner for a number of years. Twenty-seven years ago he came to Niles.  Five years later his sister, Mrs. Johnson, died and since that time he had made his home with Mrs. Baker, who has faithfully discharged the task of caring for him in his declining years. He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Katherine Francis of Niles and by a number of nieces and nephews.

Since returning from the west, Mr. Fitzgerald had never engaged in ay active work. He was a member of Frank Graves' Post G.A.R.

Louis Baker, a grand nephew of the deceased, who is employed by the Western Electric company in New York, is expected home this evening and Mrs. Glen Sheliac of Columbia City, Ind., a niece of Mrs. Baker, arrived this afternoon to attend the funeral services.

John Fitzgerald
Nov. 18, 1802-Nov. 2, 1875

Niles Democrat, Saturday, November 6, 1875, page 3, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED

In this city, Nov. 2d, at the residence of his nephew, J.B. Fitzgerald, JOHN FITZGERALD, of St. Louis, Mo., aged 72 years, 11 months and 15 days.

Niles Democrat, Saturday, November 6, 1875, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

The funeral of Mr. John Fitzgerald took place from the residence of his nephew, J.B. Fitzgerald, in this city. Mr. F. came here from St. Louis, several months ago, with the hope of improving his health, which was much impaired, but the hope was vain, and his body now rests beneath the decaying autumn leaves in Silver Brook Cemetery. At one time he was prominently connected with large business enterprises in Missouri, and was a man of fine address, agreeable manners, and very gentlemanly bearing.  He was 72 years of age.