Obituaries

We now have over 7,000 obituaries collected about the interred here at Silverbrook Cemetery.

The obituaries are transcribed by the volunteers of the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery from various sources.  If you see an opportunity for an addition or a correction, please email our obituary editor at obits@friendsofsilverbrook.org.

Roskay, Jennie M. (Weiser)

Jennie M. Roskay
1880-Dec. 22, 1937


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, December 23, 1937, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

LONG ILLNESS FATAL TO MRS. C.A. ROSKAY

Wife of Niles Dairyman Was Lifelong Resident of Niles

 

Mrs. Jennie M. Roskay, 57, wife of Charles a. Roskay, Niles dairyman, died at her home, 519 Union street, at 5:15 o'clock Wednesday night. She had been seriously ill for the past four months.

Her body will lie in state at the Roskay home until Friday noon when it will be removed to the Turner and Pifer funeral home. Services will be conducted in the funeral home at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon with the Rev. Guy W. Simon of the First Presbyterian church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Known as "Aunt Jennie," Mrs. Roskay was popular among the children of her neighborhood. She was a member of the Maccabees and prior to her illness was active in work of the lodge.

The daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Weiser, she was born in Bertrand township and spent her entire life in and near Niles. She was married to Mr. Roskay in 1901.

Beside her husband, she leaves one son, Leland, Niles aviator; also one sister, Mrs. Mary Haskell, Chicago Heights, and three brothers, Willliam, Jacob and Edward Weiser, all of Niles.


Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 24, 1937, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ROSKAY RITES

The Rev. Guy W. Simon conducted funeral services at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon in the Turner and Pifer funeral home for Mrs. Jennie Roskay, 57. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Lawrence Abbott, Tracy Dickey, Frank Martin, and Leo, Claude and Homer Weiser served as pallbearers. Mrs. Roskay died Wednesday night at her home following an extended illness.

 

Duffy, Joseph L.

Joseph L. Duffy
Died June 4, 1910


Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 6, 1910, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Joseph L. Duffy died this morning at Kankakee, Ill. The remains will arrive here tomorrow and will lie in state at the undertaking parlors of H.E. Price until Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock,when interment will take place at Silver Brook cemetery. The deceased was a nephew of Frank Langston.

Walling, Jane (Lacey)

Jane Lacey Walling
March 17, 1803-Jan. 20, 1875


Niles Republican, Thursday, January 21, 1875, page 3 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Jane Lacey Walling, widow of the late Samuel B. Walling, died at the residence of her brother, David Lacey, Esq., yesterday morning, aged 72 years. Mrs. Walling was born in Loudon county, Virginia, March 17, 1803. Her parents moved to Ohio when she was an infant, and in 1820 removed to Richmond, Indiana.  On the 24th of August, 1826, she was married to Samuel B. Walling, and in October of 1828, they came to Niles, then little if anything short of a wilderness. Mr. Walling died in the winter of 1830-31. At the time of her death, Mrs. Walling was the oldest resident of Niles. She lived here over forty-six years, and has been an eyewitness to each successive development of the progress of this City and its surrounding country.

Pratt, Sylvester M.

Sylvester M. Pratt
abt. 1828-Jan. 20, 1875


Niles Republican, Thursday, January 28, 1875, page 3 col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED

PRATT--In Kalamazoo, on the 20th instant, Sylvester M. Pratt, of this City, aged 46 years.

Galbreath, Leroy

Leroy Galbreath*
March 30, 1882-June 5, 1910


Niles Daily Sun, Monday, June 6, 1910, Page  1, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

ROY GALBRAITH SHOT DEAD BY HIS BROTHER

Sunday Morning Tragedy was Purely Accidental

____


IN SLAIN MAN'S HOME


Victor Galbraith Did Not Know Gun Was Loaded

 

Leroy Galbraith, night watchman for several months at the National Wire Co., factory was accidentally shot and killed Sunday morning about 8 o'clock by his younger brother, Victor.

The tragedy occurred at the home of Leroy Galbraith on Lake street, near the home of Supervisor James Babcock.

The shooting, which was purely accidental, was done with a 38 -caliber automatic revolver belonging to Clete Forest, which the latter had loaned to the slain man.

Galbraith had a revolver of his own and it was the practice to empty the weapon of cartridges while in his own home as a precaution against such accidents as that which occurred with such tragic results.

The younger brother was not up when Leroy arrived home from his night's work and when he arose the new revolver became a subject for conversation and Victor picked it up to more critically examine it.

He took it for granted the weapon was empty and stepping over to the door to get a better light  he pulled the trigger to snap it and the report that rang out followed by a cry of pain from his brother who was standing close by consummated the tragedy that plunged the home of the Galbraiths into the depths of sorrow in the twinkling of an eye.

"You have shot me." Leroy cried out to his brother, and then addressing his wife who was close by her husband he tried to reassure her that his injury was slight and that she should not be alarmed, but turning he walked out through the door as if dazed and would have fallen to the ground outside had not his brother and his wife rushed to to his side as they instantly seemed to realize that Leroy was more seriously injured than he would have them believe.

The wounded man bled profusely and died within five or ten minutes after he was shot and before a physician could be summoned or anything could be done to stanch the flow of his life's blood.

Dr. Baldwin was called and was quickly on the ground but poor Galbraith was past all surgical aid long before the Doctor arrived.

The shot entered the left breast about two inches above the nipple and in its passage through the body is supposed to have severed an artery over the heart which cause profuse hemorrhage.

The ball lodged in the back and no effort was made to extract it.

The dead man was about 28 years of age and besides his young wife leaves two small children.

The Galbraiths are recent comers to Niles from Tennessee, the father having bought the house in which the tragedy occurred and later sold it to the sons who lived together. The younger son is not married and made his home with his brother.

The elder Galbraith and the younger son are employes of the Garden City Fan Co.

 

Insurance not in Force

 

The slain man had just recently made application for insurance in both the New Era Association and the Modern Woodmen, but in neither case had matters progressed far enough to make the insurance available for the widow or children.

In the case of the Modern Woodmen his application had been filed, his physical examination had been made and approved and it only remained for the local camp to pass upon the same and for the candidate to take the customary obligation of the order  to give his insurance full force. The dead man's papers were all ready for this part of the proceedings last Wednesday, but he called up the officers and stated that he would not appear to take the obligation that evening, because his brother had concluded to also join the order, and he would wait and both would go in at the same time.

The younger brother took his examination on Saturday and it is a singular fact that just about the time that the fatal shooting occurred H.E. Price, Clerk of the local camp, mailed the application of Victor Galbraith at the Niles post office. It was expected that these would be returned so that the brothers could have taken obligation on Wednesday evening of next week

The funeral of the unfortunate man will be held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock from the late residence.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 6, 1910, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

LEROY GALBREATH ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

DIED IN WIFE'S ARMS 10 MINUTES AFTERWARDS

BROTHER DID THE SHOOTING

Was Nightwatch at National Wire Cloth--Brothers Were Fooling With Weapons

 

Leroy Galbreath, 28 years old, of east Lake street, was accidentally shot and killed at his home yesterday morning about eight o'clock by his brother, Victor.  The bullet was from a 32 caliber revolver and entered the body just above the left breast. Mr. Galbreath lived but ten minutes.

The deceased had worked at the National Wire Cloth factory as night watch for several months. During this time he had in his possession a small model Hopkins and Allen 32 caliber revolver. For several weeks he had tried to make a trade with Clete Forest who had the same make of a revolver only a larger model. Saturday a temporary trade was made and Sunday morning Galbreath took the weapon home with him.

His brother, Victor, an 18 years old boy, has been living with Leroy Galbreath and his wife on east Lake street since February. He was employed in the foundry at the Garden City Fan factory. He had a 32 caliber revolver of the same make as his brother's and when his brother came home yesterday morning they went into the kitchen to clean the revolvers. Victor had his finished before Leroy and must have filled the chamber with cartridges, although no one in the house at the time saw him, after which he went into the front room. Victor soon followed with his revolver which he left empty.

In the front room the boys engaged in a friendly conversation as to the working order of the revolvers, Leroy remarking that his worked with ease after the good oiling, but said nothing about it being loaded. Victor asked him for it and at the same time put both in his belt saying, "I guess I will go down and show them to mother, " the latter living several doors west of Leroy Galbreath's home. With these words he pulled the guns out of his belt and stuck them straight out. He was apparently doing this for effect. Not knowing his brother's revolver was loaded he snapped them both. The discharge was thought at first to have gone through the window so said the mother of the deceased man today.  But at this moment the wounded man said, "Victor you have shot me but I guess it won't hurt much." His wife sprang to him and placing her arms around him helped him out doors into the yard where they walked about for a few minutes, while Victor ran down the road to the James Babcock farm to telephone for a physician. Before Victor had returned his brother died in the arms of his wife.

Coroner Platt was called to the scene but no jury was impaneled as it was not necessary to see that the affair was accidental.

Victor, who did the shooting is almost prostrated over the affair and is in the care of a physician as it is thought he will lose his mind. The boys had been the best of friends, never having a cross word.

The deceased came here from Franklin county, Tenn., last October. He worked on the Plym residence for a while and then received employment at the National Wire Cloth.  About this time his wife and two children arrived from Tennessee and they went to home of the deceased man's mother, Mrs. O.B. Galbreath. Later the mother moved on west Lake street where she now lives. Victor, who had been living with his mother before his brother's arrival, took up his residence with his brother.

Besides a wife and two children, a girl four years old and a boy seven, the deceased is survived by a mother and father, three brothers and two sisters. All are living in Niles with the exception of one sister, who lives in Lacota, Mich. Funeral announcement later.



*Niles Daily Sun account refers to both brothers as "Galbraith". However, Death record, cemetery record and Niles Daily Star account all spell the name "Galbreath."

 

Griffith, Effie

Effie Griffith
1857-Dec. 23, 1937


Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 24, 1937, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

FORMER RESIDENT DIES

Miss Effie Griffith, 80, former resident, died Thursday in Ann Arbor, according to word received here today. She is a cousin of Dr. E.R. Butts, Charles Butts, Frank Butts, Mrs. John Young and Mrs. Dewey Annis, all of Niles. Her body will be brought to Niles Monday  for burial in Silverbrook cemetery at 1 o'clock.

Camp, Donald C.

Dr. Donald Camp, 87
May 30, 1924 — Feb. 16, 2012

Niles Daily Star, Published online 6:16pm Friday, February 17, 2012

Camp

Dr. Donald C. Camp, M.D., 87, of Barrett Street, Niles, died at 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles, following a brief illness.

He was born May 30, 1924, in Ypsilanti, Mich., to Cyrus T. and Bertha (Horton) Camp, and graduated from Ypsilanti High School. He served in the United States Navy, returning as a veteran of World War II. He then completed his education, earning a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan and his doctorate from the University of Michigan Medical School. He lived in Niles since 1958, maintaining a practice as a general surgeon.

Dr. Camp was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Niles, and a member and past state president of the American College of Surgeons. He served the community as a licensed pilot on the Niles Airport Board, and as an active member of the YMCA, helping establish the building on West Main Street, where he was a lifelong swimmer. He and Mrs. Camp also owned and operated The Barrett Place Bed and Breakfast.

Dr. Camp pursued several other interests, including amateur radio operation in Morse Code, with the call sign “W8UES;” sailing on the northern Great Lakes; and calling square dances. He also had a great interest in music, and could play many popular tunes by ear on the keyboard.

On April 4, 1952, in Ypsilanti, he married the former Mary M. Troub, who preceded him in death this past Aug. 27.

Surviving family includes their children, Don F. (Rachelle Howe) Camp, of Grand Haven, Mich., Mary Beth Camp, Ph.D., of Bloomington, Ind., Jim (Maryanne) Camp, of West Bloomfield, Mich., and Bill (Vicki) Camp, of Chicago; grandchildren, Kevin (Ann) Camp, Shannon (Joel) Billau, D.O., and Krista (Eric) Thigpen; great-grandchildren, Amari and Alexi; Kevin and Shannon’s mother, Cindy L. Camp; and Dr. Champ’s sister, Ellen Gingrich, of Fort Wayne, Ind.

The funeral service for Dr. Donald Camp will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, at Wesley United Methodist Church, Niles, with the Rev. Edward H. Slate of the church officiating, and will conclude with the veteran’s flag presentation by the United States Navy Honor Guard.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Dr. Camp may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church of the Niles-Buchanan YMCA.