Obituaries

James B. Messler
1840-July 22, 1892

Niles Mirror, Wednesday, July 27, 1892, page 5, col. 5, same as Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 22, 1892, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED FROM SUNSTROKE

Jas. B. Messler Slips from a Straw Stack and Dies Shortly After

From the Daily Star of Friday.

Yesterday the threshers were busy at Chas. Linsemaier's about three miles north of this city, and the heat was very oppressive. Jas. B. Messler, a resident of West Niles, was among the number who were helping. He was working on the straw stack and about 11 o'clock began complaining of the heat, but nothing was thought of it, and he kept at his post.  In the afternoon he acted rather strange, but those who saw him thought he was fooling.  At 6 o'clock the men quit work in order to eat their supper. Messler slipped down from the stack and started with the rest, but staggered and fell.  He was picked up and carried to the house, where stimulants were given but all all efforts to bring him to his senses proved fruitless, and he expired in a few minutes.

Coroner Barron, of this city, was sent for and he quickly responded. A jury was impanelled and an inquest was held late last evening.  The jury will render their verdict this evening.

Mr. Messler was 52 years of age and resided on Lincoln avenue with his mother, Mrs. Virginia Loux. He was a son by her first husband, she having been married twice. Deceased was also a brother of Mrs. Jas. Webber, of this place.

The funeral occurred this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the house.

Rev. Chas. Ager delivered the sermon and the remains were buried in Silver Brook cemetery.

Joseph Chambers
Sept. 3, 1913-Sept. 1, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, September 4, 1975, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Funeral services for Joseph Chambers, 61, of 617 Cass St., were held today at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home. Mrs. Chambers died Monday at Pawating Hospital.

A finisher for Bridgeport Metal Works, Bridgeport, Conn., he was born Sept. 3, 1913 in Ramers, Penn.  He married Virda Williams on May 3, 1934 in Crown Point, Ind. They moved to Niles in July.  She survives.

Other survivors include his father, Jacob D. Chambers of Colp, Ill.; two sons, Joel M. Knotts of Wilmington, Del. and Pvt. Maurice Chambers, Paris Island, S.C.; three brothers, Vincent of Chicago, Howard of East Saint Louis and Maurice of Niles, a sister, Dorothy C. Parker of Washington D.C. and one grandchild.

Services were officiated by the Rev. W.L. Daniel of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church. Burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Eunice Potter
1794-March 26, 1888

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 28, 1888, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

The funeral of "grandma" Potter will take place from the old Potter homestead, two miles west, tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock.

Niles Republican, Thursday, March 29, 1888, page 5, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Eunice Potter, mother of the late George W. Potter, Sr. whose home was a short distance west of this city, died suddenly last Monday, aged 93 years. She was probably the oldest person in this part of the county.

Niles Democrat, Saturday, March 31, 1888, page 5, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Eunice Potter, mother of the late Geo. W. Potter, died in Bertrand township on Monday afternoon, aged 93 years.

*Wife of John L. Potter, gravemarker states age to be 94 years.

Anna B. Griffiths
Aug. 20, 1882-Feb. 14, 1941

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 14, 1941, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Griffiths, Niles Resident 20 Years, is Dead

Mrs. Anna B. Griffiths, ill 15 years of complications, died this morning at 3:40 in her home at 104 South Fourth Street. She came to Niles 20 years ago from Michigan City.

Mrs. Griffiths, the mother of seven children, was born Aug. 20, 1882 in Michigan City. She was married there May 25, 1908 to William G. Griffiths who survives.

The children include Miss Lois Griffiths and William Griffiths, Niles; Mrs. Gertrude Finch, Dowagiac; Mrs. Jeannette Haditz and John Griffiths, Benton Harbor; Mrs. Evelyn Duckwall, South Bend, and Mrs. Marjorie Messner, Grass Lake, Mich. She also leaves three sisters, Mrs. Arthur Krumm, Mrs. John Krumm and Mrs. Theodore Sherwood, Michigan City, and five grand children, Billy and Patricia Griffiths, Niles, and Billy, Frances and Thomas Finch, all of Dowagiac.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home where services will be conducted Monday afternoon at 2 by the Rev. Theo Eisen, Pastor of St. John's Evangelical church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 15, 1941, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

GRIFFITHS FUNERAL

Nephews will serve as pallbearers Monday  at the funeral services for Mrs. William G. Griffiths, who died . .[illegible]. .at 104 South Fourth street. The Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of St. John's Evangelical church, will officiate at the service at 2 in the Rutherford funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

William G. Griffiths
Jan. 31, 1876-Sept. 4, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, September 4, 1975, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--William G. Griffiths, 99, of 533 Michigan St., died at 1:45 a.m. today in the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home after an extended illness.

A retired Penn Central railroad employe, he lived here since 1921, coming from Michigan City, Ind. He was born Jan. 31, 1876, in Michigan City. He married Anne B. Griffiths, who died Feb. 14, 1941.

Surviving are two sons, William of Niles and John of Mt. Prospect, Ill.; four daughters, Mrs. Marjorie Messner of Kalamazoo, Mrs. Evelyn Duckwall and Mrs. Gertrude Anderson, both of New Haven, Conn. and Mrs. Lois Morris of Vicksburg, Mich.; 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the [illegible] Funeral Home with the Rev. Vincent J. Andeson of the Trinity Episcopal Church officiating . Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 2 pm. Friday at the funeral home.

Harry J. Bernard
March 14, 1880-Oct. 22, 1956

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 23, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Harry J. Bernard, of 122 South Fifth Street, veteran Berrien County druggist, died at 8 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital following an illness of one day.

Bernard was born in Chicago and at the age of 14 moved to Berrien County where he started his career in a Benton Harbor drug store.  He owned and operated his own drug store in Berrien Springs for a number of years before moving to Niles where he remodeled the old State Bank  building. He also owned and operated here a drug store in the former Forler Hotel building and the Ready Theatre Building until 1942. Prior to his death he worked as a druggist in South Bend.

Surviving are : his wife, Blanche; a son, Robert Bernard, of St. Joseph, and two grandsons.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home here with the Rev. Chester Wetzel, assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home. The casket will remain closed.