John Matthews
April 11, 1852-Jan. 4, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, January 6, 1930, page 4 col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles in Brief: DEATH OF JOHN MATHEWS

John Mathews, 77, died on Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock in Pawating hospital after a brief illness with pneumonia. The funeral services will be held in the Troost and Augustine Funeral Home on Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Elder Hankins of Emmanuel Missionary college, Berrien Springs, will officiate. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery. Mr. Mathews and his wife came to Niles in the spring of 1925 from Moose Lake, Minn., to make their home with Mrs. Mathews' daughter, Mrs. H.J. Duernberger, 987 S. Thirteenth street. He was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, on April 11, 1852. When a young man he went to Wisconsin and then to Minnesota. He was married in Minnesota to Mrs. Johnanna Olson who survives him. For 33 years they had made their home at Moose Lake before coming to Niles. Besides the widow he is survived by two stepchildren, Mrs. H.J. Duernberger, of Niles, and Fred Olson, of Portland, Ore.

Ethel Toney Walker
August 12, 1884-January 5, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, January 6, 1930, page 1 col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Ethel Walker Dies at Rock Island Home After Long Illness

Mrs. Ethel Toney Walker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Toney, 1610 Oak street, and wife of Clyde Walker of Frock Island, Ill., who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Walker of Niles, died on Sunday, Jan. 5, at their home in Rock Island after a year of illness.

The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow evening and will be taken to the Troost and Augustine chapel where friends may call between the hours of 9 and 12 o'clock on Wednesday. On Wednesday afternoon the body will be taken to Silver Brook cemetery for burial.

Mrs. Walker was born in Berrien township, August 12, 1884, and live near Niles for 20 years. She attended the Niles high school and graduated with honors. On August 4, 1904, she was married to Clyde Walker and they went at once to South Dakota, where they lived for a year and where both taught in the public schools. They then moved back to Michigan that Mr. Walker might complete his law course at University of Michigan. After he was graduated from University of Michigan they went to Rock Island where they have since resided.

Besides her husband and her parents, Mrs. Walker is survived by two sons, Victor and Cameron, of Rock Island and by one sister and a brother, Glen Toney, of Lansing, and Mrs. Mabel Reeves, of Lawrence, Mich. Mr. Walker's parents reside at River Bluff. They are in Rock Island having gone there in the fall the spend the winter on account of Mrs. Clyde Walker's ill health.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, January 8, 1930, page 4 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

News in Brief: COMMITTAL SERVICE HERE

The body of Mrs. Clyde Walker was brought to Niles last evening from Rock Island, Ill., and was at Troost and Augustine chapel until this afternoon when it was placed in the mansoleum[sic] in Silver Brook cemetery. Mr. Walker and two sons came to Niles with the body. They will leave for their homes this evening, one of the sons being a resident of Chicago. Mrs. Mabel Reeves, of Lawrence, and Glen Toney, of Lansing, sister and brother of the deceased, and other relatives from out of the city were in Niles for the committal services. Mr. Walker's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Walker, of Niles, remained at his home in Rock Island.

John Henry Weaver
March 8, 1867-Feb. 21, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, February 25, 1930, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

News in Brief: Funeral of John Weaver Wed.

The body of John Weaver, brother of Mrs. Frank Ullery, 931 Hickory street, was brought to Niles this morning from Milwaukee, Wis. where he died on Friday, and is at the Troost and Augustine undertaking rooms. The funeral services will be held in the chapel tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. Rev. W. Keith Chidlater, rector of the Episcopal church, will officiate. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery.

Frank Woolever
March 5, 1851-Feb. 11, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, February 11, 1930, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

FRANK WOOLEVER, 78, DIES AT LARSON HOME
Passes Away at Residence of Daughter After Long Illness

Frank Woolever, 78, died last evening at 7:25 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Larson, north of Niles in Niles township. He had been taken to Mr. and Mrs. Larson's home before last Christmas when he became ill with a complication of diseases. The body will be at the Troost and Augustine undertaking rooms until Wednesday when it will be taken to Mr. Woolever's late home at 524 Michigan Street. The funeral services will be held in the home on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church will officiate. Burial will be made in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery.

Mr. Woolever was born in Albion, Mich., on March 5, 1851. He was brought to Niles by his parents when very young and had practically spent his entire life here. He was married in Aurora, Ill., to Eliza Pierce. She died three years ago. Surviving Mr. Woolever are three children who are Mrs. Charles Larson of Niles township, Mrs. Charles Hamilton of Benton Harbor and Harry Woolever who is in California. Mr. Woolever was the last of a family of seven sons.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, February 13, 1930, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: FUNERAL FRANK WOOLEVER

Funeral services for Frank Woolever were held this afternoon in his late home, 524 Michigan street. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church, conducted the services. Burial was made in Silver Brook cemetery.

George Curtis Merritt
Feb. 11, 1883- Nov. 23, 1940

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, November 25, 1940, page 1, col. 8; Continued page 2, col. 1

WORKMAN KILLED IN DITCH CAVE-IN ON MICHIGAN ST.

Victim Smothers as Walls Collapse; Buried Under 18 Inches of Clay

Killed Saturday in cave-in of a water-line trench, George C. Merritt, 57, of 1517 Michigan street, will be buried Tuesday in Silverbrook cemetery after rites at 2 in the Rutherford funeral home.

The Rev. Harry Barnett, pastor of the Full Gospel Assembly, will conduct the service.

Merritt was suffocated late Saturday—probably about 4:30—beneath 18 inches of clay when the walls gave way as he worked alone in a seven-foot-deep ditch, laying water pipes into the home of A.N. Cochrane, 1535 Michigan street.

Discovered at 5 P.M.

The accident was discovered at 5 o'clock when his grandson went to Cochrane's to call Merritt for his evening meal.

Cochrane, told of the cave-in, started shovelling to locate Merritt while police, the fire department's pulmotor squad and an ambulance were called.

Despite belief that Merritt was dead when taken from the ditch, firemen used the pulmotor until the ambulance reached Pawating hospital. There physicians pronounced the victim dead.

Native of Niles

Merritt, a laborer at Silverbrook cemetery, was born here Feb. 11, 1883, and had lived here all his life.

He was married in 1907 to Hazel Kizer, who died in 1910, and again in 1917 to Mrs. Martha Cook, who survives.

Other survivors are his mother, Mrs. Sarah Merritt, Niles; a son, Arthur Merritt, south Bend; three stepchildren, Thomas Cook,with the U.S. Army in Hawaii; Silver Cook, Grand Rapids, and Mrs. Katie Scheittecatte, Mishawaka; two sisters, Mrs. Arthur Thompson and Mrs. Sadie Ray, Niles; a brother, Frank W. Merritt, Niles; the grandson and six step-grandchildren.

Another sister, Mrs. George Huff, died in March.

Thomas G. McMenamin
Sept. 20, 1888-Nov. 11, 1940

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, November 11, 1940, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

T.G. McMenamin, Resident of Niles 14 Years, is Dead

Thomas G. McMenamin, 52, who had lived in Niles 14 years, died early this morning of pneumonia. Death occurred at his home, 610 Vine street, at 3:15.

Mr. McMenamin was one of the voters who stood in the line during the rain storm last Tuesday at an election precinct. Physicians believe the exposure induced pneumonia which caused his death.

He was a native of Glasgow, Scotland, where he was born Sept. 20, 1888. He came to Niles from St. Thomas, Ont., in 1926. He was a member of the Eagles lodge.

Mr. McMenamin was married in St. Thomas in 1913 to Miss Catherine Verrell, who survives. He also leaves four children―Thomas, Helen, George and James, all at home.

Other members of his family are two brothers and two sisters, John McMenamin, New Jersey and Hughe McMenamin, Chicago; Mrs. Elizabeth Aird and Mrs. Emily Vandervort, both of Chicago.

Services will be Wednesday afternoon, at 2:30 in the Pifer funeral home, the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home prior to the services.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, November 12, 1940, page 2, col. 4

McMenamin Rites Wednesday at 2:30; Eagles Will Attend

Frank Shardonow, Frank Gleason, John Helleger, W.F. Glaser, Wesley Baker and George Zechlin will be pallbearers Wednesday afternoon at the funeral services for Thomas G. McMenamin. Mr. McMenamin died early Monday morning in his home, 610 Vine street.

Omitted from the list of survivors Monday was Mr. McMenamin's mother, Mrs. Elizabeth McMenamin, Chicago.

Services will be at 2:30 in the Pifer funeral home, the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson officiating.

Members of the Eagles lodge, of which Mr. McMenamin was a member, will attend.