Notes

[NI0173] girlfriend at time of death = Lynn

[NI0175] Husband Doyle Derry killed her and then himself when she was 29.

[NI0185] Macomb - L.G. "Gerry" Beaird, 78, of 1800 Pine St., Highland, formerly of Macomb and Peoria, died at 8:35 p.m. Thursday, March 5, 1992, at St. Joseph Hospital in Highland. Born June 2, 1913 in Fulton County to Ross W. and Mary G. Hoffman (sic) Beaird, he married Elizabeth "Betty" McGann on June 15, 1940 in Peoria. She survives in Highland along with one son, Robert of Twin Falls, Idaho, two daughters, Mrs. Timothy (Bonnie) McGinley of Highland and Mrs. Robert (Barbara Ann) Hinytzke of Bloomfield, Mich., one sister, Mrs. Cocoa (Lilabelle) (sic) Traylor of Decatur, and six grandchildren. One brother preceded him in death.

He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers in St. Louis. A graduate of Western Illinois University, he taught junior high school in Macomb and later worked as a sales manager for International Harvester, Peoria District. He was a member of Evangelical United Church of Christ in Highland. He served as mayor of Highland from 1953-57.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at his church, the Rev. Keith A. Karau officiating. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Spengel-Boulanger Funeral Home, Highland, and from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial will be in Highland City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Faith Countryside Nursing Home Building Fund of Highland or any charity. (Obituary)

[NI0187] Twin Falls, Idaho - Robert G. "Bob" Beaird, 49, of Twin Falls, Idaho, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1992 in Twin Falls. He was born in St. Louis, Mo. to L. G. and Elizabeth Ann (McGann) Beaird. He is survived by his mother of Highland; two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Barbara Ann) Hinytzke of Bloomfield, Mich., Mrs. Timithy (Bonnie) McGinley of Highland; and four nephews and two nieces and one great-niece. He was preceded in death by his father.

He was born at St. Louis, Mo. and grew up in Highland graduating from Highland High School in 1961. He graduated from McKendree College, Lebanaon, Ill. He had worked in New Jersey and in the mid 1970s worked with the family business in Highland until moving to Idaho in the late 1980s. He moved to Twin Falls, Idaho in the summer of 1990, where he bought, renovated and leased homes. He was active in the K of C and had also served as Director of Retreats for St. Paul Schools in Highland.

Services are 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Paul Catholic Church in Highland, Ill. with the Rev. David Peters officiating. Burial will be in Highland City Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday with a K of C 4th Degree Chalice Service at 7:30. (Obituary)

[NI0213] According the the death record in the cemetary, he died of a gunshot through the heart. His granddaughter Jeanne remembers that his second wife Mary killed him and then herself. He is buried with his first wife and the second wife is buried in a different section of the cemetary.

[NI0271] Lived in California according to Lila Belle Beaird.

[NI0308] Utica, Minn - Ropnald Eugene Cassel, 47, of R.R. 1, Utica, formerly of Macomb, died Thursday evening, Jan. 25, 1996 at Communioty Memorial Hospital in Winona, Minn.

He was born July 31, 1948 in Macomb to Edward and Dolores (Huffman) Cassel. He was raised by his grandparents, Clyde and Bessie Huffman in Bushnell from the age of six. He married Linda Hunt Dec. 19, 1882 at Macomb. She survives. He is also survived by one son, John, of Eau Claire, Wis., one daughter, Erika, at home, two sisters, Diane (Gary) Sturgeon of Florida and Cindy (Dennis) Myers of New Mexico, one uncle, Sam Huffman of Good Hope, tow nieces, four nephews and a great-niece. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and one uncle.

Mr. Cassel was a 1966 graduate of Bushnell-Prairie City High School He served two tours of duty with the Marines in Vietnam as a platoon leader and sergeant where he was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and several other service medals. Following the service he graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in agriculture. He worked as an Agriculture Extension Service agent and moved to St. Charles, Minn. in 1983. The couple then moved to Texas before returning to the Utica area three years ago. He was a member of the Immanual Lutheran Church - Silo and a church elder, a member of VFW Post in St. Charles and the Military Order of Purple Heart.

A memorial fund is being established at the Bushnell Farmers and Merchants State Bank in his name and donations may be made there. A memorial and military service will be held this summer for him in Bushnell. Notification of this service will be in the Macomb Journal at that time. (Obituary)

According to Lila Belle Beaird, Ronnie's ashes are buried with Clyde & Bessie.

[NI0320] Boyhood friend of John Conrad Speidel and Immigrated with him.

Homesteaded in Nebraska.

[NI0329] One time grandpa went to Oklahoma to seek his fortune. He worked in one restaurant and ate in another. He also wrote a card telling his folks that he was doing all right, and everything was fine. Grandpa beat his card home.

Grandpa loved candy and made fudge in a special "Tea Leaf Lustre" platter. One time he put the fudge outside to cool. Leon looked out and said that the dog was eating the candy. Leon was a tease, and no one believed him. The dog ate the candy. (Vivian Orem Karr)

[NI0330] Grandma was extremely proud of her family, and told everyone that none of her children drank or smoked.

Brandma was promised a doll if she learned to say the alphabet before the age of 4. She learned them but was disappointed when she was teased and given a little candy doll. However, she caught her mother ironing clothes for the real doll that she had earned. Grandma never tired of telling how she got her doll. This china doll was kept until Grandma died. Then it was passed on to Vivian.

Family dinners were important events. Grandma sent grandchildren out to count the machines (cars). (Vivian Orem Karr)

[NI0381] Services for Mrs. Della Huffman, 68, of 1103 W. Armstrong will be held 2:30 p.m. Monday at Endsley & Son - Hines Funeral Home, Bartonville, with the Rev. Kenneth Yocum and the Rev. Leonard T. Martz officiating. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow and burial will be in Swan Lake Memory Gardens. Mrs. Huffman died at 6:50 p.m. Thursday at St. Francis Hospital, where she was admitted April 21.

Mrs. Huffman was employed in the foundry at Caterpillar Tractor Co. for over 23 years, retiring in 1967. She was a member of Caterpillar Retirees Club Local 974 and Glen Oak Park Retired Persons. A resident of the above address six years and of Peoria all her life, she was born on a farm near Dahinda Nov. 30, 1905, the daughter of Edward and Frances Hodge.

She married Benny L. Huffman in Bartonville Dec. 22, 1961 and he survives. Also surviving are one son, Richard VanPelt of Valparaiso, Ind., a stepdaughter (sic), Jan Huffman of Peoria, three sisters, Mrs. Hattie Gallaghar of Galesburg, Mrs. Edith West of Knoxville, Mrs. Mildred Jones of Peoria; three brothers, Clarence and Hubert Hodge, both of Dahinda and Marion of Gibson and one granddaughter. She was preceded in death by two sisters and two brothers. (Obituary)

According to her son, Richard Van Pelt, various of Della's siblings were known by the last name of Hodge or Hodges.

[NI0438] Mrs. Elva Varner, wife of Alderman Ross Varner of Bushnell died about 5:30 this morning at the St. Francis hospital. She had been in failing health several years and had been in the hospital the past four days. She was 52 years old. Funeral services have not been completed. Attempts are been made to contact her dauther, Mrs. Ruth Graham, who is at Oxon, England, to learn whether she will be able to return home for services. Mrs. Graham's husband is stationed in the army in England.

Mrs. Varner wias born Feb. 4, 1899 near Cuba, a daughter of Samuel and Cora Huffman, and she was reared in the Smithfield and Cuba communities. On April 30, 1818, she married Ross Varner. They lived in Smithfield for a time and then moved to Bushnell, where he operates a grocery business. Her father of Bushnell, husband, and the daughter survive. Also surviving are five brothers and sisters, Mrs. Mamie Beaird of Macomb, Mrs. Hazel Gray of Cuba, Clyde Huffman of Prairie City, Bennie (sic) Huffman of Peoria and Burnett (sic) Huffman of Canton. Mrs. Varner was a member of the Methodist church, Legion auxiliary, and W.C.T.U. The body was taken to the Kugler and Combs funeral home in Bushnell. (Obituary)

[NI0441] Immigrated from Scotland with his father at the age of 12.

[NI0476] Cuba - William Huffman, 91, died at 8:40 a.m. today in Graham Hospital after an illness of two years. Mr. Huffman had resided in Cuba since 1960 and prior to that had lived in Florida. He formerly owned a grocery store at Smithfield and in later years was an interior decorator. He was a membber of the Smithfield Methodist Church.

Born in Bernadotte Township, Aug. 6, 1872, he was a son of James and Katherine (Paul) Huffman. He was married at Smithfield to Margaret Smith, who died in 1924 (sic - 1923). In addition to several nieces and nephews, he is survived by a brother, Harry Hoffman (sic) of Bushnell. Preceding him in death were a daughter, a grandson, five brothers and a sister.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hukill Funeral Chapel by Rev. Charles Martin. Mrs. Clifford J. Wilson was organist and Mrs. Velma Hukill, soloist. Pallbearers, nephews of Mr. Huffman, were Benny, Buonett (sic - Burnette), Ezra, Cecil, George, and Meott (sic - Merritt) Huffman. Burial was in Baughman Cemetery. (Obituary)

[NI0617] There is a headstone for Della in the Howard Cemetery in Cass Twp, Fulton County, Illinois. The grave site is probably unused.

[NI1630] died at age 33

[NI1632] This family came to Texas from Virginia in 1699.

[NI1765] Ruth Varner reports story where Anna said that she slept with Conrad all her life and she didn't want to after death, so she is in Cuba, while Conrad is in the Baughman Cemetery outside Smithfield.

[NI1766] Benjamin Howerter (b. 1808 d. 1899 in Nebraska, buried Baughman Cemetery) married Anna Fegley. They were the parents of ten children. Benjamin persuaded three of his sons and two daughters to move from Pennsylvania to Illinois with him and they arrived in Fulton Co., March 12, 1866. It is surmised that one of the overriding reasons for leaving Pennsylvania was the fact that Benjamin's favorite son, Reuben Augustus, was dead. He had been studying for the ministry and was called to serve in the Civil War and was killed at Gettysburg. He was buried in Mertztown, Pa., so Benjamin decided to leave and took as many with him as he could.

Benjamin and his family arrived by train in Fulton Co., Illinois as by this time, the railroads were will established in the area. The children who came with Benjamin and his wife were Peter Harrison (w. Hanna Traub), Barbara (h. Charles Grimm), Mary Catherine (h. Reuben Tyler Howarter....they were first cousins), Benjamin Franklin (w. Mary Ellen Slock), Henry Adam (w. Anna Turner). Peter Harrison was the only one married when the move to Illinois was made. (The Howerter Family)

[NI1768] Peter Harrison settled in Cass Twp. and had ten children of which nine were born in Pennsylvania before the move and the tenth, Philip Daniel, born in Cass Twp. in 1870. (The Howerter Family)

They were parents of six boys and one girl who grew to maturity (also three children who died in infancy). They, with a large troup, migrated to Illinois, arriving March 12, 1866. My father, Philip Daniel, was the only one born in Illinois (March 12, 1870).

My grandfather Howerter was surely a typical Pennsylvania Deutsch man. I think I may have been a gavorite grandson, as he gave much more than an equal share of his prized possessions to me. In his earlier life in Pennsylvania, he was the organist for the Mertztown church. He also played the violin.

Before coming to Illinois, grandfather operated a tannery on the Little Lehigh River in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pa. After coming to Illinois and purchasing land, he and his sons cleared the timber off for farming. They also, in the fall of the year, operated a sorghum mill. He apparently moved to town sometime about 1890 from where he operated a saw mill for a a period of time. My remembrances of him only covered a span of about 12 or 14 years during which time I can't recall ever being in his home that there wasn't a bowl of candy for small hands. (Ghlee Raymond Howerter, "My Grandparents").

[NI1771] PVT BTRY D 54 ATRY CAC - World War I (Baughman Cemetery Inscription)

[NI1790] I never knew my biological grandmother as she passed away in 1885. In talking with descendants of her brothers and sisters, I learned that she was never completely happy, and yearned to return, and at least visit with her people. My grandfather never saw fit to grant her this wish. Nor do I know the cause of her death. (Ghlee Raymond Howerter, "My Grandparents")

[NI1792] Worked for many railroads including Frisco (now Burlington Northern). (Descendents of The William Carson...)

Died in Veterans Hospital, Leavenworth, Kansas. (Descendents of The William Carson...)

[NI1793] Died when baby Rhea was three months old. (Descendents of the William Carson...)

[NI1805] Civil War captain, carpenter, agent, machinist, mechanic, postal clerk. Lived in Pomeroy, Ohio. (The Descendents of The William Carson...)