Obituaries for McLean County, IL

Illinois History - Illinois Genealogy

Obituaries for McLean County, IL

Vaceline E. FORREST - in her 28th year, d. 19 May 1853 at her residence near Waynesville, McLean Co., 111. b. Belmont Co., Ohio, 27 Aug. 1824; embraced religion at age 16; m. 21 Aug. 1845 Joseph H. Forrest. Emigrated to McLean Co. the summer of 1851. [Central Christian Advocate, Vol. 1, 27 May 1853, p. 83].

Obituary of CALVIN "Jake" GASTON
The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL, January 6, 1989
The Funeral Of Calvin "Jake" Gaston
WAYNESVILLE - The Funeral Of Calvin "Jake" Gaston, 60, of Beardstown, a native of Waynesville, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home, Lincoln.
Michael Peitzmeier will officiate. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Waynesville, with full military rites accorded.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Mr. Gaston died at 12:35 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 4, 1989) at Culbertson Hospital, Rushville.
He was born June 17, 1928, in Waynesville, a son of Robert V. "Toots" and Dolly M. Cisco Gaston. He married Jeanie Lisenbee Nov. 12, 1968, in Waynesville. She survives.
Also surviving are his father, Lincoln; six sons, Calvin W., 908 S. East St.; William V., 905 W. Front St.; David L., 1713 W. Illinois St.; and Issac J., 507 W. Grove St., all of Bloomington; Halsey C., Heyworth; and Charles E., Springfield; two daughter St., Bloomington; four stepsons, Larry W. Surratt, Monmouth; Joe D. Surratt, Astoria; Richard D. Surratt, Beardstown; and George H. Surratt, Monroe, La.; two stepdaughters, Shirley Wittler, Camp Point, and Judy Young, Beardstown; one brother, Mannie, Des Moines, Iowa; two sisters, Wanda Morris, Freeport, and Lorine Letterle, Lincoln; 13 grandchildren; and 17 stepgrandchildren.
His mother, two daughters, one sister and one brother preceded him in death.
Mr. Gaston was employed as welder for Bectol Mowers, Sibley.
He was a member of Church of Christ, Beardstown, and was an Army veteran.

Albert W. GRIDLEY
Sad ending of a Batavia Citizen.
Albert W. GRIDLEY, of Batavia (Kane County, IL), Kills Himself in New Orleans.
The Chicago Record gives the following account of the death of A. W. GRIDLEY:
Bloomington, Ill., Nov. 8. – In a second hand store in Rampart Street, New Orleans, La., at 9 this morning, Albert W. GRIDLEY, of Batavia, Ill., a former resident of Bloomington, committed suicide by blowing out his brains with a revolver at which he was looking, ostensibly with a view to purchase. He was aged 53 years and was born in Bloomington. He was the oldest son of Gen. Asah L. GRIDLEY, a pioneer of Bloomington, for many years the most conspicuous figure in this section of the state, distinguished as a politician and orator, and who died fifteen years ago, leaving a fortune of $1,000,000 acquired in merchandising, land speculation and banking. When Gen. GRIDLEY died he left his vast estate in trust to his widow and four children, viz: Mrs. Juliet SCHOENROCK, of Paris, France; Mrs. Mary GRIDLEY BELL, of Bloomington; Albert W. GRIDLEY, of Batavia and Edward B. GRIDLEY, of Bloomington.
    All are or have been married, and all are childless except Albert, who leaves one son, Logan W., aged 12. The suicide was a handsome and accomplished man. He was highly educated and had spent his childhood in Paris, France, with his uncle, Dr. Evans, the noted American dentist. He had been quite dissipated for many years, but had of late desired to lead a temperate life and had taken the Keeley cure at Dwight. For about thirteen years he had lived upon his farm near Batavia. His remains were brought to Bloomington for interment; funeral services being held from the family residence, Monday at 10:30 a.m., and was largely attended; the widow, Mrs. A. W. GRIDLEY, son Logan, Mr. C. L. TEMPLE, and Mrs. W. A. HYDE, from Batavia, being present.

The following taken from the Bloomington Bulletin is very fitting and appropriate to the life just gone out:

   "The death of Albert W. GRIDLEY points a lesson worthy the contemplation of every young man. Gifted with a superb constitution, fine mental attainments and unusual charm of person and manner, he would have been in line for a career of notable personal achievement, but for the curse of wealth. This sounds like mockery to the masses struggling for its attainment by exacting personal endeavor, but it would perhaps be impossible to cite a more striking example than Al. GRIDLEY. As careless of health as of money, he burned out the candle without the candle casting a single ray on the pathway of human progress.
   A bright wit spent itself in convivial jokes, and a superb physique bent and broke under persistent disregard for natures laws. Now and then a young man developes who takes fortune and turns it into added wealth or achievements in other and more useful fields, but the son of a very rich father in most instances permits ambition to float away on the drowsy wings of security from possible wants and bright possibilities become vague memories. It has often been said that it is a part of the economy of nature that fortunes should come and go with passing generations and monarchial governments have combated this rule by laws of entailment, but it may never be abrogated by human power.
   The example here cited is considered with due reference to environment and knowledge of the fact that a fortune in Bloomington would be as a spray in the ocean in New York, but the influences, temptations and results are substantially unvarying. The obvious lesson is that the young man with brains and health is, with rare exceptions, infinitely better situated with reference to future contentment, usefulness and avenues for fame, when stern necessity commands earnest and constant endeavor. This kind of moralizing is as old as human thought, but has lost nothing of its truth nor wanted for examples. Young men who are putting in long hours at $8, $10, or $12 a week will call it an old Sunday school homily, and the flippant will designate in the vernacular “pappy-guy talk,” but if Al. GRIDLEY were here today he would bear out the Bulletin in every assertion. Ambition once gone, is as elusive as the lost chord. That is why dipsomania cures have so many lapses." [Batavia Herald, 14 Nov. 1895, submitted by K. Torp]

Mrs. Ella JONES of Newton, nee Miss Ella Johnson, a lady who remained in our city a part of two summers, taking music lessons, and she made many friends among our young people, died very suddenly last week at her home in McLean county. Mrs. Jones was but recently married and her death will be learned by her friends here with much sorrow. [The Effingham Democrat, Thursday, March 20, 1879 - Submitted by arnetia at consolidated.net]

At Springfield Mo, Oct. 1st, of typhoid pneumonia, Sergeant Jefferson E Kimler of Co. G, 94th Regiment Illinois Volunteers. McLean Co., IL, October 8, 1862. [Source unknown: Submitted by Foxie Hagerty]

Samuel LEACH - Bloomington - aged 73, a former supervisor and prominent in political and secret society circles for many years, dropped dead at a local theater. [Ste. Marie Tribune, Jasper County, IL, Friday, December 19, 1913, submitted by K. Torp]

Death Of MRS. MOOTS
Mrs. C.E. MOOTS, mother of Mrs. Clarence BATH of Reno, Nevada died Thursday at her home in Bloomington, Illinois it was learned here (Reno) yesterday, she was 73 years old. Mrs. BATH visited her mother in Illinois last September. [Nevada State Journal, November 28 1936, Reno, Nevada. Submitted by Foxie Hagerty]

Benjamin W. NASON - Bloomington- for 25 years justice of the peace and active in Republican politics, died here, 75 years old. [Ste. Marie Tribune, Jasper County, IL, Friday, Nov. 21, 1913, submitted by K. Torp]

Civil War News
     We have received news of the death of Edward Payson CLARK, formerly a teacher and law student in this city. He enlisted in the 6th Michigan regiment in September, 1861, and spent the winter in Baltimore with his regiment. In March he went to Ship Island; was at the capture of New Orleans, and was wounded at Vicksburg, from the effects of which he died July 15, 1862 at New Orleans. he was known here as an exemplary young man possessing many moral excellences of the highest quality. He was only 29 years old, but old enough to leave his name among the record of patriots. [Weekly Pantagraph (Bloomington, Ill.), August 6, 1862, submitted by Foxie Hagerty]

Frank ROWELL, a cousin of Congressman ROWELL, died of "la grippe" at his home in Bloomington. He was a brother of Hon. Clinton ROWELL, of St. Louis. [February 7, 1890, Ava Advertiser]

Miss Minnie SCHULTZ - BLOOMINGTON, July 15 - attempted to commit suicide by taking poison. Her lover had gone back on her. [July 19, 1893 The Newton Press, Jasper County, IL, July 19, 1893 - submitted by K. Torp]

James A. SHERMAN, a prominent citizen of Normal, died the other day, aged 82. [The Newton Press, Jasper County, IL, July 19, 1893 - submitted by K. Torp]

Ange M. SMITH - DIED In this city, on the 5th inst., at 10 o’clock A. M., Ange M. Smith, wife of Mr. James H. Smith, aged 26 years. She was a native of Westfield, Mass. [Weekly Pantagraph (Bloomington, Ill.) September 9, 1857 XI 40 560 2 c6 - submitted by J. Edwards]

Mrs. Giles A. SMITH - Word was received near Bloomington a few days ago announcing the death of Mrs. Giles A. SMITH, her death resulting from "la grippe." She was the widow of Brevet Major-General SMITH, formerly Colonel of the Eighth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who after ? was a prominent business man of Bloomington. Mrs. SMITH of late has made her home with her daughter May ? was married and lived at Geneva. Mrs. SMITH was a native of London, O. [February 7, 1890, Ava Advertiser]

Lizzie THOMPSON - DIED. On the 28th inst., Lizzie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. Thompson, aged six weeks. [Weekly Pantagraph (Bloomington, Ill.) September 2, 1857 XI 39 559 2 c6, Submitted by J. Edwards]

Don von EISNER - brother of the late Marie LITTS, died recently at Bloomington, aged twenty-six years. He was known as a musician throughout the United States, and was leader of the Fourth Regiment Band of Bloomington. He had traveled extensively as a cornet soloist. [January 31, 1890, Ava Advertiser]

Carl S. VROOMAN - of Bloomington, Ill., issued a formal announcement of his candidacy for United States senator as a Progressive Democrat. [Ste. Marie Tribune, Jasper County, IL, Friday, January 9, 1914 - submitted by K. Torp]