Wabash County, Illinois Obituaries
Leonard Beidelman
At Mount Carmel, April 13 of congested chill, Leonard Beidelman, age 75 years. He was the father of Dr. R. B. Beidelman of this city. The Marshall County Republican, Henry, IL, April 23, 1868 - Submitted by Nancy Piper
Charles H. Constable
The Illinois papers contain the announcement that Hon.Charles H. Constable, the eminent jurist and most estimable gentleman, died suddenly on the 9th Inst. at Effingham, whither he had gone to preside at the regular semi-annual term of the Circuit Court.
Judge Constable was born in Harford county, Maryland, in 1813, and was educated at the University of his native State, where he graduated with high honor. In 1838, he went to Illinois, and located at Mt. Carmel in Wabash county, where he soon became & distinguished member of the Bar. During his residence at that place, he married a daughter of Rev. Thomas B. Hinde, an estimable and accomplished lady, who, with two daughters, survives him.
About twelve years ago, Judge Constable removed to Marshall, Illinois, where he resided until his sudden decease. It will be remembered that General Carrington, during his military reign at Indianapolis, had the Judge arrested by a squad of soldiers, for a righteous decision he had made which conflicted somewhat with the General's arbitrary notion, and that he was held for some time as a "Prisoner of State".
[Daily Ohio Statesman, 26 Oct 1865 - submitted by K. Torp]
Dalbern Courter
ALLENDALE - Dalbern Courter, 81, died Oct. 17, 1993, at the Lawrenceville Manor in Lawrenceville.
He was born June 18, 1912, in Wabash County; the son of Frank and Alice (Reiber) Courter.
He married Laura Romance (Shrader) on August 31, 1941, in Wabash County; she preceded him in death on Oct. 17, 1983.
Mr. Courter was a retired farmer and a member of the Evangelical United Methodist Church in Mt. Carmel.
[Daily Republican Register, October 18, 1993 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Eleanor Courter (Banks)
Mrs. Eleanor Courter, wife of Samuel J. Courter, was born April 31, 1826, and departed this life March 21, 1902; aged 75 years and 11 months. Her maiden name was Banks. She was born in Lawrence county and moved with her parents to Wabash county while in infancy, and lived in this county all of her life. She was married to Samuel J. Courter Feb. 19, 1843. Mr. C. departed this life Nov. 4, 1883. To them were born 10 children - five boys and five girls. Three of them preceded her to the grave. James E. Courter, a member of Company G, 48th Ill, Inft., died at Rome Ga, Aug. 31, 1864, while serving his country in the late civil war. Mary E. wife of Andrew Milligan, died June 15, 1876. The children who survive her are Jacob Courter, now Chairman of the County Board; Samuel H., of St. Francisville, William A. of Hennesay, Oklahoma; Geo. B. of Mt. Carmel; Nancy A., wife of Ebenezer S. Preston; Jane E., wife of William O. Ramsey; and Martha E. Courter, single. The deceased was a member of the General Baptist church for over 53 years and lived a consistent and faithful member until death.
The funeral services was conducted by Rev. Aaron Schrader, after which the remains were laid to rest by the side of her husband in the Wabash Cemetery.
[Wabash newspaper unknown at present, 21 Mar. 1902 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Mrs. Eleanor (Banks) Courter Note: The name Helen in the Article is an error (per Mt. Carmel Library).
A GOOD WOMAN DEAD.
Mrs. Helen Courter, mother of Hon. Jacob Courter, died at her home in Allendale, this morning. Mrs. Courter whose maiden name was Banks was born in Lawrence county nearly 77 years ago. She was the mother of ten children, three of whom are dead. She was a good, husband woman, and had been a member of the Baptist church for over fifty years. The cause of her death (MY NOTE: whited out) . . . .will take place in Allendale, Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The members of her family have sincere sympathy of the entire community in the loss of their mother.
A more extended obituary will appear later.
[Mt. Carmel Republic Register 3-21-1902 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Flora L. Courter
March 1934
FOR MRS. COURTER HERE ON THURSDAY
Body of Well - Known Woman to Be Laid to Rest In Rose Hill.
Funeral services for Mrs. Flora L. Courter, wife of Judge U. L. Courter, will be held from the First Christian church Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, in charge of Rev. Charles W. Riggs, the pastor.
Mrs. Courter's death occurred at the residence at 1131 Mulberry street Tuesday morning at 8:10 o'clock and resulted from apoplexy following a brief illness of a few days.
Mrs. Courter, one of the city's best known women, was a native of the county, a daughter of Geo. and Jane Wood Adams. She was born on January 9, 1861, and at the time of her death on March 13, she was aged 73 years, 2 months and 4 days.
She was married to U. L. Courter in 1880. He survives her. Surviving also is one son, Guy W. Courter of New Orleans, La., and four sisters, as follows: Mrs. Myrtie J. Courter, Allendale; Mrs. Della V. Wright, Mrs. Clara G. Seibert and Miss Ruth Adams, all of Mt. Carmel.
She was a remember of the First Christian church and had for many years been a very active and prominent worker in the church.
She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star, White Shrine of Jerusalem and Rebekah lodge. She was also an active worker in the different lodges and had occupied high positions in these orders.
Members of the Order of the Eastern Star will attend the services in a body and have charge at the grave. The past worthy high priestess of the White Shrine will have charge of the flowers.
Interment will be made in the Rose Hill cemetery.
[Wabash Newspaper, unknown name at this time, 13 Mar 1934 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Gerald Courter
ALLENDALE - Gerald Courter, 77, died Feb. 19, 1996, at the Methodist Village in Lawrenceville.
He was born April 23, 1918, in Wabash County; the son of Walter J. and Anna (AKA) Courter.
He married Geneva Courter on July 28, 1972, in Wabash County; she preceded him in death on April 18, 1977.
He is survived by cousins.
Mr. Courter, a general laborer, was a member of the First Christian Church in Allendale.
Services will be held at 10:30 Thursday morning at Ingram Funeral Home with burial in the Allendale Cemetery.
[Daily Republican Register - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Eathel Leora Courter
Eathel Leora Courter, formerly of Allendale, died Jan. 2, 1980 at Monticello Nursing home.
She was born Aug. 25, 1897 in Lawrence County, the daughter of Frank and Alice Reiber Courter.
Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Murrel Mullinam, Mt. Carmel, and Mrs. Thelma Pickering, Allendale; and one brother Dalbern Courter, Allendale.
Miss Courter was a member of the Adam's Corner Evangelical United Methodist Church.
Preceding her in death were her parents and two infant brothers.
Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Roy D. Short Memorial Chapel with burial in Allendale Cemetery.
Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
[Daily Republic Register - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
JOHN WAYNE COURTER (1967)
John Wayne Courter, 60, died suddenly Sept. 23, at his home in Austin, Texas. He was the son of Guy W. Courter and the Late Winona Harvey Courter, former residents of Mt. Carmel.
Mr. Courter was a graduate of the University of Texas and the Mass. Institute of Technology. He was a retired Division Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads which served Arkansas, Texas and Maryland. At the time of his death, he was Administrative Engineer with the Texas Highway Department.
He was a member of Tau Beta Phi, a fellow in the American Society of Engineers, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and National Society of Professional Engineers.
He is survived by his widow Virginia West Courter, of Austin, a daughter Mrs. R.N. Pierce of Baton Rouge, La.,; a son, Dr. Robert W. Courter of Laramie, Wyo.; and his father Guy W. Courter of Baton Rouge, La.; and five grandchildren.
[Unknown Newspaper (probably Mt. Carmel paper) submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Marie Courter
Marie Courter, Born 10-21-1894, D - 11-23-1959.
Marie Courter was born in Allendale Oct. 21, 1894. Her entire life was lived in Allendale except one year in Friendsville. She died Nov 23, in the Wabash General Hospital after a long illness. She joined the Christian church at the age of 11.
Her parents were M.C. Keeling and Mary Beckner Keeling. On July 19, 1913, she was married to W. Lester Courter of Allendale. To this union were four children. They are Mona M. Jensen, Bettendorf, Iowa, Jeanne Moore, Mount Carmel; Carl L. Courter, Wichita, Kansas, and Esther Lois Jeangerard, Santa Clara, Calif. There are 12 grandchildren: and two great-grandchildren, one brother, Glen Keeling, Evansville, Ind., and one sister, Anna Horton of Mount Carmel. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Nomah Tewalt.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Nov. 25, from the Stanley King Memorial Chapel in Allendale. Rev. Ross Hellyear, pastor of the Allendale Christian church, officiated. He was assisted by Rev. J.J. Walser and Rev. Allen Estill. Music was furnished by Mrs. Ross Hellyer accompanied by Mrs. Paul Schafer. The pall bearers were John Hipsher, Ron Moore, Jack Jensen Jr., Paul Bates, Robert Schafer and Bill Schafer. Burial was in the Compton cemetery at Allendale.
[Unknown at this Time Wabash County Newspaper - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Sarah Ellen Courter
Sarah Ellen Courter was the only daughter of William and Urzilla Preston.
She had two brothers, one sister and one half brother, all who preceded her in death.
Mrs. Courter was born about 2 l/2 miles west of Friendsville on October 18, 1848.
She came with her parents to the old Preston farm when she about six year's old.
She was educated in the district school of the community.
She was baptized on August 2, 1861 in the Wabash river, probably by Elder William Courter, a cousin of Jacob Courter, her husband, when about 13 years of age, about 67 years ago.
On March 12, 1868, when about 19 years old, she was married to Jacob Courter by Elder William Courter in the home of her Father.
There were born four children: Sarah Viola and Reader, both deceased and William Franklin and Walter, both living.
Since the death of her husband, February 19, 1917, she has lived on the old Homestead with her son, Walter.
The illness that terminated her life began about two weeks ago.
Sister Courter lived in this world 80 years, ____ , and ____ days and we believe since her death on January 9, 1929, she has been at home with the Lord.
She leaves her relatives and friends to mourn her departure from them, but to be consoled by her glorious hope of Eternal life in Christ.
Death is now only asleep. [Mt. Carmel Morning Register, Jan. 15, 1929 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Sarah Viola Courter
Death Comes as Relief-Funeral Services will be Held in Allendale
After a lingering illness of tuberculosis, Sarah Viola Courter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Courter, died at the family home in Adams Corner vicinity yesterday morning at 10 o'clock.
The deceased was born in Adams Corner, August 7, 1877, and at the time of her death was aged 83 years, 8 months and 9 days. [NOTE: This can't be right - if the birth date is correct (likely) she would have been about 34 years old]. Besides her father, she is survived by three brothers, Frank, Walter and Reader. Besides these there is a host of relatives and friends who mourn the loss.
The funeral services will be held today. Burial will be made in the cemetery at Allendale. Rev. O'Neal, assisted by Elder Couch of this city, will have charge.
[Mount Carmel Morning Reg. 5-27-1911 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
W. Lester Courter
W. Lester Courter, 74, of Allendale, retired teacher died early Monday at the Wabash General Hospital.
Surviving are three children, Mrs. Robert J. (Jean) Moore, Mt. Carmel, Carl, Wichita, Kansas and Mrs. Ralph (Esther) Geangerard, Saratoga, Calif., 15 grandchildren and several great great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at the King and Ingram Funeral Home in Allendale.
Friends may call after 4p.m. Tuesday at the Funeral Home in Allendale.
Burial will be in Allendale Cemetery.
[Mount Carmel Morning Register, submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Rev. William I. "Elder" Courter
By Walter R. Couch
By request of many friends, the following obituary is published at this date. It is but justice to say that appropriate notices were published in our ??? at the time of Bro. Courter's death at his residence in Wabash County, IL, of pneumonia on the 26th of October, 1885 in the 66th year of age. Bro. C. was born in this county and brought up by Regular Baptist parents. Not being satisfied with their religious views, he read and investigated the world of God for himself, and under the preaching of Cornelius Ades, he made the good confession and was baptized and received into the church. At one time before he had obeyed the Gospel it is related of him that at a public meeting, where many of his youth companions were gathered, he read the scriptures offered prayer and declared his intention to change his course of life. Almost immediately after his obedience he began eloquently to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.
Destitute of the education afforded by the schools, he gave himself to the study of the Word and became mighty in the scriptures. In his palmiest days his appeals to the sinner were almost irresistible, and as a consequence during the thirty years of his active ministry he has added more converts to the church in Wabash and lawrence counties than all other of his co-laborers for that period in those counties. AND -
Elder William I. Courter
He possessed a kind and loving nature. Was a true and honorable man in all his business relations. He was a peacemaker and greatly esteemed for his work's sake by all who knew him. Often without money and without price he went forth to the harvest and an open door was always granted him. But his voice is hushed in death, and he is gone to reap the reward of his inheritance among the saints in life. [By W.R. Couch, found in the Old Courter Bible dated back to 1820. This was taken from an Article by Wilma Madelyn (Boyd) Keepes who possessed the Bible. This obituary would have appeared in 1866, possibly in the Mt. Carmel Morning Register. The original article by Mrs. Keepes in the Daily Republican- Register, Mt. Carmel, Illinois was on page three, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 1968. - submitted by Dawn Daddario].
ENOCH GREATHOUSE, JR.
DIED -- On Wednesday the 12 November, 1834, at his resident, in this county, Mr. ENOCH GREATHOUSE, ESQ. aged about fifty --- Mr. Greathouse, was a valuable man, and a worthy citizen. [Mt. Carmel Sentinel and Wabash Advocate, 19 Nov, 1834 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
JOHN GREATHOUSE (submitter's note: AKA ENOCH GREATHOUSE, SR.)
DIED -- On Thursday, the 20th Nov., 1834, Mr. JOHN GREATHOUSE, supposed to be from 104 to 115 years of age - father of Mr. E. Greathouse, they were the first two settlers of the town plat of Mt. Carmel. [Mt. Carmel Sentinel and Wabash Advocate, 19 Nov, 1834 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
GREATHOUSE, LETHA, 38, ended today when her body was found in a shallow grave less than 100 yards from her home on the outskirts of this city.
Her body, buried under six inches of earth, was found by Sam Vitale, who noted the woman's foot protruding from the grave while he exercised his dog on a field adjoining the Greathouse home.
Two wash tubs marked the grave. Police said that they believed that the tubs were used to place over one of the woman's protruding feet.
The 16-year-old son of Mrs. Greathouse, Raleigh Karl, and his step-father, Earl Greathouse, had been conducting a search for the missing woman since the middle of January.
[Unknown Wabash County Newspaper name pending, 3-21-1934 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
RUFUS GREATHOUSE
DROWNED --- Wednesday noon our citizens were startled by the report that a man had been drowned at the Grand Rapids dam, just above town, and in a short time, quite a number, rigged out with what was needed for hunting the body, started for the scene. Arriving there they found that the report was only too true and that Mr. Zimmerman had already recovered the body. The facts as we learn them are that three farmers, living about 4 miles from town - Rufus Greathouse, Og. Hunt and a young man named Kuster-having finished their harvesting at noon, concluding to go up to the dam and take a bath. None of the party could swim, and after a good wash they commenced playing in the water and soon all three got out beyond their depth. Messers Burr Gould and John Harmon were fishing near by, and seeing the condition of they were in rushed to their rescue. They reached out their fishing poles and pulled in, the two latter but Greathouse sank before he could be reached. The deceased was 28 years old and leaves a wife who is almost ready to become a mother. He was a good farmer and a fine man. [Friday July 3, 1885, Mt. Carmel Republican- submitted by Dawn Daddario]
GREATHOUSE, Mrs. (Newkirk) Friday Mother of Rufus Greathouse
An Unlucky Family.
The mother of Rufus Greathouse, who drowned last week, was a Newkirk, a daughter of Wm. Newkirk, who was killed in the cyclone, and came to this country about 1853. A brother and sister of the old lady were drowned in the Muskigun river, in Ohio, while returning from Sunday School. A brother of William's (Zechariah) while hauling some pumpkins had his son run over and killed and a little later his wife was thrown out of a wagon against a tree and killed, and in 1860 Zechariah was shot on the streets of this city. A half-brother named Rufus, drowned in Crawfish creek while hunting ducks on the ___. Rufus Greathouse, several years ago while in town, was kicked by a horse and for some time it was thought he would die.
But one of the family (Hugh) has ever died a natural death - [Mt. Carmel Republican, July 10, 1885 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
CLEVELAND GREATHOUSE
Cleveland Greathouse, 88, West Salem, died Thursday, April 11, 1974, in the Golden Acres Shelter Care Home in West Salem. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Bedridden Bolivar, South Holland, Illinois; three sons, Coring, Chicago, Wain, Detroit, Michigan, and Gilbert, Cincinnati, Ohio; ten grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be conducted Saturday, April 13, at 10:30 a.m. from the Chapel of the King and Ingram Funeral Home in West Salem with Brother Homer Logons officiating.
Burial will be in the Marion Cemetery.
Friends may call after 6:00 p.m. today (Friday) at the funeral home. [Unknown Wabash County Newspaper, April 1974 - submitted by Dawn Daddario]
Human A. Greathouse Nov 48th
Human A. Greathouse, 80, of 406 W. 9th St., Mt. Carmel died early this morning at the Wabash General Hospital.
He was born in Edwards County, Sept. 2, 1888 the son of David and Olive (Baker) Greathouse. In 1915 he was married to Naomi Lm, who proceded him in death. Also preceding him was a son, Palmer.
Surviving are three daughters: Mrs. Bernice Terry of Mt. Carmel, Mrs. Imogene Hilgeman of Coolarge, Ariz., and Mrs. Myridean Moomey of Phoenix, Ariz., and one son, John Greathouse, of Mt. Carmel, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held from the Roy D. Short Co. Memorial Chapel Sunday at 2p.m. with Rev. Thomas Ryan officiating. Interment will be in Lick Prairie Cemetery, Friends may call at the funeral home after 6:00 p.m. this evening. - [Mt. Carmel Register? - submitted by Dawn Daddario].
William Greathouse Dies After Long Illness (1950)
William Irvin Greathouse, retired, farmer of Lick Prairie, passed away on Thursday, October 26, at 8:00 p.m. in the Convalescent Nursing Home. He had been ill for several months.
He was born in Lick Prairie on November 4, 1863, the son of William and Mary Carter Greathouse and at death was aged 86 years, 11 months and 22 days. His wife, who was Martha Wood of Forth Branch, preceded him in death. He leaves two children, Wesley Greathouse, of Michigan, and Mrs. Anna Smith, of Mt. Carmel; nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren and one half-brother, Fred Fisher, of this county.
Harriet Runion
At Mt. Carmel, Illinois, May 5, Mrs. Harriet Runion, in her 41st year, formerly of Lanesboro' and daughter of Mr. Daniel E. Barker - [The Sun (Massachusetts), June 03, 1858 - submitted by K. Torp]
