Month: September 2025

Elaborate Society Wedding

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JACOBS-BEACH
Elaborate Society Wedding Yesterday Noon in Serena Township

Miss Nellie Jacobs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter W. Jacobs, of Serena township, and Mr. Frank L. Beach, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Beach, of Dayton township, and a member of the class of ’86 of the Ottawa High School, were married at the home of the bride’s parents in Serena at noon yesterday, Rev. P. D. Perkins, of Harding, officiating. The bride wore a handsome gray traveling dress. After the ceremony a bounteous wedding dinner was spread in the dining room, and at four o’clock the bride and groom left for Chicago and the north on their wedding tour. They will reside on the Beach homestead in Dayton.

The entire lower floor of the house was beautifully decorated with golden rod, and a great floral bell, made of golden rod, with a clapper of roses, was suspended over the central dining room table. Tony Simon officiated at the piano. Those present from Ottawa were Geo. Grove and wife, Misses Shaver, Sanders, Conard, and Fox; and Messrs. L. W. Brewer, Grant Conard, Chas. Wilcox, Leo Stockley and John O’Kane.1

  1. Ottawa Free Trader, September 24, 1892, p. 1, col. 4

Railroad Accident Near Dayton

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The Dayton depot

BURLINGTON KILLS MAN NEAR DAYTON
Dead Man is Believed to be Oscar Classon of Danway
Mutilated Body is Found on Tracks
Parts of Body Strewn Along the Tracks for Almost a Mile–Identification is Next to Impossible — Body was Brought to Ottawa Saturday

The mutilated body of a man, supposed to be Oscar Classon, aged 47 years, married, of Danway, was found on the Burlington track shortly after 5:30 a. m. Saturday by Robert Burch, a resident of Dayton. The body was found one mile north of the Dayton depot and was horribly mangled. The Kellman Undertaking Co., of this city, was called and took charge of the body and removed it to this city.

The identification of the body is almost impossible, but circumstances surrounding the case lead the residents of Dayton to believe it to be the body of Oscar Classon. The indications are that he was struck by the south bound freight train, due in this city at 2:30 o’clock that morning.

Mr. Classon was in this city Friday and was seen by a number of people. He purchased a ticket at the local station for Millington and departed on the north bound passenger train, leaving this city at 3:05 p. m. It is reported that Mr. Classon had been drinking and that he was put off the train at Dayton at 3:15 o’clock. He was seen on several occasions late Friday afternoon by residents of Dayton wandering about the village. Classon, it is reported, made several attempts to walk the tracks and between 6 and 7 o’clock was found lying in the middle of the tracks by a man walking to the village. He was aroused and led off the tracks just previous to the passing of the passenger at 7:05 o’clock Friday evening.

It is presumed that Classon wandered back onto the tracks after the 8:30 o’clock north bound freight passed by and that he was struck by the south bound freight shortly after midnight.

Robert Burch, a resident of Dayton, while walking north on the tracks this morning, found a portion of the body a short distance from the depot. The remainder of the body was found one mile north of the depot.

The identification of the body is almost impossible. An Ingersoll watch and a ticket, bearing the date of April 8th, for Millington, were found in the pocket of the deceased.

He is reported to have been a married man and worked on a farm near Danway. He has one brother, T. B. Classon, residing east of Wedron, who has been notified to identify the body, if possible.1

  1. Ottawa Republican Times, April 14,1910, p. 7.

The Bovine Aristocracy

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Isaac Green’s handsome Durham bull ‘Clifton’ would have looked a lot like this.

BLOODED CATTLE

La Salle county may well be proud of her splendid stock of cattle. Her enterprising and wealthy farmers have spent thousands and thousands of dollars in improving the breed of stock of all kinds and especially short-horned Durhams.

Desirous of doing equal and exact justice to all we began at the north end of the cattle stalls, after looking at some fine lots of cattle exhibited by Isaiah Strawn. We found, first: Mr. Isaac Green’s blooded stock. First, his handsome Durham bull “Clifton,” 3 year old, weight 5,000 lbs; is brown and white spotted; :Jenny June,” six months old, weight 500; both having a No. 1 record in the herd books.1

  1. Ottawa Free Trader, September 10, 1870, p. 4, col. 3.

September News

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Dayton

Martin Wilkie has picked his grapes and expects to make about forty gallons of wine.

Mrs. Chas. Frein, while attending the funeral of Mrs. Coleman on Saturday last, met with a painful, but not serious, accident. When near the cemetery the horse, which her son was driving, became frightened at some brush which was being burnt, and she suddenly grabbed one of the lines and turned the horse so short that the occupants were thrown to the ground. Mrs. Frein’s face was cut near the temple, and she was taken at once to Ottawa, where Dr. Roberts sewed up the wound.

Henry Glodt, employed on the Q. section here, has been on the sick list the past few days.

August Kruger, wife and son, of Serena, spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Glodt.

Miles Masters is still very weak, but is able to leave the house.

Cider pressing goes merrily on, much to the delight of our school boys.

Mrs. Peter Coleman, 89 years of age, and a resident here since 1872, died at her home on Thursday last after an illness of fifteen months. Three daughters, Misses Mary and Meggie and Mrs. Nellie McGraw, of Streator, and one son, Richard, survive her. The interment took place at St. Columbo cemetery.

Miss Josie Shields has returned, and is now visiting Mr. and Mrs. James Timmons.

The river is still high and the feeder furnishes plenty of water to run the mills.

A. W. S.1

  1. Ottawa Republican Times, September 13, 1900, p. 9.