John William Bales was the son of Robert Bales and Lucinda Russell, who died between 1837 and 1842 leaving their two sons and two daughters orphaned. As they were members of Vermilion Monthly Meeting, a committee of Friends was selected to look after the children. John was raised in or near Georgetown, IL, as were his sisters Edith and Sarah Ann, and his brother David. Before moving to Vermilion County, the Bales family had been members of Lost Creek Monthly Meeting, a Quaker settlement near New Market, Jefferson County, TN.
John married Annar Marie Meade on January 16, 1852 in Conkeytown in Vermilion County. Their children were John Wesley, Andrew Jackson, Joshua, Nathaniel Lincoln, George Riley, Marietta, Ida Mae, and Sarah Edith.
He enlisted as a private in Company K, 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry on May 2, 1864, mustered in on May 31, 1864, and mustered out Sep 24, 1864 at Camp Butler, Springfield, IL. His physical description was 5’ 11”, fair hair, fair complexion, blue eyes. He filed “invalid status” on Sept. 11, 1891 (age 61).
KILLED BY THE CARS. John Bales, the Watchman at the South-side Crossing Crushed to Death Under the Wheels. Mr. John Bales an old and highly respected and esteemed citizen of this city, was this week, the victim of one of the most horrible accidents in the history of Momence.
On Monday morning, shortly after 12 o’clock, Messrs Oscar Reynolds and Jas. Nary, Jr., night workmen at the coal chutes of the C. & E. I. rail road were at their usual occupation of unloading coal into the pockets for the use of the engines. There were seven cars up in the chute, part of them full and part empty. In moving them along for convenience in unloading, one got out on the incline and being attached to five of the others, the whole six were soon in motion. The workmen sprung for the brakes and tried to stop them, but were unable to do so and in spite of their efforts, the six cars went down the incline and out on the track at the base. On stopping them, the men started back along the track, when to their horror they found the body of a man lying between the rails at the bottom of the incline and just north of the Indiana street crossing. The body was headless, the head being found about 60 feet away as well as one of the feet. He was soon found to be Mr. John Bales, the night flagman at the crossing, who has been a faithful and trusted employee of the company for the past ten years.
Messrs Robert Pittman, W. J. Haney and F. G. Gammon, were quickly called by telephone, by Frank Massey, night watchman at the round house, and after taking careful observation of all the surroundings, removed the body to undertakers, Melby & Halpin, where they were properly tended to.
The direct cause of this horrible accident is not known and no one witnessed the calamity. The commonly accepted theory however, is that Mr. Bales was in the flagman’s house, as hearing the sound of the moving cars in the chute, rushed out to attend to his duty at the crossing, as train No. 57 was nearly due. As was his custom, he probably stood on the track at the base of the incline to look up and down the main track. Then not knowing of the coal cars coming from the chute, he became an easy victim.
Coroner Clark, of Kankakee, was immediately notified and he came up on the morning train. A jury was empaneled consisting of the following named persons:
F. J. Cartier, Kankakee, foreman.
S. W. Dennis, Momence, clerk.
Dr. H. M. Keyser, “
H. C. Paradis, “
Dr. E. G. Gibson, “
Everett M. Logan, “
After a careful examination, the jury returned a verdict in conformity with the above statements.
Mr. John Bales, the deceased, was 73 years of age. He and his wife have been residents of Momence for upwards of thirty years and had been married 50 years last January. Eight children have been born to them and five are still living. Four of them were present at the gathering Tuesday afternoon previous to final departure of the remains. Mrs. Emory Dayton, is his only daughter.
Brief services were held at the residence on the south side Tuesday afternoon, attended by neighbors and friends, who gathered to pay their last regards to one who had been among them so long. These services were conducted by Rev. R. B. Seaman. The ladies of Worcester Post W. R. C., attended in a body, out of respect for Mrs. Emory Dayton. Beautiful floral tributes were in evidence, among them, an appropriate anchor of pansies given by the Loraine School, and a collection of carnations and other flowers by the ladies of the W. R. C.
After the ceremonies, the remains were taken to Fithian, Illinois, his former home, where the funeral will be held and the body be laid away to final rest.
Credit: The Momence Progress May 15, 1903 page 1 and Karen Peterson from Bill Peterson's newspaper collection.
John married Annar Marie Meade on January 16, 1852 in Conkeytown in Vermilion County. Their children were John Wesley, Andrew Jackson, Joshua, Nathaniel Lincoln, George Riley, Marietta, Ida Mae, and Sarah Edith.
He enlisted as a private in Company K, 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry on May 2, 1864, mustered in on May 31, 1864, and mustered out Sep 24, 1864 at Camp Butler, Springfield, IL. His physical description was 5’ 11”, fair hair, fair complexion, blue eyes. He filed “invalid status” on Sept. 11, 1891 (age 61).
KILLED BY THE CARS. John Bales, the Watchman at the South-side Crossing Crushed to Death Under the Wheels. Mr. John Bales an old and highly respected and esteemed citizen of this city, was this week, the victim of one of the most horrible accidents in the history of Momence.
On Monday morning, shortly after 12 o’clock, Messrs Oscar Reynolds and Jas. Nary, Jr., night workmen at the coal chutes of the C. & E. I. rail road were at their usual occupation of unloading coal into the pockets for the use of the engines. There were seven cars up in the chute, part of them full and part empty. In moving them along for convenience in unloading, one got out on the incline and being attached to five of the others, the whole six were soon in motion. The workmen sprung for the brakes and tried to stop them, but were unable to do so and in spite of their efforts, the six cars went down the incline and out on the track at the base. On stopping them, the men started back along the track, when to their horror they found the body of a man lying between the rails at the bottom of the incline and just north of the Indiana street crossing. The body was headless, the head being found about 60 feet away as well as one of the feet. He was soon found to be Mr. John Bales, the night flagman at the crossing, who has been a faithful and trusted employee of the company for the past ten years.
Messrs Robert Pittman, W. J. Haney and F. G. Gammon, were quickly called by telephone, by Frank Massey, night watchman at the round house, and after taking careful observation of all the surroundings, removed the body to undertakers, Melby & Halpin, where they were properly tended to.
The direct cause of this horrible accident is not known and no one witnessed the calamity. The commonly accepted theory however, is that Mr. Bales was in the flagman’s house, as hearing the sound of the moving cars in the chute, rushed out to attend to his duty at the crossing, as train No. 57 was nearly due. As was his custom, he probably stood on the track at the base of the incline to look up and down the main track. Then not knowing of the coal cars coming from the chute, he became an easy victim.
Coroner Clark, of Kankakee, was immediately notified and he came up on the morning train. A jury was empaneled consisting of the following named persons:
F. J. Cartier, Kankakee, foreman.
S. W. Dennis, Momence, clerk.
Dr. H. M. Keyser, “
H. C. Paradis, “
Dr. E. G. Gibson, “
Everett M. Logan, “
After a careful examination, the jury returned a verdict in conformity with the above statements.
Mr. John Bales, the deceased, was 73 years of age. He and his wife have been residents of Momence for upwards of thirty years and had been married 50 years last January. Eight children have been born to them and five are still living. Four of them were present at the gathering Tuesday afternoon previous to final departure of the remains. Mrs. Emory Dayton, is his only daughter.
Brief services were held at the residence on the south side Tuesday afternoon, attended by neighbors and friends, who gathered to pay their last regards to one who had been among them so long. These services were conducted by Rev. R. B. Seaman. The ladies of Worcester Post W. R. C., attended in a body, out of respect for Mrs. Emory Dayton. Beautiful floral tributes were in evidence, among them, an appropriate anchor of pansies given by the Loraine School, and a collection of carnations and other flowers by the ladies of the W. R. C.
After the ceremonies, the remains were taken to Fithian, Illinois, his former home, where the funeral will be held and the body be laid away to final rest.
Credit: The Momence Progress May 15, 1903 page 1 and Karen Peterson from Bill Peterson's newspaper collection.
John William Bales was the son of Robert Bales and Lucinda Russell, who died between 1837 and 1842 leaving their two sons and two daughters orphaned. As they were members of Vermilion Monthly Meeting, a committee of Friends was selected to look after the children. John was raised in or near Georgetown, IL, as were his sisters Edith and Sarah Ann, and his brother David. Before moving to Vermilion County, the Bales family had been members of Lost Creek Monthly Meeting, a Quaker settlement near New Market, Jefferson County, TN.
John married Annar Marie Meade on January 16, 1852 in Conkeytown in Vermilion County. Their children were John Wesley, Andrew Jackson, Joshua, Nathaniel Lincoln, George Riley, Marietta, Ida Mae, and Sarah Edith.
He enlisted as a private in Company K, 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry on May 2, 1864, mustered in on May 31, 1864, and mustered out Sep 24, 1864 at Camp Butler, Springfield, IL. His physical description was 5’ 11”, fair hair, fair complexion, blue eyes. He filed “invalid status” on Sept. 11, 1891 (age 61).
KILLED BY THE CARS. John Bales, the Watchman at the South-side Crossing Crushed to Death Under the Wheels. Mr. John Bales an old and highly respected and esteemed citizen of this city, was this week, the victim of one of the most horrible accidents in the history of Momence.
On Monday morning, shortly after 12 o’clock, Messrs Oscar Reynolds and Jas. Nary, Jr., night workmen at the coal chutes of the C. & E. I. rail road were at their usual occupation of unloading coal into the pockets for the use of the engines. There were seven cars up in the chute, part of them full and part empty. In moving them along for convenience in unloading, one got out on the incline and being attached to five of the others, the whole six were soon in motion. The workmen sprung for the brakes and tried to stop them, but were unable to do so and in spite of their efforts, the six cars went down the incline and out on the track at the base. On stopping them, the men started back along the track, when to their horror they found the body of a man lying between the rails at the bottom of the incline and just north of the Indiana street crossing. The body was headless, the head being found about 60 feet away as well as one of the feet. He was soon found to be Mr. John Bales, the night flagman at the crossing, who has been a faithful and trusted employee of the company for the past ten years.
Messrs Robert Pittman, W. J. Haney and F. G. Gammon, were quickly called by telephone, by Frank Massey, night watchman at the round house, and after taking careful observation of all the surroundings, removed the body to undertakers, Melby & Halpin, where they were properly tended to.
The direct cause of this horrible accident is not known and no one witnessed the calamity. The commonly accepted theory however, is that Mr. Bales was in the flagman’s house, as hearing the sound of the moving cars in the chute, rushed out to attend to his duty at the crossing, as train No. 57 was nearly due. As was his custom, he probably stood on the track at the base of the incline to look up and down the main track. Then not knowing of the coal cars coming from the chute, he became an easy victim.
Coroner Clark, of Kankakee, was immediately notified and he came up on the morning train. A jury was empaneled consisting of the following named persons:
F. J. Cartier, Kankakee, foreman.
S. W. Dennis, Momence, clerk.
Dr. H. M. Keyser, “
H. C. Paradis, “
Dr. E. G. Gibson, “
Everett M. Logan, “
After a careful examination, the jury returned a verdict in conformity with the above statements.
Mr. John Bales, the deceased, was 73 years of age. He and his wife have been residents of Momence for upwards of thirty years and had been married 50 years last January. Eight children have been born to them and five are still living. Four of them were present at the gathering Tuesday afternoon previous to final departure of the remains. Mrs. Emory Dayton, is his only daughter.
Brief services were held at the residence on the south side Tuesday afternoon, attended by neighbors and friends, who gathered to pay their last regards to one who had been among them so long. These services were conducted by Rev. R. B. Seaman. The ladies of Worcester Post W. R. C., attended in a body, out of respect for Mrs. Emory Dayton. Beautiful floral tributes were in evidence, among them, an appropriate anchor of pansies given by the Loraine School, and a collection of carnations and other flowers by the ladies of the W. R. C.
After the ceremonies, the remains were taken to Fithian, Illinois, his former home, where the funeral will be held and the body be laid away to final rest.
Credit: The Momence Progress May 15, 1903 page 1 and Karen Peterson from Bill Peterson's newspaper collection.
John married Annar Marie Meade on January 16, 1852 in Conkeytown in Vermilion County. Their children were John Wesley, Andrew Jackson, Joshua, Nathaniel Lincoln, George Riley, Marietta, Ida Mae, and Sarah Edith.
He enlisted as a private in Company K, 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry on May 2, 1864, mustered in on May 31, 1864, and mustered out Sep 24, 1864 at Camp Butler, Springfield, IL. His physical description was 5’ 11”, fair hair, fair complexion, blue eyes. He filed “invalid status” on Sept. 11, 1891 (age 61).
KILLED BY THE CARS. John Bales, the Watchman at the South-side Crossing Crushed to Death Under the Wheels. Mr. John Bales an old and highly respected and esteemed citizen of this city, was this week, the victim of one of the most horrible accidents in the history of Momence.
On Monday morning, shortly after 12 o’clock, Messrs Oscar Reynolds and Jas. Nary, Jr., night workmen at the coal chutes of the C. & E. I. rail road were at their usual occupation of unloading coal into the pockets for the use of the engines. There were seven cars up in the chute, part of them full and part empty. In moving them along for convenience in unloading, one got out on the incline and being attached to five of the others, the whole six were soon in motion. The workmen sprung for the brakes and tried to stop them, but were unable to do so and in spite of their efforts, the six cars went down the incline and out on the track at the base. On stopping them, the men started back along the track, when to their horror they found the body of a man lying between the rails at the bottom of the incline and just north of the Indiana street crossing. The body was headless, the head being found about 60 feet away as well as one of the feet. He was soon found to be Mr. John Bales, the night flagman at the crossing, who has been a faithful and trusted employee of the company for the past ten years.
Messrs Robert Pittman, W. J. Haney and F. G. Gammon, were quickly called by telephone, by Frank Massey, night watchman at the round house, and after taking careful observation of all the surroundings, removed the body to undertakers, Melby & Halpin, where they were properly tended to.
The direct cause of this horrible accident is not known and no one witnessed the calamity. The commonly accepted theory however, is that Mr. Bales was in the flagman’s house, as hearing the sound of the moving cars in the chute, rushed out to attend to his duty at the crossing, as train No. 57 was nearly due. As was his custom, he probably stood on the track at the base of the incline to look up and down the main track. Then not knowing of the coal cars coming from the chute, he became an easy victim.
Coroner Clark, of Kankakee, was immediately notified and he came up on the morning train. A jury was empaneled consisting of the following named persons:
F. J. Cartier, Kankakee, foreman.
S. W. Dennis, Momence, clerk.
Dr. H. M. Keyser, “
H. C. Paradis, “
Dr. E. G. Gibson, “
Everett M. Logan, “
After a careful examination, the jury returned a verdict in conformity with the above statements.
Mr. John Bales, the deceased, was 73 years of age. He and his wife have been residents of Momence for upwards of thirty years and had been married 50 years last January. Eight children have been born to them and five are still living. Four of them were present at the gathering Tuesday afternoon previous to final departure of the remains. Mrs. Emory Dayton, is his only daughter.
Brief services were held at the residence on the south side Tuesday afternoon, attended by neighbors and friends, who gathered to pay their last regards to one who had been among them so long. These services were conducted by Rev. R. B. Seaman. The ladies of Worcester Post W. R. C., attended in a body, out of respect for Mrs. Emory Dayton. Beautiful floral tributes were in evidence, among them, an appropriate anchor of pansies given by the Loraine School, and a collection of carnations and other flowers by the ladies of the W. R. C.
After the ceremonies, the remains were taken to Fithian, Illinois, his former home, where the funeral will be held and the body be laid away to final rest.
Credit: The Momence Progress May 15, 1903 page 1 and Karen Peterson from Bill Peterson's newspaper collection.
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