Friday, June 20, 2008

Julia Utz

Fulton Journal: December 4, 1947

Excerpts:

Funeral services for Mrs. Julia Utz, aged 71, were conducted in the Fay Funeral Home at two o'clock Monday afternoon. The Rev. Harry E. Harned of Clinton officiated.
Burial was in the Fulton cemetery.
Mrs. Utz, whose home had been in Fulton for a number of years, went to Alpena, Mich., last summer to live with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Klauburg, who cared for her in her last illness. She died Nov. 27 in the Alpena General hospital.
She was born May 11, 1876, in Copenhagen, Denmark, the daughter of John and Emma Sorensen Jorgensen. She came to America in her youth.
On Oct. 4, 1932, she was married to Charles Utz and the home was made in Fulton. Mr. Utz died in 1939 and Mrs. Utz continued to live here until last summer.
She is survived by Mrs. Charles Klauburg, a daughter by an earlier marriage and by two granddaughters all of Alpina, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Klauburg accompanied the body to Fulton for the funeral.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

William Utz

Fulton Journal: September 11, 1947
William Utz Buried Monday

Private funeral services for William F. Utz were conducted at two o'clock Monday afternoon in the Fay Funeral Home. A Christian Science Reader officiated. He died suddenly at 11 o'clock Saturday morning in his home at 1309 Tenth avenue.
Burial was in the family lot in the Fulton cemetery. Casket bearers were T.W. Jones and James Shipman of Fulton; Curtis Utz of Chicago; David Beauvais of Sterling; and Christian Petersen and Charles Bingham of Clinton.
Mr. Utz, who was 83 years of age at the time of his death, was the son of Gottleib and Margaret Schnedt Utz, pioneer Fulton settlers who came to this country from Germany.
He was born in Fulton on May 22, 1864, and lived his entire life here. He received his education in the Fulton schools and for a number of years was engaged in the meat market business with his father.
Mr. Utz was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, and one brother. Nearest relatives surviviing are a brother, Fred Utz, and a niece, Mrs. T.W. Jones of Fulton, and a nephew, Curtis Utz of Chicago.
Coming from out of town to attend the funeral were Curtis Utz of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. David Beauvais of Sterling, and several friends from Clinton.

Attempted Suicide

Fulton Journal: May 30, 1884

Thursday evening a little before 6 o'clock, Charles Utz, of this town, cut his throat with a butcher knife. Doctors C.A. Griswold and H.M. Kennedy were summoned and succeeded in taking up the arteries, so that his morning he was able to dress himself and will undoubtedly recover. Charles Utz is twenty seven years old, and works for his father, G. Utz, an old and respected citizen, who is the proprietor of a butcher shop. Charles' worst fault is his love for drink, and this was the cause of the rash act. He has been sick for several days, and Thursday was downtown for the first time. He went home and went to the barn where he cut a gash four and one half inches long in his throat. Some small arteries were severed, but the windpipe and large arteries were not. In answer to the question why he did it, said. "They wanted to hang me yesterday, and today they want to shoot me."

Gottlieb Utz Passes Away

Fulton Journal: May 14, 1915

Gottlieb Utz, an old, esteemed and respected citizen of Fulton, died at his home on Tenth avenue Wednesday at twelve o'clock, noon. He had been in failing health for the last year and this spring was confined to his bed for over six weeks.
Mr. Utz was born in Waldenbronn, near Esslingen, Germany, January 19, 1831. When he was seven years of age his father died, leaving him, his mother and a sister, both of whom are dead. A few years later Mr. Utz started to learn the butcher's trade and after his three years of apprenticeship went to Switzerland, where he was employed a few years.
At the age of nineteen he came to America and landed at Philadelphia where he worked for one year. In 1852 he went to Chicago and engaged in the meat business, and four years later he was married to Miss Margaret Schnedt. In 1860 they moved to Dixon and engaged in business there two years, and from there moved his family to Fulton, where he had been a continuous resident for the past fifty-three years. For over forty-five years he was actively engaged in the meat business in this city, and in 1870 erected his first brick store building on the west side of Lincoln Way, and later built a double brick store building on the opposite side of the street.
Mr. Utz was an honest and a reputable man, respected by all and esteemed by many who knew him. He was a public spirited man of good principles, and led an industrious, busy life, always contributing to the building up of Fulton. The worthy and needy were often substantially remembered by him. Years ago he was one of the best known men in our city and the large brick residence he built in 1875 was for many years the best in the city. The spacious lawn was always artistically decorated with his favorite flowers, with a large fountain of running water in the center.
Four years ago he, in company with his son, Charles, and wife, went back to Germany to visit the scenes of his childhood, where he spent five months. There he saw the old home still standing in which he and his father were born. The home is an old land-mark, now being over 100 years old.
Mr. Utz was eighty-four years and five months old at the time of his death, which succeeeded that of his wife by eleven years. He had a family of seven children, of whom four are dead and three are living. Those surviving him are three sons, Charles, William, and Fred, all of Fulton.

Bold Highway robbery

Fulton Journal: November 18, 1881

One of Our Citizens Garoted and Pockets Rifled on the Street, Tuesday Night.

On Tuesday evening at nine o'clock, Mr. G. Utz, one of the leading business men of this city, left his store to go home as usual. He had not gone more than a block before he was satisfied that two men were following him, so at the corner near Mrs. Wythe's residence, he stopped to allow them to pass on, but they took that opportunity to carry out their thieving intention. One of the thugs says, "Now take him," and at the same time Mr. Utz was caught by the throat and choked to the ground and struck several violent blows about the chest. "Go through his pockets," were the only other words that Mr. Utz heard his assailants use, and this order was literally carried out, for a watch, worth $45, keys, knife, and about a dollar in change were roughly taken from his pockets and then the robbers disappeared in the darkness. As the attack was from behind and the night very dark there was no chance for any recognition or after identification of this brace of foot-pads. Mr. Utz went into Mrs. Whythe's and procured a lantern before going home. A JOURNAL reporter called on him on Wednesday and found him in good spirits but feeling rather sore after his rough treatment. Mr. Utz said that as his home was some distance from his place of business, he never carried any money excepting a little change. He expected to be down to his market in a day or two at the farthest and hereafter would guess at the time as this is the second watch he has had stolen in two years. If about a hundred or two of these tramp desperadoes were behind the grates, our citizens would breathe freer and feel safer.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Grape Catsup

Fulton Journal: August 3, 1877

Editor of the Journal:
As grapes promise to be the most abundant fruit we have this season, and several friends having asked me to give them my receipt for making grape catsup, I send it to you for publictions for their benefit, or any others who may want to use it. We think it very nice with meats, and is not bad as sauce for general use:
Take five pounds of grapes to one pint of vinegar; cook until you can strain through a sieve, to the juice add two pounds of sugar, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, one tablespoonful of black pepper, one tablespoonful of cloves, one-half tablespoonful of salt. Cook down to two qauarts.
Respectfully,
Mrs. D.J. Parker

The Poor

Fulton Journal: January 26, 1877

Help the City Poor

Editor of the Journal:
There are several families in this City, the heads of which are able bodied men AND WILLING TO WORK TO SUSTAIN THEIR FAMILIES, but not getting work to do, have become destitute and as that is not the class of persons designated as paupers by law, they are not entitled to County relief, yet they must not starve nor freeze to death in this land of plenty.
As we have no Citizen's Relief Association in this city, all that are charitably disposed, by leaving with me orders for laborers shall be supplied, and at the same time any contributions of clothing, money, provisions, wood, & c., deposited with me shall be properly distributed.
W.Y. Wetzell,
Mayor

Telephones

Fulton Journal: July 31, 1917

Telephone System Improvement

A.G. Hawley, president of the Tri-City Telephone Co, is planning extensive improvements in the Fulton system. The central office over the post office is to occupy all of the second floor of the building and new, modern switch boards will be installed. There will be a reception room, switch bord room, operators' room and a supply department. The service will be improved by installing the automatic call system. The work will be done during the fall months, as it is impossible to get material and new switchboard equipment in less than three or four months after being ordered. O.E. Metzler, who is in charge, will have to give up his residence in the exchange rooms and move, as the entire floor will be used for the central office.

Rural School Teachers

Fulton Journal: August 31, 1934

Teachers Named for Rural Schools

The teachers who are well known in Fulton and have been engaged to teach at the schools listed below during the coming term:
Lockhart--Burdette Boelkens
Garden Plain--Julia Callahan and Avia McGrath
Cedar Creek--Rosa B. Marx
Stone Street--Orma Seger
Spring Creek--Esther Gusse
Mt. Hope--Nancy Abbott
East Clinton--Marie Bokholdt and Joan Stuit
Smith--Mary Thomson
Cottage Grove--Ada W. Barsema
Tehan--Henrietta Kooi
Cottonwood--Marjorie Fletcher
Goff--Edna Kooi
Crouch--Dorothy Keck
Otter Bluff--Bernice Pollard
Spring Valley--Mildred Davis
Cobb--Dossie Smith
Angelese--Merle Emmert
Kingsbury--Pauline Stone
Dublin--Lester Loftus
James--Freda Ten Boer

Bush's Cafe

Fulton Journal: October 11, 1951

50th Birthday and Opening of New Facilities at Bush's

Bush's Cafe will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its founding with an Open House next Thursday.
The Open House also will mark the formal opening of two new features added during recent months, the Wooden Shoe and the Industrial Room.
The Wooden Shoe is a modern cocktail lounge and the Industrial room is a spacious private dining room.
Both are located in the rooms just south of the location occupied by Bush's Cafe for a number of years. the new facilities were added after the building in which they are located was purchased from John L. Poole, Jr., by George W. Bush.
Mr. Bush a native of Fulton, has operated the cafe since April, 1944, when he took over the business after the death of his father, Burnie Bush.
Burnie Bush, a native of The Netherlands, had operated the business in several different locations, for more than 40 years. It was always in the same block on Fourth Street as its present location.
Burnie Bush was brought to the United States by his parents at the age of five. Shortly after he arrived he adopted the name he was to carry the rest of his life, Americanizing it from Esbrand van den Buis.
During his long career as a cafe operator he became widely known, not only as an excellent cook, but also as a sportsman and a colorful figure in the developing community of Fulton.
He lost an arm in a hunting accident and for many years amazed his friends and customers with the dexterity of his work with only one arm.
His son, the present proprietor, has carried on the tradition of his father, and has expanded the business a great deal.
Bush's Cafe is known far and wide as one of the finest steak houses in the Middle West and is a popular eating place for prominent figures in the sports and business world when they are in this section of the country.
Much of the success of the business is attributed to the fact that nearly all of the cooking through the years has been done by Burnie Bush and his son George, ably assisted by his wife, Mrs. Leona Bush, who has been a fulltime partner in the operations of the businss in recent years.
Many visitors from out of town are expected at Bush's next Thursday for the Open House and Anniversary celebration.

Squirrels

Fulton Journal: June 6, 1902

Dr. G.W. Clendenon has a fine colony of Michigan squirrels at his Broadway residence. Last fall he brought a number of squirrels from Michigan and installed them in the trees on his lawn. A pair survived the raids made by cats, dogs and kids, and now there are four squirrelkins added, and the new arrivals are too cute for anything.