The memorial service was at Muncie Baptist Church and included stories about my dad. Getting a chance to hear some friends and family tell their stories about my dad’s life was a fitting way for his life to be remembered as far as what I think he would have liked. He wanted to be cremated and spread around his farm, his farm being something he loved. Being away from it the last few years I’m sure was as tough on him than the disease that was robbing his memory.
Stories included tales from his childhood of money making plans with his favorite sidekick and cousin, Don, where they collected all the Pigeon’s from the barns in the area – thinking they could sell them as squab – then the cleaning the barn and shooing pigeons for weeks after when their parents found out.
My father’s time in the army amusing everyone but the officer’s tasked with training them. My father answering questions with darned if I know and earning everyone push ups for laughing… Throwing in comments, like save some for me, from the back of the chow line during the company picnics.
My cousin Larry told about my dad taking him hunting for his first time, a friend telling about meeting my dad and sending him down to Kentucky. I’m fairly certain I remember the trip he was talking about – my second grade year when we went down and got the dog Waldo from a friend’s dad in Kentucky. He had a tobacco farm and gave us tobacco leaves to bring back for show and tell. A friend of mine that made a special effort to come to talk about how much my dad had meant to her, and so much more!
I didn’t tell about my dad, fixing our brakes for our truck and having spare parts….. He pointed out Ford always includes extra parts…. I mentioned my dad getting the boys animals, we always had lots of animals growing up. My dad once noticed our deer had escaped (yep deer, we had buffalo too), and chased it through the field with a ramcharger. down to the end and back. He got out and was trying to wrestle it, when it pinned him with it’s antlers to the propane tank. Antlers on each side of him!
There are so many more stories, many that I don’t even know, but having a chance to meet up with family and share stories was the best way I could imagine to say goodbye to dad. I would have loved to speak to everyone and hear all their stories if time would have just been able to slow down for a little while.
Robert Richter
June 29, 1940 – September 23, 2017
Oakwood – Robert Carl Richter, 77, of Oakwood, passed into peaceful rest at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Illini Heritage Rehab & Health in Champaign.
He was born on June 29, 1940 in Vance Twp. the son of Wesley Thomas & Mildred G. Eldridge Richter. He married his wife of 50 years Karen McArdle on February 4, 1967 in Westville, IL. She survives. Other survivors include 1 daughter, Karla (Dr. Keith) Andrew, 1 son, Robert Richter, and 3 grandsons, Kevin, Kristopher, and Konnor. Additionally he is survived by 2 sisters, Ethel Eichorst and Linda Richter; 1 brother, Tom Richter, as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by 4 sisters, Dorothy Mitchell, Margaret Brothers Hersh, Cleta Fern Richter, and Norma McVey, and 2 brothers, Frank Richter and Howard Richter.
Bob was loved by everyone he met and never met a stranger, even talking himself out of a speeding ticket on his honeymoon and inviting the officer home to go fishing to boot. He lived, hunted deer and mushrooms, and farmed within miles of the family land which like his family, was always important to him.
I found part one of Lindsey Corbly’s obituary. I still find it really interesting that they not only list his parents and their information but also his grandfather and some of his history. The article is over two pages and includes information about his grandfather’s children that were massacred by the indians. I think the long obit was because he was a well known pillar of the community. He was one of the first settlers of this area in Illinois and outlived two wives. (Married three times) Lindsey Corbly’s grandfather Rev. John Corbly was a settler before 1776 and was one of the first members of the state congress. A museum is dedicated to his history near his family farm “Slave Gallant”.
John Corbley Farm, also known as Slave Gallant, is a historic home located at Greene Township in Greene County, Pennsylvania. The house was built about 1796, as a two-story,five four bay, brick dwelling on a stone foundation. It has a gable roof. It’s builder, Rev. John Corbly (1733-1803), was a founder of the local Baptist church and rebel associated with the Whiskey Rebellion. In 1782, his family was massacred in the Corbly Family Massacre.[2] The farm name of ‘Slave Gallant’ derived from Slieve Gallion in Ireland, which was nearby where John Corbley was born and raised before emigrating to Pennsylvania.[3]
Additionally Rev. John Corbly’s family with his second wife was massacred by he indians near Fort Garrard. A monument still stands in remembrance of the event. I am descended from his third wife.
Lindsey Corbly passed Away this Morning
Lindsey Corbly, pioneer citizen of this community, passed away Friday morning at 12:15 at his home on W. State Street after an illness of but ten weeks. Had he lived until Nov 15 of this year, he would have been ninety-one years of age, Mr. Corbly’s death was due to the infirmities of old age and his final illness was without suffering. During this time the members of his family have been constantly at his bedside.
To the relatives who are left to mourn his sad loss the Record and friends extend the hand of sympathy.
Lindsey Corbly, an early settler of the territory now comprised in Ford County, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Green County, that state on the 15th of November, 1831, and was the son of William and Rebecca (Stevens) Corbly, both of whom were natives of Greene county. His father was a son of the Rev. John Corbly, a minister of the Baptist church and a native of England, who emigrated to America some time prior to the war of the Revolution and settled in Greene county, Pa., which was then a wilderness.
He has three children massacred by the Indians, and his history has been commemorated by several centennial sketches of historic interest pertaining to the early settlement of that part of the Keystone State. He was an active and influential minister, and was the founder of several churches. Great energy and decision were his prominent traits of character. His death occurred in 1803.
William Corbly, the father of our subject, was born, reared and married in Greene county, and the same was true of his wife. They had a family of eight children, of whom Lindsey was the fourth. In 1837 the family emigrated to AThens county, O., now Vinton, and settled in McArthur, where the subject attended the public schools until sixteen years of age, at which time he left home and entered the service of …. The Sevens, who was iness in Fairfield county, Ohio, and with whom he made several trips across the mountains with stock to Philadelphia and New York. In 1853 he came to Illinois and first settled in Champaign county.
On the 24th of February, 1856 in Vermilion County, this state, Mr. Corbly was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Wood, a daughter of Henry Wood. This union was graced with three children: Henry L who married Julia B. Webber, is a farmer of Harwood Township, Champaign county; William Sherman who wedded Mary Youle, and who was for many years an agricultuist of Button township Ford and James …..
Obituaries provide not just information about the passing of a relative, but also can provide a history. This clipping from my aunt’s album includes information including that he served on the first Grand Jury of the county and several boards – as well as that he was primarily a farmer raising livestock. It mentions that he was a county supervisor at the time the University of Illinois was determined to be located in Urbana, Illinois.
It gives dates not only for his passing but also for his wife and an amazing amount of other information.
in pursuits until he and his family moved to Paxton.
In the fall of 1855 Mr. Corbly removed to what is now Ford county and here resided until 1863, when he returned to Champaign county, locating on a farm in the near neighborhood of his Ford county farm. His wife, an estimable woman, died on JAnuary 17, 1866, and on the 24th of March, 1867, he joined in wedlock, in Meadville, Pa. to Miss Mary A. Scholl. The lady was born in Crawford county, Pa., where her family resided for many years. They became the parents of three children: Fred M., Lora E., now the wife of O. H. Wylie, of Paxton, and Evalyn, who is the wife of P. A. Kemp of Los Angeles, Cal. Mr Corbly continued to reside in Champaign county until the fall of 1861, when he came to Paxton, where he has since made his home, a valued and respected citizen. Mrs. Corbly passed away on March 10th, 1907. In June, 1909, Mr. Corby was united in marriage to Mrs. Emily Wait, of Danville, ILL, who, with the children, are left to mourn his loss. He has been an industrious and thrifty man, and succeeded in the accumulation a large property of valuable land. He was largely engaged in growing and dealing in livestock and for many years bought, fed, and sold stock. He served as a member of the first election board in the town of Gibson, Ford county, was a member of the first board of county commissioners that divided Ford county into townships, and served as a member of the first grand jury of this county. He was supervisor of Kerr township, Champaign county for eleven years; was trustee twenty years, and four years treasurer of the same township. During the time that he was serving as supervisor in Champaign county the state offered to locate the University of Illinois in Urbana. Mr. Corbly, Mr. James Davidson and Mr. Scott were responsible for the purchase of the first tract of land for this great institution. From youth Mr. Corbly was a Methodist, and regullarly attended that church. He was a steward of the Paxton church and a trustee for many years and was active and influential in its support. His wife was one of the efficient workers among the ladies of her church. Mr. Corbly was well known to the citizens of Ford and adjacent counties as a man of impeachable integrity and financial responsibility. Funeral services will take place on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the home on West State street at 2 o’clock oat the M. E. Church Rev. W. D. Fairchild will officiate.
