Catlin News Items

Newspaper clipping from The Commercial-News, Danville, Illinois, dated 14 May 1907.

MANY ATTENDED CATLIN FUNERAL

SERVICES FOR LATE GEORGE
VANDERSTEEN WERE HELD
MONDAY AFTERNOON

The funeral of George Vandersteen was held from the home in Catlin Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock, Rev. Wilkin of Indianola, officiating. The funeral was one of the largest that was ever held in Catlin. Interment took place in the cemetery there.

Obituary

The deceased was born in London, England, December 10, 1824, and was therefore in his 83d year. May 26, 1846, he was united in marriage in his native city with Miss Burney and shortly afterward came to this country.

He had been a resident of Catlin township nearly sixty years.

Mr. Vandersteen was father of four children, George, who died in Huron, S. D., in 1896; Ellen, wife of C. J. Phetteplace of Catlin; William of Danville, and Mary, wife of Charles Church, also of Catlin township. Nellie, an adopted daughter, also received the loving care of a father from her infancy until her marriage to Oscar Sropsey, now in Decatur. His aged compani[on] died in 1895, since [   ] with his daughters.

The deceased was a graduate of the Academy of Music of London.

Mr. Vandersteen was an expert cabinet maker and perhaps the only man in this section of country who ever made an organ by hand. This he did many years ago while working at his trade.

The deceased never joined any church organization in this country, but was known as an exceptionally devout man.