Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1913 — BODY PLACED IN VAULT AT KANKAKEE [ARTICLE]

BODY PLACED IN VAULT AT KANKAKEE

Relatives jfnd Friends Accompanied Remains of Mrs. B. J. Gifford From Rensselaer.

It was decided Friday evening to take the body of Mrs. Benjamin J. Gifford to Kankakee, 111., and after the funeral to place it in a vault there until such later time as the disposal shall be decided upon. Mr. Gifford was not in condition to take any part in planning the arrangements and it was decided by the assembled relatives and friends that permanent burial would not be made for the present, and it is hoped that Mr. Gifford will soon be in condition to express his wish in regard to this matter. - A number of relatives and many friends came here in response to the telegrams sent out. Mrs. Anna Martindale, a sister-in-law, of Chicago; Mrs. E. M. Duke, a niece, of Ann Arbor; Miss May Gifford, a sister of Mr. Gifford, and Miss Grace Reed, a friend, of Chicago, and George Gifford, a cousin of Mr. Gifford, from Tipton. All of these accompanied the body to Kankakee, as did Mr. and Mrs. Gifford Marrs, of McCoysburg; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Callahan and N. G.' Halsey, of Rensselaer; Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Hobbs and C. E. Kersey, of Kersey. The funeral at Kankakee will be held in the Methodist Episcopal church and will be in charge of the Woman’s Club, of which she was a member. The pallbearers were F. E. Lewis, C. J. Hobbs, Tom Callahan, Gifford Marrs, C. E. Kersey and N. G. Halsey, all men who have long been associated with Mr. Gifford in his Jasper county affairs. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gifford, of Barkley township, were unable to go to Kankakee, owing to sickness in their home, but they were at the train this morning when the funeral cortege departed. A great many Rensselaer people have expressed the wish that arrangements had been made for the burial of Mrs. Gifford here in Rensselaer, because, they believe Mr. Gifford, when his life’s work is completed, should be buried in this city. For here he has contributed so valuable a work in reclaiming and putting to use much land that for years was a total waste. A gentleman called at The Republican office Friday to say that Jasper county could well to erect a monument to the memory of Benjamin J. Giftord. Inasmuch as Mr. Gifford had entirely closed out his business in Illinois and located here several months ago it is not improbable that it will be his wish that the body be interred here, when he is sufficiently recovered to give the matter consideration. There is little, if any, change in his condition today. Miss Mattie Hemphill, the trained nurse who has been caring for him, was unable to do so u’nassisted and the attending physician called a nurse from Chicago who arrived last night and both will now be employed on the case. Some of the relatives who accompanied the body of Mrs. Gifford to Kankakee, will return here and with his confidential secretary, N. G. Halsey, give attention to the further welfare of Mr. Gifford and his business affairs.