Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 99, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1909 — Death of John E. Tillett, Oldest Francesville Merchant. [ARTICLE]

Death of John E. Tillett, Oldest Francesville Merchant.

John E. Tillett, highly respected citizen and merchant of Francesville, died last Monday night at 12 o’clock, after a long sickness from cancer of the stomach. The funeral was held at the residence Thursday afternoon and interment was made in the cemetery east of that town. John Edward Tillett was horn in Jasper county, Ind., March 10, 1857. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Tillett, the fourth of nine children. He spent the early part of his life on the farm and on Jan. 5, 1881, was married to Minnie Cunningham. To this union three daughters were horn— Pearl, Emma and Virga. Mr. Tillett continued on the farm until 1888 when he inoved to Francesville and engaged in the grocery business with James N. Hayworth for two years, after which he disposed of his share of the business to his partner and entered the butcher business. In 1892 he traded for the Dr. D. W. Strouse drug store in which he was engaged continuously until his fatal illness. Mr. Tlllett’s mother died in 1893, but his father at 84 years survives, also his sisters and brothers —James M. Tillett, of Peru; C. F. Tillett, Mrs. Stephen Freeman, Mrs. Mary Parker and Mrs. Paris Robinson, of Gillam; Mrs. Thos. Randall, of Hope, Kans., and Dr. J. A. Tillett, of Whitefish, Montana.