Browse Items · Decatur Public Library Local History Photo Collection

Mr. & Mrs. John K. Wells' Oral History

This is the oral history of Mr. and Mrs. John K. Wells. They were interviewed by Betty Turnell on June 22, 1986. The interview includes their childhoods, and John's career in life insurance.

Tags: 3I League, Awards, Baseball, Bavaria, Betty Turnell, Bishop Quail, Boys Club, Building Committee, business major, Campfire Girls, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chautauqua, childhood, Christmas trees, church activities, church board, Classes, clients, CLU, committees, concession stands, dancing lessons, Decatur Baseball, Decatur High School, Decatur IL, Delovan IL, Denver CO, District Superintendent, Eloise Neece, Entertainment, Equitable Life Insurance Society, family life, First United Methodist Church, France, fundraising, future of Decatur, general insurance, German family, German fest, Germany, golf, Grace Methodist Church, Greyville IL, Hightide Dr., history/political science minor, Hudson River Dateline, insurance sales, interview, lay leader, Lebanon IL, life insurance, Louise Wells, Marion Plussen, marriage class, McKinley College, Methodist Church, Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Minister, Millikin University, Minister, Mr. & Mrs. John K. Wells, national committees, office manager, oral history, Peoria IL, preachers, Programs, Providence RI, R.C. Sayre, recording, retirement, Sanitary District Board, Secretary of Preachers' Aid, subdivision, sunday school, Superintendent of Junior Classes, Superintendent of Primary classes, superintendent of schools, talks, Television, tent meeting, Travel, trusts, United Methodist Church, Wilmington DE, YMCA

Photograph of Christian Adolph Klein

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Photograph of Christian Adolph Klein. Originally from Germany, he came to Millikin University to finish his education and had charge of extension courses in Commercial German and German business forms.

Mr. & Mrs. Louis Schuerman, Sr.

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Photography of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Schuerman, Sr., observed their 55th wedding anniversary recently at a family dinner. They were married June 17, 1880, in Germany and came to America in 1883 and settled in Decatur. Mr. Schuerman is 80 and Mrs.…

Tags: 55th Wedding Anniversary, biography, Decatur IL., Germany, Herald and Review, Louis Schuerman Sr.

Peter Halmbacher

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Photograph of Peter Halmbacher (d. 2/1/1910). He was born in Germany, a veteran of the Prussian-Bavarian War in 1866, and came to Decatur in 1869. He was a pattern maker by trade. Halmbacher worked as a cabinet maker for Decatur Furniture Co., as…

Tags: 1910, Art Studio, biography, cabinet maker, charter member, Decatur Daily Review, Decatur Furniture Co., Decatur IL, Germany, Knights of Pythias, pattern maker, Peter Halmbacher, Photo File: Biography, Prussian-Bavarian War, saloon, saloon business, veteran, Volunteer Firemen, William Bold

Photo of Lt. John Stoutenborough receiving the Bronze Star from Lt. Col. John F. Bonner

http://omeka.decaturlibrary.org/files/original/74f3e86ab6387add4b1624c66520647b.jpg

Herald and Review Library: Stoutenborough, Lt. John, Written on the back of the photo; "Lt. Col. John F. Bonner commanding the 461 AAA in Bohkenditz, Germany awards the Bronze Star to Lt. John C. Stoutenborough, 155 N. Taylor avenue, Decatur, IL."

Tags: Army, Bronze Star, Decatur IL., Germany, World War II, WWII

Photo of Charles C. Heckel in uniform

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Herald and Review Library: Heckel, Charles, Lt. Article on back of photo; "Charles C. Heckel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Heckel, 953 East Prairie avenue is commissioned in Victoria, Texas."

Tags: Decatur IL., Germany, P-38 Pilot, Prisoner of War, World War II, WWII

Photo of Lieut Orville Harlan in uniform

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Herald and Review Library: Harlan, Lieut. Orville; Article on back of photo; "Officer Is Home, Lieut Harlan Has Praise for Medics. Lieut Orville Harlan, who came home this month in a litter aboard a C-57 from the First Army spearhead, say the…

Tags: Decatur IL., First Army, Germany, World War II, Wounded, WWII

Photo of Staff Sgt. Billy Gene DeLaughter lounging in arm chair in uniform

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WWII - Herald and Review Library; DeLaughter, Sgt. Billy Gene 3/11/1945. Article on back of photo: "The present given to Staff Sgt. Billy Gene DeLaughter on his twenty-first birthday, Jan 3, 1945 - was the most welcome ever received. On Jan. 3, the…

Tags: Decatur IL, Germany, Military, Prisoner of War, World War II, WWII

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