Lewis F. George, pioneer resident of the farming community around Fountain Green where virtually all his life was spent, died at the age of 82 in the Newland nursing home in Blandinsville last Tuesday evening, March 6, 1951.  The well-known retired south country farmer had been gravely ill for the past several months, but prior to that made frequent and regular visits to LaHarpe with his son, Philip, to trade and enjoy visits with life-long friends.

Funeral services were held on Friday afternoon in the Blandinsville Christian church, Rev. Ward officiating, and the remains were interred in Central cemetery in Hire township, McDonough county.

Mr. George recently had gained what amounted almost to national recognition, at least in the communications field, when it became known that he was the first farmer in American to get a telephone and be serviced by the nation-wide Bell telephone system.  The elder citizen learned this a few years ago from a Galesburg district manager for the Bell company who hunted in this area and became well acquainted with Mr. George.

A native of Fountain Green township, where he was born on April 19, 1868, Mr. George was a son of Henry and Martha (Balsey) George.  The father was born at Weisenhasel Hesse Cassel, Germany and came to the United States as a young man, to marry a Staunton, Virginia girl and migrate to McDonough county, Illinois.  The George family thus reached Fountain Green township just a year later, in 1868 and numbered among the original settlers of that neighborhood.

Lewis George, their only son, [one or two words missing] a farmer in Fountain Green township not far from his parents' home after he became of age and left the parental hearthside.  He married Miss Nellie B. White on June 7, 1893, and the couple enjoyed many happy years together in the neighborhood where they began as bride and groom.  Mr. George later inherited his father's farm and thus extended by a good many years the Georges' tenure in Fountain Green.

Surviving are two children, Philip Earl George, now at home; and Mrs. Ruth Reed, of Lomax; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  One grandson, Duane George, lost his life in World War II.

Mr. George was a member of the Central Christian church in Hire township, which he served many years as a trustee; and Modern Woodmen lodge of Fountain Green and the Odd Fellows of Blandinsville.

See: Henry George & Martha J. Balsley

Nellie B. White was born in Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, in 1867.  She was the daughter of William Harrison White and Eunice Ferris Beebe.

Lewis and Nellie were married at Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois, on June 7, 1893, by H. J. Frothingham, Paster of Warsaw Prs. Church.  Witnesses to the marriage were Nellie's sister, Lucy M. White, and M. S. Hammond.  Marriage Documents

Nellie died October 10, 1937, in Hancock County and was buried next to Lewis at Central Cemetery.

Nellie's first cousin, Noble L. White, married Ella, Lewis' sister.

Lewis and Nellie's children:

George, Heny, 42, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 2400, value of personal estate 500, born Prussia, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 years or more
Molly, 39, female, white, keeping house, born VA
Mary A, 14, female, white, born VA, single, attended school within the year
Elenore, 11, female, white, born VA, single, attended school within the year
Emma, 4, female, white, born VA, single
Lewis, 2, male, white, born IL, single

George, Henry, white, male, 52, married, farmer; maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled - yes; born Hessen Cassel, both parents born Hessen Cassel
Martha J, white, female, 49, wife, married, keeping house, born VA, both parents born VA
Elnora, white, female, 21, daughter, single, at home, born VA, father born Hessen Cassel, mother born VA
Emma B, white, female, 14, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born VA, father born Hessen Cassel, mother born VA
Lewis F, white, male, 12, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born VA, father born Hessen Cassel, mother born VA

White, William H, white, male, 64, married, carpenter, born NY, both parents born U.S.
Elizabeth, white, female, 43, wife, married, keeping house, born Canada, both parents born Canada
Scott, white, male, 19, son, single, laborer, born IL, father born NY, mother born Canada
Henry, white, male, 16, son, single, laborer, born IL, father born NY, mother born Canada
Nellie, white, female, 13, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born NY, mother born Canada
Louisa, white, female, 11, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born NY, mother born Canada

George, Louis F, head, white, male, born April 1868, 32, married for 7 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, farmer, months not employed - 1, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 141

Nellie B, wife, white, female, born Jan 1867, 33, married for 7 years; mother of 1 child, living; born IL, both parents born NY, could read, write and speak English

Phillip E, son, white, male, born Dec 1898 [sic], 5/12, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Gilmore, Bud, hand, white, male, born O 1866, 34, single, born IL, both parents born VA, farm hand, months not employed - 4, could read, write and speak English

George, Louis F, head, male, white, 41, married (1st) for 17 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 108

Nellie B, wife, female, white, 43, married (1st) for 17 years; mother of 3 children, 2 living; born IL, both parents born NY; spoke English, could read and write

Phillip E, son, male, white, 11, single, born IL, both born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Martha R, daughter, female, white, 9, single, born IL, both born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Bright, Purl, hired hand, male, white, 22, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, laborer, farm, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Kettering ?, Maggie, boarder, female, white, 32, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, teacher, public school, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 8, could read and write

George, Lewis, head, owned his home free of mortgage, male, white, 51, married, could read and write, born IL; father born Germany, native tongue German; mother born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, farm schedule 80

Nellie, wife, female, white, 52, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born NY, spoke English

Philip, son, male, white, 21, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, home farm, working for wages

Ruth, daughter, female, white, 19, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, teacher, public school, working for salary or wages

Edna, daughter-in-law, female, white, 19, married, did not attend school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

George, Lewis, head, owned his home, owned a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 61, married, aged at first marriage - 25, could read and write, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, spoke English, farmer, stock and grain farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 24

Millie [sic], wife, female, white, 61, married, age at first marriage - 25, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English

McQuigg, Reon, laborer, male, white, 21, single, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, laborer farm, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no