Obituaries
U/V

UNDERWOOD, Phineas, Virginia Enquirer, October 14, 1909
   Phineas Underwood was born in the year 1763 in Vermont. His father and two brothers had served in the American Revolution and when Phineas was eighteen, he enlisted at Putney, Vermont, in March, 1781, serving under Josiah Fish. He served ten months. As a widower in 1826, he came to Illinois with his son, Phineas, Jr. and family, headed for the Military Tract between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, where he intended to enter government land with his soldier land warrant. While passing through Morgan County, he was so pleased with the land here that he concluded his journey, going no further. On November 24, 1826, he settled two and one half miles northwest of Virginia, in Cass County. The Underwoods came ten years before Dr. Hall laid out the town of Virginia, in Cass County. The old soldier lived on this land until 1844 when he died at the age of eighty one, leaving a son, Phineas, Jr., and a daughter, Rachel. The body was laid to rest in the old Halsey Smith burial ground, three miles west of Virginia. Phineas Underwood, Jr., his wife, and one of their sons were also buried in this old cemetery. Other members of the family were interred nearby, buy when a granddaughter, Rachel Anderson, died April 3, 1901, at the age of sixty-seven, her children purchased a lot in Walnut Ridge cemetery in Virginia.The children of Rachel Anderson consented to the body being removed to that plot. The head of the DAR in Springfield, IL manifested a great interest in his removal and agreed to apply for a U.S. Government marker for the grave. The Virginia GAR contributed to the cost of the removal. The remains now lie in Walnut Ridge cemetery. (Halsey Smith cemetery is better known as Powell cemetery.)

UNDERWOOD , Phineas, Jr. - Virginia Gazette, June 4, 1884
   Last Monday, Phineas Underwood was struck by a tree and died a short time later. He was 85 years old. Three children survive, Rachel Anderson of here, Susan Cowan, who resides on the homestead, and Thomas Underwood, of Missouri. He was a Mason for 60 years and a member of the Methodist E. Church. He buried in Powell Cemetery. (Thomas is buried in Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Virginia, IL.)
Note: The submitter or the newspaper account was incorrect in reporting that Phineas Underwood was struck by a tree. Roger Whitaker reports that Phineas Underwood, Jr. was killed after being struck by a train. His obituary can be seen at http://www.whitakergenealogy.us/phineas_underwood_jr.htm.

UNLAND, Geneva - Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Illinois, September 30, 2006 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Geneva Unland 1913-2006, Beardstown
   Geneva Viola Unland, 92, of Beardstown, died Wednesday evening, Sept. 27, 2006, at her daughter's residence in Savannah, Ga.
   She was born Oct. 17, 1913, in Beardstown, the daughter of Edward G. and Evalee Wubker Wessel. She married Clarence William Unland on Aug. 6, 1939, at First Evangelical Church in Beardstown, and he preceded her in death in 1981.
   She is survived by one daughter, Janet (husband, Larry) Burnette of Savannah, Ga.; one grandson, Gary (wife, April) Johnson of Perry, Ga.; one granddaughter, Michelle (husband, Mark) Harless of Paducah, Ky.; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Christy Burnette Eldridge; one great-grandson; and three brothers, Edward, Harry and Paul (surviving wife, Rosalie of Beardstown) Wessel.
   Mrs. Unland graduated from Beardstown High School in the class of 1932. She was a member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beardstown, where she served in various church organizations. She was a former member of Beardstown Woman's Club. She was previously employed at Illinois Glove Factory in Beardstown and as a bookkeeper at John Deere in Beardstown.
   Graveside services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday at Beardstown City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12:30-1:45 p.m. Thursday at Sager Funeral Home in Beardstown. Memorials are suggested to Cass/Schuyler Area Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Condolences may be sent to sagerfh@casscomm.com.

VALLERY, Harlan Charles - Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Illinois, January 13, 2003 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Harlan Charles Vallery - 1922-2003 - Rushville
   Harlan Charles Vallery, 80, of Rushville, and formerly of Beardstown, died early Sunday morning, Jan. 12, 2003, at the Culbertson Long Term Care Facility in Rushville.
   He was born August 10, 1922, in Cass County, the son of Charles and Agnes Hale Vallery. He married Mildred L. Rohn Oct. 3, 1942, in Palmyra, Mo., and she survives.
   He is also survived by two daughters, Nancy Gish of Beardstown and Janie (husband, Jim) Malcomson of Rushville; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one brother, Clyde (wife, Peggy) of Tucson. He was preceded in death by one son, John; and two sisters, Edith Danner and Jean Cody.
   Mr. Vallery was a World War II Navy veteran. He was the 16th man assigned to the new ship USS Intrepid. He retired from General Dynamics Freeman United Coal Mine in 1984 after 10 years of service. He was a member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in  Beardstown, the Beardstown Moose and the Beardstown American Legion Post 605. He enjoyed woodworking and making items from metal.
   Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beardstown, with burial at Beardstown City Cemetery with military rites by Guthrie Pierce VFW Post 1239. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Wood-Roby Funeral Chapel in Rushville and one hour prior to the service at the church Wednesday. Memorials are suggested to the Cass-Schuyler Area Hospice.
   Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be sent online to the family at woodrobyfc@frontier.net.

VENZ, Margaret Emilie- Journal-Courier, July 21, 2007 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Margaret Venz, 1921-2007, Beardstown
   Margaret Emilie Venz, 86, of Beardstown, died Thursday evening, July 19, 2007, at Heritage Manor South in Beardstown.
   She was born June 12, 1921, in Seward, Neb., the daughter of Fred and Wilhelmina Mailand Ritterbush. She married Norman E. Venz on June 25, 1944, at Zion Lutheran Church in Staplehurst, Neb., and he preceded her in death Dec. 25, 1986.
   She is survived by three children, Curtis (wife, Karen) and Carol (husband, David) Miller, both of Beardstown, and Keith (wife, Janet) of Burbank; seven grandchildren, Megan, Nathan (fiance'e, Mindy Roller), Mark and Pamela Venz, Sara and Sean Miller and Jennifer (husband, Jason) Herrmann; and two sisters, Edith Volzke of Seward, Neb., and Leona Ruether of Staplehurst, Neb. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Louise Tonniges and Hertha Carr.
   Mrs. Venz was baptized on July 17, 1921 and confirmed on May 26, 1935 at Zion Lutheran Church in Staplehurst, Neb. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Arenzville. She was actively involved in many organizations of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Beardstown and she was very committed to blanket making for Lutheran World Relief and Christian Love in Action. As a woman with a strong faith in God, she enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, and was devoted to her children and grandchildren.
   Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Arenzville, with burial a St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Beardstown. The family will meet with friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday at Sager Funeral Home in Beardstown. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran School in Arenzville or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Condolences may be sent to sagerfh@casscomm.com.

VINCENT, Richard Lee - Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Illinois, June 12, 2007 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Richard Lee Vincent, 1941-2007, Beardstown
   Richard Lee Vincent, 66, of Beardstown, died Monday afternoon, June 11, 2007, at Heritage Manor East in Beardstown.
   He was born Jan. 12, 1941, in East Alton, the son of Vernon and Isabelle Kirchner Vincent. He married Judith Lee Spencer on Dec. 25, 1969, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beardstown, and she survives.
   He is also survived by one son, Vernon (wife, Angela) of Springfield; and one granddaughter, Theresa Nichole Vincent.
   Mr. Vincent graduated from Beardstown High School in 1959. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 until 1967 during the Vietnam era and received a Bronze Star for her service. He was a lifetime member of Guthrie-Pierce VFW Post 1239 in Beardstown where he formerly served a term as Vice-Commander and he was a member of B.P.O. Elks 1007 in Beardstown where he assisted with the Fourth of July Fireworks. He was previously employed with Naples Terminal then Bohn Aluminum and Schultz-Baujan Mill, both in Beardstown, and retired from E&M Corporation in Beardstown. He enjoyed fishing and hunting.
   Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Veterans' Section of Oak Grove Cemetery in Beardstown, where military services will be conducted by Guthrie-Pierce VFW Post 1239 in Beardstown. The family will meet with friends from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Sager Funeral Home in Beardstown. Following the visitation, cremation rites will be accorded. Memorials are suggested to the Guthrie-Pierce VFW Post 1239 in Beardstown. Condolences may be sent to sagerfh@casscomm.com.

VINING, Nancy - Virginia Enquirer, Nov. 1, 1879
   Died Monday last at her residence in Virginia, Nancy Vining, formerly Mrs. Nancy Hutchings.

VIRGIN, Eli Horace - Gazette Times, Virginia, Illinois, March 16, 1978 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Eli H. Virgin
   Eli Horace Virgin, retired famer in the Virginia-Arenzville area, died March 8 at Norris Hospital in Jacksonville, He was 87.
   A member of a pioneer family, Mr. Virgin was the son of John W. and Lou Margaret Stribling Virgin. He was born in Ft. Craig, New Mexico, on Sept. 7, 1980.
   He was married to Rachel Rexroat of Virginia on April 21, 1920. Survivors include five children; Robert, of Virginia; George (Jim) of West Palm Beach, Florida; Alice Lou (Mrs. Leland Schnake) of Beardstown; Dorothy (Mrs. Byron McGinnis) of Arcadia; and Margaret (Mrs. Russell Thorell) of Macomb. Also surviving are two sisters, Dorothy and Louise Virgin of Santa Fe, New Mexico. One son, Louis W. preceded him in death. A sister, Norma (Mrs. Benjamin Swearingen), and a granddaughter, Joyce Ann McGinnis, preceded him in death. Mr. Virgin is survived by seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
   Mr. Virgin graduated from Virginia High School and attended University of Illinois. He served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in France during World War I and was a charter member of the Walter Reed Post of the American Legion.
   Mr. Virgin farmed many years in the Virginia-Arenzville area and was a breeder of pure bread Shorthorns.
   He served a number of years on the school board in the Union Community. He also helped organize the 4-H club there and served as leader for many years.

VON ROHR, Delvina - Massie-Buchanan Funeral Home Website - Submitted by Marcia Cox
   Delvina von Rohr, 88 years, of Virginia, IL died Sunday afternoon, February 11, 2007 at the Walker Nursing Home in Virginia. She was born February 24, 1918 in Highland, IL; the daughter of George and Mary "Molly" Ims von Rohr.
   She is survived by a cousin, Sophia Giloman of Highland. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Roman and Florian von Rohr.
   Miss von Rohr was employed at Walker Nursing Home from 1953 until her retirement in 1983. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Virginia.
   Cremation rites have been accorded. Memorial services will be held 10:30 AM Thursday, February 15, 2007 at the Walker Nursing Home in Virginia with the Rev. Jill Flynn officiating. There will be no visitation. Private committal services will be held later at Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Virginia. Memorial gifts are suggested to Grave Lutheran Church of Virginia. The Massie-Buchanan Funeral Home of Virginia is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to www.buchananfuneralhomes.com.

VOTSMIER, Henry Patrick - Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Illinois, October 10, 2007 - Submitted by Marcia Cox
Henry Patrick Votsmier, 1934-2007, Ashland
   Henry Patrick Votsmier, 73, of Ashland, died Monday evening, Oct. 8, 2007, at Capitol Care Center in Springfield.
   He was born April 9, 1934, in Springfield, the son of Henry Patrick and Cecilia Velten Votsmier.
   He is survived by one brother, Tom Votsmier of Ashland.
   Mr. Votsmier was a graduate of Ashland High School. He worked for Newell’s Insurance in Ashland for many years. He was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He loved shopping for bargains and enjoyed taking care of his fish and birds.
   Funeral mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Ashland, with burial at St. Augustine Cemetery. The body will be taken to the church one hour prior to Mass, Memorials are suggested to St. Augustine Catholic Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Ashland is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left online at www.buchanancody.com.

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