DEATH OF WELL KNOWN PROMINENT CITIZEN

J. H. Milligan Well Known Agriculturist And Prominent citizen Dies as Result of Fall

J. H. Milligan, proprietor of the  Grand Theater, Justice of the Peace, an old soldier, an extensive land owner and prominent citizen of this community, died at his home here Wednesday morning about 2:45, death resulting from injuries received in a fall last Saturday afternoon at the Grand Theater where he had been adjusting some  stove pipe. When he attempted to get down from the step ladder he fell broadside onto the hard floor and broke a rib and also fractured his hip. The injury to his rib affected the lung which filled up and at his advanced age nature could not recover or withstand the shock. He suffered considerably and at times was delirious until death relieved him.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church and interment will be in the Tampico cemetery.

John Hamilton Milligan was born in Stark county, Ohio, Nov. 14, 1840 and his boyhood days were spent near the home of his birth. In the second year of the Civil War he enlisted in Co. L, 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery and served until the end of the war participating in some of the notable battles of the War, including the famous battle above  the clouds at Chattanooga. On his return from the war he was engaged for several years as road contractor in Ohio and he and his men built many of the good roads in the early days  in that state.

In 1875 he moved to Weldon, Ill, where he engaged in farming and later moved to Monticello and then in 1897 bought a large farm northeast of here and moved to it where he resided several years, later retiring and moving to Tampico. It was on this farm and through his research that the state established an  experiment station and made through his direct efforts, the discovery that the low, swampy soils in this vicinity only needed potash to grow corn. If Mr. Milligan left nothing but this discovery behind him his life would be benefit to hundreds and those who may till the soils in years to come.

On July 11, 1870 he was married to Lorreta C. Coats and nine children were born to this union eight of whom survive. They are:  Frank, Jesse, Gertrude Wetzell and Viola Kelsey of Tampico, Burton of Cornell, John of Chicago, Dora Buren of Streator and Emma McKenzie of Prophetstown. Also one brother, Thos. Milligan of Clinton, Ill. the wife died Nov. 1. 1914.

Mr. Milligan was a member of the Methodist church and belonged to it for many years. He was a regular attendant at the services and in this life took an active part in the community in which he resided for those better things in life. A man of good principles who always aligned himself with the forces in the community which stood for moral and social  progress and he endeavored to carry out those ideas in the conduct of his moving picture business. A splendid citizen and a respected man who kept well posted on state and national politics and stood by policies which in his judgment were best. He will be missed from among the community's citizens.