As you drive past the cemetery, it’s hard to miss this impressive mausoleum.
Another Loomis owned business was the Livery Stable.
The Thicksten Popcorn stand now sits near where it was.
Though the Loomis family had a number of members, we will focus in on one, John Bowman Loomis. From the Biographical Index to History of Whiteside County, IL 1908, by William W. Davis, M. A.
Vol I & II, The Pioneer Publishing Co., 1908, Reprinted by Higginson Book Co., Salem, MA
Pages 1386-1387
“John B. Loomis, engaged in the livery business in Prophetstown, was born in New York, March 18, 1841, his parents being Joel and Parmelia (Bowman) Loomis, natives of Connecticut and Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, respectively. The father died in the Empire state in 1843 and the mother afterward married John Bollen in 1846. By her first marriage she had three children, Alfred E., John B. and Joel E. all residents of Prophetstown. By her second marriage there were born five children: George, who is living in Nebraska; H. S., a resident of Prophetstown; Lucretia, the wife of David Parker, of Iowa; Lewis, deceased; and T. J., a resident of Nebraska. The father, Mr. Bollen, died in 1889.
“John B. Loomis remained with his mother until nineteen years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. For a long period he was identified with agricultural pursuits, cultivating rented land for sixteen years. He fed and shipped hogs for four years but not finding that profitable he withdrew from that business and established a livery barn in Prophetstown in 1881. The new venture was more successful and he has continued in that line to the present, having a well equipped livery stable, keeping a good line of carriages and other vehicles and a number of fine residences in Prophetstown.
“On the 16th of December, 1868, occurred the marriage of John B. Loomis and Miss Alvira Barber, a daughter of David and Eliza (Williams) Barber. Her father was born in Vermont and her mother in the state of New York, and at an early day they removed westward to Illinois. They were the parents of three children, Mrs. Loomis, Effa and George. Mr. Barber died in 1892 and his wife, surviving for about eleven years, passed away in 1903. The grandmother of Mrs. Loomis was the first person buried in Prophetstown cemetery, interment being made in 1844. The family was one of the first to locate in this part of the county and was closely associated with the early pioneer development.
“The home of Mr. and Mrs. Loomis has been blessed with three children: Carrie, who is yet under the parental roof; Mina, the wife of S. E. Wheelock, of Manlius; and J. B., who is with Armour & Company in Chicago.
“Mr. Loomis and his family are members of the Congregational church and are prominent socially in the community, while the hospitality of their own home seems most attractive to their many friends. Mr. Loomis belongs to the Masonic Lodge, No. 293, and is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen Group No. 16. His political views are in accord with the principles of democracy and his fellow townsmen have elected him to the offices of assessor and road commissioner. His purposes have always been in harmony with public spirited citizenship and his cooperation can always be counted upon when there is a movement afoot to further the welfare of the community. In his business life he has made that steady progress which follows close application and unfaltering energy, and whatever success he has achieved has come to him only through his own efforts, so that he may well be called a self-made man.”
John B. owned and operated the Northside or Loomis Livery shown above. This is John Bowman Loomis with his horse.
John Bowman Loomis died in October 1921. At this time automobiles were coming on the scene, making a livery stable not so useful any more. Below you see Ed and Matilda Almsberg who ran a cream station in what was the livery. It was a place farmers brought their milk, cream, eggs, chickens, and other products to sell.
With the original livery at the cream station being destroyed, the operation was relocated to this building on E. 3rd Street. Over time, it transformed into the home of H & L Produce.
Just across the street from the livery was the home of John’s daughter, Carrie Loomis, which is shown below. It was purchased by Plautz Reality, then torn down to make way for the motel.
The only picture we have of Carrie Loomis (on the right) is shown here.
Burton Jay Loomis was another business owner in town.
1850 US Census
1950 US Census
Loomis burials in Riverside Cemetery, Prophetstown, IL.
3 Responses
Very interesting.
Interesting that there have been two major fires at the livery stables location. First the stables were destroyed and then the movie theater burned down in the mid to late 1960’s that had to be on or near the same location.
Very interest. I remember the old Plautz building