Peter Angelo (ca. 1855-1926)
PETER ANGELO PASSES AWAY
DIED AT ST. MARGARET HOSPITAL SUNDAY, SICK ONLY FEW DAYS.
Peter Angelo was taken suddenly sick on Tuesday of last week, his trouble being diagnosed as neuralgia of the heart. He was in a serious condition from the beginning of his illness. On Friday afternoon he was taken to St. Margaret hospital at Hammond for treatment, where he passed away on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.Peter Angelo came to this vicinity over forty years ago and has since made his home here. When he came to this section he followed the business of tile ditching. Later he was janitor at the Grade school building for a number of years, and was night watch for the town for some time. In later years he did very little work, having an income enough to keep him comfortably.
At the time he was janitor at the school house, he had an idea he would like to learn to read and write, having never had the chance to go to school when he was a boy. He communicated this idea to Wm. M. Sheets, who was then superintendent of the Lowell schools, and Mr. Sheets told him he would undertake to teach him and did so, with the result that Peter learned so he could read and kept a close touch on the happenings of the community and the world through reading the papers. He was able to write his name and a little other writing that was necessary.
He was a man who knew very little about his early life, having never known his parents, nor for sure where he was born. He has often told his friends that the first he remembers was being taken with a train load of orphans to the coal fields of Pennsylvania, where he worked in the mines until he was grown. From the best of his knowledge he was born in 1855, which would make him 71 years of age. He leaves no relatives as far as is known.
He was a man who had a wide acquaintance around Lowell, and was probably known to practically every man, woman and child in town. He was never married and lived by himself in a small cottage on Commercial avenue.
During the past few years by strict economy he had saved up several hundreds of dollars to take care of him should he need it in his old age. About two years ago he came to the editor and asked him to help him make out his will. When it was done he had left what money he had left after all his expenses had been paid, to the First Methodist church, the St. Edward Catholic church and the Church of Christ, all of Lowell, each to share equally of what money that remained. This was certainly a very commendable way for Peter Angelo to dispose of his money that was left. At the proper time the money will be turned over to the proper authorities of the three churches as he directed in his will.
His remains were brought to Lowell from Hammond Sunday evening by Undertaker Weaver and prepared for interment.
Funeral services will be held today, Thursday, at 1:30 p.m. from the First Methodist church in Lowell. The service will be in charge of Rev. A.E. Dougherty, assisted by representatives of the Church of Christ and St. Edward Catholic church. Interment will be made in his lot in the Lowell cemetery, where he had a monument erected a number of years ago.
Peter Angelo will be missed by a large circle of acquaintances in and around Lowell, where he has resided for so many years.
A copy of the following newspaper article, hand-dated May 16,1929, was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:
BELL AND CLOCK ARE DEDICATED
APPROPRIATE SERVICES HELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON, BISHOP E.H. HUGHES SPEAKS.
Last Sunday was a day long to be remembered by the members and friends of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Lowell, for it was the occasion of the dedication of the new clock and bell recently installed in the church tower. It has long been the fond hopes of the congregation that such a thing could be done. Two years ago by the will of the late Peter Angelo, the church was made one of the beneficiaries, together with the Church of Christ and St. Edward Catholic Church, and each one received in the neighborhood of $600. This money paid to the Methodist Church has been in the bank since that time and several months ago the Ladies' Aid Society agreed that if the money was turned over to them they would raise enough additional to install the clock and bell, and last Sunday their hopes were realized. Much credit is due to the late Peter Angelo and the Ladies' Aid Society members for this wonderful improvement.The regular church services were held in the morning, the pastor, Rev. V.V. Hackley, preaching a Mothers' Day sermon. At noon a dinner was served in the church.
At 2 p.m. the dedicatory service, in charge of J.J. Wilson, was begun. A fine program of music and songs was given. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Bishop Edwin H. Hughes, of Chicago.
The Lowell Cemetery Index at the Lowell Public Library shows that Peter Angelo (1855-1926) is buried in row C32.
Go to Peter Angelo, "Pioneer History Index," for further information.
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