Wilbur C. Mort, 56, of Colchester, was instantly killed about 6:15 o'clock Saturday night on Route No. 67 about four and one-half miles south of Roseville when he was hit by a car driven by Charles Webb of Tennessee, IL.  Dr. J. O. Firth, county coroner, conducted an inquest at the Lyons Funeral Home in Roseville Saturday evening and the jury found that Mort died of internal injuries accidentally received.  According to the testimony of Webb he was driving south on Route No 67 and was nearing the filling station at what is known as the Gillam corner when a man crossed from the west side of the slab directly in front of the car.  Webb testified that at the moment he saw the man the front end of the car hit him, the driver not having time to turn the machine aside.  The victim was hurled to the side of the road and when aid reached him it was found that his head had been crushed and that both legs had been severed below the knees by the impact of the car.

Testifying at the inquest were Mr. Webb, driver of the automobile which struck Mr. Mort; Mrs. Webb, who, with her daughter was riding with Mr. Webb; James Whitten of Fountain Green, Ill. who testified that he had taken his car to Mr. Mort's place to have the latter extract dirt from the gasoline tank.  The Whitten car was found out of gasoline off the highway on a side road, a short distance from where Mr. Mort was killed. Testimony at the inquest showed that Mort apparently ran out of gasoline while driving along a side road not far from the place he was killed.

Mr. Mort was born and reared in Majorville neighborhood, the son of Charles and Mary Elizabeth Mort and was born Sept. 3, 1892.  He was employed as an automobile mechanic in Colchester and is survived by a widow and two daughters, 6 and 14 years old.  Funeral services were held in the Majorville church Tuesday afternoon. Rev. Mr. Gillis officiating. Interment was in Majorville Cemetery.

Death claimed Wilburn Chas. Mort on the public highway in an unavoidable auto accident near Roseville in the early evening of Oct. 29, 1938.  His age was 46 years, one month and 26 days.

Wilburn was the only child of C. M. and Mary Elizabeth Mort, both of whom are deceased, the father passing away Jan. 6th, 1929 and the mother on Jan 27, 1931.  From earliest childhood on through his school life Wilburn showed an unusual ability along mechanical lines.  Carpentry and cabinet work were also very fascinating to him and in early manhood he began studying and experimenting along these lines.  Success followed his efforts and with his books and mechanical readings and research he was early in life a reliable mechanic and machinist and complete dependence of his friends through this line of work will make his passing from our midst more keenly felt.

After his marriage to Miss Mae Gillenwater of Oak Grove neighborhood on Nov. 18, 1911, he began shop work at his home and in the surrounding countryside and has faithfully filled his niche in his life and has been a real help to all in his field of work.  In 1919 Mr. and Mrs. Mort lived for a period of nine months in Hamilton.  Here their first child Nelda Mae was born, passing away when only nine days old.  She is buried in Oak Grove cemetery.  The subject of our sketch was born and reared and has lived almost his entire life on the same farm he and his family were living on at the time of his death. He attended district school at Walnut and had with his family, greatly enjoyed a Halloween program there on Friday evening before the fatal accident which occurred next evening. In his home a beloved wife is in mourning today, also a daughter Mary Alatha [sic], age 14, and Helen Margie, aged 7. He also leaves a half brother, Lawrence Mourning of Elreno, Okla., a half sister, Mrs. Lulu Crawford of New York state, and two aunts, a number of cousins besides a host of other relatives and friends who are deeply grieved at his untimely passing.

The funeral was held at Majorville Tues. afternoon with burial in Majorville cemetery there.  Rev. Mr. Gillis the local Pastor, had charge of the service, speaking from the 13th chapter of St. Mark, taking the 32nd verse as a text.  A quartette composed of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Hobart; Mrs. Ada Latherow and Mr. Att. Duffy with Miss Martha Walker at the piano sang very beautifully "Sometime We'll Understand", "In the Garden" and "Somewhere".  Casket bearers were Harold Latherow; Jimmie Whitten; Harry Spangler; Fay Brooks; Ross Wetzel and Andy McGee. The beautiful flowers sent by friends were lovely.  It was one of the largest funerals ever held in Majorville church.

Shared by Delbert Campbell.  Click here to view an enlarged image

Funeral services for Mrs. Mae Mort were held Sunday afternoon at the Majorville church, with Rev. Ernest Louderman officiating.  Herbert Hulson accompanied by Mrs. Hulson sang "In the Garden" and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere."  The pall bearers were Harry Spangler, Harley Parker, Fay Brooks, James Whitten, Frank Peck and Guy Garrison.  Burial was in the Majorville cemetery.

Mae Gillenwater, eldest daughter of Jesse and Bertha Newman Gillenwater was born in Hancock township March 18, 1894.  She passed away Thursday night May 18 in a Peoria hospital after a long illness.

She attended the Oak Grove school, church and Sunday school.  She was married Nov. 18, 1911 to Wilburn Mort, who died Oct. 29, 1938.  They were the parents of three daughters, the oldest Nelda Mae, died in infancy.  Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Mary Day of Majorville and Mrs. Helen Logan of Tennessee; two grandsons, Jimmy Day and Dennis Wayne Logan and two sisters Mrs. Lula Belknap and Mrs. Hazel Agnew of Carthage.