Fairbury is a small town located in Central Illinois. It is 100 miles south of Chicago and 60 miles east of Peoria. It was founded in 1857 when the railroad first crossed Central Illinois.
Fairbury was a rough town in its early years. Three coal mines operated until the last one closed in 1946. Among the city's other features were a Chinese laundry man who eventually moved to Pontiac, nine barbers, 15 painters, 17 doctors in 1878 and 54 registered houses of prostitution in 1896, plus others outside the city limits.
Every town has its fair share of murders. In Fairbury's almost 160 years of existence, there have been eight recorded murders.
One of these murder cases resulted in two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court. Unfortunately, for the accused murderer, neither of these appeals was successful.
This short story reviews the associated history behind each of these murder cases. This associated history includes the family trees of the victims and the murders.
If you are interested in early Fairbury area history, this short story will help you understand the history behind all of Fairbury's murder cases.