George E. Nearpass II  

This was about all the son had concerning the early edition of the paper, but he gives us an interesting sketch of the history of his father, GEORGE E. NEARPASS II:

"GEORGE E. NEARPASS II was born on a farm near Concord, Michigan. His father, GEROGE E. NEARPASS I, was a Methodist Episcopal preacher, or in those days a circuit rider. He had several churches.

At the age of nine, GEORGE E. II ran away from home and landed in Chicago. He was a newsboy and boot-black on the streets of Chicago until he was thirteen years of age, and he secured a job as "devil" in the old 'Chicago Times' office, where he learned the printer's trade. He had a limited education, but he co uld spell every word, I believe, in the dictionary at the age of eighteen. He was a powerfully built man. Through a friend of his he got a job with a show company.

With the show company he acted as stage-hand and played small parts, and while doing so he learned the different parts of both shows, and later played the leading parts in those shows for eight years.

Loses An Eye
In a fencing duel in one of the shows he got his left eye put out, and, having saved some money, he returned to the printing trade, and started a paper in Vermontville, Michigan. He sold this paper and then started one in Shelby, Michigan. From there he went to Charlotte, then to Whitehall, then to Hart. From Hart he landed in Hobart, Indiana, as editor of the 'Hobart Gazette.'

He was in Hobart four years, and started a paper in Bremen, Indiana, called the 'Bremen Standard.' As the `Inquirer' was also published there at that time, he soon found out that Bremen co uld not support two papers, and he started to scout around for a location. He went over to Argos, Indiana, and learned there about an opening in Marmont. He took a train to Hibbard, and as there was no train connection he walked from Hibbard to Marmont.

Locates in Marmont
In Marmont, he called on several business men of that day, John Osborn, Sam Medbourn, E. B. Van Schoiack, Dr. B. W. S. Wiseman, Dr. O. A. Rea and many others, and told them if they would raise him a bonus he would start a paper in Marmont. They got busy, raised the bonus, and he moved his plant to Marmont in 1894, and established the 'Marmont Herald.' His equipment consisted of an old Washington hand-press, an old foot-pump Gordon job press, a printer's stone and three cases of type.

He moved his family to Marmont about two weeks later. My brother, Homer, and sister, Myrtle, both helped in the office, and as we younger kids grew up we all had to take our turn in the office. (I have set pied type until I was black in the face.)

Getting Out the News
In those days there were a lot of tramp printers roaming over the country, and many of the old timers of Marmont will recall a printer by the name of Billy Millross, one of the best printers who ever held a stick of type. Billy worked for Dad several years.

On publication day, and it took all day to print the paper, Sumner Wiseman, who is now Dr. Summer [Sumner] Wiseman of Union Mills, Indiana, would run the press. Ed Gandy was the chief roller, when my brother Floyd could not be found. The roller was the one who put the ink on the type. My job was to take the papers off the press. Harry Medbourn was my substitute, and I got a licking if I did not show up. Tim Wolfe also used to run the press, and many others helped to get the paper out on publication day.

Dad liked the lake and stayed in Culver around nine years or so. I remember when the town was changed to Culver City, then to Culver . Father sold the paper to J. H. Koontz.

Dad was a real newspaper man and a writer of ability," George E Nearpass III relates, continuing the story of the family. "At one time he was offered City Editor of the old Terre Haute Gazette, but he wo uld not take it. He published the paper in Culver for about nine years and sold it to J. H. Koontz, who changed the name to The Citizen.

Father was one of the men who helped to change the name of Marmont to Culver . The first change was from Marmont to Culver City. Then, later, the name was changed to Culver . I remember the week when he sawed out the city part of the heading of the Culver City Herald, which then made it the Culver Herald. I think Dad sold the Herald to J. H. Koontz, April 27, 1903.

Father and Mother are both dead and buried in Highland Lawn Cemetery at Terre Haute, Ind. There were seven children."

George Edgar Nearpass Birth: 1852 Death: 1918 Burial: Highland Lawn Cemetery Terre Haute Vigo County Indiana, married Mathilda/Matilda C Anderson 1 Homer Lynn Nearpass Birth : 19 Jun 1880 Michigan Death: 24 Apr 1940 Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California Rose Hills Memorial Par Whittier, Los Angeles County, California married 7 Aug 1905 Warsaw, Kosciusko, Indiana Susanna Mae Wise daughter of Cassius Clay Wise & Mary Clymer

is Superintendent of City Schools at Santa Barbara, California. He is also a graduate of the Culver Military Academy.

Husband of Mae Wise Nearpass of Bellflower; father of G. M. Nearpass of Compton, and H. L. Nearpass of El Monte. Also survived by 3 brothers: Val E. Nearpass of Minnesota; George E. of Indianapolis; and Vance B. of Indiana. Also survived by 3 grandchildren. - LA Times Death Notice - April, 1940

2 MYRLE NEARPASS Birth: 1884 - Shelby, Mich. Marriage: 30 Jan 1909 - Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., Iowa death : before 1935 John Farwell King Birth : 3 Dec 1883 Spink/Redfield, South Dakota Death : 27 Aug 1954 Los Angeles county California son of Robert C. King & Sallie C. Stitzel

3 Floyd Vern NEARPASS, Birth: 25 Nov 1886 White Hall Michigan Death: 20 Jan 1931 Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, USA

former Lieutenant of Police, Pennsylvania Railroad. Terre Haute, Ind married 1st Eva E. O'Hara Birth: 1889 Death: Nov. 19, 1914 Terre Haute Vigo County Indiana, Burial: Highland Lawn Cemetery Terre Haute Vigo County Indiana,
Death or Mrs. Nearpass. Eva E. wife of F. V. Nearpass died at Terre Haute Nov. 18, at 4 a.m. very suddenly. Besides her husband she leaves two boys - Lyle, years old and Wayne 3 years old. Mr. Nearpass formerly lived in Culver, and is now employed on the Vandalia as dectictive on the Vandalia pay car. - - Nov 26, 1914
married 2nd 26 Jul 1917 Emma A Long Birth: 19 Dec 1883 South Bend, St Joseph, Indiana married 1st ---- Arnold daughter of John H Long & Clara Gillen

4 GEORGE Edwin NEARPASS, Jr., Birth: 15 Mar 1886 Hart, Oceana County, Michigan Death: 10 Sep 1963 Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin burial Memorial Park Cemetery Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, married 21 Dec 1908 Indiana, Georgia Flemming Birth : 31 Dec 1883 Valparaiso Ind Death: 21 Feb 1931 Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, burial Memorial Park Cemetery Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, daughter of Lincoln Fleming & Mary C is senior train baggageman, Pennsylvania. Railroad. He started his railroading on the Pennsylvania as a newsboy, and has been on the railroad since June 6, 1900, when he was twelve years of age. He is also known as the "Whistling Brakeman." He has broadcasted from nearly every large radio station in the United States. He lives in Indianapolis. Former Culver Man on the Air This Month Geo. E. Nearpass, the Pennsylvania Lines Whistling Brakeman, will again give the lovers of radio an opportunity to listen in for his comedy sketch on Nove. 26, at which time he will be on the air from KDKA Pittsburg, Pa., the pioneer broadcasting station of the country from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. central standard time. The sketch features barnyard imitations, whstling, singing and other entertaining nocelties. George is one of the few men in the world who whistles two tones at one time, tenor and saprano. Nearpass hails from Butler, Indiana. He is also an olf Culver boy, and has many fireds here who will be glad to tune in on this program - 19 Nov. 1924 - Citizen

Dear Radio Friend: Mrr. Geo. E. Nearpass, the Whistling Brakeman of the Pennsylvania Railroad, as wll as the Management, is very greatful to you for taking the time and effort to express your approval of his radio program. It is hoped that when your travel or ship frieght his friendly entertainment will suggest to you the vast and rapid transportation service of the Pennslyvania. The Leaders: BROADWAY, LIMITED ......Chcago-New York THE AMERICAN................St. Louis-New Yorik THE RED ARROW.............Detroit-New York CINCINNATI LIMITED........CIncinnati-New York LIBERTY LIMITE...............Chicago=Washington PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD Carriers more passengers, hauls more frieght , than any other railroad in America.

	Three Generations of the Nearpass Family - (A hitherto unpublished photograph) Sixty years ago George Near Pass II, left, put Culver on the map by starting a newspaper here. His walk from Hibbard to Culver (then Mamont) to put over the deal is a classic of early journalism.
At the right is his son, George Nearpass III, famed as "The Whistling Brakeman" who helped his father get out the peoper. He is retired and lives in Gleendale, Calif. The Baby is George Nearpass IN, general traffic manager of the Republic Creosotin COmpany in Indianapolis., to whom we are greatly indebted for the loan of the photograph. And as you may have guessed, there is a George V.!

5 Val Edgar Nearpass Birth: 13 Dec 1893 - Bremen, Indiana Death: 8 Dec 1947 Hennepin County, Minnesota buireal Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, married Pearl L FOx Birth : 9 Nov 1894 Death : 13 May 1979 Hennepin County, Minnesota, Burial: Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota,

is president of the Acute Printing and Stationery Co., and president of the Franklin Amusement Co., a chain of fifteen moving picture theaters, of Minneapolis, Minn. He also represents he Speakers' Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, of Minneapolis.

6 Vance Bayard Nearpass Birth: 9 Feb 1896 - Culver, Marshall County, Indiana Death: 26 Oct 1963 - Hot Springs, Fall River County, South Dakota Burial Danville National Cemetery Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois married 15 Jun 1919 - New Castle, New Hampshire Elizabeth SHaw Birth: 19 Jan 1894 County Roscommon, Ireland Death:10 Mar 1946 Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois Greenwood Cemetery Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois daughter of John Shaw

is in the advertising business in Saginaw, Michigan

7 Name: Verna Ruth Nearpass Birth: 5 Mar 1902 - Culver, Indiana Death Oct 1927 married 20 Dec 1919 - Indiana William F Walters Birth: 22 Feb 1896 Rockville, Indiana Death: 8 Sep 1965 Logansport, Cass, Indiana burial Highland Lawn Cemetery Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana,

After leaving Culver , GEORGE NEARPASS, Sr., and GEORGE NEARPASS, Jr., launched the "Shipshewana Sun," at Shipshewana, Ind. That was not long after the middle of August, 1905. In fact, Vol. I, No. 1 of the "Shipshewana Sun," edited by the father and son, appeared around the first of September, that year.

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1905 - Aug 17 - George R Nearpass, of this city. will soon issue the first number of the Shipshewana Sun, at Shipshewana, Ind., Mr. Nearpass edited and published the Culver City Herald at Culver, Ind., for about ten years. Prior to that time he conducted the Hobart Gazette. — Mishawaka Democrat.