Wayne County Press
Thursday, June 26th, 1947
page 1

Hon. Charles W. Creighton, 61, widely-known Fairfield attorney, succumbed to a heart attack at his home here about eleven thirty o'clock Monday night.

Mr. Creighton had been suffering from a serious heart condition for several months and had virtually retired from active legal practice.  However, his condition appeared to be responding to treatment and shortly before he died he told members of his family that he was feeling much better.

He had spent much of that day working in his garden and that evening had enjoyed a game of cards with his family.  Shortly after eleven o'clock, while still seated in his chair in the living room, he suffered the fatal attack and died.

Funeral services will be held at the First Methodist church at 2:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon by Dr. Cameron Harmon, of Lawrenceville, assisted by Dr. C. L.Peterson of this city.  Burial will follow in the Maple Hill cemetery.

Mr. Creighton was born in Jasper township, Wayne county, on August 31st, 1885, the son of Fred and Elizabeth Creighton.  He was reared on the farm, attending country school.

Later he attended Southern Illinois College at Carbondale and McKendree college at Lebanon, after which he engaged in the teaching profession in the rural schools of this county.  He also taught in the Fairfield city school.

Some time later he entered the study of law in the office of Creighton & Thomas, here, finally completeing that work at the Northern Illinois College of Law at Dixon where he was graduated with his law degrees.

In 1913 he was admitted to the Illinois Bar, and engaged in the general practice of law in Fairfield.  Eleven years later, in 1924 he joined with H. T. Kerr for the formation of the firm of Creighton & Kerr, a partnership that existed until he died.

Mr. Creighton was recognized as one of the eminent members of the bar in Southern Illinois and in recent years he had gained a wide reputation for his remarkable success in the practice of criminal law.

Mr. Creighton was always an active member of the Democratic party. He had served a long list of responsible offices in this connection, climaxing his political career in 1942 when he was elected for one term as state representative in the lower house at Springfield from the 46th district.

Prior to that he served as chairman of the Wayne County Democratic Central Committee, Master-in-Chancery of the Circuit Court, and three terms as state's attorney of Wayne county, 1924 to 1932 and 1936 to 1940.  He had also served as president of the Board of Education of the Fairfield Public Schools.