2011 "In the News"
Press Release
November 8, 2011
Tennessee Township - Gerald and his uncle Wayne White recently accepted a new sign for the White Cemetery donated by the McDonough County Historical Society.
White Cemetery is located in Tennessee Township in McDonough County. It is an inactive cemetery founded in 1843 with approximately 60 graves interred from then to 1925.
There is one veteran of the Revolutionary War buried there, Thomas White who fought for independence. He was the first person buried in 1843.
This private cemetery has been on property in the hands of White’s descendants from the 1840s up to today.
In 1976, the McDonough County Bicentennial Commission, together with the local DAR, held a Revolutionary War Memorial service at the cemetery. A large medallion was set next to the government headstone for Thomas White. His is one of only four grave markers of veterans of the Revolutionary War in McDonough County.
Attending that ceremony in 1976, were four generations of Whites standing above four generations of Whites buried beneath.
Several days after the new sign was installed last month, members of Boy Scout Troop 315, chartered by the Wesley United Methodist Church of Macomb, attacked the weeds, brush, limbs, and branches and cleaned the cemetery down to its floor.
In that process, they discovered quite a few headstones that had been totally covered with sod and grass. These young men restored a beautiful cemetery with a rich and fascinating history.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the McDonough County Genealogical Society and the McDonough County Historical Society.
Press Release
October 25, 2011
Industry Township - Mike Black recently located the Wilhelm Cemetery and accepted a new sign at the Wilhelm Cemetery donated by the McDonough CountyHistorical Society.
Black, a resident of Industry and local cemetery historian, recently assisted the MCHS in locating several cemeteries in Industry Township for its new sign project.
The Wilhelm Cemetery is located in the northwest quarter of Section 23 in Industry Township in McDonough County. It is an inactive and abandoned cemetery founded in 1850 containing approximately 30 graves interred from then to 1887.
The first burial was Mary Cockerham (1850), daughter of Joel and Elizabeth Pennington.
There are 12 Pennington’s in the Wilhelm Cemetery. The last person buried in the cemetery was Ruth Pennington in 1887.
There are 15 headstones for infants and children under five years old.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the McDonough County Genealogical Society and the McDonough County Historical Society.
Press Release
October 17, 2011
Industry Township - Steve and Lisa Hood, owners of property that includes the Clayton Cemetery, recently accepted a new sign to mark the site donated by theMcDonough County Historical Society.
This small family cemetery is located in a cow pasture in the northwest quarter of Section 28 in Industry Township in McDonough County.
The 15’ x 15’ memorial area is still protected by some wire fencing attached to old round wooden fence posts.
The first of the five burials was Zebulon Clayton, 16 year old son of William and Margaret Clayton, in February 1847.
His brother, William Clayton, Jr., was killed while serving in the Mexican War (1846-48). He was 19 when he died in July 1847. His government headstone indicates that he served in McConnel’s Co., 1st Illinois Infantry.
Two months later, their mother Margaret (1806-1847) was buried.
The last two headstones mark the graves of David F. Clayton, who died at the age of three in 1864, and his brother Alva who died in 1877, six days short of his ninth birthday. David and Alva were sons of Samuel and Jane Clayton. Samuel was the brother of Zebulon and William Jr.
William Clayton’s family came to McDonough County from Pennsylvania in the 1830s, appearing on the census lists as landowners in Industry Township.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the McDonough County Genealogical Society and the McDonough County Historical Society.
Press Release
October 11, 2011
Sciota Township - Dave Ruebush, owner of property that includes the Beckelshymer Gravesite, recently accepted a new sign to mark the site donated by theMcDonough County Historical Society.
This single monument cemetery is located in a cow pasture in the southeast quarter of Section 15 in Sciota Township in McDonough County.
The once tall and majestic monument has been toppled and broken.
The monument records the death of Sarah A. Beckelshymer (1831-1873), wife of A. Beckelshymer. Genealogical records list an Alexander Beckelhymer as owner of 320 acres in 1870.
The headstone includes the “s” in Beckelshymer but is not found in the spelling in county records.
Local legend suggests that Sarah died in childbirth while on a wagon train voyage. Her husband went to his destination, bought land, and settled. Alexander returned to the gravesite and negotiated for this large and artistically carved marker.
For many years, this was thought to be the only grave in Sciota Township. However, another headstone has been identified, but requires more research for the person’s first name and date of death.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the Clugston Tibbitts Funeral Home (Blandinsville and Macomb), and the McDonough County Historical Society.
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"Choosing Sides: Why Did Americans Support Either the North or the South?"
- Dec. 8, 2011
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Garden Lounge, Malpass Library
-
Description:
Under the leadership of Dr. Timothy Roberts, the WIU Department of Historyis partnering with the University Libraries in the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) project, “Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the Civil War.”
The first discussion in the series will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2011 in Malpass Library's Garden Lounge and will focus on the question, "Choosing Sides: Why Did Americans Support Either the North or the South?" Dr. Roberts will lead a discussion on materials that show the complicated decisions and choices Americans faced at the war’s onset. Supporting or opposing the Union, and even knowing what issues the Union and its opponents stood for, were hardly easy paths to follow.
The event and the books are free and open to the public.
In commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the first year of the Civil War in 2011-12, this reading and discussion series at University Libraries has been made possible through a grant from the NEH. The grant provides University Libraries with 25 copies each of the books March and Crossroads to Freedom: Antietam and 50 copies of the anthology America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on their 150th Anniversaries.
The books will be available to participants for free from the University Libraries beginning in mid-October. Dr. Roberts, Assistant Professor from WIU Department of History and the project scholar, will lead five discussions in the Leslie F. Malpass Library beginning in December, allowing time for users to read the books. All discussions will take place in the Garden Lounge of WIU's Malpass Library at 7:00 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
Press Release
September 29, 2011
Village of Prairie City - John Oakman, mayor of Prairie City, recently accepted a new sign for the Old Prairie City Cemetery donated by the McDonough CountyHistorical Society.
Old Prairie City Cemetery is northeast of Prairie City, along the Warren County line.
Although the cemetery land is in Warren County, the graves are of Prairie City, McDonough County residents.
In the 1980s, a group of Prairie City citizens devoted many hours of difficult labor rescuing this once abandoned and neglected cemetery. From that time on, the Village of Prairie City has maintained this resting place of about 65 graves.
Approximately 32 of the 65 headstones mark the graves of children under nine years of age.
The first burial was Elizabeth Metcalf in 1856. The last recorded funeral was for W.G. Patten, who died January 15, 1899.
When the newer and current Prairie City Cemetery was established in 1866, many graves were moved from the old to the new cemetery. But the Old Prairie City Cemetery remained active until 1899.
Ephriam Tipton (1794-1869) fought in the War of 1812. Two veterans of the Civil War are buried here: Joseph Baumgartner and Mathew McComb.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the McDonough County Genealogical Society and the McDonough County Historical Society.
Press Release
September 27, 2011
Blandinsville Township - Matthew and Valerie Butler, owners of property that includes the Mustain Gravesite, recently accepted a new sign to mark the site donated by the McDonough County Historical Society.
This single monument cemetery is located in a cow pasture in the northwest quarter of Section 16 in Blandinsville Township in McDonough County.
The 15’ x 15’ memorial area is still protected by some wire fencing attached to old but solid tree-trunk posts.
Three sides of the tall monument record the deaths of Jane Mustain Howard (1821-1845), her mother Elizabeth Mustain (1792-1863), and Elizabeth’s husband John Mustain (1783-1869).
John married Elizabeth Glenn in 1812. They had ten children.
John Mustain’s family came to McDonough County from Virginia in 1832, appearing on the tax lists as a large landowning farmer in Section 16 of Blandinsville Township. This area was once called Job’s Settlement.
The cemetery sign project is supported by the McDonough County Genealogical Society, McDonough County Retired Teachers Association, Clugston Tibbitts Funeral Home (Blandinsville and Macomb), and the McDonough County Historical Society.
Alum Donates Historical Documents Reflecting 19th-Century Life in Hancock County
September 15, 2011
MACOMB, IL – Thanks to a Western Illinois University alumna, a collection of documents featuring first-person perspectives of 19th-century historical events in Hancock County (IL) are now part of
the local history collection in the University Libraries' Archives and Special Collections Unit. Barbara Shave — who earned her
bachelor's degree in education in 1963 and now lives in British Columbia, Canada — has donated the "My Dear Aunt Martha Collection," a collection of letters, poems and other documents exchanged
between Scots-Irish settlers of Hancock County spanning the years 1811-1893.
University Libraries will celebrate the donation and launch the publication of Shave's book, "My Dear Aunt Martha: A 19th Century American Epic from the Letters of Those Who Lived It," with a
reception and book-signing event during Homecoming Weekend (Sept. 30-Oct.1) on the WIU-Macomb campus.
Slated for 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 in the Archives and Special Collections Unit (located on the sixth floor of the Leslie F. Malpass Library), the event will include a book discussion, led by
Shave. During it, she will talk about the process of collecting the letters. The reception and book-signing event is open free to the public; copies of Shave's book will be available for
purchase.
According to Jeff Hancks, archives and special collections unit coordinator at University Libraries, the "My Dear Aunt Martha Collection" provides first-person perspectives of significant events
in 19th-century American history, as they played out in Hancock County. The content of the letters reflect pioneering and community building, the Mormon uprising, Mississippi riverboats, gold
rushes and the Civil War in the voices of the people who lived through it, he added.
"These letters are a wonderful addition to our local history collection," Hancks said. "They offer insight into 19th-century life in Hancock County. I am honored that Ms. Shave has selected
Western Illinois University Libraries as the depository."
For more information about the "My Dear Aunt Martha Collection," contact Hancks at (309) 298-3298 or JL-Hancks@wiu.edu.
Posted By: WIU, University Relations
Phone: (309) 298-1993 * Fax: (309) 298-1606
Press Release
September 20, 2011
Blandinsville Township - Ron and Marilyn Wilson Graham, and her brother Richard Wilson, descendants of ancestors in the Wilson Cemetery, accepted a new sign donated by theMcDonough County Historical Society.
Wilson Cemetery was a private family cemetery (1836-1856) in the southwest corner of Blandinsville Township in McDonough County.
The oldest headstone marks John Wilson’s grave (1813-1836). His father, James, is the great, great, great grandfather of Marilyn and Richard.
James was born on July 4, 1776 in Virginia. He died in July 1847. A third headstone marks the grave of his wife, Nancy Wilson (1775-1856).
After the installation of two signs marking the entry path and actual cemetery site, some current grandchildren of Marilyn and Ron’s explored the area surrounding the three visible headstones and discovered remnants of perhaps other previously unrecorded markers.
Wilson Cemetery is inactive but maintained by Wilson relatives.
The cemetery sign project is supported by Clugston Tibbitts Funeral Home in Blandinsville and Macomb, Ron and Marilyn Graham, and the McDonough County Historical Society.
The McDonough County Historical Society replaced one of its cemetery signs after the manufacturer took responsibility for misspelling the name.
After the photograph appeared in the press, and several MCHS members questioned the first letter in Vawter (which did not look quite like a vee), the president of the company admitted hitting the incorrect key.
The new and corrected sign was installed this week with the help of Dan Curtis, owner of the property adjacent to the Vawter Cemetery.
The cemetery sign project is sponsored by the McDonough County Genealogical Society and the McDonough County Historical Society. The Vawter Cemetery sign is the 81st installed since 2007.
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Historical Walk of the Atkinson/McCord Cemetery
Saturday, October 29, 2011
at 10:00am
The walk will be conducted by the Argyle Lake Park staff.
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For Immediate Release
August 14, 2011
Eva Fisher, president of the McDonough County Genealogical Society presented a matching grant donation to Dan Wise, president of the McDonough County Historical Society for its cemetery sign project.
This gift of $250, when matched by the society, will support five signs installed on cemeteries in McDonough County.
In the last four years over 80 signs have been erected with the help of the Genealogical Society, the McDonough County Highway Department, funeral homes, banks, family members, interested individuals, anonymous friends, and members of the McDonough County Historical Society.
There are over 110 cemeteries in McDonough County. Project director Gil Belles, is still looking for over 15 abandoned and neglected sites.
The cemetery sign project has brought attention to the poor condition of many of these cemeteries, generating interest among volunteers to clean up and restore dignity to these resting places of our forebears.
Press Release
August 11, 2011
Colchester Township - Brandon Dowacter, an Americorps volunteer with the Big Brother/Big Sister program, recently helped clear the Barber Cemetery in Colchester and Chalmers Townships.
Barber Cemetery is located on a bulge in road 700 East on the border of Colchester and Chalmers Townships one-half mile south of the new highway in McDonough County. It is an inactive and neglected cemetery with approximately 20 family graves.
The original cemetery, established by the Barber family in 1835, covered about an acre of land. Only a few markers remain on this much smaller plot.
In 1992, Macomb police officer Gary Tilden, with his wife Vivian, and friends Tom Carey, Randy Allison, Joe Richbark and Steve Richbark, cleaned up this cemetery and found the marker of William Lucas, a Civil War veteran.
Dowacter learned about the cemetery location and marking project of the McDonough County Historical Society. He offered to help in this community service activity.
Dowacter discovered several headstones that perviously had been buried in the dirt and grass.
He has offered to assist in some additional clean-ups as well as help locate the Old Plymouth Cemetery in the far southwest corner of the county.
Press Release
July 10, 2011
Lamoine Township - Carol Gooden and Darrell Roberts accepted a new sign donated by the McDonough County Historical Society to mark the King Cemetery.
This family and later public cemetery is located in the center of section four of Lamoine Township in McDonough County. There are approximately 130 markers for the people buried between 1836 and 1954 in this abandoned and inactive cemetery.
The first burial was James Waddill who died in 1836. There are 26 markers with the name Waddill on them, the last died in 1918. Waddill daughters and their new family names are also marked. The last burial in King Cemetery was James Owen in 1954.
The cemetery is on private property recently sold by Carol Gooden to Darrell Roberts. The large area is fenced, but overgrowth of weeds and brush from below, fallen trees from above, and tornado damage detract from the condition of this once impressive cemetery.
Edmund Badger, a veteran of the War of 1812, rests here with four veterans of the Civil War, one of whom, Daniel Badger, was his son.
The cemetery sign project is supported by Clugston Tibbitts Funeral Home (Macomb and Blandinsville) and the McDonough County Historical Society.
The Bushnell Historical Society would like to invite
all members of the McDonough County Historical Society
to a program on Tuesday Aug 2, 2011 at 2 pm
at the Bushnell Recreation Center
A man from Hoffman Estates will give a Civil War program
entitled
"If this sword could talk"
Please RSVP if you plan to attend
RSVP to the president of the Bushnell Historical Society,
Judy Ashton at ashtonj168@bushnell.net
or telephone number: 3097723703
by Aug 1
HELP NEEDED ON CEMETERY LOCATIONS
Many readers of the local newspapers might be aware of the cemetery marking project being conducted by the McDonough County Historical Society, with wonderful support by local organizations, businesses, and individuals.
The members are attempting to locate all of the cemeteries and grave sites in the county (active or inactive, abandoned, neglected, or well taken care of).
We have installed signs at 79 McDonough County cemeteries and grave sites. Old documents and records suggest another 25-30 to go.
Now we need some help locating some of the more obscure and difficult to find cemeteries and grave sites.
The list below has the most popular or common name used in the 1970s and 80s. We have identified the township and the section where they may be located. But we have not been successful finding these. If you can provide any information I would appreciate it. Gil Belles, 221 Columbia Dr., Macomb, IL 61455, 309/837-9441, AG-Belles@wiu.edu
Eldorado Township:
Miles Cemetery, NE quarter, Section 23
Dennis Cemetery, South Central half, Section 26.
Industry Township:
Peak Cemetery, NW 1/4, Section 23
Osborn/Claybaugh Cemetery, NW 1/4, Section 22
Clayton/Clugston Grave site, NW 1/4 Section 28
Bowman Cemetery, MW 1/4 Section 28.
Bethel Township:
Dunsworth Cemetery, NE 1/4 Section 7.
Lamoine Township:
Old Plymouth Cemetery, SW 1/4 Section 30.
Chalmers Township:
Rabbit Cemetery, NE 1/4 Section 2
Murray Gravesite, NW 1/4 Section 16
O.C. Wilson Gravesite, SW 1/4 Section 9.
Tennessee Township:
Widow Taise Gravesite, NW 1/4 Section 4.
Mound Township:
Drowning Fork Graves, Section 7.
Macomb Township:
Old Bardolph Cemetery, NE 1/4 Section 13
Hoagland Cemetery, SE 1/4 Section 21
Upp Cemetery, Central west Section 17, or Central east Section 18
Brooking Grave site, SW 1/4 Section 7.
Emmet Township:
Post or Shippey Grave site, SW 1/4 Section 32
Heron Cemetery, SW 1/4 Section 9
Wilson Grave site, SW 1/4 Section 33
Jacoby Cemetery, NE 1/4 Section 14.
Bushnell Township:
Solon/Robinson Cemetery, SW 1/4 Section 30.
Sciota Township:
Beckelhymer Grave site, SE 1/4 Section 15.
Blandinsville Township:
Wilson Cemetery, SW 1/4 Section 20.
Bushnell Students Visit the Bushnell Township Cemetery
On
May 17, 73 fifth grade pupils from the Bushnell-Prairie City Elementary School walked to the Bushnell Township Cemetery for a history lesson. Conducted by Keith "Marty" Ham, a local historian,
the students learnt about local historical figures buried in the cemetery.
Ham pointed out the monument Bushnell erected to honor all of the Unknown Bushnell Civil
War veterans, some graves of veterans who became prominent citizens, and the grave of a freed slave who became Bushnell's third wealthiest citizen.
This special field trip for the children ties in with the McDonough County Historical Society’s continuing mission to recognize the historical significance of the over 100 local cemeteries located throughout the county and to educate the public regarding the importance of our historic cemeteries.
Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference Comes to Springfield in September
FGS and local host, Illinois State Genealogical Society, are proud to announce
the FGS 2011 Conference "Pathways to the Heartland"
will be held on September 7-10, in Springfield, Illinois.
This year's conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. Over 165 educational sessions are designed to balance the needs of genealogists at all levels, exploring a wide of variety topics including Midwestern research, migration and immigration, military, strategies and techniques, technology, and writing.
The early registration deadline is July 1,
which offers a savings of $50 for a full conference registration.
Additional details can be found on the FGS website at http://fgs.org/2011conference.
Macomb Heritage Days Festival
June 23-25, 2011
The Annual Heritage Days Festival takes place in the historic downtown of Macomb in Chandler Park. The Park is located at the intersection of highway 67 and 136. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Heritage Days and the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War.
The 2011 Heritage Days theme will be
"A Salute to the Civil War- The 150th Anniversary."
The festival will feature live entertainment, food, a carnival, a parade and much, much more! Local businesses, class reunions, services organizations and other local entities are encouraged to participate in the annual Heritage Days Parade, taking place Saturday, June 25th, 2011. This is an event for the entire family!
For more information or to request vendor forms contact the Macomb Area Convention Bureau at 309.833.1315 or macvb@macomb.com macvb@macomb.com
Ice Cream
Tasting Festival
June 18, 2001
2:00-4:00pm
A Fundraiser for the Western Ilinois Museum
at the Old Dairy
210 South Lafayette Street, Macomb
June 8, 2011
2:00-3:30pm
Garden Lounge, Malpass Library,
Western Illinois University
Talk by retired WIU history professor
and Civil War specialist
Larry T. Balsamo
Also, exhibit of Civil War-related materials
from WIU Archives and Special Collections
The tour will last approximately an hour and a half, and will include visits to the graves of local Civil War soldiers, important leaders in Macomb's history, and notable women from the community's past. Examples of sites that will be visited include the following graves: Colonel Carter Van Vleck, Major William L. Broaddus, Adjutant C.V. Chandler, Private (and local editor and war historian) W. H. Hainline, town founder James M. Campbell, Lincoln friend and murdered draft enforcer William H. Randolph, orphanage matron Josie Westfall, social activist Rose Jolly, and beloved newspaper woman Lida Crabb. Tickets are available at the Western Illinois Musuem, Citizens Bank, MidAmerica Bank, and Vintage Accents. Proceeds from the tours will support the Macomb Women's Club Social Service Committee's efforts to raise funds to erect a public memorial to local female social activists. |
Starry Night Repertory Theatre
presents
The Conflict: A soldier’s memories of the Civil War
May 26-28, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
Hainline Theatre
Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois
The world premiere of a play by John Hallwas
Set in 1911, on the 50th anniversary of the Civil War, The Conflict is the dramatic account of Illinois soldier, W. H. Hainline, who fought in General Sherman’s army and survived imprisonment at Andersonville, but saw his family destroyed by the war.
Through story and song the heroes of the past
are remembered and honored.
Tickets: 309-298-2900
For more information: http://www.starrynightrep.org/The_Conflict.html
Connectedness: A History of Women's Clubs
April 26 - August 15, 2011
An exhibition at the Western Illinois Museum,
201 South Lafayette St., Macomb
Opening celebration
will be held
Saturday May 21, 2011 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm
concurrent with the opening of the WCI Arts Centers' exhibit,
Explorations in Identity.
Come out and enjoy both new exhibits.
May 16, 2011
Exhibit of books on the Civil War from the Malpass Library collection.
Second floor at Malpass Library, Western Illinois University, near Circulation.
Classes of historical interest - LIFE (Learning is Forever) Program at WIU
for more info. see http://www.wiu.edu/life/LIFEBrochureSP2011.pdf
Is There Anybody Home? A Look at Post-World War II American Domestic Architecture
This class will look at the U.S. post-war housing shortage and discuss what caused it and what Americans did about it. When soldiers returned home from World War II, many had trouble finding a place to live. See www.postworldwar2housing.jimdo.com for further information.
New Perspectives on the American Civil War
This year, 2011, marks the 150th anniversary of the start of our Civil War. The occasion provides a fine opportunity to study, consider, and discuss what is perhaps the most important era in our nation’s history.
Tour of the Restored One-Room Thompson School
The school, which opened in 1847 and closed in 1947, is located west of Jacksonville, Illinois.
Walking Tour of Historic Sites in Bushnell
Bushnell was platted in 1854 as the Northern Star Railroad crept across west-central Illinois. In its 156-year history, this small rural community has had varied and interesting stories to tell.
West-Central Illinois Civil War Round Table presents
“The Murder of William Randolph”
A Talk by Victoria Stewart
This slaying of a prominent local occurred
in Blandinsville during the Civil War
Why and What Happened?
Come and hear this fascinating story from our past!
March 8, 2011 at 7pm
New Copperfield’s Book Service
North Side of Historic Macomb Courthouse Square