|
|
Genealogy Trails |
|
|
Genealogy Trails |
President, Mr. J. B. Timms, Kent; vice president, H. S. Townsend, Warren; secretary, Samuel J. Dodds, Lena; treasurer, Wm. Lawhorn, Lena.
The Lena Star Band furnished., the music. Judge Andrew Hinds gave the address of welcome. Dr. Monroe, of Monroe, Wisconsin, made a brief response. In the afternoon, the principal address was delivered by Mr. S. J. Dodds. Other speakers were, Hon. Peter Parkinson, of Fayette, Wisconsin, and Hon. Robert R. Hitt, member of Congress from this district. A photograph was taken of seventeen survivors of Black Hawk’s War.
Mrs. Wm. Lawhorn, who was in Apple River Fort at the time of the Indian attack, gave an interesting account of the event. D. S. Hawley, of Evansville, Wisconsin, sang an Indian song and startled the audience with an Indian war-whoop.
The second annual meeting of the survivors of the Black Hawk War was held in Lena, June 24, 1892. The day was stormy and the exercises in the afternoon were held in the Opera House. President J. B. Timms called the meeting to order and a welcome address was given by S. J. Dodds. The officers were ejected as follows:
President, Henry Dodge Dement, Joliet, Illinois; vice presidents, J. B. Timms, Kent, and H. S. Townsend, Warren, Illinois; secretary, S. J. Dodds, Lena; treasurer, Wm. Lawhorn, Lena.
Hon. Henry Dodge Dement, of Joliet, delivered eloquently the annual address on the battle of Kellog’s Grove. A stirring address was given by Rev.
B. H. Cartright, Oregon, Illinois.
Black Hawk War Veteran Reunion - July 1893
The survivors of the Black Hawk War held their third annual reunion at Pearl City, Stephenson county.
The day's doings commemorated the 61st anniversary of the Battle of Kellogg's Grove, where Col. Dement and
his men turned the tide of the conflict to success for the whites.
The attendance was large from all surrounding cities and counties. The number of survivors was larger than ever
seen before at such a gathering. The weather was perfect, and the old pioneers enjoyed the day greatly. The old
pioneer and statesman, Col. Jones, of Dubuque, who is now in his 89th year, told of the part he took in
the Black Hawk conflict, and other survivors made addresses. Among the most interesting was a brief talk by Mrs.
William Lawsorn, a little old woman bent with age, who told how she helped mold bullets at the Elizabeth
fort. There was an excursion to the battlefield and monument at Kellogg's Grove.
Col. Geo. W. Jones talk was of a reminiscent character. He said: "After the opening of the Black Hawk
war, Gen. George W. Jones asked me to be his aid-de-camp. When Galena was reached we found that Col. Stephenson
had started out to find the remains of those who had been killed by the Indians, among whom was my brother-in-law,
Felix Savery, otherwise known as St. Verium. We followed and overtook Col. Stephenson somewhere
in the vicinity of Kellogg's Grove, where we found the remains of my brother-in-law. The Indians had cut off the
head of Savery and also both his hands and feet and had cut out his heart.
W.G. Neritt is another of the interesting survivors of the war. He fought all through it, and has attended
every reunion. Neritt was born in Kentucky in 1814, came to Illinois in 1719 (transcriber's note:
should probably be 1819, not 1719), and enlisted in the service in 1832.
The tombs of those who fell in the war, and whose remains sleep beneath the shadow of the Black Hawk war monument
were covered with flowers by members of the Grand Army of the Republic.
[July 5, 1893, The Newton
Press, Jasper County, IL]
