Mother Rudd's Temperance Tavern

The historic Mother Rudd House stands on the corner of Old Grand Avenue and Kilbourne Road in Gurnee. The building is a testament to Lake County's settlement period and the county's role in the national Temperance Movement.

Mother Rudd House, Gurnee, Illinois. Built in 1843.
Photo courtesy of Warren Township Historical Society. 

Wealthy Buell Harvey Rudd (1793 - 1880), endearingly known as "Mother Rudd," was Lake County's first woman innkeeper, a temperance supporter, and one of the county's best known citizens. She founded the O'Plain House (today's Mother Rudd House), as a temperance tavern in 1843.

Temperance taverns developed in the 19th century out of the Temperance Movement, which initially railed against hard liquor, but soon advocated abstinence from all alcohol.

This social movement was mostly made up of women, who saw the ills of menfolk drinking whiskey, rum and hard cider at all hours of the day. Drinking hard liquor was culturally accepted and widespread, but by the late 1830s, temperance taverns were established as an alternative to public bars where alcohol was served.

The Temperance Movement, which had its start in New England in the early 1800s, was transplanted to the Midwest by settlers. Among those newly settled Lake Countians were Wealthy and Jonathan Harvey.

Wealthy and Jonathan had married in 1813 in the prosperous whaling port of New London, Connecticut. They lived in Litchfield, Herkimer County, New York, and later in Summit County, Ohio before coming to O'Plain (now Gurnee) with their 10 surviving children, aged 6 to 29.

It is generally believed that Jonathan and Wealthy Harvey arrived in O'Plain around 1842, following Wealthy's brothers, Horatio and Abel Buell.

The settlement of O'Plain was appealing due to its location at the intersection of the Milwaukee Road, and the Fox Lake and Little Fort Road (now Grand Avenue). Innkeepers, grocers, and blacksmiths converged at this point to provide services to travelers and the influx of settlers.

Milwaukee Road and Grand Avenue intersecting at the iron bridge
over the Des Plaines River, circa 1900. Mother Rudd House in distance.

In 1843, the Harveys purchased 77 acres from Isaiah Marsh at today's Kilbourne Road and Old Grand Avenue. (Kilbourne Road had originally been part of the Milwaukee Road). Along with having acreage to farm, the property included a settlement house built by the New York Land Company, which provided temporary housing to settlers.

Shortly after their arrival, Wealthy and Jonathan set about building a new home for their family with accommodations for travelers, across the road from the settlement house. It is probable that part of the original settlement house was used in the new structure.

When planning the new frame structure, a carpenter offered to build it for free if the couple paid for the doors at a rate of $1 for the first door, $2 for the second door, $4 for the third door, and so on. Initially, the Harveys thought this was a good deal until a friend calculated that the last door (there would be 22) would cost them $2,097,152!

O'Plain was not a dry community, and Wealthy took a stand against her alcohol-serving tavern neighbors, by opening her temperance tavern—the O'Plain House. A nearby public bar with one of the worst reputations was Barney Hick's "California Exchange." Hick's place was so raucous that the one-room school situated across the street had to be re-located because "people resented having their children forced to see the drunken men who frequented the tavern."

"Woman's Holy War" an allegorical political cartoon representing the Temperance Movement.The Saint Joan of Arc-styled leader is part of a group of "holy women" destroying barrels of alcohol. (Published by Currier & Ives, New York, 1874. Library of Congress online)

Sadly, on January 22, 1845, Jonathan Harvey passed away. He was 55 years old. 

On November 14, 1846, Wealthy married Erastus Rudd. Rudd farmed the land while Wealthy ran the Temperance tavern, which became known as "Mother Rudd's."

From the start, Mother Rudd's O'Plain Tavern was a place for the community to come together, and was used as a Town Hall for local elections and meetings. At Christmas, Wealthy offered customers elaborate dinners that included oysters and pastries, and entertainment such as sleighing parties.

Intersection of the old Milwaukee Road/today's Kilbourne Road (left) 
and Grand Avenue, showing Mother Rudd House at right. Circa 1910.
Courtesy of Warren Township Historical Society.

During the Civil War, the Rudd's were strong Union supporters. Local legend states that the Rudd's barn, and possibly the tavern's basement, were used to hide enslaved people seeking freedom via the Underground Railroad. 

In 1862, Erastus Rudd was appointed the town's postmaster. This made their home not only an inn, but also the post office.

In June 1870, Erastus Rudd died of dropsy (edema). After her second husband's death, Wealthy dressed in black for the rest of her life, and later added a white lace cap on her head. 

Now in her late seventies, Wealthy discontinued operating her home as a tavern. She lived there until her own death on August 8, 1880.

Wealthy's daughter, Nancy Harvey Mutaw, re-opened the house as an inn, continuing her mother's legacy. According to the Warren Township Historical Society, Nancy operated the inn until about 1894. She died in 1915.

Nancy Harvey Mutaw (1830 - 1915),
daughter of "Mother Rudd," circa 1890. Findagrave.com online

After Nancy's death, the property was sold to the McCann family, who for a time, had a candy store on the front porch.

After a series of owners, in 1984, the Village of Gurnee purchased the historic building and three acres. An agreement was made to partner with the Warren Township Historical Society in the restoration and operation of the house. For over 30 years, the Society has exhibited its historical collections and given tours and programs at the Mother Rudd House, while the Village continues to maintain the building and grounds.

For more information on touring the Mother Rudd House contact the Warren Township Historical Society info@motherrudd.org.

D. Dretske, Curator ddretske@lcfpd.org

~ ~ ~

Sources:

A History of Lake County, Illinois, John J. Halsey, 1912.
A History of Warren Township, Edward S. Lawson, 1974.
Warren Township Historical Society, Gurnee, Illinois.

Gurnee and the Salem Witch Trials

Local lore in the Gurnee area claims that witches were burned at the stake in the early days of its settlement. Although this is one of the most far-flung stories I've ever heard, it intrigued me enough to do some digging.

As it turns out, the untrue tale of a witch hunt in Warren Township hints at a very real connection to the mass hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

During the winter of 1691-1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, Elizabeth "Betty" Parris (aged 9), Abigail Williams (aged 11), Ann Putnam, Jr. (aged 12), Elizabeth Hubbard (aged 17) and Mercy Lewis (aged 17) became afflicted with fits "beyond the power of Epileptic Fits or natural disease to effect."

The Samuel Parris house, Salem Mass. (now Danvers, Mass.) known as the "House where witchcraft started."
Two of the main accusers, Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail Williams lived here. Image: historyofmassachusetts.org/reverend-samuel-parris/

At the time, the cause of their symptoms was very clear: witches in league with the devil.

Today, some believe the symptoms were a result of psychological hysteria due to attacks on the colonists by Native tribes. Others have pointed to the possibility of rye bread made from grain infected by a fungus. Historians, however, believe that jealousy and revenge over land disputes motivated the accusations and that the girls were play acting and enjoying the attention.

Whatever the cause, it resulted in twenty townspeople (14 women and 6 men) being accused of witchcraft and executed by hanging (one man was pressed to death). Among the accused were the three Towne family sisters: Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Cloyce and Mary Easty (Esty), who were targeted by the powerful Putnam family.

Statue of the three Towne sisters accused during the mass hysteria of the
Salem Witch Trials, 1692. Image: https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/

The 71-year old Rebecca Towne Nurse was accused in March 23, 1692, and hanged on July 19. The Nurse family had been in bitter land disputes with the Putnam family, who were her accusers.

Mary Easty's main accusers were also connected to the Putnams: Daughter, Ann Putnam, Jr. and their house servant, Mercy Lewis. At Mary Easty's examination on April 22, 1692, the girls feigned fits. When Easty clasped her hands together, Mercy Lewis imitated the gesture and claimed to be unable to release her hands until Easty released her own.

Depiction of the Salem Witch Trials, 1692. Wikipedia.com

Easty's convincing manner in court and good standing in the community got her released from jail, but only for a couple of days. While most of Mary's accusers had backed down from their claims, Mercy Lewis fell into violent fits upon Easty's release, claiming that Easty was tormenting her.

A second warrant was issued for Mary Easty and she was again brought before the court. This time with more witnesses against her. She was thrown in jail with her younger sister Sarah Cloyce and together the two women composed a petition to the magistrates asking for a fair trial. Despite the eloquent petition, Mary was tried and convicted on September 9, 1692. Sarah Cloyce remained in jail for eight months, but was given a reprieve and escaped execution.

On the day of her execution, September 22, Mary made a final statement: "The Lord above knows my innocency... if it be possible, that no more innocent blood be shed..."

She was hung with seven others on Gallows Hill and together they were called the "eight firebrands of Hell."

Bench marker for Mary Easty at the Witch Trials Memorial, Salem, Massachusetts.
Families of the dead reclaimed their bodies after dark 
and buried them in unmarked graves on family property. 

In 1706, Ann Putnam, Jr. publicly apologized for her role in the witch trials. "I desire to be humbled before God... I, then being in my childhood... made an instrument of the accusing of several people for grievous crimes... now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons."

In 1711, the Easty family was given 20 pounds in compensation for Mary's wrongful execution.

Fast forward to over a century later, when in 1836 - 1837, Mary Easty's great-great-great grandsons, Avery Esty and Moses Esty left Massachusetts to settle in Warren Township, Lake County, Illinois.

1861 Warren Township plat showing the Moses Esty property (west of Hunt Club Road and
north of Grand Avenue); and Proctor Putnam property (Washington Street and Milwaukee Ave).

In 1842, just a few years after the Estys' settled here, Proctor Putnam arrived in Warren Township. He was the g-g-g-grand nephew of Mary Easty's accuser, Ann Putnam, Jr.

Once again, the Towne/Esty and Putnam families lived within a few miles of one another. This time much more peaceably.

Though a thousand miles from their ancestors' painful pasts, it seems the families' roles in the Salem Witch Trials came to light. Over the decades, the truth of those distant events morphed into witches running amok in Gurnee.

Perhaps we can blame it on a bit of tainted rye bread.

D. Dretske, Curator ddretske@lcfpd.org

The Rustic Manor

From 1947 to 1987, Victor and Marian Trybom operated the Rustic Manor Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge in Gurnee, Illinois to delighted patrons.

One of the earliest views of the Rustic Manor Restaurant shown on a postcard, 1950. 

Located at 4660 Grand Avenue, Gurnee, IL. Teich OCH1557

Detail of Rustic Manor sign from a retouched photo by the Curt Teich Company, 1950. Teich OCH1557

Victor Trybom (1895-1981) was born in Michigan to Swedish immigrants and farmers, Olaf and Sara Trybom. Marian Trybom (1903-1991) was born to Polish immigrants Anton and Mary Kotarski.

Victor and Marian were married in August 1923. By 1930, they were living in Gurnee, Illinois with their children Marjorie and Marvin "Moe," along with Marian's brother and sister. They gave up work on the family farm to find new opportunities. Victor found steady work at the Pacific Steel Boiler Factory in Waukegan. 

Victor Trybom's World War II Registration Card showing his home address and occupation, 1942. Ancestry.com

After working in factories for over a decade, the family did not want to continue with the unfulfilling and labor-intensive work. As it happened, a property became available in Gurnee that was the answer to their dreams. 

In 1946, Warthen "Kelly" Kimball (1879-1963), the U.S. Postmaster of Gurnee had retired. In addition to his government job, Kimball and his wife Helen used part of their house to run a lunch room that sat 50 customers. They wanted to sell the property and move to Miami, Florida. 

In January 1947, the Tryboms purchased the property and shortly thereafter opened the Rustic Manor in the former Kimball home on the northeast corner of Grand Avenue and Kilbourne Road. 

The Tryboms added 15 additions over the years to create a sprawling, pine log frontier outpost-style structure that reflected the popularity of the American Frontier and Old West. During the late 1940s and beyond TV westerns and movies were hugely popular.

Postcard of the Rustic Manor showing its frontier outpost style, 1951. Teich Postcard 1CK1422

Rustic Manor entrance, 1965. Teich Postcard 5DK1527

The Tryboms' vision for their supper club had deep roots in their childhood memories of Iron River, Michigan. The "rustic" feeling of their restaurant evoked the frontier of the Upper Peninsula with its forests and black bears, and where it's believed they sourced the pine logs for the building. 

The western theme continued inside. The Rustic Manor was known for its taxidermy animal displays. In particular, there were mounted wall cases with chipmunks and gray squirrels in different scenarios, wearing clothes and playing cards. (I wish I had a photo of that!)

Black bear and raccoon in tree beside a waterwheel and waterfall, 1959. Teich Postcard 9CK62

One of the first things you encountered on entering the restaurant was the waterfall (above) that was so loud you couldn't stand next to it and talk. My family would toss a penny or two into the pool, and then step aside to wait to be seated. Even though the sound of the water was overpowering, the environment this created made you feel like you were on an adventure.

Postcard of dining room with moose head, circa 1955. Teich Postcard. 

I often went to the Rustic Manor with my grandfather, who was especially fond of ordering the "Poor Man's Lobster." This was broiled white fish that came with hot melted butter served over a lighted candle. As a ten-year old, I thought that was fancy eating.

Rustic Manor menu cover with black bears, circa 1960. Art by Marian Trybom. Dunn Museum 2012.24.31

A page from the Rustic Manor's menu, 1968. Dunn Museum 2005.3.1

Rustic Manor drink menu, 1968. Dunn Museum 2005.3.1

In September 1986, the restaurant suffered severe damage when the Des Plaines River flooded. It was the worst flood in nearly three decades. The damage was so extensive in the region that Gov. Jim Thompson declared Gurnee and surrounding communities a state disaster area. 

The Trybom family rallied to clean and restore the restaurant. They re-opened on Christmas Day, 1986.

On the morning of January 9, 1987, disaster struck again when a fire gutted the restaurant.

Photo courtesy of the Gurnee Fire Department, 1987.

The fire was believed to have started in the barbeque pit from hot coals. Chief Dada of the Gurnee Fire Department was quoted in the Kenosha News that the fire caused "special problems because the restaurant had been expanded many times over the years and in some places had three roofs... [the] fire was traveling between the roofs making it extremely difficult to find." 

The back-to-back disasters were heartbreaking for the Trybom Family, the local community, and loyal customers. 

Initially, rebuilding was not allowed, because the property was located on a designated floodway. Through the State of Illinois, the designation was changed to “floodplain” to allow for the building project. However, the costs of a new building quickly dimmed that possibility, and the building was razed and the land sold.

Eventually the property was donated to the Village of Gurnee and dedicated as the Esper A. Petersen Foundation Park.

"Welcome to the Rustic Manor... Where Santa Claus arrives every Christmas with gifts for the Children." 1959. Longtime Gurnee residents, Alonzo and Cynthia Potter gave the family's sleigh to Marian Trybom to use in this display.

Teich Postcard 9CK61

In its 40 years of operation, the Rustic Manor became a landmark and the Tryboms' tradition of good food and hospitality never wavered. Now, decades since it closed, the sentimental longing remains for those lucky enough to have experienced the Rustic Manor.

Post updated 1/6/23

- Diana Dretske ddretske@lcfpd.org 

Sources: 

Bess Bower Dunn Museum, Archives, Libertyville, Illinois, www.lcfpd.org/museum. 

Ancestry.com. 

Lake County, Illinois Maps Online https://maps.lakecountyil.gov/mapsonline/. 

"Happy New Year" advertisement, Kenosha Evening News, December 30, 1949. 

"For the Kids," Chicago Tribune, December 24, 1971. 

"Donors Mix Charity With Hearty Appetites," Chicago Tribune, October 10, 1982. 

"Cozy Inns That Will Warm Up Winter," Chicago Tribune, December 16, 1983. 

"Worst Flooding in 26 Years Hits Suburbs," Chicago Tribune, September 30, 1986. 

"Fire Guts Rustic Manor Restaurant," Kenosha News, January 9, 1987. 

"Family Restaurant Brings Back Memories," Lake County Journal, October 29, 2015. 

Warren Township Historical Society, Images of America: Gurnee and Warren Township. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2006. 

Titanic's Lake County Passengers

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. On April 15, 1912, 1,514 lives were lost after the steamer hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Photo postcard of the Titanic at Southampton, England before setting sail on April 10, 1912. Brian Bossier Collection/Curt Teich Postcard Archives BB317.

The Titanic remains the most memorialized and talked about maritime disaster. Perhaps this is due to the ship being promoted as "unsinkable" and that it sank on its maiden voyage.

Two men with connections to Lake County perished in the historic sinking—William James Elsbury of Gurnee and Alfred Ossian Gustaffson emigrant to Waukegan.

Unfortunately for both, they were ticketed Third Class passengers. If you were a man in third class you had the least chance of survival.

William James Elsbury (1863 - 1912) was born in the County of Somerset, England. He immigrated to Lake County, Illinois in 1884, and settled in Gurnee where he purchased 105 acres to farm. In 1886, he married an American, Eliza Jane Hucker (1862 - 1946) in Waukegan, and had four children. Image courtesy of Geoff Whitfield.



On 20 November 1911, Elsbury returned to England to assist his younger brother, John, in the settling of their recently deceased father's financial affairs. He was due to return to Gurnee in March of 1912, but on hearing of the Titanic's maiden voyage, decided to buy passage on the new ship.

He boarded the Titanic at Southampton, travelling third class under ticket number 3902, which cost £7 5s (approximately $12). His fate remained in doubt for weeks.

At one point, Elsbury's wife received word that a man had been "picked up in an unconscious condition by the rescue ship, [Carpathia,] and had been placed in a New York hospital." The man's only words were "Lake County, Illinois." It was later determined by the White Star Line (owner's of the Titanic) that the man was not Elsbury. One wonders, however, if this unidentified man had been trying to convey a message about Elsbury.

In early May, the family received final confirmation that Elsbury had not survived. A telegram arrived from New York stating that he was not among the survivors. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

Alfred Ossian Gustafsson, was a 20-year old, native of Finland (Kökar, Åland). His destination was Waukegan, Illinois, which had a thriving Finnish community. Several people with the surname Gustafsson were already living in Waukegan at the time, and it appears that Alfred was immigrating there.

Since relatively little is known about Gustafsson, his story can only be told in terms of other Finnish third class travelers. An article published in Siirtolaisuus - Migration, from January 1998, states that 63 of the Titanic's 2,227 passengers were from Finland. Only twenty of them survived the sinking.

The Titanic's third class rooms were far superior than other ships, mainly because it was a new ship. The third class passengers passed the long hours at sea by eating, sleeping, reading, playing cards, and getting fresh air on the deck. There was a third class general room in the stern with a bar and a piano for passengers' use.

Courtesy of Titantic-nautical.com.

After the ship hit the iceberg about 11:40 p.m. April 14, Finnish third class passenger, John Niskanen, went on deck to see what had happened. When he came back to the third class compartments, he warned his friend, Erik Jussila: "nouse ylös kuolematas katsomaan" (Get up and see your death).

While there was much confusion all around, generally first and second class passengers were urged to the lifeboats on the top deck. The third class passengers were told to wait in their own part of the ship. A combination of locked gates, language problems, lifeboats not filling to capacity and open discrimination resulted in more first class men surviving than third class children.

The rescue ship, the RMS Carpathia, arrived about 4:30 a.m., two hours after the Titanic had disappeared into the sea. By 8 a.m., the 712 survivors were on board and the ship went on to New York.

Individual cases were brought against the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, the parent company of the White Star Line for personal losses of loved ones and property; the verdicts of these are wide and varied. The White Star Line settled out of court and agreed to pay $663,000 total.

The Antioch News reported on January 1, 1913, that Elsbury's widow was attempting to sue for damages, but it is unclear if she received any compensation. Eliza Elsbury is not included on official lists among those who filed claims involving death. However, there is no central archive for the settlements.

There is a grave marker for James Elsbury at the Warren Cemetery in Gurnee (above), and a memorial near his hometown of Taunton, in County Somerset, England.

Amos Bennett, First African-American Settler

Amos Bennett was the county's first African-American settler, arriving in Gurnee by the fall of 1835.

Despite this remarkable distinction, Bennett's story was sparsely documented in early histories and went unresearched by historians until the 1990s. The discovery that sparked the museum's groundbreaking primary research on Bennett occurred in 1993 when museum volunteer Al Westerman was researching land records at the Lake County Recorder of Deeds. There, Westerman came across records of Bennett's land purchases. The find aroused curiosity since local legend and one published history claimed that Bennett had been merely a "squatter" and not a land owner.

If the squatting story was incorrect, what else might we find about this pioneering settler? The research eventually took myself and Al Westerman to Delhi, New York, where we met historian Shirley Houck, who was also interested in the Bennett Family story.

Amos Bennett (1797-post 1852) was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, to enslaved parents Timothy Bennett and Lil Disbrow Bennett. In 1799, Timothy and Lil were given a manumission paper freeing them "by the consent" of their enslaver, Joseph Bennett. The Bennetts then moved their family to Delhi, New York, taking the paper verifying their freedom and safe passage with them. The Bennetts became the first free Blacks to settle in Delhi and leased property in an area known as the Hardenburgh Patent on Federal Hill. They worked as sheep shearers, laborers, and farmers.

Elijah Haines wrote in his Past & Present of Lake County, Illinois (1877) that Bennett arrived in 1834. He "was a colored man, and the first of the African race who came to what is now Lake County; he is said to have once remarked, with much self-satisfaction, speaking apparently with reference to the Indians, that he was the first white man that ever planted corn in Lake County. He was a very intelligent man and much respected."

Gravemarker for Miles Bennett, the brother of Amos Bennett. Bennett Family Cemetery, Delhi, NY. 

Photo courtesy of Shirley Houck.

However, I believe that Amos Bennett left for Lake County, Illinois, in the fall of 1835. He left behind his parents and siblings, including a twin brother, Almon. His first wife, Clara, and their children, Henry and Emily, likely joined him after he settled in Illinois. This timeline follows the last record of Amos Bennett in Delhi, which is dated August 28, 1835, when he paid a portion of his father’s lease.

Historian John Halsey also felt that the 1835 date was likely. Halsey stated in his county history of 1912 that Amos arrived "before the close of 1835," settling "on the River above Vardin's Grove [Libertyville]."

Others have speculated that Bennett came west much later and may have been part of the westward migration of 100 families from Delhi that settled in the Gurnee area. This group included Philip Blanchard, a friend and neighbor to Bennett, and an abolitionist.

Bennett built a log cabin southwest of the intersection of Washington Street and Milwaukee Avenue in Gurnee. He later had a house and property on Dilley’s Road north of Grand Avenue near today’s Gurnee Mills. His brother Alfred (1805-1881) and his family lived with him for a time in Gurnee and purchased property in what is now Greenbelt Forest Preserve. Alfred later moved his family to Ottawa County, Michigan.

Amos Bennett owned 148 acres in Lake County. He sent his children to the local one-room school. Bennett was known as Dr. Bennett for his healing skill with herbs. He is reported to have saved the life of Hannah Blanchard (wife of Philip) after she was struck by lightning.

According to primary research by Debra Mieszala, in the spring of 1840, Bennett appeared at the first session of the circuit court in Libertyville. His complaint? He wanted a divorce from his wife, Clara. Mieszala's published article on the proceedings "Clara, Clary, Clarice! Amos Bennett's First Wife Identified Through the Use of Court Records," appeared in the Lake County Illinois Genealogical Society newsletter, (Volume 21, No. 4, Apr-Jun 2001) excerpted as follows:

"Amos told the court that he had married his present wife, Clara, in the State of New York in July 1820. He stated that in July 1836, Clara had committed adultery with Thomas Wilkinson, a Mr. Wood, and other persons unknown to Amos.... he "remonstrated" against the "wicked practices of said Clary," and as a result, she left him. Clara removed to Cook County, where Amos claimed she was living with other men... The case was found in Amos's favor in April 1841."

By 1843, Bennett remarried. The story is that he "traveled south," and when he returned, he brought a new wife, Ann Frances. 

In August 1843, Bennett ran (unsuccessfully) for public office as Lake County Commissioner against William Shephard, Seth Washburn, and Stephen Bennett. This makes him the first African-American to run for public office in Lake County.

He and his children were welcome at community gatherings, including a Fourth of July celebration at Third Lake in 1844. It was the first Fourth of July celebration in Lake County and was held at the confluence of Second and Third Lakes (northwest of Washington Street and U.S. Route 45). Nearly 100 people gathered from neighboring communities, including the Bennetts. When dinner was ready, all the families paraded in a circle and came together at the chowder kettle, where Reverend Dodge (Millburn Congregational Church) blessed the food. After the meal, Reverend Dodge prayed for the freedom of the slaves in the South, and Nat Doust read a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

In 1846, Bennett and 30 other families pooled their money, purchased a three-acre tract of land, and created the Warren Township Cemetery.

Bennett bought and sold many acres of land and borrowed money using his land, horses, and a wagon as collateral. The last record documenting Bennett in Lake County is dated May 13, 1852. That is the day he sold his remaining land (40 acres) to Philip Blanchard for $200 and paid his mortgage.

Despite much effort, the story of Amos Bennett ends in 1852. We have been unable to discover what became of him and his family. Although at least one source claimed he moved to Wisconsin, the Bennetts do not appear in census records there or elsewhere in the United States. It would probably take visits to county courthouses to find records verifying where Bennett re-settled his family.

Delhi, New York historian Shirley Houck (1926-2013), visiting the Bennett Cemetery on Federal Hill near Delhi. 

Photo courtesy of Shirley Houck.

In 1997, the Lake County Forest Preserves placed a memorial plaque commemorating Bennett along the Des Plaines River trail near Washington Street in Gurnee.

In 1997, the Lake County Forest Preserves honored Amos Bennett by placing a plaque near the site of his homestead in Gurnee. 

Photo courtesy of LCFPD. 

In 2008, descendants of Tim and Lill Bennett gathered in Delhi, New York, for a family reunion. 

In 2023, the Village of Gurnee and Warren Township High School's Black Student Union dedicated a new plaque to Bennett at the historic Mother Rudd Home site in Gurnee. 

The Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County staff continues researching the Amos Bennett Family. We would very much like to hear from descendants or historians with more information. 

- Diana Dretske ddretske@lcfpd.org

Vikings in Lake County

In 1951, Ronald Mason was driving a bakery delivery truck on the north side of Waukegan when he spotted an animal horn in the road. The horn had carvings on it, and though it was interesting, Mason just kept it on a shelf and occasionally drank beer from it.

In the early 1960s, an acquaintance of Mason's met Dr. O.G. Landsverk who identified the piece as being a "Viking horn." According to Landsverk, the carvings on the horn depicted ancient Norse gods and legends. The horn became known as the "Waukegan Horn" and members of the Leif Erickson Society felt it could prove that Vikings had explored the St. Lawrence River and traveled through the Great Lakes.

No, this is not an April Fool's joke.

The "Viking Horn" or "Waukegan Horn" as photographed for the News-Sun, July 29, 1978.

 

The buzz about the horn continued into the 1980s when it was sent to the University of Arizona in Tuscon for Carbon 14 dating. You may recall that this same university also had the privilege of dating the Shroud of Turin.

Everyone was convinced the horn would pre-date Christopher Columbus's voyages of the 1400s. As it turned out, the bovine horn was dated to about 1920, and was probably carved by a Swedish immigrant to Lake County.

Though that may have been a let down for many, it did heighten awareness of Scandanavian immigration to this region. Swedish immigration began en masse to the United States in the 1840s, and in earnest by the end of the 1860s due to a series of famines in Sweden. The fertile farmland of the Midwest became the destination for many of these Swedes.

As a child, my knowledge of the area's Scandanavian heritage was limited, but represents some of my favorite memories. For instance, my favorite local landmark was the giant Viking ship constructed in a guy's backyard next to the Shirl's Drive-In on Washington Street in Waukegan. It was awesome with its classic dragon head and one of the reasons why I loved going to Shirl's. We'd get our soft serve ice cream cone and look at the ship from the Shirl's parking lot.

Another favorite spot was the Swedish Glee Club located at 621 Belvidere Street, and shown here in a Curt Teich postcard from 1957.

The Waukegan based Swedish Glee Club had its roots in 1892 when Hjalmar Fredbeck formed a Swedish quartet. In 1905, the quartet expanded to a chorus and became known as the “Swedish Glee Club.” By the 1950s, the club had its own building for performances and dinners, and became popular with not only Swedes, but also the surrounding communities.

My Irish grandfather was a member of the Glee Club. They had terrific dinners and the building was very open and full of light from its large windows. When we went there, my grandfather had to present his membership card before the door would open to let us in. What an experience!

There was also the Independent Order of the Vikings who bought property on Deep Lake to build a recreation center, but decided the site was too difficult to get to from Chicago. They then purchased property from David Beidler off “old” Grand Avenue in Gurnee in 1912. The Gurnee property was adjacent to the railroad line. The Vikings held annual picnics at this location, drawing upwards of 18,000 Swedish-Americans from the Chicago area. Below is a photo of the Viking Club House from the collections of the Warren Township Historical Society.

Also, at this location from 1925 to 1967, the Vikings ran a nursing home for Swedish-Americans. The building was sold to the village, then to the Special Education District of Lake County, and finally razed in 1973. Today, the site is owned and operated by the Gurnee Park District as Viking Park--a testament to the Swedish-American organization that once called it home.

So, Vikings in Lake County? Swedish-Americans would certainly agree!