Originally published in The Rock River Times.

Rockford has plenty of skeletons in its communal closet; there are many stories that some people wish would never come to light. But this story is about the actual skeletons that have popped up in our city from time to time.

Some of the oldest skeletons come from the hundreds of mounds that were built along the Rock River over one-thousand-years ago. There have been some skeletons found where one would not expect to find them.

One such story took place in September of 1874. It was the location of one of the first hotels in the downtown area. The hotel itself burned down around 1864 but the foundation still remained.

On this particular day, Henry Williams was digging by the bank of the river. He scraped away the layers of rotten straw until he reached the boards that once made up the floor of the building. Henry was pleased to see that the wood for the floors was in pretty good shape. He began to pry up the boards and throw them into his cart.

Henry had been working for a time when he uncovered something unexpected. He was digging under the boards to see what else he might salvage when he discovered some bones. At first, he believed that they might be some animal bones but, as he dug deeper, he realized that the bones were human.

The authorities were called and the bones were properly extracted. The ground was inspected carefully to ensure that no other bodies remained.

The bones were examined by local doctors. Due to the small size of the skeleton, it was suggested it might have come from a woman or an older child. The pelvic area was too damaged to give a definite answer and the top portion of the skull was missing. The teeth that remained were in good condition and the doctors thought that the person could not be more than 20-years of age.

The bones were in very delicate condition and appeared to have been buried for quite a while. The body was found deep enough that it was actually under the cellar portion so it was surmised that it may have been there prior to the building of the hotel which took place in the 1850’s

Though there was a cemetery located nearby (across from the Tinker Swiss Cottage), it did not extend this far down toward the river. But some older settlers remembered an incident that might account for the body.

In the 1840s, a family was passing through Rockford with all their worldly goods and a flock of sheep. They attempted to cross the river where the ford was once located and some of the sheep got into a dangerous area. The son quickly moved to drive them back and got into the deeper area himself. His father, sensing the danger rushed to help.

They both were drowned that day and buried together. This could account for the skeleton and an extensive search was made in case there was a second body buried in the same location, but no other body was found. This led to speculation that this person might have been the victim of foul play.

Another partial skeleton was discovered in a keg by the depot on South Main Street in August of 1887. Its discovery was made while police were investigating a strange report. A person who was in one of the taller buildings on State Street had seen a group of young men sawing a body into pieces. The barrel was opened and the contents were sent to the coroner for further inspection.

A newspaper reporter decided to check out the story and snuck into a building owned by the Hanford Oil Company. On a shelf, he noticed a box marked “soda”. He opened the box and found the rest of the skeleton, including the skull which was cut into two pieces. In fact, all of the bones had been sawed apart.

Further questioning was done by the police and it was discovered that a number of young men had formed the Rockford Anatomical Society. It seems that the manager of the Hanford Oil building, Charlie Porter, was also the head of this particular club. Charlie was chastised by the police and told to “take better care of your dead.” There was no word about where the young men had acquired the dead body.

And our final story takes place in 1914 at the intersection of Shaw and McCaughey Streets (now Second Avenue) on the near-east side. While construction men were excavating the area to prepare it for a new sidewalk, they discovered some small bones, wood and metal pieces. These would later prove to be a part of a casket.

This particular find caused a sensation but not as much as the previous two stories because it was known that an old burial ground was located in that area. The bodies had been reportedly moved over 63 years before. The original private cemetery was located on the land owned by Bela Shaw, one of Rockford’s early settlers.

Judge Bela Shaw was one of the founders of the Cedar Bluff Cemetery Association and the owner of the twelve acres that was purchased for the cemetery in 1851. He and the other men of the association contracted David D. Alling to remove the bodies from the private cemetery and to place them into Cedar Bluff Cemetery. The records for the private cemetery were incomplete however and unfortunately, some of the bodies were not located for removal. It was theorized that the pieces of bone and wood were from one of the bodies that had remained.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

People may recognize the name Wheeler from road signs around the city of Belvidere. Fewer people know that the road was named after Walton Wheeler, a man who was murdered in 1934.

Walton Wheeler lived with his wife, Floretta and their eight children on a farm five miles north of Belvidere. Walton once owned 1,000 acres of land in Illinois and another 500 acres in Wisconsin and was considered one of the richest men in the county. It was said that some of that land was acquired when Walton loaned money to men and foreclosed on their property when they couldn’t pay him back.

Some men would have used that money to furnish their family with a fine home. But this, as with most of things concerning Walton, was contrary to the way he lived. The family resided in an old farmhouse that was described in the newspapers of the day as squalid. His children supposedly dressed in rags.

But his family loved him and forbade any ill talk of the man. People respected their wishes, in their presence, anyhow. There was much said about Walton Wheeler whenever folks gathered out of the family’s earshot, of course. Some of those stories have survived, even after all this time.

There is the story of how Walton almost got himself lynched one day. It happened when crews were working on Highway 76 which ran past the Wheeler home. The men had been around for weeks and had been silent witnesses to the Wheeler’s family life. They grew concerned for the safety of Floretta and the children. It must have concerned them quite a bit. This was during the time of the depression and prohibition. Most folks minded their own business and for these men to put that aside and act upon what they had seen was quite brave.

One day the workers had seen enough and they grabbed Walton and drug him to a large tree that stood in his front yard. They threw one end of the rope over a strong limb of the tree. The other end, fashioned into a noose was placed around Walton’s neck. It was fortunate for Walton that a supervisor arrived at that moment to check on the worker’s progress on the road. Whether the men meant this to scare Walton or were serious about hanging him, this story is remembered as well as the event that was to come.

A couple of months before he died, Walton seemed to become frightened. He was more cautious and spoke to Floretta about his feeling of being followed. There were unidentified noises out in the farmyard at night and strange whistles were heard. Walton insisted the whistles were men signalling each other. Floretta reported later that she just brushed these stories aside and didn’t take them seriously.

On April 11 at 7:30 p.m. Walton’s 15 year-old daughter Hazel was in the barn doing chores when she heard a strange low whistle. She was startled to hear a car in the driveway. Hazel crept to the doorway in time to see four men with scarves covering their lower faces.

The men yelled for her father. Walton came out of the house and walked down the stairs. The men rushed him and began to beat him. Hazel screamed and ran to her father’s aid only to be met by a shotgun. Floretta must have been watching from inside because she rushed from the house. The man who was holding a shotgun on Hazel then turned the gun on Floretta and insisted that both women go back inside. He forced them to the house at gunpoint.

As the door shut behind them, they heard Walton yell as he broke away from the other men. He made it to the steps before they opened fire. Four shots rang out. Two found their mark and it must have seemed like a miracle a moment later when Walton drug himself into the house. He died on the floor surrounded by his children. The four men jumped into their car and sped away.

Police searched for weeks and many motives were developed. Unfortunately, there were too many motives and too many suspects that wanted Walton dead. Some folks theorized the men that Walton had foreclosed on might have committed the deed, while others thought the mob had something to do with it. The police searched the house and found $6,000 hidden in coffee cans and other hiding places throughout the house. Walton had over $800 in his wallet at the time of his death. A new theory was developed that men had been sent to kidnap Walton for ransom.

There were other theories about Walton’s ties with the mob. Police knew that Walton had problems with another money lender in town. “‘Fifty Percent” Al Benham (so named because he promised a fifty percent return to investors) threatened Walton because people turned to Walton instead of him for loans.

The family was given police protection for a short time in case the men returned. But soon the guards left and the clues dried up. Though suspects were found and questioned throughout the years, nothing was even proven. Walton’s death remains unsolved after all these years.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

The evening was warm and muggy, a July night in northern Illinois. The events that unfolded on a back road at the border of Winnebago and Ogle Counties were anything but typical, however. A dark car pulled over to drop off two men before moving on to the intersection known as Westfield Corners. Once the automobile reached the intersection, a third man exited the car and walked to the side of the road. Glancing around nervously, he bent down to place a package underneath a large blackberry bush. He hurried back to the car which then sped off.

The two men left by the side of the road were understandability nervous. They were private detectives who had been hired by a private party to apprehend anyone who retrieved the package. The two detectives made their way through the darkness to a position with a better view of the area. Their apprehension grew with each passing minute. The two men knew all too well what could happen if they failed their client.

It was July of 1924 and the whole country was aware of a recent story that very similar to the one unfolding. Just two months before on May 21, 14-year old Booby Franks had been kidnapped on his way home from school. His parents, Jacob and Flora Franks were part of the influential social elite of Chicago. They lived in the South Kenwood suburb of Chicago filled with large homes and mansions. The family became alarmed when Bobby didn’t arrive from school at his usual time. That alarm turned to absolute terror when they received a phone call from the kidnappers at around 10:30 p.m. The caller stated that they had taken Bobby and that in order to ensure his safe return, the Frank’s would need to gather a large sum of money. The caller also mentioned that further instructions would be delivered by mail.

The letter came the next morning, around the same time that a body of a young boy was discovered inside of a culvert on the city’s East Side. Bobby Franks had been ruthlessly murdered by two teenagers, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb.

The thought of this recent crime must have played through the minds of all involved with the incidents that took place on that night of July 3, 1924. It certainly was in the thoughts of the two detectives as they waited in the muggy night for some sign of the kidnappers.

It was just before midnight when the two detectives finally spotted their quarry. They saw two men walking through the nearby field. The older of the two men glanced around to see if anyone was looking before he darted to the side of the road. He immediately went to the blackberry bush and fumbled around before obtaining the package that was there. He rejoined his partner in crime and the two men began to walk quickly down the road.

The two detectives sprang from their hiding place and quickly caught up with the two. The dark car that had dropped the detectives off now returned and the two men were forced inside.

That day had begun as a regular morning for the McCormick family. Ruth McCormick, whose husband was Sen. Joseph Medill McCormick was used to her husband’s busy schedule of traveling. The only difference was that this time his journey was to France for a family matter. His mother Katherine had taken ill and the family was concerned enough to ask Joseph to make the trip. He was on the Atlantic Ocean aboard a large ship on that Thursday morning.

Ruth was at home on their large estate, Rock River Farms in Byron. Ruth’s days were filled with the running of the farm and the couple’s three children. Ruth had risen early and was sharing breakfast with a close friend of the family, James Keely.

Ruth and Keely were discussing politics, a passion for both of them, when a letter arrived. Ruth opened the letter and though the writing was hard to decipher, she quickly realized the implications of the message. James Keely noticed the color drain from Ruth’s face and was instantly concerned.  He took the letter from her trembling hands and began to read.  

The letter threatened the McCormick’s with the kidnapping of their 8-year-old son and included a demand for money to guarantee his safety. After checking on the boy’s safety, James and Ruth discussed a strategy that would ensure the children’s safety and allow for the capture of the writer of the letter.

James arranged for private detectives and prepared a decoy package using a mixture of real and fake bills. He also decided to drop the money in the blackberry bush himself. Ruth would remain on the farm with another detective that would ensure the family’s safety.

Everything went better than hoped for and soon two men were in the custody in the county jail in Rockford. They were arrested for the attempt to extort money from the McCormick’s. George Peek, 49, and his son Clarence, 24, both worked as farm hands at a property nearby the Westfield Corner area.

Both men claimed innocence at first. The police did find evidence against the father when they searched his room where he stayed. They located a pad of paper that showed indentations from the writing done on the previous page. The indentations proved to be from the kidnapping note.

Clarence was bailed out of jail after serving fifteen days and George who pled guilty to a lesser offense was released after one hundred and nineteen days. The newspapers would claim that the men’s devious plans were thwarted by the braveness of Ruth McCormick and the near genius planning of James Kelly.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

Ernest Mellquist had only been on the job as a fireman for two weeks when a fire erupted at Rockford Paper Box Board Company on March 8, 1909. Later, people would call it destiny or fate. Personally, Ernest didn’t care what anyone called it, he was just grateful to be alive.

Ernest’s sister was in the crowd that Sunday. She was one of a thousand people that came to watch the fire men work on the burning building. She was the first person Ernest saw after the dust settled and only then did he realized how close to death he had actually come. As they embraced Ernest pleaded, “Don’t tell mother how close that was.” That was a promise his sister would not keep.

As it turned out, it didn’t matter if Ernest’s sister kept her promise. There was no concealing the news of the terrible fire or the devastating consequences. The word spread throughout the city almost as fast as the fire had consumed the building.

Two men had died in the past during fires in the city. Ralph Emerson Junior, was killed assisting the firemen on the Union Furniture Factory In 1893 and a watchman named Upson perished in the fire of the Central Furniture Company. But 1909 was the first time that an official Rockford firefighter was killed in the line of duty.

Ernest Pearson was Mellquist’s partner for that March day in 1909. It was actually his day off but Pearson was the captain of Company Number Five and he took his role very seriously.

No one even knew how the fire started. The guard for the company was walking through the building around 3:00 p.m. and noticed smoke coming from the area where the baled paper and boxes were stored. The first fire units rolled up to the building within five minutes of the call. The firefighters were stunned to see the building engulfed in flames when they arrived. Giant columns of black smoke billowed from the windows of the building. It was the smoke that drew the huge numbers of people to the scene.

Chief Thomas was supervising the men that day and Pearson reported to him when he arrived. Thomas told Pearson to grab Mellquist and get the hose spraying on the south side of the building. Other companies were already working and Chief Thomas felt hopeful that with Pearson and Mellquist on the south side, there might be a chance that at least a portion of the building could be saved.

Chief Thomas joined Ray Wantz who was the superintendent of the building to check on the men’s progress. As they reached the south side of the building, Chief Thomas noticed Pearson and Mellquist on a pile of rubble by the building. Pearson had the hose on the building and Mellquist was assisting him. The Chief realized the men were very close to the wall of the building and he yelled a warning to the men to back up a little. But his warning came to late.

The crowd of people watching could see what Pearson and Mellquist could not. The intense heat from the fire was causing the brick wall to buckle. In a horrible twist of fate, Pearson’s wife, Irene, was part of the crowd that day. She also saw the wall buckle and recognized the danger. In an unbelievable act of courage, she pushed through the massive crowd at the same time that the others started to back up in fear.

Irene knew she would not make it in time when she heard the shriek of the wall as it began to fall. Later, the Chief and Ray Wantz would testify at the inquest that when they heard that roar they both looked to see Captain Pearson and Mellquist still on top of the rubble. Time seemed to slow and they saw both men began to move. Pearson still held the hose and as he moved they were horrified to see the hose catch on some of the debris. As Pearson turned to see what had stopped his movement, his eyes caught the Chief’s. Chief Thomas knew what was going to happen and he closed his eyes as the wall fell.

The wail of the falling bricks was replaced with a horrified roar from the crowd. At first, it was thought both Pearson and Mellquist had been caught by the wall. Men surged forward to begin the task of rescuing their fellow firefighters.

It took less than five minutes to get the bricks removed. During that time, the crowd had parted enough so that Irene could reach her husband’s side. The firefighters gently lifted Pearson’s broken body onto a stretcher and covered the worst of the damage from the eyes of his wife.

Irene accompanied the body of her husband to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Every bone in Pearson’s body had been broken in the accident.

Pearson’s wife and young son were accompanied by his fellow firefighters and police officers in the funeral procession to Scandinavian Cemetery where he was laid to rest.

Ernest Mellquist served our city as a firefighter until 1930.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

Thomas Chick was worried. He owned the Chick Hotel for over 14 years by 1902 and knew trouble when he saw it. It was just a feeling he had about the couple that checked into the hotel in the middle of June. They had been staying at the hotel for over three weeks and the only oddness Thomas had witnessed was that Mrs. Holt always carried a small metal box with her. But there was something about the two that Thomas did not like.

Thomas and his wife Lena had discussed the couple several times over the three weeks. Lena had chatted with Mrs. Holt many times while serving meals. She agreed with her husband that there was something odd about the couple.

Thomas was not surprised when the couple came to him in early July and stated that they did not have the cash to pay the $45 bill. Mr. Holt offered to write a check and give Thomas $20 toward the balance. The couple would settle up once they returned from a trip to Colorado. They explained that a dear friend of Mrs. Holt was very ill and they needed to travel to Colorado to visit. The money would pay their passage to Colorado and they would return to settle the balance of their bill.

Thomas refused the offer and stated he would need the entire bill paid. Holt then offered to leave their luggage behind as collateral. Thomas felt compassion for the desperate couple and their situation but his instincts told him they were not to be trusted. He again refused their offer and the couple returned to their room. Thomas noticed when they exited the hotel but was not alarmed because they carried no luggage.

A few days later, Thomas realized he had not seen the couple for some time. He questioned Lena, and his wife agreed that she had not seen the couple either. Thomas alerted the authorities. The police questioned the other guests and were told that Mrs. Holt had left on the train but Mr. Holt was still in town.

The authorities decided to search the room the Holts had rented. They were surprised to find all of the couple’s belongings placed neatly in the closet. Their surprise grew when they discovered the small metal box that Mrs. Holt always carried with her.

The permission to open the box had also been granted and a policeman was preparing to pry the lid from the top when another officer stopped him. He had noticed some small writing on the box. Their curiosity only deepened when they read, “Graceland Crematory, Chicago, Illinois”. There was also the name “Charles B. Sowerby” and the date, “June 18, 1900”.

The police decided not to open the box. They now had more questions than answers and doubled their efforts to locate the couple. They contacted the authorities in Aurora, Colorado and asked them to detain Mrs. Holt when she arrived on the train. She was met there by the authorities and escorted to the jail. Mr. Holt was found still in Rockford. He was brought to the jail to be questioned.

Chief Bargren questioned T. H. Holt and learned the whole story. The couple was not married as they had claimed and, in fact, Mrs. Holt was really Mrs. Harriet Sowerby. Holt wanted to marry Mrs. Sowerby but could not. Mrs. Sowerby had been married to the man whose ashes were found in their room. Her husband, Charles Sowerby, died two years previously and was the heir of a large estate in England. Mrs. Sowerby was now heir to that estate but would lose the inheritance if she married again.

Mrs. Harriet Sowerby, alias Holt, was able to draw some money from her inheritance while in Colorado. Harriet returned to Rockford where she was reunited with both her professed husband and her real husband’s ashes. Further research revealed that Harriet moved to Denver and remained Mrs. Harriet Sowerby at least until 1939 when the records ceased.

When Chief Bargren inquired why Harriet carried her late husband’s ashes, Mrs. Sowerby stated that Charles had been a good husband and she loved him. There was no mention about Holt’s reaction to this revelation.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

When the word spread that William Moore and Terrence Donnerie were involved in another scuffle, no one in Rockford was surprised. The men had several altercations in the past that had been witnessed by many of their acquaintances. William and Terrence knew each other from working at the American House, a local inn that included a tavern. Terrence worked as a bartender and William’s father ran the local establishment in August 1853.

Terrence Donnerie also worked at another hotel in Rockford called the Rock River House. It was while Terrence was at the Rock River House on August 22, 1853 that he spoke of his hatred of William Moore. People who witnessed this tirade would later testify that Terrence became quite enraged.

As for William, he also startled people with his declarations of hatred for Terrence. During one particularly nasty rant, he was seen waving a club and shouting that, “he would knock the Irishman’s head off.”

It was 7 p.m. on August 23, 1853 when William kept his promise. Terrence had been seen drinking most of the day and was clearly intoxicated. He was nursing a drink when William came in. Terrence turned and met his stare. The two men locked eyes when Terrence, in an act of disdain for William, slowly turned his back toward him. It would prove to be a fatal mistake. William sprang into action and used the club in his hand to bash Terrence’s head.

William struck Terrence again as he fell. There was one final strike when Terrence hit the floor. William stood over Terrence for just a moment before turning and walking out the door. William returned shortly this time without the club. People who witnessed his return assumed he had hidden the club.

Terrence regained consciousness and staggered to his feet. One of the witnesses helped him home and called a doctor. The doctor visited Terrence at home that evening but the man refused to let the doctor examine him. According to the doctor, Terrence was agitated and bent on revenge.

There would be no further attack, however. The damage to Terrence’s head was too great and he fell into a coma during the night. Dr. Charles Clark was summoned in the early hours of August 24. Terrence’s breathing was strained and his left pupil was dilated. Dr. Clark realized that only drastic measures would save Terrence and he decided to attempt trephination. This was a technique used by doctors where a hole is cut into the skull to expose the brain. Dr.Clark found pieces of skull embedded in the brain from the severe beating. He removed those that he could reach safely. It was to no avail, however, and Terrence died at 9 a.m.

At the Coroner’s Inquest, William Moore pled not guilty. Witnesses were called to testify about the men’s hatred for each other. There were also many people who had witnessed the final altercation and came forward to testify.

The actual trial was conducted in late November 1853. The State’s Attorney was William Brown and the main defense lawyer was Jason Marsh. Most of the townspeople felt that the outcome was a foregone conclusion. William Moore’s threats had been heard by many men and even more had seen the brutal attack.

The courtroom was packed beyond capacity for the entire trial. Both the prosecutor and the defense attorneys did a remarkable job according to the newspapers of the day. The defense stated that no murder had been committed and this was a case of self defense on the part of William. The prosecution, of course, had plenty of evidence to exhibit and witnesses to testify to the contrary.

The evidence was presented and the case went to the jury late in the evening. The court reconvened at 11 a.m. the next day with the announcement of a verdict. The jury found William guilty of manslaughter and he was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary with six of the days to be in solitary confinement. The verdict and especially the light sentence outraged and shocked everyone in the courtroom. That outrage grew as news of the verdict spread throughout the city.

Within a few days, the businessmen of Rockford called for a special meeting at the City Hall. The meeting was titled an Indignation Meeting. The goal was to express their opinion about the verdict and sentence of William Moore. They drafted a list of resolutions to show that they considered the verdict as an “outrage to the people and a disgrace the county”. The meeting was covered extensively in the newspapers but did not change the verdict.

After William Moore served his time, he enlisted in the Michigan 6th Infantry during the Civil War where he served with honor. He died in Evanston, Illinois in 1913.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

Sledding has been a past time for children for many generations.  During the late 1800s one of the areas that offered this activity was Rockford’s southwest side on Knowlton Street.  At that time, Knowlton Street ran all the way down to the Rock River.  The river was narrow at that point and would freeze over completely and the children were able to slide down several blocks of the street and shoot out onto the ice.  The children would slide on Knowlton even when the river wasn’t frozen they just needed to stop their sleds before it reached the water.

The Flenniken sisters had been sledding on Knowlton many times and there was no indication that Saturday, February 16, 1884 would be any different than their previous occasions.  Nannie was nine years old and her older sister Maggie was 11.  The girls were joined by their friend, Mamie Mosher, that day.  The hill had been busy that day and there were many children coasting down the street.  Each of the three girls had her own sled and Nannie was all set to go down first.  Maggie and Mamie watched as her sled flew down the street.  They were horrified to see the little sled containing Nannie slide onto the ice where the ice was thin.  There was nothing they could do to stop the sled as it slid into the cold water of the Rock River.  Maggie ran to help her sister and she too fell into the frigid water.  Mamie was close to Maggie and bravely grabbed one of her legs to pull her back onto the solid ice.

After saving Maggie, Mamie reached out and caught Nannie’s mittened hand.  Nannie screamed for her to hold onto her.  But to the horror of the girls, Nannie’s hand began to slip from the mitten.  Nannie screamed, “I can’t hold on any longer.”  With these words she slipped under the surface.  That would be the last time Nannie Flenniken was ever seen alive.  Both Maggie and Mamie began to scream for help.  Mrs. P.H. Welsh who lived at the foot of Knowlton Street heard their screams and she along with another neighbor, Mrs. A. Bessey, ran to assist the girls.  But the women were too late to save little Nannie.

The police were notified and the search began.  It was decided that the river should be dammed.  Twenty five men cut holes in the ice and inserted huge timbers into the holes. They also stretched netting between holes in the swiftest part of the current.  The men were so determined to retrieve the little girl for her mother that they worked late into the night on Saturday.

On Sunday, February 17, hundreds of men volunteered to join in the search for the little girl.  They cut channels in the ice and dragged lines with hooks through the water.  The men retrieved the little girl’s sled and one mitten but no other sign of the little girl was recovered.

Nannie was the daughter of T.M. Flenniken.  He was a well-known Rockford inventor.  Mr. Flenniken had been dead for several years prior to Nannie’s accident.  His widow lived with the couple’s three children in a nice little cottage down by the river.  Mrs. Flenniken sent the girls to the butcher shop on the day of the accident and had no idea that the girls were sledding until someone came to tell her of the tragedy.

Later, a reward for 100 dollars was offered when the little girl was not immediately recovered.  It was not until February 26 that Nannie’s body was discovered by Sylvester Scott.  Later, Scott would suggest that a locket be given to Mamie Mosher as a reward for her bravery and quick thinking in saving Maggie from the same fate that Nannie suffered.

Mrs. Flenniken lived until 1898 but everyone who knew her stated that she never recovered from the death of her little girl.  Her friends all said that part of her went to the bottom of the river with her daughter on that cold February day.

Copyright © 2016 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

The lighting of the Christmas tree during ‘Stroll on State’ is the official start to Rockford’s Holiday Season.  This event brings the holidays to life for thousands through displays of lights, good food, and markets to shop.  Entire families brave all kinds of weather to see the lighting of the tree and share in the celebration.

This is a contrast to celebrations of the holidays in Rockford’s past.  According to an article from 1942 in the Register Republic, Rockford did not celebrate the holidays during the early days.  The article quoted Miss Mary Bigelow who was the head of the Rockford Public Library during the time.  She stated that “it was due to the fact that during that era most Rockford residents were from New England where the Christmas celebrations were regarded with suspicion.”

Further research produced an article from the Morning Star dated December 24, 1911 that explained Miss Bigelow’s comment.  It stated that while some Rockford citizens were of Puritan ancestors and did not believe in reveling the day, there were many of German stock that delighted in celebrating in the tradition of their homeland.

The article continues with a description of the first Christmas tree that was in the home of Rev. Augustus H. Conant who was the pastor of the Unitarian Church from 1857 to 1861.  The Reverend used the tree in his home to “bestow happiness” in the families whose children attended the church.  It was decorated with handmade ornaments of transparent bags filled with candy and fruit donated by the ladies of the church.  The tree also included strings of popcorn and cranberries and was light by small candles.  The families all donated gifts for the children that included dolls, sleds, skates, mittens and scarfs.  The article mentioned that during this simpler time the gifts that were chosen gave the receiver comfort during the long days of winter.

The families of the church gathered in the little home on the corner of Green and Church Streets for the festivities.  The families all brought dishes of food to pass and the anticipation of the children grew as they awaited the arrival of Santa Claus.  The jolly old elf finally made his appearance to hand out the gifts to the children saving the fruits and candies for last.  The popcorn though used as a decoration was also devoured.

Rev. Conant served his congregation until 1861 when the call came for men to join the fight for the Civil War.  He became the Chaplain for the 19th Illinois Infantry Volunteers.  Rev. Conant died of pneumonia brought on by exposure and exhaustion on February 8, 1863 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The first public tree in Rockford came in 1913.  It was displayed in front of a community center organized by the Rockford Woman’s Club called the Montague House.  The Rockford Woman’s Club was granted permission by the Rockford Park District Board to use a house on Rockford’s south side.  The house was sold in 1957 and is now used for the Zion Baptist Church at 604 Salter Avenue.

The center opened in 1913 and offered activities to immigrant families that were settling in Rockford.  These activities varied through the years but included sports, music and art classes and educational programs.  The ethnic groups included Italians, Lithuanians, Greek , Germans, Irish, Jewish, Swedish, Poles and African Americans.

L.W. Thompson was in charge of the Montague House in 1913.  He really wanted to make Christmas a community event and came up with the idea of a Christmas tree display.  Thompson approached several organizations to assist with the project.  He contacted the Rockford Electric Company to donate the lighting of the tree and the women from the Rockford Woman’s Club helped gathered funds for presents for the children.  Soon everything was in place except for the tree itself.  Everyone involved must have begun to panic when there was no offer for a tree.  Finally, at the last minute on December 20, Mr. John Andrews offered a 20-foot tree from his house on School Street.

The tree was moved on a wagon to its new home where it took “10 men and about 100 willing youngsters” to hoist the tree into place.  The Register Gazette article from the day stated “A Christmas spirit is enveloping all of Rockford.”

Over 1,000 people crowded the area to help celebrate with the families of the Montague House.  There was a choir that sang Christmas songs as the tree was lit for the first time.  A cheer went up from the crowd that could be heard over most of the downtown area.

It was in the vision of people such as August Conant, the Rockford Woman’s Club, and L.W. Thompson that helped start the Rockford tradition of celebrating this time of year as a community.  The article from 1911 captures the thought elegantly, “the fruits of love whose seeds were sown through the influence of the tree and in many thoughtful acts have been blossoming and maturing seeds for the bettering of children and for all mankind through the years.”

Copyright © 2016 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

The events that took place on November 7, 1948 happened so quickly that witnesses would find it difficult to remember the exact sequence.  There were other details that were abundantly clear, however.  When it was all over and the smoke had cleared, two men lay dead and a young woman was missing.

Events leading up to the tragedy had begun months earlier when two couples moved next to each other on North Second Road.  Glen Marsh and his wife, Audrey, moved into a small house right next to Vernon and Catherine Anderson in March of 1948.  They had a lot in common and quickly became friends and managed to find time to get together during that spring and summer.

It was during this time that Glen and Catherine, or “Kit” as she was called, began to spend more time together away from their spouses.  Soon, Glen went from being smitten with the pretty young housewife to completely obsessed.

Kit returned Glen’s affections but she started to feel guilty about the affair and decided to take a step back.  She went for a visit at her parent’s house in Michigan to think things over.  Before Kit left she told Vern of the affair.

Kit’s father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Muhrlein, brought her back to Rockford in early November.  Kit made the decision to stay with her husband.  Vernon and Kit decided to start over and planned to move to Michigan.

Glen’s wife, Audrey, told Glen of Kit and Vern’s decision probably hoping that this information would make her husband realize that the affair was over.  If Audrey thought that this would end Glen’s infatuation with Kit, she was wrong.  The news made Glen enraged.  He grabbed something from his chest of drawers and left the house.

Audrey, frightened by her husband’s reaction, went to the Anderson’s house to warn them.  Vernon decided that it might be safer for the family to spend the evening at his parent’s house on Sixth Street.  Kit’s father accompanied them.

That evening when they were preparing dinner, the whole family gathered in the kitchen.  Vern’s sister, Mabel, was sitting the three young Anderson children at the table while Kit helped Vern’s mother, Gertrude, finish the cooking.  Kit’s father, Grant and Vern were also in the room.

Vern’s mother heard a soft tap on the door and before Vern could stop her, she had opened it.  Vern shouted, “Mother, don’t open the door.”  Getrude screamed as Glen forced his way into the room with a gun in his hand.

Gertrude stated in her testimony later that everyone was yelling and that Glen came in shooting.  She saw her son fall to the ground first and then Grant.  Gertrude shouted to Kit to “Run for your life.”  She saw Kit run into one of the bedrooms before Glen shoved her against the wall.  He told her that if she was quiet no harm would come to her.  Gertrude screamed.  Glen shoved the gun into her stomach and pulled the trigger, but the gun didn’t fire.  Glen raised the pistol and struck Gertrude on the head with the butt causing her to collapse on the floor.

Glen chased after Kit and dragged her from the house kicking and screaming.  He forced her into the car waiting at the curb and then he drove off into the night.

Gertrude regained consciousness only to find the two men dead in the kitchen.  Vernon and Kit’s children had witnessed the whole horrible event.  The police arrived quickly and took everyone’s statements.  The search for Vern and Grant’s killer and Kit’s abductor began.

Several hours later and 100 miles away, a car pulled into a motel parking lot.  When Glen left the car to enter the office Kit realized that this might be her only chance to escape, so she grabbed the gun that Glen had left on the seat and ran.

Glen knew any further escape would only postpone the inevitable so he made his way back to Rockford and surrendered to authorities.

The courts decided to hold separate trials for the two murders.  The trial for Vern was held in January, 1948.  The jury acquitted Glen of the murder of Vernon Anderson.

The trial for the murder of Grant Muhrlein was held in May of 1948 and ended in a conviction for murder.  Glen was sentenced to 199 years in prison for the death of Grant Muhrlein.  He was paroled in December of 1963 but was sent back to prison when he stole a gun.  Marsh was paroled again and two months later in August of 1967, he was killed in a car accident near Peoria Heights, Illinois.

 Copyright © 2016 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Originally published in The Rock River Times.

John Travis served in the Rockford Rifles as a part of the Illinois 45th Regiment.  It was Travis’s job as the Commissary Sergeant to make sure the soldiers had enough rations and supplies.  But Travis took his job further and would run food and coffee to the men on the front lines.  He also assisted in the dangerous job of pulling the injured from the battlefield.

John died in February of 1862 during the Battle of Fort Donelson in Tennessee.  His death would be the first of too many men from Winnebago County that fell during the terrible war.  His body was pulled from the battlefield and hurriedly buried there in the hills of Tennessee.  But unlike others that would fall in the war, his body did not stay in that faraway place.  A friend of John’s, Mr. Israel Sovereign, decided that he would make it his quest to bring John Travis’s body home to Rockford.  He overcame near impossible obstacles to reach the battlefield where John was buried.  He removed the body and brought it all the way back here to be buried where his friends and family could honor him.  It speaks volumes to the level of respect and admiration that people held for Travis that anyone would make such a dangerous trek into the heart of the war.

Rockford’s role in the Civil War is made up of hundreds of small stories such as John Travis’s.  One story that takes place on the same battlefields as John’s was written about in an article on February 27, 1862.  It is the story of a group of volunteers who left Rockford and traveled to the Fort Donelson battlefield.  This group consisted of several doctors and other civilians.  They traveled by train to Cairo, Illinois where they boarded the steamer Memphis.  The article told of the difficult trip and of the horror the group felt as their neared the battlefield.

When the volunteers finally arrived in the Fort Donelson area, they were greeted by Major Nevius who warned the group that the fighting had been fierce and they must prepare themselves for what they were about to view.  Of course, all were still shocked and appalled as they were led into the hospital.  They saw hundreds of injured men “cut to pieces in every conceivable way.”  Their shock turned into despair as they began their bloody work.  Two of the group, Dr. Richings and Dr. Strong, would spend over six straight hours amputating and dressing the limbs of the wounded from the battle.

The next morning Major Nevius took them onto the battlefield where even more dreadful sights awaited them.  “On rising the hill the realities of the horrors of war burst upon them with all their force.”  Mangled and rotting corpses of men and horses from both sides of the battle lay in all directions.

They made their way through the appalling scene to the camp of Major Melancthon Smith and the rest of the Rockford boys who were touched to see someone from home.  They all expressed their gratitude to the group and to the citizens of Rockford who had sent them.

The men spent some time visiting with the survivors of the battle and were saddened to hear the news of the death of John Travis.  As the burial crews moved onto the battlefield to begin their grisly work, the volunteers from Rockford rode away.  Their next stop was the steam ship City of Memphis.  The ship was being used as a hospital and on the decks lay over 300 wounded men.  As the group made their way onto the ship through the wounded, they could tell that the majority of the boys would not recover from their wounds.  But to their credit, they did not hesitate to assist in any way they could.

Again Doctors Richings and Strong helped with amputations and other surgeries.  They expressed surprise when they were introduced to General Grant who had come aboard to check on the conditions of “his boys” as he referred to them.  After several agonizing hours the men left to return to the camp.  They collected letters that the Rockford boys had written to their families back home and then once again headed to the battlefield to work on the wounded.  The men left after another day of operating on the wounds of the soldiers.  According to the newspaper, this was the first time such a group was sent to the front lines of battle to assist the wounded.  Unfortunately, the opportunity for this service would arise again.  Though the Union victory at Fort Donelson gave people hope that the war would soon be over, it would rage on for another three years and claim many more Rockford lives.

Copyright © 2017 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events