In March of 1945, the Allies were making great progress in the European Campaign. They began the largest serial assault in history during that March. Over 1,800 American and British airplanes in columns that stretched through the skies for over 500 miles were used to transport the parachutist troops into position for a massive strike.   The sky troopers would land, attack and hold the positions until the ground forces could relieve them.

One of the service men involved in the huge attack was twenty one year old Burnside Bailey, (everyone called him Burnie). Burnie was born in Rockford and had graduated with the Class of 1941 form West High School. He attended Connecticut Wesleyan College for a little over a year before being called up to attend flight school for the Air Force.

Burnie’s parents, Franklin and Helen lived on Harlem Boulevard in Rockford. Franklin was the President   and Treasurer of the Fred A. Smith Lumber Company. Both Franklin and Helen served with the American Red Cross; Franklin was the co-chairman of the Winnebago County disaster committee and Helen was the chairman of the volunteer special services corps. They had another son, Robert who was eighteen and was waiting to be inducted into the service in March of 1945.

The Bailey’s were very proud of Burnie especially when he received his wings on January, 1944 at the Blackland Airfield at Waco, Texas. Burnie had been a part of some serious aerial invasions. One, in September of 1944 was a sky invasion of the Netherlands at Arnhem and then in December, he had flown a mission to relieve the 82^nd “Screaming Eagles” in Belgium. His descriptions of the expeditions showed how proud he was to be such a big part of these invasions.

Franklin and Helen heard from Burnie on March 23, 1945 when he wrote of another upcoming invasion. Though he could not give the details, Burnie hinted that this was to be the most massive expedition in history. Later, they would hear that an estimated 40,000 sky troopers took part in the invasion. Burnie was the pilot of a C-47 transport plane that would carry some of the troops from the British Sixth and the United States 17h Air Borne Division. The men would drop into the northwest corner of Germany’s industrial empire, around the city of Wesel. Ninety seven percent of the city would be destroyed in Operation Plunder. Wesel was a target because of its strategic position on the Rhine.

Unfortunately, it was an operation that Burnie would not survive. At first, he was just listed as missing but within a short time that status was changed. The family received the telegram on May 12, 1945 that changed the listing to Killed in Action.

Though his family erected a headstone as a memorial to Burnside Bailey in Greenwood Cemetery, his body is buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery (also known as the Netherlands American Cemetery) in Margraten, Holland. Photographs from the internet show a cemetery that is at once beautiful but also tragic in the number of small white crossed that cover the area.

In an article from May 29, 1945, the Rockford Morning Star listed 125 flags marked by Gold Stars that represented the alumni of the Rockford and West High School boys that had been killed during the war.

Though seventy years have passed since the article first appeared in the Morning Star, time has not lessened the sorrow felt at the number of young men that gave their lives during that and the other wars that our country has faced.

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

It was around midnight on September 16, 1946 when the call came in to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department.  Special Deputies Howard H. Smith, Robert Johnson, and Gust Lindstrom were sent to investigate the claims that someone was seen climbing through a window at the Pleasure Inn Tavern at 3201 11th Street.

According to the testimony of Ella Mae Bissman, she was walking to her home when she passed the darkened tavern.  She was startled by noises coming from the tavern and when she looked to see where the noise originated, she saw a darkened figure jump from the window and land near another figure already on the ground. Both shadows ran away into the night.

Deputy Smith decided to enter the building to determine if anyone was still inside.  He chose a window at the rear of the building and climbed through what he believed to be a window to the first floor.  Unfortunately, the window actually led to a staircase and when Deputy Smith dropped from the window, he fell fourteen feet to the ground below.  As he fell he struck a corner of the foundation.

The other two deputies heard the horrible sound that Smith’s body made when it hit the ground.  Their cries went unanswered and they made the decision to break into the tavern.  Johnson radioed for an ambulance as Lindstrom and some of the neighbors who had gathered at the scene, helped bring Smith from the tavern.

Smith was rushed to St. Anthony’s Hospital where the doctors were unable to do anything to save the thirty four year old officer. Smith held on for thirteen hours before he passed away. Coroner David L. Klontz discovered during the autopsy that Howard Smith had a basal skull fracture caused by the fall to the cement floor.

Howard H. Smith was born in Rockford on July 4, 1912 to parents, George and Constance.  He left behind his wife, Mary and a ten year old daughter, Mary Ann when he died.

During the investigation into Howard’s death and the burglary that led to the accident, authorities found that nothing had been stolen.  They theorized that the would-be robbers had been frightened off before they could steal anything.

Howard was described by all who knew him as dependable, loyal, and dedicated to his family and the people of Rockford.   Howard also worked for the state highway department as a supervisor and was a Republican precinct committeeman.

Many friends and fellow officers joined the family as Howard was laid to rest at Greenwood Cemetery.

Howard H. Smith is one of the officers that will be honored by the 911 First Responders Memorial at West State Street and Kilbourn Avenue.  This memorial will contain some of the steel girders provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from the World Trade Center.  Other officers that will be honored include fallen officers from the Winnebago County Sheriff Department, Rockford Police Department, and Rockford Fire Department, and the lost members of the 2012 REACT Helicopter Crew.

Please visit the website at http://win911.org/memorial.asp.  Donations to this memorial can be made at: http://win911.org/support.asp.

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

According to the Civil War trust website, there are over 400 documented cases of women disguising themselves as men in order to fight in the Civil War. The man known as Albert Cashier was really Jennie Irene Hodgers and became the most famous of these brave women.

Jennie Hodgers was born on Christmas Day in 1843 in Ireland (or England). Jennie didn’t share much about her early life but history tells us that in 1862 she lived in Belvidere, Illinois.  Information on her circumstances is vague but it has been stated in many places that Jennie already dressed as a man long before signing up to fight as a soldier during the Civil War. On August 6, 1862, Jennie changed her name to Albert Cashier and enlisted in the 95th Illinois Infantry in Rockford, Illinois.  Albert’s records stated that though he was slight of stature, he was a fit and good soldier. Fellow soldiers noticed that Albert didn’t like to bunk with anyone and always kept his shirt buttoned right up to the neck even in the hottest of weather.

Albert served with the he 95th Illinois regiment for the entire Civil War.  This regiment fought in several key battles including VIcksburg, the Battle of Nashville and the Red River Campaign. Though records again are vague about Albert’s actions during the war, two stories were later shared.  The first took place at Vicksburg when Albert was captured while on a reconnaissance mission.  Apparently, Albert overpowered his captor, taking his gun and escaped by outrunning him. There were no further details including if the captor ever heard that Albert was actually a female.

Another story portraying Albert’s bravery took place during another battle.  When the regiment’s flag was shot down by enemy fire, Albert grabbed the flag, and while enemy bullets buzzed all around him, climbed a tree and tied the flag a high branch.

Albert stayed with the regiment until they were all mustered out in August 1865.  The regiment had lost 289 men to fighting and disease during the war.

Unlike the other women who donned men’s clothes and fought in the Civil War, Jennie didn’t revert to life as a woman when she returned home after the fighting.  She continued to live as Albert Cashier, settling in Saunemin, Illinois.  Albert found and worked many jobs including farm hand, cemetery worker, and lamp lighter to name a few.  He collected a pension from the war and even voted in elections.

In November of 1910, disaster struck when Albert was hit by a car.  It was at this time that Jennie’s secret was finally revealed.  The treating doctor and the hospital agreed to keep Albert’s secret and he was sent to the Soldier and Sailor’s Home in Quincy, Illinois to recuperate. Again, the staff agreed not to divulge the truth.  It was not until Albert showed signs of dementia and was sent to the state hospital for the insane in the spring of 1914 that the whole story came to light.

In the state hospital Albert once again became Jennie and even though she put up a tough fight, for the first time in over 50 years, she was forced into a dress. Some stories say that Jennie was so unaccustomed to wearing the skirts that they would lead to her death.  She supposedly tripped over the skirts and broke her hip.  This and her advancing dementia caused the death of Jennie Irene Hodgers.

To say that the men in Abert’s former regiment were surprised by the information of Albert’s real identity would be an understatement.  But these men who had lived with Albert and fought next to him, rallied to once more stand by his side.  They protested the treatment of Albert in the state institution.

The men in the 95th Illinois made sure that when Jennie died on October 10, 1915 that she was laid to rest as Albert Cashier.  Buried with full military honors in his full dress uniform and under the name of Albert Cashier with his military ranking listed on his stone.  Eventually, in the 1970’s another tombstone bearing the name of Jennie Hodgers was placed next to the Albert Cashier one.

Though, as mentioned earlier, Jennie was not the only woman who would leave the usual trappings that belonged to the fairer sex to fight as men, she did become one of the most remembered.  Some of the others were wounded and their secrets revealed during the war, some later shared their secret when the war ended.  There were others who secret came out when their lifeless bodies were prepared for burial.  A few of these tragic cases were not found out until years after they died, when their bodies were dug up from the battlefield to be laid to rest either in their hometowns or national cemeteries.

Countless stories have been told of the bravery shown by both men and women during the tragic Civil War. But these women who were willing to hide their true identity to stand next to men and boys and face the hail of bullets and cannon fire all while worrying that their secret would be revealed, deserve to have their stories told as well.

It speaks volumes that Albert Cashier’s fellow soldiers respected him enough to fight for his right to be buried under the name he chose for himself in life.  It didn’t matter to them that Albert was really Jennie.  They knew that bravery doesn’t belong only to a certain sex and they all knew that whether he was Jennie or Albert, he was willing to sacrifice everything in the defense of his country.

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Frank Baehr was the kind of young man that would make any parent proud. As a young boy, he decided that he would go to college, even though this was a time when many boys didn’t even finish high school. In order to make that dream happen, he started delivering papers for the Morning Star. This meant he had to wake up at 3:30 in the morning in order to get his route finished before school. Frank was scheduled to graduate from Rockford High School on June 17, 1913, and he had already secured a spot at the University Of Illinois College Of Engineering. He had always shown an exceptional ability in anything that involved mathematics. But Frank was not only very smart, he had a personality that drew people to him, and even at a young age, he realized that popularity brought with it a certain kind of responsibility. He took this to heart and joined the Temperance Guard and reaching the rank of Major in 1913. Frank traveled around giving presentations to young men about athletic themes and emphasized the “necessity of abstaining from liquor, tobacco, and cigarettes in order to do the best work, mental and physical.”

Frank was born in Mt. Morris and moved to Rockford with his family when he was four years old. They lived in a house on Greenwood Avenue. Everyone who knew him talked of the loving devotion he showed his family, especially his grandmother.

May 31, 1913 was hot and sunny, without a cloud in the sky; a great day to be on the river. Frank was with a group of his friends canoeing down the river. They were in two canoes, Frank and his best friend Stanley in one and the other young men in the second. They had spent the whole day cruising up and down the river. They reached a point on the river down from the dam and the other boys paddled their canoe to the east side. As they maneuvered it out of the water one of the boy was watching Frank and Stanley as they tried to land their craft. He saw Frank and Stanley attempt to come in from the same angle as the previous canoe and then in horror, watched as suddenly the canoe tipped and flung the two young men into the river.

Frank and Stanley managed to hold onto the sides of the canoe and floated about 150 feet. Frank saw a nearby stone wall and thought he could wade to it so he let go of the boat and started towards it. The water came to about his shoulders and was running very swiftly but it appeared that Frank would make it. He was half way across when he stopped and turned back toward Stanley. The boys on the bank were yelling encouraging things to Frank and they were not sure what he was thinking but they speculated that he remembered that his best friend could not swim. Frank had just started to wade back toward the boat when, without any warning, he slipped under the water and didn’t return to the surface.

Everyone who witnessed this event must have been terrified but none more than Stanley Storey, Frank’s best friend. One could only imagine his feelings as he clung to the side of the canoe and watched helplessly as his friend disappeared beneath the water.

Stanley probably believed he was about to share the same fate as Frank, but he was pulled to safety by the friends in the first canoe. Another friend plunged into the river, hysterically screaming Frank’s name until some passerby grabbed him and restrained him.

Frank’s parents received the tragic news in the worst way imaginable, with a telephone call. Authorities searched for days to find Frank’s body and had just called off the search when a pearl buyer, E.J. Peacock recovered Frank on an island about 4 miles south of Rockford.

This poor family must have felt cursed when Frank’s beloved grandmother, weakened by her grief at the loss of her grandson, collapsed at his funeral and succumbed to pneumonia within days. The family buried her beside Frank in Cedar Bluff Cemetery.

C.P. Briggs was the principal of Rockford High School at the time of Frank’s death. He was asked by the family to speak at Frank’s funeral. He spoke these moving words:

“His young life was well lived and although his going has bowed all in grief, there is some consolation in the thought that what he done, he done well and the memory of his splendid young manhood and accomplishments will leave an impression on school life and this community that years will not efface.”

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

“Beware lest he take thee away with his stroke”.  These were the words spoken over the grave in the Cherry Valley Cemetery in 1879 during the funeral of Marshall Pritchard.

Marshall was born on February 18, 1844 In Chenango, New York to parents, Myron and Mary Pritchard.  He was 34 years, 11 months and 6 days old when he met his fate at the hands of a “brutal assassin.”

Marshall Pritchard was a man well thought of in his community.  He served in the Union infantry during the Civil War.  In fact, Marshall lost his only brother to disease when he too was called away to fight for the Union Army.

Marshall was a man of many talents.  One only needs to look at the variety of jobs he held to see that.  He was a carpenter by trade but also worked as a druggist.  He was elected by Cherry Valley to serve on the school board and also to work as a tax collector.  Marshall was married to Emma Hathaway in 1867 the couple had a little eight year old son when Marshall was killed.

The facts of Marshall’s death are still, to steal a quote from the newspaper of the time, “shrouded in mystery.”   We do know that he was killed on the streets of Rockford at around 11p.m. on that Friday night, January 24, 1879.

The village of Cherry Valley was so upset by the death of this popular man that the paper reported that the entire male population of the town went in masse to Rockford after his death was reported.  Witnesses to the killing reported that they had heard men talking, a shout and then a gunshot rang out at around 11p.m. on the night of January 24.  Unfortunately, in the Rockford of that day, much like the Rockford of today, a gunshot ringing out in the evening would not have been a cause for alarm.

Marshall’s body was found by a man who was leading his cow down to the watering tank in the area of downtown Rockford.  Marshall was found on the side of the road, already dead.  This man noticed the body was cold and there was a cut in the back of one ear; there was also a small hole on the left side of the head with a much bigger hole on the right side.  There were a few pennies by Marshall’s body that might have fallen out of his pocket.  A revolver was lying about three feet from his feet.  There was a tuft of the victim’s own hair on his chest.

A few friends of Marshall testified at the inquest that he was always cheerful and didn’t have an enemy in the world.  The only concern they expressed was that since Marshall had been elected as a tax collector, he would stop to have a few drinks every night when he went into Rockford to deposit the money collected that day.  Marshall’s friends were afraid for him because of the danger of robbery.  In fact, the evening before this tragedy took place one man had seen Marshall in Rockford, completely inebriated.

The local paper states that this crime was discussed at some length in the days following the murder.  In fact it states that so many rumors and stories were told that it t seemed “there were one hundred men killed in a hundred different ways.”

The jury found that there was enough evidence from the witnesses to state that Marshall was murdered.  The jury also stated that because of the sounds heard on that night that Marshall was probably lured away from Main Street, possibly toward the old cemetery where the ghastly deed would have been committed.  But apparently, Marshall became suspicious and refused to go further.  The murderers then shot him there probably for the money they assumed he would be carrying.   The paper describes the crime as follows: a struggle, a clutching of the victim’s hair and then the shooting.”

The paper also stated; “Such and other are the various theories in regard to this midnight scene of blood.  It seems impossible that the bold homicide can be lastingly shrouded in impenetrable mystery.  Enough is already known so that the bold and hideous fact must soon be unveiled.”

Sadly, the newspaper got it wrong and Marshall’s murder was never solved. No one was ever brought to justice for the taking of this man’s life.

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Dr. William Lyman had a medical practice on the West Side of Rockford since 1852 and had treated all the “old timers.”  He was into local and state politics and was always asked to give speeches for any of the celebrations in town. William Senior also represented Winnebago County in 1854-5 in the legislature of Illinois.

William married his wife Julia back in Massachusetts. They had a rather large family, even for the 1850’s. The family consisted of five boys and a girl spanning the ages of eighteen to three years old by 1860.  One son, William, or Willie, as the family called him, was the second child born to William and Julia Lyman.

William and Julia brought the four boys born in Massachusetts to Rockford around 1850 and then little Harry and Lois were born after they arrived here. William was named after his father and seemed to be the kind of son that would have made any father proud. When the country went to war in 1861, William Senior and his oldest son, Daniel joined the Army. William Senior was chosen as an Army Surgeon and served in General Grant’s division.

Willie joined the service in 1862. He was only seventeen years old at the time of his enlistment into Company G 45th Illinois Infantry. On January 5, 1864, he was promoted to Hospital Steward. According to the Hospital Steward’s Manual (1862), “The steward was chosen from the ranks or from outside the unit in civilian life. He had to be age 18 to 35 and was appointed that title by the Secretary of War. He had to be either an enlisted soldier or a noncommissioned officer, and was promoted to a rank just above first sergeant.” They also dispensed medicines, applied bandages and dressings, and could apply “cups and leeches.” As a Hospital Steward, William was the general supervisor of the hospital. This included supervising the heating and ventilation for the building and ensuring the food was properly handled and cooked. This was quite an honor for one so young.

After his Army service, Willie’s family breathed a sigh of relief when he returned home safe and sound. He rejoined his volunteer duties by continuing his involvement with the International Order of the Guards Templar. This was a fraternal organization structured much like the Freemasons that promoted temperance, peace, and brotherhood. Willie, though only twenty-three, was highly respected in the community.

The family was shocked when Dr. William passed away unexpectedly on December 23, 1865. He had devoted his life to helping the Rockford community and his funeral procession reflected his popularity. After William’s death, the family struggled on and Julia did her best to hold the family together.

On August 22, 1867, Willie was at the family home, far away from the dangers he had faced on the battlefields of the Civil War. That day, he and two of his brothers were preparing for a hunting trip. One of the young men was in the doorway of the office, about fifteen feet from Willie. He was working on a gun and had the muzzle of the gun pointed back into the room. Somehow, the gun accidently discharged twice, hitting Willie in the chin and throat.

Some of the best medical doctors in Rockford, many of them friends of Willie’s father, rushed to the Lyman home. Despite their best attempts, there was nothing to be done. The autopsy would show that the two shots had ripped into the back of his throat then headed in opposite directions, one heading into the voice box and the other damaging the back of the throat. Willie did not die quickly. The wounds swelled, causing his airway to close. Willie struggled to breathe for two agonizing hours before he succumbed to the injuries and died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willie’s funeral was conducted under Post 124 Grand Army of the Republic.  His funeral was attended by many people both at the home and at Greenwood Cemetery. The newspapers used the story of Willie’s death to stress gun safety, especially to the young men of the town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

I am always on the lookout for interesting places to visit.  Sometimes, I hear about places and other times, it is quite a mystery how I stumble upon the most amazing places.  That is exactly what happened to me a couple of springs ago when I was lucky enough to stumble onto the Hegeler Carus Mansion in LaSalle, Illinois.

Many of you know that I work at the library as my day job and sometimes I’m lucky enough to travel to distant places and confer with great library minds.  It was on one of these excursions that I came across this mansion.  I was leaving the library in LaSalle, (another great place to visit by the way) when I spied a blue roof with an interesting window over the tops of the trees and the roofs of the other buildings.  Well, of course I had to find out what it was, so I drove around until I finally came upon this glorious location!

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Construction on this magnificent building was started in 1874 by the Hegeler family.  They commissioned W.W. Boyington to design it.  Boyington was an acclaimed architect from Chicago who had also designed Chicago’s famous Water Tower.  The mansion contains seven levels, with 57 rooms, including 10 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and 10 fireplaces.  It even includes an indoor gymnasium!

Edward Hegeler and Camilla Weisbach Hegeler met when Edward was a student of Camilla’s father, Julius Wesibach. Edward was enrolled at the Bergakademie (School of Mines) in Freiberg, Germany where he took mining engineering and surveying classes.  Edward and Camilla fell in love, but Edward was soon to leave for America.  Edward promised Camilla that he would come back for her when he had made a start on a good life for them and their future. He left for America in 1856.

Edward was 21 years old when he left Germany.  He traveled with a classmate of his, F. W. Mathiessen.  They decided to head west toward Illinois because of the coal and zinc ore mines, which would be perfect for their zinc smelting business.  Their company, Mathiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company would eventually become a major provider of zinc.  Zinc was in heavy demand at this time because it was used in the production of armaments during the Civil War.

Edward followed through with his promise and returned to marry Camilla in 1860.  He wrote to her in January 1860 to announce his return and wrote his famous quote, “One is on the earth to enjoy life, which matter should not be put off too long – it might get too late.”

The couple were married in April of 1860 and returned to LaSalle, Illinois in July of 1860.     Their marriage was by all accounts a happy one and produced 10 children, eight of them being raised in the mansion.  All of the Hegeler offspring were successful but their oldest child, Mary would be the one to follow in her father’s footsteps. She was a remarkable, bright inquisitive child who assisted her father at the smelting plant. Mary would be the first woman to graduate in engineering from the University of Michigan.  This was, of course, very unusual for the time period.  She was also the first woman to study at her father’s alma mater, the School of Mines in Freiberg, Germany.

Mary would eventually inherit the mansion, and with her husband, Paul Carus, would raise her own 6 children in the home in LaSalle. Their youngest child Alwin, (born in 1901) would live in the home until he died in 2004.

 

 

 

Besides Zinc smelting, Edward Hegeler was also interested in publishing and started his own publishing company, Open Court in 1887. Its mission was to provide a place for the discussion of philosophy with an emphasis on the relationship between science and religion.  Edward hired Paul Carus to work for him and then Carus fell in love with Mary.

Paul Carus would go on to write many books and articles, including “The Gospel of Buddha According to Old Records.”  One of the interesting items in the mansion is a very beautiful Buddhist altar. The publishing company would be known for the children’s magazines “Cricket” and “Spider”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mansion is a wonderful place that stands as a testimony to this family who came searching for their American Dream.  The address 1307 Seventh Street, LaSalle, Illinois and the phone number is 815-224-6543.

The staff is very knowledgeable about the family but even though they won’t discuss the subject of ghosts at all… there is definitely a feeling you get when you step through the doors into some of the rooms.  There is a very cute little gift shop in the basement.

For more information visit their website at :  http://hegelercarusmansion.blogspot.com/

 

 

Copyright © 2015, 2022 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

History fascinates me and I try to visit historical places wherever I go.  I was recently asked to speak at Troy Taylor’s Dead Of Winter Festival in Decatur, Illinois and used the opportunity to travel to the Mississippi River town of Alton, Illinois.  Troy Taylor has written a book about this historic (and haunted) little town and I was interested in visiting there.

I heard the story of the Wood River Massacre at the restaurant we chose for dinner, Castelli’s.  The article I read on the history of the restaurant said that it was near the location of the Wood River Massacre Monument.  I found the monument on the way back to the hotel and did some internet research that evening to find out more about the story.

The Wood River Massacre took place in 1814 when the area around Alton was being settled by pioneers and still inhabited by Native Americans.  There were about eight families that settled the area in sites nears the forks of Wood River.  The area had seen a lot of fighting between the settlers and the Native Americans during the years of 1812 and 1813 but nothing recent had taken place.  There were local forts and block houses that were used as protection for the families but most had returned to their farms by the summer of 1814.

The men in these Alton families were Rangers that worked for the local forts.  These men patrolled the areas surrounding Wood River and other small villages to ensure the safety of the families.  Three brothers and their families lived in the area.  George, William, and Abel Moore had all moved to the Wood River and all three served as Rangers.  George Moore had a block house on his property that the women and children would flee to if the need arose.

July 10, 1814 was a Sunday and Reason Reagan,  who lived near the Moore’s farm, left his wife Rachel and their two children at Abel’s house to visit while he rode the three miles to attend church.  At around 4:00 in the afternoon Rachel decided to return to her home and started to walk the one mile distance.  She was accompanied by her two children, Elizabeth, 7 years old, and Timothy, 3 years old, and by two of Abel’s children, William, 10 years old and Joel, 8 years old.  Two of William Moore’s children also went with her, John, 10 years old and George who was only three.  Mrs. Abel Moore’s sister, Hannah Bates started to walk with them, but a short way down the road, she decided to turn back though Rachel pleaded with her to walk the rest of the way.

William Moore returned later that day from his Ranger duties at Fort Butler to keep the woman and children protected while the other men from the area finished their patrols.  Both William and his wife became concerned when Rachel and the children had not returned by the time night fell.  They decided to look for the children and took different paths so they did not miss them.  Mrs. Moore rode her horse on the road and William walked the path through the woods.

They both stumbled on the bodies of Rachel and the children and rushed home to get assistance and to spread the word of the attack.  Some of the local boys were sent to tell Abel Moore, who was the Captain of Fort Russell, and others were sent to Fort Butler to bring more men while the rest of the families huddled together for safety.  They must have been terrified as they moved their families through the woods to the place of shelter.  It was morning before the bodies of the dead could be recovered.

The sight of Rachel and the six children lying by the road side, all stripped of clothing, must have been horrifying.  The bodies all showed signs of being bludgeoned by tomahawk and all seven were scalped.  They were gathered up in a wagon and taken to a nearby churchyard where they were buried in three graves.  There were no men to make the coffins so the families lined the bottom of the holes with sticks and branches and then placed the little bodies gently in the graves before covering them with more wood.

General Whiteside from Fort Butler and a group of nine men pursued the Native American men that killed Rachel and the children.  It was a very hot couple of days during the pursuit and the men and horses suffered from the heat.  They caught up with the warriors near the Sangamon River.  Only one Native American escaped the Rangers.  The Rangers found Rachel’s scalp in a pouch carried by one of the men.

There is a monument to the victims not far from where the massacre took place on Fosterburg Road.  There is another in the Gordon Moore Park on the north side of Highway 140.  Within the park, inside a little metal fence are the graves of Captain Abel Moore and his wife.  Both of the monuments were placed by the Moore Family to honor their lost loved ones.

The victim’s graves can be found inside the peaceful Vaughn Hill Cemetery off Highway 111.  The Cemetery is in the parking lot of the Vaughn’s Hill Church toward the back and cannot be seen from the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

The Hope and Anchor English Pub can boast the title of one of “Rockford’s Oldest Restaurants”, especially now that Maria’s is closed.   It is also one of the most haunted, at least according to owner Kreena Robbins.  Kreena and her husband, Ian have been the owners for almost 6 years now and they really embrace the fact that their place is haunted.

The Robbins’ purchased the old “Mayflower Restaurant” that had claims to fame for fine dining since the 1930’s.   Eddie Armstrong owned the restaurant back in the spring of 1936, coming here from Beloit where he ran the clubs “613” and “The Butterfly”.  During Eddie’s time the restaurant was known for the steaks served there, and for its orchestra and dance floor.  Delbert White ran it in the 1940’s and it became very popular with social organizations as a location to host their meetings and business luncheons.

Officially, Anthony Salamone bought the Mayflower from Ted Roell and Bud Flodin in 1968, though according to Kreena, that may not be what really happened.  Flodin and Roell purchased the restaurant in June 1968, and less than six months later, turned it over to Salamone.  Kreena suspects that Tony actually won the restaurant in a card game.

Food must have been in the Salamone blood.  Tony’s family came from a small village on the outskirts of Venice, Italy.  They moved to Rockford in 1911 and Carl, the father, decided to open up a delicatessen shop in the front of his home on Kent Street.  He sold spaghetti, fresh and dried fruits, and dried meats.  Carl soon wanted to expand and started to sell fresh meat for much cheaper than the other markets in Rockford.  The shop was very popular, and in 1914 the family was able to purchase a store at 1210 South Main Street.  By 1922, they had 5 different markets throughout the city.

The whole family was prosperous and however Tony actually acquired the restaurant, he continued the successful tradition of his family.  But the success of the restaurant itself seemed to end with Tony’s ownership.  In fact, the Mayflower went through so many financial problems people started to say that it might be cursed!  Between the years of 2004 and 2009, the restaurant had seven different owners and a few different names.

Kreena and Ian knew there was something unique about their location almost from the very start.  Almost from the beginning, they heard footsteps going up and down the stairs and then the sound of someone pacing in the office area above the bar.  They stored extra glassware in a basement room, and every day they would find glasses broken on the floor.  Kreena explains, “We don’t keep them down there anymore.”

There are also tales of someone playing tricks on people in the bathrooms.  Sometimes when staff is in the building when no guests are present, they will hear the sound of the faucets turning on.  People who knew Tony Salamone always mention that he loved to play tricks on people.  He also liked women, especially attractive blondes.   According to Haunted Rockford psychics, Paul Smith and Sara Bowker, he still does.

Sometimes, if there is a blonde in the woman’s room, Tony might pull her hair or if she is really lucky, according to Kreena, he might swat her behind.

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One thing is sure, whether you come for the unique menu, the great music, or, (if you are really bold), for the ghosts, you are always certain to get more than you expect at the Hope and Anchor English Pub.

Haunted Rockford will be hosting a unique event at the Hope and Anchor on Friday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m..  Kathi Kresol will entertain guests with Twisted Love Stories of Doomed Romance and Kreena will join in with tales of her first hand experiences with the spirits (yes, there are more than one!) that linger at the pub.  The price for this event is $20.00 in advance.   For more information, please visit https://www.hauntedrockford.com/event/twisted-love-at-the-hope-and-anchor-pub/

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events

Joseph Bush was killed in what the May 14, 1926 edition of the Daily Register Gazette newspaper called the “strangest accident” in the annals of the police.   Prohibition was the law of the land from 1920 until 1933 but it was a tough law to enforce.  Bootlegging was a very lucrative business in the big cities and even the small towns. Rockford was no exception.

The area on the West side of the river including South Main Street, Rock Street, and Montague Street seemed to be the center of the illegal activity, but many speakeasies, as the illegal taverns were called, were located throughout the city.

In 1926, the police raided a house at 1418 Rock Street and found a large stockpile of illegal “moonshine”.  The business Joseph worked for, the Floyd E. Pence Transfer Company, was called in to remove the illegal material and equipment.  The truck was called after Deputy Sheriff Paul Johnson and motorcycle Officer Omar Showalter raided the house.

The raid yielded two of the largest stills ever confiscated in Rockford, plus 47 barrels of mash, 35 gallons of moonshine, and 13 sacks of sugar.

The owner of the house was not arrested at the time. He apparently escaped by jumping onto the kitchen counter and climbing out of the window then jumping twelve feet to the ground below.

The officers entered the house and found one still that was steaming with a stream of moonshine slowly running into a ten gallon crock. They noticed a door that had been blocked with bags of mash. Moving these aside, they found another still and about twenty more gallons of moonshine on the second floor of the house.

Joseph arrived with Claude MacKinney who was driving the truck from the Pence Transfer Company.  Bush jumped out of the truck to help direct Claude up the driveway.  Claude backed up and Bush didn’t get out of the way quickly enough and was caught between the truck and the house.  Mackinney quickly pulled forward but Joseph had been severely injured.

Joseph stood up right away and stated he was fine, but within a few minutes he collapsed and the police officers loaded him into the squad car and rushed toward the hospital.  Within ten minutes, Joe was dead.  Dr. Charles H. Boswell conducted the autopsy and he reported a broken back, ruptured blood vessels, and a gallon of blood in his lungs. His heart had been crushed.

Fred C. Olson, the coroner at the time, conducted an inquest and declared this tragic event as an accident.  His main concern was to find a relative to claim the young man’s body.

Interviews revealed that Joe, only twenty five at the time of his death, had been born in Milwaukee.  When he was four years old, disaster struck when his parents were both killed. Joseph was raised in an orphanage until his release at the tender age of 12.  He was told then that he had four brothers and three sisters and even though he attempted to find them, he was unsuccessful.

At the time of his accident, Joe had only lived in Rockford for a year but he had made many friends here. He roomed at the house of the owner of the transfer company at 722 North Church Street. Claude Mackinney, the driver of the truck was a close friend of Joe’s and was devastated by the accident. Claude spoke highly of Joe and told the doctor that Joe hadn’t been feeling well lately but never complained and always reported for work.

Joe’s boss, Mr. Pence called Joe one of his best workers. Mr. Pence could not offer any clue to Coroner Olsen about the identity or location of any of Joe’s family members.

The coroner held the body for a few days but no one ever came forward and Joe was buried at Cedar Bluff Cemetery using his life insurance money. His estate was left with over $1,700.00 but no family came forward to claim it.

Sources

“Victim’s Back broken by heavy machine”, Friday, May 14, 1926: Daily Register Gazette (Rockford, IL)

“$1,700 Estate not claimed”, Friday, May 21, 1926: Daily Register Gazette (Rockford, IL)

“Trucker Crushed by Auto”, Friday, May 14, 1926: Rockford Republic (Rockford, IL)

 

 

Copyright © 2014 Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford Events