The Batavia Historian Batavia Historical Society P.O. Box 14 Batavia, Illinois 60510 Vol.Vol. 52 55 No. No. 1 1 www.bataviahistoricalsociety.org February,March, 2014 2011 Citizen of the Year The Batavia(from Batavia Christian Chamber of Commerce) Church: Jim Hanson, a “gentleman of tremendous grace Fifth Third Bank and neighboring businesses. and dignity”,The was Waynamed theIt 2013Was, Batavia and Citizen The WayFurther It land Was annexations Before resulted That. in the northeast of the year by The Batavia Chamber of CommerceSteve Leadabrandside industrial park, as well as major subdivisions on and honored at their January 31 “Inspire 2014: both the east and west sides of Batavia. “Jim worked The Batavia Christian Church began in 1852, damaged by fire in 1917, making it necessary to nineteenA Celebration years afterof Those the c ityWho itself Inspire was founded. Us!” annual It refurbishdiligently theto notauditorium only develop due to Batavia, smoke and but wateralso was metawards in various event. rented locations until 1866 when a damage.the conscious In 1933, of thethe 80council,”th anniversary says wasSchielke. He stoneMayor house Jeffery (location D. Schielke unknow n) was purchased. In observed. The centennialreferenced was held inHanson’s 1952 which work describes1867, land wasHanson purchased as for“a a new building (at included publication ofto a booklet,pass an “The open Centennial housing caregiverwhat is now of 316 BataviaEast Wilson on Street) for $100. It Herald - Batavia Christianordinance. Church”. This contains sowas builtmany and fronts the first andmeeting a held May 17, 1868. names of many of the congrDuringegation’s the ministers late and60s, phenomenallyA basement was positive added inforce 1890. early members. There areheated also manydiscussions pictures ofabout .”JimIn 1890,Hanson the beautiful considers stained-glass window was members and the interiordiscrimination of the building. in (Thishousing 24- himselfdonated bya lifelong the Bible Batavian, school. The rear addition was page booklet is in the cobubbledllection ofto the theBatavia surface. despitededicated his on sojourns Oct 26, 1890.to other The building was Historical Society.) At this time, U.S. Atomic towns and states for college Pictured (at left) is theNuclear original buildingCommission (about and teaching positions. 1930) with its spires andofficials steeple withplanning bell. to build a Sometime in the 30’s or 40’s the spires and steeple “smasher” east of Kirk Road, The 88-year-old describes fell into disrepair and were removed. Denese Clark pressured Batavia about himself as “quiet and Leadabrand began attending about 1942 or 43 and fair housing. Hanson says reserved,” while Schielke remembers that the steeple had been gone for some calls him “one of the moving time. The next picture thatis the this building is a highlight as it was of at his forces” when Batavia’s the time of the centenniacareerl in 1952. as a councilI started member.going downtown was redeveloped there about 1951 and remember“One of thatthe theymost stillimportant had in the 1960s. Elected as an the bell (moved to the lowerthings tower) I worked which on they was rang the alderman in 1961, Hanson by a rope for Sunday School.open housing Mrs. Fern ordinance Buelter to also served as the chair of was still playing the piano.fight Denese discrimination and I were and what at that time was known married there in 1958 bysegregation,” Fred Blakley, says a former Hanson. as the planning, zoning, and minister. “It needed to have teeth for annexation committee. Denese started attendingenforcement.” the church through the Thursday afternoon “churchBesides school” his program. long-term In During his 16-year tenure, those days, the kids were released from their downtown’s Batavia Plaza came into being, and land involvement in Batavia’s government, an avid group ofschools supporters to receive notes religious that Hanson’s training atwork the churchwith theof was acquired north of Wilson Street for additional their choice. Otherwise, they had to stay for study Batavia Historical Society, the Calvary Episcopal downtown redevelopment. This area now includes hall. Church, the Interfaith Food Pantry, R.S.V.P., and teacher that he met the love of his life, Dorothy Meals on Wheels are worthy accomplishments as (Dot) Watson. The couple will celebrate their 60th well. anniversary on December 27. In 1955, they moved Thirty years ago, the Muslim community was (back) to Batavia. At this time, Jim took a position looking for a place to meet. Hanson approached the as a junior high school history and math teacher at Calvary Church to allow the group to use the facility. West Aurora School District #129. Much later in his An idea embraced by both groups, the Muslim education career, Hanson served three terms as the community continues to gather at Calvary to this day. Kane County Regional School Superintendent. “He is so deserving,” says Carla Hill, director of After renting in Batavia for one year, the Hansons the Batavia Depot Museum. “When I came to the purchased the house next to his father on Illinois museum in 1976, Jim was already here; dedicated, Avenue, where they raised two boys. Currently, smiling, and always volunteering.” Hanson still eldest son John and his wife Barbara (a Batavia volunteers at least once a month at the Depot Museum native) live in Texas. Mark lives in New York. There and is the longtime historian for Calvary Church. are four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren in the Hanson family. Besides calling him a man of dignity, Daniel Hoefler wrote in his nomination letter “Jim is a When asked about his favorite thing regarding treasure to our community.” “At many critical Batavia, Hanson says that even as it has grown, periods in Batavia’s history, Jim was there providing Batavia still has a small town feel, where “people leadership and council,” explains Hoefler. “As more talk to each other.” An interesting statement coming social services were needed, Jim was at hand helping from a person who says he doesn’t talk much. “Well, to start them.” Hanson counts his help at the various you must have someone to listen,” quipped Hanson. social service agencies as “one of the things I felt the “You don’t want people walking around town talking best about; it was satisfying.” He resigned from the to nobody.” Indeed. Fortunately for Batavians, it board of R.S.V.P. just last spring. appears Jim Hanson listened a lot during his service to Batavia, and then set about making certain it It was during one of Hanson’s out-of Batavia happened. Congratulations, Jim! stints in Bartow, Florida, as an English and history The Original Senility Club, L to R: Jim Hanson, Don Schielke, Elliot Lundberg, Bob Kalina, Bill Wood and Tom Mair. Vol. 55 No. 1, Page 2 www.bataviahistoricalsociety.org The Batavia Historian The Batavia Historian Revisited by Dan Hoefler by Dan Hoefler As I have continued to research the role of Batavia and Illinois in the Civil War I came across this article that was written in the April 1996 edition of The Batavia Historian by Eric Nelson. It was exciting to come across this article since it mirrored the articles that have been presented in the current editions of the Historian. So here are excerpts from the article as it originally appeared, enjoy. Batavia and the Civil War By Eric Nelson “From the bombardment of Fort Sumter in and then became a surgeon with the 72nd Illinois April 1861 to Lee’s Surrender to Grant in 1865, Infantry Regiment, where he saw service at the battles approximately 600,000 people lost their lives in the of Nashville, Spring Hill and Franklin, Tennessee Civil War. Among that number are 32 Batavians. The in late 1864. In the enlisted ranks 27 men served as census of 1860 shows the population of Batavia was sergeants, 35 were corporals, 13 musicians and the 1,621, and yet, throughout the war, Batavia provided rest served as privates. As was common during the 309 soldiers for the Union Army. Even more amazing Civil War, men joined the army and served together was just how far those soldiers spread out during throughout the war. Company B of the 124th Illinois the war. Other than the First Battle of Bull Run in was organized by Adin Mann and 79 Batavians July 1861, there is virtually no major battle of the served in its ranks. Company I, 42nd Illinois had war that did not have at least one Batavian present. 30 Batavians as well as most of the regimental My interest in military history and the Civil War, in band members. Company 0, 52nd Illinois had 37 particular, has been a lifelong fascination. Batavians, while 55 men served with Company B, Batavians served in 29 different regiments. Most of the 141 st Illinois. Finally, 22 Batavians served were Illinois infantry regiments. Batavia men served in Company F, 156th Illinois Infantry. This was the in three Illinois cavalry regiments, most notably final regiment Illinois sent to the Union Army. the 8th Illinois Calvary Regiment which trained at Families also joined and fought together. Five Camp Kane in St. Charles and served in the eastern Manns were in the army, four Prindles, four Woods, battlefields throughout the war. Batavians serving three Wolcotts, three Balls, three Burtons and three with the artillery, with one exception, served in Kenyons. The Kenyons, the Manns, the Prindles and Battery B, 1st Illinois Light Artillery. Theodore the Hammonds all had fathers and sons that served Wood was commissioned a lieutenant near the end in the same regiments together. Batavia soldiers of the war with the 5th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. had about a ten percent mortality rate in the Union Batavians fought in the ranks of the 29th U.S.