Spring 2018 Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County, Established 1896 hsqac.org Life Members Mrs. Charles Barnum Mrs. Sondra Bartley Dr. Stan Bartley contents From the Director’s Desk p.3 Mr. Robert Black Mrs. Betty Breitwieser Protecting Our Treasures p.3 Mr. & Mrs. Ned Broemmel Ulysses S. Grant Symposium p.4 Mrs. Charles Cleek Mrs. Karen Conners HSQAC Program and Exhibit Calendar p.5 Mr. & Mrs. Joe Conover New Book – Immigrants of Lippe, Germany p.5 Mr. George Irwin Mr. & Mrs. Harold W. Knapheide III WWI Exhibit: Over Here and Over There p.6 Mrs. Carl Landrum William Hall Dallas Honored p.7 Mrs. Ann Mays Mr. & Mrs. Alan Mays Civil War Hero CPT Michael Piggott p.8 Mr. David Neussen From the Collection, Milford Mills p.11 Mr. & Mrs. Hal Oakley Mr. Burks Oakley II History Museum Spring Programs p.12 Mr. & Mrs. Edward Pollock News and Notes from the HSQAC p.13 Mr. & Mrs. Charles Radel Ms. Marian Sorenson Our Members p.14 Mr. Jeff Spear Mrs. John Stillwell Mr. Dennis Williams Mr. & Mrs. John M. Winters Gardner Denver Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce Est. 1896 Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County Winter 2017-2018 Quincy, Illinois HSQAC Magazine The Important Work of the Historical Society is Never Done The Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County (HSQAC) is one of the oldest historical organizations in the state of Illinois. The organization is responsible for preserving some of Quincy’s most iconic structures: the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History From the Director’s Desk Museum at 4th & Maine and the 1835 Log Cabin. The HSQAC also maintains a large Your Historical Society has been at collection of manuscripts, photos and artifacts. Every day volunteers and staff at the the vanguard of protecting and promoting Quincy and Adams County Historical Society work diligently cataloging, preserving and protecting the history of Adams history since 1896. The rich and County. Moreover, the collection grows every year as items are donated or acquired by the interesting local history and our Society. For more than 121 years the HSQAC has been the caretaker of your shared extraordinary sites are untapped experience. The community depends on us and decade after decade we have been there. resources which could bring in visitors Through the years our supporters, members and patrons have made it possible for us to and guests from across the country. fulfill our mission of protecting and promoting our shared history, and community generosity Quite frankly the Society does some pretty amazing things, and we are and involvement have helped make possible our quality programs, exhibits, historic tours and dedicated to playing a positive role in educational activities. The past year alone the HSQAC has presented several impressive expanding and reinventing economic programs and events, including, Over Here, Preparing for Over There, Mary Lincoln: development in the area. Southern Girl, Northern Woman, Summer Trolley Tours, a presentation by General Paul The City of Quincy has Tibbets, Strassenfest at the Mansion, Ghost Tours at Woodland Cemetery, and our commissioned a study to determine the Candlelight Tours and Christmas programs. The Historical Society also provides educational best way to generate business growth and commercial development. Many local history programs to children, youth and adults of our area. th communities in the Midwest have The History Museum at 4 & Maine has been transformed in the past 18 months. invested in their business districts and Current exhibits are Over Here and Over There - Adams County in WWI, Window onto the historic sites in an effort to increase Square, the Presidential Papers exhibit, the Edward Everett Gallery, the City of Refuge room, tourism. Dubuque, Iowa has been and the Stained Glass Gallery. The HSQAC proudly offers tours of the Museum free to the extremely successful in their efforts. The public. The Museum plans for new exhibits this coming year, and will also open a new museum in Dubuque has become a destination and draws thousands each theater for visitors to enjoy. To put it simply, the Historical Society is doing so many year. With proper support the History amazing things … but we need your ongoing support to continue our progress. Museum and other sites in Quincy could It is important to note that the Society is primarily operated by volunteers and that 100% generate interest and spur growth. of our donations are allocated directly to preservation efforts, educational programs, and The HSQAC has innovative plans for maintenance of our historic buildings. There are several ways to support your Historical the future for the Museum and the Society: becoming a member, donating historical artifacts and documents, volunteering time Mansion. With proper support Quincy’s museums could replicate the success of on a project you care about, giving money in support of a building project, researching, taking Dubuque and others. Together we can part in the education program, and helping preserve the history of Adams County. There is ensure the Society, founded by the also a Corporate Sponsorship program for businesses and organizations. Sponsoring a pioneers of the county, will be the specific event or exhibit, such as the Woodland Cemetery Ghost Tours which draws hundreds pioneers of real growth and development. every season would be a good option for businesses wanting to be involved. Consider taking a more active role in protecting our shared history today. Quincy, Illinois Ulysses S. Grant Symposium – The History Museum on the Square, April 27 - 28, 2018 The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County and Tri-States Civil War Round Table will cohost a Ulysses S. Grant Symposium on Friday and Saturday, April 27th and 28th, 2018. The event is free and open to the public, but attendees must pre- register prior to April 12th by completing a form that can be obtained in electronic or paper form by calling the HSQAC at 217-222-1835. Members of HSQAC and TSCWRT will receive their registration forms through the mail. This first major collaborative event between the two sponsoring groups is an attempt to explore Grant’s life and times. With the recent publication of Ron Chernow’s - “Grant,” Ron White’s “A Life Of Ulysses S. Grant” and John Marzalek’s edited version of Grant’s “Personal Memoirs,” there seems to be increased interest in the enigmatic, famous Union general who was also the 18th President of the United States. Was he a skilled general or a lucky fighter? Was he truly a butcher, or were his troop losses consistent with those of other units in the Civil War? Was he an alcoholic or just the victim of rumor and innuendo? Was he a cheat who profited from scandals during his two terms as leader of our nation or a victim of misplaced trust? Did he truly help former slaves and native Americans, or were his efforts counterproductive? Finally, did he pen his own memoirs, or was Mark Twain his ghost writer? Those interested in Grant often ponder these questions. Check-in for the event will be from 2:00 until 5:00 pm Friday at Quincy’s History Museum at 332 Maine. Tickets and information packets will be distributed at that time. Light refreshments will be served during check-in, and General Grant will be present to cut a cake in honor of his 196th birthday. Memberships in both sponsoring organizations will be available at this time should attendees wish to join either or both groups. Several privately-held Grant exhibits will also be on display. They include family memorabilia, period photos of Grant at Mt. McGregor in upstate New York, and glassware and china featuring Ulysses S. Grant. The symposium will commence Friday evening at 7:00 with presentations by Dr. Samuel Wheeler, State Historian for the State of Illinois, and Larry Werline, an accomplished Grant impersonator. Wheeler, who received his PhD from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, will discuss “Remembering Ulysses S. Grant: An Illinoisan at the Bicentennial.” Wheeler is a former college professor. Werlines’s topic will be “U.S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln.” A graduate of Purdue, Werline has appeared in Quincy previously speaking about a different aspect of Grant’s life. During his professional career, Werline worked in industrial management and as an educational consultant for Oracle Corporation. The evening session will conclude at 9:00. Saturday’s activities include tours of the Governor John Wood Mansion grounds (including the Livery, 1835 Log Cabin, and Lincoln Gallery), the Eells House (Underground Railroad site), the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Interpretive Center, and presentations by John Alexander, Timothy Good, and Dr. Steve Belko. Alexander, who was educated at Monmouth College and the U of I, is a former college instructor and current owner of Books On the Square in Verdin and Springfield. He will address the topic “Colonel Grant’s Journey from Springfield to Quincy.” Alexander will point out some of the misinformation that has surrounded this important time in Grant’s career. The day’s additional speakers, Good and Belko, will discuss “Grant and African-Americans” and “Sequel to Civil War - President Grant vs. the American Indian” respectively. Good brings years of experience as Superintendent at the National Park Grant Site to his presentation, and Belko, a former college professor at University of West Florida, looks at an aspect of Grant’s presidency that is rarely discussed. Both men have been well-received in Quincy on previous speaking occasions. Belko is a graduate of Quincy High, Class of 1986 and holds a PhD from Mississippi State University. Good has degrees from Valparaiso and England’s University of Durham. Venues for each presentation will be announced after the April 12th deadline.