DeKalb
DeKalb

Author: Jo Fredell Higgins

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2004-06-16

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 1439614962

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

DeKalb was originally known as Huntley's Grove, named after Russell Huntley, an early settler who was one of its founders. The area had also been known as Buena Vista and DeKalb Center, before settling on the name DeKalb in 1881. The name was derived from Baron Johann DeKalb (1721-1780), a German soldier who served under Washington at Valley Forge and died a Revolutionary War hero. Three august DeKalb men are credited with the invention of barbed wire and began manufacturing it in 1873. Today DeKalb is a world leader in hybrid seed development and genetic research, as well as the home of Northern Illinois University.

The Vagabond Dreamer
The Vagabond Dreamer

Author: Elizabeth S. Howard

Publisher:

Published: 1976

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Howard was a doer as well as a dreamer. He achieved many great things during his lifetime including debating with Clarence Darrow, nominated for president of the United States, and attempted to impeach President Grover Cleveland.

The Underground Railroad in DeKalb County, Illinois
The Underground Railroad in DeKalb County, Illinois

Author: Nancy M. Beasley

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2013-02-23

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1476600805

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book is about previously unidentified people who became Abolitionists involved in the antislavery movement from about 1840 to 1860. Although arrests were made in nearby counties, not one person was prosecuted for aiding a fugitive slave in DeKalb County, Illinois. First, the area Congregationalist, Universalist, Presbyterian and Wesleyan Methodist churches all had compelling antislavery beliefs. Church members, county elected officials, and the Underground Railroad conductors and stationmasters were all one and the same. Additionally, DeKalb County had the highest concentration of subscriptions to the Chicago-based Western Citizen antislavery newspaper. It was an accepted local activity to help escaped slaves. A biographical dictionary includes evidence and personal information for more than 600 men and women, and their families, who defied the prevailing Fugitive Slave Law, and helped the anti-slavery movement in this one Northern Illinois County. Unique photographs and illustrations are included along with notes, bibliography and index.

Place Names of Illinois
Place Names of Illinois

Author: Edward Callary

Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Published: 2010-10-01

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13: 0252090705

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This extensive guide shows how the history and culture of Illinois are embedded in the names of its towns, cities, and other geographical features. Edward Callary unearths the origins of names of nearly three thousand Illinois communities and the circumstances surrounding their naming and renaming. Organized alphabetically, the entries are concise, engaging, and full of fascinating detail revealing the rich ethnic history of the state, the impact of industrialization and the coming of the railroads, and insight into local politics and personalities. Many entries also provide information on local pronunciation, the name’s etymology, and the community’s location, all set in historical and cultural context. A general introduction locates Illinois place names in the context of general patterns of place naming in the United States. An extremely useful reference for scholars of American history, geography, language, and culture, Place Names of Illinois also offers intriguing browsing material for the inquisitive reader and the curious traveler.