AN EVANSTON LEGEND VIRTUALLY FORGOTTEN TODAY - Captain Lawrence O. Lawson

Prior to 1980 if you took a walk or drive along the Evanston lakefront you would have seen a small frame house at 1834 Sheridan Road:

1834 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois

Ultimately owned by and torn down by Northwestern University, the house was built in the 1880s by Lawrence O. Lawson, an old sea salt who became a legend in his own time.  In 1880 he was appointed captain of the Evanston life-saving station, a position he would hold for almost a quarter of a century.  Long forgotten today, Captain Lawson and his crew rescued over 500 souls from the treacherous waters of Lake Michigan.

Before we recall the bravery and skill of Captain Lawson and those Northwestern students who served as his crew from 1880 to 1903, let's see what we can "dig up" about Lawrence Lawson.

Lawrence Oscar Lawson was born Lars Oskar Eskilsson on September 11, 1842 in Kalmar, Sweden to Eskil Larsson (1813-1856) and his wife Johanna Carrie Sjogren (1817-1896).  Lars had two sisters, Elise Marie Eskilsson (1851-????) and Hanna Julia Eskilsson (1854-1868).  Little is know of Lars' early life except for one story he told about himself:

"At his old family home was a grist mill, and one day his love of the water caused him to fall into the mill stream.  He was carried around the mill wheel, and his arm was permanently crippled.  When he was fourteen years old his father died, and four years later the boy went to sea.  In 1861 he came to New York.  From there he shipped before the mast for three years, and was on the first vessel to sail into New Orleans after the capture of the city by Union forces."

The life-saving service at Evanston was established in 1871, as a response to several tragic shipwrecks off the shore of Lake Michigan.  The most notable of these was the wreck of the steamer Lady Elgin in 1860.  Over 300 passengers lost their lives when the Lady Elgin collided with a lumber schooner a few miles northeast of Evanston.  Prompted by this disaster and others, concerned citizens pleaded for a life-saving station that could assist ships in distress.

Consequently in 1871 the U.S. Navy furnished Northwestern University with a 26 foot long lifeboat to be directed and manned by the students.  A red-brick life saving station was built in 1876 on the site of the present day Fisk Hall.  During the early years the captain and crew were drawn from among the Northwestern students.  At the annual graduation exercises, the life-saving boat was handed down by the seniors to the junior class and a new captain was chosen.  As time went on however, it was felt that the work of the student crew would be more effective if a person with more experience and maturity filled the captain's role.   

We do not know when Lars Eskilsson Americanized his name but several things had changed after he returned to New York in 1864.  This time he decided to follow the herd and "Go West."  In December of 1864 the newly named Lawrence Oscar Lawson left Buffalo, New York on the schooner "Tanner" headed for Chicago.

He liked what he saw around Chicagoland so he decided to settle here.  He bought some land in Woodlawn and took up the occupation of a fisherman.  He did not entirely forsake a seafaring life, however, and for two years he sailed the Great Lakes  as a sailor before the mast with Captain Lindgren.

In 1869 Captain Lawson moved to beautiful Evanston, Illinois and continued the life of a fisherman, occupying a shanty near the Davis Street pier.  In 1876 he married the former Petrine Wold (1855-1941) from Norway.  Right after their marriage the newlyweds moved to Ludington, Michigan but by 1878 they returned to Evanston where they would remain for the rest of their lives.

On July 19, 1880 Lawrence Lawson was appointed to be the keeper, or captain of the life-saving station at Northwestern.  A sailor of life-long experience, he was chosen to make seamen of the eager but inexperienced students.  Just shy of his 38th birthday, he also fulfilled the requirement for "maturity" that the job required,

At first fears were expressed that an outsider would not be able to get the cooperation of the student crew and that the appointment of Lawson as captain would be the first step toward the severance of relations between the university and the life-saving station.  Within a short time however, Captain Lawson, because of his superior skills as a seaman, succeeded in winning the loyalty of the crew.  

George H. Tomlinson, a crew member, later recalled, "The most eventful period of the station's history began with the appointment of Captain Lawson, a veteran sailor of the seven seas, as keeper of the station.  He held the post for 23 years and won the love and respect of all who entered the university in that time.  As a member of one of the student crews who worked under him, I can attest to his courage, ability and fineness of character - a rare soul such as does not often come into one's life."  According to Tomlinson, no one was more frequently made the subject of a character study in English classes than the revered Captain.

As time passed, Captain Lawson quickly noticed the necessity for larger quarters as his family grew and grew.  In all, Captain Lawson and his wife would have eight children: Julia E. (1877-1932), Esther Marion - sometimes called Ethel (1882-1884), John Walton (1885-1968), Lawrence Oscar (1888-1890), Raymond Oliver (1891-1973), Ruth Petrine (1893-1977), Charlotte (1896-1982), and Charles W. (1900-1941).

In 1886 Captain Lawson moved the old frame shanty he had been living in at the foot of Davis Street to the lot adjoining the "Club House" a red brick building opposite the life-saving station where it then stood.  Then he began construction on a new house at 1834 Sheridan Road, just across the street from the life-saving station.  According to the Evanston Press of April 27, 1889, "Captain Lawson of the life saving crew. has been occupying his new residence on the drive for some time.  For over three years, the Captain has been building the house with his own hands.  Slowly but substantially, he has added something to it week by week until now it is really beautiful and reflects great credit upon the builder's skill and patience." 

Since they were subject to be called to duty at any hour, members of the student life-saving crew often lodged in the Captain's home.  One crew member later recalled, "No one who has not had the privilege of waking (Captain Lawson) in the middle of the night to report some emergency could envision him coming out of his bedroom into the hall with his long white nightgown and his long graying beard, with one hand scratching his ribs, either for the answer or to help him awaken, and the other hand twisting his beard back and forth."  Each crew member served a two hour watch at the life saving station, so that there was always a man on duty.  In addition, the Evanston shoreline was patrolled twice each day, once just before midnight and once at dawn.

How much was someone like Captain Lawson paid by the government for overseeing the life-saving station?  Official reports from 1891 listed his salary as $700.00 per year which translates to $21,672.51 in today's funds.  A meager salary to be sure for someone with so much life-and-death responsibility.  It was said that he supplemented his income by catching and selling fish.

During Captain Lawson's quarter century of service, the life-saving crew was responsible for the rescue of over 500 persons from the stormy waters of Lake Michigan.  One such rescue occurred on the evening of May 9, 1883.  A schooner, the Kate E. Howard, unloaded her cargo of lumber at the Davis Street pier in Evanston and moved three quarters if a mile into the lake for a more secure anchorage.  Struck by a sudden violent squall "resembling a cyclone", the boat rolled over.  The hull sank at once, but the crew managed to cling to the masts.  Because of darkness, the watchman at the life-saving station knew nothing of the disaster.  On bare suspicion that something was wrong, Captain Lawson ordered the surf-boat launched and pointed east.  They succeeded finally in locating the wreck in time to rescue the five sailors, who were almost exhausted and quite hopeless of relief.

The most notable rescue by the crew occurred on Thanksgiving Day, 1889.  The Calumet, a steam propeller ship, with 18 crew members, was driven aground near Fort Sheridan during one of the fiercest winter storms ever witnessed.  According to the Calumet's chief mate, "I have been a sailor on the lake for 33 years and I want to tell you that never in all that time have I seen waves run so high as they did last night, or heard of such heroic work as that of the lifesaving crew from Evanston."  This thrilling story of heroism was related in the Evanston Press of November 30, 1889:  "As those seven men leaped into the icy boat, in the most fearful sea that this locality has known for years, probably few even of the spectators realized the wonderful bravery of the act...With infinite difficulty and in spite of the fearful breakers, the brawny and plucky boys, guided by their skillful captain, gradually made their way to the eighteen freezing and despairing men who were clinging to the pilot-house, the only part of the ship not swept by the waves. The captain of the ship said that they had no hope of being rescued when they saw the crew launch the boat...Three trips they made through that roaring surf, and brought every man - eighteen in all - safely to shore."

In recognition of their rescue of the Calumet crew, Captain Lawson and each member of his crew received a gold medal of honor, authorized by a special act of Congress.  On the medal was inscribed: "In testimony of heroic acts in saving life from the perils of the sea."

Newspapers reported that this was the first time that every member of a lifesaving crew was awarded a medal - this honor was usually reserved to the captain of the life saving crew.

The 1890 US Census for Evanston is unfortunately lost, but we do have the Lawson family in the 1900 US Census.  The family is, of course, living in the house the Captain built at 1834 Sheridan Road in Evanston.  First there was 57 year old Laurence Lawson, who reported that he emigrated in 1861 and was Captain of a life saving station.  Then there was his 44 year old wife Petrina who emigrated in 1863.  They both reported they had been married for 23 years.  Petrina reported that she had given birth to 8 children, and that 5 were still alive in 1900.  The five living children in 1900 were: Julia (23), John (15), Raymond (9), Ruth (6) and Charlotte (4).  As mentioned above they also reported that they had two in the life saving service living with them:  24 year old Clarence Thorne and 29 year old Edwin R. Perry.  Lastly, they also had a minister living with them in 1900:  24 year old Alfred E. Harris.

On the occasion of Captain Lawson's 20th year of service in 1900, the Evanston Index noted, "The Evanston life-saving crew has made a remarkable record under the leadership of Captain Lawson during the last 20 years.  It is one of the institutions that Evanstonians point to with pride, and its praises have been sung over and over again for the gallant services it has performed on different occasions.  While these successes are due in large measure to the material of which the crew has been composed, those who are acquainted with its methods are quick to give the credit to the captain.  He has been faithful and active and at all times of a disposition that commanded the respect of the students who were associated with him.  this popularity has given to him the hold he has held upon them.  To it is attributable the remarkable performances that have been accomplished under his leadership."   

In 1902 the Chicago Tribune noted that "while railroads and labor unions are considering the "age limit" problem, there is a man in Evanston who works hard at 60.  He is Captain Lawrence O. Lawson of the Evanston life-saving crew."   But trouble was on the horizon for Captain Lawson.

The Chicago Inter-Ocean reported about the problem on April 4, 1903 under this portrait if Captain Lawson:

VETERAN CHIEF OF EVANSTON LIFE-SAVING CREW

Hoary-headed and storm beaten, but still sinewy and agile and as efficient in the rescue of human life as in his younger days, Captain Lawrence O. Lawson of the Evanston life-saving crew, is awaiting the announcement of his retirement from the service on account of a slight defect in eyesight.  As anxious as the Captain himself are the citizens of Evanston, who think with regret of the prospect of the sturdy old seaman's removal.  Familiar with the veteran life-saver's marvelous record during his thirty years of service at the Evanston station, they are urging upon the department at Washington the desirability of his retention, in spite of his failure to pass every test in the recent examination.  Captain Lawson himself is eager to remain at the post he has held so long and declares that he is able to fulfill his duties now as well as ever.  Since he took charge of the Evanston station in 1880 not a single life has been lost along that coast.  All told, he and his crew have rescued 500 people from the lake.  In 1889, the year of the Calumet disaster, 101 men and women were saved by Captain Lawson's men.  For this unparalleled record the captain wears the coveted gold medal, presented only in cases or extraordinary merit.

In their Sunday April 12, 1903 edition, the Chicago Inter Ocean outlined more of what was going on with the matter of Captain Lawson:

The unfeeling machinery of civil service is about to retire another hero from the nation's roll of workers.

For twenty-five years, Captain Lawrence O. Lawson of Evanston has faithfully watched one of the outposts of the life-saving service.  Only a few less than 500 lives for as records of his vigilance and bravery.  Forty-seven athletic built young men in different parts of the country, and of all professions from the ministry to the stage, revere him as the molder of their habits of devotion to duty and self-sacrifice.

These count for nothing with the civil-service machinery. This worker, who had grown old in the service, is as brave as ever, as ready to dive into the lake and rescue a swimmer or pull an oar as the surf boats cuts through the breakers to a wreck.  His judgment is unimpaired, but his eyes have grown old.  He can still see as far across Lake Michigan; the binoculars reveal as much as they ever did over the watery expanse, and the signal lights sign as brightly to him as they did a quarter of a century ago.  But he could not pass the optical test.  The test letters on a white card were occasionally blurred to the eyes of the old mariner.

It is a critical weakness.  Can a man rescue drowning men and women or guide a surf boat through the darkness to a foundering vessel if he cannot pass the test which is undergone in the rear room of a jewelry store, amid an order of varnish and watchmakers oil.  This is the question that the government civil-service answers negatively. 

All of the plaudits and shows of support came to naught when on July 1, 1903 the government announced that effective immediately, 30 year old Patrick Murray would be the new captain of the Evanston life-saving crew.  The gold-medal career of Captain Lawrence O. Lawson was over.

After the Captain's retirement, William E. McClennan, a member of the crew from 1882 to 1885 remarked, "His 23 years of service have in themselves demonstrated his marked ability, courage, faithfulness and extraordinary resourcefulness.  he has never been know to give up the most forlorn hope so long as human lives were in danger.  It is doubtful whether the annals of life-saving will reveal a more resourceful and masterful mind than that of Captain Lawson.  Denied the advantages of a technical education, he is nevertheless a great man -- and as good as he is great.  Without  him as a leader through almost a quarter of a century, the Evanston life-saving crew could hardly have won for itself much more than average fame."

As is usually the case with the truly great who never seek out fame, Captain Lawson was not mentioned again in the newspapers until he died in the home he built at 1834 Sheridan Road on October 30, 1912:

Here's an account of his funeral:

  

As mentioned, Captain Lawson was buried at Graceland Cemetery.  He is in the Knolls Section, Lot 69, Space 1.

When I started this article I was under the impression that Captain Lawrence Lawson had been virtually forgotten today.  That is partially true.  After Lawson's house was razed by Northwestern, there was a move to name the small park next to Lighthouse Beach after the Captain.  Lawson Park was dedicated July 10, 1988:

  

It looked a little more bleak when I visited on February 27, 2020:

The park dedicated to Captain Lawson was a nice idea, but nowhere in the park is there anything that says who Captain Lawson was, or why a park on the lakeshore was named after him.  In fact, the name "Lawson Park" does not even specify which Lawson the park is named for.  

Captain Lawrence O. Lawson was not forgotten however, by the US Coast Guard.  Here are some photos of the United States Fast Response Cutter Lawrence Lawson, commissioned March 18, 2017:

The Lawson's crew members were heavily involved in the creation of her seal, researching her namesake and incorporating Keeper Lawrence O. Lawson’s brave actions into the seal.  For example, the shield on the seal is purple and white, the colors of Northwestern University, representing Lawson and his heroic student volunteer crew from Northwestern.  This is just one of many aspects of the seal that symbolize the harsh yet successful rescue on that Thanksgiving Day.

Here's what the Coast Guard has to say about Captain Lawson:

Named for a Hero

The new cutter’s name is attributed to U.S. Lifesaving Service Station Keeper Lawrence O. Lawson, keeper of the Evanston, Ill. Lifeboat Station. Lawson and his crew gained notoriety for rescuing the 18-person crew of the Calumet on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1889, as the steam vessel was in distress during a raging storm on Lake Michigan. Lawson and his crew, made up entirely of volunteer students from nearby Northwestern University, navigated through 15 miles of blizzard-like weather by train, horseback and foot. They attempted to fire a line to the vessel but failed twice, then decided to launch a surfboat. The crew was finally able to launch in the near-impossible icy conditions, and recused all 18 members of the Calumet after three successive trips. Lawson and his crew’s actions did not go unnoticed, as they received the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroic actions that day. Cape May’s newest FRC is named for a true hero.

It is appropriate that Lawrence Lawson is still saving lives on the water.

So now you know the story of one of Evanston's true heroes, Captain Lawrence O. Lawson, who rescued over 500 souls from the treacherous waters of Lake Michigan, no matter what the weather or peril to himself.

    

May he rest in peace.  


Special thanks to Evanston historian extraordinaire Mike Kelly who provided much of the material for this article. 

Thanks also to Ron Sims who provided the following two photos:

The first is an aerial view of  Northwestern University Evanston Campus, circa 1907.  The lifesaving station is on the lower right.

This photo is from the Library of  Congress: https://www.loc.gov/  item/2007663913/ 

The second photo shows the lifesaving station in the shadow of Fisk Hall in 1910.  The lifesaving station was originally on the site of Fisk Hall and moved further south when Fisk Hall was built.  Photo is from the following source:Chicago: Its History and Its Builders [ed. by] J Seymour Currey. Chicago, S J Clarke, 1912. Vol. 2, plate laid in btw 350-351. 

THE HOTEL MONNETT IN EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - Elmira Monnett and her brother Fletcher Monnett

Frequent readers of this blog know that I have always loved hotels.  I don't know why, but the hustle and bustle, the transient nature of the guests and the historic buildings have always been fascinating to me.  I am especially interested in the hotels of my home town, Evanston, Illinois.  I have written in the past in this blog about the Orrington Hotel, and an upcoming article will tell the history of the Hotel Evanston (or Evanston Inn as it was sometimes known). 

I recently received an email from Find a Grave asking me to add information to the memorial page of Watson Ludlam, the son of Dr. Jacob Watson Ludlam of Evanston.  You may remember that I had previously written about Dr. Ludlam, who was the first person buried at Rosehill Cemetery:

https://undereverytombstone.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-first-burial-at-rosehill-cemetery.html

I looked up the death record for Watson Ludlam and it said that when he died on April 30, 1912 that he had been living at the "Monatte Hotel" in Evanston.  That was an Evanston hotel that I had never heard of so I was intrigued.  I reached out to my friend and researcher extraordinaire Mike Kelly and asked him if he had ever heard of the Monatte Hotel.  I have mentioned before that Mike is an incredible depository of facts about the history of Evanston.  In the meantime I did some more digging myself.  I Googled "Monatte Hotel" and nothing came up.  The same with newspapers.com - nothing for Monatte Hotel.  Then I took a look in the Evanston Directory for 1912 and here's what I found:

I have mentioned that I used to work for Washington National Insurance Company in Evanston - the address of the Home Office was 1630 Chicago Avenue.  So if the Monnett Hotel was at 1633 Chicago Avenue that means it was on the east side of the street near the intersection of Church Street and Chicago Avenue.  After finding out that the name of the hotel was misspelled in the Death Record, I continued my search looking for the correctly spelled Hotel Monnett.  Google directed me to the Internet Archive which had 64 results for the hotel.  There were results from several different sources, but most of them were listings from the various Evanston Directories of the time from 1890-1922.  

The 1895 Evanston Directory listed the Hotel Monnett at Church Street and Chicago Avenue and the proprietor as Elmira Monnett.  In addition the directory listed six other people as living at the hotel.  This lead me to believe that the Hotel Monnett was more of an apartment hotel than a transient hotel.  In doing my research for this article I found a clipping from the Evanston Review that said that Northwestern University president (and Leighton Mount nemesis) Walter Dill Scott lived at the Hotel Monnett for 30 years.  Further research, however found that while many people lived at the Hotel Monnett for extended periods, Walter Dill Scott was not one of them.  

During the years she owned the hotel, Elmira Monnett often lived elsewhere and her brother Fletcher Monnett managed the hotel for her and inherited it after Elmira died.  In fact, the Monnett hotel would provide a life-changing experience for Fletcher Monnett - so, let's see what we can "dig up" first about Elmira Monnett, and then about her brother Fletcher Monnett.

Elmira Monnett was born on May 27, 1843 in Ohio, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Monnett (1810-1890) and Mary Delamer Kinnear (1815-1880).  Elmira Monnett's father Thomas was both a farmer and a Wesleyan Methodist minister by trade.  In addition to Elmira, Thomas and Mary Monnett had three other children:  Cordellia Pittenger Monnett (1836-1910), Fletcher F. Monnett (1838-1910), and Lucinda Monnett (1841-1906).  Here's a drawing of Elmira's father Thomas Monnett:

a photo of Elmira's mother, Mary Delamer Kinnear Monnett:

Mary Delamer Kinnear Monnett

And a photo of Elmira's sister, Cordellia Monnett:

Cordellia Monnett

Unfortunately I have been unable to find a photo of Elmira herself.

An interesting side note:  Elmira's sister Cordellia went on to become a Deaconess in the Methodist Church - more about that later.

The first mention of Elmira Monnett is in the 1850 US Census when she was 7 years old (referenced as "Almira").  The Monnett family is living in Bucyrus, Ohio where Thomas Monnett is listed as a "Farmer."  In addition to Elmira and her father, the census also lists her mother Mary and siblings Cordellia, Fletcher and Lucinda.  Thomas told the census taker his farm was worth $4,000.

By the 1860 US Census the Monnett family had relocated to Rensselaer, Indiana.  The family consisted of  Thomas and Mary, and children Fletcher (21 years old), Cordellia (23 years old), Lucinda (19 years old) and Elmira (17 years old).  In addition there were two laborers, George W. Dutcher and Horace James living with the Monnetts.  Thomas and Fletcher Monnett were both listed as "Farmers."  Thomas reported real estate worth $40,000 and personalty worth $500.  I suspect that the $40,000 is an error, inasmuch as nearby farms were not valued over $10,000.  I believe it should be $4,000, the same value he placed on his Ohio farm in 1850.  It is also noted on the 1860 census form that in addition to farming, Thomas Monnett was also a "Missionary."

I was unable to find Elmira Monnett in either the 1870 or 1880 US Censuses.

In 1879 Elmira was reported as attending Indiana Asbury University in Greencastle, Indiana.  Asbury University was founded by the Methodist Church (as was Northwestern University in Evanston) and is now known as DePauw University.

On July 1, 1880, Elmira's mother Mary Delamer Kinnear Monnett died.  She is buried in the Monnett family plot in the Weston Cemetery in Rensselaer, Indiana:

                           Photos by Find a Grave volunteer rschenk

The 1890 US Census entry for Elmira Monnett is of course, lost, however the Evanston City Directory for 1891 lists Elmira Monnett as living at the Avenue House which was at the corner of Davis Street and Chicago Avenue:

  
History does not record why Elmira Monnett came to Evanston in the first place, nor do we know why she decided to get into the hotel business.  But newspaper accounts note that in 1892 she decided that the Avenue House and the Greenwood Inn needed some added competition.  For her hotel she chose a site just up the street from the Avenue House at 1633 Chicago Avenue.  The Hotel Monnett, a four story brick structure opened for business in May of 1894.  Here is an advertisement from the Chicago Inter-Ocean, indicating that the Hotel Monnett had opened for business May 15th:

Advertisements for the Hotel Monnett continued to show up in the Chicago newspapers through the 1890s into 1900 as the hotel became a center of social activity for people affiliated with both Northwestern University and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union:

Here is the Hotel Monnett in its heyday:

Hotel Monnett, 1633 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, Illinois

Strangely, Elmira Monnett shows up in the 1900 US Census not in Evanston, Illinois but in Fairfield, Indiana where she was living at the Stockton House Hotel.  She told the census taker that she could read and write, and that she could speak English but did not list an occupation.  She did, however lie about her age.  She was 57 years old; she admitted to 50.  The 1900 US Census for Evanston, Illinois shows that the Hotel Monnett was being managed by Elmira's brother Fletcher and his wife Mary.  Elmira and her brother were apparently partners in other real estate ventures as well.  It was reported that among other investments, Elmira and Fletcher Monnett owned two large lots in Marion Township, Indiana. 

In 1904 Elmira Monnett made a substantial donation to her alma mater, Indiana Asbury University, now called DePauw University.  The university announced that the Kinnear-Monnett Philosophical Library was established by "Miss Elmira Monnett of Evanston, Illinois, in honor of her parents, and for the special use of students in Philosophy." 

Elmira Monnett died on April 27, 1907 in Rensselaer, Indiana after she had suffered a massive stroke. Here is her death certificate:

Here is her Death Notice from the Munster (Ind.) Times April 29, 1907:

Elmira Monnett was buried in the Weston Cemetery in Rensselaer in her family's plot:

Whether he had been an original investor or not we do not know, but we do know that after the death of his sister, Fletcher Monnett took over sole ownership of the Hotel Monnett.

As indicated above, Fletcher Monnett was born in 1838.  The 1860 US Census showed him living at home with his parents and assisting his father with farming.  Unlike his sisters who never married, on May 14, 1863 Fletcher Monnett married Mary Ellen Chesnut (1842-1905) in Clermont, Ohio.  The groom was 24 years old; the bride was 20.  The newlyweds settled in Rensselaer, Indiana where Fletcher took a job as the US Postmaster on November 30, 1864.

Fletcher and Mary Ellen Monnett had three children:  Ida Jane (1864-1937), Ellen Delamer (1865-1937) and Charles Officer Monnett (1869-1890).

I could not find the Fletcher Monnett family in the 1870 US Census but by 1880 they were living in Urbana, Illinois where Fletcher reported his occupation as "Grocer."  Mary Ellen's mother Jane Officer Chesnut (1807-1891) was living with them.

We do not have the 1890 US Census for the Monnett family, but 1890 was not a good year for Fletcher Monnett.  On February 9, 1890 Fletcher's father Thomas Monnett died, followed by Fletcher's son Charles who died on August 29, 1890.  Both were buried in the Monnett family plot in Weston Cemetery. 

As indicated above, by the time of the 1900 US Census Fletcher  and his wife were living in Evanston where he was managing the hotel for his sister.  Their daughters were adults by this time and had moved out on their own but Fletcher and Mary Ellen were living at the Hotel Monnett. Fletcher's wife Mary Ellen Chesnut Monnett died on March 21, 1905 in Evanston.  Here is her Death Notice from the Jasper County (Ind.) Democrat from March 25, 1905:

On March 23, 1905 she was buried in the Monnett family plot in the Weston Cemetery:

The death first of his wife Mary in March of 1905, and then his sister Elmira in April of 1907 put a terrible strain on the shoulders of Fletcher Monnett.  He had been dealing with heart trouble for years and the stress of running a hotel coupled with everything else that was happening in his life began to catch up with him and his health began to fail.  Then in 1908 came the straw that broke the camel's back - from his sister Cordellia.Deaconess Cordellia Monnett, referred to in the press as a "wealthy spinster" had told her brother Fletcher on many occasions that she was leaving her home, her investments, and considerable land holdings she owned, to him and to his daughters  Ida Jane (Mrs. H.P. Burton) and Ellen (Mrs. H.L. Brown).  Imagine their shock when it was announced in the press in January of 1908 that Deaconness Cordellia had decided to leave it all to the Methodist Church - specifically to the Chicago Training School for City, Home, and Foreign Missions.  Her beautiful home was to be used as a home for wayward girls, and the remainder of the gift could be used in any way the Church chose, except that a building was to be erected at the settlement in Chicago dedicated to her late mother Mary Delamer Kinnear Monnett. In exchange for this, the Church would allow Cordellia to live at the Training School in Chicago, provide a trained nurse to be with her at all times, and also provide an annuity of $2,000 per year for the remainder of her life.Fletcher and his daughters felt that the Methodist Church had exerted undue influence on Cordellia and immediately filed suit to nullify the gifts. To avoid protracted litigation and considerable legal fees that would have to be paid by both sides, Cordellia and Fletcher came to an out-of-court settlement in February of 1908, basically dividing Cordellia's holdings in two - half for Fletcher and his daughters and half for the Church.  Cordellia Monnett died in 1910 at the age of 73.  Not surprisingly, she is not buried in the Monnett family plot in the Weston Cemetery, she is buried in Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois in the Methodist Episcopal Deaconess plot. 

All of the stress of the previous few years finally got to Fletcher and his health began to fail.  He was still living at the Hotel Monnett in Evanston and remained there for his convalescence.  During this time he was nursed by another resident of the hotel, Mrs. Elizabeth G. Frame Libby (1853-1941), the widow of Miltimore Watts "Milton" Libby (1852-1896).  She was referred to in the press as "Lida Libby."  Here is the announcement of their marriage from the Chicago Tribune of March 17, 1909:

In May of 1909 Fletcher Monnett sold the Hotel Monnett to Mrs. Lillian Davidson, so after their honeymoon the newlyweds settled in Rensselaer, Indiana, where Fletcher had lived before he moved to Evanston to help run the Hotel Monnett.

Fletcher Monnett's happiness was short-lived however and he died in Rensselaer, Indiana on July 12, 1910.  Here is his Death Certificate:

and his death notice from the Evanston Index of July 30, 1910:

Fletcher Monnett was, of course, buried in the Monnett family plot in the Weston Cemetery, next to his first wife and son:

This article is supposed to be about the Hotel Monnett and its ownership by the Monnett Family, but I will give you a short summary of the "rest of the story."  

As mentioned above, the Hotel Monnett was purchased by Lillian Davidson (1865-1934) in May of 1909.  

Lillian Davidson

In her later years she turned the management of the hotel over to her son-in-law Wayland L. Cocroft (1876-1948), who continued to manage the hotel after Lillian Davidson's death at the hotel in 1934.  The hotel stayed in the family until it was sold in 1944 by the State National Bank and Trust Company as Trustee for the Davidson-Cocroft family to an investment client of Hokanson and Jenks Realtors who planned to raze the hotel as soon as the war ban on construction was lifted. 

The Hotel Monnett was razed in 1945 and a grocery store was built in its place.

 Hotel Monnett, Evanston, Illinois (1894-1945)

FINDING THE AMERICAN DREAM - William Drury by Matt Van Winkle

Happy New Year 2020 to all my readers!

Last year Matt Van Winkle from Aledo, Illinois provided this blog with two stories about people buried in the Aledo City Cemetery.  Matt did such a good job with his articles I asked him for another contribution and he provided it to me today.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy the story of William Drury:

In a time in which the American dream is considered obsolete or not attainable anymore, I decided to focus on a time that is the epitome of Americana—a time of western expansion and pioneering, a time of conquering the harsh wilderness and achieving the impossible. Here in Mercer County, Illinois, one man stood out to me, a man that saw opportunity in the woods and prairie of the Mississippi River Valley. William Drury is a name that you will not see in school textbooks, but he deserves a place in American history as a true American pioneer during the height of American “Manifest Destiny.” Though there are thousands of exemplary pioneers throughout this time of American history, Mr. Drury in my opinion stands out as a cut above the rest. 

William Drury

William Drury was born to Edward and Jane (Burns) Drury in Fairfield County, Ohio, on September 17th, 1809. Two years after his birth the family would settle in Wayne County, Indiana, and during the War of 1812 they had to seek refuge in nearby forts in order to survive the onslaught of the British-backed Native American raids. 

I was not able to find much on Mr. Drury’s childhood, but I know that by 1833 William was teaching school before he headed west to Illinois. It was in 1833 that William made a trip to what is now New Boston, Illinois.  He was so taken by what he saw there that he proclaimed this was “God’s country” and decided that he would make the area his home. William purchased four 80-acre tracts of land near present day New Boston before he returned to Indiana to round up his family for the big move. William and company would return permanently in 1834.

During the time William returned to Indiana to gather his family, he apparently was insufferable when it came to his constant chatter about the amazing land and opportunity that was to be had in western Illinois. Ultimately, he was able to convince others to follow him and thus became foreman of land sales for Mercer County, a job which paid $1.25 an acre. 

When William settled in Mercer County in 1834, he wasted no time in becoming one of the most important people in the county. He was elected county recorder in 1835, and was elected clerk of the county commissioner’s court and postmaster of Keithsburg, Illinois, in 1836. It was 1836 that William started his business enterprise by opening a dry goods store with future in-law Levi Willits. Drury and Willits dry goods bought pork, grain and other products, shipping them from St. Louis. Because of the success of this venture, William and Levi opened the first pork packing business in the county. William and Levi were able to furnish the people with the required necessities of the time. William and Levi would eventually sell this business to William’s brother Courtney and his friend James Thompson in 1848.

By July 1840 William had found love and married his business partner’s granddaughter Vashti Lewis. 

Vashti Lewis Drury

Vashti was born in 1822 to Caleb and Polley (Willits) Lewis. Caleb was an Indiana state legislator for many years and stayed in Indiana while the rest of the Willits and Lewis families migrated to Illinois. William and Vashti didn’t have any naturally born children but adopted a son in 1857 and named him Edward.

    

By 1850 William branched off on his own and opened a small cash store, but he retired in 1853 for health reasons and decided then to focus on real estate and the importation and raising of stock. By 1855 William had made a fortune in his business ventures and decided it was time to build his mansion, which he named Verdurette. William built Verdurette on what was known at the time as Drury Grade Road, and the house is still in existence to this very day and is owned by his descendants. 

Here are two photos of Verdurette as it looks today:

Verdurette is styled in a very elegant Gothic style east of New Boston, and it housed the first electricity power station in Mercer County (the descendants have the original blueprints that were done by Thomas Edison). William filled the area around Verdurette with deer and built a park that housed buffalo, elk, deer, and other exotic animals. Though I haven’t been able to confirm it, Williams’s descendants have said that Verdurette was also used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. This wouldn’t surprise me as this would fit into William’s personality as well as the abolitionist fervor in this area, particularly in the Galesburg, Illinois, area 45 minutes away from Mercer County. 

    

After everything he had accomplished in his life, William and other wealthy citizens in the area decided to organize and establish a Farmer’s National Bank in Keithsburg, Illinois, in 1871. William was to serve as a large stockholder as well as bank president. For being a “retired” citizen, William up to this point had accomplished more than most people today during their regular career. It must have been nice to be able to retire and have hobbies such as these.

By 1897 old age and health issues had finally caught up to William and he passed away at Verdurette on March 13th. At the time of his death, William had amassed over 100,000 acres of land in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Texas, making him one of the biggest and richest landowners in the United States.  William Drury is buried in the New Boston Cemetery in New Boston, Illinois:

In his will, William left money to found a college in Aledo, Illinois, which would become William and Vashti College in honor of his wife and himself. After much litigation brought on by his son Edward contesting the will, William and Vashti College finally opened, but it only operated for 15 years and closed at the outbreak of World War One. The campus would later become two different military schools before finally shutting its doors for good in 1973. Most of the building remains today in ruins, but the dormitories were repurposed and opened as “Vashti Village,” an assisted living facility for the elderly. 

William and Vashti College

Vashti Lewis Drury died in 1909.  She is buried with her husband and her brother Levi in the New Boston Cemetery:

William Drury was one of the most colorful citizens in Mercer County’s history. William was a spiritualist in his beliefs and vowed that he would return after his death. One would think nowadays that this would make him an oddball during his time, but spiritualism at the time was very popular among the citizens of Mercer County. William made his mark all over the county and you can still see a lot of that today. He offered an account of his prosperity by saying that he made it a practice all his life, that at the end of each year his income shall be greater than his expenses. He said that this accounted for his large estate and not any mental gift. Whatever it was, be it talent or mental gift, if it weren’t for pioneers like William Drury, America wouldn’t be what it is today. The American pioneers like William fought everything to carve out a life for themselves and to prosper, and I personally think they should be remembered and celebrated, especially today when so many people think the American Dream is no more. If we can persevere like the pioneers of the 1800s, then we can accomplish the impossible and continue what the pioneers began.

A MESSAGE FOR "ANONYMOUS"

Tonight I received the following post:

I would love to tell this person where I got my information but they are "Anonymous" so I have no way to get in touch with them.  I list my email address so people can get in touch with me but please remember that if you want me to respond you have to let me know how to contact you.