Stephen A. Douglas Tomb-- Part 6: His Tomb and Memorial

He was buried in Chicago near Lake Michigan.  Immediately after his death, an association of prominent Chicagoans was formed to oversee the construction of a  suitable tomb and monument for a man of his important stature.  But, they failed to raise the sufficient funds for it.

In 1865, the state of Illinois purchased  the tomb from Douglas' widow, Adele Douglas, for $25,000.  On June 3, 1868, Douglas' remains were placed in the completed portion of the tomb
Leonard Volk, a relative of Douglas, designed the tomb and monument.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed Volk's plans for the unfinished structure.  The tomb was completed in May 1881, at the cost of $90,000.

The memorial was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 28, 1977.    The tomb is maintained by the Illinois Historic Preservation  Agency.

--Old Secesh

Sure Was Nice to Get Together With Civil War Folk Again-- Part 4: Stephen Douglas' Connection to Rose O'Neal Greenhow

Stephen Douglas' first wife, Martha,  died in 1853.  In 1856, he remarried, this time to 20-year-old Adele Cutts who was 23 years younger than him.  She was a Southern woman from Washington, D.C. and daughter of James Madison Cutts, a nephew of former president James Madison. and Ellen O'Neal, , a nice of Rose O'Neil Greenhow, who went on to fame during the Civil War.

Adele had been raised as a Catholic and with Stephen's permission, had his two sons from his first marriage baptized Catholic and raised in that faith.

--Old Secesh