DeKalb's Fairview Park Cemetery

Henry Beard is buried here as is his wife.

Henry Beard, 1941-1924.  "This former slave was mustered into Company A of the 105th Illinois Infantry Regiment while in Tennessee in 1863.  he served as a cook with the DeKalb Country troops.

"When the war was over, he settled north of Sycamore with his wife who was also a former slave."

The cemetery is located at 1600 S. First Street in DeKalb.

--Old Secesh

105th Illinois Veteran Henry Beard's Carriage Ride to Sycamore in 1916

I wrote a lot about this man in March and April.  He was an escaped slave who joined the 105th Illinois in 1863 and fought with them the rest of the war and followed them back to DeKalb County, settling north of Sycamore and sending his children to a Swedish-speaking school.  He is buried in DeKalb's Fairview Park Cemetery

From the February 24, 2016, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"While going from DeKalb to visit their sons who live near Sycamore, Mr. and Mrs Henry Beard encountered serious difficulties.  Their horse stumbled and fell and broke a thill.

"It could not rise and the aged couple could not raise the animal.  So waiting with patience till assistance came along, the animal at last was raised and sent on the journey."

A thill is part of how a horse is hitched to a wagon or carriage.

Evidently, Henry Beard and his wife had moved to DeKalb and some of their children still lived in Sycamore.

--Old Secesh

Henry Beard, One of First Blacks in Sycamore-- Part 1

Continued from April 27, 2018.

From the March 15, 2011, DeKalb County New Values Magazine  "Henry Beard -- One of the First African Americans to Settle in the Area."

He was born a slave in Kentucky in 1840.  In 1862, the Union Army controlled most of the state and he got his freedom.  He was hard-pressed to find work and a new life, but fortunately for him, the Union regiment stationed in his area was the 105th Illinois Infantry from the DeKalb and Sycamore area.

The unit's commander hired Henry as a laborer and eventually he became cook for the adjutant general of the area.

After the war, he followed his original regimental commander back to Sycamore.  In a 1924 story in the True Republican, Henry Beard was reported as "the original colored citizen of Sycamore."

--Old Secesh

North Grove School in Sycamore and Fairview Cemetery in DeKalb

From the NORTH GROVE SCHOOL site.

Built in 1878 by Swedish immigrants for $230.  They will be having a School Days Open House in June 2018, which  we hope to attend.

This is where the children of Henry and Judy Beard attended school.

FAIRVIEW PARK CEMETERY

1600 S. First Street

This is where Henry and Judy Beard are buried.

Other notables in DeKalb history buried there are Jacob and Sarah Haisch, Ben Gordon, Joseph Glidden (invented barb wire), Annie Glidden and there is a mausoleum for the Elwood family.  10,000 buried there, including a Civil War veteran and the very first Boy Scout in America who died at age 12.

--Old Secesh

North Grove School in Sycamore-- Part 5: Descendants Visit

Henry and Judy beard's children and grandchildren eventually moved out of the area.  Judy outlived Henry by 22 years and eventually moved to town and lived on North Avenue where there is still a tight-knit community where many Blacks live and attend church.

Recently descendants of the Beard family came from Detroit to see the schoolhouse.  Four generations of Henry and Judy beard's son Raymond were at the North Grove School Association's fourth annual North Grove School Days.

They also visited the original five-acre farm and then Fairview Cemetery in DeKalb where Judy eas buried in 1942.

Next year, another branch of the Beard family living in Aurora, Illinois, will visit the annual North Grove School Days.

--Old Secesh

Confederates In DeKalb Saturday

The Camp Douglas Memorial Camp #516 and the Rock Island Memorial Camp #2229 will be having a joint meeting/luncheon this Saturday, September 30, 2017, in DeKalb, Illinois.

That's right, there are Confederate hereditary groups right here in Lincoln's home state.

Both camps are named after Civil War prisons in which Confederates died, some 6,000 at Camp Douglas in Chicago alone.

Steve Quick will give the keynote address on "The Past and Future of the hereditary Societies."

--Old Secesh

Merritt Simonds Post No. 283 GAR, DeKalb, Illinois-- Part 2

From SUV c63

Merritt Simonds joined Company K of the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment on August 4, 1862.  He was a new recruit among battle-hardened veterans.  His first combat was at the Battle of Stone's River where the 42nd lost 161 of 350 engaged.

At the Battle of Chickamauga, they entered action late on September 19 and attacked through the Vinyard Field, but were repulsed with heavy losses.  About noon on September 20, the 42nd and the rest of Sheridan's Division were moving northeast past the Widow Glenn house when they were attacked by Hindman's Division and driven from the field.  The 42nd was driven from the field losing 143 of the 305 troops they had.

Merritt Simonds was one of them.  He was wounded and captured after suffering tremendously and not taken off the field until September 26.

He died on October 29, 1863 and is buried at Chattanooga.

--Old Secesh

Merritt Simonds Post No. 283, GAR in DeKalb, Illinois-- Part 1

The Merritt Simonds Post No. 283, Grand Army of the Republic, DeKalb was organized in 1883 with 22 charter members.  Merritt Simonds of DeKalb fought and died from his wounds at the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, in 1863.

Henry B. Gurler served as its first commander.  Charles F. Beaufire was adjutant and George H. Gurler was quartermaster.

The post disbanded in 1965.  The flagpole must have come from funds left over.

--Old Secesh

Looking Back to 1966: New Flagpole Dedicated at the DeKalb, Illinois, Library by Women's Relief Corps

From the November 16, 2016, MidWeek (DeKalb,Illinois) "Looking Back."

"In a ceremony by the DeKalb Post of the American Legion, the new flag and flagpole of the DeKalb Library was dedicated.  The flagpole was given by the Merritt Simonds Women's Relief Corps No. 60 Auxiliary of Grand Army of the Republic and the flag provided by the DeKalb Elks Lodge No. 765."

Still Around Back Then, Evidently.  --Old Secesh