Gov. John Peter Altgeld, 175 Years

John Peter Altgeld was governor of Illinois in 1893-1897. Born in what is now the Rhineland-Palatinate on December 30, 1847---175 years ago today---he was an infant when his parents emigrated with him to the U.S. As governor he led progressive reforms like child labor laws and workplace safety. Among the several people whom he pardoned were three men convicted in the Haymarket bombing of 1886. He also refused to break up the Pullman railroad strike by force. Controversial in his time, he is considered one of Illinois' best governors, up there with Edward Coles (1822-1826) and Thomas Ford (1842-1846). In my lifetime, at least, Illinois governors have been notorious for getting in trouble with the law. (Photo from: https://primarysourcenexus.org/2013/12/today-history-john-peter-altgeld/)

Stan Lee, 100 Years!

100 years!  Stan Lee was born on this day (as Stanley Lieber) in 1922!  He died in 2018.

(picture from: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/stan-lee)

Of course, comics always makes me think of Capps' Drug Store and the Day 'n' Nite Supermarket in my hometown Vandalia, IL, where I typically bought them. 

 

Wounded Knee Anniversary

"On December 29 [1890], the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry surrounded a band of Ghost Dancers under Big Foot, a Lakota Sioux chief, near Wounded Knee Creek [on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota], and demanded they surrender their weapons. As that was happening, a fight broke out between an Indian and a U.S. soldier and a shot was fired, although it’s unclear from which side. A brutal massacre followed, in which an estimated 150 Indians were killed (some historians put this number at twice as high), nearly half of them women and children. The cavalry lost 25 men.... Some historians speculate that the soldiers of the 7th Cavalry were deliberately taking revenge for the regiment’s defeat at Little Bighorn in 1876."

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/wounded-knee?fbclid=IwAR0E8tdCMXJ3pM0Kr3oWikgFfSIpfqDfrytgs3tUUuWOA5e9emXbVYCJBGM

Actor James Gregory

I meant to post this last week. Actor James Gregory was born December 23, 1911. He was a regular on the series "Barney Miller," the 1959-1961 series "The Lawless Years," and an episode of "Star Trek TOS." He also appeared on stage, and in movies like "The Manchurian Candidate," "PT 109," "Beneath the Planet of the Apes," and others. 

When Emily was a baby and we still lived in Arizona, we were eating supper at a Sedona restaurant. As it turned out, Gregory was also there, a few tables away. (We learned later that he'd retired in Sedona. He died in 2002 and is buried there.) Gregory waved at Emily from his table during the meal. We told him that he was the first celebrity whom she'd met, which pleased him.

(Photo copied under fair use principles.) 

Dakota Indian Tragedy

The largest mass hanging in U.S. history took place 160 years ago yesterday. In the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, 303 Dakotas were tried and sentenced to death, while 16 were given prison terms. President Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 38, who were hanged at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862--two by mistake. 

https://www.usdakotawar.org/history/aftermath/trials-hanging?fbclid=IwAR3_xUPRBQtkkVmUykdYiC-Os6Fc5SSTqwbT7ODnCMO86ZdJ0zi2EuXNULc 

Louis Pasteur: 200 Years!

Don't let this birthday get past your eyes... Chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur was born on this day in 1822! 200 years!

Ava Gardner

Actress Ava Gardner was born 100 years ago, December 24, 1922. She died in 1990. She was alluringly beautiful and an excellent, honored actress. She was a lifelong supporter of civil rights for African Americans. She was born in central North Carolina and is buried there with family members.

 

Thank you, Paul Winchell!

Actor, comedian, ventriloquist, humanitarian, and inventor Paul Winchell was born 100 years ago today! (He died in 2005). Born as Paul Wilchinsky, he hosted several series with his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff. I have fond memories of his show when I was a kid in the late 1960s! Winchell also appeared "solo" on several TV shows. Using his medical training, he invented and patented an artificial heart! As a voice actor, he was famous as the voice of Winnie the Pooh's friend Tigger. 

Rock and Roll!

Disc jockey Alan Freed popularized the term "rock and roll." A DJ in Akron, Cleveland, and New York, he promoted that music on the radio and in concerts. He was one of the organizers of the "The Moondog Coronation Ball" at the Cleveland Arena on March 21, 1952---70 years ago this past spring, This event is considered the first major rock and roll concert. Freed is credited in breaking racial barriers in U.S. popular music and culture. He was born December 15, 1921. 

Copied under fair use principles. 

Governor Edward Coles

Here is an old book that I've had for several years. Elihu Benjamin Washburne (1816-1887) was a noted Illinois Republican congressman, ally of President Lincoln and President Grant, and the U.S. Minister to France in 1869-1877. He is my fourth cousin four times removed. Washburne also wrote this important biography of Illinois’ second governor, Edward Coles. 

Coles was born on this day (December 15) in 1786. A neighbor and associate of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, he was James Madison's secretary. An anti-slavery advocate, Coles urged Jefferson to free his slaves. Coles himself moved to Illinois in 1819 and manumitted 19 of his slaves, obtaining land for them. He was one of a very few slaveowners to entirely manumit his slaves. Coles was elected Illinois governor in 1822 and served until 1826. Vandalia was still in its early days as Illinois' state capital. During his term, Coles led the effort to prevent a constitutional convention that was a potential way by which slavery might be increased in Illinois. It is said that he contributed his gubernatorial salary ($1000 a year) to the anti-convention/anti-slavery effort. Later, Coles was a founding member of Illinois' first historical society. He moved to Philadelphia in the 1830s. Although he didn't resume a political career, he continued his anti-slavery advocacy and lived to see passage of the 13th amendment. He is considered one of the two best governors of early Illinois statehood (the other is Thomas Ford, governor in 1842-1846).

Home for the Holidays

A devotion written for our church to complement the Sunday sermon 

Home for the Holidays

Mark 3:31-35 

As I listened to the Sunday sermon, I thought Pastor Jason made a brilliant point about Jesus and the healing of the leper (Mark 1:40-45). The man was “homeless” in the sense that his disease made him isolated from sympathetic people. When Jesus healed him, the man went and told everyone, contrary to Jesus’ instructions. But I had never thought (until Pastor Jason talked about it) that the man changed Jesus’ sense of home! Jesus could no longer go into town without being mobbed by people needing to see him and to be healed. Jesus’ identity was out and big news!  

Now, as the leper had done, Jesus was obliged to stay in lonely places (although, unlike the leper, his problem was popularity rather than quarantine). One assumes that Jesus missed how things used to be. 

All of us have holiday memories of “home.” When I was growing up over in south-central Illinois, we had cousins who lived in Dutchtown and who subsequently moved out to Crestwood. We exchanged visits throughout the year, but I remember Christmastime visits in particular. My great-aunt Jean liked to do what my mother called a “lightning tour” of visits to her several relatives in the area. My parents usually hosted them, and then we all met out at my grandmother’s farmhouse. 

Aunt Jean died in 1971 when I was 14, and my grandma died the following year. The cousins subsequently moved to Florida--to the chagrin of my parents. I think the cousins extolled the virtues of Florida so frequently that my parents didn't feel very missed. 

But that’s how life is! People move away, and the relationship is no longer the same. Our loved ones die, and we must process their loss. Events intervene to change our sense of home—but we miss how things used to be. We feel those changes keenly during the holiday season. Even the annoying things (like Aunt Jean’s sense of matriarchy) take on a Christmas shine when remembered. 

Another scripture from Mark can help us tremendously, though. In Mark 3:31-35, we read, 

“Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’” 

It's best not to focus on Jesus’ seeming neglect of his family. Maybe he went out to see them after he told this to his followers, after all. But Jesus is telling them (and us) that anyone who does God’s will is Jesus’ family. 

Pastor Jason also talked about Jesus’ call for us to bring healing and help to the world. Many are lonely and even homeless during the holidays. There are many millions of people throughout the world who are refugees from their home countries. None of us can solve the world's problems but, in Jesus’ name, we can serve where we can. In doing God’s will, we’re members of Jesus’ family who can bring others into the comfort of God’s fold. 

Our relationship with Jesus does change over time---because we change, and have new experiences. We grow and regress and return to faith. But Jesus is always faithful. He doesn’t move away and forgets to write. Advent is always a beautiful reminder of his continual, familial presence. 

Prayer, during this Advent season, welcome us into your family in new and deeper ways. Amen.   

A Hero: Yitzhak Zuckerman

Polish Jewish leader Yitzhak Zuckerman realized early the implications of Nazi deportation of Jews. In 1942 he created the Jewish Fighting Organization (Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa; ŻOB) to meet the threat with armed resistance, and to obtain black-market and donated weapons. During the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943, the ZOB smuggled weapons into the ghetto and helped Jews escape. One of the few survivors of that uprising, Zuckerman also participated in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. He emigrated to Israel after the war, and later testified at the Eichmann trial in 1961. Zuckerman was born December 13, 1915. 

Poet Erasmus Darwin

English physician and poet Erasmus Darwin was born on this day in 1731! Here is one of his major works, the two part poem "The Botanical Garden" (1789, 1791). In his poetry, he offered a view of evolution that influenced his grandson Charles. 

Charles wrote and published a short biography of him. Here it is, published by Charles' London publisher John Murray, which published "Origin of Species" and all his several subsequent books.

Vampira at 100

Finnish-American actress Maila Nurmi was born 100 years ago today! (She died in 2008.) Nurmi portrayed the character Vampira on 1950s TV and later, and in Ed Wood's 1959 film, "Plan 9 from Outer Space." Later, the character Elvira was developed on TV and film as a kind of Vampira, with Cassandra Peterson in that role. (photo copied under fair use principles from: http://cultsirens.com/vampira/vampira.htm)

Cesar Franck

Belgian composer-pianist-organist César Franck was born 200 years ago today. Along with a selection of compositions, he is known as a teacher of several notable composers like Chausson, d'Indy, Duparc, Vierne, and others.

 

Redd Foxx

Comedian and actor Redd Foxx was known for his many comedy records, his raunchy nightclub routines, and his roles in film and TV---notably his show "Sanford and Son" (1972-1977). When my folks and I visited cousins in Crestwood, MO during the 1960s, my folks wouldn't let me listen to our cousin's Redd Foxx records. :-) Foxx was born in St Louis (as John Elroy Sanford) on December 9, 1922--100 years ago. 

"Adam W. Snyder in Illinois History"

My first book was a history of my hometown, Vandalia, IL, when it was state capital (1819-1839). While doing the research, one of the books that I enjoyed was Adam W. Snyder and his period in Illinois history, 1817-1842. The author, his son Dr. John F. Snyder, wrote numerous articles about early Illinoisans. Adam W. Snyder served in the Illinois Senate in 1830-1831, 1832-1833, and 1840-1841. He also served Illinois in Congress in 1837-1839. He was the Democratic nominee for Illinois governor when he died in 1842.  

I've had a "second revised edition" of the book for many years. It was published in Virginia, IL in 1906. Although I wasn't searching diligently, I never saw a first edition for sale and wondered if it had been withdrawn by Snyder or was otherwise unavailable.  But recently, I saw a first edition for sale! The text is about the same length in both editions, but the first has no other illustration besides that of Adam Snyder. The second edition has several photographs of Snyder's friends and colleagues. 

Welcome to politics, Lincoln

On this day in 1834, Lincoln began his first political position, as a state legislator in my hometown. He was 25. This page is from that day in the Journal of the House of Representatives of the 9th Illinois General Assembly. His colleague named there, John T. Stuart, became his mentor and later his law partner. The statehouse at the time was a brick building on Fourth Street near Gallatin, about where the Copper Penny Restaurant now stands.