From 1861: Grayslake Men Sign Up for Civil War

It was 150 years ago, on April 12, 1861, that the American Civil War began. At that time, there was no Village of Grayslake but there was Avon Township. Although miles from the conflict, men from the area volunteered to serve. 

They were mostly farmers.  Why did they leave the plow to take up arms?  Reasons vary: to save the Union, to abolish slavery, to have adventure, to experience something different and to serve with relatives and friends. In Avon Township, the latter was often the case. 

Men like Orville Barron and Henry Harvey signed up to serve. They had common roots. Esau Rich, Wells Morrill and Charles Hendee were related.  Where did the men of the area serve?  They were found on the battlefields of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Vicksburg and places between.

What happened to the men?  Here are a few answers:

• Esau Rich, a member of the 96th Illinois Infantry, was killed instantly when he was shot in the head at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. 
• Evangelist J. Gilmore, wrote the unfortunate story in a letter to Esau’s family.  Sadly, Gilmore was later killed at Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia.
• James McCormick, a native of Ireland, joined the 37th Illinois Infantry and was disabled due to “disease of lungs."  He later joined the 29th Iowa Infantry and was disabled due to “disease of eyes." McCormick spent the last years of his life in the Soldier and Sailors Home in Quincy, Illinois.
•  Orville Barron, often called O.P., returned to Avon Township following service with the 96th.  He was an active member of the community and became a member of the committee which brought the annual Soldier and Sailors reunions to the subdivision of Grays Lake.  He was one of the first trustees elected when the subdivision became the Village of Grays Lake in 1895.  After retiring from farming he built the house at 52 Oak Street. 
•  James Litwiller, a member of the 96th, was killed at Resaca, Georgia and is remembered in Avon Cemetery. After the war, Allen B. Whitney of the 96th returned to civilian life and made his living as a baker.
• Aden H. Owen returned to farming after serving in the 146th Illinois Infantry but later took up carpentry.
• Chauncey Morse served with the 37th Illinois Infantry.  He was a captain but was called “Colonel” on the streets of Grayslake.  Although he returned to farming after mustering out, he studied law and practiced with a firm in Waukegan. When he moved to town, he lived at the east end of Park Avenue.  He is buried in Waukegan’s Oakwood Cemetery. 
• Captain Charles O. Hendee of the 134th Illinois Infantry died of disease at Padukah, Kentucky. 
• Henry Dombski devoted his life to farming after serving with the 96th Illinois Infantry. 
• Jerry Smith was a member of the 17th Illinois Calvary and become known as a musician in later life. 

 These are only a few of the stories available about the men of the Avon Township area who served in America’s Civil War. More information is available in the Archives of the Grayslake Historical Society, located in the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum. 

Included is a video of “The Brothers War” a program by David Oberg, which is available for individual viewing. Oberg is also available to present the program to groups. On Sunday, October 2  the annual Grayslake Cemetery Walk hosted by the Grayslake Historical Society will highlight the Civil War.  The cemetery has monuments for 17 Civil War veterans. 

There is currently a lobby display of Civil War mementoes in the Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum. The Center and Museum are open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. and during downtown Grayslake events. 

For more information, call the Grayslake Historical Society at 847-223-7663 or the Grayslake Heritage Center at 847-548-1745.

Contributed by the Grayslake Historical Society.