Gallery
Society members Jim DeGroff, Bill Johnson and Bill Wilson presented the
Society's historic flag program to a 3rd grade class at Columbus School in Edwardsville.
VPG-IL Charles Schweizer presented the ROTC service ribbon to Army Cadet Casey Fay at an award ceremony at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on April 26, 2012
War of 1812 Remembrance Day Proclamation
Alton IL
May 9, 2012
On May 9, 2012, Jim DeGroff (second from left) listens as Alton, Illinois Mayor Tom Hoechst reads Proclamation declaring June 18, 2012 as War of 1812 Remembrance Day. Also shown are Lola DeGroff (left), Julie Worthen, president of Kaskaskia Chapter USD1812, and Julie's son.
Historic Flag Program
presented at Ft Lamotte Days,
Palestine, IL,
April 29, 2012
Illinois Society members Bill Wilson (right) and Bill Johnson (second from left) presented the Society's historic flag program.
Presenting Honorary Membership
to Author Gillum Ferguson
April 12, 2012
Robert Ridenour, Vice President General of Illinois Charles Schweizer, and Bill Wilson (all members of the Illinois Society) are shown looking on. At right, Illinois Society President Jim DeGroff presents a certificate of Honorary Membership in the Illinois Society to Illinois in the War of 1812 author Gillum Ferguson.
Grave Marking for Aaron Badgley
Badgley Cemetery near Swansea, Illinois
November 20, 2011
Member Bill Johnson participated in the 200th anniversary
of the Battle of Tippecanoe, Nov. 2011
Members and prospective members of the Illinois Society War of 1812 presented a historic flag program during the Grande Levee Harvest Festival in Vandalia, Illinois on September 23, 2011. The festival is held on the grounds of historic Vandalia Statehouse, the oldest state capitol building in Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln served in the House of Representatives.
September 17, 2011. Jim DeGroff (right) receives a replacement charter for the Illinois Society from National President Brig. Gen. M. Hall Worthington. The presentation occurred during the National Society's Triennial Convention in Charleston, S.C.
On September 11, 2011, Society members were part of the color guard honoring War of 1812 veteran Isham Reavis at Old Edwards Cemetery, Fayette County, Illinois. Marking of the Reavis grave was conducted by the Kaskaskia Chapter, U.S. Daughters of 1812.
Members of the Society participated in a program held at historic
Pere Marquette in Grafton, Illinois. Here Jim DeGroff displays the 15 star,
15 stripe flag immortalized by Frances Scott Key.
State Society Chaplain was the featured speaker at the Pere
Marquette event. He gave historic information about
Samuel Whiteside, who as an ensign was assigned
nearby at what was then the Illinois Blockhouse.
Members of the society participated in the
grave marking ceremony conducted by the Sanagamon River Chapter, USD1812 for Samuel Ashmore on July 16, 2011, in Berry Cemetery, Oakland, Illinois.
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 39.67111, Longitude: -88.01472
Samuel Ashmore was born in 1775 in St. Paul's Parish, George to James and Eliabeth (Balch) Ashmore. He was mustered into service on
January 28, 1814, at Fayetteville, Tennessee. He was one of the many troops quickly utilized by Andrew Jackson. Jackson's army left Fort Strother on March 14, 1814 and traveled to a point on the Coosa River, then marched about 50 miles in a southeasterly direction to the Creek stronghold called Horseshoe Bend. The battle of Horseshoe Bend occurred on March 27th. Samuel Ashmore died in 1836.
Many members of the Illinois Society War of 1812 participated in an 1812 Academy at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield on July 9, 2011. The day's events included presentations for men and women, including clothing and accoutrements, weapons, history of militia/rangers, and drills.
Society officer Jim DeGroff gave a presentation to the Vandalia Senior Citizens
on July 15, 2011. They had many questions about events being planned to
commemorate the war.
The Illinois Society War of 1812 and the Kaskaskia Chapter,
USD 1812 held a Flag Day ceremony in front of the
Bond Co. Court House on Flag Day
June 14, 2011
Illinois Society ROTC Chairman Dale Bottom presents the
ROTC medal to Adam Denno during a ceremony at
Northern Illinois University on
May 5, 2011
Grave marking for four War of 1812 soldiers,
Sulphur Springs Cemetery
Morgan County, Illinois
May 6, 2011
Ancil Cox was born in Henry County Virginia, June 11, 1791. He
enlisted in Colonel Richard Johnson's regiment of Kentucky militia of mounted men. He married Mary Buchanan in November 1816 and in 1819 relocated settling by the forks of Silver Creek in Madison County, Illinois. The following year
the family moved to Morgan County. After his first wife's death, he remarried to Lucy H. Palmer. Ancil Cox died on January 14, 1873 and is buried in the Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
Andrew Sample was born March 17, 1798 in Kentucky to parents David and Mary (Townsend) Sample. Andrew's parents moved to Madison County, Illinois in 1808. In 1815, he enlisted in Captain Samuel Whiteside's Company of Illinois Militia, as his father and three older brothers had done earlier. He married Nancy Wood on April 12, 1821. Shortly after that, he moved to Morgan County, Illinois. Nancy died May 2, 1855 and on January 15, 1856, I married Mary J. (Boyer) Buchanan. Andrew Sample died June 13, 1880 and is buried in Sulphur Springs Cemetery next to his first wife, Nancy.
David Sample was born about 1770 in South Carolina. Sometime before 1789 some family members emigrated to Fayette County, Kentucky. He married Mary (Polly) Townsend in 1791. Shortly after marrying, David joined Captain Blair Ballard's Kentucky Volunteers and served in what was commonly known as General Anthony Wayne's Indian Wars of 1792-1793. The family emigrated to St. Clair County, then to Madison County Illinois. During the War of 1812, he and several of his sons (Benjamin, William, John and Andrew) volunteered and served in Captain Samuel Whiteside's Company of Mounted Riflemen (Illinois Militia) He served from August 22 to November 13, 1812. David Sample again moved to Morgan County Illinois where he settled in Mauvisterre Township. He died on June 28 1829 and was buried in Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
Richard Samuel Wood was born in 1781 in Amherst, Virginia. His family moved to Kentucky. It was there he married Celia Gregory in 1803. When the war broke out, Richard served in Captain Mason Singleton's Company, Colonel George Trotter's First Regiment. He was mustered August 30, 1813 at Newport and was in the Battle of the Thames. He moved his family to Illinois and settled on Silver Creek in Madison County. His wife died of bilious fever in November 1819. He then married Mrs. Hester Hodson Conlee on January 1, 1819. Richard moved his family to Morgan County in 1821. He died June 20, 1865 and is buried in Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
(From left) Color guard members Bill Wilson, Robert Ridenour, Dale Phillips, Jim DeGroff, and Bill Johnson. Phillips is a regional director for the Illinois War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. The others are all members of the Illinois Society of the War of 1812.
Grave marking for Bailey Gough, April 30, 2011
Hardin Cemetery, Green County, Illinois
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 39.3206021
Longitude: -90.2645603
Three members of the Illinois Society War of 1812 served as
color guard for the grave marking.
Bailey Gough was born in Virginia in 1775. He married Dulley Hensley on
October 7, 1799 in Fauquier County, Virginia. She was the daughter of Enoch Hensley and Elizabeth Stout. Bailey left Virginia about 1802 and moved
to Butler County, Ohio, where he served as a private in Lanier's Volunteer Battalion of Ohio Militia as an infantryman. Bailey Gough had land grants from the United States government signed by President Andrew Jackson in 1827 and in 1830. His land was on the spot where the cemetery is located. He died on September 14, 1844.
Burton Showers presents the Society's
ROTC award to Cadet James Greene during ceremonies for Wheaton College
at Cantigny Park on April 29, 2011
Illinois Society President Charles Schweizer presents the Society's
ROTC award to Cadet Michael Derick during ceremonies held at
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on April 28, 2011
Grave marking for William Pursley, October 10, 2010
Allmon Cemetery, Salem, Illinois (click on image for larger view)
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude 38.707778
Longitude -88.942222
William Pursley was
born in York Co., S.C., in 1778. He married Lydia Little.
William died in the spring of 1828.
Plaque reads: William Pursley, Sgt War of 1812 Capt Samuel Whiteside's Co.
William Pursley, wife Lydia and children were living at Hill's Fort, Bond Co., IL when on September 8, 1814, thirteen men made up of Rangers and civilians left the fort and were ambushed by a large party of Indians. A fierce battle was fought, four men were killed and two severely injured, one was Tom Higgins who was near death fighting three Indians. Seeing this Lydia Pursley grabbed her husband's horse and gun and rode out of the fort to aid hin.
Spurred by her actions others joined in Ton's successful rescue.
In 1820 William moved his family to this site where he purchased 160 acres in 1823. He died in 1828 and is buried here on his farm. Lydia raised their 11 children and in 1850 with her two sons, John and William D. and families, moved to Texas where she died about 1860 in Navarro County.
Below are several video feeds from the ceremony.
Grave marking for James Jones, October 10, 2010
Sandy Branch Cemetery, Foster Township, Marion Co., Illinois (click on image for larger view)
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude 38.7750477 38° 46' 30" N
Longitude -88.9311689 88° 55' 52" W
William died in the spring of 1828.
Plaque reads: William Pursley, Sgt War of 1812 Capt Samuel Whiteside's Co.
William Pursley, wife Lydia and children were living at Hill's Fort, Bond Co., IL when on September 8, 1814, thirteen men made up of Rangers and civilians left the fort and were ambushed by a large party of Indians. A fierce battle was fought, four men were killed and two severely injured, one was Tom Higgins who was near death fighting three Indians. Seeing this Lydia Pursley grabbed her husband's horse and gun and rode out of the fort to aid hin.
Spurred by her actions others joined in Ton's successful rescue.
In 1820 William moved his family to this site where he purchased 160 acres in 1823. He died in 1828 and is buried here on his farm. Lydia raised their 11 children and in 1850 with her two sons, John and William D. and families, moved to Texas where she died about 1860 in Navarro County.
Below are several video feeds from the ceremony.
Grave marking for James Jones, October 10, 2010
Sandy Branch Cemetery, Foster Township, Marion Co., Illinois (click on image for larger view)
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude 38.7750477 38° 46' 30" N
Longitude -88.9311689 88° 55' 52" W
James Jones was born in Georgia in 1795. He migrated to Illinois where he married Laura Llewellyn near Keysport, Clinton Co., IL. James served with Captain Short'ls Rangers. Above are some members of the Jones family in front of the stone honoring his service during War of 1812.
Below is some video from the ceremony.
This mannequin and uniform was donated to the Illinois State Military Museum in
Springfield, Illinois by the Illinois War of 1812 Society. It remains on display there.