Illinois State Society of Washington, DC

Illinois Hall of Fame: Marguerite Stitt Church

By Mark Rhoads

For all but two years, Marguerite Stitt Church of Evanston was the only female Member of Congress from Illinois from 1951 to 1963. In the last 83 years, only 12 women have represented Illinois in the U.S. House. Three of them are now serving. Eight of the twelve were Republicans and four were Democrats.

In order of election, the women members started with Winifred Sprague Mason Huck (R-Waukegan) in a 1923 special election who served only a few months to fill the vacancy of her father's term. Second was Ruth Hanna McCormick (R-Rockford) elected for one term in 1928 who won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator in 1930 but lost in the fall.  Third was Jesse Sumner (R-Iroquois County) who served from 1939 to 1947. Fourth was Emily Taft Douglas (D-Chicago) who served one term from 1945 to 1947. She was the wife of Marine Corps Lt. Col. Paul H. Douglas who was elected U.S. Senator in 1948 as a Democrat and was defeated 18 years later by Republican Sen. Charles H. Percy in 1966. Fifth was Congresswoman Margueritte Stitt Church (R-Evanston) who succeeded her husband and for whom more details are provided below.

By Mark Rhoads

For all but two years, Marguerite Stitt Church of Evanston was the only female Member of Congress from Illinois from 1951 to 1963. In the last 83 years, only 12 women have represented Illinois in the U.S. House. Three of them are now serving. Eight of the twelve were Republicans and four were Democrats.

In order of election, the women members started with Winifred Sprague Mason Huck (R-Waukegan) in a 1923 special election who served only a few months to fill the vacancy of her father's term. Second was Ruth Hanna McCormick (R-Rockford) elected for one term in 1928 who won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator in 1930 but lost in the fall.  Third was Jesse Sumner (R-Iroquois County) who served from 1939 to 1947. Fourth was Emily Taft Douglas (D-Chicago) who served one term from 1945 to 1947. She was the wife of Marine Corps Lt. Col. Paul H. Douglas who was elected U.S. Senator in 1948 as a Democrat and was defeated 18 years later by Republican Sen. Charles H. Percy in 1966. Fifth was Congresswoman Margueritte Stitt Church (R-Evanston) who succeeded her husband and for whom more details are provided below.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Richard J. Daley

By Mark Rhoads

Mayor Richard Joseph Daley was nationally famous as one of the last of the big city machine bosses and for his impact both positive and negative on the Democratic presidential campaigns of 1960 and 1968.

He was born on May 15, 1902 in Bridgeport on the South Side of Chicago. He was the only child of Irish-Catholic immigrants, Michael Daley who was a sheet metal worker and Lillian Dunne Daley. Richard attended Catholic grammar school and De LaSalle High School. While he was in college Daley worked as a stockyards cowboy and as a clerk in the Cook County Controller's office. He studied law at night at DePaul University School of Law and graduated in 1933. He was admitted to the Illinois bar but never earned his living in the practice of law. On June 23 1936, Daley married Eleanor Guilfoyle (Sis).  Richard was actually elected as a Republican to the office of state representative from the Ninth District in 1936.  Here's how that happened.

By Mark Rhoads

Mayor Richard Joseph Daley was nationally famous as one of the last of the big city machine bosses and for his impact both positive and negative on the Democratic presidential campaigns of 1960 and 1968.

He was born on May 15, 1902 in Bridgeport on the South Side of Chicago. He was the only child of Irish-Catholic immigrants, Michael Daley who was a sheet metal worker and Lillian Dunne Daley. Richard attended Catholic grammar school and De LaSalle High School. While he was in college Daley worked as a stockyards cowboy and as a clerk in the Cook County Controller's office. He studied law at night at DePaul University School of Law and graduated in 1933. He was admitted to the Illinois bar but never earned his living in the practice of law. On June 23 1936, Daley married Eleanor Guilfoyle (Sis).  Richard was actually elected as a Republican to the office of state representative from the Ninth District in 1936.  Here's how that happened.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Hillary Rodham Clinton

By Mark Rhoads

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) was born in Chicago on Oct. 26, 1947 to Hugh and Dorothy Rodham. Her father was the son of English parents who won a football scholarship at Pennsylvania State University. Hugh worked in the textile supply indsutry and was a successful provider for his family. The Rodhams lived for many years at 235 Wisner Street in Park Ridge when Hillary was growing up. Hillary was the first child and she had two younger brothers, Hugh, Jr. and Tony. She is the fourth First Lady to have lived for more than ten years in Illinois. The other three were Mary Todd Lincoln, Julia Dent Grant, and Nancy Davis Reagan. Mrs. Betty Ford was born in Chicago but raised in Michigan.

Hillary Rodham had a fairly normal childhood in an above average income suburb. She was a member of the Girl Scouts and was very active in a youth group at the Methodist Church. Many biographers have credited ministers at her church with instilling in Hillary and some of her youth group friends a very strong sense of duty to work for social and civic reforms.

While she was a student at Maine East Township High School, Hillary was a good student who was also active in food drives and in student government. But she was not always serious. Her brothers played football and Hillary played tennis, softball, and volleyball. When she graduated from Maine East in 1965, she was a member of the National Honor Society.

By Mark Rhoads

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) was born in Chicago on Oct. 26, 1947 to Hugh and Dorothy Rodham. Her father was the son of English parents who won a football scholarship at Pennsylvania State University. Hugh worked in the textile supply indsutry and was a successful provider for his family. The Rodhams lived for many years at 235 Wisner Street in Park Ridge when Hillary was growing up. Hillary was the first child and she had two younger brothers, Hugh, Jr. and Tony. She is the fourth First Lady to have lived for more than ten years in Illinois. The other three were Mary Todd Lincoln, Julia Dent Grant, and Nancy Davis Reagan. Mrs. Betty Ford was born in Chicago but raised in Michigan.

Hillary Rodham had a fairly normal childhood in an above average income suburb. She was a member of the Girl Scouts and was very active in a youth group at the Methodist Church. Many biographers have credited ministers at her church with instilling in Hillary and some of her youth group friends a very strong sense of duty to work for social and civic reforms.

While she was a student at Maine East Township High School, Hillary was a good student who was also active in food drives and in student government. But she was not always serious. Her brothers played football and Hillary played tennis, softball, and volleyball. When she graduated from Maine East in 1965, she was a member of the National Honor Society.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Bob Woodward

By Mark Rhoads

Washington Post investigative reporter and author Bob Woodward was born in Geneva, Illinois on March 26, 1943.  He was raised in Wheaton and graduated in 1961 from what was then called the Wheaton Community High School. His mother was Jane Woodward and his father was Judge Alfred E. Woodward, a circuit court judge of the 19th Circuit in Du Page County. Judge Woodward was first elected as a Republican. Other members of Bob's family including his uncle practiced law in Wheaton and the family was considered prominent in Wheaton long before Bob went to college.

Classmate Craig Simpson, who was campaign manager for Bob's losing campaign for student council president in high school, told one biographer, Adrian Havill, that "He was always well-intended but remote...In many ways, he was like Nixon."

By Mark Rhoads

Washington Post investigative reporter and author Bob Woodward was born in Geneva, Illinois on March 26, 1943.  He was raised in Wheaton and graduated in 1961 from what was then called the Wheaton Community High School. His mother was Jane Woodward and his father was Judge Alfred E. Woodward, a circuit court judge of the 19th Circuit in Du Page County. Judge Woodward was first elected as a Republican. Other members of Bob's family including his uncle practiced law in Wheaton and the family was considered prominent in Wheaton long before Bob went to college.

Classmate Craig Simpson, who was campaign manager for Bob's losing campaign for student council president in high school, told one biographer, Adrian Havill, that "He was always well-intended but remote...In many ways, he was like Nixon."

Illinois Hall of Fame: John D.MacArthur

By Mark Rhoads

John D. MacArthur was a rags-to-riches success story in the tradition of the author Horatio Alger.  He came from humble beginnings to be the CEO and sole stockholder of Banker's Life and Casualty which he founded in Chicago in 1935. At the time of his death, he was one of the three richest men in America. He was the founder of The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation based in Chicago.

MacArthur was born on March 6, 1897 in the small minging town of Pittston, Pennsylvania ten miles south of Scranton. He was the youngest of seven children born to William Telfer and Georgiana Welstead MacArthur.  His father was a missionary and Baptist minister. The family was poor and for a while they lived in New York City.  They then moved to Chicago where John attended grammar school and some high school but he quit school at 16.

MacArthur served in World War I with the British Royal Flying Corps rather than with American forces. He came back to Chicago to work with his brother Alfred MacArthur for National Life Insurance Company. For a while, he worked with his other brother Charles MacAthur, the journalist and playwrite, at The Chicago Herald Examiner, but returned to insurance in less than a year. Charles wrote The Front Page with Ben Hecht and his second wife was actress Helen Hayes. John acquired control of Marquette Life Insurance of Jerseyville, Illinois in 1928. The company survived the Depression and in 1935 John purchased ownership of Banker's Life and Casualty which became the foundation of his later personal fortune.

By Mark Rhoads

John D. MacArthur was a rags-to-riches success story in the tradition of the author Horatio Alger.  He came from humble beginnings to be the CEO and sole stockholder of Banker's Life and Casualty which he founded in Chicago in 1935. At the time of his death, he was one of the three richest men in America. He was the founder of The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation based in Chicago.

MacArthur was born on March 6, 1897 in the small minging town of Pittston, Pennsylvania ten miles south of Scranton. He was the youngest of seven children born to William Telfer and Georgiana Welstead MacArthur.  His father was a missionary and Baptist minister. The family was poor and for a while they lived in New York City.  They then moved to Chicago where John attended grammar school and some high school but he quit school at 16.

MacArthur served in World War I with the British Royal Flying Corps rather than with American forces. He came back to Chicago to work with his brother Alfred MacArthur for National Life Insurance Company. For a while, he worked with his other brother Charles MacAthur, the journalist and playwrite, at The Chicago Herald Examiner, but returned to insurance in less than a year. Charles wrote The Front Page with Ben Hecht and his second wife was actress Helen Hayes. John acquired control of Marquette Life Insurance of Jerseyville, Illinois in 1928. The company survived the Depression and in 1935 John purchased ownership of Banker's Life and Casualty which became the foundation of his later personal fortune.

Illinois Hall of Fame: James L. Kraft

By Mark Rhoads

At age 29 in 1903, James Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods, found himself stranded in Chicago with $65 in his pocket. The Canadian-born businessman had come to Chicago to check on a branch of a Buffalo, New York cheese company that he worked for. But while he was in Chicago his colleagues dissolved their partnership with him. 

Kraft invested his $65 in a horse named "Paddy" and a wagon and started a new food distribution business. Everyday he bought cheeses from warehouses on South Water Street. He knew how perishable cheese was and he wanted to resell fresh cheese to small grocery stores as fast as he could as early in the day as possible. The service was valuable to merchants who did not have the time to make the trip themselves and Kraft the man and his company soon prospered. Just six years later in 1909 his brothers John, Charles, Fred, and Norman were all working for James Kraft as president of a new company called JL Kraft Bros Co.

Mr. Kraft's investment of $65 in Paddy the horse and a wagon grew over the years.  At present, Kraft Foods is the second-largest food and beverage company in the world with net revenues of $34 billion and more than 94,000 employees in 70 countries. The company headqarters is still based in Illinois with offices in Northfield.

By Mark Rhoads

At age 29 in 1903, James Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods, found himself stranded in Chicago with $65 in his pocket. The Canadian-born businessman had come to Chicago to check on a branch of a Buffalo, New York cheese company that he worked for. But while he was in Chicago his colleagues dissolved their partnership with him. 

Kraft invested his $65 in a horse named "Paddy" and a wagon and started a new food distribution business. Everyday he bought cheeses from warehouses on South Water Street. He knew how perishable cheese was and he wanted to resell fresh cheese to small grocery stores as fast as he could as early in the day as possible. The service was valuable to merchants who did not have the time to make the trip themselves and Kraft the man and his company soon prospered. Just six years later in 1909 his brothers John, Charles, Fred, and Norman were all working for James Kraft as president of a new company called JL Kraft Bros Co.

Mr. Kraft's investment of $65 in Paddy the horse and a wagon grew over the years.  At present, Kraft Foods is the second-largest food and beverage company in the world with net revenues of $34 billion and more than 94,000 employees in 70 countries. The company headqarters is still based in Illinois with offices in Northfield.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Jimmy Connors

By Mark Rhoads

There was a time early in his career when he was considered by sports writers to be a maverick and a bad boy on the tennis court. He was given the moniker "The Brash Basher of Belleville." But he mellowed over time and for the last two decades has become highly regarded as a gentleman and an icon of the game as well as one of its leading advocates.

Former American tennis champion Jimmy Connors was born in East St. Louis, Illinois on Sept. 2, 1952 and was raised in Belleville. His grandfather on his father's side had served as the mayor of Belleville and Jimmy's mother Gloria was his primary tennis coach. She did a great job because Jimmy became one of the best tennis players of all time. He was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998.

For a little more than three consecutive years from July 1974 to August 1977, Jimmy was continuously the Number 1 tennis player in the world. He was also Number 1 at eight other times in his career. Jimmy won eight Grand Slam singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles titles. During his 20 years of active playing, Jimmy won 140 singles titles and five U.S. Open titles. He was also the founder of the men's senior tour in he 1990s for players over the age of 35. Connors created a record that may never be broken by winning three U.S. Open titles on three different surfaces including grass, hard court, and har-tru.

Illinois Hall of Fame: William Wrigley, Jr.

By Mark Rhoads

William Wrigley, Jr. was the founder of Wrigley Gum, a former owner of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, and the owner and developer of Catalina Island in California.  He was born Sept. 30, 1861 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where his father was in the soap business.  William dropped out of school in 1874 at only 13 to help in that business. He prided himself on being an enthusiastic salesman and promoter.

According to legend, he arrived in Chicago from Philadelphia in 1891 with $32 in his pocket.  He started selling Wrigley Scouring Soap, a product made by his father. In the soap, he included baking powder as a premium to induce merchants and customers to buy the soap. But the baking powder proved to be a more popular product than the soap so he switched to selling the powder. The same thing happened when he included chewing gum as a premium with the baking powder, and then the gum proved more popular still so he focused on that product instead.

By Mark Rhoads

William Wrigley, Jr. was the founder of Wrigley Gum, a former owner of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, and the owner and developer of Catalina Island in California.  He was born Sept. 30, 1861 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where his father was in the soap business.  William dropped out of school in 1874 at only 13 to help in that business. He prided himself on being an enthusiastic salesman and promoter.

According to legend, he arrived in Chicago from Philadelphia in 1891 with $32 in his pocket.  He started selling Wrigley Scouring Soap, a product made by his father. In the soap, he included baking powder as a premium to induce merchants and customers to buy the soap. But the baking powder proved to be a more popular product than the soap so he switched to selling the powder. The same thing happened when he included chewing gum as a premium with the baking powder, and then the gum proved more popular still so he focused on that product instead.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Henry Regnery, Sr.

By Mark Rhoads

It is hard to imagine a more important leader in the American conservative movement in the last half of the 20th Century than Henry Regnery.  Henry and his Chicago-based publishing company were the essential elements in giving new conservative professors and authors a means to share their ideas with the reading public.  Before Henry, it was extremely difficult for conservative authors to find any publisher for their work. Those ideas eventually laid the intellectual groundwork for Sen. Barry Goldwater's campaign in 1964 and the presidential administration of Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989.

Mr. Regnery was born on Jan. 5, 1912 in Hinsdale, Illinois. He graduated from MIT in 1933 with a B.S. in mathematics. He spent two years studying at the University of Bonn, Germany but returned to America in 1935 to study economics at Harvard University. In about 1937, Regnery was an active member of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that was then active in helping jobless victims of the Depression. Regnery helped to start, and then later ran, a knitting mill in western Pennsylvania to provide jobs for unemployed coal miners.

In 1947, he founded Henry Regnery Company book publishers in Chicago to help conservative authors. But the company published other works as well including poetry.  Among the early conservative books were God and Man at Yale by William F. Buckley, Jr and The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, Witness by Whitaker Chambers, and The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry M. Goldwater.  The company also published works for the University of Chicago.

Books written by Regnery himself include Creative Chicago: From the Chap-Book to the University and Cliff Dwellers: The History of a Chicago Cultural Institution. Mr. Regnery played the cello and loved music.  He was a long-time member and benefactor of the American Conservatory of Music.

By Mark Rhoads

It is hard to imagine a more important leader in the American conservative movement in the last half of the 20th Century than Henry Regnery.  Henry and his Chicago-based publishing company were the essential elements in giving new conservative professors and authors a means to share their ideas with the reading public.  Before Henry, it was extremely difficult for conservative authors to find any publisher for their work. Those ideas eventually laid the intellectual groundwork for Sen. Barry Goldwater's campaign in 1964 and the presidential administration of Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989.

Mr. Regnery was born on Jan. 5, 1912 in Hinsdale, Illinois. He graduated from MIT in 1933 with a B.S. in mathematics. He spent two years studying at the University of Bonn, Germany but returned to America in 1935 to study economics at Harvard University. In about 1937, Regnery was an active member of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that was then active in helping jobless victims of the Depression. Regnery helped to start, and then later ran, a knitting mill in western Pennsylvania to provide jobs for unemployed coal miners.

In 1947, he founded Henry Regnery Company book publishers in Chicago to help conservative authors. But the company published other works as well including poetry.  Among the early conservative books were God and Man at Yale by William F. Buckley, Jr and The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, Witness by Whitaker Chambers, and The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry M. Goldwater.  The company also published works for the University of Chicago.

Books written by Regnery himself include Creative Chicago: From the Chap-Book to the University and Cliff Dwellers: The History of a Chicago Cultural Institution. Mr. Regnery played the cello and loved music.  He was a long-time member and benefactor of the American Conservatory of Music.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Octave Chanute

By Mark Rhoads

Octave Chanute was one of America's pioneering civil engineers who designed the Union Stock Yards in Chicago in 1865 and was chief civil engineer for the Chicago and Alton Railroad. He also designed the Illinois River Rail Bridge at Peoria and he was a past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Chanute lived in Chicago the last 21 years of his life from 1889 to 1910, where he devoted his time to research in aeronautic principles and to building gliders and flying machines. He became an adviser to Orville and Wilbur Wright on their efforts to build a powered aeroplane starting in 1899. The former Chanute Air Force Base near Rantoul, Illinois was named in his honor as is the current Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum at Rantoul.

Chanute was born in Paris, France on Feb. 18, 1832. His family moved to a Louisiana in 1838 where his father Joseph was Vice President and Professor of History at Jefferson College. The family moved again to New York in 1846 and in 1848 the sixteen-year old Octave took a job as a chainman on the Hudson River Railroad. He started training as a railroad civil engineer in 1849 and became an American citizen in 1854. He married Annie Riddel James in 1857 and was named Chief Civil Engineer of the Chicago and Alton Railroad in 1863. He won the design competition for the Chicago Union Stock Yards in 1865 and also designed the Kansas City Stock Yards in 1871.

By Mark Rhoads

Octave Chanute was one of America's pioneering civil engineers who designed the Union Stock Yards in Chicago in 1865 and was chief civil engineer for the Chicago and Alton Railroad. He also designed the Illinois River Rail Bridge at Peoria and he was a past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Chanute lived in Chicago the last 21 years of his life from 1889 to 1910, where he devoted his time to research in aeronautic principles and to building gliders and flying machines. He became an adviser to Orville and Wilbur Wright on their efforts to build a powered aeroplane starting in 1899. The former Chanute Air Force Base near Rantoul, Illinois was named in his honor as is the current Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum at Rantoul.

Chanute was born in Paris, France on Feb. 18, 1832. His family moved to a Louisiana in 1838 where his father Joseph was Vice President and Professor of History at Jefferson College. The family moved again to New York in 1846 and in 1848 the sixteen-year old Octave took a job as a chainman on the Hudson River Railroad. He started training as a railroad civil engineer in 1849 and became an American citizen in 1854. He married Annie Riddel James in 1857 and was named Chief Civil Engineer of the Chicago and Alton Railroad in 1863. He won the design competition for the Chicago Union Stock Yards in 1865 and also designed the Kansas City Stock Yards in 1871.