Legendary Locals Of Decatur

A working-class city of 75,000 people on the banks of the Sangamon River and its largest lake, Decatur has a reputation for outstanding individuals with a strong community spirit and an unashamed sense of patriotism. To borrow a phrase from Adm. Chester Nimitz, in Decatur, uncommon dedication is a common virtue. Harold Miller fought at Iwo Jima with a Marine tank battalion, before serving 32 years on the Decatur Police Department. Wayne and Leslie Kent, ministers at First Christian Church, risked their freedom to bring music and encouragement to oppressed believers in the Soviet Union and Poland. George Halas, a Navy veteran, was player-coach for the Decatur Staleys football team (later the Chicago Bears), a charter franchise in the professional association that would become the NFL. Bob Fallstrom, a World War II soldier before working as a newspaper reporter and editor in Decatur for more than 65 years, has promoted numerous community causes. Legendary Locals of Decatur pays tribute to those who have made this community truly unique.

Elizabeth City is rich in legend and lore. The pirate Blackbeard was a frequent visitor to the area, selling his ill-gotten goods to a willing populace. The Wright brothers made Elizabeth City the first leg of their trips to Kitty Hawk, and they bought materials to build their flying machine from Kramer Brothers, a local lumberyard. Champion nine-ball player Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter was born and died here. Young "Beautiful Nell" Cropsey was murdered in 1901; her death is the town's most enduring mystery. Newspaperman W.O. Saunders, editor of the Independent, was known nationally after he walked down New York's Fifth Avenue in pajamas to protest uncomfortable work attire. Young Tamsen Donner, a member of the ill-fated Donner Party, was a teacher here in the 1830s. Fred Fearing's Rose Buddies welcomed boaters to Elizabeth City with homegrown roses and wine and cheese parties. He has entertained Walter Cronkite and Willard Scott, among other luminaries. These are just a few of the stories, mysteries, and legends of Elizabeth City's past and present.

Peoria harkens back to the 1670s glory days of the French voyageurs and became the now-familiar face of Americana—its townsfolk have touched every aspect of national and international life, often significantly. In comedy, Fibber McGee and Molly, Charles Correll, Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison, and even Bishop Sheen with his witty homilies have made Peoria the “Habitat of Humor.” Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique jump-started the 1960s feminist movement, while Philip José Farmer’s The Lovers rocked the 1950s sci-fi universe. Dr. C.T. Vivian, Dr. Romeo Garrett, and John Gwynn Jr. held the frontline against racism. Representing the best of society’s core values, Barb and Dick Hammond founded Friends of the Children of Haiti, a medical organization tending to the year-round needs of the earth’s poorest. And unheralded Bill Noel has shouldered the sorrows and burdens of others who have leaned on him for decades. When it comes to all the legendary locals, they play in Peoria . . . and the world.

Denton, Texas, was founded in 1857 because residents needed a location near the geographic center of Denton County to house a county seat. The city is located 39 miles north of two larger cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, and the three of them form what is often referred to as the Golden Triangle. Denton, the peak of that triangle, is the North Star, and its residents, past and present, certainly are superstarssuperstars such as Bob Rogers, the beloved Piano Man; Mary Evelyn Blagg Huey, a quintessential leader; and Hal Jackson, an ace war hero and lawyer. Their accomplishments burst forth from the chapters of this book to outshine others with their generosity, talents, skills, community activism, adventurous spirits, energy, civic pride, business acumen, courage, and creativity. Citizens of Denton are proud to say, Our history defines our community. The images and words between these covers illustrate why it should be added, And our people define our history.

In search of opportunity and freedom from oppression, European emigrants boarded ships, leaving behind their ancestral homes. They carved new lives from the unknown wilderness in the American South. The Speegle family settled in what would become southwest Cullman County, and the Brindley family claimed lands to the north. From the historic Streight's Raid exploit of the Civil War to the agricultural and social development of this region of northern Alabama, these early pioneers marched into history. In 1865, Col. Johann G. Cullmann, who was disillusioned with the anarchism in his native Germany, also sought new opportunity in America, eventually settling in Alabama. After being enticed by Colonel Cullmann's descriptive words of the area's virgin timber and fertile soils, five German families joined him. Encouraged by what they found, optimism flourished, word spread, and Cullman County's destiny was set. Its growth has been constant, and, today, its expansion is propelling the area to new heights of economic prominence.

Coventry was originally part of the Shawomet Purchase deeded to Samuel Gorton. People like Francis Brayton and Joseph Bucklin petitioned the Rhode Island General Assembly to form the new town. During the Industrial Revolution, John Jenckes Kilton and Searles Capwell played roles in the development of mills and businesses. Today, Coventry boasts many second-generation businesses including Crystal Cleansers, owned by William Marcotte, and Maguire Lace & Warping, run by James Maguire alongside his father, Joseph Maguire. Coventry is home to several independently operated businesses as well, such as All Booked Up, owned by Deana Borges, and Summit General Store, owned by the Skaling family. Educators such as Peter Stetson and Julie Lima Boyle followed in the footsteps of Carrie Ina Shippee and Mary Harvey. Many of Coventry's men and women have answered the call to serve their country, including George Potter and Mary Agnes Delehantey. Not many towns can claim as their own a swimmer of the English Channel, a girl who was an ambassador to Alaska, and a recipient of a Field & Stream award.

Sweet Auburn! The loveliest village of the plain. This line from an Oliver Goldsmith poem is believed to have inspired the naming of Auburn, Indiana. Known as "The Home of the Classics" in honor of the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg automobiles built by citizens of the city from the early 1900s through 1937, this classic theme runs deep within the people who shaped the very fabric of the community. These locals--like Martha "the Popcorn Lady" Falka, Glenn T. Rieke, Charles Eckhart, William McIntosh, Dr. Bonnell Souder, Irene Bisel, Rollie Muhn, John Martin Smith, and others--dedicated themselves to "Auburn Forever with Honest Endeavor." They advanced a legacy first envisioned for the "loveliest village of the plain" and nurtured its vibrant heritage. Legendary Locals of Auburn explores the stories of these men and women and offers an insightful look into Auburn's remarkable contributions to American culture.

Fort Wayne sits astride the confluence where the St. Joseph and St. Mary’s Rivers form the Maumee River. Though occupied for over 10,000 years, its modern history begins just over 200 years ago with Gen. Anthony Wayne and his Miami nemesis, Chief Little Turtle. The pageant of Fort Wayne’s history includes traders, industrialists, politicians, athletes, and movie stars. Included here are such notables as Hollywood’s Carole Lombard and Shelley Long, Ian Rolland of Lincoln Life, Big Boy’s Alex Azar, gangster Homer Van Meter, football’s Rod Woodson, inventor Philo Farnsworth, and over 150 more.