Who you’ll meet at the Elgin Cemetery Walk

Take a ghostly tour through history when the Elgin Area Historical Society holds its 26th annual Cemetery Walk from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Blvd. on Elgin’s east side.

This year’s walk will feature dramatic portrayals of former Elginites such as Edward Szula, an early professional parachute jumper; Mary Stewart, a 19th-century woman who fostered a former slave child; Louis Blum, owner of Blum’s Ice Cream Parlor; Levi Tennant, Civil War African American soldier in the 106th U.S. Colored Troops; Annie Tallent, Black Hills gold rush pioneer; and Polly Rutland, a freed slave who arrived in Elgin in 1862.

Edward Szula (1914-1970)

Szula will be portrayed by August Conte. One of two “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” personalities from Elgin, Edward Szula stepped from an airplane in 1938 with the intent of falling gently to the ground with the assistance of his parachute. Unfortunately, it didn’t fully deploy and his descent was a little faster than he had planned. He survived this plunge and lived until 1970.

Mary Elizabeth Stewart, nee Smith, (1846-1934)

Stewart will be portrayed by Linda Rock. Mary Elizabeth, who was known as “Lib,” was a beautiful redhead. Her father, Phineas, left the family farm to explore the gold fields of California in 1848. He returned without success, bought a dairy farm and successfully shipped the milk from his farm to Chicago, the first Elgin farmer to do so. This set the pace for Lib’s life and she continued to find success in life as well.

Polly Rutland (1798-1888)

Rutland will be portrayed by Traci Ellis. Polly was born into slavery in North Carolina. In 1862, she arrived in Elgin on the so-called “contraband train.” She was the mother-in-law to Arthur Newsome twice over, since two of her daughters at different times were his wives. Polly was a pillar of her community and was one of the founding members of the Second Baptist Church. She lived to the age of 90 and died in Elgin in 1888.

Levi Tennant (1847-1883)

Tennant will be portrayed Rick Ellis. Levi was born into slavery in Alabama. He joined the Union forces in Decatur, Ala. on March 31, 1864, in the 106th United States Colored Troops. He served in a garrison unit until the end of the Civil War. He came to Elgin after the war and died of pneumonia at the age of 36.

Louis Blum (1872-1941)

Blum will be portrayed by Bill Briska. Louis was the owner and proprietor of an Elgin institution — “Blum’s Ice Cream And Homemade Candies.” This ice cream parlor was located on Douglas Avenue for many years and it was a popular place for children and adults.

Annie Tallent (1827-1901)

Tallent will be portrayed by Bonnie Conte. Annie Tallent was born in New York, one of 11 children. Her father was active in the Scotch church, which later was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. In 1874 she traveled with her husband to the Black Hills in the Dakota Territories, becoming the first white female to enter this area. Gold had been reported to have been discovered there and a group of men set out to try their hand at discovering it. The area was declared off limits to any settlers by a treaty with the Native Americans and the group was sent home.

Advance tickets for $8 may be purchased online at elginhistory.org, or at Elgin History Museum, 360 Park St., Elgin; or the Ace Hardware stores at 258 N. Spring St. or 1158 Lillian St. Tickets at the gate at $10. Children, age 14 and younger, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free.

Laura and Steve Stroud are Cemetery Walk co-chairs.