View one man's life with history's eyes

An ordinary life can seem extraordinary when it's placed in the context of history.

On the surface, Henry Kern (1833-1918) was a farmer and hotelier, but when the events of his life are written out one can see how it reflects the history of a nation and a community.

Kern was born in Pennsylvania and came to Lake County in 1854, after becoming interested in stories of the west. He returned home for a short time and again settled in Lake County in 1856, renting a farm in Fremont Township. In 1860, he married Mary Thomas.

When the news of the fall of Fort Sumter was received in Waukegan on April 15, 1861, men from all over the county enlisted amid pro-Union cheers. But it would not be until the summer of 1862 that Lake County would have its own regiment.

On Aug. 15, 1862, Kern enlisted with the 96th Regiment Illinois Volunteers. He was discharged from service on May 11, 1863, after receiving an injury while loading a steamer which was transporting the army from Louisville to Nashville.

After coming home from the service, Henry and Mary lived in McHenry briefly until they returned to a life of farming in Fremont Township from 1865 to 1881. Farmers often moved into "town" when they retired, but the Kerns weren't quite ready for retirement. Instead, they moved to Libertyville and purchased a hotel, naming it the Kern Hotel.

By the 1880s, Libertyville was connected to Chicago by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and host to the annual Lake County Fair. Most fair-goers strolled along the Midway in search of hotdogs and ears of corn. Those in the know bypassed the concession stands for a quick side trip to Kern's. There, guests sat at a family-sized table and were served a home-cooked meal by Mary Kern.

Among the Kern's many guests were Charles and Eliza Nestel. The Nestels were siblings and little people, and toured the world in Vaudeville type shows. Charles was known as "Commodore Foote" and the pair gained notoriety among Europe's royalty. They were friends of Henry Kern and spent many summers at the Kern Hotel, enjoying the mineral water from a local spring. They may have also performed at the Lake County Fair. Eliza was once quoted as saying, "I have been almost constantly traveling for 25 years and more, but never discovered such a charming village as Libertyville." The Kerns' hospitality was known far and wide.