Rediscovering a hero among us
During his long lifetime, Israel Warner was recognized and honored as a veteran of the Revolutionary War.
But over the years, the memory of the patriot who joined the Continental Army at the age of 9 and lived out his later years in DuPage County was lost.
That is until last year when inquiries from one of Warner's descendants led to finding his gravesite in Big Woods Cemetery, on Eola Road, just south of Butterfield Road in Aurora.
At a ceremony set for 3 p.m. Saturday, Warner once again will receive his proper due in a grave dedication that comes 240 years after his birth.
The ceremony has been planned by members of local historical and civic groups who joined together to form the Israel Warner Commemorative Committee. They have restored his original tombstone, purchased new headstones for Warner and the four family members buried with him, and installed a bronze historical marker giving a 300-word account of the patriot's life.
About 50 Revolutionary War and Civil War re-enactors will be there along with several active servicemen to give Warner a gun salute. Speakers will include Lt. Col. John Amberg, director of the Midwest branch of the U.S. Army's public relations and an active member of the Naperville American Legion.
Rebecca Hougher, Warner's great-great-great-great granddaughter will come from Iowa for the ceremony.
"I'm just thrilled that there is this much interest," she said. "It's really been a collaborative effort to get this done."
Hougher said her original intention in seeking where Warner was buried was simply to replace his headstone. But when she wasn't able to find Warner's gravesite on her own, she reached out to the Fort Payne chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which in turn enlisted the Fox Valley chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Don Parrish, former president of the Fox Valley SAR, found Warner's gravestone on June 20, 2007.
"It was broken, laying flat on the ground and almost unreadable," he said.
Buried on the same site with Warner were his daughter, Esther; her husband, Daniel Kenyon; and their sons, Israel Warner Kenyon and William Jeptha Kenyon.
Both grandsons served in the 13th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. William was killed in the war and Israel died after being discharged for wounds he had suffered, according to the Fox Valley SAR Web site.
Israel Warner himself, born May 27, 1768, died at the age of 93 on Jan. 21, 1862, said Jane Haldeman of the Fox Valley Genealogical Society. Haldeman, who researched the family's history and recruited a couple to restore the gravestone, said Warner's long life alone made him notable.
"He was one of probably the last Revolutionary War soldiers to die and one of the few in this area," she said.
Warner had a patriot's pedigree. His father, Seth Warner, was one of the co-founders and the commander of the famed Green Mountain Boys of Vermont.
A messenger and scout, 9-year-old Israel rode a galloping horse to carry a critical message from his father to bring in re-enforcements at the Battle of Bennington.
Commemorated with a legal holiday in Vermont, the Battle of Bennington is marked with a 306-foot tall monument and a statute of Seth Warner beside it.
Israel Warner served the entire duration of the war. He rose to the rank of private and was discharged honorably at age 15 and granted a pension.
By age 16, he became head of household when his father died early because of wounds he had suffered in the war. Israel supported his mother and family as a land surveyor in Whitehall, N.Y.
Warner moved with family members to the Naperville/Warrenville area in 1853. Bryan Ogg, research associate at Naper Settlement, found a mention of him in the June 20, 1855, edition of the DuPage Weekly Journal. Naperville founder Joseph Naper was heading up a committee to plan that year's July 4 celebration and the newspaper report said the group wanted to be sure to invite Revolutionary War veteran Israel Warner.
"It was very exciting to learn Revolutionary War veterans had traveled as far west as they did," Ogg said.
Parrish, who has photographed all the Revolutionary War veterans' gravesites in the Chicago area, said he's aware of 15, three of which are in DuPage County.
"I didn't know anything about him (Warner) until I was contacted," he said.
Hougher, a descendant of Warner's other daughter, Asenath, grew up in Vermont not far from her gravesite. Hougher's interest in genealogy came later in life. She knew Warner was buried in this area and found a copy of gravestone transcriptions by a chapter of the DAR in the Wheaton Public Library.
The newspaper article Ogg found on the plans for including her ancestor in the July 4, 1855, celebration added to her interest, she said.
"Just reading that made me feel closer to him," she said.
Another widely circulated but unsubstantiated anecdote published in Harper's Monthly magazine in 1864 said that George Washington so highly regarded Seth Warner as a patriot that after Seth's death Washington personally rode to the Warner family farm to pay the mortgage and save it from foreclosure.
While that story may not be true, the historical relationships were there.
"I'm connected with someone who was on a speaking basis with George Washington. How cool is that," Hougher said.
The cost for the new markers for Warner family members is about $8,000, Haldeman said. Those who wish to contribute may send donations to: Big Woods Church, Attn: Israel Warner, 3003 Eola Road, Aurora, IL 60502.
If you go
What:Grave dedication for Revolutionary War veteran Israel Warner
When:3 p.m. May 31
Where:Big Woods Cemetery, Eola Road south of Butterfield Road in Aurora
Cost: Free