July Dates in Wheaton’s History

July

July 1, 1863
Marcellus Jones, Wheaton resident, fired the first shot at Gettysburg, PA. He died in 1900 and is buried at Wheaton Cemetery

July 1, 1922
Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railroad was reorganized as the Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad (CA&E).

July 3, 1957
Chicago Aurora & Elgin abruptly ceased all passenger operations at 12:13 PM, stranding many commuters. Freight service would end two years later.

July 4, 1819
Birth of Susan Abiah Vallette, wife of Erastus Gary.

July 4, 1868
City of Wheaton dedicated a courthouse, complete with courtroom, offices and county jail, one year after successfully winning the county seat from Naperville when a midnight raid was staged by a group of Civil War veterans. They seized the county records and brought them to Wheaton.

July 9, 1906
Death of Herbert J. Tweedie, an English golf architect who relocated to Wheaton in 1887. He was essential to the development of golf in the Chicago area. His death left his second wife and 8 children by his first wife destitute. His second wife abandoned the family but the citizens of Wheaton raised funds and Douglas Tweedie, age 17, was allowed to take over the Tweedie family to keep them together.

July 10, 1959
The First Savings of Forest Park held the Alcoa Fashion show co-sponsored by Graeme Stewart, Wheaton developer and builder of the Alcoa Aluminum House in Wheaton. At this fashion show, $500 gowns and swim wear made of aluminum were modeled by 7 beautiful models. The guest of honor was Earl Eisenhower, brother of the President.

July 12, 2018
The USGA Inaugural Senior Women’s Open Championship was held at Chicago Golf Club.

July 14, 1966
Death of Wheatonite Nina Jo Schmale, nursing student, at the hands of mass murderer Richard Speck in Chicago, IL. She is buried at Wheaton Cemetery.

July 18, 1893
Chicago Golf Club, the first 18-hole golf course in the United States, was incorporated in Illinois with the stated object of “pleasure and playing a game called golf.”

July 18, 1896
James Foulis Jr., first golf pro at Chicago Golf Club, won the second US Open held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY

July 21, 1864
Birth of Herbert J. Tweedie, an English golf architect, in Bombay, India. He relocated to Wheaton in 1887. He was essential to the development of golf in the Chicago area. His death left his second wife and 8 children destitute but the citizens of Wheaton raised funds and Douglas Tweedie, age 17, was allowed to take over the family to keep them together.

July 26, 1926
Death of Robert Todd Lincoln, eldest child of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert Todd Lincoln was a member of Chicago Golf Club and served as its president. He was a frequent visitor to Wheaton.

July 30, 1880
Birth of Col. Robert R. McCormick, owner/publisher of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, resident of Cantigny, Wheaton. He served in WWI with the 1st Infantry Division and participated in the capture of Cantigny, France after which he named his Wheaton estate.

These dates were provided by the City of Wheaton Historic Commission. If you have any comments, corrections or additions to the list, please contact us at: wheatonhistoriccommission@gmail.com. Thank you!