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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
795
relay station and often had, of a night, from one or tAVO to as many as flfteen of the fugitives in his OAVU home. He Avas ahvays foremost in pro¬ viding schools, churches and everything for the improvement of the community.
Aside from the things already mentioned, Mr. Blodgett left one other lasting mark on the steps that mark progress of the Avorld. It was he AA'ho first conceived the idea of the present style of cloth-coA'ered burial caskets. He had had oc¬ casion to superintend the removal of some of his family, and had noticed that the more com¬ mon hard Avood caskets that had customarUy been used, crumbled with the action of the water and the earth, Avhile those made of the cheaper pine remained In perfect condition for years. When this fact came to his notice, he requested his family to bury him in pine Avlien the time came. They demurred, thinking that the best coffin that could be purchased would be none too good for him. At last he said that the coffiln c-ould be covered with some kind of black cloth. If they thought it undesirable that the pine should shOAV. From this suggestion he studied out exactly Avhat he Avanted, and his son promised to carry out his ideas. When he died our subject went to Chicago Avlth certain specifications and had a pine coffin made and covered Avith broadcloth. So the old pioneer Avho died November 24, 1861, Avas interred exactly as he Avished. His wife survived him until March 9, 1882. Together they UOAV lie at rest in the shaded little cemetery off Main street, in DoAvner's Grove, almost within sight of their old home. Their graves are marked by a monument bearing this inscription:
"ISRAEL PORTER BLODGETT
Born at Amherst, Mass., March 4, 1779;
died November 24, 1861.
AVIS DODGE BLODGETT
Born in BelchertoAvn, Mass., June 5, 1796;
died March 9, 1882.
Residents of lUlnois since 1830."
Within six mouths of the death of Mr. Blod¬ gett, the cloth-covered casket, made of pine was universally adopted. Had some of his family patented the idea they Avould undoubtedly have received abundant flnanclal returns.
Charles B. Blodgett grew to manhood on the home farm, flrst attending a subscription school held at their oavu home and at those of their
neighbors, and then the ijublie schools. He Avas not satisfied Avith the scope of the education he received iu these schools, so he commenced a course in Wheaton College. This, hOAvever, he was unable to complete as the sickness and death of his father necessitated his return to his home to assume charge of aft'airs there. From that time on, Mr. Blodgett has been a leading factor In local political and civic aft'airs. He has al¬ Avays throAvn himself into public matters Avith enthusiasm and has directed them to the best of his ability. When the question arose of secur¬ ing a site for the proposed Chicago, Burlington tS: Quincy Railroad, he Avas one of the six to do¬ nate the necessary land, and to carry the trans¬ action through to a successful termination. •The laud these citizens gave to the projectors has noAV been transformed into the beautiful grounds that surround the handsome nevA- depot and make undoubtedly the finest of their kind ou the line of the C, B. & Q. R. R. There has not been a single project looking tOAvard sensible improvements that he has not earnestly and generously supported. He is a keen business man and has always treated matters of public interest Avith as much judgment and foresight as though they Avere identified Avith his personal AV ell-being exclusively. He has aiAvays insisted on the futility of taxing people OA'er-much to build buildings that must be maintained by a further taxation.
In 1886 he Avas sent to Wheaton as one of the supervisors of his tOAvnship, and has been given this position at each successive election since that time Avithout opposition. Du Page county has cause to remember his services, rendered as chairman of the building committee, during the strenuous years of the erection of the county buUdings. For thirty-three years, Mr. Blodgett Avas a meinber of the school board of DoAvner's Grove viUage, and Avhen he retired, his fellow members presented him with the beautiful me¬ morial that UOAV hangs in his home. Of all his possessions, perhaps this is the most highly prized, and. It is stated that more than once he has said there AA'as one thing that money could not buy. Mr. Blodgett has also for seventeen years labored hard and long as a member of the village board of trustees, a part of this time being its presiding officer.
It Is to such men as Charles B. Blodgett, Avho put civic advancement before private interests and who give generously of both time and money
Object Description
| Title | Historical Encyclopedia Of Illinois and history of Du Page County, Volume 2 |
| Title.Alternate | Historical Encyclopedia Of Illinois, Volume 2 |
| Title.Alternate2 | History of DuPage County |
| Contributors | Bateman, Newton ; Selby, Paul |
| Creator | Newton Bateman, editor-in-chief ; Paul Selby, associate editor ; Munsell Publishing Co. |
| Date Original | 1913 |
| Description | Thirty chapters describe the main facts of DuPage County's history from the earliest settlements and political organization up to 1913. Biographical sketches of prominent people, portraits, family histories, township histories, an index of portraits, illustrations, county officials, county organizations and institutions. |
| Subject | Illinois -- History -- Encyclopedias ; DuPage County -- History ; DuPage County -- Biography; Naperville (Ill.) -- History; Naperville (Ill.) -- Biography; Naperville (Ill.) -- Portraits |
| Format | text |
| Contributing Institution | Naperville Public Library |
| Language | eng |
| Rights | Public domain |
| Directory.Related work | ocm_11314674 |
| Page | 472 pages |
| Type | book |
| Rights Statement | Materials in this collection are made available by the Illinois State Library. Copyrights for materials in this collection remain with their respective owners. Permission to display these materials on the Illinois Digital Archive was granted by the copyright holders to the Naperville Public Library. To request reproductions or inquire about permissions, contact: kwickman@naperville-lib.org. Please cite the item title and collection name. |
| Collection Name | Naperville Heritage Collection |
Description
| Title | Page 250 |
| Format | JP2 |
| Date Digital | 2008-09-10 |
| FullText | HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY. 795 relay station and often had, of a night, from one or tAVO to as many as flfteen of the fugitives in his OAVU home. He Avas ahvays foremost in pro¬ viding schools, churches and everything for the improvement of the community. Aside from the things already mentioned, Mr. Blodgett left one other lasting mark on the steps that mark progress of the Avorld. It was he AA'ho first conceived the idea of the present style of cloth-coA'ered burial caskets. He had had oc¬ casion to superintend the removal of some of his family, and had noticed that the more com¬ mon hard Avood caskets that had customarUy been used, crumbled with the action of the water and the earth, Avhile those made of the cheaper pine remained In perfect condition for years. When this fact came to his notice, he requested his family to bury him in pine Avlien the time came. They demurred, thinking that the best coffin that could be purchased would be none too good for him. At last he said that the coffiln c-ould be covered with some kind of black cloth. If they thought it undesirable that the pine should shOAV. From this suggestion he studied out exactly Avhat he Avanted, and his son promised to carry out his ideas. When he died our subject went to Chicago Avlth certain specifications and had a pine coffin made and covered Avith broadcloth. So the old pioneer Avho died November 24, 1861, Avas interred exactly as he Avished. His wife survived him until March 9, 1882. Together they UOAV lie at rest in the shaded little cemetery off Main street, in DoAvner's Grove, almost within sight of their old home. Their graves are marked by a monument bearing this inscription: "ISRAEL PORTER BLODGETT Born at Amherst, Mass., March 4, 1779; died November 24, 1861. AVIS DODGE BLODGETT Born in BelchertoAvn, Mass., June 5, 1796; died March 9, 1882. Residents of lUlnois since 1830." Within six mouths of the death of Mr. Blod¬ gett, the cloth-covered casket, made of pine was universally adopted. Had some of his family patented the idea they Avould undoubtedly have received abundant flnanclal returns. Charles B. Blodgett grew to manhood on the home farm, flrst attending a subscription school held at their oavu home and at those of their neighbors, and then the ijublie schools. He Avas not satisfied Avith the scope of the education he received iu these schools, so he commenced a course in Wheaton College. This, hOAvever, he was unable to complete as the sickness and death of his father necessitated his return to his home to assume charge of aft'airs there. From that time on, Mr. Blodgett has been a leading factor In local political and civic aft'airs. He has al¬ Avays throAvn himself into public matters Avith enthusiasm and has directed them to the best of his ability. When the question arose of secur¬ ing a site for the proposed Chicago, Burlington tS: Quincy Railroad, he Avas one of the six to do¬ nate the necessary land, and to carry the trans¬ action through to a successful termination. •The laud these citizens gave to the projectors has noAV been transformed into the beautiful grounds that surround the handsome nevA- depot and make undoubtedly the finest of their kind ou the line of the C, B. & Q. R. R. There has not been a single project looking tOAvard sensible improvements that he has not earnestly and generously supported. He is a keen business man and has always treated matters of public interest Avith as much judgment and foresight as though they Avere identified Avith his personal AV ell-being exclusively. He has aiAvays insisted on the futility of taxing people OA'er-much to build buildings that must be maintained by a further taxation. In 1886 he Avas sent to Wheaton as one of the supervisors of his tOAvnship, and has been given this position at each successive election since that time Avithout opposition. Du Page county has cause to remember his services, rendered as chairman of the building committee, during the strenuous years of the erection of the county buUdings. For thirty-three years, Mr. Blodgett Avas a meinber of the school board of DoAvner's Grove viUage, and Avhen he retired, his fellow members presented him with the beautiful me¬ morial that UOAV hangs in his home. Of all his possessions, perhaps this is the most highly prized, and. It is stated that more than once he has said there AA'as one thing that money could not buy. Mr. Blodgett has also for seventeen years labored hard and long as a member of the village board of trustees, a part of this time being its presiding officer. It Is to such men as Charles B. Blodgett, Avho put civic advancement before private interests and who give generously of both time and money |
| Identifier | 0250.TIF |
| Rights Statement | Materials in this collection are made available by the Illinois State Library. Copyrights for materials in this collection remain with their respective owners. Permission to display these materials on the Illinois Digital Archive was granted by the copyright holders to the Naperville Public Library. To request reproductions or inquire about permissions, contact: kwickman@naperville-lib.org. Please cite the item title and collection name. |
| Collection Name | Naperville Heritage Collection |
