Wilmettes 75th Annivertary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEHuerterterested in civic and community af- Legionfairs. For a number of years, it hasMatthias Gedney, First PolicePostpresented annual awards to children Takes Namein the various schools for outstand-Froming leadership, scholastic record, andMagistrate, was True Adventurer Home Boyother commendable characteristics.NameIn 1946, the post purchased theMatthias Anderson Gedney lovedd for the only Gross Pointproperty, formerly a ?cnoolhouse, atadventure.boy lost in World War I, Peter J.and Burt in New York. He wasHuerte1925 Wilmette avenue. The build-By the time Wilmettes first po-r Post, 669, the Americanconnected with this business for justing was re-modeled this summer andLegionlice magistrate was 21 years old,, was organized on June 17,plansa few years because, with the dis- called for completion in Au-he had sailed around the world three1920. The initial meeting was attend-gustcovery of gold in Califofnia, he again. The finished building will pro-times, having gone first to sea ated by 38 persons who became thevide"yielded to the call of adventure." the post with a meeting hall,the age of fourteen.charter members. John Golbach wasc)ub room and facilities for servingMrGoes in Quest of Gold. Gedney received his trainingthe first chairman.social gatherings.Thfor the navy on the U. S. S. Con-With three other young men hee commanders of the post sincestitution, known as Old Ironsides,sailed in 1849, a small sloop fromits charter was issued have been:VILLAGE MANAGERSand at 16 was onNew York around Cape Horn. Their1921 and 1922, John Steffens; 1923,Four men have served as villagerr tahnee aMan-of-WarOhio of the Mediten squadron\enture is thought to have beenFrank Engels; 1924, Joseph Schneid-manager since Wilmette adoptedand later on the Brig Sommers.quite successful and after his re-er; 1925, Peter Braun; 1926, Josephthe village-manager plan in 1930.turn trip overland he engaged in theSchneiderPerhaps his most horrifying ex-; 1927, John Bleser; 1928,They are: C. M. Osborn, (now vil-dairying business.Lawrenceperience occurred on one of his Schildgren; 1929, Michaellage manager of Kenilworth), BoyneKloepfervoyages when what might have beenMarrying Calista Jane Bailey in; 1930, William Hillinger;H. Platt (now a college official in1931a serious mutiny was averted. The1852, Mr. Gedney took his wife and, Carl Renneckar; 1932, AugustIowa), Adolph J. Koenig (now cityKroschellrebellion was checked but not be-two small daughters Annie Ger-; 1933, John Fisher; 1934manager of Anchorage, Alaska),andfore four men were executed bytrude (Mrs. Edward Mendsen) and 193S, Joseph Conrad; 1936 andand William A. Wolff.1937hanging from the yardarms.Emma Louise (Mrs. E. D. Gray) , John Steffens; 1938, BertramVanto the middle west in 1856. They Alstine; 1939, Philip Hillinger;INDIAN NAMEThe early Wilmette settler re-settled at LaCrosse CHy, Wisconsin,1940 and 1941, William Werner; 1942Charlesmained in service until 1842, when E. Peck, who moved toand later at Mormon Cculle, aboutand 1943, William Connors; 1944,he was offered a commission tothe area which is now Winnetka inFian10 miles from LaCrosse.k Schopen; 1945 William Wer-1853remain in the navy. He did not, is considered the founder ofner;accept the honor, nor did he take 1946, Joseph Conrad, and 1947,that community. His wife named theBecause the educational advant-Edward Placek.villagethe commission which was offered from the Indian expressionages were so limited, the GedneysPostleft Wisconsin in the winter of 1862 669 has principally been in-meaninghim during the Civil war. "beautiful land."Tookand 1863. On their return to New Corn to IrelandHYork, they stopped in Illinois toe did go to sea again, however,visit John G. Westerfield, a cousin,GRATINGin 1846 when the famine in Irelandwawho was living on the old Grs raging. He volunteered to be-igeeanBay road near the Lake Michncome a crew member of one ofshore.the first cargoes to carry com fromNew York to the starving country.Visitor Then VillagerSailing late in the fall, the shipMr. Westerfield was so enthusi-was so heavily laden that the menastic about the possibilities and thewere continuously drenched withfspray, and upon arriving at theirMutrure of this lake shore region that. Gedney decided to stay anddestination, according to story, themake his home here. Associatingvessel was so incrusted with icehimself first with Mr. Westerfieldthat they were about to founder. AfteMin the Northwestern Pickle Works,r Gedney in 1867 became one ofr this voyage, Mr. Gedney be-camethe firm of S. M. Dingee company. engaged in the boot and shoebusiness with the firm of GedneyEarly Wilmette was consideredFORone of the most dangerous points ANYon the lake, due to fact that therewas neither a lighthouse nor coastOCCASIONguard here at that time. Not un-common was the sight of a dis-abled vessel at the mercy of a Vnoreaster, and the shore line wasAclotted with wreckages. Mr. Gedneywas a member of the volunteer life-t Your Favoritesaving crew which kept a boat readyat all times to help distressed sea-men.GifIn 1869, when the village was sur-t Shopveyed and platted, Mr. Gedney su-pervised the clearing of the forestfor laying out of the streets andWdigging of the ditches for surfaceedrainage. In addition to serving as Are Growingpolice magistrate from 1873 to 1876,Withe was also a member of the firsthboard of trustees, in 1872. WilmetteIn 1881, he founded the M. A.WGeMedney Pickling company (now the. A. Gedney company) in Min- Congratulateneapolis, Minn.ThHe died in Minneapolis on Feb-e Village of WilmettePOST BEAES HIS NAME Pvt.ruary + 20, 1905, at.he age of 83Peter J. Huerter, a victim ofyears.the flu epidemic of 1918, diedon Its . . .October 4, of that year aboardSPthe President Grant en routeWECinInAetLk CHARTERSa and Glencoe, incorpor-75thto France, and was buried atated in March, 1869, received "spe- Anniversarysea the following morning.Draftedcial charters" from the State of Illi- August 6, 1918, PrivateHnois. The next year the stateVisit Our New Post Office ISo. 2MuceArtrethr uwras stationed at Campadopted a new constitution which, Waco, Tex., beforeforbade special legislation. Wil-Stamps, money orders, registered mail, specialleaving for overseas.mette, in 1872, was organized underdelivery, parcel post and foreign air mail only.Pvtthe general "Cities and Villages". Huerter was born July 24,1896,act.the son of the late Peter J. and Mrs.Anna Huerter, 2023 Schiller ave-nue. He was graduated from St.COMMUNITY PAPERJosephs and attended New TrierOne of the earliest of North ShoreTownship High school.community newspapers was the Mir-1103 CENTRAL AVE.Young Huerter was an employeerWILMETTEof the Tucker Shoe store (form-Wori,n ne"tdkeavoted to the interests of, Glencoe, Wilmette, Lake-, ILL.erly located on Wilmette avenueside, and Gross Point," which beganjust west of Green Bay road) whenpublication in 1886. "Lakeside" ishe was called into service. Hisnow the Hubbard Woods section,mother went overseas in 1931 withpartly in Winnetka and partly inthe Gold Star mothers.Glencoe.