HR0837 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0837 LRB101 21289 MST 71881 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the City of Andover on the 185th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, Andover is Henry County's oldest community; it was founded in 1835 by the visionary Presbyterian minister Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury; the fledgling colony was patterned after New Haven, Connecticut and envisioned as a seat of learning, religion, and commerce; and

WHEREAS, The mill, which was constructed in 1836, was Henry County's first industry and attracted many early settlers to the village; and

WHEREAS, In 1840, Swedish seaman Sven Nelson became a "landlubber" and settled in the area to enjoy the beautiful prairie land and the scenic Edwards River; and

WHEREAS, Swedish immigrants learned about Andover and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, traveled by canal boat and covered wagon, and walked long distances to settle there; these early settlers were met with Andover hospitality, which still exists in the village today; and

WHEREAS, Andover's sister city is Kristdala, Sweden; during the latter half of the 19th century, some 2,000 persons left Kristdala and immigrated to the Andover area; this group consisted of approximately one half of the entire population of the town, and many of them settled on small parcels of land between the communities of Andover and Woodhull, which came to be known as Kristdala Backa (hills); today, Kristdala, which is located in Kalmar County in the province of Smaland, has a population of about 1,000; and

WHEREAS, Andover played an important role in the Underground Railroad with four known locations or "stations" in Andover, the Edwards River Mill located south of Andover, the Colony Brick House located at 1st & Ash Streets, the Woolsey House at Beech & 6th Streets, and the Mix-Lobeck House located at Pine & 8th Streets; while only the Colony Brick House building remains today, all of the sites have historical markers; Andover's early English settlers were very active in the abolitionist movement in the 1830s, and when the Swedes arrived in the 1840s, many of them also became involved with this movement; and

WHEREAS, For many years during the early and middle 20th century, Andover had a baseball team, which became known as the "Terrible Swedes"; they played on baseball diamonds with no fences, and collections were taken to pay for bats and balls; in 1911, one of the team's pitchers, Franklin Johnson, signed as a pitcher for Davenport in the old Three I League and then played for the St. Louis Cardinals; and

WHEREAS, Andover's English and Swedish heritage has been preserved for visitors, and the past is joined with the present in a pleasant Illinois rural atmosphere; there are 25 information signs located throughout the Andover area highlighting special sites; and

WHEREAS, Andover will celebrate its 185th birthday during the first weekend of June in 2021; the festival was originally scheduled for 2020 but has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the City of Andover on the 185th anniversary of its founding; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the City of Andover as an expression of our esteem and respect.