MK_091219

12 | September 12, 2019 | the mokena messenger news
mokenamessenger.com
Pioneer Cemetery dedication hits 80-year milestone
T.J. Kremer III, Editor
The dedication of a new
plaque in honor of Revolutionary
War veteran
Charles Denny on Saturday,
Sept. 7, was a special
occasion for the Village of
Mokena, but the dedication
coincided with another
event connected to the
land where Denny is laid
to rest: This year marks
the 80th anniversary of
the dedication of Pioneer
Cemetery.
On July 2, 1939 — the
year that marked the 100th
anniversary of Denny’s
death — the Village officially
dedicated the land
that once sat on 80 acres of
Denny property as Pioneer
Cemetery.
“Now that the task of restoring this plot to a neat
appearance has gotten underway, The Garden
Club felt that it would be the proper thing to
make this burial ground a memorial park and
that it should have a name to designate it as
such.”
— Article from July 7, 1939, issue of the News Bulletin, on the dedication
of Pioneer Cemetery.
The dedication was
spearheaded by the Mokena
Garden Club, the members
of which took it upon
themselves to clear out the
overgrown vegetation on
the land that sat on the east
side of Wolf Road, according
to a July 7, 1939, article
in the News Bulletin,
the former newspaper in
Mokena, provided by historian
Robert Horras.
Then-Mayor Harry F.
Mall served as emcee of
the event. Also present
for the event were a number
of local organizations,
including the color guard
of the Chicago Board of
Trade American Legion
Post 304 and its firing
squad, members of the
Mokena Village Board,
Rehfeldt-Meyer Post 474
of their American Legion
in Matteson and their Ladies
Auxiliary, VFW Post
725 and their Ladies Auxiliary
of Lincoln Estates,
members of the Civic
Club, Mokena Fire Department,
Mokena PTA,
and Mokena Garden Club,
according to the reports.
A flagpole was erected
and a flag was donated by
Mall.
“Now that the task of restoring
this plot to a neat appearance
has gotten underway,
The Garden Club felt
that it would be the proper
thing to make this burial
ground a memorial park and
that it should have a name
to designate it as such,” the
News Bulletin article read.
In May of 1940, a 1897
French-made cannon was
placed in the cemetery;
however, while the base
remains, the whereabouts
of that cannon are unknown
to this day.
In 1982 a sidewalk
was put in place running
through the cemetery.
Pioneer Cemetery has
gone through many changes
in its nearly 200-year
history. Today, the sacred
ground is a source of much
pride for the residents of
Mokena, and who knows
what surprises are still in
store for the final resting
place of Mokena’s most
famous patriot.
denny
From Page 3
compelling was from Stacey
McGowan Olson, a living
descendent of Charles
Denny, who spoke to her
descendancy and patriotism.
“All of us in this country
and in this community
owe where we are today
and the opportunities we
have today to those that
had the courage to fight
for our freedom almost
250 years ago,” said Kirk
Zoellner, assistant Village
administrator. “Unlike
many events happening
around our world today,
events like this undeniably
bond and bring us more
tightly together as a community.”
Established in 1839,
Mokena’s Pioneer Cemetery
was originally known
as “Denny Cemetery,”
with Denny being the first
known burial. Although
there are no identifiable
pieces of his original grave
marker, a granite headstone
was dedicated by the
General Henry Dearborn
Chapter of the National
Society Daughters of the
American Revolution on
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Allen Denny, one of Charles Denny’s children, is buried
with members of his family at Pioneer Cemetery.
Caitlin Fyfe/22nd Century Media
the 100th anniversary of
his death in 1939. In 2017,
the Founders Crossing
DAR chapter rededicated
Denny’s headstone.
“Events such as this give
us pause to reflect back on
our past history and appreciate
the great sacrifice our
forefathers made so that
we may live today in a free
and independent republic,”
Zoellner said. “Saturday’s
ceremony encouraged
those in attendance
to learn about the people
who served their country
throughout our nation’s
history, and who helped
build our nation and our
community.”
Across the country,
SAR and DAR chapters
have marked the graves of
patriots with bronze markers
on or near their headstones.
They’re installed
either on the headstone or
the ground, depending on
the pre-existing headstone
size and positioning.
“The men and women
who fought in and contributed
to the Revolution
should be honored for all
they did to start this country
on its way to greatness,”
Miller said. “One
of those men, Charles
Denny, came west with
his growing family. He
helped build the foundation
that would become
the heartland of America,
and we need to honor his
service, his sacrifice and
the will to start a life in
the frontier of America at
that time.”
Also present at the commemoration
was State Sen.
Michael Hastings, State
Rep. Margo McDermed,
retired U.S. Army Major
General Mark A. Anderson,
as well as Commander
James Hogan, of VFW
Post 725, and Mokena historian
Matthew Galik.