Bill Text: IL HR0837 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulates the City of Andover on the 185th anniversary of its founding.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-05-22 - Resolution Adopted [HR0837 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HR0837-Introduced.html

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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

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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;

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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.