Naperville in DuPage County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Naperville Veterans Memorial

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 15, 2024

1. Naperville Veterans Memorial Marker, Side One

Inscription.

Naperville Veterans Memorial. . [Front side:] We resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain Honor . Gratitude. [Plaque on rear side:] We resolve... "that these dead shall not have died in vain". Black Hawk War 1832 Brown, Wm. Mexican War 1847-48 Bill, Edmund B. Civil War 1861-1865 Crampton, Wm. M. . Daniels, John . Detzler, Wm. . Dirr, Hiram H. . Drullard, Alvaro . Drury, John . Elsy, Isaac . Ferris, Charles H. . Fowler, Daniel . Freeman, Harry . Garbs, Richard . Gillis, Thomas . Givler, Solomon Jr. . Good, Robert G. . Greene, Frank D. . Gushert, Emanuel . Higgins, Owen . Houser, Wm. . Hubreht, John B. . Hull, Edward E. . Hummer, Jacob . Hyde, Charles W. . Itxcnhauser, John . Kellogg, Samuel C. . Kenyon, Wm. J. . Kockley, Jacob . Leonard, Charles . Lindsey, Merritt . Marvin, Hector Asa . Meacham, Henry . Monk, Jos. . Mosley, Albert . Naper, Geo. A. . Neaderhauser, Daniel . Neas, Baptise . Neff, Jos. . Norton, Henry . Persem, Geo. . Porter, Wm. . Potter, Horace L. . Shanning, Richard . Schultz, Carl . Snyder, Ruben . Snyder, Samuel . Solomon, O.J. . Stanley, Ellisha . Stevens, Dewitt . Stinson, Thomas . Tennent, Jos. L. . Timkle, Herman . Tobias, Wm. J. . Vanderogen, John . Wert, Elisha . Wilcox, Elisha . Zentmeyer, Henry S. Spanish American 1898 Smith, Ernest L. World War I 1917-18 Bapst, Edward . Beidelman, Clyde . Berger, Eugene . Hiltz, Edward . Hiltenbrand, Arnold P. . Kendall, Oliver J. (Judd) . Rude, Harry World War II 1941-45 Auner, Merlyn . Ballman, Harien Ted . Bapst, J.J. . Bartha, Leo . Beidelman, Harold E. . Clow, Philip M. . Crippen, Willard F. . Dowling, Eugene E. . Duesing, Louis N. . Ebinger, Oliver J. . Gregory, Harry . Hauptfuehrer, Alvin H. . Hawbecker, Jack G. . Heinke, Jackie . Helson, Peter C. Jr. . Hensley, Paul S. . Julius, Richard F. . Kelsch, William R. . Knoch, George W. . Liston, James . Martin, Charles R. . Massier, George A. . Nadelhoeffer, Lawrence . Palmer, Gerald . Pamplin, Orner L. . Schatzer, W.W. . Schnabel, Arthur . Yetter, Robert J. Korean War 1950-53 Abbot, Margaret (nurse) . Channon R. . Dunn, Howard B. . Jensen, Wm. L. . Van Poucke, Leslie A. Vietnam War 1965-73 Beavers, Christopher W. . Beirne, Michael J. . Dunn, Michael E. . Gutowski, Walter J. . Luebke, John C. Jr. . Nowak, Ronald M. . Moehring, Dean W. . Porter, Donald J. . Sacks, Jay C. . Sieben, Edward M. . Woodall, John R. Global War on Terror Shanower, Dan . Caruso, David . Hale, James M. . Pokorny, Andrew . Kaiser, Adam . Mihalo, Tony . Beste, Bradley . Hennessy, Jack . Hotchkin, Gunnar R. . 1st Lt. Danny Weiss

[Front side:] We resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain
Honor • Gratitude
[Plaque on rear side:]
We resolve... "that these dead shall not have died in vain"
Black Hawk War 1832
Brown, Wm.

Mexican War 1847-48
Bill, Edmund B.

Civil War 1861-1865
Crampton, Wm. M. • Daniels, John • Detzler, Wm. • Dirr, Hiram H. • Drullard, Alvaro • Drury, John • Elsy, Isaac • Ferris, Charles H. • Fowler, Daniel • Freeman, Harry • Garbs, Richard • Gillis, Thomas • Givler, Solomon Jr. • Good, Robert G. • Greene, Frank D. • Gushert, Emanuel • Higgins, Owen • Houser, Wm. • Hubreht, John B. • Hull, Edward E. • Hummer, Jacob • Hyde, Charles W. • Itxcnhauser, John • Kellogg, Samuel C. • Kenyon, Wm. J. • Kockley, Jacob • Leonard, Charles • Lindsey, Merritt • Marvin, Hector Asa • Meacham, Henry • Monk, Jos. • Mosley, Albert • Naper, Geo. A. • Neaderhauser, Daniel • Neas, Baptise • Neff, Jos. • Norton, Henry • Persem, Geo. • Porter, Wm. • Potter, Horace L. • Shanning, Richard • Schultz, Carl • Snyder, Ruben • Snyder, Samuel • Solomon, O.J. • Stanley, Ellisha • Stevens, Dewitt • Stinson, Thomas • Tennent, Jos. L. •

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Timkle, Herman • Tobias, Wm. J. • Vanderogen, John • Wert, Elisha • Wilcox, Elisha • Zentmeyer, Henry S.

Spanish American 1898
Smith, Ernest L.

World War I 1917-18
Bapst, Edward • Beidelman, Clyde • Berger, Eugene • Hiltz, Edward • Hiltenbrand, Arnold P. • Kendall, Oliver J. (Judd) • Rude, Harry

World War II 1941-45
Auner, Merlyn • Ballman, Harien Ted • Bapst, J.J. • Bartha, Leo • Beidelman, Harold E. • Clow, Philip M. • Crippen, Willard F. • Dowling, Eugene E. • Duesing, Louis N. • Ebinger, Oliver J. • Gregory, Harry • Hauptfuehrer, Alvin H. • Hawbecker, Jack G. • Heinke, Jackie • Helson, Peter C. Jr. • Hensley, Paul S. • Julius, Richard F. • Kelsch, William R. • Knoch, George W. • Liston, James • Martin, Charles R. • Massier, George A. • Nadelhoeffer, Lawrence • Palmer, Gerald • Pamplin, Orner L. • Schatzer, W.W. • Schnabel, Arthur • Yetter, Robert J.

Korean War 1950-53
Abbot, Margaret (nurse) • Channon R. • Dunn, Howard B. • Jensen, Wm. L. • Van Poucke, Leslie A.

Vietnam War 1965-73
Beavers, Christopher W. • Beirne, Michael J. • Dunn, Michael E. • Gutowski, Walter J. • Luebke, John C. Jr. • Nowak, Ronald M.

Naperville Veterans Memorial Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 15, 2024

2. Naperville Veterans Memorial Marker, Side Two

• Moehring, Dean W. • Porter, Donald J. • Sacks, Jay C. • Sieben, Edward M. • Woodall, John R.

Global War on Terror
Shanower, Dan • Caruso, David • Hale, James M. • Pokorny, Andrew • Kaiser, Adam • Mihalo, Tony • Beste, Bradley • Hennessy, Jack • Hotchkin, Gunnar R. • 1st Lt. Danny Weiss

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, Mexican-American • War, US Civil • War, World I • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Black Hawk War series list.

Location. 41° 46.307′ N, 88° 9.043′ W. Memorial is in Naperville, Illinois, in DuPage County. It is on Jackson Avenue west of Main Street. The marker is on the Naperville Riverwalk, in a section north of the West Branch of the DuPage River and east of the Dandelion Fountain called Veterans Plaza. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Naperville IL 60540, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

Naperville Veterans Memorial rear view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn

3. Naperville Veterans Memorial rear view

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Riverwalk Visionaries (a few steps from this marker); Dick Tracy (within shouting distance of this marker); "Streaming History" (within shouting distance of this marker); Grassroots Overlook (within shouting distance of this marker); Naperville (within shouting distance of this marker); Henry and Eva White Plaza (within shouting distance of this marker); Third and Fourth Main Street Bridges over the West Branch of the DuPage River (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Famous Masons (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Naperville.

Regarding Naperville Veterans Memorial. The list includes the names of more than 120 local citizens who died in war, but a few bear a quick mention.

The first name mentioned, William Brown, was a member of the Naper Settlement who was killed in 1832 during the construction of Fort Payne, about a third of

Naperville Veterans Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn

4. Naperville Veterans Memorial

a mile east of here, during the Black Hawk War. While procuring shingles about a mile north of the fort with another man, Brown was shot and killed by a group of Native Americans. Fort Payne never saw battle, and Brown was ultimately the only person from the Naper Settlement to be killed during the Black Hawk War.

The city's second man to die in war, Edmund B. Bill, apparently perished while at sea on his way to the Mexican War in 1847. A few brief histories of Bill's life exist, but their accuracy could not be independently confirmed. That said, some pieces of his story can be put together with confidence. Bill was born in New York State, to parents Hannah and James Bill, and he had a wife named Mary. It's not certain when or how Edmund Bill came to Naperville, but a person with that name does appear in the 1840 census living in Chicago's 2nd Ward. Several DuPage County men fought in the Mexican War, including Naperville's founder Joseph Naper, and, apparently, Edmund Bill. A complete roster of Mexican War veterans, printed in 1887, lists Edmund Bill as a captain in the 16th regiment, and lists his birth state as New York and his

A view of the Naperville Veterans Memorial from across the river image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 15, 2024

5. A view of the Naperville Veterans Memorial from across the river

home state as Illinois. A history of the Bill family name, printed in 1867, corroborates this; although this veterans memorial as well as the gravesite of his mother (see below) say that he was a general, it's unlikely he ever ascended beyond captain. That Bill family history says that Edmund died at sea near Brazos (presumably Texas) on October 12, 1847. Hannah Bill is buried in Naperville Cemetery; she died at age 91 in 1854. Her grave says she is the "relict" — widow — of "Hon. James Bill" and the mother of "Gen'l E.B. Bill." Edmund’s wife Mary Bill is buried next to Hannah and died in June 1847.

Among the numerous Civil War dead is George Naper, the nephew of city founder Joseph Naper. According to a history of the 13th Illinois Regiment, George was born in Ohio in 1827 and, when he was a young child, his family accompanied Joseph Naper in moving to Illinois. George Naper was a second lieutenant in the 13th. On December 29, 1862, Naper was wounded at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, the opening engagment of the Vicksburg campaign. While being evacuated from that battle, Naper died when a Confederate shell exploded at his feet. His

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remains were never recovered.

The list also includes at least one woman: Margaret Abbott. Abbott (her name on the plaque says Abbot, but her gravesite, her newspaper obituary and other official documents have two T's) was a first lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She died at the Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco on September 14, 1950, less than 4 weeks shy of her 30th birthday.

The list of dead during the war on terror includes Dan Shanower. A naval intelligence officer and Naperville native who worked in the Pentagon, Shanower was killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was intentionally crashed into the building on September 11, 2001. A separate memorial to Shanower can be found on the Riverwalk across the DuPage River at the city's 9/11 memorial.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 17, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 438 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 17, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 5. submitted on September 18, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.