MARION -- A plaque honoring Revolutionary War veterans that has been obscured for decades has been rededicated and a new name added.
Williamson County Commissioner Jim Marlo said he was surprised to get a call about adding a name to a plaque inscribed with the names of Revolutionary War veterans from Williamson County.
"I didn't even know the plaque was hanging in the courthouse," said Marlo.
Placed during the nation's Bicentennial in 1976, the plaque became obscured by a metal detector that was later installed at the courthouse entrance.
"The plaque was hidden by that," said Marlo. "Why don't we put it somewhere more visible?"
On Friday, more than 100 people gathered in the Williamson County Administration Building in Marion to rededicate the memorial and to add a new name, that of John Ellis.
Ellis was born a free black in 1754 in Virginia. Researchers determined he moved with his family to North Carolina, where he spent the next 50 years. He voluntarily enlisted in the 10th North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army on April 27, 1776, where his first assignment was to guard the North Carolina legislature.
In 1778, he joined a group hunting Tories along the Pee Dee River. They were successful, taking about 50 prisoners, the researchers found.
Ellis was honorably discharged on July 1, 1779 and was listed as a "free person of color" in the 1790 Census of Wake County, North Carolina.
He moved his family to what would become Williamson County, Illinois sometime between 1820 and 1830, bringing at least two adult sons with him.
Ellis lived to the age of 95 and is buried on the family farm near New Dennison.
One of his descendants is Tina Swayne Johnson, a five times great-granddaughter. Johnson, who said she grew up hearing family stories about Ellis, came from California for Friday's dedication.
She said Ellis was a topic of discussion at a family reunion held in June. "We, as a family, are very proud of his service," she said.
On behalf of her family, Johnson accepted certificates honoring Ellis from state Rep. Dave Severin, state Sen. Dale Fowler and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost.
Ellis was also represented by a cousin, William Perkins of Colp, as well as his oldest living descendant, 96-year-old Louise Haithcock, who arrived just after the ceremony concluded, having been detained by a flat tire.
Jill Rendleman, the regent of the Daniel H. Brush Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, gave a history of the plaque during last Friday's ceremony to honor Ellis.
"Local Daughters of the American Revolution wanted to publicly identify, as well as memorialize, those Revolutionary War soldiers who have been laid to rest in Southern Illinois," she said. "Plaques bearing the names of these soldiers were presented to public officials and placed in the court houses of Williamson, Franklin, Perry and Jackson counties."
The Long Knives Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, dressed in period costume, provided a color guard for the ceremony.
Marlo said the plaque will now hang in the lobby of annex building where it will be visible.
