November Dates in Wheaton’s History

November

November 4, 1977
Death of William A. Gamon, mayor of Wheaton 1917-1918 and 1943-1954. He is buried at Wheaton Cemetery.

November 7, 1797
Birth of Lyman Butterfield, one of the first settlers of Milton Township (about 1831) in Camillus, NY.

November 7, 1918
Birth of Billy Graham (William Franklin Graham Jr.), prominent Christian evangelist and one time Wheaton resident, born near Charlotte, North Carolina. A 1943 anthropology graduate of Wheaton College, Graham began his ministry as a student through both on-campus ministries and other outreaches. ... During his time at Wheaton, Billy Graham met his future wife, fellow student Ruth Bell. They married after graduating in 1943 and began their life of ministry together. (from https://www.wheaton.edu/news/recent-news/2018/february/wheaton-college-alumnus-billy-graham/)

November 8, 1848
Birth of Charles A. Blanchard, second President of Wheaton College. He was named by his parent, Jonathan and Mary Blanchard after the King of Sardinia.

November 11, 1918
Death of Stuart R. Murray who fought in the battle of Sedan, France. Stuart unfortunately died in a battle that occurred after the Armistice had been signed but the message had not yet reached the front.

November 14, 1855
Birth of Charles Blair Macdonald, noted golf course architect and player, in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Macdonald founded Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, the first 18 hole golf course in North America, and was one of the founders of the US Golf Association.

November 15, 1942
Death of Katherine Adams Wells, daughter of John Quincy Adams, and Wheaton resident. She was the first librarian of Wheaton’s Public Library. Mrs. Wells bequeathed Adams Park to the City. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, IL.

November 25, 2007
Death of John Drury, Chicago news Anchor from 1962-2002 and Wheaton resident from 1990 until his death.

November 1990
The Wheaton courthouse moved to a building about two miles west in a new 57-acre complex at the corner of County Farm Road and Manchester Road

These dates were provided by the City of Wheaton Historic Commission. If you have any comments, corrections or additions to the list, please contact us at:
wheatonhistoriccommission@gmail.com. Thank you!