The American Civil War 1861 - 1865
Regiments for Illinois played a significant role in the Civil War. This video explores the lives of five soldiers and a sailor from Quincy, Illinois, who are representative of the bravery and fortitude of Civil War soldiers. Told through Civil War sketch artists and images taken during the war years, the stories include Martin Hawkins who was part of the Great Locomotive Chase; William Dallas, a man born into slavery who joined the Union Army and became the first African-American to become part of the Quincy Police Department; and Edward Prince, second in command of Grierson's Raiders, a 600-mile Union ruse to confuse General Pemberton.
Join their journey.
Civil War Sketch artists include Alfred Waud, William Waud, and Edwin Forbes.
Developed in collaboration with the Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County
Scripts by Beverly Vaillancourt, M.Ed
Video production by PowerUp Design LLC
Architects of Change: 19th Century
Architects of Change of Quincy, Illinois, aptly describes the visionary individuals who shaped the city’s growth, culture, and legacy. Governor John Wood, the city’s founder, built Quincy into a thriving commercial and political hub, later serving as Illinois’ governor. Henry Knapheide, who emigrated to Quincy in 1848, started a wagon building business. The company he built remains today as one of Quincy's thriving industries. Rev. David Nelson, a passionate abolitionist and religious leader, played a pivotal role in the abolitionist movement, advancing both faith and freedom in Quincy. Candace Reed, a woman photographer who volunteered as a nurse in the Civil War, built her photography business as one of a handful of women photographers in Illinois in the late 1800s. Cornelius Volk, an early Quincyan with deep roots in the community, left his legacy through his sculpture of John Wood and his tribute to Union soldiers found at Woodland Cemetery. Orville Browning served Quincy as a state senator and then in the federal government as a Senator, Attorney General, and Secretary of Interior. Together, these individuals embody the spirit of transformation, innovation, and service, cementing Quincy’s place in history as a city built by its Architects of Change.
Developed in collaboration with the Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County
Scripts by Beverly Vaillancourt, M.Ed
Video production by PowerUp Design LLC
Pioneers in Medicine
When the Civil War began, Quincyans met the challenges of a country torn in two with civil leadership self-sacrifice. Pioneers in Medicine tells the story of four individuals who rose to meet the difficult and unforeseen frontier of medical challenges faced on and off the battlefield with resourcefulness and courage, and inspired others to do the same. Dr. Samuel Everett’s death at Shiloh underscored the peril faced by military surgeons who left prosperous practices to serve the Union cause. Elizabeth Leebrick’s resourcefulness in procuring supplies and nursing the wounded shows how private citizens filled gaps in wartime medical care. Dr. Crandall’s wartime service on hard‑fought campaigns like Vicksburg and his post‑war role in establishing a soldiers’ home illustrate a lasting commitment to veterans’ welfare. Louise Maertz’s nursing, her advocacy for widows, and her historic‑preservation work demonstrate how women transformed wartime service into long‑term civic engagement. Dr. Shawgo returned to Quincy following the Civil War to become a community doctor. Together, these pioneers forged a legacy of compassion and public service that shaped Quincy’s medical and humanitarian institutions during and after the Civil War. Pioneers in Medicine opens with a brief history of Woodland Cemetery, the final resting place of many individuals featured in the Quintessential Quincy series. Within its quiet grounds lie stories of resilience, community building, and hope—waiting to be discovered and shared.
Developed in collaboration with the Historical Society of Quincy & Adams County
Scripts by Beverly Vaillancourt, M.Ed
Video production by PowerUp Design LLC
