04/08/2025
When news reached Plainfield in the very early morning hours that World War I had ended, Rev. Gable of the Methodist Church, along with his son, Harold, climbed to the belfry to play several patriotic tunes on the chimes. A large crowd then gathered in front of the home of the Enterprise’s editor, Ulysses Blakely, clamoring for a patriotic speech. Standing in his stocking feet, he accommodated his neighbors.
Ulysses Simpson Grant Blakely, or U.S.G. Blakely or “Blake” as he was known to his friends, was one of the most well-known residents of the village. He had served as its postmaster for 21 years, was a 50-year member of the Masons, was one of the founders of the Lions Club in Plainfield and was elected mayor in 1900 and served four consecutive terms.
Born in Elmore, Vermont on May 9, 1868, Ulysses was the 13th of 14th children in his family – seven boys and seven girls. Sadly, his mother died when he was about six years old. His father then moved the family to a farm in Harrisville, Wisconsin. Tragedy struck the family again when Ulysses’ father, Caleb, passed away when he was 16. Moving to Reading, Michigan, Ulysses began working in a woodworking factory, earning extra money by entering various horse racing and roller-skating contests.
It was in Reading that Ulysses met his future wife, school teacher Lila Linwood Bartholomew. Linwood was born September 26, 1866, the daughter of Amos Holiday Bartholmew and his second wife, Abigail “Abbie” Van Buren. Amos was the father of 11 children and was a pioneer resident of Reading. The young couple wed in September of 1887. However, two months before the wedding, Ulysses traveled to Plainfield with his brother-in-law, Rial Marvin and established a new local paper, The Enterprise.
A year later, Rial had died of Bright’s disease and was laid to rest in the Plainfield Township Cemetery. His widow, Evangeline “Eva” Blakely Marvin, married for a second time to Frederick Morrow and they were the parents of Lucille, Doris, Gladys, Marie and Eileen, who was just a year old at the time of her father’s death in 1901. Eileen would live with Ulysses and Linwood for years, graduating from Plainfield High School as Eileen Blakely with the Class of 1918. Evangeline would go on to marry for a third time to Byron Fluno. They later purchased the Camden Expositor, an Indiana newspaper. Byron continued in his profession as a salesman and it was Eva who took over the publishing of the paper. Those who knew Eva stated that “she was born with a newspaper in her mouth.”
Eileen Morrow Blakely married a local man, Joseph Dewey Brown and had two children, Donald and Lila Brown Ray. She married for the second time to Wendell Blakely Gill, who was the grandson of U.S.G. Blakely’s sister, Mary Jane Blakely Bedell.
In the very early morning hours of December 15, 1891, fire raged through Plainfield’s business district destroying 14 businesses, including the office at 711 Illinois Street, the home of The Enterprise (where the Plainfield Public Library now stands). The extensive damage caused by the fire was attributed to the fact that Plainfield only had one fire engine.
U.S.G and his wife also lived at the same location and lost most of their possessions. This was particularly infuriating to Blakely as through the Enterprise, he had advocated for the creation of a fire department.
Ulysses was elected Plainfield’s Mayor in 1900 and served four consecutive terms. Several of his accomplishments as mayor included:
Removed kerosene lamps from street corners and replaced them with arced lights over the intersections - to help prevent a disastrous repeat of the 1891 fire.
Increased firefighting equipment, extended water mains and in 1915 an ordnance passed to create the position of the Chief of the Fire Department.
Improved electricity, gas and telephone lines as well as approving five miles of the village's first cement sidewalks.
U.S.G became known as “the father of the Lincoln Highway” and served as one of the counsul for the Lincoln Highway for 26 years.” He was instrumental in bringing the Lincoln Highway through the downtown business district rather than the original route which would have bypassed downtown.
Ulysses’ political career also included serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman for 20 years, Secretary of Republican Committee for four years, serving in the office of the Assistant State Treasurer for 10 years and as a delegate from the 11th Congressional District to the 1916 National Republican Convention.
He was also deeply involved in the activities of Plainfield, being a 50-year member of the Masons, one of the founders of the Lions Club, a long-time member of the Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir. It was said of Ulysses that "his singing was loud and outstanding even though it was often off key. He was well known for singing duets." He also served as the Postmaster in Plainfield from April, 1901 through July of 1914 and then again, from September 1926 through 1933.
“A nice-looking man always dressed in a suit,” Ulysses owned the Enterprise for over 45 years. He once explained that he “had not had the time to secure all the education he desired and continued his tutelage under his teacher wife.” Linwood was his able assistant in the publishing of the paper. On Sept. 24, 1934, the Blakley’s sold the paper to Alfred “Maurice” Utt, son of Plainfield druggist, Alfred Utt. (He owned the drug store which later became Burke’s Rexall Pharmacy. Maurice, in turn, sold the paper about a year later.)
On January 16, 1945, less than 24 hours after being admitted, Ulysses passed away at the Saint Joseph Hospital in Joliet of pneumonia. Linwood continued to live in Plainfield until about 1957 when she moved to West Ossipee, New Hampshire to make her home with Eileen Gill. She passed away there on October 21, 1959. Both Ulysses and Linwood were laid to rest in the Plainfield Township Cemetery.
OFFICIAL page of the Plainfield Illinois Historical Society, Plainfield, IL USA
