Roscoe Township Historical Society

05/28/2026

SAVE THE DATE
The community is invited to attend a dedication ceremony honoring 4 Civil War Veterans and 1 Mexican American War Veteran, June 20th at 10am at Roscoe Cemetery.

05/25/2026

Today, on Memorial Day, we pause in gratitude and remembrance for the sons of Roscoe who answered their nation’s call and never returned home.

From the thunder of Civil War battlefields to the deserts of modern conflict, these men gave what Memorial Day asks us never to forget: everything.
During the American Civil War, Roscoe’s young men marched into uncertainty, carrying duty, courage, and hope.

We remember Lieutenant James B. Kerr, of the 74th Illinois Infantry, killed in action at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, on June 27, 1864.

We honor Sergeant Reuben Garlick, Company K, 74th Illinois Infantry, who fell at Stones River, Tennessee, on December 31, 1862.

We remember Watson L. Smith, of the 15th Illinois Infantry, killed at Pittsburg Landing during the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, on April 6, 1862.

We honor Matthew Haley, Company G, 6th Illinois Infantry, who gave his life in Virginia.

Not all sacrifice came in the roar of battle. Disease swept through camps and hospitals with cruel certainty, claiming lives far from home.

We remember Walter Waddell, Company A, 153rd Illinois Infantry, who died of disease on July 15, 1863.

We honor George Clinton Jenks, drummer boy of the 36th Illinois Infantry, whose youthful service ended in illness on November 18, 1861.

We remember Josiah Korah Briggs, Company L, 8th Illinois Cavalry, who died while serving at Fairfax Court House on March 15, 1863.

We honor Henry Woodworth, Company E, 74th Illinois Infantry, who died in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 14, 1864.

We remember Albert Kathan, Company M, 12th Illinois Cavalry, who died in Chicago on February 28, 1864.

We honor Henry Hardy, Company D, 26th Illinois Cavalry, who died in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

More than a century later, Roscoe again mourned one of its own.

We remember Brandon Jacob Rowe, of Company C, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry, who was killed in action near Najaf during Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 31, 2003.

These names are more than history. They were sons, brothers, neighbors, farmers, laborers, dreamers, and friends. They walked Roscoe’s roads, worshipped in its churches, worked its fields, and loved their families before history called them into service.

Today we place flags, bow our heads, and speak their names so time does not dim their memory.
May we never forget that freedom is not inherited untouched. It has been guarded, defended, and too often purchased at a terrible cost.

To Roscoe’s fallen soldiers, we offer our enduring gratitude.
We remember. 🇺🇸

If you know of a Roscoe soldier who died while serving that is not listed, please add them in the comment section.

05/23/2026

One of the pins that can be found on the Roscoe Township Historical Societies Pinterest page.

05/20/2026

Today we honor the life of

William Thomas Massie (1948-2022)

William Thomas Massie lived a life shaped by service, endurance, faith, and resilience. Born on January 15, 1948, to George and Eileen Massie, William grew up in the Roscoe area and graduated from Hononegah High School, where he developed the quiet determination that would later carry him through one of the darkest chapters in American military history.
At the age of twenty, Massie entered the United States Navy, enlisting in January 1968 as a fireman. That same month, his life changed forever. On January 23, 1968, while serving aboard the USS Pueblo (AGER-2), William became caught in an international crisis that stunned the nation. The Pueblo, an American intelligence-gathering vessel conducting a surveillance mission in international waters, was seized by North Korean forces and forced into Wonsan Harbor. Among the eighty-three officers and enlisted sailors aboard, along with two civilian oceanographers, was Roscoe’s own William Thomas Massie.
The seizure of the USS Pueblo became one of the most damaging intelligence compromises in United States history. Sensitive classified information, code materials, and communications intelligence aboard the ship reportedly enabled foreign adversaries, including the Soviet Union, to gain access to selected American strategic and tactical encrypted communications. During the attack and capture, one crew member, Duane Hodges, lost his life.
For the surviving crew, captivity proved harrowing. For nearly eleven months, William and his fellow prisoners endured relentless physical and psychological abuse. They were beaten daily, starved, humiliated, and subjected to harsh conditions by their captors. When the men were finally released in December 1968, many returned home physically broken, malnourished, weakened, and suffering lasting injuries, including impaired vision and permanent disabilities. Though free, the scars of captivity remained.
Massie’s story did not end with survival. Decades later, he joined fellow crew members in seeking justice for the suffering they endured. In 2008, William became one of three USS Pueblo crew members, alongside the widow of the late commander, involved in a lawsuit seeking compensation for their captivity and abuse. The surviving crew members were awarded $16.75 million each, while the commander’s estate received $12.5 million. In 2018, William joined more than one hundred former crew members and relatives in another federal lawsuit filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act litigation involving USS Pueblo crew. Although North Korea did not respond to the claims, plaintiffs gained access to potential compensation through a $1.1 billion fund established by the Justice for U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act.
Even decades after the ordeal, the Pueblo remained a symbol of unfinished business. In 2019, Scott Tipton announced a congressional resolution calling for North Korea to return the USS Pueblo to the United States, where the vessel remains held.
Following his naval service, William built a life rooted in hard work and community. He founded Alliance Heating and Cooling, creating a business that reflected his determination to move forward despite profound hardship. Yet those who knew him often remembered something deeper than his perseverance: his faith. William spoke openly about how God’s love transformed his life, bringing healing and peace after years marked by suffering. Through his testimony, he shared how faith steadied him and helped him carry burdens many could scarcely imagine.
William Thomas Massie passed away on March 20, 2022. His life stands as a story of uncommon courage, survival, and redemption, from a Roscoe young man thrust into an international crisis to a businessman, believer, and survivor who carried both wounds and wisdom through the rest of his days.

05/15/2026

Robert A. Schoonover

Robert A. Schoonover was a lifelong public servant, veteran, firefighter, police officer, civic leader, and founding member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Roscoe Post 2955. His life reflected a deep commitment to family, community, and country across more than seven decades of service.
Born and raised in the Harlem-Roscoe area of northern Illinois, Robert was the oldest of seven children born to Harry and Margaret Worden Schoonover. From a young age he developed a strong sense of responsibility and community involvement. As a young man, he joined the Roscoe Fire Department, beginning a lifelong dedication to public service.
At just 17 years old, Schoonover enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War era. He served with the 185th Signal Battalion, where he trained in communications and battlefield operations. Stationed at Fort Campbell, he participated in tactical atomic warfare training during the tense early years of the Cold War. While assigned to Fort Bragg, he took part in Exercise Flash Burn, a large-scale military exercise focused on the tactical use of atomic weapons.
During his military service, Schoonover rose to the rank of Sergeant and served in Korea as a radio operator, helping maintain critical battlefield communications. He served honorably from 1951 to 1954.
Following the war, Robert, his wife Maxcine, and their daughter Nancy relocated to Utica, New York, where he began working for Friden, Inc.. During his years there, he worked as part of a team that helped develop one of the first calculators produced in the United States, placing him within the pioneering years of American computing and office technology. While living in New York, two more children, Kevin and Tracy, were born to the family.
In 1966, the Schoonover family moved to Prescott, Wisconsin, where Robert continued his career repairing calculators and typewriters. A fourth child, Tim, was born during their years in Prescott. Robert and Maxcine also opened their home as foster parents, caring for numerous children over the years and offering stability and compassion to families in need.
His commitment to community service continued in Prescott, where he served on the Prescott Police Department, joined the Prescott Fire Department, and helped establish the Prescott American Legion.
In 1976, the family returned to Roscoe, Illinois, where Robert once again joined the Roscoe Fire Department and became active in local government, serving as a village trustee. In 1980, he became one of the founding members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Roscoe Post 2955, helping build the organization into a lasting center for veterans and community activities.
Throughout his life, Robert A. Schoonover embodied the ideals of duty, service, and quiet leadership. Whether serving overseas during the Korean War, helping pioneer early calculator technology, fighting fires, protecting his community, or mentoring fellow veterans, his legacy remains deeply woven into the history of Roscoe and the surrounding region.
Honor • Service • Community 🇺🇸

05/11/2026

In honor of Memorial Day

Veterans of Foreign Wars Roscoe Post 2955

Chartered in January 1980, Veterans of Foreign Wars Roscoe Post 2955 began as a small but determined gathering of local veterans committed to service, fellowship, and patriotism within the Roscoe community. The post’s original home was located at 10697 Main Street in Roscoe, Illinois, where membership quickly grew to nearly 100 members in its earliest years.
The organization’s rapid growth reflected the strong spirit of veterans in Roscoe and the surrounding communities. By 1984, Post 2955 relocated to its present home at 11385 2nd Street, where it continues to serve veterans and the public today.

The first officers of Roscoe VFW Post 2955 were officially installed on January 26, 1980:
Commander: Orville Swain
Vice Commander: Richard Schoonover
Senior Vice Commander: Robert Smith
Chaplain: Larry Swain
Quartermaster: Charles Fish
Adjutant: Duane Kowall
Judge Advocate: Richard Lang
Service Officer: John Preston
Surgeon: Gerry Adams
These founding officers established the traditions of community involvement, veteran advocacy, memorial observances, and civic leadership that would shape the post for decades to come.

In March 1982, the Roscoe VFW Post 2955 Ladies Auxiliary was officially formed, expanding the organization’s role in supporting veterans, military families, scholarships, memorial programs, and community service projects throughout the Roscoe area.
The charter officers of the Ladies Auxiliary included:
President: Grace Swain
Senior Vice President: Ruth Jobes
Junior Vice President: Mary Harper
Treasurer: Rita Knautz
Secretary: Nancy Swain
Conductress: Sue Underhill
Guard: Irene Everhart
Chaplain: Helen George
Trustees: Cathy Lindas, Roberts Nelson, and Ruth Von Guerard

Through parades, memorial ceremonies, charitable activities, and veteran support programs, Roscoe VFW Post 2955 became woven into the civic fabric of the village itself. From Memorial Day observances to honoring local veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and later conflicts, the post has stood as both a gathering place and a living memorial to service and sacrifice.
For more than four decades, Roscoe Post 2955 has carried forward the enduring ideals of:
Honor • Service • Country 🇺🇸

05/08/2026

05/05/2026

Open House May 9th! Can't wait to see you there!

05/02/2026

Layers upon layers and stories…
it's starting to come together!!

04/29/2026

From the road, it’s just an old house…
but up close, you start to see the care in every detail!
--Open House May 9, 9-11am--