09/19/2026
FROM SOMONAUK TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
The Remarkable Story of John Lourie Beveridge
Long before he served in Congress, long before he became a Civil War officer, and long before he occupied the Governor’s office in Springfield, John Lourie Beveridge had roots right here in Somonauk.
His story is another reminder that the history of our small community reaches far beyond the boundaries of Somonauk.
Born in Greenwich, New York, on July 6, 1824, Beveridge came west with his family as a young man. In the spring of 1842, the Beveridge family settled in Somonauk, in what was then a sparsely settled part of northern Illinois.
Beveridge grew up working on a farm and pursued an education at a time when opportunities for advanced schooling in northern Illinois were limited. He attended school at Granville and later Rock River Seminary in Mount Morris. He eventually traveled to Tennessee, where he taught school while studying law.
He returned to Illinois and established himself as an attorney, first practicing in Sycamore before moving to Evanston and practicing law in Chicago.
A CIVIL WAR OFFICER
When the Civil War began, Beveridge entered Union service.
He served with the 8th Illinois Cavalry, eventually becoming a major. In 1864, he became colonel of the 17th Illinois Cavalry, and by the end of the war he had received the brevet rank of brigadier general.
After returning to civilian life, Beveridge began a remarkable rise through public office.
He became Sheriff of Cook County, served in the Illinois State Senate, and then was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served during the 42nd Congress.
And then came another remarkable chapter.
GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS
In 1872, Beveridge was elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois alongside Governor Richard J. Oglesby.
But Beveridge would remain lieutenant governor for only a matter of days.
Oglesby resigned after being elected to the United States Senate, and on January 23, 1873, John Lourie Beveridge became Governor of Illinois. He served as governor until January 1877.
During his administration, Illinois continued moving state agencies into the new State Capitol in Springfield, state support was authorized for a number of charitable and reformatory institutions, and the state prepared its representation at the nation's 1876 Centennial Exposition.
Think about that journey for a moment:
Somonauk farm boy.
Teacher.
Lawyer.
Civil War officer.
Sheriff.
State Senator.
United States Congressman.
Lieutenant Governor.
Governor of Illinois.
And it all forms part of a story with roots here in Somonauk.
After leaving the governor's office, Beveridge continued in public service, including work as a United States subtreasurer in Chicago. He later moved to California, where he died on May 3, 1910. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.
SOMONAUK HISTORY IS ILLINOIS HISTORY
It can be easy to think of governors, congressmen and Civil War generals as people belonging to distant places and history books.
But sometimes their stories begin much closer to home.
John Lourie Beveridge once called the Somonauk area home—and decades later became Governor of the State of Illinois.
Stories like his are exactly why preserving local history matters. The people, families, photographs, documents and artifacts of our community connect Somonauk to much larger chapters in Illinois and American history.
Marie Louise Olmstead Memorial Museum
116 S. Depot Street • Somonauk, Illinois
Open Most Sundays • 2:00–4:00 PM
FREE ADMISSION — ALL ARE WELCOME
Preserving Somonauk History Since 1921
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