The Coolidge examiner., 1934-05-11

and named Capt John Whistler rs commnndant.
Accordingly the fort built 10 the summer
Of ls3. given the name ot Fort Dearborn. in
honor OF Cen Henry Dearborn. then secretary
of war and thus Capt John Whistler became
the real father OF Chicago" The original draft
FOR the plans OF the fort. drawn by Captain
Whistler. Is siill In the archives Of the War De.
partment AZ Washlngton-a good soldlerly ioh.
u Is. but revealing none OF the srtlstlc qualities
which were later 20 make the name of Whistler
so famous
For the next nine years John Whistler. ns
builder OF the fort and its commandant dom.
mated the little community In this lonely out
post OF civilization which was 10 become the
second largest city In the United States But the
building and the commanding were not the only
contributions be made TO the history or Fort
Dearborn and the beginnings OF Chicago. He
brought with him a growing family. some OF
whose members were destined for renown even
greater than his
His eldest son. William Whistler. accompanied
him 10 Chicago as a second lieutenant and
served there throughout the elder whlstler's
term OF service. His eldest daughter Sarah. was
married In November. 1904. 10 James Abbott a
trader OF Detroit thus becoming Chlcago's first
bride. Another daughter married Lieut. Joseph
Hamilton. who also a subanern under
W Nhistler az Fort Dearborn.
But our chief interest is In a toddiing child
OF three who came with his father 20 Chicago In
1909 His name was George washington Whist.
Ter. Thus did the ex-Brtish soldier honor the
great commander OF the rebels" against whom
he had fought under Burgoyne Young George
Washington Whistler grew up into sturdy boy
hood along the marshy banks Of the Chicago
river and on the sandy shores OF Lake Michigan
He was only ten years old when as the result
OF garrison feud the War department thought
Il advisable 10 scatter the officers AT Fort Dear
born 10 various posts In the Middle West and
the boy accompanied his father back 10 Detroit
And there. two years later. young George Wash
lngton Whistler probably witnessed the scene
which made his father unique In American-and
perhaps in any other-history.
For Capt John Whistler and his elder son
Lieut. William Whistler. were officers In General
Hul's army when that fusiered American com
mander surrendered the fort al Detroit to the
British nj the outbreak OF the War OF 1872 and
tradition says that the captain was so enraged
over the capitulation that he broke his sword
over his knee rather than surrender II 10 the
enemy. Perhaps II only the shame OF a
surrender without firing a shot that caused him
10 do It. Or perhaps IL might have been his
realization that he was destined 10 20 down in
history the only British officer who, having
ouCc 10 American army,
became In turn American officer who surren-
dered TO a victorious British army.
In due time John Whistler was exchanged for
a British prisoner. and the choeric old captain
remained In the American army only until the
close OF the war when he was honorably dis
charged. He died September g. 1929 but he
lived long enough TO see his son, William, win
some renown as an officer in the Indian and
Mexican wars.
Old Capt. John Whistler also lived long enough
10 see his youngest son, George Washington
Whistler. graduate from West Point at the age
OF nineteen and assigned TO the artillery branch
But he was not 10 have the satisfaction OF know
ing 10 what heights his son would rise In another
profession, nor TO what greater heights this sons
son would rise In still another.
While George Washington Whistler was still
cadet at West Point he once visited. while on
leave the home of a classmate. William Gib5s
Mcneil. Il was a great brick mansion which
had been built on a plantation near the Cape
Fear river In North Carolina before the Reyolu-
ton by one Donald Mcneil. scion OF a Scotch
family that had emlgrated to America from the
isle OF Skye in 1879. There Cadet Whistler made
the acquaintance Of Anna Mathilda McNeill, the