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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that we remember those who
3contributed to the betterment of the State of Illinois; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur was born in Indian Village,
5St. Francois, Lower Canada on March 14, 1814, one of 6 children
6of Charles and Luch Laur; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur emigrated from Canada to
8Lincoln, Massachusetts in 1833; six years later, after working
9in Massachusetts, he began flat-boating on the Ohio and
10Mississippi rivers, hauling merchandise from Pittsburgh,
11Pennsylvania to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he would sell the
12merchandise, dismantle the boat, sell the lumber, and return on
13foot by way of the Natchez Trace, which was being traversed by
14a constant stream of boatman during that era; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur established a permanent home
16in Knob Prairie in Jefferson County in 1841; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur mustered into the Union Army
18on October 19, 1861 as a First Lieutenant in Company K,
19Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commanded by Col. W.R.
20Morrison; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur was promoted to Captain on
2June 10, 1862 and thus earned the nickname "Cap"; he fought at
3the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, the Red River
4expedition, and the siege of Vicksburg; he was injured in
5combat and discharged in September of 1865; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur was awarded the contract on
7Star Route 11799 and served each post office from Ashley to
8Moore's Prairie; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur died on June 8, 1895; during
10his time, Williamsburg became Old Town and was superseded by
11Waltonville; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Captain Joseph Laur's service to the United States
13and the State of Illinois has greatly benefited the surrounding
14communities; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE
17CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the Big Muddy Bridge east
18of Waltonville on IL Route 148 as the "Captain Joseph Laur
19Memorial Bridge"; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
21is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with

 

 

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1State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
2giving notice of the name "Captain Joseph Laur Memorial
3Bridge"; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
5presented to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation,
6the Mayor of Waltonville, and the family of Captain Joseph
7Laur.