Augustus L. Chetlain was born in St. Louis, Missouri December 26, 1824. When he was two years old, his family moved to Galena. His father came to mine, however Chetlain later began a successful farming career. Augustus met Miss Emily Tenney of Galena shortly before she moved to Ohio. He fell in love, and followed her to Ohio where they were married. Sadly, 18 months after the marriage, she passed away. Emily and Augustus had one son. With the loss of his wife, Chetlain moved back to Galena.
Before the war, Chetlain was a successful mercantile businessman. In 1852 he established himself in the glassware and crockery business on Galena’s Main Street. In 1859, after being in business for seven years and accumulating a small fortune, he decided he needed some rest and relaxation. He sold his interest in the store and took a trip to Europe. He spent about a year there before returning to Galena.
Chetlain is credited with being the first man in Northern Illinois to enlist in the Civil War. In April, 1861, he assisted in raising Galena’s first volunteer company, the Jo Daviess Guards. They were later incorporated into the 12th Illinois Volunteers with Chetlain elected Captain and later Colonel of the regiment. Afterwards, he was assigned to take command in Smithland, Kentucky. He participated in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and later the battle of Shiloh. He was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers in December of 1863. After being promoted to Brigadier General, he recruited and organized black troops in Kentucky and Tennessee, which consisted of some 17,000 well-trained men. They were called the 55th regiment of Colored Volunteers. He was later appointed Superintendent of recruiting servicer in Tennessee and Kentucky.
In 1864, Chetlain made several visits to Galena. In September, the Galena Daily Gazette reported, “The General weighs 220 pounds and we never before saw him looking so well…He makes a hasty trip home on business.” At a later date, the Gazette announced, “Brigadier General A. L. Chetlain arrived home Wednesday evening. We have had a little chat with him and found him the same social, genial, excellent man he was before the star was placed upon his shoulder.”
In early 1865, he was appointed Brevet Major General of United States Volunteers. In April of that year, he married Annie M. Smith, widow of Colonel Melancthon Smith who was killed in battle at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Following the war, Chetlain was appointed the Internal Revenue Collector for Utah and Wyoming from 1867-1869. That same year, President U. S. Grant appointed him United States Counsel General at Brussels, Belgium from 1869-1872.
Chetlain later moved to Chicago in 1872 and became involved in the banking business. He established two banks in Chicago. He was president of the Home National Bank; organizer of the Industrial Bank of Chicago; director of the Chicago Stock Exchange; and member of the Chicago Board of Education. He later wrote his memoirs, Recollections of Seventy Years (1899), in which he recounted many interesting events from throughout his life. He died in 1914 and was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Galena. For a Civil War general, he lived an amazingly long life, dying at the age of 90. (The images on your screen show Chetlain’s home in Galena as it looks today, and as it did in earlier days.)
This is the home of Louis Chetlain, at 11661 West Chetlain Lane, Galena, Illinois, in the late 1860s. This photo shows the Chetlain family on their front porch of their home, that was built in 1832.
Louis (1795-1872) was born in Switzerland, and married Julia Hombert Droz (1799-1883) in 1820. They moved to the USA and first settled in St. Louis, Missouri for a short time, and up to Galena in 1826. Louis was a prosperous farmer and community leader.
The Chetlain's had a number of children, and one, Augustus L. Chetlain (1824-1914), was one of Galena's nine Generals, and a good friend of Ulysses S. Grant, who was a frequent visitor to the Chetlain home.
Most of the Chetlain family are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Galena.
This 185-year-old home, is currently a Bed and Breakfast.
Photo - late 1860s
(Information courtesy Terry Miller)
