Thursday, June 14, 2012 Meeting!
Robert Avery and Lucy Pettengill will be visiting us at our next meeting on Thursday, June 14th. Well, actually it will be Lee and Jackie Sauder portraying Robert and Lucy. This husband and wife team has been entertaining groups for many years, sharing their love of Peoria history.
Lee Sauder grew up on a farm in Tazewell County, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in agriculture. After farming for 13 years he entered agri-business as a District Sales Manager for seed corn and later Ag-machinery sales. His agriculture background led him to an interest in Robert Avery. He researched Robert's life and designed a program about some of the main events in Robert Avery's life. Avery grew up on a farm, designed farm machinery, and owned Avery Farm Machinery in Averyville, (Peoria) Illinois.
Jackie Sauder attended the University of Illinois and met her husband, Lee, at college. She graduated from Illinois State University after she was married and then taught school for 29 years. She began an interest in storytelling after her retirement. Looking for a way to help people experience what it was like to risk punishment by helping escaping slaves, she developed a program featuring Lucy Pettengill. Lucy and her husband Moses lived in Peoria for many years and were active in the Underground Railroad.
Lee and Jackie are members of the Peoria Prairie Tellers Guild who put on three programs each year in this area. They also participate in the Peoria Historical Society's Step-Back Characters program.
We will meet at 6:30 pm on Thursday, June 14th at the Peoria Public Library’s North Branch – 3001 W. Grand Parkway, off Townline Road behind Menard’s. Our meetings are open to the public; you will find the parking lot is well lighted and handicapped accessible. Please join us as we step back in Peoria history with Lucy and Robert.
The Peoria Genealogical Society takes a summer break -- there will be no meetings in July and August. Watch for the PCGS Newsletter and local newspapers for information on our September meeting.