Belvidere’s latest mural honors a Civil War veteran who escaped slavery; his relatives are coming to the dedication

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — A Civil War veteran who escaped slavery to fight for the Union Army and later became a respected worker in Belvidere public schools has been memorialized on the city’s latest mural.

A mural honoring John Lawson has been installed at 109 N. State St. in downtown, next to a similarly-styled mural of Fred Schulte, a Belvidere native who played in the 1933 World Series. Relatives of Lawson will come from across the country on Saturday to join the Boone County Arts Council for a ceremony dedicating the new piece of public art.

“He’s a hero in every sense of the word, and I think it’s important for Belvidere to know that someone of his stature lived in town and know what he accomplished,” said Heidi Thacker, president of the Boone County Arts Council.

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Lawson was born enslaved in Virginia in 1827 with the surname of Killebrue. He often served Joseph Wilson, father of 28th President Woodrow Wilson, according to historic documents.

But he escaped slavery and fought in Company G of the 16th U.S. Colored Infantry. Toward the end of the war he dropped the surname of Killebrue — which belonged to a slave owner — and adopted the last name of his commanding officer.

Lawson, whose Union uniform is on display at the Boone County Museum of History, became one of the first African Americans to live in Boone County. He built a house at 320 Locust St., where he and his family lived for years.

He initially worked on the railroad and then later as a school janitor.

“He was very beloved,” Thacker said. “If you look back at the class pictures of the time. He was included in the class pictures with children.

“At one point, some of his students raised money so he could go back to Virginia and visit his brother – that’s how beloved he was.”

Lawson died in 1924 at age 97, according to his obituary.

Now, a century after his death, another John Lawson will stand in front of his mural.

The great-great nephew of the Civil War veteran is also named John Lawson and is part of about a dozen relatives who are expected to attend Saturday’s dedication ceremony.

The living Lawson, who said his matching name was coincidental, is coming here from the Oklahoma City area for the ceremony. He’s the youngest of 13 children, and his oldest brother, Buck, 88, is making the trip, too.

“This is the first time my oldest brother has got on an airplane in probably 10 years, that’s how big a deal it is,” Lawson said. “He looks like my oldest brother, too.”

Lawson said his sister, Gloria Lawson Langston of Bolingbrook, researched the story of their Civil War veteran relative while visiting the Boone County Museum of History and the Belvidere grave site.

Their relative’s story is one of perseverance and determination, the living Lawson said.

“He had to overcome a lot to persevere and get to where he wanted,” Lawson said. “That’s one of the things my father instilled in us, too. You don’t know what you can do until you try.”

The 20-foot tall and 10-foot wide mural was painted by Troy Yunk, a retired art teacher who spent 20 years at Belvidere High School and 13 and Belvidere North.

There are roughly 30 outdoor murals in the city, and many more indoors, according to Thacker. She said the murals of Lawson and Schulte are part of a planned triptych, and the third will be added next year.

Yunk said he styled the mural after the one of Schulte so that they will work together as part of a series. He has contributed to multiple murals in the city before, but this was the first he painted solo.

“For them to ask me to paint it was an honor,” Yunk said. “Hopefully people see it and then maybe take a interest in researching it and maybe learn a little bit about our history.”

If you go | mural dedication

When: 3 p.m. Saturday, June 29

Where: 109 N. State St., Belvidere

What: The Boone County Arts Council along with several descendants of John Lawson will hold a dedication of the new downtown mural during Heritage Days festivities.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas