On May 29, 1896, the Illini Chapter in Ottawa was formed by the following charter members: Phoebe Sherwood, Melinda Parker, Laura Griggs, Florence Weiss, Helen Trask, Susie Fuchs, Gertrude Nash, Maria Pettit, Emma McDougall, Jessie Butterfield, Susie Dyer, Emma Crumpton and Sophronia Widmer. It was granted charter #229 which was hung in Reddick's Mansion Library, where today we continue to hold our monthly meetings. Illini (pronounced Ill-I-nee) is the feminine form of "Illinois", the name given to a confederation of five Indian tribes.

In the first three decades the chapter Daughters were busy sending funds to San Francisco earthquake victims, and families of Cherry, Illinois mine disaster. During WWI and WWII, Daughters were active in Red Cross work and helped with collections of various items to be used for the war effort. They continued their service from 1930-1945 by giving funds to the Mississippi flood sufferers, and disabled veterans at Dwight Hospital.

On Flag Day, 1897, a granite monument was dedicated by our chapter to the memory of Henry Mizner, a Revolutionary War soldier. A twenty-four ton boulder with a bronze marker was placed in Washington Park, Ottawa, to commemorate the first Lincoln-Douglas debate on August 21, 1858. There were also other markers placed in local areas to mark areas such as where Lincoln practiced law near LaSalle County Courthouse, and the Ft. Johnson and Ft. Wilbourn sites.

"Real Daughter" (A Daughter of a Revolutionary Soldier, and a member of DAR) markers were placed on the graves of Mary Jane Griffith Lansing, 1918; Elsie Starwn Armstrong, 1939, Julia Ann Myer Lamb, 1936; Esther Dyer and Ruth Sapp, 1953. In May 2000, a memorial marker was placed on former Regent Dorothy Rickey's grave in Iowa. Revolutionary War patriot, Archibald Allen and his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Allen Glenn, graves were marked in Putman County.

Illini Chapter celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 13, 1996, with a luncheon at Pitstick Pavilion, Ottawa. The chapter awarded certificates in 2002 to our Korean War Veterans. The chapter also had a resolution about dignity at funerals to "Honor our Fallen Soldiers" approved at the State and National level. An e-newsletter was started in the fall of 2009 to keep members informed.

Chapter Daughters have honored grade school and high school Good Citizens, awarded Conservation and Community Service medals, and through the ILDAR awarded scholarships to local citizens through the years. Daughters have served as officers and chairmen at the District II level and State level. We have been represented at the district, state and national conferences and have been active in the NSDAR programs as well as participating in donations to the National President Generals' such as Landstuhl, and State Regents' projects, such as the Honors Flight program for veterans and the Women Veterans Statue in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Illini Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held a party on Saturday, June 5, 2021 in honor of the 125th Anniversary of their chapter. Illini Chapter was founded March 4, 1896 and chartered May 29, 1896. Over the past 125 years, Illini Chapter has done many projects in the community, including a twenty-four ton boulder that was placed in Washington Park in 1897 to commemorate the first Lincoln-Douglas debate. The Illini carving in Allen Park was donated by the Illini Chapter. Projects that we promote are: Wounded Warriors, Honor Flight, Local Veterans' Homes, Womens' Veterans and Good Citizen Awards given annually to one senior class member in LaSalle County High Schools. Special guests were Sharla Luken, State Regent; Patricia Hopkins-Price, State Chaplain; Sharon Bittner, State Recording Secretary; Nancy Gillfillan, State Literacy Promotion; and Kathy Hughes, District II Director.