•April 22, 2026•

Dig deeper and establish solid roots in gardening knowledge with University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. Illinois Extension Master Gardeners uplift communities one garden, one answer, and one volunteer hour at a time. From city centers to rural communities and suburban curb appeal, Illinois Master Gardener volunteers are passionate about the program’s mission to help others learn to grow. In 2025, more than 2,000 volunteers dedicated 150,000 hours to sharing gardening knowledge, donating produce, and enriching communities and the environment through garden projects. This summer, take your passion for gardening to the next level by joining in on the Master Gardener mission. 

Revolutionary War Connections #2
•April 22, 2026•

by Janet Roney

Last week, I told you about Dr. John Pyle of North Carolina, the maternal grandfather of John S. Whitley’s son-in-law, Samuel Washington Lindley. During the Revolutionary War, when the British army moved the war south in 1779, Dr. Pyle led a local Tory (loyalist) militia fighting for the British. After being wounded in a battle with the local Whig (patriot) militia, he was assigned to the headquarters of the British commander, General Cornwallis, while he healed.