LINKS IN THE MCELWAIN WEBSITE
INDEX TO THE MCELWAIN WEBSITE
MCELWAIN FAMILY IN ERIE COUNTY NEW YORK
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN I (1831 - 1883)
ROGER MCELWAIN
MCELWAIN CENSUS MA & NY
TIMOTHY MCELWAIN, SR
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN III
EDWARD PATRICK MCKENNA
nfarmilo@litestream.net
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II (FRANK & BERTHA THOMPSON, JOHN ALLEN I, LORENZO, ROGER, TIMOTHY SR, JAMES) Printer b. 7/7/1901 Chicago IL d. 1981 Hinsdale, DuPage, IL m. 4/3/1926 LaGrange, Cook, IL to CATHERINE JANE MCKENNA (EDWARD PATRICK MCKENNA & CATHERINE ROACH, EDWARD PATRICK & JANE STEVENSON)(See Link) b. 2/14/1903 LaGrange IL d. October 23, 1986 Hinsdale, DuPage, IL
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II & CATHERINE JANE MCKENNA had 3 children:
1) EDWARD FRANK MCELWAIN b. 6/26/1927 Riverside IL d. 6/1998 m. abt 1953 Elmhurst, DuPage, IL to HELEN SCHNAKENBERG 2 Sons: EDWARD MCELWAIN b. 1956 d. abt 1997 & JEFFREY MCELWAIN b. 1960
2) PHYLLIS JANE MCELWAIN b. 2/17/1929 Hinsdale, DuPage, IL d. 5/2000 Hinsdale IL m. 6/1954 Hinsdale, DuPage, IL to RICHARD G FORWARD Lawyer 2 children - GRAHAM FORWARD b. 6/11/1957 & MARTHA FORWARD b. 3/11/1959.
3) JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN III/IV (JOHN ALLEN II, FRANK, JOHN ALLEN I, LORENZO, ROGER, TIMOTHY SR, JAMES)(Contractor) b. 10/24/1932 Hinsdale, DuPage, IL m. 1/20/1958 Antioch IL to MARY ELIZABETH STEVENS (Art Teacher) (WALTER, FRANCIS, AARON) b. 4/12/1933 Chicago, Cook, IL 4 children - 3 boys and a girl(See Link)
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II tried to enlist in the army in June 1917 but was refused for being under-aged. JOHN attended Dartmouth College (1922-22) and then Northwestern University (1923).
MCELWAIN then worked for US Gypsum as a salesman while his brother, WILLIAM THOMPSON MCELWAIN (See Link)(Lawyer in Big Rapids MI) continued college and became a football "STAR" and Captain of the team at Northwestern University in Evanston IL.
In 1930 JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II bought a small printing business and worked it for 50 years. Amongst other things he did mail order printing making labels with one of the early computers.
MCELWAIN was a tennis enthusiast, playing and winning many tournaments. He was President of the Chicago Lawn Tennis Association & the Western Lawn Tennis Association. He played in a Skokie Invitational tournament which was won by the great BILL TILDEN. MCELWAIN was the only player that won even one game against TILDEN.
MCELWAIN'S "CLAIM TO FAME" was inventing "IMPACT FEES" in 1947. He was President of The Board of Trustees of the Hinsdale Sanitary District. As a method of financing Sanitary District plant expansion in 1947 a "tap-in" fee of $50 was charged per each new residence to hook up the sewer line. In 1950 this charge was estimated at $300 per new home.
The District was sued by the Illinois Home Building Association. The Hinsdale Sanitary District under MCELWAIN'S leadership won the court case which then went to the Illinois Supreme Court. The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that impact fees were legal.
Hinsdale then became the National Model for all impact fees in the United States. The ruling says that such fees are legal only when escrowed for capital expenditures and never when used for operating expenses.
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II was twice elected President of the Illinois Association of Sanitary District Trustees which included Chicago Metropolitan District - one of the eight engineering "WONDERS OF THE WORLD".
Under MCELWAIN'S management the Hinsdale Sanitary District developed what was called "a Model District" by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Besides the "impact fees" feat, the US-EPA honored the district by calling it "one of the most progressive in the state". The South East DuPage County plant is named, "THE JOHN A MCELWAIN REGIONAL WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY". When McElwain retired they presented him with the "ED NORTON" award which his son suggested after the TV show.
In addition MCELWAIN was in the Kappa Sigma Club and an active member of the Republican Party.
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN II is in Who's Who in Finance both 1977 & 1979. His obituary is in the Chicago Tribune 11/30/1981 and "The Doings" ran a "Final Salute to MCELWAIN" in their Thursday, 11/26/1981 (pg. 17) edition.
From: Allyson Mauck
To: Norma R Farmilo
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 3:15 PM
Subject: Re: Alumni info
Dear Ms. Farmilo,
Thank you for contacting the Northwestern Alumni Association. We have on file a Mrs. JOHN A MCELWAIN, who graduated in 1925 with a bachelor's degree in French. She was born on February 14, 1903.
She is also known as Mrs. JANE C MCKENNA MCELWAIN, JANE MCKENNA MCELWAIN and JANE MCKENNA.
According to our records, Mrs. McElwain passed away October 23, 1986. She was widowed at the time.
If you have any questions, please let me know. Again, thanks for contacting the NAA.
Best regards,
Allyson Mauck
Allyson Mauck
Program Assistant, Budget & Operations
Northwestern Alumni Association
1800 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208-1800
847 491-7200- phone 847 467-4044- fax
naainfo@alumni.northwestern.edu
On the web: www.alumni.northwestern.edu
"In order to improve the mind, we ought less to learn, than to contemplate."
-René Descartes
Please send me your information and I would be happy to include it on these web pages.
