Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was born on March 8, 1834 at Four Mile Point, New York.
Oddly, he is not mentioned at any of the relevant web sites, or even the official one for the nearby town of Coxsackie.
The Coxsackie Historic Preservation Commision and the Green County Historical Society have not heard of him, nor has the librarian at the Vedder Memorial Library.
Go figure.
Jerome moved to Paxton, Illinois in 1868, and it was from there that he launched his assault upon the chess world with his analysis of the bodacious Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
A hometown hero?
Not if you check the Paxton home page. Nary a whisper.
I have submitted the following "classified ad" to the paper:
Looking for information on or relatives of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome. Born March 8, 1834 at Four Mile Point, New York; moved to Paxton, Illinois in 1868; March 6, 1873, married Jane "Jennie" A. Ostrom. Known for "The Jerome Gambit" published in the Dubuque Chess Journal, American Chess Journal, and elsewhere; died from the complications of a gastric ulcer March 22, 1902 in Springfield, Illinois. richardfkennedy@hotmail.com
We will see what, if anything, happens.
Jerome died in Springfield, Illinois. Historical information about him has been crowded out by that political upstart, Abraham Lincoln.
However, his obituary was available from The Journal:
March 23, 1902
Mortuary Record
Jerome - Died, at 9 o'clock Saturday night, March 22, 1902, at his home, 812 South Third Street, Capt. A. W. Jerome, aged 67 years. The death of Captain Jerome was not unexpected, as he had been bedfast for two months. He came to Springfield at the beginning of the Tanner administration and since then had held the position of guide at the state house. During is stay in this city Captain Jerome became well known. He was a native of New York and was a veteran of the civil war. A widow is the only survivor. The remains will be sent Monday to Paxton for burial.
