The Downers Grove Historical Society has named Anna Parker Paige as the 2025 Founder of the Year, recognizing her enduring contributions to the early Downers Grove community. A special ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. on May 3, 2025, at the Main Street Cemetery, where Anna’s legacy will be celebrated, including a
plaque dedication by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to honor her lineage as the daughter of an American Revolution soldier.
Born April 13, 1801, in Vermont, Anna was the daughter of Levi and
Mary Lyon Parker. She married David Paige on June 15, 1823, in Royalton, Vermont, and together they raised five children. Three of their children tragically passed away in infancy. In 1837, the Paiges embarked on a new chapter, settling in Downers Grove with their surviving children, Mary Alzina and Gardiner.
As a pioneer woman, Anna embodied resilience. She managed the demands of frontier life—keeping house, raising children, and even teaching school—all while carving out a place for her family in a growing community.
Her husband, David Paige, was more than just a farmer and clothier—he was an abolitionist who risked everything to support the Underground Railroad. Alongside well-known local figures like Israel Blodgett, Robert Dixon, Henry Carpenter, Rockwell Guild, and Pierce Downer, David played a vital role in the fight for freedom, offering aid to those escaping slavery. He passed away in 1864 and is buried in Main Street Cemetery, where his story continues to be told.
Anna now rests in Main Street Cemetery at Marker B7, surrounded by three generations of the Paige family, their history preserved in stone. As the community gathers to honor her on May 3, her story will stand as a testament to the grit, compassion, and dedication of the town’s earliest settlers.
See the Paige family marker here: https://dghistory.org/paige-family/
David Paige 1796 -1864
Anna Parker Paige 1801-1879
Gardiner Paige 1826-1889
Annis Weed Gilbert Paige 1829-1894
Hannah G. Paige 1860-1865
Alzina J Paige 1865-1865
Mary Alzina Paige Pratt 1829-1856
