Former Navy Seal donates sculpture to Lincoln library

FREEPORT — Artist Ramon “Jay” Castro, formerly of Savanna, donated his 27-inch bronze sculpture of Capt. Abraham Lincoln to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.

The sculpture was created to remind the nation of the 1832 Black Hawk War, in which Lincoln fought.

State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport, introduced the artist and promoted the project during an unveiling at the Lincoln library on May 27.

“I began this project in November 2011,” Castro said. “I did some research and found that when Lincoln was a young 23-year-old, he was not making much money as a law clerk, so when the Black Hawk War popped up he enlisted three different times in 90 days and became a citizen soldier.”

Castro, a former Navy Seal, said his own military service and his son’s service with the Reserves inspired the citizen soldier connection.

“We know about the Black Hawk War here in this area, and I kind of thought today’s citizen soldier mindset ties a young Lincoln to modern northwestern Illinois by showing a part of his life that a lot of people don’t know about,” Castro said.

“I think now is a good time for us to revisit the Lincoln project, which involves raising $80,000 to sculpt and erect a 7-foot bronze statue of citizen soldier Capt. Abraham Lincoln at the Black Hawk War memorial located near what is now Kent, but was the site of the 1882 Kellogg’s Grove battle.”

“The sculpture is absolutely stunning,” Stewart said. “Jay’s vision for the project was tremendous. However, we need all the help we can get to finish what he started. The small-scale sculpture on display at the library should help promote the project, but we need everyone back at home to help as well.”

Castro will be working with Jeff Adams of inBronze, a studio, gallery and foundry in Mount Morris, to complete the 7-foot version.

“inBronze is a smaller foundry, and Jeff does a lot of sculpting himself,” Castro said. “He helped me decide on the sculpting and foundry costs.”

Castro formed a Capt. Lincoln sculpture nonprofit and will be hosting a number of activities to raise money to complete the project.

“I’m going to be putting a platform together, probably at the Lincoln Mall in Freeport, where I will be sculpting onsite starting in the early fall,” he said. “The public will be able to come by and watch me work.”

Donations can be mailed to Captain Lincoln Sculpture, State Bank of Freeport, Post Office Box 778, Freeport, IL 61032.