By Kathleen Corcella

Alumni papers can contain a wide variety of materials that can shed light on the history of the University and how people lived in the past. Recently, the University Archives has been working on one particular alumni collection, the Russell A. Cone Papers, 1899-2020 (Record Series 26/20/239).

Col. Russell A. Cone  ’27 was an active member of the University, participating in the ROTC and Greek life. He served in World War II and was stationed in Alaska. His papers contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, service medals, certificates, publications, programs, and scrapbooks. Since these are personal records, there are also materials related to his first wife, Helen Bess Finch Cone. Helen also attended the University of Illinois and is found in the photographs and the many letters she exchanged with Russell. These materials were donated and preserved with the hope that students, faculty, and the public will be able to learn more about two incredible alums of the University of Illinois.

Claire Robertson has kindly provided biographies for Col. Russell A. Cone and Helen Bess Finch Cone (see below). Special thanks to Claire for her contributions and insights to the collection.

If you are interested in learning more about the collection, or would like to arrange an appointment to view the items, please email us at illiarch@illinois.edu.

Russ Cone (1905-1992) by Claire Robertson

My father was a famous pilot in World War II. He was born in Charleston, IL to a lawyer father and a mother who was the daughter of the town banker.  An early flyer, he learned to fly on old donated US Postal Service biplanes in University of Illinois ROTC, eventually becoming Student Colonel his senior year.  He belonged to a fraternity, but one of his biggest responsibilities as Student Colonel was organizing the Military Ball, the biggest U of I social event of the year that brought everyone together and involved inviting state notables up to the Governor.  At the ball he presided as King of the Ball, and invited his soon-to-be fiancée, Helen Bess Finch, as his date and Queen of the Ball—a local newspaper headlined: “Local Couple Rules the Campus.”  He went on to flying school in Texas and then before World War II joined the US Army Air Corps, becoming ADC and pilot for General Simon Bolivar Buckner.  During the War he was first stationed in Alaska as a squadron commander, flying B-17 heavy bombers on perilous long missions in the Aleutians, during one of which he sank a Japanese warship in Kiska Harbor in 1942, an accomplishment that made the cover of National Geographic.  He then was sent to Portugal as military attache at the US Embassy, in essence as a wartime spy.  After the War he was for a time Vice-President of the Trevett-Mattis Bank in Champaign before re-entering the military as vice-commander of Chanute Air Force Base and then of the Japan Air Defense Force, part of the US occupation forces in Japan.  After several other postings Col. Cone ended his military career at the Pentagon and then had a business in northern Virginia.  The last airplane he learned to fly and checked out on was a Sabre Jet–he loved to fly.

Helen Bess Finch Cone (1906-1995) by Claire Robertson

My mother was atypical for her generation and social class, a feminist but would have winced to have been labelled as one.  She was born in Champaign to a father, Dr. James Hugh Finch, who was much beloved by the community, delivered most of the local babies, and tootled around in an early automobile making house calls.  Her mother, Helen Mary Trevett Finch, was the daughter of John Richard Trevett, prominent local banker (a founder of Trevett-Mattis Bank, now Bank Illinois), a creator of West Side Park, and member of the first U of I graduating class of 1868, along with 11 other men. He then served as Trustee of the U. of I. Her mother was Helen Martha Lennington Trevett, society leader and sponsor of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority at U of I.  At the U. of I. Helen Bess wrote short stories for campus publications and was a loyal member of the Thetas, as they were called.  In the 1930s she began a long career in interior design by apprenticing with Gladys Rose, proprietor of the Rose Shop in Champaign.  During the War she served as a Gray Lady and did other supportive roles, having borne three daughters. Afterward she opened Helen Bess Cone Interiors design business, which was highly successful,  designing many high end Champaign houses, the Theta house, the Governor’s mansion in Springfield, for Chicago expositions, etc., making many trips to the Chicago Merchandise Mart, winning several awards.  She was recognized in her profession by election to the presidency of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.  She was still in business into her eighties, making it the oldest (50 years) female-owned and operated business in the state of Illinois.