Little Eva

This amateur video was made in about 1960 and begins with a scene depicting how the village of Wayne, Wayne Township, DuPage County, Illinois was principally perceived by citizens of surrounding communities: a speed trap conducted by a one-man police force in the person of  Constable Abner Clark.

Abner was both an elected Wayne Township Constable and a Deputy Kane County Sheriff. This dual role was necessitated to create credentials in both Kane and Dupage Counties. He served as the entire Wayne Police Force for 17 years until he retired in 1966 (and was replaced by three men).  “Ab” was shot at once and beaten to a pulp by three thugs once.  He wrote many speeding tickets. He also was the founder of the Kane County Clean Streams movement.  He played a small part in the classic film Little Eva. Abner Clark is buried in the Little Woods Cemetery.

The film’s setting includes scenes recorded just over the DuPage-Kane County line in an area known as Dunham Woods, a part of the historic Little Woods. The old Dunham brick home was by the 1930’s the Dunham Woods Club and was the only watering hole in the vicinity. The crime depicted in Little Eva was hatched there. The complete cast, in their order of appearance, would make the film even more historically significant than it already isn’t!