Will County ILGenWeb

In the township of Monee, lying between Greengarden and Crete, there were a few who settled quite early.  In 1834, John S. Dilley; in 1835, John M. Chase, N.C. Tibbitts, S.W. Cooper, Nicholas Young and Ruel Carney; and in 1836, S.W. Gaines, Aaron Bond, Otis Philips, Hollis Newton, and a Mr. Hall.  This township has abut three sections of timber in the northeast corner, which will account for its earlier settlement.  There is also a little grove in the southeast corner of the town.  The first school was opened in 1836, by Otis B. _______.  It has filled up in … Read more

Along Old Sauk Trail Churches Cities/Towns History of Will County, Illinois, 1878 Monee Township Newspapers Past & Present of Will County, 1907 Photographs Reed Township Schools The History of Joliet Series, by John Whiteside, The Herald News

We will now proceed to detail such facts in respect to the first settlement of Will County as have escaped oblivion, and have been collected from the memories of early settlers and from public records. In so doing, we shall of course repeat much of what was embodied in “Forty Years Ago.” At the time of the admission of the State, all that portion lying north of Alton and Edwardsville, with slight exceptions, was a wilderness. Occasional explorers, soldiers on their marches to the distant outposts,as well as Indian traders and trappers, had, however, discovered the beauties of the region … Read more

Mrs. Kinzie, in her “Waubun,” gives an account of a ball on Hickory Creek, in 1831. She does not tell us at whose house it was held, but we have ascertained that it was at Mr. Friend’s. [1]In “Forty Years Ago,” we hazarded the conjuncture that it was probably at Kerchival’s. We are glad of this opportunity to make the correction, not only because we desire to be … Continue reading Three out of the five single gentlemen, then resident at Chicago, came down to this ball on horseback, of course. One or two of them were officers from the Fort. … Read more

Father Walker and Walkers Grove History of Will County, Illinois Wm. LeBaron, Jr., & Co. 1878 It was one of these Methodist missionaries who became the first settler within the present bounds of Will County. This was the Rev. Jesse Walker a native of the State of Virginia, born in 1766, twenty-five years before the death of Wesley. He joined the church at the age of 20, and entered the ministry of the M. E. Church on probation, in 1804. He married the daughter of a wealthy planter who was heir to much property in slaves. These she manumitted, choosing … Read more

Old and New Cities & Townships Compiled by Ted Cash 1850 Clinton; 1875 divided into Reed and Custer Late 19th & Early 20th Century Cities, Towns & Villages Additional Information Township Alden’s Island Is now a part of Wilmington, IL; named for James F. and H. O. Alden who came to the area from Maine ca. 1847.  Thomas Cox is credited with being the first permanent settler of the vicinity.  In 1836 Cox laid claim to all of the land, including the island, on which the City of Wilmington now stands.  The entire Cox Family moved to Salem, Oregon in 1847. The area was … Read more