Will County ILGenWeb

These pages are a part of the ILGenWeb Project. They provide a resource for genealogists searching in Will County, Illinois. You can post queries about surnames you are researching, see who else might be researching the same names as yourself, ask volunteers to do reference look-ups, volunteer to do reference look-ups, and get information on searching in Will County. My name is Dennis Partridge, and I am currently the host of Will County, you can contact me here, if you have any questions. I do not live in Will County, nor Illinois, but I will attempt to answer your research questions or point you in the direction of somebody who can.

History of Joliet Illinois, 1927

Joliet, the capital city and township of Will county, is located near the center of the county, in the valley of the Des Plaines river, which flows through it, dividing the township very nearly into two equal parts. Hickory creek enters the township from the east and unites its waters with those of the Des Plaines in the southern part of the city. Those streams, with the Illinois and Michigan canal, and several smaller streams, make it a well watered township, while the bluffs along the river, together with the undulating surface of the land through the township, make it … Read more

History of Wilmington Illinois

History of Wilmington Illinois, by W. W. Stevens President of the Will County Pioneers Association Assisted by an Advisory Board, consisting of Hon. James G. Elwood, James H. Ferriss, William Grinton, Mrs. Kate Henderson and A. C. Clement ILLUSTRATED Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1907 Dedicated to the Pioneers of Will County

History of Will Township Illinois, 1907

The township of Will was another of those townships without a tree in the whole thirty-six square miles of it, and hence it was until a late date before many settlers were attracted to its fertile acres. It was not until 1852 that the original pioneer entered the township and erected his little cabin, and he was a Scotchman. John McKenzie was the first actual settler, although he could not be called a permanent one, for he remained but a few years, and then removed to Missouri. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the government service … Read more

History of Wilton Illinois, 1907

There was no part of Will county that was better known in early times than “Twelve Mile Grove” and that was what now constitutes the township of Wilton. True there was prairie all around the grove, but that was not thought of. It was at Twelve Mile Grove where everybody in that section lived, and it was there that all went, who went in that direction. It was a famous locality in many respects. It was a large one, covering some square miles in its original state, and furnished lumber and fuel for all who wanted it. In the early … Read more

History of Wheatland Illinois, 1907

Wheatland is the northwestern township of the county, and, like the most of them, is a full township of thirty-six sections. It is described as town 37, north range 9, east of the third principal meridian. It is wholly prairie, there never having been to exceed five acres of timber in the whole township. The land is rolling and all good, in fact, some of the very best land to be found in the county is in that township. It is watered by the Dupage river, which passes through it, entering the township in the northeast corner and passing out … Read more

History of Wesley Illinois, 1907

This township is in the southern part of the county and lying along the north bank of the Kankakee river, which forms the boundary between that township and Custer on the south side of the river. It is a small township having but twenty-eight and a half sections. Lying along the river as it does it is largely covered with timber only a few sections on the north side of the township being free from it and those sections constitute the best part of the township for agricultural purposes, the only occupation pursued by the citizens to any extent. The … Read more

History of Troy Illinois, 1907

This township lies to the west of Joliet and is entirely dependent upon the city for its postal service, its trade and its market. There is not a store, postoffice or church in the township, but there are some very good farms, although the land generally is not as good as in most other parts of the county. It is a shallow, gravelly loam, with the rock near the surface in many parts of the towmship. It is well watered, the main stream being the Dupage river, which meanders through it, entering the township near the center on its northern … Read more

History of Washington Illinois, 1907

This township is located in the extreme southeastern part of the county and forms with Crete the two largest townships, each having about forty-five sections, or square miles. It is generally a good agricultural township, and that is all the settlers have aspired to. Some of the land is excellent and raises large crops of corn, oats, hay and potatoes. The land generally is rolling, but in places it is flat, with poor drainage. Eagle Lake, in the northeastern part of the township, was formerly much larger than now, its swamps and marshes furnishing to the inhabitants immense quantities of … Read more

Retrospective of Will County Illinois, 1907

In retrospect, we will now go back to early times, and refer to some of the interesting incidents, and matters that occurred when the state was young. The Visit of Lafayette It was in 1825 that the Marquis de LaFayette came to Kaskaskia, while on his tour through the western country. That was one of the great events in the monotony of western life, and served the pioneers with food for friendly gossip for years thereafter. The General Assembly having learned of his arrival in America, addressed a resolution of welcome to him at its session in December, 1824, in … Read more

History of Reed Illinois, 1907

This township, one of the largest in the county, is now the smallest. From 1860 to 1875 it included in its boundaries all of Custer township, including its own. It now has but eighteen sections, or just one-half of an ordinary township. It was called Clinton at first by the county commissioners, but when the supervisors met for the first time in 1850 they changed the name to Reed, in honor of one of the early settlers. The land is very level, smooth prairie, with very little timber, and what there is is of small, scattering growth. There are no … Read more