Will County ILGenWeb

Plainfield lays claim to the honor of the first settlement in Will County. The first settlement made in Walker’s Grove, a body of timber just south of the present village of Plainfield, dates back half a century or more. Look at the figures, 1826-1878! Fifty-two years are between these milestones. Thirty years are the average … Read more

In 1850, when the township of Wilton was formed, Town 33, Range 11, or what is now known as Peotone, contained only two voters, and it was, therefore, necessary to include it with some other township, and as Wilton was already pretty well settled, it was concluded to embrace within its limits the two Congressional … Read more

In New Lenox Township was embraced the larger portion of what, in the early times, was termed the Hickory Creek Settlement — a neighborhood celebrated for its hospitality, and for more pretty girls, perhaps, than any section of the county, unless we except Homer’s famous Yankee Settlement, and with it, Hickory Creek was, in this … Read more

The “war of the races” came to a crisis in 1832. Probably no year in the history of Illinois has been more eventful than the one named. Certainly, no year has brought so much anxiety and excitement to Northern and Northwestern Illinois, as did the year 1832. Previous to this time, it is true, there … Read more

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” sang the bard of Stratford-on-Avon. This township was erst known as Trenton’s name bestowed by William Nelson, the first Supervisor after township organization. When Will County adopted township organization, there not being a sufficient number of voters in this to form a township, it and … Read more

This town is diversified between woodland and prairie, and is divided by the Des Planes River & the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which pass through it from north to south. Away from the river-bottom, the elevation rises almost to abrupt bluffs, beyond which, on either side, are beautiful table-lands or broad rolling prairies of the … Read more

This is one of the earliest settled townships in the county, the date of its first settlement being almost coincident with that of Chicago. Chicago was laid out August 4, 1830, and the first settlement was made at Reed’s Grove six months later. This grove being situated at the corners of Jackson, Channahon, Wilmington and … Read more