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.

The Hickory Creek Mystery

The History of Joliet – Chapter 8 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo City ready to jump to conclusions over mysterious death “David Richardson was arrested and charged with the murder. He was guarded in the county jail because there was lots of talk about hanging him without a trial. The people of this city wanted justice.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In the spring of 1858, the people of Joliet were shocked by a brutal crime. A murder had happened in such a cruel manner that residents couldn’t believe … Read more

Several Suspected in Murder Mystery

The History of Joliet – Chapter 7 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo City’s first mayor nearly hanged by citizens “The excitement was intense and the public opinion divided,” Woodruff wrote. “And in the excitement and division of sentiment, many were ready to hang Van Horne without judge or jury.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Elected in 1852, Cornellius C. VAN HORNE was Joliet’s very first mayor. But he was lucky the residents didn’t hang him a few years before that election. VAN HORNE was one of the city’s first … Read more

Joliet’s First Railroads Quick But Deadly

The History of Joliet – Chapter 6 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Despite the risks, residents clamored for fast transportation “As railroads expanded across the country, people in Joliet desired the faster method of travel. There were public hearings on the need, and newspapers called for a railroad to link Joliet to the rest of the country.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Nothing was more important to the growth of the young city of Joliet than the coming of the railroads. But the rails of steel brought along disaster, … Read more

Joliet Businessman’s Life Ends In Disgrace

The History of Joliet – Chapter 5 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo MATTESON once was the most influential man in town Matteson, a Democrat, avoided the slavery dilemma. By taking the middle ground on this controversial issue, he became an enemy of Abraham Lincoln.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Joel Aldrich MATTESON was the most influential man in Juliet. And in Joliet. He made a fortune, rose to the top in politics and became governor of Illinois. But his life ended in disgrace. As a young man with business … Read more

Two Sides to Story of ‘First Irish War’

The History of Joliet – Chapter 4 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Posse drives off rioting canal workers “As the residents prepared to celebrate the national holiday, word arrived that Irish workers digging the canal near Romeoville were rioting. They were supposedly killing each other and the contractors at that work site.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In local history, they called it “the First Irish War.” But those in Joliet — then Juliet — remembered it as the day of the posse comitatus. It was July 4, 1838, … Read more

Establishing A City

The History of Joliet – Chapter 3 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Joliet’s first taste of politics turns out to be a circus “Almost from the very beginning, there was a rivalry between the East and West sides of Juliet. First, there was a communication problem. There was great difficulty in just getting across the Des Plaines River.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News The village of Juliet was born in 1834. James B. CAMPBELL named the new town after his daughter. CAMPBELL, who lived in Ottawa, was a public … Read more

An Unlikely Start

The History of Joliet – Chapter 2 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Sisters’ kidnapping the beginning of Joliet “Although they never lived here, Sylvia and Rachel Hall could be thought of as the mothers of Joliet. Or rather, the mothers of Juliet.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Although they never lived here, Sylvia and Rachel HALL could be thought of as the mothers of Joliet. Or rather, the mothers of Juliet. Juliet was this city’s first name. Sylvia and Rachel HALL were part of a family of settlers living … Read more

Rich, Undisturbed Land First Home to Native Americans

The History of Joliet – Chapter 1 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Native American tribes hunted and fished here for hundreds of years “The most numerous tribe were the Illinois, from which this state eventually would take its name. In their native tongue, Illinois meant ‘superior men.’” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In the beginning, there was the land and its people. The Native Americans. They were the Pottawottamies, the Foxes, the Sacs, the Mascoutens and the Illinois. They lived here for hundreds of years hunting and fishing in … Read more

Joliet: Our Town, Our History

The History of Joliet – Introduction By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo Did you know? City’s vibrant story leaps off page “Our city’s founders were just plain people with the same kind of worries and concerns we often have today. But in living their lives here, they solved their problems, raised their families and built a great city.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Did you know? The good citizens of Joliet in 1858 almost lynched an innocent man. They thought he had corrupted and then brutally murdered a 16-year-old girl. … Read more

Christopher Warren

Christopher Warren Submitted by Nancy Robinson Brandon Christopher Warren: born May 18, 1834 at Ponsworthy, Widecombe in the Moor, Devon, England Married: Susan Elinor Mann 12-23-1856 at Chicago, Cook Co., IL Died: November 12, 1893 Peotone, Will County, IL Buried: Wilton Center Cemetery Father: John Warren Mother: Jane Stidston Susan Elinor Mann: born March 29, 1835 at North Bovey, Devon, England Died: September 9, 1909 Peotone, Will County, IL Buried: Wilton Center Cemetery Children: 4 Total 2 lived to adulthood Elizabeth Jane Warren: born October 13, 1857 Peotone, Will County, IL Married: Joseph Jones on March 9, 1887 Died: January … Read more