Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County, Illinois; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.

David R. MONTEITH, BOGART & MONTEITH, Center Market, Wilmington, born in Watertown, Jefferson 
Co., N. Y., Oct. 26, 1836, but removed to Illinois in early childhood with his father's 
family, locating at Monteith's Grove, Florence Twp., this county, in 1840; his father 
superintended Gov. MATTESON's woolen-mill at Joliet, for several years, but on account of 
failing health removed to Wilmington; the subject of this sketch made the overland journey 
to Montana in 1866, with the Montana Gold & Silver Mining Co. of Philadelphia; from Ft. 
Laramie they took the new route, called Boseman's Cut-off, 300 miles nearer than the old 
Salt Lake route, reaching Virginia City on the 4th of October; this route, though less in 
distance, was far more dangerous; Mr. M. acted as scout during the trip, having encounters 
with the Indians nearly every day; his letters to the Independent of April 3 and Sept. 25, 
1867, give a fall account of the trip and life in the mines during his stay; he visited 
mines in Washington Territory, Montana, Idaho, California and Utah, returning in 1869; 
owns 184 acres of land, valued at $7,200. Married in 1869, to Miss Sarah J. BELL, who was 
born in Ohio; three children by this union - Mamie, Fred and Ernest.