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.

Col. S. W. MUNN, attorney at law, Joliet; was born in St. Lawrence Co. N. Y., May 14, 1824; 
his father was poor and unable to assist him in obtaining an education, and he was, therefore, 
oblige to depend upon his own exertions for what learning he received; he worked on a farm 
for $8 per month, for nine months, attending a district school during the remaining three 
months; thus he worked two years for one man; he also spent six months at a seminary in 
his native county; in 1845, he left home on foot, with carpet-bag in hand and $30 in his 
pocket, and went to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where he engaged in teaching and attending school 
at Grand River Institute, a Presbyterian manual-labor school, where he could pay his way 
by his industry; here he remained three years, in the mean time reading thoroughly a few 
of the elementary works on law. In 1848, he married Miss Imogene MIXER and removed to 
Wisconsin, where he completed his law studies and was admitted to the bar and began 
practice in 1850; in September of the same year his wife died, leaving one child - 
Charles W., who is now engaged in practice with his father in Joliet; in 1852, he went 
to California, and engaged in mining and surveying for Government; returning, he located 
in Wilmington, IL, and resumed the practice of his profession. In August 1861, be raised 
a company of volunteers in Wilmington, of which he was commissioned Captain, and which 
was mustered in as Co. A of the 39th I. V. I.; in December, 1862, he was promoted to 
Major, and served till January, 1863, when he was compelled by failing health to resign; 
he participated in the campaign of 1862, in the Shenandoah Valley, including the battle 
of Winchester, then under Gen. MCCLELLAN until army left Harrison's Landing, in August, 
1862, when his Division was ordered to Suffolk, Va., where it remained until he resigned. 
On his return to Wilmington, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the then Ninth 
Judicial Circuit, serving four years; in the spring of 1865, he removed to Joliet, 
where he has since been engaved in general practice of law, and in November last, 
was elected as Representative to the Legislature; he served for a time on Governor 
CULLOM's Staff, with the rank of Colonel. Col. MUNN was married in 1851, to Miss A. 
0. CROCKER, of Madison, Ohio; they have two children - Minnie I. (wife of R. A. 
CHAPIN, of Colo.) and Frank E. a law student in Geneva, Ohio.