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.

Hon. Benjamin OLIN, attorney at law, Joliet; was born in Allegany Co., N. Y., Aug. 12, 1838; 
when he was quite young, his parents came West, and settled in La Salle Co., afterward 
removing into Kendall Co.; after receiving an English education, he spent awhile in Beloit 
College, and then entered the law office of Messrs. Gray & Bushnell in Ottawa, IL, afterward 
continuing his studies with John CRUTHERS, Esq., of Oswego, Kenciall Co. On the breaking-out 
of the war in April, 1861, he assisted in enrolling Co. K, 20th I. V. I.; was elected First 
Lieutenant, and served about a year, when he was obliged to resign owing to IL health; 
returning, he spent some time in Colorado recruiting his health, after which he reviewed 
his law studies in the office of Mather, Taft & Bates in Chicago. He was admitted to the 
bar in the winter of 1862-63, and began the active practice of his profession in Morris, 
IL; he afterward formed a partnership with Hon. Perry A. ARMSTRONG, of that place, which 
continued until the removal of Judge OLIN to Joliet in 1870. While in Morris, he served 
as Alderman and School Inspector. About a year after coming to Joliet, he entered into 
co-partnership with Capt. Egbert PHELPS, which lasted until 1873, when he was elected 
County Judge, and in 1877, was re-elected for another term of four years. He has held 
the office of School Inspector in this city, and has been a member of the Board of 
Directors of the Joliet Public Library since its organization in 1875. He was married 
in September 1865, to Miss Julia A. SCHAUBER, of Schenectady, N. Y.