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.

John J. SMILLIE, farmer and merchant; P. O. Wilmington. This gentleman is one of the oldest 
settlers of Will Co.; was born in Madison Co., N. Y., Oct. 24, 1828, and is the son of John 
and Catharine (KERN) SMILLIE; his father was a native of Scotland and engaged in farming, 
having died when Mr. SMILLIE was very young; his mother (of New York), married to Jeremiah 
GRAY. Mr. SMILLIE was raised on a farm, and with his parents emigrated West to Illinois in 
1835, and settled in Will Co., east of Joliet, then on the forks of the Du Page River; 
thence to McHenry Co; here he remained until 1850; he then went to the gold fields of 
California, engaged in mining, remained in California about four years, was very successful; 
he then returned to Illinois and settled on the farm he now lives on; he first purchased 160 
acres of land at $3.76 per acre, which land was purchased with money he had made in California. 
Mr. SMILLIE has been very successful in life; he commenced a poor boy, and to-day ranks as 
one of the successful farmers of Will Co.; owns 674 acres of fine improved land. He moved to 
Wilmington in order to school his children; returned to the farm, and has lived here ever 
since. When he first came to Will Co., the country was very wild; plenty of Indians, and very 
troublesome at times; game in abundance, deer and wolves; Mr. SMILLIE has killed many deer, 
being considerable of a hunter in his younger days; has held various offices of public trust 
in his township. Democrat in politics. Married in 1855 to Miss Olive REED, of Will Co., whose 
parents settled in Will Co. at an early day eleven children, nine living.