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

Author: History of Will County IL, 1878

Cary THORNTON, retired, Joliet, whose portrait appears in this work, was born 
in Bucks Co., Penn., Oct. 3, 1800; his ancestors were Quakers, and came to 
Pennsylvania with Wm. Penn in 1681; the subject of this sketch lived with his 
parents until he was 23 years of age, assisting upon the farm; in 1823 he moved 
to Michigan, and, after remaining one year, moved to Rochester, N.Y.; engaged in 
trade of carpenter and joiner up to 1836, when he came to Will Co., and settled 
in Troy Twp., on Sec. 34, farming up to the time of his removal to Joliet, in 
1866, where he still resides, at the good old age of 79. He has been Commissioner 
of Highways, and although repeatedly solicited, he would never accept of any other 
office in the gift of his neighbors. He married Miss Lucy WARE (the daughter of 
Benjamin and Betsy WARE), at Rochester, N. Y., Oct. 21, 1832 ; she was born in 
Putnam Co., Vt., July 18, 1810; they had three children, two living - Rutledge, 
born Aug. 1, 1834, and Beulah, born Oct. 15, 1839, and married to John KEYES, of 
Joliet, Oct. 21, 1872; and one deceased, Sidney, born June 22, 1846, and died 
April 4, 1848. Mr. THORNTON is the oldest living settler of Troy Twp.


Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.