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

Author: History of Will County IL, 1878

Uncle John WILIAMS, farmer; P. O. Wilmington; the subject of this sketch is the oldest 
of the living settlers that first settled in Wesley Twp.; was born in Greenbrier Co., 
near the White Sulphur Springs, Va., April 5, 1801, and is the son of Richard and 
Thankful (MORRISON) WILIAMS, of Virginia; his father was a farmer; here he was raised 
on his father's farm. When he was about 21 years of age, he married Elizabeth BURR, 
daughter of Aaron BURR. His father then placed him on a farm, and be farmed in Virginia 
until 1831; he then, with his wife and three children, emigrated West to Illinois, and 
settled in Vermilion Co., and remained there until 1834; he then moved with his family 
to Will Co., and settled in Wesley Twp. May 5, 1834; here he has remained ever since. 
To tell of his reminiscences of when he settled in here, would make a history in itself; 
he came here when the country was wild; plenty of Indians, deer and wolves; was here in 
1832 during the Black Hawk war; attended the great (powwow) Indian treaty in Chicago in 
1833; has met the great Indian chiefs, Robinson and Billey CALDWELL, and remembers when 
John WENTWORTH first came to Chicago. He lost his first wife, who died in April 1845. 
Married second time to Miss Susan GRAFF, of Butler Co., Ohio, who died Aug. 27, 1860. 
Married his third wife, Mary COWNOVER, of Butler Co., Ohio. He attended Government land 
sale in Chicago in 1838, and purchased 420 acres of land at $1.25 per acre; states that 
the first sermon preached in Wesley Twp. was in 1835, by David BLACKWELL. Mr. WILIAMS 
is a member of the Methodist Church, which church he has belonged to for the last sixty 
years. Had two sons in the late war - Leroy S. and John R. in the 100th IL. V. I.; both 
did good service and were honorably discharged.


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