USA > Illinois > Will County > The History of Will County, Illinois : containing a history of the county a directory of its real estate owners; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics.history of Illinois history of the Northwest > Part 17
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60
131,700
Minnesota
83,531
439,706
598,429 1,612
90,932
14,999
...
Mississippi
47,156
827,922
Montana ...
143,776
20,595
Nebraska.
75,995
123,993
246,280
828
80,056
86,786
375
Nevada.
112,090
42,491
52,540
593
New Hampshire.
9,280
318,300
790
Wyoming .
93,107
9,118
498
New Jersey.
8,320
906,096 1,026,502 1,265
New York.
47,000 4,382,759 4,705,208 4,470
North Carolina.
50,704 1,071,361
1,190
Ohio ..
39,964 2,665,260
3,740
Oregon
95,244
90,923
159
* Last Census of Michigan taken in 1874.
* Included in the Railroad Mileage of Maryiand.
PRINCIPAL. COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD ; POPULATION AND AREA.
COUNTRIES.
Population.
Date of Census.
Area in Square Miies.
Inhabitants to Square Miie.
CAPITALS.
Population.
China
446,500,000
1871
3,741,846
119.3
Pekin.
1,648,800
British Empire
226,817,108
1871
4,677,432
48.6
London ..
3,251,800
Russia
81,925,400
1871
8,003,778
10.2
St. Petersburg.
667,000
United States with Alaska ...
38,925,600
1870
2,603,884
7.78
Washington
109,199
France
36,469,800
1866
204,091
178.7
Parls.
1,825,300
Austria and Hungary.
35,904,400
1869
240.348
149.4
Vienna .
833,900
Japan.
34,785,300
1871
149,399
232.8
Yeddo.
1,554,900
Great Britain and Ireland.
31,817,100
1871
121,315
262.3
London
3,251,800
German Empire
29,906,092
1871
160,207
187.
Beriin
825,400
Italy
27,439,921
1871
118,847
230.9
Rome.
244,484
Spain
16,642,000
1867
195,775
85.
Madrid
332,000
Brazii ..
10,000,000
.....
3,253.029
3.07
Rio Janeiro.
420,000
Turkey
16,463,000
..
672,621
24.4
Constantinopie
1,075,000
Mexico ..
9,173,000
1869
761,526
..
Mexico
210.300
Sweden and Norway.
5,921,500
1870
292,871
20.
Stockholm.
136,900
Persia ..
5,000,000
1870
635,964
7.8
Beigium.
5,021,300
1869
11,373
441.5
Brussels.
314,100
Bavaria.
4,861,400
1871
29,292
165.9
Munich
169,500
Portugal.
3,995,200
1868
34,494
115.8
Lisbon
224,063
Hoiiand
3,688,300
1870
12,680
290.9
Hague ..
90,100
New Grenada.
3,000,000
1870
357,157
8.4
Bogota ...
45,000
Chiii .
2,000,000
1869
132,616
15.1
Santiago.
115,400
Switzeriand.
2,669,100
1870
15,992
166.9
Berne ..
36,000
Peru
2,500,000
1871
471,838
5.3
Bolivia ..
2,000,000
497,321
4.
Chuquisaca ..
25,000
Wurtemburg
1,818,500
1871
7,533
Stuttgart
91,600
Denmark
1,784,700
1870
14,753
120.9
Venezuela.
1,500,000
368,238
4.2
Baden.
1,461,400
1871
5,912
247.
Greece ..
1,457,900
1870
19.353
75.3
Guatemala
1,180,000
1871
40,879
28.9
Ecuador ..
1,300,000
1871
63,787
15.6
Hesse
823,138
2,969
277.
Liberia
718,000
1871
9,576
74.9
Monrovia
3,000
San Salvador
600,000
1871
7,335
81.8
Sai Salvador
15,000
Hayti ...
572,000
10,205
56.
Port au Prince
20,000
Nicaragua
350,000
1871
58,171
6.
Managua.
10,000
Uruguay.
300,000
1871
66,722
6.5
Monte Video.
44,500
Honduras
350,000
1871
47,092
7.4
Comayagua
12,000
San Domingo.
136,000
17,827
7.6
San Domingo.
20,000
Costa Rica.
165,000
1870
21,505
7.7
San Jose ..
2,000
Hawaii.
62,950
7.633
80.
Honolulu ..
7,633
Iiiinois
55,410 2,539,891
5,904
3.160
Kansas ..
81,318
364,399
528,349
1,760
Missouri ..
65.350 1,721,295
2,580
New Mexico
121,201
91,874
Utah
Washington.
69,944
23,955
Total Territories.
965,032
442,730
1,265
Aggregate of U. S .. 12,915,203 38,555,983
60,852
1870.
1875.
States.
Alabama
. . .
.. . ..
.....
1,812,000
1869
871,848
2.1
Buenos Ayres.
177.800
Copenhagen
Caraccas
Carisruhe
Athens ... ...
Guatemala.
40,000
218,928
5.9
Quito
70,000
Paraguay.
Asuncion.
48,000
Darmstadt
30,000
Lima ..
160,100
Argentine Republic.
241.4
162,042
47,000
36,600
43,400
1,000,000
.....
.....
Teheran.
120,000
990
Territories.
3.529
POPULATION.
Miies R. R.
216
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES.
AGGREGATE.
COUNTIES.
1870.
1860.
1850.
1840.
1830.
1820.
Adams
56362
41323
26508
I4476
2186
Alexander.
10564
4707
2484
3313
1390
626
Bond.
13152
9815
6144
5060
3124
293I
Boone
12942
11678
7624
1705
Brown
I2205
9938
7198
4183
Bureau
32415
26426
8841
3067
Calhoun
6562
5144
323I
1741
1090
Carroll
16705
II733
4586
IO23
Cass
11580
I1325
7253
2981
Champaign
32737
14629
2649
1475
Christian
20363
10492
3203
1878
Clark
18719
14987
9532
7453
3940
93I
Clay
15875
9336
4289
3228
755
Clinton
16285
10941
5139
3718
2330
Coles
25235
I4203
9335
9616
Cook
349966
144954
43385
IO20I
Crawford.
13889
II55I
7135
4422
3117
2999
Cumberland
I2223
8311
. 3718
De Kalb
23265
19086
7540
1697
De Witt
14768
10820
5002
3247
Douglas
13484
7140
Du Page
16685
1470I
9290
3535
Edgar
21450
16925
10692
8225
407I
Edwards
7565
5454
3524
3070
1649
3444
Effingham.
19638
III89
8075
6328
2704
Ford
9103
1979
I2652
9393
5681
3682
4083
1763
Fulton
38291
33338
22508
13142
1841
Gallatin
III34
8055
5448
10760
7405
3155
Greene
20277
16093
I2429
I1951
7674
Grundy
14938
10379
3023
Hamilton
13014
9915
6362
3945
2616
Hancock.
35935
29061
14652
9946
483
Hardin
5113
3759
2887
1378
Henderson
I2582
950I
4612
Henry
35506
20660
3807
I260
41
Iroquois
25782
I2325
4149
1695
Jackson.
19634
9589
5862
3566
1828
1542
Jasper
II234
8364
3220
1472
2555
691
Jersey
15054
I205I
7354
4535
Jo Daviess.
27820
27325
18604
6180
2III
Johnson
II248
9342
4114
3626
1596
843
Kane
39091
30062
16703
6501
Kankakee.
24352
15412
Kendall
12399
I 3074
7730
Knox
39522
28663
13279
7060
274
Lake
21014
18257
I4226
2634
La Salle
60792
48332
17815
9348
Lawrence
I2533
9214
6121
7092
3668
Lee
2717I
17651
5.292
2035
Livingston
3147I
11637
1553
759
Logar
23053
14272
5128
2333
1
I
15653
7816
3799
1675
Fayette
1
.
Jefferson
17864
12965
8109
5762
-
0
Franklin
*23
217
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS-CONCLUDED.
AGGREGATE.
COUNTIES.
.
1870.
1860.
1850.
1840.
1830.
1820.
Macon
26481
13738
3988
3039
II22
Macoupin
32726
24602
I2355
7926
1990
Madison
4413I
3125I
2044I
I4433
6221
I3550
Marion
20622
I2739
6720
4742
2125
Marshall
16950
I3437
5180
1849
Mason
16184
1093I
5921
Massac
9581
6213
4092
McDonough.
26509
20069
7616
5308
(b)
McHenry
23762
22089
14978
2578
McLean
53988
28772
10163
6565
Menard
II735
9584
6349
443I
Mercer
18769
15042
5246
2352
26
Monroe
I2982
I2832
7679
4481
2000
1516
Montgomery
25314
I3979
6277
4490
2953
Morgan
28463
22112
I6064
19547
I2714
Moultrie
10385
6385
3234
Ogle
27492
22888
10020
3479
Peoria
47540
36601
17547
6153
(c)
Perry
13723
9552
5278
3222
1215
Piatt
10953
6127
I606
Pike
30768
27249
18819
II728
2396
Pope
II437
6742
3975
4094
3316
2610
Pulaski
8752
3943
2265
Putnam
6280
5587
3924
2131
C1310
Randolph
20859
17205
II079
7944
4429
3492
Richland
I2803
97II
4012
Rock Island
29783
21005
6937
2610
Saline
I2714
9331
5588
Sangamon
46352
32274
19228
14716
I 2960
Schuyler
17419
I4684
10573
6972
b2959
Scott
10530
9069
7914
6215
Shelby
25476
14613
7807
6659
2972
Stark
1075I
9004
3710
1573
St. Clair.
51068
37694
20180
13631
7078
5248
Stephenson
30608
25112
II666
2800
Tazewell
27903
21470
I2052
722I
4716
Union
16518
III8I
7615
5524
3239
2362
Vermilion
30388
19800
II492
9303
5836
Wabash
8841
7313
4690
4240
2710
Warren
23174
18336
8176
6739
308
Washington
17599
1373I
6953
4810
1675
1517
Wayne
19758
I2223
6825
5133
2553
III4
White
I6846
I2403
8925
7919
609I
4828
Whitesides
27503
18737
5361
2514
Will
43013
2932I
16703
10167
Williamson
17329
I2205
7216
4457
Winnebago
2930I
2449 [
II773
4609
Woodford
18956
13282
4415
*49
Total
2539891
171195I
851470
476183
157445
55162
I
1
*5
*21
218
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
STATE LAWS RELATING TO RATES OF INTEREST AND PENALTIES FOR USURY.
Legal
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Rate al- Rate of lowed by Interest.
Penalties for Usury.
Contract.
per cent
per cent.
Alabama
8
8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Arizona
IO
Any rate.
Arkansas.
6
IO
Forfeiture of principal and interest.
California ..
IO
Colorado
IO
Any rate. Any rate.
Connecticut
7
7
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Dakota.
7
12
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Delaware
6
6
Forfeiture of principal.
District of Columbia
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Florida
8
Any rate.
Georgia
7
12
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Idaho.
IO
24
Fine and imprisonment.
Illinois
6
10
Forfeiture of entire interest
Indiana.
6
IO
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Iowa ...
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Kansas
8
12
Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 12 per cent.
Kentucky
6
8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Louisiana
5 6
8 Any rate. 6 Any rate.
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Massachusetts
6
Michigan.
7
IO
Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 7 per cent.
Minnesota
7
12
No Usury Law in this State.
Mississippi
6
IO
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Missouri.
6
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Montana.
IO
Any rate.
Nebraska.
IO
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Nevada.
6
Forfeiture of thrice the excess and costs. Forfeiture of entire interest.
New Jersey
7 .
New Mexico
6
New York.
7 6
7 8
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Ohio
6
Forfeiture of excess above 6 per cent.
Ontario, Canada
6
Oregon
IO
Pennsylvania
6
Any rate
Quebec, Canada
6
Rhode Island
6
South Carolina
7
Tennessee.
6
IO
.
Texas.
8
Utah
IO
Vermont.
6
Virginia.
6
Washington Territory
IO
West Virginia.
6
Wisconsin
7
IO
Forfeiture of excess of interest. Forfeiture of entire interest.
Wyoming
12
Any rate.
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Maine.
Maryland
6
· 12 Any rate. 6
New Hampshire.
7 Any rate.
Forfeiture of contract.
North Carolina.
8 Any rate. 12
Any rate. Any rate. Any rate.
Forfeiture of excess of interest. Forfeiture of excess of interest.
12 Any rate 6
Forfeiture of excess of interest. Forfeiture of entire interest.
6* Any rate. 6*
.
* Except in cases defined by stati.tes of the State.
219
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
STATE LAWS
RELATING TO LIMITATIONS OF ACTIONS : SHOWING LIMIT OF TIME IN WHICH ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT ON THE FOLLOWING :
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Assault slander, &c.
Open Accts.
Notes.
Judg- nents.
Sealed and witnessed Instru- ments.
Alabama.
I
3
6
20
IO
Arkansas
I
3
5
IO
IO
California,
I
2
4
5
5
Colorado.
I
6
6
3
3
Connecticut
3
6
6
20
17
Dakota
2
6
6
20
20
Delaware.
I
3
6
20
20
District of Columbia
I
3
3
. 12
12
Florida
2
4
5
20
20
Georgi
I
4
6
7
20
Idaho.
2
2
4
5
5
Illinois
I
5
IO
20
IO
Indiana ..
2
6
20
20
20
Iowa.
2
5
IO
20
Kansas
I
3
5
5
15
Kentucky
I
2
15
15
15
Maine.
2
6
5 20
20
20
Maryland.
I
3
3
12
12
Massachusetts
2
6
20
20
20
Michigan
2
6
6
6
IO
Minnesota
2
6
6
IO
6
I
3
6
7
7
2
5
IO
20
IO
Montana.
2
5
IO
10
IO
Nebraska
I
4
5
5
IO
Nevada.
2
2
4
5
4
New Hampshire
2
6
6
20
20
New Jersey
6
6
20
16
New Mexico.
6
IO
IO
IO
New York.
2
6
6
20
20
North Carolina
3
3
Ohio .:
I
6
15
15
15
Ontario (U. Canada).
2
6
6
20
20
Oregon.
2
6
6
IO
20
Pennsylvania ..
6
6
20
20
Quebec (L. Canada).
5
5
30
30
Rhode Island
I
6
6
20
20
South Carolina ..
2
6
6
20
20
Tennessee
I
6
6
IO
6
Texas
I
2
4
IO
5
Utah
I
2
4
5
7
Vermont
2
6
4
8
8
Virginia
I
5
5
IO
20
Washington Territory ..
2
3
6
6
6
West Virginia.
I
5
IO
IO
IO
Wisconsin
2
6
6
20
20
Wyoming
I
6
15
15
15
.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Louisiana.
I
3
10
20
Mississippi
Missouri
2
I
IO
3
I
I
PRODUCTIONS OF AGRICULTURE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES .- 1870.
Improved Land.
Woodi'nd
Other un - improved
Spring Wheat.
Winter Wheat.
Rye.
Indian Corn.
Oats.
COUNTIES.
Number. 19.329.952|
Number. 5,061.578
Number.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Busheis.
Bushels.
Total
1.491.331 10.133.207|19.995.198 2.456,578|129,921.395 42.780.851
Adams
287,926
112,576|
19,370|
16,191
947.616|
20,989
1,452,905
759,074
Alexander
13,836
17,761
42,658
30
244,220
21,627
Bond ..
145,045
42,613
1,915
700
368,625
6,240
1,064,052
461,097
Boone
137,307
29,886
2,658
241,042
599
35,871
466,985
.579,127
Brown.
57,062
35,491
25.608
13,276
117,502
4,742
337,769
70,852
Bureau ..
398,611
41,866
15,803
465,236
724
43,811
3,030,404]
987,426
Calhoun
37,684
63.443
2,754
75
221,298
186
234,041
26,234
Carroil
186,864 92,902
33,493
6,604
12,165
127,054
2.772
1,146,980
168,784
Champaign
419,368
16,789
58,50
102,577
123,091
45,752
3,924,720
721,375
Christian
241,472
19,803
19,178
18,360
504,041
10,722
1,883,336
383,821
Clark
118,594
102,201
5,420
195,118
7,308
614,582
212,628
Clay.
146,922
80,612
5,225
1,894
85,737
3.221
1,019,994
269,945
Clinton
150,177
48,868
8,722
500
610,888
1,619}
813.257
Coles ...
208,337
45,214
3,274
2,651
154,485
8,825
2,133.111
Cook
348,824
19,635
17,337
144,296
4,904
20,171
570,427
1,584,225
Crawford ..
105,505
78,350
27,185
60
212,924
15,497
581,964
136,255
Cumberland
75,342
40,334
5,604
550
84,697
14,798
403,075
171,880
DeKalb
334,502
17,722
6,551
398,059
190
21,018
1,023,849
De Witt.
168,539
29,548
17,633
106,493
11,695
11.540
/ 1,311,635
216,756
Douglas
147,633
7,316
7,683
65,461
9,017
1,680,225
225,074
DuPage.
164,874
3.851
106,096
693
7,532
331,981
860,809
265,458
66,803 57,585
830
122,703
528
352,371
120,343
56,330
26,206
77
195,716
19,759
620,247
386.073
Fayette.
187,196
93,460
16,786
42,571
1,008
11,577
565,671
154,589
Franklin
80,749
3,994
86,710
365
111,324
5.195
653,209
222,426
Fulton ..
123,823
4,076
193,669
223,930
131,711
1,508,763
261,390
Gallatin ..
49,572
68,750
2,565
83,093
512
509,491
27,164
Greene.
175,408
93,242
29,653
577,400
415
1,051,313
64,029
Grundy.
193,999
6,256
4,505
21,700
150
4,930
295,971
269,332
Hamilton
88,996
93,878
3,343
129
92,347
11.672
735,252
203,464
Hancock
43,385
18.480
181,378
232,750
133,533 865
172,651
26,991
Henderson.
34,705
14,243
161,112
96,430
1,712,901
229,286
Henry
265,904
31,459
462,379
35,766
668,367
Iroquois
22,478
63,498
57,160
10,480
23,259
799,810
Jackson
78,548
5,991
890
329,036
524
611,951
Jasper
90,867
67,023
12,250
87.808
9,165
461,345
149,214
Jefferson . .
118,951
94,888
778
100,553
5,934
887,981
Jersey
94,147
51,427
1,363
558,367
519,120
71,770
JoDaviess.
156,517
45,779
282,758
555
7,185
1,286,326
874,016
Johnson
57,820
3
79,141
92,191
2,468
343,298
74,525
Kane ...
240,120
34,646
399
188,826
`325
23,618
674,333
785,608
Kankakee.
312,182
10,978
103,466
480
12,935
637,399
772,408
Kendall ..
164,004
14,244
2,283
90,681
1,249
5,163
681,267
468,890
330,829
41,566
25.155
267,764
7,654
113,547
2,708,319
787,952
207,779
21,072
24,399
168,914
221
5,870
517,353
LaSalle
533,724
2,356
271,181
2,193
48,308
3,077,028
1,509,642
87,828
72,738
3,273
264,134
1,121
656,363
131,386
322,212
450,793
2,260
14,829
1,656,978
Livingston.
377,505
120,206
1,339
26,163
.. 1,182,696
659,300
Logan.
321,709
17,394
408
40,963
37.232
4,221,640
490,226
Macon.
205,259
18,153
9,115
55,239
196,613
29,223
Macoupln
231.059
81,224
7,343
861,398
· 2.404
Madison
257,032
89,450
13,675
1,207,181
3,685
2.127,549
475,252
Marlon.
173,081
61,579
4,142
173,652
14,517
1,034,057 1,182,903
362,604
Mason.
209,453
31,013
73,261
125,628
49,182
2,648,726
Massac
25,151
33,396
30
72,316
544
133,126
McDonough
261,635
52,547
14,035
273,871
52,401
1,362,490
280,717
McHenry
230,566
57.998
401,790
29,264
910.397
McLean
494,978
40,366
49,087
211,801
10,955
3,723,379
911,127
Menard.
134,173
34.931
13,952
36,152
. 45.793
1,973.880
235,091
222,809
22,588
289,291
. 40,778
2,054,962
452,889
Monroe.
92,810
666
651,767
1,425
543,718
152,251
Montgomery
47,804
8,495
59
744,891
3,296
1,527,898
Morgan.
293,450
1,376
18,196
357.523
5,535
3,198,835
144.220
24,783
13,112
17,128
. 196,436
6,670
1,753.141
316.883
43,643
14,913
497,038
5,580
157,504
1,787,066
141,540
170,729
48,666
2,516
31,843
99,502
969,224
334,892
Perry
93,754 94,454
68.470 5,978
13,897
26,382
39,762
9,248
1,029,725
Plke
128,953
9,302
1,057,497
25,303
1,399,188
Pope.
70,457
2,309
315,958
Pulaskl.
37,271
17,184
4,174
· 28,137
796
334,259
86,519
140,764
162,274
1,170
1,031,022
3,235
510,080
3,401
482,594
Rock Island
31,239
20,755
2.279
20,003
1.459,653
Saline.
70,393
809
83.011
568
531,516
Sangamon.
51,085
19,932
247,658
23,073
Schuyler.
62.477
21,294
56,221
165,724
20,841
440,975 752,771
119.359 13.463
Shelby.
310,179
74,908
9,314
15,526
452,015
2,082,578
Stark ..
138,129
12,375
2.783
2,550
1,562.621
1,008
254,857
13,701
527,394
2,118
135,362
Tazewell
229,126
14,846
72,410
59,027
679.753
360,251
53.078
31,122
44,806
249,558
52,476
2,818,027
Wabash ..
54,063
37,558
509
186,290
5,712
72,212
177.592
55,852
1,931
672,486
2,576
Wayne
147,352
146,794
10,486
266
8,665
1,179,291
404,482
White.
92,398
869
184,321
418
870,521
Whitesides.
289,809
37.310
457,455
264
31,658
2,162,943
880,838
Will ..
419,442
24,261
195,286 176
170,787
6,228
180,986
Winnebago.
241,373
116,949 37,238 25,217
6,335 1,648 15,237 23,135
408,606
2.468
137,985
1,237.406
868,903
Woodford
225,504|
178,139
108,307
20,426
2,154,185
744,581
260
25,721
1.367,965
775,100
Cass ..
29,793
33,302
418,073
13,283
247,360
37,508
2,107,615
290,679
Edwards.
58,912
129,152
Effingham
25,328
962,525
497,395
Ford
141,228
2,996
228,132
311,517
1,510,401
579,599
Hardin
44,771
107
13
32,306
69,062
445
2,541,683
322,510
430,746
87,642
149,931
285,949
699,069
Lawrence .. Lee.
12,071 12,462
41,788
198,056
.
2,214,468 1,051,544
389,446
Marshall.
166,057
2,976
106,129
900
36,135
272,660
198,724
263,992
338,760
Platt.
233,785 55,980 19,319
87,754 12,516
44,922
222
195,735
16,511
414,487
Richland ..
75,079
50,618
2,025
....
421,748 96,195 85,331
44,633
1,610
18
266,105
930 23,686
30,534
1,149.878
St. Clair
231,117
76,591
2,016
476,851
Stephenson
1,615,679
2,062,053
75,832
83,606
5,300
..
202,201
421,361
110,793 601.054
Warren.
266,187
27,294
14,583
164,689
1,996
8,030
1,131,458 655,710
1,868,682
Willlamson
128,448
220
350,446
1,016
. 384,446
130,610 161,419 67,886
204,634
276,575
69,793
4,388,763 397,718
637,812 316,726
960.620
43.167 45,268
132,417
180,231
1,737
505,841 124,473 436,051
Washington.
2,982,853 836,115
533,398
Putnam
7,707
Randolph
450
150,268
243,541
155,214 72,309
200
89,304
Scott ..
124,630
1,423,121
Union ....
Vermllion
60,217
Moultrie
53,293
270
1,145,005
· 39,824 4,283
Mercer.
45,977 83,369
13,203
.. .
276,682
668,424
Ogie ...
Peorla.
92,361
Lake
48,117
7,409
903,197
454.648
459,417
28,117
140,954
12,620
82,076
10,598
Knox ..
11,897
17,243
14,282
351,310
63,976
446,324 315,954
1,087,074
Edgar.
...
78.167 21.823
119,659
160 550
28,260 31,739
22,097
36,146
130
Des Av. Woodruff JOLIET.
/
-
-
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
BY HON. GEORGE H. WOODRUFF.
INTRODUCTORY.
It is probably well known to most who will read these pages, that the writer, some few years since, delivered two lectures on the early history of Joliet and Will County, which Mr. James Goodspeed thought worth printing and publish- ing. Those lectures were hastily prepared, and the record which they gave was very imperfect. Many names of early settlers were overlooked, and one entire settlement was strangely omitted in copying. The writer is, therefore, very glad of an opportunity to revise and rewrite the sketch, adding many more names of the first settlers and noticing many matters in our later history. We will, at the same time, omit much that appears in "Forty Years Ago," that was not strictly historical. There will be found in the following pages brief notices, also, of many of our early prominent citizens who have passed away. But. no one will be more sensible than the writer that the record will still be imperfect, and that some names will probably be left out, and many matters escape notice which some one will think to be unpardonable omissions. This is one of the things which detract from the pleasure of writing local annals ; but it seems unavoidable, as no one can know and remember everything, and both the time and space allotted to the writer are limited.
In one respect, the writer is happy. In the previous effort to preserve a little of our early history, the letter "I" occurred quite often-disagreeably so. The writer did not then know that he had the right to use the word " we." He supposed that the editorial fraternity had the exclusive privilege of hiding behind that impenetrable shield. But having discovered that there is no law to prevent its free use by any one who desires to do so, he has adopted it and will use it freely, leaving the reader to guess when it means only the writer and when it means a clique, a city, a township or a county.
The writer regrets that circumstances have made him a fixture in Joliet, and that, like the sessile crustacean known as the barnacle, he cannot go about in search of historic food, and can only gather up that which comes within the reach of his tentacles. But, fortunately, he is to be followed now by others, who will gather up the history of each township separately, and will thus re- cord the many names and facts which he will overlook. This, too, will atone
.
224
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
for the prominence which he has given to Joliet-a thing which was unavoid- able, as an annalist must necessarily say most about events and circumstances " most of which he saw, and part of which he was."
BOUNDARIES AND TOPOGRAPHY.
Will County, as it is now constituted, consists of twenty-three and about one-half townships of land, and is bounded on the north by Du Page and Cook Counties : on the east by Cook County and the State of Indiana; on the south by Kankakee County, and on the west by Grundy and Kendall Counties. It has an area, therefore, of (about) 541,440 acres, or 840 square miles. In its widest part it is (about) thirty-seven and one-half miles east and west, and thirty-six miles north and south. The fractional half township is occasioned by its embracing a strip about one and a half sections wide of Townships 33 and 34 north, Range 15 east, which lie between Range 14 and the State line, and are added to the towns of Crete (34) and Washington (33). Otherwise, and excepting the towns of Wesley and Custer (which are divided by the Kan- kakee), and the town of Reed, which is the west half of T. 32, R. 9, the town organizations are identical with the survey of townships-that is, each town consists of a township of land. This will be apparent at once to the eye by reference to the map which forms a part of this work.
The plan of survey, which was early established for the public lands, ren- ders the description and identification of tracts of land easy and certain. This plan, which is said to have been devised by Thomas Jefferson, and was adopted in 1786, consists in establishing, first, at convenient distances, meridian lines, which are called " principal meridians," and which are started from some well- known point and are run due north and south. Next, a parallel of latitude is run at right angles with the meridian, and is called the base line. From these main lines others are run, called township lines, just six miles each way, which divide the land into townships of six miles square, which are subdivided into thirty-six sections, of 640 acres each, which can again be subdivided, by imag- inary lines, into quarters, half-quarters, etc. The lines running north and south divide the townships into ranges ; and those running east and west, into townships. The meridian line from whch we count starts from the mouth of the Ohio River, and is the Third Principal Meridian. Our ranges are east of this meridian, and the townships are north of the base line. The base line from which we count is somewhat below Centralia, so that the southern line of townships in our county is 32 north, and the western range is 9 east. It is from this Third Principal Meridian that most of the State of Illinois is sur- veyed. By this simple mode of survey, any piece of land is definitely and easily described, even down to ten acres. In all townships the sections are numbered, beginning at the northeast corner and numbering through first course west, then returning on the second, and so on through the township. Of course, along large rivers and on lakes, fractional sections occur. Plats of
225
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
the surveys are recorded in the general and local land offices, and sect- on corners are marked on the prairie by stakes, and in timber by " blazed " trees.
The county is largely prairie, although it exhibits a great variety of soil and surface. There are several townships in which there is not a stick of tim- ber (except as introduced by cultivation), yet considerable bodies of timber are found along the streams, and in isolated groves which were early called "islands." In the early settlement of the county, and of the Northwest gen- erally, the settlers were very careful to select locations adjacent to some grove, and to secure a timber lot was deemed indispensable to settlement. It was then supposed that the prairie land two or three miles from timber would be always open to the range of cattle. ` The prairie is generally of the kind called high or rolling, and many of the low portions were called "sloughs," as they contained water except in the dry season. There is, however, very little of actual swamp land (although considerable was returned as such) in the county, and at present scarcely an acre that is not inclosed. The system of drainage by tiles is coming largely into use, which is making the "sloughs" the most valuable portions of the land.
The county is well watered, except in the eastern townships, which are the highest part of the county. A considerable stream is the Des Planes,* or as it is often called, the Aux Planes, which rises far to the north (in Wisconsin) and passing through Lake and Cook Counties, enters this county on Section 24, Township 37 North, Range 10 East, or the town of Dupage, and passes on through the towns of Lockport (Township 36 North, Range 10 East), and Joliet (Township 35 North, Range 10 East), a corner of Troy, and through Channahon (Township 34 North, Range 9 East), into the edge of Grundy County, where it is united to the Kankakee, and with it forms the Illinois. Just before leaving the county, it is united with the Du Page, a beautiful stream of about the same size and naturally the fullest in dry seasons, which rises in the northern part of Du Page County, where it is fed by copious springs, and enters this county in the town of Dupage by two branches-East and West Du Page-is united on Section 7 of the township, passes through the towns of Wheatland, Plainfield and Troy, and unites with the Des Planes in the town of Channahon. This union of the two rivers (by the way) is what gives rise to the name Channahon, that word being the Pottawatomie word for "meeting of the waters." The name was given to it by Judge Peck, one of the early set- tlers in that locality, of whom mention is made elsewhere. The Kankakee, . which is the largest, perhaps larger than the Du Page and Des Planes united, enters the county at the southeast corner of Township 32, Range 10, and dividing it unequally, passes into Township 32, Range 9, then into Township 33, Range 9, which forms the town of Wilmington, near the southeast corner,
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