Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Armstrong, William Elder 1814 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com April 29, 2006, 3:50 pm

Author: History of Grundy County IL 1914

Armstrong, William Elder, third son of Joseph and Elsie (Strawn) Armstrong, 
was born in Licking County, Ohio, October 25, 1814, and died while visiting 
his mother at Deer Park, La Salle County, Ill., November 2, 1850. In 1831 he 
came to Illinois, and to Grundy County in 1837, being attracted here by the 
letting of contracts for the erection of the canal, securing contracts for two 
sections near the present site of Morris, as well as others outside Grundy 
County. Mr., or as he was familiarly known, Captain, Armstrong served Grundy 
County as its first Sheriff, and also collected the taxes of the county. When 
the county was created, Captain Armstrong was made one of the commissioners to 
select the county seat, and while this question was being settled, court was 
held in his cabin. Captain Armstrong also owned and operated a ferry across 
the river. He erected at his own expense a wooden building to serve as a court 
house, and a hotel which he named the Grundy Hotel. In it he entertained such 
men as Lincoln, Douglas, Ford, Reynolds, Wentworth and Judges Young, Smith, 
Henderson, Caton and David Davis. In spite of all he did for Morris and Grundy 
County, he lost all that he had on account of the depreciation in value of 
canal script, which he was compelled to take in payment for the work he did on 
the canal. He had paid his men in real money for their work, and the State not 
meeting its obligation to him, as it had no funds for that purpose, he died a 
poor man. On February 6, 1836, he married Miss Sarah Ann Strawn, and they had 
two daughters, namely: Jemima E., and Emma D.

page 756

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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