Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Sackett, William L 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 5:21 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

William L. Sackett

Mr. Sackett is distinctively American; so were his ancestors, both lineal and 
collateral for generations. His father, Loren Sackett, is a direct descendant 
of the Sackvilles, the English branch of the family, which for many years has 
been prominent in official and mercantile circles in England. The mother, 
Sarah (Downey) Sackett, is a lineal descendant of a family that was prominent 
in Ireland and that has figured conspicuously in events which go to form the 
history of the Emerald Isle. Representatives of both the paternal and maternal 
ancestry played a prominent part in the early history of America. They were 
members of the Pilgrim band and lovers of religious liberty and independence. 
The ancestors are found among the few that embarked on the Mayflower when it 
made its famous voyage to the New World to carry the little band of settlers 
who were to lay the foundation for the development of New England. They sought 
here liberty to worship God after the promptings of their conscience, and 
throughout the colonial epoch members of both families were concerned with the 
important interests which go to form the records of that period of our 
national history. When the British tyranny became unendurable and the 
colonists resolved to throw off all allegiance to the mother country, members 
of the family were among those early on the field of battle and also in the 
deliberations in the halls of the continental congress. The subject of this 
sketch is a great-grandson of Lieutenant Adnah Sackett, who was a volunteer 
soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving as first lieutenant in Captain 
Sackett’s (Seventh) Company of Colonel John Moseley’s Third Hampshire County 
(Massachusetts) Regiment. The name of Sackett figures prominently in the 
records of the Revolutionary war, and several of the family were engaged with 
Washington in his campaigns, two being upon the immediate staff of the father 
of his country.

Loren Sackett, the father of our subject, was a boy of nine years at the time 
of the outbreak of the war of 1812. He took an active interest in the Mexican 
war, and gave close attention to the events which led up to and attended the 
Civil war, but was too old to join the army. Two of his sons, however, served 
with the boys in blue, William Henry becoming the captain of Company I, 
Eleventh Connecticut Volunteers, serving until the last engagement of his 
regiment before Petersburg, in 1865, when he was killed on the field of 
battle. The other son, Joseph T., was a member of Company C, Thirteenth 
Illinois Infantry. He enlisted as a corporal, but for gallantry on the field 
of battle at Ringgold Gap was brevetted captain. This event concerning the 
preservation of the colors of the regiment is a matter of comment in the state 
reports.

William Loren Sackett, whose name introduces this review, was born at Holyoke, 
Massachusetts, in the early ‘60s, and at the age of three years was taken by 
his parents to Springfield, that state, where he lived until about eight years 
of age. As the result of death and sickness the family became scattered, and 
William L. made his way westward to live with an older brother, then located 
in Amboy, Illinois, to which place the father came after sonic years of travel 
in search of health, his death occurring in Amboy. Through the winter months 
William L. Sackett was allowed the privilege of attending the country schools, 
and during the summer months he worked upon the farm, herding cattle or doing 
anything else that he could find to do in order to help pay his way. A few 
years later he went to Hartford, Connecticut, to live with a sister, and there 
enjoyed the benefits of a grammar-school education and studied during one or 
two terms in a preliminary class of the Hartford high school. The 
circumstances of the family at that time, however, would not permit of his 
graduation, and he secured a position in a small job printing office, where he 
was able to earn enough to pay for his board and clothing. During the winter, 
as opportunity offered, he attended a night school and was thus engaged until 
his strength failed. After a long and nearly fatal illness he went to Dakota, 
in 1881, spending a year upon a ranch, his labors bringing him his livelihood 
and at the same time greatly benefiting his health. The ranch was situated in 
the vicinity of the Sioux and Brute Indian reservations. Upon recovering his 
health, Mr. Sackett returned to Illinois, in 1881, locating in Springfield. 
There he again began work at the printer’s trade, accepting a position in a 
job office. Subsequently he turned his attention to newspaper work, and was 
for a time a reporter for the State Journal at Springfield. Subsequently he 
served as the business manager of other publications and finally became night 
editor of the Journal, in which capacity he served until the paper was sold 
and reorganized in 1884.

During this time Mr. Sackett had become a stenographic writer, and on severing 
his connection with the State Journal he became the capitol correspondent for 
the Chicago Tribune. He later served upon the staff of the Chicago Herald, the 
New York Tribune, the Philadelphia Press, St. Louis Globe-Democrat and other 
papers. In this way he became actively interested in political affairs, formed 
the acquaintance of many prominent statesmen and politicians and numbers among 
his friends some of the most eminent men of the day. He served for some time 
in the capacity of private secretary to Governor John R. Tanner, who at that 
time was the state treasurer and political manager for Senator Cullom. He was 
also at one time private secretary for Cullom, three or four years for Chief 
Justice Simeon P. Shope, of the state supreme court, and for seven years for 
Attorney General Hunt. While thus engaged he was complimented by being 
selected by Governor Richard J. Oglesby as his confidential assistant in the 
disposition of the trying appeals for clemency made in behalf of the condemned 
Chicago anarchists, and was highly complimented by the governor in an 
autograph letter upon his success in outwitting the hundreds of newspaper 
correspondents and getting information of the governor’s denial of the plea 
for pardon to the officials in Chicago ten hours before it became known in 
Springfield, that proper provision might be made to frustrate any plans for 
assailing the county jail and rescuing the anarchists. Mr. Sackett also aided 
Attorney-General Hunt in the preparation and hearing of this case on its 
appeal to the United States supreme court at Washington.

While in Springfield, in 1887, he became acquainted with and married Miss Ida 
I. Brown, a young lady of culture and many admirable qualities.  As a result 
of this marriage two children have been born, Loren B. and Edwin, aged 
respectively eleven and two years.

Mr. Sackett has been engaged in various lines of newspaper and mercantile work 
and railroading, and for a number of years has been active and prominent in 
state politics, being an uncompromising Republican and a fearless, open 
fighter. In the McKinley campaign of 1896 he was named by acclamation as the 
presidential elector for the eighth congressional district, with nearly twenty 
thousand Republican majority. In 1891 he came to Morris and purchased the 
Morris Herald. It has been a stanch and uncompromising Republican paper under 
his management, and is a journal that is a credit to the city. It has always 
been conducted upon the broader ideas gained by its publisher when identified 
with metropolitan papers, directing its criticisms as an impersonal advocate 
of the people, regardless of the personal beliefs of the individuals 
associated with it. This idea of journalism was new to the constituency of the 
paper, and many looked upon it askance as a type of personality. Those who 
knew Mr. Sackett best, however, long ago learned that no matter what his paper 
said he frequently did not entertain the same views personally, and personally 
he is ever ready to meet his friends or opponents with the best of feeling, 
regardless of newspaper comment. It is not difficult to find numerous critics 
who will say that, no matter what else they may think, under the direction of 
its present publisher the paper is always outspoken upon every proposition, 
and that it does much by its policy to curb the vicious and promote the best 
interests of the city.

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p577-580


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