Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Wills, James E 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 3:40 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

JAMES E. WILLS.

Upon a farm near Coal City James E. Wills makes his home and is regarded as 
one of the substantial farmers and leading and influential citizens of Maine 
township. He was born in this township, July 1, 1857, his parents being 
Lawrence and Isabel (Honebon) Wills. It is thought that both the Wills and 
Honebon families have large fortunes in England. The grandmother of our 
subject was an heir to one hundred and fifty thousand pounds, but never 
received the money, being cheated out of it by a lawyer. It is also believed 
that a large fortune belonging to the Wills is in the English court of 
chancery. One of the ancestors of our subject was a naval officer to whom 
large amounts of prize money was due for some captures which he assisted in 
making. The grandfather of our subject was a seafaring man, and his son, 
Lawrence Wills, was born in Chardstock, Somersetshire, England, May 24, 1824. 
He obtained a common-school education and in early life began farming. He was 
married in his native county to Isabel Honebon, who was born in Somersetshire, 
February 7, 1815. They began their domestic life there and for a few years Mr. 
Wills followed farming, after which he emigrated to America, in 1848, taking 
passage on a sailing vessel which weighed anchor at Liverpool. Three months 
later he landed at New York, and by way of the lakes he proceeded to Chicago 
and thence to Kendall county, Illinois, where he rented land. In 1854 he came 
to Grundy county, locating in what is now Maine township. Here he purchased 
forty acres of the farm upon which our subject now resides. It was then but 
little improved, but he made a good home and extended the boundaries of his 
farm from time to time until it comprised four hundred acres of rich and 
arable land. His life was one of untiring industry and his years of honest 
labor brought to him a handsome competence. His political support was given 
the Republican party. In their native land Mr. and Mrs. Wills were members of 
the Church of England, but after coming to America united with the Methodist 
church. The father died July 3, 1893, at the age of seventy-two years, and the 
mother in 1888. They were parents of six children: Sylvia, Fanny, Barbara, 
William, Isaac and James E., all natives of Somersetshire, England, excepting 
the last two.

James E. Wills, of this review, is indebted to the common-school system for 
the educational privileges which he enjoyed and was reared to farm life. He 
was married in Maine township, on the 20th of February, 1881, to Miss Mary L. 
Hill, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, October 7, 1860, and is a 
daughter of Henry D. and Maria (Stalman) Hill, the former a son of Adam Hill 
and a native of Delaware county, Ohio, where he was born December 15, 1826. 
He, too, made farming his life work, and in his native county he wedded Maria 
S. Stalman, who was born in Adams county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1834. Her 
parents were Henry Louis and Maria Sophia (Miller) Stalman. Her father was 
born in Hamburg, Germany, and there learned the shoemaker's trade. After 
arriving at years of maturity he wedded Maria S. Miller, also a native of 
Germany, and in 1833 they crossed the Atlantic to America, taking up their 
abode in Adams county, Pennsylvania, where he followed the shoemaker's trade. 
Later they resided in Licking county, Ohio, and afterward removed to Delaware 
county, locating twenty miles north of Columbus on a small farm, where Mr. 
Stalman died, at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife at the age of 
seventy-seven. They were members of the United Brethren church and were people 
of the highest respectability.

After his marriage Mr. Hill located in Delaware county, Ohio, making his home 
upon a small farm until his removal to Grundy county, Illinois, in 1864. For a 
year he resided in Mazon township, and then purchased land in what is now 
Maine township—a tract of eighty acres—to which he afterward added forty 
acres. This place he improved, making a good home, and his enterprising 
efforts gained him a place among the substantial farmers and reliable citizens 
of his community. He died January 26, 1900, when about seventy-four years of 
age. His children were Clara, John, Mary, Joel B., Edward, Joseph, Louis, 
Delmar, who died at the age of twenty-two years, Thomas and Martha.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wills spent two years upon the farm which is 
now their home and then moved to Good Farm township. Mr. Wills rented one 
hundred and sixty acres of land there. They returned to the Wills homestead in 
1890, he having inherited eighty acres of his father's estate. As the years 
passed and his capital was augmented Mr. Wills has increased his landed 
possessions until he now owns about three hundred and twenty acres in Maine 
township, together with a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres in 
Butler county, Kansas. While his career has been a prosperous one, his success 
has come as the result of many hours of hard labor, week in and week out. His 
steady application and careful management have been the factors in his 
prosperity, and his competence is therefore well merited.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wills are: Wesley, Lewis, Clarence, Earl, Ray, 
James, Jesse, John and Inez Marie, the only daughter. In his political views 
Mr. Wills is a Republican, and has served as a member of the school board and 
as highway commissioner. Both he and his wife enjoy the warm regard of many 
friends and are numbered among the leading citizens of their community.

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p634-636

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