Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Buck, Werden 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 1:32 pm

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

WERDEN BUCK, who is one of the successful business men of Joliet, is a son of 
George A. Buck, a pioneer of this city. He was born in Manhattan, Will County, 
in 1869, on the 9th of February, and spent his early childhood years in that 
place, but in 1880 came to Joliet, where he attended the high school until the 
close of the junior year. His first employment, for which he was paid $5 a 
week, was as collector and night operator for the Chicago Telephone Company, a 
position that required him to work twenty hours out of the twenty-four. After 
six months in the position he became an employe of Paige & Benson, owners of a 
grocery and a coal and ice business. At first he was connected with the ice 
department. Soon A. W. Hays and Chester Paige succeeded J. D. Paige in the 
grocery business, while Paige & Benson remained in the ice and fuel business. 
In 1888 Mr. Buck bought Chester Paige's interest in the grocery, which was 
conducted under the title of A. W. Hays & Co., the location being in the old 
opera house block, on the corner of Chicago and Clinton streets. When that 
building was burned down, in 1892, the business was removed across the street 
to the Auditorium block, where Mr. Buck has since carried on a large and 
profitable trade, at No. 302 Chicago street. In 1894 the firm opened a coal 
and building material business on Cass street, where they dealt in sewer pipe, 
drain tile and fuel. March 9, 1898, Mr. Buck bought his partner's interest, 
and has since been sole proprietor of the coal yards, at Nos. 511-513 Cass 
street. He has a building 40x132, with yards in the rear, and carries in stock 
all kinds of pressed brick manufactured in the United States, also sewer pipe, 
drain tile, etc., in which he conducts an extensive business. He is president 
of the Retail Merchants' Association of Joliet, and stands high among the 
business men of his city, where he is known as a man of unusual enterprise and 
sound judgment. As a Democrat, he has been active in politics, and has served 
as treasurer of the city Democratic committee. For one term he held the office 
of township collector. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of 
America. The marriage of Mr. Buck, which took place in Joliet, united him with 
Miss Inez Paige, daughter of J. D. Paige, superintendent of the Joliet fire 
department. One son blesses their union, George Paige. Mrs. Buck is a 
Universalist in religious belief, and. while Mr. Buck is not connected with 
any denomination, he is in sympathy with all movements for the uplifting of 
humanity. He is a progressive citizen and earnestly favors measures for the 
benefit of Joliet, in whose future as a commercial center he has the greatest 
faith.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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