Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Caton, William Penn 1815 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 11:14 pm Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 WILLIAM PENN CATON. A few years since there passed from life's active scenes a gentleman who had been conspicuously interested in the most important affairs of Will County, and whose portrait is presented on the opposite page. He was prominent in political and religious circles, and was first a member of the Whig party. Upon the organization of the Republican party he became a strong supporter of its principles, and during the late war was a stanch Union man. The native place of the subject of this notice, late a resident of the city of Joliet, was Orange County, N. Y., on the Hudson River, and he was born March 28, 1815. His immediate progenitors were Robert and Hannah (Dean) Caton, who were Quakers in religion and worthy representatives of that peaceable sect. Robert Caton was born May 22, 1761, and was three times married, Hannah Dean, the mother of our subject, being the third wife. The father died April 6, 1815, when our subject was only nine days old. The mother died April 16, 1836, aged fifty-eight years. In Oneida County young Caton spent the first eighteen years of his life. Then, setting out for himself, he repaired to Ann Arbor, Mich., and sojourned there three years, being employed as a clerk in a general store. In 1836 he went to Chicago, Ill., and clerked there and in Milwaukee, Wis., until the following year. Then, returning to Chicago, he sojourned in that place briefly, and finally took up two thousand acres of Government land in Cook County, Ill., situated about sixteen miles northwest of the present site of Chicago, where he lived until the year 1848. In the meantime he was married, on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1844, at the bride's home, on the north branch of the Chicago River, Cook County, to Miss Elizabeth Steele. Returning now to Chicago, Mr. Caton secured an office as inspector of canal boats, an important position, which he held until 1856. Then, removing to the vicinity of Plainfield, this county, he engaged in farming until 1871. He now decided to retire from active labor, and removing to Joliet, remained a resident of this city until his death, March 22, 1886. During the late years of his life he suffered very much from ill-health. While a resident of Chicago he was connected with the Plymouth Church, in which he officiated as Deacon. After coming to Joliet he joined the First Presbyterian Church and held the same office in this church for many years. He became prominent in mercantile circles in the Garden City, and for a time was engaged in banking. The estimable wife of our subject, Mrs. Elizabeth (Steele) Caton was born May 30, 1819, in Elizabethtown, Essex County, N. Y., to Jonathan and Theodosia (Nichols) Steele. Jonathan Steele was a native of Hartford, Conn., and was born in 1777. From his native place he removed to Elizabethtown, N. Y., and in 1812 had charge of the arsenal at Elizabethtown, fitting out the troops for the campaign on Lake Champlain. His wife, Theodosia, was born in Vermont, October 16, 1780, and died in Elizabethtown, N. Y., when her daughter, Elizabeth, was only three months old. Subsequently the father removed to New York City, and lived there until removing to Chicago, Ill., in 1837. Mrs. Caton thus looked upon the now great city when it was a village of a few houses, and she has watched its gradual growth to a great metropolis with more than ordinary interest. She sailed from Buffalo on one of the first lake steamers which ever plied the waters of old Lake Michigan. To Mr. and Mrs. Caton there was born a family of nine children, five of whom are living: William Edward, a resident of Grand Rapids, Mich., is married and the father of three children; Hannah E. is the wife of T. A. Mason, of Joliet, and they have two children; Charles A., a resident of Ottawa, Ill., is married and the father of three children; Albert R. and wife are living in Plainfield; Minnie E. remains with her mother. Mrs. Caton, since the death of her husband, has managed the estate in an admirable manner, and is a lady greatly respected in her community. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/caton565gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb