Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Demmond, Moses G 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 12:44 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

MOSES G. DEMMOND. Connected prominently with the early history of this county 
is the name of Mr. Demmond. When he first came to Joliet, having made the long 
journey from the east via canal, lakes and wagon, it was in 1839, when the 
surroundings were those of the remote frontier. He has seen the development of 
the county from its primeval condition into a populous and wealthy region, and 
in the attainment of this result he has himself been no unimportant factor. 
His name occupies an honorable place among the industrious pioneers who did 
much for the upbuilding of this part of Illinois. The Demmonds are an old 
family of New England, descended from Scotch ancestors. The grandfather of Mr. 
Demmond, who was the son of a Revolutionary soldier, was born in New York and 
removed from there to Worcester County, Mass., where he died. The father, 
Charles, also a native of New York, came west in 1839, arriving in Joliet on 
the 10th of July, accompanied by his family. He had traveled by wagon to 
Albany, thence by the Erie canal to Buffalo, from there on a steamer ''Great 
Wester," to Chicago and thence by wagon to Joliet, the trip taking three 
weeks. By trade a builder, he followed contracting here until his death, in 
1869, at the age of sixty-eight years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Rebecca Holden, was born in Massachusetts and died in Joliet, in 1885, when 
eighty-two years of age. They were the parents of seven children, viz.: Mrs. 
Harriet Wilcox, who died in California; William C, of Joliet; Darwin D., who 
lives in Chicago; Moses G., of Joliet; F. E. and S. M., of Chicago; and Mary 
Rebecca, who is married and resides in Chicago. The subject of this sketch was 
born in Rutland, Mass., July 1, 1831. Almost his entire life has been passed 
in the west and his education was acquired in western schools, which at that 
time were crude and inferior. At an early age he acquired, under his father, a 
good knowledge of carpentering. In 1850-51 he acted as chainman and flagman 
for a corps of surveyors on the Rock Island Railroad, and when the road was 
completed here he went to Iowa as rodman on the Muscatine branch. Returning to 
Joliet he married and afterward engaged in clerking, later for two years 
worked at carpentering with his father, and then settled upon Redmill farm, 
which he operated for his father-in-law, Henry D. Higinbotham. After a time he 
removed to Twelve Mile Grove, where he continued agricultural pursuits. In 
1864 he moved into Joliet, where he took charge of the business interests of 
H. N. Higinbotham, of Chicago, superintending the management of his fifteen 
hundred acres of land in this county. He continued to act in this capacity 
until 1893, when illness obliged him in a measure to lay aside business cares. 
From 1890 to 1898 he resided on the old Higinbotham farm, but since the latter 
year has made his home at No. 1004 Cass street, Joliet. A Democrat until 1880, 
since then Mr. Demmond has affiliated with the Republican party. For two years 
each he served as alderman from the first ward and police constable, also held 
the office of superintendent of streets of Joliet under Mayor W. A. Steele. 
During his residence in Wilton Township he was collector for two years and 
constable for a year. In the days when the street cars of Joliet were operated 
by mule power, he held the office of superintendent of the street railway, 
continuing for two years until the road changed hands. In religious belief he 
is a Universalist, and fraternally holds membership with Matteson Lodge No. 
175, A. F. & A. M. At the old Higinbotham home on Cass street, March 18, 1856, 
occurred the marriage of Mr. Demmond and Miss Ann Eliza Higinbotham, who was 
born in this county, a daughter of the late Henry D., and sister of Harlow N. 
Higinbotham, of Chicago. They are the parents of six children, namely: Henry 
C, who is a constable in Joliet; Frank E., a tailor in this city; Mrs. Ella A. 
Park, of Joliet; Mrs. Mary Pasold and Mrs. Myra Porter (twins), the latter 
living in Kankakee; and Moses G., Jr., who is connected with the Fox Steel 
Company.

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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