Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Elwood, Hon James G ************************************************ 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 September 7, 2007, 11:56 pm Author: Genealogical & Biographical Record HON. JAMES G. ELWOOD, postmaster of Joliet and one of the city's most influential citizens, was brought to this place by his parents in 1843, when four years of age. He was born in Lockport, this county, and received his education in public and private schools primarily, after which he attended the Collegiate and Commercial Military School in New Haven, Conn., remaining there until the completion of the course in 1857. While there he served as first sergeant for three months and later held the rank of captain. The choice of a university course at Yale or study abroad was given him, and he chose the latter, going to Geneva, Switzerland, where he was under a tutor for a year. Next he matriculated in Frederick William University at Berlin, where he completed the first year's studies. While there his only living brother passed away and left him the sole survivor of six sons. For this reason his parents deemed it best for him to return to them, and the following year he spent in his father's office. After completing the course in Bryant & Stratton's Business College he returned to the office of Parks & Elwood, and continued there until his mother gave her consent for his enlistment in the volunteer army in July, 1862. Organizing Company B, of the One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, he was commissioned its captain by Governor Yates, and went at once to the front. After the battle of Perryville he accompanied General Rosecrans and took part in the five days' fight at Murfreesboro. During that battle he was honored by being made acting assistant adjutant-general of the First Brigade, First Division, Twenty-first Corps, being appointed on the field by Gen. George T. Buell. His brigade, which was in Wood's division, received an order to move by the left flank in the battle of Chickamauga. It obeyed the order with fourteen hundred and fifty men and lost six hundred and forty-eight men in its heroic effort to hold its position. While in Chattanooga, Mrs. Elwood wrote so strong an appeal for her son's return home that General Rosecrans decided her request should be granted. The young officer therefore resigned in November, 1863, and returned home. In 1866 Mr. Elwood became a broker on the Chicago board of trade. Soon afterward he entered the milling business at Matteson, Ill., but in 1870 returned to Joliet, where he has since carried on a real-estate business. With ex-Mayor Paige, in 1880, he built the Telephone Exchange, the first telephone in Joliet, and this the two conducted for three years, and then sold out to theChicago Telephone Company, Mr. Elwood remaining as manager for four more years. His next business enterprise was as treasurer, general manager and a director of the water works company, with which he continued for four years, until the plant was purchased by the city. From 1888 to 1896 he was manager of the Joliet Gas Company, with which he was connected from 1861 and of which he was secretary for twenty years. With Judge Parks, in 1877, he erected the First National Bank building. He is a director in the Will County National Bank and has an interest in many other local enterprises of importance. In 1862 he was made a director of Oakwood cemetery, of which he has been superintendent since 1871. When Mr. Elwood entered the army he was a Douglas Democrat, but soon after the war he became a Republican and has been stanch in his allegiance to this party ever since. From 1872 to 1874 he was alderman from his ward. In 1877 he was elected mayor, being the first to hold the office under the present charter. As chairman of the board of county supervisors for two years he proved an efficient worker for the benefit of the people, not only devoting his salary to the benefit of the public work, but making personal contributions besides. From 1892 to 1894 he was superintendent of the poor, this being the time of the panic, when work was scarce and many worthy people were in direst straits. During that time he had charge of feeding-and helping forty-four hundred and fifty persons, and much of his time was given to this work. July 11, 1898, he was appointed postmaster of Joliet, and has since served with efficiency in the office. In Chicago, in 1868, Mr. Elwood married Miss Margaret Pearce, who was born in Seneca County, N. Y. Her father, William L. Pearce, came to Chicago in 1852 and opened the Matteson house, corner of Randolph and Dearborn streets. He died in Chicago. His brother is now proprietor of the Sherman house in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Elwood are the parents of four children. Ward Pearce Elwood, the oldest, was educated in Faribault, Minn., and Chicago Manual Training school, and is now engaged in the plumbing business in Joliet. William Nelson Elwood is treasurer and secretary of the Nashville Chair and Carriage Company, of Nashville, Tenn.; this company both father and son helped to organize and it has the most complete and modern plant of its kind in the United States. The older daughter, Louise Maynette, was educated in Lasell Seminary at Auburndale, Mass., and the younger, Elsie Parks, graduated with honors from the Joliet high and training schools. The family spend the winters in Joliet and during the summer occupy their country home, "Elwood Terrace," on the St. Clair River, in Michigan. Fraternally Mr. Elwood is connected with Matteson Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Joliet Chapter, R. A. M., in which he is past high priest; Joliet Council; Joliet Commandery No. 4, K. T., in which he has been commander five terms; and in 1884 he was grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Illinois. For twelve years he was the representative of the grand commandery of New York in the commandery of this state. He is a member of the Illinois Commandery of Loyal Legion and Bartleson Post No. 6, G. A. R., of Joliet. For many years he was a vestryman and warden in Christ's Episcopal Church and took an active part in the management of the finances of the church, also aided actively in the erection of the church building. 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/elwood1673nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 6.9 Kb