Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Gougar, Joseph E 
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Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Joseph E. Gougar has the distinction of being the oldest person living in Will 
county who was born here. He is the owner of a valuable and well improved farm 
of one hundred and sixty acres, situated in New Lenox township, Will county, 
whereon he has made his home continuously from 1834 to the present time, 
covering a period of seventy-three years. His birth here occurred March 21, 
1834, and he is a son of William and Catherine (Able) Gougar, both of whom 
were born in Pennsylvania, the former in 1772, his birth place being near the 
town of Milton. They were married in the Keystone state, and in 1831 came to 
Illinois, where the father engaged in farming, but because of the unsettled 
condition of the country and the frequent raids made by the Indians upon the 
property of the white settlers, he removed to Indiana, where he remained a 
short time and then returned to this county. His death occurred April 1, 1861. 
He gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, and both he and his 
wife held membership with the Methodist Episcopal church. Joseph E. Gougar has 
eight brothers and one sister. He was reared in his parent's home, and his 
early education, acquired in the common schools, was supplemented by a course 
of study in Beloit College and Madison University at Madison, Wisconsin, while 
he prepared for the business world by a course in Bryant & Stratton Business 
College and Thomas J. Sloan's College, at Chicago, being graduated from the 
latter institution. His first business connection was with the firm of 
Reynolds & Willis, being employed as a bookkeeper in a wholesale grocery at 
Chicago. After a year he began business on his own account as a dealer in 
grain, his partner being Mr. Reynolds, who enlisted in the army at the time of 
the Civil wax, being later promoted to the rank of general. Mr. Gougar 
continued in the grain business for two years, when in 1864, he was united in 
marriage to Miss Harriet Perkins, who was born in Grundy county, this state, 
in 1841. She spent her childhood and youth in Joliet, during which time she 
attended the public and high schools, after which she accompanied her parents 
on their return to Grundy county, which continued to be her home until the 
time of her marriage. Her parents, William H. and Elizabeth A. Van Dalson, 
came from the state of New York to Grundy county, Illinois, where the father 
engaged in farming. Both are now deceased, the former having passed away in 
Kendall county, this state, June 17, 1887, when he had reached the advanced 
age of seventy-eight years, for his birth occurred September 23, 1809. The 
mother was born April 6, 1817, and died in Kendall county, March 6, 1895, she 
having also reached the age of seventy-eight. Their family numbered two sons 
and one daughter. Van Dalson Perkins, the eldest, was a defender of the Union 
at the time of the Civil war, joining Company E, One Hundredth Illinois 
Regiment. He was wounded and taken prisoner, his death occurring in the rebel 
lines, and thus he gave his life as a sacrifice on the altar of his country. 
Charles E. Perkins is a resident farmer of Kendall county. Mrs. Gougar is the 
second in order of birth. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gougar located 
on the farm which has since continued to be their home. His first purchase of 
land made him owner of eighty acres but he has since added to this until he 
now has one hundred and sixty acres, constituting a well improved farm. He has 
made many needed and substantial improvements, including a nice home and good 
set of farm buildings, and he keeps everything about the place in a neat and 
well kept condition, indicating his enterprising and progressive spirit. In 
his early life he engaged in teaching school for about two years, after which 
he was engaged for a similar period in the grain trade. Since locating on his 
farm he has found ample opportunity for the acquirement of a goodly competence 
which supplies himself and family with many comforts of life. Unto our subject 
and his wife have been born six children: Charles P., who is now in Florida 
for the benefit of his health; Ella, who was born September 5, 1869, and died 
August 27, 1872; Florence, who was born November 24, 1872, and died March 17, 
1874; Hattie M., who at the present writing is a teacher in the Joliet 
schools; Harlow W., who is assisting his father in the operation of the home 
farm; and Eva A., who is at home. Mr. Gougar gives his political support to 
the democracy. He served for a time as postmaster at New Lenox, having been 
appointed during the administration of President Cleveland, but he later 
substituted a republican friend, Mr. Knickerbocker, who took charge of the 
office. He has served his township as assessor and collector, and at the 
present, time is acting as assistant secretary of the Old Settlers 
Association, while he is likewise a member of the executive committee. He and 
his family are communicants of the Episcopal church. Mr. Gougar has now passed 
the seventy-third milestone on life's journey, and his industry and enterprise 
in former years have enabled him to accumulate a competence that now supplies 
him with a comfortable living and permits him to leave the more arduous duties 
of the farm to his son, while he can spend the evening of his days in well 
earned ease. He has spent his entire life in Will county, and for many years 
has been identified with its agricultural interests. He and his family are 
widely and favorably known, being numbered among the best citizens of their 
locality. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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