Will County IL Archives Biographies.....HOUSE, GEORGE 
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Paula Winke-Martisek wranglerjack@comcast.net September 20, 2007, 12:56 am

Author: GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD

GEORGE S. HOUSE, one of Joliet's leading attorneys and progressive citizens, 
is a member of a pioneer family of Illinois. His paternal grandfather, Chester 
House, came west from the vicinity of Rome, Oneida County, N. Y., in 1831, and 
located three-quarters of a section of land on the Ausable River, twelve miles 
west of Joliet. On his land was the old Fox Indian trail between the 
Mississippi and the lakes. The farm continued to be his home until his death, 
and is now occupied by his sole surviving son; since the deed made was made 
transferring the property from the government to Mr. House, the only papers 
drawn up were the original owner's will and the later deed of our subject's 
father, transferring his interest in the homestead to the present owner. 
Chester House was a pioneer in every sense of the word. When he came west he 
walked from Chicago to his claim. Joliet was not then in existence. The 
country was in its primitive wildness. He built the first hewn-log house in 
all the region and it became the landmark for travelers. When Hon. Joel 
Matteson came to this county, Mr. House went to Chicago with his team and 
brought the Matteson family and their household goods back with him. The goods 
were packed in straw in Jefferson County, N. Y., and were unpacked on the 
House homestead, the place being clearly marked by a growth of Canada 
thistles, which sprang up from among the straw. Rodney, son of Chester House, 
was born in Oneida County, N. Y., and learned the wagon-maker's trade there. 
In 1833 he came west and settled on the north edge of what is now Grundy 
County (then Cook), when he entered a claim. In the winter of 1835-36 he built 
a dwelling on Chicago street in Joliet. In the spring of 1836, his wife joined 
him here. He opened a wagon shop on Chicago street. In 1858 he erected a new 
house on Scott street, where he made his home until his death, at ninety 
years. During his early life he was an old line Whig, and upon the 
organization of the Republican party became identified with it. He was one of 
the organizers of the Congregational Church in Joliet, and afterward served as 
a deacon as long as he lived. He continued at his trade until he was seventy-
five, when he retired. His life was prolonged far beyond the usual duration of 
man's existence, but he was fortunate in retaining, to a large extent, his 
faculties of mind and body. On the ninetieth anniversary of his birth his 
remains were interred in a cemetery near his home. No pioneer of the town was 
more respected than he, and, although he did not accumulate property or gain 
wealth, he gained that which is more to be desired—the esteem of his 
associates and the love of his friends. Before leaving New York he married 
Miss Julia Stillman, by whom he had two sons, George S. and Rodney (both of 
Joliet), and a daughter that died in infancy. When our subject was nine years 
of age his mother took him to Rome, N. Y., and he prepared for college in the 
academy there.  At the age of sixteen he entered Hamilton College at Clinton, 
N. Y., where he took the regular course of study, graduating in 1856. He then 
matriculated in what is now Columbia law school, and three years later 
graduated with a high standing. Although he had no intention of practicing law 
in New York state, he took the examination, with the others of his class, 
before the board of examiners for admission to the bar of that state; and had 
the satisfaction of receiving the highest grades of any candidate. His 
examiners were men of national fame—Roscoe Conkling, Judge Allen, of the 
eastern district of New York, and Judge Denio, who was afterward judge of the 
court of appeals of New York. Returning to Joliet, Mr. House entered the law 
office of McRoberts & Goodspeed, with whom he remained for a short time. His 
license to practice in New York secured him admission to the courts of 
Illinois, without further examination. After a short time in the office of 
Uriah Osgood, he formed a partnership with him, and the two remained together 
until 1863, when Mr. House went south, and was engaged as auditor and cashier 
in the office of the general disbursing quartermaster at Nashville, Tenn., 
under General Donaldson. In 1867 he came back to Joliet, since which time he 
has been engaged in professional work. His career has been remarkably 
successful. It is said by those qualified to know, that there has not been an 
important case in Joliet during the last twenty-five years in which he was not 
interested. For many years he has been attorney for the Chicago & Wilmington 
Coal Company, the largest coal company in the state. For twenty-five years he 
has held the position of attorney for the Chicago & Alton Railroad.  While his 
is a general practice, yet he has been particularly interested in corporation 
law, and his largest success has been achieved in that department of the 
profession. In the session of 1890, when the labor element was so strong that 
five bills were passed in its interests, namely: the truck store bill, weekly 
pay bill, gross weight bill, check-weighman's bill and screen bill—the passage 
of these bills put all business at the mercy of operatives and employes. Mr. 
House was retained to fight the measures. He carried all of them to the 
supreme court of the state, where they were declared unconstitutional. These 
same bills were passed and declared constitutional in West Virginia. He was 
then asked to go to West Virginia and argue for a rehearing. This he did, the 
result being that the decision was finally reversed. While he is a believer in 
Republican principles, yet he has never been active in politics, preferring to 
give his attention wholly to his professional activities. The marriage of Mr. 
House took place June 27, 1860, and united him with Miss Virginia A. Osgood, 
whose father, Hon. Uriel Osgood, was one of the most prominent attorneys and 
bankers of his day. Mr. and Mrs. House are the parents of six children, viz.: 
George C, who is an engineer on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and resides in 
Bloomington, Ill.; Harry O., who is with the Illinois Steel Company in Joliet; 
Caroline V., wife of Frank E. Chamberlin, of Joliet; Gould, a dentist in 
Joliet; I. Robert, who is in his father's office; and Hazel. 

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