Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Petty, William Louis 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 3:59 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

WILLIAM LOUIS PETTY, a resident of Joliet since 1878, was nominated in the 
spring of 1899 to fill a vacancy as justice of the peace of Joliet Township 
and at the election in May he was given a good majority, being elected to 
serve until the spring of 1901. He established his office in the Masonic 
building at No. 225 Jefferson street, and has since given his time to his 
official duties, which he discharges in a manner satisfactory to all and 
creditable to himself. He has always voted the Republican ticket and his 
election came from the party that he has so faithfully supported. Generations 
ago the Pettit family came from France to America, settling in North Carolina, 
where the name was changed to Petty. William Petty, Sr., a planter of the 
latter state, followed his two sons to the north and took up a claim in Wabash 
County, Ind. The neighborhood where they settled was given the name of 
Pettyville. William Petty, Jr., a native of North Carolina, took up a timber 
tract from the government in Wabash County and at once began to clear the 
land. He built a log house that is still standing. After a time he removed to 
Delaware County, the same state, where he cleared a farm six miles from 
Muncie, and in time his place became very valuable through the improvements he 
made upon it. His death occurred in 1868, when he was fifty-six years of age. 
Fraternally he was connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows. His wife was 
Sidney Rees, who spent her entire life in Delaware County; her father, Martin 
Rees, a native of Ohio, settled in Delaware County at so early a period that 
the Muncie Indians had not yet retreated to haunts further west. The family of 
William and Sidney Petty consisted of seven children, of whom five are living, 
namely: Emma, Mrs. David Jones, of Muncie; Louis; John A., of Muncie; Zeno, 
who is pastor of the Church of God in Muncie; and Charles, a member of the 
Eighteenth United States Infantry now in Manila. At the home place near Muncie 
our subject was born September 17, 1860, and there he remained until eighteen 
years of age. In 1878, coming to Joliet, he secured a clerkship in a grocery 
house, where he continued for eight years. He was then appointed by Mayor 
McClaughrey receiving and discharging officer in the Illinois state 
penitentiary, where he remained for eight consecutive years. On resigning he 
started in the grocery business for himself at No. 120 North Chicago street, 
but after a year sold out in order to accept an appointment as bridewell 
keeper of Joliet. He continued in the latter position until his election as 
justice of the peace. In Joliet occurred the marriage of Mr. Petty to Miss 
Lena Reichert, who was born in this city. Her father, John Reichert, came from 
Germany to this city in an early day and for years engaged in business on 
Washington street, but is now too feeble to continue the activities of earlier 
years. The five children of Mr. and Mrs. Petty are: Elwood, William L., Elsie 
Ethel, Lena and Jacob. Fraternally Mr. Petty is connected with Matteson Lodge 
No. 175, A. F. & A. M., and Joliet Chapter No. 27, R. A. M., also the Modern 
Woodmen of America. His wife is a member of the Universalist Church.

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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