Will County IL Archives Biographies.....STAFFORD, WILLIAM ************************************************ 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: Paula Winke-Martisek wranglerjack@comcast.net September 13, 2007, 8:50 pm Author: GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD WILLIAM F. STAFFORD. A study of the lives of prosperous men shows that their success is in every instance due to their energy and good judgment. It is to these qualities that Mr. Stafford owes the success which has rewarded his efforts in business. When he came to Joliet, in 1891, he secured employment with Mr. Hess, whose interest he bought in the fall of 1892 and afterward continued with Mr. Godfrey for two years, meantime holding his own financially in spite of the panic of 1893. Since 1894 he has been alone, continuing at the same site as before, No. 707 Van Buren street. He is the largest wholesale and retail milk dealer in the city, and furnishes milk and cream for the state penitentiary as well as for many private parties. In butter and eggs he also carries on a wholesale and retail business. He has a plant with twelve horse electric power, which he uses in the manufacture of ice cream for the wholesale and retail trade, and in this line, as in others, he has built up a valuable business. Mr. Stafford was born in Dupage Township, Will County, February 13, 1856, a son of Enoch and Sarah (Wheat) Stafford. His father, who was a son of William and Ann Stafford, was born in Nottinghamshire, England, February 23, 1830, and came to America in 1851, arriving in New York May 29. Proceeding west, he secured work as a farm hand in this county and afterward cultivated a rented farm. After ten years fie invested his savings in farm property, and he now owns one hundred and ninety well improved acres in the township where he first settled. His first wife died in 1858, leaving two children, William and Sarah, the latter now deceased. Afterward he married a sister of his first wife, Miss Jane Wheat, who came to America from England at twelve years of age, settling in Dupage Township with her parents, Benjamin and Hannah(Hinsliff) Wheat. Eight children were born of this marriage, four of whom are living. Remaining with his father in youth, our subject gained a good knowledge of farm work, and until 1890 he was interested in agricultural pursuits. November 25, 1880, he married Miss Abbie L. Kilmer, who was born in Dupage Township, her father, Reuben Kilmer, having come here at an early age from the vicinity of the Hudson River in New York. To their marriage have been born two sons, Reuben E. and James K., the older of whom assists his father in business. In September, 1890, Mr. Stafford became connected with the Dupage creamery, but a year later he removed to Joliet and has since been identified, as employe and later as owner, with the business of which he is now head. He is a Republican in politics and prior to his removal from Dupage Township served as tax collector for two years. Fraternally he is associated with Matteson Lodge No. 175, A. F. & A. M. While he is not a member of any religious organization, he contributes to the support of the Eastern Avenue Baptist Church, of which his wife is a member. 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/stafford1703nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 3.6 Kb