Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Weeks, Horace ************************************************ 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 3, 2007, 5:26 pm Author: Genealogical/Biographical Publishing Co HORACE WEEKS, who is one of the oldest living native-born residents of this county, is a member of an eastern family, descending from Leonard Weeks, who, in 1655, emigrated from Wells, Somersetshire, England, to New Hampshire; settling near Portsmouth, he built a brick residence that still stands and that has been continuously occupied by members of the family. Following him, in direct line of descent, were Joseph, Jedediah (1st), Jedediah (2d), Nathaniel and Horace. Nathaniel was born at Northfield, N. H., where his father engaged in farm pursuits, having removed to that place from the vicinity of Portsmouth. After graduating in medicine Nathaniel Weeks removed to Monroe County, N. Y., and from there, as early as 1833, he came to the then comparatively unknown state of Illinois, and settled in Homer Township, Will County, at that time a part of Cook County. Entering land he gave his attention to its clearing and cultivation. In 1860 he retired from active labors and afterward lived, quietly, in Joliet, where he died in 1866, aged seventy-five years. In early days he was a free soiler, and upon the organization of the Republican party became identified with it. In religion he was of the Methodist Episcopal faith. The wife of Dr. Weeks was Abiah Haseltine, who was born in Epsom, N. H., and died at the home of her son, Horace, in 1886, when eighty-eight years of age. Her father, Rev. Ebenezer Haseltine, a lifelong resident of New Hampshire, was a minister in the Congregational Church in that state; he married a daughter of Major McClary, who was killed in the battle of Bunker Hill. The family of Dr. and Mrs. Weeks consisted of eight children, namely: Joseph, a mechanic, who died in 1859; Charles, who served for four years each as treasurer and judge of Will County, and died in Joliet June 5, 1899; Mary, who died in Lockport; John, who served in the Illinois regimental band during the Civil war and is now living in Lockport; Jane, who married G. A. Gooding, an attorney of Lockport, where she died; George, of Joliet; Horace and Ann. In Homer Township, Will County, the subject of this sketch was born September 20, 1837. In 1843 his father removed to Lockport, and he attended the public schools of that place until fourteen years of age, when he entered the printing office of the Lockport Telegram. Two years later he began to learn telegraphy and after a time was put in charge of the Rock Island Telegraph office at Sheffield. His next employment was as clerk in a drug store owned by his father in Lockport, and after two years he bought out his father and carried on the business alone. In two years he entered the bank at Lockport as bookkeeper, and afterward was employed in the La Salle postoffice for a year, later was a canal officer, with headquarters in Chicago. In 1863 he came to Joliet, where he was a clerk in the provost-marshal's office until the close of the war. For three years he was telegraph operator and ticket agent for the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad in Joliet, and at the same time studied law. In 1868 he entered the office of the clerk of court and records, where he remained as deputy, and at the same time completed his law studies under E. C. Fellows. In 1869 he was admitted to the bar. Under President Grant, in 1872, he received an appointment as collector of internal revenue for the sixth district of Illinois, including Will, Kankakee, Grundy and La Salle Counties, and this position he held for four years, with headquarters in Joliet. In 1876 a consolidation of office was effected and the headquarters were removed to Aurora. Returning to the courthouse during that year, he was master of chancery for the eight following years. In the organization of the People's Loan & Homestead Association he took an active part, and from that time, 1884, until 1893, he served as secretary; also for years was a director in the concern. He is now living in retirement from business cares. In national politics he adheres to Republican principles. Aside from serving on the county committee, he has not been active in politics in his home town. Fraternally he is connected with Mount Joliet Lodge No. 42, A. F. & A. M. The marriage of Mr. Weeks, in Joliet, united him with Miss Mary Munson, who was born in Tazewell County, Ill. They became the parents of four children, their only daughter, Mrs. Fannie Morse, being a resident of Sonoma County, Cal. The oldest son, Fred B., is manager of the Western Stone Company in Joliet. Curtis, who is an engineer with the same company, served as quartermaster-sergeant of Company G, First Florida Infantry, during the Spanish war. The youngest son, Horace M., is a clerk in the office of the Joliet Stove Works Company. 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/weeks1655nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb