Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Willard, Erastus W 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 1:24 pm

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

ERASTUS W. WILLARD, of Lockport, superintendent of the lands of the Illinois 
and Michigan canal, is a member of a family that has been identified with 
American history since the early part of the seventeenth century. The first of 
the name in this country was Maj. Simon Willard, who was born in County Kent, 
England, and settled in Boston, Mass., about 1630, afterward serving as 
commander of expeditions in the early wars and taking a prominent part in many 
historic movements. Nor were his descendants less patriotic than he. One of 
them, Ambrose Willard, a native of Massachusetts and a farmer of that state, 
served during the war of 1812, defending the American interests in that 
conflict. He attained the age of eighty-three years. His son, Erastus H. 
Willard, M. D., who was born in Worcester, Mass., accompanied his parents to 
New York in boyhood, and later became a physician. In 1848 he was elected a 
member of the state senate. During the existence of the Whig party he 
affiliated with its members, and after its disintegration became a Democrat. 
He died at his home in Spencer July 18, 1886. The marriage of Dr. Willard 
united him with Mary S. Moses, who was born in Livingston County, N. Y., in 
1808, and was reared in Lima, in the home of her grandfather, a leading 
educator of that city. Her father was killed when she was a mere child. She 
died in 1880. Like her husband she always adhered to the Presbyterian faith. 
Of the ten children born to their union six are still living. Erastus W., the 
subject of this sketch, was born in Belmont, Allegany County, N. Y., October 
22, 1838. Between the years of twelve and sixteen he was a student in the 
academy near his home. In January, 1856, he came west to Illinois and secured 
a clerkship in a drug store in Wilmington, Will County, remaining there for 
several years. Returning to New York he opened a grocery at Friendship, but 
when the Civil war broke out he gave his mother a bill of sale for the store 
and enlisted in the Union army. He was a non-commissioned officer, belonging 
to Company E, Twenty-third New York Infantry, but was soon transferred to a 
position as hospital steward. Later he received a commission as first 
lieutenant of Company G, Sixty-fifth New York Infantry. At the close of his 
time he was mustered out of service at Almira, N. Y., after which he took the 
enrollment of his town and served as assistant provost-marshal until 1863. 
Deciding to again seek a home in the west Mr. Willard returned to Wilmington, 
Ill., in September, 1863. The following year when President Lincoln called for 
men to enlist for one hundred days in order to relieve soldiers, he went out 
as first lieutenant of Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Infantry. The 
regiment was ordered to Leavenworth, Kans., where Mr. Willard served the court 
martial for two months. He then took his company to Paola, thence returned to 
Leavenworth, and at the expiration of the time of service went back to 
Springfield, Ill. During the Price raid he went to Missouri and remained there 
for two weeks, after which he again went to Springfield and was mustered out 
of the service. On resuming the pursuits of civic life Mr. Willard engaged in 
the drug business at Wilmington, where he remained until 1886. He came to 
Joliet and established a drug business, which he conducted for years. After 
selling out his store he was for six months editor of the Daily Press, which 
was then one of the leading papers of the city. A prominent Republican, he 
served as a member of the state central committee in 1892, 1894 and 1896, and 
acted as chairman of the committee on organization in 1896 and 1898. He served 
as chairman of the Will County central committee in 1892 and 1896. In 1884, 
when he took charge of the Republican committee, the county had been giving 
Democratic majorities for several years, but under his management an 
enthusiasm in behalf of the Republican party was developed. In 1880 he did the 
entire work for the Republican cause in the county, and secured John A. Logan 
to come to Wilmington and make a speech. Under the administration of Governor 
Tanner in February, 1897, he was appointed to superintend the landed interests 
of the canal, and at the same time established his home in Lockport, where he 
has since resided. Fraternally Mr. Willard is connected with Lodge No. 208, A. 
F. & A. M.; Joliet Chapter No. 27, R. A. M.; Joliet Commandery No. 24, and for 
three years was master of the lodge, for some years served as high priest of 
the chapter, and for two years was eminent commander of the commandery. He 
assisted in organizing the Grand Army post in Wilmington and was elected its 
first commanded; afterward, on removing to Joliet, he identified himself with 
the post of this city. June 28, 1871, Mr. Willard married Miss Jessie R. Duck, 
of Wilmington, by whom he has three children, Francis D., Edward H. and Jessie.

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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