Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Wood, Willard 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 7, 2007, 11:28 pm

Author: Genealogical & Biographical Record

WILLARD WOOD, founder of Crete, was born in Randolph, Vt., August 28, 1808, a 
son of Thomas and Ruby (Newland) Wood, and a grandson of Thomas Wood, Sr., a 
native of Vermont and of English descent. His father served through the war of 
1812 and at its close, while at the barracks in Colchester, Vt., he contracted 
a fever from which he died. He was then forty-three years of age. Some time 
after his death his widow became the wife of John Moxley, and they settled at 
Morristown, Vt., where Mr. Moxley followed the tailor's trade until his death 
at sixty-seven years. Afterward Mrs. Moxley came to Illinois and made her home 
with her son Charles in Will County until her death, when more than seventy 
years of age.

At Morristown, Vt., May 4, 1835, 'Squire Wood (for by this title our subject 
was always best known) married Dyantha S. Boardman, who was in girlhood a 
pupil in a school taught by Mr. Wood. In the summer of 1836 they came to Will 
County, where he secured the southeast eighty acres on section 8 and the 
southwest eighty on section 9, Crete Township, now included in the limits of 
the village of Crete. He encouraged people to settle here by free donations to 
private parties and to church organizations. He assisted in building the first 
schoolhouse in the township and in 1838 taught the first school here. From 
1838 until some time in the '50s he served as justice of the peace. On the 
incorporation of the town in 1884 he was made a police justice, in which 
capacity he served for some years. While in Vermont he read law, and after 
coming to this county he gave considerable attention to practice, being 
consulted by many of the people in his township in all matters of a legal 
character. Through the influence of "Long" John Wentworth he was appointed 
postmaster at Crete, an office that he held for some time. In 1848 he built 
the Crete hotel, which was the first frame building of its kind in the town 
and the first public house in this part of the county. Within it was a hall in 
which, at the opening of the house, were entertained Henry B. Clark and 
Colonel Fake, of Chicago; Dr. Allen and Robert Duncan, of Joliet; and many 
other well-known pioneers. The original hotel was replaced by a more modern 
structure, and with the exception of a few years the hotel was conducted 
by 'Squire Wood until his death. When he first came here he experienced all 
the hardships that fall to the lot of pioneers. As he was without means he 
borrowed money with which to buy land, and was obliged to pay thirty-three and 
one-third per cent, interest per annum for three years. In spite of hardships 
and difficulties, however, he steadily prospered and in time became well-to-do.

The 'Squire's first wife died in 1865, leaving seven children who attained 
maturity. One of the sons, William Irwyn, succeeded his father as proprietor 
of the Wood hotel in Crete. The 'Squire's second wife, whom he married in 
1869, was Mrs. Eliza (Selleck) Northrup, a native of Connecticut. She died in 
Crete when about seventy-five years of age. The 'Squire was spared to a good 
old age, and in his declining years was surrounded by the comforts his early 
toil had made possible. He passed away November 27, 1899, and was followed to 
his last resting place by a large concourse of friends who had long known and 
honored him.

The children of Mr. Wood were born of his first marriage. Of these, Sabina D. 
is the wife of Robert B. Miller, a farmer of Crete Township; Fidelia L. 
married Daniel E. Hewes; Lydia M. is the wife of Hon. Charles A. Hill, of 
Joliet; Marian married A. H. Smith, a farmer of Crete Township; Willard S. 
married Molly Moore, and is a fruit grower in California; William Irwyn is the 
present proprietor of the Wood hotel; and Marcus M., now deceased, was 
connected with a manufacturing company in Chicago.


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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