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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
devoted himself exclusively to his profession until 1881, when he turned his attention to real-estate operations, and has made four additions to Elgin and one each to St. Charles and Geneva. He was the promoter and builder of the Crown Electric Works at St. Charles, and was appointed Postmaster at Elgin in 1886 by President Cleveland, holding the position one term. He is a member of the military orders of the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. In 1857 he was married to Mary A. Green, of Galesburg, Ill., who died in 1878. The following year he married Helen E. Green, of Rockford, Mo.
CLARK WILDER (deceased), pioneer settler. Aurora, Ill., born in New Hampshire, in 1801; came to Illinois in 1837, locating on 160 acres of land which is now within the city limits of Aurora, and was known as one of the leading farmers of that locality; married in 1833 Miss Hannah Lord, and the living representatives of this pioneer family are: George W. Bert S., Mrs. Mary Lossing, Lewis and Joel M. Mr. Wilder died in 1870; his wife surviving until March, 1901, having reached the venerable age of over ninety years.
GEORGE WILDER, surveyor and civil engineer, Aurora, Ill., born in New York State. Dec. 14, 1833; came west with his parents in 1837; his first experience was with an engineering party engaged in the construction of the branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad running from Aurora, Batavia and Turner Junction, remaining with that company until 1853, since which time he has been employed at different times by the Wabash, Minnesota Midland, and Santa Fe Railways in construction work. Mr. Wilder was married in 1858 to Miss Anitta Perry, of Aurora, and they have five children now living: Perry, Wallace, A. K., Maud and Mabel.
SARDIS WILLEY (deceased), pioneer settler; born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1811: came to Illinois in the '30s, locating on land which he purchased from the Government in Sugar Grove Township, Kane County; became a prosperous farmer and at different times' owned several tracts of land in Sugar Grove Township. He was married in 1847 to Miss Abi R. Brown, and their children are Mrs. Charlotte Barnes, Frank, Mrs. Mary Thompson, and George. Mr. Willey died in 1896; his wife dying in 1865.
JOHN H. WILLIAMS, lawyer and Probate Judge Kane County, Elgin, Ill., was born in Waushara County, Wis., in 1857, son of Rev. Richard Williams, a Welsh Congregational minister, and with his parents when ten years old came to Kane County, Ill. He is a graduate of the West Aurora (Ill.) High School, class of 1876, and of the Law Department of the University of Iowa. In the meantime he taught, school three years, and was known as a very capable teacher. He was admitted to the bar in 1880, and two years later became a resident of Elgin, where he was elected City Treasurer in 1891 and 1892. He served six years in the Elgin City Council, and in 1902 was elected Probate Judge of Kane County.
HENRY B. WILLIS, lawyer and jurist, Elgin, Ill., was born in Brattleboro, Vt., May 8, 1849, and reared to manhood in DeKalb County, Ill., whither his parents removed in the early '50s. His education was secured in the country schools, Clark's Seminary at Aurora, and Hills-dale College, at Hillsdale, Mich. He read law with Judge Ranstead and Judge Kellum, both
