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Lake County, Illinois History

Lake County, Illinois History

Lake County Illinois Lake County was formed By an act of the state legislature on March 1, 1839. It split off land from the existing McHenry County which now lies to the west. It was named for Lake Michigan which forms it's eastern border.


Matches 1 to 23 of 23    » Thumbnails Only     » Slide Show

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1
Judge Francis E Clark
Judge Francis E Clark
He was one of the incorporators of the First National Bank of Waukegan. He served as a director and vice-president. In 1879, he was elected County Judge in Lake County. His house, built in 1875 was still standing as of 2022. 
 
2
Robert Parker Coffin
Robert Parker Coffin
He was an architect by trade. He served as the village president of Long Grove, Illinois for 20 years and then served on the village planning commission for 22 years. The main street running through Long Grove, Illinois is named in honor of Robert. 
 
3
Ansel Brainerd Cook
Ansel Brainerd Cook
A successful business man and politician. In his home town of Libertyville, Illinois, Cook Avenue, Cook Park and, Cook Memorial Library are all named in his honor. His house now serves as a museum and archive which is run by the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society.  
 
4
Warren H Ellis
Warren H Ellis
Warren was also a real estate developer. From 1865 to 1877 he was a member of the Waukegan City Council for two terms and, city clerk for three. His house built about 1872 is still standing as of 2022. 
 
5
George Gage
George Gage
George Gage and his brother John Gage came to Chicago in 1833 by the Erie Canal from Watertown New York. In February 1835, they moved north and claimed 1600 acres surrounding what is now called Gages Lake. They latter sold off portions of the land and the unincorporated community around the lake is also known as Gages Lake. 
 
6
John Gage
John Gage
John Gage and his brother George Gage came to Chicago in 1833 by the Erie Canal from Watertown New York. In February 1835, they moved north and claimed 1600 acres surrounding what is now called Gages Lake. They latter sold off portions of the land and the unincorporated community around the lake is also known as Gages Lake. 
 
7
Samuel Smith Greenleaf
Samuel Smith Greenleaf
Samuel was a merchant and one of the oldest settlers in Waukegan, Illinois, settling there when it was known as Little Fort. Greenleaf Street in Waukegan is named in his honor. 
 
8
Nelson Landon
Nelson Landon
Nelson was the largest land owner in the county. His farm covered about 1,300 acres. he had 1,000 sheep, 100 head of cattle. From his 60 cows he produced 100 to 130 pounds of cheese per day. He had some of the finest horses in the county.

He was elected to the county board of commissioners and was instrumental in getting the town of Little Fort (the future Waukegan) named the county seat of Lake County. 
 
9
Clarence A. Murray
Clarence A. Murray
Hotel Proprietor, politician in Waukegan, Illinois. Vice President of the (Waukegan) Gazette Publishing Company.  
 
10
Lewis A Paddock
Lewis A Paddock
Lewis came to lake county with his family when he was two years old. He became a farmer and eventually ran a summer resort next to Bluff Lake in Antioch, Illinois. 
 
11
Charles Addison Partridge.
Charles Addison Partridge.
Addison was the Senior Editor of the Waukegan Daily Gazette. 
 
12
Horace Edward Partridge.
Horace Edward Partridge.
Horace was the Junior Editor of the Waukegan Gazette. 
 
13
Vincent Clarence Price.
Vincent Clarence Price.
Manufacturer, inventor of baking powder. Grandfather of the actor Vincent Price. 
 
14
Edward L. Ryerson Jr.
Edward L. Ryerson Jr.
Edward was a business man. He was the Chairman of Inland Steel from 1940 to 1953. He built a weekend home in the area now known as Riverwoods. In 1966 his family donated the land to the county and it became The Ryerson Conservation Area (forest preserve). 
 
15
John A Singer
John A Singer
John was one of many children had by Isaac Singer of sewing machine fame. As a result he was independently wealthy. He purchased 170 acres of land on the east shore of Diamond Lake in the unincorporated village of Diamond lake, Illinois. He built three houses and two large barns. At the time his house was one of the largest and most modern houses in the country. He operated one of the houses as a hotel.

In 1880, he sold the estate for less than it was worth and moved back to New York. Locally the house was know as the Singer House until 1901 when it was destroyed by fire. 
 
16
Thomas F. Slocum
Thomas F. Slocum
Thomas Settled on a small lake that became known as Slocum Lake. When the town of Wauconda was formed the post office was built at Slocum Lake. Thomas was the first postmaster and his wife, Mary served as Deputy Postmistress. 
 
17
Laura B Sprague
Laura B Sprague
She was the first school teacher in Lake County, Illinois, working from her home in Half Day, Illinois. 
 
18
Arthur Kendall Stearns
Arthur Kendall Stearns
Arthur K. Stearns Was born in Brooklyn, New York and, educated at Harvard. He was the president of the Waukegan Sun Publishing Company. He established the "Waukegan Daily" and the "Weekly Sun" newspapers as well as the "Flour and Feed" trade journal. 
 
19
John Stearns Jr.
John Stearns Jr.
John donated land for a one room schoolhouse known as Stearns School in his honor. The school building was torn down in 1995 however the road that passed by it is still known as Stearns School Road. 
 
20
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II
Adeli's estate is a designated Illinois Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1974 it was donated to the Lake County Forest Preserves. 
 
21
Clark Warren Upton.
Clark Warren Upton.
Lawyer, politician. Mayor of Waukegan, Illinois 1867. 
 
22
Captain Daniel Wright
Captain Daniel Wright
Daniel served in the Vermont militia and fought in the War of 1812, He is considered to be the first white settler in what would become Lake County, Illinois. When his daughter, Caroline was married it was the first marriage in Lake County.

Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire and Wright Woods (forest preserve) are named in his honor. 
 
23
Richard Allen Welton
Richard Allen Welton
Mayor of Gurnee, Illinois 1973 to 2001.