County & Town Histories
as printed in the "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois", 1901
TRANSCRIBED BY K. TORP
GRUNDY COUNTY - Situated in the northeastern quarter of the State, having an area
of 440 square miles and a population in 1900 of 24,136. The surface is mainly rolling prairie, beneath which is
a continuous coal seam, three feet thick. Building stone is abundant (particularly near Morris), and there are
considerable beds of potter's clay. The county is crossed by the Illinois River and the Illinois & Michigan
Canal, also by the Rock Island and the Chicago & Alton Railways. The chief occupation of the people is agriculture,
although there are several manufacturing establishments. The first white settler of whom any record has been preserved,
was William Marquis, who arrived at the mouth of the Mazon in a "prairie schooner" in 1828. Other pioneers
were Colonel Sayers, W.A. Holloway, Alexander K. Owen, John Taylor, James McCartney and Joab Chappell. The first
public land sale was made in 1835, and, in 1841, the county was organized out of a part of La Salle, and named
after Felix Grundy, the eminent Tennesseean. The first pollbook showed 148 voters. Morris was chosen the county-seat
and has so remained. Its present population 3,653 (1901). Another prosperous town is Gardner, with 1,100 inhabitants.
BRACEVILLE - a town in Grundy County, 61 miles by rail southwest of Chicago. Coal mining is the principal industry.
The town has two banks, two churches and good public schools. Population in 1890 was 2,150. In 1900, 1,669.
COAL CITY - a town in Grundy County, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, 29 miles by rail south-southwest
of Joliet. Large coal mines are operated here, and the town is an important shipping point for their product. IT
has a bank, a weekly newspaper and five churches. Population in 1890 was 1,672; in 1900, it was 2,607; 1903 about
3,000.
GARDNER - a village in Garfield Township, Grundy County, on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, 65 miles south-southwest
of Chicago and 26 miles north-northeast of Pontiac; on the Kankakee and Seneca branch of the "Big Four"
and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern R.R. Coal-mining is the principal industry. Gardner has two banks, four churches,
a high school and a weekly paper. Population in 1890 was 1,094; 1900, 1,036.
MORRIS - a city and the county-seat of Grundy County, on the Illinois River, the Illinois & Michigan Canal,
and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, 61 miles southwest of Chicago. It is an extensive grain market,
and the center of a region rich in bituminous coal. There is valuable water-power here, and much manufacturing
is done, including builders' hardware, plows, iron specialties, paper car-wheels, brick and tile, flour and planing
mills, oatmeal and tanned leather. There are also a normal and scientific school, two national banks and three
daily and weekly newspapers. Population in 1880 was 3,486; 1890, 3,653; 1900, 4,273.