Biography of William F. Bartlett of Wauponsee Township, Illinois

Bartlett, William F. – A number of Grundy county men, after engaging in various lines of endeavor, come to the conclusion that there is more profit in tilling the soil in this vicinity, and so devote their attention to several kinds of agricultural activity. One of the men now engaged in farming and also in growing fruit and raising chickens is William F. Bartlett, of Wauponsee Township. Mr. Bartlett was born in Saratoga Township, July 16, 1858, a son of Jonas and Luna (Wilkins) Bartlett, early settlers of Grundy County, who resided in Wauponsee Township for many years. There the father died October 9, 1912.

After completing his course in the public schools of his district, Mr. Bartlett attended the Morris Normal school, and then studied dentistry, and afterward practiced his profession at Sheridan, Ill., for a year, and for two years at South Bend, Ind. He then went to Coal City, Grundy County and while practicing there, embarked in a job printing business. This grew so rapidly that he felt encouraged to found the Coal City “News”, the first newspaper in that locality. In 1898 he sold his paper and printing office, and went to Chicago, where he was a conductor on one of the electric street railroads for seven and one-half years. While living in Chicago, he was appointed deputy assessor of Cook County, and faithfully discharged the duties of that important office. In the meantime, however, he felt a desire to get back to the soil, and moved to a farm of twenty acres in Wauponsee Township, where he is now raising fruit and Plymouth Rock chickens, and is meeting with a well-merited success.

Mr. Bartlett was married March 4, 1886, to Sarah Marshall, born in Goose Lake Township, daughter of William Marshall. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett became the parents of the following children: Eva, who is Mrs. Melvin T. Canfield of Antigo, Wis.; Alice, who is Mrs. E. E. Fraley of Carbon Hill, Ill.; William, who died in 1905, aged fifteen years; and Ethel, at home. Mr. Bartlett belongs to the Knights of Pythias of Coal City. A man broadened by experiences along different business lines, Mr. Bartlett is well fitted to bring out of any work in which he is engaged, all that there is in it, and he is forging ahead very rapidly.