Contains an account of the early settlement, with facts relating to the several industries, schools and colleges, the organization of the country an its political history; a history of the part taken by the county in the [Civil] War, and account of the services of the soldies. In this connection an effort has been made to give the names of all who enlisted in the county during the war; a history of the several towns, with an account of their settlement and progress to the present time" --

This book covers the period from the first settlement in 1825 to the year the book was originally printed, 1877. There are histories of the towns in DuPage County, such as, Addison, Bloomingdale, Wayne, Winfield, Turner Junction, Naperville, Downer's Grove, Hinsdale, Milton, York and Lisle. Biographical sketches are included on H. W. Knickerbacker, Frederick E. Lester, Philando Torode, Warren Lyon Wheaton, James G. Wright, Captain J. J. Cole, Charles B. Blodgett, Hiram H. Cody, Sherman P. Sedgewick, Hon. Lewis Ellsworth and Willard Scott, as well as many others. The author provides the reader with information on the officers of DuPage County, supervisors, newspapers, schools and colleges. DuPage's military history is given with a list of those who served in various regiments. These include: 7th Infantry, 10th Infantry, 12th Infantry, 13th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, 13th Infantry, 33rd Infantry, 36th Infantry, 105th Infantry, 144th Infantry, 156th Infantry, 8th Illinois Cavalry and the 1st Artillery, as well as many other regiments. The author ends the book with a patron and business directory.

The activities of the Underground Railroad, and the Abolitionist Movement in Illinois are documented by the author in this meticulously researched book.