JOSEPH NAPER
Past Master 1852
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Joseph Naper was born about 1798 in South Shaftsbury, Bennington County Vermont, the son of Robert Naper and Sarah Hawley. He married Almeda Landon in August, 1823 in Buffalo, New York and from this union they had seven children, Robert, Elizabeth, William, Thomas, Mark, Bertha and Maria.

He was the founder of Naperville, Illinois settling here in 1831 and platted the first 180 acres of the town. He was a shipbuilder, ship's captain, politician, merchant and soldier. He operated a saw mill for some time, eventually converting it to a grist mill. He was elected the first Village President of Naperville in 1857. He was elected as a state representative for Cook County in 1836 and in 1839 proposed legislation to create DuPage County. He was elected again as a state representative in 1852 to represent DuPage County. He was a Captain of the first military organization formed in the area to defend against the marauding attacks of the Blackhawk Indians. He later served as quartermaster and aide to General Taylor in the Mexican War. He was an investor in the Plank Road and also the Chicago, Sterling and Mississippi Rail Road Corporation with Aylmer Keith.

He died August 23, 1862 in Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois and was buried in the Naperville Cemetery.