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Originally from Pomfret Connecticut, Warren Lyon Wheaton first arrivedin the prairies west of Chicago in May of 1837. Soon after that Warrenalong with his brother Jesse started purchasing and plowing land thathad been claimed by their friend and fellow Connecticuter Erastus Gary,the one of the first people of European heritage to settle in the area.Because of a generous yet shrewd donation of land to build railroadtracks, the brothers ended up with the area they lived in being namedafter them in 1849. When the Wesleyans needed land to build on thebrothers again donated land, this time to the Illinois Institute. Later when the Institute was in danger of being dissolved, newly appointed president Jonathan Blanchardapproached Warren with the idea of donating more land to the school inexchange for the honor of having the school renamed after him. Warrenwas on the Wheaton College Board of Trustees for 49 years, from itsinception as the Illinois Institute until his death in 1903.
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