At the organization of Will Township in 1859, Gridley was elected one of the highway commissioners. He remained in Will Township until his death in 1904. By the time the township was formed in 1859 many good men had become residents. Soon after the townships formation it was divided into three school districts. By the mid 1860s, the township would be dotted with school houses that would provide for the upbringing and education of the townships children. After 1860 the township filled up rapidly and little unoccupied land was to be found anywhere in its boundaries. The Will County Plat Atlas, 1862 shows some of the land in Will Township was still owned by the Illinois Central Railroad. It has been reported that the railroad sold land east of Peotone, to early settlers, for $2.50 to $5.00 per acre. Not all sections of the township were owned by the railroad. Early settlers acquired some of the land from the federal government via the Homestead Act. The fertile soil of Will Township would serve its farming inhabitants for generations to come. By 1900 the population of the township was 860. The township has always heavily favored the Republican party. There were 212 votes cast in 1900, 150 of those being Republican and 62 being Democrat. Elliot and Ashkum soils are the most common soil types found in Will Township. These soil types are ideal for growing crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Other common soil types found within the Township of Will are Beecher, Pella, Varna, Jasper, Markham, Brenton, and Proctor. These loam soils are all well suited for agricultural purposes. Generally as you move south the productivity of the soil improves modestly. The majority of township land is still owned by farmers or retired farmers. Because of the townships close proximity to the Chicago metropolitan area the townships farmland has been disappearing and split up into 5 or country lots. Country living combined with the access of the Chicago job market makes Will Township and attractive place for people to buy a lot and build a single family home. In many instances these homeowners will ask a nearby farmer to farm the back or of their parcel. The 1873 Will County Landowners Atlas describes the landscape of Will Township at the time: "The township has no timber, and is considered one of the finest prairie towns in the state." In the modern day Will Township land is used predominantly for farming purposes. Most years corn and soybeans are planted on about the same area throughout the township. Wheat is also planted on a fair area.