News
15th June 1805
15th June 1805
William B. Ogden, a silent partner of the William Lill & Co. Brewery, was born.
William B. Ogden, a silent partner of the William Lill & Co. Brewery, was born.
News
2nd April 1808
2nd April 1808
William Lill was born in Lincolnshire, England.
William Lill was born in Lincolnshire, England.
News
10th December 1810
10th December 1810
Michael J. Diversy was born in Germany.
Michael J. Diversy was born in Germany.
News
1st June 1821
1st June 1821
Jonathan Peacock was born in England. Peacock worked for Lill & Diversey in Chicago then made west to Rockford and established his own enterprise in 1849. The brewery he founded would survive him by nearly 50 years.
Jonathan Peacock was born in England. Peacock worked for Lill & Diversey in Chicago then made west to Rockford and established his own enterprise in 1849. The brewery he founded would survive h... View More
News
4th March 1837
4th March 1837
The town of Chicago is founded.
The town of Chicago is founded.
1839 FoundedWilliam Lill & Co. (William Lill, William Haas & William B. Ogden)Pine Street and Chicago Ave
1842 Lill & Diversy (Michael Lill & William Diversy)Pine Street and Chicago Avenue
1846 Lill's Cream Ale Brewery (Aka of Lill & Diversy)Pine Street and Chicago Avenue
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1853
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1860
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1861
1863 Chicago Brewery (Aka of Lill & Diversy)Pine Street and Chicago Avenue
1867 Lill's Chicago Brewery (Aka of Lill & Diversy)Pine Street and Chicago Avenue
News
8th October 1871
8th October 1871
The Great Chicago Fire devastates the city of Chicago. 3.3 square miles of the city were leveled, 300 people are killed and an estimated 100,000 people were left homeless. In addition the breweries of John A. Huck, Conrad Seipp, Lill & Diversey, Busch & Brand, J. J. Sands, George Metz and others were destroyed. Some rebuilt, some were gone forever.
The Great Chicago Fire devastates the city of Chicago. 3.3 square miles of the city were leveled, 300 people are killed and an estimated 100,000 people were left homeless. In addition t... View More
Photos
Circa: 1871
Circa: 1871

The Lill & Diversey Brewery before the 1871 Great Chicago Fire.
News
3rd August 1877
3rd August 1877
William B. Ogden, Chicago's first Mayor and a silent partner of William & Lill Co, dies at age 72.
William B. Ogden, Chicago's first Mayor and a silent partner of William & Lill Co, dies at age 72.
News
9th November 1883
9th November 1883
Mrs. Angela Diversey, widow of Michael Diversey of the Lill and Diversey Brewery, dies at her home at age 70.
Mrs. Angela Diversey, widow of Michael Diversey of the Lill and Diversey Brewery, dies at her home at age 70.
1871 ClosedLill's Cream Ale Brewery (Aka of Lill & Diversy)