The brigantine Illinois was built at the yards of William A. Jones & Edward Gillmore and Master Carpenter John Carrick. This ship is the second brigantine ever constructed on the Great Lakes, the first being the Indiana, sister ship to the Illinois. The brig Illinois l was launched on 3 June 1834. The Illinois was described as "fitted up in a superior style for the accommodation of passengers." and "the fleetest vessel on the western waters." Both sister ships were the then "largest on the lakes". The brig was outfitted with one deck, two masts, six state rooms for passengers and was used to transport freight between ports on Lake Michigan and Buffalo, New York. The vessel was also outfitted with a figurehead and a special carving for the Illinois stern by a Mr. Werden.

Initially in its career, the Illinois operated for the "Eagle Line". On 18 April 1836 the Illinois ran aground in the Niagara River at Black Rock in Buffalo where the vessel was becalmed near Black Rock pier where it anchored and the ship was dragged and carried stern first onto the beach. On 28 July 1841 the brig Illinois ran aground again in the Detroit River and would later be pulled off by 2 August 1841. Later in September 1841 the Illinois had to patch up its sails at Mackinaw after sailing through a gale. Later on 26 November was grounded in the river in St. Joseph, Michigan and would be pulled off by 22 December. On 15 March 1846 the brig Illinois had its bulwarks stove after a storm on Lake Michigan.
In November 1847, the brig Illinois was blown ashore in Whitefish Bay, Door County. Though due to the unpopulated environment of Lake Michigan of the time, the location of the grounding was listed variously as north of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, south of Manitowoc, Two Rivers and Kewaunee. The cargo was for lumbering industry on the northern end of Lake Michigan. The crew and cargo were saved and the ship was entirely stripped and abandoned.