History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 157

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

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Mr. Thomas worked in the diggings three years ; then purchased 160 acres of land, the same where he had previously lived. When he returned, he found Morgan Lewis living in the cabin where he con- tinued to live all alone for twenty years. Mr. Thomas' children are Thomas, born in Pennsylvania and

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Mary Ann, Tanner, Elizabeth, Susie, Abner, Sarah, Lewis, Benjamin and Mark, all born in Wisconsin. Tanner and Lewis were in the 7th W. V. I., and belonged to the Iron Brigade. Tanner fought in every battle in which the Seventh was engaged. He re-enlisted as a veteran, and was pierced by a minie ball in the forehead, while leading Co. A in a charge at Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864, in his 26th year. He was Second Lieutenant of Co. H, but commanded Co. A in this battle.

Col. Finnicym in his letter on Tanner's death says :

As it was God's will that he should fall, his State can chronicle his name among the hravest and most devoted of her patriots, who have fallen in this mighty contest for the principles involved ; and you can have the cheering intelligence that notwithstanding all the temptations of vice thrown around the soldier, he never swerved from the path of rectitude and right, and died in the Christian's hope.

Lewis enlisted with Tanner Jan. 1, 1864, and was shot through the right lung in April, when Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant, and has a pension. The ball went clear through, within one and a quarter inches of his back bone, and he is, and will always be, troubled with his lung. Abner raised a company of 100-day men, and was Lientenant in Memphis under Gen. Washburn.

THOMAS THOMAS, Jr., Sec. 31, son of Thomas Thomas, Sr., was born in Pottsville, Penn., in 1833; his first wife was Elizabeth Dinsdale; his present wife was Mary Heathcote. Had seven children by first wife, three of whom are living, Mary, Helen and Anna ; has three children by present wife -- Orville H., Mattie and Nellie. His farm contains 240 acres. Mr. Thomas has been Jus- tice of the Peace several terms.

W. H. VAN DUSEN, M. D., Montfort, son of Dr. Harmon Van Dusen, who came to Millwaukce about 1848, and to Mineral Point, Iowa County, the following year, where he was engaged in the practice of medicine for over thirty years ; he still resides at Mineral Point. Dr. W. H. Van Dusen was born in Onondaga, N. Y .. July 3, 1847. He read medicine with his father, and gradu- ated at the Miami Medical College, at Cincinnati, March, 1869. Began the practice of medicine at Mineral Point, thence to Linden, Iowa County. He located at Montfort in 1873. He was married to Elsie H. Montgomery, born in Galena, Ill. They have three children, Harmon L., born April 15, 1873 ; Anna M., born March 11, 1877; and Frank W., born April 2, 1878; lost second child, Clarence, born July 30, 1875, died Feb. 14, 1877.

CHARLES G. VAN BUREN, merchant, firm of Johnson & Van Buren, Montfort. He was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in 1837 ; he came to Wisconsin in January, 1860. He livedl in Iowa County until 1869, when he removed to Castle Rock, and engaged in the mercantile business. The above mentioned firm still continue the business at Castle Rock, Mr. Johnson having charge of the store at that place. They opened their store in Montfort in 1874. Mr. Van Buren removed here in the spring of 1879. He was married to Frances Leggett, born at Mineral Point. They have two children -Jesse M. and Florence.

WILLIAM J. WEBBER, farmer, Sec. 29; P. O. Montfort, was born in England in 1840 ; came to Wisconsin from England, October, 1859 ; came to Mineral Point, where he attended school the following winter. Enlisted at Mineral Point in 1862, in Co. E, 30th W. V. I .; he served two years and three months, when he was discharged for disability. He was married to Mrs. Josephine Kelvey, daughter of Xavier and Josephine Wachtler. She was born at Vicksburg, Tenn, in 1841. Her parents were early settlers of Grant County. Mr. and Mrs. Webber have five children-Clara A., William, Leon, George and Josephine; Mrs. Webber has two children by her first marriage-John and Edmund. Mr. Webber's farm contains 275 acres.

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TOWN OF CLIFTON.

JOHN ALLEN, farmer, Sec. 16 ; P. O. Martinville; was born in Cheshire, England, July 21, 1821 ; came to America in 1856, and settled in the town of Clifton, Grant Co., Wis., on Sec. 14; farmed there two years, and on S. Millard's farm three years, and then bought the place where he now lives from J. Allen Barber, in 1861, and has lived there ever since. Was married to Harriet Hough, in Church of England, England, by Rev. Pierunes ; have seven children living-Elizabeth, John, James, William, Charles, Joseph N., George A .; also two deceased-William and George, the former buried in England, the latter in Rock Church Cemetery, Clifton. John Allen owns 161 acres of land, and has been a member of the town board two years. His son, William, has been a Good Templar seven years. There is a breastwork thrown up on his farm, about one hundred rods long, which was evidently used in battle in early times.

JOSEPH ALLEN, Livingston, dealer in general merchandise and live stock ; was born in Cheshire, England, Oct. 3, 1843; came with his parents to America in 1854, and settled in the town of Clifton, where he helped his father on the farm until 21 years of age, at which time he went to farming for himself; farmed for six years, and, in 1871, started a store in Martinville and stayed there until the spring of 1880, when he moved the storehouse and stock to Livingston, and occupied it until September, when he built the store he is now in, which was the second store in the town. Was married to Agnes Watson, at the City Hotel in Mineral Point, March 21, 1870 ; she is the daughter of Jonathan Watson, town of Lima ; they have four children-Mary Jane, Frank E., George H. and Nellie. Has held the office of Town Treasurer five years ; is a member of the Masonic Order at Montfort, Lodge 165.

JOHN ALLEN, Martinville; was born at Cheshire, England, Sept. 26, 1845. His father, William Allen, removed to Clifton, Grant Co., Wis., in April, 1854, and settled on Sec. 14, and owos 280 acres where he resides. John Allen commenced business for himself in October, 1872, as a farmer, but soon went into partnership with his brother Joseph in the mercantile business, also in buying and shipping stock, in which they have shown great enterprise. Mr. A. was married, April, 23, 1879, to Miss C. K. Hartsook, who was born in Berrien. Berrien Co., Mich., Sept. 2, 1854. They have one child-Dora Frances.

WILLIAM ALLEN, Sec. 14; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Cheshire, England, Jan. 31, 1819 ; was a farmer there until 1854, when he came to America and settled in the town of Clifton, Wis., on Sec. 24, owned by Isaac Burton ; lived there two years and then bought the place where he now lives ; owns 280 acres of land on Secs. 13 and 14; has held the office of School Clerk six years. Was married to Mary Hough, Nov. 15, 1840, at Prestbury, in Cheshire, England. She was born July 1, 1820, in Cheshire, England. Mr. Allen and wife lived in the little log cabin, which still stands on the place, until 1863, when they built the house which they now occupy ; they have had ten children, of whom seven are living-Joseph, John, Kate P., George, Elizabeth, Sarah and James; the deceased are William, Mary Jane and John ; the first two are buried in Rock Church Cemetery, John was buried in England. Joseph married Agnes Watson. John married C. E. Hartsook. Kate married John Porson. George married Martha Fieldhouse, and Eliza married Joseph Biddick. All are now living in the town of Clifton.

WILLIAM ANDREW, Sec. 22; P. O. Livingston ; was born in England June 16, 1819 ; was engaged in mining lead there until 1843, when he left England and went to St. Louis; left there in 1844 and settled in the town of Clifton, where he followed mining until 1874; bought the farm he now lives on from J. T. Brown, and has 400 acres of land ; has also 360 acres in the town of Lima, on Secs. 6, 7 and 8; also, 175 acres in Waterloo. Is engaged in raising fine stock on his farm. Married Aona Pierson, in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1848; she was born in England in 1826; have had eleven children of whom ten are living-Martha, James, Mary, Jane, Sarah Rosie, William W., George Albert, John Jo- seph, Lily May, Phoebe, and Anna, who died in Yankton, Dak. He has been a liberal contributor to all charitable purposes. Was Chairman of the Town Board of Clifton for one year, was also School Clerk, and was one of the founders of the first school in the town.

PETER BIDDICK (deceased) ; was born in Cornwall, Eng., in Parish of St. Issey ; was a carpenter by trade, and worked in London twelve years at his trade; left England in 1852 and came to America ; landed in New York City, and worked at his trade for six months there, and then came to Platteville, Wis., and worked as a carpenter for two years; rented the farm where Mahlon Fawcett now lives, and lost his first wife, Hannah Watson, there, whom he married in England in the year 1846, and

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who had five children, of which four are living-Maria, George R., Gideon J. and John T., and one deceased, William, who died May 25, 1875 ; buried at Platteville; Hannah, his wife, died April 20, 1856 ; after her death he left the farm and moved to Iowa Co. for one year, then bought a farm from the Gov- ernment, and, on March 2, 1857, married his second wife, Catherine Rundell, who was born May 3, 1819, and by whom there are two children-Fred and Irene. Was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church at Platteville, and was also a member of Manchester Unity in England; he died March 17, 1878, and was buried in Platteville Cemetery; left to his estate 319 acres of land; the family live on the farm on Sec. 1, which John T. and Gideon rent from the estate. Gideon is a member of the Masonic Order at Wingville, Lodge No. 134.

BENJAMIN BOURRET, Sec. 26; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Iowa Co., Wis., Dec. 26, 1846; left there with his parents when 6 years of age, and came to town of Clifton and settled on the farm where he now lives ; has lived there ever since except the year 1877, when he lived at Belmont and kept the United States Hotel; his father died at home June 22. 1868, and was buried at Platteville, in the old cemetery ; his mother was born July 26, 1814, and had thirteen children, of whom nine are living -Mary S., Frances, Peter, Benjamin, Michael, Josephine, Eli, John L., Henry; the names of those deceased are Matilda, Lewis, Aurilla and Joseph. Benjamin took charge of the farm after his father died, and now owns half of 160 acres. Was married, June 6, 1876, to Martha J. Power, in Shullsburg, Wis .; have two children-Addie May and Eugene. Benjamin is a member of the I. O. O. F., Wash- burn Lodge, No. 228, and has passed through all the offices in the lodge.

GILBERT H. BUNKER, Sec. 14; P. O. Martinville ; born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Nov. 10, 1820, and, in 1838, went to Pennsylvania to his parents; worked there with his father one year ; in 1839, went to Winnebago Co., Ill., and settled on farm; left there in May, 1851, and came to Wisconsin, and settled in the town of Clifton ; bought 160 acres of land from Adam Keith, who bought it from the Government; sold his farm to Nelson Millard in 1870, and bought from Adam Keith the farm known as the Shipley farm; has lived there since except five years, when he lived in Muscoda, engaged in the drug and stationery business. He was married to Nancy Keith in 1846, who is now 53 years old ; both are members of the M. E. Church : he has been class-leader for twenty years, and is still a leading worker of the church ; is also a member of the Town Board ; have four children living-Sarah A., Ellen L., Henry J. and Scott. Sarah was married to Joseph Doran, who lives in Virginia. Ellen L. married Dr. F. D. Stonard, who died Dec. 19, 1880; Henry J. married Sarah A. Fischer, and lives in Martin- ville.

JANE M. CLIFTON, Sec. 14; P. O. Martinville ; born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Jan. 1, 1831 ; left there in 1838, and settled in Coles Co., Ill., on farm with her parents ; came to town of Clifton in 1844 ; in 1856, settled on the farm where she now lives. Was married to G. T. L. Clifton, in 1846, by Rev. Ross J. Perry ; her husband died in the house where she now lives, Sept. 8, 1872, of consump- tion, and was buried in the Rock Church Cemetery ; he was a local preacher in the M. E. Church for twenty years. Mrs. C. is also a member of that church ; she has now .97 acres of land, and built the house they now live in, about ten rods from the old log cabin ; has had nine children-Elmore T., James, Lewis D., Curtis, living ; Sarah E., Elias, Ora Ann, Nelson A., Eddie E., deceased, all buried in Rock Church Cemetery.

ADAM COOK, Sec. 2; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Ireland in 1825; came to America in 1833. and stopped in Illinois for one year, and then came to the town of Clifton, Wis., and settled on the place where he now lives ; bought 135 acres from land agent at Mineral Point. Was married at the age of 18 to Nancy Thatcher in Canada, by whom there are seven children-Benjamin, Semantha, Levi, Rachael, Cecelia, Elizabeth, Ira ; was divorced in 1879, and was married to Mrs. Ellenor Bayley May 2, 1880, who was born in Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y., July 7, 1849, and came West with her parents and settled at Lancaster ; she has four children by her first husband and two by her second-Frank M. and Murtel F. Mr. Cook was in the French war in Canada at the age of 14, and was also in the late war eight months in the 47th W. V. I. Mrs. Cook is a Baptist.

GEORGE DRINKWATER, Sec. 15; P. O. Martinville; was born in England in 1840 ; left there with his parents when he was 10 years old, and came to America, where they settled in the town of Clifton, Wis .; rented a farin from N. Millard for two years, when his father bought a farm for him- self and George ; in 1869, bought the place where he now lives, containing 112 acres, and was married to Mary E. Rieser, who was born in Ohio Feb. 13, 1847; have four children living-William A., George W., James L. and Frank ; one deceased, Annie.

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TOWN OF CLIFTON.

WILLIAM R. ELLIS, farmer, Sec. 31; P. O. Annaton ; was born in 1833, in Pulaski Co., Va. ; was a son of Washington and Agnes Ellis ; lived with parents till 21 years of age. Came to Wisconsin at the age of 15, with his parents, in 1848, locating at Ellenboro, Grant Co., Wis .. ; labored ou a farm for wages three years, and, in 1859, he married Elizabeth Cox, a daughter of John and Agnes Cox, who were farmers by occupation. His wife was one of a family of five children ; William Ellis being one of a family of ten. He had ten children-John M., Abraham L., Emma A., William H., Lily B., Elzaphan. James H., Phebe E., Earnest O. and Reatha S. Is the owner of 160 acres of land, valued at $3,000. Enlisted in the 25th W. V. I., Co. H, under Capt. Swan ; served three years. He then returned to Grant Co., locating in Clifton, in 1865, where he has since lived ; has been prosperous as a farmer ; has one child deceased, Elzaphan. Has one son, John Ellis, who was married in 1880, to Miss Anna Hil- dreth, of Mineral Point. Has been Road Overseer one term. Republican in politics ; and a member of the Disciples' Church.

MAHLON FAWCETT, Sec. 26; P. O. Washburn ; was born in Frederick Co., Va., Sept. 15, 1802 ; came with his parents to Belmont Co., Ohio, in 1809, where they settled on a farm; lived there till 1835, when he moved to Greene Co., Ohio, and commenced farming, at which place he remained four years ; then went to Paintersville, Ohio, and commenced as a merchant and continued as such for eight years. He then bought in a grist-mill, and was in that business two years, and, in 1853, moved to Grant Co., Wis., and settled on Sec. 34, on the farm then generally known as the J. D. Morett farm. He was a millwright by trade, and worked at that more or less until he was 50 years old: Moved from Sec. 34 to the place where he now lives. Is a member of the M. E. Church, but was raised a Quaker, and remained so till 30 years old. Was Chairman of Town Board and member of School Board eight years. Was married to Jane Gilchrist Jan. 10, 1828, in Belmont. Co., Ohio ; she died Nov. 6, 1831, and was buried at Flushing Cemetery. Had two children by first wife-Jefferson H. and Sylvanus S. Was mar- ried the second time to Sarah Beattie, Sept. 17, 1833, in Belmont Co., Ohio; by this marriage there are fourteen children, of whom ten arc living-Evelyn, Beattie, Clinton, Mahlon, Salathiel, Sarah C., Mary Etta, Lorenzo D., Julia M., Clarence A. Those deceased are Joktan, John T., Harriet Jane and one other unnamed. Sarah E. Beattie was born in Virginia Oct. 1, 1810. His son Mahlon was in the 33d W. V. I .; his son Beattie left home in 1857, and has been gone ever since ; is now in Custer City, Idaho. Mahlon Fawcett owns 100 acres of land-80 acres in Sec. 26, and 20 acres timber in Sec. 34; has voted for every President since Jackson, always voting the Whig ticket, and since then the Republican, except when he voted for John P. Hale. His son Clinton now lives in Montana.

WILLIAM FISHER ; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Cornwall, England, March 7, 1825 ; learned the blacksmith trade and went to London, where he worked at his trade about a year ; then went to Cambridgeshire, England, and worked there cighteen months; he then returned to Cornwall, and went into business for himself in the Parish of St. Issey. Stayed there two years, and, in 1871, came to America with his family, and settled in Martinville, town of Clifton, Wis., where he started a blacksmith- shop ; he remained at Martinville nine years,-when he removed to Livingston, and built the first black- smith-shop in the village. He married Arabella Nance, July 17, 1849, in Oxton, London, England, who was born in Cornwall Padstow, England. They had four children, of whom two are living, Sarah Ann and William ; deceased are Charles F. and Mary Jane. Charles was buried at Rock Church Cemetery, and Mary Jane in Parish Church Cemetery, St. Issey, England. Mrs. Fisher has been a member of the M. E. Church nine years ; Arabella was a member of the Church of England. Mr. Fisher is a mem- ber of the Good Templars.

THOMAS FRY, Sec. 3; P. O. Martinville; born in Mercer Co., Penn., Oct. 24, 1836; left there at the age of 15, and went to Iowa with his parents, where they farmed three years; left there and and came to Ellenboro, Wis, where he worked on a farm with his father till 1861 ; then removed to town of Liberty, where he broke prairie till the fall of the same year, when he enlisted, in 1861, in the 10th W. V. I., Co. F; was in the ranks eighteen months, and was then mustered in as wagoner, and continued as such till 1864. After being honorably discharged, he came home to town of Liberty, and went to farming for himself; rented for five years and then bought 167 acres on Secs. 11 and 12; lived there eight years and then moved to the place where he now lives. Owns 160 acres in Sec. 3. Was married to Orrel Bacon, by B. F. Wyne, Esq., of Platteville, Oct. 2, 1861. She was born July 15, 1843. They have eight children living-Irene P., Addie B., Willie J., John, Aurora, Nellie, Homer, Alta.

HERMAN GUNDLAH, Sec. 10; P. O. Livingston; was born in Fulton County, Ill., June 23, 1854, and has always engaged in farming ; commenced for himself at the age of 18, on the homestead, at the death of his father, and then, in 1878, bought the farm where he now lives from his

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brother, and owns 80 acres. Was married to Catharine E. Runkel, in Germantown, Juneau Co., Wis. They have one child, Ferdinand P. Is a member of I. O. O. F., Washburn Lodge, No. 228.

GEORGE W. HAKE, farmer, Sec. 29 ; P. O. Annaton ; better known as " Uncle George," is one of the leading farmers in the town of Clifton, and is noted for his truth and veracity ; he was born in 1826, in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio; was a son of George and Hannah Hake; his father was a cooper by trade ; he lived with his parents until 21 years of age; came to Grant Co., Wis., in 1844, in company with his parents ; located near Platteville; began encountering both wind and tide for himself four years after his arrival, working on a farm two years for wages ; he then bought 120 acres of land, and in company with another young man, bought a breaking team, consisting of several yoke of oxen ; in two years, he had improved and paid for his home. In 1851, he was married to Phebe Derwacter, a daughter of Michael and Eliza Derwacter. He has five children-Sarah F., Phebe A., Loren L., George G. and Mary M. He owns 500 acres of land valued at $11,200, also keeps a dairy ; he received a com- mon-school education ; has been a member of the Town Board three terms; has been Road Overseer ten years; Treasurer of the School Board for twenty years. Politics, Republican ; members of the Disciples' Church; three children married, the rest living with their parents.

ALBERT T. HENDERSON, M. D., Annaton; born in 1815, in Huntingdon Co., Penn .; was a son of John and Rebecca Henderson ; lived with his parents until 22 years of age ; was a graduate of the select academy at Huntingdon, Penn., and also a graduate at the medical college at Philadelphia ; he began his practice in Huntingdon with his father, who was also a physician ; then moved to Greene Co., Ohio, for two years; thence to Michigan for one year ; thence to Illinois for seven years ; thence to Austin, Tex., where he enlisted in the Mexican war and served one year, and in 1848, he came to Platteville, Grant Co., Wis., and in 1850, he went to California where he lived nineteen months, then returning to Grant Co., Wis., where he has since lived and followed his profession. He has been married three times, first in 1851, to Amanda Haywood, a daughter of Judge Haywood; second time to Mealie Barchar ; was divorced from both of them; was married third time, in 1868, to Melissa A. Nealy, a daughter of Pierce Costley ; have two children-Sarah M. and Margaret J. He enlisted in 1863, in the 3d W. V. I., Co. B ; served nineteen months ; was wounded in the mouth. Is a Republican.

WILLIAM H. HOWDLE, farmer and buyer, and shipper of stock, Sec. 23; P. O. Liv- ingston ; born in Shullsburg, Wis., Sept. 21, 1845; left there with his parents in 1850, and went to Mifflin ; moved to Clifton, and commenced farming in 1851, and has been at that ever since on the same farm where he now lives; owns 480 acres of land, all under cultivation, which was bought by his father from the Government ; some mining has been done on his place, but never has been proved up; is next to what is known as the Crow Branch mine. He was married to Mary Vipland, April 12, 1869 ; have six children living-Cora Ann, Charles William, George Henry, James Albert, Arthur Eli, Hannah.

ENOCH JOHNSON (deceased); was born in Delaware, August, 1800, and lived there with his parents until he was 23 years old. Was married when he was 24, to Sarah Ann Stigus, at her father's house, who was born June 16, 1811, in Chester Co., Penh .; he settled first on a farm in Lancaster Co., and remained there twenty years, then moved to Western Pennsylvania, and remained there farming for five years, then came West to Wisconsin, and settled in the town of Clifton, and bought a farm from John Booth ; lived there five years, then sold it and rented for three years, then bought the place where Mr. Biddick now lives ; sold that and went to Illinois, where he stayed two years, and then came back to Wis- consin and bought the present family residence from William Andrew. Enoch died May 29, 1874; was buried in Rock Church Cemetery ; there were nine children, of whom seven are living-Hannah E., Lydia A., Priscilla, William H., Susan J., Narcissa, John H .; the deceased are James and Mary F. Mr. Johnson was a member of the M. E. Church.

MRS. JEMIMA LATHAM, farming, Sec. 31; P. O. Annaton; widow of Edward Latham ; she was born in 1810, in Hadley, Mass .; she was a daughter of Timothy and Jemima Clark ; she lived there until 6 years of age, then in company with her parents, emigrated to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where she lived until married to Edward Latham, the son of Christopher and Sabra Latham ; he was born in 1806, in London Co., Conn .; was bound out at the age of 14 years, to Mr. Bailie, of Ashta- bula Co., Ohio, with whom he lived until he married; then moved to Trumbull Co. for a short period ; he then emigrated to the fertile regions of Grant Co., Wis., in 1849, locating at Clifton. Mrs. Latham has 47 acres of land ; has six living children ; three deceased; of the living-Francis W., Amison E., Timothy, Pattie J., Wilber E., Matilda L .; of the deceased-Loretta L., Maryette and Lorenzo, whose life was lost in the army, belonging to Co. C, 25th W. V. I. Mr. Latham was a Constable for many years; in politics, strictly Republican, and a member of Disciples' Church.

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History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 157

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044