History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 142

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 142

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

president of the Monticello Mercantile Associ- ation, the Mount Pleasant Fire Insurance Com- pany and the Monticello Cheese Factory Com- pany. Ile left a wife and four children to mourn his loss. The children are-Ruth, Irwin, Florence and Burton.

L. W. P. Morton, one of the pioneers of Green county, was born in Spencer Co., Ind., June 28, 1821. His father had a farm, but be- ing a millwright by trade, worked at that a great part of the time. In 1838 he decided to remove to Wisconsin, but before his arrange- ments for removal were complete, he was taken sick and died in January, 1839. In the month of April following the subject of this sketch, accompanied by his mother, started for Wis- consin with a team, carrying a portion of their household goods and provisions for the jour- ney. They camped out on the road. On their arrival in Green county, they settled on a rent- ed farm in the town of Clarno. In June of the same year, other members of the family came, driving their stock with them. In 1841 his mother bought forty acres of land in Mon- roe which was unimproved, and on which they resided until 1843. He then engaged to build a barn for his brother-in-law, Asa Brown. He had learned the carpenter's trade while liv- ing in Indiana. After this he rented half of Mr. Brown's farm upon which he lived until 1847. Ile was then married to Sarah Boyls, who was born in Virginia in 1826. He pur- chased forty acres of land in township 3 north, range 8 east, now known as the town of Mount Pleasant, where he erected a small frame house and commenced to make improvements. He has been industrious and energetic. These qualities, combined with good judgment, have made him the owner of 300 acres of land, which is well improved and fenced. He has engaged in raising stock and grain. Mr. and Mrs. Morton are the parents of eight children -Ruey A., Isabelle, William, Imogene, Volney, Wallace, Frankie and Fred. Ruey A. is mar- ried to Amos Rutledge; Isabelle is the wife of

1006

IHISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

Luther Goltry, and Imogene is the wife of Tal- bot Purinton. Mrs. Morton removed to Buch- anan county where she died.

Erastus Hulburt was born June 18, 1803. He was married to Laura Webster Jan. 20, 1825. They first settled in Manlius, Onondaga Co., N. Y. They removed to Wisconsin in 1839, and settled in the town of Sylvester, Green county. Afterward they removed to Decatur, where they resided at the time of their decease. They were the parents of thirteen children, six of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, five sons and one daughter-John, the eldest, was born in New York State, Jan. 18, 1883, and was married in 1859 to Lorinda Smiley; they reside in Mount Pleasant, Green Co., Wis .; Lydia L. married Timothy Kellogg, and at present is living at Fergus Falls, Minn .; Hiram H. is living in Peterson, Clay Co., Iowa; Lorrain D.,still owns the homestead; Judson E.died Oct.1, 1862,aged twenty-three years; Webster, the fourth son enlisted in the War of the Rebellion for three years. He served his time and re-enlisted, serving till the close of the war, and died on board a steamer between New Orleans and Vicksburg on his way home to be mustered out. He died the 19th of December and his father died in Iowa at his son John's, the 11th of the same month. His remains were brought to Albany for interment, and taken to the house of his brother Julius, his own farm being rented. They kept the body as long as convenient, awaiting the coming of the soldier son, know- ing that he was on the way home. They buried him, and soon after returning from the funeral, a messenger came telling them that the son's body would soon be there. It was brought in, the coffin placed on the same chairs (which had not been moved) from which his fathers had just been taken. The mother died at her home Sept. 16, 1863. They were constituent men- bers of the Monticello Prairie Baptist Church, for which they labored much.

John Hulburt, son of Erastus and Laura (Webster) Ilulburt, was born in Onondaga Co.,

N. Y., Jan. 18, 1833. In 1839 his parents came to Green county, where his childhood and youth were spent. He was married in 1859 to Lorinda Smiley, daughter of Daniel and Ellen (Bemus) Smiley, pioneers of Green county. She was born in Janesville. They settled in Howard Co., Iowa, where he purchased unim- proved land. They lived there two years, then returned to Green county, and after remaining two and a half years went again to Iowa and settled in Harrison county, where he purchased land and engaged in farming. In the fall of 1866 he came back to Green county and settled on the old homestead in Decatur. In the fall of 1870 he rented his farm here and went to Jasper Co., Mo., where he rented a farm and lived one year, then returned to Green county and resided in the village of Albany two years. He then sold his farm in Decatur and bought his present farm, located on section 26, of the town of Mount Pleasant. It was first improved by Charles F. Thompson, and contains 320 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Hulburt are the parents of four children-Dan, Nellie, Julia and Johnnie.

Joseph McGoon, a native of New Hampshire, came to this county in the fall of 1841, and set- tled in the village of Exeter, where he lived some years, engaged in teaming. He died at the home of his son Richard, in the town of Mount Pleasant.

Richard McGoon was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., Jan. 17, 1826. When he was six years old his parents removed to Michigan and lived three years, then to Ohio, and settled in Mercer county, where they remained until 1841. Richard McGoon was married in November, 1847, to Maria, daughter of Stephen and Betsey (Loveland) Wood. In March, 1848, they settled on section 4, of Mount Pleasant, and commenced improvements. He enlisted Aug. 29, 1864, in company I, of the 43d Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, and went to Tennes- see. He participated in the battle of Johnson- ville and other minor engagements, and served until after the close of the war. He was dis-

1007

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

charged with the regiment in June, 1865, re- turned home and resumed farming. In 1878 he sold his farm and purchased land adjoining the village plat, upon which was a small frame house, to which he has since built an addition and still occupies. Mr. and Mrs. McGoon are the parents of twelve children-Maroa, Martha, Franklin, Jackson, Sarah, Ella, Addie, Albert, Arthur, Etta and Ernest. Emma, the fourth child, died at the age of nine years.

Charles Parkin is a native of England, born May 28, 1823. He was reared upon a farm, where he remained until sixteen years old. He then engaged in mining. At the age of twenty he came to America with his parents. They stopped for a few months in St. Louis, then came to Green county and settled in the town of New Glarus, where they were among the first settlers. They lived in that town a few years, then removed to Exeter, where his par- ents died a few years later. The subject of this sketch made his home with his parents until the time of their death. He was married in January, 1854, to Annie E. Stamn, who was born in Norway, and came to America when eleven years old. They settled on the home- stead in Exeter, where they lived until 1864, then moved to Minnesota and remained one year, then returned to Green county and lived five years in the town of York. He then went to New Glarus and bought the farm upon which his father had first settled, lived there three years, then sold out and moved to Mount Pleas- ant and purchased a farm of 200 acres on sec- tion 2. Here he erected a frame house and granary, and resided until his death, Dec. 9, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Parkin were the parents of ten children-Emma A., Carrie E., Eliza J., Mary J., Addie L., Josie M., Clara B., Charles E., Annie M. and Gracie A.

William Clark, son of D. W. and Elizabeth Clark, was born in Vermilion Co , Ill., Dec. 22, 1841, and was three years old when his parents came to Green county. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving his education in

the public schools. In 1866 he visited Montana Territory, where he remained a few months and returned to his home in Green county. He was married March 17, 1867, to Hannah, daughter of Richard and Ann (Pickup) Barlow, a native of Derbyshire, England, born Jan. 1, 1847. They first settled at the old homestead with his par- ents, where they remained one year, then went to Boone Co., Iowa, and purchased a farm in Worth township. He built a house, broke and fenced several acres of the land, and lived there four years. He then traded for his present farm, located on sections 20 and 21, of the town of Mount Pleasant, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have three children-Char- lie, Wesley, and Daisey Pearl.

James H. Conway, an early settler in Green county, was born in Salem, Washington Co., N. Y., in 1792. He spent his younger days in his native county, and when a young man learned the shoemaker's trade. He was married to Mary Carlton, a native of New Hampshire, and a few years later moved to Ohio and set- tled in Licking county, where they lived a short time, then removed to Huron county and bought timber land and cleared a farm. In 1845 he came to the Territory of Wisconsin and settled in Green county. He purchased land of Sylvester Hills, on section 8, township 2, range 8 east, now known as Sylvester. He improved a farm and made his home there until the time of his death, which occurred in January, 1876. Mrs. Conway died in 1879. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom lived to an adult age, but only three of them are now living-James B., Thomas C. and Werlin.

Thomas Conway was born in Huron Co., Ohio, Aug. 25, 1837, and was eight years old when he came to Green county. He lived with his parents until 1866, then bought land on sec- tion 28, of the town of Mount Pleasant. Upon this place was a small frame house in which he lived until 1881, when he erected the commo- dious frame dwelling in which he now lives. He was married, in 1864, to Eliza A. Edwards, and

1008

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

they have four children -. Adrian, Mary, David and Jesse.

Theodore Chamberlain, one of the pioneers of Green county, was born in Huntington Co., N. J., May 12, 1812. When he was twelve years old his parents moved to Ontario Co., N. Y., where he spent his youth and learned the shoemaker's trade. He was married Nov. 7, 1833, to Emeline Green, who was born in Duchess Co., N. Y., April 10, 1812. In the spring of 1834 they removed to Ohio and set- tled in Vienna, Trumbull county, where he worked at his trade and farmed until 1845. In that year he came to the Territory of Wiscon- sin and settled in Green county. He entered land in township 2, range 7 east, now known as Monroe. There was a log house on this land, in which they lived two years. He then sold his land and went to Walworth county, and one year later to Rock county, where he spent one year. He then returned to Green county and bought land on the southwest quar- ter of section 35, of the town of Mount Pleas- ant. He built an addition to a log house, which stood upon the land, and resided here until the time of his death, in 1865. He left a wife and three children to mourn his loss. Their son, James, was born in Ohio, and came with them to Green county, remaining with them until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in the 8th Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, went south and died in the service. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Chamberlain has occupied the homestead. The children living are-Mary, Albert and Theodore.

Anton Stauffacher, one of the pioneers of Green county, was born in the canton of Glarus, Switzerland, in 1814. He was reared on a farm, and also worked in the slate quarries. Hle was married to Annie Stauffacher. In 1845, they left their native home, and in company with several other families, came to America, and settled in Green county, in the town of New Glarus. He remained there a short time, then

went to Sylvester, where he was employed for several years by Mr. Thompson. In 1849 he had accumulated enough of his hard earnings to purchase a farm, and came to Mount Pleas- ant and bought land on section 32, where he built a log house and commenced farming. He was successful in his enterprises, and afterwards bought more land and erected a stone house with a frame addition. He died here Nov. 4, 1883. His wife died in 1879. Eight of their children are now living. Their son, John, was born in the town of Sylvester, July 16, 1847. He was reared upon a farm and educated in the public schools. Feb. 7, 1865, he enlisted in the 46th Wisconsin regiment and went south. He served until December of that year and was then discharged with the regiment, and re- turned home. He was married in 1876 to Magdaline Nordor, a native of the town of Sylvester. They have three children-Anton, Otto and an infant not yet named. Mr. Stauffacher occupies the homestead.

William H. Coates,a pioneer of Green county, was born in the town of Abington, Luzerne Co., Penn., Nov. 22, 1818. When he was quite young, his parents moved to Huntington, in the same county, where he was reared and educated in the district schools. In his youth he worked in a broom factory and learned the trade of broom making. In 1838 he went to Susquehan- na county and made a claim of government land, on which he made some improvements, and lived seven years, then in 1846, started west to seek a home. He was accompanied by his family. They embarked on a canal boat at Elmira and went to Buffalo, thence by the lakes to Chicago, where he hired a team to take them to Roscoe, a few miles from Chicago. There they spent three months. He then hired a team to bring them to Green county. He bought a claim on section 19, of township 4 north, range 8 east, now known as Exeter. There was an unfinished log cabin on the place which he completed and built a frame addition to. In the spring of 1848 he sold this place with some

1009

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

stock, for $300, which comprised the sum total of his wealth. He then moved to Mount Pleas- ant and bought forty acres of land on section 5. He subsequently purchased more land and his farm now contains 240 acres. In 1862 he rented his farm and removed to Monticello, where he bought village property and erected a commodious frame house, which he has since occupied. He was married in 1839 to Jane Morely, who was born in Susquehanna county, Sept. 28, 1818. Eight children were born to them-Hamilton J., Washington B., Ellen S., Elisha M., William M., Mary Jane, Coralee and Luella. Mr. and Mrs. Coates are members of the M. E. Church.

Peter Jenny, a pioneer of Green county, was born in canton Glarus, Switzerland, in 1811. He learned the business of wood engraver, and followed his trade in his native country until 1847, when he came to America and landed at New York. He went up the Hudson river to Albany, then by the Erie canal to Buffalo, thence by steamboat to Milwaukee. At the latter place he hired a team to carry himself and family to New Glarus, this county. He pur- chased land in that town and occupied it two years, when he sold out and purchased another piece in the same town. He erected a log house, and also built a good log stable. He im- proved a portion of the land, and made it his home until his death, which occurred in 1858. He was married in the old country to Sarah Frauld. Three children blessed this union- Fannie, John and Annie. Mrs. Jenny died in 1882. Their only son, John, was born in can- ton Glarus, Switzerland, on the 22d of March, 1839, and was but six years of age when his parents came to America. In December, 1858, he was married to Ursula Baumgardner, born in canton Glarus, Switzerland. They settled on his father's old homestead, but only lived there one year, when they removed to the town of Mount Pleasant, and purchased 160 acres of land on section 28. His land is mostly im-

proved. He has a nice, large frame house and out buildings, and has shade, fruit and orna- mental trees set out. Mr. and Mrs. Jenny have ten children-John, Anton, Magdaline, Matilda, Lucy, Annie, Peter, Emma, Lydia and Whilmi.

John H. Trogner, deacon of the Baptist Church in Monticello, was born in Lewis Co., N. Y., Dec. 13, 1843. Wnen he was five years old, his parents removed to Wisconsin and set- tled in the town of New Glarus, where his younger days were spent. He obtained his education in the district school. Dec. 29, 1863, he enlisted in company K, of the 16th Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry. The regiment re- mained at Camp Randall until the following March, then went south to Vicksburg, thence by way of Cairo to Clifton, Tenn., and soon after to Rome, Ga., where they joined Sher- man's command. He participated in the battles of Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta, where he was severely wounded, on the 21st of July, 1864. He was sent first to the field hospital, then to headquarters hospital at Rome. As soon as he was able to make the journey, he was granted a furlough and returned home. At the expira- tion of his furlough he reported at Madison, and was sent to the division hospital at Camp Randall, and there discharged, May 23, 1865. He returned home, and as soon as he was able to work rented a farm in New Glarus, lived there two years, then moved to Mount Pleas- ant and farmed one year. He then bought a farm in the town of York, which he sold one year later and moved to Exeter, where he lived five years, then went to Monroe and remained until 1877. At that date he came to Monticello and engaged in the flour mill, where he has since been employed. He was married in 1868 to Esther Roby, a native of Ohio. She died in 1872. In 1873 he was again married to Hattie Buck, daughter of Theodore Z. and Lncia W. (Harper) Buck. Four children have been born to them-Ora A., Verne, Evelyn and Walter C.

Thomas Sears, one of the pioneers of Green

1010

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

county, was born in the town of Knox, Waldo Co., Maine, Oct. 18, 1819. He was reared on a farm nntil fifteen years old, when his parents moved to the town of Freedom. His father owned a woolen mill there, which he after- ward gave to Thomas and his brother. Soon after this the mill burned and they erected a saw and shingle mill, which they operated until 1844, then went to Georgia and worked as millwright through one winter, then returned to Maine and remained until fall, then returned to Georgia and spent the most of the time until July, 1847, then returned to Maine and was mar ried December 29, of that year, to Adeline Holt. She was born in the town of Clinton, Kennebec county, Nov. 29, 1827. They re- mained in Waldo county until the fall of 1849, then came to Wisconsin, starting on a steamer for Boston, thence by railroad to Buffalo, thence by the lakes to Milwaukee, and there hired a team to bring them to this county. He bought land on section 8, with a little improvement, in- eluding a log house, into which they moved and spent the winter in company with two other families. Four years later he erected a frame house and occupied the same until 1879, when he built another which he now occupies. Mr. and Mrs. Sears are the parents of five children -- Wilmer, Sarah, Ella and Fred. Carroll, the third child, was born June 12, 1855, and died March 27, 1858.

Charles St. John, an early settler of the town of Mount Pleasant, was a native of Pennsyl- vania. When he was quite young his father died, and his mother soon after moved to Ohio and settled in Trumbull county, where he grew to manhood and was married to Mary Shoop, a native of Ohio. They remained in Trumbull county until 1849, then came to this county, making the trip overland, a distance of hun- dreds of miles, bringing provisions along and camping on the way. He purchased a tract of land on section 25, town of Mount Pleasant. There was a log house on the land, in which the family lived some years, when he erected a

frame house. He died there Feb. 14, 1863. His widow died Feb. 8, 1881. They had six chil- dren who reached the age of maturity-Thomas, Catharine, Margaret, George, Charles and Amos. The younger son, Amos, now owns and occu- pies the homestead. He was born in Trum- bull Co., Ohio, in 1842, and was bnt seven years old when he came to Wisconsin with his par- ents. Here he grew to manhood, living with his parents until the time of their death. He was married on the 24th of November, 1863, to Margaret Grovenor, a native of Wales. They have three children-Mary, George and Roy.

John U. Elmer, Jr., third son of John U. and Verena Elmer, was born in the canton of Glarus, Switzerland, Nov. 22, 1847. When he was two years old his parents came to America and set- tled in Green county. He attended the district school, and afterwards three terms at Evans- ville Academy, and five terms at Naperville, Ill., where he graduated in the German course in 1868. He then taught school one term in Sauk county. He commenced preaching in the German Evangelical Church, and traveled on the Kickapoo circuit one year, then on the New London mission, then two years on the Hart- ford circuit, two years on the Black River mis- sion, one year on Alma mission, and one year on the Brandon circuit. He located at Bran- don and remained one year, then in 1878 bought a farm on section 29, of Mount Pleasant, where he since engaged in farming and teach- ing school, as well as in preaching. He was married May 6, 1874, to Rosa Wurster. She was born in Fond du Lac Co., Wis., Nov. 22, 1850, and died March 23, 1877, leaving two children, one of whom is now living-Adeline. Ile was again married May 16, 1878, to Sophia Shultz, a native of Racine county. By this union there is one child-John M.

Thomas Fenton came to this county in 1846. He was born in Washington Co., Penn., Dec. 6, 1806. When he was quite young his parents removed to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where his pio- neer life began. His father owned a large

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

1011

farm in Pennsylvania ; also a mill and a distil- lery, the products of which he used to take down the rivers to New Orleans, on flat boats. Soon after their removal to Ohio both he and his wife died, leaving four children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the oldest, and nine years of age. He went to live with an uncle in Trumbull county, to whom he was bound until twenty-one years old. When he was eighteen his uncle died, but he continued to live with his aunt until his term of service ex- pired. He then engaged at farming in the neighborhood, receiving $8 per month, and continued working for the same man seven years, then rented the farm and engaged ex- tensively in stockraising, paying particular at- tention to fine stock, and making a specialty of fine wool sheep. He remained on this farm until 1846. In the fall of that year he came to Wisconsin by way of the lakes, hiring some one to drive his stock. He located in Ottawa, Wau- kesha county, where he rented a farm and en- gaged in raising broom corn. He had an in- terest in 500 sheep, many of them full-bloods, which were brought from Ohio, but the climate not agreeing with them, about half of them died the first winter. In 1848 he came to Green county and purchased a claim on section 1, town- ship 3, range 8 east, now known as Mount Pleas- ant. He entered the land with a land warrant, at Mineral Point, Dec. 1, 1848. After entering this land he returned to Waukesha county and remained until 1849. In the spring of that year he removed here with his family and stock. He afterwards entered and purchased other land, and engaged in stock raising. At the time of his death he was the owner of 514 acres. He was married to Ellen Buchanan, who was born at Little Britain, Orange Co., N. Y., July 6, 1812. Eleven children were born to them, of whom ten are now living-Sally E., Agnes Jane, Robert P., George, Maria, Eliza, Emeline, William, Abigail, Jennie and Thomas. Five of the daughters were school teachers. Mr. Fenton died April 3, 1866, and Mrs. Fenton

died Feb. 23,1881. Possessed of a vigorous mind, and energetic in action, he was well calculated to exert influence and to gain respect, which was so plainly manifested in choosing him at various times to fill offices of trust and responsibility in the town, county and State in which he lived.

William, son of Thomas and Ellen (Bu- chanan) Fenton, was born in Waukesha county, Jan. 3, 1847, and was two years old when his parents removed to Green county. He spent his younger days in school and on his father's farm. He was married in March, 1875, to Eliz- abeth Smith, a native of New York, and now occupies the homestead. They have one child -Polly.

Charles H. Baxter came with his parents to Green county, in 1853. His father purchased 240 acres of land on section 20, and drew lum- ber from Janesville to build a house. The sub- ject of this sketch assisted his father in improv- ing a farm. He received his early education in the district school, and afterwards attended Evansville Seminary, two terms. In August, 1861, he engaged to teach school the following fall, but changed his mind and enlisted in com- pany H, of the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer In- fantry, State service, and went into camp at Madison. The next month, he enlisted in the United States service, and soon after went to Missouri and did guard duty on the line of the Iron Mountain Railroad, making Pilot Knob headquarters until November, 1861, then went to Sulphur Springs, and remained stationed there until January, 1862, then went to Cairo and in March following, to Point Pleasant, Mo. There, provisions gave out, and they were obliged to forage for what they had to eat, often hav- ing nothing but corn, which they ground in the plantation mills. His health failed, and April 26, he obtained a furlough and returned home. At the expiration of his furlough, he reported at Camp Randall, and remained in the division hospital until July, when he was transferred to Keokuk, and there discharged on account of disability, Nov. 26, 1862. He returned home

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 142

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168