USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 13
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The Reader family endured many hardships after coming to this county. Having a large family, the oldest of whom were daughters, John Reader had no one on whom he could rely for assistance or who could share his responsibilities. Upon arriving here he built hastily a house of green poplar logs and plastered it with clay. A few split logs served for a floor, in part. brush covering the rest of the earthen floor. The youngest child became ill on the road and died a few weeks after coming here, the father being compelled to make the coffin and bury it with his own hands, for he had no neighbors to
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assist him. In January, 1838, John Reader was obliged to go to Chicago for provisions, and, the roads being bad, he was delayed. Upon reaching home he found that his family had been without anything to eat, save a few crusts of bread, for four days. The cattle, too, became weakened from insufficient food, and he found it hard to put out his crop the following spring. The pork which he had bought in Chicago at twenty-seven dollars per barrel, had proved to be mostly hogs' heads, and the flour that cost eighteen dollars per barrel, was gone, and another trip was made to Chicago for provisions as soon as the oxen were strong enough to travel, having now for their food the green grass. This trip lasted sixteen days. Again the provisions gave out and the former experience was likely to occur again, but the mild spring had brought out the cowslips and greens were made from them, and this consti- tuted the food for the family for a few days. They had no further trouble after the first crop was grown, for the want of provisions. In due course of time Mr. Reader prospered and became one of the leading men of the town- ship, and enjoyed the confidence and warmest regards of his neighbors. For a period of eighteen years he served as chairman of the township and at different times held other minor offices. He became a member of the Baptist church at Delavan in a very early day, and upon the establishment of the church at Walworth he was elected deacon, which position he held until his removal to Delavan in 1864. He brought the first two settlers from Chicago, William and Samuel Phoenix, to Delavan.
In October, 1868, Deacon John Reader was called to mourn the death of his wife, his faithful and courageous life companion. He survived a little over ten years, being called to his reward on Christmas morning, 1878.
J. J. Reader, of this sketch, grew to manhood on his father's farm in Walworth county and assisted with the general work about the place, re- ceiving such education as the early schools afforded, which he found time to attend during the brief winter sessions. He continued farming with his father until he was twenty-five years old, when he went to Minnesota, re- maining in that state four months, when he was driven out by the Indians. He returned to Walworth county and engaged with Wood & Gormly in the pump business, soon becoming an expert and his services were in demand all over the country, those in position to know regarding him as the best in the state. He continued with this firm until Mr. Gormley's death, after which he engaged in business for himself until the year 1903, when he sold out and retired from active life, after a very successful business career. He has made his home in Delavan since 1863.
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Mr. Reader was married on December 11, 1852, to Charlotte W. Hitch- cock, of Walworth, this county, a daughter of Amos and Julia Hitchcock, an excellent pioneer family of Walworth. Mrs. Reader was born in Rochester, New York, and came here in early life. She is now eighty-three years of age, and they have been married sixty years. Six children blessed this union, namely : Ida M., now Mrs. James Davidson, of Delavan; Leonard J. lives in Pipestone, Minnesota; Amos H. and John B., both of Delavan; Edward L. lives in Pipestone, Minnesota; Gertie L., now Mrs. Clarence Engles, of Austin, Illinois.
JACOB BOLLINGER.
The name of Jacob Bollinger must needs go down in the history of this section of the Badger state, for he came here in pioneer times, and. having the sagacity of his race (the Swiss), saw a great future here, so cast his lot in the wilderness about our beautiful lakes and labored for his advancement and that of the community in general, setting a worthy example for right living, which could be followed without amiss by the youth whose destinies are yet matters for future years to determine.
Mr. Bollinger was born in Switzerland on June 23, 1832. He is the son of Sebastian and Barbara (Shaninger) Bollinger, natives of Switzerland. who spent their lives there, never coming to America, the father having devoted his life to mining and farming. His family consisted of four chil- dren : Jacob, of this sketch: Daniel, who lives in Sharon, this county; John is deceased ; Mary still lives in Switzerland.
Jacob Bollinger grew to manhood in Switzerland and received his educa- tion in the common schools there. He came to the United States when twenty years of age, landing on our shores on May 6, 1852, in New Orleans, Louis- iana. He then went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he had friends, but remained there only a short time, then came to Sharon, Walworth county, and hired out as a farm hand for eight dollars per month, and worked thus for three years, then went north and purchased eighty acres of land, but becoming dissatisfied with the same returned to Sharon, where he soon traded the eighty for ten acres, receiving one hundred dollars difference, this land lying in Sharon township. The eighty acres was good coal land. He went to work on the small farm and added to it from time to time until he owned three hundred and seventy-seven acres at the time of his retirement in 1906. He carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale and
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had a good income from his crops from year to year, his farm being among the best in Sharon township. He sold the same to his sons and moved to the town of Sharon, where he purchased a pleasant home, one of the most beauti- ful in the township.
Mr. Bollinger has always voted the Republican ticket, up to two years ago, when he became a Prohibitionist. He was a member of the city council for two years, and religiously he is a member of the English Lutheran church.
Mr. Bollinger was married on November 25, 1857, to Catherine Kiteley, daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Bodley) Kiteley, natives of England, and to this union seven children were born, named as follows: Rev. George, of Appleton, Iowa; Alexander, of Sharon; Mary A. lives at home; John R. lives in Boone county, Illinois; Joseph, David M. and Andrew, all live in Sharon.
ALFRED MOTT.
Another of the worthy pioneers of Walworth county who has lived to see and take part in the wondrous transformation here during the past half century is Alfred Mott, of the vicinity of Delavan, one of our representative farmers, and a man against whose character no word of harm could be spoken by any one, according to those who have known him best during his long residence here.
Mr. Mott was born in Manhattan, Long Island, New York, on Novem- ber 22, 1847. He is the son of Joseph S. and Mary (Thorne) Mott, the father born in 1800, both in the state of New York, where they grew to maturity and were married and where they continued to reside until the year 1848, when they moved to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and settled on Delavan lake, Delavan township, in a country that was new, consequently they worked hard to establish a home. However, their home making was principally on land which they purchased on the Big Foot Prairie road, between Delavan and Delavan lake, having remained at the place they first came to only about a year. The farm which they purchased consisted of one hundred and thirty- seven acres. This the father improved and here made a good living, continu- ing to reside on the place until within two years of his death, when he moved to the town of Delavan, where he died in 1881, his wife having preceded him to the grave on April 22, 1876. They were the parents of seven children, the first of whom died in infancy ; Alice died on November 30, 1868: Robert died on February 19, 1879; Benjamin, born March 7, 1842, lives in Delavan;
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Louise, born April 3, 1844, is living in Delavan; Alfred, of this sketch ; Jennie M. died December 4, 1891.
Alfred Mott grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the public schools. He has farmed all his life on the homestead and has kept the place well improved and well tilled. He lives in Delavan with the two remaining children, Benjamin and Louise. None of them have ever married. Alfred Mott is a Republican, but has never been especially active in public affairs. Benjamin is also a Re- publican and a member of the Episcopal church, in which Louise also holds membership. This trio constitutes a happy household and they take a delight in keeping the old home up to its former standard.
MRS. ELIZABETH BROOKE (SEYMOUR) SMITH.
The name of this estimable lady is a familiar sound to the people of Walworth county, especially the vicinity of Delavan, where she has long maintained her home, and the brief record of her life, outlined in the follow- ing paragraphs, will doubtless be read with interest by the many friends and acquaintances who have learned to prize her for her beautiful character and useful life, which has been as an open book in which there are no pages marred or soiled by conduct unbecoming true womanhood, and whose in- fluence has always made for the good of the large circle of friends with whom she associates.
Mrs. Smith was born in county West Meath, Ireland, and is the daughter of Rev. Donelan Bolingbroke Seymour and Harriet Ann ( Brooke ) Seymour. Through her father the ancestry may be traced back through Seymour, Duke of Somerset, to the Black Prince, who was near to becoming monarch of England, and whose ancestors were of the richest blood of Normandy, and who came over to England with William the Conqueror.
Rev. Donelan B. Seymour was born in Dover, England, and was the son of Col. Eyre Seymour and Catherine Bolingbroke, the latter being also of noble ancestry. Colonel Eyre Seymour received his christian name in token of his descent through the maternal line from the Eyre family of England. Jane Eyre, made famous in story and drama, was a relative of his Many of the stories of the Colonel's own life would make good reading, as the one of the loss of the wife of his youth, who accompanied him with the British army on a forced march through France, dying of hardships on the way, and was hastily buried in a foreign land, her husband seeking in vain for her unmarked grave in after years.
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Rev. Donelan B. Seymour was a child of the Colonel's second marriage. When the boy was twelve years old the Colonel was transferred from Dover to a station in Ireland and there became the owner of a beautiful estate. Donelan grew up in the Emerald Isle, was educated for the ministry and was ordained as a minister in the Church of England. His curacy was in county West Meath, Ireland, and there he spent most of his life. He married Harriet Ann Brooke, a native of Bedfordshire, England, and a daughter of Sir Joseph Brooke, baronet, and wife. Sir Joseph was a lieutenant-colonel in the British army.
Three daughters were born of Rev. Donelan Seymour's first marriage, Harriet Ann, Louise Kathleen and Elizabeth Brooke, also other children. When Elizabeth was sixteen months old the mother died. A year later the father married a Miss Grimshaw, a cousin of his first wife. Of the three daughters above mentioned, Harriet Ann married William Smith. While Elizabeth was still a young girl her married sister and husband emigrated to America and Elizabeth and Louise Kathleen came with them. Mr. Smith, Harriet's husband, had relatives near Walworth, Wisconsin, and the family came here and established their home in the county. Louise K. is now the wife of Henry Van Vechten and lives in Racine. Mrs. Harriet A. Smith and husband went to California and there she died. Elizabeth grew to woman- hood in Walworth township and was self-educated, and in 1886 she married.
Mrs. Smith now resides in her cozy home in Delavan. Her daughter, Alice May, is the wife of John B. Reader, of Delavan, and William Edward Smith, only son of the subject, is an engineer on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad.
JOHN GOELZER.
Another of the sterling German citizens who came to Walworth county and benefited both themselves and the community was the late John Goelzer, of Sharon, a man who would have no doubt succeeded in any land and clime, for he had all the thrift, persistency and honesty of purpose of which his race is characteristic.
Mr. Goelzer was born in Germany on September 10, 1843. He was the son of John and Elizabeth (Schmidt) Goelzer, natives of Germany, where they grew up and were married, in fact spent their lives, never coming to the United States. They spent their lives on a farm and are now both deceased, dying in 1856. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Jacob,
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Jacobina, and John, of this sketch, being the only ones to come to this country, who are now living; only one other, Sophia, came and she died in Los Angeles. The others were Ludwig, Fred, Louisa, who never came to this country.
John of this review grew up in Germany and received his education in the public schools there, coming to the United States in June, 1862, first settling in Peoria, Illinois, where he followed his trade as a blacksmith, which he had learned in the fatherland. Remaining in Peoria until 1865, he went to the state of New York, continuing his trade until 1867, then came to Darien, Wisconsin, and lived there until 1869 when he moved to the town of Sharon, where he lived until 1908, when he retired from business. He died January 5, 1912.
Mr. Goelzer was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He belonged to the Reformed Lutheran church and in politics was a Democrat. He had been a member of the local election board for several years.
Mr. Goelzer was married on December 10, 1868, to Jacobina Hock, daughter of Fred and Jacobina Hock, natives of Germany, the father dying when the subject's wife was two years old. Later the mother came to the United States.
To the subject and wife seven children were born, namely: Fred lives in this county; Louis is farming on the state line ; Charles is in the hardware business in Sharon; William also lives at Sharon and succeeded his father ; the next child died in infancy; Paulina is deceased; Elizabeth is attending the normal school in Milwaukee.
ERVIN O. SHERMAN.
If there is one thing which distinguishes the American citizen over those of any other country it is the facility with which any and all occupations are readily taken up by him and are made successful. In the older countries it was customary for the son to follow the father's pursuit. "Follow your father, my son, and do as your father has done," was a maxim which all sons were expected to adopt. It is in such countries as the United States that full swing can be given to the energies of the individual. A man may choose any business or profession he desires, and he is limited only by competition. He must meet the skill of others and give as good service as they or he will not
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get the positions. Such adaptation to any work or business is well shown in the career of many of the men whose biographies are outlined in this work, among whom is Ervin O. Sherman, well known veterinary surgeon of the town of Sharon, who has also been a successful agriculturist for the major part of his life. He has turned his hand to many things and proved that farming was not the only occupation which he could make successful.
Mr. Sherman was born on March 25, 1839, in Sandy Creek, Oswego county, New York. He is the son of Benjamin and Sarah (Crandell) Sherman, both natives of the state of New York, where they grew up and were married and from there they came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1850, and first settled at Lake Geneva, but they stopped there only for the winter, when in the early spring he went to Sharon, this county, where the father soon purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Sharon township. Later he sold eighty acres of this, and developed the remaining eighty into a good farm, on which he spent the rest of his life, dying on March 12, 1884, his wife hav- ing preceded him to the grave in the fall of 1861.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Sherman, namely : D. W., of Lake Geneva; E. J., of Sharon; J. W., of Lake Geneva; and Ervin O., of this sketch.
Ervin O. Sherman was reared on the home farm and there made himself useful in his boyhood days. He received his education in the public schools of Otsego county, New York, and in Sharon, Wisconsin.
Mr. Sherman took up farming early in life and followed the same for a livelihood. He purchased the old homestead upon the death of his father and here he has continued to reside to the present time, having kept the place well improved and well cultivated, and, having prospered through close application and good management, he added to the original until he is now the owner of two hundred acres of as good land as the county can boast. He has a large, pleasant home and substantial outbuildings. He has always kept an excellent grade of live stock, of which no better judge could be found in Walworth county.
Mr. Sherman is a veterinary surgeon of wide repute, one of the most successful and best known, in fact, in this part of the state. Having retired from active farming in 1906, he moved to his pleasant home in the town of Sharon where he has since devoted his attention exclusively to veterinary work. He rents his farm, merely looking after it in a general way. He has kept well abreast of the times in all that pertains to his profession and is well equipped in every way for the successful practice of the same.
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Fraternally, he is a member of the Modern Woodmen, and, politically, he is a Republican, but has not been especially active.
Mr. Sherman was married on February 25, 1860, to Elizabeth Chambers, daughter of Thomas and Sophia (Reader) Chambers, who were born in England, where they spent their early lives. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sherman, named as follows: Sarah is deceased; Benjamin is on a farm: William, Mertie and Charles.
JOHN LAWSON.
The name of Jolin Lawson, of Delavan, needs no introduction to those who peruse this history, for he has spent his long, useful and industrious life here, having been closely identified with the progress of Walworth county for three-quarters of a century, so that the history of the locality and his own life record is pretty much one and the same. Heaven has bounteously length- ened out his span of years that he may yet be a blessing to the community whose interests he has so long had at heart. His life has indeed been exem- plary, and might well be held up as a model to the young man, hesitating at the parting of the ways. One could not spend an hour more pleasantly than in listening to the interesting and instructive reminiscences of Mr. Lawson. for his stories of the days of the first settlers here abound in both comedy and tragedy, touching on the common joys and hardships incident to the life of the sturdy pioneer. We are glad to give him conspicuous mention in this volume.
Mr. Lawson was born at Brockville, Ontario, Canada, December 6, 1836. He is the son of Robert and Mary Ann ( Riley) Lawson, the father having been a native of county Sligo, Ireland, and the mother was born in county Cavan, Ireland. They spent their early lives in the old country, emigrated to Canada in their youth and were married in Ontario. In April, 1837. when their son, John, of this review, was about five months old, they brought him to Chicago and in September. 1839, they came on to Delavan, Walworth county, the father entering forty acres of land in section 9, and forty acres in section 10, Darien township. It was heavily timbered land, and he entered it without seeing it. He never improved it, but entered another forty on Turtle prairie, which he obtained after a hard race on foot to Mil- waukee, the nearest land office, having beaten another man who desired the same land, he having been on horseback. Mr. Lawson was able to take short
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cuts across the ice and although the horseman passed him and taunted him about being too late, Mr. Lawson persevered and beat the horseman, thus securing the land.
Robert Lawson was a carpenter and found much work here in the early days. He lived about four years on the first tract he entered at the edge of Delavan, but made his permanent home about two miles west of Delavan. He prospered through hard work and close attention to business and became the owner of about five hundred acres of land. His family consisted of three children : John, of this sketch; Mrs. Sara A. Tyson, now of Independence, Iowa, and Mrs. Ellen Worman, deceased.
John Lawson grew to manhood on the home farm west of Delavan. When twenty-nine years old he came to Delavan and worked for the Delavan Pump Company three or four years, then went into the fanning mill business as a salesman, which he followed two years, then returned to farming, buying one hundred and sixty acres in section 17, Walworth township, and there made his home during the major part of his active life.
In 1866 John Lawson was united in marriage with Elizabeth Godfrey, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (West-Highland) Godfrey; he was a native of England, having been born in Kent in 1809, and there he grew up and married, and later emigrated to New York, Mrs. Godfrey dying soon after her arrival here, on the vessel, while it lay in quarantine in the harbor. Mr. Godfrey lived in New York a few years, then came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in June, 1837, and settled in section 19, Walworth township. He had been married a second time, in New York, to Mrs. Elizabeth (West) Highland. He lived on his place in Walworth township until his death, in August, 1878, his widow surviving until January, 1881. Eight children were born to them, Henry, Robert, Elizabeth, Charles and four others.
To John Lawson and wife four children were born: Frank E., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume : Mary married William H. Nelson and lives at Spokane, Washington; Caroline married Glenn W. Nichols and lives a mile west of Delavan: Ruby married Homer S. Jones and lives a mile west of Delavan.
John Lawson owned his farm in Walworth township from 1866 until about 1910. In the first mentioned year he purchased eighty acres there and in 1889 added another eighty. He was very successful as a general farmer. In 1897 he moved to Delavan and has lived here ever since. His wife passed to her rest on May 8, 1910. On December 20, 1911, Mr. Lawson married Mrs. Elizabeth M. (Pounder) Burns, widow of Matthew Burns, of Delavan. She was born in Franklin township, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, and she
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was the daughter of John and Maria (Dunn) Pounder. Her parents were born and reared in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Her grandfather was a sol- dier in the British army, and was honorably discharged in 1816. Some of her ancestors were in the battle of Waterloo. Her parents came to America on their wedding trip in 1838, and lived in Philadelphia two years, then came west, settling in Franklin, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, when Milwaukee was a straggling hamlet. Mrs. Lawson lived there until the spring of 1862, when her two brothers went into the Union army, and since then she has lived in Delavan. Here she was married to Matthew W. Burns, a native of New York. He died November 4, 1907. He was a harness-maker by trade, also a carriage trimmer, which he followed until late in life then turned to farm- ing. He owned considerable property in Delavan. He was a man who was highly respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Lawson is a Royal Arch Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star. Mr. Lawson has lived in the county from its first set- tlement, in fact is one of the oldest men in the county, in point of residence. He is pleasant mannered, makes friends easily and is widely known.
CHARLES H. MUNSON.
"The Song of the Forge" has ever been pleasant to the ears of Charles H. Munson, one of the most skillful and popular blacksmiths of Walworth county, whose well-equipped shop at the town of Sharon draws patrons from remote parts of this locality, for here they know that they will receive prompt and careful attention. A criterion of his high-grade work is shown from the fact that many of his customers have patronized him for a number of years, refusing to have any other do their blacksmithing. It is as much of an art to shoe a horse properly as it is to fill a tooth scientifically or adjust a pair of spectacles to failing eyes, and it takes close observation and long practice to become an expert farrier. Those personally acquainted with Mr. Munson may note a similarity in Longfellow's "village smithy, a man with large and sinewy arms as strong as iron bands." not so much, perhaps, from a physi- cal resemblance, and certainly not that he "stands under a spreading chestnut tree," for Mr. Munson has one of the most substantial and complete shops to be found, but at least from a standpoint of honesty, for "he looks the whole world in the face, and goes on Sunday to the church."
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