USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 24
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James Hennessy
THE A. PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LETOE TILBEN FOUNDA
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the early pioneer days, and he has played no inconspicuous part in the affairs of the community so long honored by his citizenship, and now, in the eighty- seventh year of a life that has been noted for its sterling honesty, industry and devotion to family, church and his adopted country, he can look backward with no compunction of conscience for misdeeds and forward to the Mystic Beyond with no fear. Such a life merits a record of its deeds, that the debt due it may be acknowledged and that it may serve as stimulus to others to endeavor to emulate it. But his record is too familiar to the people of the locality of which this history deals to require any fulsome encomium here, his life-work speaking for itself in stronger terms than the biographer could en- ploy in polished periods. There is no doubt but that his long life has been due to his conservative habits, wholesome living and pure thinking. He is hospitable and charitable, his many acts of kindness springing from his large- ness of heart rather than from any desire to gain the plaudits of his fellow men.
Like many of the energetic and esteemed citizens of this section of the great Badger commonwealth, James Hennessey is a native of the picturesque Emerald Isle, the light of day having first smitten his eyes at the historic village of Ballatona, county Limerick, Ireland, on June 21, 1826. He was the sixth of a family of six sons and three daughters born to Patrick and Catherine (Boland) Hennessey, each representing sturdy old families of that country.
James Hennessey grew to manhood in his native land and there received such educational advantages as the opportunities of that time afforded in the common schools. When a boy he went to Mitchellstown and became an ap- prentice to a baker ; becoming skilled in this line of endeavor he followed the same until he emigrated to America, in 1849, when twenty-three years old, having made a tedious voyage in a sailing vessel from Liverpool to Boston. He began his career in the New World on a New England farm in Vermont, and worked as a farm hand until his marriage, on May 19, 1854, at Burlington, Vermont, to Mary Shannahan, a native of his own country, who had been in the United States about four years. As bride and groom, in the following autumn, they came west and lived about a year at Rockford, Illinois. In the summer of 1855 they joined the tide of emigration to the new Minnesota country and took a government claim at the head of Lake Leison. About 1859 the Sioux Indians manifested the troublesome disposition which soon after resulted in an uprising and the massacre and dispersal of thousands of settlers. James Hennessey abandoned the country before the climax of these
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troubles, and finally located in Alabama and engaged in work under some rail- road contractors. The Civil war brought this period of his career to a some- what abrupt end, and on the day Fort Sumter was fired upon he rode on one of the last trains to leave Selma, Alabama, for the North, a portion of the railroad being destroyed on the night following his departure. He brought his family to Delavan, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and in June, 1861, settled in Richmond township, where he has spent over a half century of his well ordered and useful life. His first purchase of land was forty acres in section 26, where is his present homestead. During the early years of his residence here he was in the midst of the wooded, uncultivated conditions which characterized this portion of Wisconsin at that time, and he performed the work of a pioneer in developing the locality. enduring the hardships and privations incident to such a life, but, being a courageous and ambitious man, he permitted no obstacle to thwart him, and, persevering, soon became well established. Adding to his original purchase from time to time, as he pros- pered, he finally became the owner of one of the choice farms in Walworth county, consisting of about three hundred acres, which he brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation, on which stands a commodious residence and a substantial set of outbuildings, everything about the place denoting thrift and prosperity and that a gentleman of excellent tastes has had its management in hand. Stock raising formed no small part of his life work and he is an excellent judge of all kinds of live stock. He has been a pro- gressive farmer, a man who believed in adopting modern methods when it was clear that they were better than the old, and as a result of his research, study and close attention to general agricultural pursuits the soil of this fine landed estate today is as rich and productive as it was when first reclaimed from the primeval forest. And now as the twilight shadows gather softly about him in life's late afternoon, he finds himself in the midst of plenty as a result of his earlier years of strenuous endeavor and honest dealings.
Mr. Hennessey's wife, a faithful helpmeet, a genial, kindly, tender woman, of beautiful Christian faith, was summoned to her reward on a higher plane of action on February 12. 1906, in her seventy-first year. She was born in county Cork, Ireland, May 26. 1835, the third of a family of three sons and five daughters born to Cornelius and Margaret (O'Brien) Shannahan. She grew to womanhood and received her education in her native land. In 1850 she made the voyage from Liverpool to Boston, and lived in Vermont until her marriage to James Hennessey, which union was blessed by the birth of six children, namely: Mary Elizabeth, deceased; James T .: John E. : Pat- rick C .: Catherine E. deceased ; and William A. The last named son pur-
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chased the homestead in 1906 and he and his wife are very faithful in minister- ing to every want of our aged subject who lives with them.
James Hennessey has been a devoted member and faithful supporter of the Catholic church, which is his supreme comfort in the serene closing days of his happy life. In national politics he has relied for guidance upon the advice and leading of Patrick Ford, editor of the Irish Il'orld, a paper he has read, each successive issue, for forty years or since its first number in 1870.
Mr. Hennessey is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, in view of the fact that he started in life under none too favor- able auspices and his early environment was all but encouraging. Coming to the practically undeveloped and sparsely settled state of Wisconsin without capital or friends, he worked at farm labor by the day until, by economy and self-denial, he got together enough money to purchase a forty-acre tract, mostly covered with timber, and he set to work with a will clearing the ground and preparing it for cultivation. The work was slow, for there were no modern implements of agriculture and oxen were used for the most part to do hauling and plowing. The early settlers depended for their meat supply principally on wild game, which was in abundance. Produce had to be traded, used as a sort of medium of exchange, as there was no money. This was during the first three years of the Civil war, and most of that time fifty cents a day was the wage scale, and that paid for in produce. But as time passed wages were increased, money became more plentiful and the pioneers lived more comfortably.
The subject has lived to see wondrous changes during his residence of a half century in Walworth county, has lived to see horses replace the oxen, the scythe give way to the mowing-machine, the reap-hook supplanted by the self- binder, and modern laborsaving machinery of all kinds doing the work of planting and harvesting formerly done by hand. He has seen the old-fash- ioned ox-cart and lumber wagon relegated to the rear and carriages, spring- wagons, automobiles and even airships take their places. He has lived to see vast forests melt away before the sturdy stroke of the axeman and fine farms spring up as if by magic, and the country everywhere dotted with substantial dwellings in place of the log cabin, schools and churches built in every com- munity, and thriving towns and populous cities where once were the tepees of the red man or roamed at will the denizens of the wild, and he has seen the winding Indian trails changed into costly turnpikes and broad highways. He has not only been an interested spectator to all these vicissitudes, but has played well his part in the transformation. He can look back over it all with a clear mind (the fruits of right living) and recall many interesting reminis-
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cences of the past, and recently when he celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday he was perfectly happy and in full possession of his faculties, and, in looking backward over the chequered path of life, he could recall no dishonest act, word or deed. He has often been heard to state that he is glad he never had any desire to become rich, it being his theory that a man is happiest when in moderate circumstances, and now in the evening of life he gets great comfort and peace in the thought that he bore manfully the labors and hardships of the long ago, although, indeed, often hard to bear, and little by little gained a competency that has permitted him to spend his declining years in honorable retirement. Every dollar he ever owed he paid cheerfully ; he has enjoyed the confidence of those with whom he has had business dealings, his word being regarded as good if not better than the bond of most men. Every promise he ever made he fulfilled, and he discharged most worthily every trust reposed in him. He has been a loving husband, an indulgent father, his home life having been harmonious and ideal, his being a mutually happy and helpful household. He has been a great reader and has familiarized himself with current topics and the world's best literature and is a well informed man. He has always been a protectionist, a great admirer of James G. Blaine, Senator LaFollette and Colonel Roosevelt. Although a stanch Republican and usually a defender of party principles, he is not a biased partisan and frequently he voted the Demo- cratic ticket, and he was a Greenbacker for a time. In local affairs party lines were never drawn, his support invariably going to the candidates whom he deemed best qualified to fill the offices sought. He has been a worthy and valued citizen in every respect and is eminently entitled to the high esteem which is gladly accorded by all who know him.
MILEY ADSIT.
The biographies of the representative men of a county bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their family and of the community and it is a source of regret that the people are not more familiar with the personal history of such men, in the ranks of whom may be found tillers of the soil, mechanics, teachers, pro- fessional men, business men and those of varied vocations. Miley Adsit is one of the creditable representatives of the agricultural element in Walworth county and as such has made his influence felt in Troy township and earned a name for enterprise, integrity and honor.
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Mr. Adsit was born at Palmyra, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, September 12, 1870. He is the son of Milo and Sarah (Curtis) Adsit, both natives of Ontario county, New York, the father born in 1829. There they grew up and were married, and emigrated to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in the fifties, locating on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres and there they developed a good farm and the mother is still living at the old home, the father having died on July 12, 1895. They were the parents of seven children, five sons and one daughter. Politically, Milo Adsit was a Democrat early in life, but later turned Prohibitionist. He was a member of the Methodist church.
The son Miley, of this review, was reared on the home farm where he worked when a boy and he attended the district schools during the winter months. He came to Walworth county in 1894 and in 1900 bought the farm of ninety-four acres in Troy township where he has carried on general farm- ing and stock raising in a very successful manner. He has made most of the improvements on his place. In politics he is a Republican and he is at this writing treasurer of the school board in his district, taking quite an inter- est in educational affairs. Religiously, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
On May 10, 1894, Mr. Adsit was united in marriage with Ida Luebke, a native of Michigan, and the daughter of Fred and Lydian Luebke. The mother is deceased, but Mr. Luebke is living in Milwaukee. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Adsit, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are, Lloyd, Lena, Lydia, Lawrence, Ruth, Rubie and Howard.
SENECA BURCHARD CHATFIELD.
Troy township, Walworth county, can boast of few more progressive and successful farmers among her younger generation than Seneca Burchard Chatfield. . As a citizen he is intelligent, enterprising and public-spirited, con- bining within himself those sterling qualities of manhood that make one not only a useful member of society, but a leader in whatever he undertakes, and there is added to this an honest determination of purpose and a kind heart. which impels him to help others while paving a path to prosperity for him- self. From his boyhood his desire has been to earn every cent needed in the prosecution of his business affairs, and he has always lived up to his principle, preferring to do his own planning and execution.
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Mr. Chatfield was born in Troy, Walworth county, in 1875. He is the son of Silas B. and Katherine ( Kling) Chatfield, the father born in New Mil- ford, Connecticut, on October 21, 1822, and the mother in New Hartford, Oneida county, New York, on May 10, 1832. He came from Connecticut to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1846 and bought eighty acres where the subject now lives, later adding forty acres to this, and here he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on February 7, 1908, and his widow is still living on the old homestead. He cleared the land and made the im- provements, establishing a good home through his thrift and close application. He spent the last few years of his life in retirement. Politically, he was a Republican, but was never an office seeker. He was a member of the Baptist church, and very active in the same.
Silas B. Chatfield was married on May 6, 1849, to Mary Holcomb, of Walworth county, and to this union two children were born, Norman A. and Levi L., the former dying in 1894. The wife and mother died on May 6, 1854, on the fifth anniversary of her wedding. In 1857 Mr. Chatfield was married to Katherine Kling, daughter of Jacob and Dorothy (Gasper) Kling, the father born in New York in 1785, and the mother born in New Jersey in 1793. They spent the major part of their lives in the East and came to Wal- worth county, in May, 1849, settling in Troy township, and here the father's death occurred, when near the century mark, on October 12, 1883, having been preceded to the grave by his wife in 1874. They were the parents of twelve children, two of whom are living at this writing.
Seven children were born to Silas B. Chatfield and his second wife, namely : George K., born June 8, 1858; Omer C., born April 24, 1860, died in 1908: Dewitt C., born August 11, 1862; Jane E., born February 22, 1864, was burned to death on June 29, 1871 ; Sarah Elizabeth, born July 27, 1869, died November 29, 1901 ; Alice Jane, born June 22, 1873 ; Seneca B., subject of this sketch, is the youngest.
The father of the subject when young went with his parents from Con- necticut to Otselia, New York, and here his parents died and he was bound out to Theodore Burchard. After he was eighteen years old he went to live with James Stratton, who worked the Burchard farm.
Seneca B. Chatfield of this sketch was reared on the farm and received his education in the public schools, and was graduated from the East Troy. high school with the class of 1900. He spent one year in Milwaukee as book- keeper for the American School Board Journal, then came back to the farm in Walworth county, which he has managed since April, 1907, in a most
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satisfactory manner, carrying on general farming and stock raising. Politic- ally, he is a Republican of the progressive wing, but he has never been an aspirant for office.
Mr. Chatfield was married on December 4, 1907, to Ella MI. Rhode, who was born in Mukwonago, Waukesha county, this state. She is the daughter of Fred and Amanda Rhode, an excellent family of East Troy township.
JAMES W. BABCOCK.
All will agree with the biographer that it is a fine thing to be able to spend one's life on the old home place, but few, through some ruling of fate, are permitted to do so. But the very atmosphere there seems different from that we encounter elsewhere, and the earlier associations and impressions re- ceived in boyhood are lasting and have, usually, much weight in shaping our careers. James W. Babcock, of Troy township, has been fortunate in this respect, in that we find him today on the place where he was born, and which he owns, just northwest of Troy Center, his birth having occurred here on January IS, 1852. He is the son of James and Lovey ( Roberts) Babcock, both born in Vermont, where they spent their early lives, coming to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1840, and locating on the subject's farm, being among the pioneers, and here they established a rude home which in due course of time gave way to a comfortable one. The father owned eighty acres here. Later he built a store house in that vicinity, and there he spent the balance of his life, dying in 1865, his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1860. They were the parents of five children. The father of the subject married again, and had two children by his second wife.
James W. Babcock was reared on the home farm and received his educa- tion in the early schools. He has always farmed and with the exception of three years spent in Vermont, has lived in Troy township, this county. It was immediately after the death of his father that he went to Vermont. He now owns the home place of one hundred and twenty-three acres, which he has kept well improved and which he has farmed successfully. He has built new barns and other necessary outbuildings. He is a breeder of Guernsey cattle, and he also carries on dairying, being well equipped for the same. He retired from the active duties of life in 1906 and now lives comfortably in the splendid new dwelling which he erected in 1906, which with other substan- tial building occupies three acres of one corner of the farm.
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Mr. Babcock was married in 1876 to Mary McGee, who was born in East Troy, daughter of Pat and Mary (Donley) McGee, both natives of Ire- land, who came as very early settlers to East Troy, Wisconsin, and there they lived on a farm. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom are still living. To the subject and wife the following children have been born : Elmer, Marion, Willie and Jessie, all deceased; Flora, who married Ray Combes, lives on the home place, and they have two children, Lovey and Elizabeth ; Lovey married Ray Lacey, of East Troy.
Mr. Babcock is a Democrat and he was once township treasurer. His wife belongs to the Catholic church.
The subject's oldest child, Elmer, married Gertrude Parsons, of Eagle; they are both now deceased, and their only child, Fay, lives with the subject and wife. Marion Babcock, the subject's daughter, married Greeley Parsons, the latter still living. One daughter was born to them, Marion, who now lives with her grandparents on the Parsons' side, her mother dying some years ago.
E. J. CRANE.
There are few farmers of northeastern Walworth county who have met with more encouraging success here than E. J. Crane, one of those strong, sturdy characters who has contributed largely to the material welfare of the community and township in which he resides, being a modern agriculturist and as a citizen public-spirited and progressive in all that the terms imply, and for a number of years he has been an important factor in promoting the progress of this county. He is now living practically retired from the active business affairs of life, enjoying a well-earned respite.
Mr. Crane was born at Hector, Tompkins county, New York, on Febru- ary II, 1842, and he is the son of E. L. Crane and wife, both born in the state of New York, where they grew up and were married, beginning life there in their native vicinity, and in 1855 they came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and settled in Lafayette township on a farm, but they spent the last days of their life in Minnesota, his death occurring there on May 2, 1891, at the age of eighty-one years, and there the mother of the subject passed away in 1896 at the age of seventy-five. They were the parents of five children, two of whom are living.
E. J. Crane, of this sketch, was reared on the farm where he worked when a boy and attended the public schools in the winter-time, later attended the
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academy at Milton, Wisconsin. Early in life he turned his attention to farm- ing and made that his life work and he has met with encouraging success at this world-old occupation, having a good home and productive and well in- proved farm in Lagrange township. Politically, he is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for public office. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Crane was married in 1869 to Susan C. Cox, of Lagrange township, daughter of a highly respected family, and here she grew up and received her education. To Mr. and Mrs. Crane two children have been born, namely : Clara A., who married O. A. Bronlee, lives in Iowa; Mary E., who married O. R. Bronlee, lives in Troy township, this county, and they have two children, Edwin C. and Lucy.
HENRY EDMUND THAYER.
Success comes to such an earnest worker as Henry Edmund Thayer, farmer and stock man of Troy township, Walworth county, as a matter of course, for he has followed the right leads, having adopted excellent methods and laid out commendable plans early in life, whereby to shape his course. He was born at Troy, this county, on July 15, 1864. He is the son of Henry E. and Emma (Hibbard) Thayer, the father a native of the state of Massa- chusetts and the mother of Troy, this county. His paternal grandparents were Holister B. and Rebecca M. (Potter) Thayer, he a native of Massa- chusetts and she of Connecticut. They grew up in New England and were educated and married there, coming to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1850 and located in Troy, and in that neighborhood the elder Thayer spent the balance of his life in farming. The maternal grandparents were George and Elizabeth (Clark) Hibbard, both natives of Massachuestts, from which state they came in the thirties to Walworth county, being among the very earliest settlers, when this country was yet the domain of the red man and the wild beast. They took up government land and endured the hardships and priva- tions incident to life at that early period, finally becoming yery comfortably situated through their industry. Here the grandfather spent the rest of his life engaged in farming, reaching the unusual age of ninety-six years. He was influential in the affairs of Troy and vicinity.
Henry E. Thayer, father of the subject, grew to manhood in Massa- chusetts and received his education there. Early in life he came to Milwau-
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kee, Wisconsin, where he engaged in the hardware business, and for some tim he was superintendent of the Davis Transfer Company. He then ran a livery barn for eighteen years. For the past sixteen years he has resided with the subject. His wife died on January 13, 1895.
Henry E. Thayer, of this sketch, was educated in the Milwaukee high school. He learned the machinist's trade which he followed for three years, then was with his father in the livery business for four years. In 1888 he came to Troy, Walworth county, and bought a farm and has since been en- gaged in general farming and dairying. He has an excellent place of one hundred and ninety-one acres.
Mr. Thayer was united in marriage with Sarah Brown, of Milwaukee, in 1884, and three children have been born to them, namely: Ruby, now Mrs. Lewis Belk; Olive married Percy Webster; Glendora married Mrs. Arthur Healey.
Mr. Thayer is a member of the Methodist church, and politically he is a Republican. He has been township treasurer for two years, and chairman for four years, which position he still holds. He belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Thayer has been school clerk for many years.
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