USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 27
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James H. Lawton was married in 1861 to Ella Jane Bronson, who was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania, January 14, 1843, the daughter of Styles and Laura (Bestor ) Bronson, both natives of Connecticut, from which state they came to Herkimer county, New York, later moving to Pennsylvania, and they came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1843, being among the early settlers, as were the Lawtons. They began farming in Lagrange township, and here Mr. Bronson died in 1869, his widow dying a year later in 1870. They were the parents of twelve children, only one of whom is now living. To Mr. and Mrs. James H. Lawton five children were born, named as follows : Grant H., Harvey Percy, James B., Howard Curtis and Herbert Nevil.
Herbert N. Lawton grew up on the home farm and was educated in the schools of his district, later attending the Whitewater Normal, from which he was graduated in 1902. He taught school one year, but, not taking very kindly to the school room, took up farming for a livelihood on the homestead which he now owns, as before stated, and which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation, and he has kept the buildings in good repair. The place consists of one hundred and twenty-eight acres. In con- nection with general farming he raises and feeds live stock, and is a breeder of Poland China hogs, also handles high grade Jersey cattle. He has exhibited his fine stock at the county fairs for the past three years. Politically, Mr. Lawton is a Republican and he was township clerk for one year.
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Mr. Lawton was married on March 11, 1906, to Elma May Bishop, who was born in Walworth county on January 9, 1884. She is the daughter of Frank Bishop and wife, a highly respected family of this county. Two chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lawton, namely: Harvey, born Janu- ary 25. 1907, and Marjorie, born April 18, 1908.
ARTHUR H. FREEMAN.
In such men as Arthur H. Freeman, a successful farmer of Lagrange township, Walworth county, there is peculiar satisfaction in offering their life histories-justification for the compilation of works of this character- not that their lives have been such as to gain them particularly wide notoriety or the admiring plaudits of men, but that they have been true to the trusts reposed in them, have shown such attributes of character as entitle them to the regard of all.
Mr. Freeman was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, March 12, 1861. He is the son of Benjamin B. and Evaline O. (Hurlburt) Freeman, natives of New York, the father born in 1816 and the mother in 1828. There they were reared and married, and from there moved to Walworth county, Wis- consin, in 1838, being among the pioneers here. The father broke land where the town of Whitewater now stands. In 1840 he moved to Rock county, this state, and there settled on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, but later sold this and in 1867 bought a farm in Richmond township, Walworth county, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres and there the father lived until his death in 1875, his widow surviving many years, her death occurring in 1907. Their family consisted of six children, of whom three are living. Politically, Benjamin B. Freeman was a Democrat and he held most of the township offices in Richmond township. He and his wife were liberal in their religious views, and they were highly esteemed by those who knew them.
Arthur H. Freeman was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools and he has made farming his life work; he is now the owner of one hundred and fifty-nine acres of valuable land and has made a success as a general farmer and stock raiser, in connection with which he maintains a good dairy. He came to Lagrange township in 1900. Politically, he is a Republican.
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Mr. Freeman was married in 1882 to Lillian Warner, who was born in Whitewater December 1, 1858, the daughter of David and Martha Sophia (Thwing) Warner, the father born in Genesee county, New York, in 1824, and the mother's birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1824. Mr. Warner came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1842, and was married here. His family consisted of five children. Politically, he was a Republican. He belonged to the Universalist church.
One child was born to the subject and wife, Benjamin David, whose birth occurred on August 5, 1884, and his death occurred at the age of ten months.
FRANK WEST.
The honored subject of this sketch, who is now living in retirement on his excellent farm in Lagrange township, Walworth county, has lived to see this locality develop from a primeval forest inhabited by wild animals and a few pioneer settlers to its present magnificent prosperity, its elegant homes, comfortable public buildings, fertile farms and thriving towns; and Mr. West has played no small part in this work of transformation.
Frank West was born in Lafayette township, this county, on January 3, 1844. He is the son of Stephen and Diana (Barker) West, the father born in Chenango county, New York, in 1789, and the mother was born at Batavia, Genesee county, New York, on August 12, 1805. Stephen West was a hardy frontiersman and he came to Troy township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, about 1839 and about two years later he settled in Lafayette township on a farm near what was known as West Ostee, owning about two hundred acres. His death occurred in 1860, his widow surviving until 1882. They had one child besides Frank of this sketch, the other being now deceased. The father of the subject was first married in New York to Rebecca Pike, by whom eleven children were born, only one of whom is liv- ing at this writing. His first wife died in New York and he was a widower when he came to Walworth county, Wisconsin. Politically, he was a Demo- crat and he held a number of minor offices in his community. He was a Freemason and a member of the Baptist church.
Frank West was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools. He has devoted his life to farming and his hard toil extending over long years has met with a fair measure of material success. He and his son. John Benjamin, own one hundred and sixty acres in Lagrange township. Politically, he is a Democrat.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Mr. West was married on September 28, 1865, to Catherine Hodges, daughter of William Hodges, Sr., whose sketch appears in this work.
Seven children have been born to Frank West and wife, namely: Adel- bert lives at Lake Mills, this state; Anna is the wife of William Hackett, of Lagrange township; Edna is the wife of Thomas E. Lean, of Whitewater; Louise is the wife of Warren Taft, of Whitewater; Nellie Jane married Paul Y'ake and they live at Whitewater; John B. is farming the place mentioned above in this township. The oldest child died in infancy unnamed.
LEWIS F. PHILLIPS.
Individual enterprise which is so justly the boast of the American peo- ple is strongly exhibited in the career of Lewis F. Phillips, of Walworth. While transmitting to posterity the record of such a life, it is with the hope of instilling into the minds of those who come after the important lesson that honor and station are sure rewards of individual exertion.
Mr. Phillips was born at Hebron, Illinois, June 23, 1862. He is a son of Volney B. and Melissa (Gates) Phillips. The father was the son of Otis and Olive Phillips and was born in Plymouth, Chenango county, New York, January 25, 1825. In 1836 he moved to Thorn Grove, south of Chicago, with his parents, and in 1845 the family moved to Bloomfield, this county, where the father of the subject lived until 1875, when he located in Wal- worth. He and Melissa Gates were married in 1852 at Bristol, Illinois. He was active in church work, contributing liberally to the support of the church, and he was a man of fine character, highly respected by all.
Lewis F. Phillips, of this sketch, lived near Hebron, Illinois, until he was about twelve years old, when he moved to the farm with the family, which place the father purchased at the south edge of the village of Wal- worth, and which contained about one hundred and fifty-five acres. Here the father spent the rest of his life and here the family became well estab- lished, this still being the home of the subject.
Five children were born to Volney B. Phillips and wife, named as fol- lows : The first, a son, died in infancy; DeEtta died when nine years old; Lewis F., of this review; Nellie D. married Willis W. Browne and lives at Lagrange, Illinois; Arbin V. died when about fourteen months old.
The father of these children continued farming all his active life. When incapacitated by old age, his son Lewis F. did the work. The father lived
4
MR. AND MRS. VOLNEY B. PHILLIPS
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LISHA
ASTOR, LEHOX TILBEN FOUNDATION
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to be over eighty years old, his death occurring on January 29. 1905. He was very successful as a general farmer, and he was also engaged in cheese making, at one time owning five factories, one at Walworth; Hebron, Illi- nois; another south of that place, and at Milton and Johnstown, Wisconsin. He and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he was a liberal donator. His widow is now living with her daughter. Mrs. Browne, at Lagrange, Illinois.
Lewis F. Phillips grew up on the farm at Walworth and there attended the academy. He began life in a business way by engaging in cheese mak- ing in his father's factories and followed that for four or five years, then turned his attention to farming, and he has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and has kept the old farm well improved and under a fine state of cultivation.
The wife of Mr. Phillips was known in her maidenhood as Ida Adella Springer. Lewis F. Phillips has an adopted daughter, Daisy Josephine Phil- lips, who lives at home. One son, Roy Byron Phillips, is farming with his father, and living on the homestead. He is making a specialty of raising fine poultry, very pure bred White Rocks and Buff Wyandottes, which have been frequent prize winners at exhibitions in Wisconsin and Illinois. He sells his eggs for fancy prices in various sections of the United States. Roy Byron Phillips married Grace Wright. daughter of Heman G. and Alice (Horn- beck) Wright, and they have three children, Russell L., Ruth A. and Ralph B.
Mr. Phillips is a member of the Congregational church, and fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen and the Equitable Fraternal Union.
GEORGE G. TAYLOR.
It is always pleasant and profitable to contemplate the career of a man who has made a success of life and won the honor and respect of his fellow citizens. Such is the record, briefly stated, of the well known and progressive gentleman whose name forms the caption of this article, than whom a more deserving and honorable gentleman it would be difficult to find within the limits of Walworth county.
George G. Taylor, of Lagrange township, was born at Mid Hope, York-
(65)
.
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shire, England, May 7, 1850. He is the son of George and Ann (Greives) Taylor, both of the vicinity in England. mentioned above, where they grew up and were married. They came to America in 1854 and in July of that year arrived in Lagrange township, Walworth county, where they settled, about one-half mile from where the subject now resides, buying forty acres that fall and there they spent the rest of their lives. The place had some rude im- provements on it, having been broken and a log house built on it.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor, of whom the subject of this review was the youngest. The father became a citizen and always voted, taking much interest in public affairs. He and his wife were members of the Episcopal church.
When twenty-one years of age George G. Taylor started farming for himself, in 1875. after having attended the early schools in Lagrange town- ship for a time. He soon had a start and purchased one hundred and sixty acres, and he has made general farming and stock raising his life work, being now very comfortably situated, having a well improved and productive farm and a pleasant home, which he built west of Lagrange in 1900. He has prospered by good management and close application until he is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of as valuable land as this county can boast. He carries on general farming and stock raising, and an excellent grade of stock is always to be found about his place. He retained the home place up to four years ago.
Mr. Taylor was married about 1887 to Ann West, who was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, her parents having emigrated to Clyde township, that county, by wagons from Chicago in an early day. The subject and wife have had no children of their own, but they have reared Martha Gislerud. Mr. Taylor is a Republican politically, but he was never an aspirant for public office. He attends and supports the Methodist Episcopal church.
BERNHARD A. KROHN.
Agriculture has been the true source of man's dominion on earth ever since the primal existence of labor and has been the pivotal industry that has controlled, for the most part, all the fields of action to which his intelligence and energy have been devoted. Among this sturdy element in Walworth county whose labors have profited alike themselves and the community in which they live is Bernhard A. Krohn, one of the most substantial and in-
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fluential citizens of Whitewater township, and in view of the consistent life record lived by him since coming to this section of the country, it is particularly fitting that the following record of his career be incorporated in a book of this nature.
Mr. Krohn was born in Rome township, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, August 4, 1873. He is the son of Herman and Hannah (Kuehl) Krohn, both born in Germany where they spent their childhood. The father left the empire when a young man and came to the United States, locating at Watertown, Jefferson county, Wisconsin. The mother of the subject also emigrated to that place about the same time and these parents were married in Watertown. They started in life with no capital and were subjected to the usual privations of emigrants in a new country, but they worked hard and in time had a comfortable home. Herman Krohn was one of the sturdy band of "forty-niners" who crossed the great plains to California with an ox team, the trip requiring six months. He met with considerable success as a gold miner and later returned to Watertown, Jefferson county, finally locating in Rome township, that county, on a farm of eighty acres. He is now the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and eight acres at Golden Lake, Jefferson county, and is living retired at the advanced age of eighty-three years. His wife is seventy-seven years old. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living, six sons and one daughter. In politics he is a Democrat. In an early day he drove a team from Rome to Jefferson, Wis- consin. and his stories of pioneer times are interesting. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
Bernhard A. Krohn, of this sketch, was reared on the home farm where he worked when a boy and he received his education in the public schools, being educated both in German and English. When a young man he engaged in the creamery business at Cushman Mill and Palmyra. In 1910 he bought a farm two miles east of Whitewater, consisting of sixty acres, and here he has a good home. In partnership with two brothers, Gus and William, he owns one thousand and forty acres of valuable land in Langlade county, Wis- consin. Politically, he is a Democrat and a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Krohn was married in 1903 to Catherine Buth, a native of Sullivan. Wisconsin. She is the daughter of August and Minnie ( Panske) Buth, the father a native of Germany and the mother of American parentage. They own a good farm at Sullivan and still live there. To the subject and wife two children have been born, Harvey and Elsie.
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JAMES B. DOOLITTLE.
One of the leading citizens of the southwestern part of Walworth county is jaines B. Doolittle, who, after a successful career as a general farmer and stock raiser, is now living in honorable retirement in his pleasant home in the town of Delavan. He is one of the connecting links between the pioneer epoch and the present, having come here when the country was wild and only sparsely settled, when wild game was in abundance and the sight of a red man was nothing out of the unusual. He has lived to see the county develop from this primitive state into one of the leading agricultural sections of the great commonwealth of Wisconsin, and no one has taken greater pride in the up- building of the same than he, for he is the scion of that sterling New York ancestry which believed in pushing forward the wheels of progress, in invad- ing new countries, routing the Indians and clearing the fertile soil of its tim- ber growths and making way for good farms and comfortable homes.
Mr. Doolittle was born on January 23, 1831, in Windham, Greene county, New York. He is the son of Edward and Sallie (Tompkins) Doo- little, both natives of New York, where they grew up and were married and there established the family home.
The subject grew up in his native state and there received his education, and there he remained until he was twenty-three years old, when in the fall of 1854 he came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, buying a farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres on Heart Prairie. His parents came two years later and there the old folks spent the balance of their lives, the father dying on July 10, 1867, and the mother on May 19, 1869.
To Mr. and Mrs. Edward Doolittle three children were born, two of whom are deceased, namely: Amzy, whose death occurred on October 30, 1890: Ira E., who died on April 15, 1904, and James B., of this review.
The subject continued to reside on the farm on Heart Prairie, southern part of Lagrange township, until 1862, when he purchased a farm of two hundred acres on Delavan Prairie, Sugar Creek township, which he operated with his usual success until 1896. He worked hard and managed well and accumulated a competency which insures his old age free from want. His health failing in 1896, he gave up active work, sold his farm and moved to the town of Delavan where he purchased a commodious residence at No. 610 Walworth avenue, and there has continued to reside quietly.
Mr. Doolittle was married to Caroline Bell. daughter of Joseph and Sallie Bell, of New York. This union was without issue. Mrs. Doolittle was called to her rest on June 24, 1902.
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After the subject was married he came west, and for a period of eight years he farmed on Heart Prairie, this county, during the summer months, and taught school in the winter time. He was very successful as a teacher and his services were much in demand in those early days. He was superintendent of the Lagrange school during the years 1856 and 1857. Mr. Doolittle is a Republican, but he has never sought to be a leader in public affairs. Relig- iously, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
BREWSTER B. DRAKE.
It would be interesting to make a list of the old settlers in Walworth county and to note what a large percentage of them came originally from the state of New York. Certainly no state has done so much for us, having sent hier best blood into the wilderness of the Badger state to clear it up and made room for advancing civilization. That they have done their work well goes without saying, and to be convinced of this one has only to take a cursory glance over the fertile, well developed farms of the county, and at our splendid public buildings, for, while laboring for their own advancement, they have also helped the public enterprises in a general way.
One of this sterling horde is Brewster B. Drake, who, after a long and successful career as a general farmer and stock raiser, is now living in honor- able retirement in the town of Delavan. He was born in Batavia, Genesee county, New York, on November 14, 1832. He is the son of Hosea and Ruth (Randall) Drake, both natives of the state of New York where they grew to maturity, were educated and married and there they continued to reside until coming to Wisconsin in pioneer days, having made the trip by boat by way of the Great Lakes from Buffalo to Racine, thence to Kenosha in 1843. There they settled, but remained there only a few months, then went to the town of Troy, and bought two hundred acres of land in that vicinity, which they de- veloped into a good farm and there the parents spent the rest of their lives. the father dying in January, 1848, the mother surviving him nearly a half century, reaching an advanced age, dying on the homestead in 1895.
Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hosea Drake, namely : Brewster B., of this sketch: C. P. lives in Clinton Junction. Wisconsin; Mrs. Mary Ann Sherman is deceased: Mrs. Maria Gifford is also deceased; Mrs. Sarah Jane Jaquith is deceased, as is also Mrs. Amelia Serl. the latter dying in TOTO.
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Brewster B. Drake received his education in the common schools of Troy, Walworth county, and he lived on the farm until he was sixteen years old, then went to California where he spent seven years, then returned to Wis- consin and bought a farm in Lafayette township, which he operated success- fully for a period of twenty-two years, then sold out and moved to Delavan, retiring from active life and here he has since resided. He spent three years in the hardware business, then began buying and selling live stock, principally horses and cattle, also conducted a wool business. He was very successful in whatever he undertook. Mr. Drake is one of the patriotic veterans of the Civil war, having enlisted in the Third Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry in Aug- ust. 1864, and he served until June 10, 1865.
Mr. Drake was married to Sarah Wolfenden on January 1, 1861. She was reared at Troy, this county, and was the daughter of Robert and Ann Wolfenden, natives of the state of New York, where they lived until emigrat- ing to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1853 and settled at the town of Troy.
Four children have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Mrs. Georgine L. Milligan lives at Lagrange, Illinois ; Nellie G., a teacher, lives in Seattle, Washington ; Earl L. and Charles, both died in 1897. Mr. Drake's pleasant home is at No. 133 South Sixth street, Delavan, Wisconsin.
CAPTAIN JOHN SHARP.
In glancing over the list of names of the early settlers of Walworth county, that of Capt. John Sharp stands out prominently and is worthy of special mention here. He was born in Brunswick, New Jersey, February 5, 1801, and was the eldest son of Jacob and Esther ( Matteson) Sharp, who were natives of New Jersey, their ancestors being Scotch and Welsh, who emigrated to America and settled in the colonial province of New Jersey some two generations prior to the Revolutionary war, and they were active participants in that weary struggle for independence. In the year 1812 Cap- tain Sharp moved with his parents to western New York, and they spent a few years at Jacksonville, Tompkins county, that state, but subsequently set- tled near Watkins Glen, at the head of Seneca lake, in Steuben county. It was during his residence there that he was appointed captain of the Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment of Infantry of the state of New York, his com- mission dating from August 18, 1837, with rank from July 4th of that year, having received his commission from Governor William L. Marcy, and by
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William H. Seward. On September 1, 1841, Captain Sharp was commis- sioned to command the aforesaid militia regiment and he held that commission until he moved to Wisconsin. The regiment in question was well disciplined and at that time was the pride of the state. Here it may not seem out of place to mention that many years ago one of the New York veterans who had wit- nessed the splendid training of the Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment said to the writer, that the regiment when in training was most picturesque and that Captain Sharp made a handsome figure when in full uniform on duty with his mien. He had perfect control over them. His voice was like a silver trumpet and could be clearly heard a mile.
In June, 1850, the subject came to Wisconsin with his family and pre- empted a farm on the south shore of Delavan lake and there engaged in farm- ing until the spring of 1867. After selling his farm he moved with his fam- ily to Delavan where his death occurred on December 20, 1871.
Captain Sharp was a quiet mannered and unassuming man, but genial and gentlemanly, a man of sound judgment, sterling integrity, scrupulous honesty and honorable in all his dealings with his fellow men. He had many warm friends and enjoyed the esteem and confidence of all who knew him.
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