USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 56
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George W. Brown grew up in section 3, Walworth township, and assisted with the general work on the home farm. He married Cornelia A. Conant, daughter of Caleb H. and Deborah (Clute) Conant. She was born at or near Syracuse, New York, and came here with her parents about 1840, locating in Walworth township.
George W. Brown got an excellent helpmate in his marriage and his later success in life was due in no small measure to her counsel and sym- pathy. He bought a farm adjoining his father's and made his home there, on the west half of section 3, Walworth township, and he lived in the same section practically all his life up to about 1905, and he followed farming from the time he was old enough to drive an ox. He was very successful as a general farmer.
To George W. Brown and wife the following children were born: Ade- laide died in infancy ; Francis E., born December 8, 1847, lives in Williams Bay, formerly followed farming; he married Lillian Mink; Ella M. Brown, born March 17, 1851, married Marshall Mink and they live at Darien : Lydia Ann, born January 21, 1854, married Stephen Carl Goff and they live in Darien; Edwin Brown lives in Williams Bay and is engaged in the plumb- ing business; he was born October 19, 1857, and he married Matie Lackey, November 6, 1888; Jane Brown was born May 3, 1860, and died August 5, 1868. The death of George W. Brown's wife occurred on February 6, 1886.
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George W. Brown remained on the farm until the fall of 1905 when he moved to Williams Bay, where he now resides with his son Edwin, being now eighty-seven years old. He has a remarkable memory of early days and recalls many interesting incidents of pioneer times. He still takes quite an interest in historical lore and public questions.
HARLOW M. COON.
History and biography for the most part record the lives of only those who have attained military, political or literary distinction or who in any other career have passed through extraordinary vicissitudes of fortune. But the names of men who have distinguished themselves in their day and gen- eration for the possession of those qualities of character which mainly con- tribute to the success of private life and to the public stability-of men who. without brilliant talents, have been exemplary in all their personal and social relations, and enjoyed the esteem, respect and confidence of those around them-ought not to be allowed to perish, for all are benefited by the de- lineation of those traits of character which find scope and exercise in the common walks of life. Among the individuals of this class of a past gen- eration in Walworth county was Harlow M. Coon, for many years a well known agriculturist, merchant and public official, who had the interests of the village of Walworth at heart, which he sought to promote whenever possible. His life history was distinguished by the most substantial qualities of character and exhibited a long and virtuous career of private industry, performed with moderation and crowned with success, and his memory will long be revered by the people of this locality.
Mr. Coon was born at West Edmeston, Otsego county, New York, on February 14, 1819. He was the son of Ezra and Cyrena (Burdick) Coon. The Coon family is descended from the McCoons of Scotland. The first of whoni we have record to emigrate to America were Daniel and Rhoda (Still- man) McCoon, who came from Aberdeen to Hopkinton, Rhode Island. Their son Joshua was the father of Daniel, who had a son also named Daniel, who in turn was the father of Ezra, the latter being the father of Harlow M., father of H. Irving. The house in which this family lived in Rhode Island was one hundred and fifty years old and still habitable in 1900. They moved to the state of New York in 1798, when Ezra Coon was three years old.
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Harlow M. Coon emigrated to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1843, and taught school in Walworth township two years, then bought a farm three miles east of the village of Walworth on which he lived ten years. His health failing, he rented his farm and moved to the village of Walworth and built a store where he engaged in general merchandizing, building up a very satisfactory trade with the surrounding country. . Two years later he bought a farm on the southern outskirts of Walworth; to this he added from time to time and there spent the balance of his life, successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. The village now covers a part of the farm.
Mr .. Coon was married in December, 1844, to Harriet Crumb, daughter of Joseph and Harriet (Dowse) Crumb. She was born in Leonardsville, Madison county, New York, and she came to Walworth county, Wisconsin. with her parents in 1842. Her parents were both natives of Leonardsville and there they spent their earlier lives. They were of English descent. The Crumb family settled a mile east of the village of Walworth and took up five hundred and sixty acres of land, part in prairie and part in timber. This was improved and Mr. Crumb became one of the leading farmers of the county, continuing to reside on his farm here until his death. His fam- ily consisted of seven children, who lived to maturity.
Harlow M. Coon took a leading part in public affairs, and for nine years he served as town clerk, and was justice of the peace for many years, giving eminent satisfaction in both offices, as might be inferred from his long retention in them. He was always actively interested in promoting the cause of education and religion. He took part in the original organization in the Seventh-Day Baptist Church society: he was church clerk for many years and was a deacon until his death. He was a man of exemplary char- acter and enjoyed the esteem and respect of all who knew him. The death of this excellent citizen occurred on April 13, 1899, after an eminently successful, useful and honorable life, the uplifting influence of which will be felt for many a day.
The death of Mrs. Harlow M. Coon occurred in November, 1884. She was a woman of beautiful Christian character. Their family consisted of three children, namely : Phoebe S. was the eldest; Harriet Evaline married Rev. Alexander McLearn, for some time pastor of the Seventh-Day Baptist church, and his death occurred on March 17, 1907; she and her brother and sister now live in the south edge of the village of Walworth. H. Irving, the youngest of the children, was born on April 19, 1855, and he has lived most
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of his life on the farm in the southern part of Walworth. He built the present modern handsome residence of the family in 1908. For several years he has engaged in the fire insurance business, having the agency for a number of the leading American companies, and has built up a large patron- age. He has been very successful as a man of affairs and is a worthy suc- cessor of his noble father in public and social life. He is now in his third term as president of the village, and he has done much for the permanent good of the town and vicinity. During his administration the present su- perb water works system was installed and the village administration has been a progressive one. He and his sisters are all influential members of the Seventh-Day Baptist church.
HENRY HARPER WADE.
One of the honored farmers and stock raisers of Richmond township, Walworth county, is Henry Harper Wade, who hails from England, but who has ever been loyal to his convictions of right and has discharged his duties as a neighbor and citizen with the object in view of making his friends happier and the community better. Blessed with a sufficiency of worldly wealth. all of which has been acquired by his own unaided efforts, he has not been selfish ; on the contrary, his benefactions have been many, for it is not his custom to withhold his support from worthy movements or causes, consequently he is eminently deserving of the esteem in which he is held.
Mr. Wade was born in England, September 19, 1840, and there he grew to manhood and was educated. Coming to America in 1859, he arrived at Lockport, New York, on May 3d of that year, and on June 20th he found him- self in Milwaukee, having come to Wisconsin by water. He came to La- grange township, Walworth county, on March 14, 1861, working for John Taylor Wade, a brother, at fourteen dollars per month. Later he bought an acre of ground in the village of Lagrange and he lived there three years, when he moved to Sharon, Wisconsin, where he also spent three years. While there he bought forty acres of Job Harrison, and three years later he added forty acres to his original purchase, and in the spring of 1880 he sold out to Mary Means, a sister of his wife, and in the fall of that year he came to Richmond township, and bought one hundred and twenty acres for which he paid seven thousand and two hundred dollars. To this he added eighty acres in 1891, and in 1909 he bought thirty-five acres more, now owning four hundred acres.
MR. AND MRS. HENRY H. WADE
THE NEW YOR PUBLIG MIBHARTI
ABTOK, LENOX TILDE' FOUNDATION2
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one hundred and fifty-nine acres lying in Rock county, the whole comprising a choice farm, which he has placed under a high state of improvement and cultivation, and he has a large, comfortable home and excellent outbuildings, all these improvements having been made by his own hands. He has always been a hard worker and a good manager and a large measure of success has attended his efforts. He keeps a good grade of live stock and he still man- ages his farm, although his sons, Frank W. and Charles Henry, rent the land. He had only two dollars and fifty cents when he reached this country from England, and without the influence of others or assistance he has forged to the front through his own efforts.
Politically, Mr. Wade is a Republican and he and his family are members of the Methodist church.
On January 1, 1863, Mr. Wade was united in marriage with Martha Taylor, daughter of George Taylor, a complete sketch of whom appears else- where in this work. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wade, namely : Adelbert Wilkinson is deceased; Anabel is deceased; Charles Henry, born August 26, 1867, was educated in the public schools and at the Whitewater Normal; he has remained single, and, as stated above, is assisting with the work on the homestead; politically, he is a Republican. Frank William, the youngest of Mr. Wade's children, was born in Walworth county, November 16, 1873, and he was educated in the public schools and at the Whitewater Normal, and he, too, is farming on the home place. He is Republican in politics. He was married on March 10, 1908, to Myrta Acker, of Richmond township, and they have two children, Howard Henry, born March 12, 1909, and Anabel Irene, born May 10, 1910.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WRIGHT.
The late Benjamin Franklin Wright is deserving of mention in this work, partly because of the fact that he led a life of uprightness and indus- try and partly because he was one of the defenders of the National Union during its days of peril in the great rebellion. He was well known in Wal- worth county where he long maintained his home and he is still well re- membered by a host of close friends.
Mr. Wright was born October 7, 1838, in Berne, Albany county, New York. When fifteen years old he left home and came west alone, stopping (83)
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a few days in Michigan, but came on to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and located in Delavan, in 1855, being thus one of the county's early settlers. In 1859 he purchased a farm at Bell's Corners, where he continued to re- side most of the time during his active life. He was the son of David and Phoebe (Gardiner) Wright, both natives of New York, and in Dutchess county, that state, the father spent his boyhood, and when a young man moved to Albany county, where he was married and he spent his remaining days there and in Schoharie county, engaged in farming. His wife was an aunt of Judge Bradley, an associate judge of the United States court.
Benjamin F. Wright started out in life for himself early, and he was truly a self-made man, achieving success solely by his own efforts. He was only fourteen years old when he came to Monroe, Michigan, and there he worked a year as a farm hand, then came to Delavan in 1855. After a short time he took up the carpenter's trade in this county which he followed for a year, then moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he continued carpen- tering and also clerked in a retail store until 1859, then returned to Wal- worth township and worked as a farm hand until August 15, 1862, when he enlisted in the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. For meri- torious service he was promoted to corporal the following year. He took part in many engagements, including that at Helena, Arkansas, Mobile, Ala- bama, and others, and he escaped without being wounded or taken prisoner, and was honorably discharged August 20, 1865. He then returned to Wal- worth county and worked at the carpenter's trade until 1881. For the next eight years he carried on a summer resort on Lake Geneva.
Mr. Wright was married on March 7, 1861, to Maria A. Huntley, of Walworth county, who died on December 6, 1881, leaving one son, John D. There were three other children, two of whom died in infancy, and Cora May died in 1885, when about twenty-two years old. John D. Wright lives in Washington.
On March 2, 1892, Benjamin F. Wright married Mrs. Mary (Holmes) Blackwell, widow of William Blackwell, deceased, and a sister of Mrs. Henry Francis, of Williams Bay, with whom she makes her home. She was a daughter of William and Anna (Mitchell) Holmes and was born in Lincolnshire, England, and came here with her parents when thirteen years old. On November 18, 1885, she married William Blackwell and they lived in Fontana, this county. Mr. Blackwell was an old resident of Walworth township and he kept a store at Fontana for about twenty years. He died about two years after his marriage.
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Mr. Wright's second marriage was without issue, but he and Mrs, Wright took Lydia Benzel to raise, then seven years old. Her mother was unable to care for her four children because of a long and severe illness. The girl became known as Lydia Wright, and she now lives in Howard.
The death of Benjamin F. Wright occurred on November 14, 1904. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was a man with many friends and no enemies.
GEORGE MONROE VAN VELZER.
It is a good sign when so many of the residents of a county are found to have been born there. It indicates that they have found right at home all the opporunities necessary for the gratification of their ambitions in a business, political or social way, and it also indicates stability. One is reminded that "A rolling stone gathers no moss." That young man is the wisest who, when conditions will permit, remains in his native locality and addresses himself to the improvement of conditions he finds there and to his personal advancement along such lines as he may choose, selecting that for which he is best fitted by nature.
One such is George Monroe VanVelzer, well known citizen of Williams Bay. He was born a short distance east of the town of Lake Geneva, this county, September 30, 1839. He has thus come down to us from the pioneer epoch and has lived to see and take part in the wonderful devlopment of the county during the past three quarters of a century, and his reminiscences of conditions prevailing here in those early days are both interesting and instructive. He is the son of Philander VanVelzer, a sterling early settler, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work.
George W. VanVelzer grew to manhood on his father's farm and there found plenty to do as soon as he was old enough to follow the plow or wield the axe, and, in fact, he lived there the greater part of his active life. He was married on August 30, 1862, to Belle Viney Madden, daughter of Pat- rick and Nancy (Casey) Madden. She was born in Pennsylvania and her parents moved to near Binghamton, New York. About 1850 they moved to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and settled along Sugar Creek, moving to Richmond township four or five years later, and there the parents spent the rest of their lives, and there on the old home place lives Patrick Madden,
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brother of Mrs. VanVelzer. This family became well established here and was highly respected.
George M. VanVelzer remained on the home place until about 1875, when he bought one hundred and fifty-six acres west of Williams Bay, in Walworth township, and there he lived until about 1900, when he built a neat home in the village of Williams Bay and moved thereto, selling his farm and retiring from active life. He had been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and accumulated a competency.
One daughter has been born to the subject and wife, Olive Jeanette, who married Ulysses Grant Lockwood, a younger brother of William Lock- wood, deceased, whose sketch contains the Lockwood ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. U. G. Lockwood live about a mile north of Williams Bay on a farm, and they have one son, Wesley VanVelzer Lockwood.
Mr. and Mrs. VanVelzer also took a boy to raise, George Allen Van- Velzer, a son of Wardruff Owen and Helen (Madden) Owen, his mother having been a sister of Mrs. VanVelzer. She died when the boy was a baby and at the age of fifteen months he was given to the subject and wife by his father. He was born in Sugar Creek township, this county, August 18, 1872. He married Ammie Carlson, a native of Sweden, and they had two daughters, Helen Marie and Hazel May. He lives in Williams Bay, and has a farm of his own and also follows railroading on the Chicago & Northwestern road. His wife is now deceased.
CHARLES MCCABE.
The prosperity and substantial welfare of a town or community are in a large measure due to the enterprise and wise foresight of its business men. It is progressive, wide-awake men of affairs that make the real history of a community and their influence in shaping and directing its varied interests is difficult to estimate. Charles McCabe, for a number of years one of Wal- worth county's progressive agriculturists, now engaged in the implement business in the town of Walworth, is one of the enterprising spirits to whom is due the recent substantial growth of the town whose interests he has at heart. With a mind capable of planning, he combines a will strong enough to execute his well-formulated purposes, and his great energy, keen discrim- ination and perseverance have resulted in material success.
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Mr. McCabe was born in Lafayette township, this county, on January 28, 1872. He is the son of Richard McCabe, Sr., and Bridget (Scanlon) McCabe, a well known family of Elkhorn, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this work.
Charles McCabe was reared on the home farm in Lafayette township where he lived until he was seventeen years old when his father bought a farm south of Elkhorn in Delavan township, and there the son continued to reside until he started in life for himself. When twenty years of age he began working out by the month, then rented a farm in Walworth town- ship when he was about twenty-six years old, and after his marriage. He moved to Darien township about three years later and rented a farm on which he remained about six years, then bought a farm a mile south of Delavan, consisting of fifty-five acres. A year later he sold out and bought the Abe Henry farm in the northern part of Walworth township; selling out a year later, he came to the village of Walworth and bought a house, which he subsequently traded for a farm in Darien township, but remained in Walworth. He soon sold the farm in Darien, and bought another in South Dakota and lived there a year, then sold out and returned to Walworth in the fall of 1907, after which he bought the Holmes farm in the south edge of Walworth township, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, which he has since divided and sold. He has owned several different properties in Walworth and in 1911 he built a residence which he intends making his permanent home. It is attractive, commodious and modern in every ap- pointment, one of the choice residences of the village. In the fall of 1911 he went into the implement business here which he has continued with much success, building up a large trade with the surrounding country, car- rying an extensive and carefully selected stock of implements and practically everything in this line used by the twentieth-century farmer.
In September, 1896, Mr. McCabe was united in marriage with Florence Anderson, daughter of Oscar and Sarah (Owen) Anderson. She was born in Richland township, this county, and here grew to womanhood. Her par- ents were both natives of Norway, the father born at Skein, and there spent his early life, emigrating to America in 1848 and settled near Turtle Lake, Richmond township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he bought a farm and spent the rest of his life. She was ten years old when she came to America with her parents, Knute and Maria Owen. This family also set- tled in Walworth county, Wisconsin, at the town of Richmond, and there Mr. Owen spent the rest of his life engaged in farming. Mrs. McCabe re-
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ceived a good education in the local schools, and she taught school a year at Seatonville, a year at Richmond and a year near Elkhorn.
To Charles McCabe and wife two children have been born, namely : Ivan Lee and Sarah Bernice. The subject and wife are sociable and friend- ly, and since coming to Walworth have secured a wide circle of friends, standing high in the community.
The history of Richard McCabe, father of the subject, is found in a separate sketch in this volume.
RICHARD McCABE.
The biographer is always glad to write of a worthy character like Richard McCabe, long a well known citizen of Walworth county, because the paragraphs he weaves around the life record of such a man are cal- culated to be of inspiration to the youth of the locality whose careers are yet to be determined. His life has been exemplary and has resulted in much good to the locality of which this volume deals.
Richard McCabe was born November 1, 1830, along the shore of the English channel, twenty-one miles north of Dublin, Ireland. He is the son of Patrick and Bridget (Toner) McCabe. He grew up on a farm in Ire- land, and when eighteen years old he emigrated alone to New York City, making a voyage on a sailing vessel which required fifty-two days. His uncle had come to Canada about 1830, being ninety-three days on the water. Richard McCabe roamed about considerably upon reaching this country. He spent some time in Connecticut, and was in Cincinnati when it was many times larger than Chicago. He was in Iowa before a mile of railroad had been built in that state. . About 1854 he came to Janesville, Wisconsin, then a village whose inhabitants were nearly all shaking with ague. After a year there and some time spent north of Milwaukee, he located in Lafayette township, Walworth county. Not long after coming here he married Brid- get Scanlon. She was born at Glinn, county Limerick, Ireland, along the historic river Shannon. She was left an orphan at an early age and was reared in the home of a gentleman in that locality, and when about fifteen years old came to America, her elder brother having located in Walworth county.
After their marriage Richard McCabe and wife lived first in Lafayette township, remaining there most of the time until 1889. Ten children were
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born to them, seven in Lafayette township and three in Sugar Creek town- ship; they are: Patrick H., who lives in Missouri; Mary Ann is the wife of Martin Clarey, of Lake Geneva; John G. lives in Chicago; Helen mar- ried James Horn and lived in Minneapolis, and they are both now deceased; Richard, Jr., lives in Elkhorn; James lives in Minneapolis; Charles lives in Walworth; Andrew L. makes his home in Elkhorn; Joseph M. is a citizen of Delavan; Lillie May married Albert Fisher and lives in Chicago.
About 1889 Mr. McCabe's family moved to Delavan township, he having sold his farm in Lafayette township and purchased another in Dela- van township, near the inlet. There he lived until his wife's death, in June, 1901. She was a faithful member of the Catholic church, and always en- deavored to be what a true mother should be to her children. Mr. McCabe remained on the farm three years, then came to Elkhorn, where he has since resided. He was very successful as a farmer and laid by a compe- tency for his old age. He has been honest in his relations with the world and has many friends wherever he is known.
HOWARD EDWARD FISH.
Such a life of uprightness, usefulness and industry as that led by Howard Edward Fish cannot well fail of interest and incentive to the young man who stands at the parting of the ways, for in it abound many valuable lessons.
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