USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 67
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Seven children were born to Israel Williams and wife, of whom Will- iam died when young in the East; Moses, who lived south of Walworth, later north of the lake, is now deceased, and is buried at Delavan cemetery ; Austin, who lived near Williams Bay, is also deceased, and is buried at Delavan: Israel lived at what afterwards became Kayes Park on the south side of the lake, later lived in the southeastern part of Linn township on Bloom Prairie: Festus, who was the youngest of the family, lived a while at Whitewater, also in Virginia, later in life at Williams Bay and Delavan ; Francis, second in order of birth, spent most of his life in Connecticut, where he engaged in the ministry; Lavina married John Fowle and lived at what is now called South Milwaukee, being now deceased; Hannah was the wife of Robert E. Russell and she died in Minneapolis.
Royal J. Williams, of this sketch, was a chairmaker by trade. He re- turned East in 1844. to his birthplace in Massachusetts. Early in 1848 he
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married Lucretia S. Warren, a native of Conway, Massachusetts, born No- vember 9, 1824, the daughter of Samuel and Abigail ( Williams) Warren. Her father was also born at Conway and was a farmer all his life, dying in Massachusetts when eighty-four years of age. The mother of Mrs. Williams was born at Ashfield, Massachusetts, and died there when sixty-nine years old. She was of Welsh lineage. The eldest of the children of Royal J. Williams and wife was born in Conway, Franklin county, that state, Novem- ber 22, 1848. In 1853 the subject and wife and son George moved back to Williams Bay, where they accumulated some land. In 1865 he moved to Virginia, and the following year moved his family there, and in 1867 moved to Connecticut where he remained three years, and there George B., the son, grew to manhood, working a while at farming and later at railroading. In the spring of 1871 the family came back to this county, and the subject farmed on his two hundred acres of land near Williams Bay ; he also owned other lands. He was a painter before the war, but after the war farmed and fed live stock for the market. During the war, in 1862, the governor ap- pointed him to enroll the township. He was also a surveyor and notary public quite a while, and he was for a number of years assessor of the township of Walworth. He was an ardent Republican and active in the ranks and worked for the general good of the community. He was always ready to extend a helping hand to the needy. He died at the old homestead at Williams Bay, August 26, 1886, when sixty-eight years old, his widow surviving until De- cember 27. 1907, reaching the age of about eighty-three years.
Four children were born to Royal J. Williams and wife: George B., who lives in the old home: Edward F., Harley and Ellen.
George B. Williams is a man of generous nature and unassuming man- ner. a successful farmer and he has kept the old place well improved. He is a member of the Congregational church.
Harley Williams was born at Williams Bay August 13. 1861, and he died May 30, 1910. He married Matilda Piggins, daughter of William and Matilda (Bugg) Piggins, who was born at Racine, where her parents were old pioneers. They came from Falkenham, England, coming to Kenosha. Wisconsin (then Southport). where they were married. About two years later they moved to Racine, where the father spent the rest of his life, dying May 5, 1897, his widow surviving until February 12. 1912. being one of the oldest settlers of Racine at the time of her death. Harley Williams and wife spent two years on a fruit farm in Michigan, then returned to Racine and in the fall of 1887 came to Williams Bay. He took charge of his father's estate, and before the railroad came through platted what is now the main part of the village, and in 1893 he platted another addition, still another two
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years later ; now the entire farm of two hundred acres is covered by the village. In 1898 he went into the coal business, which he gave up in 1900 and entered the real estate business, which he continued until his death, May 30, 1910, as stated above. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen. His family consisted of three children, Harley Royal, born August 3. 1887, mar- ried Nettie Wankert, of Sharon and they have a daughter, Lorraine Matilda; Ellen G., now seventeen years old, and Lucretia M., aged fourteen, are at home with their mother in Williams Bay.
Ellen, the only daughter of Royal J. Williams and wife, died in Con- necticut when about fourteen years old. Edward F., the middle son, is now at Beloit, but he was recently of Plainview, Texas.
GEORGE E. PUFFER.
George E. Puffer, a member of the Wisconsin Butter & Cheese Company, was born in Spring Prairie township, this county, seven miles east of Elk- horn, in June, 1853, and he is now living in Waukesha. He is the son of Josiah O. and Anna M. (Whitmore) Puffer, pioneers of this county, having emigrated to this county from Montague, Massachusetts, where they grew 11p and were married. About 1840, or possibly soon after, they located in Spring Prairie township, this county, when the country was practically un- settled and the rich farms we see today were covered with giant forest trees. It is believed that Josiah O. Puffer entered his land from the government, and this he cleared and improved into a good farm, on which he spent the balance of his life, dying about 1898, his wife having preceded him to the grave thirty-seven years, her death having occurred in 1861. He was by trade a boot and a shoemaker and, although he gave considerable attention to farming, most of his life was spent in following his trade. He was an active Whig in the early days, later voted the Republican ticket. He was too old to take active part in the Civil war, but two of his sons were in the army, Cheney and Samuel. The latter is deceased, but the former lives in Chicago.
George E. Puffer, of this sketch, grew to manhood in Spring Prairie township and there received his education in the public schools, and he re- mained in his home community engaged in merchandising until he entered the creamery business in 1891 with Messrs. Harris and West.
Mr. Puffer was married to Eva B. Hempstead, who died in 1909. leav- ing three children, Edith, Edna and George.
In 1891 Mr. Puffer moved to the city of Waukesha, this state, and he
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has continued to reside there to the present time, devoting himself exclusively to the manufacture of butter and cheese. He has acquired a vast and expert knowledge of this business, and the large success and ever growing prestige of the firm with which he is connected has been due in no small measure to his wise counsel and able management. They have a modernly equipped, commodious and sanitary plant, and their products, owing to their superior quality, are eagerly sought for.
CHARLES AUGUST SMITH.
The biographer is always glad to give conspicuous representation to the career of such a man as the late Charles August Smith, who, after a long and useful life, spent principally in connection with agricultural pursuits in Wal- worth county, is now sleeping serenely in "that low green tent whose curtains never outward swing," having been transferred to a higher plane of action, and leaving behind him the record of a well spent and honorable life, of which his descendants and many friends may well be proud, for it was an industrious and honest life, one calculated to be of service in any community. Mr. Smith, like many of the enterprising citizens of this locality, was an American by adoption only, having come here from far-away Germany, but, while reverencing the flag of the emperor. he nevertheless respected and loved our own banner of the free and was loyal in his support of our institutions, and took much more than a passing interest in the affairs of his community. ever ready to lend what assistance he could in its upbuilding.
Mr. Smith was born in Germany in 1836. He was the son of Ferdinand and Fredericka (Homote) Smith, natives of Germany, where they grew up and were married, and there spent the early part of their lives, emigrating to Burlington, Racine county, Wisconsin, about 1854, where they established a good home in which they spent the balance of their lives, both being now deceased.
Charles A. Smith, of this sketch, grew to manhood in the fatherland and there received his education in the common schools. There he learned the miller's trade, which he followed until he came to America, and here he continued the same in the Burlington mills for a number of years, then went to Iowa, where he remained about four years, after which he returned to Wiscon- sin, locating in Walworth county and bought a mill in Sugar Creek township, which he conducted with much success for a period of eight years, enjoying
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a large trade with the surrounding country. He then sold out and moved to East Troy, buying the mill at this place, in 1875, which he continued to oper- ate with his usual success until his death, on March 22, 1900, his products being eagerly sought after owing to their superior quality, for he understood all the phases of modern milling and kept the local mills under an excellent system. He accumulated a competency and had a good home in East Troy. "
Politically, Mr. Smith was a Republican, but he was not especially active in public affairs. In religious matters he was a worthy member of the Luth- eran church.
Mr. Smith was married in 1861 in Burlington, Wisconsin, to Ida Muck- lich, who was born in Germany on January 31, 1842. She was the daughter of Edward and Fredericka (Kerrter) Mucklich, both born in Germany, where they grew to maturity and were married, and there the mother spent her life, dying about 1856. In 1857 Mr. Mucklich and his family of three children emigrated to America, locating at Burlington, Wisconsin, and here he spent his remaining years, being now deceased.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smith six children were born, named as follows : William H., who is a miller and is living in Tennessee; Albert owns the mill in East Troy, which he is operating: Emma is deceased, as are also Hernan and Charley ; Frank also followed in the footsteps of his father and became a miller, and is now living in the state of Tennessee, running a mill with his brother, William H. These sons are all expert millers and are doing well in a business way.
WILLIAM HODGES.
Among the well known and influential pioneers of Walworth county was the late William Hodges, who, after a useful and successful life, passed on to higher fields of endeavor. When he came here with his parents, some sixty-six years ago, they found a wooded country, and the settlers of that period had to clear away the trees and brush before a crop could be raised, consequently the subject was set to work at an early age and soon learned from practical experience what was the meaning of the words "hard work."
Mr. Hodges played well his part in the work of upbuilding his com- munity and always tried to be fully abreast of the times, doing such good as he could in all the relations of life, consequently his memory is revered by those who knew him well, for he was a man of sterling character and many attributes to be admired.
Mr. Hodges was born in New York, May 20, 1837, the son of William
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and Mary Ann ( May) Hodges, both natives of England, and there they grew up and were married, and emigrated to the United States in 1831, locating in Oswego, New York, and there they remained until 1846 when they came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, locating in Lafayette county, on a farm of forty acres, to which the father later added fifty acres, owning ninety acres at the time of his death, and here his death occurred in 1870, and his wife died on October 23, 1878. They were the parents of six chil- dren, four of whom are living. He and his wife were members of the Episcopal church, and were people of old-time honesty and hospitality.
William Hodges, of this sketch, was educated in the public schools, such as they had, in his home community, and he was reared on the farm where he worked when of proper age. Early in life he turned his attention to farm- ing for a livelihood and became the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and twenty-one acres in Lafayette and Sugar Creek townships, and he was re- garded as one of the best farmers of this community. Politically, he was a Democrat, and his wife belonged to the Methodist church.
Mr. Hodges was married twice, first in 1864, to Sarah Webster, who was born in Chautauqua county, New York, the daughter of Lemuel and Lydia Webster, who came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in pioneer days. To Mr. and Mrs. Hodges five children were born, all of whom are living. The wife and mother died in 1877, and on December 12, 1886, Mr. Hodges was united in marriage with Mrs. Coris A. Hare, widow of Levi Hare, who was born in the state of New York, May 26, 1837, and he came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in an early day and here he spent the rest of his life. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Levi Hare, namely: Otis, Nina, Mary, Earl. Jean, Levi Benjamin and Serena. Mrs. Hare was known in her maidenhood as Coris A. Bartlett, who was born in Essex county, New York, July 21, 1843, the daughter of Truman and Serena (Strong) Bartlett, the father born in Vermont on August 3, 1815, and the mother in Essex county, New York, on February 18, 1823. They came to Walworth county, Wiscon- sin. in 1844, locating in Spring Prairie township, and in the fall of 1856 moved to Lafayette township where he became the owner of a farm of one hundred acres, also eighty acres in Troy township. His death occurred in Lafayette township on September 4. 1907, and his wife died on June 9, 1890. They were the parents of three children, all of whom are living. Politically, Mr. Bartlett was a Republican and in religious matters a member of the Methodist church.
William Hodges was widely known as a manufacturer of sorghum mo- lasses, which he made at his place for a period of about fifty years, and it
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was of such superior quality that it was eagerly sought after, and this caused his farm to be familiarly known as "Sorghum Hill."
The death of Mr. Hodges occurred on March 24, 1911, after a success- ful and useful life, a life of honor and uprightness, and he will long be missed in this locality.
JAMES CHILD.
In many respects the career of the late James Child, long one of the progressive farmers of Lafayette township. Walworth county, is peculiarly instructive in that it shows what a well defined purpose, supplemented by cor- rect principles and high ideals, can accomplish in the face of discouraging circumstances. It is an example of triumph over obstacles, the winning of success by honorable methods, and as such may be safely followed by those . whose life work is yet to be accomplished. He was a fine type of the sterling pioneer, having invaded the forests of this locality when settlers were none too numerous and when there was much to be done before a comfortable home could rise and good crops be reaped from the virgin soil, but he was a man who never permitted discouraging situations to influence him, but forged ahead despite of them, and won not only material success, but the good will and esteem of all who. knew him.
Mr. Child was born in Saratoga county, New York, on August 23, 1823. He was the son of William and Susan (Deake) Child, the father born in Greenfield, Saratoga county, New York. January 4, 1798; the mother was born on December 25, 1798, in the same locality, and there they grew up and were married on February 5, 1820, and they remained in their native state until 1847, when they moved to Walworth county, Wisconsin, settling in Spring Prairie township, later moving to Lafayette township where they established a good home and where they spent the rest of their lives, dying within a few days of each other, in April, 1865, the father on the 24th and the mother on the 17th.
James Child, of this sketch, grew to manhood on the old homestead in Saratoga county, New York, and he received his education in the public schools of his district and the high school of New York. He came to Wis- consin with his parents when he was twenty-four years old, and at once en- gaged in farming, becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty-two acres of good land in Lafayette township, where he developed an excellent place and had a good home, carrying on general farming' and stock raising suc- cessfully.
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Mr. Child was married on September 15, 1847, to Esther Dinsmore, who was born in Ontario county, New York, in 1827. She was the daugh- ter of Melzer and Huldah (Clark) Dinsmore, both born in Massachusetts, the father on April 12, 1803. They were married on December 20, 1824. They came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1848 and here spent the rest of their lives, the father dying at Lake Geneva in 1867 and the mother passed away in 1859. They were the parents of seven children, the wife of the subject being the only one now living.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Child, named as follows : Melzer, Huldah, Susan, William, all deceased; William (the second) is living and is county surveyor ; Henry is deceased; Emma is living; Chauncey is deceased; Abby L. is living; Esther May is deceased.
James Child was a Republican and was more or less active in local affairs. He ably performed the duties of county surveyor for a period of fourteen years, and he was justice of the peace for some time. The death of Mr. Child occurred on his farm in Lafayette township on November 24, 190I.
HERBERT E. WYLIE.
By a life consistent in motive and action and because of his many com- mendable personal qualities, Herbert E. Wylie, of Elkhorn, has earned the sincere regard of all who know him. He came from an ancestry that dis- tinguished itself in pioneer times, having in them that Anglo-Saxon unrest that drives the race ever westward on its great adventure, globe-girdlers and zone-conquerors. His progenitors were courageous, large-muscled, a stolid sort of people, in whom acute imagination was coupled with immense initia- tive, and who possessed, withal, loyalty and affection as sturdy as their own strength. When Walworth county was covered with almost an interminable forest of primeval pines, tamaracks and hemlocks, filled with wild animals, and through which would only Indian trails, the Wylies came here and began carving a home from the far-stretching woods, building schools and churches and assisting in the general introduction of the customs of civil- ization in the wilderness, giving vent to that in their blood to push on to the edge of things. They were genuine pioneers, willing to take the hard- ships that they might acquire the soil and the home that was sure to rise.
Herbert E. Wylie was born in Lafayette township, this county. on Feb- ruary 15, 1868. He is the only son of George W. Wylie and wife, a prom- inent early family, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work.
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Mr. Wylie grew to manhood on his father's farm and there assisted with the general work, and he attended the home schools during his boyhood. His principal life work has been farming and stock raising, which he followed with uninterrupted success until 1901, having rented a farm and farmed for himself from the time of his marriage in 1893. After farming on his fa- ther's place for eight years following his marriage he bought a farm in Delavan township on which he spent about three years, then sold it and moved to Spring Prairie township where he bought another farm which he operated with his usual success a few years, then moved to Elkhorn, where he still resides. In 1910 he purchased his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres a short distance northwest of Elkhorn, which he has kept highly im- proved and under a splendid state of cultivation. He also owns an attractive and cozy home within the city limits of Elkhorn. He has managed well and has been very successful in a material way.
Mr. Wylie was married in 1893 to Ella Smith, daughter of Lafayette and Lucia (Jenks) Smith and the granddaughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Puffer ) Smith. Daniel Smith was a lumberman in the early days and he came to Geneva Lake when the country was new and bought land in this vicinity. However, he soon went north and started the village of Mishicott, Wisconsin, where he put up a store and saw-mill. Some of his children were born in New York state and some in Wisconsin. Lucia Jenks was born in Pennsylvania and came here when a child with her parents, Porter and Pamelia (Phelps) Jenks, the family locating in Spring Prairie township in pioneer times, probably entering land from the government and established their home there, in which the parents spent the rest of their lives, and there Lucia Jenks lived until her marriage to Lafayette Smith. After their mar- riage they lived at Albert Lea, Minnesota, also Preston, where he was a grain buyer, and later they lived in Minneapolis, Mr. Smith becoming overseer in the Farnum-Lovejoy mills there, which position he held for some time. In his older days he returned to Mishicott and there his death occurred in September, 1906. Mrs. Smith afterwards lived with Mrs. Wylie until 1912 and she still lives in Elkhorn.
Mrs. Wylie was born in Mishicott, where she spent her childhood, and she attended high school at Albert Lea, Minnesota. She came to Elkhorn about 1887 and has lived here ever since. She is a lady of rare taste.
Herbert E. Wylie is a man of diligence and industry, and he displays those qualities of manhood that won his father the esteem and admiration of such a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.
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GEORGE W. WYLIE.
Human lives are like the waves of the sea. They flash a few brief mo- ments in the sunlight, marvels of power and beauty, and then are dashed upon the remorseless shores of death and disappear forever. As the mighty deep has rolled for ages past and chanted its sublime requiem and will con- tinue to ro.l during the coming ages until time shall be no more, so will the waves of human life follow each other in countless succession until they mingle at last with the billows of eternity's boundless sea. The passing of any human life, however humble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to some heart, but when the fell destroyer knocks audibly at the door of the useful and prominent and removes from earthly scenes the man of honor and influence and the benefactor of his kind, it not only means bereavement to kindred and friends, but a public calamity as well.
In the largest and best sense of the term the late George W. Wylie, soldier, ex-sheriff of the county and formerly marshal of the Walworth county fair, was one of the representative and notable citizens of his day and generation in this locality, and as such is entitled to a conspicuous place in the annals of the county.
Mr. Wylie was born in Westmoreland, Oneida county, New York, April 5, 1826. He was the son of Robert and Susan ( Hemsted) Wylie, a sterling old family of the Empire state. He grew to manhood in the East and re- ceived such education as the common schools of those early times afforded, and he also attended Kirtland Academy in Ohio two years. In 1842 he came with his parents to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and located in Lafayette township when the country was wild and neighbors were few and there he assisted his father develop the home farm.
Mr. Wylie took an active interest in public affairs and in 1860 he was elected sheriff of Walworth county for two years, during which time he made his home at Elkhorn, Wisconsin. He was incumbent of this office until in September, 1862, having discharged its affairs in a most praiseworthy manner ; but he resigned to become quartermaster of the Twenty-eighth Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry and he served faithfully for two years in the Civil war, when physical disability compelled him to resign his commission and return home. In 1864 he was again elected sheriff, serving a term of two years, after which he returned to his farm in Lafayette township, where he had two hundred and seventy-six acres of finely improved and valuable land, and he became one of the substantial and progressive general farmers and stock men of this part of the county.
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In 1880 Mr. Wylie was again elected sheriff of Walworth county and he moved to Elkhorn in January, 1881, and there made his home the rest of his life. For a period of twenty years he had served as assessor of Lafa- yette township and was township clerk for five years and for over fifty years was marshal of the Walworth county fair at Elkhorn. In all these capacities he discharged his duties most conscientiously and ably, to the eminent satis- faction of all concerned, irrespective of party alignment. He was regarded as a leader in public affairs and was one of the best known men in the county for a half century.
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