The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 135

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899

USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc. > Part 135

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ROBERT JACK, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Scotland in 1838; came to Wisconsin in 1847 ; in 1852, he went to California and remained until 1863, then went to Idaho ; returned to Wisconsin in 1870. Married, in 1864, Miss Anna Sexton; she was born in Ireland ; they have one daughter ; Mr. J. owns 122 acres of land.

L. KINGMAN, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Orford; was born in New York in 1834; came to Wisconsin in 1860. Married in 1870; his wife was born in Wisconsin ; they have six children ; Mr. and Mrs. K. are members of the M. E. Church ; Mr. K. owns eighty acres of land.

SAMUEL McNAIR, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Brodhead ; was born in Livingston Co., N. Y., in 1806 ; came to Wisconsin in 1846, and located in Waterford, Racine Co. ; removed to his present home- stead in 1863. Married, in 1836, Miss Mary A. Drake, of New York ; she died in 1873; they had nine children, three of whom are dead. In 1876, Mr. McNair married Mrs. Laura Richardson ; Mr. and Mrs. McNair are members of the Presbyterian Church ; Mr. McNair owns 150 acres of land in Sec. 18.

ANDREW MATATALL, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Nova Scotia in 1840; came to Wisconsin in 1870. Married, in 1867, Miss Caroline Fisher; she was born in Nova Scotia; they have two children. Mr. and Mrs. M. are members of the Methodist Church.

J. S. MOORE, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Canada in 1829; came to Wis- consin in 1854. Married, 'in same year, Miss Jane E. Clawson, a native of Pennsylvania ; they have two children living and have lost five. Mrs. M. is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Moore owns 120 acres of land.

ROBERT OLIVER, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Scotland in 1816; came to Wisconsin in 1844. Married, in 1841, Miss Elizabeth Alexander, a native of Scotland ; they have five children living and have lost two. Mr. and Mrs. O. are members of the Presbyterian ('hurch. Mr. O. owns 230 acres of land.

J. PALMER, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Brodhead; was born in New York in 1840; came to Wis- consin with his parents in 1848. Married in 1868; his wife was born in New Jersey ; they have two children. Mr. and Mrs. P. are members of the Disciples' Church. Mr. P. owns 140 acres of land.

N. N. PALMER, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Orford ; was born in New York in 1820; came to Wisconsin in 1847. Married Miss Jane Scott, in 1845 ; they have five children. Mr. and Mrs. P. are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. P. owns 180 acres of land.

JOHN PATRIQUEN, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Nova Scotia in 1819; came to Wisconsin in 1857, and located in Orford ; located on his present homestead in 1867. Married in 1844; his wife was born in Nova Scotia; they have two children. Mr. and Mrs. P. are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. P. owns seventy-three acres of land.

L. PEPPER, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Orfordville; was born in Pennsylvania in 1830 ; came to Wisconsin in 1842. Married, in 1856, Miss Sarah E. Inmau, a native of Pennsylvania ; they have four children.

ANDREW R. PETTERSON, farmer, Sec. 30; P. O. Brodhead ; was born in Wisconsin in 1857 ; son of R. Peterson, who died in 1858; owns 100 acres of land in Sec. 30. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.

T. M. PURDY, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Orfordville; was born in Bennington Co., Vt., in 1814; at an early age, his parents removed to New York ; in 1847, Mr. Purdy emigrated to Wisconsin, and located about two miles west from his present homestead ; there were but few settlers in the town at that time, and but one road was laid out ; he has carried his wheat to Milwaukee with an ox team ; it usually took ten days to make the trip, if they had fine weather ; some times the trip would not be a financial success, as their expenses would come to more than they got for their wheat. In 1838, he married Miss Judith Rush ; she was born in New York; they have two children living-Sabelia and Frank E .; they have lost three-John F., who enlisted in 1863 in the 13th Wis. Vol. Inf., Co. G, and died, July 4, 1865, at Cairo, Ill; Henry and Franklin. Since his residence in the town, Mr. P. has held the office of Town Treasurer two terms. He owns 118 acres of land.

861

UNION TOWNSHIP.

S. RODLY, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Orford ; was born in Germany in 1837; came to Wisconsin in 1870, and located in Spring Valley. Married in 1875; his wife was born in Germany ; they have two children. Mr. and Mrs. R. are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. R. owns forty acres of land.

J. J. SABIN, harness-maker ; P. O. Orfordville; was born in Wisconsin in 1859. Married in 1878, Miss Ada M. Randall ; she was born in Iowa; they have one child-Rosby J., born May 23, 1879. Mr. Sabin commenced business in 1878 ; previous to that, he was engaged in farming on his father's farm.

O. H. SCOGEN, boot and shoe dealer, Orfordville; was born in Norway in 1824; came to Wisconsin in 1867. Married in 1846 ; wife was born in Norway ; they have two children living, and have lost two. Mr. and Mrs. Scogen are members of the Lutheran Church.

J. SIMS, farmer, Sec. 34; P. O. Orford; was born in Wisconsin in 1852. Married Miss Anna Doyle, a native of Indiana, in 1877 ; they have one child-Albert, and are members of the Episcopalian Church. Mr. S. owns eighty acres of land.

WALTER SMITH, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Scotland in 1806. Mar- ried in 1828, to Miss Elizabeth Taylor, a native of Scotland ; they have three children living, and have lost two. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. S. owns 280 acres of land.

S. M. STRAUS, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Orford; was born in Germany in 1829; came. to America in 1840; came to Wisconsin in 1852. Married in 1861 ; his wife was born in Germany ; they have six children, and are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. S. owns eighty acres of land.

M. SULLIVAN, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Orford ; was born in Ireland in 1847; came to America in 1850, with parents; came to Wisconsin in 1868. Married, in 1871, Miss Julia Flinn, a native of Ireland; they have four children. Mr. and Mrs. S. are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. S. owns forty acres of land.

TAYLOR SWANN, farmer, Scc. 20 ; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Scotland in 1817; came to Wisconsin in 1845. Married in 1840; his wife is a native of Scotland ; they have five children. Mr. Swann owns 340 acres of land.

D. W. H. TAYLOR, gardener, Sec. 18; P. O. Brodhead ; was born in New York in 1838; came to Wisconsin in 1857. Married, in 1867, Miss Sarah M. Jelliff; she was born in New Jersey ; they have six children. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. Taylor owns twenty acres of land.

ROBERT TAYLOR, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Scotland in 1805; came to Wisconsin in 1844, and was the second settler in the town. Married in Scotland in 1831 ; his wife is a native of Scotland; they have five children living ; lost two-Robert, who enlisted in 1861 in the 13th Wis. V. I., Co. G, and died in Paducah, Ky., from sickness contracted in the service, and Archi- bald, who enlisted in California and also died in the service. Mr. Taylor owns 461 acres of land.

JOHN V. WARD, farmer, Sec. 6; P. O. Brodhead; was born in New York in 1833; came to Wisconsin in 1844. Married, in 1864, Miss Julia Purdy ; she was born in Ohio; they have one child. Mr. Ward owns forty-four acres of land.

H. WHITE, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Orford; was born in Ohio in 1850; came to Wisconsin with parents in 1852. Married in 1876; his wife was born in Wisconsin ; they have one child. Mem- bers of the M. E. Church. Mr. White owns 160 acres of land.

MARK WRIGHT, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Brodhead; was born in Ohio in 1839; came to Wisconsin in-1850. Married in 1870; his wife was born in Kentucky; they have four children. Mr. Wright is a member of the I. O. O. F. He owns eighty acres of land.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

PETER ALLER, retired ; P. O. Evansville ; born in New Jersey, March 18, 1817; came to Wisconsin in 1840 ; located in Union and engaged in farming. In 1862, entered the drug business in Evansville; continued until 1864, when he returned to farming. In 1870, he sold his farm and removed to Evansville, retiring from active pursuits. Mr. Alles is a member of the Baptist Church. IIe married in Union, on Dec. 8, 1841, Miss Eleanor Temple, a native of Maine. They were the first couple married in the town of Union ; married by a Justice of the Peace, there being no ordained minister in the town- ship. Mrs. Eleanor Alles died in. 1860. He married again at Evansville, Dec. 2, 1863, Miss Nancy Smith, a native of Vermont ; has two children living; lost four-Mary O., born May 31, 1845, died in

862

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

July, 1845; Eben F., born Aug. 24, 1847, died March 16, 1849 ; Mercy J., born March 21, 1849, died Aug. 2, 1878; Sumner H., born June 3, 1855, died March 8, 1856; Arthur P., born Nov. 27, 1864.

GEORGE BALLARD, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Evansville; born in New York Dec. 10. 1819; emigrated to Wisconsin in 1850, landing at Racine in June. In 1853, he located in Union Town- ship, Rock Co., where he engaged in farming ; owns the farm on which he now resides. He married in New York, Oct. 10, 1843, Miss Jane Francisco, a native of New York. They have two children living : lost three.

PETER L. BECKER, retired farmer ; P. O. Evansville ; born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., in 1802; he came to Wisconsin in 1844, settled in Porter, engaged in farmning, continued until 1872, when he was obliged to give up all active business, in consequence of loss of sight and old age. Previous to coming West, he had been engaged fourteen years in sailing on Lake Erie ; was by trade a ship carpenter. and built in Milwaukee, in 1845 and 1846, two sailing vessels, having gone from his home in Rock Co. for that purpose. Mr. Becker is a member of the M. E. Church. He married in Brownville, Jefferson Co., N. Y., on March 13, 1825, Miss Margaret Van Patten, a native of Schoharie Co., N. Y. She died. Mr. , Becker married a second time, at Evansville, Nov. 17, 1875, Idella Dimmick, a native of Otsego Co., N.Y.

EUGENE W. BEEBE, physician, Evansville; born in New York Feb. 21, 1840. He came to Wisconsin in 1847. His father, Elisha P. Beebe, removed to Wisconsin in 1842, and engaged in mer- cantile business in Dane Co. in 1848, in which he continued until shortly before his death, in 1858. Eugene W. Beebe is a graduate of the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, Class of 1865-66; has practiced since 1860. After receiving his diploma, continued his practice in Dane Co. until the winter of 1867-68, when he removed to Evansville, where he has since resided and practiced his profession. He married in Evansville, Dec. 26, 1866, Miss Frances A. Spencer, daughter of H. G. Spencer, an early set- tler of Rock Co.

ISAAC M. BENNETT, retired banker, Evansville; born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., in 1824; came to Wisconsin in 1845, and engaged in school-teaching in the town of Union, remaining until the spring of 1846, then removed to Oregon, Dane Co., where he engaged in mercantile business until his removal to Green Co., in 1857; engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1861, when he removed and settled in Evansville, Rock Co., where he again went into mercantile business; in 1870, he with Mr. Pullen and Mr. Winsteu, organized the First National Bank of Evansville, in which he held the position of Cashier ; in 1875, the bank changed from a National to a State bank, and Mr. Bennett withdrew his connection from it and retired from active business; he assisted in the organization of the first Town Board of Evansville, and was elected President of the Board ; he was elected to the State Legislature in 1868. He married, in Oregon, Dane Co., Aug. 1, 1847, Miss Elizabeth A. Kierstead, a native of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., who died Nov. 6, 1860, leaving four children living. Mr. Bennett again married, Sept. 3, 1861, at Evans. ville, Miss Hannah M. Pettigrew, a native of Vermont, by whom he has one child living.

H. L. BLACKMAN, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Evansville; born in Genesee Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1819; came to Wisconsin in 1848, locating in Union Township, Rock Co., where he engaged in farm- ing on the land he now owns and occupies. He married, in Seneca Co., Ohio, March 8, 1838, Miss Mary Owen, a native of Yates Co., N. Y., born July 16, 1819; they have three children living, lost one-Jon- athan L., born July 12, 1840 ; Cynthia E., born June 11, 1843; Otis L., born June 16, 1854, died Feb. 7, 1856 ; Charles G., born Nov. 17, 1864.

HIRAM BULLARD, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Evansville ; born in Monroe Co., N. Y., Oct. 2. 1824; came to Wisconsin in 1845 ; his father, Leonard Bullard, with his family, settled in Union Township, Rock Co., where he engaged in farming ; in 1846, bought and settled on the farm now owned by Hiram Bullard ; it consists of 160 acres. He married, in New York, May 27, 1846, Miss Jane A. Babcock, a native of Rensselaer Co., N. Y .; he has five children.

GEORGE M. BULLOCK, farmer, Sec. 21; P. O. Evansville; born in Rock Co., Wis .. Jan. 19, 1855, on the farm he now resides on and cultivates ; his father, Elijah Bullock, settled in Wis- consin in 1854; he was a native of New York ; born April 2, 1818. Married, in his native State, on June 15, 1844, Miss Nancy Mead. a native of New York, who died March 20, 1865; his children are Edson, born July 15, 1845, died Aug. 17, 1860; Alfred, born Nov. 22, 1846; Elijah E., born March 31, 1848, died September, 1873; Nancy E., born Jan. 18, 1851, died August, 1868; George M., born Jan. 19, 1855. He is the youngest son, and has always remained on the farm where he was born. His father married a second wife, by whom he has three children. Mr. Bullock is the owner of 105 acres.

MARTIN R. CASE, hotel proprietor, Evansville ; born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., Jan. 21. 1837 ; his father, Reuben Case, was born in the State of New York, Feb. 15, 1798; removed with his family to Wisconsin in 1843, and settled on Jefferson Prairie, Rock Co., now Clinton Junction, where he

868

UNION TOWNSHIP.

had pre-empted Government land ; he engaged in improving and cultivating the same, and continued to farm this until 1855 or 1856, when he removed to town of Center, Rock Co., where he was engaged in farming until 1859, when he removed to Janesville, where he remained until 1860; he returned to Clin- ton Junction after a visit to his native State ; in 1865, he again returned to Clinton Junction, where he died in April, 1877 ; Martin R. remained on his father's farm until 1869, when he removed to Evansville, where he engaged in livery business, and, in 1873, he also engaged in keeping hotel, the Spencer House, which he continued for two or three years, when he gave up hotel keeping, until 1877, when he sold out his livery business and purchased the hotel he had formerly kept, which he refitted and extended and con- ducted under the original name of the Spencer House, until the spring of 1879, when he changed the name to that of the Central House. Mr. Case married at Center, Rock Co., Dec. 31, 1857, Miss Mary E. Fel- lows, a native of New York ; has had a family of five children, two now living.

SAMUEL CADWALLADER, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Evansville; born in Henry Co., Ind., Sept. 30, 1823; he came to Wisconsin in April. 1847, locating in Union Township, Rock Co., and engaged in farming. He married, in Magnolia Township, Rock Co., April 20, 1853, Miss Adora M. Doolittle, a native of Ohio.

THOMAS P. CHAPIN, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Brooklyn, Green Co .; born in Weathersfield, Penn., May 7, 1819; he came to Wisconsin in 1837, locating in Janesville, where he engaged in black- smithing, which he continued until 1847, when he purchased a farm in Union Township, where he removed and engaged in farming, following also his trade for many years. He married, in Dane Co., Wis., July 4, 1847, Miss Amanda Ellsworth, a native of Canandaigua, N. Y. Mr. Chapin has seven children living ; he is the owner of forty-five acres.

EDWARD DEVEREUX, cheese manufacturer and farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Evansville ; born in Windsor Co., N. Y., Aug. 18, 1830 ; he came to Wisconsin in July, 1850, and engaged in the manufacture of vinegar, at Milwaukee, and in the lumber business with his father and brother; in 1853, removed to Ohio, for a short time, returning to Union and engaged in farming ; in 1861, he went to Rome, N. Y., remaining for a year, in vinegar business ; in the fall of 1862, returned to Union, and resumed farming ; in 1867, he established a cheese factory in Green Co .; in the fall of 1868, he established a cheese factory in Union, which he has found necessary to enlarge at intervals, owing to increase of business. He married, at Fairport, Ohio, Sept. 29, 1853, Miss Eva W. Whaley, a native of Ohio ; has six children living, lost two-Mary V., born June 11, 185+, died Feb. 2, 1856; Theodore G., born April 25, 1858; Harry C., Feb. 13, 1863; Clara P., March 10, 1864, died March 7, 1865; Lulu B., born Jan. 31, 1866; Charles C., Feb. 26, 1868; Claudia H., April 3, 1870; Kittie D., Dec. 21, 1873; he is the owner of 110 acres of land.

SMITH DOUGHERTY, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Cookville; born in Hancock Co., Me., Sept. 25, 1808; came to Wisconsin in 1845, locating in Union Township, Rock Co., on the farm he now owns and occupies. Married, in Maine, Oct. 25, 1835, Miss Harriet G. Snow, a native of that State; has two children. He owns eighty acres of land.

SAMUEL E. DUDLEY, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Evansville; born in New Hampshire April 13, 1819; came to Wisconsin in 1842, aud located in Janesville, Rock Co., and engaged in farm- ing; in 1846, he bought 160 acres in Rutland Township, Dane Co .; in 1852, he sold it, and moved to Union Township, Rock Co. ; bought 243 acres of land and now resides there. Married, in Janesville, May 27, 1847, Miss Cinthy Chapin, a native of Vermont; has two sons.

DR. JOHN M. EVANS, physician, Evansville; born in Vermont, Feb. 12, 1820; graduated at La Porte Medical College in 1845 and 1846; settled at Evansville in 1846, and engaged in the practice of his profession. In 1852, was appointed Postmaster at Evansville; 1853, was elected to the State Leg- islature, and re-elected in 1873. Entered the army in 1862 as Regimental Surgeon for the 13th W. V. I .; received an appointment on the staff of Gen. Robert Granger, as Staff Surgeon. He married, at La Porte, Ind .. June 1, 1854, Miss Emma Clement, of Erie, Penn.

E. W. FAIRBANK, farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Union; born in Massachusetts in 1816; came to Wisconsin in 1863 ; he located in Union, Rock Co., where he engaged in mercantile business, which he continued until 1869, when he purchased the farm he now cultivates. He married, in Rutland, Vt., in 1851, Miss Clarissa Gibson, a native of New Hampshire, who died in 1860; he married, in Evansville, Rock Co., Feb. 24, 1876, Miss Elizabeth Smith, a native of Brooklyn, Green Co., Wis. ; he has five children.

SAMUEL H. FROST, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Union; born in Addison Co., Vt., March 18, 1838; his father, Harvey Frost, came with his family to Wisconsin in 1849, locating iu Union, Rock Co .; he engaged in farming, where his son Samuel H. is now managing the estate, as his father is too old

864

BIOGRAPHICAL, SKETCHES:

and fecble to follow active pursuits. S. II. Frost married, in Union, June 5, 1875, Miss Emma Powers, a native of New York ; he has four children.

DEWIT C. GRISWOLD, druggist, Evansville; born in Bennington, Wyoming Co., N. Y., in 1849; came to Wisconsin in 1867; engaged in drug business as clerk for Evans & Smith, at Evansville; in 1873, he bought out Dr. Smith's interest. and has since conducted the business under the name of D. C. Griswold & Co.'s Pioneer Drug Store, it being the first drug store started in Evansville. Mr. Griswold married, in Evansville, June 5, 1877, Miss Lizzie E. Evans, a native of Evansville, and daughter of Mr. Griswold's partner, Dr. Evans, one of Rock Co.'s early settlers, and the one from whom the village takes its name.

WILLIAM T. HALL, retired ; born in Maine in 1818; he came to Wisconsin in 1849, and engaged in business as lumber dealer in the town of Fulton, Rock Co .; in 1852. he engaged both in mer- cantile and farming pursuits ; in 1857 or 1858, removed to the town of Porter, where he managed a farm until 1865 ; then removed to Michigan and engaged in pine-wood and lumber business, which he closed out in 1871, and returned to Rock Co., Wis., and, in the years 1872 and 1873, he conducted a wholesale tobacco business ; in the latter year, retired from all active business. Mr. Hall married, in Fulton, Me., in 1843; Miss Sarah A. Whitaker, of Massachusetts; has two daughters.

SANFORD. P. HAMMOND, retired farmer, Evansville; born in Connecticut Sept. 9. 1808; he removed to Wisconsin in 1839, and engaged in farming in Johnstown Center ; in the spring of 1844, he removed to Janesville ; in 1845, to Magnolia, where he engaged in farming and wool growing; in 1874, he sold out and removed to Union, where he managed a farm until 1878, when he sold out and removed to Evansville, having retired from all active pursuits. He was elected to the State Constitutional Convention in 1846. Married, in Michigan, Feb. 11, 1839, Miss Elizabeth Hins, a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y., who died Feb. 29. 1869; he married again, at Magnolia, April 4, 1869, Mrs. Catharine A. Budlong, a native of England. Mr. Hammond lived in the first log house built in the town of Center. Is a member of the M. E. Church.

MARY A. HUBBARD, widow, Sec. 17; P. O. Evansville ; maiden name was Mary A. Watson ; born in Litchfield, Woodbury Co., Conn., May 20, 1820. She was the daughter of Mr. Ben- jamin B. Watson, a native of the State of Kentucky. She married, in Onondaga Co., N. Y., Sept. 15, 1836, Mr. Jedediah Hubbard, a native of Windham, Greene Co., N. Y., born March 20, 1816. Mr. Hubbard came to Wisconsin, with his wife and family of three sons, in 1845. and settled on the land be had entered in 1840. He engaged in improving and cultivating his land, and continued farming until his death, July 17, 1877, leaving his widow with four children ; a daughter having been born to them on the farm in Union Township, Rock Co., where the widow still resides, she preferring to remain on the old homestead, although the children have all married and gone to homes of their own. The children and grandchildren (the latter now number twelve) gather on every Thanksgiving Day at the old homestead, to spend the day with Mrs. Hubbard, a practice which they have followed since the first children married and left the parental roof. The children are Ephraim B., born June 6, 1838; William H., born Oct. 4, 1840 ; Ben W., born Nov. 16, 18-12 ; Edwin F., born Aug. 2, 1850. Mrs. Hubbard owns 300 acres.

DANIEL JOHNSON, retired farmer, Evansville ; was born in Greene Co., Ohio. Nov. 30. 1821 , his parents moved to that State from Steuben Co., N. Y., in 1816 ; his father was a soldier of the war of 1812. Daniel was the second child and the oldest son of a family of ten children. He received such an education as was to be obtained in the common schools of Western Ohio. His father being a farmer, he was taken out of school in the summer time to help on the farm after he was 8 years old, only attending school during the winter term of three months until 15. The spring after he was 15, his father moved with his family to the southeastern part of Indiana in Jennings Co. ; that part of the State was then heavily timbered and sparsely settled ; the few settlers there were mostly from North Carolina and West Virginia. He settled with his family on a tract of land he purchased from the Government, covered with birch and maple timber; after building a cabin in the woods, his provisions were exhausted, and he was compelled to go to a mill about three miles from his place, and, while at the mill, was induced to pur- chase the property (including a grist and saw mill, and some village property ). He having always been engaged in farming and being unacquainted with any other business, and deceived in the purchase. it effected his financial ruin ; and, in the fall.of 1838, he closed up his business, sold the mill and found that he had sunk every cent that he had and was a poor man ; when he found he had nothing to help his family with, he gave Daniel his time and told him if he thought he could do anything for himself he was willing he should make a trial. Chicago, at this time, had just begun to come into prominence, and the boy (Daniel) thought there was an opening for him there; so he persuaded his mother to pack his clothes, and

865

UNION TOWNSHIP.

Dec. 12, 1838 (just twelve days after he was 17 years old), found him on his way to Chicago on foot, knap- Back on his back; he made the trip to Chicago in ten days-walking the entire way ; not finding any employment, he only stayed there one day, and then started for Wisconsin. In McHenry Co., Ill., he found the first employment, worked there one month for which he never received a cent. In the last part of January, 1839, he found his way to Walworth Co., Wis., with $4.50 in his pocket, and went to work for Henry Phenix, of Delavan, working the balance of the winter and spring for Phenix and others in that neighborhood. In June following, he returned to Indiana for the purpose of persuading his parents to move to Wisconsin, he having determined to make that State his future home. The following fall, Nov. 30, 1839, he married Angeline Courter, and, in May following, started for Wisconsin, his parents coming with him ; and, June 15, 1840, they took their claim in the town of Union, Rock Co. ; at that time there were but few settlers, west of Rock River, in the county. After taking his claim, he and his wife went to Rock Prairie and both worked for the same farmer through the summer, which they were compelled to do to get food for the winter. as he had not a cent in the world when he landed in Wisconsin, and was in debt for his expenses in moving. In December following, he built a cabin on the farm now occupied by his youngest son ; his first house was built without sawed boards, nails or glass ; he continued to reside on the same farm until he moved to Evansville in the year 1863, where he now lives. He has been a mem- ber of the County Board of Supervisors for fifteen years; has held the position of Chairman of the County Board for five years ; has represented the First District of Rock Co. as member of the Assembly in 1865, and was elected Sheriff of the county in 1869, serving one term of two years. Has, at different times since he left the farm, been engaged in various kinds of business-never finding anything but farm- ing that suited him ; at the present time, although not practically employed on the farm, he is largely interested in farming, having in one farm 480 acres. He has had five children, one daughter and four sons ; only two are living, the two oldest boys, they are farmers in the town of Union. His father, who came West with him, died two years ago, and the mother is still living, and is the mother of four living generations, herself representing the fifth generation back.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 135

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 899

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899