The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 144

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050


USA > Wisconsin > Waukesha County > The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc > Part 144


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JOHN CHENEY, farmer, Sec. 32 ; P. O. Prospect Hill ; born April 9, 1807, in the town of St. Johnsbury, Caledonia Co., Vt. ; his father, the Rev. Rufus Cheney, was born May 4, 1780, in An- trim, N. H., where he grew to manhood, and married Pruday Piper, also of New Hampshire ; he was or- dained as a Baptist minister in 1810, and made his residence in various Eastern States prior to his coming to Franklin, Milwaukee Co., Wis., in 1838 ; his first visit here was in the spring of 1836, and he was the first Free Baptist preacher to locate in Wisconsin ; settling on Sec. 32, New Berlin, in the fall of 1839, the first Free Will Baptist church was organized in his log house on the 11th of July, 1840. then called the New Berlin Free Will Baptist Church, now the Prospect Hill Church ; this pioneer prcacher, earning the love and reverence of all by his blameless life, died Aug. 30, 1869; his son, our subject, removed from Genesee Co., N. Y., to New Berlin in June, 1842 ; his first trip was in 1841, and this farm, bought then (partly of his father), has been his home for thirty-eight years ; he has cleared it, fenced and cultivated it, and made a good home. He married, in Genesee Co., N. Y., Ann Eliza Gray, of Attica, Wyoming Co., N. Y., who died in 1842, leaving four children-Francis M., Teresa C. (Mrs. Dr.


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Ingersoll), William H., and Cynthia M. Francis M. is in Alameda, Cal., and the two youngest in Rice Co., Minn. ; all were born in Attica, N. Y. Mr. Cheney married again-Mary A. Parmenter, of Attica. He is a sturdy old settler, and Republican (old-time Abolitionist), and has been for forty-two years a mem- ber of the Frec Will Baptist Church ; was also one of the first Assessors of New Berlin.


JOHN EVANS, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Greenfield, Milwaukee Co, Wis .; born in the town of New Lisbon, Otsego Co., N. Y., July 6, 1819; th . first nineteen years of his life were spent here, he attending the common schools, and learning the trade of shoemaker, which he followed about six years in Alabama, Genesee Co., N. Y. Married in Alabama, Miss Lucy L. Peckham, a native of Norwich, CouD., born in 1822, and removed with her parents to Genesee Co., in 1824. In 1844, Mr. E. made his first visit to Wisconsin, stopping for a time with his brother Sidney, the first settler in New Berlin, visited Racine and Walworth Counties, returned, and in May, 1846, came again and bought out his brother Sidney, who claimed and settled on it late in May, 1836; built the first log-house, by a " pale-face," within the boundaries of what was then the town of Mentor, now New Berlin ; it was twelve feet square, and stood about twenty-five feet east of Mr. Evans' brick residence; his claim shanty, previously rolled up, was on the site of George Long's house. Sidney Evans, was born in Pownell, Vt., and came to Waukesha Co , from White Pigeon, Mich .; his first framed house was burned, and the one replacing it, and sold to John Evans, was sided with lumber brought from Chatauqua Co., N. Y. The 80-acre farm of John Evans, once a forest, was for many years, in early times, assessed higher than any other farm in the town, as more clearing and better buildings were to be found upon it. Mr. E., a true Democrat, was first elected Assessor in 1847, served six or eight years, and a number of years as Supervisor ; he was elected Chairman in 185- (see County Records in General History), served through the war, doing much to secure New Berlin's splendid war record, and has been a member of the County Board longer than any other resident of the county ; he was Chairman of the County Board in 1878-79, and his official record is above reproach. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have four living children-Philena A., born in Alabama, N. Y .; Mrs. Alonzo L., Alva E. and Elbert J., all born on the New Berlin homestead. During the past twenty years Mr. E. has been a member of the M. E. Church, his wife, formerly a Baptist, joining him in 1868. Mr. E. takes a lively interest in all relating to early times, and was the leading spirit, with A. E. Gilbert, in collecting the data, for the township history, in 1871.


LYMAN EVANS, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Greenfield, Milwaukee Co., Wis .; horn Jan. 24, 1824, in the town of New Lisbon, Otsego Co., N. Y., where he lived up to 1837; that year his parents, John and Mary ( Martin) Evans settled in Genesce Co., N. Y .; he left there in 1844, coming on the second boat from Buffalo to Milwaukee, and reaching New Berlin in May ; the first year was spent as a lahoring man, and the next year he hought his present farm of 80 acres, a few acres were cleared, and the remainder was a wilderness; the labor of Mr. E. has cleared off the farm, with the exception of 15 acres, and also built a most pleasant farmhouse for a home, besides a substantial basement, barn, etc. He mar- ried in 1846, Miss Maria, daughter of Capt. John Bell; Capt. B. was a native of Otsego Co., N. Y., and married Sally Harrington (a sister of Perry G.); Mrs. Evans was born in New Lisbon, Otsego Co., N. Y., and accompanied her parents to Greenfield, Milwaukee Co., 1842; her well-known pioneer father, now in his 89th year, still resides where he then settled, and where his wife died, Aug. 25, 1877; Mr. and Mrs. Evans have three children-Mary, Orville and Hattie; the second son, Albert, died Jan. 9, 1877, aged 21 ; the children were all born on the farm the father bought thirty-six years ago, and now enjoy the home he has earned for them. Mr. E. is a Democrat, and has been a Supervisor of New Berlin.


A. E. GILBERT, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Prospect Hill; is a son of Daniel Gilbert, who was born in April, 1791, in New Hampshire; removed from there to Vermont and settled in New York in 1817 or 1818. Married Catharine Showerman, by whom he had ten children ; of these, A. E. was born Aug. 17, 1824, in Alexander, Genesee Co., N. Y .; the family came up the lakes in August, 1839, spent a few weeks in Milwaukee, and drove their team into New Berlin late in September, 1839, joining Hiram Hollister, whose family soon arrived from the East; the twenty-two persons in both families occupied this single-roomed log house until Mr. Gilbert finished one on his claim, which he bought for $50; two or three acres only were cleared, and the remainder a forest ; Mr. Gilbert, at one time, owned 480 acres, and 200 were cleared by himself and his sons, A. E., Sylvanus, Myron and Seymour; he died, full of years and honors, in December, 1877, his widow still residing with Sylvanus, on his 195 acres of the homestead. A. E. Gilbert first located, for two years, on Sec. 33; sold out in 1852, and went to Will Co., Ill .; he was in charge of a gang in the construction of the St. L., A. &. C. R. R., also others, and was engaged in the quarries at Joliet for a time; returning in 1861, he bought his present farm of 190 acres; on this the improvements were made by Mr. Hollister, who claimed it in 1837. Hiram Hollister was born in


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Massachusetts, April 4, 1798, and died Jan. 1, 1874; his widow, formerly Sophronia Barrow, was born Aug. 18, 1795, in Connecticut ; their daughter, Harriet E., born in Oneida Co., N. Y., married A. E. Gilbert in Oct. 1849, and they have four children-Minnie M., Willis L., Florence M. and Herbert M., all born on the homestead ; they lost two sons, Ernest and Willie, in Illinois. Mr. Gilbert is a Repub- lican ; served several terms as Town Clerk and Treasurer, represented his District in the State Assembly in 1878-79, and is now Chairman of the Town, although it is strongly Democratic ; as a Religionist, Mr. Gilbert believes in doing right in this world, and leaves the rest to Him who doeth all things well.


PETER GOFF, farmer, Sec. 35; P. O. Tess Corners; born in or about 1808, in the province of Leinster, Co. of Louth, Ireland ; he came to America when 17 or 18 years of age, worked a short time in a factory at Paterson, N. J., then engaged in farming on the Holland Purchase (Wyoming Co., N. Y.); sold out his claim there in 1836 and went to Cook Co., Ill., where he owned 380 acres ; in 1840, Philip Riley, Patrick Kerwin and himself came to Waukesha County, Mr. Goff settling where he is now, and Messrs. Kerwin and Riley near him ; Mr. Goff began here in a claim shanty built among timber so dense as to shut out the noonday sun; felling trees to right and left, he planted a few Irish potatoes among the stumps for his first crop ; these grew as large as quart cups, while white turnips were immensely large ; the seed potatoes were brought in by him, on his shoulders, from the Fox River Valley; from wheat bought of N. K. Smith, he raised the first crop in this vicinity. Peter Goff is a genuine old settler, whose salt pork was, in early times, brought from Milwaukee; his 240-acre farm, with the excellent buildings, prove that his labor and management were rewarded. He married Mary Loughney, of Telara, County of Mayo, Ireland ; they have four children-Matthew L., Eliza, Mary and Teresa, all born on the New Berlin Homestead ; the family are Catholics and Democrats. Mr. Goff, in early times, assessed the town, but would not qualify as Justice of the Peace; he is also a radical temperance man, who has not allowed a drop of liquid damnation to be used upon his farm. M. L. Goff, born in 1845, was educated in the district schools and Carroll College, spent 1877 and 1878 in Nebraska, visiting Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. He married, in Feb. 1880, Miss Annie M., daughter of John Burns, deceased, one of the pioneers of Muskego.


WILLIAM GRASER, farmer, Sec. 21; P. O. New Berlin; born June 10, 1848, on the- homestead in New Berlin ; his parents, Jacob and Wilhelmina (Wischan) Graser were born and married in Bavaria; their settlement in New Berlin was in 1847, on forty acres of the present farm ; of the dense wilderness not a stick had been cut; the first blows were towards a log house, which did for a time without doors or windows; roads, bridges, schoolhouses, etc., were as rare as big oak and maple trees were plenty; timber was rolled up, burned in " log-heaps," and the ashes exchanged for necessaries. Our subject first saw the light among these primitive scenes, and has grown up to manhood on soil now valued at from $60 to $80 per acre. The father died in 1874, and the mother in 1879; William received his schooling, in early times, in District No. 1. Married Miss Johanna Schaetgel, of Germantown, Wis., by whom he has four children-Elizabeth, Catharine, William and an infant son ; a daughter, Wilhelmina, died when 17 months old. Mr. Graser is a live young farmer, owns 73} acres in the homestead and 60 in Muskego ; he has been a thrasher since he was 18; belongs to the German Reformed Church. Is a Democrat ; has been Constable twice, and is now Town Treasurer.


HIRAM E. HALE, farmer and miller, P. O. Prospect Hill; born April 30, 1825, in Man- chester, Hartford Co., Conn .; his parents, William and Myra (Flint) Hale, were both of Connecticut, and had six children, four sons, each of whom took their father's trade of millwright ; William P., the eldest, came to Waukesha Co. in July, 1839, locating in New Berlin, in the spring of 1840 ; he bought the water power, on Sec. 32, in 1841 ; built a dam and started a turning lathe ; built a saw-mill in 1843 ; and was joined by his brother, Hiram E., who bought a third interest ; they then put in flouring machinery, and, in 1848, an engine, which ran the mill about twelve years ; W. P. Hale sold, in 1855, to O. G. Nevins, who was bought out, three years later, by H. E. Hale ; the old mill is dismantled, and has been silent since 1868; Mr. Hale bought the water power on the town line, in 1861, and built the flouring mill in 1868. He has eighty-five acres of land, beside his grist and saw mill, the only one in New Berlin or Muskego. He mar- ried, in 1849, Miss Juliette Clark, of Litchfield, Conn., who died in 1873 ; in November, 1873, he mar- ried Miss Malinda A., daughter of Daniel Gilbert, who settled with a family in New Berlin, in 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Hale have two children-Winnifred E. and Floy C. Mr. Hale was educated in his native State, united with the F. B. Church in 1847, and has been deacon of the Prospect Hill Church for many years, Politics, Republican.


DENNIS HANNA, deceased ; was born on Palm Sunday, 1812; in 1842, he married Eliza- beth Dugdale, in her native town of Douglas, Isle of Man ; they emigrated two years later, and came,


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via Albany, the Erie Canal and lakes, to Milwaukee ; they stopped for a short time with William Kil- lips, Mr. H. then going to Illinois, where his wife afterward joined him, they residing near Aurora, until 1845, when they returned, Mr. Hanna working two years for Mr. Killips, then settled on 40 acres of the present farm, built a log house. and started for himself; adding 40 acres in 1859, and died April 6, 1872, leaving seven children-Margaret, Julia, Dennis, Christopher, William, Frank and James ; the eldest was born on the Isle of Man, and the others in New Berlin. The family belong to the Catholic Church, and are Democrats. Dennis Hanna was an honest, hardworking man, who served with credit as Chairman and Treasurer of his town ; his third son, William, is now serving his second term as Assessor ; the mother and three children are residing in a good brick house, built on the old place, in lieu of the log cabin of yore.


JOHN L. INGERSOLL, Prospect Hill ; born Oct. 20, 1823, in Pittsford, Rutland Co., Vt. His father, the Rev. John Ingersoll, was born in Bennington Co., Vt., July 5, 1792; educated at Middlebury College, studied theology under Rev. Dr. Hopkins, and was ordained as a Congregationalist minister; he married Mary, daughter of Judge Robert Livingston, a pioneer of St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. Elder Ingersoll was the father of five children; Ruth A., born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. ; John L. and Mary J., born in Pittsford, Vt .; Ebon C., born Dec 12, 1831, in Marshall, Oneida Co., N. Y., and Robert G., born Aug. 12, 1833, in West Dresden, Yates Co., N. Y. E. C. Ingersoll studied law, came to the bar in 1854, settled in Illinois, and, at the death of Owen Lovejoy, succeded that anti-slavery hero, repre- senting his district, the 5th, for seven years in Congress, dying in Washington, D. C., May 31, 1879. Robert G. Ingersoll studied law with his brother, and, as is known around the world, has risen to the fore- most ranks of America's orators, writers and thinkers; his original, always fresh and eloquent, speeches have commanded the attention of all civilization, and need no eulogy here; the mother of these three sons died in 1835, they accompanying the father to Waukesha, in 1848 ; the two younger sons are attending Car- roll College, under tuition of Prof. Wenaeus ; John L. was for three years a student of Oberlin College, studied medicine in Lee Co., Ill., and attended the lectures in Rush Medical College from 1846 to 1848; began practice upon his settlement at Prospect Hill, in 1849; married in 1851 Miss Teresa C., daughter of John and Anneliza (Grey) Cheney ; she is a granddaughter of the Rev. Rufus Cheney, and was born in Attica, Wyoming Co., N. Y. Dr. Ingersoll named Prospect Hill at the establishment of the post office here, on account of its commanding one of the finest views in the State. He, like his distinguished brother, is a Republican. In early times he was Town Superintendent of schools ; is a notary-public, and has been for years. Dr. and Mrs. Ingersoll have four children-Mary A., born 1853, in New Berlin ; Burton C., born 1856, in Niles, Mich. ; John F., born 1859, in New Berlin ; and Ruth A., born 1861, in New Berlin; the youngest son is now agent of the mail route from Portage to Stevens Point. The Doctor is large, well-built and seemingly in the full vigor of manhood, a staunch advocate of temperance ; his clear and forcible ideas are always in demand at meetings of this kind.


ABRAHAM KERN, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Waukesha; born in Sprendelingen, Province of Rhine Hessen, Hesse Darmstadt, Jan. 2, 1819 ; he was educated in Germany, and, in 1843, his par- ents, Lorenz and Katrina Kern, came to America, reaching Milwaukee, July 18, and New Berlin, Aug. 3, 1843; Lorenz Kern bought and improved a farm on Sec. 17, where he died, July 5, 1869, and where his widow now lives, in her 91st year (the oldest person in New Berlin). Abraham Kern lived eight years with his parents, then settled on his present farm of 40 acres ; it was then a forest, and has been cleared by Mr. Kern, who has built a pleasant home, with barn, etc., his land and that around it being worth fivefold its value thirty-seven years ago. In 1849, he married Matilde Wilde, who was born in Barwalde, Province of Brandenburg, Prussia, in 1823, and came to America and Wisconsin, in 1848. They are members of the Evangelical Reformed Church. Mr. Kern is a Democrat, was Collector in 1854- 55, and is now serving his fourth term as Supervisor.


JACOB KERN, farmer, Secs. 16 and 18; P. O. Waukesha; born, Aug. 28, 1821, in Spren- delingen, Hesse Darmstadt ; his parents, Lorenz and Katrina Kern, came to America in 1847, settling on Sec. 17; there were five children. Jacob, two years later, bought 40 acres of his present farm, built a log house, 18x24, among the trees and began the chopping, clearing and burning, which has resulted in his owning a good farm of 135 acres, on which is a large frame farmhouse, good barns, stables toolhouse, etc. ; he paid $2.50 per acre for land now worth $75. He married Miss Catherine Damm ; she was born, 1822, in Kreigsfeldt, Bavaria, and came to the United States in 1844; they have seven children-Abraham, born Dec. 20, 1846; William, born Nov. 9, 1848; Catherine, born Feb. 22, 1855; Simon. born May 1, 1853; Henry, born Jan. 11, 1858; Peter, born Nov. 11, 1860, and Mary, born March 25, 1863 ; Jacob Kern died, when 23, in New York State; all were born on the homestead, and are members of the


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German Reformed Church. Mr. Kern was Town Treasurer, in 1873, and held school office for thirty years. Democrat.


WILLIAM KILLIPS, farmer, Secs. 20, 21, 28 and 29 ; P. O., Prospect Hill ; born Nov. 13, 1818, in County Down, Ireland; came to America in 1837, and began as a day laborer, in Onondaga Co., N. Y. ; during three years and three months he saved $5, voted for Harrison, at Manlius, N. Y., and at once left for Wisconsin, via the lakes ; Milwaukee was a village, with only a few stores; for two weeks ensuing, he made daily visits, on foot, in company with a Scotchman, to Waukesha Co., each night finding them at Vale's tavern, in Milwaukee; unable to get a $50 piece changed, they went supperless several evenings, and finally applied to Col. Andrews, one of the early hotel-keepers of New Berlin, who supplied them and said, " all right, pay when you can ; " and, says Mr. Killips, " I did pay, and did not forget the kindness of the Colonel, whose tavern was near the site of my store." Mr. Killips had his money changed by Alexander Mitchell, in his small bank, perhaps twelve feet square, and, that fall, bought his first 120 acres of Government land, in New Berlin, adding 40 acres ; that winter, which he spent with that kindly pioneer preacher, Rufus Cheney, he built a house, and was joined by his wife in the spring ; this wild land was cleared and reclaimed, and the good work continued; Mr. Killips settled in his present home in 1868, he owns 400 acres in New Berlin, and has earned a competence; several years ago he built two large stores in Kewaskum, Wis., where his sons engaged in business; in 1877, he built a store and hall in Franksville, Racine Co., where his son, Joshua, is in business; the next year, he built on Sec. 28, New Berlin, the large store and hall where his son Daniel now does business ; the hall is in " L " shape, 22x44 and 18x26 ; it is the only one in town furnished with an organ, and has been used by Happy Home Lodge, I. O. G. T., since the organization ; it is also used for lectures, parties, etc. He married Miss Elizabeth Morgan, born, 1821, in Haddam, Middleton Co., Conn., by whom he has six living children-Joshua, Daniel, William, Lydia A., Esther and Emma, all born in New Berlin ; Robert, the eldest, enlisted in Co. B, 28th W. V. I., served a year, and died at Helena, Ark .; Joshua enlisted and served out his term, 100 days. Mr. Killips is a member of the F. B. Church, a stanch Republican, and a most earnest advocate of temperance ; to illustrate : While building a new house, his carpenters refused to work without free whisky ; one of them, George Hollister, stood by Mr. Killips, and urged him to hold out, going to the trouble of procuring new workmen, who finished the house, without the aid of fire-water; Mr. Killips has ever and always acted on this principle.


W. J. KILPATRICK, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Prospect Hill; born in the County of Antrim, Ireland, in 1825; his parents, Francis and Agnes (Anderson) Kilpatrick, were of Scotch ances- try. He married, in 1848, Jane Ann Fellows ; came to America, in 1852, locating in Guernsey Co., Ohio, where he lived thirteen years, and owned two different farms ; his wife died in 1860, leaving three chil- dren-Jeanette, now Mrs. C. R. Damon ; Margaret J., now Mrs. John Killips, and Mary E., now Mrs. Albert Killips; the next year Mr. Kilpatrick returned to Ireland, and on Aug. 25, 1861, married Sarah Owens ; she was born in the County of Antrim in 1832, and is of Welsh descent ; they returned to the Ohio farm in December, and came to Wisconsin in 1864, settling on the farm now owned by Mr. Becker, in New Berlin ; the next purchase was the Vanderpool farm in Vernon ; they then spent eighteen months in Waukesha Township ; in November, 1872, Mr. Kilpatrick bought the old estate of J. H. White ; 84 acres of this, with 73 on the same section, formerly the Martin place, constitute his homestead ; Mr. Kil- patrick also owns 160 acres on Sec. 2 in Genesee, 60 acres near Muskego Lake, and 800 acres of maple timber in Michigan ; as he spent the first five years in Ohio as a renter, and has earned every dollar and every acre himself, his record and example are well worthy of preservation. Mr. and Mrs. Kilpatrick have four sons-James A. and Francis O., twins, born in 1862, in Ohio ; Henry J., born 1864, in New Berlin, and William R., born 1866, in New Berlin. In politics Mr. Kilpatrick is a Republican.


HENRY KORN, farmer, Secs. 16, 19, 20 and 21; P. O. New Berlin ; born near Kerckheim- bolanden, Rhenish Bavaria, May 11, 1822 ; his father, Peter Korn, died when the son was six months old, and his mother, formerly Margaret Wagner, was married to Christopher Damm (sce sketch of Jacob Korn) ; Henry Korn reached New Berlin in company with his relatives, and remained uutil the fall of 1843; he wintered in Columbia Co., N. Y., with old friends of his brother Jacob ; in the spring of 1844, he went to Europe and spent a year, returning to America and New Berlin. He was married in 1846, to Miss Philippine Schwartz, of his native village; she came to America in 1844 or 1845 ; they began on 120 acres of his present farm, on which a few acres were cleared, and only the ashes of a log house ; Mr. Korn did the best of pioneer work here among the timber, and now owns 310 acres well improved, a tasteful frame farm-house, in place of the log house of early times, with all needed barns, etc .; he also has, 120 acres on Sec. 19, with fair buildings ; Mr. and Mrs. Korn have six children-Philippine, Jacob,


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Peter, Mary, William and Katie; the eldest is Mrs. William Steele, of Pewaukee, and Peter is foreman of the Reform School Farm. The family belong to the German Reformed Church, and are independent in politics.


JACOB KORN, farmer, See. 20 ; P. O. Prospect Hill; born Feb. 19, 1812, near Kircheimbol- anden, Rhenish Bavaria ; his father, Peter Korn, died in 1823; the son came in 1834 to America, locating in Columbia Co., N. Y. ; in 1837, he went to Florida, working on the railroads and as a carpen- ter; as he was in a dire predicament, seeing much sickness and hardship in both Florida and Georgia, he returned to New York. He married Miss Katherine Eiler, of Bavaria, and in August, 1840, reached Waukesha Co., with his mother and step-father, Christopher Damm, his wife and brother Henry made up the party of five, and were the first Germans to locate in New Berlin ; Mr. Korn is not only one of the first, but one of the most prosperous of New Berlin's pioneers, having a splendid 200-acre farm, with the best of buildings, and a competence besides. Mrs. Korn died in March, 1877, leaving six children- Jacob (the first German born in New Berlin), Adam, Frank, Katie, Lizzie and David; they had lost three-Theodore, Celesta and a babe ; the present Mrs. Korn was Mrs. Louisa Weinheimer (formerly Beyer) ; Mr. W. left seven children-Adam, Jacob, Maggie, Caroline, Phillip, Louisa and John ; Jacob and John are on the farm, and the others are in Buffalo, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Korn are members of the German Reformed Church. In politics he is a Republican.




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