USA > Wisconsin > Dodge County > The history of Dodge county, Wisconsin, containing its early settlement, growth an extensive and minute sketch of its cities war record, biographical sketches > Part 116
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122
PHILIP RILEY, farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Richwood; born in County Longford, Ireland, in 1815; came to America in 1837 ; spent eight or nine years in Westchester, N. Y. as a quarryman ; he then lived in Canada until June, 1845, when he came to Wisconsin with his family ; reached Watertown on the 4th of July, and at once bought his farm of 160 acres, getting his Government duplicate in Mil- wankee ; the farm was a wilderness as was the country around it; Mr. Riley reached it by the aid of blazed trees ; on trying to revisit it later, he lost his way in the forest; Mr. R. says roads and bridges, and neighbors were scarce, but that deer, bears and Indians were plenty ; the latter were generally peace- able, though they killed a settler to the north of him, which brought out the U. S. cavalry and much excitement. Mr. and Mrs. R. barricaded their door one night with barrels against a half-drunken crowd of Indians; he was the frontier settler for two years, and was glad enough to welcome Mr. Peter Higgins, his first neighbor. He married Miss Margaret MeCaig, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, who came to America and New York State in 1840; they have six children-Charles, Bridget. Eliza, Philip, Michael and John. Mr. Riley is a Democrat, and, with his family, a Roman Catholic. His forest farm is now reclaimed and transformed into a home.
FRANK ROCH, farmer ; P. O. Richwood; born in Austria, in December, 1821 ; served in Austrian 5th Artillery ten years, and came to America in 1853, and located in Dodge Co., Wis .. where he carries on a farm of eighty acres. Married, Feb. 25, 1852, Barbara Shertz, who died Feb. 9, 1877, leaving six children, three girls and three boys-Charles, Joseph, Matilda, Mary, Frank and Caro- line. Married, June 18, 1878, Lizzie Chioh. Member of the Catholic Church ; politics, Democrat.
LUDWIG ROTH, farmer; P. O. Watertown ; born in Baden, Prussia, May 22, 1831 ; came to America and settled in Oconomowoc, Wis., in 1854, and rented a farm which he worked for seven years, and, io 1861, bought a farm of forty acres in the town of Watertown, Jefferson Co., sold it in 1873, and purchased his present homestead, consisting of sixty acres on Section 23, town of Shields. Married, Jan. 2, 1855, Sophia Ames, daughter of John Ames; three children, one boy and two girls-Ferdinand, Lena and Mary. Member of Roman Catholic Church ; polities, Democrat.
J. C. SMITH, merchant and Postmaster, Richwood ; born in County Leitrim, Ireland, 1827 ; came to America in 1842, locating in Orange Co., N. Y., where he worked as a farm hand, attending school in the winter season ; io 1849, he joined his father in Shields; lived here a short time, then remov- ing, resided three or four years in Chester, going then to Hancock Co., Ill., where he remained until 1861, when he returned, and has since lived in Richwood ; he elerked in the store of F. Mertz until 1863, when he built his large store, where he carries a stock of anything and everything to meet a general trade- dry goods, groceries, hardware, boots and shoes, clothing, drugs and medicines, notions, ete. A Democrat in politics ; he was appointed Postmaster about 1864, and has been Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace. He married Miss Margaret McGuire, of New York City, and with her is an attendant of the Catholic Church.
F. UEHLING, farmer, Sec. 24; P. O. Richwood ; born in Saxe-Meiningen, Moera, Germany, March 16, 1816; came to America io the fall of 1847, and located in Wisconsin on his present home- stead, consisting of 240 acres on Sec. 24. Married, Sept. 20, 1837, Margaret Krugg, daughter of George Krugg, a native of Germany ; they have eleven children-Casper, Caroline, Martin, Henry, Rosa, Edward, Emma, Fredrick, Francisca, Theodore and Otto. Makes a specialty of raising the short-horned Dur- hams, Poland-China hogs and Southdown sheep ; carries on a cheese factory. Member of the Lutheran Church ; in politics, he is Independent.
JOHN WALLS, proprietor of Riverdale Farm, Secs. 31 and 32; P. O. Hubbleton ; born in the city of York, England, Dec. 21, 1820 ; his early life was spent in the enjoyment of the privileges accorded to inhabitants of his native city ; when about - years of age, he was apprenticed to a chandler, but soon gave it up, entering a grocery and provision store in Rockdale, and was for many years after engaged in mercantile pursuits in Rockdale, Burnley and Darlington ; he also traveled two years for a tobacco house in North Shields ; while still a young man, Mr. Walls joined the Odd Fellows and was for years an active and influential member ; in 1849, he was so badly afflicted by cataract of the eyes as to cause almost total blindness, and was happily relieved from this fate by an operation performed by the celebrated Dr. Niel, in Liverpool, the same year; imbued at an early age with a love for Republican institutions, Mr. Walls resolved to try his fortunes in free America ; on the 23d of September, 1850, he
4
-
733
LOWELL TOWNSHIP.
landed at New York City, accompanied by his mother, brothers and neighbors ; he came at once to Port- land, buying 120 acres of land and remaining until July 4, 1851, when he returned to Nyack, N. Y., where he married, July 24, 1851, Miss Mary Jameson Fairbourne ; Mrs. Walls was born and educated in Pontefract. Yorkshire, and came to America with her mother in the same ship with her future husband, she residing a short time in Haverstraw, N. Y., going from there to Nyack. The young couple at once " went West " and settled on the Portland Farm, where they built a frame house, which burned to the ground July 15, 1852, with most of their household goods; nothing daunted by this rebuff of Dame Fortune, they began, and, before the next Christmas, had completed a large frame house, where they kept the well-known old Franklin House about three years, to the comfort of travelers over the then new plank road; in 1856, they sold the hotel and bought a farm on Sec. 25 in Portland ; here they lived and pros- pered until 1861, when they bought and settled on Riverdale Farm, it then being almost a state of nature and as it was left by the aborigines ; this is, perhaps, the most natural stock farm in Dodge Co., contain- ing 680 acres in one body, fifty-six of which are in Milford, Jefferson Co .; in 1864, Mr. Walls built the main part of his farmhouse, and, having added to it at various times, now has one of the most elegant and spacious residences in his county, built in the Gothic style and containing sixteen rooms ; he has in connection a creamery 20x30 feet, built at a cost with fixtures of $2,000 ; the entire house is 66x30 feet ; in the creamery large quantities of superior butter are made on the most approved plan, the milk being furnished by his herd of about seventy grade Alderney, Galloway and Durham cows; the butter is sold in the Chicago, New York and Liverpool markets; Mr. Walls is also well kuown as a breeder of fine horses and sheep; besides his homestead he owns forty acres of timber on Sec. 24, Portland, and 320 acres in Polk Co., Wis. An outspoken Republican in politics. He has always taken a warm interest in school matters, and was a generous supporter of the Union cause in war times ; Mr. W. was the founder of the Anti-Milldam League, an association of Dodge and Jefferson Co. farmers in favor of removing the Milford dam ; he was the man who furnished the money with which to operate for months, and was also Secre- tary ; through his agency, the State Board of Health visited the Crawfish Valley in September, 1878, the Board making a non-committal " report " to the Governor in April, 1879; Mr. Walls has been in corre- spondence with Senator MeFetridge and in consultation with leading men of the State and has doubtless done more for the interests of the league than any other member of it, but, owing to personal jealousies, his connection with it was dissolved. Riverside Farm has a frontage of one and a half miles on the Crawfish, which is here so crooked that it bounds two sides of the farm-it extends to Hubbleton Village on the south, the depot site having been purchased of Judge Levi Hubbell, the former owner of Riverdale, who sold the splendid farm to Mr. Walls, to whom is due the credit of making it what it is. The farm is bounded on the south by the old Watertown and Portland plank-road, and on the west by the Lowell and Hubbleton road. On this last named road, three-fourths of a mile north of Hubbelton, are the residence and farm buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Walls are in full accord with the Episcopal faith. Mr. Walls is well and favorably known throughout his county and State as a public-spirited and successful farmer and a man of sterling worth ; the hospitality of himself and his estimable lady is freely extended to all worthy of it, as may be proved by scores of warm friends.
CHRISTIAN ZICKART, farmer, Sec. 36; P. O. Watertown ; born in Mecklenburg, Germany, Oct. 18, 1827 ; son of Christopher Zickart ; came to America in 1857 ; same year he came to Wisconsin, and located in Jefferson Co., where he lived two years; in 1868, bought his present homestead of 100 acres. Married, July, 1836, Mary Wesdorf, a native of Germany, who died leaving one child-Christiania. Married, Nov. 23, 1860, Mary Stooshae ; they had seven children-Josephine, Bertha, Emma, Frank, Bernard, Edward, Richard. Mr. Z. is a member of the Lutheran Church ; was elected School Treasurer four years ; in politics, Independent.
LOWELL TOWNSHIP.
J. W. BAKER, farmer, Sec. 36; P. O. Lowell ; is a native of Prussia ; born July 25, 1842; in 1854, emigrated with his parents to this country ; they settled in Lowell Township, Dodge Co., Wis., May 20, 1870, he married Caroline A. Feahling; she was born in Clyman Township, Dodge Co., in 1851 ; they have five children-Calvin E., John A., Louis H., Albert C. and Ella A .; Mr. Baker owns ninety- five acres of land. In politics, he is Independent ; himself and family are members of the Reform Church. His father, Martin Baker, married in his native country ( Prussia ) Miss Anna M. Young; they emigrated 10 Dodge Co. in 1854; he died Nov. 10, 1878 ; she is still a resident of Lowell Township ; their children Y
734
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCIIES:
are William, Katrine (now wife of Nelson Stam), Emma (wife of Machtle), Maria (wife of Charles Liebing) and Charles ; August Feahling, father of Mrs. J. W. Baker, was born in Prussia in 1825 ; emi- grated to Dodge Co. in 1848. Married, Aug. 25, 1850, at Oak Grove, Mary E. Huebner; they now reside on Sec. 35, Lowell Township, where he owns 190 acres of land; their children are-Caroline A. (wife of J. W. Baker), Ettie, M. E., Albert A. and John A.
M. D. BENEDICT, farmer, Sec. 6 ; P. O. Lowell ; was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., in the year 1827 ; in 1836, he removed with his parents, Lewis and Lydia Benedict, to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where he remained until his coming to Lowell Township, Dodge Co., Wis., in 1846. In 1855, he married Miss Melissa Round, a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y .; born in 1838 ; they have three children-Florence A., Bertha h. and Lena B .; Mr. Benedict owns 150 acres of land, well located and finely improved. Politically, he acts with the Republican party ; he was Justice of the Peace at one time, and has filled other local offices, and has always been identified with the educational interests in the district wherein he resides ; his father, Lewis Benedict, is a native of Litchfield Co., Conn .; born June 28, 1799; when he was about 3 years old, his parents moved to Chenango Co., N. Y., where he married, Jan. 11, 1825, Miss Lydia Packard, a native of Delaware Co., N. Y., born June 3, 1801 ; they emigrated to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio ; thence to Lowell Township, Dodge Co., Wis., in 1846, thus becoming pioneer settlers; in 1867, they went to Floyd Co., Iowa, where they remained until 1878, when they returned to Dodge Co. ; they now reside on Sec. 6, Lowell Township. He has acted with the Republican party since its organization ; their children are M. D. (whose name appears at the head of this sketch), Lydia A. (now wife of M. O. Snow, Floyd Co., lowa), Henry L. (married Sarah Blair; they also live in Floyd Co.), Augusta A. (wife of E. A. Colton, Lowell Township). Nelson Round, father of Mrs. M. D. Benedict, was a native of " York State." He married Catherine Vosburg; they settled in Lowell Township in 1850; she died in 1851, and he in 1874; their children are Melissa, wife of M. D. Benedict ; Charles M., who served in Co. C, 16th W. V. I. all through the war of the rebellion, and who is now married and lives in Dodge Co., Minn .; Allen A., who was also a soldier in Co. C, 16th W. V. 1. during the war of the rebellion, is married and lives in Dodge Co., Minn .; Chlotilda, wife of William M. Waddell, Beaver Dam ; Mary A., wife of Leroy McCallister.
A. D. COAPMAN, telegraph operator and station agent, Reeseville ; was born in the town of Minden, Montgomery Co., N. Y., in 1837 ; in early life he received a liberal education, and learned car- riage-making in his native town ; in 1855, he went to Herkimer, and there worked at his trade until 1856 ; in the latter year, he came to Wisconsin, and lived in Wyocena, Columbia Co., until some time in 1857, when he went to Omaha, where he remained about a year, at the end of which time he returned to Wis- consin, lived in Portage a short time, then returned to Wyocena, where he remained until 1874, in which year he commenced railroading on the Milwaukee & St. Paul, now the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul R. R .; in 1876, he came to Reeseville, and has been engaged in the capacity of depot, telegraph and express agent there since. He married, in Wyocena, Wis., Miss Velaine Kellogg, a native of Summit Co., Ohio ; they have two children-E. Herbert and Frank A. In politics, Mr. Coapman is a Republican, being an earn- est supporter of that party and its principles since he attained his majority. His father, John Coapman, a native of Rensselaer Co., N. Y., held a commission as an officer in the New York State Light Horse Cavalry a number of years, and was, for a long period, Postmaster of the town of Minden, N. Y. He married, in his native State, Miss Hannah Cronkite ; they had five children-Norman, who served in the 8th Wis. Regi- mental Band during the war of the rebellion, was honorably discharged, and died at Wyocena, Wis., in April, 1878; Anson, now a leading farmer, near Wyocena; Abram D., whose name appears at the head of this sketch ; James W., who studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Portage, Wis., when 19 years of age ; he served all through the war of the rebellion as a soldier, being in active service most of the time, and received an honorable discharge at the close of the war; he is now District Attorney at Kewanee, Wis., a position he has filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people for over three years ; Mary E., now wife of Charles Easton, Moravia, N.Y. Jacob Coapman, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was commissioned First Lieutenant of Co. in 2d Battalion, 5th Regiment N. Y. Artillery, April 6, 1807, and was promoted Captain during the war of 1812, in which capacity he served with distinction. Abram Coapman, great- grandfather of our subject, was commissioned Captain August, 1778, and was in active service during the war of the Revolution. Mrs. A. C. Coapman's parents, Eleazer S. and Catharine Kellogg, and family, settled in Wyocena, Wis., in 1855, where he resided until his death, in 1866; Mrs. C. is still living at Wyocena.
HON. D. M. COLEMAN, Sec. 1; P. O. Lowell ; was born in Hector, Tompkins Co., N. Y., Sept. 16, 1816; in early life he received a liberal education ; in 1849, came to Dodge Co., and settled in Lowell Township, which has been his home since; he owns 200 acres of land. He was elected to the
735
LOWELL TOWNSHIP.
Assembly of Wisconsin one term, and performed eminent service ; he has also been elected by his fellow- citizens to various local offices of trust. In politics, he is a consistent and active Republican. He is a truthful and capable man, both in publie and private life, attached to those things which are true and just, and ever ready to rebuke meanness in any form.
JOHN B. COLEMAN, retired farmer, Lowell; was born in Hector, Tompkins Co., N. Y., March 7, 1830 ; he was educated in his native town ; in 1851, he came to Lowell, Dodge Co .. Wis., where he married, in 1856, Miss Jessie Bruce, who was born in Perthshire, Scotland, April 28, 1831, and came to Dodge Co. in 1851 ; they have one daughter, Anna, now the wife of F. W. Benson, of Lowell. Mr. Coleman owns eighty-five acres of land. In politics, he is a stanch Republican ; he takes an active inter- ost in public affairs ; is public-spirited, and any enterprise that gives promise of general good meets with his hearty co-operation. His father, Joshua Coleman, was a native of Morris Co., N. J .; he married, in his native county, Miss Betsy Budd ; both died in Tompkins Co., N. Y., of which county they were honored and respected citizens for a number of years.
D. F. ELDRED, wagon-maker and blacksmith ; P. O. Lowell ; was born in Murray, Orleans Co., N. Y., Sept. 6, 1820; in 1833, he moved with parents, Holden and Polly Ellred, to Medina Co., Ohio ; ia 1841, he came to Wisconsin, and put up the first saw-mill in that place, and sawed the first lum- ber ; he worked in Jefferson until 1842, when he went to Ashland, and, in December of the same year (1842), he came to Lowell, and built a log house on Sec. 22, this being probably the first house in that portion of Lowell Township. ITe married in Oak Grove, Feb. 22, 1846, Miss Sarah Deits ; they have three children-Emmett D., now Postmaster at Minnesota Junction ; Eldora and Charles. Mr. Eldred has resided in the town of Lowell and vicinity since 1842, with the exception of years 1847-48, when he was in the town of Burnett ; in 1855, he engaged in wagon and carriage making, and since that time he has done a good business ; he has been Justice of the Peace in Lowell for over sixteen years, and has been chosen by his fellow-citizens to fill various other offices of trust. His father, Holden Eldred, was born in Hampden Co., Mass., Oct. 16, 1796 ; he was a soldier in active service during the war of 1812, and was in the battles of Plattsburg, Lundy's Lane and the storming of Queenstown, May 9, 1819. He mar- ried Polly Tryon, a native of Canada, born May 3, 1804; they came to Lowell, in this county, in 1842, thus becoming pioneer settlers of Dodge Co .; she died in Lowell Sept. 8, 1860; he went to Pine Island, Minn., in 1876, where he has since lived ; they had thirteen children, seven of whom are now living. David and Patience Deits, parents of Mrs. Eldred, settled at Oak Grove, Wis., in 1845, and were about the first settlers of that town.
J. W. GIBSON. farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Lowell ; was born in Clifford, Susquehauna Co., Penn., Dec. 31, 1827 ; in 1836, he moved with his parents to White Pigeon Prairie, thence to Michigan City, Ind., in September of the same year, from which place they removed to Racine, Wis., in 1843, and in June of the following year they came to this ( Lowell) township, and settled on Sec. 18. Sept. 30, 1855, he married Miss Rosetta Nickerson ; they have seven children-William C., Josephine, Anna E., Joseph, Ulysses G., Ursula, Celia E. Politically, in early life, Mr. Gibson acted with the Whig party; on the organization of the Republican party, he joined its ranks, and has remained a firm supporter of that party and its principles. In October, 1847, he was commissioned Lieutenant of Co. 5, Militia, hy Henry Dodge, then Territorial Governor. He has taken an active interest in educational interests, and has been called on to fill various school offices. He owns 147 acres of land, well improved. His father, William Gibson, was born in England in 1790; he married, in his native country, Miss Lydia A. Whiting; they emigrated to Philadelphia, Penn., in 1817, where they lived until 1836, when they moved to White Pigcon, Mich .; thence to Michigan City, as before stated, in the autumn of the same year, where she died in 1837, and he married, in the same city, Mrs. Julia Ann Rose, and moved to this (Lowell) town- ship in 1843, having lived the year prior to that in Racine, Wis. ; he died in 1872 and she in 1871. By William Gibson's marriage with Lydia A. Whiting, there were ten children, viz., Elizabeth (who married William B. Smith-he is now deceased), Jabez (now deceased), Richard (now a resident of Floyd Co., Iowa1, Mary J. (now wife of Joseph Winters), Joseph (now a resident of Beaver Dam), J. W. (whose name heads this sketch), Caroline (wife of G. W. Boland), Charlotte (now deceased ), Hannah Aun (wife of D. South) ; by second marriage there were no children.
J. M. GREEN, farmer and manufacturer of brick, Sec. 1 ; P. O. Lowell ; was born in Lowell Township, Dodge Co., Wis., March 23, 18-15. Aug. 21, 1873, he married, in Columbus, Wis., Miss Ella M. Cramer, daughter of Marcus and Eliza Cramer, early settlers of this (Dodge) county ; they have two children-William H. and Clarence M. In politics, Mr. Green is a Republican. He owns a large and finely improved farm; in addition to managing his farm, he is extensively engaged in the manufacture of brick, which are widely known for their excellent qualities. He has been Chairman of the Township
736
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHIES :
Board of Supervisors two terms, and has also filled other local offices. His father, William H. Green, was a native of Hampton Co., N. H. ; he married, in his native county, Eliza Grout; in the spring of 1844, they emigrated to Watertown, Wis .; thence to this (Lowell ) township in the autumn of the same year ; he died March 14, 1876; she is still living, and a resident of Lowell Township. Mrs. J. M. Green's father, Marcus Cramer, at the breaking-out of the war of the rebellion, enlisted in Co. K, 11th W. V. 1 .; he was wounded at the siege of Vicksburg, and died from the effects shortly after; the records of the regiment he served in show that he was a genial comrade and a brave soldier.
W. R. HANLEY, grocer, Reeseville; was born in the city of New York in 1847; in 1850, his parents. Patrick and Mary Hanley emigrated to Watertown. Mr. W. R. Hanley attended the publie schools at Watertown, and acquired a good education ; after he completed his education, he engaged to travel for S. L. Sheldon, of Madison, general dealer in agricultural implements; at the expiration of the term he was employed for by Mr. Sheldon, he engaged as salesman for the Harris Manufacturing Co., Janesville, which company he remained with until he was tendered the general ageney of the Williams Mower and Reaper, which he successfully introduced until 1874, when he came to Reeseville, and engaged in the grocery trade. He married in Richwood, Dodge Co., Miss Katie L. Demsey ; they have four children-Mary, Magnite, Anna and Willie. In politics, Mr. Hanley is a Democrat ; he is at present writing, Justice of the Peace, an office he has been the incumbent of two years; his parents, Patrick and Mary Hanley, as before stated in this sketch, settled in Wisconsin in 1850; they lived at Water- town several years previous to their coming to Reeseville, where he still lives, actively engaged in business. having a large money capital ; she died in 1873.
WILLIAM C. HILLIKER, farmer, P. O. Reeseville. This gentleman, a leading citizen and pioneer settler of Lowell Township, Dodge Co., Wis., is a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y .; was born at Little Falls May 12, 1815. He married in his native town. his first wife, Miss Nancy Hall; she was also a native of Herkimer Co., born in 1813; they were married in 1834, and in 1835, they moved to Onon- daga Co., where they lived until their eoming West in 1846 ; in the latter year, they settled in Lowell township, Dodge Co., Wis., where she died in January, 1847; they had five children, three of whom are now living, viz., Thomas, who is married and lives in Sioux City, Iowa ; Alexander, married and lives in Nebraska ; Lois J., lives in Onondaga Co., N. Y .; John J., died in the service of the Union, at George- town, during the war of the rebellion ; maiden name of Mr. Hilliker's present wife was Lucretia Reese, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Reese, natives of New York, who settled in Lowell Township, (near the town which perpetuates his name-Reeseville) Dodge Co., Wis., in 1845; he died in 1875 ; his wife, Elizabeth, nee Bell, still lives and is passing her old age in ease and comfort, at the home of her son-in-law, William C. Hilliker, the subject of this sketeh; the children of Mr. Hilliker's second marriage are Ellen, now the wife of Byron Cramer, of Lake Mills, Jefferson Co., Wis .; Eveline, wife of Lorenzo Suow, Fill- more Co., Neb .; Frank, who is married and lives in Kansas ; Charles, William. Mr. Hilliker has never been ambitious for office, but he has frequently been selected by his fellow-citizens to fill positions of trust, upon which he has always reflected the highest credit; in the early history of Dodge Co., he was one of the Board of Road Commissioners, appointed for the purpose of laying out roads ; he was Chairman of the Board of Township Supervisors, for several terms; Assessor one term, and has held various other local offices. In polities, he is a consistent and aetive Republican ; he ever held that all men should be unfet- tered in running the race of life; henee, he has ever been an enemy of human slavery. When Mr. Hilli- ker began life, he had nothing, and owes bis suecess in life to his own efforts; his father, Benjamin Hilliker, was a soldier in active service during our second war with England, in 1812, and his father served with distinction in the war of the Revolution ; thus it will be seen that Mr. Hilliker's ancestors rendered their country service in her years of peril.
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.