Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin - Biographical sketches, 1880 (part 14 of 17)

EDSOX A. PUTNAM, Oakfield; born in Washington Co., Vt., in 1832; is the son of Cynthia and Leander Putnam, a farmer. The subject of this sketch received an academic and commonschool education in Vermont, and, at the age of 19, learned the trade of carpenter and joiner and millwright , in 1855, came West with his people and located on a farm in Lamartine, and, for about eighteen months, Mr. Putnam lived in that town, working at his trade ; from there he came to Oakfield and bought some village property, and built a sash, door and blind factory in partnership with J. T. White ; in 1868, Mr. White sold out to William O'Bryan, and the firm was Putnam & O'Bryan until 1871, when William Blair bought out Mr. O'Bryan's interest, and the firm was Putnam & Blair until Jan. 1, 1879, when they closed out the business completely. He married in Oakfield, Jan. 8, 1859, Adelia D., daughter of Clyminie and Moses Webster, a farmer of Oakfield ; they have had five children born to them - William, Carrie and Bertie, all deceased, and Effie and Elizabeth, living. Mr. Putnam has held the office of Supervisor and Superintendent of Schools, and, in 1875-76, was a member of the Legislature from his district ; he is the owner of village property.

CHAIJIVCY A. RECTOR, carpenter and joiner, Oakfield; born in Erie Co., N. Y., in 1824, is the son of Parthenia and Nicholas D. Rector, a Baptist clergyman of that county. Chauncy was educated in the common schools of that time, and worked on until the age of 23, when he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, working at his trade in Erie Co. until 1860, when he came west to Le Boy, Dodge Co., Wis., and lived there until 1863 ; he then came to the town of Oakfield, bought a farm, making it his home, but still working at his trade, until 1876, when he built a fine brick residence at the head of Mill street, on a hill, commanding a full view of Oakfield Village, where he is now living. He married in Erie Co., Dec. 24, 1846, Ann E., daughter of Margariti and Thomas Burnett, a farmer of that county; they have had four children born to them - Elon A., Margariti P., Fremont C. and Helen P. Is the present owner of sixteen and a half acres of village property, and are members of the Congregational Church ; politics, Republican. Probable value of his property, $4,000.

WILIilAH I. RIPJLEY, farmer, Sec. 24 ; P. 0. Oakfield ; born in Clarendon, Vt., in 1812 ; son of Laura Torrence and Isaac Ripley, a molder in a furnace ; from there moved to Bennington, Vt.; the subject of this sketch received a common-school education in the schools of that place ; at the age of 14 he commenced working in a cotton-manufacturing establishment, and, in 1830, moved to Troy, N. Y., living in the Fifth Ward of that city, then called the village of Albia, and still following the same occupation ; after leaving Albia, he traveled to several different cities of New York and Vermont, and, in 1835, was made the agent for Arnold, Robinson & Co., of Sand Lake, proprietors of the Sand Lake Cotton Warp Co., and continued as their manager until 1841 ; he then engaged in the mercantile business with his brother-in-law, Col. J. M. Lawrence, in Belleview, Ohio, remaining there until 1842, when he sold out to him, and with a stock of goods came to Fond du Lac, Wis. , and located in what was called at that time the old Block House, at the forks of the river : in the fall of the same year he came to Oakfield, settling on land that he had previously bought - 160 acres of Government land ; he opened a general store, and continued in trade until 1854, when he sold out and gave his attention to farming, and continued on the farm until 1869 ; he then moved into the village where he has resided ever since. He married, in Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1835, Hannah, daughter of Hannah Hall and Luther Lombard, a farmer, of Ludlow, Mass. They have had eight children - William H. (deceased), Henry A. (dead), Charles E., Henry A., Laura A. (dead), Louisa A. (dead), Alice A. (dead), Emma (dead). Mr. Ripley held the office of Postmaster under Fillmore for four years ; has been Justice of the Peace, also. Chairman of the Board. Family are members of the Congregational Church, and he is now serving as one of its deacons. He is the present owner of 200 acres of land in Oakfield, part bting village property in Sees. 14, 21 and 27. His son, Charles E., is an extensive farmer in Oakfield, and his other son, Henry A., is doing a fine business - running a large lumber yard in the village.

W. S. RUSSEIili, dealer in butter, eggs and poultry, Oakfield; born in Broome Co., near Binghamton, N. Y., in 1840 ; he is the son of Helen and Lucius P. Russell, a farmer and lumberman of that place. The subject of this sketch received an academic education in New York State ; in 1855, removed with his people to the city of Fond du Lac, and clerked for his father in the grocery business, on the corner of Third and Main streets; he remained there until 1857, when they came to Oakfield and settled on a farm formerly owned by Charles Willard ; worked on the farm until the war broke out, and, in September, 1861, he enlisted under Capt. Ward, and served through the entire war, going in as a musician, and coming out as Fife Major; while in the army, he was twice taken to the hospital with fevers, and was laid up six months, and has never fully recovered, physically ; in 1866, he commenced traveling on the road for wholesale grocery firms, and continued in that business until 1876, when he bought out Henry Cornell and entered into partnership with Allen Filby, under the firm name of W. S. Russell & Co.; in September, 1879, he bought out Mr. Filby, continuing the business alone. Mr. Russell is one of the largest handlers of choice butter and produce in Wisconsin ; he ships of poultry alone from eight to ten tons per season, and of butter, from seventy-five to eighty-five tons; his trade is steadily increasing every year, and he now receives a great many orders more than he can possibly fill ; he ships to all portions of the United States, and his average sales per year are 140,000. He is the present owner of city property in Fond du Lac, also of village property in Oakfield. Aug. 26, 1867, he married Phebe, daughter of Ladoiska and Nathaniel Gage, a farmer and old settler of the town of Lomira, Dodge Co.; have had four children born to them - Edna E. (deceased), Willis L., Julius S. (deceased) and May E. He is a member of the Masonic Order, Oakfield Lodge, and Royal Arch Mason of the Darling Chapter of Fond du Lac ; are members of the Episcopal Church of Oakfield ; politically, he is a Republican.

JACOB M. SIMMOBTS, Postmaster, Oak Center ; born in Berlin, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., in 1839, is the son of Silusia and Peter Simmons, a farmer ; in 1846, came West with his people and located in Oakfield, his father pre-empting 160 acres of Government land. The subject of this sketch received a common-school education in the schools of Fond du Lac Co.; at theageof 19 he wentto work on a farm with his father, working for him until 1866 ; he then bought a farm in Le Roy, Dodge Co., and lived on it one summer ; after selling that, he moved to Kekoskee, and bought an interest in a grist and flouring mill ; Mr. Simmons was engaged in milling for ten years ; in 1876, he sold out to H. T. Hubbard, and bought a place of half an acre at Oak Center Station, and buying out the business of J. W. Messer, is now keeping a general stock of merchandise and dealing in farm produce ; he is also connected with his brother in running an eleva'^or at the station. He is a member of the I. O. 0. F., Oakfield Lodge : his political views are Democratic. He married in Oakfield, in 1865, Fidelia S., daughter of Esther D. and A. A. Swan, a farmer.

PETER K. SIMMOWS, farmer. Sec. 29 ; P. 0. Oak Center ; born in Rensseladr Co., N. Y., in 1805, son of Peter and Sophronia Simmons Kilmer ; at the age of 4 years he was adopted by his uncle, Peter Simmons, he taking his uncle's name, Simmons ; the subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools of his naitive place ; he was brought up on a farm ; at the age of 22 he went to work for himself, working farms on shares, etc.; in 1846, he came West to Oakfield, taking up 16fl acres of Government land in Sec. 29 ; he has lived on the same farm ever since. He married in 1828, at New Lebanon, Selucia, daughter of Oliver E. Manning and Marcia Blanchard Manning, a sailor, farmer and shoemaker ; they have had seven children - Emily S., Elizabeth, Nancy J. (dead), Luraney C, Catherine H., Jacob M. and Henry P. Mr. Simmons has held the office of Assistant Supervisor and member of the School Board a number of terms. He is the present;owner of 246 acres of land in Sees. 28, 29 and 32 in Oakfield. He is a Democrat.

WIIiL.IAM A. SIfllTH, farmer. Sees. 12 and 20 ; P. O. Oakfield; born in Goshen, Orange Co., N. Y., in the year 1817 ; is the son of Marion and Grant Smith, a farmer of that county; William was educated in the common schools of his native place, and at the age of 16 learned the trade of wheelwright; in the fall of 1845, he came West and located in Galena, 111., working there at his trade for a few months ; he then came to Fond du Lao Co., and engaged in farming on the place where he now resides, buying his land of William R. Tallmadge, paying $2.50 per acre for 160 acres ; he has made this his home ever since; at the present time he is the owner of 189 acres, being in Sec. 18 in Byron, and Sees. 12 and 20 in Oakfield. Mr. Smith was married in Orange Co., N. Y., on Nov. 26, 1846, to Martha, daughter of Ehzabeth and Hezekiah Watkins, a farmer of that county; they have had six children born to them - John M., Harriet E. (deceased), Soloma A., James A., Marian and W. Watkins. He has held the office of Supervisor ; Mr. S. and family are members of the Congregational Church of Fond du Lac ; he is politically a Republican.

ARTHUR H. STEESr, farmer. Sec. 12 ; P. O. Oakfield ; born in the extreme North of Ireland in 1816, son of Frances and John L. Steen,agardener on the Mansfield estate ; Arthur received his education in the private schools of that time and place ; at the age of 17 he entered the business of gardening ; in 1837, he came to the United States, and located on Long Island, N. Y., where he engaged in the nursery and gardening business; in 1841, he went to Western New York, to Livingstone Co., remaining there until 1846 ; he then came to Wiscorlsin and located on the farm where he now resides ; Mr. Steen is the present owner of 144 acres of very fine farming land in Sec. 7 in Byron, and Sec. 12 in Oakfield ; probable, value, $60 per acre. He married, in 1841, Frances, daughter of Ann and Joseph Filby, a clothier and tailor, of Queen's Co., N. Y. ; she died in Oakfield ; they had five children - Frances A., Mary S., Joseph F., John A. (deceased), and Arthur H., a physician in Minnesota. The family are members of the Episcopal Church ; he ii politically a Republican.

JAUEJ^ C. WEI/liS, Oakfield; born in Goffstown, N. H., in 1809; is son of Hannah and Robert Wells, a carpenter and joiner by trade, and, for a great many years, keeper of a public house and also proprietor of a large orchard and cider-mill, manufacturing over one hundred barrels of cider per year; in 1811, James moved with his parents to Corinth, Orange Co., Vt.; in 1814, he moved to Lewis,

Essex Co., N. Y.; he received his education in the common schools of that place, and was brought up a -farmer ; at the age of 17 he went to work for the celebrated Joe Call, in the saw-mill business, working for him as boss sawyer most of the time until the age of 20 ; the next year he bought a farm in the town of Lawrence, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., of seventy-two acres, and went to farming, and continued there until 1834, having one of the best^stocked farms of that section; he then sold out and went back to Lewis, Essex Co., and lived with his wife's people for three years; he then bought a farm of 300 acres - built a house and stocked up the farm ; in 1854, he sold out and came to Wisconsin, locating on a farm of 190 acres in the town of Oakfield, including also a large stone quarry ; he built a fine stone house and barn ; also built and ran three lime-kilns, doing a very extensive business in lime, also building and flagging stone, still carried on the farm and lived there until 1877, when he bought village property and built a residence, where he has resided ever since; he sold his farm and quarries for 88,000 to Charles Town. Mr. Wells was married in Essex Co., N. Y., in 1831, to Caroline A., daughter of Lydia and Joel H. Johnson, a farmer of that county ; have had ten children - Mary E., Milo J., Oscar J., Augusta J. (deceased), Martha J., Lucinda C, Helen R. (deceased), Leroy R., Fred W. and Alemburt Gr. They are members of the Christian Advent Church. He has held the offices of member of the School Board and Treasurer. Id politics, a Republican.

liEE WHITE, Oakfield; born in East Montpelier, Vt., in 1849 ; is the son of John and Mary J. White, the former a clergyman and farmer of that place ; the subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools of his native place; at the age of 18, he came to Wisconsin, stopping for one year ; he then returned to Vermont, and went to work on the farm ; after working for two years, he went to Springfield, Mass., and went to work for the Wasson Car Manufacturing Co.: after working for them for a short time, he returned to the farm, and for several years was engaged in doing general work, farming, etc.; in 1877, he again came West to Wisconsin, and located in Oakfield ; he has been engaged in the meat-market business, and is at present working for the Chicago & North-Western Railway Co. He married, in 1871, in the town of Waterbury, Vt., Eva J., daughter of Porter W. and Mary J. Thomas, the former a merchant ; they have had one child - Ivan W., deceased ; the family attend the Congregational Church. Mr. White is a Republican.

OSCAR W. WIIiLiAKD, carriage and wagon maker, Oakfield; born in Canaan, Columbia Co., N. Y., in 1829 ; is the son of Harriet and Charles Willard, a blacksmith and farmer ; Oscar, in 1833, moved with his people to Fairport, thence to Brockport, and thence to Rochester ; in 1844, he came to Milwaukee, and, in the spring of 1845, came to Oakfield, and has made this his home ever since ; he was educated in the common schools of New York State, and at an early age learned the trade of blacksmith, also of carriage and wagon maker, and has followed these trades during his residence here. He was married, in Oakfield, to Theodosia, daughter of Hannah and John Moore, a farmer and milled-; they have had four children born to them - Florence, Prank, Eugene and Harry, deceased. In 1862, Mr. Willard joined Go. P., 21st W. V. I., under Capt. Conklin ; was injured, and laid up in hospital four months, and was then disohatged. He has held the office of Constable for a number of terms ; is the owner of several pieces of village property, and a large stone blacksmith and carriage shop ; his family attend the Episcopal Church, and he is a member of the I. 0. 0. F., Oakfield Lodge. Politically, he is a Republican.

EDGi-AR WILCOX, farmer. Sees. 1 and 12 ; P. O. Oakfield ; born in Genesee Co., N. Y., in 1830 ; is the son of Sarah and Jeremiah Wilcox, a farmer of that county ; in 1845, came to Wisconsin with his parents, and settled on a. farm in Walworth Co; in 1849, went back to New York State, and lived there until 1857, when he came West again, directly to Fond du Lao Co., Wis., where he has made his home ever since. He was married, in 1878, to Ellen A., daughter of Lydia M. and Rev. Samuel Darling, a Congregationalist clergyman of Oakfield ; Mr. Wilcox is the owner of 300 acres of fine farming land in Sees. 1 and 12, town of Oakfield; probable value $50 per acre. He has held the offices of Town Clerk and Town School Superintendent, and, in 1864, was a member of the State Legislature from the Fifth District; is a member of the Masonic Order, Oakfield Lodge, and also of the Congregational Church ; politically, he is a Republican.

JOHN WOOKEY, farmer, Sec. 2 ; P. 0. Oakfield; born in Somersetshire, England, in 1832 ; son of Elizabeth and John Wookey, a farmer ; John received a common-school education in the schools of his native place, and followed farming with his father until the age of 17, when be came to the United States and located in Kenosha, Wis., with his parents; in 1853, he went to Australia, and for six years was occupied in mining; in 1859, he returned to America, and, in 1860, he located on the place where he now resides, and has been occupied in farming ever since. He married, in Fond du Lac, November, 1859, Eliza, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Ann Stallard, the former a farmer of Rochester, N.

Y.; they have four children - Sydney, Edith, Lizzie and Effie ; the family attend the Baptist Church ; heis a member of the I. 0. 0. F., Oakfield Lodge, and is the present owner of 115 acres of land in Sec. 2,, town of Oakfield ; probable value, $50 per acre. He is a Republican.

WIlirilAM S. ADAMS, farmer, Sec. 32 ; is a son of Abram and Louisa Adams, natives or Connecticut, but who, after their marriage, removed to Rutland Co., Vt., where William S. was born in 1818 ; he spent his life in his native county at farming, till 1847, whence he removed to the town of Forest, Fond du Lac Co., Wis., where he lived for about seventeen years ; here he was at first surrounded on all sides by Indians, whose camps were not far from his pioneer house, and who often came to trade their venison for corn and other desired articles which he chanced to have ; in July, 1865, he disposed of that farm, and bought his present one of 160 acres in the above-given section of the town of Empire. In 1849, he married Miss Martha B., daughter of Worcester E. and Sarah E. Peck, of Castletown, Rutland. Co., Vt; they have five children - AlmiraS.,born 1850; Wilson M.,born in 1852; Dayton, born in 1855; Wilber C.,born in 1858; Ellsworth I., born in 1862. Mrs. Adams is a member of the Methodist Church of Empire ; Mr. Adams has been Collector and Supervisor of the town of Empire.

JOHN BERRY, farmer, Sees. 28, 33 and 35 ; is of New England descent, though a native or Dutchess Co., N. Y., where he was born Dec. 27, 1794 ; he is the son of Samuel Berry and Neoma Oreene, natives of Cape Cod, but immigrants to Dutchess Co., N. Y., nearly 100 years ago ; his fatherwas a tailor by trade, but lived on a small farm which he owned in that county till John was about 12, years of age, when they removed to Cayuga Co., N. Y.; at this time, John had a wealthy bachelor uncle living in Putnam Co., N. Y., who soon after married, but having no children, took him (John), his namesake - to live with him on the farm, and, to whom, at his death, he left most of his estate ; after the death of his uncle, he lived on the farm for several years, whence, in 1830, he removed his family to Peakskill, N, Y., and for the next five years was engaged in steamboating from that point to New York City; disposing of his interest in this business, he next engaged in stock-dealing, and was what might be termed a stock-drover, buying up large droves for the New York market ; in 1848 he came to Wisconsin and purchased 220 acres qf land in above-named sections, in the town of Empire, and has since devoted his time to farming. April 12, 1823, he was married to Miss Minerva, daughter of Nathaniel and Charlotte Hyatt, of Putnam Co., N. Y., by whom_ he has had seven children, five sons and two daughters - Green (deceased, killed in a railroad disaster in Iowa), Charlotte (now Mrs. M. Briggs, of the town of Eden),- Laura J. (deceased), Eugene (deceased), John (now with Fairbanks, of Chicago), Oscar and Theron. Mr. and Mrs. Berry are members of the Methodist Church of Empire ; Mr. B. has been a member of the- County Board for a number of years. Such is a brief sketch of the life of one who has lived more than his fourscore years, and, though quite enfeebled by age. is to-day a worthy example of true Christian virtues.

GrEORGE BINXIIVG, farmer, Sec. 27 ; is a native of Somersetshire, England ; born in 1827; son of Jeffry and Johannah Binning, nee Wall; at the age of 19 he set sail from Bristol to seek a home in America's land ; reaching New York in June, 1847, he went to Queens Co., where he remained till 1850, whence he removed to Wisconsin and bought a farm of eighty acres in the town of Forest, Fond du Lac Co., which he made his home for eighteen months ; then to the town of Empire, where, in fall of 1854, he bought a farm of 70 acres in Sec. 27, to which he has continually added until he now has 360 acres in Sees. 21, 26 and 27. In 1853 he married Miss Ellen, daughter of William and Mary Ottery, of Empire ; they have had eight children - William (of Pond du Lac), Henry, John (deceased), infant (deceased), Jeffry, Charles, Mary J., and Ella. Mr. Binning has been a member of the Town Board for two terms, and is politically a Republican ; the family are connected with the Presbyterian Church.

MRS. ORPHA BRIOGS, Sees. 14 and 15 ; P. 0. Fond du Lac; is a daughter of Peleg and Hannah Briggs, of Dutchess Co., N. Y., but emigrated to Luzerne Co., Penn., Id March, 1818, where Orpha was born Oct. 5, 1821 ; she was educated in the district schools of her native county, after which she followed teaching for two years. In the spring of 1854, she, with her husband, Mr. Taylor, removed to Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and settled on a farm belonging to Mr. Isaac Tallmadge, in the town of Empire ; two years after, they removed to Mr. John Meiklejohn's farm, and, in 1856, they bought 100 acres of land m.

Sees. 14 and 15, to which they removed in the following year ; she has since bought twenty acres in the same section, which makes her a farm of seventy acres ; they had two sons and one daughter - Peleg B. Taylor, deceased; Hannah E., now Mrs. Andrew Willard, of Plymouth Co., Iowa; Reuben H. Taylor.

THOMAS BROWJVSEIili, farmer, Sees. 5 and 8 ; son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Brownsell, born in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1825 ; in 1845, he, with his parents, came to America, and settled in Racine, now Kenosha Co., Wis., whence, in 1850, to Walworth Co. for four years; thence, in 1854, to Fond du Lac Co., where he bought a farm of 135 acres, 80 of which is in Sec. 8, and 55 acres in Sec. 5, town of Empire ; he also has 48 acres in Sec. 28, town of Forest. In 1850, he married Miss Mary A., daughter of Abram and Elizabeth Rhodus, natives of Yorkshire, England, but immigrants to Kenosha Co., Wis., in 1844 ; they have had four children, three daughters and one son - Sarah J., deceased ; Fannie, widow of the late Henry Ottery, deceased, died Jan. 29, 1877 ; Mary E., Fredrick C.

JAMES BUItBfEIili, farmer. Sees. 34 and 35 ; is a son of Patrick Burnell and Hannah Sullivan ; born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1829 ; he spent his time there at farming till the spring of 1853, whence set sail for America, and, after a two-months sail, landed in New York Harbor May 27 ; he then removed to Litchfield Co., Conn., where, for three years, he was employed at farm labor and mining, whence, in 1856, he came to Wisconsin, and for two years following he was employed by the farmers ; he saved his earnings, till, by careful management, he was, in 1858, able to buy a farm of eighty acres in Sees. 34 and 35, in the town of Empire, which is now worth about $60 per acre, and now enjoys the comforts of a pleasant home, as the fruits of his industry and economy. In September, 1857, he married Miss Mary, daughter of Thomas and Julia Roughan, of Fond du Lac, she being a native of County Clare, Ireland ; they have four children - Honora, Mary Ann, Patrick H. and James. Mr. B. and family are members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

SIIiAS R. CHAKLjES, farmer. Sec. 34 ; a native of this town ; born in 1851, and is the son of John and Mirinda Charles, now of the town of Taycheedah ; Silas grew up on the farm, but learned the blacksmith's trade with his father, which he followed for seven years, much of the time in the employ of the Chicago & North- Western R. R. Co., after which he took up the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he continued in the interest of the company for about six years ; in 1873, he gave up his trade, and removed to a farm of eighty acres, in S^o. 34, town of Empire, which his father had given him. In June, 1874, he married Miss Pheba, daughter of Edmund and Eliza A. Robinson, of Holland, Sheboygan Co. Mr. Qharles is a member of the Methodist Church, and his wife of the United Brethren.

GUST AVE DE XEVEU, farmer ; the subject of the following sket6h is believed to be the oldest resident of Fond du Lao County. He is the son of Francis Joseph De Neveu and Elizabeth T. Monnoir, of Savigny, France, born March 30, 1811 ; when a young man, 19 years of age, his father joined the expedition sent out by King Louis XVI, under Count d'Estang to aid the Americans in their struggle for independence, as an ensign on board the ship Scipio, a seventy-foar-gun line-of-battle ship commanded by Capt. de Lamotte Piquet. The fleet was met by an English expedition commanded by Admiral Kempenfeld, and the battle that followed was indecisive, though the French were worsted by the encounter, and lost some sixteen transports loaded with troops and munitions of war for the Americans, out of about 200 such vessels. The opposing parties separated in the darkness, and the French put back to Brest, where his father was left in hospital with a leg broken by a British bullet. Before he had recovered, the French, having repaired damages, sailed again, and this time reached America. Thus having inherited a sympathetic feeling for America, Gustave, in December, 1834, four years after having finished his education in military school of La Fleche and the College of Vendome, set sail for a visit to America, and also to study the English language, which he pursued at Milford, Penn., for a short time, and then devoted his time to teaching French in Schuylersville, N. Y., for about five months ; Sept. 1, 1835, he started on his return home, which he reached about nineteen days after, spending the shooting season at home ; he went to Paris in the fall and there spent about five months in the study of art, whence in June, 1836, he set sail again for America in the ship " Syoie de Grasse," William Cullen Bryant being among its passengers, reaching New York July 17, thence to Batavia, that State, and then followed the teacher's profession for some time, whence in 1838 he immigrated to Wisconsin, stopping a while at Green Bay, then visiting Fond du Lac, where he purchased about five hundred acres of land in the town of Empire ; he then returned to Batavia, N. Y. and there spent the winter in teaching, after which, in the spring of 1839, he came again to Fond du Lao and made his permanent settlement on his farm, where he has spent most of his time at agricultural pursuits, though he has devoted part of his time with his books. He was nominated for Senator on the Greenback ticket in 1877 ; was elected President of the Fond du Lac County Agricultural Society in 1879. Jan. 4, 1840, he married Miss Harriet P., daughter of John and Rosalie Dousman, of the Island Mackinaw; they have had eleven children, as follows: Matilda M,, now Mrs. H.

W. Tusten, of Russell, Kan. ; Julia M., Mrs. John Beeson, of Vancouver, Washington Territory; Edward, of Russell, Kan. ; Emily ; Gustave ; Francis J. ; Arthur B., deceased ; Virginia R. ; Hattie ; G-eorge W. and Lucy R.

WILIilAH EDWARDS, farmer, Sees. 23 and 26; is a son of Richard and Martha Edwards, nee Willard, of Somersetshire, England ; was born in June, 1816. His father owned a small farm in that country, but was more commonly known as a coachman; William's literary advantages were quite limited, though, he lacked none of that resolution of will which, und^r adverse circumstances, is essential to success ; on the 25th of March, 1850, he set sail for America, and landed in New York in the following May, stopping for about eighteen months in Cayuga Co., N. Y. ; he then went to Sippervale, near Auburn, N. Y., for about the same length of time, whence, in 1854, he removed to Cook Co., 111., and settled on a little place eighteen miles south of Chicago ; here he spent another eighteen months at honest toil, and in 1856, he rembved to the town of Empire, Fond du Lac Co., Wis., where he purchased a small farm of 40 acres in Sec. 26, which, by his industry and careful management, he has gradually improved and increased to one of 200 acres, besides buying another of 73 acres in Sec. 23, same town, for his son Albert. In 1853, he was married to Miss Mary, daiighter of William and Sarah Phillips, nee Miller, of Somersetshire, England; they have three children, as follows: Albert, who married Miss Charlotte, daughter of James and Jane Fisher, of the town of Forest, in April, 1878; Richard and Sarah A. During the winter of 1878-79, Mr. Edwards made his first visit to his home since his departure in 1850, and Spent some pleasant months with his sisters and relatives, who seemed to enjoy his yisit fully as well he. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Empire, and are among its most devoted worshipers. It can truly be said that Mr. Edwards is one of the most straightforward and upright citizens of the town ; honesty and integrity pervade all his dealing; all who ktiow him, acknowledge his example for good in the community ; devoted to his home and family, he finds his greatest pleasure around the fireside and family circle. Such is a brief life-sketch of one who has honestly toiled through his threescore years, and never lost sight of the true Christian manhood and life. ATjFRED T. G£R]fIOND, farmer. Sec. 32 ; is a descendant of the first settlers of Dutchess Co., N. Y., his great-grandfather being one of the nine original partners of the county ; heis the son of William Germond and Juliana Benton, born in Dutchess Co. Nov. 30, 1814; till 12 years of age, he spent his time with his father on the farm, and attending district school ; he then began clerking in a dry-goods store in Washington, Dutchess Co., N. Y, where he continued for about two years, going thence to New York City, he continued clerking for a number of years, and then he became interested in a dry-goods establishment as proprietor for a few years ; about the year 1841, he removed to Poughkeepsie, N. Y;, where for the next five years he was engaged in the freighting and forwarding business ; in the summer of 1846, he came to Fond du Lac and bought 240 acres of Government land in Sec. 32, town of Empire, on which he made a few improvements, and late in the fall returned to Poughkeepsie, where in 1848, he married Miss Mary A., daughter of William and Sarah E. Halsted, nee Barker (of White Plains, Westchester Co.), immediately after which they started for their future home in Wisconsin, where he has since devoted his time principally to agricultural pursuits and stock-raising ; though he has always taken an active part in all afiairs of public ititerest in his town or county ; it was he who suggested the name Empire for the town in which he now lives - a complete history of which is given in the body of this work. He was a member of the County Board for about fifteen years, and was Justice of the Peace for more than that length of time ; was Superintendent of the County Poor from the Eastern District; has held several other minor offices ; he is at present President of the Old Settlers' Society of Pond du Lac Co.; Mr. Germond owned the first thrashing machine brought to the town of Empire, it being the old open cylinder treadpower type. Mr. and Mrs. Germond have had four children, three sons and one daughter, as follows : William U., Albert H. (deceased), Sarah E. and George H. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church of Empire. Such is a brief sketch of the life-history of one who has been and is one of Empire's most active and respected citizens, and is a worthy example of that success which may be attained by constant and persevering effort.

DAVID OIDDIXGS, farmer. Sees. 29 and 30 ; is a son of Joshua Giddings and Abigail Cogswell, of Ipswich, Essex Co., Mass.; born in 1808 ; his father was a tanner by trade, but devoted much of his life to farming, with whom David pursued the same vocation till about 19 years of age, when he became proprietor of a variety store in Ipswich, which continued for seven years ; in 1835, he came to Chicago, thence, with three comrades in a skiffto Milwaukee, where they found Mr. Juneau, the trader, as the only settler ; after spending about a fortnight here, he went to Green Bay and spent much of his time in surveying Government lands in that and other counties ; in June, 1836, he, in company with a number of surveyors - Colwert Pier, Mrs. Robins, her nephew and others, came down in a Durham boat from Green Bay to Pond du Lac ; Mr. Pier and wife settled at Fond du Lac, and the surveyors passed on to the southern part of this and the northern part of Dodge Co., where they spent from June till September at their work, and saw only one white man aside from their company during that time ; in 1837, he went to Sheboygan and purchased a half-interest in a lumber-mill at Sheboygan Falls, where he was engaged in the lumber trade till 1865; disposing of his lumber business at that time, he purchased a farm of 600 acres in Sees. 29 and 30, town of Empire, and removed thither ; he now has 407 acres, having sold the rest to some of his neighbors. In June, 1842, he married Miss Dorothy, daughter of Deacon William and Dorothy Trowbridge, nee Chapin, of Worcester, Mass.; they have had three children, as follows : Howard, of Sheboygan Falls ; Clara (deceased), George, of the firm of DeGroat & Giddings, of Fond du Lac. Mr, Giddings was one of the first settlers of Sheboygan Co., and took an active part in all affairs pertaining to the general welfare of that county while a resident there, and he has been none the less active in all such pertaining to this county, since his identification with its citizens.

D .P. CrlliTXER (deceased), was a son of Jacob and Mary Giltner, and a native of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., born Jan. 14, 1814 ; being the son of a farmer, he spent most of his boyhood at that calling; at the age of 16, he removed to Tioga Co., N. Y., where he was engaged more or less in the lumber trade till 1846. In 1840, he married Miss Hester M., daughter of Hallack and Lydia Smith, of Chemung Co., that State. In 1846, they emigrated to the town of Empire, Fond du Lac Co., Wis., coming in via the lakes and .Sheboygan, where they waited three days for a team to convey them to their destination, having only $5 in his pocket when he reached Wisconsin, and only $1 when he reached his brother's, and that he lost in a few days after, so it may be said that he reached his future home penniless; they lived with his brother for about one year, or until they got their house finished, in which they afterward kept tavern ; it was here that the first railroad meeting was held in Fond du Lac Co., an account of which is given in the article on railroads, though it will not be out of place, to state here that Mrs. Giltner cooked a barrel of eggs for dinner that day, and fed eighty guests ; they kept hotel for seven years, afler which he turned his attention to farming till his death, April 12, 1871. They have a son and daughter - George L. and Mary F., both of whom were born in New York. Their house was often used for church service in those days, and when they had no service there, they often walked three or four miles to church ; Mrs. Giltner is a member of the Baptist Church ; her daughter of the Episcopal Church.

NELSON E. HIIiJLEBERT, farmer; is the second son of Eleazor and Laura Hilbert, nee Comstock, of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., born Dec. 25, 1838 ; in 1848, he, with parents, removed to Fond du Lac Co., and settled in the town of Waupun. Jan 1, 1863, he married Miss Addie, daughter of William and Cynthia Johnson, nee Wheeler, of that town, though native of Herkimer Co., N. Y., who emigrated from tbere in 1849 ; they have had six children, four daughters and two sons - Mary E., Jennie, George E., Charles H. (deceased), Viola B. and an infant daughter not yet named. In 1865, he removed to the city of Fond du Lac, where he was engaged in the 'saw- milling business most of the time till the spring of 1879, when he removed to Mr. Griffith's farm in the town of Empire. Mr. H. has been a member of the I. 0. 0. F. since 1868.

FRANCIS J. ISAAC, farmer. Sec. 17 ; son of Martin and Mary Isaac, of the Province of Rhine, Germany, born March 3, 1823. Francis was educated according to the school system of his native country, and at the age of 17 was apprenticed to the cabinet-maker's trade ; in 1847, he came to America, landing in New York ; thence direct to Milwaukee, where he continued his trade for one and a half years ; he then bought a farm seven miles southwest of the city of Milwaukee, where he followed farming for three years ; in 1851, he disposed of his farm and removed to the town of Marshfield, Fond du Lac Co., where he owned a farm of eighty acres ; living there for twelve years, he purchased a farm of ninety acres in Sec. 17, forty of which he has given to his son. In 1847, he married Miss Jennie C, daughter of Peter and Katie Schreiner, of the Rhine Province ; they have five children - Annie, Hobert, Joseph, Inglebert and Katie. Members of the St. Mary's Catholic Church. Mr. I. is Justice of the Peace of the town of Empire ; he held the same office in the town of Marshfield for nine years.

WILIjET JOHNSON, farmer ; Sees. 29 and 30 ; is a native of America, Dutchess Co., N. Y.; born about 1831 ; his parents botlkdying when he was quite young, he was placed under the care of a guardian, whose treatment of him was such that at the age of 11 he was forced to seek a new home ; this he did by finding employment with some of the neighboring farmers of that county till about 17 years old ; in July, 1849, with barely money enough (and that his own earnings) to pay his expenses, he started for Wisconsin ; reaching Fond du Lao Co., he began working at farm labor for Mr. Briggs, with whom he continued for one year ; for the next two years he was in the employ of Mr. A. T. Germond, at $10 per month ; after this followed clearing up pieces of land for farmers in the neighborhood ; by these contracts he gained money enough to purchase a yoke of oxen and^a plow ; in 1853 he purchased an eighty-acre tract of raw land, which he began to improve ; he went up in the pineries with his ox team and worked for $1 per day for Mr. Meiklejohn, till he paid for enough lumber to build his first house ; in 1863 he disposed of that farm and bought his present one of eighty acres of Mr. David Giddings. In 1852 he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Edward Davis, of Fond du Lac, she being a native of Canada West ; they have three children, as follows: Louisa, now Mrs. Arthur Maxin, of Pond du Lac; Elizabeth and Albert B. Such is a short life-history of one who began the world almost friendless, but, by his perseverance and honest industry, stands a worthy example for all such unfortunate young men.

RICHARD K AYE, farmer ; Sees. 23, 24 and 25 ; was born in Yorkshire, England, March 8, 1829 ; is the son of Abraham and Mary Kaye ; his mother, a woman of ^rare Christian virtues, was not long spared him, having died in England when he was a mere boy, but his father lived to a good old age ; In 1841, he, with his father, immigrated to Racine Co., Wis., and settled at Burlington, whence in the spring of 1848, they removed to the town of Empire, where Richard now owns a farm of 240 acres in the above-named sections ; here his father died Jan. 29, 1875. Feb. 2, 1852, he was married to Miss Olive, daughter of Obadiah and Nancy Putney, nee Strader, a native of Canada, but her husband of New York State ; Mrs. Kaye was born in Lisbon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and immigrated to Wisconsin in 1850, and they have four children - Mary I., now Mrs. Joseph F. Steen, of Fond du Lac; Edwin S., Frank W., Anna M.

AIj AUfSON P. liYOlVS, farmer, Sec 9 ; is a son of the pioneers of this town, David and Sarah Lyons; A. P., was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., in 1834 ; came with his parents to the town of Empire and lived with them till about 26 years of age, when he bought a farm of 120 acres in See. 9. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. I, of the 5th W. V. I., but was discharged at Madison on account of sickness, after three month's service. Dec. 27, 1863, he married Miss Emerette T., daughter of William T. and Mary A. Banning, of the town of Empire, but a native of Connecticut; they have three children - Herbert E., Edward S. and Ula Q.

DAYID LiYOJUS, farmer, Sec. 29 ; was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., Deo. 21, 1809 ; he is the son of Justice and Annie Lyons, natives of Orange Co., N. Y., who immigrated to Tioga Co. soon after their marriage ; David spent much of his time on his father's farm till 20 years of age, when, for his faithfulness, and as an expression of paternal aiFection his father give him a farm of fifty acres in that county, on which he spent a short time and then removed to a farm belonging to his wife ; in 1843, he with his family emigrated to McHenry Co., 111., remaining there over winter; in the summer of 1844 he came to Fond du Lac Co., and was the first man to settle on what is known as the Ledge in the town of Empire ; not having means enough to pay the express on a chest of household goods and bureau from McHenry Co. to Milwaukee, they were compelled to do without many of the essentials to even a pioneer home, till he, with his whole family, could, by working for ^1 per day, earn enough money to defray the expense on the goods ; he rented the Conklin mill during the years of 1845-46, from which the neighbors for miles around were able to get flour for their daily bread, it being the first mill in that section of the country, though during the winter of 1846-47 the water failed and the people were compelled to resort to the faithful coffee-mill as the only means by which they could get their wheat ground. In 1830, he was married to Miss Harriet, daughter of William and Lydia Ellis, of Tioga Co., N:Y., who died in February, 1831, leaving one son - Ranson E:, now of Monroe Co., Wis.; some months after (though during the same year), his first wife died, he married Miss Sarah, daughter of John and Deborah Hannah, of Tioga Co., N. Y.; they have four children - A. P. and George of Empire ; Deborah A., Mrs. S. M. White, of Salem Co., Wis., and William T., of Crete, Neb.

THOMAS 3IAYHEW (deceased). He was a son of John and Sarah Mayhew (nee Church), of Amenia, Dutchess Co. N. Y. ; born in 1815 ; he spent his early life on his father's farm in that county ; was educated in the common schools ; when about 15 years of age,- he ivent to live with a widow lady in that county, with whom he made his home till 1839, when, Sept. 20 of that year, he married Miss Betsey A., daughter of David and Abby Collar (nee Kedney), of Dover, Dutchess Co., soon after which he began farming for himself, and continued till 1846, when he returned to the widow lady's farm and managed that for four years, whence, in 1850, they removed to^Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and purchased a farm of 120 acres in Sees. 33, 34 and 28, where he made his home till his death. May 24, 1872, leaving a widow, by whom he had four children - George N. (deceased in 1852), Eliza R. (now Mrs. Arthur Olmsted, of the town of Fond du Lac), Henrietta (now Mrs. William Benning, of the town of Fond du Lac), Ella (now Mrs. Sanford Pease, of the town of Fond du Lac). Mrs. Mayhew is a member of the M. E. Church.

JOHW MEIKIiE JOHX, farmer. Sees. 2S, 23, 14 and 15 ; a native of Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y., though of Scotch descent, his father, Andrew Meiklejohn, being a native of that country, l)ut his mother, Elizabeth Easton, being a native of Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y. ; John was born in 1823, and spent most of his boyhood attending district school, and at work on his father's farm ; in September, 1846, he came to Pond du Lao Co., Wis., to try the wilds of the then " Far West," learn what pioneer life -was, and to secure for himself and family a Western home ; he bought a farm of eighty acres, and was one among the first settlers of the town of Empire; time and labor have changed his rude pioneer house into a fine, commodious brick residence, his small farm of 80 acres to one of 265 acres, with all the conveniences of a first-class farm, and the writer learned from the neighbors that Mr. Meiklejohn is regarded T)y them as one of the exemplary men and farmers of the county. He has represented his town for four years in the County Board, and, in all other afi'airs of public enterprise and interest, he is one of the first of his town - liberal in his views and with his money, though practicing economy where needed, using "his judgment when a thing is presented, as to its merits or demerits. In 1846, he married Miss Julia A., daughter of James and Betsey Nims, of Fort Ann, Washington Co., N. Y. ; their children are Warren, Ruth (deceased), James W. (of Columbia Co., Wis.), Charles, Mary J., Albert and Julia. Mrs. M. is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

GEOROE OTTERY, farmer. Sees. 20 and 21 ; is a son of William and Elizabeth Ottery (nee Brooks), born in Draycott, Somersetshire, England, May 1, 1822 ; though unfortunate in literary advantages, having received a very limited education, he lacked none of that resolution and determination of purpose which, when joined with honest industry, is most sure of success ; at the age of 13, he began farm laboring, which he steadily continued there till the spring of 1846, when he set sail for America, with the intention of rnaking his home upon some of its broad acres ; landing in New York May 14, he went to Cayuga Co., where he remained one and a half years ; not yet having reached his goal or found the object of ills search, he came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1847, and, with his brother William, purchased a farm of 180 acres in Sees. 20 and 24, town of Forest, Pond du Lac Co. ; making his home at Neenah, Wis., till 1849, he returned to Cayuga Co., N. Y., where, in October, 1850, he married Miss Ann, daughter of William and Hannah Kelley, and came again to his farm in the town of Porest, which he made his home till 1876, when he sold that and bought his present one of 153 acres in Sees. 20 and 21, town of Empire. They have had five sons^Henry (deceased), Edwin I., Albert Gr. (deceased), Albert Gt., Jr. (deceased), Herbert G-. Mrs. Ottery is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Ottery is no politician, but takes quite an interest in educational afi'airs ; he has served ten years as a member of the School Board as Clerk.

FREDRICK M. PHELPS, farmer, Sees. 28 and 29; a native of the Green Mountain State ; born at Alburgh Springs, Grand Isle Co., Vt., Feb. 6, 1837, and, from his history, the writer judges him to have some of that enterprising spirit which is characteristic of the people of Vermont ; he is the son of Benajah S. Phelps and Asenith Fletcher, who were natives of that State, but immigrants to Wisconsin in 1855 ; having a desire to work at machinery, at the age of 16 he entered upon an apprenticeship at the machinist trade in the shops of the Lake Shore R. E. Co. ; remaining with the Company till 1856, he went to Mississippi and engaged as an engineer on a passenger train over the Mississippi Central for three years; he was next employed as master mechanic of the Northern Division of the M(]bile R. R. for three years ; during the battle of Pittsburg Landing, he was sent by Gen. Grant to run on that road out of the reach of the enemy; in the attempt, one of his engines broke down, and he was taken prisoner and held at Columbus, Miss., as such for six months ; being released, he reported to Gen. Grant, and was appointed master mechanic of the military road at Wilmington, N. C., and early in the spring of 1 866, he was sent to take charge of the military railroad on the border of the Rio Grande River, Texas ; he resigned this position in June of that year and entered the Mexican Army ; here he was soon commissioned Major of Engineers on the stafi' of Caravajal ; was in the campaign that captured Maximilian ; returned to Texas in the early part of 1867, and was appointed inspector of the port at Brazos, Santiago. Holding this position for three months, the yellow fever broke out there, and he resigned and returned to Pond du Lac, and has since devoted his time to farming and stock-raising, making a specialty of fine horses; he has a farm of 160 acres in Sees. 28 and 29, probable value $60 per acre. In 1863, he married Miss Christina, daughter of Benjamin Long, of Jacksonville, 111.; they have one daughter - Mary. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

JOHN H. SHOEMAKER, farmer. Sec. 8 ; was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., April 12, 1840 ; is the son of George N. and Eveline Shoemaker; in 1849, he, with parents, came to Pond du Lac Co., and settled in the town of Taycheedah, where they lived till 1864, at which time they sold that and bought this one in Sec. 8 ; in 1877, his parents removed to the city of Ponddu Lac and gave up the farm to John H. In 1878, married Miss Belle, daughter of Peter and Ann Ferguson, of the town of Empire, ."but a native of Scotland ; they have one daughter - Jessie May, born July 11, 1879. Mrs. Shoemaker is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Shoemaker enlisted in Co. A, of the 18th W. V. I.^ March 1, 1862 ; was with the Army of the Tennessee in the battle of Pittsburg Landing and Mission Ridge ; was discharged by special order from War Department Dec. 13, 1863. J. CliARK WELLS, farmer.

I^EIVBY WESTERVEL.T, farmer, Sec. 32 ; is a son of Cornelius C and Rebecca Westervelt, natives of Holland, but early immigrants to Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., N. Y., whete Henry was born March 7, 1820 ; he received a common-school education in the schools of the city, and at the age of 10, preferring the life of a farmer to that of a blacksmith - his father's trade - he sought employ of the neighboring farmers; this he continued there till about 17 years of age, when his father died in Wayne Co., N. Y., one day after his removal to that couuty ; his stepmother - his mother having died when he was only 2 years old - sent for him to come and help take care of the family. In 1843, he^married Miss Sarah A., daughter of Robert and Marietta Patrick, of Wayne Co., N. Y., and in the spring of 1845, with his wife and son Cornelius C, immigrated to Wisconsin and settled in the town of Empire, on a. quarter-section of land which his brother,. John W., who had preceded him, entered from the Government^ and hoped to have a house built by the time Henry arrived with his family, but having only the logs laid up, and it being impossible to get lumber to cover it, they got a few basswood boards and placed one end of them on the upper log of one side of the house and rested the other on a shelf on the opposite side, thus forming a roof which answered well enough in dry weather; and when it rained the father would take the son in his arms and hold the umbrella over him, while the mother would wrap up in a bed-quilt and keep dry as best she could ; this house, 16 by 24 feet, was, for a short time in the spring of 1846, the home of four families - those of Messrs. Vale, Cogswell, Jewell and Piatt. Mr. Westervelt has since been a prominent resident of the town of Empire, and at difiFeren times has held various offices in the town and county, among them Justice of the Peace and a member of the Couuty Board ; he now owns 100 acres in Sec. 32, town of Empire, and twenty acres in Sec. 4, town of Eden ; they had only two children - the son as above named, and one daughter, Mrs. Alfred Jennings, of Empire.

BEIVJAjHIIV white, farmer; is a son of Ethan and Meyra White, nee Northrop, of Washington, Dutchess Co., N. Y. ; born in 1833 ; his father being an extensive farmer in that county ; Benjamin was early impressed with the idea that industry and attentiveoess to business were essentials to success ; his mother, a woman of rare Christian virtues, did not fail to impress upon his miud those lessons of honesty and integrity which have characterized all his business transactions through life ; in the spring of 1852, he started for Wisconsin, and landed in the town of Empire April 13, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres, on which he made his home till 1874, wheuoe he removed to another farm of 200 acres - 160 of which is in the town of Eden and forty in the town of Empire - he, however, retains his first farm of 160 acres ; here he makes a specialty of blooded stock, especially cattle, of which he sold four in 1876, which brought him just $700, and in the following year he sold a milch cow which weighed 1,700 pounds. Mr. White is regarded as one of the most successful farmers of his neighborhood ; his motto has always been, " do well what you do do ;" he has never been an office-seeker, and has never taken a very active part in political affairs, though his creed is Republican. In 1849, he married Miss Harriet, daughter of J. and Clarissa Briggs, of Washington, Dutchess Co., N. Y. ; they haJtwo daughters - Hannah A., now Mrs. F. C. Carpenter, of Pond du Lac; Hattie E., now Mrs. J. W. Cooper, of Plymouth, Sheboygan Co. Mrs. White is a member of the M. E. Church of Empire.

ROBERT WIIiLIS, farmer, Sec. 26 ; is of the sturdy old England descent; is the son of Peter and Sarah Willis, nee Coombs, of Somersetshire, England ; born June 10, 1818 ; his father's means being quite limited, Robert was early put to do what he could to earn something so that the burden

- of the family might fall lighter on his father; when he was about 10 or 11 years old he was employed to scare the crows from the farmers' corn-fields and to watch the cattle as they grazed upon the meadows ;. at the age of 15 he was employed at farm labor, for which he received about $15 per year ; these earnings he carefully saved and by constant toil he gradually increased. April 2, 1844, he married Miss Louisa, daughter of John and Mary Amesbury, nee Parsons, of Somersetshire, England, and in just six

- years after, April 11, 1850, set sail 'for America, and landed in New York May 12 following; he followed laboring on a farm in that State for little more than three years ; during his stay in York State he sent for his wife and two daughters, whom he left in England because he had not means enough to bring them at the time he came over ; in October, 1853, they immigrated to Iroquois Co., III., where he remained eighteen months, thence to the town of Empire, Pond du Lac Co., Wis., in 1855, and purchased eighty acres of land - the west half of the southwest quarter of Sec. 26 - where he has since devoted his time to agricultural pursuits ; they have had six children, as follows - Mary E., now Mrs. Peter Stage, of Carroll Co., 111. ; Sarah L., now Mrs. James H. Dyson, of Montgomery Co., Iowa ; Thomas, who married

Miss Josephina Meiklejohn, of the town of Empire ; Robert J. and two infants (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Willis are members of the M. B. Church. Politically, he is a Republican. He also has twenty acres of land oflF the west side of the northeast quarter of Sec. 34.

GEORGE E. WRIGHT, farmer, Sec. 22; son of Robert Wright and Jane Cummings ; his father was a native of England, and his mother of Washington Co., N. Y. His father immigrated to America about the year 1808, and settled in the town of Putnam, Washington Co., where he afterward married, and where his son George was born Nov. 30, 1821. The educational facilities being quite limited and Greorge being the son of a farmer, he was compelled to get his education by attending a district school only three months in the year, and then had a certain amount of work to do every morning before walking a distance of three or four miles, to the schoolhouse. At the age of 22, he began running a canal-boat on the Lake Champjain & Hudson Canal, which he continued for a few years, then took charge of his father's farm in Washington Co., N. Y., which he managed until 1848 ; in that year he immigrated to Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and settled on a farm of 120 acres in Sec. 22, town of Empire. June 3, 185Y, he married Miss Agnes B. Wager, daughter of William and Mary Ryan, nee McGrath. Her mother, after the death of Mr. Ryan married Mr. Wager, and Agnes, being young, went by the name of Wager instead of Ryan. They have had six children - Jennie E., Mary E., Georgia A., Nannie B., Robert W., Bessie (deceased). Mr. W. has been a member of the Town Board for a number of years ; politically, he is a Republican.

WEIilillVGTOlV ABBY, Sec. 20, P. 0 Byron ; born in Canada West in 1840 ; son of Mary and Abner Abby, a carpenter and joiner and farmer ; he was educated in the public schools ; in the year 1850, went to Sheboygan Co., Wis., and, in 1852, came to Fond du Lac Co.; from that time he lived part of the time in Canada and part in this county, until 1861, when he joined Co. A, 14th W. V. I., and went to war and served through the entire war; was mustered out in 1865. Married in Byron,, in the spring of 1866, to Estella L., daughter of Louisa and Russell Watrous, a carpenter and joiner living in Oakfield. He owns 120 acres of land, valued at f50 per acre. They have three children - Gaorge W., Burt and Edith M. Mr. A. is politically a Greenbacker.

PHILIPF F. BODAHIER ; bom in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg Sept. 12, 1805 ; son of Cathrine and Philip J. Bodamer, a hotel-keeper and farmer of that place. The subject of this sketch was educated in the schools of Germany and learned the butcher's trade ; he served in the army of his country from 1826 to 1832, when he got his discharge and came to the United States, landing at Baltimore ; worked at his trade there until 1835 ; he then went to Portland, Me., and, after working there until 1837, moved to Ohio; in 1838, moved to Terre Haute, Ind., and continued working at his trade there until 1846, when he came to Byron, Wis., where he has made his home ever since, occupied in farming. He was married in Baltimore, May 4, 1834, to Johannah P., daughter of Johannah and John Markle, a shoemaker, aiid they have had nine children born to them - Charles (deceased), Sophia, Johannah (deceased), Matilda, Louisa, Henrietta, Paulina, Minnie and Caroline. Mr. Bodamer is the owner of 100 acres of land in Sees, 10 and 16, valued at $60 per acre. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and is politically a Democrat.

PETER BRILL/, farmer. Sec. 8 ; P. 0. Pond du Lao ; born in Prussia, on the river Rhine, April 12, 1811 ; son of Anna and Nicholas Brill, a farmer. The subject of this sketch was educafed in the common schools of his native country, and was brought up a farmer. He came to the United States in 1835, and worked at general work in the States of Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New York, and returned to Prussia in 1842 ; in 1845, he again came to the United States, and located in Byron, buying Government land at $1.25 per acre. Mr. Brill, while a young man, served three years in the Prussian Army. He married in BuflFalo, N. Y., in 1845, Mary, daughter of Gertrude and Peter Kisch, a farmer; they have three children - Bridget, Mary Ann and Michael; all are married. His wife died in 1852; he married again in 1854, in Calumet Co., Ann Kinal, and had four children by this wife - John, Mary, Margaret and Anna. Mr. Brill is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, and is, politically, a Democrat. He owns twenty acres of land, valued at $65 per acre.

HENRY BIJSH, farmer, Sees. 7 and 8; P. 0. Fond du Lac; son of Charlotte and Dr. Jonathan Bush; born in Lowville, Lewis Co., N. Y., March 22, 1821, his father being a physician and surgeon and a graduate of Yale College. Mr. Bush was educated in the common schools of his native place, and also worked as a printer on the first paper ever published in Lowville, N. Y.; afterward worked on a farm, which occupation he has followed ever since; in the spring of 1844, he landed in Milwaukee, and, after stopping there a few weeks, he came through the woods on foot to Fond du Lac, it taking him three days to get through, there being no wagon-road at that time ; he took up Grovernment land in Byron, at $1.25 per acre ; his was the first farm on what is called the prairie. He married in West Martinsburg, N^. Y., Nov. 25, 1849, Mary Ann, daughter 'of Anna and Joel Phelps, an architect and builder; they have had three children - Sedate (now Mrs. Dr. Buser), Alice (now Mrs. RoUin Smith) and Henry. Mr. Bush is a member of the Masonic Order, and is a Republican ; has held the office of Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for several terms ; has also been Justice of the Peace in an early day. Owns 320 acres of land; probable value, 165 per acre.

CHBISTIAX GEIGER, farmer and quarryman ; P. 0. Fond du Lac ; born in Wurtemburg Feb. 20, 1846; came to America in March, 1869; spent a year in Milwaukee, then settled in Byron, and worked at his trade of mason and in the stone-quarry until the fall of 1873, when he bought the old Oliver quarry and thirty-two acres of land belonging. This is the-largest quarry in the county, and one of the largest and best in the State. During 1879, Mr. Geiger burned and sold 16,000 bushels of lime, besides selling $1,200 worth of stone for building sidewalks, copings, etc. This is beautiful stone, and is sold throughout the country, also in Janesville and Menasha, Sheboygan and also in Minnesota; his lime commanded the highest price when Chicago was rebuilt. Married, April 16, 1871, Miss Augusta Schmelling, of Pomerania, Prussia, she coming to Milwaukee in 1868 ; they have four children - - Christian, Lizzie, Anna and John. Mr. Geiger is liberal in politics, and a Lutheran with his wife.

JAMES CORXEIili, farmer, Sees. 19 and 30 ; P. 0. Oakfield ; born in New Jersey in 1825; son of Ann and Jesse Cornell, a farmer ; he was educated in the common schools of that time, and was brought up a farmer; in 1833, moved to Canada West, and lived there until 1848, when he came to Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Co.; in the spring of 1852, went overland to California, and was occupied in mining until 1854, when, after returning again overland, he located in Byron, where he has resided ever since. Married, in 1855, in Oakfield, Emeline B., daughter of Abby and Heman Warner, a farmer of Oakfield; they have had four children - Annie, Jesse, lua and Fred. Mr. Cornell has held the office of Supervisor, and is now a member of the School Board. Is Republican in politics. Owns 195 acres, valued at $65 per acre.

ANDKE W GIBSOIV, farmer, Sec. 19 ; P. 0. Oakfield ; born in London, England, May 5, 1798; is the son of Mary and Andrew Gibson, a silk weaver ; Andrew was educated in London, and is by trade a blacksmith ; he went aboard a British man-of-war as seaman, in 1811, and served until 1813 ; he then came to Canada, and commenced learning his trade in Montreal, living there until 1820, when he -went to Plattsburg, N. Y., and remained there until 1822 ; from there he went to St. Lawrence Co., remaining until 1827 ; he then returned to Plattsburg, and lived there about six years, then to Rochester for eleven years, and to Ohio for eighteen months ; then coming to Fond du Lac in 1844, and worked at his trade for seventeen years on First street, in that city; in 1861, he came to Byron, and Jocated on twenty acres of farming land in Sec. 19, the probable value being $50 per acre; he has lived here ever since. He was married in Plattsburg, in 1821, to Sarah, daughter of David A. and Charlotte Curtis, her father being a blacksmith ; they have had eleven children born to them - Zilphia A., Charlotte, Marietta (now deceased), Andrew A., Polly C, Maria, Jerry H., Caroline (deceased), Emma (deceased), Wallace (deceased) and Bruce. Is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is politically a Republican.

DABflBLr DENISOKT J OXBS, farmer, Sees. 5 and 18; P. O. Fond du Lac ; born in Albany Co., N.- Y., in 1822 ; son of Denison and Hannah Jones, a farmer ; the subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm, and educated in the common schools of his native place ; in the spring of 1824, he moved to Harrisburg, Lewis Co., N. Y., and lived there until the spring of 1848, when he came to Wisoonsiu' and settled in Byron; in 1855, he returned to Harrisburg, and, in the spring of 1859, again returned to Byron, where he has lived ever since ; he "has served as Chairman of the town, as Supervisor and Assessor. He married, in Lowville, Lewis Co., Nancy A., daughter of Laura and Simon Brown, a farmer of that county; they have had three children - Edwin Denison, born in 1861 ; Leta M., born in 1863, died in 1865 ; Evelyn A., born in 1865. Are all members of the Baptist Church, and politically Republican. Owner of 200 acres of land ; probable value $65 per acre.

FRABTKIilN WYE, farmer, Sec. 36; P. 0. South Byron; born in Lake Co., Ohio, Oct. 22, 1817 ; spent his early life and was married in his native State; coming to Wisconsin in 1846, he bought 120 acres in Byron, and forty in Lomira, the latter for a sugar bush; in 1847, he settled on Section 35, in Byron, where they lived for some time in a poor, unfinished log shanty, seeing many hardships, as they "began with little or nothing - Mr. Nye and a friend owning a pair of cheap cattle, and doing without a wagon ; in 1849, he sold the first tract of land and settled on his present farm of 160 acres. Few men have equaled the life record of Franklin Nye, as he, seconded by his worthy wife, has brought the farm to a state of excellent cultivation, built a spacious farm residence, and all needed barns, etc., earning every dollar themselves ; they removed to Fond dn Lac in 1859, remaining for educational advantages until 1866. Mrs. Nye was Miss Liva Carrier, a native of Plainfield, Otsego Co.., N. Y.; she came to Ohio in 1845, and was married in September of that year ; they have three children - Sarah E., wife of Fernando Phelps, of Fort Dodge, Iowa; James D., who married Miss Angle Richardson, and is now studying medicine in Fond du Lac, and a second son, George W., who married Miss Adella Nightingale, and is on the homestead. Father and sons are Republicans, Mr. Nye being the second Assessor in Byron, and serving' many years as Town Superintendent of Schools, besides being Chairman, Supervisor, Town Clerk, etc.

. I. C JONES, farmer, Sees. 4 and 5 ; P. 0. Fond du Lao ; born in Harrisburg,' Lewis Co., N. Y., June 20, 1824 ; son of Hannah C. and Denison Jones ; the subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm and educated in the common schools of his native place ; he came to Fond du Lao Co., and settled in Byron on his arrival in 1849 ; he has chiefly been engaged in farming and schoolteaching. He married, in Harrisburg, N. Y., Oct. 7, 1849, Marietta, daughter of Blija and Bessie Carpenter, and two children were born to them - -Baruch W. and Ginevra ; both are now married ; Sept. 1 , 1856, he was married to his second wife - Mary E., daughter of Edward P. and Lucretia Crary, of Albany, Co., N. Y. Mr. Jones has served in the position of Town Treasurer and Supervisor, and he and his family are members of the Baptist Churoh. Owns 100 acres of land ; probable value, $65 per acre.

PETER KAUFMANJf , farmer. Sec. 17 ; P. 0. Fond du Lac; born in Prussia; son of Nicholas and Mary Kaufmann, his father's occupation being that of a farmer in Prussia; he came to the United States in 1855, and settled in the State of Ohio for about one year ; in 1856, came to Wisconsin and located in the town of Byron, where he has been engaged in farming ever since. Married in Byron, in 1866, to Bridget, daughter of Mary and Peter Brile, a farmer of Byron ; have had six children - Peter, Matilda (deceased), Martha, Charles, Michael and John. Owns 120 acres of land ; valued, $50 per acre.

ATON KETTLAB, farmer. Sec. 17 ; P. 0. Fond du Lac ; born in Emmerich, on the River Rhine, in Germany, Dec. 19, 1829 ; son of William and Diene Kettlar; his father was proprietor of a Tiotel in Emmerich ; the subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native country ; he learned the business of milling, and worked at that trade until 1847, when he entered the army of his -country and served until 1850 ; in 1852, he came to the United States, and settled in Janesville, Wis., where he resided until 1855 ; then went to the city of New York, and took passage for, as he supposed, California, but, unfortunately, he embarked on one of the steamers of the Nicaragua Line, which landed him in Granada, just at the time of the filibustering war, and was compelled to serve in the army under Gen. Walker, holding the positions of Sergeant, First Lieutenant and Captain ; met with many hardships while there, and for week.s lived on mule and horse flesh and a dish composed of boiled grasses and leaves ; returned to New York in 1857, and to Janesville in 1859, where he kept saloon until war broke out in 1861 ; then was made recruiting officer at that point ; in the fall of 1861, went to Fond du Lac, and, in 1862, raised a company of soldiers, and. as their Captain, started for the war ; resigned in 1863, and returned to Fond du Lac, and then settled in Byron, where he has resided ever since. He was married, in 1862, to Maria T., daughter of John and Barbara Geartner, her father being a farmer. Their children are John F., Francis A., Louis A., William F., Emma, Mata and Maria L. Are members of Roman Catholic Church ; Mr. Kaufmann is politically a Democrat. Owns 165 acres ; probable value, $60 per acre.

GEORGE H. liliOYD, farmer. Sees. 24 and 25 ; P. 0. Byron ; born in Byron Feb. 3, 1851 , son of George and Ann Lloyd, who came from Queen's Co., Ireland, to America, 1830, and settled in Byron 1848, Mr. Lloyd buying 80 acres, which is part of the present farm, living for a time in the shanty of Mr. Wilcox ; he built a log house, and began chopping ; cleared the first 80 and added 46 acres in Eden and 40 in Byron, building a tasteful farmhouse in place of the pioneer's log house. He died, April 14, 1871, leaving four children - Ann, Catherine, Mary and George H.: Mrs. Lloyd died June 11, 1876. The farm is now owned by George H. Lloyd, he having added 80 acres more in Eden, built a horse-barn, sheds, etc., and proved himself worthy of his heritage. Married Miss Mary Klotz, of Eden, Feb. 24, 1876, by whom he has two children - George I. and Mary J. Mr. Lloyd and wife are Catholics, and he, like his honored father, is a Democrat. Has a good stock of native cattle and sheep, grade Norman horses and other stock, with the usual crops.

PATRICK KELIiEY, farmer; P. O. Fond du Lac; the first Irishman who came to Fond du Lac Co. to stay; was born in Queens Co., Ireland, in 1800, and came to Jefi'erson Co., N. Y., in 1817, -where he worked for various parties until September, 1839, when he settled on Sec. 3, town of Byron ; he owned originally over 400 acres of land, but has given most of it to his sons, and now lives in Sec. 2. Mr, K. was married, in JeflFerson Co., N. Y., to Margaret Smith ; they have had eleven children - Catherioe (deceased), Mary (deceased), Margaret, Esther, Elizabeth, Emeline, Eliza, Anna (deceased), James, Peter and John ; Mrs. Kelley is a member of the Eoman Catholic Church ; Mr. Kelley gave the land for the first schoolhouse in Byron.

G£iOIS()rE B. McIiEAlT, general store ; P. 0. South Byron ; born near Toronto, Ont., in 1837 ; son of William and Mary McLean, the former a farmer ; in 1838, Mr. McLean moved to New York State, near Lockport, buying a farm there ; the subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools of that place, and, at the age of 15, came West and located in Byron, his father working a farm onshares; in 1853, George was taken sick, and was an invalid for six years, not being able to do anything, and the effect of this sickness left him a cripple in one limb for life ; his father then moved to Iowa, taking George with him ; in 1860, George launched out for himself; buying a small tin trunk and stock of goods, he peddled his way back to Byron, and he has made his home in different parts of thp town ever since, peddling part of the time on foot, and, after a while, purchasing a horse and wagon for his business ; for one year, he entered into partnership with John Miles, in the grocery business, at Pond du Lac ; finding that this venture did not prove a success, they closed out, and- he went back to peddling ; a year after this, he bought a house and small piece of land for a home in Sec. 32, Byron, and has lived here ever since ; he is now running an elevator, in partnership with J. Simmons, and also keeping a general store, his wife - a woman of great ability - running the store ; Mr. McLean has a man on the road constantly, he being occupied at the elevator. He married, in 1866, in Byron, Anna Eliza,, daughter of Benjamio and Margaret Van Valkenburg, the former a farmer ; they have five children - Fred B., John C, Viola A., George and Arthur. Mr. McL. has held the oflSce of Town Treasurer for six different terms, and is now holding that office ; he is a member of Oakfield Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and, politically, is a Republican.

HENRY D. PARSONS, farmer. Sec. 4; P. O. Fond du Lac; born in Somersetshire England, April 2, 1832 ; son of John Parsons and Elizabeth Chappel ; his father was a farmer and currier in England, but after his arrival in America, he engaged in farming ; the subject of this sketch came with his people to the United States in 1843, coming directly to Wiscpnsin and locating in the town of Byron, his father buying 120 acres of Government land in See. 4; Henry received his education in the common schools of England, and after living with his father on the farm one year, he went to work for Peter V. Sang, of Lamartine, doing general work, and looking after mails, etc.; in 1849, he returned home and lived with his parents until 1854, when he went west to Black River Falls, Jackson Co., and engaged in the general mercantile business, continuing there for about five years, when he again returned to Byron and commenced carrying on the farm for his father, and has continued to live there ever since. He married, in Black River Falls, in 1860, Cynthia, daughter of Daniel and Melinda Braman, the former a farmer ; t.he family are members of the M. E. Church ; he has been a member of the Board of Supervisorsfor four years, and Treasurer of his school district for eighteen years ; has also been a Delegate to the State Convention several times ; he is the present owner of 200 acres of land in Sec. 9 ; probable value $60' per acre. Politically, he is a Republican.

BTATHAlVIEIi PHEliPS, farmer ; Sees. 20 and 29 ; P. 0. Byron ; owns 103i acres ; probable.value; $65 per acre. Born in Goshen, Mass., in 1826 ; son of Nathaniel and Sarah Phelps; his father was by occupation a farmer ; the subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native place, and was brought up on a farm ; he came to Wisconsin in. 1852, and located in Byron, where he has remained ever since. He was married, in July, 1854, to Isabel, daughter of Louisa and Russell Watrous, the latter a carpenter and joiner living in Oakfield ; they have had six children - Ellen M. (now married), Juliet B., Elmer N., Cora L., Flora E. and Fred R. They are members of the Wesleyan Methodist,. Church ; politically, Mr. Phelps is a Greenbacker.

ALANSOIV T. RFiYNOIiDS, farmer. Sees. 32 and 33 ; P. 0. South Byron ; is the owner of 208 acres, probable value, $60 per acre. Born in Genesee Co., N. Y., Oct. 15, 1819, son of Ruby and Philip Reynolds, the latter a farmer ; the subject of this biography was educated in the common schools of Ohio, and was brought up as a farmer; he was the eldest of a family often children ; in the year 1825, they moved to Ohio, and, in 1840, went to Pennsylvania; in 1843, they returned to Ohio, and, in 1845, came to Wisconsin, and has made Byron his home ever since. He married, in Columbus, Warren Co., Penn., Sept. 19, 1842, Hannah S., daughter of Daniel and Jerusha Jackman, the former a carpenter and millwright ; 4.hey have had eight children born to them - Chelsea (deceased), George W. (deceased). Ruby J., Newell D., Warren A., Darius J., Melissa (deceased), and Willie M. George W. was a member of Co. F, 14th W. V. I., and died in Madison April 6, 1864. Mr. R. has held the office of Supervisor for a number of terms, and has also been Town Treasurer ; politically, he is a Republican.

APOIiliOS SEARL, farmer, Sec. 5 ; P. 0. Fond du Lac ; born in Palmyra, Wayne Co., N. Y., in 1822 ; son of Mary and Bliphalet Searl, a teamster and farmer, who died in 1824. Mr. Searl -went to Jefferson Co., in 1823, then to Lowville and Leyden, both in Lewis Co., N. Y., and, in 1827, Teturned with his mother to Wayne Co., where he attended the common schools of the place until the age of 14, when he returned to Lowville, living there on a farm until he was 21 years of age; in May, 1849, he came to Byron, and has been a resident of Pond du Lac Co. ever since. He married Philinda Lupher, of Lewis Co., N. Y., March, 1851 ; she died in Byron Sept. 14, 1862. He was married to his present wife March 28, 1864, in Byron ; maiden name was Harriet E., daughter of Laura and Simon Brown, a -farmer of Lowville, Lewis Co., N. Y. Mr. Searl has held the oflSce of Town Treasurer ; also been a member of the Town and School Boards. He has had four children by his present wife - Ida C, Emma L., Hattie L., Willie A., and are all members of the Baptist Church. Owns 160 acres of land ; probable Talue, $65 per acre.

WIIiLIAM SHUTTLE WORTH, farmer. Sec. 17; P. 0. Fond du Lac ; born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1811 ; son of Ellen and Samuel Shuttleworth, a farmer. Mr. S. was educated in the common schools of England ; and also learned and followed the trade of stonemason while in England ; he came to the United States, in 1844, and located in Milwaukee and Prairieville ; also lived in Oak- :field about two years ; came to Byron in 1849, and has made it his home ever since. He married in England, in 1831, Anne, daughter of Anne and John Stephenson, a farmer; have had seven children - Mary Ann, deceased ; John, Sarah, Helen, Selina, Samuel and William, drowned. Politics, Republican. Owns 120 acres; probable value, $50 per acre.

URIAH STROUP, farmer. Sec. 4; P. 0. Fond du Lac; born in Roxbury, Delaware Co., New York State, in 1831 ; son of Rumah Peckham and George Stroup, his father's occupation being that of carpenter and joiner ; the subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native State ; his father died in 1843, and he came West with his mother in 1846, living in Milwaukee and Dane Cos. until 1849, when they located in Dodge Co., living there until 1864, when they came to Byron, where he has made his home ever since. He married, in 1874, Madora, daughter of Sarah and Joseph Trelevan, a farmer of Byron ; they have had two children - Nellie Frances and George Trelevan. Owiis 360 acres of land ; probable -value $65 per acre.

PETER WEBER, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. 0. Byron ; born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1839 ; son of Doretha and John R. Weber, an overseer of a mine. The subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools of his native place ; at the age of 15, he came with his people to the United States, coming directly West, and locating in Byron ; Peter worked on a farm during the summer, and went to school in winter; in the fall of 1865, he bought his first farm of twenty acres in Section 32 ; he is now the owner of 140 acres in Sees. 21 and 28, where he now resides, and is now engaged in building a handsome new residence. He married, in Byron, in 1861, Harriet N., daughter of Jonas C. and Betsy Reynolds, farmers ; have four children - Silas E., Elmer C., Myrtie, John J. Family are members of the M. E. Church ; he is politically a Republican.

JOHX WINDECKER, See. 8 ; P. 0. Oakfield ; born in Fairfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., March 22, 1802 ; son of Mary and Jacob Windecker, a farmer;- the subject of this sketch was educated in the German and English branches in the schools of New York, and was brought up on a farm ; in 1833, he embarked in the hotel and mercantile business in the town of Lowville, N. Y.; in 1851, he came to the State of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Co., and was occupied at mason work, at which he was quite an adept ; in 1854, he came to Byron, where he has made his home ever since. Married, March 27, 1821, in New York State, Caroline, daughter of Olive and John Ralsten, a shoemaker, and soldier of the Revolution and war of 1812 ; have had nine children born to them - William R., Mariette, Sandusky, Conrad, Simeon, Carpline A., and three at one date, all still living and married, Sydney, Sylvester, Sedate. He is a member of the Masonic Order - joined in the neighborhood of 1845 ; was Postmaster in New York for fifteen years ; was also a Captain of a militia company in 1828 ; is a member of the Universalist Church, and politically a Republican. He resides with his two sons.