Dekorra Town

Dekorra Town

lu:)!*'^'*'*'* L.UTHER, farmer, Sec. 14; P. 0. Hartman ; was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1821. ; his parents, William and Mary Luther, natives of Rhode Island, removed to the State of New

1861 ; his present wife was Mrs. Betsey Marsh, a sister of his former wife ; he had six children by first marriage, four of whom are now living - Annetta, Lovina, Lester and George P.; the two lost died in infancy ; has three children by present marriage - Lovilla, William and Caroline I. Mr. Luther has 185 acres of land ; was a member of the Board of Supervisors for five years.

^*w* I^l^THER, farmer, P. 0. Poynette ; was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., March, 1825 ; he came to Wisconsin in 1847, but went to Illinois, where he resided five years, when he came to Columbia Co., settled m Sec. 2o, town of Dekorra ; he resided where he first settled about sixteen years, when he purchased his present farm of 100 acres, adjoining the village of Poynette; he still owns his farm in Sec. -5, which contains 240 acres. Mr. Luther was married to Miss R. Ackerman, born in Jefi-erson Co., N.

' wA«»T m"" °'»''dren - Madora, Oliver C, Loda, Charles, Alida, Clarence and George. M n L McCARTAN, farmer and teacher. Sec. 32 ; P. 0. Poynette ; is the son of Dani,;!

McLartaD, who emigrated from Ireland to Canada about 1834, where he was enuaged in teaching ; he came to Columbia in 1846, and settled on a part of the farm which his son John now owns; he was accidentally killed in 1863. John was born on the farm where he now lives July 6, 1850. He was married to Harriet Hagan, daughter of John Hagan ; has one child - Daniel. Has taught eight winter terms of school in Columbia Co., five in the town of Dekorra ; his farm contains about 500 acres.

resident of Dekorra Township since 1838 ; he was born in Scotland, in June, 1803; he emigrated to Canada in 1832 ; went to New York City in 1836, to Detroit the following winter, and to Green Bay in 1837, where he remained till March, 1838, when ho came to Columbia Co., and located in the village of Uekorra, where he built a store, the first in the town ; he went to Madison in the fall of that year, where he worked at his trade, that of a carpenter ; he exchanged his store at Dekorra for 160 acres of land, ,1 part ot the farm of 400 acres which he now owns. He was married to Ann Patterson, born in Norway ; they have seven children - William, James, Elisabeth, Martha, Hector, John and Ronald.

V \r' , t^*«KEXZIE, proprietor of Dekorra Mills; was born in Scotland in 1832; he came to iNew York with his parents, Peter and Christina Burgess McKenzie, in 1844; his father settled in Kacine Co., Wis., where he lived five years, then came to Dekorra and entered a farm in See. 6, where he now resides. Mr. John McKenzie remained in the city of New York and vicinity till April, 1846, when he came to Dekorra; in 1857, he bought a farm in Sec. 23 ; purchased a mill of Mr. Samuel Carr in T ivM-"''''^ married to Mary Wilson, daughter of James Wilson ; have eight children - Mary, Peter, dames, \V illiam, John, Christina, Kenneth and Janet. Mr. James Wilson, father of Mrs. McKenzie, was among the early prominent settlers of Columbia Co.; he was born in Scotland in 1802. Married to Mary Robertson, sister of Thomas Robertson ; they had four sons and six dau<?hters, all of whom are livin.' except one son, William, who died in June, 1866. Mr. McKenzie came fiom Scotland to Columbia Co. in 1842 and settled there in what is now the town of Caledonia; he settled in the town of Dekorra in I80O, and died Aug. 5, 1878.

JOHN REEDAL, farmer. Sec. 5 ; P. 0. Dekorra; is a native of Yorkshire, England, born a)out 18..0 ; his flither emigrated to this country about 1831 ; resided in Michigan about six years ; thence to Illinois, where he lived about thirteen years ; came to Columbia Co. in June, 1849; in the fall of that y«ar the family settled in Sec. 17, Dekorra ; afterward settled where his son James now lives. Mr. John Reedal was married to Miss Mary McKenzie ; has three children - Peter E., George B. and Sarah S Farm cojtains 110 acres.

k ^^J*"*^'"^'' REEDAL, farmer. Sec. 7 ; P. 0. Dekorra; is a son of Henry Reedal; he was fi?'" '°u >j °" "® "'"* marned to Rose B. Hastie, daughter of Archibald Hastie ; they have thi^ediildren - Ellen, Edna and Horace. Farm contains 217 acres, where he settled in November, 1S65. ,. y**^*^fAIi ijr. ROBINSOBf, harness-maker, Poynette; was born in Milwaukee in 1845- his father was born in the State of New York ; his mother was a native of England ; his father died in Milwaukee in 1848 ; his mother, with her family, removed to Waukesha Co., abo^ut 1854 ; thence to Sauk Co.,and to Columbia Co., in 1861. Mr. Robinson began his apprenticeship to the trade of harness-maker at Pardeeville, with Noah Benedict in 1863, but enlisted February, 1864, in the 36th W. V. I., and served until the close of the war; he participated in the battle* of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Hatch's Run, and in all the battles which his regiment took part in ; after his enlistment at the close of the war, he returned to Pardeeville, and resumed his apprenticeship ; he located in Poynette, September, 1867. He was married to Miss W. M. Dusenburry ; they have one child - Hattie E.; lost one child.

DR. E. FRED RUSSELL, merchant, Poynette ; born in 1834, in Eaton, Canada East ; his parents removed to Addison, Vt., when he was 4 years of age, where he lived until he was 18 years of age ; he was then engaged on the Rutland & Burlington R. R., for about two years ; he came to Columbia Co. in 1854, on a visit to his parents, who had preceded him to Wisconsin ; he then went to Madison, where he was engaged as book-keeper and ticket agent for one year; in the spring of 1856, he went to McGregor, Iowa, where he was engaged in the commission and forwarding business until August, 1857 ; he then returned to Columbia Co., and engaged in the study of medicine with Dr. L. A. Squires, of Lodi ; attended a course of lectures at Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1859, and graduated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1861 ; he settled in Poynette in June of that year, and engaged in the practice of medicine, until 1870, when, on account of failing health, he discontinued the practice of his profession. Dr. Russell opened the pioneer drug store in Poynette in 1857 ; sold his interest therein in 1869, and engaged in the general merchandise business, which he has followed since that time. He was married to Estella L. Waldron, formerly from Vermont; they have one son - Harry L., born March, 1866.

ISAAC C. SARtrEXT, Postmaster, Poynette ; was born in Saratoga, N. Y., in 1821 ; he came to Dane Co., Wis., in 1851 ; he removed to the town of Leeds, Columbia Co., in the spring of 1851, and engaged in farming on Sec. 16 ; he came to Poynette in the fall of 1862, purchased a farm adjoining the village of Poynette, which he sold in 1877 ; has been Postmaster since 1871 ; Mr. Sargent is a painter by trade, which business he followed for many years. His first wife was Eliza J. Dodge, born in New Hampshire. His present wife was Mrs. Isabella C. Rice, daughter of Adam Van Slyck, native of New York. Mr. Sargent has four children by first marriage - Abba J. (now Mrs. Joseph Townsend), Julia B. (now Mrs. R. R. Lloyd), Charles W. and Arthur.

jflATHIAS SCOFIELD, farmer. Sec. 22; P. 0. Poynette; was born in Walworth Co.. Wis., in 1847 ; he is the son of Sands R. Scofield ; he located where he now lives in the spring of 1874- He was married to Mary E. Rhoades ; they have four children - Joshua B., Mary A. Orpha D. and Eugene R. Mr. Scofield has 60 acres of land. He was elected Town Treasurer in the spring of 1879.

SANDS L. SCOFIELD, farmer. Sec. 23; P. 0. Poynette; was born in Westchester Co.. N. Y., in 1835. His parents. Sands R. and Mahala Scofield, removed to Racine Co., Wis., in 1844, and to Columbia Co. May, 1850 ; his parents settled on the farm where he now lives, where his father died, April, 1859 ; his mother died in 1867. He was married to Vesta L. Packard, whose parents came to Columbia Co. in the fall of 1849; they have five children - Ida, Vesta, Lewis, Sanford J. and Ella L. Mr. Scofield enlisted Sept. 1, 1864, in 42d W. V. I.; served till close of the war. He has been Town Clerk for five years. His farm contains 135 acres.

LUCIUS A. SQUIRE, physician and druggist, Poynette ; was born in New Haven, Addisoc Co., Vt., April 8, 1825; his father was also a physician, and native of Vermont. Dr. Squire was a stu dent of Prof. W. Goldsmith, of Castleton, Vt.; he graduated at Castleton Medical College in the fivU of 1851; he practiced medicine at Clarendon Springs, Vt., for two years; in 1854. he came West, ani formed a copartnership with Dr. R. K. Bell, of Token Creek, Dane Co., Wis., where he remained one yea-; he then located at Leeds Center, Columbia Co., where he remained till 1876, when he came to Poynetta. He was married in the spring of 1856, to Miss Louisa J. Howard, also born in Addison Co., Vt.; one son, Mally, born June, 1866. Dr. S((uire belongs to that cla.ss of men generally known as self-made men, and has not only attained to considerable eminence in his profession, but has also been one of the foremost in entirprises of public interest ; he was Town Superintendent of Schools for the town of Leeds for several yea's ; was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for several terms ; started the first store in Leeds in 1856 ; secured the post ofiice at Leeds Center and was the first Postmaster, being appointed in 1857 ; he bought '.he farm known as the John C. Baker farm, at Leeds Center, in 1863; this farm contains 160 acres, anc is one of the best improved farms in the county.

EDWIJV F. TILLOTSON, proprietor of " American House," Poynette; is the son of Stephen Tillotson, of the to'^n of Dekorra. He was born in Erie Co., Ohio, in 1849. His parents came to Columbia Co. in the fall of 1850, and settled in Sec. 13, town of Dekorra, where ho now lives. Mr. Tillotson was married to Anna Ellis, born in England in 1854. They have two children - Louisi and Sarah ; lost their first child - a daughter.

Town Of Pacific

E. B. THOMAS, carpenter and builder, Poynette ; was born in Canada East in 1829; his parents were natives of New Hampshire ; they removed to the State of New York when he was 7 years of age; he came to Columbia Co. in 1857, and settled in Arlington ; Mr. Thomas located in Poynette in 1868. He was married to Miss Jane E. Philips, of New York State; they have five children - Cora, John, Mina, Roy and Ely. Mr. Thomas was engaged in farming while a resident of the town of Arlington, but is by trade a carpenter and builder, and has erected many of the best buildings in Poynette and elsewhere.

JAMES TOMLINSON, farmer. Sec. 36, P. O. Poynette ; was born in Yorkshire, England, in May, 1831. His father's family emigrated to this country in the fall of 1842 ; they lived in Jefferson Co., N. Y., for two years ; then removed to Canada, where they lived five years ; they came to Columbia Co. in 1849. His father settled where his son James now lives; he afierward removed to Poynette, where he at one time owned most of the land now occupied by that village. He died in August, 1874. Mr. Tomlinson's mother died in February of the same year. He was married to Emma C. Bowles, born in Jefferson Co., N. Y. ; has five children - E. K., James S., Arthur B., Minnie and Alberta. " Farm contains 110 acres.

JOHN WIIiSOBf, farmer and stock-dealer, Poynette ; is a son of one of the early settlers of Columbia Co. His father was Mr. Robert Wilson, who came to Columbia Co. from Scotland in 1849, and settled in Sec. "34, town of Dekorra, where he lived about seven years: he then removed to the town of Buffalo, Marquette Co., where he lived about seven years ; then returned to Columbia Co., and settled in Arlington Township, where died about 1873. His mother still lives in the town of Arlington. John was born in Scotland in 1845 ; he has been a resident of Columbia Co. since his parents returned from Marquette Co. He was married to Louisa Calkins, daughter of H. Calkins, of the town of Arlington. Has four children - -Nellie, Vine, Edith and Robert. He owns a farm in the town of Leeds, of 133 acres ; is engaged in farming and stock-raising.

PARKER YOUNGS, farmer. Sec. 36 ; P. 0. Poynette ; was born in the State of New York in 1843 ; his father removed to Walworth Co., Wis., in the fall of 1 845, and to Columbia Co. in the spring of 1846; he now resides in Arlington Township. Mr. Youngs was married to Orvilla Wheeler, whose parents came to Columbia Co. when she was a child ; her father died in February, 1871, in the town of Leeds ; her mother resides at Poynette. Mr. Youngs has four children - Morris, Davis, Harry and Jennie ; his farm contains 80 acres.

WnLLlAM BATES, farmer. Sec. 36; P. 0. Portage City; born July 25, 1820. in Preble Co., Ohio ; son of John and Ann Bates, who removed to Rush Co., Ind., when he was about 4 or 5 years old. He was married July 24, 1845, in Carroll Co., Ind., to Elizabeth McKinney, who died Nov. 11. 1859, aged 32 years, leaving four children - Minerva Jane (now Mrs. Benjamin Fish, of Dekorra) ; Sarah Emily (now Mrs. Charles Rhodes, of Dekorra) ; Zachary Taylor, married Miss B. A. Kane (lives in Green Bay) ; and Charles Sumner (in Minnesota). Mr. Bates was married the second time April 2, 1861, in Caledonia, to Agnes Davidson, who was born in Galloway, Scotland, Oct. 29, 1832, daughter of John Duff, and widow of James Davidson, who died Aug. 17, 1856, on the ocean, off the Cape De Verde Islands, at the age of 24, leaving one son, James, who is now living in Pipestone Co., Minn. Mr. Bates by the second marriage has six children - Jane Ann, Mary Agnes, Ada Elizabeth, Margaret Luella, Rosella May and William Henry, all at home. Mr. Bates is a Republican, and has been Supervisor and Treasurer of the town of Pacific. Both are members of the Universalist Parish of Wyocena. He has 140 acres of land.

JHOSES BUMP, farmer, Sec. 35 ; P.O.Pacific; born Jan. 24, 1811, in Rutland, Vt.; his father, Edward Bump, removed to Western New York, and settled in Cattaraugus Co., where Moses was married, Jan. 1, 1834, in Yorkshire, to Phebe Daggett, who was born in 1814. Mr. Bump came to Wisconsin in August, 1850, and settled in Dodge Co., town of Lowell, and in March. 1852, removed to his present location. Have had eight children, five of them still living - Maria ( now Mrs. Erastus Porter, of Pacific), Emeliue (now Mrs. George Farbush, of Omro, Wis.); Jerusha (now Mrs. Riley Weeks, of Geneseo, N. Y.) ; Mianda (now Mrs. 0. Dow) ; Am., lives in Pacific and Lincoln at home ; Charles died at 3 years of age, in 1856, and Cyrus enlisted in the 36th W. V. I., Co. I; was taken prisoner at the battle before Petersburg, first confined in Libby prison, then taken to Andersonville, and finally to Salisbury, N. C.; he died on the way home after the war closed, but his place of burial is unknown. Mr.

Bump is a Republican and has been Supervisor several torms ; has 160 acres of land. He is a firm believer in what he calls the Spiritual Church of Christ, or what is known as Spiritualism. Claims to be living in the millenium and that the millenium comes to every man whenever his spirit is in harmony with the spirit of Christ.

STEPHBtf CALVERLEY, Jr., farmer, Sec. 12; P. 0. Portage City; born May 4, 1850, in the town of Pacific, and was the first white child born in the town ; son of Stephen Calverley, Sr. (See his biography.) He was married, Nov. 4. 1870, to Maggie Dickinson, who was born Oct. 30, 1850, in the town of Wyocena, daughter of James Dickinson, a native of Dumfrees Co., Scotland, who came to Wyocena in 1848, enlisted in the 10th W. V. I., Co. D, in 1861, and was killed in action, at the battle of Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Calverley have three children - Ann, born July 31, 1870; Sarah, Aug. 10, 1871, and Stephen, Dec. 16,1878; lost one daughter, Jennie, born April 11, 1874. He has a farm of 307 acres, and is a Republican.

B. F. FI^OWER, farmer. Sec. 22 ; P. 0. Portage City ; born Aug. 2, 1819, in Franklin Co., Mas.s, ; his parents removed to Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1835 ; his father, Phineas Flower, died in that county in the fall of lS56,at the age of 75, and Mrs. Flower in January, 1^63, aged 83. B. F. was married in the town of Phelps, OntarioCo.,Oct. 12, 1841,to Sarah J. Kanouse, who was born Feb.l, 1821 ; daughter of John C. and Sarah Kanvuse ; her father died in 1849 and her mother in 1862. Mr. Flower came to Wisconsin in October, 1855, settled in the town of Pacific, and has resided in the town ever since ; has two children - Winfield Scott, born July 2, 1852, and James Franklin, Feb. 9, 1855. He is married to Adella A. Porter, and lives in the town of Wyocena; has also an adopted daughter, Clara Bell, born April 15, 1866; has lost three children ; two died in infancy in New York, and Chester B., who was born July 23, 1842, enlisted in August, 1862, in the 23d W. V. I., Co. C, and died Feb. 16, 1863, at Young's Point, La., soon after the battle of Arkansas Post, in which he was engaged. Mr. Flower is a Republican of the strongest type, and has held the oflice of Chairman, Supervisor, Treasurer and Assessor. Has 260 acres of land.

HENRY JEXNIN<]}$$, fiirmer. Sec. 24; P. 0. Wyocena ; was born Dec. 1, 1816, in Bradford, Yorkshire, England ; youngest son of Caleb and Elizabeth (Mitchell) Jennings ; when 8 years of age, he went to work in a worsted factory, in which he continued till he was 25, being an overseer at the time he quit. In 1842, he came to America, landing in New Orleans, in the month of March ; came direct to Wisconsin and settled in the town of Raymond (then Yorkville), Racine Co., where he was married, on the 6th day of January, 1846, to Rebecca Bisbee, who was born Jan. 22, 1827, in the village of Perryville, Vermilion Co., Ind.; lived in Racine Co. till November, 1849, then came to Columbia Co. and settled in the town of Pacific, on the farm he now owns, having bought the land in 1848. In politics, a Republican ; he has been Chairman, Supervisor and Treasurer, and has been elected to all the other town oflSces, but never qualified ; has a farm of 500 acres ; has no children of his own, but has brought up three adopted children - Robert, Edith and Ellen ; Robert is married to Miss Ora Calkins, and lives on the hnmc farm ; Edith is the wife of Clark Bartholomew, of Lodi, Wis., and Ellen is still at home. Darius E. Bisbee (father of Mrs. Jennings), was a native of Massachusetts ; came from Ohio to Racine Co.. Wis., in 1843, and from there to Wyocena in 1847 ; built the Bisbee grist-mill twomiles east of Wyocena Village in 1853-54, and died in 1856, aged 57 ; he left two sons and five daughters - James died in Fillmore Co., Minn., in 1866, and Albert lives in Pueblo, Colo.; two of the daughters, Mary Jane and Margaret, live in Larned, Kan., Elizabeth S. at Colorado Springs; the youngest daughter, Amanda, died in JIarch, 1878, in Pueblo, Colo. Mrs. Bisbee was born in Preble Co., Ohio, and died in Rushford, Minn., in 1873, aged 73 years.

DANIEL MARSTON, farmer, Sec. ; 13 P. 0. Pardeeville ; born Feb. 17, 1833, in Rockingham Co., N. H.; son of John H. and Mary (Thompson) Marston ; came to Wisconsin in 1852, and stayed in Pardeeville about a year. Was married, Jan. 17, 1854, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah Blaisdell, who came from New Hampshire in 1852, and still lives in the town of Wyocena ; she was born Sejit. 26, 1832, in the same county as her husband, in New Hampshire. In 1855, he came on the farm he now occupies, stayed a short time, then spent mostof his time away till thelasttwelve years, which has been spent on the farm by his family, though he has been away some of the time himself. He is a miller by trade, and ran the Wyocena mill three years. Fort Winnebago mill three years, and was in Iowa one year, and has also worked in Beaver Dam, Poynette and Delton, Wis. Has sis children - John, Charles Annie, Juniatta and Dwight and May (twins) ; none of them home but the two youngest. Is a Republican, and has been Town Superintendent, Town Clerk and Assessor. Has 340 acres of land.

Erie Co., Nov. 1, 1819, to Artemesha Bates, who died in November, 1850, leaving one son - De Witt D., born July 21, 1850, and now lives in Portage City; May 12, 1851, he married Ann Boies, who was born Oct. 1, 1827, in Erie Co., N. i'., daughter of Warren Boies. Came to Wisconsin in 1856, and settled on the farm he now occupies. Has three children by the second marriage - Arthur A., born July 15, 1857 ; Leslie L., June 20, 1859, and Frank D., Oct. 31, 1862 ; the last three are at home. Mr. Porter is a Republican ; has held various town ofiBces, and was a member of Assembly in the Legislature of 1873. Has 400 acres of land.

EDWARD SMITH, farmer. Sec. 21; P. 0. Portage City; born July 15, 1799, in Otsego Co., N. Y., town of Butternuts ; son of Griffin and Sophia Smith ; when 22 years of age, he went to Putnam Co., N. Y., and worked three years at farming, then at butchering till 1830, then went to Orange Co., N. Y., and followed the same business (butchering) at West Point till 1864 ; was under contract for Government supplies most of the time while there; came to Wisconsin in 1864, and .settled in the town of Pacific, in his present location. He was married, in 1838, to Rachel Rundell, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., who was born in April, 1810, and died Jan. 23, 1880; has three children - Richard is a railroad engineer, and lives in La Crosse, Wis.; Eliphalet is an express messenger, and lives in Milwaukee, and Lewis lives at home. Mr. Smith is a Democrat, and has been Chairman four terms, Town Clerk, Assessor and Treasurer. Has 160 acres of land.

GRIFFIN S.1IITH (deceased); was born in Otsego Co., N. Y., Jan. 15, 1808; he went to West Point, Orange Co., N. Y., soon after he attained his majority, and obtained a situation as steward in the cadet mess hall at that place; he afterward went in company with his brother Edward in the butchering business, which he continued about fifteen years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Bull, died Oct. 23, 1845, leaving three children. He came to Wisconsin in 1856, and settled on Sec. 27, in the town of Pacific, where he resided till his death, Sept. 14, 1877. His oldest son, Abner G., lives in Schuyler Co., N. Y. ; Edward E. and Mary are unmarried, and occupy the homestead of 200 acres ; P. O. Portage City. Mr. Smith never remarried, but his sister Sarah kept house for him after his wife's death ; she came West with him, and is still living on the homestead with Edward and Mary.

REV. JOSEPH F. WARREX. farmer and M. E. minister. Sec. 15; P.O. Portage City; is a native of Franklin Co., Mass., and was born July 10, 1829; when he was 6 years of age, his parents removed to Allegany Co., N. Y., where he spent his early life on his father's farm till 18 years old, then took charge of a saw-mill his father built just previous to that, and, in addition to his other business, worked at carpenter and millwright work while living in that State. He was married Aug. 26, 1857, in Allegany Co., to Mary Jane, youngest daughter of Rev. Daniel Woods, who was in the ministry in the M. E. Church for over thirty years ; she was born July 5, 1833, and was the youngest of eleven children. Mr. Warren came to Wisconsin in 1864, and settled in his present location. He joined the M. E. Church in 1856, and the next year received license as a local preacher; he has sustained that relation to the church ever since, working on his farm during the week and preaching every Sabbath. Has three children - Eva, born Oct. 6, 1862, and Jason and Nathan (twins), Dec. 1, 1865; has also an adopted son, Frank Corwin, born July 25, 1859. Has 260 acres of land, and in politics acts with the Republicanparty.