- VOLNEY WOOD, who resides on section 22, Johnstown Township,
is a leading and enterprising
- farmer and is the owner of 228 acres of land situated on
sections 22, 23 and 26. He was born in Pennsylvania, April 21,
1830 and is the youngest child of Silas and Olive (KENNEDY) WOOD,
who were born in New York. When our subject was two years old,
his parents removed to Ashtabula County, Ohio, where they spent
the succeeding four years, and in 1836, became residents of La
Porte County, Ind. His father there engaged in farming for several
years, when he again removed with his family, settling in Rock
County, Wis., in 1840. He once more turned his attention to agricultural
pursuits, owning a farm in the town of Milton, where he made
his home until his death, which occurred in February, 1854, at
the age of sixty-five years. His wife preceded him to her final
rest, dying in 1849. They were people held in high esteem, and
their children, six in number, all became respected men and women.
Jasper, the eldest, who was born July 22, 1816, died in 1851;
Royal born Sept. 7, 1818, has now retired from active life and
is a resident of Janesville; Zelotes, born Oct. 25, 1820, is
living in Ashtabula County, Ohio; Parmenas, born on the 4th day
of September, 1823, died in 1853; Daniel M., born May 30, 1826,
departed this life in 1877; and Volney, of this sketch, completed
the family.
- Since 1840, our subject has been a resident of Rock County,
and is numbered among the honored
- pioneers. At the time of his coming the prairies were uncultivated,
but few settlements had been made, and the process of development
had scarcely begun. Settling on a farm in Milton Township, he
there made his home for twenty-nine years, when he removed to
his present residence. He has followed the occupation of farming
throughout his entire life, and everything about his place indicates
the owner to be a man of thrift and progressive ideas.
- In the month of August, 1849, Mr. WOOD was united in marriage
with Miss Catherine L.
- AUSTIN, daughter of John and Rebecca AUSTIN, whose sketch
appears on another page of this volume. The early home of the
AUSTIN family was in the Empire State, but in 1845, they emigrated
to the West and became pioneers of Rock County, Wis. By the union
of Mr. and Mrs. WOOD, six children have been born, and although
some have left the parental roof, the family circle has been
unbroken by the hand of death. Louisa M., the eldest, who was
born May 29, 1850, is the wife of E. P. KEITH, a resident farmer
of Kossuth County, Iowa, and to them have been born four children
- Lynn, Harry, Flora May, and Charlie; Eveline, who was born
on the 15th day of February, 1852, is living at home; Frances
E., born April 9, 1854, became the wife of Dr. E. L. CARY, a
practicing physician of Whitewater, Wis., and to them has been
born a daughter, Florence Lillian, who was born Nov. 6, 1882;
Cora May, born Jan. 3, 1859, was united in marriage Nov. 12,
1885, with E. A. CARTER, and in September, 1886, a son, Ralph,
was born unto them; Flora A., born Sept. 29, 1860, was joined
in wedlock Jan. 26, 1888, with David ZUILL, who is engaged in
farming in Johnstown Township; Grant V., the youngest, born July
6, 1865, is a resident farmer of Bradford Township, and on the
23rd day of July, 1886, married Miss Eva WELCH, daughter of Edwin
F. WELCH, of this county. They also have one child, Howard Edwin.
- Mr. WOOD has taken an active interest in the affairs of Rock
County, and has served his fellow
- citizens in various township offices. While residing in the
town of Milton, he held the position of Supervisor, and since
his removal to Johnstown Township has served as Assessor for
six years, having filled that office for the past four years.
He has also served on the School Board for several years, and
for five years was Secretary for the Johnstown Insurance Company.
He has ever discharged the duties of his office in a most satisfactory
manner, and is a worthy and respected citizen. Mr. WOOD attends
the Congregational Church, although he is not a member of any
denomination. In his political views he is in accord with the
Republican party.
-
- Taken from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock
County, Wis." (c)1889, p. 636-637.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|