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- MILO SMITH is numbered among the
- honored pioneers of Rock County, and his beautiful home,
situated on section 15, Milton Township, indicates him to be
a man of energetic disposition and industrious habits. He was
born in Chautauqua County, N.Y., March 13, 1819, and is a son
of James and Olive (WIGGINS) SMITH, the former a native of Worcester
County, Mass., and the latter of Chautauqua County, N.Y. The
family is of English ancestry, the great-grandfather of our subject
having emigrated from England to America
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- during the early colonial days, and settling in Salem, Mass.
James SMITH was a farmer by occupation. His death occurred in
1831, when Milo was but twelve years of age, and Mrs. SMITH was
again married, becoming the wife of Jeremiah COWDEN. Her death
occurred in 1882, at the ripe old age of eighty-four years, and
both passed to their long rest in Chautauqua County. The family
to which our subject belonged numbered seven children, all of
whom grew to manhood and womanhood with the exception of the
first-born, who died in infancy; Milo is the second in order
of birth; Paul died of consumption in Chautauqua County, in 1867;
Philetta, widow of John RAPPOLLE, is living on the old homestead;
Alice, widow of Jonathan MAXON, is a resident of Osage County,
Kan.; Catherine A., widow of George RAPPOLD, makes her home in
Jamestown, N.Y.; and Luke died in Chicago, in 1865. The children
born to Mr. and Mrs. COWDEN were: Jerome, who enlisted in the
service of his country, and died in the prison at Salisbury,
N.C.; Alonzo, who died in infancy; and Robert I., who also served
in the late war, and for six months was a prisoner, is now living
in Chautauqua County, N.Y.
- The education of our subject was received in his native State
and throughout his life he has made
- farming his principal occupation. The days of his boyhood
and youth were spent under the parental roof, until he was eighteen
years of age, when, in 1837, he went to Genesee county, where
he made his home with an uncle for three years, attending school
during that time. Going to Rome, N.Y., he spent his summer months
in farm labor, and engaged in teaching school during the winter
season, until, with a view of bettering his financial condition,
he resolved to try his fortune in the West and came to the Territory
of Wisconsin. He first located in what is now the town of Milton,
Rock County, where he purchased 160 acres of land on section
15, the purchase price being twenty shillings per acre. He made
a partial payment, leaving $100 yet due, and at once began work,
in order to secure the means with which to clear his farm from
all indebtedness, which in the course of time he accomplished.
He worked at various occupations by the month, receiving from
$10 to $12 as a compensation for his services. For some time
he was engaged in the pineries of northern Wisconsin, and received
his pay in lumber, which he was forced to raft down the river
and sell before realizing any profit. It was thus sometimes a
year before he really received his earnings, which at the best
were very small. In 1848 he began breaking the land which he
had previously purchased, and in 1851 erected a log cabin. That
being done, he decided to rent his farm, which he leased until
1854.
- In that year, Mr. SMITH was married to Miss Elizabeth P.
TOURTELOTTE, the wedding
- being celebrated on the 7th day of March. The lady is a daughter
of Amos C. and Elizabeth (HERVEY) TOURTELOTTE, both of whom are
natives of the Bay State, but the father was of French descent,
and the mother of English origin. In 1853 they came with their
family to Rock County, where they passed the remainder of their
lives, the father dying in 1858, and the mother passing to her
final rest Jan. 3, 1862. By the union of Mr. and Mrs. SMITH they
became the parents of seven children, as follows: James Milo,
who was born Feb. 9, 1855, and is now engaged in farming in Seward
County, Kan.; Jessie L., born Jan. 19, 1857, is the wife of John
MARQUART, a resident farmer of the town of Milton; Clara E.,
born Sept. 16, 1858, wedded Josiah AULD, and they now reside
in the town of La Prairie; H. Fremont, born Aug. 10, 1862, married
Miss Nellie SERNS, and is engaged in operating the old home farm;
Olive E., born Oct. 11, 1867, died on the 27th day of September,
1869; Carroll L., born Aug. 4, 1871, is at home; Lynn T., born
Aug. 13, 1874, is also with his parents. The children have all
received good educational advantages, thereby fitting them for
useful positions in life, and are now respected men and women
who do honor to the family name.
- For the long period of upward of forty-six years Milo SMITH
has been a resident of Rock
- County. When he first came to the Territory of Wisconsin,
the land was almost entirely uncultivated, the greater portion
of it being still in possession of the Government; the red men
were yet frequent visitors in the settlement, and the nearest
neighbors were often miles away. The markets were at Milwaukee
and Chicago, and oxen were used in making the trips to those
places. Even the most far-sighted would scarcely have dreamed,
much less realized the important changes which were soon to take
place and transform the community from a wild and unsettled region
into a county which has no superior and few equals in this great
commonwealth. To the noble band of pioneer men and women, who
left the East with its comforts and luxuries to make for themselves
and families homes on the western frontier, a debt of gratitude
is due which can never be repaid, and among that brave band is
numbered our subject and his estimable wife. Mr. SMITH has devoted
much time and attention to the promotion of public enterprises,
and has filled various township offices of trust. In early life
he cast his ballot with the Whig party, but since its formation
has been an ardent supporter of the Republican party, and is
a great admirer of Gen. Benjamin Harrison, our present Executive,
with whom he had the pleasure of shaking hands, making a visit
to Indiana in 1888, especially for the purpose. Socially, he
holds membership in the I.O.O. F., his wife being a member of
the Rebecca Degree, and both are prominently identified with
the patrons of husbandry. Mrs. SMITH is greatly interested in
the temperance cause, being a member of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union, and Equal Suffrage Association of Wisconsin,
and her efforts in both lines of work have been productive of
much good. The home of Mr. and Mrs. SMITH is one of the most
beautiful in the community. The commodious residence is surrounded
by many shade and ornamental trees, and before the house are
many beds of lovely flowers, filling the air with their fragrance
and delighting the eye of the beholder, that are tenderly cared
for by Mrs. SMITH. Cordial and genial in manner, hospitable and
entertaining, this worthy couple have a large circle of friends
and acquaintances, and are held in the highest regard by all.
We are pleased to present their portraits to the readers of this
work.
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-
- Taken from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock
County, Wis." (c)1889, p. 665-666; lithograph from same
book.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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