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- HENRY DAVIS, is one of the early settlers of the county,
residing
- on section 23, La Prairie Township, was born in the State
of New York in 1832. His parents, Ira S. and Alpha (HULL) DAVIS,
were both natives of Vermont, and were of Welsh descent. His
father died when he was a child of three years, after which is
mother was again married, becoming the wife of Dayton HEDGES.
The children of her first marriage were: Benjamin, who is numbered
among the pioneer settlers of Rock County, and is engaged in
farming in Porter Township; Polly, who became the wife of Peter
MORGAN, of Almira, N.Y., in which city her death occurred; Caroline,
wife of George FOOTE, of Havana, N.Y.; Phoebe, who married Orrin
JEROME, and after his death became the wife of a Mr. BASKETT,
who
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- died in Missouri, and her death occurred in Linn County,
that State; George, who is engaged in farming in Chenango County,
N.Y.; and Henry, of this sketch, who is the youngest of the family.
He has two half sisters- Mary J., wife of Simon WAITE, and Louisa,
who is also married and resides in Nebraska. The maternal grandfather
of our subject, Darius HULL, served his country during the War
of 1812, in which he held the rank of Captain.
- When Henry was but three years old, his father died, after
which he went to live in the family of
- a farmer by the name of WEBLERY, who resided in New York,
but being so cruelly treated, his mother brought the young lad
back to his home. He afterwards entered the family of one John
GOODELL, with whom he remained for several years, but at length
returned to his mother, who in the meantime had been again married.
In 1851, when nineteen years of age, he left home and went to
La Prairie Township. In the meantime, the family had come to
Rock County, in 1848, settling in Porter Township. After leaving
home, Mr. DAVIS engaged as a farm hand for several months, being
in the employ of Mr. HITCHCOCK, after which he worked for Hiram
FINCH for one year.
- In the spring of 1855 our subject was united in marriage
with Hannah A. SPARROWK, a
- native of Vermont, and by their union nine children were
born, eight of whom are now living - Alpha A., wife of Simon
KNOFF, a resident of Janesville; Hannah, who wedded George DAVIS,
of Janesville; Alice C., wife of George E. DEEN; George H. B.,
a resident farmer of La Prairie Township; John G., who makes
his home in Janesville; Kittie R., Frank E. and Nora M., who
are at home. The mother of this family died on the 9th day of
September, 1874, at the age of thirty-nine years, after which
Mr. DAVIS was again married, Miss Fannie TERWEILLEGER, a native
of Pennsylvania, becoming his wife. To them has been born one
child - Charles B.
- Mr. DAVIS has been honored by his fellow-citizens with several
local offices of trust, including
- that of Township Treasurer, which he held for the long period
of fourteen years. Politically he affiliates with the Republican
party. In 1854 he purchased eighty acres of land, situated on
section 23, La Prairie Township, which he immediately began to
improve and cultivate, and now has one of the finest farms in
the vicinity, its boundaries, however, having been extended until
it now comprises 320 acres. He has made a specialty of raising
fine sheep, and is regarded as one of the progressive and enterprising
citizens of the county. Financially, Mr. DAVIS is a self-made
man. He did not even receive an advanced education to aid him
in life, for his only opportunities were those afforded by the
district schools, but with characteristic energy he determined
to make life a success, and has earnestly and faithfully labored,
until he is now numbered among the well-to-do farmers. (see portrait
upon another page)
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-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 223-224; lithograph from
same book.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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