- NICHOLAS SCHENCK, a leading and progressive farmer, residing
on section 27, of La Prairie
- Township, is a representative of one of the pioneer families
of the county. His father, William SCHENCK, located at Shopiere
in 1842, and from that time until his death continued to reside
in this community. He was born on the 24th day of October, 1810,
in Montgomery Co., N.Y., and Dec. 21, 1833, wedded Miss Sarah
Janette YOST, who was born Nov. 24, 1815. They became the parents
of eight children; Dorcas, the eldest, who was born Oct. 10,
1834, became the wife of Henry VANGALDER, March 11, 1885, and
after the death of her first husband in Missouri, she wedded
John WAYMAN, a resident of Louisiana, Mo. Rachel, born October
2, 1836, was married Sept. 29, 1863, to Henry HART, who died
in California, March 10, 1888; Peter, born Jan. 29, 1839, died
March 16, 1846, in his eighth year; William W., born April 11,
1841; Nicholas, of this sketch, Sept. 12, 1843; Edward F. S.,
Aug. 29, 1846; Jacob S., Sept. 30, 1848; and Sarah J., who was
born Feb. 17, 1852, married John CLARK, and died Feb. 9, 1875,
her husband dying in August, 1877. With the exception of Peter,
all the children grew to manhood and womanhood. The death of
the mother occurred on the 15th day of March, 1858, and Mr. SCHENCK
was again married Oct. 11, 1865, when Miss Mary MASON, who was
born in Wisconsin, Oct. 2, 1843, became his wife. Their union
was blessed with one child - Lorrain, who was born June 3, 1873.
- In 1842 William SCHENCK left his eastern home, and, accompanied
by his family, came to Rock
- county settling in Shopiere, where he worked at the trade
of wool-carding for two years, having followed the same occupation
in the east. In 1844 he purchased of the government, 240 acres
of land on section 27, La Prairie township, paying $1.25 per
acre. He at once began the development of the virgin soil, and,
in the course of time, had a fine farm. The year of his removal
to the claim, he built a small frame house, for which he procured
the lumber in Jefferson Co., Wis., rafting it down the Rock River
to a convenient landing, from whence he hauled it with an ox
team to his farm. With the assistance of his neighbors, the house
was raised, and continued to be his home until some years of
prosperity having elapsed, he replaced it by a more modern and
commodious frame residence, which, on the 15th day of April,
1870, was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Mr. SCHENCK
was a successful farmer, a good neighbor, and enjoyed the confidence
of the entire community in which he lived. He cast his first
vote in 1832, with the Whig party, which he supported until its
dissolution, at which time he joined the Republican party, and
remained one of its faithful adherents until his death, which
occurred June 3, 1885.
- Nicholas SCHENCK, the subject of this sketch, was born in
Shopiere, then the village of
- Waterloo, the year following the arrival of his parents in
Rock County. The greater part of his life has been spent upon
a farm, and at his father's death he succeeded to the old homestead,
where the happy days of his boyhood were spent. In 1855 he left
the parental roof and went to Tama Co., Iowa, where he engaged
in farming until 1860, and then returned to his home, where the
succeeding year was spent. At the end of that time he went to
Mexico, where he engaged in the grocery business for a year,
and then again returned to the old homestead, where he has been
actively engaged in farming, continuously since. Enterprise and
industry are numbered among his chief characteristics, and he
is a worthy citizen of La Prairie Township.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 205-206.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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