- CHARLES J. PLAYTER, a leading young farmer residing on section
21, Bradford Township,
- was born in that township Sept. 20, 1858. He is the son of
George and Janette (SMITH) PLAYTER, the former a native of Canada,
and the latter of New York.
- George PLAYTER was born in the town of York, Upper Canada,
in 1824, and came to
- Wisconsin in 1846, and settled in Bradford Township on sections
16 and 21. Soon after his arrival he formed the acquaintance
of Miss Janette SMITH, and in 1853 they were united in marriage.
She was a native New York, and came with her parents to Rock
County in 1842. They settled in La Prairie Township, where Mr.
SMITH engaged in farming. There were four children in the family
- Janette, the mother of our subject; Barrett H., who married
Miss Harriet ROSE, and now resides in La Prairie Township; Albert
C. and William, who reside in Nebraska. To George and Janette
PLAYTER five children were born - Alice, born in April, 1854,
is now the wife of N. B. INMAN, of Clinton, Wis.; Emma, born
Dec. 20, 1855, died Feb. 1, 1860; Charles, of whom we write;
Eda, born March 15, 1861, is the wife of Fred SCOTT, of Bradford
Township; Lewis, born June 5, 1863, is now in California. George
PLAYTER was a man of recognized ability, and served the township
in several local offices, including those of Assessor and a member
of and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. In 1864 he enlisted
in the 40th Wisconsin Infantry, and with the regiment proceeded
to Memphis, Tenn., where he contracted disease from exposure,
which resulted in his death Aug. 15, 1864. His body was brought
back and interred in the cemetery in Bradford Township.
- Our subject received his primary education in the common
schools, which was supplemented by
- two terms attendance at the commercial school in Janesville,
and also a course at the Wayland University. In the month of
August, 1881, he started for Dakota, with the intention of locating
a claim. Arriving in Sprink County, he remained there three weeks,
when he proceeded to Watertown, and thence by stage to Hastings.
He at length entered a claim of 160 acres, and in order to secure
the lumber to build the shanty which is required by law, had
to drive the distance of twenty miles. He erected a little cabin
8x10 feet, and returned to his home in Wisconsin. On the 15th
of February, 1882, he again went to his claim, residing there
for seven months. It had now become his, and in 1884 he sold
the homestead, realizing $1,000 on the investment. The land was
not far from a mine, and a party of five young men made their
home with Mr. PLAYTER and attended to the household affairs,
cooking and other duties, which we presume were not very elaborate.
One day the inmates of the little cabin had an Indian scare,
the report reaching them that Indians had been seen in the vicinity.
They immediately sent to Fort Sully for troops, and to Huron
for guns and ammunition, resolving to be prepared should an attack
come. An editor named Mills and another man were sent out to
see if the Indians were near, and seeing a party of surveyors,
thought they were the dreaded red men. The scare originated in
the following manner: A German, who was working with a party
of surveyors, fell over a mound, and his brother, thinking that
he had been shot by the Indians, started for a distant village,
running several miles. He was utterly exhausted on reaching the
village, but raised the cry of "Indians," which spread
consternation through the community.
- Mr. PLAYTER was united in marriage in Janesville on the 20th
day of June, 1888, with Miss
- Emma KELM, daughter of August KELM. The young couple began
their domestic life on the farm on section 21, Bradford Township,
where Mr. PLAYTER engaged in general farming. They were respected
by all who know them, and hold a high position in the social
world. Politically he is a staunch Republican, and is a member
of the I.O.O.F. and Sons of Veterans. Mrs. PLAYTER was brought
up in the Lutheran faith, while Mr. PLAYTER was reared in the
Congregational faith.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 295-296.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
-
- See outline
tree submitted by Taylor
Kennedy
|