- WILLIAM H. H. BAILEY, one of the very earliest pioneers of
Janesville, and in his day a leading
- citizen of the town, was born in New Hampshire in 1814. He
removed to Danville, Vt., in early life, where he was united
in marriage in 1835, to Miss Mary DIXON, a sister of John P.
DIXON, a well-known and prominent early settler of Janesville.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. BAILEY removed to Cincinnati,
Ohio, and in October, 1836, came to Janesville, where he joined
his brother-in- law, Mr. DIXON, who had preceded him the previous
spring. The two families located on claims near the river, in
what is now the southeastern portion of the city of Janesville,
known as DIXON's and BAILEY's addition.
- In 1842, Mr. BAILEY formed a partnership with Thomas LAPPIN,
the pioneer merchant of
- Janesville, their store, which contained a stock of general
merchandise, being situated on the site of the present LAPPIN
block. That connection was continued two years, when Mr. BAILEY
sold out to the partner, and for a few years was engaged in other
business. About 1848 he purchased a stock of general merchandise
and went into business with E. L. DIMOCK, but two years later
sold out to Mr. DIMOCK and CLARK, the next few years being passed
in the real estate and other business. Mr. BAILEY was a Whig
and was a leader in local politics in the early settlement of
the county. When Rock County was organized and a board of Commissioners
elected, Mr. BAILEY was chosen clerk, April 1, 1839. In 1840,
he was elected the first register of deeds, and also the first
clerk of the Board of county Supervisors, which for the first
time was organized as the county government and was composed
of representatives from the various towns and villages. In 1842,
Mr. BAILEY joined Thomas LAPPIN and Charles STEVENS in building
the first bridge across Rock River, at Janesville. It was built
at the crossing of Milwaukee street, at a cost of $2,000, was
a toll bridge and was in use for more than ten years. He was
also associated with A. Hyatt SMITH in building the first dam
across Rock River at Janesville, in the winter of 1844-45. In
1848 he was one of the incorporators of the Madison & Beloit
Railway Company, the first railway company incorporated in the
State. The road was ultimately built by another company, and
is the present Madison Division of the Chicago & Northwestern
Railroad. About 1843, Mr. BAILEY joined A. H. SMITH and L. E.
STONE in the purchase of a tract of land lying along the west
bank of Rock River, which they platted under the title of SMITH,
BAILEY & STONE's Addition to Janesville. This addition is
bounded on the north by Ravine Creek, on the east by the river,
on the south by Union street and on the west by Jackson and High
streets, and includes a large part of the most valuable portions
of the business center of Janesville. The price paid for the
land by the company was $12 an acre. Mr. BAILEY was from time
to time interested in various business enterprises, and as he
was an energetic man of superior ability, prospered in business,
and became quite wealthy. In 1855, he sold out his possessions
in the West and with his family removed to Concord, N. H., and
later to Boston, Mass., where he met with reverses in business
and lost heavily. Subsequently returning to Janesville he invested
some $1,800 in loans at Minneapolis, Minn., which he lost through
the dishonesty of his agent at that place. Soon after the war
he went South and was engaged in the cotton and leaf tobacco
trade, until broken down in health he returned to Janesville,
where he died on the 11th day of March, 1872, at the residence
of his son-in-law, R. M. BOSTWICK.
- Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. BAILEY, only one is
now living, Helen M., who was the
- first white girl born at Janesville, and is now the wife
of R. M. BOSTWICK, a leading merchant of that city, whose sketch
appears elsewhere; one son, Marshall, grew to manhood and died
at Shreveport, La., in 1874. Mrs. BAILEY who was born in Danville,
Vt., died on the 30th day of April, 1884, at the residence of
her daughter, Mrs. BOSTWICK, aged sixty-eight years. Mr. BAILEY
was recognized as one of the most enterprising and stirring business
men of his day in Janesville. He was a man of great force and
energy and possessed good business qualifications. The superior
natural advantages of Janesville as a manufacturing and commercial
point were appreciated by him and he was ambitious of seeing
it develop into a great city. But few of his old neighbors and
associates of the pioneer days are to be found. Some have moved
to distant parts of the country, while many, like himself, have
joined the silent majority across the dark river. Of those seen
by the writer, Mr. BAILEY is spoken of with marked respect as
a man of upright character, true to his friends, and always reliable.
He was a warm personal friend of President Franklin Pierce and
after his return to New Hampshire, took an active part in politics,
and in 1857, was chosen first counselor under Gov. William Hale.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 546-547.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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