- NICHOLAS PEPPER, a farmer and stock-raise, is engaged in
operating his fine farm of 190
- acres, situated on section 20, Center Township. He has been
a resident of the county since its pioneer days, and has witnessed
the progress and development of the entire community. He was
born in Dutchess County, N.Y., on the 7th day of June, 1825,
and when seven years of age, in 1832, emigrated to Luzerne County,
Pa., with his father's family, where he was reared to manhood.
The father, David PEPPER, was born in Dutchess County, N.Y.,
in 1804, of German parentage, and in 1823 was united in the holy
bonds of matrimony with Miss Survival DAILEY. They became the
parents of seven children, four of whom were born in Dutchess
County, N.Y., the remaining three being born after the removal
of the family to Pennsylvania. Nicholas, of this sketch was
the first in order of birth; Eliza, the second, is the wife of
Dewey McKINSTRY, who is now living in the town of Wells, Faribault
Co., Minn.; Dennis, who was born in 1828, wedded Miss Mary McDOWELL,
a native of the Keystone State, and died May 29, 1887; Clark,
who was united in marriage with a Miss ESKIN, and has two children,
is living in Ashland County, Neb.; Adeline is the wife of James
FERGUSON, a native of Rock County, now living in Michigan, and
they have one child; Ezra, who makes his home in Nebraska, married
Miss M. A. CARR, and their union has been blessed with six children;
Darius W., a resident farmer of Center Township, is the husband
of Miss Minnie OWENS, by whom he has one child.
- The subject of our sketch, at the age of twenty years, came
with his father's family to Rock
- County, Wis., in 1845, and since that time has been numbered
among its leading citizens. On the 23d day of November, 1859,
he was united in marriage with Miss Ellen CARR, the ceremony
being performed in Fayette County, Wis. Her parents were James
and Diadema (BOWMAN) CARR, the former a native of West Virginia,
of German and Irish origin, the latter a native of Ohio, born
of German parentage. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs.
CARR, namely: John married Miss Fannie COCHRAN, and both are
deceased, leaving four children; Elizabeth died many years ago;
Mrs. PEPPER is the next in order of birth; Christina, who became
the wife of Charles BROWER, died in 1869; Robert, who laid down
his life on the altar of his country, dying from a wound received
at Spanish Fort; Abram, who was also one of the boys in blue,
and participated in the battle of Pea Ridge, wedded Miss Ellen
McCARTY, and three children have been born unto them; Millie
Ann is the wife of Ezra PEPPER, a resident of Nebraska; Hannah
Jane wedded David CHENEY, by whom she has six children, and
also lives in Nebraska; Catherine is the deceased wife of John
DICKEY, of Iowa, and Rachel, who wedded Joseph FISHER, of Storey
County, Iowa, and died in 1883, leaving three children. One
died in infancy, unnamed.
- The family circle of Mr. and Mrs. PEPPER was completed by
the birth of six children, four of
- whom are yet living. David L. died at the age of four years;
Caroline Augusta died at the early age of twenty months; Lucy
Ann became the wife of John GOLDSMITH, a farmer of Center Township,
on the 1st day of January, 1888, and to them has been born one
child; James F., born July 6, 1865, is at home; Henry, born May
11, 1868, is still under the parental roof, and George E., born
April 14, 1872, is attending school.
- Mr. PEPPER is numbered among the honored pioneers of Rock
County, where for the long
- period of forty-four years he has made his home. When he
came to the Territory of Wisconsin, the country was in a wild
and uncultivated state, the prairies were covered with a thick
growth of rank grass, wild game of all kinds abounded; the settlements
were few and far between,and the smoke of the Indian wigwam had
hardly cleared away. In the great and rapid changes that have
taken place, in the work of development and progress, Mr. PEEPPER
has born no inconsiderable part, and to him Rock County owes
a debt of gratitude for his labors in her behalf. Public spirited
and progressive, he has been prominent in the promotion of the
interests of the community, and is a valued citizen of Center
Township. In politics he supports the Republican party. His
business life has been spent in agricultural pursuits, and he
now has one of the finest farms in the county, consisting of
160 acres of arable land, and thirty acres of timber land. Possessing
good business ability, and that enterprising spirit that overcomes
all obstacles, he has made his own way in the world, and can
truly be called a self-made man.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 943-944.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|