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- LEVI ALDEN, the son of Levi and Boadicia (WARNER) ALDEN,
- was born at Claremont, N.H., July 24, 1815. He was of Mayflower
ancestry, being sixth in decent from John ALDEN, one of the signers
of the compact in the cabin of the ship Mayflower in 1620. His
father, Levi ALDEN, removed with his father, John ALDEN, from
Warwick, Mass., to Claremont, N.H., between 1781 and 1790. He
was a man of extensive business. Besides conducting a large farm,
he operated a brickyard, manufactured earthenware and carried
on blacksmithing. His maternal ancestors were early settlers
in Connecticut, several of them serving in the Revoluntionary
war.
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- Levi ALDEN, the subject of our sketch, was educated at Unity
Scientific and Military academy
- at Unity, N.H., and at Union college, at Schenectady, N.Y.,
graduating with the class of 1844. After leaving college he was
principal of Cayuga institute, at Cayuga Bridge, N.Y., for one
year. In 1845 Mr. ALDEN removed to Janesville, Wis., arriving
on July 4. In August, 1845, in partnership with E. A. STODDARD,
he established the "Janesville Gazette," the first
copy appearing about August 14, 1885. The "Gazette"
was published by ALDEN & STODDARD, ALDEN & TOMPKINS,
ALDEN & GRATTAN, Levi ALDEN and ALDEN & HOLT, successively,
until March 17, 1855, when Mr. ALDEN sold out his interest to
Charles HOLT. During a portion of this time, Mr. ALDEN was principal
of the Janesville academy. He operated the first telegraph line
between Janesville and Milwaukee. In 1856, he served as a member
of the ninth session of the Wisconsin state legislature. From
1858 to 1866, he was clerk of the circuit court for Rock county,
and was admitted to the Rock County Bar Association, December
3, 1866. He was auditor of public printing for the state of Wisconsin,
at Madison, Wis., from 1867 to 1873, when he engaged as associate
editor of the "Wisconsin State Journal" (David ATWOOD,
proprietor), at Madison, till 1890. He belonged to the Whig,
afterward the Republican party, and was a staunch Republican
to the day of his death and never failed to cast his vote. He
was a regular attendant of the Universalist services in Janesville
till the society became merged into the Unitarian church (All
Souls), which he also attended. He was a charter member of the
First Unitarian church at Madison, Wis., and one of its trustees.
Levi ALDEN was married, July 26, 1843, at Fleming, N.Y., to Sarah
Ann LEACH, daughter of Winslow and Esther (SOUTHWORTH) LEACH.
Mrs. ALDEN died at Madison, Wis., January 23, 1873. Their children
were: Mary E., who married George JUDKINS, of Claremont, N.H.;
Frances B., who married Frank C. COOK, of Janesville, Wis.; Louisa
J., who married Dr. Theodore W. EVANS, of Madison, Wis.; Sarah
L., who married Dr. Henry S. HALL, of Washington, D.C.; and Hattie
L. ALDEN, unmarried. Levi ALDEN died at Madison, Wis., November
23, 1893.
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- Taken from "Rock County, Wis." by William Fiske
Brown, (c)1908, pp. 894-895; lithograph p. 750.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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