- HILEN CANFIELD MORSE (deceased) was born in Geauga County,
Ohio, Jan. 5, 1824, a
- son of Amos and Anna (FISHER) MORSE, natives of Maine and
New York, respectively. they were the parents of six sons and
two daughters, all now deceased. Amos MORSE died in Ohio in
1838, aged seventy-three years. His wife survived him many years,
and married again. She died in1863. Amos MORSE is supposed
to have been a soldier in the war of 1812.
- Hilen C. MORSE, whose name appears above, was reared on a
farm in Geauga County, Ohio,
- and had his home in the town of Huntsburg. He received such
schooling as fell to the lot of farm lads of his time, and when
he reached manhood learned the trade of carpenter and joiner.
This was his occupation conjointly with farming for many years.
He came to Wisconsin at an early day, and for some years made
his home at Pewaukee Lake, near Milwaukee. About 1848 he moved
to Johnstown, Rock County, and helped to build the first church
in that community. He also aided in the construction of a church
in what was known as Old Johnstown. He was a resident of Rock
County many years. Attracted by the fact that he had a brother
living in Jo Daviess County, Ill., near the settlement of Morseville,
which was named after him, he sold out in Rock County, and moved
into Illinois. He returned to Johnstown, and made his home there
once more, then lived near Monroe, in Green County, and finally
came back to Johnstown, where he died in 1888, aged sixty-four
years.
- Mr. MORSE and Miss Angelett NEWHALL, a daughter of Elisha
and Esther (RICHARDSON)
- NEWHALL, were married June 27, 1852. They had five children:
Amos Elbridge, Sarah Louisa, Martin Hilen, Willie, and Julia
Esther. Amos E. married Clara GODFREY, who bore him one child,
Ray Denver, and is deceased; he married a second time, Emma SMITH
becoming his wife, and she bore him two children, Mabel Louisa
and Harry Eli; the husband and father died in 1886, at the early
age of thirty-three years. Sarah Louisa died when only three
months old. Martin Hilen married Mary Jane HALL, and lives in
Janesville; they have three children, Ida, Pliny and Lenn. Willie
died in infancy. Julia Esther married Walter S. PEMBER, of Johnstown
Center. Hilen C. MORSE and his wife were members of the United
Brethren Church. At one time he was associated with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. Politically he was a Republican. Mr.
MORSE was a man of most excellent character, and the earlier
settlers of the county remember him as an honorable and industrious
man, who worked hard, paid his way, and was always a kind friend
and good neighbor. Mrs. MORSE has made her home in Janesville
since 1892, and is much respected for their intelligence and
her kindly heart. She is a good neighbor, and a woman of strong
personal character.
- The parents of Mrs. MORSE were Eastern people, her father
a native of Massachusetts, and her
- mother of Vermont. They had four children, two of whom are
now living; Elbridge G. and Mrs. MORSE. Mr. NEWHALL was a farmer,
who came West to New York, where he married. About 1830 he moved
to Indiana, and settled near the town of New Durham, La Porte
County, where he lived until 1837. That year he moved into Rock
County, Wis., and settle near Johnstown, where he took up a claim
of 160 acres for himself, and an equal amount for each one of
his sons. Here he spent the balance of his days, and died about
the year 1857, aged seventy-four years. His wife survived him
two years, and died when she was sixty-five years of age. They
were Universalists, and liberal people. He was a man of ability
and character, and held several town offices at different times;
he was appointed notary public by Gov. Noble, of Indiana.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, p. 23.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|