- EDWARD E. EDDINGTON has long been an old and honored resident
of Janesville, and has
- but recently established himself on the farm which he has
long owned in La Prairie township, Rock County. For many years
he has done business in Janesville, and is widely known as an
upright man, a quick and capable workman, and one whose word
may be taken without allowance.
- Mr. EDDINGTON was born in Cattaraugus County, N.Y., Oct.
15, 1844, a son of Augustus
- and Henrietta (CURTIS) EDDINGTON, both natives of New York.
They had four sons and three daughters, all but one of whom are
now living: Frank, of Chicago; Edward E.; Henry, of Clear Lake,
Minn.; Morris, of Janesville; Betsey, wife of John LOCKWOOD,
of Clear Lake; and Millie, wife of Lucius H. LEE, of Janesville.
The father was a farmer, and sought a home in the West in 1846,
locating in Salem, Kenosha Co., Wis., where he bought land. Some
years later he moved to a quarter section in Waushara County,
but left it on account of the poverty of the soil, and tried
a farm in Calumet County, returning, however, to Salem and buying
a farm and farming the old homestead. He is now living in Janesville.
His wife died in 1882. Mr. EDDINGTON is a Methodist, as was also
his wife. His father, John EDDINGTON, came from England when
a young man, and died in New York while still in middle life.
He was a natural iron and wood mechanic, and tales of his ingenuity
are still repeated in the family. He had four children. Hiram
Curtis, the father of Henrietta, was a native of New York, was
a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived to be a very old man.
He did not have a numerous family.
- Edward E. EDDINGTON, the subject of this biographical sketch,
came from the State of New
- York with his parents, and received his schooling at the
Salem home. On May 17, 1864, he enlisted in Company C, 39th Wis.
V.I., and served four months. He was at Memphis, Tenn., when
the Rebel commander, Gen. Forest, made his raid on that city.
After the war he learned the trade of blacksmith, and followed
it in Janesville many years, doing a considerable business as
a carriage and wagon maker and general blacksmith. Latterly he
has been troubled with failing health, and having decided to
try an entire change of occupation, he in the early part of the
year 1900 moved out of the city to a farm in La Prairie township,
which he has owned for many years. It contains 160 acres, and
is a choice and desirable agricultural establishment.
- Mr. EDDINGTON and Miss Martha Elizabeth READ were married
Nov. 4, 1874. She is a
- daughter of William H. and Margery Ann (ERCANBRACK) READ.
Four children have been born to bless this union: Jennie May,
Nettie Belle, Arthur R. and Fay E. The daughters are teaching,
and the sons are still at school. Our subject is a Republican,
and takes an intelligent interest in public affairs.
- Mrs. EDDINGTON's father was born in Bangor, Maine, and her
mother in New York. They
- had eight children, all but one of whom are still living:
Mrs. Martha E. EDDINGTON; George W.; John R.; Sarah Louise, wife
of Homer M. PAUL; William A.; Mary, deceased; Jennie, wife of
Charles CAMPBELL; and Thornton. Her father came West among the
early settlers, settling in La Prairie township, Rock County,
about fifty-six years ago, took up government land, and became
quite prosperous. He died between the city of Janesville and
his home, from heart disease, in 1880, lacking one week of being
sixty-two years of age. His widow died in April, 1886, aged fifty-seven
years, two months and twelve days. William H. READ's father,
John READ, died in Bangor Maine, in 1861, when over eighty years
of age. Mrs. EDDINGTON's maternal grandfather, Philip ERCANBRACK,
belonged to that portion of the early settlers of New York familiarly
known as the Mohawk-Dutch. He came West, settled in Rock County,
engaged in farming, and died in middle life; his wife, Betsey,
died in Hebron, Ill. His father, James ERCANBRACK, lived to be
ninety-eight years old, and his mother, Mrs. Virtue ERCANBRACK,
lived to the age of ninety-three.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 347-348.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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