- JOSEPH L. BEAR has devoted the better part of his life to
the cultivation of the soil, and may be
- fairly selected as a representative member of the farming
community of Rock County. At the present time he is a resident
of the city of Janesville, and takes pride in the fact that he
belongs to the State of Wisconsin, both by birth and choice.
He has filled various public positions of trust and honor and
in them he has displayed integrity and public spirit.
- Mr. BEAR was born in Rock County, Wis., March 20, 1847, and
is a son of James and Sarah
- (LAWRENCE) BEAR, both born and reared in Pennsylvania, who
were the parents of four sons and three daughters. Four of their
children are now living: Hanna is the wife of James SLAWSON,
of Rock Creek, Iowa; Louise is the wife of E. R. JONES, of Marshalltown,
Iowa; Joseph L. and Sarah J., the wife of B. L. GAGE, live in
Janesville. James BEAR, who was a farmer, came to Wisconsin in
1845, locating on a farm of seventy-five acres in Janesville
township, near the city. To this he afterward added fifty acres,
and there he lived and reared his family. His wife died in 1891,
at the age of sixty-eight, and with her husband belonged to the
United Brethren. He was born in 1817, and died Feb. 1, 1900,
of hear failure, at the age of eighty-two years, two months and
seven days. Mr. BEAR was supervisor of the township several times,
and was also treasurer of the school board. He was a Republican,
and a man of strong convictions. His father was a native of Pennsylvania,
of German descent, and died in that State in middle life, leaving
a large family. Joseph LAWRENCE, the father of Sarah LAWRENCE,
was born in Pennsylvania, and came of English stock. He was a
farmer, and came into Wisconsin in 1846, locating in Janesville
township, not far from the city, and died in 1881, when eighty-one
years old. He had three children.
- Joseph L. BEAR was reared on his father's farm in the township
of Janesville, attended the district
- school, and began a course of study at Milton Academy, where
he was doing very well. But he could not continue in school with
the whole country aflame, and he went to the war when only fourteen
years old. This was in 1862, and notwithstanding his extreme
youth, he completed a three years' term of service; he did not
return home until the last ember of the Rebellion was extinguished.
He entered the service a private, and was a corporal at the time
of his discharge, Sept. 4, 1865. He was a member of Company G,
8th Wis. V.I., and took part in the battles of Iuka, Corinth,
the siege of Vicksburg, Banks' expedition up the Red river, Nashville,
Mobile, and many skirmishes, and throughout sustained himself
with the spirit of a veteran. In May, 1866, our subject enlisted
in the regular army, was attached to Company A, 3d United States
Infantry and completed a second term of three years. In the regular
service he was quartermaster-sergeant, and had he elected to
continue had prospects of a flattering nature before him.
- Mr. BEAR left the army when his second term of enlistment
was completed, and coming back to
- the homestead farm entered upon its cultivation and management.
He remained upon the place until 1892, when he bought it, and
it is still in his possession. That year he was elected sheriff
of Rock County, in which incumbency he served two years with
credit. He moved to the city, made his home at No. 204 South
Main street and there he has since remained. He has had faith
in the future of Janesville, and has made liberal investments
in residence property in various parts of the city, most of which
he still holds. Mr. BEAR and Miss Mary E. TAYLOR, a daughter
of Robert T. and Priscilla M. (NELSON) TAYLOR, were married Nov.
11, 1873, and they have had three children, Robert J., Maud P.,
and John. Robert J. is clerk in a grocery store. Maud P. married
Herbert A. GRIFFY. John was seventeen years of age when he died.
Mr. BEAR is a member of the W. H. Sargent Post, Grand Army of
the Republic, and also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias.
He is a Republican; was supervisor of Janesville township for
seven years; was also school director and township constable;
was treasurer of the township of Janesville four years; for the
last three years he has been supervisor of the Third ward in
Janesville; and is at present (1901) serving as chairman of the
county board of supervisors.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 446-447.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|