- JAMES PIERCE is one of the oldest and best-known pioneers
of Milton township, Rock
- County. In 1838, before he had attained his majority, he
left his home in New York State for the wild and undeveloped
West. Coming by boat to Milwaukee, he soon became identified
with the settlement of the Rock River Valley.
- Mr. PIERCE was born in Alfred township, Allegany Co., N.Y.,
Dec. 26, 1817, son of Samuel
- and Susan (WHITE) PIERCE, both natives of Rhode Island. Of
their five children, four sons and one daughter, two survive;
William, of Danbury, Iowa; and James, our subject. The father
in 1851 followed his son West, and located in the southwestern
part of Milton township, Rock County, where he died in 1865.
His wife survived many years, spending her later years at her
old home in New York State, and living to the age of ninety-four.
Both were members of the Seventh-day Baptist Church. The paternal
grandfather of our subject, Daniel PIERCE, also lived to a ripe
old age, having almost attained his ninetieth birthday at the
time of his death. He removed with his family from Rhode Island,
his native State, to Alfred, Allegany Co., N.Y., about 1817.
The maternal grandfather of our subject was a sea-faring man
of Rhode Island.
- James PIERCE was reared on his father's farm in New York
State, and in his youth attended the
- district schools. Possessing the pioneer spirit, he landed
in Milwaukee July 11, 1838, and at once started for the Rock
River Valley. The first halt he made was at Du Lac Prairie. He
began work for Joseph GOODRICH in Milton township, Rock County,
as farmhand and clerk in a store, and two years later, upon his
marriage, began life for himself.
- On Sept. 24, 1840, Mr. PIERCE married Miss Olive HALL, daughter
of Gardner and Nancy
- (STILLMAN) HALL, and to them three children have been born:
Clark R., who married Rachel B. BUTTS, and lives at Edgerton,
Wis.; Alonzo D., who died, aged thirteen months; and Susan M.,
who died at the age of fourteen years. Mr. and Mrs. PIERCE are
prominent members of the Seventh-day Baptist Church, and for
many years he has been chairman and treasurer of the Seventh-day
Baptist Church at Milton Junction.
- In Territorial days Mr. PIERCE served as deputy county surveyor
under John HOPKINS of
- Beloit. He has been assessor of the township, overseer of
highways, and for many years supervisor, and discharged the duties
of justice of the peace for a period of twenty-two years. In
politics Mr. PIERCE is a Republican.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 143-144.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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