- ELIJAH P. WIXOM, one of the wealthiest farmers and largest
land owners of southern
- Wisconsin, has a fine home at No. 153 Milton avenue, Janesville,
Rock County, where he dwells amid the comforts that rightfully
attend the closing years of such a singularly useful and successful
career as his has been.
- Mr. WISOM was born in Putnam County, N.Y., Feb. 15, 1835,
a son of Robert and Charity
- Maria (BARRETT) WIXOM, both of whom were born in that State.
They were the parents of three sons and six daughters, five of
whom are now living: Elijah P.; Julia Ann, widow of Henry KIDDER,
of Fulton township; Phebe, widow of David KELLY, of Milton Junction,
Wis.; Deborah, wife of J. W. AUSTIN, of Janesville; and Benjamin
D., of Fulton township. Another brother, Robert WIXOM, enlisted
in Company B, 36th Wis. V.I., for service in the Civil war, and
twelve days after he had gone to the front was wounded and taken
prisoner. He was incarcerated in the prison at Richmond, where
he died. The father was a cattle driver when a boy, following
that work eleven years. In mature life he was a farmer, and combined
with the cultivation of the soil the trades of carpenter and
millwright. He is remembered as a natural mechanic and a genius
with tools. Coming West to Wisconsin about 1850, he located in
the town of Fulton, Rock County, where he bought a tract of eighty
acres, and after a time as much more. He improved this farm,
and made it one of the most valuable places in that part of the
county, and, becoming greatly interested in stock culture, devoted
more and more attention to that as the years went by until stock
raising was the main branch of his agricultural operations. He
died in 1868, at the age of fifty-seven. His wife survived him
many years, and died in 1894, aged eighty years. They were both
Baptists. He was justice of the peace many years while in the
East, and served in that position after coming into Rock County.
He took much interest in school matters, and was a useful citizen.
- Elijah WIXOM, our subject's grandfather, was a native of
New York, of Holland-Dutch descent,
- and was a farmer by occupation. He served in the American
army during the war of 1812, as a private. He died in middle
life. He had seventeen children, by two marriages. His father
was a Revolutionary soldier. Josephus BARRETT, the maternal grandfather
of E. P. WIXOM, was a native of New York, of English and Irish
descent, and was a life-long farmer. He was the father of twelve
children, and lived to be eighty years of age.
- Elijah P. WIXOM was fifteen years old when he came with his
parents to Rock County. He was
- given the usual amount of education for the times, obtained
principally at the neighboring district school, and applied himself
to the work of the farm. He has always followed farming and stock
raising, from an early age, and when a boy was accustomed to
ship poultry to New York. He has always displayed the instincts
of a natural born trader. He made his home with his parents until
he came of age, when he bought a 160 acre farm in Fulton township,
in partnership with his brother Benjamin. They bought it entirely
on credit, and paid for it in two years. Elijah sold his interest
to his brother as soon as the title was cleared, and purchased
for himself a farm of 100 acres in the same township. This was
his home for thirty years, and it has been added to from time
to time until he now owns about 600 acres of land in Fulton and
Janesville townships. Besides this tract he owns 900 acres in
Rock County, and 100 in Dane County, his entire real-estate holdings
in southern Wisconsin thus aggregating more than 1,600 acres,
the agricultural possibilities of this vast body of land being
fully utilized. In 1891 Mr. WIXOM moved into the city of Janesville,
and built one of the finest residences to be seen in that center
of fine homes, and here he has lived to the present time. He
has about 150 head of fine cattle upon his place, and many horses.
He rents his farms on shares, but takes a close interest in their
management, and is active in conserving his best interests.
- On Nov. 5, 1863, Mr. WIXOM married Miss Clara M. HURD, daughter
of Silas and Cynthia
- (COWAN) HURD, natives of New York, who came to Wisconsin
in 1836 and located in the town of Fulton, Rock County, where
they died. They were interred in the cemetery at Edgerton. Three
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. WIXOM: Claron W., Ella
May and Silas H. Ella May married James R. LAMB, and has her
home in Janesville; they have one son, Stewart James. Silas H.
is attending the high school. Mr. and Mrs. WIXOM attend the Unitarian
Church. He is a member of several fraternal orders, uniting with
Western Star Lodge, No. 14, A.F. & A.M.; the Knights of Pythias;
and the Patrons of Husbandry. He was formerly a Republican, but
now acts with the Democratic party. He has held various important
local offices, was supervisor of Fulton township six years, and
has been school clerk and director many years.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 945-946.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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