- JOSEPH GOODRICH CARR, one of Rock county's substantial and
intelligent farmers, is the
- oldest native now living in the town of Milton, being the
fourth male white child born in the township.
- Peleg S. CARR, his father, was born in Stephentown, N.Y.,
April 23, 1794, and married
- Deborah GOODRICH Jan. 11, 1816. To them were born ten children,
all of whom lived to advanced maturity. He was of English ancestry,
and directly descended from Robert CARR, who sailed for New England
on the 9th of May, 1635, in the good ship "Elizabeth Ann."
He was also one of the original purchasers from the Indians of
the island Conanicut, in Narragansett bay, consisting of about
six thousand acres.
- Deborah CARR, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was
a lineal descendant of John
- GOODRICH, who emigrated from England in 1644. She was born
Jan. 26, 1794, at GOODRICH Hollow, near Hancock, Mass. She possessed
a vigorous constitution, and was a woman of more than ordinary
executive ability, and her industrious, self-reliant nature has
been an important factor in the career of her children. She died
at the home of her son Joseph, Sept. 24, 1874, at the advanced
age of eighty years. For many years, with characteristic energy,
she toiled with her husband among the Berkshire hills, but the
opportunities for bettering their condition were meager, and
they resolved to try their fortune in the land beyond the Great
Lakes. They arrived at the home of Mrs. CARR's brother, Joseph
GOODRICH, May 26, 1839, accompanied by a family of eight children,
and also a son-in-law, Nathaniel ROSE. The next day they purchased
a claim of 480 acres, and at once moved their small possessions
into a little log cabin 14x18, and commenced pioneer life in
earnest. Joseph G. was born on the 19th the following March,
1840. Thus he has been an eye-witness to the development that
has transformed a wild, trackless prairie and woodlands into
a high state of cultivation, sharing the privations peculiar
to pioneer life, and becoming part of the growth of the town
by aiding largely in the work that has made southern Wisconsin
bloom and blossom like a garden. After his father's death, which
occurred Sept. 28, 1846, he lived with his mother, at the old
homestead, until 1854, when his brother, Solomon C. CARR, became
its owner. His mother then purchased eighty acres of land which
were still in an uncultivated condition, and erected a comfortable
house and outbuildings, and her sons Elijah M. and Joseph G.
began to convert the land into fertile fields which yielded an
abundant harvest.
- On the 17th day of October, 1863, Mr. CARR was united in
marriage to Miss Phoebe Isabel
- MAXSON, by Rev. James ROGERS. Five children have blessed
their union, of whom Maude, born Aug. 13, 1882, died Feb. 27,
1884. Fred M., born April 2, 1865, is an energetic farmer at
Marshfield, Wis.; he married Miss Ella PALMER March 28, 1894,
and they have two children, Haldane, born Feb. 25, 1895, and
Maude, born May 12, 1899. Annabel, born April 7, 1896, married
Ludwig KUMLIEN, professor of physics and natural history in Milton
College, Dec. 21, 1892; their children are Carr, born Dec. 6,
1893; Lorraine, born Feb. 28, 1896; and Alice, born Oct. 30,
1900. Joseph L., born April 7, 1870, resides in Chicago; he married
Miss Charlotte MAXSON June 10, 1896. Alice M., born Jan. 17,
1875, married Fred H. CAMPBELL June 27, 1894, and resides in
Edgerton, Wis.; they have had two children, Lenore, born Oct.
13, 1897, who died Aug. 31, 1898; and Phyllis, born April 11,
1899.
- Mrs. CARR was the daughter of Nathan MAXSON and Susan Isabelle
Well, who were married
- Sept. 23, 1844. Both were natives of New York. Four children
were born to them: Phoebe I., Oct. 8, 1845, in Alfred, N.Y.;
Nathan E., July 29, 1847; Mary G., April 17, 1849; and Adelbert
W., March 19, 1852, who died May 14, 1890, in the Indian Territory.
Nathan MAXSON was born Oct. 23, 1819, in Alfred, Allegany Co.,
N.Y., one of eight children born of the marriage of Luke MAXSON
and Susannah GREENE, which occurred in 1807, and was the first
marriage celebrated in the town of Alfred, N.Y. The fathers of
both contracting parties being Revolutionary soldiers, Mrs. CARR
is thus entitled to membership in the Daughters of the American
Revolution. Mrs. CARR's parents were early settlers of Milton,
and were people of much character and intelligence. Both are
deceased, Mr. MAXSON having died Feb. 17, 1855, and his wife
Oct. 31, 1866.
- Mr. and Mrs. CARR began their married life upon that portion
of the homestead which belonged
- to his mother, where they yet reside, he having purchased
the same in 1866, thus adding to his original fifty acres. Oak
Lawn now consists of 250 acres of improved land, which he has
brought to a state of fertility from virgin soil, and which is
now noticeable in this region of fine farms for its beautiful
lawn, commodious residence, excellent barns and outbuildings
- all models of convenience and bespeaking the thrift and enterprise
of the energetic owner. For years he has made a specialty of
dairy stock raising, and his herd of fifty grade Jerseys are
the pride of Oak Lawn.
- Socially Mr. CARR has been an earnest, untiring worker of
the Patrons of Husbandry, and Du Lac
- Grange, No. 72, owes its origin to him and his neighbor,
Robert STOCKMAN, who perfected the organization Feb. 18, 1873;
he has served as worthy master of same several years. He was
chosen treasurer of the Milton Junction Building Association
at its organization, in 1881, and has served in the office continually
since then. In politics he is an ardent supporter of the Republican
party, and has taken a deep interest in public affairs and improvements
of all kinds, as every true American should do, but was never
an aspirant for office.
- Though of a retiring, unassuming nature, Mr. CARR is a benevolent,
whole-souled man, and his
- honorable, upright life during his long continued residence
in the same community, for more than sixty years, has won for
him the respect and confidence of all who know him, and he is
deservedly held in high esteem as a valued friend and citizen,
and a man of sterling worth. His worthy wife has been truly a
helpmeet in all branches of his business, and their lives have
been a marked success.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901; pp. 364-366.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|