- SAMUEL HULL, one of the well-to-do farmers and dairymen of
Johnstown Township, residing
- on section 12, was born on the 18th day of February, 1821,
in Cortland County, N.Y., and is a son of Zerah and Roxy (LOOMIS)
HULL, who were the parents of eight children, as follows: Electa
is the widow of Arah HARDY, who died in January, 1889, at the
age of eighty-two years, having never seen a sick day in his
life until his last illness; they had five children, two of whom
are living; Joseph L. died in Lima, Rock County, leaving a widow
and three children to mourn his loss; Michael died in Cortland
County, N.Y., over fifty years ago; James, a resident of Lima
Center, is married and had four children, two of whom are living;
Elijah, who is engaged in general merchandising in Lima Center,
is married, and had five children, but only one yet survives;
Elisha, twin brother of Elijah, died in Eau Claire County, Wis.,
leaving a widow and one child to mourn his loss; Louisa, wife
of James STEVENS, has a family of five children, all yet living
but Ella, who died in 1889.
- Our subject passed the days of his boyhood and youth in his
native State, and received such an
- education as the common school afforded. In 1840, when nineteen
years of age, he came with his father's family to Lima Center,
Wis. The county was then in its infancy, and the family had to
endure all the trials and hardships incident to pioneer life.
For six weeks he was obliged to sleep on an oak plank. In the
fall of 1839 Mr. HULL had purchased a farm, and the following
spring the family moved into the little log house, 18x24 feet,
which also sheltered two other families.
- Until attaining his majority, our subject remained under
the parental roof, when he started out in life
- for himself, working by the month. For three months he was
in the employ of Morgan BABCOCK, splitting 2,600 white oak rails
and taking care of seven head of horses. His compensation for
these services was $10 per month. In 1841 he made his first purchase
of land, consisting of eighty acres, for which he paid $200.
It was in its primitive condition, not a furrow having been turned
or an improvement made, but he at once began clearing the land,
building fences, and otherwise fitting it for cultivation. He
continued his work in this direction until 1844, when, without
assistance, he built a log house, 18x20 feet, which he made his
home for fifteen years. Up to the year 1847 Mr. HULL had split
35,000 rails, 6,000 of which he split in one winter. In the year
1843 he harvested 120 acres of grain, using three cradles and
three binders. An average of ten acres per day was cut, he paying
his men ten shillings per day, without board. Although the labors
of those early days were indeed arduous, they at length brought
their reward, the seed sown yielded bountiful harvests, and,
little by little, the profits increased until our subject became
one of the wealthy farmers of Johnstown Township.
- On the 20th day of March, 1845, Mr. HULL and Miss Mary J.
HENSLEY were united in
- marriage at Whitewater, Wis., the ceremony being performed
by the Rev. M. KINNEY. The lady was born May 16, 1826, and was
the eldest in a family of five children, whose parents were Thomas
and Anna (WOODRUFF) HENSLEY. Esther, the second child, became
the wife of Luther SMITH, and to them were born five children,
two of whom are yet living - George and Bertie; George, who was
married, died Oct. 27, 1871, at the age of forty-one years; Laura
is the widow of Gilbert JOHNSON, who died in 1868, and she makes
her home in Whitewater; Emiline became the wife of James SMITH,
of Walworth County, Wis., and to them have been born eight children,
five of whom are living.
- The young couple began their domestic life in the little
log cabin which Mr. HULL had built, and
- many happy days were there passed, but in 1860 the pioneer
home was replaced by their present substantial residence, a neat
frame building, the main part being 20x24 feet, the L 12x30,
and a story and a half in height. The cost of erection was $2,000,
and in 1885 a good barn was also built. Mr. HULL now has all
the modern improvements upon his farm, and everything about the
place testifies to the fact that the owner is a man of thrift
and enterprise. For about fourteen years he has been operating
a dairy, and does quite an extensive business in that line. He
has made as much as $75 per year on each cow kept for dairy purposes,
and all of the milk is used in the factory, which turns out a
superior article of butter. For about twenty years Mr. HULL has
also engaged in the raising of sheep and horses, and always has
some fine specimens of both on his farm.
- The union of our subject and his wife has been blessed with
eight children, but four have now
- passed away - Alvenah, who was born Dec. 28, 1845, became
the wife of Madison WHEELER in 1865, and after his death wedded
Henry B. WILLIS, of Minnesota, in 1875, two children, Carl S.
and Mary E. being born of their union; Augustus E., born Aug.
18, 1848, was united in marriage Aug. 14, 1870, with Miss Carrie
HAMILTON, who is now deceased. They had three children - Frederic,
Alvenah, and one who died in infancy. Mr. HULL now resides in
Aurora, Mo., where he is working at the carpenter's and joiner's
trade. Laura M., who was born Aug. 28, 1850, became the wife
of A. W. CARY, on the 22d day of October, 1868, and died March
12, 1883, leaving two children - Harley and Edwin S.; Edward
S., who was born April 19, 1853, married Miss Clara H. LOTHROP
[LATHROP?], Nov. 18, 1884, and to them have been born two children
- Laura Mabel and Martha Jane; Eliza; born July 29, 1856, died
on the 6th day of January, 1884; Ernest Clifford, born Oct. 23,
1863, died in infancy; George W. born July 6, 1870, has now entered
upon his third year as a student of the Lawrence University,
where he expects to complete the course. Mr. and Mrs. HULL have
given their children good educational advantages, fitting them
for the practical duties of this life, and all are useful members
of society, who do honor to the family name. Three of the children
have been successful teachers, and Alvenah, the eldest daughter,
who received a splendid musical education, and is a brilliant
performer, was for six years employed as a teacher of music in
the academy at Caledonia, Minn.
- Mr. HULL and his wife are members of the Methodist Church
at Utter's Corner [Utters Corners],
- and she was one of the first members of the church established
in Johnstown. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the Republican
party, but cast his first Presidential vote for Zachary Taylor.
He was one of the charter members of the Johnstown Insurance
Company, to which he still belongs, and throughout the community
is regarded as a leading citizen. Beginning life in limited circumstances,
he has made his own way in the world, and, though starting out
with no capital save a strong determination to succeed, has become
one of the well-to-do farmers of Rock County. He is now the owner
of 317 acres of arable land, 185 of which is comprised in his
home farm, the remainder being on section 12, Johnstown Township.
His progressive, enterprising spirit has led him to take a front
rank in the upbuilding of the county, where for almost half a
century he has made his home, not only witnessing, but participating,
in the growth and development which have placed Rock on a par
with any county in this great commonwealth. The sketch of so
prominent a gentleman as Mr. HULL will be perused with interest
by the readers of this ALBUM, and deserves
an important place in this volume.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 533-537.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|