Bio of Sylvester, George W. (b.1828) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Sylvester, George W., born April 6, 1828, died September 6, 1876. His
father, Caleb Sylvester, was a farmer and surveyor, and resided at
Phillips, Maine, where the subject of this sketch was born, and received a
common-school education. In 1844 the Sylvester family removed to
Wisconsin, and located on a farm near Platteville, in the vicinity of the
lead mines, where the boys found employment. In 1851 George, in company
with his brother Charles, crossed the plains with an ox-team, and found
their way into the gold diggings of California. In 1854 he returned, via
the isthmus of Panama, bringing back about two thousand dollars as the
fruits of his three years' toil in the mines. The fall of the following
year he came to Minnesota, and located a claim on the S.E. 1/4 of Sec. 25,
in Plainview township. He spent that winter at his Wisconsin home, and on
March 18, 1856, was married to Miss Matilda Cook, daughter of Henry Cook,
a Wisconsin farmer. This lady was born November 5, 1838, in the township
of Waterloo, province of Quebec. The May following his marriage found Mr.
Sylvester and his bride in possession of their new Minnesota home, and
here he spent the remainder of his life in improving and beautifying his
chosen home. Mr. Sylvester was a skillful carpenter, and devoted most of
his time to that vocation. In 1860 he erected a large barn which he
painted red, and was soon widely known as the "Big Red Barn." The present
residence was not erected until 1875. His family now resides in the
village of Plainview, and consists of Mrs. Sylvester and five children,