Livingston County NyArchives Biographies.....Wilhelm, George September 2, 1791 - March 7, 1855
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joyce Phillips phillmuell@charter.net April 10, 2007, 8:33 pm

Author: Syracuse, NY pub 1881

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY. NEW YORK, pub 1881
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
GEORGE WILHELM (with photo)

	Among the early settlers of this county the Wilhelm family deserve 
special mention, and are of German origin.  Three brothers came over from 
Germany about the year 1700, and settled one each in Pennsylvania, New York and 
New Jersey.  John, the father of George and progenitor of this family, was born 
in New Jersey.  He was the father of eight children – six sons and two 
daughters.  Jacob, the sole surviving member of the family, lives in Woodhull, 
Steuben county, N.Y.  George, the subject of this brief memoir was born 
September 2, 1791 and December 25, 1815, was married to Sarah Bailey, of Yates 
county, N.Y., by whom he had ten children, viz: Ursula, John, Jonathan, 
Benjamin F., William B., George, Elsie Ann, James G., Rhoda and Philip C.
	March 22, 1828, he moved to the town of Sparta, taking his goods on 
sleighs.  Here he purchased one hundred and forty-three acres of land, on which 
only fifteen acres had been partly cleared, and built a frame barn.  In 1835 he 
erected a frame building on the place previously occupied by a rude log hut, 
and by his sturdy will and industry made a clearing on what is now a finely 
cultivated farm.  He held the position of road commissioner several terms, and 
he never sought political preferment, but was satisfied to devote his energies 
to the task he had undertaken – that of clearing and making a comfortable home 
for his family out of the wilderness he had selected as a foundation.  Three of 
his children are now living – John and William, who occupy farms in Conesus, 
and Jonathan, in Springwater.  He died March 7, 1855, and his wife October 20, 
1875.
	As an individual member of this family, John is, perhaps, the most 
prominent and successful.  He is the second child, was born September 14 1818, 
and April 23, 1843, was married to Leora, daughter of Ozias Humphrey, of 
Springwater.  They had eight children, six of whom are now living, as follows:  
Emily A., Sidney S., Elsie J., Solon H., Eugene B. and Martha V.  His first 
business venture was in a saw-mill, which he ran in connection with his father 
about four years.  His first purchase of land was one hundred and eighteen 
acres, to which he has added at different times, until he is now the owner of 
about four hundred acres, including the old homestead.  He deals extensively in 
cattle and sheep.  On one of his trips through the Western States he stopped at 
the town of Milford, Oakland county, where, there being no bank and the 
business needing one, he became one of the originators of an exchange bank.  
The increasing population, however, demanded a national bank and they changed 
the Exchange bank to the National bank of Milford, of which Mr. Wilhelm is vice-
president.  Two of his sons, Sidney S. and Solon H., seem to have inherited 
their father’s business qualifications and hold responsible positions.  Sidney 
S. was elected Supervisor of Holly, Mich., in April, 1881 and is cashier of the 
Merchant’s National bank there, to which position he as appointed at the early 
age of twenty-one years and Solon H. is the cashier of the National bank of 
Milford.  The two brothers are extensive dealers in lumber, their transactions 
amounting to millions of feet of the same each year.  Of the family all are 
married, excepting Martha and Eugene who reside at home, the latter assisting 
in the management of the large farm which he occupies with his father, and 
which is a very productive one, the soil being a loam and clay subsoil.
	In his domestic relations, Mr. Wilhelm is a kind and loving father, 
teaching his children by an upright life the value and importance of virtue, 
and inspiring them with worthy ambitions to be true men and women in the 
loftiest sense of the word.  His teachings are not forgotten but are fully 
exemplified in the lives of his children.


Additional Comments:
Sarah Bailey was the daughter of Jonathan and Parmelia Bailey of Milo, Yates, NY

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