Judson N. Willis Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 1101

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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JUDSON N. WILLIS, a prosperous farmer of Clifton township, has been a 
resident of Beadle county many years. He was born in Herkirner county, 
New York, June 26, 1841, and was the third child born to James and 
Minerva (Fuller) Willis, both of whom were native of New York. 

The father of our subject was a tanner by trade and died when our 
subject was in his fifth year. The mother was left with a family of 
small children and found temporary homes for them among strangers. Our 
subject received a limited education, and became self-supporting at the 
age of twelve years. He enlisted in Company H, Ninety second Illinois 
Infantry, and after nine months' service on foot the company was; 
mounted. He followed William T. Sherman to the sea, and after engaging 
in more than thirty-five skirmishes and battles was honorably 
discharged. Returning from the war he engaged in farming on rented land 
near Rochelle, Illinois, and continued thus until 1870, when he began 
clerking in a store in the town and for about eight years followed that 
occupation, and then went to Rockford, where he engage in the 
mercantile business. He came to Dakota in 1881, and settled on the 
northwest quarter of section 5, in Clifton township, Beadle county, and 
is at present engaged in general farming and stock raising. 

Our subject was married, in 1862, to Miss Eliza Beagle. Mrs. Willis was 
a daughter of John Beagle and was born September 24, 1840, the fourth 
in order of birth of a family of fifteen children. Mr. Willis is a 
member of the Methodist church and the following fraternal societies: 
G. A. R., Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Masonic fraternity, Ancient 
Order of United Workmen and the Patriotic Sons of America. Politically 
he is a Republican.