Adna M. Woolsey 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, 1898. Pages 461-462

	Scan, OCR and editing by Joy Fisher, jfisher@sdgenweb.com, 1999.

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ADNA M. WOOLSEY, who resides on section 7, Lura township, is one of Grant 
county's well-known, popular and progressive farmers. Mr. Woolsey was born 
August 20, 1845, in Monroe county, New York, and is a son of John F. Woolsey, a 
native of Delaware county, New York, who traced his descent in direct line from 
the famous Cardinal Woolsey.  Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Sarah 
A. Mosher, was born in Monroe county, New York, of German descent. The father 
died in 1882, at the age of sixty-one years; the mother survived him until 1896, 
when she died aged seventy-four years.

Adna M. Woolsey was nine years old when his parents removed from the Empire 
State to Jackson county, Michigan, and there he lived until about eighteen years 
of age, when his desire for the Country's welfare became too strong to longer 
stay at home, and on the 29th of March, 1864, he enlisted in Company A, Second 
Michigan Veteran Volunteer Infantry, and went to the war. Within six weeks of 
this time he was taking part in the battle of Spottsylvania Court House.  
Following this he was present at North Ann River and at the siege of Petersburg, 
during which he was slightly wounded by a spent ball. He was an eyewitness of 
the terrible mine explosion at Petersburg, and to this day vividly recalls the 
fearful havoc wrought by it and the scene of dismay and suffering which 
followed.  Mr. Woolsey was discharged July 28, 1865, and returned to his 
Michigan home, broken down in health. There he resided until 1883, working as a 
plasterer and mason in addition to tilling the soil. In that year he went 
further west and settled in Grant county, Dakota, where he filed a soldier's 
"declaratory" near the town of Twin Brooks.  He sold this right before proving 
up, however, and soon after began teaching school.  He pursued this work and 
divers other occupations until 1892.  He then placed a filing on his present 
farm, situated in the old Sisseton and Wahpeton reservation, and has since 
resided there, engaged in the cultivation of his property.  He is the owner of 
three hundred and twenty acres of land, most of which is under the plow, and has 
one of the best-improved and most prosperous farms in the reservation. 
Politically our subject is a Republican, and was one of the first board of 
supervisors of Lura township. He is an anti-suffragist, and believes in 
government ownership of saloons and grog-shops of all kinds, with power to 
regulate the sale of liquor.

Mr. Woolsey has been twice married. His first wife, whom he wedded in 1871, and 
whose maiden name was Josephine Dibble, bore him four children, three of whom-
Freddie, Georgia and Orpha-are deceased.  Erwin, the youngest, now resides in 
Lura, South Dakota.  The first wife died and was buried in Hanover, Jack son 
county, Michigan.  Mr. Woolsey was married in 1887 to Miss Fannie Roth, who was 
born in Germany on the 9th of August, 1863, and came to this country in 1885. 
She is of Catholic faith.  Four children have been born of this marriage-Harry, 
Adna M., Florian and Mary. Adna M. and Florian are deceased.