BIOGRAPHIES: Asbury N. LEVINGS, Crystal Lake Township, Barron County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Vic Gulickson 8 April 2002 ==================================================================== Asbury N. Levings, proprietor of a well improved farm in section 9 Crystal Lake Township, who has also through many years aided in the improvement of society and the elevation of humanity through religion and the promotion of such great moral movements as prohibition of the liquor traffic, was born in New York State, July 12, 1859. His parents, Noah and Amaralla (Rosebush) Levings, were natives of that state who came to Wisconsin in 1863 and engaged in agriculture. Shortly after arriving at their new home, Noah Levings enlisted for service in the Civil War and served until its close. He then resumed farming, and in the fall of 1870 moved with his family to a farm in St. Croix County, five miles south of New Richmond. Asbury N. acquired a common school education and learned agriculture on his parents' farm. After arriving at manhood he engaged in that occupation for himself, renting in succession several farms in St. Croix County, this state. In 1881, alive to the opportunities afforded by the opening up of Dakota lands, he went to South Dakota, where he took a homestead, which he improved and on which he remained for four years. In 1885 he returned to Wisconsin and for some years thereafter resided successively near Clear Lake, Glenwood and Amery. In the year 1903 he settled in Barron County, buying an interest in the M. Y. Cliff & Co.'s store at Cumberland, in which he worked for a year. For fourteen years longer he continued in mercantile business, having charge of the furniture, undertaking and hardware departments of the company's store, proving his capacity as salesman and manager to the satisfaction of his employers. This phase of his career was terminated in 1918, in which year Mr. Levings resumed agricultural pursuits, buying 120 acres in section 9, Crystal Lake Township. Of this tract he cleared 40 acres, also erecting a good set of buildings. Here he is engaged in mixed farming and dairying, keeping grade Shorthorn cattle, and his operations have proved successful from the financial standpoint. In 1921 he was elected clerk of the township board, in which office he is now serving. This is not his first public service, as he was formerly treasurer of the high school board at Glenwood and at another time a member of the village council at Amery. For many years he was president and secretary of the Ashland district Epworth League, and for 15 years superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school at Cumberland. His interest in the temperance cause dates back to an early period and to it he devoted a considerable amount of time and much earnest effort, which were amply rewarded when the eighteenth amendment to the United States constitution went into effect. Mr. Levings assumed the responsibilities of domestic life on Dec. 30, 1885, when he was united in marriage at Boardman, Wis., to Anna Casselman. She was born in Canada, June 2, 1861, daughter of Michael and Eliza (Johnston) Casselman. Her parents are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Levings have had three children: Edwin J., born Nov. 29, 1886, who is now teaching a government Indian school in North Carolina; William A., born June 2, 1891, who died in infancy, Oct. 31, 1892, and Harry E., born Sept. 20, who is now his father's business partner. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., 1922, pp. 714-715.