HENRY AMMIRAS DARROW - Biography

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Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 498-499


HENRY AMMIRAS DARROW, a well-known citizen of Winfield Township, Sauk County, 
WI, is descended from New England ancestry. He was born in Mecca, Trumbull 
County, OH, 20 Jun 1839, and is a son of H. Ammiras and Luceba (DANN) DARROW, 
both natives of NY, the former born in Albany County, the latter in the 
western part of the state.

The paternal grandfather, Ammiras DARROW, who was a soldier of the 
Revolutionary war, made his early home in CT, and when the father of our 
subject was four years old removed, with his family, from Albany County, NY 
to Booneville, Oneida County, NY, where [p 499] he built and operated a 
tannery. This establishment was afterward burned down, causing him a serious 
loss. He died in Booneville. He was of Scotch descent, while is wife, Sarah 
FISHER, was of Irish extraction, her father being a native of Ireland and 
pressed on board a British man-of-war, from which he escaped and came to 
America. She was born in New London [New London County], CT, and was nine 
years old when the place was burned by General ARNOLD, whom she had known 
before he entered the army. She [Sarah (FISHER) DARROW] died in Reedsburg 
[Sauk County], WI, at the age of 93 years.

Soon after his marriage, H. Ammiras DARROW, the father of our subject, 
removed to Trumbull County, OH, and in the fall of 1839 came to WI, first 
locating in Walworth County, and became one of the pioneers of Allen's Grove, 
where he lived upon a farm for 12 years. When he located there the nearest 
post office was at Beloit [Rock County, WI]. In 1851 he came to Sauk County 
and took up his residence in Winfield Township, where he died in his 96th 
year. He was always a vigorous and rugged man, and when 65 years old walked 
to Madison [Dane County, WI] from Winfield Township and returned in three 
days. His first trip to this county from Allen's Grove, in 1851, was made on 
foot. When the town of Winfield was separated from Reedsburg, in 1852, he 
suggested the name, in honor of Winfield SCOTT, who was at that time a 
candidate for the presidency.

At the age of 39 years, H. Ammiras DARROW married Miss Luceba DANN, a 
daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (RULL) DANN. The former was a descendant 
of Francis DANN, who founded one of the earliest Episcopal churches in New 
England, at Danntown [now Dantown, New Haven County?], CT, in 1675. Mrs. 
DARROW was also a representative of the UNDERHILL family, mentioned by 
WHITTIER in one of his famous poems. She died a few years before her 
husband, at the age of 72 years. In their family were ten children, five 
sons and five daughters, all of whom are still living: Elizabeth, Adelia R., 
Phoebe M., Henry Ammiras, Nathaniel; Sarah, wife of L. N. FISH, of Winfield 
[Sauk County, WI]; Albert, George; Caroline, widow of Sherman WINFIELD; and 
John, of Barron County, WI. All are residents of WI, with the exception of 
Albert, who lives in IA.

Mr. DARROW, whose name introduces this review, was a lad of 12 years when he 
came with his family to Sauk County. During his boyhood and youth he 
attended school during the winter months, while through the summer season he 
engaged in farm work. At the age of 21 he started out in life for himself, 
and a few years later bought a part of his present farm, which at that time 
was wild land. He has since owned 280 acres, but of that amount he has sold 
41 acres. He now has 150 acres under a high state of cultivation, and 
improved with good and substantial buildings. He was one of the 
incorporators of the Stae Bank of Reedsburg, in 1898, and is a business man 
of more than ordinary ability. He was a member of the WI Grange for a time, 
and has affiliated with the Republican party since voting for Abraham Lincoln 
in 1860. Most creditably he has filled the offices of town superintendent of 
schools, clerk of his school district 25 years and town treasurer, and is 
recognized as one of the most public-spirited and progressive citizens of his 
town.