Biographies from The History of Columbia County,
Wisconsin, 1880 


Contributed by Carol carolann612@charter.net
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm


From The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, 1880,
publ. by Western Historical Company, Chicago, Page 948

JOHN DAILY, farmer, Sec. 33; P. O Pardeeville; is a
native of County Westmeath, Ireland, and came to
America in 1847, when about 17 or 18 years old.  He
settled in Chenango Co., N.Y., where he was married in
August, 1855, to Ann FAGAN.  The next fall, he came to
Wisconsin; lived in Waukesha Co. till spring, then
went to Illinois, and stayed till fall, then his wife
returned to New York, and he went to New Orleans,
where he stayed through the winter, and went back to
New York the next July.  In the spring of 1864, he
enlisted in the 5th N.Y. Heavy Artillery, and was
mustered out at the close of the war.  He was in
Virginia most of the time, and participated in six or
seven battles.  After the war closed, he returned to
New York, and in October 1865, again came to
Wisconsin, this time to stay and the same winter
bought his present location, where he has since
resided.  Mrs. DAILY died Oct. 10, 1876, aged about
45, after an illness of a year and a half, leaving
four children - Thomas, Mary Ann, Jane (now Mrs.
William Robert SHAW, of Scott), and Julia.  Mr. DAILY
is a Democrat and a member of the Catholic Church.  He
has 200 acres of land.

Page 949

HARVEY DEAN (deceased), was born in the State of New
York, May 21, 1814; son of Samuel DEAN; was married,
Sept. 23, 1836, to Eliza A. WILKINS, who was born Feb.
27, 1819, in the town of Sussex, England, daughter of
Charles and Susan (HOBDEN) WILKINS who came to America
in the fall of 1829 and settled in Monroe Co., N.Y.;
lived there three or four years, then sold out and
went to Victor (same county), and lived there till May
1862, then came to Wisconsin.  Mrs. WILKINS died in
New York State Feb. 9, 1862, in her 73d year, and Mr.
WILKINS died April 3, 1878, in Wisconsin, in his 82d
year.  Mr. DEAN came to Wisconsin in the spring of
1850, lived in Racine till the next fall, then came to
Columbia Co., and located on Sec. 14, and afterward
bought more land on Sec. 15 and resided on the same
farm till his death, Jan. 14, 1865, of pneumonia,
after an illness of nine days, leaving five children -
Susan H. (now Mrs. W. COMSTOCK), of Marcellon;
Clarissa L. (now Mrs. William ALBEE), of the same
town; Caroline S., born Dec. 3, 1843, in Monroe Co.,
N.Y., (now Mrs. Nelson THWING), of Waseca Co., Minn.;
Charles, born Sept. 25, 1847, in Greece, Monroe Co.,
N.Y., lives in Barron Co., Wis., and Martin H., born
March 20, 1863, in Marcellon, Wis., now living on the
homestead with his mother; P. O. Bellefountain.  Have
140 acres of land.  Mr. DEAN worked at the carpenter
and joiner's trade in New York, and most of the time
after coming to Wisconsin.  The sons are all farmers. 
Mrs. DEAN and youngest son are members of the Free-
Will Baptist Church.

JOHN M. FRENCH, farmer, Sec. 7; P.O. Portage City; was
born May 4, 1791, in Essex Co., Vt.; son of Hains
FRENCH, who was a Revolutionary soldier, and was in
the battle of Quebec, when Gen. Montgomery was killed;
was the first Clerk of the Court in Essex Co., Vt.; he
was a member of the first Council, and remained in
both offices till 1813; the county was organized in
1800; in 1812, he helped raise a volunteer regiment in
Vermont; took a major's commission, and died in
November 1813, at Chautauqua Corners, State of New
York.  John M. enlisted in July 1812, in a New
Hampshire volunteer regiment and served one year; then
enlisted in the 4th Regulars and served till the close
of the war; was in seven or eight engagements; once
got shot through the leg below the knee and had two
ribs broken; his oldest brother, Homer, enlisted in a
Maine volunteer regiment, served one year and then re-
enlisted in the 4th Rifle Regiment, in the regular
army, and was killed Nov. 17, in the battle of Fort
Erie; his youngest brother enlisted in a Vermont
volunteer regiment, served one year, then re-enlisted
and served through the war.  He is now living in
Canada East, aged 85 years.  After the war, Mr. FRENCH
returned to his native place and was married Dec. 25,
1815, to Tirzah DAY; came to Wisconsin in the first
saw-mill in the county, on French's Creek, in the town
of Fort Winnebago.  He removed to his present location
in 1868; his first wife died April 1, 1863, in the
67th year of her age; she was the mother of eighteen
children, only six of whom were living at her death;
had lost nine before coming to Wisconsin, and three
died in Wisconsin before her death and one since;
those who are still living and those who died in
Wisconsin are as follows: Ovid, born Nov. 3, 1816;
John M., Jan. 3, 1818, and died Jan. 16, 1868; Tirzah,
born Feb. 19, 1820, died Sept. 27, 1856; Haines, born
April 21, 1822, died April 21, 1842; Olive, born June
9, 1824, died Nov. 3, 1854; Ann, born Sept. 21, 1827;
Homer, born June 9, 1829; Volney V., Aug. 22, 1832,
and William W., Jan. 8, 1824.  Homer was in the
Mexican war, through the whole of it, and also served
in the 32d W.V.I., through the war of the rebellion;
William W., was in the 2d W.V.C., and served three
years during the rebellion; a grandson, William, son
of John FRENCH, also served during the war, in the 2d
W.V.C.  Mr. FRENCH was married the second time, Sept.
13, 1863, to Malvina BARROWS, who was born Oct. 25,
1824, in Oneida Co., N.Y.; was educated at the
Wesleyan Female College, of Cincinnati, and graduated
June 29, 1849; has one daughter by the second marriage
- Lillie, born Sept. 9, 1867.  Mr. FRENCH has had
nineteen children; now has forty grandchildren and
fifty-great-grandchildren living.  Although nearly 89
years old, he retains all his mental faculties, and
gives names and dates readily from memory; he still
plays the violin and seems to enjoy it as well as
ever, and can dance as well as most of the boys.  He
was an old-time Jefferson Democrat and still acts with
the Democratic party.  Has 52 acres of land, which he
rents, as his failing eyesight prevents active labor.

Submitted by Carol