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 971

JOHN W. LEFFINGWELL, farmer, Sec. 33; P.O Columbus;
was born in the town of Riga, Genesee Co., N.Y., Oct.
16, 1832; his father, Lemuel LEFFINGWELL, was born in
Connecticut, in 1798, and was a grandson of William
LEFFINGWELL, who emigrated from France to America in
an early day, and was instrumental in rescuing some
whites from the hands of the Indians; as a reward for
which the U. S. Government granted him the land where
the city of Norwich, Conn., is now located; his
father, Lemuel, removed with parents to the town of
Camden, Oneida Co., N.Y., when a mere boy.  There in
February 1820, he was married to Miss Ruth PRESTON, a
native of that county, born April 13, 1803.  Four
years after marriage they removed to Genesee Co., and
made that their home until 1835, whence they emigrated
to Monroe Co., Mich.; in 1837, they returned to Oneida
Co., N.Y., and settled in the town of Vernon, whence,
in 1847, they came to Wisconsin and located on a farm
in the town of York, Dane Co.; he having come in the
fall of 1846, and made preparation for the family,
which arrived in the spring of 1847; he afterward
purchased land near the town of Columbus, Columbia
Co., to which he removed and made his home until his
death, which occurred Sept. 6, 1877.  He left a wife
and four children to survive him; the latter are as
follows: Mary A., now the wife of Francis SMITH, and
lives in the town of Vernon, Oneida Co., N.Y.; George,
who lives with his mother on the farm; John W. and
Orissa, now the wife of Daniel PECK, and lives in the
town of York, Dane Co., Wis.  John W., the third and
subject of this sketch, was married Nov. 12, 1855, to
Miss Amanda, daughter of Orlando and Thankful (PARKER)
WISEMAN, a native of the town of Gainesville, Wyoming
Co., N.Y.; her grandfather, Thomas WISEMAN, was a
native of England, and came to America as a British
soldier in the Revolutionary war, served his term
under the King and then joined the American cause; he
was one of the men who watched for Maj. Andre at the
time of his capture; he afterward located in the town
of Gainesville, Wyoming Co., N.Y., where he followed
the weaver's trade, and made that his home until
death; he raised a large family, of whom Mrs.
LEFFINGWELL's father was the youngest but one, and
come as a pioneer to Dane Co., Wis., and located in
the town of York, where he died in the fall of 1876,
and his wife two years later.  Mr. LEFFINGWELL has
been Assessor of the town of Columbus for two terms,
was elected Chairman of the Town Board in 1878, re-
elected in 1879 and 1880.  He now has a farm of 230
acres, Sec. 33, town of Columbus.  Himself and wife
are members of the M. E. Church.  Their children are
as follows: Luella, now the wife of Calvin J.
FAIRBANKS, and lives in the town of Hampden; Ada E.,
now the wife of Franklin FEELYATER, and lives in the
town of Columbus; Arthus L. and Milton F., at home.

Submitted by Carol