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
966-967

ROBERT GARNIDGE, farmer, Sec. 23; P.O. Columbus; is a
native of England.  His parents, William and Jane
(RICHARDSON) GARNIDGE, were natives of Northampton
Co., England; his father as born in 1777, and died
there in 1860; his mother was born in 1787, and died
in 1836; they raised a family of four children, of
whom Robert, the second and subject of this sketch,
was born at Spratton, Northampton Co., in 1816, and
removed with his parents, when 4 years old, to
Raventhorpe, Northampton Co., where he lived till
1845, whence he emigrated to America; he stopped first
at Avon, Lorain Co., Ohio, where he was employed at
farm labor for about a year; April 2, 1846, he started
for Wisconsin, and reached Columbus, Columbia Co., the
13th day of that month; he at once entered a farm of
40 acres on Sec. 22 of this town, made a few
improvements, and sold it; he next bought 80 acres of
his present farm on Sec. 23, in 1848, and has since
made it his home; he now owns 200 acres in that
section.  In 1849, he was married to Miss Sarah E.,
daughter of John and Sarah ADLER, a native of
Northampton, England, but emigrated to Wisconsin with
her parents in 1846, where they afterward died.  Mr.
and Mrs. GARNIDGE have three sons and two daughters,
as follows: Byron R., now in Mason City, Iowa; Jennie,
at home with her parents; William H., now at Albion,
Boone Co., Neb.; Charles R., at home; and Anna V., at
home.  Mrs. GARNIDGE is a member of the Congregational
Church.

Page 967

ROBERT GRIFFITHS, dealer in furniture and undertaker,
Columbus; was born at Holyhead, Anglesea, North Wales,
in 1829, he began the carpenter and joiner's trade
when 18 years old; in 1856, he came to America and
located in New York City, where he continued his trade
for nearly nine years; he came to Columbus, Wis., in
1864, formed a co-partnership with J. COLVILLE in the
furniture and undertaking business, and continued with
him till his death; since that time, he has carried on
the business alone, and now has the most extensive
business in the city.  In 1864, he was married to
Esther JONES, of New York City, a daughter of the late
Richard P. JONES, of Columbus, Wis.  Mr. and Mrs. G.
are members of the Welsh Calvinistic Church.

EUGENE S. GRISWOLD, dry-goods merchant, Columbus; was
born in Salisbury, Herkimer Co., N.Y., in 1833; is the
son of Amos and Phebe (SHERWOOD) GRISWOLD, natives of
Connecticut, but Mr. GRISWOLD was educated at the
Academy of Fairfield, N.Y.; completing his studies
there in 1853, he went to New York City, where, for
the next two years he was connected with the
Mercantile Library Association; he came to Columbus,
Wis., in 1855, and was employed as clerk by his
brothers in the mercantile trade for eighteen months;
in 1861, he began dealing in grain, which he afterward
followed for two years, and then began the dry-goods
business, which he has since continued.  He was
married to Miss Hattie, daughter of Dudley TYNG, a
native of August, Me.  They have three children -
Florence, Ada and Edith.

WILLIAM M. GRISWOLD, Columbus, was born in Salisbury,
Herkimer Co., N.Y., in 1823.  His parents, Amos and
Martha MUNSON GRISWOLD, were natives of Connecticut.
Mr. GRISWOLD was educated at Union College,
Schenectady, N.Y., from which institution he graduated
in 1844; he studied law with A. LOOMIS, at Little
Falls, Herkimer Co., N.Y., and was admitted at
Schenectady, NY., in 1850; he at once began the
practice of his profession with Judge LOOMIS, the
father of the code, and continued with him for three
years; he came to Wisconsin in 1853, located at
Columbus, and for the first few years he was engaged
in the mercantile trade; he next devoted his attention
to farming for seven years, and since that time has
lived more retired from active life.  He has been Town
Supervisor several terms; was elected a member of the
Wisconsin Assembly in 1858, re-elected in 1859 and
1860; in 1868 he was elected to the senate from
Columbia Co., and filled that position so faithfully
that he was again re-elected to the same in 1870.  In
July 1868, he was married to Miss Mary, daughter of
Alfred SCOFIELD, of Yates Co, N.Y.; their children are
William E. and Mary M.  Mrs. GRISWOLD is a member of
the Universalist Church.

GEORGE GRISWOLD, Columbus, was born in Salisbury,
Herkimer Co., N.Y., in 1816; was educated at Union
College of Schenectady, under Dr. NOTT; read law with
A. LOOMIS, at Little Falls, and later with Michael
HOFFMAN of Herkimer, N.Y.; he came to Columbus in the
fall of 1850, and for nine years was engaged in
merchandising; since that time he lived a more retired
life.

HARMAN R. HANCOCK, farmer; Sec. 4; P.O. Columbus; was
born in Jefferson Co., N.Y., in 1833; son of Isaac B.
and Sally HANCOCK, with whom he emigrated to Columbia
Co., in the spring of 1846, and located on a farm in
the town of Columbus, where they lived for three
years; his father then removed to Fall River, where he
now resides.  Mr. HANCOCK was married in 1856, to Miss
Mary R., daughter of Danforth W. and Emily STILES, a
native of Vermont, but an emigrant to Wisconsin, in
1847, and located on the farm where she now lives and
where her father afterward died with the cholera.  Mr.
and Mrs. HANCOCK have eight children, as follows:
Nellie, Lydia, Edwin, Cora, Matilda, Herbert, Willis,
and Laura.

Submitted by Carol