Biographies:  George F. BANISTER, Eau Claire, Eau Claire Co., WI 

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George F. Banister, retired, was born in Genesee county, N. Y., July 26, 1836.
  His parents, Joseph and Polly (Stearns) Banister, were natives of 
Massachusetts and New York, respectively, of Scotch-Irish and English 
descent.  Mr. Banister was reared in Jefferson county, New York, until he 
was ten years of age, then spent two years in Pennsylvania.  He came to 
Wisconsin in 1849 with his parents, who settled on Indian land in what is 
now Portage City, but then called Moundville.  In 1866 they came to Eau 
Claire county and settled in the town of Washington and there engaged in 
farming.  They had a family of thirteen children, nine of whom grew to 
maturity.  Those now living are:  George F.; Lucy, wife of George M. Dempsey;
Mary J. married Ira Burton; Daniston C. and Lyman S.  Of those deceased John 
died in Kentucky while serving as a soldier in the United State army; Daniel 
S. was killed in the civil war; Frederick C., and La Salle.

Mr. Banister received a limited education in the common schools and after 
coming to Wisconsin in 1849 he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner and 
in 1856 came to Eau Claire county, and the following year purchased a farm 
of 85 acres in what is now Section 6, Washington towhsip, to which he 
subsequently added 80 acres.  He cleared and improved 100 acres and there 
made his home until 1879, when he sold out and moved to the city of Eau 
Claire and resumed the carpenter business, which he followed off and on 
until 1908 and then retired.  In February, 1865, he married Harriet West, 
daughter of Derrick and Mary (Upham) West, of Columbia county.  Three 
children were born to them, as follows: Mary, who followed the occupation of 
teacher, is deceased; Lucy, deceased, and Phoebe M., wife of Charles Peat, 
of Portland, Ore.  Mr. Banister was a soldier in the civil war, enlisting 
December 15, 1861, as a privat in Company L, Second Regiment, Wisconsin 
Volunteer Cavalry.  He participated in the siege of Vicksburg and in many 
other battles and skirmishes, and was honorably discharged January 23, 1865, 
by reason of the expiration of his term of service.  He is now a member of 
Eagle Post, No. 52, G. A. R., of Eau Claire, and the Old Settlers' 
Association, and is one of its oldest members.  While living on the farm Mr. 
Banister was honored by the people of his town by being elected to various 
offices, served one term as supervisor and held other minor offices.

--Taken from "The History of Eau Claire County, 1914, Past & Present",
pages 641-642.