Outagamie County, WI - Biography of Chauncy N. ALDRICH one time resident of Stephensville; 1825- *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives SUBJECT: Biography of Chauncy N. ALDRICH one time resident of Stephensville; 1825- SUBMITTER: Janice Marasch EMAIL: jmmarasch@aol.com DATE SUBMITTED: 09 July 1999 SURNAMES: ALDRICH SOURCE: Commemorative Biographical Record of the Fox River Valley Counties of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago, J.H. Beers & Co, p. 121, 1895 BIOGRAPHY: CHAUNCY N. ALDRICH, one of the earliest and best-known residents of Preble township, Brown county, is a native of Cortland county, N. Y., born in the town of Preble, May 11, 1825. His father, Jonathan Aldrich, who was a farmer, first saw the light in Vermont, where he married Amelia Gains, and to this union were born children as follows: Jonathan, who died about 1890, at Amherst, Portage Co., Wis.; Penelope, who married Caleb Blanchard, and died in Lewis county, N. Y.; Olive, who was first married to Horatio Howard, and later to William H. Bruce (she died on the farm of our subject); Amelia, who married Francis Gilbert, and died at Green Bay; Delight, who was married to Royal Jacobs, and died in Michigan; Valentine, who died in Cooperstown, Manitowoc Co., Wis.; Amasa G., who died in Preble, Cortland Co., N. Y.; Asa H., who died in Brown county, Wis.; Samuel M., who died on the farm of his brother, C. N.; Gains D., who died in Green Bay; Chauncy N., specially mentioned further on; and Rexville R., deceased in infancy. The father of this family was a life-long agriculturist, and made his home in New York State for many years, dying August 13, 1838, in the town of Scott, Cortland county; he was buried in Preble, same county. His wife, who survived him many years, passed away June 1, 1871, in Preble township, Brown Co., Wis., at the home of her son Chauncy N., and her remains now rest in a private cemetery on his farm, where she was laid at her own request. She was a member of the Methodist Church. Jonathan Aldrich was a Democrat of the "Jacksonian stripe," and a very stanch adherent of the party. Chauncy N. Aldrich is the sole survivor of the family of twelve children born to Jonathan and Amelia (Gains) Aldrich. He received such an education as the common schools of his time afforded. and was reared a farmer boy, residing at home up to the time of his father's death. The latter had requested him to go west to Brown county, Wis., and make his home with his brother- in-law, William H. Bruce, until he reached his majority, and after attending school one year longer he left his native place for the "Far West," as Wisconsin was then considered. He made the journey by wagon to Syracuse, by canal to Buffalo, and thence bv lake on the boat "Illinois," Capt. Blake (her first trip), to Mackinaw, where he waited for a boat to Green Bay. He took passage on the "Gov. Marcy," and arrived at his destination October 24, i839. His brother-in- law, Mr. Bruce (above mentioned), was a general merchant at Green Bay, and young Aldrich resided with him for seven years, engaged at various kinds of labor, driving team, working on the farm, and in fact doing anything that presented itself. At the age of twenty-two Mr. Aldrich was united in marriage, at Green Bay, with Miss Amanda Porter, who was born at Coeymans, N. Y., daughter of John Porter. Mr. Aldrich, in the meantime, had saved a few dollars, and shortly after his marriage located on the farm where he has ever since resided, and which then belonged to his brother-in-law, Mr. Bruce. At the time our subject came here there was not a building between the farm and Green Bay, and the roads had to be cut out as lie went along. The old house which he first occupied is still standing. Here he has since made his home, with the exception of one year, when he lived in Stephensville, Outagamie county. Mr. Aldrich has been a farmer and stockman, and he has seen his land converted from its primitive condition, the forests supplanted by fertile fields, all representing many years of hard, unremitting toil. When he first located here wild animals abounded, deer and wolves being especially numerous. His farm consists of 160 acres of good land. To Mr. and Mrs Aldrich have been born nine children, a brief record of them being as follows: Arthur N. is a resident of Larimer countv, Colo.; Amelia is the wife of John Coppens, of Humboldt township; Olive is married to Henry Rockwell, of Preble township; Lavina married Charles Sidel, and died in Wausau, Wis., leaving four children; Madison is a resident of Preble township; Chauncy N. died when three months old; William is living at home; Delight is the wife of Fred Rockwell, of Preble township; Porter lives at home. Politically a Democrat, Mr. Aldrich has been one of the stanch supporters of the party, in his township, and has been called on to serve in many positions of trust, such as chairman of the board, in which capacity he has served for twenty years, at various times, at one time holding the office when his jurisdiction extended over what is now six townships. He has also served two years as township treasurer, and has been justice of the peace, filling every position with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency. In religious connection Mrs. Aldrich is a member of the Baptist Church.