BIOGRAPHIES: James FLEMING, Pepin Township, Pepin Co., WI

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Submitted by:  oldstufn@hotmail.com  on  26 May 2005
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James Fleming, a pioneer of Pepin township, Pepin county, in his day 
widely known and respected, but now deceased, was born at Kittanning, 
Armstrong countym, Penn., Aug. 31, 1816, and died at Pepin, May 14, 
1887. He was of Irish descent, his parents being John and Sarah 
(Everett) Fleming. After acquiring a limited education, James Fleming, 
at 19 years of age, began life as a pilot on a lumber raft, running on 
the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. In 1837 he made a trip as far as New 
Orleans. He was married December 27, 1838, to Susan, daughter of Henry 
and Betsy (Gumbert) Pence. She was born March 31, 1820. Mr. Fleming 
worked as a carpenter, as an employee in a distillery, and at farming 
until 1848, when he removed to Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, where 
he bought a farm and also engaged in lumbering. In 1854 he made a trip 
to Pepin and decided to locate here with his family. The following year 
he loaded his goods and family into a wagon and started to drive to 
Wisconsin. One horse became lame, and he then shipped his outfit on a 
steamboat from Pittsburgh, paying all his ready money for their fare 
to Dubuque, Iowa. On the route he was siezed with cholera and landed 
penniless at Davenport. A part of the wagon had been miscarried, so 
they were unable to proceed by team. Riding the horses out a few miles, 
they were met and befriended by a farmer, who kindly entertained the 
family, gave Mr. Fleming medicine, which soon caused him to recover, 
and advanced him a small sum of money. The balance of his money having 
arrived in the meanwhile, the family drove to Le Claire, Iowa, where Mr. 
Fleming got work teaming, with the proceeds of which the journey was 
continued Guttenburg, Iowa. Here he took passage by steamer to Reed's 
landing, Minn., agreeing to leave the goods as security for a portion 
of their fare, which was advanced by a merchant at Reed's on their 
arrival, who took security on the goods. Crossing to Pepin, Mr. Fleming 
began teaming, redeemed his goods, and the following year, 1856, made a 
claim on section 17, township 23, range 14 Here he built a log cabin 
and began the work of developing a farm, continuing to make improvements 
until his death. He was an active enterprising man, a member of the 
Protestant Methodist church and respected by all who knew him. His wife 
died about 1894. Their children are as follows: John, born March 23, 
1840, now a farmer in section 19, Pepin township; Nancy J., born Nov. 6, 
1841, who died Dec. 7, 1845; Elizabeth, born Dec. 14, 1842, who died Dec. 
2, 1845; Thomas M., born Oct. 13, 1844, who died Dec. 1, 1845; Milton, 
born April 6, 1846, who lives at Plum Creek, Pepin county; Eliza, born 
June 19, 1847, who first married Fred Young, after his death became the 
wife of Frank Dunn, and now lives with her son, James, at Chisolm, Minn., 
and Sarah E., born Feb. 27, 1849, who died Feb. 2, 1890.

-Transcribed from the "History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin, 
1919," page 783

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