Waukesha-Dane County WI Archives Biographies.....Powers, W. P. November 8, 1842 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Roxanne Munns rmunns@uwalumni.com April 13, 2007, 6:18 pm

Author: Unknown

W. P. POWERS, son of David J. and Eliza A. (Harris) Powers, was born in 
Whitewater, Wis., Nov. 8, 1842. His father, who is well known in Wisconsin as 
an early pioneer of the State, built the first frame building in Whitewater, 
in which he kept hotel; he subsequently laid out the village of Palmyra, Wis., 
and there built the first saw and grist mill. Afterward he became a member of 
the State Legislature from Jefferson County; editor of the Wisconsin Farmer; 
Secretary of the State Agricultural Society, and President of the Madison 
Mutual Insurance Company, and is now President of the Union Wire Mattress 
Company, of Chicago, Ill. W. P. Powers, the subject of this sketch, removed 
with his parents to Palmyra, Wis., in the fall of 1842, and remained there 
until 1850, when he went to Waukesha. In 1852, returned to Palmyra, and, 
during this year, his father was elected to the Legislature. In the spring of 
1853, he removed to Madison where he received his education, having graduated 
from the State University as a member of the class of 1860. He served two 
years in the war of the rebellion. He enlisted at Madison and was mustered in 
as a member of Company A, 1st Wisconsin heavy artillery. In the fall of 1863, 
he was promoted to First Lieutenant of the 4th Wisconsin Light Battery, and 
served with them in the Army of the Potomac, and commanded the battery at the 
siege of Vicksburg during the summer of 1864. His health having failed him, he 
resigned in November, 1864, and returned home to Madison. He engaged in the 
agricultural machinery business at Madison, which he continued until 1867, 
when he came to La Crosse and established his present business. He was married 
November 18, 1865, to Maggie F. Knight, of Summit, Waukesha Co., and daughter 
of B. W. Knight, a pioneer of that section of the State. They have four 
children - Fred, Mary, Donald and Robert. Mr. Powers is a member of the 
Knights of Honor, and Legion of Honor.

Additional Comments:
From History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, 1881, p. 784 - 785.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/waukesha/bios/powers312gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/

File size: 2.6 Kb