Biography: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: William Parker BUSSEY ************************************************************************ Submitted by Kathy Grace, July 2004 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ William Parker Bussey, a native of Omro township, Winnebago county, was born April 21, 1865, and is one of a family of five children, two of whom are now (1908) living, born to Jesse Bussey, a native of Machiasport, Me., and Isabelle Parker, a native of England. Samuel Bussey, grandfather of our subject, came from that good old coloniel [sic] stock of New England. He came to Wisconsin in the early fifties and first settled at Beaver Dam.l After remaining here for a short time he removed to Winnebago county, Own township, and conducted a hotel in the eastern part of the village of Omro, and at times engaged in farming. He was a man of sterling worth and heroic character of frugal, thrifty and industrious habits, prosperous in his affairs and withal kind-hearted and generous. William Parker, the maternal grandfather, came to Wisconsin in 1846, and spent on year in Waukesha county, and then came to Winnebago county and secured a grant of land in section 18, Omro township, where he spent the balance of his useful and active life- his death occurring in 1888. He was a good man and esteemed by all who knew him. Jesse Bussey, father of William, after his marriage to Isabelle Parker, took charge of the Parker homestead and successfully engaged in farming until the death of his wife, mother of our subject, in 1874, when he removed to his own farm in section 24, Rushford township. For the fourteen years last past he has lived in retirement at Omro. William received his education in the district schools and under the instructions of Professor Manning, who conducted what he called his Rural Academy. He continued to reside on the old homestead until 1885, when he moved to the Parker farm, which, since the death of his grandfather in 1888, he has owned and conducted. His farm contains over 100 acres, one and a quarter miles from Omro, and is well improved with a modern dwelling house, large barns and outbuildings, and all the necessary equipment and conveniences that go to make an up-to-date, model farm. He devotes himself to general farming, dairying and stock raising. He also has quite an extensive apple orchard and grows numerous variety of small fruits, and like his fathers before him, is prosperous and forehanded. He has taken an active interest in horticulture- is a life member of the State Horticultural Society, and for several years has been on the executive board, and has been assistant superintendent of the horticultural department at the State Fair. He was chairman of the town board for two years, Justice of Peace, member of the school board, and also a clerk of the same. Mr. Bussey married in 1886 Miss Ella Rockwood, of Iron Ridge, Wis., daughter of John W. and Marietta (Caldwell) Rockwood, who were early settlers of Dodge county. They have one child, Eva. Mrs. Bussey is a charming lady, with many womanly and domestic virtues, and worthy helpmeet to a worth husband. Transcribed from Lawson, Publius V. History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: its cities, towns, resources people. Chicago: C.F. Cooper and Company, 1908. v.2 p.895-896.