Biography: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: C.W. THRALL

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Submitted by Kathy Grace, <gendiva@charter.net> August 2004

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C.W. Thrall, one of the early pioneer settlers and today one of the oldest
and most respected citizens of Winnebago county, was born in Johnstown,
Montgomery county, New York, on November 25, 1818, and is a son of John and
Rebecca (Ayres) Thrall, natives of New England.  His grandfather, also John
Thrall, was a descendant of the old Dutch family of that name who came to
American in the seventeenth century and settled in New England.  In 1837
during Mr. Thrall's youth he worked at various occupations in both
Pennsylvania and Ohio for some seven years and then decided to try farming.
He rented a farm in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where his parents and
family joined him in 1844, coming here from St. Lawrence county, New York. 
They remained here for only eighteen months, however, having become
interested in the new then territory of Wisconsin and the many advantages
it held out to pioneers.  They decided to brave the hardships incident to
the settling of a new country and on May 5, 1846, gathered together their
belongings and started for the West.  They arrived in Winnebago county,
Wisconsin, on June 9 of the same year and settled on the present farm in
section 28, Utica township, where Mr. Thrall has since resided.  His farm
of over 200 acres is in a high state of cultivation, improved with a large
new commodious and modern residence, barns and other outbuildings, and the
place is equipped with modern labor-saving devices which to make this one
of the most beautiful country homes in the county, and it is under the
active management of his son, John W.

Mr. Thrall has always taken an active interest in public matters, and any
movement toward the betterment of the public has always received his
sanction and support.  For ten years he held the office of assessor, and
during the war days he was enrolling officer for his district.  He has
always contributed freely to the support of the church, although not a
member himself.  At this time (1908) he is hale and hearty at the age of 90
year and during the year 1907 he was proffered the office of justice of the
peace and also the chairmanship of the town board, both of which he
declined to accept.  He has indeed served his town and county well and has
ever been one of its foremost, honorable and respected citizens.

Mrs. Thrall married Miss Frances McKee on June 2, 1853.  She was the
daughter of the Rev. Hiram McKee, a prominent minster and strong
abolitionist of Champlain, New York.  They reared a family of eight
children, viz.: Hiram Wallace, Ella (now deceased), Mabel, Mary E., Hattie
M., Charles M., Doretta F., Martha M. (deceased), Cyrus A. and Nettie H.

Mrs. Thrall died February 7, 1870.  Mr. Thrall married Margaret J. Roberts,
November 14, 1878, and by this marriage has two children- Myrtie Rebecca
and John Wells.

Transcribed from 
Lawson, Publius V.  History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: its cities, towns, resources people. Chicago: C.F. Cooper and Company, 1908. v.2 p.1160-1161.