P.O. Box 159
Delavan, WI 53115

Contact WCGS: Walworth Genealogy 

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Wisconsin State Genealogical Society

From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, publ. 1912.

Page 552

ADAM E. RAY was son of Martin RAY (born 1779) and Caroline PHELPS (born 1781). He was born at Kingston, New York, in 1808. He came about 1837 to Milwaukee, and served for Milwaukee and Washington counties in the territorial Legislature; lower house from 1839 to 1842; upper house in 1845. About 1846 he settled in section 6 of Troy with his wife, Eliza, and was four times a county supervisor. At the legislative session of 1851 he was an assemblyman, chosen over Timothy MOWER and Mellen BERRY. About 1858 he went to Alabama with intent to try northern ways of farming there. He and his money were made welcome, but within a year or two the political atmosphere became so over-heated that he returned and soon afterward moved to Waukesha, where he died September 20, 1865. His children were Patrick Henry, Eliza, Mary, Augusta, Jane, Fred, Ira, Ida. P. Henry RAY enlisted in April, 1861, and served in Company K, Second Infantry, as corporal; in Company A, First Heavy Artillery, as senior first lieutenant; in Company L, same regiment, as captain; entered the regular service in 1867 as second lieutenant; was retired as brigadier-general; and died in 1911.

Page 552

GEORGE AUGUSTUS RAY, son of Martin and Caroline, was born in Delaware county, New York, April 23, 1819; came to Mukwonago by way of Milwaukee about 1837; to East Troy about 1842; to Lagrange about 1860; to Whitewater in 1870, where he died February 23, 1893. He served for seven terms as county supervisor for Lagrange, and in 1868 was assemblyman, having defeated Henry B. CLARK. October 31, 1844 he married Fanny, daughter of Jonah WICKER and Fanny COMPTON. She was born in Vermont, March 31, 1826; died at Whitewater, October 25, 1906. Their children were Mary (Mrs. William R. TAYLOR); James W.; Frank P.; Ada (Mrs. Arthur R. COOK); Margaret (Mrs. ROBY).

Page 552-553

HENRY M. RAY, son of Martin and Caroline, was born in April 1806 at Kingston. He came to Darien before 1860. In 1865 he was one of the incorporators of the First National Bank of Delavan. He died November in 1866. Mrs. Mary S. RAY, his wife, was born in Saratoga county; died at Delavan, April 23, 1892. Their children were Asa W.; W. Augustus; Henry; Mary E. (Mrs. Warren W. STURTEVANT); Platt. W. Augustus was colonel of the Fortieth Infantry, and Henry E. was a lieutenant in the same regiment.

Page 666-668

BENONI O. REYNOLDS. The name of Dr. Benoni O. REYNOLDS for many decades was one of the best known in Walworth county, where he was esteemed by all classes and where so much of his useful and honored life was spent. He was born in Semponius township, Cayuga county, New York, July 26, 1824. He was the son of John and Nancy (HAY) RAYENOLDS and the grandson of Benoni REYNOLDS, who was born in Wales, from which country he came to America in colonial days and took part in the war for independence, as a private in the Thirteenth Regiment of Albany County Militia, and also served in the Sixth Regiment of Dutchess County Militia under Colonel Graham of New York. For many years he lived at Marcellus, that state, and his death occurred when he had nearly attained the century milestone. Nancy (HAY) REYNOLDS was the daughter of a Revolutionary soldier, who came to this country from Germany, and he, too, lived to a ripe old age.

When thirteen years of age Dr. Benoni O. REYNOLDS was bound out to learn a trade, and for a time he worked in a cooper shop, but, not liking the work, he ran away and began life for himself. After two years' experience teaching school he began the study of medicine, later taking the course at Rush Medical College, Chicago, and there was graduated in 1851, and about ten years later he was graduated from the Ophthalmic College of New York. He practiced for some time at Huntsville, Ohio, then went to Wisconsin and began practicing in and near Racine in 1848. He enlisted for service in the Mexican war, but was not called to the front. In 1854 he located in Elkhorn and made his home in this county until his death. He took up his residence in Lake Geneva in 1866 and here he soon acquired an extensive practice. In 1861 he was commissioned surgeon of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry and he served with distinction in that capacity until the close of the war, in 1865. The estimate of his ability as a surgeon in the army is shown by the following order of Brig.- Gen. J. R. West, chief of the cavalry division: "The operating staff will consist of Surgeon B. O. REYNOLDS, of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and Surgeon W. W. BAILEY, of the First Missouri Cavalry, and no operation shall be performed without their sanction and direction, and in all doubtful cases the board of operating surgeons shall consult together and a majority shall decide upon the expediency and character of the operation." In 1863 Doctor REYNOLDS was appointed medical director on the staff of General Ewing. While in southwest Missouri in 1862 he was taken prisoner by Colonel Coffee's command and after being held ten days made his escape through the Confederate lines on a night when Coffee's camp was attacked by Union cavalry. At the battle of Prairie Grove, in the fall of 1862, his skill as a surgeon was put to the test. General John C. Black was so badly wounded that an eye witness said he looked as if there was hardly enough left of him to call for the services of an undertaker, but Surgeon REYNOLDS took charge of him, and out of a mass of gaping wounds and splintered bones reconstructed a man who later was of fine personal appearance.

Doctor REYNOLDS was married on March 30, 1848, to Mary J. SMITH, of Trumbull county, Ohio, the daughter of Dr. John and Sarah (BUTTLES) SMITH. In 1861 she was graduated from the Women's Medical College and during the war she enjoyed an extensive practice while her husband was away in the army. She is a woman of unusual attainments and force of personality. To the Doctor and wife two children were born, James C., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, and Willis S., who was graduated from the Chicago Medical College, and who is now cashier of a bank at Hurley, Wisconsin.

Dr. B. O. REYNOLDS died at his home in Lake Geneva, January 19, 1911, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. He was a member of McPherson Post of the Grand Army of the Republic and a companion of the Loyal Legion. He always took an abiding interest in public affairs, and was an active Republican and well-known in state and county politics. He once represented his home district in the Assembly and was also in the State Senate for several terms, and for eight years he was a member of the state board of health. As a public servant he performed his duties in an able, conscientious and commendable manner, winning the hearty approval of all concerned irrespective of party alignment. He was a member of the national board of health, of the State Medical Association, and of the National Medical Association. He was also prominent in the Grand Army of the Republic. As a physician he had few equals and no superiors in this part of the state. Mrs. Dr. REYNOLDS is still living at Lake Geneva, now eighty-eight years of age.

Page 553

EDWIN MORTIMER RICE, son of Jones RICE and Hannah HEMENWAY, was born in Addison county, Vermont, February 13, 1817; married December 24, 1840, Laura E., daughter of Ira WICKER, of Bridgeport; came in 1841 to section 5, Richmond; was member of the county board in 1855 and in the same year began six years of service as superintendent of the poor. In 1867 he moved to Whitewater, where he died May 19, 1904.

Page 553

ERASMUS DARWIN RICHARDSON, son of Caleb RICHARDSON and Clarissa KNIGHT, had ancestors Thoams1, Nathaniel2, John3, Caleb4, John5. He was born at Burlington, New York, November 26, 1810; in 1834 married Elizabeth W., and in 1843 Alma O., daughters of Abraham SPAFARD and Sarah WILLIAMS. He came to section 31 of Lyons in 1842, and from his farm was taken the addition of five acres to Lake Geneva. He began his banking business at Lake Geneva in 1848 and continued in it until his death, January 2, 1892. His affairs were found somewhat involved, most likely because age had impaired his earlier sound judgment. He had served the town as clerk, and the village as president, and was a member of the Assembly of 1849. He was regarded as one of the safest business men of the county. His one child, Elizabeth, was wife of Charles E. BUELL.

Page 553

ARD STARR ROCKWELL was son of Benjamin Sperry ROCKWELL and Tryphena STARR. Jabez ROCKWELL, his grandfather, was of Danbury, Connecticut, where his children were born. These were Levi, Eli, Benjamin S., and Ezra. Benjamin S. ROCKWELL was born May 19, 1762; married May 4, 1783; died October 30, 1835, at Butternuts, New York, whither he had removed in 1795. Tryphena was daughter of Jonathan STARR, Jr., and Lucy, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth RUGGLES. Her earlier ancestors were Thomas1, Dr. Comfort2, Thomas3, Josiah4, John5, Jonathan6. She was born May 12, 1762; died March 23, 1851. Their children were Ard Starr, Keziah, Ashbel Ruggles, Amos, Andrew, Asahel, Rachel, Laura, Anson, Almon. Ard S. was born December 5, 1783; married Betsey SHAW in 1800; died at Elkhorn, July 4, 1866. Mrs. ROCKWELL was born in 1795; died December 5, 1875. Their sons were John Starr, LeGrand, Lester Ruggles, Henry; and there were four daughters.

Page 553-554

JAMES OLIVER ROSENCRANS (Simeon4, Col. John3, Alexander2, Herman Hendrieck1) was son of Dr. Simeon ROSENCRANS and Sarah SHOEMAKER. He was born at Walpack, Hunterdon county, New Jersey, June 3, 1803; married Susannah, daughter of James VAN CAMPEN and Cecelia DECKER, March 3, 1824; came to early Whitewater - several namesakes and relatives also to Troy, Sugar Creek and other towns; died May 5, 1883. His wife was born November 6, 1805, died September 1, 1892. Their daughter Cecelia was married to Augustus C. KINNE.

Page 554

CYRUS RUGG, son of David RUGG and Eunice, daughter of Solomon GLEASON, was descended from John1, Daniel2, 3, Reuben4. He was born at Heath, Massachusetts, January 20, 1811; married October 7, 1835, Lucinda F., daughter of Zenas and Abigail TAYLOR. She was born February 29, 1816; died November 2, 1884 - having known but seventeen birthdays. Cyrus died at Logan, Iowa, February 2, 1894. In 1860 they had six children. Mr. RUGG came to Bloomfield in 1841. He served the town three terms as its member of the county board. A few of his townsmen remember him as a competent farmer and man of town affairs, and speak of him as one of the best men of his town, and, therefore one of the best of the county. His brother, Erastus Root RUGG, was born November 2, 1820; came to Bloomfield in 1841; married December 25, 1844, Lucy Elizabeth HATCH; went westward in after years; was killed at Portland, Oregon, September 20, 1889. Mrs. RUGG was born January 18, 1827; died September 4, 1900.

Page 554

SILAS SALISBURY was born Mary 15, 1809; came to Spring Prairie in 1837; married Olive DAME at Northport, Michigan, in 1843; went to Lima in 1846; to Whitewater in 1854; owned the branch mill 1858-1865; died November 24, 1884. His children were: Egbert (married Jean GALBRAITH); Edgar (died aged 13); Winfield Scott (married Mary EARLL); Stella (Mrs. Clarence J. PARTRIDGE); Effie (Mrs. Mannering DeWOLF); Willard (married Atlanta SCHROM); Jessie (married Fred HURLBUT, Jr.).

Page 554

NELSON SALISBURY was born December 31, 1812, at Marathon; came to Wisconsin in 1839; married Esther, daughter of Prosper CRAVATH and Miriam KINNEY. She died April 16, 1845, leaving a child Helen (Mrs. Luther L. CLARK). In January 1880 he married Mrs. Julia HEMENWAY and died September 14, 1880.

Page 554

GEORGE SALISBURY was born April 10, 1819; came to Spring Prairie in 1840; to Lima in 1841; married in 1849 Philena Matilda, daughter of Levi KINNEY and Adah CRAVATH; moved to Whitewater in 1854; died April 7, 1889. His wife was born July 22, 1829; died July 9, 1902.

Page 555

DANIEL SALISBURY suspected some not assignable degree of cousinship between himself and his namesakes. He was born at Homer, January 25, 1814; came to Spring Prairie in 1836; married Harriet, daughter of Isaac U. WHEELER, April 1, 1841; she died August 16, 1843; he married Lucinda BRYANT June, 1848; she died May 14, 1878, leaving children: Wayland (1848-1866); Alice (Mrs. Hugh PADEN); Harriet (Mrs. Frank J. PALMER); Celia; Rollin D.; Elsie. He died March 29, 1888, having been for a few years the oldest living settler. Rollin Daniel SALISBURY was graduated from Beloit College; was for some years assistant to the state geologist and was or is a geological professor at the Northwestern University, at Chicago. He has made some contributions to geological science and his reports and other works have been published.

Page 555

ARTHUR LOOMIS SANBORN (Ebenezer Simpson8, 7, John6, Ebenezer5, Enock4, John3, 2, 1), son of Ebenezer Simpson SANBORN and Harriet BLOUNT, was born at Brasher Falls, St. Lawrence county, New York, November 17, 1850. His father died in 1862, leaving two bright boys to be led to honorable and useful manhood by their mother - one of the best and most capable of women. The family had lived some years as Lake Geneva. Mr. NOYES gave Arthur a clerkship in the office of register of deeds, and the mother and sons made their home at Elkhorn. In 1875 the clerk became chief, and his spare hours were given to thorough study of the law. In 1879 he was admitted to practice, and at the close of his term of office he went to Madison, to take a subordinate place in the office at GREGORY & PINNEY. A dissolution and recomposition of partnerships made the new firm of PINNEY & SANBORN. He was later a partner of John S. SPOONER and others. Another firm, BERRYMAN & SANBORN became widely known as annotators of the Revised Statues, and a younger SANBORN is still engaged in that work. The death of Judge Romanzo BUNN made a place for Mr. SANBORN in 1905 on the federal bench of western Wisconsin. Judge SANBORN, while struggling at Elkhorn, married Alice Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac GOLDER and Sarah MERRITT, and has three sons and a daughter.

Page 555

JOSEPH WARREN SEAVER was born at Arlington, Vermont, July 23, 1793; married Mary LONG; lived in Washington and Genesee counties, New York; came to Darien in 1837; was first town clerk and served in all six terms; in 1852 he was chosen member of Assembly over Gaylor BLAIR and Pliny ALLEN; died August 1, 1864. His wife was born July 21, 1793; died August 30, 1850. Their children, as nearly as found, were Horace Everett (1832-1897), married Orinda C., daughter of Cyrus LIPPIT and Lydia (BRUCE) DeWITT; Van Ness; Warren; Solon

Page 556

LYMAN HUNT SEAVER, a brother of Joseph W., was born at Arlington, Vermont, October 26, 1796; lived in Washington and Genesee counties; came in 1837 to Darien; was one of the first town board of supervisors in 1842; was a member of the constitutional convention of 1846 and was one of the committee on schedule for organization of state government (Article XIX); died June 1, 1864. Sarah, his wife, daughter of Archibald WOODARD and wife, Anna, was born at Hebron, New York, April 10, 1797; died August 28, 1878. Of their eleven children three died early. The others in uncertain order of birth were William (married Alice BENTLEY); John Woodard (married Helen, daughter of Joseph CHAMBERLAIN); Henry Warren (married Mary Jane, daughter of William HARPER); Julius Horace (married Martha Jane HERRON); Lyman H. (married Lavina, daughter of Aaron E. BELL and Julia ARMSTRONG); Rodney (married Myra A. DEAN); Mary Ann (Mrs. States K. CORNING). There may be some error of detail as to the two SEAVER families or wrong assignment of children to them, though some effort was made to find the whole truth.

Page 556

ROBERT THOMPSON SEYMOUR (Harvey H.6, Abijah5, Thomas4, Matthew3, Thomas2, Richard1), was son of Harvey Hine SEYMOUR and Arabella THOMPSON. (Harvey H. SEYMOUR was born July 13, 1790, at Wilton, Connecticut, and died at or near Elkhorn July 20, 1878. His mother was Elizabeth HINE). Robert T. SEYMOUR was born at Rhinebeck, July 13, 1814; had a fair education; had kept a hotel; was for a term sheriff of Dutchess county, and was once required to execute the sentence of the law upon one convicted of murder in the first degree. No defense had been made in court, except to show circumstances which would now be thought to warrant much less than the extreme penalty. While in jail, the prisoner and sheriff formed a warm friendship, and it needed more than common fortitude to carry out the last act. In 1854 Mr. SEYMOUR bought the Rockwood farm in Lafayette, and also took part in county affairs, and in the business of the Agricultural Society, of which he was president in 1856. In the legislative session of that year he was member of Assembly, chosen over Stephen G. WEST. He was five times a member of the county board and twice its chairman. He died at Elkhorn, February 20, 1879. His wife was Harriet, daughter of William JAQUES and Mary COOPER. She was born at Rhinebeck, October 29, 1812, married March 26, 1835, and died October 19, 1878. They had seven children. Capt. Alexander Thompson SEYMOUR served in Company I, Twenty-eighth Infantry, and died in 1907. William Harvey SEYMOUR was a business man at Lake Geneva; he died in 1894. Mary Catherine is wife of Eli W. GARFIELD, at Elkhorn.

Page 557

ELISHA MATTESON SHARP, son of Capt. John SHARP and Sarah MATHER, was born at Reading, Schuyler county, New York, October 21, 1832; came to town of Delavan in 1850, and later to the village; was a teacher and then a dealer in dry goods, etc.; married September 30, 1862, Sarah A., daughter of Roswell and Martha WILLIAMS, of Darien; member of Assembly in 1872, elected over William A. KNILANS, and in 1875, having defeated Uriah S. HOLLISTER. In 1878 he was appointed consular agent at Paris, Ontario, that office a dependency of the consulate at Hamilton, Ontario. He died October 8, 1891, and his wife followed March 5, 1901.

Page 557

JOHN SHARP, son of Jacob SHARP and Esther MATTESON, was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, February 5, 1801; his family went in 1812 to Tompkins county, New York; he married November 27, 1827, Sarah MATHER. At some date between 1833 and 1839 he was commissioned as captain of militia, in the regiment of Steuben county. In 1850 he came to the town of Delavan, southeastern shore of the lake; in 1867 he made a home in the village, where he died December 20, 1871. Mrs. SHARP was born in Orange county, New York, October 12, 1809; died July 13, 1789. Her parents were Silas Downs MATHER and Mary, daughter of Capt. Cotton MATHER, and older ancestors were John1, Thomas2, Rev. Richard3, Timothy4, Rev. Samuel5, Rev. Nathaniel6, Ebenezer7, John8. Her children were: Mary E. (Mrs. Charles V. BASSETT); Elijah M.; Susan; Hiram Terry; Elisha (killed in military service); John Mather; Sarah A. (Mrs. William M. SHEPARD; Clara (Mrs. WINN); Elizabeth A. (Mrs. Edward POWERS).

Page 557

GEORGE SIKES was born in Connecticut, December 1816; his family moved to the state of New York; in 1843 came to section 23 of Sharon. In 1850 he was member of Assembly, having defeated Amos OLDER. His wife was Alvira, daughter of Wesley PERKINS, of Boone county, Illinois. Charles A. SIKES, their son, was first and only supervisor of assessors. George SIKES died November 29, 1881.

Page 557-558

JAMES SIMMONS, son of John SIMMONS and Laura BELL, was, as understood, of an old and often honored family of Rhode Island. He was born at Middlebury, Vermont, June 11, 1821; was graduated from Middlebury College in 1841; studied law; came to Geneva in 1843 and was admitted in the same year to law practice. He married November 12, 1848, Katherine, daughter of James and Jeannette McCOTTER. She was born at Orwell, Vermont, November 29, 1822; died February 14, 1895. They had five children, of whom two died early. The others were John BELL (married Miss Sarah BERNARD, daughter of George STURGES and Ann Maria HUMPHREY); James; Mary E. Mrs. SIMMONS was what is called a "superior woman." That is, she was educated, broadly intelligent, and in all ways womanly. Mr. SIMMONS has been made known in other chapters as lawyer, county officer, historian and poet of occasions. Besides these labors of duty and of love, he had in hand, in his later life, the work of digesting the reports of judicial decisions in the courts of England, New York and Wisconsin. He was not without ambition, but never had learned to grovel in order that he might rise. He, like his friend John BAKER, was carelessly taken by his fellowmen at his too modest self-estimate, though his qualities as a citizen and neighbor were neither unseen nor unvalued; but this did not make him blame the world nor despise it. His life was intellectual, moral and social; his convictions in matters of highest public and nearest personal concern were calmly formed and clearly defined; and he was quietly resolute in following them. At home and among neighbors he was one of the best and kindest of men.

Page 558

HARLEY FLAVEL SMITH, son of Richard (son of David) SMITH and Sarah, daughter of Edward WHITE and Sarah TOURTELOTTE, was born at Townshend, Vermont, September 28, 1808; educated at Chester Academy and Middleburg College; went to Saratoga to study law under locally eminent lawyers; went to Wyoming village where he taught mathematics and classics in a school of some repute in western New York; continued law study at Pike; admitted to practice in 1838 and opened an office at Castile, where he abode till the end of 1848. In 1850 he came to Elkhorn and formed a partnership with Horatio S. WINSOR, and this firm was one of the strongest in the county for many years. About 1870 the firm dissolved, and in 1877 he received a younger partner in the person of Jaynes B. WHEELER, ending in the latter's county judgeship in 1886. The old man's active career then closed, and his few remaining years were given to an endless, unreadable legal defense of the authenticity as historic truth, of the five Mosaic books of the Bible. He wrote with a stub steel-pen in the crabbedest of characters, and as the ink on the first foolscap sheet would scarcely be dry when he reached the end of the third sheet, the general appearance of his manuscript would suggest that his left arm defaced while his right hand scribbled. He was a public-spirited and in all ways excellent citizen, a kind and often helpful neighbor, and a friend to be trusted. He never cared to hold office, but would have accepted a judgeship of circuit or supreme court had it come to him without his asking. He married September 15, 1833, Lydia Ann, daughter of David NOURSE and Nancy GEORGE. She was born at Rockingham, Vermont, December 4, 1809, and died at Elkhorn, May 7, 1881, leaving a daughter. Mrs. SMITH was one of the best of home-makers.