Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 7

-7- 
   As oldage crept on him he delighted in telling his children and grandchildren many pleasant memories of his early life and the home of his childhood.

   




He died and was buried in the little cemetary on the farm that he had cleared out of the virgin wilderness. There stands at the head of his grave to-day, a moniment out from the native limestone, about five feet high and eighteen inches in diameter, representing an old stump with bark about ready to fall, yet bound by a clinging ivy vine.
-----The End.








[All pictures taken in Summer of 2012, and are the property of Myra W. Lindgren.]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 6

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   Supplies had to hauled with the ox team over almost impassable roads from points south of the Wisconsin river such as Dodgeville, Mineral Point, and Blanchardville. Such journeys required two weeks or more to make the round trip. Neighbors were far apart and a social visit often required a drive of 10 or 12 miles. The deep snows of the winter of 1856-7 which laid on the ground for a depth of 6 feet during the winter months caused unknown suffering and untold struggles.
   Feed was scarce and trees were chopped down and cattle were fed or ratherk kept from starving by browsing on the small twigs of maple, basswood, and such timber. It was there Father lived when the Civil War broke out and two of his boys, Henry and John, at the most suitable
age to assist him in clearing the farm, went to the war and never turned. The oldest son Edwin, returned alive from the war. This left father already growing old, with but one boy to help him Daniel. The youngest This boy with his sister louisa, worked on the farm and assisted in everything that was done and remained with him until his death.
   During the panic known as the Hop Crash, in the year 1868, Father came near losing everything. But with the assistanc of Daniel the farm was saved and built up to be one of the most substantial and beast cultivated farms in the community.  Having come from a fruit country he early planted an apple orchard. Although Wisconsin was not considered an apple country at that time, he lived to enjoy many a delicious morsel as a rewar & for his forethought and care in planting an orchard.
[Continued on page 7.]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 5

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supplied fresh meat. This is the kind of men and women our ancestors were.
   Now to resume my father's history. He worked on the Ohio Canal during its construction, as foreman.
   After marriage he settled on a small farm near his fathers where he remained for a few years (1835) when he moved to Illinois which was a territory then. He settled in what is now Coles country on the Embarass river. From there he moved to Wisconsin which was a territory and this time (1845). He settled in the lead mining region which is now La Fayette county. He remained here a number of years, mining and farming. Francis A (1850 age 17 yrs 11Mo. 22 days) and David G-11 months in 1849 died here and were buried on the farm, as there was no cemetery nearby. Louisa Olive was born here.
   In 1855 the family moved to Henry county, Iowa, remainin only one year during which Daniel Raymond, ? the writer, was born. We moved back to Wisconsin (1856). Not liking to be crowed by settler, father looked farther north for new country. He bought 1/4 section land in Richland county with settler far apart and plenty of timber and wild game. There he remained until his death 1889 hewing out a house in the wilds, caring for his family, and holding the confidence and respect of his acquaintances. The incidents of this frontier life and his struggles and hardships among the hills and rocks, if told completely, would fill a volume.
[continued on page 6]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 4

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Father jumped out of the wagon saying, "This is a good place to camp and there will be a city here. I am going to be the first to commence to clear the ground." Then he took his tomahawk and cut out a small tree. This was the first tree cut by a white man where now stands the capital city of Springsfield Illinois.
   I do not wish to pass over my grandfather's history without relating one incident and perhaps this will be as good a place as any to put it in: Away back in Pennsylvania when grandfather and grandmother were first married, they lived in a little log shanty in the wilderness, their only possession being a pig which was kept in a stound log pen close to the house.
   The only arms the old settler in those days had was a flintlock rifle and an ax. The rifle was always carried by the man where ever he went to protect himself against wild animals. The ax was kept close to the door and at night the latch string was pulled inside.
   One day grandfather had to go to the settlement for supplies and being a long way off necessitated him being gone over-night. The rifle went with him. When night came grandmother set the ax inside the door and carefully pulled the latch string inside and went to bed without fear. Sometime during the night she heard the pig squeal and seizing the ax she rushed to the pen where she found a big black bear with the pig in his arms trying to scramble out of the pen. With one blow of the ax she split the bear's head and when grandfather returned next day he found a find bear skin, the larder well 
[continued on page 5]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 3

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and his father married and English woman who had one daughter Lo isa. This the total of the family
   His home life not being very happy, father commenced to wander when quite young. He spent one winter in shipyard at New Orleans, and one year as overseer on a sugar plantion in Louisiana. There he made friends with the negro slaves by being kind to them and setting their tasks to do and praising them for their good conduct rather than driving them with a whip.
   When the Ohio Canal was built he worked
during construction as a foreman. He joined the Army and was a Major under Colonel McCracken in the Ohio State troops. He spent one winter on the Illinois river at what is not Beardstown. This was then far in the wilderness and the party he joined had gone there to kill wild hogs and salt them down, and then boat them down the river in the spring in flat boats. He worked at coopering.
   At this time he made the acquaintance of an old trapper and Indian guide who tried to persuade him to go with him in the far wilds as an Indian Interpreter but he felt moved to go home one more. But the thoughts of the wilds still haunted him so later he with two companions started for a journey through the wilds, the objective being St. Louis Missouri.
   While on this trip they passed a night where now stands the city of Springsfield Illinois. It was nearing evening and they were looking for a camping place.
[continued on page 4.]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 2

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   The family was not large, just how many children, I have forgotten if I ever knew. After his wife died he lived with his son David. He had a little house near, where with his books and songs he passed the time, taking his meals with his son. On a certain Sunday the family had gathered to dinner when a little child was sent to call Grandpa to dinner. It returned and said Grandpa must be asleep for it called and got no answer. The mother said "No" I just heard him singing a few minutes ago." The son went to see and on opening the door found the old man lying on the bed, dead, with a smile on his face. So ended the life of the first of our family in America.
   Later, the son with his family and his two brothers moved to Ohio, while it was yet territory. They bought land in what is now Fairfield county. There he followed farming and horse raising as his father had done. Although his education was perhaps not as good as his father's yet it was far above the usual, for that time. He had the gifts of his fathers in doing things unlawful for man to do. [?] He spent his life there loved and respected by all who knew him.
   In the year 1803, just before the family left Pennsylvania, my father, David Clinton Wildermuth, was born. His mother died when he was nine years old. His father married again and as the country was new and wild, his chance for education was poor. He went to a German school for a while then later for six weeks to an English school. He had four sisters, Polly Elizabeth, Rebecca and Catherine. He had three half brothers, John Eli and ........ His Step-mother died
[continued on page 3]

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Wildermuth Family - Tradition and Family History - David Clinton Wildermuth - page 1

   This historical account of the life of David Clinton Wildermuth was written by D.R. Wildermuth, David's son. This is a copy of an original I suspect. There is nothing that says who transcribed it originally. It could have been sent to Winnie Carpenter Leonard or her daughter Winniefred Olive Leonard - also known as Aunt Fred.
TRADITION AND FAMILY HISTORY

By

D. R. Wildermuth
   Traditions of the family say that at the time of the final dispersing of the tribe of Juda, at the time of destruction of Jerusalem, that after divers wanderings there settled in Germany in what was then the little kingdom of Babarathay [?], a race of necromancers. These were the ancestors of the Wildermuth family [!]. They were highly educated, as the Jews said about Christ, they did things that were not lawful for a man to do.
   A desire for freedom and the ever-present desire to better their conditions caused them to look toward the new world. At the time of the Colonial Wars, the Wildermuth brothers came to America. They were Isaac, David and William. They at once joined the Continental Army to fight with and for the struggling colonies. It is supposed that Isaac and David were  killed as they were never heard of afterward.
   After the war was over and peace declared, William settled in Pennsylvania, in what was afterward known as Berks county. He married and raised a family, following farming and horse raising. He was noted for his fine education and ability to do what other men could not do. He was also noted for his fine singing. He had a library of books in Greek, Latin and Hebrew. He was also noted for his fine marksmanship with the rifle. It is said that he never missed and what more peculiar never shot anything unless it was moving. [Continued on page 2.]
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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Wildermuth Family - Wildermuth Family History - page 4

               This concluded the brief historical sketch of one branch of the family. We have quite a lot of historical data on this and other branches of the family but it is too long a story to write here. We also have the names of 1200 of William Wildermuth's descendants. Also the birth, marriage and death records of a goo many, but we want that data of all of the descendants of William Wildermuth. If you have not already given us that data, please see that we get it.

               Just one other tho't: have you ever tho't of the trip that William Wildermuth and his party made from Eastern Penna, to Ohio in 1805? at that time there were no roads or bridges and they had to cross 4 or 5 ranges in Penna. Likely, they came in covered wagons and brought quite a lot of their goods with them and the trip must have taken some time. That trip would be an interesting story if we knew the details and facts.
                                                          (signed)
                                                                         Chas. W. Wagner
copied
7/28/54
llwinch  [This document was typed by my mother Lorna Lee Triplett Winch while she was pregnant with me.]

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Wildermuth Family - Wildermuth Family History - page 3

Page 3 (38)

             In 1752, the same year the Wildermuths came to this country, the Wagners also came. But, they stopped off in Chester County for about 5 years after which they too went to Bern Township, Berks County Pa. Jacob Wagner was but a small boy when he arrived in this country with his parents in 1752. He died in 1786, while still a young man, leaving a widow, Catherine Wagner and 8 minor children, whose names were Phillip, Esther (who was the wife of Michael Fisher), Daniel, Elisabeth, Jacob Jr., John, Catherine and Margaret.

               On the trip from Berks County, Pa. to Ohio in 1805, were William Wildermuth and family; Catherine Wagner and sons Daniel and Jacob and Elisabeth. Daniel Wagner was married and with him was his wife, Magdaline Groh Wagner and two daughters, Catherine and Mary Wagner. David Wildermuth, William Wildermuths eldest son was also married and with him were his wife and four children (His wife was Elisabeth Wagner, the daughter of Jacob and Catherine Wagner and the children that t ey had with them were Catherine, Elizabeth and Mary Ann Wildermuth, their oldest child, Samuel Wildermuth, having died in Pennsylvania.); the Bachers, formerly of Berks County Pa., but later of Fairfield County Ohio, must have come to Ohio with the Wagners and Wildermuths. For, just a couple years later Daniel Wildermuth was married to Catherine Bacher and Jacob Wagner was married to Barbara Bacher.

                 From here on the greater part of this sketch will be about David Wildermuth (who was the eldest son of William and Maria Barbara Ebeling Wildermuth) and his children. David Wildermuth and Elizabeth Wagner had two more children born in Ohio, David C and Rebecca Wildermuth. Elizabeth died in 1808, and in 1810 David Wildermuth married a widow with a couple of small children. She was Mrs. Elizabeth Cooper, and she and David were the parents of five children, Matilda, Henry, Eli, John, and Isaac. Elizabeth Cooper Wildermuth, died in 1834 and one year later, David Wildermuth married Miss Christina Havens. There were the parents of one child, Louisa Ann Wildermuth. David Wildermuth died in 1846, when Louisa Ann was but 10 years of age, and Christina Havens Wildermuth died 9 years later.

               David Wildermuth was born March 27, 1774, in Bern township, Berks County, Pa; married to Elizabeth Wagner November 29, 1796. Their children were: Samuel, born November 23, 1797, died August 22,1799: Catherine, born October 17, 1799, married to Cyrus Newkirk. Have been told that she was the mother of 16 children, but we have the names of only 8 of them. Cyrus Newkirk and family emigrated from Ohio to Blanchardville, Wisconsin, where they were lead miners. Later they went to Lloyd County, Wisconsin, where they homesteaded. Their descendants are mostly in Wisconsin and California. Catherine Wildermuth Newkirk died November 8, 1882, and both she and Cyrus and some of their family are buried in the Wildermuth Family Cemetary on the old David C. Wildermuth farm near Lloyd, Wisconsin.
               Elizabeth Wildermuth was born in Berks County, Pa., Aug. 28, 1801, came to Ohio with parents in 1805. Was married to William Cline, and had one son Samuel Cline.

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Wildermuth Family - Wildermuth Family History - page 2

Page 2  (38)
miles north of Logansport. William Wildermuth died January 21, 1816. One year later, January 15th, 1817, his widow, Maria Barbara Wildermuth married Gabriel Kemp. She died in September, 1824, at the age of 75.

               In 1752, the same year the Wildermuths came to this country, the Wagners also came. But, they stopped off in Chester  County for about 5 years after which they too went too Bern Township, Berks County Pa. Jacob Wagner was but a small boy when he arrived in this country with his parents in 1752. He died in 1786, while still a young man, leaving a widow, Catherine Wagner and 8 minor children, whose names were PHillip, 


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Wildermuth Family - Wildermuth Family History - page 1


  I do not know where my Mother got this information





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Wildermuth Family - Louisa Olive Wildermuth - page 2 - Ivy Fisher's typed letter

[continued from page 1]
Juneau Co. While here the husband decided that he was not and could not be a farmer and as he had had good success selling various rights he tried salesmanship, selling nursery stock for Cass and Hayes of Ithaca, Richland Co. He was so successful that he decided to make a business of it and not wishing to leave his family alone among strangers so much they moved back to Richland Co. and lived in her father's old hop house while raising and repairing the old log cabin. This old hop house with its double stood just across the road from the family cemetery and was later used as a school house while the new one was being built. - The family remained on the 40 for about 8 years clearing up the heavy timber, rolling the logs in great piles and burning them. The salable ones were later hauled to mills but in the early day many logos that would have made valuable timber later, were burned to get them out of the was. The father sold nursery stock winters and cleared a few acres and planted an orchard and a vineyard and planned to raise some nursery stock but did not accomplish much in this line, however, he planted about a half acre of the first red clover in the vicinity. It was very successful and men came from other neighborhoods to see it as no one believed it could be made to grow there.-

During the 8 years spent on this place three more children were added to the family-Floyd, Coral and Winnie, and under the strain of the large family and the heavy work incident to "carrying on" in the absence of the husband the morthers health broke and the consequent expense made a change seem necessary. The place was mortgaged and the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin. in March 1886 where the father and son Claude took up the study of telegraphy while Lou and Ivy boarded telegraph students. Later the husband gave up the study on  account of earning money for necessary expenses also because he could not concentrate on study. He worked in the Capital building during State Legislature and in the spring of 1887 moved the family to Vilas, a small country village 10 or 12 miles east of Madison. While here domestic troubles culminated in a separation, the father going away and the mother and children living at Vilas until the spring of 1889 when they moved to Plano, Illinois. They remained here until the fall of 1894 when they moved to DeKalb, Illinois, where she died February 20, 1895 and was buried in the family cemetery on her father's old farm in Richland County, Wisconsin on the lot with her father and mother.

The dates in this short sketch of mother's life I had father verify when I was asked to write the sketch for the Wildermuth family history which has never been published. I still have father's letter where he filled in the dates and facts for me.

Now Winnies, if there are other things you'd like to ask about the family, do not hesitate to do so as I have plenty of time to write anything that might be of interest to you, so far as I can remember or have data and will be glad to do so.
                                                         
                                                             Ivy
5/7/42

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Wildermuth Family - Louisa Olive Wildermuth page 1 - Ivy Fisher's typed letter

   This letter is in my personal history collection that was started by my mother, Lorna Lee Triplett Winch. I do not know who typed this - it could have been my mother. It was originally written by Ivy Carpenter Fisher many, many, years ago. This biography was sent to my great-grandmother Winnie Gladys Carpenter Leonard and Winniefred Olive Leonard. The transcription is as follows:
Louisa Olive Wildermuth-Carpenter
Written by Ivy Carpenter Fisher
The subject of this sketch was born July 9, 1851, in the township of Fayette, LaFayette County, Wisconsin, being the ninth child and third daughter of David Clinton And Anna Newkirk Wildermuth. As is usual the history of her childhood and early youth is one with the history of her family - the life of a pioneer's child in the wilderness was hers in company with the rest of the children and each shared in the prosperity or lack as the year brought forth. The privations were many and seasons of pro[s]perity few but with a disposition to make the best of everything, in all her stories of childhood the good times seemed to have predominated in her view of life. 

Sharing the abundance of labor she learned to spin, weave, knit and the various other branches of domestice learning that were put into daily practice in the pioneer home. Most of her labor was performed at home but I remember hearing her tell of picking hops sway from home where she was called Olive as there was another Lou in the group of pickers. During the war when her older brothers John and henry were away in answer to their countrys call she had her hair cut and donning male attire, worked in the field with her father and younger brother, Daniel who was her constant companion and confidant in joy and sorrow until years of maturity gave each their home with attendant cares and responsibilities. In the community where her youth was spent, as in most frontier settlements, the pioneers planted a schoolhouse with their first crop of corn and Lou, as she was familiarly known, being ambitious to learn, accumulated as large a stock of booklore as was possible in the country schools of the day - - When about 16 or 17 she was baptized in the little spring branch near her father's home. At the same time and place and by the same eleder was baptized the young man who afterward became her husband-Zenas Gurley was the afficiating elder, I believe.

She was married Dec. 24, 1868, to Dryden Henderson Carpenter, at the home of his parents, Halsey and Sarah Ann Carpenter, near Rockbridge, Richland Co. Wisconsin, by justice of the peace Richard Pratt. The young couple took up housekeeping with his parents, renting the farm for the coming season. The next fall-1869 they moved to her father's home about 3 miles from Loyd, and remained there until the fall of 1871-during which time her parents and younger brother were in Iowa. Here their first boy Claude Irving and first girl, Constance Ivy, were born. In the fall of 1871 late in September the family which now consisted of father, mother and two small children, one nearly two years old, the other a tiny bebe of eight weeks, started overland in "prairie schooners" for Kansas which was the pioneer's Mecca at that time. They drove 1 Yoke of milk cows-one yoke oxen-Milked the cows on the way. They were accompanied by [L]Ou's sister Cordelia and her husband, Jott Stout also her brother Daniel who drove a horse team. On the way to Kansas they stopped at Anamosa, Iowa to visit Polly Alspach, who was Lou's aunt, being a sister of her father David.-Some time between their marriage and this trip to Kansas, I think during their first summer Lou and Dryden made a trip to Bertram, Lynn Co. Iowa, to visit Lou's Clarissa Berry and her family. It was during this visit that the small photo of her was taken-the one with curls and a striped dress.-The family remained in Kansas until the fall of 1874 during which time they entered a homestead and lived on it for some time, until the drouth and grasshoppers drove them out. While here the second son and third child, Oscar Melburn, was born. Their post office while here was Matfield Green Chase Co., Kansas. - The crops utterly destroyed by the drouth and grasshoppers they decided to give up the homestead and drove back to Richland Co., Wis., spending part of the winter with his parents and part with her parents. The summer of 1875 was spent operating his fathers farm. That fall they purchased a 40 near her folks and lived here for a while. The place had but little cleared and only a tiny log cabin for buildings. Here Clinton Shipman, was born. In the fall of 1876 they moved to Plum Valley, south of Wonemoc, Juneau Co., Wis. where he hauled logs for a mill all winter and in the spring of 1877 moved to Union Center, [see page 2]

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. No part of this website/blog may be reproduced without express written permission from the owner.