WI BIO - Dane Co - BOYCE, Reuben
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 362-363

Reuben BOYCE, one of the prominent citizens of Oregon, Dane County, WI, was 
born in Grafton County, now Hampton, NH, 26 Nov 1826. [Grafton, an original 
county of NH, was created in 1769. The community of Hampton was organized in 
1635 in Rockingham County, also an original NH county formed in 1769. His 
place of birth Hampton, Rockingham County, NH?] His father, Reuben BOYCE, 
was also a native of NH, and a natural born mechanic who learned the trade of 
carpenter, which he followed in his native place. In 1829 the father Reuben 
removed to Onondaga County, NY, accompanied by his wife and six children, 
making the entire journey by team, taking the household goods along and 
camping by the way. He bought a tract of land in Manlius, Onondaga County, 
NY, and engaged in farming there until 1844, when he again started westward 
and came, via lakes and ox teams to Dane County, WI, where he bought a 
squatter's claim to a tract of Government land, that is now included in the 
subject's farm. There was a log cabin on the land, 16x18, into which the 
family moved, and 18 persons resided there the following summer. Soon after 
this the townships of Oregon, Dunn, and Fitchburg [Dane County, WI] were set 
off as one town and named Rome, and he was elected Chairman of the Board, 
which position he retained until his death, in 1847. The maiden name of his 
wife was Polly WADLEIGH; she was born in NH and died in WI in 1846. She 
reared eight children: Sarah A., William, Benjamin, Polly, Reuben, Jessie, 
Ira, and Ruth.

Reuben BOYCE, our subject, was three years old when his parents moved to NY 
and 18 when they made the trip to WI, so he remembers well the incidents of 
pioneer life. The country was but sparsely settled and land was owned by the 
Government and sold at $1.25 an acre, but cheap as it was the most of the 
citizens were too poor to buy it, so formed claim clubs to protect themselves 
from speculators. Deer were very plentiful and were seen in large droves. 
There were no railroads for many years, and Milwaukee, 90 miles away, was the 
nearest market.

After the death of his father our subject bought the interest of the other 
heirs, and with the exception of a few years spent in Madison, Dane County, 
WI, to give his children school advantages, has lived here ever since. He 
has added to his real estate and now owns a fine farm of 400 acres, on which 
he has good buildings. He has improved his land until it is now [p 363] one 
of the finest farms in the county. He also owns a farm on sections 31 and 
32, town of Oregon, consisting of 200 acres, and also lands in McCook County, 
Dakota [now in the State of SD].

Reuben BOYCE was married in 1849 to Anna Maria McLAUGHLIN, born in Clark 
County, OH, and her father, William, was born in Champaign County, OH, of 
Scotch ancestry. William resided in Clark County for a while after his 
marriage, but in 1836 removed to La Porte [La Porte County], IN, and remained 
there until 1842, when he emigrated to WI, and made the removal overland with 
teams, driving the stock. William McLAUGHLIN was one of the first settlers 
of Brooklyn, Green County, WI, where he bought Government land and improved a 
farm. He was a man of much enterprise. He served as Chairman of the Town 
Board many years and was sent to the State Legislature for several years. He 
resided on his farm until his death. The maiden name of the mother of Mrs. 
BOYCE was Sarah ROBINSON, born in Clark County, OH. Mr. McLAUGHLIN was a 
farmer and a Republican from the formation of the party [1854].

Reuben and Anna Maria (McLAUGHLIN) BOYCE have seven children: Llewellyn, 
Willis C., Frank, Nellie, Jesse, Annie and Fred. Frank and Jesse graduated 
from the law department of the University of WI and are engaged in practice 
at Sioux Falls, Dakota [now in Minnehaha County, State of SD]. Fred is 
interested in his father's farm in raising fine horses. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly