WI BIO - Dane Co - FRANCIS, George L.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 392-394

George L. FRANCIS, a prominent citizen of Waunakee, Dane County, WI, was born 
in Essex County, New York, 07 June 1830. His father, Stephen FRANCIS, a 
farmer of New York, was the son of Samuel FRANCIS, who died in Erie County, 
Pennsylvania, at the home of one of his sons. Samuel FRANCIS was the father 
of four sons and two daughters, all of whom reared families of their own. 
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel FRANCIS lived to old age and are buried in Franklin 
Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Stephen FRANCIS was married in Essex 
County, New York, to Charlotte ALLEN, of that place, a daughter of Adna 
ALLEN, a farmer of Essex County, New York. Adna ALLEN died in Erie County, 
Pennsylvania at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen FRANCIS. Stephen and 
Charlotte (ALLEN) FRANCIS moved to Erie County, Pennsylvania, in the summer 
of 1834, when George L. was but four years old, and being in humble 
circumstances, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen FRANCIS bought but a small farm. The 
brothers, Levi, William, Alvin, and Stephen, were all soldiers in the War of 
1812.

George L. FRANCIS was one of eleven children, being a family of seven 
daughters and four sons. One son and one daughter died in infancy, and one 
son, Philip, died at the age of eleven years, killed by a tree accidentally 
falling on him. His brother, Cyrus S., was a volunteer in the 83rd 
Pennsylvania Infantry, was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, taken 
prisoner, and about a month later was exchanged, but died in the hospital at 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His wound was in the foot, having been caused by 
the explosion of a shell. The foot was amputated by rebel surgeons and after 
his exchange another operation was performed, by which part of his limb was 
removed, but his life could not be saved and he died in the prime of manhood, 
aged twenty-six years. Charlotte (ALLEN) FRANCIS died in 1852, aged 
forty-eight years, and Stephen FRANCIS died about 1878, aged eighty.

George L. FRANCIS was reared at home on the farm, attended the district 
schools during the winter, became fairly proficient in the common branches, 
and at the age of eighteen he [p 393] learned the tanner's trade, but only 
worked at this three years. He taught the district school one winter in 
Pennsylvania. George L. FRANCIS was married at the age of twenty-two to Miss 
Sally T. FISH, a daughter of Asahel and Mary (LANE) FISH, natives of Vermont. 
Sally T. (FISH) FRANCIS was born in Canada in June 1827. She was taken to 
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, by her parents at the age of seven years, and 
four years later they moved to Erie County, Pennsylvania, where she met her 
fate [mate?] and was married, as above noted, 04 July 1852, by Elder BULLOCK 
of the Christian Church. They began housekeeping in Erie County, 
Pennsylvania, and in September 1853 came to Sheboygan [Sheboygan County], 
Wisconsin, by water, bringing their own team and wagon, in which they brought 
their household effects to Dekorra, Columbia County, Wisconsin, where they 
bought 80 acres of wild land, with a comfortable log house and five acres 
partly cleared and broken. They lived here eleven years, and during this 
time cleared most of it and built a frame house. They then sold out for 
$800, which was but a small advance, having paid $350 and made the 
improvements. They moved to Westport Township, Dane County, Wisconsin, in 
the fall of 1864, buying 80 acres, a half mile north of the present village 
of Waunakee, which was not thought of or started until some seven years 
later. They paid $2,200 for this farm, which was under cultivation, with 
fair buildings, and four and a half years later they bought 80 acres more, 
adjoining, for $3,000, or $37.50 per acre. On this farm they resided until 
1880, when they sold it at an advance of $700, and bought 80 acres just west 
of it for $2,500. To this place they moved and lived five years, then bought 
land in the village, on which they erected the present nice house. One year 
later George L. FRANCIS sold his farm for $7,000.

Wherever he has lived, George FRANCIS has been a prominent man. While 
residing in Dekorrah, Columbia County, Wisconsin, he served the township as 
Town Clerk for seven years, and in Westport, Dane County, Wisconsin, while on 
the farm he was Assessor one year, and Treasurer and Collector one term. From 
1887 to 1891 he was a Justice of the Peace. For many years he has been an 
Odd Fellow [a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge]. Mr. 
FRANCIS is a Republican and has a great admiration for this grand old party. 
George and Sally T. (FISH) FRANCIS buried their infant son, Frank L., in Erie 
County, Pennsylvania. They have one son and one daughter living: George R. 
and Ella M. George R. FRANCIS married Mary BOYLE, daughter of Joseph BOYLE, 
of Onalaska, LaCrosse County, Wisconsin. He is a railroad agent, at 
Merrillon [Merrillan, Jackson County, Wisconsin?], on the St. Paul & Omaha, 
and they have two sons and two daughters: George J., Arthur Blaine, Alice 
L., and Saidie [Sadie?] Francis. Ella is the wife of E. M. DEMMING, an 
attorney at law at Marshfield [Wood County], Wisconsin. They have one son, 
Wayne Edgar.

Sally T. (FISH) FRANCIS was one of eleven children, the middle one of the 
flock, as her husband had been in his family. She has two brothers and three 
sisters living: Asahel FISH, a minister in the Christian Church, advanced in 
years and retired, who resides in Mitchell County, Iowa; Betsy M., the widow 
of James F. LUTHER, resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Marshall S., a farmer of 
Wyocena, [Columbia County], Wisconsin; Emily, the wife of Augustus MOULTON, 
resides at Poynette, [Columbia County], Wisconsin; and Mary, the wife of John 
KLINE, a farmer of Mitchell County, Iowa. The parents of these, Asahel and 
Mary (LANE) FISH, are resting side by side in the Dekorrah, Columbia County, 
Wisconsin, cemetery. Mary (LANE) FISH died in 1884 at the age of 
eighty-four, and Asahel FISH died in April 1889, in his ninety-ninth year. 
He was a minister in the Christian Church, and traveled in that connection 
for forty years, when this meant [p 394] much labor and privation and very 
small pay. He was a pensioner of the War of 1812, and was a man of great 
strength of body and mind, and preserved his faculties to the last, and died 
at the home of his daughter in Portage [Columbia County], Wisconsin.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly