WI BIO - Dane Co - HAIGHT, Nicholas
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 344-346

Nicholas HAIGHT, a farmer, resident of Fitchburg, Dane County, WI, was born 
in Bedford, Weschester County, NY, 10 Jul 1818. His father, Caleb HAIGHT, 
was born in Rye, Westchester County, NY, 27 Aug 1785, and the grandfather of 
our subject was David HAIGHT, a native of the same town; and his father, who 
was the great grandfather of our subject, was also named David; and his 
father, who was the great great grandfather, was also David. Tracing the 
family still farther back, the father of the last named was Samuel, born in 
1647, and his father bore the name of Nicholas HOYT, born in 1624 or 1626. 
From the best information at hand, the latter was a son of Simon HOYT, who 
was the first ancestor of the family in America. Little is known of the 
history of Simon HOYT, but Nicholas was a resident of Windsor [Hartford 
County], CT, and married Susan JOYCE. Samuel, son of Nicholas, moved from 
Windsor, CT, to Eastchester, NY, and from there to Flushing, Long Island 
[Queens County, NY] and there the spelling of the name was changed.

Mr. [Samuel] HAIGHT, as he now became, was one of the five original 
purchasers of the town of Harrison, and was a leading man among the Quakers. 
David, the son of Samuel, was born in 1670, and lived and died in the town of 
Harrison [Westchester County, NY]. David HAIGHT, his son, was born about 
1701, and first married Millicent LANE and then Abigail PURDY. This David 
HAIGHT resided in Rye, Westchester County, NY, where he died about 1798. 
David HAIGHT, the grandfather of our subject, was born in 1748 and married 
Elizabeth WETMORE. Grandfather David HAIGHT moved from Rye, NY, to Beford, 
NY, bought a farm and reared a family. Grandfather David HAIGHT died in 
Bedford, Westchester County, NY, in 1836.

Caleb HAIGHT, the father of our subject, was but an infant when his parents 
[David and Elizabeth (WETMORE) HAIGHT] moved to Bedford, NY, the there Caleb 
HAIGHT was reared and educated. He was taught agriculture, and after he had 
attained his majority he engaged in mercantile business in the locality known 
as Cherry Street, in the town of Bedford, NY, and continued there for several 
years, and then went to New York City and conducted the business there for a 
few years. Caleb HAIGHT then returned to Bedford, NY, and engaged in farming 
there until he was 70 years of age. He then went to reside with a son at 
Pleasantville, Westchester County, NY, and lived with him until he was 88 
years of age, and then came to live with Nicholas HAIGHT (our subject), where 
his [Caleb HAIGHT's] death occurred in 1875, at the age of nearly 90. The 
maiden name of the wife of Caleb HAIGHT, the mother of our subject, was Sarah 
Maria JACKSON, who was born in North Salem, Westchester County, NY, a 
daughter of Jabez and ---- (DIBBLE) JACKSON. Sarah Maria (JACKSON) HAIGHT 
died in Westchester County, NY, in 1833, and the three children that survived 
her were Nicholas, [p 345] Caleb W., and John J. Caleb W. HAIGHT graduated 
from Columbia College and became a physician. He practiced at Pleasantville, 
NY, where he remained his entire life. John J. taught school in Westchester 
County, NY, and Stamford, CT, and about 1855 engaged in the drug business in 
New York City. He died at the home of our subject, in 1872. Caleb HAIGHT 
reared one daughter by his first marriage, named Betsey W., and she married 
Dr. John Q. HARRIS, of Ontario.

Our subject, Nicholas HAIGHT, received his early education in the public 
schools, and was advanced by attendance at North Salem Academy, where he 
fitted himself for a teacher and commenced teaching in Weschester County, NY. 
He taught one term of school at Pelham, Ontario, 12 miles west of Niagara 
Falls, and also in Stamford [Fairfield County], CT, where he commenced 
teaching in the suburbs, and was promoted to the Center school. Failing 
health compelled him to seek outdoor employment, therefore he resigned 
and engaged in gardening and farming until 1853, when he went to New York 
City. There he engaged in the business of carman, or the business of 
draying, as it is called here. The most of his work was for the New 
Brunswick Rubber Company. He remained there until 1857, then came to Dane 
County, WI, and bought 80 acres in the southwest part of section 31, in the 
town of Blooming Grove. This was a tract of wild land at that time, and he 
bought it for $11 an acre. He built, improved the land, and resided there 11 
years, then sold out and bought where he now resides. Here he has a well 
improved farm of 190 acres.

Nicholas HAIGHT was married 08 Oct 1845, to Catherine E. WILLIAMSON, born in 
Bedford, Westchester County, NY, 10 Jul 1823. Her father and grandfather 
were born in the same town, and as far back as the genealogy can be traced, 
the ancestry resided there. Her grandfather was a farmer and spent his last 
days on the farm. He died at the home of a son in Chenango County, NY, while 
there on a visit. The maiden name his [the grandfather's] wife was Ann 
REYNOLDS, probably born in the same county, and died on the home farm. The 
father of Mrs. HAIGHT was reared and married in his native town. He came 
into possession of the home farm and spent his entire life there. The maiden 
name of the mother of Mrs. HAIGHT was Sarah CARPENTER, born in the town of 
Harrison, Westchester County, NY. Her [Sarah's] father, Nathaniel CARPENTER, 
was probably born there also, where he became a farmer and spent his entire 
life. The maiden name of his [Nathaniel CARPENTER's] wife was Dorothea 
CARPENTER, the same name but no relation. She spent her whole life in 
Harrison, NY. The mother of Mrs. HAIGHT died on the home farm in Westchester 
County, NY.

Nicholas and Catherine E. (WILLIAMSON) HAIGHT have reared six children: (1) 
James C., born 08 Nov 1846, in Stamford [Fairfield County], CT, married to 
Ida A. JOHNSON, born in Genesee County, NY, daughter of Chauncy A. and 
Angeline (PRINDALL) JOHNSON, a resident of Fitchburg, Dane County, WI, and 
has four children: John L., born 10 May 1874; Benjamin E., born 09 Apr 1876; 
Edward C., born 27 Nov 1878; and Ella J., born 12 Feb 1882. The next son of 
Mr. and Mrs. HAIGHT is (2) William J., born 06 Sep 1848, who resides on the 
home farm, is a deaf mute, and has attended the school for deaf mutes at 
Delavan [Walworth County], WI, for six years; (3) Sarah M., born 21 Feb 
1850, is the third child, and she married H. J. SUTHERLAND, and they reside 
in Fitchburg, WI; six children have been added to their union: Catherine A., 
Adda L., William C., Harry N., Sadie A., and Gladys. (4) Thomas W. is the 
[p 346] fourth child of our subject, was born 11 Jan 1860, graduated from the 
University of WI in the class of 1882, and died 25 Jul 1884. (5) Mary 
Josephine, born 06 Jan 1863, married Charles G. CARPENTER and resides in 
Omaha, NE, and has three children: Inez H., Marion I. and Milton J. The 
youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. HAIGHT is (6) Lizzie M., born 05 Sep 1867, 
who resides at home with her parents.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly