WI BIO - Dane Co - MUZZY, Samuel
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 494-496

Samuel MUZZY, a member of one of the best known and most prominent families 
in Medina Township [Dane County, WI] is the immediate subject of this sketch. 
The family is an interesting one and the biographer will to the best of his 
ability place their records upon this page. The family seems to have been of 
New England birth, the grandfather of Samuel MUZZY having been born in the 
State of Massachusetts, where he lived and died. The father, Sardine MUZZY, 
was born in Leicester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, 10 August 1806, was 
brought up on a farm, attended the common schools and remained at home until 
his seventeenth year, when he went to the State of Ohio, where he learned the 
trade of carpenter, working at it in Medina County [OH], and from that county 
came to Medina Township [Dane County, WI], the present home of the family. 
Alternating between work at his trade and upon the farm, Mr. [Sardine] MUZZY 
remained there until 1843, when he removed to Illinois, where he spent one 
summer in work on a farm in Lake County.

The marriage of Mr. [Sardine] MUZZY was celebrated 26 March 1827, with Miss 
Elorsey Caroline LUNN, who was born in Hartford [Hartford County], 
Connecticut, in 1808, and whose parents had passed away, the father in 
Michigan, and the mother in Ohio. The family of Mr. MUZZY grew up in 
Illinois around him, until 1844, when he decided to move farther west where 
land was still for purchase in desirable localities. Hence, the family 
consisting of thirteen members traveled by ox teams, bringing with them their 
household goods, determining to locate in Wisconsin. They started 22 October 
[1844], and arrived at their destination after about two weeks, coming 
directly to sections 10 and 11, where the widow of Mr. MUZZY now resides. 
She is one of the oldest settlers in this township or vicinity.

Mr. MUZZY first obtained 80 acres of Government land and later 40 more, 
subsequently pre-empting another 40, for all of which he paid ten shillings 
per acre. He had some difficulty in getting a title to the land he had 
pre-empted, but finally he had his farm of 160 acres, to which he added five 
acres of timber land. The purchase of the land absorbed what money he had 
and the family moved into the house with a Mr. SIFERT, near Marshall [Dane 
County, WI]. All the members of the family were large enough to work, and 
they built a log house on the land which he had bought. The dimensions of 
the house were 16x20, and when it [p 495] approached completion all moved in 
and began pioneer life in earnest.

The country was sparsely settled, and they had no near neighbors nor any 
conveniences. Fall was coming on now and but little farm work could be 
accomplished, but they began improvement as soon as possible. When spring 
opened, Mr. MUZZY put in a crop, consisting of corn, buckwheat, and potatoes, 
on the land of Henry CLARK, and broke some of his own ground. There was no 
danger of starvation, for game was abundant and venison was the principal 
meat, and they taught themselves to do without groceries as they could not be 
obtained. As time went on and they succeeded in having produce to sell, they 
had to travel 65 miles by ox teams to Milwaukee to find a market, selling 
wheat as low as 30 cents per bushel. Thus they finally established a home in 
the Territory of Wisconsin. [WI became a state in 1848.]

Mr. [Sardine] MUZZY continued to improve the place, planting trees and 
fencing with rails, living on in the log house, which is still standing and 
has always been used as a residence by some one. In 1855 the family built a 
more commodious home, and which is now occupied by Mrs. MUZZY and her sons. 
Thus by hard work, industry, and economy, they improved their condition; 
other settlers came in, the county rapidly was opened up, and is now one of 
the best cultivated sections in the State. There were nine eleven children 
born in this family [the family of Sardine and Elorsey Caroline (LUNN) 
MUZZY]: (1) Elizabeth, married Asa DEWEY, and they now reside in Medina 
Township [Dane County, WI] and they have had four children: Adelbert, Sarah 
Jane, Amy, and Juliett. (2) Elorsey married George GILES and is living in 
Burke [County?], Iowa; they have three children: Lucy, Addison, and Clara. 
(3) Sheldon, married Harriet DENT, and have two children, Nina and Frankie. 
He [Sheldon DENT] is a carpenter in Milwaukee; (4) Austin L. MUZZY, married 
three times, and he had ten children: Henry, Mary, Maria, Austin, Amy Jane, 
Delbert, James, Minnie, Kitty, and Edwin, eight of whom are still living at 
different places; (5) Paulina, married Willard COLE, and they had seven 
children: Henry, Lucy, Fred, Wesley, Clark and Clarence (twins), and James, 
one of whom is dead. In 1861 he [Austin L. MUZZY] enlisted in the 11th 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, was in various engagements, had an extensive 
army experience, and although he continued through the whole war, he escaped 
without capture of wounds. (6) Samuel, our subject; (7) James, married 
Kate FOLLENSBEE, in Portland, Dodge County [WI], and now lives on the old 
home with wife and two children, Elmer and Lena. He went to Kansas in 1873, 
bought some land in Cowley County, where he remained improving for about one 
year, when he returned to the old place, where with the exception of one year 
he has lived ever since, having sold his Kansas land; (8) Andrew C., now 
living at Marshall depot [Dane County, WI], has always been in this vicinity, 
except while doing service in the army. In Feb 1865 he enlisted in the 48th 
Wisconsin Infantry, and was in service eleven months. The name of his 
[Andrew C. MUZZY's] first wife was Sarah HYER, and that of his second, 
Elizabeth WALBRIDGE, both of whom are deceased. His children are: Adeline, 
now living at Marshall [Dane County, WI], married Amos THOMPSON and has five 
children as follows: Lettie, married A. BURR and is now living near the old 
homestead; Gay T., married Flora PORTER; Lucius, Olive, and Della are at 
home. (10) Charles R. lives on the old homestead with his mother. In 1870 
he went to northern Iowa, where he remained a number of years buying wheat 
for dealers, then went to Dakota, [pre-empted] 160 acres of land, farmed some 
for two years, proved [p 496] up, sold out, and returned home to the old 
home, where he has been ever since. In 1863 he enlisted in Company B, 7th 
Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, and served one and a half years in the army of 
the Potomac, taking part in the seven days' fight of the Wilderness, Laurel 
Hill, Spottsylvania, North Ann, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon, Hatcher's 
Run, Gravely Run, Five Forks, and Appomattox, and was in the front of the 
line when LEE surrendered. He returned home safe and sound after an extended 
experience. The last child, (11) Francis, died in the old log house in 
1845, at the age of fifteen months and was buried on the farm. Mr. [Sardine] 
MUZZY died 04 Dec 1883, and was buried in York cemetery. He was a prominent 
man in the township, having served on the Board of Supervisors and also as 
Assessor a number of terms, was always interested in educational matters, and 
did his full share toward the development of the county. He was an active 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which Mrs. [Elorsey Caroline] 
MUZZY belonged.

Our subject, Samuel E. MUZZY, married Adelia FULLER, and is now living on the 
old homestead. He has had three children: Frankie, Cora, and Carl, but two 
of these died in Michigan and one in Wisconsin. In 1875 he [Samuel] went to 
Michigan and engaged in farming, having three a farm of 63 acres. Here he 
remained until 1885, when he sold that tract and bought 40 acres at another 
place, where he lived about two years and still owns, but in 1889 returned to 
Wisconsin and to the old home where he has since lived. In Feb 1865 he 
[Samuel E. MUZZY] enlisted in the 48th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was 
in the service some eleven months, being stationed the most of the time in 
Kansas. He still preserves his old Springfield musket as a memento of that 
experience.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly