WI BIO - Dane Co - SHELDON, Daniel G. & Russell A.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 147-148; Vol II, pp 335-336

Biography of Daniel G. SHELDON - Vol I, pp 147-148 (brother of Russell A.)

Daniel G. SHELDON, one of the pioneers of Madison [Dane County, WI], and a 
man worthy of mention in every walk of life, was born in Pittsfield, Otsego 
County, New York, 10 August 1823. His father, Gardner SHELDON, was born in 
Rhode Island, and his father, Isaac SHELDON, was born in the same State. The 
great grandfather of our subject was also named Isaac, and his father was 
born in England, and came to America in the 17th century, and settled in 
Rhode Island. He was one of three brothers, the others ["others" a typo for 
"brothers?"] being named Isaac, William, and John.

The grandfather of our subject [Isaace SHELDON] was reared to agricultural 
pursuits. He removed from Rhode Island to New York, and lived in Saratoga 
County a few years, then moved to Otsego County, but spent his last days in 
Sherburne, Chenango County [NY]. The father of our subject [Gardner SHELDON] 
went to New York when eighteen, and resided in Saratoga County a few years; 
from there he went to Pittsfield, Otsego County, and lived there until 1833, 
then with his family moved to Genesee County [NY], making the journey 
overland with teams. He located in that part of Genesee now known as and 
included in Perry, Wyoming County [NY], and purchased a farm and resided 
there many years. At the time of his death he [Gardner SHELDON] was living 
retired in Bethany, Genesee County [NY].

The maiden name of the mother of our subject [the wife of Gardner SHELDON] 
was Nancy GORUM, born at Ballston Spa [Saratoga County], New York, a daughter 
of George and Sarah (WHITE) GORUM. She spent her last years with a daughter 
in Middlebury [now in Wyoming County], New York. Our subject was ten years 
old when his parents moved to Genesee County [NY]. At that time the country 
was but sparsely settled and but little improved. There was no railroad or 
canal there, and Albany [NY] was over 200 miles distant, and it was the 
principal market and depot for supplies. Wheat at that time sold for as low 
as 40 cents a bushel. The mother used to card, spin and weave, and dressed 
her children in homespun. She spun and wove the cloth for the first overcoat 
our subject ever wore, and then made the garment herself. Farming was 
conducted on a very different plan from that of the present. All grass was 
mown with a scythe; all grain was cut with a cradle and bound by hand. Farm 
labor was cheap; for ordinary farm work 50 cents a day was given; for haying, 
60 cents a day; for harvesting, $1 a day. His mother used to cook by a 
fireplace, and his earliest recollection is of having no lamps, and even 
candles were a luxury. Evening work was done by the light of the fire.

Our subject resided with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, then 
began life for himself, working on a farm at $10 a month. He remained a 
resident of New York until 1849, when he came to Wisconsin. He [p 148] 
journeyed by team to Buffalo [NY], thence via the lake to Detroit [MI], 
thence on the lake via Chicago [IL] to Milwaukee [WI], thence with a team to 
Dane County [WI], where his uncle, Daniel GORUM, had previously settled. At 
that time his entire wealth was $400, and he looked around for a place to 
invest his money in a home, and in December 1849 he purchased eighty acres of 
land, which is included in his present home. He had no team, and used to 
change work with his uncle, and in that way got a team to break a portion of 
his land. He worked out by the month, and was finally enabled to buy a pair 
of oxen. With those he did his farm work and marketing. Milwaukee 
[Milwaukee County, WI] was the principal market for some time. Wheat would 
sell for from 35 to 40 cents a bushel, and corn at home would sell for from 
10 to 12 cents, and oats from 7 to 10 cents. People who in later years have 
obtained so much larger prices can realize little what struggles he had to go 
through before he could build and equip his farm. He was very industrious, 
and success crowned his efforts. He was at one time owner of 140 acres of 
land, 160 of which he still retains. His place has a beautiful location, 
overlooking the lakes and capital city [Madison, WI].

On 08 October 1851, our subject [Daniel G. SHELDON] was married to Miss 
Adeline CURTISS, who was born in Middlebury, Wyoming County, New York. Her 
father, Levi CURTISS, was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, in 1805, 
and his father, Comfort CURTISS, was born in Massachusetts, of Scotch 
ancestry. He [Comfort CURTISS] removed from Massachusetts to Genesee County, 
New York, in 1807, and made the removal with team. He was one of the 
pioneers in the town of Middlebury, and bought land from the Holland Purchase 
Company, and erected the log house in the wilderness. For some years bear 
and wolves were plentiful, and all stock had to be placed in pens at night to 
preserve them from harm. Here he improved a farm, which he occupied until 
his death. The maiden name of his [Comfort CURTISS'] wife, the grandmother 
of Mrs. SHELDON, was Priscilla WHITNEY. She was born in Massachusetts, and 
died on the home farm in Middlebury [Wyoming County, NY]. The father of Mrs. 
SHELDON [Levi CURTISS] was reared on a farm, bought land adjoining that of 
his father [Comfort CURTISS], and resided there for many years. He [Levi 
CURTISS] then moved to Wyoming village [Wyoming County, NY], where he died 
one year later.

The maiden name of the mother of Mrs. SHELDON [the wife of Levi CURTISS] was 
Climena ROBERTS, a daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (STANHOPE) ROBERTS, both 
natives of Massachusetts, the former [Ebenezer ROBERTS] born in Greenfield, 
Franklin County; and the mother [Mary (STANHOPE) ROBERTS] died in 1890, at 
the home of her son, in Saunders County, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. [Daniel G.] 
SHELDON have three children living: (1) Levi, married Miss Roxy BENSON, and 
lives in Chicago [Cook County, IL] and has two children, Cora and Curtiss; 
(2) May, married Jerome HOLT; and (3) Bertha. Mr. [Daniel G.] SHELDON is 
independent in politics, and has served as a member of the Township Board of 
Supervisors.

Biography of Russell A. SHELDON - Vol II, pp 335-336 (brother of Daniel G.)

Russell A. SHELDON was born in Pittsfield, Otsego County, New York, 20 March 
1822. His great grandfather* [great great grandfather] was a native of 
England, who, with two brothers, William and John, came to the new world in 
early colonial times and settled in Rhode Island. The great grandfather of 
our subject was Isaac SHELDON, and his son Isaac was the grandfather of Mr. 
[Russell A.] SHELDON of this notice. The grandfather [Isaac] was a native of 
Rhode Island, but removed from that State to New York, settling in Saratoga 
County. After some time spent there he removed from Saratoga to Otsego 
County and finally settled in Sherburne, Chenango County, New York, where he 
finally died. The father of our subject, Gardner SHELDON, was born in Rhode 
Island, but removed from that State to New York when eighteen years of age. 
After his marriage, he [Gardner SHELDON] settled in Pittsfield, Otsego County 
[NY], where he remained until 1833, then removed to the town of Perry, 
Wyoming County [NY], purchased land and engaged in the improvement of the 
same for many years. At the time of his death he [Gardner SHELDON] was 
living retired in the town of Bethany, Genesee County. The maiden name of 
the mother of our subject [the wife of Gardner SHELDON] was Nancy GORUM, born 
in Ballston Springs [Saratoga County], New York, daughter of George and Sarah 
(WHITE) GORUM. The latter [Sarah (WHITE) GORUM] died at her daughter's home 
in Middlebury, Wyoming County, New York, in 1885, at the age of eighty-five 
years. 

[* The line of ascent in the biography of Daniel G. SHELDON, appears to be: 
(1) the subject, Daniel G.; (2) Daniel's father, named Gardner; (3) 
Daniel's grandfather, named Isaac; (4) Daniel's great grandfather, named 
Isaac; (5) and the father of the great grandfather, unnamed, who is one of 
three brothers, Isaac, William and John. In the biography of Daniel G. 
SHELDON's brother, Russell A., the line of ascent appears to be: (1) the 
subject, Russell A.; (2) Russell A.'s father, named Gardner; (3) Russell 
A.'s grandfather, named Isaac; (4) and Russell A.'s great grandfather, named 
Isaac, who has two brothers, named William and John. Since Russell is a 
brother of Daniel G., and since the great great grandfather of Daniel G. is 
one of three brothers named Issac, William, and John, then it is probably the 
great great grandfather (not the great grandfather) of Russell who has two 
brothers named William and John, and the great great grandfather is named, by 
elimination, Isaac.]

Our subject [Russell A. SHELDON] was eleven years of age when his parents 
[Gardner and Nancy (GORUM) SHELDON] removed to the western part of the State 
of New York and he went to live with his uncle, Augustus SHELDON, in Otsego 
County. He [Russell A.] made the best of the opportunities offered him to 
attend school, in the meantime assisting on the farm, remaining with his 
uncle [Augustus SHELDON] until he was sixteen years of age. At that time he 
[Russell A. SHELDON] went to Oneida County [NY], where he found employment on 
a farm at [p 336] $11.50 a month. In 1840 he joined his parents in Wyoming 
County [NY], making the trip by the most convenient and expeditious route, 
taking the stage to Madison [Madison County], New York, where he boarded a 
canal boat for Rochester [Monroe County, NY], thence by stage to Moscow 
[Moscow Hill in Madison County, NY?], and from there on foot to Perry 
[Wyoming County, NY]. It was his intention to go farther west, but he 
remained there for some time, working by the month, until 1846, and on the 
shares until 1851, when, having obtained sufficient money he came to [the 
Territory of] Wisconsin, via the railroad to Buffalo [Erie County, NY], from 
which point he sailed on the lake [lakes] to Milwaukee. He intended to walk 
from Milwaukee [Milwaukee County, WI] to Madison [Dane County, WI], but found 
that his health would not permit of the exertion, therefore started by 
railroad to Waukesha [Waukesha County, WI], then the western terminus. [The 
first railroad in WI, which ran from Milwaukee to Waukesha, was completed in 
1851. Determination of the exact date this railroad was completed may 
provide support for what the biographer has stated here, depending upon when 
in 1851 the railroad was completed and when that year the subject traveled.] 
He then went by team to Summit [means Summit Corners in Waukesha County, WI] 
and started to walk from that point, but soon overtook a team and secured a 
ride to Watertown [probably the one in Jefferson, not Dodge County, WI], from 
which place he walked to Milford [Jefferson County, WI], and from there 
secured a ride via Cottage Grove to Madison [both in Dane County]. Here he 
joined his brother, Daniel G. [SHELDON]. Here his aunt took care of him and 
his health rapidly improved. So much better did he become that he was able 
to look around for land on which to commence farming for himself. Very soon 
he purchased eighty acres of land on section 32, paying $6.50 per acre [$520 
total]. There was a log house on the land and forty acres were fenced. A 
little of the land was broken. After about three weeks he [Russell A. 
SHELDON] returned to New York, but in the fall of the same year returned with 
his wife and moved into the log house, beginning at once his career as an 
independent farmer. In time he purchased eighty acres adjoining his first 
purchase and soon built a frame house and a granary, living on this property 
until 1855, when he sold it and purchased his present home of five acres. On 
this little farm he has a good set of buildings, pleasant located, about two 
and a half miles from the State House.

At LaGrange [Wyoming County], New York, in 1846, he [Russell A. SHELDON] 
married Mary A. DOANE, born in Washington County, New York, 13 November 1824. 
Her father, Hiram DOANE, was born in the same State, and his father, John 
DOANE, was as far as known also a native of the same State. He [John DOANE] 
spent his last years in Washington County. He married a lady of Scotch 
birth. The father of Mrs. SHELDON [Hiram DOANE] learned the trade of tanner 
and shoemaker. In 1836 he [Hiram DOANE] removed to Livingston County [NY], 
where he lived two years before he removed to LaGrange, Wyoming County [NY]. 
There he [Hiram] established a tannery and shoe shop, continuing the business 
there until his death. The maiden name of the mother of the wife of our 
subject [i. e., the mother of Mary A. (DOANE) SHELDON] was Melinda DYER, born 
in Shaftsbury [Bennington County], Vermont, daughter of Benjamin and Mary 
(CLARK) DYER. She died in LaGrange [Wyoming County], New York.

Russell A. and Mary A. (DOANE) SHELDON have had five children: (1) Edward 
E., married Clara BELL and lives in Baltimore [MD]; (2) Stuart D., married 
Mattie ELEY and lives in LaCrosse [LaCrosse County, WI], and has one child, 
Minnie E; (3) Charles F., married Mary RICHARDSON and lives in Texas, having 
three children: Roy, Jessie, and Maude; (4) Walter W., married Alice 
FIDDLER and lives in Baraboo [Sauk County], Wisconsin, having one child, Edna 
M; and (5) Hattie B. Mr. and Mrs. [Russell A.] SHELDON are members of the 
Baptist Church, in which they are very prominent. In politics he is a stanch 
Republican, upholding party principles upon any and all occasions.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly