WI BIO - Dane Co - USHER, Francis W. Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 1893, Vol II, pp 530-531 Francis W. USHER, well known in the town of Fitchburg [Dane County], Wisconsin, was born in Herkimer [Herkimer County], New York, 09 February 1840. His father, Bloomfield USHER, was born in the same place, and his father was a native of Ireland, although of English ancestry, who emigrated to America, settling in Herkimer [Herkimer County, New York], where he resided until his death, having been by trade a hatter. The [paternal] grandmother of our subject was Jane (PAINE) USHER, a native of England who died in Potsdam [St. Lawrence County], New York. [Submitter has assumed here that PAINE is a maiden name.] The father of our subject learned the trade of hatter and conducted it in Herkimer for a time. In 1850 Mr. Bloomfield USHER moved into Potsdam [St. Lawrence County, New York], and then entered the banking business, and during that year organized the Frontier Bank which during the war was made the First National Bank. He was its first president, which office he held for many years, now living retired from business at the age of seventy-eight years. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Ann USHER, born in Ireland, who came to America with her parents, and has now passed away. [USHER is probably not her maiden name, since the biographer does not follow with any information about her parents or family, the format used for most other biographies presented in this text.] Our subject [Francis W. USHER] was nine years of age when his parents [Bloomfield and Ann USHER] moved to Potsdam [St. Lawrence County, New York]. He attended school very steadily until he was sixteen years old, and then learned the trade of miller at Little Falls [Herkimer County, New York], and went from there to Plattsburg [Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York]. In 1860 he [Francis W. USHER] operated a mill, until 1861. In 1861 Francis W. USHER became a soldier in the Union Army, enlisting in the Sixteenth Regiment, New York Infantry, but before mustering in he was transferred to Company F, Thirty-fourth New York Volunteers, and served with that regiment for two years, the time for which he enlisted. Some of the important battles in which he participated were Balls Bluff, Winchester, the first and second battles of Fredericksburg, Fair Oaks, and he was with the army in the seven days of retreat and was in the engagement at the battle of Antietam, and second Bull Run. He was mustered in as a private, was promoted to be Commissary Sergeant, and from that to be Second Lieutenant and later First Lieutenant, being honorably discharged in August 1863, but again enlisted. This [p 531] our brave subject [Francis W. USHER] entered the naval service, in February 1864, as landsman on board the United States steamer "Connecticut." He was soon appointed ship's writer, and from that was promoted to be paymaster's steward, continuing thus until August 1865. Before going any farther, we should add to the war record of our subject that he was so unfortunate as to be captured at Malvern Hill and was obliged to spend six weeks at Libby Prison. Soon after this our subject [Francis W. USHER] went with a company to Pitt County, North Carolina, who bought land and entered into cotton planting extensively, remaining until 1867, when he went to California, spending a few months, then back to New York, and in the following spring [1868] came to Dane County, Wisconsin. At this place he bought the fine farm, where he now makes his home on section 21, and where he engages in general farming. The marriage of Mr. [Francis W.] USHER took place in Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin, to Miss Catherine J. EVA, and six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. USHER: Ann, Grace E., Bloomfield H., Francis E., Edith J., and William. Mr. [Francis W.] USHER is a member of Washburn Post No. 11, G. A. R., and is a strong Republican, believing in the party he fought for so long in the late war. Submitted by Cathy Kubly