WI BIO - WAKEMAN, John & Thaddeus B.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 610-611, 623-624

Biography of John WAKEMAN pp 610-611 [brother of Thaddeus B.]

John WAKEMAN is a resident of section 13, Sun Prairie Township [Dane County], 
Wisconsin. His grandfather, Abijah WAKEMAN, was born in Connecticut [born in 
England?], where he became later in life a sea captain, making a business of 
it, following the sea for a great many years and sailing to all parts of the 
world. He [Abijah] finally located in New York, in what is now Schuyler 
County, where he farmed for a number of years and then removed to Missouri 
[Booneville, Missouri, according to the biography of Thaddeus B., which 
follows], where he [Abijah WAKEMAN] died some years later. He married a 
native of New England and four children were born into the family. (1) Mary 
married Cyrus BEARDSLEY and died leaving two children; (2) Maria married 
Joseph WEST, who is now deceased, but she lives in Kansas City [Missouri]; 
(3) Charles was the father of our subject; and (4) Harriet is married and 
lives in Kansas City.

Charles WAKEMAN was born in Fairfield [Fairfield County], Connecticut, in 
1803, and as his father's life was mostly spent at sea he lived with his 
grandfather and attended the common schools, receiving a fair education and 
was reared on a farm. When his father quit his wandering and dangerous life, 
our subject went with the family to the home in New York and there learned 
both the trade of harnessmaker and that of carpenter, following this latter 
trade many years. In 1844 he removed to [the Territory of] Wisconsin and 
settled in Dane County on the farm now occupied by John WAKEMAN, our subject.

In the State of New York, in what was then Tompkins, but what now is Schuyler 
County, he [Charles WAKEMAN] married Lydia MITCHELL, whose people were [p 
611] among the Pennsylvania Dutch. After marriage they remained some time in 
the East and then started on the journey westward. Of course this was before 
the time of railroads and the trip was made by team, canal and boat to 
Milwaukee, and from there the family of eight persons took a team and drove 
out to the settlement. He bought from the Government, 160 acres in Sun 
Prairie [Dane County], 50 in Medina [probably Medina Township, Dane County, 
although their daughter, Amanda, mentioned later in this biography, lived in 
Outagamie County, Wisconsin, where there is also a Medina], and 50 additional 
at ten shillings per acre, and all of this was good land with sufficient 
timber for future improvement on the farm. The place now shows the good 
judgment with which it was selected, being now among the best in the county. 
He [Charles WAKEMAN] built a log house and then the family began pioneer life 
in earnest. This was hard work, as at that time the country was but sparsely 
settled, only two families being within four miles. They felt keenly the 
lack of churches, schools and neighbors. Their produce was hauled to 
Milwaukee [Milwaukee County], sixty-five miles away, with ox teams, when no 
bridges had been built over any but the largest streams. In the log house 
the family made themselves as comfortable as possible, until 1858, when the 
commodious frame house, now standing, was erected. The father [Charles] of 
our subject [John] was a prominent and useful citizen and did his full share 
in the development of the country. He [Charles] was public-spirited, 
generous, and helpful. His [Charles WAKEMAN's] death occurred 22 September 
1881 [in Dane County, Wisconsin; note the biography of Thaddeus B. gives the 
place of death more specifically, as Sun Prairie], and he was buried on the 
farm, near the residence which he had built, not far from the site of the 
original log house.

The mother of our subject [Lydia MITCHELL WAKEMAN] died 19 October 1846, and 
was buried by the side of her husband [Charles WAKEMAN], and the graves are 
near the southeast corner of section 13, township 8, range 11 east. The 
father [Charles WAKEMAN] married again, his second wife being Mrs. BACON, the 
sister of his first wife, who is also dead, she passing away 10 December 
1878, and is buried beside the others. Seven children were born of the first 
marriage: (1) Thaddeus, living in Marshall [Dane County, Wisconsin]; (2) 
James, also in Marshall; (3) Emily, in Grand Rapids [note the bio of 
Thaddeus B. states Emily lived in Michigan, but there was also a Grand Rapids 
in Wisconsin, later renamed Wisconsin Rapids, since 1856 located in Wood 
County, WI], married B. F. STEVENS; (4) Amanda, married R. P. ANDREWS and 
lives in Outagamie County, Wisconsin; (5) Harriet, lives in Grand Rapids; 
(6) John is our subject; and (7) Sarah married Nelson BACON [a relative of 
Charles WAKEMAN's second wife, Mrs. BACON?] and lives at Burke Station [Dane 
County, Wisconsin].

Our subject [John WAKEMAN] was born in Schuyler County, New York, 13 February 
1842, and now lives in the old home and on the old farm, having been here 
since 1844. The farm, consisting of 142 acres, is his. In 1864 he [John 
WAKEMAN] married Martha HATCH [maiden name?] of Dane County [Wisconsin], 
formerly of Virginia, whither her people had come from New York. Her [Martha 
WAKEMAN's] death occurred 28 January 1887, and he [John WAKEMAN] married Ella 
A. ROWE [maiden name?], of Dane County [Wisconsin], whose parents were also 
from New York. By the first marriage there was a family of four girls: 
Irene, Lydia, Nellie, and Hattie. By the second marriage another little girl 
has been added to the family, Ruth E.

Politically Mr. [John] WAKEMAN is a Republican, and has taken an active part 
in the affairs of the county. He has served three times on the Town Board 
and has been Associate Supervisor twice, and once was Chairman of the Board. 
Mrs. WAKEMAN [Ella A.] and Miss Irene are members of the Presbyterian Church. 
Mr. WAKEMAN is a whole-souled gentleman with many of the excellent traits 
which made his father so well and favorably known here.

Biography of Thaddeus B. WAKEMAN pp 623-624 [brother of John]

Thaddeus B. WAKEMAN is the proprietor of the only hotel in Marshall, Dane 
County, Wisconsin. His grandfather, Bijah [Abijah] WAKEMAN, was a native of 
England [note the bio of John states Abijah WAKEMAN was born in Connecticut], 
and for many years sailed from his native city of Liverpool on the seas. He 
became the captain of a vessel and made many trips around the world, but at 
last he tired of the wandering life and decided to settle down to the 
enjoyments of home. Consequently he [Abijah] made his last voyage across the 
ocean and with his family settled down in Hartford [Hartford County], 
Connecticut, where he worked at the saddlers' trade. Later he [Abijah 
WAKEMAN] went to Chemung County, New York [may still have been Tioga County, 
NY, at the time Abijah WAKEMAN went there; Chemung created from Tioga on 29 
March 1836], where he continued working in the saddler and harness trade, and 
at this place he [Abijah] bought a farm of 100 acres and engaged in farming 
until 1837, when he removed to Milwaukee [Milwaukee County, Territory of] 
Wisconsin. The long trip was made by Erie Canal to Buffalo, by the lakes to 
Milwaukee, thence to Missouri, settling in Booneville [Cooper County], where 
he [Abijah WAKEMAN] died. He was married and had four children: Mary, 
Harriet, Maria, and Charles.

Charles was the second child in the family in order of birth and became the 
father of our subject. He [Charles WAKEMAN] was born in Connecticut [in 1803 
in Fairfield, CT, according to the biography of John] and lived at home, 
where he received a fair education in the common schools. He worked on a 
farm, and also learned the cooper trade. Before marriage he [Charles] 
removed with the family to New York, where he worked in the timber and lumber 
business, dealing extensively. While there [there is defined in John's 
biography as Tompkins County, NY,] he [Charles WAKEMAN] married Lydia 
MITCHELL, who traced her lineage back to the Pennsylvania Dutch. After 
marriage he [Charles] remained in New York, where in Chemung County for many 
years, he engaged in the manufacture of harness, and for some time he 
combined a coopering business with it. [Chemung County, NY, was created 29 
March 1836 from Tioga County, NY. Tompkins County, NY, was created 17 April 
1817. Parts of Tompkins, Steuben, and Chemung Counties became Schuyler 
County, NY, on 17 April 1854.] 

In 1845 Charles WAKEMAN decided to remove with his family to [the Territory 
of] Wisconsin. [Note the biography of John states eight of the WAKEMAN 
family moved to Wisconsin (Territory) in 1844. He chose the water route, 
coming by way of canal and lakes to Milwaukee, consuming two weeks on the 
trip. The month was November and the winds over the lakes rough, and upon 
reaching Milwaukee, he [Charles] left his family there and went out 
prospecting on foot with our subject, T. B. [Thaddeus B. WAKEMAN]. This was 
slow, cold work, but occasionally the boy could get a ride on an ox team, and 
before long the house of Volney MOORE was reached in Medina Township [Dane 
County, Territory of Wisconsin]. This was a small log house, and was the 
only place in that wilderness where there was any chance to stop. After 
carefully looking the country over, Mr. [Charles] WAKEMAN made a selection of 
land in Sun Prairie [Dane County] and Medina [Dane County] and here bought 
300 acres.

He [Charles WAKEMAN] then hired three ox teams from different points of 
parties who had come in from Canada and brought teams with them, went to 
Milwaukee and thus brought the family and goods to the house of Sewall CLARK, 
about one mile from the selected land. This was in the fall of 1843, and 
then Mr. [Charles] WAKEMAN and his boys went to work. The first necessity 
was to go to Illinois to get meat, and he hired a team for the trip, bringing 
back with him eight barrels of pork. At this time new men came into the 
country, and he supplied them with something to eat and took [p 624] it out 
in work, splitting rails, etc. As soon as possible a log house was built, 
20x24, and at that time it was considered quite a building, and into this 
modest residence the family moved and began pioneer life. The land was to be 
cleared and broken, the farm to be gotten ready for planting, and this was 
all men's work; but no pen can sufficiently tell of the hardships and 
privations of the brave pioneer women of that day.

The farm so worked is now owned by one of the sons. The family was as 
follows: (1) Thaddeus B., our subject; (2) James M., now living in Medina 
Township [note the biography of John WAKEMAN more specifically states that 
James was a resident of "Marshall," which is in Medina County, Dane County, 
WI]; (3) Emily, living in Michigan [note the bio of John states Emily lived 
in Grand Rapids, but does not state if Grand Rapids, MI, or Grand Rapids, 
WI]; (4) Harriet, at Grand Rapids; (5) Amanda, married R. CHAMBERS and 
lives in Stephensville [Outagamie County], Wisconsin [note the biography of 
John WAKEMAN states Amanda married R. P. ANDREWS]; (6) John, lives at Sun 
Prairie [Dane County, WI; note that John's biography states John has lived 
"on the old farm since 1844"]; and (8) Sarah, lives in Burke [Dane County, 
WI]. [Note that the biography of John WAKEMAN also gives the name of Sarah's 
husband as Nelson BACON].

The mother [Lydia (MITCHELL) WAKEMAN] died in the fall of 1846 [note in 
John's biography the date of Lydia's death is given as 19 October 1846] and 
was buried near the site of the old log house, which had been removed. The 
father [Charles WAKEMAN] after the mother's death took all of the family 
except James and Thaddeus, who remained on the farm, and returned to Ohio for 
two years, where he [Charles WAKEMAN] married a sister of his first wife 
[note the sister's name, Mrs. BACON, is given in John's bio] and then 
returned to Wisconsin [the Territory of Wisconsin, if he returned before WI 
became a state on 29 May 1848], but she too is dead. The father [Charles 
WAKEMAN] died in Sun Prairie [Dane County, Wisconsin] on the farm. [Note in 
John's biography the date is given as 22 September 1881]. He was a man who 
was active in promoting the welfare of the community and did his full share 
toward the development of the country. He was liberal in every enterprise, 
always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need, and his distributions 
of food among the hungry are well remembered yet by those who received of his 
bounty.

Thaddeus was the oldest in the family and was the first one to come to [the 
Territory of] Wisconsin with his father. He was brought up on the farm and 
received his education in his native State [New York? Tioga County?], and 
was born 22 December 1826. He assisted his father in the clearing of the 
farm and worked there until 1850, when he married Miss Julia A. NICHOLS, who 
was born in New York of American parents. He had a part of the farm and 
built a house on the same, and commenced married life there. He still owns 
this place, where a son of his lives. The old place of the father has now an 
excellent residence and has been developed into a fine property, showing the 
wide [wise?] judgment of his father.

Our subject and his wife [Thaddeus B. and Julia A. NICHOLS WAKEMAN; 
assumption not made by submitter that NICHOLS was a maiden name] had a family 
of nine children, eight of whom are living. The names are: (1) Augusta, 
now living with her brother in Medina [Medina Township, Dane County, 
Wisconsin?]; (2) Francis, in Springville [Springview?], Nebraska; (3) 
Edgar, living in Sun Dance [in Pease County at the time the biography was 
published in 1893, but now in Crook County, NE, created from Pease in 1895], 
Wyoming; (4) Harrison, in New Boston [Mercer County], Illinois; (5) T. B. 
Burr, living in Spring View [Keya Paha County], Nebraska; (6) Fred, in 
Medina Township [Dane County, Wisconsin]; and (7) Jessie, in Green Bay 
[Brown County], Wisconsin.

Our subject [Thaddeus B. WAKEMAN] remained on the farm until 1875, when he 
removed to Marshall, in Medina Township [Dane County, Wisconsin], where he 
engaged in the livery business for a time, and then engaged in the hotel 
business. This is the only hotel in the place [Marshall], and is well 
managed, our subject making it a success. Politically he is a Republican. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly