NOYES, D. K.
Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 229-232

Colonel D. K. NOYES, one of the earliest and most prominent citizens of 
Baraboo, Sauk County, WI, was born in Orange County, VT, 28 Oct 1820. A 
history of WI could not be written without frequently referring to his name. 
Mr. NOYES is the son of Enoch and Mary A. (KNOX) NOYES. His father was a son 
of Aaron NOYES, who was born in Pembroke [Merrimack County], NH. He married 
Betty LADD and moved to VT, the original family in America coming in 1636. 
Two of the NOYES family came together, and one settled in MA, while the other 
settled in CT. Many honors have fallen to the family along the line of 
descent, and have included statesmen, ministers, etc. Enoch NOYES, the 
father of our subject, was a farmer and remained in VT untl 1844, when he 
emigrated to WI, then a territory. He first located in Iowa County [WI], 
then in Dane County [WI], and later went to Sauk County [WI], about 1851, 
where he spent the remainder of his life on a farm. He died 29 Dec 1855, at 
the age of 59 years, and his wife died 15 Oct 1859, aged 60 years. Both were 
members of the Methodist church. The mother of our subject was a daughter of 
David KNOX. The family originally came from the north of Ireland, and 
settled near Londonderry [Rockingham County], NH, afterwards at Tunbridge 
[Orange County], VT. General KNOX, of Revolutionary war fame, was of the 
same family, and all are descendants of John KNOX, the great reformer of 
Scotland.

Our subject was the eldest of nine children, eight of whom grew to maturity: 
(1) D. K., our subject; (2) Aaron A., a practicing physician of Minneapolis 
[MN]; (3) William W., deceased, was an editor and never married; (4) Mary 
A., deceased, who married Mr. BENNETT, by whom she had two sons, and later 
married Mr. PRENTICE, by whom two daughters were born; (5) Silon, deceased, 
was an editor at Mason City [Cerro Gordo County], IA; (6) Amanda, died in 
childhood; (7) Lydia, deceased, married Mr. MORSE; (8) Henry, who now 
resides in Baraboo [Sauk County, WI]; served through the Civil war and has 
served as city treasurer of Baraboo, and filled numerous offices of minor 
character; and (9) Robert Bruce, who died at the age of 18 years.

Our subject was educated in the common schools, and at Norwich University and 
Chelsea [Orange County, VT]] and Royalton [Windsor County, VT] Academies. He 
began to work at the age of 11 years, and when not studying was engaged in 
farming, herding sheep and stock, learned the tanner's trade, and later ran a 
saw mill and worked at many employments. His brother, Aaron A., came to WI 
in 1843, and the following year the family, including our subject, joined him 
in WI. Our subject had taught school in VT and earned the money with which 
to bring the family to the new home. He was first employed at making rails 
at 50 cents per hundred and taught school winters, and he afterward made the 
acquaintance of General Amasa COBB, with whom he went to the lead mines and 
spent one season prospecting; but found no lead, and after their money was 
spent in foolish digging they enlisted for the Mexican war. But the company 
was not accepted. Our subject then went to Dodgeville [Iowa County, WI], and 
soon entered the office of STRONG & ABBOTT, attorneys, at Mineral Point, and 
began the study of law. He was admitted at the March term of 1847 to 
practice law, and in June of the same year went to Baraboo [WI], which had 
been located as the county seat of Sauk County. The country was a wilderness 
and but little land was cleared. Four saw mills were running and settlers 
were few, and not permanently settled. Our subject was a Whig and 
established the newspaper "Republic," which is still running, but in other 
hands. He was the first attorney located at Baraboo [Sauk County, WI], and 
erected the first office of the town, and was attorney and land agent. There 
was not much law practice to attend, and he spent the greater part of his 
time locating land, and did more of that [p 231] probably than any other man 
of that region. He continued the paper about six or eight years, and later 
purchased a farm of 320 acres, which had been partially improved, and he 
erected a commodious residence, large barn, and made other permanent 
improvements. In 1861 he enlisted in the 6th WI Infantry, and was elected 
1st Lieutenant of his company, and assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He 
was in numerous engagements, including Rappahannock, Gainesville, second 
battle of Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam. He received a slight wound 
on the forehead, and at Antietam his right foot was taken off by a shell, 
while he was acting as captain, and after the battle he remained at a private 
house eight weeks before he could be removed to Georgetown hospital. All but 
his heel bone was taken from the foot and he was rendered a cripple for life. 
After about three months he went home and with the aid of crutches was able 
to walk some. As soon as he was able he was given a recruiting office and 
continued for some time, and later was given a major's commission and again 
entered the service in the 49th WI Infantry. He was assigned to St. Louis 
and Rolla, MO, where he remained a short time and was appointed on the court 
martial service at St. Louis, remaining thus until Nov 1865, when he returned 
home as lieutenant colonel. He soon after established an independent 
newspaper, and in 1867 was appointed postmaster at Baraboo [Sauk County, WI], 
which he held about 16 years. He has now retired from active business, and 
devotes his attention to looking after his property interests, of which he 
owns considerable in Baraboo.

Colonel NOYES married Miss Lucinda BARNES, in VT in Jun 1848. Mrs. NOYES was 
the daughter of Captain Joel BARNES, of VT. His father was Major Daniel 
BARNES, of the Revolutionary war. Joel BARNES settled in WI with his family 
in 1854, and engaged in farming; there his wife died, and the last three 
years of his life he found a comfortable home with Colonel and Mrs. NOYES. 
He died about 1870, and was the father of the following children: (1) 
Harry, an ex-assemblyman; (2) Lucy, now Mrs. GOODMAN; (3) Leonard, of IA; 
and (4) Lucinda, wife of our subject. 

Four children were born to Colonel and Mrs. NOYES: (1) Clara L., deceased, 
who married Judge HAMILTON, of Green Bay [County, WI], and who left five 
children; (2) Walter W., justice of the peace in Baraboo [Sauk County, WI; 
(3) Arthur H., formerly a prominent attorney of Minneapolis [MN], now one of 
the federal judges at Cape Nome, Alaska; and (4) Rolla E., an attorney of 
Baraboo.

Mr. NOYES is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, the G. A. R., and the Loyal Legion. Both he and Mrs. 
NOYES are members of the Presbyterian church. He has been commander of the 
G. A. R., and was a delegate to the Boston reunion, and has received two 
honorable discharges as an officer. He early entered into public affairs amd 
was a Republican from the organization of the party. The county, prior to 
the Fremont campaign, was Democratic, but since that time has been a 
Republican county, and for the first office for which he was nominated he was 
defeated, but has since been elected to numerous important offices. In 1856 
he was elected assemblyman, and served on the judiciary committee, and also 
on the town and county organizations committee, and assisted with the 
Wisconsin code. He was the first town clerk of Baraboo, and has also served 
as justice of the peace. A man respected and honored for his good deeds, he 
is passing his declining years among those who know him well, and [p 232] he 
has gained a competence which affords him a confortable income, and he may 
well be accorded a prominent place in the annals of WI.

Contributed by Cathy Kubly