“The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin”, published: Chicago:  
Western Historical Company.   1879.


HORACE B. WILLARD, M.D.,  for thirty years a prominent citizen of 
Jefferson Co., and at present a resident merchant and manufacturer of the 
city of Fort Atkinson; was born in the town of Volney, Oswego Co., 
N.Y., on the 2d day of May, A.D. 1825.  His parents were not wealthy, 
even as wealth was counted in those days, and, being the fifth in a family 
of six children, he learned at an early age that by his own unaided efforts 
he must work out the problem of his life.  At the age of 21, he found 
himself possessed of a good English education, and a fair reputation as a 
public teacher.  As a life-work, he chose the medical profession, and 
commenced reading under the instructions of William B. Coye, M.D., of 
Gilbertsville, in that county.  Having been inured to habits of patient 
thought, and rather delighting in mental labor, he made such progress as 
to attract the attention of the medical fraternity, and was awarded the 
"College Beneficiary," which, under a law of that State, was given to the 
most worthy student in each Congressional District.  In the spring of 
1849, he graduated from the Geneva Medical School.  On the 11th of the 
following July, he was married to Miss Elizabeth S. Vickery, eldest 
daughter of Stevens and Jerusha D. Vickery, old and honored residents 
of Onondaga Co.  Thus armed and equipped for his duels with Death, 
and supported by his beautiful, brave and devoted "second," he 
anticipated Greeley's advice, and "went West."  He settled in the village 
of Aztalan, where for seven years he gave his undivided attention to the 
practice of his profession.  At the end of this time, his health failing, he 
sold out and spent one year in travel and recuperation, and then resumed 
business at Lake Mills, within the circle of his former ride and old 
friends; here he remained until 1866, when he again found his 
constitution giving way under the arduous duties and responsibilities of 
an extensive practice, and reluctantly concluded that he must abandon 
the profession he loved, in which he had made many warm friends, 
acquired a competency, and gained an enviable reputation.  This point 
once settled in his mind, he immediately removed to Fort Atkinson.  
Here he at once entered with zeal and energy into many of the 
enterprises which have made that city so prosperous.  One of his first 
acts was to join in organizing the Northwestern Manufacturing 
Company, in which he has been one of the Directors almost without 
intermission since its formation, and which has become one of the 
largest and most successful manufacturing companies in the Northwest.  
He is also a stockholder in the Foundry and Machine Company, and for 
the last six years has kept their books and attended to the 
correspondence.  He has, however, since his residence here, given his 
attention more particularly to the mercantile business.  At present, he has 
associated with him N. F. Hopkins and F. M. Vickery, active, thorough 
business men.  They conduct the business under the firm name of 
Willard & Co., and are supposed to have been somewhat successful.  
Though Dr. Willard makes no pretentions to being a politician, in the 
modern acceptation of the term, he has kept himself well posted on the 
political movements of the day.  Of Democratic antecedents, he early 
espoused the Antislavery cause, which was in exact line with his 
strongly sympathetic nature and keen sense of right and wrong.  He was 
a member of the convention at Madison, twenty-five years ago, which 
inaugurated the Republican party in this State.  Also assisted in the 
organization of that party in Jefferson Co., and consented to allow his 
name on the county ticket.  In 1860, when the mutterings of Southern 
discontent became ominous, and uncompromising Union men, with 
brave hearts and stern convictions, were needed in our councils, he was 
nominated and elected to the State Legislature for the session of 1861.  
Here he supported with vote and voice, with zeal and energy, all 
measures looking to a vigorous prosecution of the war , and opposed 
with equal earnestness every effort to purchase peace by a compromise 
with slavery.  Hence, he opposed with all the force of his positive nature 
the resolution to send delegates to the "Washington Peace Convention," 
the object of which was to settle the difficulty by concessions. At the 
time, he was censured somewhat by some of his political friends.  His 
"maiden" speech in the Legislature was in defense of his position on this 
question, in which he recognized a power behind the war, which could 
not be compromised.  A brief extract from his remarks on that occasion, 
will, perhaps, better illustrate the force and style of his oratory, than 
anything we might say…….."Sir, there are worse conditions than 
secession or dissolution - worse things than war, be it civil or servile - 
worse things than death, among which are dishonorable humiliation, 
yielding up a valid principle at the suggestion of a mortal foe, stabbing 
the Goddess of Liberty to pacify the demon of slavery…Gentlemen know 
not what they ask.  They ask us, sir, to quench the spirit of the age, an 
all-pervading element in the atmosphere of to-day, inhaled into the 
bosom of every man all over God's earth.  Thousands of poor serfs, 
toiling upon the surfeited plains of Russia, have felt its inspiration; the 
dark-eyed Italians around the regal ruins of Rome are shouting 
hallelujahs to it to-day, while we, poor devil-serving Christians of 
America, are talking about driving back the resistless tide, and crushing 
out the spirits of the nineteenth century, by a simple resolution to 
perpetuate the century's greatest crime.  What though they do resolve to 
amend the Constitution so as to throw around the "peculiar institution" 
all the guarantees it ever dared ask?  What then?  Resolutions, treaties, 
compacts and constitutions are but the creatures of man, must and will 
crumble before the onward tread of public opinion.  Sir, undertake to re-
animate the smoldering dust that sleeps on Bunker's gory battle-bed, or 
recall the grains of powder that were flashed upon the plains of 
Lexington; but in the name of  consistency, in the dignity of common 
sense, do not undertake the more impossible task of checking the 
advancing virtues of the American people.  All past experience - the 
gathering storm - the convulsive agony of this hour, and the eternal 
truths of God, declare with fearful distinctness that there is no safety for 
this nation while one breath of slavery belies the immortal principles of 
the Declaration.  We must recognize and accept the necessity of this war.  
There be devils that go not out by fasting and prayer."  The full text of 
this speech appeared in several of the journals, and received quite 
favorable criticism.  His constituents indorsed his action on this and 
other questions by re-nominating him at the next convention.  This honor 
he deemed it his duty to decline.  He has served many years on the 
County Board, and filled other places of honor and trust, and his most 
bitter political enemies accredit him with an unstained official record.  
He was in full sympathy and accord with the Republican party until the 
re-nomination of President Grant, for whom he could in nowise be 
induced to vote a second time, but took the stump for Horace Greeley.  
Since then, he classes himself among the Independents, though he 
supported Samuel J. Tilden.  He is a good speaker and writer, easy, 
clear, forcible, and at times quite humorous.  He has always been  a firm, 
consistent, outspoken temperance man.  Was run for Mayor at the last 
municipal election on that issue, and was defeated.  Having fortunately 
drawn a prize in the matrimonial lottery, Dr. Willard's domestic relations 
have ever been exceptionally pleasant, and his intimate friends have 
often heard him attribute much of his success in life to the cheerful 
support and sympathy of his wife, and all the pleasures of his home life 
to a mutual confidence which has never been weakened.  The fruit of 
their union is one daughter - Julia Adele (now Mrs. C.A. Caswell), a 
pleasant and accomplished lady.  Her husband is the son and law partner 
of Hon. L.B. Caswell, member of Congress.  All residents of Fort 
Atkinson.


Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)