WI BIO - Winnebago Co - ROUNDS, Erastus Brown, George Washington, James Madison & Lester History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, vol II, pp 1190-1191 [The progenitor of the ROUNDS family in America, represented by the four brothers whose biographies are given below, was John ROUND (note different spelling of surname), who was born in England, emigrated to America, and died 07 October 1716 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts. The direct line descends through four generations (John, George, Joseph, Joseph) to Reuben ROUND, of the fifth generation, who died 02 April 1863 in Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. On 19 February 1801 in Stephentown, Rennssalaer County, New York, Reuben ROUND was married to Avis BROWN, who died 24 May 1876 in Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.] [Reuben and Avis ROUND were the parents of fourteen children: (1) William, born 01 April 1802 at Hancock, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, married Fanny HEATH, of Franklin County, Vermont, and died 06 May 1850 in California; (2) Horace, born 20 November 1803 at Dunham, Canada East, died 23 August 1901 at New Hope, Cayuga County, New York, and was married to Hannah BROWN; (3) Lester, whose biography follows; (4) Erastus Brown, whose biography also follows; (5) Rhoda, born 18 February 1809 at Berkshire, Franklin County, Vermont (where all of the remaining children were also born), died 19 June 1836 at Niles, Cayuga County, New York, aged twenty-seven years; (6) Elihu Roe, born 06 February 1811, died 22 December 1900 at Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin; (7) Electa, born 15 December 1812, died 27 November 1870 at Richford, Franklin County, Vermont; (8) Thomas Jefferson, born 10 October 1814, died 27 September 1840 at Southport, Racine County, Wisconsin; (9) James Madison, whose biography follows, a twin of Thomas Jefferson; (10) George Washington, whose biography also follows; (11) Mary Jane, born 11 July 1818, died 11 March 1908 at Valley City, Barnes County, North Dakota; (12) Reuben, born 12 May 1820, died 01 September 1846 at Richford, Franklin County, Vermont; (13) Ruby Ann, born 10 May 1822, died 16 July 1847 at Richford, Vermont; and (14) Adoniram Judson, born 10 April 1826, died 06 September 1846 at Southport, Racine County, Territory of Wisconsin.] Biography of Erastus Brown ROUNDS - p 1190 [brother of George Washington, James Madison & Lester] E. B. ROUNDS, farmer, P. O. Eureka [Rushford Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin], was born 29 May 1807 in Durham, [then] Canada East [now Province of Ontario]. His parents moved to Vermont [Franklin County] when he was a small child, where he lived until he moved to Wisconsin. In 1863 E. B. ROUNDS located at Eureka [Winnebago County, Wisconsin; he was formerly of Franklin County, Vermont. He built the flouring mills at Eureka in 1863, and operated them twelve years [Eureka being adjacent to the Fox River]. He then sold for a farm in Rushford and Omro Townships [Rushford Township being adjacent to and west of Omro Township in Winnebago County]. On 06 October 1830 in Swanton [Franklin County], Vermont, he [E. B. ROUNDS] married [his first wife] Miss Harriet SPEELS, who was born 01 November 1807 in Swanton [Franklin County], Vermont. They [E. B. and Harriet (SPEELS) ROUNDS] had three children: (1) Harley M., who is married and living at Clear Lake [Cerro Gordo County], Iowa; (2) Juliette, now married to Mr. William M. MARTIN, and living on a farm in Rushford Township [Winnebago County, Wisconsin]; and (3) Gilbert E., who is married and living in Berlin [Green Lake County], Wisconsin. Mrs. ROUNDS [Harriet (SPEELS) ROUNDS] died 15 August 1838. On 19 November 1838 he [E. B. ROUNDS] was again married, to [his second wife] Aurelia REYNOLDS [a maiden name?], who was born 20 July 1806 in St. Armand, Canada East [Province of Quebec]. They [E. B. and Aurelia ROUNDS] have one daughter, Mary E., now married to William H. PENMAN and living in Eureka. [The subject, Erastus Brown ROUNDS, died 27 October 1888 in Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.] Biography of George Washington ROUNDS - p 1190 [brother of Erastus Brown, James Madison & Lester] George W. ROUNDS, farmer, P. O. Eureka [Rushford Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin], was born 19 August 1819 [1816?] in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vermont. He now owns 64 acres of upland and 225 acres of meadow land and pasture, all improved. George W. ROUNDS settled in Southport, now Kenosha, Wisconsin, in fall of 1840 [when Southport was still part of Racine County, Territory of Wisconsin], and lived there fifteen years, following blacksmithing, having learned his trade in Vermont. [Southport became the City of Kenosha on 07 February 1850; Kenosha County was created from part of Racine County on 26 January 1850; the Territory of Wisconsin was formed from part of Michigan Territory on 20 April 1836; and the State of Wisconsin was created 29 May 1848.] He followed the livery business for four years, then sold out and removed to Eureka [Winnebago County, then still in the Territory of] Wisconsin, in the spring of 1846, and first kept an hotel, the "Eureka House," for twelve years, then sold out [by calculation, about 1858] and moved on his present farm, where he has lived since. In 1841 in Franklin [Franklin County], Vermont, he [George W. ROUNDS] married Miss Martha J. TITEMORE, who was born 12 May 1820 in Canada, eight miles from Montreal. They [George W. and Martha J. (TITEMORE) ROUNDS] have three [living] children [and have lost one]: (1) Elma M.; (2) George M., deceased; (3) James Madison; and (4) Albert, married and living in Manawa [Little Wolf Township, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Numbering of issue added by submitter and does not necessarily indicate birth order. George W. ROUNDS died 08 January 1916 in Franklin, Franklin County, Vermont.] Biography of James Madison ROUNDS - p 1190 [brother of Erastus Brown, George Washington, & Lester] James M. ROUNDS, Eureka [Rushford Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin], now engaged in the cultivation of cranberries, was born 10 October 1814 in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vermont. He lived with his parents until he was nineteen years of age [by calculation, about 1833], and went to Cayuga County, New York, and lived with his eldest brother, Horace ROUNDS, five years, and farmed. [By calculation, James M. farmed in Cayuga County until about 1838. Horace was actually the second son. The eldest was William, born 01 April 1802 at Hancock, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, who died 06 May 1850 at San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, and thus was not living when the biography was published in 1879, therefore Horace, born 20 November 1803 in Durham, then Canada East, now Durham, Province of Ontario, Canada, was then the eldest.] James M. ROUNDS worked in a cotton factory a part of that time, at Thorndike [Hampden County], Massachusetts. James M. ROUNDS went to Southport, [Territory of] Wisconsin, in 1839 [Southport became the city of Kenosha on 07 February 1850, and was part of Racine County prior to 26 January 1850, when Kenosha County was created], and worked at carpenter and joiner work and other business about thirteen years, after which he went to Eureka [Winnebago County], Wisconsin, with his brother, Lester ROUNDS. James M. ROUNDS there became one of the firm of Starr, Rounds & Company, built a saw mill, and engaged in manufacturing lumber, etc., for sixteen years. He sold out and erected a barrel factory at Eureka [Winnebago County] and Manawa [Little Wolf Township, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, northwest of, and partially adjoining, Winnebago County]. He followed that business for ten years, then sold out and began his present business. On 10 April 1860 in Eureka [Winnebago County, Wisconsin] he [James M. ROUNDS] was married to Miss Sarah A. FREEMAN, who was born 28 February 1832 [1831?] in Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont. They [James M. and Sarah A. (FREEMAN) ROUNDS] have three children: (1) Dwight C., now in Iowa; (2) Starr K., attending Spencerian Business College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and (3) Ward L., at home. Mr. [James M.] ROUNDS is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. [Both James M. ROUNDS, who died 02 October 1902, and his widow, Mrs. Sarah A. (FREEMAN) ROUNDS, who died 07 June 1916, passed away in Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.] Biography of Lester ROUNDS - pp 1190-1191 [brother of Erastus Brown, George Washington, & James Madison] Lester ROUNDS, Eureka [Rushford Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin], of the firm of Rounds & Cole, dealers in a general line of dry goods, groceries, etc., was born 11 May 1805 in St. Armand [Dunham?], Lower Canada, and was raised in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vermont. He settled in Southport, [Territory of] Wisconsin, in 1839. [Southport became the city of Kenosha on 07 February 1850, and was part of Racine County prior to 26 January 1850, when Kenosha County was created.] He lived in Southport until 1844, taught school occasionally, and held several town offices. In 1844 he moved to Ceresco, going there as Secretary of Wisconsin Phalanx [he was also a Director], but soon engaged in mercantile business. [The commune existed until 1851; the villages of Ceresco, founded 1844, and Ripon, founded 1846, became the city of Ripon in 1858.] He [Lester ROUNDS] was Chairman of the board of supervisors [of Ceresco in 1846], and was on the board two years, being Chairman of the county board the second year. He was also the first Postmaster of that place. [Wisconsin land purchases record that Lester ROUNDS bought eighty acres of land on Section 20, Ripon, on 01 February 1848.] He was there [Ceresco] until 1848, and then moved to Waukau [Rushford Township, Winnebago County], Wisconsin, and engaged in mercantile business. He held the offices of Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace. He was there [Waukau] two years, and moved to Eureka [also in Rushford Township, Winnebago County] in 1850, where he began trade, and has since continued, selling the first goods in Eureka, and being the first Postmaster. He was the first Notary Public, was Justice of the Peace several years, also was also Superintendent of Schools under the town system for two or three years. On 02 September 1827 in Richford [Franklin County], Vermont, Lester ROUNDS was married to Miss Aurilla PARKER, who was born in Richford [County], Vermont. They [Lester and Aurilla (PARKER) ROUNDS] have three children [and one adopted daughter]: (1) Sterling P., now married and living in Chicago [Cook County], Illinois, and a candidate for Public Printer; (2) Horace E., married and living near Rodgers' Park, Chicago, Illinois; the two brothers [Sterling P. and Horace E. ROUNDS] keep a printer's furnishing store in Chicago, Illinois, at 175 Monroe Street; (3) Rhoda A., now married to Mr. A. S. BOLSTER, and living in Kane County, Illinois; she [Rhoda A.] taught the first school in Eureka [Rushford Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin], was the first one married there, and her oldest daughter was the first white child born there. They [Lester Aurilla (PARKER) ROUNDS] also have an adopted daughter, (4) Maggie, now married to J. J. REAM, and living in Oshkosh [Winnebago County], Wisconsin. [See also the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, biography of J. J. REAM. Mr. Lester ROUNDS, died 28 December 1888 in Eureka, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.] Submitted by Cathy Kubly