Biographical Sketch of

John H. Noble

Transcribed by Suzanne Folk for the Marquette Co WI Pages



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 394 - 396

John H. Noble, who resides on section 33 in the town of Kingston, is numbered among the honored pioneer settlers of 
1847. He reached the county in the month of January of that year, and has been identified with its development and 
progress since that time. He knows what it is to undergo the hardships and trials of frontier life and belongs to 
that great band of men and women to whom the highest praise is due, for it was they who laid the foundation of the 
county and paved the way for its present prosperity and advanced position.

On the 15th of May, 1831, Mr. Noble was born in the village of Leroy, Genesee Co., N. Y., his parents being Hezekiah 
and Electa (Richmond) Noble, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. With their parents they removed to the 
Empire State, when children, and in Lewis County, N. Y., were united in marriage. Mrs. Noble was a daughter of one of 
the soldiers of the War of 1812, belonging to the Silver Gray Regiment, and the father of our subject also defended 
the stars and stripes during that contest, receiving a land warrant for his services. Ten children were born of the 
union of Mr. and Mrs. Noble, but only four grew to manhood and womanhood, namely: Richmond, who is engaged in farming 
in the town of Marquette, Green Lake County; Phoebe M., deceased wife of John D. Lesher, a farmer of Green Lake 
Township; and Carleton V., who gave his life for his country. He enlisted as a member of Company C, 32nd Wisconsin 
Infantry and died in the exchange hospital at Memphis. He now sleeps in one of the unmarked graves in the cemetery 
of that city.

Our subject continued to reside in his native State until fifteen years of age, when in the month of November, 1846, 
he accompanied his father of Wisconsin. John Stopped at Watertown, but Mr. Noble continued on to Puckawa, then 
Aupuequa, near where he entered 120 acres of land, it being situated on section 36, township 15, range 11, where his 
son Richmond now resides. In January our subject came to his new home and the following spring the mother, accompanied 
by her two sons and daughter, who had remained in the East, reached Green Lake County, and was duly installed in the 
little log cabin, 12x16 feet, which continued to be their home for a number of years. An addition was afterwards made 
to it, the dimensions being the same as those of the main building, and later another addition of 12x12 feet was added 
and the residence was considered quite a large one for those days. Mr. and Mr. Noble continued to reside upon the old 
homestead until 1858, when they removed to the village of Marquette, where they passed the remainder of their days, 
the husband dying at the age of seventy-four years, after which his wife lived with our subject until her death, 
which occurred at the advanced age of eighty-seven years.

For forty-three years John H. Noble had made his home in Green Lake County.  He passed the days of his boyhood and 
youth at his home but on attaining his majority left the parental roof and, in 1853, was united in marriage with Miss 
Emma Lyon, of the Empire State, by whom he had five children -Harriet L., who is now deceased; Thomas E. L., who 
wedded Miss Dora Chamberlain, of Albert Lea, Minn., and is now engaged in farming near that city; Josephine, who for 
twenty years has followed the profession of teaching and is now employed for the eighth time as a teacher in Iowa Falls 
Township, Hardin Co., Iowa; Judson L., who is engaged in the same profession, and Lucy E. The mother of these children 
died in 1863, and the same year Mr. Nobles was again married, his second union being with Miss Roana Richmond, Beaver 
Dam, Wis. By their union were born two children-Samuel A., who is now a resident of California; and Carleton V., who 
makes his home in the town of Fox Lake, Dodge Co., Wis. On the 22nd of January, 1883, his third marriage was celebrated,
Eunice Gardner, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, becoming his wife.

Mr. Noble made his home in the town of Marquette until February, 1870, when he purchased 164 acres of land on sections 
28 and 33, Kingston Township. There he has one of the best homes in the county. He erected a splendid residence upon 
the farm, raises a high grade of stock, has the latest improved machinery and has done everything necessary to make it 
a model farm. Great indeed is the difference between his present dwelling and the one which sheltered him in the few 
years after his arrival. When he came to the county there were but three log cabins in the village of Marquette and the 
Indians were far more numerous in the settlement than the white men. Their trail ran past the door of the cabin and 
they often occasioned much trouble by stealing the stores of the pioneers. The father had but $5 in money on his 
family's arrival and that he expended for a barrel of flour. When that was exhausted they ground eight bushels of wheat 
in a coffee mill; corn was usually grated on an old tin pan but as it had become dry it was also ground in the coffee 
mill. Money was very scarce at that time and on one occasion Mr. Noble purchased only three-fourths of a pound of salt. 
In addition to their other hardships the family was afflicted with chills and fever so common in new settlements. As 
time passed, however, the financial resources were increased. Comforts were procured and the difficulties incident to 
frontier life became a thing of the past. In political sentiment, Mr. Noble was formerly a supporter of the Whig party, 
but for many years has been a warm advocate of Republican principles. He has held various township offices, discharging 
his duties with great credit to himself and constituents. Socially, he is a member of the organization of Good Templars, 
having since his boyhood taken an active part in the promotion of the temperance cause. He is one of the representative 
and respected citizens of the community and we know that in thus representing him in the PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL 
ALBUM, we afford pleasure to all of his friends.






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